Revolutionizing green hydrogen production: the impact of ultrasonic fields

Abstract

This paper reviews the use of ultrasonic fields in alkaline electrolysis for green hydrogen production, indicating the benefits and challenges of this emerging technology. Applying ultrasound can significantly increase electrolysis efficiency by reducing overpotentials and optimizing mass transfer. Quantitative data in Table 1 show that integrating ultrasound can reduce ohmic resistance by up to 76% and increase hydrogen production efficiency by up to 28%. For instance, under optimized conditions, hydrogen production can be increased by 45%, with energy savings ranging from 10 to 25%. The review examines the impact of ultrasound on removing gas bubbles from electrode surfaces and evaluates the use of ultrasonic transducers in different experimental setups. The effectiveness of ultrasound at specific frequencies (20–100kHz) and adjustable intensities (10–1000W/cm²) is discussed in terms of improving mass transfer and reducing ohmic resistance. Despite the benefits, technical challenges such as selecting appropriate materials and precisely controlling operating conditions are highlighted. The paper suggests that future research should focus on integrating ultrasonic technologies into renewable energy systems, combining ultrasound with advanced techniques to optimize hydrogen electrolysis sustainably and cost-effectively.