The world’s largest alkaline water electrolyzer not only produces a significant amount of hydrogen but also operates efficiently, consuming less than 43.09 kWh of electricity per kilogram.
The Chinese conglomerate Shuangliang announced that it has completed a new hydrogen production machine capable of processing 5,000 standard cubic meters per hour (Nm3/h), as reported by Interesting Engineering on October 22. Shuangliang stated that this is the largest alkaline water electrolyzer in the world.
New alkaline water electrolyzer. (Photo: Shuangliang).
1 Nm3/h is approximately equivalent to 0.09 kg. This means the new machine could produce about 450 kg of hydrogen per hour while consuming less than 43.09 kWh of electricity per kilogram. If accurate, this would make it the largest and most efficient machine of its kind in the world.
Another example globally is the alkaline pressure electrolyzer from the German company Nordex SE located in Spain. It has the capacity to produce around 10 kg of hydrogen per hour, consuming less than 50 kWh of electricity per kilogram.
Alkaline electrolyzers, like Shuangliang’s new device, operate by combining high-concentration liquid electrolytes, such as potassium or sodium hydroxide, with a porous inorganic membrane and specialized electrodes. The electrolyte is then passed between the electrodes and is separated into various gases.
Next, an electric current flows through the electrolyte, splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen. The hydrogen can then be extracted, ready for storage and use. This technology is ideal for large-scale hydrogen production at relatively low costs.
Hydrogen can be used directly as fuel or for other industrial applications. The entire process is performed using renewable technology, which does not directly emit CO2. Additionally, hydrogen can serve fuel cell technology, a developing field in transportation and energy production. It is also a crucial raw material in the chemical industry for producing products like ammonia.
