Ecosense installed Green Hydrogen Lab at Tata Power Skill development Institute. The Green hydrogen lab covers the following stages:
1. Water Purification Stage
2. Hydrogen Production stage
3. Hydrogen Purification and storage
4. Electricity generation from Hydrogen
5. AC / DC Loading
Green Hydrogen Lab
1. Water Purification stage
For hydrogen production, deionized / distilled water I required as impure water can breakdown into hydrogen + oxygen + harmful gases or metals, to ensure the purity of hydrogen, distilled water is the best water.
Ecosense’s Green Hydrogen Lab come with a small water distiller which can produce distilled water at the rate of 1l / hour.
2. Hydrogen Production Stage
For hydrogen production two different electrolysers are used in Green Hydrogen lab which are capable of generating 3000 ml/min of hydrogen simultaneously as well as individually. Both electrolysers are based on different technologies one is PEM electrolyser and the other one is traditional Alkaline electrolyser.
As this lab is an educational lab, to teach students how different types of Electrolysers work, Ecosense installed two different types of electrolysers instead of one. Here are the key differences between the two electrolyser technologies:
| Parameter | Alkaline Electrolyzers | PEM Electrolyzers |
|---|---|---|
| Electrolyte | Liquid potassium hydroxide (KOH) or sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution | Solid proton-conducting polymer membrane |
| Operating Temperature | 60–80°C | 50–70°C |
| Current Density | Lower (0.2–0.4 A/cm²) | Higher (1–2 A/cm²) |
| Startup Time | Longer | Shorter |
| Gas Purity | Lower (requires separation processes) | Higher (directly obtained) |
| Durability | Higher (less prone to degradation) | Lower (membrane can degrade over time) |
| Efficiency | Lower (70–80%) | Higher (80–90%) |
| Cost | Lower initial cost | Higher initial cost |
| Electrode Materials | Nickel-based materials | Precious metals like platinum and iridium |
| Scalability | More suited for large-scale applications | Better for smaller, decentralized systems | /
Both Electrolyzers get distilled water from the same source and starts producing hydrogen and oxygen. The oxygen gas is released in the environment whereas hydrogen gas is collected in a storage tank.
Ecosense installed Green Hydrogen Lab at Tata Power Skill Development Institute, Shahad
3. Hydrogen Purification and Storage
Hydrogen gas coming out from the Electrolyzers contain moisture, to separate moisture from gas a gas moisture separator is installed along with a desiccant based dryer which soaks up any residual moisture. The gas is then stored in a hydrogen storage tank.
4. Electricity generation using Hydrogen
A PEM Fuel Cell is used to generate DC Electricity using hydrogen.
A Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell generates electricity by using hydrogen gas as fuel. At the anode, hydrogen molecules are split into protons and electrons. The protons pass through a proton-conducting membrane to the cathode, while the electrons travel through an external circuit, creating an electric current. In a self-humidified, open-cathode PEM fuel cell, ambient air is used directly at the cathode, eliminating the need for a dedicated oxygen supply. The protons and electrons combine with the oxygen from the air at the cathode, forming water as a byproduct. This type of fuel cell is efficient, compact, and well-suited for portable and small-scale applications.
5. AC /DC Loading
The fuel cell is then further connected to a charge controller, battery and inverter so that actual loads can be connected to the system.
This is a perfect teaching system for students who want to enter in the similar field.
Ecosense installed Green Hydrogen Lab at Tata Power Skill Development Institute, Shahad
2-days training provided
A 2-days training and demonstration session was held for employees and training instructors at TPSDI, Shahad. They will incorporate this system in their regular training curriculum.