Evaluación de la eficiencia de producción de hidrógeno verde mediante electrólisis del agua con electrodos de bajo costo

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of green hydrogen production through electrolysis using low-cost electrodes. To achieve this goal, three specific objectives were outlined: to establish the most commonly used cell configurations, quantify green hydrogen production in these configurations, and statistically determine the variables that most influence hydrogen production. The methodology of the study was divided into three main phases. In the first phase, an exhaustive literature review was conducted to identify the most frequently used cell configurations for electrolysis. This review provided a solid basis for selecting electrodes and electrolytes for subsequent experiments. Combinations of graphite and steel electrodes, along with electrolytes such as potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide, were found to be the most commonly used in the literature. In the second phase, the production of hydrogen was quantified in different cell configurations. Three support electrolytes (KOH, NaOH, and ammonia) and four electrode materials (graphite, steel, aluminum, and copper) were selected for experimentation. It was observed that cell configurations with graphite electrodes and potassium hydroxide electrolyte produced the highest amount of green hydrogen, standing out for their efficiency in hydrogen gas generation. In the third phase, a statistical analysis was conducted to determine the most influential variables in hydrogen production. Normality tests, Spearman correlation, random forest analysis, and multiple regression modeling were applied. The results revealed that electrical current was the most influential variable in hydrogen production, followed by the type of electrolyte used. This suggests the importance of controlling and optimizing these parameters to improve the efficiency of the electrolysis process. In conclusion, this study provides solid evidence on the efficiency of green hydrogen production through electrolysis with low-cost electrodes. Cell configurations with graphite electrodes and potassium hydroxide electrolytes showed the best results in terms of hydrogen production. Additionally, electrical current was identified as the most influential variable in the electrolysis process, highlighting the importance of controlling this parameter to optimize green hydrogen production.