Electrolyzer and Building Arrangements

A building may be anything from a substantial structure with four full walls and a roof to something little more than a lean-to that provides some measure of protection from sun and rain. 

Concrete should not be relied upon as an electrical insulator. Reinforcing bars should be coated with, for example, epoxy resin. They should not be connected to building steel and should not be allowed to form a continuous path along the length or the width of the building. The joints between sections of precast reinforced concrete should be insulated. 

Walls should be nonconductive and located to allow safe access to cell lines. If maintenance must be performed between the cells and a wall, clearances must be adequate and most of the provisions that apply between rows of cells also apply here. Grounded conductive columns must be placed far enough from anything attached to a live circuit to prevent simultaneous contact by a person, or they must be covered with good, impact-resistant insulators to a sufficient height (about 2.5 m above the floor or platform level). In many cases, full walls are not provided, but partial sidewalls give some weather protection at the operating level. 

Structural steel requires protection from corrosion. Standard primers covered by polyamide or amine-cured paints are frequently used. Walkways should be nonconductive and not slippery. Fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) grating is a standard here. 

Since the cell room is a likely source of chlorine release, it should be located with due regard to prevailing winds and ground-level wind patterns. The building and the cell lines both must have efficient escape routes and easy access to a safe haven where personnel are protected from emissions. 

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