It is time to bring the worlds of electrolyzers

and power supply systems together

In practice, rectifiers and electrolyzers are connected by thick copper or aluminum busbars that
facilitate current transport. However, there is currently a lack of a strong connection between the
electrical engineers designing the power supply system and the electrochemical engineers responsible
for designing the electrolyzer. This should change.

By Thijs de Groot, Associate Professor in Electrochemical Engineering, Technical University of Eindhoven

To accelerate the implementation of large-scale which amplifies the relative impact of CAPEX on
green hydrogen production, we must reduce the LCOH.
production costs, also known as the levelized cost
of hydrogen (LCOH). To achieve this, it is crucial Cost reduction
to address both CAPEX and OPEX. CAPEX is Cheaper and more efficient electrolyzers are
particularly significant for electrolyzers that will being developed by start-ups and scale-ups.
operate based on variable renewable electricity As more green hydrogen production plants are
sources, such as solar and wind. The intermittent built, costs will be further reduced by automated
availability of these electricity sources results electrolyzer production lines, replacing present-
in limited operating hours for the electrolyzers, day manual production. However, the electrolyzer

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 [ electrolysis ]

is just one part of the plant and typically accounts The power supply technology is considered
for approximately 13% of the plant’s CAPEX, mature, which, unfortunately, means that its cost
as depicted in Figure 1. Even if the electrolyzer reduction potential is limited compared to that of
stacks were provided for free, a green hydrogen electrolyzers. In fact, increasing flexibility and grid
production plant would still be expensive! requirements may result in rising costs, as more
advanced filtering and rectification solutions are
To further reduce costs, we need to look at other required. Consequently, the relative contribution of
parts of the plant. One of these components is the the power supply system to the total plant costs is
power supply system, which has been estimated likely to increase in the future.
to account for approximately 14% of the overall
costs. It is schematically depicted in Figure 2 Taking a system-level approach
and includes transformers that reduce the high What can we do to keep the costs of the power
voltages from the grid to the required levels for the supply system under control? Firstly, we should
electrolyzers (typically 200–600 V) and rectifiers move away from regarding the power supply
that convert alternating current (AC) into direct system as a mere ‘slave’ to the electrolyzer, i.e.,
current (DC). Additionally, it includes various other a system that just needs to deliver the desired
components such as harmonic filters and coolers. DC current and voltage to the electrolyzer. The

Fig. 1. Breakdown of the total installed costs for 1 GW green hydrogen plant based on alkaline technology1

Hydrogen Tech World | Issue 14 | February 2024 29

 [ electrolysis ]

Fig. 2. Schematic representation of the power supply system

problem with this approach is that it can lead electrochemical engineers should receive proper
to high costs for the rectifier, e.g., when very training on power supply systems, and electrical
high-quality DC current is required. Instead, we engineers should also be trained on electrolyzers.
should adopt a systems perspective, focusing on Additionally, we should conduct more extensive
optimizing the design of the combined rectifier research on the interface between the power
and electrolyzer. While this approach may result in supply system and the electrolyzer. There are few
the electrolyzer receiving a slightly less perfect DC articles on this interface, and even fewer are co-
current, potentially leading to lower performance, authored by a combination of electrochemists and
this trade-off is outweighed by the cost savings electrical specialists, which is desired to ensure
achieved in the power supply system. high-quality work.

To be able to make the right decision at a system A first step: creating a combined rectifier-
level, we need to understand all the key aspects electrolyzer model
of both the electrolyzer and the power supply A few years ago, I started talking to one of
system, and especially their interaction. Here we my colleagues of the electrical engineering
face a challenge: the electrolyzer is the domain department. Together, we reached the conclusion
of electrochemical engineers, whereas the that it would be nice if we could combine electrical
power supply system is the domain of electrical and electrochemical models into one. So, that
engineers. Even though the names of these groups is what we started doing with the help of two
may be similar, they have very different expertise bright master’s students. The resulting model is
and as a result struggle to understand each other. depicted in Figure 3.
Personally, I am an electrochemical engineer,
and until a couple of years ago, I barely knew the The model combines a 6-pulse thyristor rectifier
difference between a rectifier and transformer, model and an electrochemical model consisting
just assuming that the power supply system would of two parts: a steady-state electrolyzer model
deliver a perfect DC current to my electrolyzers. that calculates the cell potential based on
the average current, and a dynamic model
We need to bring the worlds of electrolyzers and that calculates the variation in cell potential
power supply systems together. This means that from the variation in input current. The input

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 [ electrolysis ]

Fig. 3. Combined rectifier-electrolyzer model2

values required for the electrochemical models more advanced 12- or 24-pulse or insulated-gate
were obtained from laboratory experiments. bipolar transistor (IGBT) rectifiers. Therefore,
Furthermore, the combined electrochemical the presented results are not directly relevant for
model was also experimentally validated in the these plants. Optimizing a filter was also not the
laboratory, demonstrating its ability to effectively objective of this work. Instead, it was to show the
model potential responses within the millisecond potential of this type of modeling. To really create
range. Although the electrochemical model was value, more advanced rectifier models will need to
originally developed for a small-scale laboratory be combined with electrolyzer models.
electrolyzer, it can be easily adapted to effectively
describe a large-scale industrial electrolyzer. Making the right design choices
Modeling the interface between the electrolyzer
Efficiency modeling and the power supply system can help in making
We used the model to determine efficiency losses the right design choices for the plant, especially
caused by imperfect rectification, which occur when these models can be effectively coupled
in both the electrolyzer and the rectifier. In the to cost models for both CAPEX and OPEX. This
electrolyzer, these losses stem from the current approach has the potential to assist in selecting
‘ripples’ resulting from imperfect rectification of the most suitable rectifier type (IGBT or thyristor-
the 6-pulse rectifier. In the rectifier, losses occur
due to a filter designed to mitigate these ripples. 6%
5% stack loss
Efficiency loss

Our modeling work revealed that a strong filter

4% filter loss
reduces efficiency losses in the electrolyzer but
3%
increases losses in the filter itself (see Figure 4).
2%
This necessitates a trade-off when determining
the filter size. Additionally, the operating profile of 1%
the electrolyzer must be considered in this trade- 0%
off, as efficiency losses depend on the load of the No filter Strong No filter Strong
filter filter
electrolyzer.
100% load 20% load
Modern electrolyzer plants will not make use of Fig. 4. Efficiency losses resulting from imperfect rectification with
and without the inclusion of a filter in the rectifier
6-pulse thyristor rectifiers, but instead will use

Hydrogen Tech World | Issue 14 | February 2024 31

 [ electrolysis ]

based) for grid-based electrolyzers and those There is really a lot of POTENTIAL if we bring the
directly connected to renewable energy sources. worlds of electrolyzers and power supply systems
Furthermore, it can contribute to determining together!
the optimal operating range and profile for the
electrolyzer plant, since the power supply system References
can be one of the flexibility limiting factors. 1
ISPT. (2022). Gigawatt green hydrogen plant: State-
of-the-art design and total installed capital costs.
Predictive maintenance 2
Journal of Power Sources 560 (2023): 232629.
Yet, there is even more potential at the interface
between the power supply system and the About the author
electrolyzer. In particular, more advanced Dr. Thijs de Groot
rectifier systems (e.g., IGBT) can potentially is an Associate
serve as a tool to assess the state-of-health of Professor in the field
an electrolyzer stack. While current state-of- of electrochemical
engineering at
health assessments are mostly limited to stack
Eindhoven University
and cell potential measurements, an advanced
of Technology. Before
rectifier could open the way to measurements
taking on this role, he
that are similar to electrochemical impedance
accumulated 15 years
spectroscopy, a strong electrochemical technique of experience in innovation positions with
that is currently mostly confined to the laboratory companies involved in the chlor-alkali and
scale due to its relatively high costs. Ideally, this water electrolysis industries. In his research,
could enable the prediction of the remaining he focuses on improved cell and stack design
lifespan of an electrolyzer stack before a decline for alkaline and anion-exchange membrane
in performance. Nevertheless, achieving this will electrolysis, but also looks beyond the stack to
still require extensive research. the complete electrochemical plant.

32 Hydrogen Tech World | Issue 14 | February 2024