Electrolyzer System Modeling - Experimental Testing of PEM Electrolyzer Degradation

Bermudez Blanco, Javier

4. term

Energy Engineering, Master

2026

100

Green hydrogen is important for building sustainable energy systems and bringing them to market. Proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers are a promising way to produce green hydrogen, but there is limited research on how they degrade over long periods. This project develops a Python-based simulation model that links mass transport (movement of water, gases, and ions) with the cell’s thermodynamic and electrochemical behavior. Known degradation mechanisms are included to predict lifetime and performance over time with high fidelity. An experimental cell was assembled and operated for 500 hours in a Greenlight test station. Additional data were collected using EIS (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy) and XRD (X-ray diffraction). These measurements were incorporated into the model, resulting in a 1D semi-empirical model (one-dimensional, combining theory and data). The model’s flexibility and robustness were demonstrated by simulating performance under various operating conditions: temperatures, pressures, current densities (current per area), and symmetric/asymmetric configurations (same or different pressure on the anode and cathode sides). The results revealed a counterintuitive effect at high temperatures: at low, equal pressure or with elevated pressure on the cathode side, membrane thinning can be mitigated by controlling oxygen crossover (oxygen passing through the membrane) and oxygen solubility in water. The model serves as a tool for optimization, prediction, and studying key phenomena in PEM electrolyzers.

Grøn brint er vigtig for udviklingen af bæredygtige energisystemer og for at få dem ind på markedet. Protonudvekslingsmembran (PEM) elektrolysatorer er en lovende teknologi til at producere grøn brint, men der mangler viden om, hvordan de forringes over lang tid. I dette projekt udvikles en Python-baseret simulationsmodel, der kobler masstransport (bevægelse af vand, gasser og ioner) med cellens termodynamiske og elektrokemiske egenskaber. Kendte nedbrydningsmekanismer er indbygget for at kunne forudsige levetid og driftsadfærd over tid med høj detaljeringsgrad. En forsøgs-celle blev samlet og kørt i 500 timer i en Greenlight-teststation. Der blev indsamlet supplerende data med EIS (elektrokemisk impedansspektroskopi) og XRD (røntgendiffraktion). Disse målinger blev brugt i modellen, som dermed blev en 1D semi-empirisk model (en-dimensionel og baseret på både teori og data). Modellens fleksibilitet og robusthed blev demonstreret ved at simulere ydeevnen under forskellige driftsbetingelser: temperaturer, tryk, strømtætheder (strøm pr. areal) samt symmetrisk/asymmetrisk konfiguration (samme eller forskelligt tryk på anode- og katodesiden). Resultaterne viste en modintuitiv effekt ved høje temperaturer: Ved lavt, ensartet tryk (samme på begge sider) eller ved forhøjet tryk på katodesiden kan membranudtynding dæmpes, hvis man styrer oxygen crossover (ilt, der passerer gennem membranen) og iltens opløselighed i vand. Modellen kan bruges som værktøj til optimering, forudsigelser og til at undersøge de underliggende fænomener i PEM-elektrolysatorer.

[This apstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]

Hydrogen ; PEM electrolyzer ; Degradation ; Simulation Model ; Electrolysis

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Bermudez Blanco, Javier:

• Experimental Testing of PEM Electrolyzer Degradation (2025)