Enapter Challenge: Design a water trap for AEM electrolyser
The goal of this challenge is to design a water trap that can remove moisture from the hydrogen stream of anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyser in a continuous process.
Introduction
Enapter is the only manufacturer of the anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyser. The standardized modular AEM electrolyser can produce 500 NL of green hydrogen per hour from water and renewable energy source. The core of the device, the AEM stack, consists of two half-cells
separated by an AEM. During the electrolysis process, the electrolyte (potassium hydroxide solution) circulates through the anode half-cell at ambient pressure, while hydrogen is produced in the cathode half-cell at a pressure of 35 bar. The separate half-cell design allows the AEM electrolyser to produce hydrogen with a high purity. The main impurity of the hydrogen from the AEM stack is 12000 ppm of water. For the principle of AEM electrolysis see: https://www.enapter.com/aem-water-electrolysis-how-it-works.
Challenge
To meet the requirement of common hydrogen fuel cells, the water content in the hydrogen needs to be reduced from 12000 ppm to 10 ppm. Enapter’s current AEM electrolyser model EL 2.1 has a water trap (see images below) on the hydrogen pipeline, which can reduce the moisture in the hydrogen produced by the AEM stack from 12000 ppm to 1000 ppm via simple condensation. The water is accumulated in the water trap during hydrogen production and periodically released to the
purge line. The remaining 1000 ppm of water in the hydrogen output of the EL 2.1 is later removed in
a separate dryer module (DRY 2.1) with moisture absorption beads. When the beads become
saturated with water, they need to be regenerated by heating and drying.
Enapter is challenging the GrabCAD Community to design the water trap for the AEM electrolyser that can remove as much moisture as possible from the hydrogen without manual maintenance. The performance of the new water trap should be better than the current design, which is 1000 ppm of water in the hydrogen output. The goal is to have a hydrogen output from the AEM electrolyser that can be fed to fuel cells directly, which requires a water content of 10 ppm or less. In this way, we may eventually eliminate the dryer from the hydrogen generation system, making the system more compact and efficient. For maximizing the energy efficiency of the system, the water trap design should consume as little power as possible.
Requirements
Technical Specifications
The temperature of hydrogen stream flowing into the water trap: 55 °C
Ambient temperature of the water trap inside the AEM electrolyser: 30 °C
Flow rate of the hydrogen: 500 NL/h
Pressure of the hydrogen: 35 bar
Water content of the hydrogen input: 12000 ppm (vol.)
Target water content of the hydrogen output: less than 1000 ppm (vol.), aiming for 10 ppm (vol.)
Specifications process connection: in and out both ¼’’ stainless steel pipes
Dimension of the current water trap design: ø26x124 mm
Specific dimensions can be found in the pipeline CAD file of the current water trap. Download the Stp file here!
“Specifications of the
AEM electrolyser can be found here!
and that tof the dryer system can be found here!
Water content in hydrogen under different conditions can be calculated here:
http://www.michell.com/uk/calculator/judging criteria
The design will be judged on their originality and creativity. The concept will be evaluated as well asthe execution of the design.The design will be judged on the amount of water that it can potentially remove.
The water trap should be free from manual maintenance, and regular maintenance should be performed via the build-in program. It should support a continuous process of hydrogen production.The dimension of the water trap should be minimized. A target size of <26*80*160 mm (the available space in the current model of EL 2.1) is preferred.
The design should maximize the overall energy efficiency of the AEM electrolyser by minimizing any additional power input.
The design should minimize the loss of hydrogen during water removal.
The water trap should be suitable for low-cost mass manufacture.
The water trap should be at least as reliable and robust as our electrolyser system, meaning a lifetime of 10-20 years.Specifications for file submission
Model file format: models should be submitted in .stp or .igs formats and as 3D-pdf file.
Images of the design from FRONT, SIDE and TOP views should be included in your submission.A brief but clear description of the working principle and rationale of your water trap design should be submitted together in PDF format.
Renderings: renderings are not mandatory, but they can earn bonus points from the jury.
Any supplementary documents should be in PDF format.If the files are zipped, the file compression should be compatible with Windows 10 and should not require any special software to unzip.
Download The stp file below
Rules
ENTERING THE COMPETITION:
If you think an entry may infringe on existing copyrighted materials, please email challenges@grabcad.com.
By entering the Challenge you:
1) Accept the official GrabCAD Challenges Terms & Conditions.
2) Agree to be bound by the decisions of the judges (Jury).
3) Warrant that you are eligible to participate.
4) Warrant that the submission is your original work. Warrant, to the best of your knowledge, your work is not, and has not been in production or otherwise previously published or exhibited.
5) Warrant neither the work nor its use infringes the intellectual property rights (whether a patent, utility model, functional design right, aesthetic design right, trademark, copyright or any other intellectual property right) of any other person.
6) Warrant participation shall not constitute employment, assignment or offer of employment or assignment.
7) Are not entitled to any compensation or reimbursement for any costs.
8) Agree the Sponsor and GrabCAD have the right to promote all entries.
SUBMITTING AN ENTRY
Only entries uploaded to GrabCAD through the "Submit entry" button on this Challenge page will be considered an entry. Only public entries are eligible. We encourage teams to use GrabCAD Workbench for developing their entries. Entries are automatically given the tag "EnapterChallenge2020" when uploading to GrabCAD. Please do not edit or delete this tag. Only entries with valid tag will participate in the Challenge.AWARDING THE WINNERS
The sum of the Awards is the total gross amount of the reward. The awarded participant is solely liable for the payment of all taxes, duties, and other similar measures if imposed on the reward pursuant to the legislation of the country of his/her residence, domicile, citizenship, workplace, or any other criterion of similar nature. Only 1 award per person. Prizes may not be transferred or exchanged. All winners will be contacted by the GrabCAD staff to get their contact information and any other information needed to get the prize to them. Payment of cash awards is made through PayPal. All team awards will be transferred to the member who entered the Challenge.
We will release the finalists before the announcement of the winners to give the Community an opportunity to share their favorites in the comments, discuss concerns, and allow time for any testing or analysis by the Jury. The Jury will take the feedback into consideration when picking the winners.
Winning designs will be chosen based on the Rules and Requirements.
Prizes
Up to $2000 in Prizes
- First Place
$1000
- Second Place
$600
- Third Place
$400
About Enapter
Green hydrogen is the oil of the 21st century. Enapter designs and builds one of the most efficient electrolysers for green hydrogen production. We strive to make electrolysers a commodity - a modular and scalable product just like the solar panel. Our product is demonstrated and readily available in the market. We are currently scaling production to deliver low-cost devices that will produce hydrogen for industrial and commercial purposes, energy storage, transport, or fuel for heating.
The energy sector is slow to respond to digital change. We believe successful energy players of the future think energy in terms of hardware and software being inseparable. With a strong background in software in our team, we use this opportunity: Enapter’s software-defined Energy Management System (EMS) is a decentralized energy system controller. It is capable to configure, control and monitor energy systems and as well as individual (hydrogen) components. Our approach is to build the EMS as an operating system for any energy system that offers core functionality and can easily be built upon to accommodate for individual needs via open collaboration tools.
Our goal at Enapter is to make green hydrogen cheaper than fossil fuels. Find a brief overview here.
Find more about us here: https://www.enapter.com/
Learn more about the AEM electrolyser and EMS here:
https://www.enapter.com/electrolyser and https://www.enapter.com/energymanagement-system
-
Deadline Passed
-
Total entries 28
- Who’s in the jury?
-
Michael Soehner
-
Lorenzo Giobbi
-
Ella van der Put
-
Holger Eisenlohr
-
Jan-Justus Schmidt
Have an awesome idea for this competition? Want to win cool prizes? Sign-up now to upload your entries.
48 comments
STEFAN C. 2 months ago
"Entries are automatically given the tag "HeroesToo2020" when uploading to GrabCAD. Please do not edit or delete this tag"..the tag is wrong and the attached documents cannot be downloaded.
TARUN KUMAR DUTTA 2 months ago
Thanking you very much for the challenge
Ankush Sharma 2 months ago
Very interesting challenge.
Ayush Singh 2 months ago
Please provide working link to download pipeline CAD file.
Fred Lee about 2 months ago
I have a few questions: 1) is the purpose of the contest to introduce new components within the size requirements or reorient known components to preserve a supply chain solution? 2) The requirement "The water trap should be suitable for low-cost mass manufacture." can you please define low cost, over what time frame? 3) My partners have a solution involving a Pd-Cu membrane and a separate solution involving nanoporous graphene membranes, both solutions are sole-source (as in, I get a cut). Are you committed to any particular technology? Both have excellent life-spans. 4) Could a consumable cartridge be considered? For example, a simple bed of lithium will dry the stream to near 0 ppm and it will make hydrogen and expel valuable lithium hydroxide (for other processes).
Umang Dholakiya about 2 months ago
Download the step file from the given link which can be saved as text document. Then open the text document and save as ".stp" format which will give you an openable step file. For those who couldn't find step file.
lucas.t about 2 months ago
when entering the trap the hydrogen is in liquid form?
Steven Minichiello about 2 months ago
Good video on the process : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfkNf7kMZPA
Kenneth G McNeil about 2 months ago
The current link to download the STEP files is not working.
Kesa about 2 months ago
Working on getting a new working STEP File
Kesa about 2 months ago
Download the New STEP File Here
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lmuwSzDd3mjzcINk1JMrl0JfcZ9ix-0D/view?usp=sharing
Jingwen Wang about 2 months ago
@lucas.t The hydrogen is in gas form when entering the water trap. It is saturated with moisture.
TC about 2 months ago
Dew point is not reached around -5 ° C? (below frost point)
Jingwen Wang about 2 months ago
@TC Before entering the water trap, the dew point is relatively high due to the high moisture. When the water content in the hydrogen is very low, e.g. 10 ppm, the dew point can be lower than -5 ° C. Therefore, the simple condensation method of the current water trap can only removed a limited amount of moisture in the hydrogen stream.
TC about 2 months ago
@ JW
Sorry, but I was thinking when I asked my question that it was necessary "only" to proceed with the residual drying (1000ppm to 10ppm).
In addition I made a unit error: ppmw VS ppmv.
Jingwen Wang about 2 months ago
@TC Thank you for your feedbacks. Just to clarify the possible confusion for everyone, the objective of the new water trap design is to reduce the moisture in hydrogen from 12000 ppm to a level that is lower than 1000 ppm, i.e. better than the current water trap. It is already an achievement to have hydrogen output with moisture significantly less than 1000 ppm (vol.). The 10 ppm ultimate target would be a dream case scenario.
Trevor Tietgen about 2 months ago
For all us Americans;
a Nl is a Normal liter. It is a way to measure gases at "normal" conditions. Here is a link for more info on Nm^3. I am assuming 500 Nl is 0.5 Nm^3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_cubic_feet_per_minute
Jingwen Wang about 2 months ago
@Trevor Tietgen Thank you for providing the information.
Holger Eisenlohr about 2 months ago
@Fred Lee 1) The idea is to replace the current component with a new one, preferably within the geometrical constraints. We are ok to create a new supply chains for new components. We will review any solution which has higher space requirements, but it will get some minus points.
2) Low cost means less than $25, however it depends on the achieved output quality. If we get to single digit ppm, a higher cost would be acceptable.
3) We are not committed to any technology. Membrane solutions sound exiting and would be acceptable as long as we do not lose more than 2% of the hydrogen flow.
4) The preferred solution will not have consumables, however yearly maintenance with replacement parts can be considered. The replacement material must be easy to ship worldwide and recycle. Lithium will probably not fulfil shipping limitations.
mohamad iyad kalo about 2 months ago
ı have an idea can solve the matter ı will design it
mohamad iyad kalo about 2 months ago
ı found the sulotion
Amin Ghedmat about 2 months ago
What are the maximum dimensions of the desired product?
Are we able to use electricity in our design? If yes, how much current and voltages is allowed?
Amin Ghedmat about 2 months ago
And one more question. How much flow rate is acceptable?
Ella van der Put about 1 month ago
@Amin Ghedmat, ideally the newly designed water trap will fit into the space currently occupied by the water trap, which is ø26x124 mm. We will review any solution which has higher space requirements, but it will get some minus points.
Use of 24 V DC is possible, the less power you need the better.
To what flow rate are you referring?
Nick Drobot about 1 month ago
Can you please be so kind to explain,
1. The purge line in the long cylinder has a cap at the bottom of the tube preventing any type of flow from exiting this purge line, what is the purpose of this?
2. What is "to ammine trap" mean?
3. In the rectangular block, you have another hexagonal cap inside the 0.81in diameter hole, what is the purpose of this?
I have previous experience in the biotechnology industry so these answers would help my design process a lot! Thank you!
Lorenzo Giobbi about 1 month ago
@Nick Drobot
1. The cap at the bottom of the trap serves to retain any particles of impurities and to prevent them from going into the purge line;
2. The chemical reaction to produce hydrogen uses an ammino-based catalyst, this trap is used to capture these ammines that would damage the fuel cells.
3. The cap is needed to prevent the resin contained in the ammine trap from escaping from it and going into the purge line.
Hoping these replies can be helpful for you!
Nick Drobot about 1 month ago
@Lorenzo Giobbi
Thank you for getting back, the replies are helpful. I have a couple more questions,
1. Correct me if I am wrong, but the current set up is that saturated H2 with ammino-based impurities enters the "orange" input line. Now, this gaseous mixture can only exit at three places, 1. "to ammine trap" and 2. "to purge line". 3. "exit near the H2 input" Both of these exits are directly located on the rectangular block.
However, what we care about here is this little hollow cylinder called the water trap that collects water through condensation.
Now, this is the part where it is hard to follow. There is a little cap that prevents flow or manual drainage you said "The cap at the bottom of the trap serves to retain any particles of impurities and to prevent them from going into the purge line"
Why is there two purge lines?
How do you open the purge line connected to the hollow cylinder? (there is a cap blocking you from collecting the condensate)
How is this water trap+rectangular block oriented in the EL2.1 box?
What means are you using to condense the current set up?
Thanks,
Nick
Lorenzo Giobbi about 1 month ago
@Nick Drobot
The two purge lines are connected together; the bottom one is used to collect the condensed water, the top one is connected to a safety device which is used in case of overpressure, then they are connected just near the bottom part. I hope I have clarified your doubt
Gabriel Motta about 1 month ago
Hello there!
I have a question:
I noticed the wet hydrogen input is not tangential to the cylinder, but rather it "strikes" directly on the vortex finder. Was that intentional for some reason? In centrifugal moisture separators it is usually tangential.
Nick Drobot about 1 month ago
Hi Gabriel, I am going to assume your question is meant for me because you used the term vortex and my concept is the only one that uses a vortex. The hydrogen does need to hit the cylinder tangentially. It may not seem like it in my design, but the inner design of a cooling vortex has a chamber that redirects the pressurized (35 Bar) hydrogen tangentially to the inside walls of the vortex. This is what starts the helical motion of the pressurized gas up and down the vortex tube.
For further information please visit the the informational page by Nexflow.
https://www.nexflow.com/blog/vortex-tubes-use-compressed-air-generate-cold-hot-air-simultaneously/
Jickji Nguyen about 1 month ago
@Lorenzo Giobbi
May I ask you a simple question?
What is the pressure below "over pressure" in the upper purge line?
Merry Christmas!!
Bintang Farhan 30 days ago
How many finalist will be selected? Thank you
Martijn Piket 29 days ago
Is the bottom purge line also for hydrogen? For me it isn't clear how that would work if there is a cap on it. I read the comments above but it isn't clear to me. Is the bottom one is used to collect water, how does the hydrogen pass?
Bintang Farhan 29 days ago
@Martijn Piket correct me if I'm wrong, but the water trap is a cyclone separator, so after reaching the bottom the hydrogen will go up again and enters the smaller tube inside the water trap
Martijn Piket 29 days ago
@Nick Drobot i'm having the same doubt about the cap and the exits. I see the cap in the bottom that's called "watertrap_gas_block" so it does block gasses. So if the bottom exit doesn't allow hydrogen to pass through, there are two exits left. A flow that passes the "amine trap", and a flow to the "purge line".
So is the bottom "purge line" also used to continuously used to collect hydrogen?
on which exit is the over-pressure device? on the upper "to purge line?"
Martijn Piket 29 days ago
@Bintang Farhan I think you are right. There might be a cyclone seperator effect. The H2-input isn't centered so it will probably act like it. I only think that the center tube looks a little small for it, but i don't know about the engineering behind that.
https://www.controleng.com/articles/cyclone-separators/
Lorenzo Giobbi 22 days ago
@Jickji Nguyen the safety device opens when the pressure inside the line reaches 42.5 bar
Martijn Piket 22 days ago
the deadline changed?
Jingwen Wang 22 days ago
@Martijn Piket yes. Thanks for pointing that out, Martijn. We think that it makes sense to give everyone more time to finalize your designs over the weekend.
Alessandro 21 days ago
Hi, in requirements I don't find the maximum pressure drop allowed in the water trap.
Can you tell if there is a minimum exit pressure? thank you
Jan-Justus Schmidt 21 days ago
@alessandro:
Thanks, good question! No, there is no strict limit, and some pressure drop could be acceptable if the solution is very effective at catching water. However, we would like the output pressure from the system to still be as high as possible. The input pressure into the water trap is maximum 35 bar, so a large pressure drop could reduce the useful H2 output pressure for the customers, which is inconvenient.
V.Novacov 17 days ago
Gentlemans.In all this Entries there is not clear- Where the conensate goes out?
Martijn Piket 12 days ago
what's the next step?
Bintang Farhan 9 days ago
just wait for the finalist announcement
Jingwen Wang 8 days ago
Hi everyone, thank you very much for submitting your designs, and our jury members are carefully reviewing all of them. The finalists will be announced by the end of this week.
Daxpatel 8 days ago
Sounds Great.
Nick Drobot 8 days ago
Can't wait to see who the finalists are! Fingers crossed everyone!
Nic Picalato 2 days ago
The ultimate goal of engineering research writing services is to provide https://topessaybrands.com/review/papernow-org-review/ and engineering coursework writing services since engineering dissertation help seekers lack time to complete their custom engineering research papers.
Please log in to add comments.
Log in