A Simpler, Polymer-Based Electrolyzer Stack
XINTC B.V., based in Eerbeek, Netherlands, is introducing an advanced alkaline electrolysis technology that redefines the conventional architecture of alkaline systems and opens the door to cost-effective green hydrogen production. The technology is designed for broad applicability and combines technical simplicity with high operational flexibility.
The system can be powered by a wide range of electricity sources, including solar and wind energy, battery systems and the grid, and is optimized for dynamic operation so it can respond to fluctuations in renewable energy without performance loss. This design also eliminates the need for expensive precious metal catalysts.
The system is fully standardized and modular, resulting in a low-maintenance system that can scale from compact installations to multi-megawatt configurations.
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“The development of this product was a long journey,” says Wilko van Kampen, CEO of XINTC. Over a 12-year period, the development team engineered an affordable, polymer-based electrolyzer stack housed in a standardized 24 × 24 × 70 cm enclosure known as a gas module. Each module consists of 102 thin, layered subassemblies made up of multiple injection-molded components.
Every layer functions as a complete electrolysis cell, including electrodes, a proprietary diaphragm separator and integrated channels for liquid supply and gas removal. Gas-tight plastic-to-plastic joints replace conventional replaceable seals and metal interconnect plates between cells.
In the structural portions of the stack, engineered polymers replace expensive metals and metal oxides, while metals are used only where functionally required, specifically in the electrodes.
Vibration Welding Enables a Leak-Free Stack Design
According to van Kampen, developing a reliable assembly method for this polymer-based unit required careful engineering, multiple design iterations and extensive testing. “We evaluated adhesive bonding but ultimately selected a welded design because it is more robust and supports standardized, automated manufacturing.”
Welding a stack of 102 thermoplastic cell layers required precise process control. As the height of a welded cell stack increases, the force and vibration required to weld each successive layer must be carefully managed to preserve the integrity of the underlying welds.
A multiyear collaboration with Emerson and the engineering team at Branson Ultrasonics resulted in a successful solution: a vibration welding process based on a Branson vibration welding platform, combined with a suite of specially developed tooling to stabilize the stack during assembly.
“Our collaboration with Emerson was absolutely critical to the success of the design,” says van Kampen. Each completed gas module contains several hundred leak-tight welds, including vibration welds within the stacked cell layers.
Modules also utilize Branson ultrasonic welds in selected base plate and fluid channel components. “Every weld in every module is essential to the reliable operation and guaranteed performance of the system,” he added.
