C h e m i c a l , B i o l o g i c a l , a n d E n v i r o n m e n t a l E n g i n e e r i n gC O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G

CONCLUSION

Figure 4. Main components of the Horizon Mini PEM Electrolyzer consist of the anode electrode, cathode electrode, and the PEM catalyst embedded membrane.

BACKGROUND• Island governments want to meet their Paris

agreement target of 30% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030. Transportation of fuel and

supplies for their own use prevent these government from meeting this standard.

• These islands produce abundant crops that yield vegetable oil, and hydrotreating these underutilized

oils will maximize their resource by producing renewable biodiesel fuel and food.

• Hydrotreating oils uses hydrogen to remove oxygen from triglyceride molecules at high temperature

and requires a catalyst. Hydrogen gas generation can then be done by using an electrolyzer.

• An electrolyzer works by electrolysis, an oxidation-reduction reaction. Ions undergo oxidation at the

anode and reduction at the cathode.

• Hydrogen flow produced by electrolysis is dependent on current, duration time, and stoichiometric ratio of hydrogen to electrons.

HYDROGEN PRODUCTION BY ELECTROLYSISRESULTS

Figure 5. Hydrogen flow rate versus current in (a) 50 wt.% methanol / 50 wt.% water solution, (b) 20/80 solution, (c) 80/20 solution, and (d) DI water solution. Current is varied at 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.0 amps.

C B E E 0 5

OBJECTIVE• Build experimental test platform.

• Characterize hydrogen production will simplified methanol-water solution.

• Conduct preliminary economic analysis.

(I) Water , (II) Methanol-Water

Figure 2. Electrolyzer cell showing the two-oxidation reduction reaction for (i) water, (II) methanol-water solution.

Figure 3. Process Flow Diagram of the overall experimental setup using a PEM electrolyzer operating in batch mode. Feed solutions is fed to the anode side of the electrolyzer, while the cathode side output the hydrogen product. The electrolyzer is connected to a DC power supply which supplies electrons needed to split water. Support equipment include peristaltic pump, DC power supply, molecular sieve to dry hydrogen stream, separation beaker, and bubble flow meter to measure gas flow rate.

0.0

0.1

0.2

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0.7

0.8

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1.0

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Min

imu

m c

ell v

olt

age

[V]

Temperature [C]

Figure 6. Minimum cell voltage versus temperature using 50/50 solution. Solution temperature was varied from 6.1 to 51.4°C. Minimum cell voltage varied from 0.1 to 0.887 amp. There is an overall downward trend of cell voltage with increasing temperature.

Belaal Al-Aghbari, Cang Nguyen, Christian NevoSponsored by

HORIZON PEM ELECTROLYZER

• Hydrogen flow rate increases with current.• Minimum cell voltage to start electrolysis decrease with

increasing feed temperature.• Electrolysis performance is pH independent.• The lowest power with the highest gas flowrate generated

from 80 wt.% methanol solution.

Acknowledgement• John Cochran & Andy Brickman – Technical support• Daniel Shafer & Amir Razmi – Supplies• Michael Rodriguez – GC troubleshooting• Dr. Philip Harding - Advising

0.3

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0.9

1.0

10.0 10.5 11.0 11.5 12.0 12.5

Min

imu

m c

ell v

olt

age

[V]

pH

Figure 7. pH versus minimum cell voltage using 50/50 solution. The average minimum cell voltage varied from 0.8 to 0.6 V with respect to different pH due to variability.

FUTURE WORK

• Calibrate Gas Chromatography (GC) to detect hydrogen. • Use Gas Chromatography to determine concentration of

hydrogen within gas sample.• Material balance of hydrogen production from methanol-

water solution.

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9

0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00

Gas

flo

wra

te [

mL/

min

]

Current [amp]

50/50

20/80

80/20

DIW

𝑤𝑡% 𝑀𝑒𝑂𝐻 / 𝑤𝑡% 𝐻2𝑂

Figure 8. Power versus gas flowrate using (a) 50 wt.% methanol / 50 wt.% water solution, (b) 20/80 solution, (c) 80/20 solution, and (d) DI water solution. There is a trend with increasing power.

0

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0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2

Gas

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wra

te [

mL/

min

]

Power [W]

20/80

50/50

80/20

DIW

𝑤𝑡% 𝑀𝑒𝑂𝐻 / 𝑤𝑡% 𝐻2𝑂

Figure 1. General process for hydrotreating oil to biodiesel.

OVERALL PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAM