Solid polymer electrolyte electrolytic hydrogen generating

Equation (3) and (4) mean that the supply of the energetic e is needed to split water. This is the basic principle of water-electrolysis. The PEMFC is just the reverse operation of the SPE. Hydrogen fuel is decomposed into 2e and 2H+ by the catalytic cathode. The protons pass through the solid polymer (electrolyte) and arrive at the anode (A) to react with the electrons and the supplied oxygen. Then, water is produced. The electrons come to A via the external resistance. This fuel cell generates, ideally, about 1 V-direct current power. A stack of the cells is constructed to give the output power with, for example, 25 kW, which is set together to drive the vehicles. 

L. J. Nuttall, A. P. Fickett, and W. A. Titterington, Hydrogen generation by solid polymer electrolyte technology, American Chemical Society Division of Fuel Chemistry Meeting, Chicago, IL, 1973. 

Major tasks of the hydrogen energy program in the Russian Federation in which about 20 scientific organisations are involved include research on fuel cells and electrolyzers both with solid polymer electrolyte, on H2 / O2 steam generator (experiments with 20- 100 kW and 10-20 MW thermal power), and on catalytic combustion [83]. 

Fig. 5 7 Solid-polymer electrolyte cells for water electrolysis, (a) Reactions, (b) The cell arrangement (c) A demonstration electrolyser module which incorporates 34 cells and will generate up to 14 m h of hydrogen. (Courtesy CJB Developments Ltd.)...

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