Cassette for electrolyzer with contact columns

Abstract

A cassette (1) for an electrolyzer includes two cooling plates (2) and two electrolyte plates (3a, 3c), where the two cooling plates (2) contact each other (18) at one surface and form a cooling flow path (5) between them, and each cooling plate (2) contacts one of the electrolyte plates (3a, 3c) at the other, opposite surface and form electrolyte flow paths (6a, 6c) between the cooling plates (2) and the respective electrolyte plates (3a, 3c). The cassette (1) further includes at least one contact column (19) establishing a connection between at least one of the cooling plates (2) and at least one of the electrolyte plates (3a, 3c).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cassette for an electrolyzer, the cassette comprising two cooling plates and two electrolyte plates, where the two cooling plates contact each other at one surface and form a cooling flow path between them, and each cooling plate contacts one of the electrolyte plates at the other, opposite surface and form electrolyte flow paths between the cooling plates and the respective electrolyte plates, wherein the cassette further comprises at least one contact column establishing a connection between at least one of the cooling plates and at least one of the electrolyte plates. 
     
     
         2 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 1 , wherein contact columns are distributed over the cooling plate. 
     
     
         3 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one contact column points away from the neighbouring cooling plate and towards the respective electrolyte plates positioned adjacent to the respective cooling plates. 
     
     
         4 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 1 , wherein each electrolyte plate is formed with at least one electrolyte fluid inlet and at least one gas outlet and defines an active area between the at least one electrolyte fluid inlet and the at least one gas outlet, and wherein the active area is formed with openings, and the active area is adapted to be aligned with a membrane. 
     
     
         5 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one contact column is situated to contact the respective electrolyte plate in the active area. 
     
     
         6 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one contact column forms electrical contact to the respective electrolyte plate supplying it with a current/voltage. 
     
     
         7 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 1 , wherein the contact columns form part of the cooling plates and are attached to or pressed into contact with the respective electrolyte plates. 
     
     
         8 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 1 , wherein the contact columns form part of the electrolyte plates and are attached to or pressed into contact with the respective cooling plates. 
     
     
         9 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 1 , wherein each contact column comprises a first part forming part of a cooling plate and a second part forming part of an electrolyte plate, and wherein the first part and the second part are attached to each other or pressed into contact with each other to form the contact column. 
     
     
         10 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooling plates are formed with cooling cells distributed across an area of the cooling plates. 
     
     
         11 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 10 , wherein the cooling cells are formed with a pattern adapted to contact a similar pattern of a connected neighbouring cooling plate forming a cooling path within the cooling cells. 
     
     
         12 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 11 , wherein the pattern does not contact an electrolyte plate positioned adjacent to the respective cooling plates. 
     
     
         13 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 10 , wherein contact columns are distributed over the cooling plates within the cooling cells.