Process intensification of hydrogen production from alkaline water electrolysis using 3-D electrodes by Fernando SARAIVA ROCHA da SILVA

Green hydrogen, produced from water electrolysis using renewable electricity, can decarbonize certain sectors such as the cement, steel, and fertilizer industries; long-haul shipping, aviation and cargo road transportation; and store and transport renewable energy. Given the urgent need to limit anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, hydrogen technologies must be deployed on a large scale shortly. This Ph.D. thesis focuses on investigating two process intensification strategies for enhancing scalability of alkaline water electrolysis, the most mature and cost-effective method for green hydrogen production. The first strategy explores the utilization of flow-designed 3-D electrodes under the effect of forced electrolyte flow. Throughout a combined experimental and computation fluid dynamics simulation approach, we have demonstrated that engineering the 3-D electrode macro-porous geometry towards enhanced bubble removal can lead to substantial performance improvements (reaching up to 2 A·cm-2 at 2 V). The second strategy investigates the application of pulsed electric power in alkaline water electrolysis. A comprehensive review of existing literature identified specific scenarios where pulsed power can be advantageous, particularly under low power input conditions. Then, we experimentally confirmed the literature results and highlighted the importance of considering capacitive effects in the pulse performance analysis. Overall, the findings presented here offer promising routes for accelerating the implementation of green hydrogen technologies on a large scale, contributing to the global efforts for mitigating climate change and transitioning towards a sustainable, low-carbon future.

Jury members :

• Prof. Joris Proost (UCLouvain, Belgium), supervisor
• Prof. Hervé Jeanmart (UCLouvain, Belgium), chairperson
• Prof. Alexandru Vlad (UCLouvain, Belgium)
• Prof. Juray De Wilde (UCLouvain, Belgium)
• Prof. Mitsushima Shigenori (Yokohama National University, Japan)
• Prof. Jens Oluf Jensen (Technical University of Denmark, Denmark)

Link of the videoconference https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZTAyZmUxODQtNmQ4NC00NjBlLWJhZjktOGM4YjUwZmQ3ZDZj%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%227ab090d4-fa2e-4ecf-bc7c-4127b4d582ec%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2249698e88-b375-4572-8659-9eaa42a1ebbc%22%7d