Compact monopolar electrochemical stack designs using electrode arrays or corrugated electrodes

A new compact electrode architecture with hollow pillar-shaped anodes and cathodes arranged in a ‘checkerboard’ pattern is analysed and shown to be equivalent to a particular arrangement of corrugated plate electrodes. Because all four sides of the flow channels are electrodes, this design takes up at least 1.5 to two times less volume compared to conventional ‘sandwich’-type configurations. The assumption underlying this theoretical scaling is illustrated with a 3D-printed metal prototype for alkaline water electrolysis using natural convection. For mass-transfer-limited electrolysers, fuel cells, electrowinning cells, and flow-batteries, the expected volume savings easily increase to a factor three or more.