OBTAINING A PRODUCT BY ELECTROLYSIS

Abstract

A method for obtaining a product by electrolysis, including: a) determining a set point for a production output by minimizing a first mathematical function, which depends on the production output and on a predicted product demand; b) determining respective set points for multiple process parameters by minimizing a second mathematical function, which depends on the set point for the production output determined in a), on the process parameters and on predicted degradation effects; c) determining respective set points for changes of multiple control parameters by minimizing a third mathematical function, which depends on the set points for the process parameters determined in b) and on the changes of the control parameters; and d) obtaining the product by performing the electrolysis using the set points for the changes of the control parameters determined in c).

Claims

1. A method for obtaining a product by electrolysis, comprising: a) determining a set point for a production output by minimizing a first mathematical function, which depends on the production output and on a predicted product demand, b) determining respective set points for multiple process parameters by minimizing a second mathematical function, which depends on the set point for the production output determined in a), on the process parameters and on predicted degradation effects, c) determining respective set points for changes of multiple control parameters by minimizing a third mathematical function, which depends on the set points for the process parameters determined in b) and on the changes of the control parameters, d) obtaining the product by performing the electrolysis using the set points for the changes of the control parameters determined in c).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a) to d) are performed periodically.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein in a) a production schedule is determined.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein in a) a supply chain is taken into account.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first mathematical function further depends on a capacity of a storage for the product.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a) comprises using a first model configured for predicting a respective availability of multiple sources of electricity.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein b) comprises an interaction of a second model configured for predicting operational information based on current and past measured operational information, and a third model configured for describing physical effects of the electrolysis.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second mathematical function depends on an actual production output provided in terms of the process parameters.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein in b) safety boundary conditions are adhered to.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein in b) respective set points are determined at least for an operation temperature and an operation pressure as the process parameters.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein in c) for the process parameters respective dynamic responses to respective changes of the control parameters are calculated.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the changes of the control parameters are determined in c) such that the process parameters are set to the respective set points.

13. An electrolysis arrangement comprising: an electrolysis installation having at least one electrolysis stack and a supply installation for supplying an electrolysis medium and electric energy to the at least one electrolysis stack, a control unit configured for controlling the electrolysis installation so as to obtain a product by electrolysis with a method according to claim 1.

14. An electrolysis arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the control unit is configured for frequently receiving information from the electrolysis installation and for frequently providing control signals to the electrolysis installation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0096] In the following the invention will be described with respect to the figures. The figures show a preferred embodiment, to which the invention is not limited. The figures and the dimensions shown therein are only schematic. The figures show:

[0097] FIG. 1 is an electrolysis arrangement according to the invention,

[0098] FIG. 2 is a visualization of a method for obtaining a product by electrolysis according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0099] FIG. 1 shows an electrolysis arrangement 15 comprising an electrolysis installation 1 with an electrolysis stack 3 and a supply installation 2 for supplying an electrolysis medium and electric energy to the at least one electrolysis stack 3. Downstream of the electrolysis stack 3 a stream of electrolysis products is provided. In case of more than one electrolysis products, respective flows are provided. With units 4,5,6 the electrolysis product(s) are treated. Therein, unit 4 is a gas/liquid separator unit configured for purification and unit 5 is a gas purification unit such as a water condenser. The unit 6 can be, for example, configured as an analysis unit. At a terminal 7 the electrolysis product can exit the electrolysis installation 1.

[0100] Further, the electrolysis arrangement 15 comprises a control unit 14 configured for controlling the electrolysis device 1 so as to obtain a product by electrolysis with the method illustrated in FIG. 2. The control unit 14 comprises a respective control element 11,12,13 for a), b) and c) of the method. The control unit 14 is configured for frequently receiving information from the electrolysis installation 1 and for frequently providing control signals to the electrolysis installation 1.

[0101] The electrolysis arrangement 15 further comprises a distributed control system (DCS) 9 that is connected to the electrolysis installation 1 via a link 8 and that is connected to the control unit 14. The distributed control system (DCS) 9 is connected to a SCADA system 10, where all the current and historical data are stored and accessible.

[0102] FIG. 2 illustrates a method for obtaining a product by electrolysis. The method comprises: [0103] a) determining a set point for a production output by minimizing a first mathematical function, which depends on the production output and on a predicted product demand, [0104] b) determining respective set points for multiple process parameters by minimizing a second mathematical function, which depends on the set point for the production output determined in a), on the process parameters and on predicted degradation effects, [0105] c) determining respective set points for changes of multiple control parameters by minimizing a third mathematical function, which depends on the set points for the process parameters determined in b) and on the changes of the control parameters, [0106] d) obtaining the product by performing the electrolysis using the set points for the changes of the control parameters determined in c).

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0107] 1 electrolysis installation [0108] 2 supply installation [0109] 3 electrolysis stack [0110] 4 unit [0111] 5 unit [0112] 6 unit [0113] 7 terminal [0114] 8 link [0115] 9 distributed control system (DCS) [0116] 10 SCADA system [0117] 11 control element [0118] 12 control element [0119] 13 control element [0120] 14 control unit [0121] 15 electrolysis arrangement