Modelling and simulation of an alkaline electrolyser cell

Abstract

An enhanced one-dimensional model has been developed for an alkaline electrolyser cell for hydrogen production, based on linked modular mathematical models in Simulink®. Where possible, the model parameters were derived on a physical basis and related to the materials of construction and the configuration of its components. This means that the model can be applied to many alkaline electrolyser cells, whereas existing semi-empirical models were generally developed for a specific cell. In addition to predicting the overall equilibrium electrolyser cell performance, the model is a powerful tool for understanding the contributions to cell voltage from the various internal components. It is thus useful as a guide to researchers aiming for improved performance through modified geometry and enhanced electrode materials. The model performed very well when compared to published models tested against the same sets of experimental data.