Impact of Operational Parameters on Shutdown Characteristic of Industrial AWE Cell

The increasing share of renewable energy sources (RES) is placing higher demands on the dynamic response performance of energy storage equipment in power systems, including water electrolysis equipment. Alkaline Water Electrolysis (AWE), the most mature method of water electrolysis, is prone to reverse current during shutdown, resulting in prolonged shutdown and electrode degradation. This study investigates the influence of temperature, current density, and catalyst surface area on AWE shutdown characteristics. The results show that AWE exhibits an immediate surge of reverse current with a high amplitude following shutdown, followed by a gradual voltage drop over hundreds of seconds, accompanied by a reverse current at the milliampere level. The study also finds that operating conditions, such as increasing current density and temperature, affect the shutdown characteristics of AWE. Additionally, increasing the specific surface area of electrodes aggravates the impact of reverse impulse current. These insights can be used to optimize the design and operation of industrial AWE and provide a reference for the development of device control strategies.