Study on wide power characteristics of water electrolysis hydrogen production plant under fluctuating hydrogen production conditions

In an actual operation, water electrolysis hydrogen production equipment often faces load fluctuations, which can affect parameters such as temperature and potential inside the electrolysis cell. When the load changes, these parameters will change instantaneously, but there is a lag in the mass transfer response, which may lead to a high temperature or high potential in local areas, thereby affecting the purity of hydrogen and the lifespan of the electrolytic cell. This paper innovatively investigates the high-power characteristics of special tunnel-shaped pore structure materials in the process of hydroelectric hydrogen production, especially the influence of power supply on electrolytic cells under pulsating hydrogen production conditions. Through comprehensive experiments and analysis, it was found that the fluctuation of hydrogen purity is more stable at 80% power, while the fluctuation is significant at 60% power. In a large-scale hydrogen production, process parameters need to be adjusted to match the load, especially at 80% load; the temperature of cooling water and storage tanks needs to be controlled to stabilize the hydrogen concentration in oxygen. The study also revealed the characteristics of electrolytic cells with small voltage changes and large current fluctuations during power fluctuations. By synchronously adjusting the electrolyte circulation rate, the hydrogen content of the product’s oxygen was successfully stabilized within the range of 1.03% ~ 1.09%, meeting the factory standards. This study provides important guidance for the safe and stable operation and performance optimization of water electrolysis hydrogen production equipment.