Open Source Electrolyzer: Difference between revisions
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$10-20k for a 100kW stack. Payback of one year with 6 hour solar, quicker with wind. | $10-20k for a 100kW stack. Payback of one year with 6 hour solar, quicker with wind. | ||
=Materials Breakdown and Sourcing= | |||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
|+ 100 kW Open Source Alkaline Electrolyzer Stack – Bill of Materials | |+ 100 kW Open Source Alkaline Electrolyzer Stack – Bill of Materials | ||
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| Sigma-Aldrich | | Sigma-Aldrich | ||
| https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/695092 | | https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/695092 | ||
|} | |||
= Summary of Major Materials = | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|+ 100 kW Open Source Alkaline Electrolyzer Stack Summary | |||
! Material | |||
! Amount | |||
|- | |||
| Nickel foam | |||
| ~24 m² total | |||
|- | |||
| Zirfon separator | |||
| ~12 m² | |||
|- | |||
| Plastic frames | |||
| ~100 | |||
|- | |||
| Steel end plates | |||
| 2 | |||
|- | |||
| Gaskets | |||
| ~100 sets | |||
|- | |||
| KOH electrolyte | |||
| ~100–150 L | |||
|} | |||
= Rough Stack Materials Budget = | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|+ 100 kW Stack Materials Budget | |||
! Category | |||
! Estimated Cost | |||
|- | |||
| Nickel foam electrodes | |||
| $600–$3,000 | |||
|- | |||
| Separator | |||
| ~$1,800 | |||
|- | |||
| Structure + collectors | |||
| $1,000–$3,000 | |||
|- | |||
| Chemicals + electrolyte | |||
| $200–$600 | |||
|- | |||
! Total estimated stack materials | |||
! $10,000–$18,000 | |||
|} | |} | ||
Revision as of 04:51, 17 March 2026
https://chatgpt.com/share/69b78df5-6188-8010-8d76-08b5073da11a
No Exotic Materials Required
No exotic manufacturing is required - no exotic membranes outside of off-the-shelf Zirfon separator which appears to contribute 10% to the cost.
$10-20k for a 100kW stack. Payback of one year with 6 hour solar, quicker with wind.
Materials Breakdown and Sourcing
| Component | Specification | Quantity | Typical Cost Range | Example Supplier / Source | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickel Foam (Cathode) | 1–2 mm thick, 20–60 PPI, >99% Ni | ~12 m² | $300–$1,500 | MTI Corporation | https://mtixtl.com/products/0-5-mm-thick-nickel-foam-for-battery-cathode-substrate-or-solid-state-electrolyte-support-l-1000-x-w-200-mm-eq-bcnf-05m |
| Nickel Foam (Anode substrate) | same spec as cathode | ~12 m² | $300–$1,500 | Goodfellow | https://www.goodfellow.com/usa/nickel-sizes-foam-group |
| Separator (Zirfon-type diaphragm) | ~0.3–0.5 mm polysulfone + zirconia composite | ~12 m² | ~$1,800 | Agfa Zirfon PERL | https://www.agfa.com/zirfon/ |
| Cell Frames / Spacers | HDPE / polypropylene plates | ~100 pieces | $500–$1,500 | McMaster-Carr plastic sheet | https://www.mcmaster.com/polypropylene-sheets/ |
| End Plates | Carbon steel or stainless plate | 2 pieces | $200–$600 | Online Metals steel plate | https://www.onlinemetals.com/ |
| Gaskets | EPDM or PTFE sheet 1–2 mm | ~100 sets | $100–$400 | McMaster-Carr gasket sheet | https://www.mcmaster.com/epdm-rubber/ |
| Current Collectors | Nickel sheet or nickel mesh | ~2–4 m² | $200–$800 | Alfa Aesar nickel sheet | https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/nickel-foil/AA43098 |
| Busbars | Copper bar stock | ~3–5 kg | $100–$300 | McMaster copper bar | https://www.mcmaster.com/copper-bars/ |
| Electrolyte | Potassium hydroxide (KOH), 25–30 wt% | ~100–150 L solution | $200–$500 | Lab Alley KOH | https://www.laballey.com/products/potassium-hydroxide-koh |
| Anode Catalyst Bath Chemical | Nickel sulfate (NiSO₄) | ~1–2 kg | $50–$200 | Sigma-Aldrich | https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/aldrich/656895 |
| Anode Catalyst Bath Chemical | Ferrous sulfate (FeSO₄) | ~1 kg | $20–$80 | Fisher Scientific | https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/ferrous-sulfate-heptahydrate |
| Anode Catalyst Bath Chemical | Boric acid (H₃BO₃) | ~1 kg | $10–$40 | Sigma-Aldrich | https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/sial/695092 |
Summary of Major Materials
| Material | Amount |
|---|---|
| Nickel foam | ~24 m² total |
| Zirfon separator | ~12 m² |
| Plastic frames | ~100 |
| Steel end plates | 2 |
| Gaskets | ~100 sets |
| KOH electrolyte | ~100–150 L |
Rough Stack Materials Budget
| Category | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Nickel foam electrodes | $600–$3,000 |
| Separator | ~$1,800 |
| Structure + collectors | $1,000–$3,000 |
| Chemicals + electrolyte | $200–$600 |
| Total estimated stack materials | $10,000–$18,000 |