Electrolysis device

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrolysis device comprising an elementary assembly ( 10 ) made up of a membrane element ( 12 ) surrounded on either side by an electrode ( 11, 13 ), a rigid conducting plate ( 30 ), at least one electric conductor ( 21, 31 ) inserted between said elementary assembly ( 10 ) and said rigid conducting plate ( 30 ), said electric conductor ( 21, 31 ) being made up of a corrugated plate suitable for deforming and ensuring electric contact between said elementary assembly ( 10 ) and said rigid conducting plate ( 30 ). The device ( 100 ) also comprises a peripheral element ( 28, 38 ) at least partially surrounding said electric conductor ( 21, 31 ), said peripheral element ( 28, 38, 48, 58 ) being made of a material with a lower thermal expansion coefficient than the thermal expansion coefficient of the material of said electric conductor ( 21, 31 ).

1 . An electrolysis device comprising:
 an elementary assembly made from a membrane element bordered on either side by an electrode,   a rigid conductor plate,   at least one electric conductor inserted between the elementary assembly and the rigid conductor plate, the electric conductor being made up of a corrugated plate that is able to undergo deformation and ensure the electrical contact between the elementary assembly and the rigid conductor plate;   
       the electrolysis device being characterized in that it comprises a peripheral element that at least partially surrounds the electric conductor, which peripheral element is made from a material having a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than the coefficient of expansion of said electric conductor material. 
     
     
         2 . The electrolysis device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral element is made from a ceramic material. 
     
     
         3 . The electrolysis device as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the ceramic material is a ceramic having the same empirical formula as the membrane element. 
     
     
         4 . The electrolysis device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral element comprises a first opening and a second opening located on either side of the electric conductor, said openings allowing the circulation of a fluid through the electric conductor. 
     
     
         5 . The electrolysis device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral element is made up of two ring segments positioned opposite one another. 
     
     
         6 . The electrolysis device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral element is a complete circular ring comprising two thinner sections positioned opposite one another. 
     
     
         7 . The electrolysis device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electric conductor is permanently joined at least in part to the peripheral element. 
     
     
         8 . The electrolysis device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral element attaches at least ten waves of the at least one electric conductor. 
     
     
         9 . The electrolysis device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral element attaches at least the last two waves at each end of the corrugation of the at least one electric conductor. 
     
     
         10 . The electrolysis device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electric conductor comprises a section that defines a periodic oscillating motion of sinusoidal shape. 
     
     
         11 . The electrolysis device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electric conductor comprises a section that defines a periodic oscillating motion of triangular or truncated triangular shape. 
     
     
         12 . The electrolysis device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the electric conductor is made from a material containing nickel alloy and/or stainless steel. 
     
     
         13 . The electrolysis device as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a series of stacks formed by:
 a rigid conducting plate;   a first anodic electric conductor in contact with the conducting plate at least partially surrounded by a first peripheral element;   an elementary assembly made from a membrane element bordered on either side by an anode and a cathode, the anode being in contact with the anodic electric conductor;   a second, cathodic electric conductor in contact with the cathode of the elementary assembly at least partially surrounded by a second peripheral element.   
     
     
         14 . The electrolysis device as recited in  claim 13 , wherein:
 the first peripheral element is furnished with a first opening and a second opening, arranged on opposite sides of the first anodic electric conductor;   the second peripheral element is furnished with a first opening and a second opening arranged on opposite sides of the second cathodic electric conductor;   the first peripheral element and the second peripheral element being arranged such that the openings in the first peripheral element are perpendicular to the openings in the second peripheral element.