JP2007157405A - Power generation module, power generator, and power generation system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a power generation module used for a power generation system in which power generation is carried out under normal temperature by using pure water as fuel. <P>SOLUTION: The power generation module 4 of a power generation system is formed by laminating gaskets 43, partition plates 44, and current collector plates 45 at both sides of an electrode assembly 42 as a center, between a pair of clamp plates 41. Pure water is supplied to an anode-side electrode plate 47 from a pure water supply groove provided on the surface of the partition plate through pure water supply holes 41c to 45c from outside of the clamp plate 41, and air taken in from an air intake formed at outer peripheral end surface of the separation plate is supplied to a cathode-side electrode 48 from an air supply groove provided on another surface thereof. A desired power generation capacity can be obtained by adding and connecting in series electrode joint bodies 42 and partition plates 44. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a power generation system capable of generating power in a room temperature atmosphere using water as a fuel.

  Conventionally, various fuel cells have been proposed. A fuel cell is a device that generates electric power by utilizing an electrochemical reaction, and various types of substances are used as fuel, depending on the type of material constituting the cell. For example, organic substances such as methanol and foalaldehyde are used.

  In a general fuel cell, fuel is reformed through a fuel reformer before being supplied directly to the fuel electrode so that hydrogen can be efficiently supplied to the fuel electrode (anode). For example, a direct methanol fuel cell is known as a system for supplying fuel directly to the fuel electrode of a cell and oxidizing it.

  An object of the present invention is to propose a power generation system capable of generating power at room temperature using pure water without using a fuel such as methanol.

  In order to solve the above problems, a power generation module of the present invention has a pair of current collector plates, at least two partition plates and at least one electrode junction plate laminated between the current collector plates. The electrode bonding plate has a structure in which an anode side electrode plate and a cathode side electrode plate are laminated and bonded with an electrolyte membrane interposed therebetween.

  The partition plate includes an anode side surface on which a pure water supply groove is formed, a cathode side surface on which an air supply groove is formed, an outer peripheral end surface on which an air intake port is formed, and the pure water supply. A pure water supply hole penetrating in the thickness direction of the partition plate at a portion outside the groove and the region where the air supply groove is formed, and the air intake port has an air passage formed inside the partition plate. The pure water supply hole communicates with the pure water supply groove via a pure water passage formed inside the partition plate.

  Furthermore, each of the electrode assembly and the current collector plate has a pure water supply hole penetrating in a thickness direction at a portion corresponding to each of the pure water supply holes of the partition plate, The partition plate is laminated on the anode side electrode plate of the electrode assembly in a state where the anode side surface faces, and the cathode side electrode plate on the cathode side surface faces the partition. Plates are stacked.

  In the power generation module having this configuration, pure water supplied from the outside to the pure water supply hole of the partition plate passes through the pure water passage inside the partition plate and is supplied to the pure water supply groove formed on the anode side surface. Is done. Since the anode side surface faces the anode side electrode plate of the electrode assembly, pure water supplied to the pure water supply groove is supplied to the anode side electrode plate. On the other hand, the air introduced from the air intake port on the outer peripheral end face of the partition plate is supplied to the air supply groove formed on the cathode side surface through the internal air passage. Since the cathode side surface faces the cathode side electrode plate of the electrode assembly, the air supplied to the air supply groove is supplied to the cathode side electrode plate. As a result, the electrode assembly generates electric power by an electrochemical reaction generated between the anode side electrode and the cathode side electrode laminated with the electrolyte membrane interposed therebetween, and the generated direct current is taken out from the current collector plate.

  Moreover, a plurality of the electrode assemblies can easily increase the power generation capacity by sandwiching the partition plates and connecting them in series.

  Further, in order to keep the electrode assembly and each partition plate in a liquid-tight state or an air-tight state, the electrode assembly and the partition plate may be laminated with a frame gasket interposed therebetween. In this case, a pure water supply hole penetrating in the thickness direction of the frame-shaped gasket may be formed in each frame-shaped gasket at a portion corresponding to the pure water supply hole.

  Furthermore, in order to hold the electrode assembly, the partition plate, and the current collector plate in a laminated state, a pair of fastening plates may be attached with these sandwiched therebetween, and the fastening plates may be fastened with a fastening tool. Also in this case, a pure water supply port penetrating in the thickness direction of the fastening plate may be formed in one of the fastening plates at a portion corresponding to the pure water supply hole.

  Next, in the present invention, the anode side electrode plate is an electrode plate in which platinum is supported on a sintered compact of zeolite, coral sand and carbon black fine particle powder, and the cathode side electrode plate is made of zeolite and carbon black. It is an electrode plate in which ruthenium is supported on a sintered body of fine particle powder. According to the inventor's experiment, by using such an electrode plate, hydrogen contained in pure water supplied to the anode side electrode plate is efficiently oxidized and decomposed, and the power generation operation is performed efficiently at room temperature. It was confirmed. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently generate electric power with a simple mechanism without using a fuel gas such as methanol as in the prior art.

  Next, the power generator of the present invention includes the power generation module configured as described above, a pure water supply unit that supplies pure water to the power generation module, and an air supply unit that supplies air to the power generation module. It is characterized by.

  The power generation system of the present invention includes a power generator configured as described above, a charger that stores power generated by the power generator, an inverter that converts a direct current generated by the power generator into an alternating current, and outputs the alternating current. It is characterized by having. A secondary battery such as an electric double layer capacitor can be used as the charger.

  The power generation module of the present invention can easily obtain a required power generation capacity by stacking a required number of pairs of electrode assemblies and partition plates having the same configuration and connecting them in series. Further, by supplying pure water and air, it is possible to efficiently generate power at room temperature.

  Embodiments of a power generation system to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(overall structure)
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a power generation system to which the present invention is applied. The power generation system 1 of the present example includes a power generator 2 and a controller 3 that stores a direct current generated by the power generator 2 and converts the direct current into an alternating current and outputs the alternating current.

  The power generator 2 includes a power generation module 4, a pure water circulation system 5 for supplying pure water to the power generation module 4, a blower 6 for supplying air (oxygen) to the power generation module 4, and the generator interior. A cooling fan 7 for cooling and an internal power supply 8 for driving the blower 6, the cooling fan 7 and the pump of the pure water circulation system 5 are provided. The controller 3 includes a plurality of secondary batteries 9 made of an electric double layer capacitor and the like, and an inverter 10 for converting a direct current into an alternating current. The secondary battery 9 is charged, and current is supplied from the secondary battery 9 to the inverter 10 via the relay 12.

  The pure water supply system 5 of the power generator 2 includes a circulation tank 13, a pure water circulation path 14 for circulating pure water stored in the circulation tank 13 via the power generation module 4, and the pure water circulation. A circulation pump 15 for circulating pure water along the path 14 is provided. Further, a main tank 18 capable of supplying pure water from an inlet 17 disposed in the generator housing 16 is provided. When the pure water in the circulation tank 13 falls below a predetermined amount, the supply pump 19 is driven so that pure water is replenished from the main tank 18 to the circulation tank 13. Furthermore, a recovery tank 20 is provided, and pure water recovered together with air from the power generation module 4 accumulates in the recovery tank 20 and is discharged from a drain outlet 21 disposed in the generator housing 16 as needed. Is done. Further, the pure water collected in the collection tank 20 can be returned to the circulation tank 13 side by the supply pump 22.

  On the other hand, the direct current generated in the power generation module 4 is output to the internal power supply 8 and the controller 3 via the rectifier 23. A start switch 24 is disposed in the power supply path to the controller 3. When the start switch 24 is turned on, the pumps 15, 19, 22, the blower 6 and the cooling fan 7 are connected from the internal power supply 8 via the relay 25. The electric power is supplied to these, and these drives are started. After the power generation state of the power generation module 4 is stabilized, supply of generated current to the controller 3 side is started. The controller 3 stores the generated current in the secondary battery 9, converts the direct current into the alternating current via the inverter 10, and a load side device (not shown) connected to the output terminal 26 of the controller 3. The supply of alternating current is started.

(Power generation module)
2 is a perspective view showing the power generation module 4, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the power generation module 4, FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the partition plate, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing the flow of pure water. It is.

  The power generation module 4 includes a pair of current collecting plates 41, a plurality of partition plates 44, and a plurality of electrode bonding plates 42. The electrode bonding plate 42 has a configuration in which an anode side electrode plate 47 and a cathode side electrode plate 48 are laminated and bonded with an electrolyte membrane 46 interposed therebetween. A plurality of electrode joining plates 42 having this configuration are connected in series with the partition plate 44 interposed therebetween. In addition, each electrode bonding plate (not shown) located at both ends is connected to each current collecting plate 41 with a partition plate 44 interposed therebetween. Further, a rectangular frame-shaped gasket 43 is sandwiched between the electrode bonding plate 42 and the partition plates 44 on both sides, and the space between them is in a liquid-tight state. Below, the structure of each part is demonstrated in detail.

  First, the anode side electrode plate 47 of the electrode assembly 42 is an electrode plate in which platinum is supported on a sintered body of fine particles of zeolite, coral sand, and carbon black. The other cathode side electrode plate 48 is an electrode plate in which ruthenium is supported on a sintered body of fine particles of zeolite and carbon black.

  The fastening plate 41, the electrical joint 42, each gasket 43, each partition plate 44, and each current collecting plate 45 have a positioning hole extending through a pair of corner portions in the diagonal direction in the thickness direction thereof. 41a, 42a, 43a, 44a are formed. Positioning pins (not shown) are passed through the positioning holes 41a to 44a, and these are stacked in an aligned state. In addition, a plurality of bolt holes 41b are formed in each fastening plate, and these are integrated in a laminated state by fastening bolts 49 passed through them.

  The other pair of corners in the diagonal direction of the one clamping plate 41, the electric joined body 42, each gasket 43, each partition plate 44 and each current collecting plate 45 has a pair extending in the thickness direction thereof. Pure water supply ports 41c, 42c, 43c, 44c, and 45c are formed. The pure water is supplied, for example, through the pure water supply pipe 50 connected to the upper pure water supply port 41c on the outer surface of the one clamping plate 41, and is connected to the lower pure water supply port 41c. The pure water supply pipe 50 is discharged.

  The current collector plate 45 has a shape in which a terminal plate portion 45d extends upward at a constant width from one end of the upper end surface of the rectangular main plate portion. In this example, the two current collecting plates 45 have the same shape and are arranged in opposite directions.

  Next, the configuration of the partition plate 44 will be described with reference to FIGS. One surface of the partition plate 44 is an anode-side surface 51. Here, the partition plate 44 is connected to the inner side of the outer peripheral rectangular frame portion having a constant width, and the pure plate having a certain depth extending in parallel with both ends communicating with each other. A water supply groove 52 is carved. The other surface of the partition plate 44 is a cathode-side surface 53, in which an air supply groove 54 having a constant depth formed in a grid shape is formed inside an outer peripheral rectangular frame portion having a constant width. .

  The same number of air intake ports 59 are formed on the outer peripheral end surfaces 55 to 58 of the four sides of the partition plate 44, and each air intake port 59 is air-flowed through an air passage 60 formed inside the partition plate. It communicates with the supply groove 54. Accordingly, outside air is supplied to the air supply groove 54 of each partition plate 44 through the air intake port 59. The air supplied to the air supply groove 54 of the cathode side surface 53 of the cathode side partition plate 44 is supplied to the cathode side electrode plate 48 of the electrode assembly 42 facing it.

  Further, the pair of pure water supply holes 44c formed in the partition plate 44 communicates with the pure water supply groove 52 via the pure water passage 61 formed inside the partition plate. Therefore, the pure water supplied from the pure water supply pipe 50 of the clamping plate 41 flows into the pure water supply hole 44c of the partition plate 44 through the pure water supply holes 41c, 45c, 43c, and from here the pure water inside the partition plate The pure water supply groove 52 is supplied through the water passage 62. Since the electrode assembly 42 is laminated in a liquid-tight state via the gasket 43 on the anode side surface 51 of the partition plate 44 in which the pure water supply groove 52 is formed, the pure water supply groove 52 is sealed. Thus, the pure water is supplied to the anode side electrode plate 47 of the electrode assembly 42 without leaking outside.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the partition of the next stage passes through the pure water supply holes 44c, 43c, 42c, 43c formed in the partition plate 44, the gasket 43, the electrode assembly 42 and the other gasket 43. Pure water is supplied to the pure water supply hole 44 c of the plate 44, and from here, the pure water is supplied to the pure water supply groove 52 of the partition plate 44 through the internal pure water passage 61. The pure water that has flowed down the pure water supply groove 52 of the partition plate 44 passes through the internal pure water passage 61 and is discharged to the other pure water supply hole 44c, from which the pure water supply holes 43c, 42c, 43c and It returns through 44c and is discharged outside.

  In the power generation module 4 having this configuration, the power generation capacity can be easily increased by sandwiching the partition plate 44 and the gasket 43 and increasing the number of electrode assemblies 42 connected in series.

  Further, the power generation module 4 having this configuration generates power by an electrochemical reaction between pure water and a catalyst, and is basically the same as that of a general fuel cell. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, when pure water is supplied to the anode electrode plate 47 (fuel electrode), it is electrolyzed to generate hydrogen and oxygen, and the hydrogen is separated into hydrogen ions and negative electrons by an electrochemical reaction. . This reaction is an oxidation reaction because hydrogen releases electrons. The generated hydrogen ions move to the cathode side electrode plate 48 (oxygen electrode) through the electrolyte membrane 46 (catalyst) of the electrode assembly 42. Since the electrolyte membrane 46 is ion permeable but does not allow electrons to pass, negative electrons are taken out to the outside via the current collector plate 45 on the anode side. On the other hand, air is fed into the cathode side electrode plate 48 (oxygen electrode), and oxygen contained therein passes through the current collector plate 45 and hydrogen ions supplied through the electrolyte membrane 46 (catalyst). Reducing reaction with electrons supplied from the outside generates water. As a result, power generation is performed. The generated water is recovered together with air in the recovery tank 20 (see FIG. 1).

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a power generation system to which the present invention is applied. It is a perspective view which shows the electric power generation module of the electric power generation system of FIG. It is a disassembled perspective view of the electric power generation module of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the partition plate of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the flow of pure water. It is explanatory drawing which shows a power generation principle.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Power generation system 2 Power generator 3 Controller 4 Power generation module 5 Pure water circulation system 6 Blower 7 Cooling fan 8 Internal power supply 9 Secondary battery 10 Inverter 11, 12, 25 Relay 13 Circulation tank 14 Circulation path 15, 19, 22 Pump 16 Housing Body 17 inlet 18 main tank 20 recovery tank 21 outlet 24 start switch 26 AC current output terminal 41 clamping plate 42 electrode assembly 43 gasket 44 partition plate 45 current collector plate 46 electrolyte membrane 47 anode side electrode plate 48 cathode side electrode Plate 49 Fastening bolt 50 Pure water supply pipes 41a to 45a Positioning holes 41c to 45c Pure water supply hole 51 Anode side surface 52 Pure water supply groove 53 Cathode side surface 54 Air supply grooves 55 to 58 Outer peripheral end face 59 Air intake port 60 Air passage 61 Pure water passage

Claims (7)

A pair of current collector plates, and at least two partition plates and at least one electrode bonding plate laminated between the current collector plates,
The electrode bonding plate has a configuration in which an anode side electrode plate and a cathode side electrode plate are laminated and bonded with an electrolyte membrane interposed therebetween,
The partition plate is
An anode side surface in which a pure water supply groove is formed, a cathode side surface in which an air supply groove is formed, an outer peripheral end surface in which an air intake port is formed, and the pure water supply groove and the air supply groove And a pure water supply hole penetrating in a thickness direction of the partition plate at a portion deviating from the formation region, and the air intake port is formed in the air supply groove via an air passage formed inside the partition plate. The pure water supply hole communicates with the pure water supply groove through a pure water passage formed inside the partition plate;
Each of the electrode assembly and the current collector plate has a pure water supply hole penetrating in a thickness direction at a portion corresponding to each of the pure water supply holes of the partition plate,
The partition plate is laminated on the anode side electrode plate of the electrode assembly in a state where the anode side surface faces, and the cathode side electrode plate on the cathode side surface faces the partition. A power generation module, wherein plates are laminated. In claim 1,
A plurality of the electrode assemblies are connected in series with the partition plate in between. In claim 2,
The electrode assembly and the partition plate are laminated with a frame gasket sandwiched between them,
A power generation module, wherein each frame-like gasket has a pure water supply hole penetrating in a thickness direction of the frame-like gasket at a portion corresponding to the pure water supply hole. In claim 3,
A pair of clamping plates;
A clamp that fastens and fixes the clamping plate in a state where the electrode assembly, the partition plate and the current collector plate are sandwiched between the clamping plates;
The power generation module, wherein at least one of the clamping plates has a pure water supply port penetrating in a thickness direction of the clamping plate at a portion corresponding to the pure water supply hole. In any one of claims 1 to 4,
The anode side electrode plate is an electrode plate in which platinum is supported on a sintered body of fine particles of zeolite, coral sand and carbon black,
The power generation module according to claim 1, wherein the cathode side electrode plate is an electrode plate in which ruthenium is supported on a sintered body of zeolite and carbon black fine particle powder. A power generation module according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A pure water supply unit for supplying pure water to the power generation module;
An electric generator having an air supply unit for supplying air to the power generation module. A generator according to claim 6;
A charger for storing electric power generated by the generator;
An inverter for converting a direct current generated by the generator into an alternating current and outputting the alternating current.

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