An electrolytic device and to a method for operating an electrolysis of water with at least one electrolysis cell, the electrolysis cell having an anode compartment having an anode and a cathode compartment having a cathode. The anode compartment is separated from the cathode compartment by a proton exchange membrane. The anode compartment is suitable for holding water and oxidising the water on the anode to form a first product including oxygen and the cathode compartment is suitable for holding water and reducing the water on the cathode to a second product including hydrogen. Furthermore, the electrolysis device includes a first gas precipitation device for precipitation of oxygen, the first gas precipitation device for carrying out a natural water circulation being arranged above the electrolysis cell.

Herein discussed is an electrochemical reactor comprising an ionically conducting membrane, wherein the reactor performs the water gas shift reactions electrochemically without electricity input, wherein electrochemical water gas shift reactions involve the exchange of an ion through the membrane and include forward water gas shift reactions, or reverse water gas shift reactions, or both. Also discussed herein is a reactor comprising: a bi-functional layer and a mixed conducting membrane; wherein the bi-functional layer and the mixed conducting membrane are in contact with each other, and wherein the bi-functional layer catalyzes reverse-water-gas-shift (RWGS) reaction and functions as an anode in an electrochemical reaction.

Herein discussed is an electrochemical reactor comprising an ionically conducting membrane, wherein the reactor performs the water gas shift reactions electrochemically without electricity input, wherein electrochemical water gas shift reactions involve the exchange of an ion through the membrane and include forward water gas shift reactions, or reverse water gas shift reactions, or both. Also discussed herein is a reactor comprising: a bi-functional layer and a mixed conducting membrane; wherein the bi-functional layer and the mixed conducting membrane are in contact with each other, and wherein the bi-functional layer catalyzes reverse-water-gas-shift (RWGS) reaction and functions as an anode in an electrochemical reaction.

A plugin modular, transportable ammonia producing machine is developed that can conveniently produce ammonia from electricity, air and water. The invention includes ammonia synthesis through a plugin modular device. FIG. 5 depicts the overall process flow of the system. Water at state 1 enters the system at room temperature in the water storage tank. Next, at state 2, the water in the storage tank is sent to the circulation pump that delivers water to the air compressor. This is done for two main purposes. Firstly, the circulating water cools the compressor during operation. Secondly, as the circulating water rises in temperature while leaving the air compressor, its temperature increases. This results in an increased inlet water temperature to the proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyser that leads to higher water electrolysis performance.

A plugin modular, transportable ammonia producing machine is developed that can conveniently produce ammonia from electricity, air and water. The invention includes ammonia synthesis through a plugin modular device. FIG. 5 depicts the overall process flow of the system. Water at state 1 enters the system at room temperature in the water storage tank. Next, at state 2, the water in the storage tank is sent to the circulation pump that delivers water to the air compressor. This is done for two main purposes. Firstly, the circulating water cools the compressor during operation. Secondly, as the circulating water rises in temperature while leaving the air compressor, its temperature increases. This results in an increased inlet water temperature to the proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyser that leads to higher water electrolysis performance.

An electrolysis system for breaking down water into hydrogen and oxygen using at least two electrolysis modules, each electrolysis module having at least two electrolytic cells, an electrolytic cell having an anode compartment and a cathode compartment, the anode compartment being separated from the cathode compartment by a proton exchange membrane, and a switching device, which is compatible with direct current, being arranged electrically in parallel with at least one electrolysis module. The electrolysis system is operated by the at least two electrolysis modules. When the available electrical power decreases, at least one switching device is closed. At least one electrolysis module is bridged by the switching device. The number of electrolysis modules which are then operated is reduced by the number of bridged electrolysis modules. When the available electrical power increases, at least one switching device is opened.

In this disclosure, a process of recycling acid, base and the salt reagents required in the Li recovery process is introduced. A membrane electrolysis cell which incorporates an oxygen depolarized cathode is implemented to generate the required chemicals onsite. The system can utilize a portion of the salar brine or other lithium-containing brine or solid waste to generate hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide and carbonate salts. Simultaneous generation of acid and base allows for taking advantage of both chemicals during the conventional Li recovery from brines and mineral rocks. The desalinated water can also be used for the washing steps on the recovery process or returned into the evaporation ponds. The method also can be used for the direct conversion of lithium salts to the high value LiOH product. The method does not produce any solid effluent which makes it easy-to-adopt for use in existing industrial Li recovery plants.

In this disclosure, a process of recycling acid, base and the salt reagents required in the Li recovery process is introduced. A membrane electrolysis cell which incorporates an oxygen depolarized cathode is implemented to generate the required chemicals onsite. The system can utilize a portion of the salar brine or other lithium-containing brine or solid waste to generate hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide and carbonate salts. Simultaneous generation of acid and base allows for taking advantage of both chemicals during the conventional Li recovery from brines and mineral rocks. The desalinated water can also be used for the washing steps on the recovery process or returned into the evaporation ponds. The method also can be used for the direct conversion of lithium salts to the high value LiOH product. The method does not produce any solid effluent which makes it easy-to-adopt for use in existing industrial Li recovery plants.

An electrode, having a catalytic coating containing ruthenium and at least one other element selected from the group of alkaline earth metals, suitable to be used in industrial electrochemical processes for hydrogen evolution and to a method for the production of the same. The catalytic coating has 93-99 wt-% of ruthenium and 1-7 wt-% of alkaline earth metals, referred to the metals.

An electrode, having a catalytic coating containing ruthenium and at least one other element selected from the group of alkaline earth metals, suitable to be used in industrial electrochemical processes for hydrogen evolution and to a method for the production of the same. The catalytic coating has 93-99 wt-% of ruthenium and 1-7 wt-% of alkaline earth metals, referred to the metals.