Solutions / High Voltage / Hydrogen Energy Storage

Hydrogen Energy storage

Voltage measurement and isolation in electrolyzers & fuel cells

Hydrogen offers an exciting opportunity for decentralized renewable energy storage due to its high energy density. Electrolyzers that produce hydrogen and fuel cells that convert hydrogen to electricity are constantly evolving in performance. To maximize efficiency and ensure process reliability, continuous evaluation of the cells within these systems — often integrated in large numbers — is essential. Reliable transducers are critical for safely isolating high potentials while measuring DC voltage, current, and temperature with precision.

Electrolyzers and fuel cells can interconnect several hundred individual cells in series to form stacks. These cells typically operate between less than 1V to 4V DC, but stack voltages can reach several hundred volts. In larger systems, stacks are combined into strings, creating significantly higher total voltages. Current trends show string voltages climbing to 1500 VDC, with future plans aiming for 2000 VDC and beyond.

Measuring even relatively low voltages in smaller cell groups is particularly challenging because the cells are part of an overall larger stack or string, requiring isolation at the overall potential of the system. High isolation, fail-safe design, and maintenance-free operation are crucial since plant uptime depends on reliable measurement technology.

Americhem Systems Knick Interface Monitoring of Cell Groupings in Electrolyzers and Fuel Cells

This is where the partnership between AmeriChem Systems (ASI) and Knick Interface (KI) shines. ASI, as the system builder, provides end-to-end expertise in system integration, offering simplified installation and conversion of analog inputs to Ethernet, along with turnkey design and fabrication capabilities. By consolidating components into efficient packages, ASI enhances the overall performance and reliability of the solution.

Knick Interface transducers, thanks to their isolation capabilities, precision, and long-term stability, are the ideal solution for measuring voltage, current, and temperature in electrolyzers and fuel cells at the cell, stack, or string level. With continuous isolation up to 4800 VDC and a gain error as low as 0.1% of the measured value, Knick products stand up to the most demanding hydrogen applications. Their maintenance-free design, thanks to no recalibration requirements over their entire service life, further enhances their reliability. Additionally, many models offer configurable input/output ranges for added flexibility, along with compact housing and standard DIN-rail mounting, making installation a breeze—especially with ASI’s system-building expertise behind the scenes.

The ASI & KI partnership is a perfect combination of cutting-edge measurement technology and expert system design, delivering a solution that meets the evolving needs of hydrogen energy storage.

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