Test Systems for Electrolyzers

The production of green hydrogen through electrolysis is seen as a promising solution for the global energy transition. Green hydrogen is favored as it has the potential to decarbonize entire industries. To push the "green transformation," reliable electrolysis processes as well as hydrogen testing solutions are required. HORIBA FuelCon's testing and production solutions help various industries, such as the energy and automotive sector, shipping, aviation, environment and science, to realize the transition to new energies.

Electrolysis describes the process of a chemical cleavage in which a redox reaction is forced by electric current. Electrolyzers are used in a wide variety of technical substance separations - including the production of hydrogen. An electrolyzer splits water into oxygen and hydrogen. If only electricity from renewable energies such as solar, wind or hydroelectric plants is used to produce both components, the product is called green hydrogen.

The technology of electrolysis corresponds to the operating principle of a fuel cell - only in reverse. In a fuel cell, hydrogen and oxygen react to water vapor, where during electron transfer electrical energy is also converted.

Germany is making a major contribution to global hydrogen research and is steadily expanding its activities in the field of electrolysis. The number of electrolyzers and their test stations, which are used to test functionalities and operating strategies, is increasing at the same time. Each of the different electrolyzer technologies requires a customized test and production solution. HORIBA FuelCon is your reliable partner for your hydrogen test solution needs.

There are three main types of water electrolyzers, which differ mainly in the electrolyte used, the operating temperature or the design of the electrolysis cell:

Pure water is fed into the anode of the electrolyzer, where it is split by a catalyst. Oxygen is produced directly on the anode side, whereas the hydrogen ions are passed through a solid polymer membrane and react on the cathode side to form hydrogen.

Water vapor is electrolyzed at high temperatures of around 900 °C. The additional thermal energy reduces the power requirement of the reaction and enables very high efficiencies.

Pure water is fed into the cathode of the electrolyzer, where it is split by a catalyst. Hydrogen is produced directly on the cathode side, whereas the oxygen ions are passed through an alkaline solution and react to form oxygen on the anode side.

HORIBA FuelCon is your partner for test and manufacturing plants for electrolyzers. Our goal of development is creating solutions that bundle all competencies in the field of electrolysis and hydrogen tests. Our strength is a combination of our global reach, state-of-the-art measurement technologies and extensive user knowledge. More than 1,000 test stations delivered worldwide make us a reliable partner in the market.

Our benefits at a glance:

• High efficiency and lower system costs through innovative pressure management up to 100 bar
• Flexible solutions for all types of applications and test priorities with electrical power requirements between 10 W and 5 MW, currents up to 16,000 A and voltages up to 1,200 V
• Robust and reliable measurements with highest accuracy due to high quality and durable components
• 4 Alarm concept as a safety feature to protect the test item, test station, building and also the operator
• PC with specially developed HORIBA TestWork Automation
   

Our test stations for single cell, short stack, and full stack up to a complete system are equipped with high-quality analytics and enable automated tests in the power range up to 5 MW at electrolysis voltages of up to 1,200 V and maximum currents up to 16,000 A. Among other features, we design for high-pressure electrolyzers with a pressure management of up to 100 bar. Pressure levels of this magnitude are our answer to market demands for higher efficiency and lower system costs.

HORIBA FuelCon covers all safety-related issues with an all-in-one concept. We offer a variety of control modes for upstream, downstream and differential pressure in pressure management, our HORIBA TestWork system reliably implements hardware and software tests and we realize highly accurate target values with our comprehensive sensor solution for process monitoring. The safe interaction of all components is the basis for testing efficient, durable and scalable electrolyzers.

The HORIBA Group also provides competent service support worldwide. As a customer, you can contact us with your questions. Knowledgeable and experienced staff are the first point of contact for support.