ELECTROLYSER

A Technical Appraisal of Electrolyser Characteristics.

5. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LABORATORY EXPERIMENTAL WORK

Although the laboratory experiments have been designed to determine efficiencies of the electrolyser the group has not performed any laboratory experiment because of the lack of apparatus. Here we show the description of the experiments we designed. The values we used for calculations are typical commercial values and since it is a well developed technology electrolyser efficiencies can be assumed to be in the range of 90%.

Measurement of the efficiencies from voltage data:

The theoretical voltage required for water electrolysis is 1.2V, but due to different losses the real voltage needed is higher. The ratio between these two values gives the efficiency of the electrolyser in relation to the voltage.

Vt = 1.2V

Vr = Measured on the lab.

Apparatus:

·        PV panel.
·        Rheostat.
·        Electrolyser.

Procedure:

·        Set the rheostat to have a voltage drop of 1.2V (Vt) at the electrolyser.

·        Adjust the rheostat increasing smoothly the voltage until gas bubbles start to appear (hydrolysis is starting...).

·        Record the voltage value at this point (Vr).

·        Work out the efficiency.

Repeat as many times as consider and work out the average of all the values.

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