Russian specialists have completed testing of a new electrolyzer for producing hydrogen from water. The unit is capable of delivering up to 5 cubic meters of fuel per hour, ensures gas purity of 99.9%, and is entirely built on domestic technologies. The development was carried out by specialists from "Tsentrotekh" (part of TVEL) commissioned by Rosenergoatom.
The prototype successfully passed long-term tests, operating for a total of more than 8 thousand hours. During the check, the equipment maintained stability even when operating at loads up to 115% of its nominal power.
The new system is designed for energy, where hydrogen is used, in particular, for cooling turbogenerators at power plants. Unlike a number of existing solutions, the Russian electrolyzer operates based on an anion-conducting matrix and does not require the use of liquid alkali.
One of the advantages of the unit is the high speed of performance change. The system is capable of increasing or decreasing hydrogen production by 50% in less than 10 seconds, which allows for faster adaptation to load changes.
At the same time, the technology does not require complex raw material preparation: ordinary distilled water is sufficient to produce hydrogen. The developers note that such a solution simplifies equipment operation and reduces dependence on foreign supplies.
The new development creates the basis for the production of next-generation Russian electrolysis units capable of operating as part of the energy infrastructure without the use of foreign technologies.