Method and production facility for producing hydrogen-enriched gas

Abstract

To provide a method by which a hydrogen-enriched gas can be stably produced from a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen even if the generation of the mixture of the gases in a reactor is not stable.SOLUTION: A method for producing hydrogen enriched gas in the present disclosure comprises (A) a step of generating a mixed gas containing hydrogen and oxygen in a reactor that decomposes water into hydrogen and oxygen by sunlight in the presence of a photocatalyst, (B) a step of collecting the mixed gas in a storage tank, (C) a step of feeding the mixed gas in the storage tank to a gas separator containing a membrane capable of separating hydrogen and oxygen, and (D) a step of separating the hydrogen enriched gas from the mixed gas in the gas separator.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for producing a hydrogen-enriched gas and a production facility therefor.

Background Art

[0002] The development of a technique for producing hydrogen gas from water by sunlight in the presence of a photocatalyst has been underway. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for producing a photocatalyst having hydrogen generation activity in the decomposition reaction of water in the visible light region.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a reactor that decomposes water using solar energy, a mixed gas containing hydrogen and oxygen is generated. In order to separate a high-concentration hydrogen gas (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "hydrogen-enriched gas") from this mixed gas, there are the following problems. That is, since the decomposition reaction of water in such a reactor greatly depends on the intensity of sunlight, the mixed gas to be treated is not stably generated.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above problems, and provides a method capable of stably producing a hydrogen-enriched gas from a mixed gas even when the generation amount of the mixed gas containing hydrogen and oxygen in the reactor is not stable. Further, the present disclosure provides a production facility for a hydrogen-enriched gas applicable to this method.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The method for producing a hydrogen-enriched gas according to the present disclosure includes the following steps. (A) In a reactor that decomposes water into hydrogen and oxygen by sunlight in the presence of a photocatalyst, a step of generating a mixed gas containing hydrogen and oxygen. (B) A step of collecting the mixed gas in a first storage tank. (C) A step of supplying the mixed gas in the first storage tank to a gas separation device including a membrane having a separation ability for hydrogen and oxygen. (D) A step of separating a hydrogen-enriched gas from the mixed gas in the gas separation device.

[0007] According to the above manufacturing method, after continuing step (B) until a certain amount of the mixed gas accumulates in the first storage tank and then starting step (C), the mixed gas can be stably supplied to the gas separation device. Thereby, the membrane of the gas separation device can fully exhibit its separation ability, and the hydrogen-enriched gas can be stably separated from the mixed gas.

[0008] The above manufacturing method may further include the following steps. A step of collecting the mixed gas in a second storage tank while performing step (C). A step of supplying the mixed gas in the second storage tank to the gas separation device while performing step (B). By using a plurality of storage tanks to perform steps (B) and (C) in parallel, the operating time of the gas separation device can be extended, and it becomes possible to manufacture the hydrogen-enriched gas more stably.

[0009] The manufacturing equipment for hydrogen-enriched gas according to the present disclosure includes a reactor that generates a mixed gas containing hydrogen and oxygen by a water decomposition reaction using sunlight in the presence of a photocatalyst, a first storage tank that collects the mixed gas, and a gas separation device including a membrane having a separation ability for hydrogen and oxygen, to which the mixed gas from the first storage tank is supplied.

[0010] According to the above manufacturing equipment, after storing a certain amount of mixed gas in the first storage tank, by supplying the mixed gas in the first storage tank to the gas separation device, the membrane of the gas separation device can fully exert its separation ability, and the hydrogen-enriched gas can be stably separated from the mixed gas.

[0011] The above manufacturing equipment may further include a second storage tank for collecting the mixed gas and a valve mechanism that can switch from a state where the first storage tank communicates with the gas separation device to a state where the second storage tank communicates with the gas separation device. When the manufacturing equipment is provided with a plurality of storage tanks and the communication state between these storage tanks and the gas separation device can be switched, the operating time of the gas separation device can be extended, and it becomes possible to obtain the hydrogen-enriched gas more stably.

[0012] The above first and second storage tanks may each have a ceiling portion provided with an opening through which the mixed gas enters and exits, and a partition plate extending downward from the lower surface of the ceiling portion and constituting a flow path for the mixed gas together with the lower surface of the ceiling portion. By providing such a flow path, even if the mixed gas explodes in the storage tank by any chance, the influence can be made sufficiently small.

[0013] The manufacturing equipment according to the present disclosure is not limited to those provided with a reactor that generates a mixed gas using solar energy, and may be provided with other types of reactors. That is, the manufacturing equipment for hydrogen-enriched gas according to another aspect of the present disclosure may include a reactor that generates a mixed gas containing hydrogen and oxygen, a first storage tank that collects the mixed gas, and a gas separation device including a membrane having a separation ability for hydrogen and oxygen, to which the mixed gas from the first storage tank is supplied.

Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the present disclosure, even if the generation amount of the mixed gas containing hydrogen and oxygen in the reactor is not stable, a method for stably manufacturing the hydrogen-enriched gas from the mixed gas is provided. Further, according to the present disclosure, a manufacturing equipment for hydrogen-enriched gas applicable to this method is provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted. Also, the positional relationships such as up, down, left, and right are based on the positional relationships shown in the drawings unless otherwise specified. The dimensional ratios in the drawings are not limited to the illustrated ratios.

[0017] <Manufacturing Equipment for Hydrogen-Enriched Gas> FIG. 1 is a flow diagram schematically showing the manufacturing equipment according to this embodiment. The manufacturing equipment 100 shown in this figure is for generating a mixed gas containing hydrogen and oxygen from water using solar energy and then separating and recovering the hydrogen-enriched gas from this mixed gas. The manufacturing equipment 100 includes a reactor 10, a separator 20, a storage section 30, and a gas separation device 40, and these components are connected by pipes (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "lines" depending on the case). Note that pumps and instruments are installed in the lines as necessary.

[0018] The reactor 10 generates a mixed gas containing hydrogen and oxygen by the decomposition reaction of water by sunlight in the presence of a photocatalyst. As shown in FIG. 1, the reactor 10 includes a plurality of reactor units 11, a plate 12 that supports them, a pump 13 for supplying water to each reactor unit 11, and a water storage tank 14. Water is supplied to the water storage tank 14 through line L1, and the water separated by the separator 20 is returned through line L4. The pump 13 is installed in the middle of line L2 that transfers water from the water storage tank 14 to the reactor 10. Although FIG. 1 schematically shows eight reactor units 11, this number is not limited to eight. FIG. 2 schematically shows 48 reactor units 11.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the main configuration of the reactor 10. As shown in this figure, the plate 12 that supports the plurality of reactor units 11 is fixed to the frame 15 in an inclined state. Note that a mechanism may be adopted to automatically change the inclination angle or orientation of the plate 12 in accordance with the movement of the sun during a day. The reactor unit 11 is, for example, in the form of a panel having a thickness of about 25 to 40 mm. In plan view, the area of the reactor unit 11 is, for example, about 500 to 1000 cm 2 2, and it is preferable that about 50 to 80% of this area contributes to the water decomposition reaction by sunlight.

[0020] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of the configuration of the reactor unit 11. As shown in this figure, the reactor unit 11 includes a case 11a, a photocatalyst sheet 11c disposed in the recess 11b of the case 11a, and a glass plate 11d disposed so as to cover the photocatalyst sheet 11c. In a state where the reactor unit 11 is installed on the inclined plate 12, a water inlet 11e is formed at the lower peripheral edge of the case 11a, and a gas outlet 11f is formed at the upper peripheral edge of the case 11a. A gap of about 0.05 to 5.0 mm is provided, for example, between the case 11a and the photocatalyst sheet 11c. When this gap is 0.05 mm or more, water and the generated gas tend to move easily within the reactor unit 11. On the other hand, when it is 5.0 mm or less, the dead space tends to be reduced.

[0021] The photocatalyst sheet 11c contains a photocatalyst that promotes a photochemical reaction to decompose water into hydrogen and oxygen using solar energy. The thickness of the photocatalyst sheet 11c is, for example, about 7 to 15 μm. In terms of being able to decompose water with a high quantum yield, it is preferable to use a catalyst in which a hydrogen generation co-catalyst and an oxygen generation co-catalyst are supported on an oxide photocatalyst. As a specific example of a photocatalyst having excellent activity, there is one in which Rh / Cr2O3 as a hydrogen generation co-catalyst and CoOOH as an oxygen generation co-catalyst are supported on SrTiO3 doped with Al by a photoelectrodeposition method. The photoelectrodeposition method is a method of supporting a co-catalyst by reducing or oxidizing a metal salt that becomes a precursor on the surface of photocatalyst particles by positive and negative charges generated by photoexcitation to deposit a metal or metal oxide.

[0022] The separator 20 separates the gas-liquid mixed fluid supplied from the reactor 10 through the line L3 into water and gas (see Fig. 1). The water separated by the separator 20 is returned to the water storage tank 14 through the line L4 as described above. The mixed gas separated by the separator 20 is transferred to the storage section 30 through the line L5.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 1, the storage section 30 includes a storage tank 31 (first storage tank), a storage tank 32 (second storage tank), and a valve mechanism 35 having four valves. The valve mechanism 35 can switch the flow path by changing the opening and closing states of the four valves. That is, the valve mechanism 35 can switch between a state where the separator 20 communicates with the storage tank 31 and a state where the separator 20 communicates with the storage tank 32. In addition to this, the valve mechanism 35 can switch between a state where the storage tank 31 communicates with the gas separation device 40 and a state where the storage tank 32 communicates with the gas separation device 40.

[0024] Figure 4 shows a state where the storage tank 31 communicates with the separator 20 and the storage tank 32 communicates with the gas separation device 40. In this state, the mixed gas is supplied from the separator 20 to the storage tank 31 and at the same time, the mixed gas is supplied from the storage tank 32 to the gas separation device 40. Figure 5 shows a state where the storage tank 32 communicates with the separator 20 and the storage tank 31 communicates with the gas separation device 40. In this state, the mixed gas is supplied from the separator 20 to the storage tank 32 and at the same time, the mixed gas is supplied from the storage tank 31 to the gas separation device 40.

[0025] Figure 6 shows a state where the storage tank 31 communicates with the separator 20 while the storage tank 32 does not communicate with the gas separation device 40. In this state, the mixed gas is supplied from the separator 20 to the storage tank 31, while the supply of the mixed gas to the gas separation device 40 is stopped. Figure 7 shows a state where the storage tank 32 communicates with the separator 20 while the storage tank 31 does not communicate with the gas separation device 40. In this state, the mixed gas is supplied from the separator 20 to the storage tank 32, while the supply of the mixed gas to the gas separation device 40 is stopped.

[0026] The storage tanks 31 and 32 collect the mixed gas by the water displacement method. That is, as shown in Figure 1, the storage tanks 31 and 32 are arranged in the water of the water tank 38 containing water. A booster pump 33 is installed in the middle of the line L5 for transferring the mixed gas to the storage tanks 31 and 32. By boosting the pressure of the mixed gas by the booster pump 33, the mixed gas is injected into the storage tanks 31 and 32. It is preferable that the storage tanks 31 and 32 are provided with a water level gauge (not shown). By monitoring the water level in the storage tanks 31 and 32 with the water level gauge, the timing of stopping the booster pump 33 and the timing of operating the valve mechanism 35 to switch the flow path can be accurately grasped.

[0027] FIG. 8(a) is a perspective view schematically showing the storage tank 31, and FIG. 8(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line b-b of FIG. 8(a). Note that FIG. 8(a) shows the state where the storage tank 31 is arranged upside down. As shown in these figures, the storage tank 31 has a ceiling portion 31b provided with an opening 31a through which the mixed gas enters and exits. The mixed gas from the separator 20 is supplied to the storage tank 31 through the opening 31a, and the mixed gas in the storage tank 31 is transferred to the gas separation device 40. Note that the storage tank 32 also has the same configuration as the storage tank 31.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b), the storage tank 31 has a spiral partition plate 31d extending downward from the lower surface 31c of the ceiling portion 31b. The partition plate 31d constitutes a flow path 31e for the mixed gas together with the lower surface 31c of the ceiling portion 31b. By storing the mixed gas in the narrow and long flow path 31e, even if the mixed gas explodes in the storage tank 31 by any chance, the influence can be made sufficiently small. The interval of the spiral partition plate 31d (the width of the flow path 31e, the width W shown in FIG. 8(b)) is, for example, 0.5 to 3 cm. The height of the partition plate 31d (the height of the flow path 31e, the height H shown in FIG. 8(b)) is, for example, 0.5 to 5 cm. The cross-sectional area of the flow path 31e (width W × height H) is, for example, 5 cm 2 Is as follows. The length of the flow path 31e may be set according to the volume of the mixed gas to be stored.

[0029] The gas separation device 40 separates the mixed gas supplied from the storage unit 30 through line L6 into a hydrogen-enriched gas and an oxygen-enriched gas (see Fig. 1). In this embodiment, a separation membrane cartridge 42 having a membrane with the ability to separate hydrogen and oxygen is used inside. As an example of the separation membrane cartridge, one equipped with a polyimide hollow fiber membrane can be mentioned. As a commercially available product, a dehumidification membrane (UBE Membrane Dryer) manufactured by Ube Industries, Ltd. can be mentioned. This dehumidification membrane includes a plurality of series (for example, DM series, UM series, UMS series). From among these series, for example, the type to be used can be selected according to the scale of the reactor 10. In addition, as a gas separation method, in addition to the method using a separation membrane cartridge, for example, the PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) method and the cryogenic separation method are known. Compared with these methods, the method using a separation membrane cartridge has the advantage that gas separation can be carried out even if the throughput per unit time is small, and it is relatively easy to scale up by adding more separation membrane cartridges.

[0030] The hydrogen-enriched gas separated in the gas separation device 40 is transferred to the subsequent equipment through line L7. A vacuum pump 43 is installed in the middle of line L7. On the other hand, the oxygen-enriched gas is transferred to the subsequent equipment through line L8.

[0031] <Method for manufacturing hydrogen-enriched gas> A method for manufacturing a hydrogen-enriched gas using the manufacturing equipment 100 will be described. This method includes the following steps. (a) A step of generating a mixed gas containing hydrogen and oxygen by irradiating the reactor unit 11 of the reactor 10 with sunlight. (b) A step of collecting the mixed gas that has undergone the treatment in the separator 20 in the storage tank 31 by the water displacement method. (c) A step of supplying the mixed gas in the storage tank 31 to the gas separation device 40. (d) A step of separating the hydrogen-enriched gas from the mixed gas in the gas separation device 40.

[0032] According to the above manufacturing method, after continuing the (b) process until a certain amount of mixed gas accumulates in the storage tank 31, by starting the (c) process, the mixed gas can be stably supplied to the gas separation device 40. As a result, the membrane of the gas separation device 40 can fully exhibit its separation ability, and the hydrogen-enriched gas can be stably separated from the mixed gas. Further, since the storage tank 31 collects the mixed gas by the water displacement method, the mixed gas in the storage tank 31 is in a water-sealed state and contains water vapor at the partial pressure of the saturated vapor pressure, enhancing safety.

[0033] The above manufacturing method may further include the following steps. A step of collecting the mixed gas in the storage tank 32 by the water displacement method while performing the (c) process (see Fig. 5). A step of supplying the mixed gas in the storage tank 32 to the gas separation device 40 while performing the (b) process (see Fig. 4). By using two storage tanks 31 and 32 to perform the (c) process and the (d) process in parallel, the operating time of the gas separation device 40 can be extended, and it becomes possible to more stably produce the hydrogen-enriched gas.

[0034] Fig. 9 is a graph showing an example of the test results when two storage tanks 31 and 32 are used in combination. In the time zones Z1 to Z4 shown in Fig. 9, the following processes are respectively carried out. ·Z1… Supplying the mixed gas from the separator 20 to the storage tank 31 (see Fig. 6). ·Z2… Supplying the mixed gas from the storage tank 31 to the gas separation device 40 and supplying the mixed gas from the separator 20 to the storage tank 32 (see Fig. 5). ·Z3… Supplying the mixed gas from the separator 20 to the storage tank 32 (see Fig. 7). ·Z4… Supplying the mixed gas from the storage tank 32 to the gas separation device 40 and supplying the mixed gas from the separator 20 to the storage tank 31 (see Fig. 4).

[0035] That is, in the test results shown in FIG. 9, although the gas separation device 40 is stopped in time zones Z1 and Z3, it is operating in time zones Z2 and Z4. For example, by increasing the amount of mixed gas generated per unit time by adding a reactor unit 11, the operating time of the gas separation device 40 can be made longer. Although it depends on the type and size of the separation membrane provided in the gas separation device 40, the amount of mixed gas supplied to the gas separation device 40 per unit time is, for example, about 5 to 7 L / min in the case of a pilot plant, and in the case of a larger-scale facility, for example, 10 L / min or more, and may be 30 L / min or more.

[0036] As described above, the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, in the above embodiment, the case of using two storage tanks 31 and 32 is exemplified, but one storage tank may be used alone, or three or more storage tanks may be used.

[0037] A mixed gas containing hydrogen and oxygen potentially has a risk of explosion. From the viewpoint of solving the problem of ensuring high safety of the process for handling this mixed gas, in the above embodiment, the case of forming a flow path in the storage tank by a spiral partition plate is exemplified. As long as the power of the explosion can be reduced by finely partitioning the space in which the mixed gas is stored, a structure other than the spiral partition plate may be adopted. For example, the storage tank may be filled with a cylindrical member (for example, Mitsuba Drain (trade name) manufactured by Nihon Drain Co., Ltd.) or a plate-like member. Alternatively, a thin and long tube may be used, and the mixed gas may be stored in this tube. The cross-sectional area of the flow path of the tube is, for example, 5 cm 2 or less. By this area being 5 cm 2 or less, even if the mixed gas stored in the tube is ignited, the power of the explosion can be made sufficiently small. According to the study by the present inventors, when this area is 1 mm 2If it is before and after, it is presumed that the flame will not propagate. The length of the tube may be set according to the volume of the mixed gas to be stored. For example, it may be more than 150 m. As long as the process of replacing the water contained in the tube with the mixed gas and replacing the mixed gas contained in the tube with water again can be efficiently carried out, the tube may be, for example, in a state wound around a bobbin or in a bundled state.

[0038] In the above embodiment, the storage tanks 31 and 32 for collecting the mixed gas by the water replacement method are exemplified, but other types of storage tanks may be employed. For example, from the viewpoint of safety, a low-pressure gas holder with variable capacity, a liquid-sealed pseudo-isobaric gas holder, or the like may be employed.

[0039] In the above embodiment, the reactor 10 for generating the mixed gas using solar energy is exemplified, but other types of reactors may be employed. For example, a reactor for generating the mixed gas using the light of an LED may be used. When using the light of an LED, the mixed gas can be stably generated in the reactor regardless of day or night. However, for example, when the amount of the mixed gas generated per unit time in the reactor is less than the optimum flow rate of the separation membrane cartridge, it is useful to perform an operation of storing the mixed gas in the storage tank and then supplying the mixed gas in the storage tank to the gas separation device.

Example

[0040] Hereinafter, examples according to the present disclosure will be described. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0041] A total of 160 reactor units were produced. The configuration of the reactor unit was the same as that of the reactor unit 11 shown in FIG. 3. Using these reactor units, a hydrogen-enriched gas production facility having the same configuration as that in FIG. 1 was constructed (see FIG. 10). The main configuration of the production facility was as follows.

[0042] <Reactor unit> · Photocatalyst: SrTiO3 doped with Al, supporting Rh / Cr2O3 as a hydrogen generation cocatalyst and CoOOH as an oxygen generation cocatalyst by photoelectrodeposition method. · Size of the photocatalyst sheet: 25 cm × 25 cm (area: 625 cm 2 ) · Total area of the photocatalyst sheet: 100 m 2 (= 625 cm 2 × 1600 pieces) · Inclination angle: 30° <Reservoir> · Mode of the storage tank: Above-water replacement shallow tank · Capacity of the storage tank: 3 L · Depth of the storage tank: 15 cm · Number of the storage tanks: 2 · Filling material: Mitsuba Drain (trade name, manufactured by Nihon Drain Co., Ltd.) <Gas separation device> · Separation membrane cartridge: UMS-B2 (model number, manufactured by Ube Industries, Ltd., optimum flow rate 6 L / min)

[0043] Figure 11 is a graph showing the integrated generation amounts of the mixed gas, the filtered gas (hydrogen-enriched gas), and the off-gas (oxygen-enriched gas) when the manufacturing equipment according to this example was operated for about 10 hours. This day was a fine day in October. Figure 12(a) is a graph showing the solar light intensity and the ultraviolet ray intensity at that time, and Figure 12(b) is a graph showing the mixed gas generation rate. Note that Figure 12(b) shows the mixed gas generation rate in the reactor with half of the total area of the photocatalyst sheet (100 m 2 ) (50 m 2 ). In the whole reactor, about 6 L / min of mixed gas could be generated at the peak.

[0044] During the time period when the solar light intensity was strong, it was possible to generate a mixed gas in an amount comparable to the optimal flow rate (6 L / min) of the separation membrane cartridge, so the mixed gas was continuously supplied to the separation membrane cartridge. On the other hand, during the time period when the solar light intensity was weak, the operations of storing the mixed gas in the storage tank and supplying the mixed gas from the storage tank to the separation membrane cartridge were repeatedly carried out. Through these operations, it was possible to stably produce a hydrogen-enriched gas and an oxygen-enriched gas from the mixed gas. The hydrogen concentration of the hydrogen-enriched gas was stably exceeding 93%.

Description of Reference Signs

[0045] 10…Reactor, 11…Reactor unit, 11a…Case, 11b…Recess, 11c…Photocatalyst sheet, 11d…Glass plate, 11e…Water inlet, 11f…Gas outlet, 12…Plate, 13…Pump, 14…Water storage tank, 15…Frame, 20…Separator, 30…Storage section, 31…Storage tank, 31a…Opening, 31b…Ceiling section, 31c…Bottom surface, 31d…Partition plate, 31e…Flow path, 32…Storage tank, 33…Booster pump, 35…Valve mechanism, 38…Water tank, 40…Gas separation device, 42…Separation membrane cartridge, 43…Vacuum pump, 100…Manufacturing equipment, L1~L8…Lines.

Claims

1. (A) In a reactor that decomposes water into hydrogen and oxygen by sunlight in the presence of a photocatalyst, a step of generating a mixed gas containing hydrogen and oxygen; (B) A step of collecting the mixed gas in a first storage tank; (C) A step of supplying the mixed gas in the first storage tank to a gas separation device including a membrane having a separation ability for hydrogen and oxygen; (D) A step of separating a hydrogen-enriched gas from the mixed gas in the gas separation device; A method for producing a hydrogen-enriched gas, comprising the above steps.

2. A step of collecting the mixed gas in a second storage tank while performing step (C); A step of supplying the mixed gas in the second storage tank to the gas separation device while performing step (B); The method for producing a hydrogen-enriched gas according to claim 1, further comprising the above steps.

3. A reactor that generates a mixed gas containing hydrogen and oxygen by a water decomposition reaction using sunlight in the presence of a photocatalyst; A first storage tank for collecting the mixed gas; A gas separation device including a membrane having a separation ability for hydrogen and oxygen, to which the mixed gas from the first storage tank is supplied; A production facility for hydrogen-enriched gas, comprising the above components.

4. A second storage tank for collecting the mixed gas; A valve mechanism that can be switched from a state where the first storage tank is in communication with the gas separation device to a state where the second storage tank is in communication with the gas separation device; The production facility for hydrogen-enriched gas according to claim 3, further comprising the above components.

5. The first and second storage tanks each have: A ceiling portion provided with an opening through which the mixed gas enters and exits; A partition plate extending downward from the lower surface of the ceiling portion and forming a flow path for the mixed gas together with the lower surface of the ceiling portion; The production facility for hydrogen-enriched gas according to claim 4, each having the above components.

6. A reactor that generates a mixed gas containing hydrogen and oxygen by a water decomposition reaction using sunlight in the presence of a photocatalyst; A first storage tank for collecting the mixed gas; A second storage tank for collecting the mixed gas; A gas separation device including a membrane having a separation ability for hydrogen and oxygen, to which the mixed gas from the first storage tank or the second storage tank is supplied; A valve mechanism that can be switched from a state where the first storage tank is in communication with the gas separation device to a state where the second storage tank is in communication with the gas separation device; Comprising: The first and second storage tanks each have: An opening through which the mixed gas enters and exits; A ceiling portion; A partition plate that extends downward from the lower surface of the ceiling portion and forms a flow path for the mixed gas together with the lower surface of the ceiling portion, A hydrogen-enriched gas production facility each having.

7. A reactor that generates a mixed gas containing hydrogen and oxygen by the decomposition reaction of water by sunlight in the presence of a photocatalyst, A first storage tank that collects the mixed gas, A gas separation device that includes a membrane having a separation ability for hydrogen and oxygen and to which the mixed gas from the first storage tank is supplied, Comprising, A hydrogen-enriched gas production facility in which the first storage tank has a tube that forms a flow path for the mixed gas.

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