Apparatus and method

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a device and a method for noninvasively evaluating the remaining amount of scarce metal included in electrodes of an electrolyzer. A device according to the present invention has a management unit that uses operating history information for an electrolyzer that comprises one or more electrolytic cells to record usage history information for electrodes of the electrolytic cells.

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Electrolysis (electrolysis) is mainly performed using an ion exchange membrane method that uses an electrolytic cell equipped with an ion exchange membrane, and a major challenge is reducing energy consumption, i.e., reducing the electrolysis voltage. For example, by using the electrolytic cell shown in Patent Document 1, it is possible to significantly reduce power consumption.

[0003] Furthermore, in recent years, technological development aimed at reducing power consumption has been ongoing in order to solve problems such as global warming caused by greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and dwindling reserves of fossil fuels.

[0004] For example, when focusing on electrodes for electrolysis, studies are being conducted on the development of electrode coating compositions that promote anodic or cathodic reactions, as well as electrode shapes (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-172867 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6670948 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Recently, from the perspective of sustainability, such as reducing environmental impact, there has been much research into extending the lifespan of equipment and making more effective use of it. As electrolytic cell electrodes age, their performance deteriorates and they eventually reach the end of their lifespan. However, by carrying out appropriate repairs based on the electrode's usage history, it is possible to restore the electrode's performance and use it for a longer period of time. However, little research has been done into the possibility of managing the electrode's usage and repair history and utilizing this information to extend the lifespan of equipment, thereby further utilizing scarce resources and improving sustainability.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an apparatus and method that manages the usage history of electrodes in an electrolytic cell, thereby properly evaluating the lifespan of the electrodes and contributing to longer use of the electrodes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] That is, the present invention is as follows. [1] a management unit that records usage history information of electrodes included in one or more electrolytic cells based on operation history information of an electrolytic cell including the electrolytic cell; Device. [2] The usage history information of the electrode includes a repair history of the electrode. The device described in [1]. [3] The management unit further records a metal amount evaluation value of the electrode as the usage history information. The device described in [1] or [2]. [4] The metal amount evaluation value includes a coating remaining amount of a precious metal selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, and platinum. The device described in [3]. [5] the management unit records X-ray fluorescence analysis data, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy data, X-ray diffraction data, or X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis data of the electrodes of the electrolytic cell; The device described in any one of [1] to [4]. [6] an evaluation unit that evaluates future performance of the electrode based on the usage history information of the electrode; The device described in any one of [1] to [5]. [7] The evaluation unit evaluates the magnitude of the metal amount evaluation value and the impurity evaluation value, and based on the evaluation result, outputs repair content that can most prolong performance or most temporarily improve performance. The device described in [6]. [8] further comprising an operation suggestion unit that suggests operating conditions for the electrolytic cell; the operation suggestion unit suggests the operating conditions for increasing current efficiency based on the usage history information, The operating conditions include voltage conditions and electrolyte flow rate conditions. The device described in any one of [1] to [7]. [9] a stop suggestion unit that suggests a stop condition for the electrolytic cell; the stop proposing unit proposes the stop condition under which the amount of metal in the electrode is less likely to decrease, based on the usage history information; The stop condition includes a condition for current decay and / or a condition for electrolyte flow rate increase. The device described in any one of [1] to [8].

[10] the electrolytic cell comprises a plurality of the electrolytic cells; a position change suggestion unit that suggests changing the positions of the electrolytic cell having a relatively high metal content or impurity content in the electrode and the electrolytic cell having a relatively low metal content or impurity content in the electrode, based on the usage history information; The device described in any one of [1] to [9].

[11] the evaluation unit evaluates future performance of the electrode after repair based on the usage history information of the electrode and the planned repair method. The device described in [6].

[12] The device, performing a process of recording usage history information of electrodes included in one or more electrolytic cells based on operation history information of an electrolytic cell including the electrolytic cells; method.

[13] To the device, executing a process for recording usage history information of electrodes included in one or more electrolytic cells based on operation history information of an electrolytic cell including the electrolytic cells; program. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an apparatus and method that manages the usage history of electrodes in an electrolytic cell, thereby enabling the lifespan of the electrodes to be properly evaluated and contributing to longer use of the electrodes. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating an example of an electrolysis cell according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is an explanatory diagram of a case where two electrolysis cells of FIG. 1A are connected in series. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an electrolytic cell in the present embodiment. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a process for assembling an electrolytic cell in this embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4A] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of electrolytic cell data according to the present embodiment. [Figure 4B] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of electrolytic cell data according to the present embodiment. [Figure 5A] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the amount of metal remaining in the electrodes of each electrolytic cell of an initial bipolar electrolytic cell. [Figure 5B] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the amount of metal remaining in the electrodes of each electrolysis cell of a bipolar electrolysis cell in the middle stage. [Figure 5C] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the amount of metal remaining in the electrodes of each electrolytic cell of the bipolar electrolytic cell in the later stage. [Figure 5D] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the amount of metal remaining in the electrodes of each electrolytic cell of a bipolar electrolytic cell having a reverse current absorber and the like. [Figure 5E] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the amount of metal remaining in the electrodes of each electrolytic cell of a bipolar electrolytic cell when a reverse current is applied. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of learning data according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7A] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of evaluation content output by the device of the present embodiment. [Figure 7B] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of evaluation content output by the device of the present embodiment. [Figure 7C] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of evaluation content output by the device of the present embodiment. [Figure 7D] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of evaluation content output by the device of the present embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of processing executed by the device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 9A] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a usage mode of the device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 9B] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a usage mode of the device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 9C] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a usage mode of the device according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The following describes in detail an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "the present embodiment"); however, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0012] 1. Electrolysis Cell 1A is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing an example of an electrolytic cell constituting the electrolytic cell of this embodiment. The electrolytic cell 90 includes an anode chamber 10, a cathode chamber 20, a partition wall 29 separating the anode chamber 10 and the cathode chamber 20, an anode 11 installed in the anode chamber 10, and a cathode 21 installed in the cathode chamber 20. The anode 11 and the cathode 21 belonging to one electrolytic cell 90 are electrically connected to each other.

[0013] 1A, the cathode chamber 20 further includes a cathode 21, a current collector 23, a support 24 supporting the current collector, and an elastic mat 1. The elastic mat 1 is disposed between the current collector 23 and the cathode 21. The support 24 is disposed between the current collector 23 and a partition wall 29. The current collector 23 is electrically connected to the cathode 21 via the elastic mat 1. The partition wall 29 is electrically connected to the current collector 23 via the support 24. Thus, the partition wall 29, the support 24, the current collector 23, the elastic mat 1, and the cathode 21 are electrically connected. The cathode 21 and the reverse current absorber may be directly connected or indirectly connected via the current collector, the support, the elastic metal body, the partition wall, or the like. The entire surface of the cathode 21 is preferably covered with a catalyst layer for the reduction reaction. The electrical connection may be formed by directly attaching the partition wall 29 to the support 24, the support 24 to the current collector 23, or the current collector 23 to the elastic mat 1, and then stacking the cathode 21 on the elastic mat 1. Examples of methods for directly attaching these components to each other include welding and the above-mentioned folding.

[0014] By placing the elastic mat 1 between the current collector 23 and the cathode 21, each cathode 21 of the plurality of electrolytic cells 90 connected in series is pressed against the ion exchange membrane 2, shortening the distance between each anode 11 and each cathode 21, thereby reducing the voltage applied to the entire plurality of electrolytic cells 90 connected in series. The reduced voltage reduces the amount of power consumed. The elastic mat of this embodiment allows pressure to be applied to the ion exchange membrane at an appropriate normal surface pressure as described above, thereby achieving a zero-gap configuration while maintaining current efficiency and further effectively preventing damage to the ion exchange membrane.

[0015] The cathode can be placed directly on the elastic mat, or it can be placed on top of another conductive member. A cathode that can be used for zero gap applications is preferably one with a small wire diameter and a small mesh count, as this provides high flexibility. The wire material constituting such a cathode is not particularly limited, but one with a wire diameter of 0.1 to 0.5 mm and a mesh size of approximately 20 to 80 mesh can also be used.

[0016] Figure 1B is a cross-sectional view of two adjacent electrolytic cells 90 in the electrolytic cell 4 of this embodiment. Figure 2A shows the electrolytic cell 30. Figure 2B shows the process of assembling the electrolytic cell 30.

[0017] 1B, an electrolytic cell 90, an ion exchange membrane 2, and another electrolytic cell 90 are arranged in series in this order. Of two adjacent electrolytic cells in the electrolytic cell, an ion exchange membrane 2 is disposed between the anode chamber of one electrolytic cell 90 and the cathode chamber of the other electrolytic cell 90. In other words, the anode chamber 10 of one electrolytic cell 90 and the cathode chamber 20 of the adjacent electrolytic cell 90 are separated by the ion exchange membrane 2.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 2A, the electrolytic cell 30 is composed of a plurality of electrolytic cells 90 connected in series via ion exchange membranes 2. In other words, the electrolytic cell 30 is a bipolar electrolytic cell comprising a plurality of electrolytic cells 90 arranged in series and an ion exchange membrane 2 arranged between adjacent electrolytic cells 90. As shown in Fig. 2B, the electrolytic cell 30 is assembled by arranging a plurality of electrolytic cells 90 in series via ion exchange membranes 2 and connecting them with a press 500.

[0019] The electrolytic cell 30 has an anode terminal 700 and a cathode terminal 600 connected to a power source. The anode 11 of the electrolytic cell 90 located at the end of the multiple electrolytic cells 90 connected in series in the electrolytic cell 30 is electrically connected to the anode terminal 700. The cathode 21 of the electrolytic cell located at the end opposite the anode terminal 700 of the multiple electrolytic cells 2 connected in series in the electrolytic cell 30 is electrically connected to the cathode terminal 600. Current during electrolysis flows from the anode terminal 700 side to the cathode terminal 600 via the anode and cathode of each electrolytic cell 90. Note that an electrolytic cell having only an anode chamber (anode terminal cell) and an electrolytic cell having only a cathode chamber (cathode terminal cell) may be arranged at both ends of the connected electrolytic cells 90. In this case, the anode terminal 700 is connected to the anode terminal cell located at one end, and the cathode terminal 600 is connected to the cathode terminal cell located at the other end.

[0020] When electrolyzing brine, brine is supplied to each anode chamber 10, and pure water or a low-concentration sodium hydroxide solution is supplied to the cathode chamber 20. Each liquid is supplied from an electrolyte supply pipe (not shown) to each electrolytic cell 90 via an electrolyte supply hose (not shown). The electrolyte and the product of the electrolysis are recovered via an electrolyte recovery pipe (not shown). During electrolysis, sodium ions in brine migrate from the anode chamber 10 of one electrolytic cell 90 through the ion exchange membrane 2 to the cathode chamber 20 of the adjacent electrolytic cell 90. Therefore, current during electrolysis flows in the direction in which the electrolytic cells 90 are connected in series. In other words, current flows from the anode chamber 10 to the cathode chamber 20 via the ion exchange membrane 2. During the electrolysis of brine, chlorine gas is produced on the anode 11 side, and sodium hydroxide (solute) and hydrogen gas are produced on the cathode 21 side.

[0021] There are two types of alkaline water electrolysis: one that uses a cation exchange membrane and one that uses an anion exchange membrane. In the case of the cation exchange membrane type, alkali metal ions (K + YaNa + ) moves from the anode chamber 10 to the cathode chamber 20. On the other hand, in the type using an anion exchange membrane, hydroxide ions (OH -) moves from the cathode chamber 20 to the anode chamber 10.

[0022] 2. Equipment The remaining amount of precious metal coating on the electrodes of an electrolytic cell gradually decreases as the electrolytic device operates. The degree of decrease is affected by operating conditions such as operating time and operating voltage, and operational problems such as the occurrence of reverse current. Furthermore, in electrolytic devices equipped with bipolar electrolytic cells in which multiple electrolytic cells are connected, the magnitude of the generated reverse current varies depending on the position of the electrolytic cell in the electrolytic cell, and therefore the degree of decrease in the remaining amount of precious metal coating also varies depending on the position of the electrolytic cell in the electrolytic cell.

[0023] The device of this embodiment has a management unit that records usage history information of the electrodes of the electrolytic cells based on operation history information of an electrolytic cell that includes one or more electrolytic cells. In this embodiment, the history of the electrolytic cell is referred to as the "operation history," and the history of the electrodes is referred to as the "usage history." This "usage history" is used to refer to all the histories that the electrodes have undergone, and includes information based on the past operation history of the electrolytic cell as well as repair history. The usage history can also include the history of when electrodes from one electrolytic cell are reused as electrodes in a different electrolytic cell.

[0024] This allows the usage history of the electrodes in the electrolytic cell to be managed, which in turn allows the lifespan of the electrodes to be properly evaluated, enabling the electrodes to be used for a longer period of time.

[0025] In this embodiment, for example, as shown in Fig. 3 , the device 100 may be a device connected to the electrolysis device 10 via a wired or wireless network N, or the device 100 and the electrolysis device 10 may be configured as a single device. Furthermore, the device 100 may be configured such that at least some of the processing of the functional units shown in Fig. 3 is performed by another device, such as a server, connected via the network N.

[0026] Configuration 3, the hardware configuration of the device 100 will be described. The device 100 includes, for example, a processor 110, a communication interface 120, an input / output interface 130, a memory 140, a storage 150, and one or more communication buses 160 for interconnecting these components.

[0027] The processor 110 executes processes, functions, or methods implemented by code or instructions included in a program stored in the storage 150. The processor 110 may include, for example and without limitation, one or more central processing units (CPUs), microprocessing units (MPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), microprocessors, processor cores, multiprocessors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc., and may implement the processes, functions, or methods disclosed in each embodiment by logic circuits (hardware) formed in integrated circuits (ICs (Integrated Circuits) chips, LSIs (Large Scale Integration)), etc., or dedicated circuits.

[0028] The communication interface 120 transmits and receives various data to and from other devices via a network. The communication may be performed either wired or wirelessly, and any communication protocol may be used as long as mutual communication is possible. For example, the communication interface 120 may be implemented as hardware such as a network adapter, various communication software, or a combination of these.

[0029] A network may be, by way of example and not limitation, an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual private network (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless WAN (WWAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a portion of the Internet, a portion of the public switched telephone network (PSTN), a cellular network, Integrated Service Digital Networks (ISDNs), wireless LANs, Long Term Evolution (LTE), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Bluetooth, satellite communications, or any combination thereof. A network may include one or more networks.

[0030] The input / output interface 130 includes an input device for inputting various operations to the device 100, and an output device for outputting processing results processed by the device 100. For example, the input / output interface 130 includes information input devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch panel, and information output devices such as a display. Note that the device 100 may receive predetermined inputs by connecting an external input / output interface 130.

[0031] For example, the device 100 may be connected to an X-ray fluorescence analyzer, an inductively coupled plasma optical emission analyzer, an X-ray diffraction device, or an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyzer via a wired or wireless network N as an external input / output interface 130. This allows the actual measurement data of the remaining amount of precious metal coating on the electrode to be measured directly and simply, and also allows the device 100 to acquire the measured data.

[0032] Memory 140 temporarily stores programs loaded from storage 150 and provides a working area for processor 110. Memory 140 also temporarily stores various data generated while processor 110 is executing the programs. Memory 140 may be, for example, a high-speed random access memory such as a DRAM, an SRAM, a DDR RAM, or another random access solid-state storage device, or a combination of these.

[0033] Storage 150 stores programs, various functional units, and various data. Storage 150 may be, for example, one or more magnetic disk storage devices, optical disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or nonvolatile memories such as other nonvolatile solid-state storage devices, or a combination thereof. Another example of storage 150 may be one or more storage devices installed remotely from processor 110.

[0034] In one embodiment of the present invention, storage 150 stores programs, functional units, and data structures, or a subset thereof. By processor 110 executing instructions contained in programs stored in storage 150, apparatus 100 is configured to function as manager 154, learner 156, evaluator 157, driving suggester 158, stop suggester 159, and repositioning suggester 161, as shown in FIG. 3 .

[0035] Operating system 151, for example, handles various basic system services and includes procedures for performing tasks with the hardware.

[0036] Network communications section 152 may be used, for example, to connect device 100 to other computers via communications interface 120 and one or more communications networks, such as the Internet, other wide area networks, local area networks, metropolitan area networks, etc.

[0037] 2.1.1. Electrolyzer Data The electrolytic cell data 153 may store information about the electrolytic cell 30 and operation history information of the electrolytic cell 30 for each electrolytic cell. The electrolytic cell data 153 stored in storage 150 will be described with reference to Figures 4A and 4B.

[0038] The information relating to the electrolytic bath 30 is not particularly limited, but may include, for example, the number of electrolytic cells 31 in the electrolytic bath 30 and the configuration of the electrolysis device 10.

[0039] The electrode usage history information is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include initial data on the types of metals contained in the electrode before operation and the amounts of those metals supported, actual measurement data on the types of metals contained in the electrode and the amounts of those metals supported during operation, repair history, information based on the operation history information of the electrolytic cell, and evaluation values.

[0040] The initial data may be, for example, information obtained from an electrode manufacturer. The actual measurement data may be data obtained from an input / output interface 130 such as an X-ray fluorescence analyzer, and may include X-ray fluorescence analysis data, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy data, X-ray diffraction data, or X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data of the electrodes of the electrolytic cell.

[0041] The method for quantifying the precious metals from these analytical data is not particularly limited as long as it is a conventionally known method. Examples include a method for calculating the remaining coating amount of each precious metal in the catalytic layer of an electrode by using a calibration curve or the like from fluorescent X-ray analysis data, and a method for calculating the remaining coating amount of each precious metal in the catalytic layer of an electrode from the intensity ratio between the metal used in the substrate of the electrode and each precious metal contained in the catalytic layer.

[0042] If the electrolytic cell 30 is a bipolar type, the initial data and actual measurement data may be stored for each electrolytic cell 31. Here, the initial data and actual measurement data do not need to include the initial data and actual measurement data for all electrolytic cells 31-1 to 31-N included in the electrolytic cell 30, and information related to some of the electrolytic cells 31-N may include the initial data and actual measurement data. As an example, the actual measurement data in Figure 4A does not measure actual measurement data for all electrolytic cells 31-1 to 31-100, but shows an example in which actual measurement data for cells 31-1, 31-50, and 31-100 is measured and stored.

[0043] Furthermore, if the electrolytic cell 30 is a bipolar type, information regarding the position of each electrolytic cell in the electrolytic cell 30 may be included. The information regarding the position of each electrolytic cell in the electrolytic cell 30 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, the position of the electrolytic cell counted from the end, such as the first cell from the end, the second cell from the end, etc. As an example, in FIG. 4A , the position of each electrolytic cell in the electrolytic cell 30 may be stored by describing cell 31-1, cell 31-50, and cell 31-100 in the actual measurement data. This allows the state of electrolytic cell 31-N according to its position in the electrolytic cell 30 to be specifically stored.

[0044] Additionally, the repair history may be stored for each electrolytic cell, including the timing and content of replacement or repair of the electrolytic cell.

[0045] Information based on the electrolytic cell operation history information included in the electrode usage history information may include the total operating time of the electrolytic cell, the total amount of current flowing, and other information described in the electrolytic cell operation history information described below.

[0046] The evaluation value may include, for example, a metal content evaluation value that evaluates the catalytic ability of the electrode's catalytic layer, such as the amount of metal, and an impurity evaluation value that indicates the degree to which the catalytic ability is inhibited, such as the amount of impurities attached to the electrode. The metal content evaluation value is also referred to as the remaining amount of precious metal coating. These evaluation values ​​can be calculated by the management unit 154 based on at least one of the initial data, actual measurement data, repair history, and operating history information of the electrolytic cell, and can be recorded as part of the electrode's usage history information.

[0047] By using such evaluation values, the state of the electrode can be specifically grasped. For example, the metal amount evaluation value can be used to evaluate whether the catalytic ability of the electrode has decreased due to a decrease in the amount of metal, and the impurity evaluation value can be used to evaluate whether the ability of the electrode has decreased due to the adhesion of impurities, etc.

[0048] For example, if an electrode has a high metal content evaluation value and a low impurity evaluation value, the electrode can be evaluated as having a low metal content but not sufficient performance due to the presence of impurities. This evaluation allows for a more appropriate determination of whether the electrode should be treated to increase the metal content or whether the electrode should be treated to remove impurities to extend its lifespan.

[0049] Furthermore, even if the metal content evaluation value of a certain electrode is low, it is possible to evaluate the degree of metal content loss, i.e., whether it is within a range that can be restored with simple treatment or whether it is within a range that can be restored with more fundamental treatment. By performing such an evaluation, when a treatment to increase the metal content of an electrode is to be performed to extend its lifespan, it is possible to more appropriately determine which of several treatments is appropriate.

[0050] The above determination may be made by the evaluation unit 157, which will be described later.

[0051] The electrolytic cell operation history information included in the electrolytic cell data 153 is not particularly limited, and examples include the total operation time of the electrolytic cell, the total amount of current, the current density, the operating voltage, the current efficiency, the operating temperature, the flow rates of the electrolyte, the electrolyte supplied to the anode chamber and the cathode chamber, information on the reverse current, the number of stops, and other well-known conditions to be controlled or monitored during the operation of the electrolytic device 10. Note that gas purity refers to the purity of the gas obtained by generation at the cathode or the anode.

[0052] The operation history information of the electrolytic cell 30 may be recorded over time. As shown in FIG. 4B , the current density, operating voltage, operating temperature, and other conditions that may vary over time can be stored as chronological information. It has been found that the remaining amount of precious metal coating on the electrodes gradually decreases even when the electrolysis device 10 is operating normally. Therefore, by recording the operation history information as chronological information in this manner, the metal content evaluation value of the electrodes may be estimated more specifically.

[0053] It has also been found that impurities may gradually adhere to the electrodes depending on the operating conditions, such as the amount of impurities in the electrolyte used and the total operating time, etc. Therefore, the impurity evaluation value of the electrodes may be more specifically estimated by recording operating history information.

[0054] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4B, such time-series operational history data may also include evidence of shutdown periods and reverse current. Here, reverse current is explained. When electrolysis is stopped, the electrolytic cell 31 may undergo a self-discharge reaction through a leakage current circuit formed by the electrolyte supply pipe. This self-discharge reaction is called a reverse current because the direction of the current flowing through the current-carrying surface is opposite to that during electrolysis. The electrodes of the electrolytic cell 31 may be oxidized and reduced during the reverse current process, causing the catalyst layer on the substrate surface to peel off, significantly affecting the remaining amount of precious metal coating. Therefore, by recording information regarding such reverse current as operational history information, the decrease in the remaining amount of precious metal coating on the electrodes may be more specifically estimated. In particular, the decrease in the remaining amount of precious metal coating due to such reverse current tends to be more significant for the cathode 35.

[0055] In addition to or instead of the above, reverse current may also occur when the current density drops significantly. Specifically, reverse current may occur when the reverse current is larger than the positive electrolysis current. The historical operational data over time may contain evidence of such reverse current.

[0056] Furthermore, the information about the electrolyte in the operation history information of the electrolytic cell 30 may include information about the composition of the electrolyte, as well as information about the type and amount of impurities. If the electrolyte contains impurities, the impurities may adhere to the electrodes. The impurities adhering to the electrodes affect the operation of the electrolysis device 10 and also affect the remaining amount of precious metal coating on the electrodes. Therefore, by recording information about the electrolyte as operation history information in this manner, the behavior of the decrease in the remaining amount of precious metal coating on the electrodes may be more specifically estimated. In particular, the anode 33 tends to be more affected by such impurities when the remaining amount of precious metal coating is decreased.

[0057] 2.1.2.Management Department The management unit 154 records usage history information for the electrodes in the electrolytic cell based on the operation history information for the electrolytic cell. More specifically, the management unit 154 may acquire operation history information for the electrolytic cell from the control unit 70 of the electrolytic device 10, record the acquired operation history information in the electrolytic cell data, and record usage history information for the electrodes in the electrolytic cell based on the recorded operation history information. Note that the source from which the management unit 154 of the device 100 acquires the operation history information for the electrolytic cell is not limited to the control unit 70 of the electrolytic device 10.

[0058] The management unit 154 may further record, as the usage history information, an evaluation value of the metal amount of the electrode and an evaluation value of the impurities of the electrode. The evaluation value of the metal amount is not particularly limited as long as it is a value that indicates the catalytic ability, such as the amount of metal contained in the catalytic layer of the electrode, and may be the remaining amount of precious metal coating. The evaluation value of the impurities is not particularly limited as long as it is a value that indicates the degree to which the catalytic ability is inhibited, such as the amount of impurities attached to the electrode, and may be the amount of attached impurities.

[0059] The management unit 154 may record actual measurement data on the remaining amount of precious metal coating as the metal amount evaluation value, or may calculate and record the metal amount evaluation value based on at least one of the initial data, actual measurement data, repair history, and operation history information of the electrolytic cell. Below, the decreasing trend of the metal amount will be explained, and then an example of how the metal amount evaluation value is calculated will be explained.

[0060] 2.1.2.1. Decreasing trend Before describing the prediction process executed by the management unit 154, the decreasing trend of the remaining amount of precious metal coating will be described with reference to FIGS. 5A to 5E.

[0061] 5A to 5E show the amount of remaining metal in the electrodes for each electrolytic cell of a bipolar electrolytic cell, with the vertical axis representing the amount of remaining metal and the horizontal axis representing the position of the electrode in the bipolar electrolytic cell. Fig. 5A is a graph showing the amount of remaining metal in unused electrodes before operation, taken as 100%, Fig. 5B is a graph showing the amount of remaining metal in electrodes after operating the electrolytic device 10 for a predetermined time, and Fig. 5C is a graph showing the amount of remaining metal in electrodes after operating the electrolytic device 10 further from the state shown in Fig. 5B.

[0062] 5A to 5C, in all electrolytic cells, the remaining amount of precious metal coating tends to gradually decrease with the operation of the electrolysis device 10. Therefore, it is possible to estimate the remaining amount of precious metal coating on the electrodes based on operation history information, such as the duration and conditions (voltage, current, etc.) under which the electrolysis device 10 was operated.

[0063] 5A to 5C, in the case of a bipolar electrolytic cell, it has been found that the degree of decrease in the remaining amount of precious metal coating varies depending on the position of the electrolytic cell. More specifically, it has been found that the remaining amount of precious metal coating tends to decrease more in electrolytic cells located in the center of the bipolar electrolytic cell. This is because a reverse current is more likely to occur in electrolytic cells located in the center when the electrolytic device 10 is repeatedly operated and stopped.

[0064] Therefore, in addition to the operation history information, such as the duration and conditions (voltage, current, etc.) of operation, the evaluation may be performed by weighting the degree of decrease in the remaining amount of precious metal coating depending on the position of the cell. More specifically, the remaining amount of precious metal coating may be evaluated by adjusting the degree of decrease in the remaining amount of precious metal coating so that the degree of decrease is greater for electrolytic cells located closer to the center of the bipolar electrolytic cell. This makes it possible to collectively estimate the remaining amount of precious metal coating for the electrodes of these electrolytic cells, even in cases where a large number of electrolytic cells are included, such as in a bipolar electrolytic cell.

[0065] In addition, if the electrolytic cell has a reverse current absorber or the electrode has a reverse current absorption layer, the remaining amount of precious metal coating in the electrolytic cell located in the center of the bipolar electrolytic cell and the electrolytic cell located at the end may be further reduced (Figure 5D).

[0066] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5E, when a significant reverse current occurs, the remaining amount of precious metal coating in the electrolytic cell where the reverse current occurs tends to decrease significantly. Therefore, by considering the reverse current as one piece of operating history information, the remaining amount of precious metal coating in the electrolytic cell can be evaluated.

[0067] Furthermore, if the repair history as described above includes repainting the electrodes of the electrolytic cell with a catalytic layer or replacing the electrodes or the electrolytic cell itself, the degree of decrease in the remaining amount of precious metal coating from the time of repair or replacement for that electrolytic cell may be calculated by setting the value at the time of repair or replacement as 100%. This allows the remaining amount of precious metal coating to be individually evaluated even for electrolytic cells with a repair history.

[0068] In addition, in FIGS. 5A to 5E, the degree of reduction in the remaining amount of precious metal coating is clearly shown so that the degree of reduction can be easily understood, but the reduction in the remaining amount of precious metal coating in this embodiment is not limited to this.

[0069] 2.1.2.2. Calculation of metallicity evaluation value The calculation process of the metal amount evaluation value executed by the management unit 154 is not particularly limited, but an example method is to use a formula for calculating the metal amount evaluation value of an electrode using values ​​included in the operation history information as variables. More specifically, the formula for calculating the metal amount evaluation value is one in which variables include values ​​indicating the total amount of operation, such as the total operation time and the total amount of current flow, and values ​​indicating the conditions during steady operation, such as the operating voltage, operating temperature, current density, and type of electrolyte.

[0070] Such a formula may be obtained as a trained model generated by machine learning processing based on training data including information on the operating history and information on the metal content evaluation values ​​of the electrodes of each electrolytic cell of the bipolar electrolytic cell that has undergone the operating history. In other words, the management unit 154 may predict the metal content evaluation values ​​using a trained model generated by machine learning processing based on training data including information on the operating history and information on the metal content evaluation values ​​of the electrodes of each electrolytic cell of the bipolar electrolytic cell that has undergone the operating history. The generation of the training data and the trained model will be described later.

[0071] 5A to 5E, in the case of a bipolar electrolytic cell, even if the operating conditions are the same, the degree of decrease in the metal amount evaluation value may differ depending on the position of the electrolytic cell. Therefore, the management unit 154 may predict the metal amount evaluation value of the electrodes of some electrolytic cells based on the operating history information of the electrolytic cell and data obtained by actually measuring the metal amount evaluation value of the electrodes of the other electrolytic cells.

[0072] More specifically, by obtaining actual measurement data for an electrolytic cell at any position in a bipolar electrolytic cell, such as the one enclosed by the dashed square in Fig. 5B, it is possible to estimate the type of decrease curve of the metallic amount evaluation value from the edge to the center, and adjust the weight of the decrease rate of the metallic amount evaluation value according to the cell position based on the estimated decrease curve. Here, the decrease curve refers to a curve that shows a tendency for the metallic amount evaluation value to be higher near the edge and lower near the center, as shown in Fig. 5B and Fig. 5C.

[0073] In Figure 5B, the electrolytic cells located at the ends and center of the bipolar electrolytic cell are surrounded by dashed boxes as the electrolytic cells from which measured data is obtained, indicating that the measured data taken into account by the management unit 154 includes the measured data of the metal content evaluation values ​​of the electrodes of the electrolytic cells located at the ends and center of the electrolytic cell.

[0074] This makes it possible to collectively estimate the metal content evaluation values ​​of the electrodes of the electrolytic cells with greater accuracy, even in cases where a large number of electrolytic cells are included, such as in a bipolar electrolytic cell. In particular, by referencing the actual measurement data of some of the electrolytic cells, it is possible to improve the prediction accuracy of the metal content evaluation values ​​of the electrodes of other electrolytic cells that do not have actual measurement data.

[0075] However, this is not a limitation, and a decrease curve can be estimated if there is actual measurement data from at least two arbitrary electrolytic cells. More specifically, if it is known in advance that a decrease curve can be obtained, and there is actual measurement data from two arbitrary electrolytic cells, a decrease curve can be fitted that satisfies the metal content evaluation values ​​actually measured by the electrolytic cells at those two positions. Also, in Figure 5B, multiple electrolytic cells are collectively enclosed in a dashed square, but this is not a limitation, and a decrease curve can be fitted if there is actual measurement data from at least one electrolytic cell at two positions.

[0076] The measured data may include X-ray fluorescence analysis data, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy data, X-ray diffraction data, or X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data of the electrodes of the electrolytic cell. The measured data may be data acquired from an input / output interface 130 such as an X-ray fluorescence analyzer, and may include X-ray fluorescence analysis data, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy data, X-ray diffraction data, or X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data of the electrodes of the electrolytic cell.

[0077] The management unit 154 may predict the metal amount evaluation value of the cathode based on the operation history information including information about the reverse current, which makes it possible to predict the metal amount evaluation value taking into consideration the decrease in the metal amount evaluation value in the cathode due to the occurrence of the reverse current as shown in FIG.

[0078] The management unit 154 may predict the metal amount evaluation value of the anode based on operation history information including information about impurities in the electrolyte. If the electrolyte contains impurities, the impurities may adhere to the electrodes. The impurities adhering to the electrodes affect the operation of the electrolysis device 10 and also affect the remaining amount of precious metal coating on the electrodes. In particular, the anode 33 tends to be more affected by the decrease in the remaining amount of precious metal coating due to such reverse current. Therefore, by recording information about the electrolyte as operation history information in this way, it becomes possible to predict the metal amount evaluation value of the electrodes.

[0079] Furthermore, the management unit 154 may predict the metal amount evaluation value for each of the anode and the cathode. As described above, the decreasing trends of the metal amount evaluation value for the anode and the cathode may not match, but by predicting the metal amount evaluation value for each of the anode and the cathode, the amount of precious metal can be more appropriately estimated.

[0080] The metal amount evaluation value predicted by the management unit 154 may also include the remaining amount of a coating of a precious metal selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, and platinum. Because these metals function as the main active species in the catalytic layer of the electrode, it is useful to non-invasively evaluate the remaining amount of such rare metals.

[0081] 2.1.2.3. Calculation of impurity evaluation value The calculation process of the impurity evaluation value executed by the management unit 154 is not particularly limited, but an example thereof is a method using a formula for calculating the impurity evaluation value of the electrode using values ​​included in the operation history information as variables. More specifically, the formula for calculating the impurity evaluation value may be one in which variables include values ​​indicating the total amount of operation, such as the total operation time or the total amount of current flow, or values ​​that are factors contributing to impurities during operation, such as the type of electrolyte and the type and amount of impurities contained therein. The impurity evaluation value may also include indicators such as the surface coverage rate of the electrode by impurities and the thickness of the impurities deposited.

[0082] Such a formula may be obtained as a trained model generated by machine learning processing based on training data including information about the operating history and information about the impurity evaluation value of the electrodes of each electrolytic cell of the bipolar electrolytic cell that has undergone the operating history. In other words, the management unit 154 may predict the impurity evaluation value using a trained model generated by machine learning processing based on training data including information about the operating history and information about the impurity evaluation value of the electrodes of each electrolytic cell of the bipolar electrolytic cell that has undergone the operating history. The generation of the training data and the trained model will be described later.

[0083] 2.1.3. Evaluation Section The evaluation unit 157 may evaluate the future performance of the electrode based on the usage history information of the electrode. The evaluation unit 157 may also evaluate the future performance of the electrode after repair based on the usage history information of the electrode and the planned repair method.

[0084] 7A to 7D are schematic diagrams showing examples of the evaluation content output by the evaluation unit 157. In FIGS. 7A to 7D, the performance of the electrode from the start of use is shown by a solid line, and the future performance of the electrode evaluated by the evaluation unit 157 is shown by a dashed line. The solid lines in FIGS. 7A to 7D indicate that the performance of the electrode gradually deteriorates over time after the start of use, and that the rate of deterioration of the electrode's performance slows down as a result of predetermined repairs along the way. Here, the electrode performance may be the efficiency of the electrolysis reaction, or a value related to the metal content evaluation value or the impurity evaluation value.

[0085] The dashed lines in FIGS. 7A to 7D indicate the future performance of the electrode evaluated by evaluation unit 157 in the cases where no repair is performed, repair A is performed, and repair B is performed.

[0086] As shown by the dashed line in FIG. 7A, whether or not repair is performed can affect the future performance of the electrode. Furthermore, the type of repair can also affect the future performance of the electrode. Furthermore, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 7B, depending on the usage history information, an evaluation result is also expected in which the difference in effectiveness between repair A and repair B, which differed in effectiveness in FIG. 7A, disappears. Furthermore, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 7C, depending on the usage history information, an evaluation result is also expected in which the difference in effectiveness between repair B, which differed in effectiveness in FIG. 7A, and no repair is performed disappears. The effect of repair is not limited to extending the life of the electrode as shown in FIGS. 7A to 7C, but may also have the effect of temporarily improving performance, as shown in FIG. 7D.

[0087] As shown in Figures 7A to 7D, depending on the electrode's usage history information, the impact of repair A and repair B on future performance may differ, or the difference in effectiveness between repair and no repair may be reduced. For example, if an electrode has a high metal content evaluation value and a low impurity evaluation value, the electrode can be evaluated as having a low metal content but not performing satisfactorily due to the presence of impurities. This allows us to understand situations such as repair A, which removes impurities, being effective to a certain extent, but repair A, which increases the metal content, being ineffective, and select a more appropriate repair method. Alternatively, it is possible to evaluate whether the degree of metal content loss is within a range that can be restored with simple treatment (repair B) or by more fundamental treatment (repair A).

[0088] The evaluation unit 157 evaluates the magnitude of the metal amount evaluation value and the impurity evaluation value based on one of the metal amount evaluation value and the impurity evaluation value, and based on the evaluation result, outputs repair details that can most prolong the life or most temporarily improve performance, and can display this on a display, etc. Similarly, information regarding the future performance of the electrode based on each repair detail can also be presented and displayed on a display, etc.

[0089] Here, the evaluation of the magnitude of the metal amount evaluation value and the impurity evaluation value refers to comparing the metal amount and the impurity amount and evaluating their magnitude. For example, when the metal amount evaluation value is large and the impurity evaluation value is small, the evaluation unit 157 may identify and output repair details that will reduce the impurity amount. Also, when the metal amount evaluation value and the impurity evaluation value are small, the evaluation unit 157 may identify and output repair details that will increase the metal amount.

[0090] Furthermore, the evaluation unit 157 may output the repair content that can most prolong the life or most temporarily improve the performance based on the impurity evaluation value, and display it on a display, etc. Similarly, information regarding the future performance of the electrode based on each repair content can also be presented and displayed on a display, etc.

[0091] By evaluating the future performance (prognosis) after such repairs, it becomes possible to properly evaluate the electrode's lifespan and the repair options that should be selected, which ultimately contributes to extending the life of the electrode.

[0092] Model The learning unit 156 may perform machine learning processing based on learning data 155 including information on the operating history and information on the metal amount evaluation value or impurity evaluation value of the electrodes of each electrolytic cell of the electrolytic bath that has undergone the operating history, to obtain a trained model. The trained model obtained in this manner is a model used by the management unit 154, and may take information on the operating history as input and output information on the metal amount evaluation value or impurity evaluation value of the electrodes of each electrolytic cell of the electrolytic bath that has undergone the operating history.

[0093] The learning data 155 may store, for each electrolytic cell, information about the electrolytic cell 30, operation history information about the electrolytic cell 30, and information about the metal content evaluation value or impurity evaluation value of the electrolytic cell 30. The learning data 155 stored in the storage 150 will be described with reference to FIG. 6 .

[0094] The information about the electrolytic cell 30 and the operating history information of the electrolytic cell 30 stored in the learning data 155 may be the same as that described in the electrolytic cell data 153.

[0095] Furthermore, the information on the metal amount evaluation value or impurity evaluation value of the electrolytic cell 30 can store information on the actual metal amount evaluation value or impurity evaluation value of the electrolytic cell 30. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 6, information that summarizes the actual measurement data of the metal amount evaluation value or impurity evaluation value for each electrolytic cell can be stored.

[0096] The learning unit 156 may use information about the operating history and information about the remaining amount of precious metal coating on the electrodes of each electrolytic cell of the electrolytic cell that has undergone the operating history as learning data, and may perform machine learning using the information about the remaining amount of precious metal coating as a correct label to construct a model.

[0097] The learning unit 156 may also configure a model other than a machine learning model. Examples of such a model include a model having variables such as values ​​indicating the total amount of operation, such as the total operation time or the total amount of current, and values ​​indicating the conditions during steady operation, such as the operating voltage, the operating temperature, the current density, and the type of electrolyte. The coefficients of such variables may be determined based on the learning data 155.

[0098] Furthermore, the learning unit 156 may perform machine learning processing based on the learning data 155, which includes electrode usage history information and information about the performance of the electrodes, to obtain a trained model. The trained model obtained in this manner may be used by the evaluation unit 157, and may take information about the operating history as input and output information about the future performance of the electrodes in each electrolytic cell of the electrolytic cell that has undergone the operating history. In this case, if the electrode usage history information in the learning data 155 includes a repair history, a trained model may be obtained that outputs information about the future performance of the electrodes after repair, based on the electrode usage history information and the repair method.

[0099] 2.1.5. Operation Proposal Section The operation proposing unit 158 ​​may propose operating conditions for the electrolytic cell 30. Specifically, the operation proposing unit 158 ​​can propose operating conditions for achieving greater current efficiency based on usage history information.

[0100] In the electrolytic cell 30, ion migration in the electrolyte and electron transfer on the electrode surface occur, resulting in the production of substances. However, the substances involved in this electrolytic reaction are not limited to the target substance. Therefore, it is desirable to increase the current efficiency for the target substance. The "current efficiency" in the electrolytic cell 30 refers to the ratio of the amount of substance actually produced to the theoretical maximum amount of substance that can be produced with a certain amount of electricity in the electrolytic cell.

[0101] In this embodiment, the target substances are, for example, chlorine gas and hydrogen gas in brine electrolysis, and oxygen gas and hydrogen gas in alkaline water electrolysis. High current efficiency means that a large amount of the used electricity is used to generate the target substance, such as hydrogen gas.

[0102] The operating conditions of the electrolytic cell 30 are preferably set so that the desired electrolytic reaction occurs with the highest possible current efficiency. To achieve this, it is desirable to adjust various conditions. As one aspect of this, the operation suggestion unit 158 ​​may propose operating conditions including voltage conditions and electrolyte flow rate conditions based on usage history information. Note that the operating conditions are not limited to these, and may also include other conditions such as the concentration of the electrolyte and temperature conditions.

[0103] The usage history information may include a metal amount evaluation value. In this case, the usage history information is information that reflects the amount of active species in the electrodes. The voltage condition is a value that controls the amount of current flowing between the electrodes. Furthermore, the electrolyte flow rate condition is a value that controls the amount of ions that exchange electrons with the electrodes and the contact efficiency between the electrolyte and the electrodes. If the amount of active species in the electrodes differs, the appropriate values ​​of other operating conditions may change. In other words, based on the metal amount evaluation value, the operation suggestion unit 158 ​​can propose at least voltage conditions and electrolyte flow rate conditions as operating conditions that more appropriately promote the movement of ions in the electrolyte and the exchange of electrons on the electrode surface and increase current efficiency.

[0104] This allows the electrolytic cell 30 to be operated under operating conditions that increase the current efficiency in response to fluctuations in the metal content evaluation value, instead of operating under fixed operating conditions. As a result, by having the control unit 70 of the electrolytic cell 30 adopt the operating conditions proposed by the operation proposal unit 158, the current efficiency of the electrolytic cell 30 can be maintained high over the long term, and the yield can be further increased.

[0105] Furthermore, maintaining the current efficiency of the electrolytic cell 30 achieved by the operation proposal unit 158 ​​also contributes to extending the life of the electrolytic cell 30. As shown in FIG. 1 , the electrolytic cell 30 is a large device, and therefore repair factors accumulate little by little at various times in various locations. In this embodiment, "repair factors" refer to factors that do not require immediate repair but that may lead to performance degradation, such as deterioration of the partition wall or a decrease in the metal content evaluation value. When repair factors accumulate to a certain level, the operation of the electrolytic cell 30 is stopped, repairs are made, and operation is resumed. However, the electrolytic cell 30 is a large device, and the shutdown work for repairs and the restart work take time. Therefore, to maximize the operating efficiency of the electrolytic cell 30, it is better to minimize the number of shutdowns. Furthermore, in view of the impact of the reverse current on the metal content evaluation value, it is also better to minimize the number of shutdowns.

[0106] In other words, when operation is stopped for repairs, it is desirable to be able to perform as many repairs as possible with one operation stop. In other words, it is desirable to operate the electrolytic cell 30 with a long life so that it can wait as long as possible for repair factors to accumulate. However, even when waiting for repair factors to accumulate, safety must be guaranteed. In this context, maintaining the current efficiency of the electrolytic cell 30 achieved by the operation suggestion unit 158 ​​contributes to operating the electrolytic cell 30 with a long life so that it can wait as long as possible for repair factors to accumulate.

[0107] 2.1.6.Stop proposal part The stop proposing unit 159 may propose a stop condition for the electrolytic cell 30. Specifically, the stop proposing unit 159 can propose a stop condition that makes it difficult for the amount of metal in the electrode to decrease, based on the usage history information.

[0108] As already mentioned, the electrodes of the electrolytic cell 31 may be oxidized and reduced during the process of generating a reverse current, which may cause the catalyst layer on the substrate surface to fall off, significantly affecting the amount of metal in the electrodes. The reverse current is caused by a self-discharge reaction that occurs via a leakage current circuit formed by the electrolyte supply pipe when electrolysis is stopped.

[0109] Therefore, it is desirable to reduce the reverse current and suppress the reduction in the amount of metal in the electrodes as a condition for stopping the electrolytic cell 30. To achieve this, as one aspect, the stop proposing unit 159 may propose as a stop condition a current decay condition in which, rather than suddenly setting the voltage applied to the electrolytic cell 30 to 0 V, the voltage is gradually reduced to gradually attenuate the current flowing through the electrolytic cell 30, and then the voltage applied to the electrolytic cell 30 is set to 0 V. In this way, compared to suddenly setting the voltage from a high voltage to 0 V, gradually reducing the voltage to 0 V before setting it to 0 V can reduce the reverse current due to the self-discharge reaction.

[0110] Furthermore, when a reverse current occurs, a reaction that decomposes the generated chlorine gas and the like may occur, which is the opposite of the electrolysis reaction. Therefore, as another viewpoint for suppressing the reverse current, the stop suggestion unit 159 may propose, as a stop condition, an increase in the flow rate of the electrolyte supplied to the anode chamber 10 and the cathode chamber 20 in order to quickly expel the generated gases, such as chlorine gas, involved in the reverse current reaction from the anode chamber 10 and the cathode chamber 20. The greater the flow rate of the electrolyte supplied to the anode chamber 10 and the cathode chamber 20, the further downstream the generated gas generated at the electrodes flows. This makes it possible to suppress the reverse current compared to when the voltage is set to 0 V in a state in which a larger amount of generated gas is mixed in the electrolyte in the anode chamber 10 and the cathode chamber 20.

[0111] Furthermore, the stop proposing unit 159 can propose the current attenuation conditions and the electrolyte flow rate increase conditions based on usage history information such as the metal amount evaluation value. Specifically, taking into consideration that a reverse current is more likely to occur in the central portion and that the metal amount of the electrode is small, the stop proposing unit 159 may set the current attenuation conditions to match the portion of the electrode with a small metal amount. Similarly, taking into consideration that a reverse current is more likely to occur in the central portion, the stop proposing unit 159 may set the electrolyte flow rate increase conditions to match the portion of the electrode with a small metal amount.

[0112] The above description is based on a typical example in which reverse current is likely to occur in the central portion. However, reverse current does not necessarily have to be likely to occur in the central portion, and the portion where reverse current is likely to occur may differ depending on the specifications of the electrolytic cell 30. The stop proposing unit 159 can estimate the portion where reverse current is likely to occur based on the distribution of the metal amount of the electrodes.

[0113] As a result, operation of the electrolytic cell 30 can be stopped under stopping conditions that are less likely to cause reverse current. As a result, by having the control unit 70 of the electrolytic cell 30 adopt the stopping conditions proposed by the stop proposal unit 159, the current efficiency of the electrolytic cell 30 can be maintained high over the long term, and the yield can be further increased.

[0114] Furthermore, the suppression of reverse current achieved by the shutdown suggestion unit 159 also contributes to the extension of the lifespan of the electrolytic cell 30. As described above, the electrolytic cell 30 is a large device, and as shown in Figures 5A to 5C, in the case of a bipolar electrolytic cell, differences in the degree of electrode metal loss depending on the position of the electrolytic cell 90 are likely to occur. Although such differences in electrode metal loss are tolerable to a certain extent, if the differences become large and the electrode metal loss of some electrolytic cells 90 decreases by more than a predetermined value, operation must be stopped and repairs must be performed on those parts. However, even if some electrolytic cells 90 whose electrode metal loss has decreased by more than a predetermined value are partially repaired and operation is resumed, the other electrolytic cells 90 may also have a significantly reduced electrode metal loss, which may necessitate another immediate shutdown and repair. Repeated occurrences of this type of shutdown would result in an increased number of shutdowns, so it is preferable to minimize the differences in the degree of electrode metal loss depending on the position of the electrolytic cell.

[0115] In this context, the suppression of reverse current achieved by the stoppage proposal unit 159 makes the degree of metal loss in the electrodes depending on the position in the electrolytic cell 90 more uniform, avoiding a situation where only some of the electrodes need to be repaired, and contributing to a longer operating life of the electrolytic cell 30.

[0116] Furthermore, the stop proposing unit 159 may propose stop conditions based on differences in the configuration of the electrolytic bath 30. It is expected that electrolytic baths 30 will differ from one another in terms of their size, electrical system specifications, electrolyte delivery specifications, etc. Therefore, the stop proposing unit 159 can more effectively suppress reverse current by proposing stop conditions that take these into consideration.

[0117] 2.1.7. Position change suggestion section If the electrolytic cell 30 is equipped with multiple electrolytic cells 90, the position change suggestion unit 161 may suggest changing the position in the electrolytic cell of electrolytic cells 90 with relatively high remaining amounts of precious metal coating and electrolytic cells 90 with relatively low remaining amounts of precious metal coating, based on usage history information.

[0118] Specifically, in the case of a bipolar electrolytic cell, the usage history information of the electrolytic cells 90 may differ depending on the position. In such a case, even if some of the electrolytic cells 90 are partially repaired and operation is resumed according to the metal content evaluation value and impurity evaluation value as described above, the other electrolytic cells 90 may also have considerably smaller metal content evaluation values ​​or considerably larger impurity evaluation values, and therefore it may become necessary to immediately stop operation and perform repairs again.

[0119] An electrolytic cell 90 having a relatively high metal content evaluation value or a relatively low impurity evaluation value will be referred to as a "first cell" below. An electrolytic cell 90 having a relatively low metal content evaluation value or a relatively high impurity evaluation value will be referred to as a "second cell" below.

[0120] Here, if the positions of the first cell and the second cell in the electrolytic cell are swapped, the first cell will be placed in a position where the amount of metal is likely to decrease or the amount of impurities is likely to increase, and the second cell will be placed in a position where the amount of metal is unlikely to decrease or the amount of impurities is unlikely to increase. If operation is resumed with this arrangement, the difference in the amount of metal or impurities between the first cell and the second cell can be eliminated.

[0121] In the case of a bipolar electrolytic cell, there are multiple electrolytic cells 90 with different amounts of metal and impurities. Therefore, by having the position change proposal unit 161 propose a combination of the first cell and the second cell to be replaced based on the degree of decrease in these cells, that is, the usage history information indicating the amounts of metal and impurities, it is possible to eliminate differences in the amounts of metal and impurities throughout the electrolytic cell 30 and maintain more uniform amounts of metal and impurities.

[0122] By maintaining uniformity in the amount of metal and impurities, as described above in connection with the stoppage proposal unit 159, the position change proposal unit 161 avoids the need to repair only some of the electrodes, thereby contributing to extending the life of the electrolytic cell 30 during operation.

[0123] 2.2. Operation Processing Next, the operation of the device according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a sequence diagram showing an example of processing executed by the device according to this embodiment.

[0124] In step S801, the learning unit 156 of the device 100 may perform machine learning processing based on the learning data 155, which includes information about the operation history and information about the metal amount evaluation value or the impurity evaluation value of the electrodes of each electrolytic cell of the electrolytic cell that has undergone the operation history, to obtain a trained model. The model can be used by the management unit 154 when calculating the metal amount evaluation value or the impurity evaluation value.

[0125] Also, in step S801, the learning unit 156 of the device 100 may perform machine learning processing based on the learning data 155 including information regarding the operating history and information regarding the performance of the electrodes, to obtain a learned model.

[0126] In steps S802 and S803, the management unit 154 of the apparatus 100 acquires operation history information of an electrolytic cell equipped with one or more electrolytic cells and stores it in electrolytic cell data 153, which records electrode use history information. Then, in step S804, the management unit 154 of the apparatus 100 predicts the metal content evaluation value or impurity evaluation value of the electrodes of each electrolytic cell of the electrolytic cell, based on the operation history information of the electrolytic cell equipped with one or more electrolytic cells.

[0127] In step S805, the management unit 154 of the apparatus 100 may store, as electrode usage history information, the predicted results of the metal content evaluation value or impurity evaluation value of the electrode in the electrolytic cell data 153. In addition, in step S806, the evaluation unit 157 of the apparatus 100 may evaluate the future performance of the electrode.

[0128] In step S807, the operation suggestion unit 158 ​​of the device 100 may suggest operating conditions for increasing the current efficiency based on the usage history information, and control the display of the operating conditions on a display, etc. Alternatively, the operation suggestion unit 158 ​​may output the operating conditions to the control unit 70.

[0129] In step S808, the stop proposing unit 159 of the device 100 may propose the stop condition under which the amount of metal in the electrode is less likely to decrease, based on the usage history information, and may control the display of the stop condition on a display, etc. Alternatively, the stop proposing unit 159 may output the stop condition to the control unit 70.

[0130] In step S809, the position change suggestion unit 161 of the device 100 may suggest a change in the position of the electrolytic cell having a relatively high amount of metal or impurity in the electrode and the electrolytic cell having a relatively low amount of metal or impurity in the electrode based on the usage history information, and may control the display of the suggestion on a display or the like.

[0131] In addition, steps S807 to S809 are described in the order of steps S807, S808, and S809 in FIG. 8 for the sake of convenience, but these processes are independent and the order does not matter as long as they are executed after S804, and they can be arbitrarily changed in order or executed in parallel.

[0132] 3. Usage 9A to 9C show an example of how the device of this embodiment is used. First, as shown in FIG. 9A, an electrolysis device 10 equipped with an electrolytic cell is sold or loaned from a seller to a buyer. When the buyer uses the electrolysis device 10, the device 100 acquires operation history information of the electrolytic cell via the network N, and based on that, the management unit 154 of the device 100 records use history information of the electrodes of the electrolytic cell (steps S802 and S803).

[0133] 9B, the electrolysis device 10 is then returned to the seller from the purchaser, where maintenance and repairs are performed. At that time, the seller may perform repairs based on the future performance of the electrodes output by the evaluation unit 157 of the device 100. When repairs are performed, the device 100 receives the repair history and records the usage history information of the electrodes.

[0134] Then, as shown in Fig. 9C, the repaired electrolysis device 10 may be sold or loaned again from the seller to a buyer. When loaning, the seller may present information regarding the future performance of the electrodes output by the evaluation unit 157 of the device 100 as part of the quality assurance information. Note that the buyer in Fig. 9A and the buyer in Fig. 9C may be different.

[0135] As mentioned above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist thereof. In other words, the above-described embodiments are merely examples in all respects and should not be interpreted as being limiting. For example, the order of the above-described processing steps can be arbitrarily changed or executed in parallel as long as no contradiction occurs in the processing content.

[0136] The program of the present embodiment may be provided in a state stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Here, the storage medium can store the program in a "non-transitory tangible medium." The program includes, but is not limited to, a software program and a computer program. [Explanation of symbols]

[0137] 1...elastic mat, 2...ion exchange membrane, 10...anode chamber, 19...bottom, 20...cathode chamber, 29...partition wall, 11...anode, 21...cathode, 23...current collector, 24...support, 30...electrolytic cell, 51...anode side gasket, 90...electrolytic cell, 500...press, 600...cathode terminal, 700...anode terminal, 70...control unit, 100...device, 110...processor, 120...communication interface, 130...input / output interface, 140...memory, 150...storage, 151...operating system, 152...network communication unit, 153...electrolytic cell data, 154...management unit, 155...learning data, 156...learning unit, 157...evaluation unit, 160...communication bus

Claims

1. a management unit that records usage history information of electrodes included in one or more electrolytic cells based on operation history information of an electrolytic cell including the electrolytic cells; an evaluation unit that evaluates future performance of the electrode based on the usage history information of the electrode, The usage history information of the electrode includes a repair history of the electrode and a metal amount evaluation value of the electrode. Device.

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

10. The apparatus of claim 1.

3. the management unit records X-ray fluorescence analysis data, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy data, X-ray diffraction data, or X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis data of the electrodes of the electrolytic cell; 10. The apparatus of claim 1.

4. The evaluation unit evaluates the magnitude of the metal amount evaluation value and the impurity evaluation value, and based on the evaluation result, outputs repair content that can most prolong performance or most temporarily improve performance.

10. The apparatus of claim 1.

5. further comprising an operation suggestion unit that suggests operating conditions for the electrolytic cell; the operation suggestion unit suggests the operating conditions for increasing current efficiency based on the usage history information, The operating conditions include voltage conditions and electrolyte flow rate conditions.

10. The apparatus of claim 1.

6. a stop suggestion unit that suggests a stop condition for the electrolytic cell; the stop proposing unit proposes the stop condition under which the amount of metal in the electrode is less likely to decrease, based on the usage history information; The stop condition includes a condition for attenuating current and / or a condition for increasing the flow rate of the electrolyte.

10. The apparatus of claim 1.

7. the electrolytic cell comprises a plurality of the electrolytic cells; a position change suggestion unit that suggests changing the positions of the electrolytic cell having a relatively high metal content or impurity content in the electrode and the electrolytic cell having a relatively low metal content or impurity content in the electrode, based on the usage history information; 10. The apparatus of claim 1.

8. the evaluation unit evaluates future performance of the electrode after repair based on the usage history information of the electrode and the planned repair method.

10. The apparatus of claim 1.

9. The device, a process of recording usage history information of electrodes included in one or more electrolytic cells based on operation history information of an electrolytic cell including the electrolytic cells; and evaluating future performance of the electrode based on the usage history information of the electrode; The usage history information of the electrode includes a repair history of the electrode and a metal amount evaluation value of the electrode. method.

10. To the device, a process of recording usage history information of electrodes included in one or more electrolytic cells based on operation history information of an electrolytic cell including the electrolytic cells; and evaluating future performance of the electrode based on the usage history information of the electrode; The usage history information of the electrode includes a repair history of the electrode and a metal amount evaluation value of the electrode. program.

Images