Electrolyzers: Neuman & Esser

In water electrolysis, electrical energy is used to split water molecules (H₂O) into their components: H₂ as the main product and O₂ as a by-product.

In addition to the stacks in which the electrochemical process is implemented, the electrolysis system contains all the necessary components and subsystems to guarantee an optimized process. Particular attention is paid to process water treatment, heat management and power supply. The gas treatment completes the system and guarantees the ambitious product qualities. The fully automated and self-protecting system is known as the Balance of Plant (BoP) and is divided into the following components:

Power Electronics

regulates the voltage level and converts the alternating current into direct current, which is required for the stacks

Water Treatment Module

treats the water to demineralized (DM) water to ensure a long stack lifetime

Thermal Management Module

ensures the optimum operating temperature range of the PEM stacks and thus has a major influence on system efficiency

Purification and Gas Analysis Module

removes impurities in the hydrogen stream and analyzes the quality of hydrogen and oxygen to continuously monitor the health of the system

Safety Module

ensures safe operation of the system

Supply Equipment

for a turnkey solution, the compressed air supply for the instrumentation, a chiller, the nitrogen supply for inerting the system, etc. must already be integrated into the system

Two main electrolyzer technologies are currently used in the industry. The first is alkaline electrolysis (ALK), in which a liquid electrolyte (potassium or sodium hydroxide) is used as the starting material. And secondly, polymer electrolyte membrane electrolyzers (PEM), which are fed with ultrapure water. PEM electrolysis offers the advantage of a high-purity process gas and flexible operation. PEM electrolyzers are therefore particularly preferred in connection with volatile, renewable energy systems.

In the context of the EU's decarbonization targets, on-site production of hydrogen by electrolysis from renewable energy sources is an attractive solution. The use of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier enables the storage of large amounts of energy over longer periods of time. It can also play an important role in stabilizing the electricity grid if the share of highly fluctuating energy sources such as wind and photovoltaics in electricity generation increases. If electricity is used exclusively from renewable energy sources during production, the resulting hydrogen is described as "green" and emission-free.

System Performance of NEA|HYTRON PEM

Hydrogen Production per Module (PEM): 10 – 1,000 Nm³/h
Hydrogen Purity: 99.9% – 99.9999% | 3.0 to 6.0
Nominal Discharge Pressure: 10 – 30 bar(g)
Power Consumption: 50 kW – 5.0 MW

Description of NEA|HYTRON PEM

modular electrolysis system: 50 kW – 5 MW
hydrogen production: 10 Nm³/h – 1,000 Nm³/h per module
H₂ nominal discharge pressure: 30 bar(g)
O₂ nominal discharge pressure: 4 bar(g)
H₂ purity: 99.9% – 99.9999%
O₂ purity: 98%
operation range: 20/30 – 100% (depending on the module size)
typical availability: 97.2%
footprint: mounted in ISO 20’ or 40’, of type ISO high cube containers
water supply: 20 L/kg H₂
high purity water consumption: 10 L/kg H₂
system design for 25 years of operation

Features of NEA|HYTRON PEM

system developed and project executed by our team with more than 100 years of experience in hydrogen projects
simple installation and scalability thanks to the modular design of the system
consideration of limited space thanks to containerized system
the status of the system is continuously monitored using our NEA|XPLORE cloud platform
if required, the system supplies hydrogen of the highest purity, e.g. for mobility applications
delivery of the complete system, including engineering, equipment and control
ensuring the smooth operation of the system by our service

Applications of NEA|HYTRON PEM

Hydrogen Mobility: Hydrogen is used in many mobility applications. In heavy goods transport, it has the potential to decarbonize this sector.
Fuel Cell Technology: Hydrogen fuel cells are used under many different conditions, e.g. to supply buildings with electricity and heat or to power vehicles with a longer range.
Energy Storage System: Hydrogen is suitable for storing green energy for months at a time. Compared to batteries, large amounts of energy can be stored much more cheaply.
Ammonia Production: The Haber-Bosch process can be used to produce ammonia for the fertilizer industry or for energy transport. The starting point of the Haber-Bosch process is hydrogen and nitrogen.
Hydrotreating of Fuels: Fuels are processed by hydrotreating. The process is currently the main consumer of hydrogen in Germany.
Production of Synthetic Fuels: The production of carbon-neutral e-fuels requires green hydrogen as a starting point.
General Industrial Use: The production of glass, food, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and other industrial products requires high temperatures, which can be generated in a CO₂-neutral way by burning hydrogen.