Storage of energy using a gas-liquid H₂/Cl₂ fuel cell: A first approach to electrochemically-assisted absorbers

In this work, the use in fuel cell mode of three electro-absorbers is evaluated for the chloralkaline process and performance is compared with that of a conventional PEMFC operated at the same operation conditions (room temperature). To do this, four cells have been in-house manufactured and compared, in order to determine which electrolyte (solution containing the active species or the membrane) is the best and which is the influence of the absorption stage on the operation of the cell. Because of the high solubility of chlorine, only the hydrogen absorption has been considered in order to evaluate relevant differences in the performance. Results demonstrate that design of the cell has a superb significance on the performances obtained. Cells with membrane-electrode assemblies are more efficient than those in which the membrane is used only as an electrodic compartment separator and utilization of devices which produce tiny bubbles of gas into the electrolyte is also very advantageous in order to obtain higher efficiencies. Results are of a great significance for the design of electro-absorbers and this paper is a first approach to face the design of reversible electrochemical cells for the chloralkaline process.