Electrolytic Cell Diaphragm for High-Purity Hydrogen
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydrogen production apparatuses face challenges in achieving high-purity hydrogen gas due to the mixing of oxygen with the electrolytic solution, which reduces the efficiency and purity of the hydrogen produced during the electrolysis process.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus employs a diaphragm with specific pore sizes to separate water and ions while preventing large air bubbles, using a porous film or ceramic material to partition the anode and cathode sides, and a unique flow path for the electrolytic solution and oxygen gas discharge, ensuring minimal mixing and maximizing the purity of hydrogen gas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a diaphragm with small pore sizes is used to separate water and ions, then hydrogen gas purity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a diaphragm made of porous film or ceramic material with specific pore sizes that allows water and ions to pass through while blocking large air bubbles. This porous structure achieves effective separation to maintain hydrogen gas purity without requiring overly complex device designs, as the pore size itself provides the filtering function.
Solution Approach 2:
The diaphragm acts as an intermediary component between the anode and cathode chambers, enabling selective passage of substances. It mediates the separation process by allowing beneficial substances (water and ions) to pass while blocking harmful substances (large air bubbles), thus achieving purity improvement without complex mechanical separation systems.
2Manufacturing precision
If a diaphragm with specific pore sizes is used to prevent large air bubbles, then hydrogen gas purity is improved, but manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies using porous film or ceramic material with controlled pore sizes for the diaphragm. These materials are commercially available and can be manufactured with consistent pore structures through established processes, balancing the need for specific pore size control with manufacturing feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the pore size parameter of the diaphragm material to achieve the desired balance between blocking large air bubbles and allowing water and ions to pass. By carefully selecting and controlling this single parameter, the patent achieves high hydrogen gas purity without requiring complex manufacturing processes.
3Manufacturing precision
If electrolytic solution flow path is optimized to minimize oxygen mixing, then hydrogen gas purity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the electrolytic cell into distinct anode and cathode chambers separated by the diaphragm, with separate flow paths for the electrolytic solution. This segmentation prevents oxygen generated at the anode from mixing with hydrogen at the cathode, achieving high purity through structural division rather than complex active control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The diaphragm serves as an intermediary structure that not only separates the chambers but also guides the electrolytic solution flow. It mediates between the two chambers, allowing ionic conduction while preventing gas mixing, thus achieving purity improvement through a single multifunctional component rather than multiple complex systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration effectively suppresses oxygen mixing with the hydrogen gas, resulting in improved hydrogen gas purity and increased electrolysis efficiency, even under varying power generation conditions from renewable energy sources.
Implementation Method 1
a diaphragm with specific pore sizes to separate water and ions while preventing large air bubbles
Implementation Method 2
Hydrogen gas can be produced by electrolyzing water using an electrolytic solution
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, an electrolytic cell includes: a housing for retaining an electrolytic solution; a diaphragm that partitions an interior of the housing into an anode-side cell and a cathode-side cell; an anode electrode that is provided in the anode-side cell and has most of a surface in contact with an anode-side gas phase; and a cathode electrode that is provided in the cathode-side cell and has most of a surface in contact with a cathode-side gas phase. According to the other embodiment, a hydrogen production apparatus according to the present embodiment includes: an electrolytic solution tank that retains an electrolytic solution; and a pump that supplies the electrolytic solution between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode from the electrolytic solution tank.