Influence of the Geometry of the Oxygen Removal Chamber on the Oxygen Concentration in a PEM Water Electrolysis System

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the optimization of an oxygen removal system for water electrolysis plants because high oxygen concentrations can be dangerous and compromise the quality of the hydrogen produced. The design of an oxygen removal system was investigated using numerical analysis. The results showed that the diameter of the chamber had a significant effect on the oxygen removal efficiency, and a diameter twice the size of the gas inlet was found to be optimal. The porosity of the catalyst layer also played a crucial role in the efficiency, with a lower porosity resulting in higher removal rates. Additionally, the optimal chamber length was found to be 76.8 D to achieve an oxygen mole fraction of 2.4 ppm after the chamber, which satisfied the safety criterion of 4.0 ppm. These results can aid in the design of oxygen removal systems for water electrolysis plants, providing a more efficient and safer operation.