Engineering Commons^™

Sulfur Dioxide Crossover During The Production Of Hydrogen And Sulfuric Acid In A Pem Electrolyzer, John A. Staser, John W. Weidner

Faculty Publications

A proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer has been investigated as a viable system for the electrolysis step in the thermochemical conversion of sulfur dioxide to sulfuric acid for the large-scale production of hydrogen. Unfortunately, during operation, sulfur dioxide can diffuse from the anode to the cathode. This has several negative effects, including reduction to sulfur that could potentially damage the electrode, consumption of current that would otherwise be used for the production of hydrogen, introduction of oxygen and SO₂ to the hydrogen stream, and loss of sulfur to the cycle. However, proper water management can reduce or eliminate the …