Efficiency of Off-Peak Electricity Conversion at Nuclear Power Plants Using Reversible Fuel Cells

The article provides a comparative analysis of the efficiency of off-peak electricity conversion at nuclear power plants (NPP) using reversible fuel cells (RFC). The RFC can ensure the NPP the baseline electrical load through hydrogen production by electrolysis of water, as well as an increase in its maneuverability due to generation of peak electricity. The calculations have shown that at the current stage of technological advancements, the use of RFCs in terms of achievable efficiency of off-peak electricity conversion has advantages over the hydrogen power complex which utilizes an additional steam turbine to generate peak electricity. The achievable advantage equals 2.84-4.25% and 7.72-11.58% at the RFC efficiency in the mode of peak power generation of 50% and 60%, respectively, which is 5.1-7.66 MW and 13.9-20.85 MW more than the generated peak electricity. It should be noted that an increase in the electrolysis mode efficiency facilitates the RFC advantages – from 24.44 to 36.65% and from 29.32 to 43.98% respectively. The use of the "cold" combustion technology for hydrogen fuel ensures not only high efficiency, but also reliability and safety of the hydrogen power complex operation

Investigation of electrolysis-related modification of graphene films in biosensors

In this work, the modification of the surface parameters of graphene chips after electrolysis treatment in a NaClO4 aqueous solution has been studied. Two electrolysis modes have been analysed. In the first one, a negative potential (-0.2 V) is applied to the graphene chips, while in the second one the potential is positive (0.8 V). Investigation using a number of techniques including atomic force microscopy, Kelvin probe force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, measurements of current-voltage characteristics and low-frequency noise has shown that the electrolysis mode with application of a positive potential on graphene chips decreases the 1/f noise and allows one to obtain a uniform surface potential distribution while leaving the graphene structure undamaged. The results of this study help to understand the efficiency and reproducibility of the procedure for electrolysis treatment of graphene chips.

Electrodeposition and Corrosion Properties of Nickel–Graphene Oxide Composite Coatings

Nickel-based composite electrochemical coatings (CEC) modified with multilayer graphene oxide (GO) were obtained from a sulfate-chloride electrolyte in the reverse electrolysis mode. The microstructure of these CECs was investigated by X-ray phase analysis and scanning electron microscopy. The corrosion-electrochemical behavior of nickel–GO composite coatings in a 0.5 M solution of H2SO4was studied. Tests in a 3.5% NaCl solution showed that the inclusion of GO particles into the composition of electrolytic nickel deposits makes their corrosion rate 1.40–1.50 times less.