Cell voltage issue
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Our electrolyzer has been in operation for three years, and we recently replaced the ion membrane. The new membrane is identical to the one that was there before. However, once it started operating, the voltage in area A reached a significantly higher level at full load; each cell in area A had a higher voltage than those in area B, with a zero potential difference of -2.8. What could be causing this phenomenon? From which aspects should I proceed with further analysis?
1. Is A higher than B before membrane replacement?； 2. Check for flow imbalance at the AB inlet (positive and negative electrodes) based on the concentration at the outlet. 3. Is this high data value transmitted remotely or locally? Has it been verified whether it is transmitted remotely or locally? 4. Is the voltage of each cell slot in A basically the same? If so, it has little to do with the electrolyzer.
For electrolyzer cell replacement and routine maintenance, it is best not to reuse cells from Area A and Area B; when installing electrolyzers that have had their cells replaced, those from Area A should be installed in Area A, and those from Area B should be installed in Area B. If it’s a new slot, it doesn’t matter which area it’s installed in.
Currently, the trough-type AB zones are interchangeable. The occurrence of the above issues depends on whether the distribution pipes inside the unit troughs are blocked (this can be determined from the overflow of flushing fluid), as well as on the degree of corrosion and peeling of the electrode coating.