Water electrolysis system and method of activating water electrolysis device

Abstract

A water electrolysis system includes a water electrolysis cell, a power supply, an oxygen tank, and a control device. The water electrolysis cell has a solid polymer electrolyte membrane and an anode and a cathode provided on both sides of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane in a thickness direction. The water electrolysis cell electrolyzes water by applying a voltage between the anode and the cathode using the power supply. The control device makes the pressure of oxygen generated at the anode relatively higher than the pressure of hydrogen generated at the cathode according to the electrolysis of the water in the water electrolysis cell. The control device makes the pressure of the anode side of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane relatively higher than the pressure of the cathode side by supplying the oxygen from the oxygen tank to the anode before the electrolysis starts.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.