Electrode plate of hydrogen-oxygen generator and hydrogen-oxygen generator

Abstract

To provide an electrode plate for a hydrogen-oxygen generator in which a local temperature rise hardly occurs and which easily and effectively generates hydrogen gas and oxygen gas by evenly dispersing water, and a hydrogen-oxygen generator including the electrode plate.SOLUTION: An electrode plate 10 for a hydrogen-oxygen generator includes: at least one water supply hole 101a formed on one end side of the electrode plate 10; at least one water discharge hole 101b formed on the other end side of the electrode plate 10; and a water rectifier section, in a region where the water supplied from the at least one water supply hole 101a passes midway to the at least one water discharge hole 101b along the electrode plate 10, including near a virtual straight line VSL connecting the at least one water supply hole 101a and the at least one water discharge hole 101b a large resistance part 113 imposing a large resistance on the flowing water with regard to the VSL as a standard, and far from the virtual straight line VSL a small resistance part 114 imposing a small resistance on the flowing water.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrode plate used in a hydrogen / oxygen generation device that electrolyzes water to generate hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, and to a hydrogen / oxygen generation device equipped with the electrode plate. [Background technology]

[0002] An example of an electrode plate for a conventional hydrogen / oxygen generator is a separator used in a solid polymer membrane water electrolysis (SPWE) device, as disclosed in Patent Document 1. This separator is provided on the outside of a power supply sandwiching a solid electrolyte membrane and has numerous grooves for supplying water for electrolysis. The separator is integrally formed using a press mold with water supply / discharge holes provided at the four corners of the separator body, multiple corrugated supply grooves through which water supplied from the water supply holes flows, and support portions that support the power supply on both sides. Patent Document 1 explains that this separator may be configured to have uneven portions formed near the water supply / discharge holes to support the power supply. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-81589 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the electrode plates for hydrogen and oxygen generators, water supplied from the water supply hole tends to concentrate in the flow path that linearly connects the water supply hole and the water discharge hole, and tends to flow relatively slowly in areas outside the linear flow path. Furthermore, when electrolyzing water, areas of the electrode plate where water does not flow well are not efficiently cooled by the flowing water, and are therefore prone to drying out due to the heat generated by electrolysis. Therefore, in areas where water does not flow well, problems such as reduced electrolysis efficiency and malfunctions caused by localized temperature increases are likely to occur.

[0005] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an electrode plate for a hydrogen / oxygen generation device that disperses water evenly, thereby preventing localized temperature increases and making it easy to efficiently generate hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, and a hydrogen / oxygen generation device equipped with such an electrode plate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, an electrode plate according to one embodiment is an electrode plate for a hydrogen / oxygen generator, and comprises at least one water supply hole formed on one end side of the electrode plate, at least one water discharge hole formed on the other end side of the electrode plate, and a water rectifying section in a region through which water supplied from the at least one water supply hole passes on its way along the electrode plate to the at least one water discharge hole, the water rectifying section having a large resistance section that provides a large resistance to flowing water near an imaginary line connecting the at least one water supply hole and the at least one water discharge hole, and a small resistance section that provides a small resistance to flowing water farther from the imaginary line.

[0007] With this electrode plate, in the region, water supplied from the at least one water supply hole is provided with a large resistance by the large resistance portion when it flows near the imaginary line, and is provided with a small resistance by the small resistance portion when it flows far from the imaginary line. The large resistance portion prevents the water from concentrating in a linear flow near the imaginary line, and the water is dispersed, making it easier to flow to areas that deviate from the imaginary line.

[0008] Furthermore, the hydrogen / oxygen generating device according to an embodiment may include an electrode plate according to an embodiment. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an electrode plate for a hydrogen / oxygen generation device that disperses water evenly, thereby preventing localized temperature increases and facilitating efficient generation of hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, and a hydrogen / oxygen generation device equipped with the electrode plate. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an electrolysis cell constituting an embodiment of a hydrogen / oxygen generation device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view showing an exploded schematic view of a hydrogen / oxygen generating device according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of an electrode plate according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a part of a widthwise cross section of the electrolysis region of a partially extracted stacked electrolysis cell in a hydrogen / oxygen generation device according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the stacked electrolysis cells in a hydrogen / oxygen generation device according to one embodiment, taken out of the cross-section in the width direction across the water supply holes and hydrogen discharge holes of the electrode plates. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a view showing a part of a longitudinal cross section of a stacked electrolysis cell in a hydrogen / oxygen generation apparatus according to one embodiment, the cross section crossing the water supply holes of the electrode plates. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a view showing a part of a longitudinal cross section of a stacked electrolytic cell in a hydrogen / oxygen generation apparatus according to one embodiment, the cross section crossing the hydrogen discharge holes of the electrode plates. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically showing the flow of water and generated oxygen in the oxygen generating chamber in the hydrogen / oxygen generating device of one embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram schematically illustrating the flow of hydrogen generated in the hydrogen generation chamber in the hydrogen / oxygen generation device of one embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a plan view showing the one-end rectifying section and its vicinity in an electrode plate according to one embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing an extracted one-end rectifying section and its vicinity in an electrode plate of another embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a plan view showing the other-end rectifying section and its vicinity in an electrode plate according to one embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a rear view showing the hydrogen rectification section and its vicinity at one end of the electrode plate of one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0012] In the description of this embodiment, the direction in which the electrode plates of the hydrogen / oxygen generation device are stacked is referred to as the stacking direction, the direction connecting the water inlet and outlet sides of the electrolysis cell in a plan view seen from the stacking direction is referred to as the longitudinal or vertical direction, and the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal or vertical direction is referred to as the width or horizontal direction. For example, if the electrolysis cell is rectangular in a plan view seen from the stacking direction and has a water inlet (water supply port) at one end and a water outlet (oxygen extraction port) at the other end opposite the latter, the direction connecting the water inlet end and the water outlet end at the shortest distance is referred to as the longitudinal or vertical direction, and the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal or vertical direction is referred to as the width or horizontal direction.

[0013] 1 and 2 , a hydrogen / oxygen generation apparatus 1 according to one embodiment has, as a basic structural unit, an electrolytic cell 2 including a pair of electrode plates 10, 10, a solid electrolyte membrane 20 disposed between the pair of electrode plates 10, 10, and a pair of power feeders 12, 12 disposed on one side and the other side of the solid electrolyte membrane 20 so as to sandwich the solid electrolyte membrane 20. A plurality of the electrolytic cells 2 are stacked in the stacking direction, and for example, 10 to 200 electrolytic cells 2 are stacked to constitute an electrolysis unit of the hydrogen / oxygen generation apparatus 1. In the hydrogen / oxygen generation apparatus of this embodiment, a pair of end electrode plates 10′, 10′ to which a voltage is applied is disposed at both ends of the stacked electrolytic cells 2, and end plates 5, 5 are disposed on the outer sides thereof via insulating spacers 11.

[0014] Each electrolysis cell 2 has an oxygen generating chamber A and a hydrogen generating chamber B on either side of the solid electrolyte membrane 20. Specifically, the oxygen generating chamber A is located between the anode surface 10a of the electrode plate 10, which functions as the anode, and the solid electrolyte membrane 20, and the hydrogen generating chamber B is located between the cathode surface 10b of the electrode plate 10, which functions as the cathode, and the solid electrolyte membrane 20. An anode-side power supply 12a is disposed in the oxygen generating chamber A, and a cathode-side power supply 12b is disposed in the hydrogen generating chamber B.

[0015] One of the pair of electrode plates 10 functions as an anode and the other as a cathode in one electrolytic cell 2. In this embodiment, each electrode plate 10 is of a bipolar type. That is, two electrolytic cells 2 are adjacent to each other via one electrode plate 10, and when a voltage is applied to the end electrode plates 10' arranged at both ends of the multiple stacked electrolytic cells 2, one surface of each electrode plate 10 functions as an anode and the other surface, which is the opposite surface to the one surface, functions as a cathode.

[0016] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, each electrode plate 10 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape. Each electrode plate 10 has at least one water supply hole 101a formed at one longitudinal end and at least one water discharge hole 101b formed at the other longitudinal end. While the longitudinal and width lengths of each electrode plate 10 are not particularly limited, it is preferable that the longitudinal length be longer than the width. At least one water supply hole 101a functions as a water supply port, and at least one water discharge hole 101b functions as an oxygen extraction port. In this embodiment, two water supply holes 101a are formed at one end of the electrode plate 10, and two water discharge holes 101b are formed at the other end of the electrode plate 10. More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, two water supply holes 101a are formed at one end with a gap between them, and two water discharge holes 101b are formed at the other end with a gap between them. In this embodiment, the water supply hole 101a and the water discharge hole 101b are each formed near a corner of the electrode plate 10, and each has a substantially rectangular shape. The water supply hole 101a and the water discharge hole 101b each form a flow path that communicates in the stacking direction when the electrode plates 10 are stacked. With this configuration, for example, water required for electrolysis is supplied to the flow path (water inlet path) formed by the water supply hole 101a at one end via the end plate 5, and oxygen generated by electrolysis in each electrolysis cell 2 and excess water flow into the flow path (oxygen outlet path) formed by the water discharge hole 101b at the other end and are discharged via the end plate 5. A rectangular shape refers to a quadrangle with all corners at right angles, and includes shapes such as a rectangle and a square.

[0017] 3 and 4, the electrode plate 10 in this embodiment has hydrogen discharge holes 102 formed at both one end and the other end in the longitudinal direction. The hydrogen discharge holes 102 function as hydrogen outflow channels. Specifically, the hydrogen discharge hole 102 at one end is formed between two water supply holes 101a, and the hydrogen discharge hole 102 at the other end is formed between two water discharge holes 101b. All of the hydrogen discharge holes 102 are substantially rectangular. When the electrode plates 10 are stacked, the hydrogen discharge holes 102 form flow channels (hydrogen outflow channels) that are connected in the stacking direction, and hydrogen generated by electrolysis in each electrolysis cell 2 flows into the hydrogen discharge holes 102 and is discharged via the end plates 5.

[0018] 3, the anode surface of the electrode plate 10 of this embodiment is provided with water rectifying sections 110 in the region adjacent to the water supply hole 101a and the region adjacent to the water discharge hole 101b. The water rectifying sections 110 diffuse water flowing along the longitudinal direction of the electrode plate 10 in the width direction of the electrode plate 10 and then converge the water. The water rectifying sections 110 include a first-end rectifying section 110a formed at one end of the electrode plate 10 in the longitudinal direction and an second-end rectifying section 110b formed at the other end of the electrode plate 10 in the longitudinal direction. Each of the first-end rectifying section 110a and the second-end rectifying section 110b is formed in a strip shape along the width direction of the electrode plate 10. Each of the first-end rectifying section 110a and the second-end rectifying section 110b has a plurality of anode-side protrusions 111 protruding from the electrode plate 10 toward the anode side. Each anode-side protrusion included in the plurality of anode-side protrusions 111 is preferably formed in a circular shape protruding from the electrode plate 10 toward the anode side when the electrode plate 10 is viewed in plan, from the viewpoint of preventing the linear flow of water on the electrode plate 10 and facilitating efficient diffusion and convergence of water in the width direction of the electrode plate 10. Note that, in this specification, the term "circular" in relation to an anode-side protrusion includes a substantially circular shape such as an ellipse, but is preferably a perfect circle. From the same viewpoint, and from the viewpoint of supporting the water rectifying section 110 so as to be less likely to deform due to applied pressure when multiple electrode plates 10 are stacked for use, each anode-side protrusion included in the plurality of anode-side protrusions 111 is more preferably formed in a truncated cone shape protruding from the electrode plate 10 toward the anode side when the electrode plate 10 is viewed in plan. In addition, in this embodiment, the water rectification section 110 also has multiple cathode side convex portions 116 that protrude from the electrode plate 10 toward the cathode side, and each cathode side convex portion has a circular concave shape when viewed in a plane in the water rectification section 110.

[0019] The central portion of the electrode plate 10, i.e., the region sandwiched between the one-end rectifier section 110a and the other-end rectifier section 110b in the longitudinal direction of the electrode plate 10, is an electrolysis section 120 for electrolyzing water. The power supply 12 is arranged in contact with the electrolysis section 120, and the electrolysis reaction of water occurs at the joint surface between the power supply 12 and the solid electrolyte membrane 20. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the electrolysis section 120 of the electrode plate 10 has a plurality of ridges 121 formed therein, with grooves 122 formed between the ridges 121. The ridges 121 and the grooves 122 extend parallel to the longitudinal direction of the electrode plate 10. More specifically, each of the multiple convex ridges 121 and multiple concave ridges 122 is formed parallel to the longitudinal direction of the electrode plate 10 over the entire length of the electrolysis section 120, and the multiple convex ridges 121 and multiple concave ridges 122 are formed alternately and continuously over the entire width direction of the electrolysis section 120.

[0020] In this embodiment, the ridges 121 and recesses 122 of each electrode plate 10 are formed by press-molding the electrode plate, with the backside of the ridges 121 being recesses 122 and the backside of the recesses 122 being ridges 121. This allows water on the oxygen generating chamber A side and hydrogen on the hydrogen generating chamber side to flow along the recesses 122 of the electrode plate 10 in the longitudinal direction of the electrode plate. The distance between the center lines of adjacent ridges 121 (ridge pitch) is preferably 3 to 20 mm, and more preferably 3 to 10 mm.

[0021] When the electrode plate 10 is used in a hydrogen / oxygen generation device according to the present embodiment, as described below, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 10 , water is supplied to the anode surface of the electrode plate 10 from at least one water supply hole 101a through a first spacer flow path of a first spacer (not shown) that is disposed near the at least one water supply hole 101a. Specifically, water is supplied to the one-end rectifier 110a from the at least one water supply hole 101a through a first spacer flow path of a first spacer (not shown) that is disposed near the at least one water supply hole 101a. The water supplied to the one-end rectifier 110a flows along the electrode plate 10, passes through the other-end rectifier 110b, and flows into at least one water discharge hole 101b. Specifically, the water flowing into the at least one water discharge hole 101b flows from the other-end rectifier 110b through a first spacer flow path of another first spacer (not shown) that is disposed near the at least one water discharge hole 101b, as described below, and then into the at least one water discharge hole 101b.

[0022] Here, when viewing the anode surface of electrode plate 10 in a plan view, assuming a virtual line VSL connecting the centers of water supply hole 101 a and water discharge hole 101 b, if there are no resistance portions that provide resistance to flowing water near virtual line VSL, or if the resistance portions are evenly distributed between the portions close to virtual line VSL and the portions far from virtual line VSL, water tends to concentrate in the linear flow path from water supply hole 101 a to water discharge hole 101 b near virtual line VSL, making it difficult to distribute water evenly over a wide area of ​​the electrode plate. In contrast, water rectification unit 110 in electrode plate 10 of this embodiment has large resistance portions 113 that provide high resistance to flowing water near virtual line VSL and small resistance portions 114 that provide low resistance to flowing water far from virtual line VSL. That is, in the electrode plate 10 of this embodiment, when water is supplied from at least one water supply hole 101a to the one-end rectification section 110a, the water is provided with a large resistance by the large resistance section 113 when it flows near the imaginary straight line VSL, and when it flows away from the imaginary straight line VSL, the water is provided with a small resistance by the small resistance section 114. The large resistance section 113 prevents the water from concentrating in a linear flow near the imaginary straight line VSL, causing the water to disperse, and the water is more likely to flow away from the imaginary straight line VSL.

[0023] 3 and 10 has two water supply holes 101a and two water discharge holes 101b, two imaginary straight lines VSL can be assumed as imaginary lines extending from the center of water supply hole 101a through one-end rectifying section 110a and other-end rectifying section 110b to water discharge hole 101b. Each of one-end rectifying section 110a and other-end rectifying section 110b has a large resistance portion 113 near its respective imaginary straight line VSL and a small resistance portion 114 in the widthwise center of electrode plate 10, far from its respective imaginary straight line VSL. Specifically, each of one-end rectifying section 110a and other-end rectifying section 110b has a plurality of anode-side protrusions 111 formed thereon. The multiple anode-side protrusions 111 are densely distributed in the high-resistance regions 113 near the imaginary line VSL and sparsely distributed in the low-resistance regions 114 far from the imaginary line VSL. Water attempting to flow linearly along the imaginary line VSL is prevented from doing so by the multiple anode-side protrusions 111 densely distributed in the high-resistance regions 113, and is likely to be dispersed in the width direction of the electrode plate 10. Some of the dispersed water flows through the low-resistance regions 114, where the multiple anode-side protrusions 111 are sparsely distributed, and then flows through, for example, flow paths EP passing through the width-direction ends of the electrode plate 10 or flow paths CP passing through the width-direction central portion of the electrode plate 10, as shown in FIG. 10 , to reach the water discharge hole 101b. This prevents water from concentrating near the imaginary line VSL and flowing linearly along the imaginary line VSL, and preferably increases the flow rate of water in the flow paths CP passing through the width-direction central portion and the flow paths EP passing through the width-direction ends, which are far from the imaginary line VSL.

[0024] More specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12 , the multiple anode-side protrusions 111 in the one-end rectifying section 110a are distributed in the region near the water supply hole 101a to form a matrix with multiple rows (FL1 to FL6) aligned along a direction perpendicular to the imaginary line VSL (the width direction of the electrode plate 10) and multiple columns aligned along the direction in which the imaginary line VSL extends from the imaginary midline CL of the electrode plate 10 to the right of the anode surface (the longitudinal direction of the electrode plate 10). While FIG. 12 illustrates a matrix of six rows (FL1 to FL6) and 24 columns, the number of rows and columns is not limited to this example. Also, FIG. 12 illustrates an imaginary line VSL extending from the center of the water supply hole 101a, passing through the 16th row of protrusions on the right side of the electrode plate 10, across the one-end rectifying section 110a, and toward the protrusion 121. 12 , the 15th to 21st columns on the right side of the electrode plate 10, which are close to the imaginary straight line VSL, have six anode-side protrusions per column aligned along the direction of the imaginary straight line VSL, and the anode-side protrusions 111 are densely distributed, which corresponds to the large resistance portion 113. On the other hand, in the example shown in Fig. 12 , the 14th column from the imaginary midline CL on the right side of the electrode plate 10 and the 22nd to 24th columns on the right side of the electrode plate 10 have one to five anode-side protrusions per column aligned along the direction of the imaginary straight line VSL, and because the number of anode-side protrusions per column is smaller than the above-mentioned large resistance portion 113 (six anode-side protrusions per column), the anode-side protrusions 111 are sparsely distributed, which corresponds to the small resistance portion 114. In this specification, "densely distributed" and "sparsely distributed" refer to a difference in density in the overall distribution of the multiple anode side protrusions 111, such that when viewed from above in a plan view of the entire anode surface of the electrode plate 10, there are areas where a large number of multiple anode side protrusions 111 are concentrated per unit area, and areas where a small number of multiple anode side protrusions 111 are sparsely distributed per unit area.

[0025] Furthermore, the multiple anode-side protrusions 111 in the one-end rectifier 110a are preferably distributed more densely as they are located farther from the water supply hole 101a. For example, in the one-end rectifier 110a of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12 , compared to the first row FL1 closest to the water supply hole 101a, the more multiple anode-side protrusions 111 are formed per row aligned along the direction perpendicular to the imaginary line VSL (the width direction of the electrode plate 10), the more distant the rows are from the water supply hole 101a, such as the second row FL2, the third row FL3, the fourth row FL4, the fifth row FL5, and the sixth row FL6. Distributing the multiple anode-side protrusions 111 in this manner in the one-end rectifier 110a makes it possible to more evenly distribute water on the anode surface of the electrode plate 10 without significantly interfering with the flow of water supplied from the water supply hole 101a to the one-end rectifier 110a.

[0026] From the viewpoint of supporting the water rectifier 110 so as to be less likely to deform when multiple electrode plates 10 are stacked and pressure is applied, in addition to the multiple anode-side protrusions 111 described above, the water rectifier 110 may further be formed with a small number of anode-side protrusions 112 for supporting the water rectifier 110 so as to be less likely to deform due to pressure in a portion (small resistance portion 114) where the multiple anode-side protrusions 111 are sparsely distributed, as illustrated in Fig. 13. In the one-end rectifier 110a in the example shown in Fig. 13, the multiple anode-side protrusions 111 are densely distributed in rows RL19 and RL14, which are relatively close to the water supply hole 101a, whereas the multiple anode-side protrusions 111 are sparsely distributed in row RL04, which is relatively close to the hydrogen discharge hole 102, and at a position around the imaginary midline CL (small resistance portion 114). In order to prevent the portion (small resistance portion 114) relatively close to the hydrogen discharge hole 102 from being deformed by pressure, a small number (four) of anode side protrusions 112 are further formed to support this portion.

[0027] From the viewpoint of achieving the same effect as that of the one-end rectifier 110a described above, it is preferable that the multiple anode-side protrusions 111 in the other-end rectifier 110b are densely distributed in the high-resistance portion 113 near the imaginary line VSL and sparsely distributed in the small-resistance portion 114 far from the imaginary line in the region near the water discharge hole 101b, as shown in Fig. 14. Specifically, the multiple anode-side protrusions 111 in the other-end rectifier 110b are distributed in the region near the water discharge hole 101b so as to form a matrix with multiple rows aligned along a direction perpendicular to the imaginary line VSL (the width direction of the electrode plate 10) and multiple columns aligned along a direction extending from the imaginary midline CL of the electrode plate 10 to the right of the anode surface along the imaginary line VSL (the longitudinal direction of the electrode plate 10). Note that, although Fig. 14 illustrates an example of a matrix with six rows (BL1 to BL6) and 24 columns, the number of rows and columns is not limited to this example. 14 also illustrates an imaginary straight line VSL that passes through approximately the 16th row of protrusions on the right side of electrode plate 10, crosses other-end rectifier 110b, and extends in a direction toward water discharge hole 101b. In the example shown in Fig. 14, the 16th to 21st rows on the right side of electrode plate 10, which are close to imaginary line VSL, have six anode-side protrusions per row aligned in the direction along imaginary line VSL, and multiple anode-side protrusions 111 are densely distributed, which corresponds to high resistance section 113. 14 , the electrode plate 10 has one to five anode-side convex portions per row aligned along the imaginary straight line VSL in the portion from the imaginary midline CL to the 15th row on the right side and in the portion from the 22nd row to the 24th row on the right side. Since the number of anode-side convex portions formed per row is smaller than the aforementioned large resistance section 113 (six anode-side convex portions per row), the multiple anode-side convex portions 111 are sparsely distributed, corresponding to small resistance section 114. In the other-end rectification section 110b, the multiple anode-side convex portions 111 are distributed in this manner, which prevents water from concentrating in a linear fashion near the imaginary straight line VSL and increases the flow rate of water in the flow paths EP that pass through the widthwise ends and the flow paths CP that pass through the widthwise center.

[0028] Furthermore, the multiple anode-side protrusions 111 in the other-end rectifier 110b are preferably distributed more densely as they are located farther from the water discharge hole 101b. In the other-end rectifier 110b of this embodiment illustrated in FIG. 14 , the multiple anode-side protrusions 111 are formed in a row aligned along the direction perpendicular to the imaginary line VSL (the width direction of the electrode plate 10) in the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth rows BL2, BL3, BL4, BL5, and BL6, respectively, as compared to the first row BL1 closest to the water discharge hole 101b. Distributing the multiple anode-side protrusions 111 in the other-end rectifier 110b in this manner facilitates efficient convergence of water flowing in a dispersed manner in the width direction of the electrode plate 10 toward the water discharge hole 101b.

[0029] Furthermore, when the electrode plate 10 is used in the hydrogen / oxygen generation device of this embodiment, which will be described later, hydrogen that has become gaseous on the cathode side of the electrode plate 10 due to the electrolysis of water flows along the cathode surface of the electrode plate 10 to the hydrogen discharge holes 102 formed at each of one end and the other end in the longitudinal direction of the electrode plate 10, as shown in Fig. 11. In the region near each hydrogen discharge hole 102, a band-shaped hydrogen rectification section 115 is formed along the width direction of the electrode plate 10. The one-end hydrogen rectification section 115 is formed on the back side (cathode surface) of the electrode plate 10 relative to the one-end rectification section 110a (Figs. 10 and 12) described above. 12, the hydrogen rectification section 115 on one end shown in FIG. 15 is different from the one-end rectification section 110a described with reference to FIG. 12 in that it is laterally inverted, that a plurality of anode-side protrusions 111 are formed in a concave shape on the electrode plate 10, and that a plurality of cathode-side protrusions 116 are formed so as to protrude from the electrode plate 10 toward the cathode side. For the same reasons as for the plurality of anode-side protrusions 111 described above, each of the cathode-side protrusions 116 is preferably formed in a circular shape protruding from the electrode plate 10 toward the cathode side when the cathode surface of the electrode plate 10 is viewed in plan, and more preferably in a truncated cone shape. The plurality of cathode-side protrusions 116 in the hydrogen rectification section 115 are formed so as to be evenly spaced apart from the viewpoints of facilitating the flow of hydrogen into the hydrogen discharge holes 102 in an evenly dispersed state and of supporting the hydrogen rectification section 115 so as to be less likely to deform due to pressure when a plurality of electrode plates 10 are stacked and pressure is applied.

[0030] 10 and 11, when the electrode plate 10 is viewed from above, at one end of the electrode plate 10, the direction of flow of water supplied from the water supply holes 101a on the anode surface of the electrode plate 10 (FIG. 10) diffusing in the width direction of the electrode plate 10 as it passes through the one-end rectifier 110a is superimposed so as to intersect with the direction of flow of hydrogen on the cathode surface of the electrode plate 10 (FIG. 11) converging in the width direction toward the hydrogen discharge holes 102 as it passes through the hydrogen rectifier 115. Similarly, at the other end of the electrode plate 10, the direction of flow of water on the anode surface of the electrode plate 10 (FIG. 10) converging in the width direction toward the hydrogen discharge holes 102 as it passes through the other-end rectifier 110b is superimposed so as to intersect with the direction of flow of hydrogen on the cathode surface of the electrode plate 10 (FIG. 11) converging in the width direction toward the hydrogen discharge holes 102 as it passes through the hydrogen rectifier 115. This positional relationship is possible because the individual convex portions formed on the water rectification section 110 (FIGS. 12 to 14) and the hydrogen rectification section 115 are circular when the electrode plate 10 is viewed in plan. If the individual convex portions were elongated ridges, for example, if the elongated ridges were formed on the anode surface of the electrode plate in a direction that facilitates water diffusion in the width direction, elongated recesses would also be formed on the cathode surface of the electrode plate in a direction that facilitates hydrogen diffusion in the width direction, resulting in the fluid flow direction being limited to the same direction on both the anode and cathode surfaces. In contrast, in the electrode plate 10 according to one embodiment, the individual convex portions are circular when viewed in plan, and fluid can flow through the gaps between the individual convex portions. Therefore, the orientation and arrangement of the convex portions formed on one of the anode and cathode surfaces of the electrode plate 10 have a relatively small effect on the fluid flow direction on the remaining surface, making it less likely that unfavorable flow paths will be formed on the other surface. Therefore, the electrode plate 10 according to one embodiment is capable of flowing water evenly over a relatively wide area of ​​the anode surface (FIG. 10) without adversely affecting the flow of hydrogen on the cathode surface (FIG. 11), thereby offering the advantage of high efficiency in water electrolysis.

[0031] 3 and 4, the electrode plate 10 in this embodiment is formed with a first recess 130 surrounding either the water supply hole 101a or the water discharge hole 101b, and a second recess 140 surrounding the hydrogen discharge hole 102. As shown in FIG. 4, the first recess 130 is recessed from one surface side (the bottom surface side in FIG. 4) of the electrode plate 10 toward the other surface side (the top surface side in FIG. 4) opposite to the one surface side, and the second recess 140 is recessed conversely from the other surface side of the electrode plate 10 toward the one surface side. In other words, the first recess 130 and the second recess 140 are recessed in opposite directions when viewed from the side of the electrode plate 10. In this embodiment, since the water supply hole 101a or the water discharge hole 101b is formed at each of the four corners of the electrode plate 10, the first recess 130 is also formed at each of the four corners of the electrode plate 10. In addition, in this embodiment, the hydrogen discharge hole 102 is formed at both longitudinal ends of the electrode plate 10, that is, it is formed between two water supply holes 101a at one longitudinal end of the electrode plate 10, and is formed between two water discharge holes 101b at the other longitudinal end of the electrode plate 10, and therefore the second recess 140 is also formed between the first recesses 130 at both longitudinal ends of the electrode plate 10.

[0032] Incidentally, when a plurality of electrolysis cells 2 are stacked to form a hydrogen / oxygen generation device, a so-called honeycomb structure may be employed in which unevenness is formed on the peripheral edge of the electrode plate 10, and adjacent electrode plates support each other via the unevenness. When such a honeycomb structure is employed, the distance from the rear surface of the first recess 130 to the rear surface of the second recess 140 (the thickness of the electrode plate in the stacking direction) is configured to be equal to the height of the unevenness formed on the peripheral edge of the electrode plate 10. In other words, the distance from the rear surface of the first recess 130 to the rear surface of the second recess 140 is configured to be the maximum value of the unevenness in the thickness direction of the electrode plate 10.

[0033] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an annular seal groove 131 surrounding the water supply hole 101a or the water discharge hole 101b is formed on the back surface of the first recess 130 as shown in Fig. 4, and similarly, an annular seal groove 141 surrounding the hydrogen discharge hole 102 is formed on the back surface of the second recess 140. An annular seal member 150 is disposed in each of the annular seal grooves 131, 141.

[0034] In this embodiment, the seal grooves 131, 141 of the electrode plate are formed by press molding, and corresponding raised portions are formed on the back surfaces of the seal grooves. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 4, an annular seal groove 131 surrounding the water supply hole 101a is formed on the back surface of the first recess 130 (i.e., the upper surface of the electrode plate 10 in Fig. 4), and accordingly, an annular raised portion 132 protruding downward is formed on the inner surface of the first recess 130 (i.e., the lower surface of the electrode plate 10 in Fig. 4). Similarly, an annular seal groove 141 surrounding the hydrogen discharge hole 102 is formed on the back surface of the second recess 140 (i.e., the lower surface of the electrode plate 10 in Fig. 4), and accordingly, an annular raised portion 142 protruding upward is formed on the inner surface of the second recess 140 (i.e., the upper surface of the electrode plate 10 in Fig. 4).

[0035] Although not shown, the hydrogen and oxygen generation apparatus of this embodiment further includes a first spacer arranged near at least one water supply hole 101a on the anode surface of the electrode plate 10, and another first spacer arranged near at least one water discharge hole 101b. The first spacer has a first through-hole formed at a position corresponding to the water supply hole 101a of the electrode plate 10, and a first spacer flow path formed therein that fluidly connects the first through-hole to the oxygen generating chamber A of the electrolysis cell. The other first spacer has a first through-hole formed at a position corresponding to the water discharge hole 101b of the electrode plate 10, and a first spacer flow path formed therein that fluidly connects the first through-hole to the oxygen generating chamber A of the electrolysis cell. Furthermore, although not shown, the hydrogen and oxygen generation apparatus of this embodiment further includes second spacers arranged on the cathode surface of the electrode plate 10, respectively near the hydrogen discharge hole 102 at one end of the electrode plate 10 in the longitudinal direction and near the hydrogen discharge hole 102 at the other end of the electrode plate 10 in the longitudinal direction. Each second spacer has a second through hole formed at a position corresponding to the hydrogen discharge hole 102 of the electrode plate 10, and a second spacer flow path is formed to fluidly connect the second through hole to the hydrogen generation chamber B of the electrolysis cell.

[0036] A conventionally known power supply element can be used as the power supply element 12. Specifically, the anode-side power supply element 12a preferably allows water to flow appropriately, has low electrical resistance at the contact surface with the electrode plate 10, and does not damage the solid electrolyte membrane 20. For example, sintered metal fibers, powder, or particles of titanium, tantalum, zirconium, or the like can be suitably used.

[0037] On the other hand, as the cathode side current collector 12b, carbon or metal fibers, powders, or particles of titanium, tantalum, zirconium, stainless steel, or the like can be suitably used.

[0038] A conventionally known solid electrolyte membrane can be used as the solid electrolyte membrane 20. Specifically, a so-called solid polymer electrolyte membrane can be suitably used, in which catalyst electrodes of porous layers made of a platinum group metal or the like are formed on both sides of an ion-conductive polymer membrane by chemical plating or hot pressing.

[0039] The electrolysis cell 2 in this embodiment includes the above-described electrode plate 10, a first spacer (not shown), another first spacer (not shown), a second spacer (not shown), an anode-side power supply 12a, a cathode-side power supply 12b, and a solid electrolyte membrane 20. The electrolysis cell 2 in this embodiment further includes a sealing member for isolating the water supply channel and the oxygen extraction channel from the hydrogen generation chamber, a sealing member for isolating the hydrogen extraction channel from the oxygen generation chamber, and a sealing member for isolating the oxygen generation chamber and the hydrogen generation chamber from the outside (atmosphere) of the electrolysis cell.

[0040] The electrolysis cell 2 in this embodiment will be described in more detail below.

[0041] The plurality of ridges 121 as described above are continuously formed on the opposing surfaces of a pair of electrode plates 10 that constitute one electrolysis cell 2. As a result, the ridges 121 of the electrode plates 10 abut at alternate positions in the width direction on the anode side power supply 12a and the cathode side power supply 12b sandwiched between the pair of electrode plates 10. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 6 , the plurality of downward ridges 121 formed on the electrode plate 10 abut at equal intervals on the anode side power supply 12a, and the plurality of upward ridges 121' formed on the electrode plate 10 abut at equal intervals on the cathode side power supply 12b. In one electrode plate 10, the downward ridges 121 are formed on the backside of the upward recesses 122' formed between the upward ridges 121', so that the downward ridges 121 on the anode side and the upward ridges 121' on the cathode side face each other at positions offset by 0.5 pitches in the width direction. In other words, the center line of the ridges 121 formed on one electrode plate 10 and projecting toward the power supply body is offset by 0.5 pitches from the center line of the ridges 121 formed on the other electrode plate 10, which is disposed opposite the one electrode plate 10 with the power supply body or the like interposed therebetween. Alternatively, the ridges 121 formed on one electrode plate 10 and the recesses 122 formed on the other electrode plate 10 disposed opposite each other are disposed opposite each other at the same position in the width direction. It is preferable that the portion of the downward ridges 121 that contact the anode-side power feeder 12a and the portion of the upward ridges 121' that contact the cathode-side power feeder 12b across a single film do not overlap when viewed from the stacking direction. To prevent damage to the power feeders, the downward ridges 121 and the upward ridges 121' preferably have curved surfaces when viewed from the longitudinal direction, where the ridges connect to the power feeder and extend obliquely from their contact points. The angle (indicated by α in FIG. 6 ) of the portion that extends obliquely from the contact points to the stacking direction with respect to the width direction is 55° to 85°, preferably 60° to 80°, and more preferably 65° to 75°.

[0042] 7, the electrolytic cell of this embodiment has, at both longitudinal ends of the electrolytic cell, first recesses 130 surrounding the water supply holes 101a recessed from one surface side to the other surface side of the electrode plate 10 (i.e., upward in FIG. 7), and second recesses 140 surrounding the hydrogen discharge holes 102 recessed from the other surface side to one surface side of the electrode plate 10 (i.e., downward in FIG. 7). Furthermore, a first spacer and another first spacer (not shown) abut against the anode surface of the electrode plate 10 (i.e., the lower surface in FIG. 7), and a second spacer (not shown) abuts against the cathode surface of the electrode plate 10 (i.e., the upper surface in FIG. 7).

[0043] On the back surface side of the first recess 130 (i.e., the side opposite the first recess of the electrode plate 10 that is convex due to the first recess 130, the top surface side in FIG. 7), no spacer is interposed between the electrode plate 10 and the solid electrolyte membrane 20, and the seal member 150 arranged in the seal groove 131 of the electrode plate 10 is sandwiched (compressed) between the electrode plate 10 and the solid electrolyte membrane 20. Similarly, on the back surface side of the second recess 140 (i.e., the side opposite the second recess of the electrode plate 10 that is convex due to the second recess 140, the bottom surface side in FIG. 7), no spacer is interposed between the electrode plate 10 and the solid electrolyte membrane 20, and the seal member 150 arranged in the seal groove 141 of the electrode plate 10 is sandwiched (compressed) between the electrode plate 10 and the solid electrolyte membrane 20.

[0044] When the first spacer and another first spacer are arranged on the anode surface of the electrode plate 10, as shown in FIG. 8 , the water supply hole 101a and the first through-hole of the first spacer are connected in the stacking direction to form a water inlet flow path at one longitudinal end of the electrode plate 10. The water inlet flow path is fluidly connected to the oxygen generating chamber A of the electrolytic cell 2 via the first spacer flow path of the first spacer. Although not shown, a similar configuration is formed at the opposite longitudinal end (other end) of the electrolytic cell 2, where the water discharge hole 101b and the first through-hole of the other first spacer are connected in the stacking direction to form an oxygen extraction flow path. The oxygen extraction flow path is fluidly connected to the oxygen generating chamber A of the electrolytic cell 2 via the first spacer flow path of the other first spacer.

[0045] Furthermore, when the second spacer is disposed on the cathode surface of the electrode plate 10, the hydrogen discharge holes 102 and the second through-holes of the second spacer are connected in the stacking direction to form a hydrogen extraction flow path, as shown in Fig. 9. The hydrogen extraction flow path is placed in fluid communication with the hydrogen generation chamber B of the electrolysis cell 2 via the second spacer flow path of the second spacer.

[0046] In the hydrogen / oxygen generation device configured as described above, two water supply holes 101a are formed at one longitudinal end of each electrode plate 10, and two water discharge holes 101b are formed at the other longitudinal end of each electrode plate 10. With this configuration, water supplied from, for example, one end is likely to be supplied uniformly in the width direction of the electrolysis cell 2, and flows, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, making it easy to supply water uniformly throughout the entire electrolysis region. This makes it easier for the entire electrolysis region of the electrode plate to contribute to the electrolysis reaction, thereby increasing the efficiency of the electrolysis cell.

[0047] Furthermore, with the above configuration, hydrogen ions that have permeated the solid electrolyte membrane 20 are easily supplied to the entire electrolysis region on the hydrogen generation chamber B side as well, facilitating hydrogen generation over the entire cathode electrode catalyst surface on the solid polymer electrolyte membrane. Furthermore, in the hydrogen and oxygen generation device 1 configured as above, hydrogen discharge holes 102 that function as hydrogen extraction ports are formed on both ends of the electrode plate 10 in the longitudinal direction, so that hydrogen generated in the hydrogen generation chamber B side flows, for example, as shown in FIG. 11, and is efficiently discharged from both ends of the electrode plate in the longitudinal direction.

[0048] Furthermore, in the hydrogen / oxygen generator 1 having the above configuration, multiple ridges 121 are provided on the opposing surfaces of two adjacent electrode plates 10, and the ridges 121 on one electrode plate 10 are offset by 0.5 pitches from the ridges 121 on the other electrode plate 10 so that they are staggered. With this configuration, when a pair of power feeders and a solid electrolyte membrane placed between them are placed between the two electrode plates 10 and pressurized, the contact areas between the electrode plates 10 and the power feeders alternate between the oxygen generating chamber A side and the hydrogen generating chamber B side, dispersing stress acting on the power feeders and solid electrolyte membrane. This has the effect of preventing damage to the power feeders and solid electrolyte membrane.

[0049] Furthermore, in the hydrogen / oxygen generation device of the above embodiment, when a first spacer and another first spacer are stacked on the electrode plate 10 to form an electrolysis cell, as shown in FIG. 8 , water supplied through a water inlet channel formed by the water supply hole 101a and the first through hole of the first spacer flows through the first spacer channel from one end of the electrolysis cell 2 into the oxygen generating chamber A. Furthermore, the water spreads in the width direction of the electrolysis cell 2 (the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 8 ) at the one-end rectification section 110a of the electrode plate 10 and is supplied to the electrolysis region of the electrolysis cell 2. Furthermore, oxygen and excess water generated in the electrolysis region of the electrolysis cell 2 flow to the other end of the electrolysis cell 2, converge in the width direction of the electrolysis cell 2 at the other-end rectification section 110b of the electrode plate 10, flow into the first spacer channel of the other first spacer, flow from the first spacer channel to the first through hole, and are discharged through an oxygen outlet channel formed by the water discharge hole 101b and the first through hole of the other first spacer stacked at the other end.

[0050] On the other hand, when the second spacer is laminated with the electrode plate 10 to form an electrolytic cell, as shown in FIG. 9 , hydrogen generated in the hydrogen generation chamber B of the electrolytic cell 2 flows into the second spacer flow path, flows from the second spacer flow path to the second through hole, and is discharged via the hydrogen outflow path formed by the hydrogen discharge hole 102 and the second through hole of the second spacer.

[0051] Thus, in the hydrogen / oxygen generation device of this embodiment, the flow paths formed in the spacer allow for smooth flow of water and oxygen between the water inlet and oxygen outlet paths and the oxygen generation chamber, and smooth flow of hydrogen between the hydrogen outlet path and the hydrogen generation chamber.

[0052] Furthermore, in the hydrogen / oxygen generation device 1 configured as described above, the first recess 130 surrounding the water supply hole 101a or the water discharge hole 101b is recessed from one surface of the electrode plate 10 toward the other surface, and the second recess 140 surrounding the hydrogen discharge hole 102 is recessed from the other surface of the electrode plate 10 toward the one surface. A first spacer is fitted into the first recess 130 from one surface of the electrode plate 10, and a second spacer is fitted into the second recess 140 from the other surface of the electrode plate 10. This configuration makes it easier to form the seal grooves 131 around the water supply hole 101a, the water discharge hole 101b, and the hydrogen discharge hole 102 to a sufficient depth, compared to conventional hydrogen / oxygen generation devices in which two spacers are arranged opposite each other to sandwich the electrode plate. As a result, a seal member 150 with a sufficient cross-sectional area can be used to place in the seal groove 131, thereby improving the sealing performance around each port. Therefore, even when the electrolytic cell is made thinner and a spacer is provided, it is possible to provide a hydrogen / oxygen generating device that can generate high-purity hydrogen and oxygen.

[0053] The hydrogen / oxygen generating device according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0054] For example, the electrode plate may have one or more water supply holes at one end in the longitudinal direction. The electrode plate may have one or more water discharge holes at the other end in the longitudinal direction. Specifically, the electrode plate may have one water supply hole at one end and one water discharge hole at the other end, such that the diagonal direction of the substantially rectangular electrode plate is assumed to be an imaginary line connecting the water supply hole and the water discharge hole. Alternatively, the electrode plate may have three water supply holes at one end and three water discharge holes at the other end, such that the direction along the longitudinal direction of the electrode plate is assumed to be an imaginary line connecting the water supply hole and the water discharge hole. The number of water supply holes at one end of the electrode plate may be different from the number of water discharge holes at the other end of the electrode plate.

[0055] The same applies to the hydrogen discharge holes, which may be two or more at each of the longitudinal ends. Specifically, when three water supply holes are formed as described above, one hydrogen discharge hole may be formed between two water supply holes, and three water supply holes and two hydrogen discharge holes may be alternately arranged, i.e., five holes may be formed at one end of the electrode plate. Similarly, when three water discharge holes are formed as described above, three water discharge holes and two hydrogen discharge holes may be alternately arranged, i.e., five holes may be formed at the other end of the electrode plate.

[0056] The means for providing resistance to the flowing water in the high resistance portion is not limited to the multiple anode side convex portions 111 described above, but may be multiple protrusions having any shape, such as linear, when the electrode plate is viewed in a plane, but it is preferable that it be the multiple anode side convex portions 111 described above.

[0057] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case where the center line of the convex stripes formed on one electrode plate constituting one electrolytic cell and the center line of the convex stripes formed on the other electrode plate are positioned at positions shifted by 0.5 pitches, but the shift in the center lines may be in the range of 0.3 to 0.7 pitches.

[0058] In the above embodiment, the protrusions and recesses of the electrode plate are formed parallel to the longitudinal direction of the electrode plate, but they may be formed at an angle of 45° or less to the longitudinal direction, preferably at an angle of 30° or less to the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, the protrusions and recesses of the electrode plate are preferably linear along the longitudinal direction, but they may also be formed in a wavy or broken line shape along the longitudinal direction.

[0059] The matters disclosed in this specification include the following. (1) An electrode plate for a hydrogen / oxygen generating device, At least one water supply hole formed on one end side of the electrode plate; At least one water drain hole formed on the other end of the electrode plate; a water rectification section having a large resistance section that provides a large resistance to the flowing water near an imaginary line connecting the at least one water supply hole and the at least one water discharge hole, and a small resistance section that provides a small resistance to the flowing water farther from the imaginary line, in a region through which the water supplied from the at least one water supply hole passes on its way along the electrode plate to the at least one water discharge hole; An electrode plate comprising: (2) The electrode plate according to (1) above, wherein the water rectifying section has a plurality of protrusions formed thereon so as to be more sparsely distributed in the small resistance section compared to the large resistance section. (3) The water rectifying unit has a one-end side rectifying unit formed on the one end side, The electrode plate according to (2) above, wherein the plurality of protrusions in the one-end side rectifying portion are formed so as to be distributed more densely as they are located farther away from the at least one water supply hole. (4) The water rectifying unit has an other-end-side rectifying unit formed on the other end side, The electrode plate according to (2) or (3) above, wherein the plurality of protrusions in the other end side rectifying portion are formed so as to be distributed more densely as they are farther away from the at least one water discharge hole. (5) The electrode plate according to any one of (1) to (4) above, further comprising at least one hydrogen discharge hole formed on at least one of the one end side and the other end side through which hydrogen is discharged. (6) The electrode plate according to any one of (2) to (4) above, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions is formed in a circular shape when the electrode plate is viewed from above. (7) The electrode plate according to any one of (1) to (6) above, which is substantially rectangular in plan view. (8) The electrode plate described in (7) above, wherein the water rectifying portion has a one-end rectifying portion formed in a band shape along the width direction of the electrode plate at the one end side, and an other-end rectifying portion formed in a band shape along the width direction at the other end side. (9) The electrode plate according to (8) above, wherein a plurality of ridges are formed between the one-end rectifying portion and the other-end rectifying portion along a longitudinal direction of the electrode plate that is perpendicular to the width direction. (10) A hydrogen / oxygen generating device comprising the electrode plate according to any one of (1) to (9) above.

[0060] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various improvements, modifications, or variations can be made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The present invention may be embodied in a form in which any specific feature is replaced with another technology within the scope of producing the same action or effect. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 1...hydrogen / oxygen generator, 2...electrolytic cell, 5...end plate, 10...electrode plate, 10'...end electrode plate, 11...insulating spacer, 12...power supply body, 20...solid electrolyte membrane, 101a...water supply hole, 101b...water discharge hole, 102...hydrogen discharge hole, 110...water rectification section, 110a...one end side rectification section, 110b...other end side rectification section, 111...plurality of anode side protrusions, 112...few anode side protrusions, 113...large resistance section, 114...small resistance section, 115...hydrogen rectification section, 116...plurality of cathode side protrusions, 120...electrolysis section, 121...protrusions, 122...recesses, 130...first recess, 131...seal groove, 132...raised portion, 140...second recess, 141...seal groove, 142...raised portion, 150...sealing member, A...oxygen generation chamber, B...hydrogen generation chamber, BL1...first row, BL2...second row, BL3...third row, BL4...fourth row, BL5...fifth row, BL6...sixth row, FL1...first row, FL2...second row, FL3...third row, FL4...fourth row, FL5...fifth row, FL6...sixth row, CL...virtual midline, RL04...fourth column on the right, RL09...ninth column on the right, RL14...14th column on the right, RL19...19th column on the right, RL24...24th column on the right, CP: Flow path passing through the center, EP: Flow path passing through the width direction edge, VSL: Virtual straight line

Claims

1. An electrode plate for a hydrogen / oxygen generation device, At least one water supply hole formed on one end side of the electrode plate; At least one water drain hole formed on the other end of the electrode plate; a water rectification section having a large resistance section that provides a large resistance to the flowing water near an imaginary line connecting the at least one water supply hole and the at least one water discharge hole, and a small resistance section that provides a small resistance to the flowing water farther from the imaginary line, in a region through which the water supplied from the at least one water supply hole passes on its way along the electrode plate to the at least one water discharge hole; An electrode plate comprising:

2. The electrode plate according to claim 1 , wherein the water rectifying portion has a plurality of protrusions formed thereon so as to be distributed more sparsely in the small resistance portion than in the large resistance portion.

3. The water rectifying unit has a one-end side rectifying unit formed on the one end side, The electrode plate according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of protrusions in the one-end side flow rectifying portion are formed so as to be distributed more densely as they are spaced farther from the at least one water supply hole.

4. The water rectifying unit has an other-end-side rectifying unit formed on the other end side, 4. The electrode plate according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of protrusions in the other end side rectifying portion are formed so as to be distributed more densely as they are spaced farther from the at least one water discharge hole.

5. 3. The electrode plate according to claim 1, further comprising at least one hydrogen discharge hole formed in at least one of the one end side and the other end side through which hydrogen is discharged.

6. 4. The electrode plate according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions is formed in a circular shape when the electrode plate is viewed from above.

7. 3. The electrode plate according to claim 1, which has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from above.

8. 8. An electrode plate as described in claim 7, wherein the water rectifying portion has a one-end rectifying portion formed in a band shape along the width direction of the electrode plate at the one end side, and an other-end rectifying portion formed in a band shape along the width direction at the other end side.

9. The electrode plate according to claim 8 , wherein a plurality of ridges are formed between the one-end side rectifying portion and the other-end side rectifying portion along a longitudinal direction of the electrode plate that is perpendicular to the width direction.

10. A hydrogen and oxygen generating device comprising the electrode plate according to claim 1 or 2.

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