Electrolyzer

An electrolyzer for the production of hydrogen from an alkaline electrolyte, wherein the electrolyzer comprises:

• a first header and a second header made of metallic material;
• a plurality of elementary cells and a plurality of bipolar plates arranged between the headers, wherein the elementary cells are separated from each other by one of the bipolar plates;
• clamping elements that mechanically connect the headers so that the elementary cells and the bipolar plates remain stably stacked between the headers;
• wherein each of the elementary cell comprises:
• an anodic portion including an anode electrode and an anodic frame defining a chamber in which the anode electrode is at least partially housed, the anodic portion including at least one sealing plate interposed between the anodic frame and one of the bipolar plates, the anodic portion further comprising an anodic spacer made of metallic material and interposed between the one of the bipolar plates and the anode electrode;
• a cathodic portion including a cathode electrode and a cathodic frame defining a chamber in which the cathode electrode is at least partially housed, the cathodic portion including at least one sealing plate interposed between the cathodic frame and another of the bipolar plates, the cathodic portion further comprising a cathodic spacer made of metallic material and interposed between the cathode electrode and the another of the bipolar plates;
• a separator element that separates the anodic portion from the cathodic portion;
• at least a further sealing plate interposed between the anodic frame of the anodic portion and the cathodic frame of the cathodic portion;
• the electrolyzer further comprising:
• a first distribution channel of the alkaline electrolyte and a first collection channel of a first reaction product comprising mainly oxygen, wherein for each of the elementary cells, the channels are hydraulically connected to the chamber of the anodic portion via grooves defined by the anodic frame;
• a second distribution channel of the alkaline electrolyte and a second collection channel of a second reaction product comprising mainly hydrogen, wherein, for each of the elementary cells, the second distribution channel and the second collection channel are hydraulically connected to the chamber of the cathodic portion via grooves defined by the cathodic frame;
• wherein each of the bipolar plates comprises two plate-form components coupled together and configured to define one or more internal cavities for circulation of a cooling fluid, wherein, each bipolar plate comprises an inlet section and an outlet section respectively for the inlet and outlet of the cooling fluid into the one or more internal cavities;
• the electrolyzer further comprising:
• a delivery channel of the cooling fluid hydraulically connected to the inlet section of each of the bipolar plates;
• and
• a return channel of the cooling fluid hydraulically connected to the outlet section of each of the bipolar plates.