Method for assembling and/or disassembling alkaline electrolyzer units of a hydrogen producing plant

{
  "publication_number": "US12384059B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Method for assembling and/or disassembling alkaline electrolyzer units of a hydrogen producing plant",
  "abstract": "A method for assembling and/or disassembling alkaline electrolyzer units of a hydrogen producing plant. The method includes: providing an industrial robot system including a controller having robot functionality, and a plurality of robots; transporting the plurality of robots to a plurality of electrolyzer unit sites, assembling the alkaline electrolyzer units at the electrolyzer unit sites by the plurality of robots executing assembly instructions included in the controller, and/or disassembling at least one of the alkaline electrolyzer units at an electrolyzer unit site by at least one of the plurality of robots executing disassembly instructions included in the controller.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method for assembling alkaline electrolyzer units of a hydrogen producing plant, the hydrogen producing plant being housed in a building with a controlled inhouse environment, the method comprising: providing an industrial robot system comprising a controller having robot functionality, and a plurality of robots, each robot comprising a manipulator with a base, and a tool movable by means of the manipulator in relation to the base about a plurality of axes, transporting the plurality of robots to a plurality of electrolyzer unit sites, the plurality of electrolyzer unit sites being provided in a plurality of rows, wherein two neighboring rows are separated by a row space, such that a first robot is positioned in between a first row and a second row, providing alkaline electrolyzer unit components including at least a plurality of electrolyzer electrodes and a plurality of electrolyzer membranes, assembling the alkaline electrolyzer units at the electrolyzer unit sites by the plurality of robots executing assembly instructions comprised in the controller, wherein assembling comprises, for each assembled alkaline electrolyzer unit, arranging the plurality of electrolyzer electrodes and the plurality of electrolyzer membranes in electrolyzer cells forming a cell stack by means of the tool and the manipulator of at least one robot, and wherein assembling comprises assembling a first alkaline electrolyzer unit in the first row, and assembling a second alkaline electrolyzer unit in the second row by the first robot.",
    "2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the alkaline electrolyzer unit components further include end plates, and wherein assembling further comprises, for each assembled alkaline electrolyzer unit, arranging the end plates as a first end plate and a second end plate with the cell stack arranged between the first and second end plates.",
    "3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the alkaline electrolyzer unit components further include connecting rods, and wherein assembling further comprises, for each assembled alkaline electrolyzer unit, arranging at least one connecting rod to extend from the first end plate to the second end plate to compress the electrolyzer cells in the cell stack.",
    "4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the alkaline electrolyzer unit components further include piping, and wherein assembling further comprises, for each assembled alkaline electrolyzer unit, arranging the piping to transport produced gas from the electrolyzer cells of the cell stack.",
    "5. The method according to claim 1, wherein assembling comprises, for each robot, moving the manipulator to a local storage position of the alkaline electrolyzer unit components, picking up an alkaline electrolyzer unit component using the tool, moving the manipulator with the tool holding the picked-up alkaline electrolyzer unit component to an installation position of the associated electrolyzer unit site, assemble the alkaline electrolyzer unit component for the associated alkaline electrolyzer unit.",
    "6. The method according to claim 1, further comprises providing a gas sensor configured to detect any leaking gas from the alkaline electrolyzer units.",
    "7. A method for assembling alkaline electrolyzer units of a hydrogen producing plant, the hydrogen producing plant being housed in a building with a controlled inhouse environment, the method comprising: providing an industrial robot system comprising a controller having robot functionality, and a plurality of robots, each robot comprising a manipulator with a base, and a tool movable by means of the manipulator in relation to the base about a plurality of axes, transporting the plurality of robots to a plurality of electrolyzer unit sites, the plurality of electrolyzer unit sites being provided in a plurality of rows, wherein two neighboring rows are separated by a row space, such that a first robot is positioned in between a first row and a second row, providing alkaline electrolyzer unit components including at least a plurality of electrolyzer electrodes and a plurality of electrolyzer membranes, assembling the alkaline electrolyzer units at the electrolyzer unit sites by the plurality of robots executing assembly instructions comprised in the controller, wherein assembling comprises, for each assembled alkaline electrolyzer unit, arranging the plurality of electrolyzer electrodes and the plurality of electrolyzer membranes in electrolyzer cells forming a cell stack by means of the tool and the manipulator of at least one robot, and wherein assembling comprises assembling a first alkaline electrolyzer unit in the first row, and assembling a second alkaline electrolyzer unit in the second row by the first robot, operating the first robot with a primary robot functionality by the controller, the primary robot functionality including control of manipulator motion, and operating a second robot of the plurality of robots with the primary robot functionality by the controller such that the first and second robots are operated by a collaborative motion of the first and second manipulators to collaboratively perform assembling of a particular alkaline electrolyzer unit.",
    "8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: operating the first and second robots by synchronized motion of the first and second manipulators.",
    "9. The method according to claim 1, further comprises transporting the alkaline electrolyzer unit components to, or from, the plurality of electrolyzer unit sites.",
    "10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controlled inhouse environment is a classified area by IEC/EN 60079-10, IEC 60079-10-1, IEC 60079-10-2, or IECEx.",
    "11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first robot can rotate between a first position in which the robot operates on the first alkaline electrolyzer in the first row, and a second position in which the robot operates on the second alkaline electrolyzer in the second row.",
    "12. The method according to claim 2, wherein the alkaline electrolyzer unit components further include piping, and wherein assembling further comprises, for each assembled alkaline electrolyzer unit, arranging the piping to transport produced gas from the electrolyzer cells of the cell stack.",
    "13. The method according to claim 2, wherein assembling comprises, for each robot, moving the manipulator to a local storage position of the alkaline electrolyzer unit components, picking up an alkaline electrolyzer unit component using the tool, moving the manipulator with the tool holding the picked-up alkaline electrolyzer unit component to an installation position of the associated electrolyzer unit site, assemble the alkaline electrolyzer unit component for the associated alkaline electrolyzer unit.",
    "14. The method according to claim 2, further comprises providing a gas sensor configured to detect any leaking gas from the alkaline electrolyzer units.",
    "15. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: operating the first robot with a primary robot functionality by the controller, the primary robot functionality including control of manipulator motion, operating a second robot of the plurality of robots with the primary robot functionality by the controller such that the first and second robots are operated by a collaborative motion of the first and second manipulators to collaboratively perform assembling of a particular alkaline electrolyzer unit."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates generally to an industrial robot system for assembling and/or disassembling alkaline electrolyzer units of a hydrogen producing plant. The invention more particularly relates to a method for assembling and/or disassembling alkaline electrolyzer units of a hydrogen producing plant and a hydrogen producing plant comprising an industrial robot system.\n\nAs more countries pursue decarbonization strategies, hydrogen as an energy transporter will most likely become more important. Use of hydrogen is particularly relevant in sectors in which direct electrification is challenging, e.g. in the manufacturing of steel and certain chemicals, in long-haul transport, shipping and aviation. Preferably, the produced hydrogen has low carbon footprint, and is ultimately green, e.g. by being produced by electrolysis of water using electricity from renewable sources. In addition to regulations and market design, the cost of hydrogen production is still a barrier.\n\nElectrolyzers, or water electrolyzers, are electrochemical devices used to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen by passage of an electrical current. Electrolyzers comprises electrolyzer cells at which the electrochemical process occurs. An electrolyzer cell is typically composed of two electrodes (anode and cathode) immersed in a liquid electrolyte or adjacent to a solid electrolyte, and a membrane or other porous transport layers which facilitate the transport of reactants and removal of products.",
  "cpc": [
    "B25J 19/02",
    "B25J 5/02",
    "B25J 9/00",
    "C25B 1/04",
    "C25B 15/00",
    "C25B 9/70",
    "C25B 9/75",
    "C25B 9/77",
    "Y02E 60/36"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25J 19/02",
    "B25J 5/02",
    "B25J 9/00",
    "C25B 9/75",
    "C25B 9/77"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "ABB Schweiz AG"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Stefan Thorburn"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2022-12-07",
  "publication_date": "2025-08-12",
  "grant_date": "2025-08-12",
  "priority_date": "2021-12-16",
  "application_number": "US-202218718554-A",
  "family_id": "79024269",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
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}