Chemical reduction reaction strengthening system and method utilizing hot electron emission injection

Abstract

The invention provides a chemical reduction reaction strengthening system and method utilizing hot electron emission injection, and belongs to the technical field of energy conversion and chemical engineering. The system comprises a thermionic emission unit and a chemical reaction unit which are communicated with each other, the hot electron emission unit is connected with the electron detection regulation and control unit, and the electron detection regulation and control unit comprises a current detection device; the chemical reaction unit comprises a reaction system cavity, and the reaction system cavity is communicated with the product collecting unit; the thermionic emission unit comprises thermionic emission materials, the thermionic emission materials are arranged above the reaction system containing cavity, and the reaction system containing cavity is communicated with the vacuum device. The electron concentration in a chemical reduction reaction system is increased in a direct electron injection mode, and the reduction reaction can be directly carried out under the impact of hot electrons. Reaction products are continuously collected through the product collecting unit, reaction driving force is maintained, and the reaction is continuously and efficiently carried out.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of energy conversion and chemical technology, specifically relating to a chemical reduction reaction enhancement system and method utilizing thermionic emission injection. Background Technology

[0002] The information disclosed in this background section is intended only to enhance understanding of the overall background of the invention and is not necessarily to be construed as an admission or in any way implying that such information constitutes prior art known to those skilled in the art.

[0003] Reduction reactions, as a core chemical reaction, have irreplaceable application value in many key industrial fields such as fuel preparation, hydrogen production, and heavy metal extraction, and are an important technological foundation for promoting energy conversion and resource recycling. In conventional reduction reaction systems, to ensure the full progress of the reduction reaction, an excess of reducing agent needs to be added. This not only increases the cost of raw materials but may also introduce difficulties in subsequent separation and purification due to residual reducing agent. Simultaneously, the rate of spontaneous redox reactions is limited by the efficiency of electron transfer between reactants and products, resulting in a slow reaction process that fails to meet the efficiency requirements of continuous industrial production. On the other hand, for non-spontaneous redox reactions, due to the high stability of the chemical bonds within the reactant molecules, a high external energy input is required to break these bonds, or a catalyst is needed to lower the activation energy. However, traditional catalysts generally suffer from low electron transfer efficiency and high carrier recombination rates, directly leading to low reaction conversion rates and further increasing the industrial application cost of reduction reactions.

[0004] Thermionic emission technology is a technique that excites thermionic emission materials with energy, enabling electrons inside the material to gain sufficient energy to overcome the surface potential barrier, thereby escaping from the surface of the thermionic emission material and forming a flow of thermionic electrons. It converts thermal energy and other forms of energy into the kinetic energy of electrons. Injecting the emitted thermionic electrons into a reduction reaction system can enhance the reduction reaction. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on the current state of technology, the purpose of this invention is to provide a chemical reduction reaction enhancement system and method that utilizes thermionic emission injection to effectively increase the electron concentration in the reaction system and promote the continuous and efficient progress of the reaction.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows: In a first aspect, a chemical reduction reaction enhancement system utilizing thermionic emission injection includes: a thermionic emission unit and a chemical reaction unit connected together; the thermionic emission unit is connected to an electron detection and control unit, the electron detection and control unit including a current detection device; the chemical reaction unit includes a reaction system cavity, the reaction system cavity being connected to a product collection unit; the thermionic emission unit includes a thermionic emission material and its support, the thermionic emission material being disposed above the reaction system cavity, the reaction system cavity being connected to a vacuum device.

[0007] Secondly, the chemical reduction reaction enhancement method based on the above system using hot electron emission injection includes the following steps: S1. Place the mixture containing the reducing reaction raw materials into the reaction system cavity, and use a vacuum device to evacuate the space between the thermionic emission material and the reaction system cavity into a vacuum. S2. Start the thermionic emission unit to emit thermionic electrons from the thermionic emission material into the reaction system cavity. During the process, the magnitude of the current formed by the thermionic electrons is detected by the current detection device, and the power supply of the energy supply unit is adjusted accordingly. S3. Collect reaction products through the product collection unit.

[0008] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: The chemical reduction reaction enhancement system provided by this invention, utilizing thermionic emission injection, directly connects thermionic emission units and chemical reaction units, bringing thermionic emission materials close to the reaction system and maximizing the utilization efficiency of thermionic electrons. It increases the electron concentration in the chemical reduction reaction system through direct electron injection; for reactions requiring photocatalysts, it reduces the recombination rate of photogenerated electrons and holes in the photocatalyst, promoting the forward reaction and solving the problems of low electron transfer efficiency and limited reaction efficiency; for some reduction reactions requiring catalysts, the amount of catalyst can be reduced or even eliminated; for some chemical reduction reactions requiring high-temperature heating, reduction can occur directly under the impact of thermionic electrons, solving the problems of harsh reaction conditions and high costs, and facilitating its industrial application and performance improvement. Attached Figure Description

[0009] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the invention.

[0010] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the chemical reduction reaction enhancement system for thermionic emission injection in Example 1.

[0011] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the thermionic emission material and reaction system cavity in Example 1, where (a) is a front sectional view and (b) is a side sectional view.

[0012] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the focusing device in Example 1.

[0013] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a heating device in Example 2.

[0014] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the thermionic emission material and the reaction system cavity in Example 2.

[0015] The components include: 1. Energy supply unit; 2. Thermionic emission unit; 3. Electronic detection and control unit; 4. Chemical reaction unit; 5. Product collection unit; 6. Concentrating device; 7. Chemical reaction system; 8. Thermionic emission material; 9. Vacuum exhaust port; 10. Support; 11. Ascending channel; 12. Heating power supply; 13. Heating wire; 14. Descending channel; 15. Reaction system cavity; 16. Reactant inlet; 17. Reactant outlet. Detailed Implementation

[0016] It should be noted that the following detailed descriptions are exemplary and intended to provide further illustration of the invention. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains.

[0017] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of exemplary embodiments according to the invention. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0018] One or more embodiments of the present invention provide a chemical reduction reaction enhancement system utilizing thermionic emission injection, comprising: a thermionic emission unit and a chemical reaction unit connected in series; the thermionic emission unit is connected to an electron detection and control unit, the electron detection and control unit including a current detection device; the chemical reaction unit includes a reaction system cavity, the reaction system cavity being connected to a product collection unit; the thermionic emission unit includes a thermionic emission material disposed above the reaction system cavity, the reaction system cavity being connected to a vacuum device.

[0019] In the above apparatus, the thermionic emission unit is used to emit thermionic electrons into the reaction system cavity of the chemical reaction unit through the thermionic emission material, thereby promoting the reaction; the chemical reaction unit acts to contain the reaction system and replenish and separate the reaction raw materials and reaction products in a timely manner to maintain the continuous reaction; the electron detection and control unit is used to detect the emission intensity of thermionic electrons through a current detection device and control the current intensity of the thermionic emission unit; the product collection unit is used to collect the discharged reaction products in a timely manner; and the vacuum device is used to exhaust the gas around the thermionic emission material to provide a good external environment for electron emission.

[0020] Optionally, the thermionic emission unit is connected to an energy supply unit, which includes, but is not limited to, a focusing device and / or a heating device; the focusing device is used to concentrate light onto the thermionic emission material, causing the thermionic emission material to emit thermionic electrons; the heating device is used to heat the thermionic emission material, causing the thermionic emission material to emit thermionic electrons.

[0021] Optionally, the thermionic emission material includes AsGa and Al. 0.3 As 0.7 One or more of Ga / AsGa and InP.

[0022] Optionally, the thermionic emission material includes one or more of silicon carbide, tungsten, and tungsten-based cathodes with oxide coatings.

[0023] Optionally, the light-concentrating device includes multiple light-concentrators that can focus sunlight onto the thermionic emission material of the thermionic emission unit. The light energy can directly excite electrons or heat the electron emission material to convert it into heat energy.

[0024] Optionally, the heating device is located on the side of the thermionic emission material away from the reaction system cavity, transferring thermal energy to the thermionic emission material.

[0025] Optionally, the electronic detection and control unit is connected to the energy supply unit and can adjust the power of the energy supply unit according to the detected current intensity. The electronic detection and control unit includes a current detection device and a feedback adjustment device. The current detection device is used to detect the current intensity of the thermionic emission material emitting thermionic electrons into the reaction system cavity. The feedback adjustment device receives the current signal generated by the current detection device and adjusts the energy supplied by the energy supply unit to the thermionic emission unit by adjusting the signal strength, thereby controlling the emission amount of thermionic electrons to match the reaction system, preventing the current intensity from being too high or too low, and maintaining the continuous and stable reaction.

[0026] Optionally, the current detection device includes a micro-ammeter disposed between the thermionic emission material and the reaction system cavity.

[0027] Optionally, the reaction system cavity is provided with reactant inlets and reactant outlets on both sides; used to inject reactants into the reaction system cavity and discharge them from the reaction system cavity; and channels for connecting product collection units are provided at different positions according to the density and state of the products.

[0028] Optionally, the top of the reaction system cavity is provided with an ascending channel, which is connected to a product collection unit for collecting gaseous products or low-density products; or, the bottom of the reaction system cavity is provided with a sinking channel, which is connected to a product collection unit for collecting solid products or high-density products.

[0029] Optionally, the bottom of the reaction system cavity includes a slope, and the sinking channel connects to the lowest position of the funnel-shaped reaction system cavity to collect solid products or high-density products.

[0030] Optionally, the product collection unit includes a gas storage device, or the product collection unit includes a storage tank, storage trough, storage bin, and hopper, etc.; when collecting high-density products, the bottom of the reaction system cavity adopts a sloping design, and the lowest point of the slope is connected to a sinking channel. The products with higher density reach the bottom of the cavity first and accumulate at the sinking channel opening; the sinking channel is equipped with a valve, and when the product accumulates to a set amount, the valve is opened, and the product enters the collection device along the pipeline.

[0031] One or more embodiments of the present invention provide a method for enhancing a chemical reduction reaction using thermionic emission injection based on the above-described system, comprising the following steps: S1. After placing the mixture containing the reducing reaction raw materials into the reaction system cavity, a vacuum device is used to evacuate the space between the thermionic emission material and the reaction system cavity. S2. Start the thermionic emission unit to emit thermionic electrons from the thermionic emission material into the reaction system cavity. During the process, the magnitude of the current formed by the thermionic electrons is detected by the current detection device, and the power supply of the energy supply unit is adjusted accordingly. S3. Collect reaction products through the product collection unit.

[0032] In the above process, when the thermionic emission unit receives light or heat energy from the energy supply unit, the thermionic emission material generates electron-hole pairs. The electrons absorb energy and jump from the valence band to the conduction band, moving to the surface of the thermionic emission material. The higher-energy electrons escape from the surface of the thermionic emission material and enter the chemical reaction system of the chemical reaction unit. In the reaction system, the thermionic electrons collide with the reactants, weakening the chemical bonds of the reactants, lowering the activation energy of the reduction reaction, or occupying the holes of the catalyst, increasing the electron concentration, improving the electron transfer efficiency, and thus improving the efficiency of the reduction reaction.

[0033] Optionally, in S1, after the vacuum device expels the gas surrounding the thermionic emission material, when the distance between the thermionic emission material and the reaction system is too long, in order to avoid adverse effects on the thermionic emission and transmission efficiency, alkali metal vapor is added to the vacuum environment to reduce the electron work function of the thermionic emission material and reduce the loss of electrons during transmission. The alkali metal vapor includes, but is not limited to, cesium vapor, potassium vapor and rubidium vapor.

[0034] Optionally, in S2, the power of the energy supply unit is adjusted according to the detected current intensity; when the current emitted by the thermionic emission material measured by the current detection device is too large or too small, the feedback adjustment device adjusts the energy output power of the energy supply unit according to the current signal, thereby controlling the electron emission of the thermionic emission unit.

[0035] Optionally, in S3, products with low density are collected through an ascending channel, or products with high density are collected through a descending channel; for example, the product of catalytic hydrogen production reaction is hydrogen, which has low density, and enters the product collection unit through an ascending channel for collection and storage; or the product of heavy metal reduction reaction is heavy metal, which has high density, and after precipitation, enters the product collection unit through a descending channel for collection and storage.

[0036] The present invention will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0037] Example 1 In photocatalytic hydrogen production, the efficiency of the photocatalytic reduction reaction is determined by the separation efficiency of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. However, photogenerated electrons and holes generated under illumination are prone to recombination, leading to slow reaction rates and low yields of the target product. To address the high recombination rate of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, researchers have developed more efficient catalysts by doping, loading metals, or constructing heterojunction structures to improve the separation efficiency of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. However, these improved catalysts are only applicable to certain specific reactions, limiting their application scenarios. Some researchers have also added electron donors, hole scavengers, and other substances to the reaction system to reduce the recombination rate of charge carriers by consuming photogenerated holes. However, this method leads to increased costs, and the added sacrificial agents pose a risk of occupying the active sites of the catalyst.

[0038] The chemical reduction reaction enhancement system using thermionic emission injection provided in this embodiment is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, it includes a thermionic emission unit 2 and a chemical reaction unit 4 connected together; the thermionic emission unit 2 is connected to an electron detection and control unit 3, which includes a current detection device; the chemical reaction unit 4 includes a reaction system cavity, which is connected to a product collection unit 5; as shown... Figure 2As shown, the thermionic emission unit 2 includes a thermionic emission material 8, which is disposed above the reaction system cavity 15 and fixed in position by a bracket 10. The reaction system cavity 15 is connected to a vacuum device through a vacuum exhaust port 9.

[0039] like Figure 1 As shown, the thermionic emission unit 2 is connected to the energy supply unit 1. The energy supply unit 1 includes a focusing device for concentrating light onto the thermionic emission material 8, thereby causing the thermionic emission material 8 to emit thermionic electrons.

[0040] like Figure 3 As shown, the concentrating device 6 includes multiple concentrating mirrors that can focus sunlight onto the thermionic emission material 8. The light energy directly excites electron-hole pairs in the thermionic emission material 8, or converts light energy into heat energy. In this case, the thermionic emission material is selected as the cathode material of a photon-enhanced thermionic emission device or a photovoltaic cell cathode material, such as GaAs or Al. 0.3 Ga 0.7 When As / GaAs, silicon-based materials, etc., receive highly concentrated solar energy, excited electrons jump from the valence band to the conduction band, and then escape from the surface of the thermionic emission material 8 and are injected into the chemical reaction system 7 of the chemical reaction unit 4.

[0041] like Figure 1 As shown, the electronic detection and control unit 3 is connected to the energy supply unit 1 and can adjust the power of the energy supply unit 1 according to the detected current intensity. The electronic detection and control unit 3 includes a current detection device and a feedback adjustment device. The current detection device is a micro-ammeter, which is installed on... Figure 2 Between the thermionic emission material 8 and the chemical reaction system 7, a current intensity for detecting thermionic emission is established. The feedback adjustment device receives the current signal generated by the micro-ammeter and adjusts the angle of the focusing device 6 by adjusting the signal strength. This adjusts the energy supplied by the energy supply unit 1 to the thermionic emission unit 2, thereby controlling the amount of thermionic emission to match the reaction system, preventing the current intensity from being too high or too low, and maintaining the continuous and stable reaction.

[0042] The material of the reaction system cavity 15 includes polytetrafluoroethylene, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the reaction system cavity 15 is designed to be a cavity with a relatively small height, which can shorten the distance between the thermionic emission material 8 and the chemical reaction system 7 and reduce the waste of electrons; an ascending channel 11 is provided at the top, which connects to the product collection unit 5. The product collection unit 5 includes a gas storage device to facilitate the collection of hydrogen products.

[0043] The reaction system cavity 15 is provided with reactant inlet 16 and reactant outlet 17 on both sides; used to inject reactants into the reaction system cavity 15 and discharge them from the reaction system cavity 15; according to the different densities and states of the products, channels for connecting to the product collection unit 5 (i.e., the rising channel 11 in this embodiment) are provided at different positions; the reactant inlet 16 and reactant outlet 17 are respectively provided with valves to control the on / off state of the pipes connected to the openings. The reactant outlet 17 is located at the lower part of the side wall of the reaction system cavity 15 to ensure that the reactants can be completely discharged. The openings on the side wall are spaced at a set distance to prevent the stress on the vessel wall from becoming too great and causing it to break due to too many openings at the same position.

[0044] The chemical reduction reaction enhancement method based on the thermionic emission injection system of this embodiment includes the following steps: S1. The mixture containing the reducing reaction raw materials is placed in the reaction system cavity 15. A vacuum device is used to evacuate the space between the thermionic emission material 8 and the chemical reaction system 7. Since the reaction product is a gas, there are two methods to maintain normal thermionic emission: one is to minimize the distance between the surface of the reactants and the thermionic emission material 8 in the reaction system cavity 15; the second is to add a gas pump to the rising pipe to promptly pump the generated gas from the reaction system cavity 15 to the product collection unit 5 to maintain a good thermionic emission environment. At the same time, the opening time of the reactant inlet 16 and the reactant outlet 17 depends on the degree of reaction. When there is little reactant in the reaction system cavity 15, the reactant inlet 16 valve is opened to inject reactants. When the waste material in the reaction system cavity 15 accumulates to a set level or when it is necessary to stop the reaction, the reactant outlet 17 valve is opened to discharge the reactants.

[0045] S2. Start the energy supply unit 1, where the concentrator 6 gathers and transmits solar energy to the thermionic emission material 8 of the thermionic emission unit 2. Thermionic emission material 8 receives photon excitation, generating electron-hole pairs. Electrons jump from the valence band to the conduction band and escape from the surface of thermionic emission material 8, injecting into the photocatalytic hydrogen production chemical reaction system 7. Electrons combine with photogenerated holes in the photocatalyst in the reaction system, reducing the recombination rate of photogenerated electrons and holes, increasing the electron concentration at the active sites of the catalyst, and some electrons combine with hydrogen ions on the surface of the photocatalyst to produce hydrogen gas. During the process, the magnitude of the current formed by the thermionic emission is detected by the current detection device, and the feedback adjustment device adjusts the angle of the concentrator lens of the concentrator 6 according to the detected current intensity, thereby adjusting the power of the energy supply unit 1 and controlling the electron emission of the thermionic emission unit 2. S3. The reaction products are continuously collected through the product collection unit 5. The product of the catalytic hydrogen production reaction is hydrogen gas, which enters the product collection unit 5 through the rising channel 11 for collection and storage.

[0046] Example 2 A chemical reduction reaction enhancement system using thermionic emission injection is suitable for recovering reduced gold from gold-containing waste liquid.

[0047] The system differs from Implementation Example 1 in that: Figure 4 As shown, the thermionic emission material 8 is far from the chemical reaction system 7. The energy supply unit 1 includes a heating device (an electric heating device in this embodiment). The electric heating device includes a heating power supply 12 and an electric heating wire 13. The electric heating wire 13 is located on the side of the thermionic emission material 8 away from the reaction system cavity 15. The heating power supply 12 heats the electric heating wire 13, and the electric heating wire 13 heats the electron emission material 8. At this time, the thermionic emission material 8 is selected as a material that can emit electrons using thermal energy, such as silicon carbide, tungsten, or tungsten-based cathodes with oxide coatings.

[0048] The reaction system cavity 15 is made of materials including glass, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the reaction system cavity 15 is funnel-shaped, and a sinking channel 14 is provided at the lowest point of the funnel. The sinking channel 14 is connected to the product collection unit 5 to facilitate the collection of solid products or high-density products. The product collection unit 5 includes a storage tank, a storage trough, a storage bin, and a hopper. When collecting high-density products, the bottom of the reaction system cavity 15 adopts a sloping design, and the lowest point of the slope is connected to the sinking channel. The products with higher density reach the bottom of the reaction system cavity 15 first. Due to gravity, the products accumulate at the entrance of the sinking channel. The sinking channel is equipped with a valve. When the products accumulate to a set amount, the valve is opened, and the products enter the collection device along the pipeline.

[0049] The method for enhancing chemical reduction reactions using thermionic emission injection in this embodiment differs from that in Example 1 in that: In S2, the heating wire 13 is first energized to raise its temperature. The heat in the heating wire 13 is transferred to the thermionic emission material 8. The thermionic emission material 8 is stimulated by heat to emit electrons and inject them into the reaction system. The thermionic electrons combine with the gold positive ions in the gold-containing waste liquid to generate solid gold particles, which improves the gold ion reduction efficiency.

[0050] In S3, gold particles settle to the bottom of the funnel-shaped chemical reaction unit 4, and under the action of gravity, slide down the funnel-shaped slope to the sinking channel 14, and enter the collection tank (i.e., product collection unit 5) along the sinking channel 14, thus realizing the recovery of precious metals.

[0051] Example 3 A chemical reduction reaction enhancement system using thermionic emission injection, suitable for the preparation of ethanol.

[0052] The system differs from Implementation Example 1 in that: Figure 5As shown, the reaction system cavity 15 is funnel-shaped, and a sinking channel 14 is provided at the lowest point of the funnel. The sinking channel 14 is connected to the product collection unit 5 to facilitate the collection of solid products or high-density products. The product collection unit 5 includes a storage tank, a storage trough, a storage bin, and a hopper. When collecting high-density products, the bottom of the reaction system cavity 15 adopts a sloping design, and the lowest point of the slope is connected to the sinking channel. The products with higher density reach the bottom of the reaction system cavity 15 first. Due to gravity, the products accumulate at the entrance of the sinking channel. The sinking channel is equipped with a valve. When the products accumulate to a set amount, the valve is opened, and the products enter the collection device along the pipeline.

[0053] The method for enhancing chemical reduction reactions using thermionic emission injection in this embodiment differs from that in Example 1 in that: In S2, the energy supply unit 1 is activated, where the concentrator 6 gathers and transmits solar energy to the thermionic emission material 8 of the thermionic emission unit 2. Thermionic emission material 8 receives photon excitation and generates electron-hole pairs. The electrons jump from the valence band to the conduction band and escape from the surface of thermionic emission material 8, injecting into the reaction system containing acetaldehyde. The thermionic electrons attack the carbonyl carbon atoms in acetaldehyde, causing the carbon atoms to combine with hydrogen ions in the solution, thereby improving the ethanol production efficiency and saving the cost of reducing agent.

[0054] In S3, an extractant is added to the reaction system cavity 15 through the reactant inlet 16. Here, the extractant is diethyl ether, and ethanol is dissolved in diethyl ether and suspended above the reaction solution. The lower layer of reaction waste liquid is discharged through the sinking channel 14 at the bottom of the funnel-shaped chemical reaction unit 4. The valve of the sinking channel 14 is closed, and then the sinking channel 14 is connected to the ethanol storage tank. The valve is opened to collect the ethanol.

[0055] Example 4 A chemical reduction reaction enhancement system using thermionic emission injection, suitable for the preparation of methane.

[0056] The system differs from Implementation Example 1 in that: Figure 4 As shown, the energy supply unit 1 includes a heating device (an electric heating device is used in this embodiment). The electric heating device includes a heating power supply 12 and an electric heating wire 13. The electric heating wire 13 is disposed on the side of the thermionic emission material 8 away from the reaction system cavity 15. The heating power supply 12 heats the electric heating wire 13, and the electric heating wire 13 heats the electron emission material 8 by thermal radiation. At this time, the thermionic emission material 8 is selected as a material that can emit electrons using thermal energy, such as silicon carbide, tungsten, tungsten-based cathode with oxide coating, etc.

[0057] The method for enhancing chemical reduction reactions using thermionic emission injection in this embodiment differs from that in Example 1 in that: In S2, electrons escape from the surface of the thermionic emission material 8 and are injected into the chemical reaction system 7 containing potassium bicarbonate solution, causing the electrons to break the C=O bond in the reaction system and generate methane.

[0058] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A chemical reduction reaction enhancement system utilizing thermionic emission injection, characterized in that, include: Connected thermionic emission unit and chemical reaction unit; The thermionic emission unit is connected to the electron detection and control unit, which includes a current detection device; the chemical reaction unit includes a reaction system cavity, which is connected to a product collection unit; the thermionic emission unit includes a thermionic emission material disposed above the reaction system cavity, which is connected to a vacuum device.

2. The chemical reduction reaction enhancement system utilizing thermionic emission injection as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The thermionic emission unit is connected to the energy supply unit, which includes, but is not limited to, a focusing device and / or a heating device; the focusing device is used to concentrate light onto the thermionic emission material, and the heating device is used to heat the thermionic emission material.

3. The chemical reduction reaction enhancement system utilizing thermionic emission injection as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The concentrating device includes multiple concentrators that can focus sunlight onto the material of the thermionic emission unit; Alternatively, the thermionic emission material may include AsGa, Al 0.3 As 0.7 One or more of Ga / AsGa and InP; Alternatively, the thermionic emission material may include one or more of silicon carbide, tungsten, and tungsten-based cathodes with oxide coatings.

4. The chemical reduction reaction enhancement system utilizing thermionic emission injection as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The heating device is located on the side of the thermionic emission material away from the cavity of the reaction system.

5. The chemical reduction reaction enhancement system utilizing thermionic emission injection as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The electronic detection and control unit is connected to the energy supply unit; the electronic detection and control unit includes a current detection device and a feedback adjustment device. The current detection device is used to detect the current intensity of the thermionic emission material emitting thermionic electrons into the reaction system cavity. The feedback adjustment device receives the current signal generated by the current detection device and adjusts the energy supplied by the energy supply unit to the thermionic emission unit by adjusting the signal strength. Alternatively, the current detection device includes a micro-ammeter disposed between the thermionic emission material and the reaction system cavity.

6. The chemical reduction reaction enhancement system utilizing thermionic emission injection as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The reaction system cavity is provided with a reactant inlet and a reactant outlet.

7. The chemical reduction reaction enhancement system utilizing thermionic emission injection as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the reaction system cavity is provided with an upward channel for collecting gaseous products or low-density products; or, the bottom of the reaction system cavity is provided with a downward channel for collecting solid products or high-density products.

8. A method for enhancing a chemical reduction reaction using hot electron emission injection based on a chemical reduction reaction enhancement system using hot electron emission injection as described in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, Including the following steps: S1. Place the mixture containing the reducing reaction raw materials into the reaction system cavity, and use a vacuum device to evacuate the space between the thermionic emission material and the reaction system cavity into a vacuum. S2. Start the thermionic emission unit to emit thermionic electrons from the thermionic emission material into the reaction system cavity. During the process, the magnitude of the current formed by the thermionic electrons is detected by the current detection device, and the emission power of the thermionic emission unit is adjusted accordingly. S3. Collect reaction products through the product collection unit.

9. The method for enhancing chemical reduction reaction using thermionic emission injection as described in claim 8, characterized in that, In S2, the power of the energy supply unit is adjusted according to the detected current intensity; when the current emitted by the thermionic emission material measured by the current detection device is too large or too small, the feedback adjustment device adjusts the energy output power of the energy supply unit according to the current signal.

10. The method for enhancing chemical reduction reaction using thermionic emission injection as described in claim 8, characterized in that, In S3, products with lower density are collected through the rising channel, or products with higher density are collected through the sinking channel.

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