Unveiling Bubble Dynamics of Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis at Elevated Temperatures

Abstract

Operation of water electrolysers at elevated temperatures (> 100°C) is a promising method for substantially increasing the efficiency and reduce the cost of green hydrogen production. These efficiency gains are thought to be limited by bubble-related losses, which manifest as ohmic and mass transport overpotentials. However, there is limited experimental evidence of electrolyzer bubble dynamics in these harsh operating conditions. In this work, we conduct a parametric study of a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer's performance at temperatures up to 120°C and pressures up to 100 bar, while obtaining images of bubble growth and transport. We show that, at elevated temperatures, there is a r..