Storage container and electrochemical oxygen consumption device

Abstract

The present application relates to a storage container for a freshness-preservation device, the storage container being arranged in the freshness-preservation device and being used for storing food ingredients, an oxygen removal device being arranged on a container wall, and the oxygen removal device comprising: end plates; an anode diffusion layer; a cathode diffusion layer; an ion exchange membrane assembly, which is sandwiched between the anode diffusion layer and the cathode diffusion layer by means of the end plates and is suitable for transferring ions from the anode diffusion layer to the cathode diffusion layer; an anode assembly, which is arranged on the outer side of the anode diffusion layer, comprises an anode elastic plate and an anode current collector plate, and is configured to be suitable for receiving and conducting an electric current to achieve an electrochemical reaction at an anode; and a cathode assembly, which is arranged on the outer side of the cathode diffusion layer, comprises a cathode elastic plate and a cathode current collector plate, and is configured to be suitable for receiving and conducting an electric current to achieve an electrochemical reaction at a cathode. The anode assembly and / or the cathode assembly is sandwiched so as to hermetically fit onto the ion exchange membrane assembly. The present application further relates to an electrochemical oxygen consumption device.

Description

Storage container and electrochemical oxygen depletion device TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of household appliances, in particular to a storage container for a freshness preserving device. Furthermore, the present application also relates to a corresponding electrochemical oxygen depletion device. BACKGROUND

[0002] For a refrigerator, freshness preservation is one of the most important functions. The currently widely used refrigerator freshness preservation technologies mainly include four types: temperature control preservation, humidity control preservation, oxygen control preservation and molecular preservation.

[0003] In the oxygen control preservation technology, the oxidation of food to be preserved is reduced mainly by reducing or removing the oxygen content in the refrigerator preservation box. In particular, the metabolism of fruits and vegetables and the like in an oxygen environment is reduced, so as to inhibit the spoilage process of the food.

[0004] With the increasing requirement for the freshness preservation function of the refrigerator, the use of electrolysis method to remove oxygen in the refrigerator has gradually become an effective preservation method. Generally, an electrochemical oxygen depletion device is arranged on the preservation box, which generates hydrogen ions at the anode by electrolyzing water, and the hydrogen ions pass through the catalyst coating film and react with the oxygen from the preservation box at the cathode to generate water. In this way, the oxygen content in the preservation box is reduced to achieve the preservation effect.

[0005] The existing electrochemical oxygen depletion device generally includes an anode plate, a cathode plate and a membrane assembly (CCM, Catalyst Coated Membrane) located therebetween. The membrane assembly generally includes a proton exchange membrane (PEM, Proton Exchange Membrane), a cathode catalyst layer and an anode catalyst layer. The electrochemical oxygen depletion device can be installed on the wall of the low-oxygen chamber, so that the cathode plate faces the inside of the low-oxygen chamber and the anode plate faces the outside of the low-oxygen chamber. For example, when direct current is supplied to the anode plate and the cathode plate respectively, an electrolytic water reaction 2H2O→O2+4H + +4e - can occur at the anode side, and the generated H + passes through the proton exchange membrane to the cathode catalyst layer, and an oxygen depletion reaction O2+4H + +4e - can occur at the cathode side. Thus, when the electrochemical oxygen depletion device is working, the oxygen on the cathode plate side (i.e. the inside of the low-oxygen chamber) can be consumed, thereby providing a low-oxygen atmosphere in the low-oxygen chamber.

[0006] However, the electrochemical oxygen depletion device in the prior art may have local gaps in the assembled state, resulting in reduced oxygen removal efficiency and impaired preservation function. In addition, there is also a risk of short circuit due to excessive pressing force.

[0007] As the moisture on the anode plate side (i.e. the outside of the low-oxygen chamber) is continuously consumed, the water content in the environment around the anode plate side gradually decreases, which causes the electrochemical reaction to be unable to continue. Therefore, the electrochemical oxygen consumption device is usually provided with a water tank, and water needs to be replenished in time to maintain the continuous progress of the electrochemical reaction. In addition, as water is continuously generated on the cathode plate side, water condensation may occur in the low-oxygen chamber due to the accumulation of supersaturated moisture, which is not conducive to preservation.

[0008] Therefore, there is still a need for improvement of the above technical solutions in view of the many deficiencies in the prior art. SUMMARY

[0009] In order to overcome one of the above-mentioned shortcomings and / or other possible shortcomings of the prior art not mentioned herein, the purpose of the present application is to provide an improved storage container and an improved preservation device.

[0010] According to a first aspect of the present application, a storage container for a preservation device is provided, the storage container being arranged in the preservation device and being used for storing food materials, an oxygen removal device being arranged on a container wall of the storage container, the oxygen removal device comprising:

[0011] an end plate;

[0012] an anode diffusion layer;

[0013] a cathode diffusion layer;

[0014] an ion exchange membrane assembly clamped between the anode diffusion layer and the cathode diffusion layer by the end plate and configured to be suitable for transporting electric ions from the anode diffusion layer to the cathode diffusion layer;

[0015] an anode assembly arranged outside the anode diffusion layer and comprising an anode elastic plate and an anode current collector plate, the anode current collector plate being configured to be suitable for receiving and conducting electric current to achieve an electrochemical reaction at the anode; and

[0016] a cathode assembly arranged outside the cathode diffusion layer and comprising a cathode elastic plate and a cathode current collector plate, the cathode current collector plate being configured to be suitable for receiving and conducting electric current to achieve an electrochemical reaction at the cathode;

[0017] wherein the anode assembly and / or the cathode assembly are configured to be clamped to be airtightly attached to the ion exchange membrane assembly.

[0018] The basic idea of this embodiment of the first aspect of the present application is that by providing corresponding structural parts on the anode assembly and / or the cathode assembly, the anode assembly and / or the cathode assembly can reliably and airtightly abut against the ion exchange membrane assembly in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device, so as to avoid gas leakage along the radial direction due to assembly and structural deformation, etc. Thereby, the operating efficiency of the oxygen removal device can be improved, the energy consumption can be reduced, and thus the reliable operation of the fresh-keeping device can be ensured.

[0019] The advantageous configurations of the technical solution of the present application can be obtained from the following optional embodiments.

[0020] According to an optional embodiment of the storage container of the present application, a first protruding part is configured on the first end surface of the anode elastic plate facing the anode diffusion layer, and in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device, the first protruding part airtightly abuts against the ion exchange membrane assembly. Alternatively, a first recessed part is configured on the first end surface of the anode elastic plate facing the anode diffusion layer, and in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device, the edge of the first recessed part airtightly abuts against the ion exchange membrane assembly.

[0021] According to an optional embodiment of the storage container of the present application, a second protruding part is configured on the edge of the first end surface of the anode current collector plate facing the anode diffusion layer, and in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device, the second protruding part airtightly abuts against the ion exchange membrane assembly.

[0022] According to an optional embodiment of the storage container of the present application, a third protruding part is configured on the first end surface of the cathode elastic plate facing the cathode diffusion layer, and in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device, the third protruding part airtightly abuts against the ion exchange membrane assembly. Alternatively, a second recessed part is configured on the first end surface of the cathode elastic plate facing the cathode diffusion layer, and in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device, the edge of the second recessed part airtightly abuts against the ion exchange membrane assembly.

[0023] According to an optional embodiment of the storage container of the present application, a fourth protruding part is configured on the edge of the first end surface of the cathode current collector plate facing the cathode diffusion layer, and in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device, the fourth protruding part airtightly abuts against the ion exchange membrane assembly.

[0024] According to an optional embodiment of the storage container of the present application, the ion exchange membrane assembly comprises an ion exchange membrane, and the anode assembly and / or the cathode assembly directly abut against the ion exchange membrane.

[0025] According to an optional embodiment of the storage container of the present application, the ion exchange membrane assembly comprises an ion exchange membrane and a first insulation plate, the first insulation plate is arranged between the ion exchange membrane and the anode diffusion layer, and the anode assembly is attached to the first insulation plate.

[0026] According to an optional embodiment of the storage container of the present application, the first insulation plate has a first intermediate opening, the size of the first intermediate opening is smaller than the size of the outer contour of the anode diffusion layer, so that at least the edge of the anode diffusion layer is not in contact with the surface of the ion exchange membrane in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device.

[0027] According to an optional embodiment of the storage container of the present application, a protruding first support structure is configured on the first end surface of the anode elastic plate facing the anode diffusion layer and / or the second end surface of the anode elastic plate facing away from the anode diffusion layer, the first support structure prevents a gap between the anode elastic plate and the ion exchange membrane assembly in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device.

[0028] According to an optional embodiment of the storage container of the present application, a protruding second support structure is configured on the first end surface of the cathode elastic plate facing the cathode diffusion layer and / or the second end surface of the cathode elastic plate facing away from the cathode diffusion layer, the second support structure prevents a gap between the cathode elastic plate and the ion exchange membrane assembly in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device.

[0029] According to an optional embodiment of the storage container of the present application, the end plate, the anode elastic plate, the cathode elastic plate, the anode current collector plate and the cathode current collector plate have the same through grid structure, so that the second end surface of the cathode current collector plate facing away from the ion exchange membrane assembly is at least partially exposed to the inside of the storage container, the second end surface of the anode current collector plate facing away from the ion exchange membrane assembly is at least partially exposed to the outside of the storage container, and the first protrusion and / or the second protrusion and / or the third protrusion and / or the fourth protrusion are arranged along the grid edge.

[0030] According to an optional embodiment of the storage container of the present application, the anode current collector plate has an anode terminal post, and the cathode current collector plate has a cathode terminal post, wherein the first protrusion is configured with a first notch corresponding to the anode terminal post, and the third protrusion is configured with a second notch corresponding to the cathode terminal post.

[0031] According to the second aspect of the present application, an electrochemical oxygen reduction device is provided, comprising:

[0032] The oxygen reduction assembly comprises:

[0033] an anode plate;

[0034] a cathode plate arranged opposite to the anode plate;

[0035] a membrane assembly disposed between the anode plate and the cathode plate,

[0036] the membrane assembly comprises:

[0037] a first membrane;

[0038] an anode catalyst layer disposed between the first membrane and the anode plate; and

[0039] a cathode catalyst layer disposed between the first membrane and the cathode plate;

[0040] wherein the oxygen reduction assembly is configured to allow an electrochemical reaction consuming water and generating hydrogen ions at the anode catalyst layer and an electrochemical reaction consuming oxygen and generating water at the cathode catalyst layer to occur when a direct current is applied to the anode plate and the cathode plate,

[0041] wherein the electrochemical oxygen reduction device further comprises a second membrane configured to allow moisture to pass through the second membrane and be delivered to the anode catalyst layer but not allow oxygen to pass through the second membrane, wherein the second membrane is formed integrally with the first membrane.

[0042] By this embodiment of the second aspect of the present application, moisture within the internal storage space can be reduced, moisture can be provided to the anode catalyst layer, and a low oxygen atmosphere within the internal storage space can be maintained.

[0043] According to an optional embodiment of the electrochemical oxygen reduction device of the present application, the first membrane and the second membrane are made of any one of a perfluorosulfonic acid proton exchange membrane, a partially fluorinated polymeric proton exchange membrane, a non-fluorinated polymeric proton exchange membrane, and a composite proton exchange membrane.

[0044] According to a third aspect of the present application, there is provided an electrochemical oxygen consumption device comprising an ion exchange membrane separating a cathode side and an anode side of the electrochemical oxygen consumption device, an anode plate located at the anode side, and a cathode plate located at the cathode side, the anode plate, the ion exchange membrane, and the cathode plate being arranged to allow an electrochemical reaction to occur when a current is applied to the anode plate and the cathode plate, the electrochemical reaction causing oxygen to be consumed at the cathode side, water to be generated at a first side of the cathode side and the anode side, and water to be consumed at a second side of the cathode side and the anode side, wherein the electrochemical oxygen consumption device further comprises:

[0045] a water conducting structure allowing water to be transported from the first side to the second side of the ion exchange membrane bypassingly; and

[0046] a porous hydrophobic layer arranged on a surface of the respective cathode plate or anode plate at the first side facing away from the ion exchange membrane.

[0047] The basic idea of this embodiment of the third aspect of the application is that the gas is able to pass through the porous hydrophobic layer so that the progress of the reaction is not hindered. The water generated at the first side is able to be retained at the porous hydrophobic layer. In case the generated water is in gaseous state, the gaseous water is able to be retained within the porous hydrophobic layer. The porous hydrophobic layer also helps to retain the condensed water in liquid state in case the water at the first side tends to be saturated. Thus, the porous hydrophobic layer is able to help to establish a water concentration difference of the first side relative to the second side. Thereby, by means of the porous hydrophobic layer and the water conducting structure, the water generated at the first side is efficiently transported to the second side to participate in the oxygen consuming electrochemical reaction.

[0048] Thereby, the electrochemical reaction can be continuously carried out without the necessity of additionally supplying water to the second side. The electrochemical oxygen consuming device can be free of a water tank. In addition, the adverse effects caused by the accumulation of water at the first side, such as the adverse effects on the preservation of goods, can be prevented.

[0049] According to an optional embodiment of the electrochemical oxygen consuming device of the present application, the cathode side of the electrochemical oxygen consuming device faces the first space, the anode side of the electrochemical oxygen consuming device faces the second space, and the water conducting structure comprises a water permeable membrane allowing water to pass through but not allowing oxygen to pass through, the first space and the second space being at least partially separated by the water permeable membrane.

[0050] According to an optional embodiment of the electrochemical oxygen consuming device of the present application, the porous hydrophobic layer extends to and at least partially covers the water permeable membrane.

[0051] Further features of the present application will become apparent from the claims, the drawings and the following description of the drawings. The features mentioned in the above summary and the features mentioned in the description of the drawings below and / or shown in the drawings alone or in combination are not only to be used in the combinations specified in the respective claims, but also in other combinations, without departing from the scope of the present application. Thus, the following is also considered to be covered and disclosed by the present application: what is not explicitly shown in the drawings and not explicitly explained, but results from combinations of features taken from the explained features. What is also considered to be disclosed are the following and combinations of features: which do not have all the features of the originally written independent claim. Furthermore, what is considered to be disclosed in particular by the above is what goes beyond or deviates from the combination of features defined in the reference of the claim. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0052] Further optional details and features of the present application result from the following description of preferred embodiments which are shown in the drawings.

[0053] Figure 1 illustrates a schematic perspective view of a storage container for a preservation device, according to one embodiment;

[0054] Figure 2 illustrates a schematic view of an oxygen removal device, according to one embodiment;

[0055] Figure 3 illustrates an exploded view of the oxygen removal device in Figure 2;

[0056] Figure 4a illustrates a schematic view of a first end face of an anode elastic sheet, according to one embodiment;

[0057] Figure 4b illustrates an A-A cross-sectional view of the anode elastic sheet in Figure 4a;

[0058] Figure 4c illustrates a schematic view of a first end face of an anode elastic sheet, according to another embodiment;

[0059] Figure 4d illustrates a B-B cross-sectional view of the anode elastic sheet in Figure 4c;

[0060] Figure 4e illustrates a schematic view of a second end face of the anode elastic sheet in Figure 4a;

[0061] Figure 4f illustrates a C-C cross-sectional view of the anode elastic sheet in Figure 4e;

[0062] Figure 5a illustrates a schematic view of a first end face of a cathode elastic sheet, according to one embodiment;

[0063] Figure 5b illustrates a schematic view of a first end face of a cathode elastic sheet, according to another embodiment;

[0064] Figure 5c illustrates a schematic view of a second end face of the cathode elastic sheet, according to one embodiment;

[0065] Figure 6a illustrates a schematic view of an anode current collector, according to one embodiment;

[0066] Figure 6b illustrates a schematic view of a cathode current collector, according to one embodiment;

[0067] Figure 7 illustrates an exploded view of an oxygen removal device, according to another embodiment;

[0068] Figure 8 illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of a storage box, according to one embodiment of the present application;

[0069] Figure 9 illustrates a schematic perspective view of an electrochemical oxygen reduction device, according to one embodiment of the present application;

[0070] Figure 10 illustrates a schematic perspective view of an electrochemical oxygen reduction device, according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0071] Figure 11 schematically illustrates an electrochemical oxygen reduction device, according to one exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0072] Fig. 12 schematically illustrates an electrochemical oxygen consuming device according to an example embodiment of the present application;

[0073] Fig. 13 schematically illustrates a storage container according to an example embodiment of the present application; and

[0074] Fig. 14 schematically illustrates a storage container according to an example embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0075] In order to make the technical problems to be solved, technical solutions and beneficial technical effects of the present application clearer, further detailed description will be made to the present application in combination with the drawings and multiple example embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application, but not to limit the protection scope of the present application.

[0076] The features in the embodiments of the present application can be combined with each other in the case of no conflict. In different drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and other components are omitted for brevity, but this does not mean that the technical solutions of the present application cannot include other components. It should be understood that the size, proportional relationship and number of components in the drawings are not as a limitation on the present application.

[0077] In the following, various embodiments of the present application will be described in detail in combination with the drawings.

[0078] In the present application, the oxygen removing device, the electrochemical oxygen reducing device and the electrochemical oxygen consuming device can be understood synonymously. The storage box and the storage container can be understood synonymously as a fresh-keeping device / equipment, such as a refrigerator, a refrigerated warehouse, a refrigerated truck compartment or a refrigerated ship cabin, etc. And the storage container is understood in the present application as a storage space of the fresh-keeping device / equipment, such as a refrigerated compartment or a frozen compartment, etc.

[0079] Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a storage container 1 for a fresh-keeping device according to an embodiment. According to this embodiment, the fresh-keeping device (not shown) is a refrigerator, and the storage container 1 is arranged in the fresh-keeping device and serves as a refrigerated compartment or a frozen compartment of the fresh-keeping device for storing foodstuffs.

[0080] The storage container 1 comprises a container wall 11 and a storage compartment 12, which can be configured as a drawer compartment and can be pulled out or retracted relative to the container wall 11. As exemplarily shown in Fig. 1, an oxygen removing device 2 is arranged on the container wall 11, which is used to remove or at least reduce oxygen in the interior of the storage container 1.

[0081] Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of the oxygen removing device 2 according to an embodiment. Fig. 3 shows an exploded view of the oxygen removing device 2 in Fig. 2.

[0082] As shown in Fig. 2, the oxygen removal device 2 is rectangularly and flatly configured in the assembled state. Of course, the oxygen removal device 2 can also be configured in other shapes, for example, circular, elliptical or irregular. As shown in Fig. 3, the oxygen removal device 2 comprises two end plates 21, an anode diffusion layer 22, a cathode diffusion layer 23, an ion exchange membrane assembly 24, an anode assembly 25 and a cathode assembly 26. The anode diffusion layer 22 and the cathode diffusion layer 23, the anode assembly 25 and the cathode assembly 26, the two end plates 21 are symmetrically arranged with respect to the ion exchange membrane assembly 24, respectively.

[0083] The anode assembly 25 is arranged outside the anode diffusion layer 22 and comprises an anode elastic plate 27 and an anode current collector plate 28. The cathode assembly 26 is arranged outside the cathode diffusion layer 23 and comprises a cathode elastic plate 29 and a cathode current collector plate 30. The anode current collector plate 28 and the cathode current collector plate 30 are used to receive and conduct electric current to provide the electric current required for the electrochemical reactions of the oxygen removal device 2.

[0084] According to one embodiment, a catalyst layer can be coated on the anode diffusion layer 22 and the cathode diffusion layer 23, respectively. Alternatively, a catalyst layer can also be coated on both sides of the ion exchange membrane, thereby enabling the electrochemical reactions at the anode and the cathode.

[0085] According to this embodiment, the ion exchange membrane 32 is a cation exchange membrane coated with a catalyst layer. Therefore, the electrochemical reaction formula at the anode is: 2H2O→O2+4H + +4e - and the electrochemical reaction formula at the cathode is: O2+4H + +4e - →2H2O.

[0086] According to another embodiment, the ion exchange membrane can also be an anion exchange membrane coated with a catalyst layer. Therefore, the electrochemical reaction formula at the anode is: 4OH-→O2+2H2O+4e- and the electrochemical reaction formula at the cathode is: O2+2H2O+4e-→4OH-.

[0087] According to this embodiment, the anode elastic plate 27 and the cathode elastic plate 29 are composed of an elastomer.

[0088] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the two end plates 21 are composed of metal or plastic. The anode diffusion layer 22 is composed of titanium felt and the cathode diffusion layer 23 is composed of carbon paper. The anode diffusion layer 22, the cathode diffusion layer 23, the anode current collector plate 28 and the cathode current collector plate 30 have the same outer contour.

[0089] In this embodiment, the two end plates 21, the anode elastic plate 27, the cathode elastic plate 29, the anode current collector 28 and the cathode current collector 30 have the same through grid structure in the middle region, so that the second end face of the cathode current collector 30, which faces away from the ion exchange membrane assembly 24, is at least partially exposed to the interior of the storage container 1, and the end face of the anode current collector 28, which faces away from the ion exchange membrane assembly 24, is at least partially exposed to the exterior of the storage container 1.

[0090] The anode current collector 28 has an anode terminal 283 and the cathode current collector 30 has a cathode terminal 303. The anode terminal 283 and the cathode terminal 303 are connected to the positive and negative poles of an electric power source, not shown, respectively, so that electrochemical reactions at the anode and the cathode are achieved.

[0091] The two end plates 21, the anode elastic plate 27, the cathode elastic plate 29 and the ion exchange membrane assembly 24 (in the embodiment of Fig. 3 the ion exchange membrane 32 and the first insulation plate 31) have the same number of through holes 40 on their edges, which correspond to each other. In the embodiments of Figs. 2 and 3, there are eight through holes 40, and the two end plates 21, the anode elastic plate 27, the cathode elastic plate 29 and the ion exchange membrane assembly 24 are connected to and clamped to each other by means of bolts passing through the through holes 40 to assemble the oxygen removal device 2.

[0092] When the anode current collector 28, the anode diffusion layer 22 and the cathode current collector 30, the cathode diffusion layer 23 are clamped on both sides of the ion exchange membrane assembly 24, small deformations can occur, which can cause air gaps at the points of contact with the ion exchange membrane assembly 24, thereby causing leakage of the reaction gas. At the same time, due to the porous material properties of the gas diffusion layers, gas leakage problems can also occur on the anode diffusion layer 22 and the cathode diffusion layer 23. This not only reduces the oxygen removal effect of the oxygen removal device 2, but can also cause safety hazards.

[0093] For this purpose, the anode assembly 25 and / or the cathode assembly 26 are configured to be clamped to be air-tightly attached to the ion exchange membrane assembly 24.

[0094] According to one embodiment, the ion exchange membrane assembly 24 comprises an ion exchange membrane 32, to both sides of which the anode assembly 25 and / or the cathode assembly 26 are directly air-tightly attached.

[0095] According to another embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, a first insulating plate 31 is arranged between the anode diffusion layer 22 and the ion exchange membrane assembly 24, the first insulating plate 31 having a first intermediate opening 311. The size of the first intermediate opening 311 is smaller, in particular slightly smaller, than the size of the outer contour of the anode diffusion layer 22, so that in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device 2 at least the edges of the anode diffusion layer 22 do not come into contact with the surface of the ion exchange membrane 32. Since the anode diffusion layer 22 consists of titanium felt, burrs can occur at the edges of the anode diffusion layer 22 due to the material. If the burrs lie against and pierce the ion exchange membrane 32, a contact of the anode diffusion layer 22, for example titanium felt, with the cathode diffusion layer 23, for example carbon paper, can result, which would cause a short circuit and thus a failure of the oxygen removal device 2. By providing the first insulating plate 31 as shown in Figure 3, the edges of the titanium felt only lie against the first insulating plate 31 and do not come into contact with the ion exchange membrane 32, whereby the risk of a short circuit is advantageously avoided.

[0096] In the following, embodiments of the present application are further described with reference to Figures 4a to 6b and in connection with Figures 1 to 3.

[0097] Figure 4a shows a schematic view of a first end face 271 of the anode elastic plate 27 according to one embodiment, and Figure 4b shows an A-A cross-sectional view of the anode elastic plate 27 in Figure 4a.

[0098] In this embodiment, in order to avoid anode-side leakage, a first circumferential protrusion 272 is configured on the first end face 271 of the anode elastic plate 27 facing the anode diffusion layer 22. The first protrusion 272 is arranged around the grid structure and protrudes from the first end face 271 (see Figure 4b). Thereby, in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device 2, the first protrusion 272 lies airtight against the first insulator 31 (as shown in Figure 3) or, in the absence of the first insulator 31, against the ion exchange membrane 32.

[0099] According to one embodiment, the first protrusion 272 is elastically configured, so that, in the case of lying against the first insulator 31, the first protrusion 272 can be elastically deformed locally, so that an airtight lying of the first protrusion 272 against the first insulator 31 is reliably ensured. Since the force exerted on the first insulator 31 is also exerted on the ion exchange membrane 32, an airtight lying is also ensured. Alternatively, in the case of lying directly against the ion exchange membrane 32, the first protrusion 272 can be elastically deformed locally, so that an airtight lying of the first protrusion 272 against the ion exchange membrane 32 is reliably ensured.

[0100] Further, according to this embodiment, a first recess 276 is configured on the first protrusion 272, the shape of the first recess 276 corresponding to the shape of the anode terminal post 283. Thus, in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device 2, the anode terminal post 283 can be accommodated in the first recess 276 without being clamped between the first protrusion 272 and the ion exchange membrane assembly 24, whereby a gap between the first protrusion 272 and the ion exchange membrane assembly 24 due to the thickness of the anode terminal post 283 is also avoided.

[0101] Fig. 4c shows a schematic view of a first end face 271 of the anode elastic plate 27 according to a further embodiment, and Fig. 4d shows a B-B sectional view of the anode elastic plate 27 in Fig. 4c.

[0102] In this embodiment, in contrast to the first end face in Fig. 4a, a first recess 273 is configured on this first end face 271 of the anode elastic plate 27. As shown in Fig. 4d, the first recess 273 is recessed with respect to the first end face 271. A grid structure is configured in the first recess 273. Thereby, in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device 2, the edge of the first recess 273 is in airtight abutment on the ion exchange membrane 32 or on the first insulating plate 31. Thereby, the thickness of the anode elastic plate 27 can be further reduced while ensuring airtight abutment.

[0103] Fig. 4e shows a schematic view of a second end face 274 of the anode elastic plate 27 in Fig. 4a, and Fig. 4f shows a C-C sectional view of the anode elastic plate 27 in Fig. 4e.

[0104] As shown in Fig. 4e, a protruding first support structure 275 is configured on the second end face 274 of the anode elastic plate 27 facing away from the anode diffusion layer 22. This first support structure 275 is configured as a grid structure and is protruding with respect to the second end face 274 (see Fig. 4f). Thus, in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device 2, the first support structure 275 can be supported on one end plate 21, for example on the middle region of one end plate 21. Thus, by the first support structure 275 being clamped, an additional clamping force is exerted in the direction of the ion exchange membrane assembly 24, ensuring that the anode diffusion layer 22 and additionally the cathode diffusion layer 23 are in close contact with the ion exchange membrane 32.

[0105] According to a further embodiment, the first support structure 275 can also be configured on the first end face 271 of the anode elastic plate 27 facing the anode diffusion layer 22, whereby the additional clamping force as described before can also be achieved.

[0106] Fig. 5a shows a schematic view of a first end face 291 of the cathode elastic plate 29 according to one embodiment.

[0107] Similarly to Fig. 4a, in Fig. 5a, in order to avoid cathode-side leakage, a circumferential third protrusion 292 is configured on the first end face 291 of the cathode elastic plate 29 facing the cathode diffusion layer 23. The third protrusion 292 is arranged around the grid structure and protrudes from the first end face 291. Thus, in the assembled state of the deoxidizing device 2, the third protrusion 292 is in airtight abutment against the ion exchange membrane assembly 24 (see also Fig. 3). In this embodiment, the cathode elastic plate 29 and the anode elastic plate 27 are configured identically and mirror- image to each other.

[0108] According to one embodiment, the third protrusion 292 is also elastically configured, so that, in the case of abutment against the ion exchange membrane assembly 24, a local elastic deformation of the third protrusion 292 can occur, thereby reliably ensuring the airtight abutment of the third protrusion 292 against the ion exchange membrane 32.

[0109] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a second recess 294 is configured on the third protrusion 292, the shape of the second recess 294 corresponding to the shape of the cathode terminal post 303. Thus, in the assembled state of the deoxidizing device 2, the cathode terminal post 303 can be accommodated in the second recess 294 without being clamped between the third protrusion 292 and the ion exchange membrane 32, thereby also avoiding a gap between the third protrusion 292 and the ion exchange membrane 32 due to the thickness of the cathode terminal post 303.

[0110] Fig. 5b shows a schematic view of the first end face 291 of the cathode elastic plate 29 according to another embodiment. Similarly to Fig. 4c, in Fig. 5b, a second recess 293 is configured on the first end face 291 of the cathode elastic plate 29 facing the cathode diffusion layer 23. The second recess 293 is recessed with respect to the first end face 291. As shown in Fig. 5b, a grid structure is configured in the second recess 293. In the assembled state of the deoxidizing device 2, the edges of the second recess 293 are in airtight abutment against the ion exchange membrane 32.

[0111] Fig. 5c shows a schematic view of the second end face 295 of the cathode elastic plate 29 according to one embodiment. Correspondingly to Fig. 4e, a protruding second support structure 296 is configured on the second end face 295 of the cathode elastic plate 29 facing away from the cathode diffusion layer 23, the second support structure 296 also being configured as a grid structure and protruding with respect to the second end face 295. Thus, in the assembled state of the deoxidizing device 2, the second support structure 296 can be supported on the other end plate 21, for example on the middle region of the other end plate 21. Thus, by the second support structure 296 being clamped, an additional clamping force is exerted in the direction of the ion exchange membrane assembly 24, ensuring that the cathode diffusion layer 23 and, additionally, the anode diffusion layer 22 are in close contact with the ion exchange membrane 32.

[0112] Furthermore, similar to the first support structure 275 of Fig. 4c, by means of this second support structure 296, a deformation of the further end plate 21 can be reduced or even prevented in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device 2. Furthermore, this second support structure 296 also constitutes a reinforcing structure similar to a reinforcing rib.

[0113] Alternatively or additionally, a second protruding support structure 296 can also be configured on the first end face 291 of the cathode elastic plate 29 facing the cathode diffusion layer 23. Thereby, an additional clamping force as described above can also be achieved.

[0114] Fig. 6a shows a schematic view of an anode current collector plate 28 according to an embodiment.

[0115] As a supplement or alternative to the embodiments of Figs. 4a to 4f, in Fig. 6a, a second protruding portion 282 can be configured on the edge of the first end face 281 of the anode current collector plate 28 facing the anode diffusion layer 22. The second protruding portion 282 is configured around the grid structure of the anode current collector plate 28 and is elastically configured. In the assembled state of the oxygen removal device 2, the second protruding portion 282 can also be gas-tightly applied against the ion exchange membrane assembly 24 (directly against the ion exchange membrane 32 or the first insulating plate 31), so that an anode reaction gas leakage can also be avoided alternatively or additionally.

[0116] Fig. 6b shows a schematic view of a cathode current collector plate 30 according to an embodiment. Similar to Fig. 6a, in Fig. 6b, a fourth protruding portion 302 can also be configured on the edge of the first end face 301 of the cathode current collector plate 30 facing the cathode diffusion layer 23. The fourth protruding portion 302 is configured around the grid structure of the cathode current collector plate 30 and is elastically configured. In the assembled state of the oxygen removal device 2, the fourth protruding portion 302 is gas-tightly applied against the ion exchange membrane 32, so that a cathode reaction gas leakage can also be avoided alternatively or additionally.

[0117] Fig. 7 shows an exploded view of an oxygen removal device 2 according to a further embodiment.

[0118] Unlike the aforementioned embodiments of the oxygen removal device 2, in particular unlike the embodiment of Fig. 3, as shown in Fig. 7, the ion exchange membrane assembly 24 also comprises a second insulating plate 33, which is configured identically to the first insulating plate 31. The ion exchange membrane 32 is arranged between the first insulating plate 31 and the second insulating plate 33, and the cathode assembly 26 is applied against the second insulating plate 33, wherein the second insulating plate 33 has a second intermediate opening 331.

[0119] In this embodiment, the size of the second intermediate opening 331 is smaller, in particular slightly smaller, than the size of the outer contour of the cathode diffusion layer 23, so that at least the edge of the cathode diffusion layer 23 does not come into contact with the surface of the ion exchange membrane 32 in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device 2. Thereby, it is also ensured that the edge material of the cathode diffusion layer 23 does not pierce the ion exchange membrane 32 and come into contact with the anode diffusion layer 22 to cause a short circuit.

[0120] In the case that the cathode diffusion layer 23 is configured as a carbon paper, for example, the probability of the edge of the cathode diffusion layer 23 piercing the ion exchange membrane 32 is very low due to the material of the cathode diffusion layer 23, so that the size of the second intermediate opening 331 can also be configured independently of the edge size of the cathode diffusion layer 23.

[0121] In this embodiment, the same number of through-holes 40 are provided on the edges of the two end plates 21, the anode elastic plate 27, the cathode elastic plate 29, the first insulating plate 31 and the second insulating plate 33, corresponding to each other, and the two end plates 21, the anode elastic plate 27, the cathode elastic plate 29, the first insulating plate 31 and the second insulating plate 33 are connected and clamped relative to each other by means of bolts passing through the through-holes 40 (see Fig. 2) to be assembled into the oxygen removal device 2, wherein the ion exchange membrane 32 is clamped between the first insulating plate 31 and the second insulating plate 33.

[0122] According to another embodiment, the first insulating plate 31 and the second insulating plate 33 are integrally configured with the ion exchange membrane 32. That is, the ion exchange membrane assembly 24 is configured as a preform with a sandwich structure. Therefore, the size of the ion exchange membrane 32 is larger, in particular slightly larger, than the size of the first intermediate opening 311 of the first insulating plate 31 and the size of the second intermediate opening 331 of the second insulating plate 33 and is significantly smaller than the outer contour size of the two insulating plates or the outer contour size of the oxygen removal device 2. This not only saves the material cost and manufacturing cost of the ion exchange membrane 32, but also further reduces the assembly cost and improves the system integration.

[0123] In the assembled state of the oxygen removal device 2, the difference between the embodiment in Fig. 7 and the embodiment in Fig. 3 is that the cathode assembly 26 is in airtight contact with the second insulating plate 33 rather than directly with the ion exchange membrane 32.

[0124] The various embodiments of the anode diffusion layer 22, the cathode diffusion layer 23, the anode current collector 28, the cathode current collector 30, the anode elastic plate 27 and the cathode elastic plate 29 in Fig. 7 can be understood with reference to the embodiments in Figs. 4a to 6b and will not be described here again.

[0125] The storage tank and the electrochemical oxygen reduction device thereof according to another embodiment of the present application will be described below with reference to Figs. 8 to 10.

[0126] As shown in FIG. 8, the storage box 200' provided by the present application includes a housing 210' and an electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' (as shown by the dashed line). The housing 210' defines an internal storage space, for example, for storing fresh food such as fruits, vegetables and fresh meat. The housing 210' is provided with an opening (not labeled), and the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' can be arranged in the opening and sealed around the opening. For example, in FIG. 8, the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' is formed as an integrated structure (which will be described in further detail below), so that only one opening can be provided on the housing 210', thereby simplifying the installation and subsequent maintenance of the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' on the storage box 200', and facilitating the manufacture of the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' and the storage box 200'.

[0127] In addition, the housing 210' can further include a door (not shown), which can be configured to be opened to allow items to be placed into the internal storage space, and closed to prevent oxygen from entering the internal storage space. When the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' is in operation, oxygen in the internal storage space can be consumed and water can be generated. Therefore, the housing 210' can define a storage environment with a low oxygen atmosphere. For example, in the case where the storage box 200' is a refrigerator, the housing 210' can be a wall of a refrigeration drawer or a wall of a refrigeration compartment in the refrigerator. The storage box 200' of the present application is not limited to the above-mentioned refrigerator, and can also be a refrigerated warehouse, a refrigerated truck compartment or a refrigerated ship cabin, etc.

[0128] As shown in FIGS. 8-10, the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' includes an oxygen reduction assembly 10'. The oxygen reduction assembly 10' includes an anode plate 61', a cathode plate 62' arranged opposite to the anode plate 61', and a membrane assembly (not labeled) disposed between the anode plate 61' and the cathode plate 62'. The membrane assembly includes a first membrane 32', an anode catalyst layer 63' disposed between the first membrane 32' and the anode plate 61', and a cathode catalyst layer 64' disposed between the first membrane 32' and the cathode plate 62'. In this way, the anode plate 61', the anode catalyst layer 63', the first membrane 32', the cathode catalyst layer 64', and the cathode plate 62' form a stacked structure of the oxygen reduction assembly 10' in this order. The electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' can also include a direct current power source 18' having a positive plate connected to the anode plate 61' and a negative plate connected to the cathode plate 62', such that the oxygen reduction assembly 10' is configured as an electrochemical cell capable of undergoing an electrolysis reaction of water. Thus, in the presence of a direct current applied to the anode plate 61' and the cathode plate 62', an electrochemical reaction occurs at the anode catalyst layer 63' that consumes water and generates hydrogen ions, and an electrochemical reaction occurs at the cathode catalyst layer 64' that consumes oxygen and generates water. When the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' is disposed within the opening of the housing 210', the cathode plate 62' of the oxygen reduction assembly 10' faces the interior storage space of the housing 210'. As a result, as the electrochemical reactions proceed, a low-oxygen environment is formed within the interior storage space, which is conducive to the storage of, for example, fresh produce.

[0129] As the electrochemical reactions continue, water is continuously consumed on the side of the anode plate 61' of the oxygen reduction assembly 10', and if not replenished, the electrolysis reaction of water cannot continue. Meanwhile, on the side of the cathode plate 62', water is generated in addition to oxygen being consumed, and if the water accumulates too much, it can condense and damage items within the interior storage space. Therefore, the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' of the present application also includes a second membrane 20' configured to allow water to pass therethrough (as indicated by arrows 41', 42' in FIG. 8) and be delivered to the anode catalyst layer 63', but not allow oxygen to pass therethrough, thus reducing the amount of water within the interior storage space, providing water to the anode catalyst layer 63', and maintaining a low-oxygen atmosphere within the interior storage space. The second membrane 20' can be formed integrally with the first membrane 32', and thus the second membrane 20' can be disposed within the same opening of the housing 210' as the oxygen reduction assembly 10'. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the first membrane 32' and the second membrane 20' are schematically distinguished from each other by dashed lines, but in reality are formed integrally. Therefore, not only can the structure of the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' be simplified, but also the structure of the storage box 200' can be simplified, thereby facilitating the manufacture, installation, and maintenance of the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' and the storage box 200'.

[0130] Specifically, the second membrane 20' has a first side and a second side opposite to each other, which correspond to the anode plate 61' and the cathode plate 62', respectively. That is, when the oxygen reduction assembly 10' and the second membrane 20' are arranged in the opening of the housing 210', the first side of the second membrane 20' faces the outside of the housing 210' in a manner corresponding to the anode plate 61', while the second side of the second membrane 20' faces the inside of the housing 210', i.e. the internal storage space, in a manner corresponding to the cathode plate 62'. Therefore, when the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' is in operation, the moisture generated in the internal storage space can be transported to the outside of the housing 210' without destroying the low-oxygen environment in the internal storage space. Further, the moisture passing through the second membrane 20' from the second side to the first side can be transported to the anode catalyst layer 63'. Therefore, the moisture transported from the internal storage space to the outside of the housing 210' can be used to continue to maintain the electrolytic water reaction on the side of the anode plate 61', without the need to provide a dedicated water source for the electrochemical reaction on the side of the anode plate 61'. Therefore, the electrochemical oxygen reduction device of the present application can realize the functions of oxygen reduction and moisture transport while having a simple structure.

[0131] By way of example, the first membrane 32' and the second membrane 20' can be made of any one of a perfluorosulfonic acid proton exchange membrane, a partially fluorinated polymeric proton exchange membrane, a non-fluorinated polymeric proton exchange membrane and a composite proton exchange membrane, but the present application is not limited thereto, but any known or later developed membrane capable of realizing water permeability but not oxygen permeability can be used. Since the first membrane 32' and the second membrane 20' can be made into an integral member of the same material, the production process can be simplified. For example, the anode catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer can be coated on both sides of a portion of a piece of membrane, so that the portion is formed into the first membrane 32', while the remaining portion is formed into the second membrane 20'. It should be noted that the anode plate 61', the cathode plate 62', the anode catalyst layer 63' and the cathode catalyst layer 64' of the oxygen reduction assembly 10' can be made of materials commonly used in the art, for example, the anode plate 61' and the cathode plate 62' can be made of conductive graphite, metal or composite conductive material, the anode catalyst layer 63' is made of platinum, iridium, ruthenium, etc., and the cathode catalyst layer 64' is made of platinum, palladium, etc., and therefore the present application will not be further described in detail.

[0132] It should be noted that in FIGS. 8 to 10, the membrane assembly is shown as including the first membrane 32', the anode catalyst layer 63' and the cathode catalyst layer 64', but the present application is not limited thereto, and the membrane assembly can also include an anode gas diffusion layer and a cathode gas diffusion layer. The anode catalyst layer 63' can be formed integrally with the anode gas diffusion layer, and the cathode catalyst layer 64' can be formed integrally with the cathode gas diffusion layer.

[0133] As shown in FIGS. 8-10, the first film 32' and the second film 20' can be located in the same plane, and the second film 20' extends from at least one side of the first film 32'. For example, in FIG. 9, the second film 20' extends from one side of the four sides of the first film 32', and in FIG. 10, the second film 20' extends from three sides of the four sides of the first film. However, the present application is not limited thereto, and the first film 32' and the second film 20' can also not be located in the same plane. For example, the first film 32' can be located in a horizontal plane, and the second film 20' can be located in a vertical plane. That is, the second film 20' can be bent relative to the first film 32'. In addition, the second film 20' can also completely surround the first film 32'. According to the design of the opening on the housing 210' of the storage box 200', the specific shape of the first film 32' and the second film 20' can be appropriately adjusted. For example, the first film 32' and the second film 20' can be square, rectangular, circular, elliptical, etc.

[0134] As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' can further include a first end plate 51' and a second end plate 52' opposite to each other, and the oxygen reduction assembly 10' and the second film 20' are clamped between the first end plate 51' and the second end plate 52'. In this way, the oxygen reduction assembly 10' and the second film 20' can be formed as a whole, the rigidity of the whole is improved, and the second film 20' can be prevented from being damaged. In order to provide further enhanced clamping for the oxygen reduction assembly 10', a first clamping plate 53' can be provided on the first end plate 51' at a position corresponding to the oxygen reduction assembly 10', and a second clamping plate 54' can be provided on the second end plate 52', as shown in FIG. 9. It should be understood that, in the case that the first end plate 51' and the second end plate 52' can provide sufficient clamping, the clamping plates can not be provided, as shown in FIG. 10. In addition, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a plurality of through holes can be provided at the edges of the first end plate 51', the second end plate 52', the first clamping plate 53', and the second clamping plate 54', and clamping and fixing can be achieved by bolts passing through the through holes.

[0135] In addition, in order to clamp the oxygen reduction assembly 10' and the second film 20', the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' can further include an elastic pad 55' clamped between the first end plate 51' and the second end plate 52' and in contact with the first end plate 51' or the second end plate 52'. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the elastic pad 55' is in contact with the first end plate 51', i.e., the elastic pad 55' is clamped between the first end plate 51' and the second film 20', but the elastic pad 55' can also be in contact with the second end plate 52', i.e., the elastic pad 55' is clamped between the second film 20' and the second end plate 52'. By providing the elastic pad 55', the oxygen reduction assembly 10' and the second film 20' are stably clamped, and local damage to the oxygen reduction assembly 10' and the second film 20' can be avoided. It should be pointed out that only one elastic pad is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, but the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' of the present application can also include two or more elastic pads.

[0136] In order to facilitate the electrochemical reaction, the first end plate 51', the second end plate 52', and the elastic pad 55' are formed in a corresponding mesh shape, i.e., the meshes of the three correspond to each other, thereby forming gas channels. For example, water vapor enters the oxygen reduction assembly 10' to participate in the water electrolysis reaction through the first end plate 51', and the generated water vapor is transported to the outside through the second end plate 52' and the second film 20'. It should be noted that the first end plate 51', the second end plate 52', and the elastic pad 55' can have finer meshes at positions corresponding to the oxygen reduction assembly 10' than at other positions, so as to provide more uniform clamping on the entire area of the oxygen reduction assembly 10'.

[0137] After the water (e.g., in the form of water vapor) generated in the internal storage space is transported to the outside, it can be transported to the anode catalyst layer 63' of the oxygen reduction assembly 10' to participate in the water electrolysis reaction through air flow. However, the reaction demand can not be met through natural air flow, and therefore the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' can further include a fan (not shown) arranged to flow air through the anode plate 61' towards the anode catalyst layer 63'. For example, the fan can be installed at the first end plate 51' and blow air towards the first end plate 51', so that the moisture passing through the second film 20' is sucked to the anode catalyst layer 63', thereby accelerating the water electrolysis reaction. As another example, the fan can also be installed at the second end plate 52' and blow air away from the second end plate 52', which can also achieve the above-mentioned effect. As yet another example, the fan can also be installed on either side of the second film 20', so that the water vapor generated in the internal storage space can be quickly discharged and participate in the water electrolysis reaction of the oxygen reduction assembly 10'. It should be pointed out that the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' can include more than one fan.

[0138] To facilitate accurate control of the humidity of the storage box 200', the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' can further comprise a humidity sensor 211'. The humidity sensor 211' can generate an output signal indicative of the humidity within the internal storage space of the housing 210' and / or the humidity outside the housing 210'. When the humidity within the internal storage space is greater than a maximum threshold, the fan can be activated to timely discharge the moisture within the internal storage space to avoid the occurrence of water condensation. Alternatively, when the humidity outside the housing 210' is less than a minimum threshold, the fan can also be activated to maintain the electrolytic water reaction of the oxygen reduction assembly 10' by discharging water vapor from the internal storage space. Therefore, the fan can be configured to operate according to the output signal of the humidity sensor 211'.

[0139] To ensure a low-oxygen atmosphere, the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' can further comprise an oxygen sensor 212', for example, the oxygen sensor 212' can be disposed on one side of the second end plate 52', thus can generate an output signal indicative of the oxygen content within the internal storage space. When the oxygen content is monitored to be greater than a threshold, the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' can start to operate, i.e., power supply to the anode plate 61' and the cathode plate 62' to start the electrolytic water reaction to consume the oxygen within the internal storage space. Therefore, the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' can be configured to power the anode plate 61' and the cathode plate 62' according to the output signal of the oxygen sensor 212'.

[0140] In addition, the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2' can further comprise a controller 220' configured to receive and process the output signals from the humidity sensor 211' and the oxygen sensor 212', and control the operation of the fan and the power supply of the oxygen reduction assembly 10' by the direct current power supply 18' based on the output signals, thereby providing accurate and effective control for the operation of the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2'.

[0141] As can be seen from the above description, the present application realizes an electrochemical oxygen reduction device and a storage box with a simplified structure, which not only can maintain the function of electrochemical reaction to achieve oxygen reduction and water reduction, but also is convenient to manufacture, install and maintain.

[0142] Next, the electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2" and the storage container 200" according to another embodiment of the present application will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 to 14.

[0143] FIG. 11 schematically shows an electrochemical oxygen reduction device 2" according to an example embodiment of the present application.

[0144] As shown in FIG. 11, the electrochemical oxygen depletion device 2" includes an ion exchange membrane 32" separating a cathode side and an anode side of the electrochemical oxygen depletion device 2", an anode plate 61" on the anode side, and a cathode plate 62" on the cathode side. The anode plate 61", the ion exchange membrane 32", and the cathode plate 62" are configured to allow an electrochemical reaction to occur when an electric current is applied to the anode plate 61" and the cathode plate 62", the electrochemical reaction causing oxygen to be depleted on the cathode side, water to be generated on a first side 101" of the cathode side and the anode side, and water to be depleted on a second side 102" of the cathode side and the anode side.

[0145] The electrochemical reaction is, for example, an electrolysis of water reaction. In this embodiment, a direct current can be applied to the anode plate 61" and the cathode plate 62" such that an electrochemical reaction that depletes water and generates hydrogen ions occurs on the anode side, and an electrochemical reaction that depletes oxygen and generates water occurs on the cathode side.

[0146] The electrochemical reactions that occur on the anode side and the cathode side are, respectively: Anode: 2H2O→4H + +O2+4e - Cathode: O2+4H + +4e - →2H2O

[0147] As shown in the above electrochemical reactions, water is reacted on the anode side to generate hydrogen ions (i.e., protons), oxygen, and electrons. The hydrogen ions pass through the ion exchange membrane 32" (here, a proton exchange membrane) to the cathode side, and the electrons pass through an external circuit to the cathode side, where they react together with the oxygen to generate water. Thus, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the cathode side is the first side 101" on which water is generated, and the anode side is the second side 102" on which water is depleted.

[0148] The electrochemical oxygen depletion device 2" also includes a water directing structure 14" and a porous hydrophobic layer 15". The water directing structure 14" is configured to allow water to be transported from the first side 101" to the second side 102" relative to the ion exchange membrane 32" in a bypass manner. "Bypass" means that water can be transported from the first side 101" to the second side 102" via the water directing structure 14" without passing through the ion exchange membrane 32". The porous hydrophobic layer 15" is disposed on a surface of the respective cathode plate 62" or anode plate 61" at the first side 101" that faces away from the ion exchange membrane 32". As shown in FIG. 11, the porous hydrophobic layer 15" is disposed on a surface of the cathode plate 62" that faces away from the ion exchange membrane 32". The porous hydrophobic layer 15" can at least partially, e.g., completely, cover the cathode plate 62".

[0149] Gas can pass through the porous hydrophobic layer 15" so as not to hinder the reaction. For example, oxygen can pass through the porous hydrophobic layer 15" so as to react at the cathode side. Water generated at the cathode side can be left at the porous hydrophobic layer 15" on the cathode plate 62". In the case that the generated water is in a gaseous state, the gaseous water can be left in the porous hydrophobic layer 15". The porous hydrophobic layer 15" also helps to retain condensed water in a liquid state in the case that the water at the first side 101" tends to be saturated. Thus, the porous hydrophobic layer 15" can help to establish a water concentration difference between the first side 101" and the second side 102". As a result, water generated at the first side 101" can be efficiently transported to the second side 102" via the porous hydrophobic layer 15" and the water conducting structure 14" to participate in the electrochemical reaction consuming oxygen.

[0150] As a result, the electrochemical reaction can be continuously carried out without the need to additionally supply water to the second side 102". The electrochemical oxygen consuming device 2" can dispense with a water tank. In addition, adverse effects caused by water accumulation at the first side 101" can also be prevented, such as adverse effects on the preservation of goods.

[0151] The water conducting structure 14" may, for example, comprise a channel 140" which communicates from the first side 101" to the second side 102". As an example, the channel 140" can be submerged by water so that water can be transported from the first side 101" to the second side 102" via the channel 140", while oxygen cannot be transported from the second side 102" to the first side 101" via the channel 140". In further embodiments, the water conducting structure 14" can also have other implementations for preventing the passage of oxygen.

[0152] The porous hydrophobic layer 15" may, for example, be configured as an e-PTFE (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene) layer. It is also possible for the porous hydrophobic layer 15" to be made of other hydrophobic materials.

[0153] According to exemplary embodiments of the present application, the average pore size of the porous hydrophobic layer 15" can be between 0.05 μm and 0.2 μm. In particular, the porous hydrophobic layer 15" can have an average pore size of 0.1 μm. This helps to improve the efficiency of the consumption of oxygen by the electrochemical reaction.

[0154] As shown in FIG. 11, the cathode plate 62" is arranged opposite to the anode plate 61", and the ion exchange membrane 32" is arranged between the cathode plate 62" and the anode plate 61". In addition, the electrochemical oxygen-consuming device 2" can further include an anode catalyst layer 63" between the anode plate 61" and the ion exchange membrane 32" and a cathode catalyst layer 64" between the cathode plate 62" and the ion exchange membrane 32". The anode plate 61", the cathode plate 62", the anode catalyst layer 63", and the cathode catalyst layer 64" are stacked with each other. The anode plate 61", the cathode plate 62", the anode catalyst layer 63", and the cathode catalyst layer 64" can be made of materials commonly used in the art. For example, the anode plate 61" and the cathode plate 62" can be made of electrically conductive graphite, metal, or composite electrically conductive material, the anode catalyst layer can be made of platinum, iridium, ruthenium, or the like, and the cathode catalyst layer can be made of platinum, palladium, or the like.

[0155] In addition, although not shown here, the electrochemical oxygen-consuming device 2" can further include an anode diffusion layer and a cathode diffusion layer. The anode catalyst layer 63", for example, can be integrated with the anode diffusion layer, and the cathode catalyst layer 64", for example, can be integrated with the cathode diffusion layer.

[0156] The electrochemical oxygen-consuming device can further include a power source 18". The positive pole of the power source 18" is connected to the anode plate 61", and the negative pole of the power source 18" is connected to the cathode plate 62".

[0157] FIG. 12 schematically shows an electrochemical oxygen-consuming device 2" according to one example embodiment of the present application.

[0158] In this embodiment, the electrochemical oxygen-consuming device 2" has a structure similar to that of the electrochemical oxygen-consuming device 2" shown in FIG. 11. The electrochemical oxygen-consuming device 2" includes the ion exchange membrane 32", the anode plate 61", the cathode plate 62", the water guide structure 14", and the porous hydrophobic layer 15". In the case where the anode plate 61" and the cathode plate 62" are supplied with electric current, an electrochemical reaction can occur. The electrochemical reaction causes oxygen to be consumed on the cathode side, water to be generated on the first side 101" of the cathode side and the anode side, and water to be consumed on the second side 102" of the cathode side and the anode side.

[0159] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 12, the following electrochemical reactions can occur on the anode side and the cathode side: Anode: 4OH - → O2+ 2H2O + 4e - Cathode: O2+ 2H2O + 4e - → 4OH -

[0160] As shown in the above electrochemical reaction formulas, oxygen, water, and electrons react to generate OH - on the cathode side. OH -The oxygen, water and electrons generated by the oxidation on the anode side can pass through the ion exchange membrane 32" (in this case, a cation exchange membrane) into the cathode side. The electrons can pass through an external circuit to the cathode side. Thus, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 12, the anode side is the first side 101" where water is generated, and the cathode side is the second side 102" where water is consumed.

[0161] In this case, the porous hydrophobic layer 15" can be arranged on the surface of the anode plate 61" facing away from the ion exchange membrane 32". The water generated on the anode side can be retained at the porous hydrophobic layer 15" on the anode plate 61". Through the porous hydrophobic layer 15" and the water guide structure 14", the generated water can be efficiently transported from the first side 101" (in this case, the anode side) to the second side 102" (in this case, the cathode side) to recycle the water to participate in the electrochemical reaction consuming oxygen.

[0162] Fig. 13 schematically shows a storage container 200" according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0163] As shown in Fig. 13, the storage container 200" comprises a housing 210" and an electrochemical oxygen consuming device 2". The housing 210" defines an internal storage space 34", for example for storing fresh food such as fruits, vegetables and fresh meat. The storage container 200" can be a refrigerator, for example. The housing 210" can be a wall of a refrigerating drawer or a wall of a refrigerating compartment in a refrigerator. The electrochemical oxygen consuming device 2" can be configured as an electrochemical oxygen consuming device 2" according to the embodiments of the present application. The electrochemical oxygen consuming device 2" is arranged so as to be adapted to consume oxygen within the internal storage space 34".

[0164] For example, the housing 210" can be provided with an opening (not designated) in which the electrochemical oxygen consuming device 2" can be arranged and sealed around. For example, the electrochemical oxygen consuming device 2" can be formed as an integral structure, in particular, so that only one opening can be provided in the housing 210", thereby simplifying the installation and subsequent maintenance of the electrochemical oxygen consuming device 2" on the storage container 200" and facilitating the manufacture of the electrochemical oxygen consuming device 2" and the storage container 200".

[0165] In addition, the housing 210" can further comprise a door (not shown) which can be configured to be openable to allow items to be put into the internal storage space 34" and closable to prevent oxygen from entering the internal storage space 34". When the electrochemical oxygen consuming device 2" is in operation, oxygen within the internal storage space 34" can be consumed. Thus, the housing 210" can define a storage environment with a low oxygen atmosphere.

[0166] The storage container 200" of the present application is not limited to the above-mentioned refrigerator, but can also be a refrigerated warehouse, a refrigerated truck compartment or a storage container without cooling function, etc.

[0167] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 13, when a direct current is applied to the anode plate 61" and the cathode plate 62" of the electrochemical oxygen-consuming device 2", an electrochemical reaction that consumes water and generates hydrogen ions can occur on the anode side, and an electrochemical reaction that consumes oxygen and generates water can occur on the cathode side. The cathode side of the electrochemical oxygen-consuming device 2" faces the first space 103", and the anode side of the electrochemical oxygen-consuming device 2" faces the second space 104". Here, the first space 103" can be a part of the internal storage space 34" of the storage container 200", or the first space 103" can be in communication with the internal storage space 34" of the storage container 200". The second space 104" can be isolated from the first space 103" and the internal storage space 34" of the storage container 200". The second space 104" can be in communication with the external environment of the storage container 200", for example.

[0168] The water guide structure 14" can include a water-permeable membrane 20" that allows moisture to pass through but does not allow oxygen to pass through, and the first space 103" and the second space 104" are at least partially separated by the water-permeable membrane 20". In this way, it is possible to reduce the moisture in the internal storage space 34", to supply moisture to the anode side, and to maintain a low-oxygen atmosphere in the internal storage space 34".

[0169] In one example embodiment, the water-permeable membrane 20" can be formed as one piece with the ion exchange membrane 32". In FIG. 13, the ion exchange membrane 32" and the water-permeable membrane 20" are schematically separated by a dashed line, but are actually formed as one piece. In this way, not only can the structure of the electrochemical oxygen-consuming device 2" be simplified, but the structure of the storage container 200" can also be simplified, thereby facilitating the manufacture, installation, and maintenance of the electrochemical oxygen-consuming device 2" and the storage container 200".

[0170] The ion exchange membrane 32" and the water-permeable membrane 20" can be located in the same plane, and the water-permeable membrane 20" extends from at least one side of the ion exchange membrane 32". In FIG. 13, the water-permeable membrane 20" extends from one side of the four sides of the ion exchange membrane 32". As an example, the water-permeable membrane 20" can also extend from three of the four sides of the ion exchange membrane 32". However, the present application is not limited thereto, and the ion exchange membrane 32" and the water-permeable membrane 20" can also not be located in the same plane. For example, the ion exchange membrane 32" can be located in a horizontal plane, and the water-permeable membrane 20" can be located in a vertical plane. That is, the water-permeable membrane 20" can be bent with respect to the ion exchange membrane 32". In addition, the water-permeable membrane 20" can also completely surround the ion exchange membrane 32". Depending on the design of the opening on the housing 210" of the storage container 200", the specific shape of the ion exchange membrane 32" and the water-permeable membrane 20" can be appropriately adjusted. For example, the ion exchange membrane 32" and the water-permeable membrane 20" can be square, rectangular, circular, elliptical, or the like.

[0171] As an example, the water permeable membrane 20" and / or the ion exchange membrane 32" is formed as one of a perfluorosulfonic acid proton exchange membrane, a partially fluorinated polymeric proton exchange membrane, a non-fluorinated polymeric proton exchange membrane, and a composite proton exchange membrane. However, the present application is not limited thereto, but various membranes capable of realizing water permeability but not oxygen permeability can be employed. Since the ion exchange membrane 32" and the water permeable membrane 20" can be formed as an integral member from the same material, the production process can be simplified. For example, an anode catalyst layer and a cathode catalyst layer can be applied to both sides of a portion of a sheet of a membrane, so that the portion is formed as the ion exchange membrane 32", while the remaining portion is formed as the water permeable membrane 20".

[0172] FIG. 13 also shows that the porous hydrophobic layer 15" is arranged on the cathode plate 62" so as to improve the efficiency of circulation of water generated on the cathode side to the anode side. As can be seen, the porous hydrophobic layer 15" can extend toward the water permeable membrane 20" and at least partially cover the water permeable membrane 20". Water generated on the cathode side can diffuse from the cathode plate 62" toward the water permeable membrane 20" via the porous hydrophobic layer 15". Thus, the porous hydrophobic layer 15" can be utilized to direct water generated on the cathode side to the water permeable membrane 20". This helps to establish a difference in water concentration across the water permeable membrane 20", thereby further improving the efficiency of circulation of water generated on the cathode side to the anode side. The porous hydrophobic layer 15" may, for example, completely cover the cathode plate 62" and the water permeable membrane 20" on a side facing the first space 103".

[0173] FIG. 14 schematically shows a storage container 200" according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0174] The storage container 200" shown in FIG. 14 has a similar configuration as the storage container 200" shown in FIG. 13. Unlike the embodiment shown in FIG. 13, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 14, the water guiding structure 14" of the electrochemical oxygen consuming device 2" can include a first water absorbing layer 142". The first water absorbing layer 142" is in contact with the porous hydrophobic layer 15" and extends toward the water permeable membrane 20" and at least partially covers the water permeable membrane 20". The first water absorbing layer 142" may, for example, partially cover the porous hydrophobic layer 15". Thus, the first water absorbing layer 142" can be utilized to direct water generated on the cathode side to the water permeable membrane 20". This also helps to establish a difference in water concentration across the water permeable membrane 20", thereby further improving the efficiency of circulation of water generated on the first side 101" to the second side 102".

[0175] Alternatively or additionally, the water guiding structure 14” can comprise a second water absorbing layer 143”. The second water absorbing layer 143” can at least partially cover the corresponding cathode plate 62” or anode plate 61” (in this embodiment, the cathode plate 62”) at the second side 102” and extend to and at least partially cover the water permeable membrane 20”. Thereby, the second water absorbing layer 143” can be utilized to guide the water permeating through the water permeable membrane 20” to the corresponding cathode plate 62” or anode plate 61” (in this embodiment, the anode plate 61”) at the second side 102”. This is advantageous to improve the efficiency of the water generated at the first side 101” to circulate to the second side 102”.

[0176] The second water absorbing layer 143” may, for example, completely cover the corresponding cathode plate 62” or anode plate 61” at the second side 102”, so that the distribution of water at the second side 102” is more uniform.

[0177] As shown in FIG. 14, in the case where the electrochemical oxygen consuming device 2” is provided with the first water absorbing layer 142” and the second water absorbing layer 143”, the portions of the first water absorbing layer 142” and the second water absorbing layer 143” covering the water permeable membrane 20” can be opposite to each other on both sides of the water permeable membrane 20”.

[0178] The storage container 1, the oxygen removing device 2, the electrochemical oxygen reducing device 2’ and the electrochemical oxygen consuming device 2” of the present application can also be applied to other fresh-keeping devices.

[0179] In the present specification, unless specifically defined and limited otherwise, the terms “arranged”, “connected”, “coupled” should be interpreted broadly. For example, it can be fixedly connected, or detachably connected, or integrally connected; it can be mechanically connected, or electrically connected; it can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate piece, or the communication inside two elements. The expressions “first”, “second”, etc. are only for descriptive purposes, and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance, nor should it be understood as implicitly indicating the number of the technical features indicated. The features limited with “first”, “second” can explicitly or implicitly indicate that it includes at least one of the features. The above-mentioned terms can be understood according to the circumstances by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A storage container for a fresh-keeping device, the storage container (1) being arranged in the fresh-keeping device and being used for storing foodstuffs, an oxygen-removing device (2) being arranged on a container wall (11) of the storage container (1), characterized in that The oxygen removal device (2) comprises: an end plate (21); an anode diffusion layer (22); a cathode diffusion layer (23); an ion exchange membrane assembly (24) clamped between the anode diffusion layer (22) and the cathode diffusion layer (23) by the end plate (21) and configured to be suitable for transporting electric ions from the anode diffusion layer (22) to the cathode diffusion layer (23); an anode assembly (25) arranged outside the anode diffusion layer (22) and comprising an anode elastic plate (27) and an anode current collector plate (28) configured to be suitable for receiving and conducting electric current to achieve electrochemical reactions at the anode; and a cathode assembly (26) arranged outside the cathode diffusion layer (23) and comprising a cathode elastic plate (29) and a cathode current collector plate (30) configured to be suitable for receiving and conducting electric current to achieve electrochemical reactions at the cathode; wherein the anode assembly (25) and / or the cathode assembly (26) is configured to be suitable for being clamped to be airtightly attached to the ion exchange membrane assembly (24).

2. The storage container according to claim 1, characterized in that a first protrusion (272) is configured on a first end surface (271) of the anode elastic plate (27) facing the anode diffusion layer (22), which first protrusion (272) is airtightly attached to the ion exchange membrane assembly (24) in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device (2), or a first recess (273) is configured on the first end surface (271) of the anode elastic plate (27) facing the anode diffusion layer (22), an edge of which first recess (273) is airtightly attached to the ion exchange membrane assembly (24) in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device (2), and / or a second protrusion (282) is configured on an edge of a first end surface (281) of the anode current collector plate (28) facing the anode diffusion layer (22), which second protrusion (282) is airtightly attached to the ion exchange membrane assembly (24) in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device (2), and / or a third protrusion (292) is configured on a first end surface (291) of the cathode elastic plate (29) facing the cathode diffusion layer (23), which third protrusion (292) is airtightly attached to the ion exchange membrane assembly (24) in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device (2), or a second recess (293) is configured on the first end surface (291) of the cathode elastic plate (29) facing the cathode diffusion layer (23), an edge of which second recess (293) is airtightly attached to the ion exchange membrane assembly (24) in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device (2), and / or A fourth protrusion (302) is configured on an edge of a first end surface (301) of the cathode current collector (30) facing the cathode diffusion layer (23), and in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device (2), the fourth protrusion (302) is in airtight contact with the ion exchange membrane assembly (24).

3. The storage container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The ion exchange membrane assembly (24) comprises an ion exchange membrane (32), and the anode assembly (25) and / or the cathode assembly (26) is directly attached to the ion exchange membrane (32), or The ion exchange membrane assembly (24) comprises an ion exchange membrane (32) and a first insulating plate (31), and the first insulating plate (31) is arranged between the ion exchange membrane (32) and the anode diffusion layer (22), and the anode assembly (25) is attached to the first insulating plate (31).

4. The storage container according to claim 3, wherein The first insulating plate (31) has a first intermediate opening (311), and the size of the first intermediate opening (311) is smaller than the size of the outer contour of the anode diffusion layer (22), so that in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device (2), at least the edge of the anode diffusion layer (22) is not in contact with the surface of the ion exchange membrane (32).

5. The storage container according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 4, wherein A first protruding support structure (275) is configured on a first end surface (271) of the anode elastic plate (27) facing the anode diffusion layer (22) and / or a second end surface (274) facing away from the anode diffusion layer (22), and in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device (2), the first support structure (275) prevents a gap between the anode elastic plate (27) and the ion exchange membrane assembly (24); and / or A second protruding support structure (296) is configured on a first end surface (291) of the cathode elastic plate (29) facing the cathode diffusion layer (23) and / or a second end surface (295) facing away from the cathode diffusion layer (23), and in the assembled state of the oxygen removal device (2), the second support structure (296) prevents a gap between the cathode elastic plate (29) and the ion exchange membrane assembly (24).

6. The storage container according to claim 2, wherein The end plate (21), the anode elastic plate (27), the cathode elastic plate (29), the anode current collector plate (28) and the cathode current collector plate (30) have the same through grid structure, so that a second end surface of the cathode current collector plate (30) facing away from the ion exchange membrane assembly (24) is at least partially exposed to the interior of the storage container (1), a second end surface of the anode current collector plate (28) facing away from the ion exchange membrane assembly (24) is at least partially exposed to the exterior of the storage container (1), wherein the first protrusion (272) and / or the second protrusion (282) and / or the third protrusion (292) and / or the fourth protrusion (302) are arranged along a grid edge; and / or The anode current collector plate (28) has an anode terminal post (283), the cathode current collector plate (30) has a cathode terminal post (303), wherein the first protrusion (272) is configured with a first gap (276) corresponding to the anode terminal post (283), the third protrusion (292) is configured with a second gap (294) corresponding to the cathode terminal post (303).

7. An electrochemical oxygen reduction device (2’), comprising: an oxygen reduction assembly (10’), comprising: an anode plate (61’); a cathode plate (62’) arranged opposite to the anode plate (61’); a membrane assembly disposed between the anode plate (61’) and the cathode plate (62’), the membrane assembly comprising: a first membrane (32’); an anode catalyst layer (63’) disposed between the first membrane (32’) and the anode plate (61’); and a cathode catalyst layer (64’) disposed between the first membrane (32’) and the cathode plate (62’); wherein the oxygen reduction assembly (10’) is configured to, in the case of applying a direct current to the anode plate (61’) and the cathode plate (62’), an electrochemical reaction of consuming water and generating hydrogen ions occurs at the anode catalyst layer (63’), and an electrochemical reaction of consuming oxygen and generating water occurs at the cathode catalyst layer (64’), characterized in that the electrochemical oxygen reduction device (2’) further comprises a second membrane (20’), the second membrane (20’) is configured to allow moisture to pass through the second membrane (20’) and be transported to the anode catalyst layer (63’), but not allow oxygen to pass through the second membrane (20’), wherein the second membrane (20’) is formed integrally with the first membrane (32’).

8. The electrochemical oxygen reduction device (2') according to claim 7, characterized in that The first membrane (32’) and the second membrane (20’) are made of any one of a perfluorosulfonic acid proton exchange membrane, a partially fluorinated polymeric proton exchange membrane, a non-fluorinated polymeric proton exchange membrane, and a composite proton exchange membrane.

9. An electrochemical oxygen-consuming device, said electrochemical oxygen-consuming device (2") comprising an ion exchange membrane (32") separating a cathode side and an anode side of the electrochemical oxygen-consuming device (2"), an anode plate (61") located at the anode side and a cathode plate (62") located at the cathode side, the anode plate (61"), the ion exchange membrane (32") and the cathode plate (62") being arranged to allow an electrochemical reaction to take place in the event of an electric current being applied to the anode plate (61") and the cathode plate (62"), said electrochemical reaction causing oxygen to be consumed at the cathode side, water to be generated at a first side (101") of the cathode side and the anode side and water to be consumed at a second side (102") of the cathode side and the anode side, characterized in that, The electrochemical oxygen reduction device (2”) further comprises: a water guiding structure (14”) allowing water to be transported from a first side (101”) to a second side (102”) of the ion exchange membrane (32”) in a bypass manner; and a water guiding structure (14”) allowing water to be transported from a first side (101”) to a second side (102”) of the ion exchange membrane (32”) in a bypass manner; and a porous hydrophobic layer (15") arranged on the surface of the respective cathode plate (62") or anode plate (61") at the first side (101") facing away from the ion exchange membrane (32").

10. The electrochemical oxygen-consuming device according to claim 9, characterized in that The cathode side of the electrochemical oxygen-consuming device (2") faces a first space (103"), the anode side of the electrochemical oxygen-consuming device (2") faces a second space (104"), the water guiding structure (14") comprises a water permeable membrane (20") allowing water to pass through but not oxygen, the first space (103") and the second space (104") are at least partially separated by the water permeable membrane (20").

11. The electrochemical oxygen-consuming device according to claim 10, characterized in that The porous hydrophobic layer (15") extends to the water permeable membrane (20") and at least partially covers the water permeable membrane (20").

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