Patent ID: 8864962

Claim:
An electrolyser module comprising a plurality of structural plates each having a sidewall extending between opposite end faces with a half cell chamber opening and at least two degassing chamber openings extending through said structural plate between said opposite end faces; said structural plates being arranged in face to face juxtaposition between opposite end pressure plates; each said half cell chamber opening at least partially housing electrolytic half cell components comprising at least an electrode, a bipolar plate in electrical communication with said electrode and a membrane, said structural plates and half cell components defining an array of series connected electrolytic cells surmounted by at least first and second degassing chambers each having an upper section above a lower section; said structural plates defining at least when in said face to face juxtaposition, respective gas-liquid passages extending between a top part of the half cell chambers and a bottom part of said upper section of said first and second degassing chambers to provide fluid communication between an anode part of said electrolytic cells and said first degassing chamber and between a cathode part of said electrolytic cells and said second degassing chamber; said structural plates further defining, at least when in said face to face juxtaposition, respective discrete degassed liquid passages extending between a bottom part of said lower section of said first and second degassing chambers and a bottom part of said half cell chambers for degassed liquid return from said first and second degassing chambers respectively to said anode and cathode parts of said electrolytic cells; said electrolyser module further comprising respective gas discharge passages and at least one feed water passage extending therethrough and fluidly communicating with said degassing chambers for gas discharge from said degassing chambers and for feed water introduction into said degassing chambers; and said at least one feed water passage passing through at least one of said end pressure plates, and then said structural plates.