About Us
Our vision, our mission.
Electrochemical Innovation: A Lifetime in Hydrogen Technology
Giancarlo Sioli
After earning a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the Politecnico di Milano and subsequently collaborating with the same institution in the fields of chemical reactor engineering and Statistical Design of Experiments, I held the position of Director of R&D and later Technical Director at SNIA S.p.A., and subsequently at Oronzio De Nora Electrochemical Plants. During this time, I had the opportunity to become acquainted with the study “Hydrogen Production Assessment Study”, published in 1977 by HARWELL – UK Atomic Energy Authority. This served as an incentive for me to study innovative equipment for water electrolysis under pressure, aiming for significant cost reduction compared to existing technologies.
This led to a collaboration on the topic with the Swiss company METKON SA, starting in 1986, which began with the supply of small-scale demonstration units operating under pressure to the Universities of Trieste and Pisa. This was followed by numerous supplies, with capacities up to 350 kW (solar-powered) and operating pressures up to 30 bar. For these applications, cells with electrode areas of 100 and 250 cm² were designed and built. These “zero-gap” cells are based on thin frames made of reinforced plastic, containing electrodes and metallic contact components made of nickel, as well as microporous plastic diaphragms. Capable of being combined in large series, they formed highly productive stacks suitable for operating pressures up to 30 bar.
In parallel with the development of the cells, a pressurized system was developed for the collection, separation, and purification of hydrogen and oxygen—essentially a fully automated chemical plant. The units produced in this way are very compact and easily transportable.
More recently, with the founding of the Italian company VOLTIANA, a new cell has been developed, featuring electrodes with an area of 0.6 m² and a nominal capacity of 1 Nm³/h of hydrogen per cell at a current density of 4 kA/m². A fluid dynamic study defined the internal channels for gas and liquid distribution and collection.