Apparatus and method

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a device and a method for non-invasively evaluating the residual amount of rare metals contained in an electrode of an electrolytic cell. A device is provided with a management unit that records, on the basis of operation history information of an electrolysis cell provided with one or more electrolysis cells, use history information of electrodes included in the electrolysis cells.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method. Background Art

[0002] In electrolysis (electrolysis), an ion exchange membrane method using an electrolytic cell equipped with an ion exchange membrane is mainly used, and reduction of energy consumption, that is, reduction of electrolysis voltage is a major issue. For example, by using an electrolytic cell as disclosed in Patent Document 1, power consumption can be significantly reduced.

[0003] Furthermore, in recent years, in order to solve the problems of global warming caused by greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and the reduction of fossil fuel reserves, technology aimed at reducing power consumption has been continuously developed.

[0004] For example, when focusing on electrodes for electrolysis, research is being conducted on the development of electrode coating compositions that promote anode reactions or cathode reactions, electrode shapes, and the like (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0005] Prior art literature

[0006] Patent Literature

[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-172867

[0008] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 6670948 Summary of the invention

[0009] Problem that the invention aims to solve

[0010] However, recently, from the perspective of sustainability, such as reducing environmental load, research is being conducted to extend the life of equipment and use it more effectively. When the electrodes of the electrolytic cell age, the performance decreases and eventually reaches the end of their life, but if appropriate repairs are made according to the use history of the electrodes, the performance of the electrodes can be restored and used for a longer period of time. There is basically no research on managing the use history, repair history, etc. of the electrodes and using them to extend the life of the equipment to achieve further utilization of scarce resources and improve sustainability.

[0011] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for managing the use history of electrodes of an electrolytic cell and appropriately evaluating the life of the electrodes, thereby facilitating longer use of the electrodes.

[0012] Means used to solve problems

[0013] That is, the present invention is as follows.

[0014] [1]

[0015] A device includes a management unit that records usage history information of electrodes included in one or more electrolytic cells based on operation history information of an electrolytic tank including one or more electrolytic cells.

[0016] [2]

[0017] The device according to [1], wherein:

[0018] The usage history information of the electrode includes a repair history of the electrode.

[0019] 〔3〕

[0020] The device according to [1] or [2], wherein:

[0021] The management section records a metal amount evaluation value of the electrode as the use history information.

[0022] [4]

[0023] The device according to [3], wherein:

[0024] The metal amount evaluation value includes a coating residual amount of a precious metal selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, and platinum.

[0025] 〔5〕

[0026] The device according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein:

[0027] The management unit records fluorescent X-ray analysis data, inductively coupled plasma emission analysis data, X-ray diffraction data, or X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis data of the electrode included in the electrolysis cell.

[0028] [6]

[0029] The device according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein:

[0030] The device includes an evaluation unit that evaluates future performance of the electrode based on the usage history information of the electrode.

[0031] 〔7〕

[0032] The device according to [6], wherein:

[0033] The evaluation unit evaluates the magnitude of the metal amount evaluation value and the impurity evaluation value, and outputs repair content that can best maintain performance or temporarily improve performance based on the evaluation result.

[0034] 〔8〕

[0035] The device according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein:

[0036] The device further comprises an operation suggestion unit for suggesting operation conditions of the electrolytic cell.

[0037] The operation suggestion unit suggests the operation condition for further improving the current efficiency based on the usage history information,

[0038] The operating conditions include voltage conditions and electrolyte flow conditions.

[0039] 〔9〕

[0040] The device according to any one of [1] to [8], wherein:

[0041] The device further comprises a stop suggestion unit for suggesting a stop condition of the electrolytic cell.

[0042] The stop suggestion unit suggests the stop condition under which the amount of metal in the electrode is not likely to decrease based on the use history information,

[0043] The stop condition includes a current attenuation condition and / or an electrolyte flow rate increase condition.

[0044] 〔10〕

[0045] The device according to any one of [1] to [9], wherein:

[0046] The electrolytic cell comprises a plurality of the electrolytic units.

[0047] The device further includes a position change suggestion unit that suggests changing the positions of the electrolytic cell having a relatively high metal amount or impurity amount of the electrode and the electrolytic cell having a relatively low metal amount or impurity amount of the electrode in the electrolytic cell based on the usage history information.

[0048]

[11]

[0049] The device according to [6], wherein:

[0050] The evaluation unit evaluates future performance of the repaired electrode based on the usage history information of the electrode and a planned repair method.

[0051]

[12]

[0052] A method in which

[0053] The device performs the following processing:

[0054] Based on the operation history information of the electrolytic tank including one or more electrolytic units, the usage history information of the electrodes included in the electrolytic units is recorded.

[0055] 〔13〕

[0056] A procedure in which

[0057] The program causes the device to perform the following processing:

[0058] Based on the operation history information of the electrolytic tank including one or more electrolytic units, the usage history information of the electrodes included in the electrolytic units is recorded.

[0059] Effects of the Invention

[0060] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an apparatus and a method that manage the use history of an electrode of an electrolytic cell and thereby appropriately evaluate the life of the electrode, thereby facilitating longer use of the electrode. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0061] Figure 1A It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing an example of the electrolytic cell in this embodiment.

[0062] Figure 1B Is to put 2 Figure 1A An explanatory diagram of a case where electrolytic units are connected in series.

[0063] Figure 2A This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an electrolytic cell in this embodiment.

[0064] Figure 2B It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the process of assembling the electrolytic cell in this embodiment.

[0065] Figure 3 This is an example of a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the device according to this embodiment.

[0066] Figure 4A This is a schematic diagram showing an example of electrolytic cell data according to the present embodiment.

[0067] Figure 4B This is a schematic diagram showing an example of electrolytic cell data according to the present embodiment.

[0068] Figure 5A This is a schematic diagram showing the amount of residual metal in the electrodes of each electrolytic unit of an initial bipolar electrolytic cell.

[0069] Figure 5B This is a schematic diagram showing the amount of residual metal in the electrodes of each electrolytic unit of a bipolar electrolytic cell in the middle stage.

[0070] Figure 5C This is a schematic diagram showing the amount of residual metal in the electrodes of each electrolytic unit of a later-stage bipolar electrolytic cell.

[0071] Figure 5DThis is a schematic diagram showing the amount of residual metal in the electrode of each electrolytic unit of a bipolar electrolytic cell having a reverse current absorber and the like.

[0072] Figure 5E This is a schematic diagram showing the amount of residual metal in the electrode of each electrolytic cell of a bipolar electrolytic cell when a reverse current is present.

[0073] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of learning data according to the present embodiment.

[0074] Fig. 7A This is a schematic diagram showing an example of evaluation content output by the device of this embodiment.

[0075] Figure 7B This is a schematic diagram showing an example of evaluation content output by the device of this embodiment.

[0076] Figure 7C This is a schematic diagram showing an example of evaluation content output by the device of this embodiment.

[0077] Fig.7D This is a schematic diagram showing an example of evaluation content output by the device of this embodiment.

[0078] Figure 8 This is a sequence diagram showing an example of processing executed by the device of this embodiment.

[0079] Fig. 9A This is a schematic diagram showing an example of how the device of this embodiment is used.

[0080] Fig. 9B This is a schematic diagram showing an example of how the device of this embodiment is used.

[0081] Fig. 9C This is a schematic diagram showing an example of how the device of this embodiment is used. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0082] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as “the present embodiment”) will be described in detail, but the present invention is not limited thereto and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention.

[0083] 1. Electrolysis unit

[0084] Figure 1A An example of an electrolytic unit constituting the electrolytic cell of the present embodiment is shown as a cross-sectional schematic diagram. The electrolytic unit 90 includes an anode chamber 10, a cathode chamber 20, a partition 29 separating the anode chamber 10 and the cathode chamber 20, an anode 11 disposed in the anode chamber 10, and a cathode 21 disposed in the cathode chamber 20. The anode 11 and the cathode 21 belonging to one electrolytic unit 90 are electrically connected to each other.

[0085] In addition, Figure 1A In the example shown, the cathode chamber 20 also has a cathode 21, a current collector 23, a support 24 supporting the current collector, and an elastic pad 1 arranged in the cathode chamber 20. The elastic pad 1 is arranged between the current collector 23 and the cathode 21. The support 24 is arranged between the current collector 23 and the partition 29. The current collector 23 is electrically connected to the cathode 21 via the elastic pad 1. The partition 29 is electrically connected to the current collector 23 via the support 24. Therefore, the partition 29, the support 24, the current collector 23, the elastic pad 1 and the cathode 21 are electrically connected. The cathode 21 and the reverse current absorber can be directly connected or indirectly connected via the current collector, the support, the metal elastic body or the partition. The entire surface of the cathode 21 is preferably covered with a catalyst layer used for the reduction reaction. In addition, the form of electrical connection can be a form in which the partition 29 and the support 24, the support 24 and the current collector 23, and the current collector 23 and the elastic pad 1 are directly installed respectively, and the cathode 21 is stacked on the elastic pad 1. Examples of a method for directly attaching these components to each other include welding and the above-mentioned folding.

[0086] By providing the elastic pad 1 between the current collector 23 and the cathode 21, each cathode 21 of the plurality of electrolytic units 90 connected in series is pressed against the ion exchange membrane 2, and the distance between each anode 11 and each cathode 21 is shortened, so that the voltage applied to the plurality of electrolytic units 90 connected in series as a whole can be reduced. By reducing the voltage, the power consumption can be reduced. According to the elastic pad of this embodiment, as described above, it is possible to apply pressure to the ion exchange membrane with an appropriate normal pressure surface pressure, so that the current efficiency can be maintained and a zero-pole gap structure can be adopted, and further, it is also possible to preferably prevent damage to the ion exchange membrane.

[0087] In addition, the cathode can be directly stacked on the elastic pad, or the cathode can be stacked via other conductive components. As a cathode that can be used for zero polarity, a cathode with a thin wire diameter and a small number of meshes is also highly flexible and is preferred. There is no particular limitation on the wire material constituting such a cathode, but a wire material with a wire diameter of 0.1 to 0.5 mm and a hole diameter of about 20 to 80 meshes can also be used.

[0088] Figure 1B It is a cross-sectional view of two adjacent electrolytic units 90 in the electrolytic cell 4 of the present embodiment. Figure 2A An electrolytic cell 30 is shown. Figure 2B The steps of assembling the electrolytic cell 30 are shown.

[0089] like Figure 1BAs shown, the electrolytic unit 90, the ion exchange membrane 2, and the electrolytic unit 90 are arranged in series in this order. The ion exchange membrane 2 is arranged between the anode chamber of one electrolytic unit 90 and the cathode chamber of the other electrolytic unit 90 of two adjacent electrolytic units in the electrolytic cell. That is, the anode chamber 10 of the electrolytic unit 90 and the cathode chamber 20 of the adjacent electrolytic unit 90 are separated by the ion exchange membrane 2.

[0090] like Figure 2A As shown in FIG. 1 , the electrolytic cell 30 is composed of a plurality of electrolytic units 90 connected in series via the ion exchange membrane 2. That is, the electrolytic cell 30 is a bipolar electrolytic cell including a plurality of electrolytic units 90 arranged in series and an ion exchange membrane 2 arranged between adjacent electrolytic units 90. Figure 2B As shown, the electrolytic cell 30 is assembled by arranging a plurality of electrolytic units 90 in series via the ion exchange membrane 2 and connecting them via a press 500 .

[0091] The electrolytic cell 30 has an anode terminal 700 and a cathode terminal 600 connected to a power source. The anode 11 of the electrolytic cell 90 located at the end position among the plurality of electrolytic cells 90 connected in series in the electrolytic cell 30 is electrically connected to the anode terminal 700. The cathode 21 of the electrolytic cell located at the end opposite to the anode terminal 700 among the plurality of electrolytic cells 2 connected in series in the electrolytic cell 30 is electrically connected to the cathode terminal 600. The current during electrolysis flows from the anode terminal 700 side through the anode and cathode of each electrolytic cell 90 toward the cathode terminal 600. In addition, an electrolytic cell (anode terminal cell) having only an anode chamber and an electrolytic cell (cathode terminal cell) having only a cathode chamber may be arranged at both ends of the connected electrolytic cell 90. In this case, the anode terminal 700 is connected to the anode terminal cell arranged at one end, and the cathode terminal 600 is connected to the cathode terminal cell arranged at the other end.

[0092] When the electrolysis of salt water is performed, salt water is supplied to each anode chamber 10, and pure water or a low-concentration sodium hydroxide aqueous solution is supplied to the cathode chamber 20. Each liquid is supplied to each electrolysis unit 90 from an electrolyte supply pipe (omitted in the figure) via an electrolyte supply hose (omitted in the figure). In addition, the product obtained based on the electrolyte and electrolysis is recovered through an electrolyte recovery pipe (omitted in the figure). During electrolysis, sodium ions in the salt water move from the anode chamber 10 of the electrolysis unit 90 on one side to the cathode chamber 20 of the adjacent electrolysis unit 90 through the ion exchange membrane 2. Therefore, the current in the electrolysis flows in the direction in which the electrolysis units 90 are connected in series. That is, the current flows from the anode chamber 10 to the cathode chamber 20 via the ion exchange membrane 2. Along with the electrolysis of the salt water, chlorine gas is generated on the anode 11 side, and sodium hydroxide (solute) and hydrogen gas are generated on the cathode 21 side.

[0093] There are two types of alkaline water electrolysis: the type using a cation exchange membrane and the type using an anion exchange membrane. In the type using a cation exchange membrane, alkali metal ions (K + 、Na + ) moves from the anode chamber 10 to the cathode chamber 20. On the other hand, in the type using an anion exchange membrane, hydroxide ions (OH - ) moves from the cathode chamber 20 to the anode chamber 10.

[0094] 2. Device

[0095] The amount of precious metal coating residue of the electrode of the electrolytic unit gradually decreases as the electrolytic device operates. The degree of reduction is affected by operating conditions such as operating time and operating voltage, operating faults such as the generation of reverse current, etc. In addition, in an electrolytic device having a bipolar electrolytic cell formed by connecting a large number of electrolytic cells, the magnitude of the reverse current generated varies depending on the position of the electrolytic unit in the electrolytic cell, and therefore, the degree of reduction of the precious metal coating residue varies depending on the position of the electrolytic unit in the electrolytic cell.

[0096] The device of the present embodiment has a management unit that records the usage history information of the electrodes of the electrolytic cells based on the operation history information of the electrolytic cell having one or more electrolytic cells. In addition, in the present embodiment, the history of the electrolytic cell is referred to as the "operation history" and the history of the electrodes is referred to as the "usage history". The "usage history" is used in the sense of the entire history of the electrodes, and is used in the sense of including the repair history in addition to the information based on the past operation history of the electrolytic cell. In addition, the history of the case where the electrodes of a certain electrolytic cell are reused as electrodes of a different electrolytic cell may also be included in the usage history.

[0097] Thus, by managing the use history of the electrode of the electrolytic cell and appropriately evaluating the life of the electrode, it is possible to use the electrode for a longer period of time.

[0098] In this embodiment, for example, Figure 3 As shown, the device 100 may be connected to the electrolysis device 10 via a wired or wireless network N, or the device 100 and the electrolysis device 10 may constitute one device. In addition, the device 100 may also be configured to be executed by other devices such as a server connected via the network N. Figure 3 Processing of at least a portion of the functional unit shown.

[0099] 2.1. Structure

[0100] Reference Figure 3The hardware structure of the device 100 will be described. The device 100 includes, for example, a processor 110, a communication interface 120, an input / output interface 130, a memory 140, a storage 150, and one or more communication buses 160 for interconnecting these components.

[0101] The processor 110 executes the processing, function or method implemented by the code or command included in the program stored in the storage 150. The processor 110 is not limited, and as an example, it can be one or more central processing units (CPUs), MPUs (Micro Processing Units), GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), microprocessors, processor cores, multiprocessors, ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits), FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays), etc., and each processing, function or method disclosed in each embodiment is implemented by a logic circuit (hardware) or a dedicated circuit formed on an integrated circuit (IC (Integrated Circuit) chip, LSI (Large Scale Integration)) or the like.

[0102] The communication interface 120 transmits and receives various data with other devices via a network. The communication can be performed by any wired or wireless method, and any communication protocol can be used as long as mutual communication can be performed. For example, the communication interface 120 can be installed as hardware such as a network adapter, various communication software, or a combination thereof.

[0103] The network is not limited, and examples thereof include an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual private network (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless WAN (WWAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a part of the Internet, a part of the public switched telephone network (PSTN), a mobile phone network, ISDNs (Integrated Service Digital Networks), wireless LANs, LTE (Long Term Evolution), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), Bluetooth (registered trademark), satellite communications, etc., and a combination of these is also possible. The network may include one or more networks.

[0104] The input / output interface 130 includes an input device for inputting various operations to the device 100 and an output device for outputting the processing results processed by the device 100. For example, the input / output interface 130 includes information input devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch panel, and information output devices such as a display. In addition, the device 100 can also accept a predetermined input by connecting an external input / output interface 130.

[0105] For example, as the external input / output interface 130, the device 100 can also be connected to a fluorescent X-ray analyzer, an inductively coupled plasma emission light analyzer, an X-ray diffraction device, or an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyzer via a wired or wireless network N. In this way, the actual measurement data of the residual amount of the precious metal coating of the electrode can be directly and simply measured, and the device 100 can also obtain the measured data.

[0106] The memory 140 temporarily stores the program loaded from the storage 150 and provides a work area for the processor 110. Various data generated during the execution of the program by the processor 110 are also temporarily stored in the memory 140. The memory 140 may be, for example, a high-speed random access memory such as DRAM, SRAM, DDR RAM, or other random access solid state storage devices, or a combination thereof.

[0107] The storage 150 stores programs, various functional units, and various data. The storage 150 may be, for example, one or more magnetic disk storage devices, optical disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or other nonvolatile solid state storage devices, or a combination thereof. As another example of the storage 150, one or more storage devices disposed away from the processor 110 may be cited.

[0108] In one embodiment of the present invention, the storage 150 stores programs, functional units and data structures, or a subset thereof. The apparatus 100 is configured such that the processor 110 executes commands contained in the programs stored in the storage 150, thereby Figure 3 As shown, the controller functions as a management unit 154 , a learning unit 156 , an evaluation unit 157 , an operation suggestion unit 158 ​​, a stop suggestion unit 159 , and a position change suggestion unit 161 .

[0109] The operating system 151 includes, for example, procedures for processing various basic system services and performing tasks using hardware.

[0110] The network communication unit 152 is used to connect the device 100 to other computers via the communication interface 120 and one or more communication networks such as the Internet, other wide area networks, local area networks, and metropolitan area networks.

[0111] 2.1.1. Electrolyzer data

[0112] The electrolytic cell data 153 stores information related to the electrolytic cell 30 and operation history information of the electrolytic cell 30 for each electrolytic cell. Figure 4A and Figure 4B , the electrolytic cell data 153 stored in the storage 150 is described.

[0113] The information on the electrolytic cell 30 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include the number of electrolytic cells 31 included in the electrolytic cell 30 and the device configuration of the electrolysis device 10 .

[0114] The usage history information of the electrode is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include initial data related to the types of metals possessed by the electrode and the loading amounts of these metals before operation, actual measurement data on the types of metals possessed by the electrode and the loading amounts of these metals during operation, repair history, information based on the operation history information of the electrolytic cell, and evaluation values, etc.

[0115] The initial data may be information obtained from an electrode manufacturer, for example. In addition, the measured data may be data obtained from an input / output interface 130 such as a fluorescent X-ray analyzer, or may include fluorescent X-ray analysis data, inductively coupled plasma emission analysis data, X-ray diffraction data, or X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis data of an electrode of an electrolysis cell.

[0116] In addition, regarding the method of quantifying the precious metals based on these analysis data, there is no particular limitation as long as it is a publicly known method. However, for example, there can be cited a method of calculating the coating residue of each precious metal in the catalyst layer of the electrode based on fluorescent X-ray analysis data and using calibration curves, etc., a method of calculating the coating residue of each precious metal in the catalyst layer of the electrode based on the intensity ratio of the metal used for the substrate of the electrode and the precious metals contained in the catalyst layer, etc.

[0117] In addition, when the electrolytic cell 30 is a bipolar type, the initial data and the measured data may be stored for each electrolytic cell 31. Here, the initial data and the measured data do not need to include the initial data and the measured data related to all the electrolytic cells 31-1 to 31-N included in the electrolytic cell 30, and the information related to a part of the electrolytic cells 31-N may include the initial data and the measured data. As an example, in Figure 4A The measured data of shows an example in which the measured data on all the electrolytic cells 31-1 to 31-100 are not measured, but the measured data on the cell 31-1, the cell 31-50, and the cell 31-100 are measured and stored.

[0118] In addition, when the electrolytic cell 30 is a bipolar type, information about the position of each electrolytic unit in the electrolytic cell 30 may also be included. The information about the position of each electrolytic unit in the electrolytic cell 30 is not particularly limited, but for example, it may be the position of the first, second, etc. electrolytic unit counted from the end. As an example, Figure 4A In the example, the position of each electrolytic cell in the electrolytic cell 30 is stored by recording the 31-1 cell, the 31-50 cell, and the 31-100 cell in the actual measurement data. Thus, the state of the electrolytic cell 31-N corresponding to the position in the electrolytic cell 30 can be specifically stored.

[0119] Furthermore, as the repair history, the time and content of replacement and repair of the electrolytic cell may be stored for each electrolytic cell.

[0120] The information based on the operation history information of the electrolytic cell included in the use history information of the electrode may include the total operation time and the total amount of electricity supplied to the electrolytic cell, and information described in the operation history information of the electrolytic cell described later.

[0121] As evaluation values, for example, a metal amount evaluation value for evaluating the catalytic ability of the catalyst layer of the electrode, such as the amount of metal, and an impurity evaluation value for indicating the degree to which the catalytic ability is hindered, such as the amount of impurities attached to the electrode, can be included. The metal amount evaluation value is also called the residual amount of the precious metal coating. These evaluation values ​​can be calculated by the management unit 154 based on at least one of the initial data, the measured data, the repair history, and the operation history information of the electrolytic cell, and recorded as one of the usage history information of the electrode.

[0122] By using such evaluation values, the state of the electrode can be specifically understood. For example, based on the metal content evaluation value, it can be evaluated whether the electrode's catalytic ability has decreased due to a decrease in the metal content, and based on the impurity evaluation value, it can be evaluated whether the electrode's ability has decreased due to the adhesion of impurities, etc.

[0123] For example, when the metal content evaluation value of a certain electrode is high and the impurity evaluation value is low, it can be evaluated that the electrode has maintained the metal content but has impurities attached, so it is in a state of not fully exerting its performance. By performing such an evaluation, it is possible to make a more appropriate judgment on whether to increase the metal content of the electrode to extend its life or to remove impurities to extend its life.

[0124] Furthermore, even when the metal amount evaluation value of a certain electrode is low, it is possible to evaluate whether the reduction in the metal amount is within the range of the extent that can be restored by simple treatment or within the range of the extent that can be restored by thorough treatment. By making such an evaluation, it is possible to more appropriately determine which treatment to select from a plurality of treatments available when the metal amount is increased to extend the life of the electrode.

[0125] In addition, the above determination may be performed by the evaluation unit 157 described later.

[0126] The operation history information of the electrolytic cell included in the electrolytic cell data 153 is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include the total operation time of the electrolytic cell, the total amount of electricity supplied, the current density, the operation voltage, the current efficiency, the operation temperature, the electrolyte, the flow rate of the electrolyte supplied to the anode chamber and the cathode chamber, the information related to the reverse current, the number of stops, etc., and also include known contents as conditions to be controlled or observed during the operation of the electrolysis device 10. In addition, the gas purity refers to the purity of the gas generated at the cathode or the anode.

[0127] The operation history information of the electrolytic cell 30 may also be recorded over time. Figure 4BAs shown, the current density, operating voltage, operating temperature and other conditions that can change over time can be stored as time information. It is known that even when the electrolysis device 10 is operated normally, the coating residue of the precious metal of the electrode gradually decreases. Therefore, by recording the operation history information as time information in this way, the metal amount evaluation value of the electrode can be estimated more specifically.

[0128] In addition, it is known that impurities may gradually adhere to the electrode depending on the operating conditions such as the amount of impurities in the electrolyte used and the total operating time. Therefore, the impurity evaluation value of the electrode can be estimated more specifically by recording the operating history information.

[0129] Furthermore, if Figure 4B As shown, the data of such operation history over time may also include traces related to the reverse current during the stop period. Here, the reverse current is explained. The electrolysis unit 31 can produce a self-discharge reaction via a leakage current circuit formed by the electrolyte supply piping when the electrolysis stops. In the self-discharge reaction, the direction of the current flowing on the energized surface is the opposite direction to that during electrolysis, so it is called a reverse current. The electrodes of the electrolysis unit 31 are oxidized and reduced in the process of generating the reverse current, and as a result, the catalyst layer located on the surface of the substrate sometimes falls off, and the residual coating of the precious metal is extremely affected. Therefore, the information related to such a reverse current can also be recorded as operation history information, so as to more specifically estimate the reduction behavior of the residual coating of the precious metal of the electrode. In particular, in the cathode 35, the influence of such a reverse current on the reduction of the residual coating of the precious metal tends to be greater.

[0130] In addition, or in lieu of the above, sometimes a reverse current is generated when the current density is extremely low. Specifically, the current of the positive electrolysis is compared with the reverse current. When the reverse current is relatively large, there may be a situation where a reverse current is generated. The data of the operation history over time may also include traces related to such a reverse current.

[0131] In addition, as the information related to the electrolyte in the operation history information of the electrolytic cell 30, in addition to the composition of the electrolyte, information related to the type of impurities and the amount of impurities may also be included. When the electrolyte contains impurities, impurities are sometimes attached to the electrodes. The impurities attached to the electrodes affect the operation of the electrolytic device 10 and also affect the coating residue of the precious metal of the electrode. Therefore, the information related to the electrolyte can be recorded as the operation history information, so as to more specifically estimate the reduction behavior of the coating residue of the precious metal of the electrode. In particular, in the anode 33, the influence of such impurities on the reduction of the coating residue of the precious metal has a greater tendency.

[0132] 2.1.2. Management Department

[0133] The management unit 154 records the usage history information of the electrodes of the electrolysis unit based on the operation history information of the electrolysis cell. More specifically, the management unit 154 may also perform the following processing: obtain the operation history information of the electrolysis cell from the control unit 70 of the electrolysis device 10; record the obtained operation history information in the electrolysis cell data; and record the usage history information of the electrodes of the electrolysis unit based on the recorded operation history information. In addition, the management unit 154 of the device 100 is not limited to obtaining the operation history information of the electrolysis cell from the control unit 70 of the electrolysis device 10.

[0134] The management unit 154 may also record the metal amount evaluation value of the electrode and the impurity evaluation value of the electrode as the usage history information. The metal amount evaluation value may be a value indicating the catalytic ability, such as the amount of metal in the catalyst layer of the electrode, without any particular limitation, and may also be the coating residue of the precious metal. The impurity evaluation value may be a value indicating the degree to which the catalytic ability is hindered, such as the amount of impurities attached to the electrode, without any particular limitation, and may also be the amount of impurities attached.

[0135] In addition, the management unit 154 may also record the measured data of the coating residual amount of the precious metal as the metal amount evaluation value, and may also calculate and record the metal amount evaluation value based on at least one of the initial data, the measured data, the repair history, and the operation history information of the electrolytic cell. Below, after explaining the decreasing trend of the metal amount, an example of a method for calculating the metal amount evaluation value is explained.

[0136] 2.1.2.1. Reduction tendency

[0137] Before describing the prediction process performed by the management unit 154, refer to Figure 5A to Figure 5E The trend of reduction in the amount of the precious metal coating residue is described below.

[0138] Figure 5A to Figure 5E It is a graph showing the amount of residual metal in the electrode of each electrolytic cell of a bipolar electrolytic cell, where the vertical axis represents the amount of residual metal and the horizontal axis represents the position of the electrode in the bipolar electrolytic cell. Figure 5A This is a graph showing that the amount of residual metal in the unused electrode before operation is 100%. Figure 5B is a graph showing the amount of metal remaining in the electrode after the electrolysis device 10 has been operated for a predetermined time. Figure 5C It is further shown that Figure 5B The state shown is a graph showing the amount of metal remaining in the electrode after the electrolysis device 10 is further operated.

[0139] like Figure 5A to Figure 5CAs shown, in all electrolysis units, the amount of precious metal coating remaining has a tendency to gradually decrease with the operation of the electrolysis device 10. Therefore, the amount of precious metal coating remaining in the electrode can be estimated based on the operation history information such as the operation time under what conditions (voltage, current, etc.).

[0140] In addition, if Figure 5A to Figure 5C As shown, it can be seen that in the case of a bipolar electrolytic cell, the degree of reduction of the residual amount of the precious metal coating varies depending on the position of the electrolytic cell. More specifically, it can be seen that there is a tendency that the more the electrolytic cell is located in the center of the bipolar electrolytic cell, the less the residual amount of the precious metal coating becomes. This is because when the electrolytic device 10 is repeatedly operated and stopped, a reverse current is more likely to be generated in the electrolytic cell located in the center.

[0141] Therefore, in addition to the operation history information such as the operation time under the conditions (voltage, current, etc.) to what extent, the reduction degree of the precious metal coating residue can also be weighted and evaluated according to the position of the unit. More specifically, the precious metal coating residue can be evaluated by adjusting the electrolytic unit located in the center of the bipolar electrolytic cell so that the reduction degree of the precious metal coating residue is greater. Thus, even in the case of a large number of electrolytic cells such as a bipolar electrolytic cell, the precious metal coating residue of the electrodes of these electrolytic cells can be uniformly estimated.

[0142] In addition, when the electrolytic cell has an absorber for reverse current or the electrode has an absorber for reverse current, the amount of precious metal coating residue in the electrolytic cell located in the center of the bipolar electrolytic cell and the electrolytic cell located at the end may be further alleviated ( Figure 5D ).

[0143] Furthermore, if Figure 5E As shown, when a reverse current is significantly generated, the amount of precious metal coating remaining in the electrolytic cell where the reverse current is generated tends to be significantly reduced. Therefore, by considering the reverse current as one of the operation history information, the amount of precious metal coating remaining in the electrolytic cell can be evaluated.

[0144] In addition, as described above, when the catalyst layer is re-coated on the electrode of the electrolysis unit or the electrode or the electrolysis unit itself is replaced as a repair history, the time point when the repair or replacement is performed can be set as 100% for the electrolysis unit, and the reduction degree of the remaining amount of the precious metal coating from that time point can be calculated. Thus, the remaining amount of the precious metal coating can also be evaluated individually for the electrolysis unit with a repair history.

[0145] In addition, Figure 5A to Figure 5EIn order to make it easier to understand the degree of reduction in the amount of the precious metal coating residue, the degree of reduction is prominently shown; however, the reduction in the amount of the precious metal coating residue in this embodiment is not limited to this.

[0146] 2.1.2.2. Calculation of metal content evaluation value

[0147] The calculation process of the metal amount evaluation value performed by the management unit 154 is not particularly limited, but, for example, a method using the following formula can be cited, which uses the value included in the operation history information as a variable to calculate the metal amount evaluation value of the electrode. More specifically, as the formula for calculating the metal amount evaluation value, a formula can be cited that uses as variables a value representing the total amount of operation such as the total operation time and the total amount of power supplied, and a value representing the conditions during stable operation such as the operation voltage, the operation temperature, the current density, and the type of electrolyte.

[0148] Such a formula can be obtained as a learning model generated by machine learning processing based on learning data, the learning data including information related to the operation history and information related to the metal amount evaluation value of the electrode of each electrolytic cell of the bipolar electrolytic cell that has gone through the operation history. In other words, the management unit 154 can use the learning model generated by machine learning processing based on learning data, the learning data including information related to the operation history and information related to the metal amount evaluation value of the electrode of each electrolytic cell of the bipolar electrolytic cell that has gone through the operation history to predict the metal amount evaluation value. In addition, the generation of learning data and learning model will be described later.

[0149] In addition, if Figure 5A to Figure 5D As shown, in the case of a bipolar electrolytic cell, even if the operating conditions are the same, the reduction degree of the metal amount evaluation value may differ depending on the position of the electrolytic cell. Therefore, the management unit 154 may also predict the metal amount evaluation value of the electrode of the other electrolytic cells based on the operation history information of the electrolytic cell and the data obtained by actually measuring the metal amount evaluation value of the electrode of a part of the electrolytic cells.

[0150] More specifically, it may be that Figure 5B The measured data is obtained from the electrolytic cell at any position of the bipolar electrolytic cell surrounded by the dotted line quadrilateral, so as to estimate the decrease curve of the metal amount evaluation value from the end to the center, and adjust the weight of the decrease degree of the metal amount evaluation value corresponding to the position of the cell based on the estimated phenomenon curve. Here, the phenomenon curve refers to Figure 5B , Figure 5C The curve shows a tendency that the closer to the end portion, the greater the metal amount evaluation value is, and the closer to the center portion, the smaller the metal amount evaluation value is.

[0151] In addition, Figure 5B As shown in the figure, as the electrolytic units for obtaining measured data, the electrolytic units located at the ends and the center of the bipolar electrolytic cell are surrounded by dotted rectangles, and the measured data considered by the management unit 154 include the measured data of the metal amount evaluation values ​​of the electrodes possessed by the electrolytic units located at the ends and the center of the electrolytic cell.

[0152] Thus, even in the case of a large number of electrolytic cells such as a bipolar electrolytic cell, the metal amount evaluation values ​​of the electrodes of these electrolytic cells can be uniformly estimated with higher accuracy. In particular, by referring to the measured data of a part of the electrolytic cells, the prediction accuracy of the metal amount evaluation values ​​of the electrodes of other electrolytic cells that do not have measured data can be improved.

[0153] However, the present invention is not limited to this, and as long as there is measured data of at least two electrolytic units, the reduction curve can be estimated. More specifically, if it is known in advance that a reduction curve can be obtained, as long as there is measured data of at least two electrolytic units, a reduction curve that satisfies the metal amount evaluation value measured by the electrolytic units at the two locations can be fitted. Figure 5B In the figure, a plurality of electrolytic units are surrounded by a dotted quadrilateral, but the invention is not limited thereto. As long as there are two locations of measured data of at least one electrolytic unit, a reduction curve can be fitted.

[0154] In addition, the measured data may also include fluorescent X-ray analysis data, inductively coupled plasma emission analysis data, X-ray diffraction data, or X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis data of the electrodes of the electrolysis cell. In addition, the measured data may be data obtained from the input / output interface 130 such as a fluorescent X-ray analyzer, and may also include fluorescent X-ray analysis data, inductively coupled plasma emission analysis data, X-ray diffraction data, or X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis data of the electrodes of the electrolysis cell.

[0155] The management unit 154 may also predict the cathode metal amount evaluation value based on the operation history information including the information related to the reverse current. Figure 5E The metal amount evaluation value is predicted based on the decrease in the metal amount evaluation value of the cathode caused by the generation of reverse current as shown.

[0156] The management unit 154 can also predict the metal amount evaluation value of the anode based on the operation history information containing information related to the impurities of the electrolyte. When the electrolyte contains impurities, impurities are sometimes attached to the electrode. The impurities attached to the electrode affect the operation of the electrolysis device 10 and also affect the coating residue of the precious metal of the electrode. In particular, in the anode 33, such a reverse current has a greater tendency to reduce the coating residue of the precious metal. Therefore, by recording the information related to the electrolyte as the operation history information, the metal amount evaluation value of the electrode can be predicted.

[0157] Furthermore, the management unit 154 may predict the metal amount evaluation value for each of the anode and cathode. As described above, the decreasing tendency of the metal amount evaluation value may be different between the anode and cathode, but by predicting the metal amount evaluation value for each of the anode and cathode, the precious metal amount can be estimated more appropriately.

[0158] In addition, the metal amount evaluation value predicted by the management unit 154 may also include the coating residue of a precious metal selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium and platinum. These metals function as main active species in the catalyst layer of the electrode, and therefore, it is useful to evaluate the residual amount of such rare metals in a non-invasive manner.

[0159] 2.1.2.3. Calculation of impurity evaluation value

[0160] The calculation process of the impurity evaluation value performed by the management unit 154 is not particularly limited, but, for example, a method using the following formula can be cited, which uses the value included in the operation history information as a variable to calculate the impurity evaluation value of the electrode. As a formula for calculating the impurity evaluation value, more specifically, a formula can be cited that uses as variables the value representing the total amount of operation such as the total operation time and the total amount of power supply, and the value that becomes the factor of impurity during operation such as the type of electrolyte, the type and amount of impurities contained in the electrolyte. In addition, the impurity evaluation value may also include indicators such as the surface coverage of the electrode by impurities and the thickness of the impurities attached.

[0161] Such a formula can also be obtained as a learned model, which is generated by machine learning processing based on learning data, and the learning data includes information related to the operation history and information related to the impurity evaluation value of the electrode of each electrolysis unit of the bipolar electrolytic cell that has gone through the operation history. In other words, the management unit 154 can also use the learned model generated by machine learning processing based on the learning data to predict the impurity evaluation value, and the learning data includes information related to the operation history and information related to the impurity evaluation value of the electrode of each electrolysis unit of the bipolar electrolytic cell that has gone through the operation history. In addition, the generation of learning data and learned models will be described later.

[0162] 2.1.3. Evaluation Department

[0163] The evaluation unit 157 may also evaluate the future performance of the electrode based on the usage history information of the electrode. In addition, the evaluation unit 157 may also evaluate the future performance of the repaired electrode based on the usage history information of the electrode and the planned repair method.

[0164] exist Figure 7A to Figure 7D A schematic diagram showing an example of the evaluation content output by the evaluation unit 157 is shown in FIG. Figure 7A to Figure 7D In FIG. 1 , the solid line indicates the performance of the electrode from the start of use, and the dotted line indicates the future performance of the electrode evaluated by the evaluation unit 157 . Figure 7A to Figure 7D The solid line in shows that the performance of the electrode gradually decreases with the passage of time from the start of use, and the rate of decrease in the performance of the electrode is passively decreased by receiving a prescribed repair in the middle. Here, the performance of the electrode can be the efficiency of the electrolytic reaction, or a value associated with the metal content evaluation value or the impurity evaluation value.

[0165] Figure 7A to Figure 7D The dotted lines in the figure show the future performance of the electrode evaluated by the evaluation unit 157 when no repair is performed, when repair A is performed, and when repair B is performed.

[0166] like Fig. 7A As shown by the dotted line in FIG. , the future performance of the electrode may be different depending on whether the repair is performed or not. In addition, the future performance of the electrode may also be different depending on the content of the repair. Figure 7B As shown by the dotted line in Fig. 7A The evaluation result shows that the difference in effect between the repair A and the repair B disappears. Figure 7C As shown by the dotted line in Fig. 7AThe evaluation result shows that the difference between the effect of repair B and the effect without repair disappears. Figure 7A to Figure 7C The performance of the electrodes is shown to extend their lifetime, as Fig.7D As shown, it can also have the effect of temporarily improving performance.

[0167] like Figure 7A to Figure 7D As shown, depending on the usage history information of the electrode, the following state may occur: the impact of repair A and repair B on future performance is different, or the difference in effect between the case of no repair and the case of repair is reduced. For example, when the metal content evaluation value of a certain electrode is high and the impurity evaluation value is low, it can be evaluated that although the metal content of the electrode is maintained, impurities are attached, so it is a state where the performance is not fully exerted. In this way, it is possible to understand that even if repair A such as removing impurities has a certain effect, the effect of repair A such as increasing the metal content is poor, and a more appropriate repair content can be selected. Alternatively, it is also possible to evaluate whether the degree of reduction in the amount of metal is within the range of the degree that can be restored by simple treatment (repair B) or within the range of the degree that can be restored by thorough treatment (repair A).

[0168] The evaluation unit 157 evaluates the metal amount evaluation value and the impurity evaluation value based on one of the metal amount evaluation value and the impurity evaluation value, and outputs the repair content that can best continue the performance or temporarily improve the performance based on the evaluation result, and displays it on a display, etc. In addition, similarly, information related to the future performance of the electrode based on each repair content can also be prompted and displayed on a display, etc.

[0169] Here, the evaluation of the size of the metal amount evaluation value and the impurity evaluation value means comparing the metal amount and the impurity amount to evaluate their size. For example, when the metal amount evaluation value is large and the impurity evaluation value is small, the evaluation unit 157 may determine and output the repair content that reduces the impurity amount. In addition, when the metal amount evaluation value is small and the impurity evaluation value is small, the evaluation unit 157 may determine and output the repair content that increases the metal amount.

[0170] In addition, the evaluation unit 157 can also output the repair content that can best continue the performance or temporarily improve the performance based on the impurity evaluation value, and display it on a display, etc. In addition, similarly, information related to the future performance of the electrode based on each repair content can also be prompted and displayed on a display, etc.

[0171] By evaluating the future performance (prognosis) after such repair, the life of the electrode and the repair content to be selected can be appropriately evaluated, thereby contributing to longer-term use of the electrode.

[0172] 2.1.4. Model

[0173] The learning unit 156 may also perform machine learning processing based on the learning data 155 to obtain a learned model, wherein the learning data 155 includes information related to the operation history and information related to the metal amount evaluation value or impurity evaluation value of the electrode of each electrolytic cell of the electrolytic cell that has undergone the operation history. The learned model obtained in this way becomes a model used by the management unit 154, which can input information related to the operation history and output information related to the metal amount evaluation value or impurity evaluation value of the electrode of each electrolytic cell of the electrolytic cell that has undergone the operation history.

[0174] The learning data 155 may store, for example, information related to the electrolytic cell 30, operation history information of the electrolytic cell 30, and information related to the metal amount evaluation value or impurity evaluation value of the electrolytic cell 30 for each electrolytic cell. Figure 6 The learning data 155 stored in the memory 150 will be described.

[0175] The information on the electrolytic cell 30 and the operation history information of the electrolytic cell 30 stored in the learning data 155 may be the same as the content recorded in the electrolytic cell data 153 .

[0176] In addition, as information related to the metal amount evaluation value or impurity evaluation value of the electrolytic cell 30, information related to the actual metal amount evaluation value or impurity evaluation value of the electrolytic cell 30 can be stored. More specifically, Figure 6 As shown, information that summarizes the measured data of the metal amount evaluation value or impurity evaluation value for each electrolytic cell can be cited.

[0177] The learning unit 156 may use information related to the operation history and information related to the amount of precious metal coating remaining on the electrodes of each electrolytic unit of the electrolytic cell that has undergone the operation history as learning data, use the information related to the amount of precious metal coating remaining as a correct answer label, and perform machine learning to construct a model.

[0178] In addition, the learning unit 156 may also constitute a model other than a machine learning model. As such a model, for example, a model having values ​​indicating the total amount of operation such as total operation time and total power supply, and values ​​indicating conditions during stable operation such as operation voltage, operation temperature, current density, and type of electrolyte as variables. The coefficients of such variables may also be determined based on the learning data 155.

[0179] In addition, the learning unit 156 can also perform machine learning processing based on the learning data 155 to obtain a learned model, and the learning data 155 includes the usage history information of the electrode and the information related to the performance of the electrode. The learned model obtained in this way becomes a model used by the evaluation unit 157, which can input information related to the operation history and output information related to the future performance of the electrode possessed by each electrolytic unit of the electrolytic cell that has undergone the operation history. At this time, if the usage history information of the electrode in the learning data 155 includes the repair history, it is also possible to obtain a learned model that outputs information related to the future performance of the repaired electrode based on the usage history information of the electrode and the repair method.

[0180] 2.1.5. Operation suggestion department

[0181] The operation suggestion unit 158 ​​may also suggest operating conditions for the electrolytic cell 30. Specifically, the operation suggestion unit 158 ​​can suggest operating conditions for making the current efficiency higher based on the usage history information.

[0182] The movement of ions in the electrolyte, the transfer of electrons on the electrode surface, and the generation of substances accompanying this occur in the electrolytic cell 30. However, the substances intervening in the electrolytic reaction are not limited to the target substances. Therefore, it is desirable to improve the current efficiency for the target substance. The "current efficiency" in the electrolytic cell 30 refers to the ratio of the amount of substance actually generated by a certain amount of electricity in the electrolytic cell to the theoretical maximum amount of the generated substance.

[0183] In this embodiment, the target substance is, for example, chlorine or hydrogen in the case of salt water electrolysis, or oxygen or hydrogen in the case of alkaline water electrolysis. High current efficiency means that most of the electricity used is used to generate the target substance such as hydrogen.

[0184] Regarding the operating conditions of the electrolytic cell 30, it is preferred to perform the desired electrolytic reaction at a higher current efficiency as possible. To this end, it is preferred to adjust various condition settings, but as one of the viewpoints, the operation suggestion unit 158 ​​may also suggest operating conditions including voltage conditions and electrolyte flow conditions based on the usage history information. In addition, the operating conditions are not limited to these, and may also include other conditions such as electrolyte concentration and temperature conditions.

[0185] The usage history information may also include a metal amount evaluation value. In this case, the usage history information becomes information reflecting the amount of active species in the electrode. In addition, the voltage condition is a value that controls the amount of current flowing between the electrodes. In addition, the flow condition of the electrolyte is a value that controls the amount of ions that transfer electrons to and from the electrodes and the contact efficiency between the electrolyte and the electrodes. If the amount of active species in the electrodes is different, the appropriate values ​​of other operating conditions may change. That is, the operation recommendation unit 158 ​​can recommend as operating conditions at least voltage conditions and electrolyte flow conditions that make the movement of ions in the electrolyte and the transfer of electrons on the electrode surface more appropriate and improve the current efficiency based on the metal amount evaluation value.

[0186] Thus, instead of operating the electrolytic cell 30 under certain operating conditions, the electrolytic cell 30 can be operated under operating conditions where the current efficiency becomes higher in accordance with the change in the metal amount evaluation value. As a result, the control unit 70 of the electrolytic cell 30 adopts the operating conditions recommended by the operation recommendation unit 158, thereby maintaining the current efficiency of the electrolytic cell 30 at a high level from a long-term perspective, and further improving the yield.

[0187] In addition, the maintenance of the current efficiency of the electrolytic cell 30 achieved by the operation suggestion unit 158 ​​is also related to the long life of the electrolytic cell 30. As shown in Figure 1, the electrolytic cell 30 is a huge device, and therefore, repair factors are accumulated little by little in various parts at various times. In the present embodiment, "repair factors" refer to factors that, although there is no need for immediate repair, will lead to deterioration of the partition wall, a decrease in the metal content evaluation value, etc., which will reduce performance. When a certain degree of repair factors are accumulated, the operation of the electrolytic cell 30 is stopped, repairs are performed, and the operation is restarted. However, the electrolytic cell 30 is a huge device, and the stopping operation and the restarting operation for repairs require time. Therefore, the number of stops is preferably small to maximize the operating efficiency of the electrolytic cell 30. In addition, from the perspective of the influence of the above-mentioned reverse current on the metal content evaluation value, the number of stops is also preferably small.

[0188] That is, when the operation is stopped for repair, it is expected that more repairs can be performed by stopping the operation once. In other words, it is preferred to operate the electrolytic cell 30 for a longer life to wait for the accumulation of repair factors as much as possible. However, even if the accumulation of repair factors is waited for, it is also based on the premise of ensuring safety. Moreover, in such a background, the maintenance of the current efficiency of the electrolytic cell 30 achieved by the operation suggestion unit 158 ​​helps to operate the electrolytic cell 30 for a longer life to wait for the accumulation of repair factors.

[0189] 2.1.6. Stop Suggestion Department

[0190] The stop suggestion unit 159 may also suggest a stop condition for the electrolytic cell 30. Specifically, the stop suggestion unit 159 can suggest a stop condition that makes it difficult for the metal amount of the electrode to decrease based on the usage history information.

[0191] As described above, the electrodes of the electrolysis unit 31 are oxidized and reduced during the process of generating the reverse current, and as a result, the catalyst layer on the substrate surface may fall off, which greatly affects the metal content of the electrodes. The reverse current is caused by a self-discharge reaction generated through a leakage current circuit formed by the electrolyte supply piping when the electrolysis is stopped.

[0192] Therefore, as a stop condition of the electrolytic cell 30, it is desirable to reduce the reverse current and suppress the reduction of the metal amount of the electrode. For this reason, as a point of view, the stop suggestion unit 159 may also suggest the following current decay condition as a stop condition: instead of suddenly making the voltage applied to the electrolytic cell 30 0V, the voltage applied to the electrolytic cell 30 is made to 0V after the voltage is gradually reduced and the current flowing through the electrolytic cell 30 is gradually decayed. Thus, compared with suddenly making the voltage 0V from a high voltage, when the voltage is gradually reduced to 0V, the reverse current caused by the self-discharge reaction can be reduced.

[0193] In addition, when a reverse current is generated, a reaction in which the generated chlorine gas or the like is decomposed may occur in the opposite direction to the electrolytic reaction. Therefore, as another viewpoint for suppressing the reverse current, the stop suggestion unit 159 may also suggest an increase in the flow rate of the electrolyte supplied to the anode chamber 10 and the cathode chamber 20 as a stop condition, so as to quickly discharge the generated gas such as chlorine gas that interferes with the reaction of the reverse current from the anode chamber 10 and the cathode chamber 20. The more the flow rate of the electrolyte supplied to the anode chamber 10 and the cathode chamber 20, the more the generated gas generated in the electrode flows downstream. Thus, compared with the case where the voltage is made 0V in a state where the generated gas is mixed with a large amount in the electrolyte in the anode chamber 10 and the cathode chamber 20, the reverse current can be suppressed.

[0194] Furthermore, the stop suggestion unit 159 can suggest the above-mentioned current attenuation condition and the above-mentioned electrolyte flow rate increase condition based on the use history information such as the metal amount evaluation value. Specifically, considering that the reverse current is more likely to be generated in the central part and the metal amount of the electrode is small, the stop suggestion unit 159 can also set the current attenuation condition to match the part with less metal amount of the electrode. In addition, similarly, considering that the reverse current is more likely to be generated in the central part, the stop suggestion unit 159 can also set the above-mentioned increase condition so that the electrolyte flow rate is further increased to match the part with less metal amount of the electrode.

[0195] In addition, the above description is based on a typical example that the reverse current is easily generated in the central part as an example. However, the reverse current is not necessarily easy to generate in the central part, and the part where the reverse current is easy to generate may also be different according to the specifications of the electrolytic cell 30. The stop suggestion unit 159 can estimate the part where the reverse current is easy to generate based on the distribution of the metal amount of the electrode.

[0196] According to the above, the operation of the electrolytic cell 30 can be stopped under the stop condition that is less likely to generate reverse current. As a result, the control unit 70 of the electrolytic cell 30 adopts the stop condition recommended by the stop recommendation unit 159, so that the current efficiency of the electrolytic cell 30 can be maintained high from a long-term perspective, and the yield can be further improved.

[0197] Furthermore, the suppression of the reverse current achieved by the stop suggestion unit 159 is also related to the extension of the life of the electrolytic cell 30. As described above, the electrolytic cell 30 is a large device. Figure 5A to Figure 5C As shown, in the case of a bipolar electrolytic cell, the degree of reduction of the amount of metal in the electrode is likely to differ depending on the position of the electrolytic unit 90. Such a difference in the amount of metal in the electrode can be tolerated to a certain extent, but when the difference becomes large and the amount of metal in the electrode of a part of the electrolytic unit 90 decreases by more than a specified value, it is necessary to stop the operation and repair the part. However, even if the electrolytic unit 90 in which the amount of metal in the electrode has decreased by more than a specified value is partially repaired and the operation is restarted, since the other electrolytic units 90 are also in a state where the amount of metal in the electrode has decreased to a considerable degree, it may be necessary to stop the operation again and repair it. If this is repeated, the number of stops increases, so it is preferred that the difference in the degree of reduction of the amount of metal in the electrode caused by the position of the electrolytic unit is smaller.

[0198] In this context, the suppression of reverse current achieved by the stop suggestion unit 159 helps to further equalize the degree of reduction in the amount of metal in the electrodes caused by the position of the electrolytic unit 90, avoid the situation where only part of the electrodes are repaired, and operate the electrolytic cell 30 with a longer life.

[0199] Furthermore, the stop suggestion unit 159 may also suggest stop conditions based on the difference in the structure of the electrolytic cell 30. It is expected that the scale of the electrolytic cell 30, the specifications of the electrical system, the specifications of the electrolyte delivery, etc. are different. Therefore, the stop suggestion unit 159 can more effectively suppress the reverse current by suggesting stop conditions that take these into consideration.

[0200] 2.1.7. Position change suggestion department

[0201] When the electrolytic cell 30 includes a plurality of electrolytic units 90 , the position change suggestion unit 161 may suggest changing the positions of the electrolytic units 90 with relatively high remaining precious metal coating amounts and the electrolytic units 90 with relatively low remaining precious metal coating amounts in the electrolytic cell based on the usage history information.

[0202] Specifically, in the case of a bipolar electrolytic cell, the use history information of the electrolytic unit 90 may differ depending on the location. In such a case, as described above, even if a part of the electrolytic unit 90 is partially repaired based on the metal amount evaluation value and the impurity evaluation value and the operation is restarted, since the other electrolytic units 90 are also in a state where the metal amount evaluation value decreases to a considerable degree or the impurity evaluation value increases to a considerable degree, it may be necessary to stop the operation and repair it again.

[0203] Hereinafter, the electrolytic cell 90 having a relatively high metal amount evaluation value or a relatively low impurity evaluation value is referred to as a “first cell.” Also, hereafter, the electrolytic cell 90 having a relatively low metal amount evaluation value or a relatively high impurity evaluation value is referred to as a “second cell.”

[0204] Here, if the positions of the first unit and the second unit in the electrolytic cell are exchanged, the first unit is arranged at a position where the metal amount is easy to decrease or the impurity amount is easy to increase, and the second unit is arranged at a position where the metal amount is not easy to decrease or the impurity amount is not easy to increase. When the operation is restarted under this configuration, the difference in the metal amount and impurity amount between the first unit and the second unit can be eliminated.

[0205] In the case of a bipolar electrolytic cell, there are multiple electrolytic units 90 with different metal amounts and impurity amounts. Therefore, the position change suggestion unit 161 suggests a combination of the first unit and the second unit to be replaced based on their reduction degree, that is, the usage history information indicating the metal amount and impurity amount, thereby eliminating the difference in metal amount and impurity amount in the electrolytic cell 30 as a whole and maintaining the metal amount and impurity amount more evenly.

[0206] By maintaining the uniformity of the metal amount and the impurity amount, the position change suggestion unit 161 avoids the situation where only a part of the electrodes are repaired as described by the above-mentioned stop suggestion unit 159, and helps to operate the electrolytic cell 30 with a longer life.

[0207] 2.2. Action Processing

[0208] Next, the operation of the device of this embodiment will be described. Figure 8 This is a sequence diagram showing an example of processing executed by the device of this embodiment.

[0209] In step S801, the learning unit 156 of the device 100 may also perform machine learning processing based on the learning data 155 to obtain a learning model, wherein the learning data 155 includes information related to the operation history and information related to the metal amount evaluation value or impurity evaluation value of the electrode of each electrolytic cell of the electrolytic cell that has undergone the operation history. This model can be used when the management unit 154 calculates the metal amount evaluation value or the impurity evaluation value.

[0210] Furthermore, in step S801 , the learning unit 156 of the device 100 may perform machine learning processing based on the learning data 155 including information on the operation history and information on the performance of the electrode to obtain a learned model.

[0211] In steps S802 and S803, the management unit 154 of the device 100 obtains the operation history information of the electrolytic cell having one or more electrolytic cells, and stores it in the electrolytic cell data 153 recording the use history information of the electrode. Then, in step S804, the management unit 154 of the device 100 predicts the metal amount evaluation value or impurity evaluation value of the electrode of each electrolytic cell of the electrolytic cell based on the operation history information of the electrolytic cell having one or more electrolytic cells.

[0212] In step S805, the management unit 154 of the device 100 stores the predicted result of the metal content evaluation value or impurity evaluation value of the electrode as the usage history information of the electrode in the electrolytic cell data 153. In step S806, the evaluation unit 157 of the device 100 may also evaluate the future performance of the electrode.

[0213] In step S807 , the operation suggestion unit 158 ​​of the device 100 may suggest operation conditions for further improving the current efficiency based on the usage history information, and control the display of the operation conditions on a display, etc. Alternatively, the operation suggestion unit 158 ​​may output the operation conditions to the control unit 70 .

[0214] In step S808 , the stop suggestion unit 159 of the device 100 may suggest the stop condition that the metal amount of the electrode is not easy to reduce based on the use history information, and display the stop condition on a display, etc. Alternatively, the stop suggestion unit 159 may output the stop condition to the control unit 70 .

[0215] In step S809, the position change suggestion unit 161 of the device 100 may also suggest changing the position of the electrolytic unit having a relatively high electrode metal amount or impurity amount and the electrolytic unit having a relatively low electrode metal amount or impurity amount in the electrolytic cell based on the usage history information, and perform display control on a display, etc.

[0216] In addition, in steps S807 to S809, Figure 8 For convenience, steps S807, S808, and S809 are recorded in the order; however, these processes are independent and can be executed after S804. The order has no meaning, and the order of these steps can be changed arbitrarily or executed in parallel.

[0217] 3. Usage

[0218] Figures 9A to 9C An example of the use of the device of this embodiment is shown in FIG. Fig. 9A As shown, the electrolysis device 10 having an electrolytic cell is sold or loaned from the seller to the buyer. When the buyer uses the electrolysis device 10, the device 100 obtains the operation history information of the electrolytic cell via the network N, and the management unit 154 of the device 100 records the use history information of the electrodes of the electrolysis unit based on the operation history information (steps S802, S803).

[0219] Then, if Fig. 9B As shown, the electrolysis device 10 is returned from the purchaser to the seller, where it is maintained, repaired, etc. At this time, the seller can repair the electrode based on the future performance of the electrode output by the evaluation unit 157 of the device 100. When the repair is performed, the device 100 receives the repair history and records the usage history information of the electrode.

[0220] Moreover, if Fig. 9C As shown, the repaired electrolysis device 10 may be resold or loaned from the seller to the buyer. When lending, the seller may also provide information on the future performance of the electrode output by the evaluation unit 157 of the device 100 as one of the quality assurance information. Fig. 9A The buyer and Fig. 9C The buyer can also be different.

[0221] In addition, as described above, the present disclosure is not limited by the above-mentioned embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the main purpose. That is, the above-mentioned embodiments are only illustrative in all aspects and are not interpreted in a limiting manner. For example, the above-mentioned processing steps can be arbitrarily changed in order or executed in parallel within the scope that does not conflict with the processing content.

[0222] The program of this embodiment can be provided in a state of being stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Here, the storage medium can store the program in a "non-volatile tangible medium". The program is not limited, and as examples, includes a software program and a computer program.

[0223] Description of Reference Numerals

[0224] 1… elastic pad, 2… ion exchange membrane, 10… anode chamber, 19… bottom, 20… cathode chamber, 29… partition wall, 11… anode, 21… cathode, 23… current collector, 24… support, 30… electrolytic cell, 51… anode side gasket, 90… electrolytic cell, 500… pressure device, 600… cathode terminal, 700… anode terminal, 70… control unit, 100… device, 110… processor, 120… communication interface, 130… input / output interface, 140… memory, 150… storage, 151… operating system, 152… network communication unit, 153… electrolytic cell data, 154… management unit, 155… learning data, 156… learning unit, 157… evaluation unit, 160… communication bus

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a management unit that records usage history information of electrodes included in one or more electrolytic cells based on operation history information of an electrolytic tank including one or more electrolytic cells.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The usage history information of the electrode includes a repair history of the electrode.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The management section records a metal amount evaluation value of the electrode as the use history information.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein: The metal amount evaluation value includes a coating residual amount of a precious metal selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, and platinum.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The management unit records fluorescent X-ray analysis data, inductively coupled plasma emission analysis data, X-ray diffraction data, or X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis data of the electrode included in the electrolysis cell.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The device includes an evaluation unit that evaluates future performance of the electrode based on the usage history information of the electrode.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein: The evaluation unit evaluates the magnitude of the metal amount evaluation value and the impurity evaluation value, and outputs repair content that can best maintain performance or temporarily improve performance based on the evaluation result.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The device further comprises an operation suggestion unit for suggesting operation conditions of the electrolytic cell. The operation suggestion unit suggests the operation condition for further improving the current efficiency based on the usage history information, The operating conditions include voltage conditions and electrolyte flow conditions.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The device further comprises a stop suggestion unit for suggesting a stop condition of the electrolytic cell. The stop suggestion unit suggests the stop condition under which the amount of metal in the electrode is not likely to decrease based on the use history information, The stop condition includes a current attenuation condition and / or an electrolyte flow rate increase condition.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The electrolytic cell comprises a plurality of the electrolytic units. The device further includes a position change suggestion unit that suggests changing the positions of the electrolytic cell having a relatively high metal amount or impurity amount of the electrode and the electrolytic cell having a relatively low metal amount or impurity amount of the electrode in the electrolytic cell based on the usage history information.

11. The device according to claim 6, wherein: The evaluation unit evaluates future performance of the repaired electrode based on the usage history information of the electrode and a planned repair method.

12. A method, wherein: The device performs the following processing: Based on the operation history information of the electrolytic tank including one or more electrolytic units, the usage history information of the electrodes included in the electrolytic units is recorded.

13. A program, wherein: The program causes the device to perform the following processing: Based on the operation history information of the electrolytic tank including one or more electrolytic units, the usage history information of the electrodes included in the electrolytic units is recorded.

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