Charging device and charging method

Abstract

Provided is a charging device that uses soil, the charging device comprising: a conduction section which is provided under a seismic isolation device capable of absorbing shaking, and in which an electrically conductive substance is mixed with soil containing ions; a positive electrode provided in the conduction section; a negative electrode provided in the conduction section; and a separator provided in the conduction section so as to insulate the positive electrode and the negative electrode. When the electrically conductive substance and the positive electrode are connected, the electrically conductive substance and the negative electrode are connected, and a voltage is applied between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, anions are guided to the positive electrode and positive ions are guided to the negative electrode.

Description

Charging device and charging method

[0001] The present invention relates to a charging device and a charging method that can store electricity.

[0002] In recent years, it has been proposed to blend electrically conductive nanoporous carbon into cement, use the fluidity of water to form a nanoporous carbon network, and use the concrete as a capacitor (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 1,512,022

[0004] However, Patent Document 1 only proposes storing electricity in concrete to create a capacitor, and does not propose other applications or ease of maintenance.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to improve the ease of maintenance and usability of a charging device using soil, and to improve the ease of maintenance and usability of a charging method using soil.

[0006] The charging device described in claim 1 is provided below a seismic isolation device capable of absorbing vibrations, and includes a conductive part formed by mixing an electrically conductive material into soil containing ions, a positive electrode provided in the conductive part, a negative electrode provided in the conductive part, and a separator provided in the conductive part to insulate the positive and negative electrodes, the electrically conductive material being connected to the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and when a voltage is applied between the positive and negative electrodes, anions are guided to the positive electrode and cations are guided to the negative electrode.The charging method described in claim 10 includes a conductive part formed by mixing an electrically conductive material into soil containing ions below a seismic isolation device capable of absorbing vibrations, the conductive part including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator provided in the conductive part, the electrically conductive material being connected to the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and when a voltage is applied between the positive and negative electrodes, anions are guided to the positive electrode and cations are guided to the negative electrode.

[0007] According to the charging device of claim 1, the space in which the seismic isolation device is provided can be used to perform maintenance on the charging device. According to the charging method of claim 10, the space in which the seismic isolation device is provided can be used to perform maintenance on at least one of the conductive part, the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the separator.

[0008] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which soil is placed in a glass container and two copper plates are inserted into the soil. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a mixture of soil and carbon black is placed in a glass container and two copper plates are inserted into the mixture. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing the state of a capacitor during charging. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the state in which a separator, a positive electrode, and a negative electrode, which are part of the capacitor's configuration, are arranged on a slab footing. FIG. 14 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the mixture backfilled in the dirt floor. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the state in which a capacitor is provided on a substructure located below a seismic isolation device. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the state in which temporary scaffolding and a protective net are installed near a retaining wall. FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram showing a protective net equipped with perovskite solar cells. FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrows A-A in FIG. 8. FIG. 19 is a block diagram of a control device for controlling the charging and discharging of the capacitor of the first embodiment. FIG. 19 is an application example of the block diagram of FIG. 10. FIG. 19 is a diagram showing the state in which a separator, a positive electrode, and a negative electrode, which are part of the capacitor's configuration, are arranged on a slab footing of the second embodiment.

[0009] First Embodiment A first embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 11. In this first embodiment, an electrically conductive material is mixed into soil to form conductive soil, and this conductive soil is used to provide a capacitor 11, which will be described later. In this first embodiment, the electrically conductive material is a material that has electronic conductivity, which allows electrons to move, and ionic conductivity, which allows ions to move. In this first embodiment, a combination of carbon black and binchotan charcoal is used as the electronically conductive material, and soil 2 containing moisture is used as the ionic conductive material, but this is not limited to this.

[0010] (Preliminary experiment to confirm the insulating properties of soil) Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing soil 2 placed in a glass container 1 and two copper plates 3 inserted into the soil 2. The soil 2 was collected in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, and was placed in the glass container 1 after being sieved through a sieve with a mesh size of 4.75 mm.

[0011] When soil 2 was subjected to a soil quality test, the density of the soil particles was found to be 2.660 g / cm ３ The natural water content was 35.7%. The particle size of Soil 2 was 4.5% gravel, 39.5% sand, 42.0% silt, and 14.0% clay. As a result, Soil 2 was classified as sandy silt.

[0012] Sandy silt contains calcium ions (Ca ２＋ ) and magnesium ions (Mg ２＋ ), soil 2 can be used as an electrolyte. If the electrolyte substance in soil 2 is insufficient, calcium ions (Ca ２＋ ), potassium ions (K ＋ ), magnesium ions (Mg ２＋ ), sodium ions (Na ＋ ) or other cations with a high ionization tendency can be added to the soil 2 as an electrolyte substance.

[0013] For example, cement contains calcium ions (Ca ２＋ ) and may be mixed with soil 2 as soil cement.

[0014] When the test leads of the tester were brought into contact with each of the two copper plates 3, no continuity was confirmed, resulting in a non-conductive state. As a result, no continuity was confirmed in the soil 2.

[0015] (Mixing of Soil and Electrically Conductive Material) The aforementioned soil 2 was mixed with an electrically conductive material. The electrically conductive material used was a combination of carbon black and binchotan charcoal, but this is not limited thereto. For example, a single carbon-derived material (e.g., binchotan charcoal or activated carbon) may also be used as the electrically conductive material. Carbon black forms a carbon network and, when mixed with soil 2, is an ideal material for lowering the internal resistance of soil 2 and increasing the charge capacity of soil 2. Binchotan charcoal is an ideal material for absorbing and releasing ions. In this first embodiment, acetylene black, produced by the thermal decomposition of acetylene, was used as the carbon black. However, Ketjenblack, a registered trademark, whose primary particles have a hollow shell structure, may also be used, as may inexpensively available activated carbon. In this case, activated carbon primarily consisting of micropores or mesopores is preferred.

[0016] The carbon-derived binchotan may be crushed or commercially available powdered binchotan. Alternatively, sawdust charcoal (sawdust binchotan), which is made from sawdust compressed under high pressure, may be used. Instead of binchotan, activated carbon with macropores may be used.

[0017] Although acetylene black and binchotan charcoal are hydrophobic substances, they become somewhat compatible with water when soaked in water for about a day. In this case, it is preferable to stir them for about 10 to 30 minutes immediately after soaking them in water. In this first embodiment, acetylene black and binchotan charcoal are soaked in water before being mixed with soil 2. This improves the compatibility between soil 2, acetylene black, and binchotan charcoal.

[0018] The amount of acetylene black added is 5% to less than 20% by weight of soil 2. If the amount of acetylene black added is 5% or more by weight of soil 2, a carbon network can be formed within soil 2. If the amount of acetylene black added is 20% or more by weight of soil 2, the resistance value of mixture 4, which will be described later, will be further reduced, but in this first embodiment, the amount is set to less than 20% in consideration of the price and cost-effectiveness of acetylene black.

[0019] The amount of binchotan charcoal added is 8% or more and less than 25% by weight of soil 2. If the amount of binchotan charcoal added is 8% or more by weight of soil 2, charging using ions of soil 2 by capacitor 11, which will be described later, becomes possible. The amount of binchotan charcoal added may be 25% or more by weight of soil 2, but in this first embodiment, it is set to less than 25% in consideration of the price and cost-effectiveness of binchotan charcoal.

[0020] The amount of binchotan charcoal to be added will vary depending on the properties of the soil 2, the amount of electrolyte contained in the soil 2, and whether or not an electrolyte is added, so the above amount should be used as a guideline. Taking into account the performance of the capacitor 11 (charge amount, charging time, etc.) described below, it is preferable to add more binchotan charcoal than acetylene black. The amount of acetylene black to be added may also be determined taking into account the internal resistance (several ohms to several tens of ohms) when mixed with the soil 2.

[0021] In the first embodiment, the mixture 4 was prepared by mixing the soil 2, acetylene black, and crushed binchotan charcoal for several minutes (1 to 2 minutes) using a mixer.

[0022] (Experiment to Confirm the Conductivity of the Mixture) FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a mixture 4 is placed in a glass container 1 and two copper plates 3 are inserted into the mixture 4. As shown in FIG.

[0023] When the test leads of a tester were brought into contact with each of the two copper plates 3, the resistance value was about 20 to 30 Ω, confirming the conductivity of the mixture 4. This confirmed that an electrically conductive network had been formed in the soil 2 by carbon black, a carbon-derived material.

[0024] The reason why the resistance value fluctuated by about 10 Ω was that the contact state of the electrically conductive material became unstable due to the inclusion of gas (air) in the mixture 4. For this reason, the mixture 4 was manually compacted using a metal tamping rod, and the resistance value of the mixture 4 was measured again.

[0025] After manual compaction, the resistance of Mixture 4 was about 18-20 Ω, and it was confirmed that the resistance decreased and the fluctuations in the resistance also decreased. Note that this resistance can be reduced to a few Ω by increasing the amount of carbon black added to 10-15%.

[0026] In this first embodiment, the mixture 4 is a conductive portion in which an electrically conductive carbon network is formed, and this conductive portion is used to realize a capacitor 11 as a charging device that utilizes the ions of the soil 2.

[0027] (Experiment to confirm power storage using mixture) Fig. 3 shows the state of capacitor 11 during charging, and is shown as a cross-sectional view excluding power source 8. As shown in Fig. 3, after a separator 5 is attached to glass container 1, mixture 4 is placed therein, and a positive electrode 6 and a negative electrode 7 are inserted into mixture 4 to form capacitor 11 of the first embodiment.

[0028] The separator 5 prevents direct contact between the positive electrode 6 and the negative electrode 7 and short-circuits, while allowing ions in the mixture 4 to pass through the formed carbon network. In the first embodiment, the separator 5 can be made of a polyolefin resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene, or a polyester resin such as polyethylene terephthalate or polybutylene terephthalate. The separator 5 can also be made of a cellulose-derived nonwoven fabric or paper (e.g., Japanese paper or kitchen paper). The separator 5 may also be made of a composite material of a cellulose-derived nonwoven fabric or paper with polyethylene or glass fiber. The separator 5 is fixed to the glass container 1 with insulating tape. Alternatively, the separator 5 may be sandwiched between insulating materials and placed in the glass container 1. The separator 5 is preferably made of a hydrophilic material to facilitate the passage of ions.

[0029] The positive electrode 6 can be made of a material that does not easily react chemically with the ionic substances contained in the soil 2, such as copper, aluminum, platinum, or a carbon material. In this first embodiment, a copper plate 3 is used. The positive electrode 6 is connected to a carbon network formed from acetylene black. An electric double layer is formed near the surface of the binchotan charcoal connected to this carbon network, and the positive electrode 6 is charged by attracting anions with the opposite charge.

[0030] The negative electrode 7 can be made of a material that is unlikely to react chemically with the ionic substances contained in the soil 2, such as copper, aluminum, platinum, or a carbon material. In this first embodiment, a copper plate 3 is used. The negative electrode 7 is connected to a carbon network formed from acetylene black. An electric double layer is formed near the surface of the binchotan charcoal connected to this carbon network, and the negative electrode 7 is charged by attracting cations with opposite charges. Note that sheet-like carbon fiber may also be used as the carbon material for the positive electrode 6 and the negative electrode 7. Carbon fiber is lightweight and strong, making it an easy-to-use electrode.

[0031] The power supply 8 is used when charging the capacitor 11, and may be a constant voltage power supply, a constant current power supply, or the like.

[0032] One end of the wire 9 is connected to the positive electrode 6, and the other end is connected to the + output terminal of the power supply 8. One end of the wire 10 is connected to the negative electrode 7, and the other end is connected to the − output terminal of the power supply 8.

[0033] In the first embodiment, a constant voltage power supply was used as the power supply 8, and charging was performed at a voltage of 1 V to 3 V. When the water content of the mixture 4 was high, charging was performed at 1.2 V or less to prevent hydrogen generation, and when the water content of the mixture 4 was low, i.e., when hydrogen generation was low, charging was performed at 3 V.

[0034] After charging for several minutes or 5 to 10 minutes (depending on the state of the mixture 4), when wires 9 and 10 were connected to a rotary motor (not shown), the rotary motor rotated. This confirmed that a carbon network was formed in the soil 2 using acetylene black, and that ions were being absorbed and released by the binchotan charcoal, an ion-absorbing material. In other words, it was confirmed that electricity could be stored using the mixture 4.

[0035] In addition, a mixture 4 was newly prepared in the above weight ratio, and sodium ions (Na ＋ ) was added. Specifically, several hundred cc of 5% concentration saline solution was added. Then, as in the case of the above, it was charged at a voltage of 1.2 V for the same time (several minutes or about 5 to 10 minutes). After that, when the wires 9 and 10 were connected to the rotary motor, the rotary motor generated sodium ions (Na ＋ Mixture 4 rotated longer than Mixture 4 without the addition of .

[0036] In this way, the addition of cations increases the charge of the capacitor 11, allowing it to supply more power. Therefore, the amount of binchotan charcoal or activated carbon that absorbs and releases ions may be determined based on the amount of ions in the mixture 4. The applicant of the present application also discovered that the electricity storage performance of the capacitor 11 deteriorates when the mixture 4 dries. Therefore, it is preferable to store the mixture 4 in an environment where humidity is easily maintained, or to supply a liquid such as water to the mixture 4 when it dries. This can prevent deterioration of the electricity storage performance of the capacitor 11 or recover a capacitor 11 whose electricity storage performance has deteriorated.

[0037] Furthermore, in civil engineering and construction, soil has played a role as the ground and foundation, but according to the first embodiment, in addition to these, soil also plays a role in storing electricity, making it possible to realize an electric double layer capacitor using soil.

[0038] (Application of Capacitor to Building) The following continues the description of the case where the above-mentioned capacitor 11 is applied to a building. In this first embodiment, the capacitor 11 is applied to a substructure 35 located below a seismic isolation device 80 (see FIG. 6 ) described below.

[0039] Although details will be described later, the substructure 35, which is a foundation structure, includes a continuous footing 40, a slab 50, a mixture 4 as a backfill material, and a concrete floor 60 (see FIG. 6 ). FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a separator 5, a positive electrode 6, and a negative electrode 7, which are part of the configuration of a capacitor 11, arranged on the continuous footing 40. Note that at an actual construction site, multiple continuous footings 40 are formed along the X-axis direction and the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in the figure to form the substructure 35. Therefore, capacitors 11 can be installed in multiple locations.

[0040] The continuous footing 40 is made of concrete with reinforcing bars, and its upper surface is formed with shear reinforcement bars 41 and main reinforcement bars 42 extending perpendicular to the paper surface. The inner surface 40a of the continuous footing 40 corresponds to the inner surface of the glass container 1, and is therefore coated or sprayed with an insulating agent to ensure insulation. Examples of insulating agents that can be used include, but are not limited to, alkylalkoxysilane-based insulating agents and silanesiloxane-based insulating agents. Note that if the insulating properties of the concrete of the continuous footing 40 are high or if the distance between the concrete and the reinforcing bars is sufficient, the coating or spraying of the insulating agent may be omitted.

[0041] The slab 50 is made of concrete and is installed on the ground 45 in the space surrounded by the continuous footing 40. It extends perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. In this first embodiment, the slab 50 holds or houses the components that make up the capacitor 11. The upper surface 50a of the slab 50 corresponds to the bottom surface of the glass container 1, and an insulating agent is applied or sprayed onto the upper surface 50a to ensure insulation. Examples of insulating agents that can be used include, but are not limited to, alkylalkoxysilane-based insulating agents and silanesiloxane-based insulating agents. As described above, in this first embodiment, the opposing inner surfaces 40a of the continuous footing 40 and the upper surface 50a of the slab 50 form an insulating container.

[0042] Although U.S. Patent No. 1,151,2022, listed in the prior art, discloses storing electricity in concrete, it does not disclose how to insulate reinforcing bars when they are placed in the concrete. In contrast, in the first embodiment, the mixture 4, in which an electrically conductive material is mixed into the soil, is insulated by the opposing inner surface 40a of the continuous footing 40 and the top surface 50a of the slab 50. Therefore, even if reinforcing bars are placed inside or on the top surface of the continuous footing 40, there is no need to insulate the reinforcing bars. Furthermore, because the earthen floor 46 is a large space, even if the charge per unit area is small, the large capacity of the mixture 4 allows for more electricity to be stored.

[0043] The slab 50 is formed with a first holding portion 51 for holding the separator 5, a second holding portion 52 for holding the positive electrode 6, and a third holding portion 53 for holding the negative electrode 7. The first holding portion 51, the second holding portion 52, and the third holding portion 53 each have a recess, and are formed by pouring concrete into formwork that matches the respective shapes when pouring concrete for the slab 50.

[0044] Since the first holding portion 51 is required to have insulating properties, it is desirable to apply or spray the insulating agent described above. Furthermore, to ensure reliable retention of the separator 5, the separator 5 can be reliably held by an elastically deformable, insulating resin material 54. While FIG. 4 shows the resin material 54 provided on both sides of the separator 5, the separator 5 may be held by providing the resin material 54 on only one side of the separator 5. In this manner, the separator 5 is fitted into the recess of the first holding portion 51 by the resin material 54. Any holding method may be used for the separator 5 as long as it can be held in a manner that ensures insulation.

[0045] In the first embodiment, the second holding portion 52 and the third holding portion 53 have the same shape. By making the second holding portion 52 and the third holding portion 53 the same shape, a common formwork can be used, thereby reducing the cost of pouring concrete. Note that the second holding portion 52 and the third holding portion 53 may be omitted, and the positive electrode 6 and the negative electrode 7 may be held by the mixture 4.

[0046] When constructing the substructure 35, soil is excavated from the ground 45 using heavy construction machinery such as a backhoe. The excavated soil is then used as backfill material to fill the earthen floor area 46 (described later) after the continuous footing 40 is constructed. In the first embodiment, the excavated soil is mixed with an electrically conductive material to form the mixture 4. This mixing may be performed, for example, using the bucket of a backhoe at the construction site, or by a worker. The aforementioned electrolyte material may also be replenished at this time.

[0047] Here, it is preferable to place the mixture 4 produced at the construction site in the glass container 1 shown in Figure 2 and measure the resistance value of the mixture 4 produced at the construction site. It is also preferable to charge the mixture 4 produced at the construction site and measure the current value and capacitance during charging. Based on these measurement results, by further adding crushed binchotan charcoal or carbon black to the mixture 4 used as backfill material or by supplementing it with an electrolyte substance, it is possible to realize a capacitor 11 with excellent charging performance. In this way, by producing the mixture 4 for the capacitor 11 using soil excavated at the construction site, the costs of procuring and transporting the soil can be reduced.

[0048] In the first embodiment, the space surrounded by the continuous footing 40, the slab 50, and a deck 58 (see FIG. 6 ) described below forms an earthen floor 46. FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the state in which the earthen floor 46 has been backfilled with the mixture 4.

[0049] As shown in Figure 5, the mixture 4 is buried in the earthen floor 46 so as not to exceed the height of the separator 5, the positive electrode 6, the negative electrode 7, and the base 40. This ensures the insulation of the capacitor 11. Note that, since the mixture 4 is simply backfilled in the earthen floor 46, air exists within the mixture 4. If air exists within the mixture 4 and the contact between the mixture 4 particles is unstable, the internal resistance value of the mixture 4 increases, and the measured value of the internal resistance value becomes unstable.

[0050] Therefore, if the mixture 4 backfilled in the earthen floor area 46 is compacted, the shear resistance of the mixture 4 increases and the internal resistance value can be reduced, thereby improving the performance of the capacitor 11. Figure 6 is a diagram showing the state in which the capacitor 11 is provided in the substructure 35 located below the seismic isolation device 80. Figure 6 also shows the state of the substructure 35 after compaction, and as shown in Figure 6, the height of the mixture 4 has been lowered by compaction.

[0051] 6 also illustrates a resin sheet 55, a first pipe member 56, a second pipe member 57, a deck 58, a hatch 59 (a collective term for hatches 59a, 59b, and 59c, which will be described later), and a concrete floor 60 on the lower structure 35. The resin sheet 55 is a sheet for preventing rainwater from splashing on the capacitor 11, and in the first embodiment, a polyethylene sheet is used. Note that in the first embodiment, the concrete floor 60 can prevent rainwater from splashing on the capacitor 11. For this reason, in the first embodiment, the resin sheet 55 may be omitted, or the resin sheet 55 may be used until the concrete floor 60 is constructed. Furthermore, a sheet for preventing the mixture 4 backfilled in the floor 46 from drying may be used as the resin sheet 55. For example, a polyethylene sheet, a polypropylene sheet, nylon, or cellulose nanofiber may be used.

[0052] In the first embodiment, the first pipe member 56 is a CD pipe, and is a pipe member through which the wire 9 from the positive electrode 6 is passed. The second pipe member 57 is a CD pipe, and is a pipe member through which the wire 10 from the negative electrode 7 is passed. Note that in FIG. 6 , only a portion of the wire 9 and the wire 10 are shown.

[0053] In the first embodiment, it is desirable to check the operation of the capacitor 11 before pouring the concrete floor 60. To check the operation, it is desirable to charge and discharge the capacitor 11. Although one capacitor 11 is illustrated in FIG. 5 and other figures, multiple capacitors 11 are provided at a construction site. When multiple capacitors 11 are connected in series, it is desirable to check the operation of charging and discharging with the multiple capacitors 11 connected in series.

[0054] Furthermore, depending on the results of this operation check, it may be determined whether or not to add the aforementioned electrolyte material. The determination regarding the addition of the electrolyte material may be made by an operator, or may be made by the control device 20 or a host computer, which will be described later.

[0055] Although the deck 58 is shown simply, it is supported by the continuous foundation 40 and covers the earthen floor 46. In the first embodiment, the deck 58 is made of steel, and is formed with openings 58a and 58b for passing the first pipe member 56 and the second pipe member 57 and for performing maintenance on the positive electrode 6 and the negative electrode 7. The deck 58 also has an opening 58c for performing maintenance on the separator 5.

[0056] The concrete floor 60 is made of concrete. The concrete floor 60 is supported by a continuous footing 40. Retaining walls 34 extending in the +Z direction are formed on both ends of the concrete floor 60. The retaining walls 34 are wall-like structures built to prevent the ground from collapsing. The concrete floor 60 also has openings 60a, 60b, and 60c that communicate with openings 58a, 58b, and 58c of the deck 58, respectively, and hatches 59a, 59b, and 59c that open and close openings 60a, 60b, and 60c. Note that, for ease of viewing in Figure 6, the diagonal lines representing the cross-section of the concrete floor 60 have been omitted.

[0057] The hatch 59a is a metal part that opens and closes the opening 60a, and is shown in a closed state in Fig. 6. The hatch 59b is a metal part that opens and closes the opening 60b, and is shown in an open state in Fig. 6. The hatch 59c is a metal part that opens and closes the opening 60c, and is shown in an open state in Fig. 6.

[0058] The opening 60 a has an opening provided opposite the positive electrode 6 , and is an opening that allows access to the positive electrode 6 and the first pipe member 56 through the opening 58 a of the deck 58 .

[0059] The opening 60 b has an opening provided opposite the negative electrode 7 , and is an opening that allows access to the negative electrode 7 and the second pipe member 57 via the opening 58 b of the deck 58 .

[0060] The opening 60c has an opening provided facing the separator 5, and is an opening that allows access to the separator 5 through the opening 58c of the deck 58. Note that adjacent openings 60a and 60c may be formed as a single opening that is shared by both the openings 60a and 60c, or adjacent openings 60b and 60c may be formed as a single opening that is shared by both the openings 58a and 58c, or adjacent openings 58b and 58c may be formed as a single opening that is shared by both the openings 58a and 58c.

[0061] In the first embodiment, for example, a pipe may be provided to supply a liquid such as an electrolyte material or water to the mixture 4 via the opening 60c and the opening 58c of the deck 58. Alternatively, a pipe may be provided to supply water (e.g., distilled water such as pure water) to the separator 5. That is, it is desirable to provide a supply device 85 (see FIG. 11 ) having a pipe and a pump for supplying a liquid to at least one of the mixture 4 and the separator 5. In this case, it is preferable to supply the electrolyte material in the form of a solution, for example, by dissolving it in water. This makes it possible to prevent deterioration of the electricity storage performance of the capacitor 11 or to recover a capacitor 11 whose electricity storage performance has deteriorated.

[0062] The seismic isolation device 80 is provided between the upper structure 30 and the lower structure 35, and includes a rubber isolator 81 that supports the building, and a damper 82 that absorbs shaking. The seismic isolation device 80 absorbs earthquake shaking, thereby reducing its transmission to the building. In the first embodiment, a laminated rubber isolator is used as the isolator 81, but the isolator 81 may be a sliding bearing or a rolling bearing. In addition, various types of dampers, such as a steel damper, an oil damper, or a lead damper, can be used as the damper 82. The layout of the isolator 81 and the damper 82 can be set as appropriate.

[0063] The upper structure 30 has a base 31 connected to the top of the seismic isolation device 80, columns 32 extending from the base 31, and a structural body 33 that connects the two bases 31 horizontally and has beams and slabs, and forms part of the building.

[0064] The space in which the plurality of seismic isolation devices 80 are provided is a seismic isolation pit 83. The seismic isolation pit 83 is a space that accommodates the plurality of seismic isolation devices 80 and prevents interference with buildings even if the ground moves due to an earthquake. In the first embodiment, the seismic isolation pit 83 is used to perform maintenance on the capacitor 11.

[0065] The size of the seismic isolation pit 83 varies depending on the size of the building, but it is large enough to accommodate people and robots (for example, a four-legged robot). In addition to shovels, it is also possible to bring various equipment into the seismic isolation pit 83, such as jacks, pumps (for example, vacuum pumps), and belt conveyors.

[0066] In the first embodiment, when the separator 5, the positive electrode 6, or the negative electrode 7 needs to be replaced, a person can enter the seismic isolation pit 83 and perform the work. For example, when replacing the separator 5, the hatch 59c is opened using a jack or a lifter, and the separator 5 can be removed by digging up the mixture 4 using a shovel or the like using the openings 58c and 60c. The removed separator may be transported to the outside of the building by a belt conveyor, or may be transported to the outside of the building by a person or a robot. Similarly, a new separator 5 may be transported into the seismic isolation pit 83 by a conveyor, or may be transported into the seismic isolation pit 83 by a person or a robot.

[0067] Replacement of components constituting capacitor 11 may be performed on concrete floor 60, or, for example, on mixture 4 by making openings 58c and 60c large enough for a person or robot to pass through. Also, if excavated mixture 4 is temporarily removed onto concrete floor 60 by sucking it up with a vacuum pump, for example, the space in floor 46 can be increased, improving maintainability.

[0068] Furthermore, if the mixture 4 near the inner surface 40a of the liner footing 40 is dug up and removed from the inner surface 40a of the liner footing 40, the aforementioned insulating agent can be applied or sprayed thereon to perform maintenance to maintain the insulation of the inner surface 40a of the liner footing 40. It is desirable to clean the inner surface 40a of the liner footing 40 when applying or spraying the insulating agent.

[0069] As described above, if maintenance of the capacitor 11 is performed using the seismic isolation pit 83 in which multiple seismic isolation devices 80 are installed, there is no need to set up a space specifically for maintenance of the capacitor 11, and the space of the building can be used effectively.

[0070] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state in which a temporary scaffolding 61 and a protective net 65 are provided near the lower structure 35.

[0071] The temporary scaffolding 61 is an external scaffolding such as, but not limited to, a bitty scaffolding.

[0072] The protective net 65 is provided on the +X side (outside) of the temporary scaffolding 61 and serves as a safety measure for nearby pedestrians to prevent tools and other objects from falling. The protective net 65 is attached to the components that make up the temporary scaffolding 61 via binding members (not shown). In the first embodiment, the protective net 65 is provided with perovskite solar cells 70.

[0073] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a protective net 65 equipped with perovskite solar cells 70. As shown in FIG. 8, the protective net 65 has perovskite solar cells 70 joined in the form of strips along the Y-axis direction to the surface of a mesh 76, which is the base material of the protective net 65. If perovskite solar cells 70 were joined to the entire surface of the mesh 76, the breathability that is one of the functions of the protective net 65 would be lost. For this reason, in the first embodiment, the perovskite solar cells 70 are joined only partially to the mesh 76. When the protective net 65 is provided on the temporary scaffolding 61, the perovskite solar cells 70 may be provided along the X-axis direction or the Z-axis direction.

[0074] The mesh 76 has multiple meshes and is made of a resin material (e.g., polyester) that is resistant to rain, heat, and the like. To minimize the effects of wind, the mesh 76 preferably has a porosity of 10% to 55%, in other words, a solidity of 45% to 90%. Furthermore, the mesh 76 can have a mesh spacing (grid spacing) of 0.5 mm to 5 mm, more preferably 1 mm to 3 mm, to prevent foreign matter from passing through. Note that minute foreign matter passing through a mesh spacing of 0.5 mm or 1 mm is practically unavoidable.

[0075] In the first embodiment, the porosity of the mesh 76 may be set according to the area of ​​the mesh 76 covered by the perovskite solar cells 70. For example, suppose that the porosity of a conventional protective net not provided with perovskite solar cells 70 is 20%. Here, if the perovskite solar cells 70 cover 50% of the area of ​​the mesh 76, then by using a mesh 76 with a porosity of 35% to 45%, preferably 40%, it is possible to ensure breathability of the protective net 65 as a whole.

[0076] Furthermore, the mesh 76 is coated with a thermally conductive agent for conducting heat from the perovskite solar cell 70 to the mesh 76, forming a thermally conductive portion 77 (see FIG. 9 ). Because the power generation efficiency of the perovskite solar cell 70 decreases when the temperature becomes too high, the heat from the perovskite solar cell 70 is transferred to the mesh 76 side to prevent a decrease in the power generation efficiency of the perovskite solar cell 70. As the thermally conductive agent, a thermally conductive grease may be used, for example, silicone grease.

[0077] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 8 . Note that FIG. 9 illustrates the configuration of the perovskite solar cell 70 in an easily understandable manner, and therefore differs from the actual dimensions. As shown in FIG. 9 , the perovskite solar cell 70 includes a first electrode 71 (anode in this first embodiment), a hole transport layer 72, a perovskite layer 73, an electron transport layer 74, a second electrode 75 (anode in this first embodiment), and a coating layer 78 stacked in this order on a mesh 76, which is a base material, via a heat conductive portion 77. Note that a transparent protective layer is preferably provided on the surface of the second electrode 75, and it is preferable to perform a water-repellent treatment on this protective layer and form the coating layer 78 thereon.

[0078] If the proportion of the area of ​​the perovskite solar cell 70 in the area of ​​the mesh 76 increases, the amount of power generated by the perovskite solar cell 70 will increase, but the breathability of the mesh 76 will decrease, and there is a risk that the breathability required of the protective net 65 will no longer be met.

[0079] Therefore, in the first embodiment, the ratio of the area of ​​the perovskite solar cells 70 to the area of ​​the mesh 76 is set to 15% to 75%, preferably 25% to 65%, and more preferably 35% to 50%. The ratio of the area of ​​the perovskite solar cells 70 to the area of ​​the mesh 76 may be determined based on the power required for construction of the building protected by the protective net 65. Because the perovskite solar cells 70 generate electricity regardless of the position of the sun and even on cloudy days, they can be installed on four sides (east, west, south, and north) of the building. Furthermore, as the building becomes taller, the temporary scaffolding 61 also becomes taller, and the number of protective nets 65 used and the area of ​​the protective nets 65 also increase. Therefore, a sufficient power generation area for the perovskite solar cells 70 can be secured in proportion to the size of the building.

[0080] 10 is a block diagram of a control device 20 for controlling the charging and discharging of the capacitor 11 in the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, the capacitor 11 is charged by the perovskite solar cell 70 described above, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0081] The control device 20 includes a charge switch 12 , a discharge switch 13 , a communication unit 14 , a memory 15 , and a control unit 16 .

[0082] The charging switch 12 is an on / off switch, and when the switch is on, the capacitor 11 is charged by the perovskite solar cell 70, and when the switch is off, the capacitor 11 is not charged by the perovskite solar cell 70. Note that in the first embodiment, the charging switch 12 may be omitted, and the capacitor 11 may be constantly charged by the perovskite solar cell 70.

[0083] The discharge switch 13 is an on / off switch that discharges to a load when the switch is on and does not discharge to a load when the switch is off. Examples of loads include power supplies for lighting, surveillance cameras, and various sensors (such as motion sensors, sound level meters, and fire sensors). If the power supply is an AC power supply, it can be converted to AC power by an inverter. If necessary, a boost circuit may be provided on the output side of the capacitor 11.

[0084] The load may be a power supply for an environmental sensor 84 (see FIG. 11) that measures the environment of the dirt floor 46. The environmental sensor 84 may be, for example, a thermometer or a hygrometer, and may be provided on the bottom surface (-Z side) of the deck 58. Alternatively, the environmental sensor 84 may be provided on the top surface of the mixture 4 or the top surface of the resin sheet 55, or may be embedded in the mixture 4.

[0085] The communication unit 14 is a wireless communication unit that accesses a wide area network such as the Internet. The communication unit 14 may also use wired communication. In the first embodiment, the communication unit 14 communicates with a host computer that is installed remotely. The communication unit 14 may also communicate with a communication unit installed in a building.

[0086] The communication unit 14 communicates, for example, the daily charge and discharge amounts to the host computer. As construction progresses from low-rise buildings to mid-rise and high-rise buildings, the number of protective nets 65 used and the area of ​​the protective nets 65 increase, and the amount of power generated by the perovskite solar cells 70 increases. Accordingly, the charge on the capacitors 11 increases, and the amount of discharge from the capacitors 11 also increases. This allows the host computer to acquire charge and discharge amounts as construction progresses at multiple construction sites, not just one construction site. The host computer may also issue an instruction to perform maintenance on the capacitors 11 when the charge decreases or when there is a change in the environment detected by an environmental sensor. In this case, the host computer may determine whether to perform maintenance based on parameters such as weather conditions (e.g., sunny or rainy), seasonal conditions (e.g., summer or winter), and the time elapsed since the completion of the construction. The maintenance includes at least one of cleaning or replacing the separator 5, positive electrode 6, and negative electrode 7 that make up the capacitor 11, applying or spraying an insulating agent to parts that require insulation, and supplying an electrolyte substance or liquid.

[0087] Furthermore, if a solar power generation system is installed on the roof of a building or perovskite solar cells 70 are installed in the windows of the building, electricity generated by sunlight can be charged into the capacitor 11 even after the building is completed. The communication unit 14 may be configured to communicate the daily charge and discharge amounts to the host computer even after completion of the building. After completion of the building, the electricity stored in the capacitor 11 can be used for various lighting purposes or as power in emergencies such as power outages. Needless to say, perovskite solar cells installed in the windows of a building do not require the breathability required for the protective net 65.

[0088] Furthermore, the communication unit 14 communicates with a host computer or a communication unit provided in a building in the event of a disaster such as an earthquake or power outage, and obtains information as to whether or not there has been a power outage in the building.

[0089] The memory 15 is a non-volatile memory (for example, a flash memory) that stores a program for controlling the charging and discharging of the capacitor 11. The memory 15 also stores, for example, the daily charge amount and discharge amount of the capacitor 11. The memory 15 may also store the hourly charge amount and discharge amount.

[0090] The control unit 16 is equipped with a CPU and controls the charging and discharging of the capacitor 11. In the first embodiment, the control unit 16 monitors the voltage of the capacitor 11, and when the voltage becomes lower than a lower threshold, the control unit 16 turns off the discharge switch 13 to prevent discharging to the load. The control unit 16 may also control the charge switch 12 to turn off to prevent charging when the voltage becomes higher than an upper threshold. When the control unit 16 receives information via the communication unit 14 that the building is experiencing a power outage, the control unit 16 supplies power to the elevators and water tanks in the building.

[0091] Figure 11 is an application example of the block diagram of Figure 10. In the block diagram of Figure 11, an environmental sensor 84, a supply device 85, a drive device 86, and a water supply pump 87 are illustrated as loads. In response to the output of the environmental sensor 84, the control unit 16 controls the supply device 85 to supply a liquid such as an electrolyte substance or water to the mixture 4, or to supply water to the separator 5, when the mixture 4 or the separator 5 is dry. In this way, if the control unit 16 performs maintenance on the capacitor 11 in response to the output of the environmental sensor 84, the maintenance of the capacitor 11 can be automated. Note that the automated maintenance control may be performed by a host computer.

[0092] Furthermore, when the control unit 16 acquires information that the building is experiencing a power outage, it supplies power to a drive device 86 that drives the elevator hoist, causing the elevator car to stop at the nearest floor or the first floor. Furthermore, when the control unit 16 acquires information that the building is experiencing a power outage, it supplies power to a water supply pump 87 that pumps water stored in a water tank, thereby supplying water. Note that the control unit 16 may also supply power to lighting when it acquires information that the building is experiencing a power outage. The priority order of which parts of the building to receive power may be stored in the memory 15, for example.

[0093] 11 illustrates one capacitor 11 and one perovskite solar cell 70, in reality, a plurality of capacitors 11 and a plurality of perovskite solar cells 70 are provided. Therefore, for example, a certain capacitor 11 may be dedicated to the drive device 86. Alternatively, the building may be divided into stories or blocks, and a capacitor 11 may be assigned to each story or each block. If power is also supplied from the capacitor 11 to each component of the control device 20, such as the communication unit 14 and memory 15, the control device 20 can operate even in an emergency such as a power outage.

[0094] As described above, in the first embodiment, electricity generated by natural energy such as sunlight can be stored and used from the time of construction of a building until completion, making it possible to realize construction work and buildings with low carbon dioxide emissions. Furthermore, since the capacitor 11 can supply power to the building even in the event of a disaster, it is possible to realize a building that is resilient to disasters.

[0095] 12, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted or simplified. In the second embodiment, the earthen floor portion 46 is divided into two portions by a concrete partition block 63.

[0096] 12 is a diagram showing the arrangement of a separator 5, a positive electrode 6, and a negative electrode 7, which are part of the capacitor 11, on the strip footing of the second embodiment. In this way, two capacitors 11 may be arranged in the divided earthen floor portion 46. Furthermore, the number of divisions is not limited to two and can be set arbitrarily.

[0097] In this case, the capacitor 11 including the mixture 4 may be unitized, and the unitized capacitor 11 may be placed in the earthen floor area 46. An example of a unitized capacitor is the capacitor 11 shown in FIG. 3, and a lid member may be provided on the upper surface. In this case, the lid member may be provided with openings corresponding to the positions of the separator 5, positive electrode 6, and negative electrode 7, and may be provided with opening / closing parts for opening and closing the openings. Note that the upper structure 30 and the seismic isolation device 80 of the first embodiment can also be applied to the second embodiment.

[0098] The above-described embodiment is a preferred example of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the unitized capacitor 11 may be installed under a concrete road. The concrete prevents the capacitor 11 from being affected by rainwater, and since the concrete is removed during gas or sewer construction work, the capacitor 11 can be maintained or replaced, thereby realizing a safe and easy-to-use capacitor 11.

[0099] Furthermore, an electron-conductive conductive polymer may be used as the electron-conductive substance. As the conductive polymer, a conductive polymer may be used. In this case, the conductive polymer may be liquefied by dissolving it in a solvent, or by adding an additive to the conductive polymer.

[0100] 2 Soil 3 Copper plate 4 Mixture 5 Separator 6 Positive electrode 7 Negative electrode 11 Capacitor 12 Charging switch 13 Discharging switch 16 Control unit 20 Control device 35 Substructure 40 Continuous footing 51 First holding part 54 Resin material 45 Ground 46 Earth floor 60 Earth floor concrete 80 Seismic isolation device 81 Isolator 82 Damper 83 Seismic isolation pit

Claims

1. A charging device comprising: a conductive part provided below a seismic isolation device capable of absorbing shaking, in which an electrically conductive material is mixed into soil containing ions; a positive electrode provided in the conductive part; a negative electrode provided in the conductive part; and a separator provided in the conductive part so as to insulate the positive electrode from the negative electrode, wherein the electrically conductive material is connected to the positive electrode and the electrically conductive material is connected to the negative electrode, and when a voltage is applied between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, the charging device directs anions to the positive electrode and cations to the negative electrode.

2. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein the seismic isolation device is installed on concrete, and an opening is provided in the concrete for maintenance of at least one of the positive electrode, the negative electrode, the separator, and the conductive portion.

3. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein a foundation, at least a portion of which is made of concrete, is provided below the seismic isolation device, and the conductive portion, the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the separator are provided on the foundation.

4. A charging device according to claim 3, wherein an insulating material is provided on the portion of the concrete of the base that comes into contact with the conductive portion.

5. A charging device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein said base portion is provided with an insulating holding member for holding said separator.

6. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive material is a carbon-based material.

7. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive material is a liquefied conductive polymer.

8. The charging device according to claim 1, further comprising an environmental sensor for detecting the environment at or near said conductive portion.

9. A charging device according to claim 1 or claim 8, further comprising a liquid supply device for supplying liquid to at least one of said conductive portion and said separator.

10. A charging method in which an electrically conductive material is mixed into soil containing ions below a seismic isolation device capable of absorbing shaking to form a conductive section, a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator are provided in the conductive section, and the electrically conductive material is connected to the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and when a voltage is applied between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, anions are introduced to the positive electrode and cations are introduced to the negative electrode.

11. The charging method according to claim 10, wherein maintenance of at least one of the positive electrode, the negative electrode, the separator, and the conductive portion is performed using the space in which the seismic isolation device is provided.

12. A charging method as described in claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the seismic isolation device is installed on concrete having an opening therein, and the opening in the concrete is used to maintain at least one of the positive electrode, the negative electrode, the separator, and the conductive part.

13. The charging method according to claim 12, wherein a portion of the conductive portion is moved onto the concrete through the opening.

14. The charging method according to claim 12, wherein the electrically conductive material is supplied to the conductive portion using the opening.

15. The charging method according to claim 12, wherein the opening is used to supply liquid to at least one of the conductive portion and the separator.

16. A charging method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the conductive part or the environment in the vicinity of the conductive part is detected.

17. The charging method according to claim 10, wherein a foundation, at least a portion of which is made of concrete, is provided below the seismic isolation device, and the conductive part, the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the separator are provided on the foundation.

18. The charging method according to claim 17, wherein an insulating material is provided in the portion of the concrete of the foundation that comes into contact with the conductive portion.

19. The charging method according to claim 18, wherein the space in which the seismic isolation device is installed is used to perform maintenance on the concrete of the foundation.

20. The charging method according to claim 19, wherein the maintenance of the concrete of the foundation comprises providing an insulating material to the portion of the concrete of the foundation that comes into contact with the conductive portion.

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