Effects of Electrical Current, Ph, and Electrolyte Addition on Hydrogen Production by Water Electrolysis
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Proceedings of The 5 th Sriwijaya International Seminar on Energy and Environmental Science & Technology Palembang, Indonesia September 10-11, 2014 Effects of Electrical Current, pH, and Electrolyte Addition on Hydrogen Production by Water Electrolysis Sri Haryati 1*, Davit Susanto 1, and Vika Fujiyama 1 1Chemical Engineering Department Sriwijaya University Jalan Raya Palembang-Prabumulih Km 32 Indralaya OI Sumatera Selatan Indonesia Corresponding author : [email protected] ABSTRACT Hydrogen is viewed as one of the most potential energy source in the future. One of methods to produce hydrogen is by electrolysis of water. Variables that was applied in this work were electrical current (0.5 A and 0.9 A), pH (13.47 and 13.69), and electrolyte additions (namely NaOH and KOH) with processing times for 30 minutes. The result of this work were variations of electrical current at 0.9 A, pH at 13.69 and electrolyte NaOH is at 278.394 L with volume rate 154.663 mL/s produced most amount of hydrogen, whereas condition of 0.5 A, pH 13.47 and electrolyte KOH was 75.122 L with volume rate of 41.734 mL/s yielded the lowest amount. Keywords : Hydrogen, Electrolysis of Water, Current, pH, Electrolyte 1. INTRODUCTION gasification, partial oxidation of oil, As the world population increases, so is the thermochemical process, fermentation, and the energy consumption. However, to met the energy electrolysis of water (Winter, 2009). Electrolysis demand, most countries utilizes fossil fuel-based of water is an environmentally-friendly way to processes, that are relatively inefficient and produce hydrogen without emissions. In this environmentally unfriendly. Alternative energy work, electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen is needed to be developed to overcome problems used variations of electrical current (0.5 A and incurred by the consumption and usage of fossil 0.9 A), pH (13.47 and 13.69) and electrolyte fuel. One of these options is by using hydrogen addition (NaOH and KOH). as new energy source. There are several considerations that are taken into account to 2. METHODS choose hydrogen as an alternative energy 2.1. Preparation of Electrolyte Solution includes: an overwhelming amount that can be Electrolyte solutions used were NaOH and obtained easily, the potential high energy content KOH which were prepared by dissolving the compared to other fuels, which is equal to 120 solid compound into 2500 mL of distilled water MJ / kg. This amount is almost two times as to obtain solutions with pH 13.47 and 13.69. much as the energy content of the gasoline, 2.2. Electrolysis Process which accounts only 45.6 MJ / kg (Kelly-Yong Electrolyte solution was entered into the et al., 2007). reactor into the center of the reactor. Electrolysis There are several methods for producing process was undertaken for 30 minutes. hydrogen: steam reforming of natural gas Measurements of the parameters were conducted (SMR), thermal cracking of natural gas, coal every 5 minutes. The applied current were 0.5 A 92 Proceedings of The 5 th Sriwijaya International Seminar on Energy and Environmental Science & Technology Palembang, Indonesia September 10-11, 2014 and 0.9 A. During this process, hydrogen gas When the hydrogen mole obtained, then the would appear at the cathode while oxygen gas at volume of hydrogen gas can be obtained by the anode in the form of gas bubbles. Produced using ideal gas equation : hydrogen and oxygen produced were collected in PV = nRT the gas storage afterwards. Equipment set-up of Description: electrolysis process is shown in Figure 1. P = pressure (atm) V = volume of gas (L) n = number of moles (mol) R = the ideal gas constant 0.082 (L.atm / mol K) T = temperature (K) 3. RESULTS a. Effects of current to hydrogen production Effects of current to hydrogen production is shown in Figure 2-5: 200 150 I= 0,5 A Figure 1. Equipments of Electrolysis Process 100 Specification: 1 Cathode 50 Volume(L) I= 0,9 A 2 Anode 0 3 Power Supply 4 Hydrogen Outlet 5 10 15 20 25 30 5 Electrolyte Input Time (minute) 6 Oxygen Outlet 2.3. Analysis Figure 2. Effect of current to hydrogen Analysis of hydrogen production were done production in NaOH solution pH 13.47 by calculating water volume reduction during the electrolysis process. Stages of the analysis were: 1. Calculation of Water Mass Reduction. 300 Reduced mass of water can be determined through the equation : 250 m = ρ x V o 3 Where: ρ H 2O (30 C) = 995.647 kg/m (Perry 200 and Green, 1997) I = 0,5 A 2. Calculation of Water Moles 150 Moles of water can be obtained using the following equation : 100 Volume(L) I = 0,9 A 50 where MW is Molecular Weight of water (18 0 g/mol) 5 10 15 20 25 30 3. Calculation of Hydrogen Moles Time (minute) Moles of hydrogen were obtained from the stoichiometric ratio through the following stoichiometric equation : Figure 3. Effect of current to hydrogen 2H O → 2H + O 2 2 2 production in NaOH solution pH 13.69 4. Hydrogen Volume Calculation 93 Proceedings of The 5 th Sriwijaya International Seminar on Energy and Environmental Science & Technology Palembang, Indonesia September 10-11, 2014 200 From the aforementioned reactions at the electrodes, the increasing of current would 150 increase hydrogen production. Under the condition of pH 13.47, electrolyte NaOH with 100 current 0,5 A hydrogen produced 101,636 L I = 0,5 A with volume rate 56,464 mL/s. At the same 50 I = 0,9 A conditions with current 0,9 A, hydrogen Volume(L) production is 170,130 L with volume rate 94,516 0 mL/s. 5 10 15 20 25 30 b. Effects of pH to hydrogen production Time (menit) Effects of pH to hydrogen production is shown in Figure 6-9 : 150 Figure 4. Effect of current to hydrogen production in KOH solution pH 13.47 100 250 pH 13,47 50 200 pH 13,69 150 Volume(L) 0 100 I = 0,5 A 5 10 15 20 25 30 I = 0,9 A Waktu (menit) Volume(L) 50 Time (Minute) 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Figure 6. Effect of pH to hydrogen production at 0.5 A in NaOH solution Time (minute) Figure 5. Effect of current to hydrogen 300 production in KOH solution pH 13.69 250 Figures 2-5 show that increasing current 200 would make potential difference become higher, 150 according to formula : pH 13,47 V= IR 100 where: 50 pH 13,69 Volume (L) Volume V = potential difference (Volt) 0 I = Current (A) R = resistance (ohm) 5 10 15 20 25 30 Potential difference would cause migration Time (minute) of ion coming from dissosiation of NaOH and + + KOH in water, whereby ion Na and K would - move to cathode and OH to anode. The Figure 7. Effect of pH to hydrogen production migrations of ion would make reduction- at 0.9 A in NaOH solution oxidation reaction whereby in cathode water reduced to hydrogen and in anode ion OH- will From Figure 6-9, it is seen that pH condition be oxidized to be oxygen. affected the amount of hydrogen gas produced. - The greater pH condition is, the more hydrogen Cathode : 4H 2O + 4e → 2H 2 + 4OH Anode : 4OH - → O + 2H O + 4e gas volume obtained. pH condition relates with 2 2 concentration of H + ion (acidic condition) or OH - (base condition) in solution. In base condition, 94 Proceedings of The 5 th Sriwijaya International Seminar on Energy and Environmental Science & Technology Palembang, Indonesia September 10-11, 2014 the greater pH condition indicates the most OH - volume rate 56.464 mL/s. Meanwhile at 0.9 A, ions dissolved. It can be determined from this the hydrogen production at pH 13.69 is 278.394 equation : L with volumerate 154.663 mL/s and pH 13.47 is pH = 14 + log [OH -] 170.130 L with volume rate 94.516 mL/s. If the most total OH - ion dissolved, the little resistance caused by water, so that electrons will c. Effects of Electrolyte to Hydrogen move quickly and reduction-oxidation reaction Production (redox) occurred. As a result, water would be In this work, the authors used sodium reduced at cathode produces hydrogen while OH - hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide ion will be oxidized to oxygen at anode. (KOH) as electrolyte additives. Figures 10-13 show that at the same conditions of current and pH, hydrogen obtained with electrolyte NaOH 100 higher than KOH due to the fact that Na atom has potential cell value higher than K atom. 80 Ecell Na = -2,711 V 60 Ecell K = -2,925 V pH 13,47 Ecell H2O = -0,823 V 40 pH 13,69 Volume(L) 20 Ecell = E reduction -Eoxidation 0 Na has potential cell value higher than K, 5 10 15 20 25 30 Time (minute) causing Na to be easily reduced and migrate to cathode to produce hydrogen. Electrolysis process with electrolyte NaOH would Figure 8. Effect of pH to hydrogen production subsequently produce more hydrogen than KOH. at 0.5 A in KOH solution 150 250 100 200 NaOH 50 KOH 150 pH (L) Volume 13,47 0 100 Volume (L) Volume pH 5 10 15 20 25 30 Time (minute) 50 13,69 Figure 10. Effect of Electrolyte to Hydrogen 0 Production at 0.5 A pH 13.47 5 10 15 20 25 30 Time (minute) 150 100 Figure 9. Effect of pH to hydrogen production NaOH 50 at 0.9 A in KOH solution KOH Volume(L) In pH 13.69, additions of NaOH and KOH 0 increased hydrogen production, compared to pH 5 10 15 20 25 30 condition 13.47.