Electrolytic generators

An electrolytic generator comprising:

• a zero-gap electrolytic stack comprised of a first electrode, a second electrode, and a polymer-electrolyte membrane placed between the first and second electrodes, the electrodes adapted to receive electrical current between the first electrode and the second electrode when a voltage bias is applied to the electrodes;
• the first electrode is configured to receive alternate polarities of electrical current while the second electrode is configured to receive opposite alternate polarities of electrical current, with the first electrode acting alternatively as an anode thereby defining an anolyte chamber producing an anolyte and a cathode thereby defining a catholyte chamber producing a catholyte while the second electrode acts alternatively as a cathode thereby defining a catholyte chamber producing a catholyte and an anode thereby defining an anolyte chamber producing an anolyte, respectively;
• a fluid passage comprising a first fluid passage, a second fluid passage, and a third, direct fluid passage, the first fluid passage causing a fluid to be in contact with the first electrode of the zero-gap electrolytic stack, the second fluid passage causing the fluid to be in contact with the second electrode of the zero-gap electrolytic, and the third, direct passage providing direct fluid connection between the first fluid passage and the second fluid passage, wherein the fluid flows from the first fluid passage to the second fluid passage via the third, direct fluid passage such that when the first fluid passage is an anolyte chamber, the anolyte enters the second fluid passage, which is a catholyte chamber, via the third, direct fluid passage and when the first fluid passage is a catholyte chamber, the catholyte enters the second fluid passage, which is an anolyte chamber, via the third, direct fluid passage.