JP2013159503A - Hydrogen generator using photocatalyst - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hydrogen generator efficiently generating hydrogen from water by using a photocatalyst.SOLUTION: A hydrogen generator (500) includes an outside cylindrical and transparent vessel (600) and an inside cylindrical and transparent vessel (700). When the inside cylindrical and transparent vessel rotates inside the outside cylindrical and transparent vessel, an outside hydrogen outlet (622) of the outside cylindrical and transparent vessel and an inside hydrogen outlet (782) of the inside cylindrical and transparent vessel communicate with each other, and the generated hydrogen can be taken out from the inside of the inside cylindrical and transparent vessel through these outlets. Further, an electrolyte aqueous solution flows in from an electrolyte solution inlet (612) and flows out from an electrolyte solution outlet (614), whereby a rotary blade (750) fixed to the inside cylindrical and transparent vessel receives power to rotate the inside cylindrical and transparent vessel.

Description

  The present invention relates to a hydrogen generator using a photocatalyst. The present invention also relates to a hydrogen generation method including irradiating light to a hydrogen generation photocatalyst and an oxygen generation photocatalyst of such a hydrogen generation apparatus.

  In recent years, hydrogen has been attracting attention as a clean energy that does not generate carbon dioxide during combustion due to problems such as global warming.

For the production of hydrogen, steam reforming of hydrocarbon fuels represented by the following formulas (X1) and (X2) is generally used:
_{(X1) C n H m +} nH 2 O → nCO + (n + m / 2) H 2
(X2) CO + H ₂ O → CO ₂ + H ₂
Total _{reaction: C n H m + 2nH 2} O → nCO 2 + (2n + m / 2) H 2

  Therefore, although combustion of hydrogen itself does not generate carbon dioxide, it is general that carbon dioxide is generated in the generation of hydrogen.

  In this regard, it has been proposed to use solar energy as a method for generating hydrogen without using hydrocarbon fuel.

  Various methods for generating hydrogen from water using solar energy have been studied.

  As one hydrogen generation method using solar energy, there are two types of photocatalysts: a hydrogen generation photocatalyst that generates sunlight from water by receiving sunlight and an oxygen generation photocatalyst that generates oxygen from water by receiving sunlight. Methods used in combination are known.

In such a hydrogen generation method using a combination of two types of photocatalysts, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, using an Fe ²⁺ / Fe ³⁺ redox (oxidation-reduction) system, photogenerated electrons (e ⁻ ) And holes (h ⁺ ) to generate hydrogen (H ₂ ) and Fe ³⁺ in the reactions of the formulas (A1) and (A2) and photogenerated on the oxygen-generating photocatalyst, Oxygen (O ₂ ), H ^+, and Fe ²⁺ are produced by the reactions of the formulas (B1) and (B2) (Patent Document 1):
2H ⁺ + 2e ⁻ → H ₂ (A1)
Fe ²⁺ + h ⁺ → Fe ³⁺ (A2)
2H ₂ O + 4h ⁺ → O ₂ + 4H ⁺ (B1)
Fe ³⁺ + e ⁻ → Fe ²⁺ (B2)

Fe ³⁺ generated by oxidation of Fe ²⁺ on the hydrogen generation photocatalyst is reduced to Fe ²⁺ on the oxygen generation photocatalyst and regenerated, and H ⁺ necessary for generating hydrogen on the hydrogen generation photocatalyst is It is generated by the decomposition and oxidation reaction of water on the oxygen-generating photocatalyst. Therefore, the total reaction of the water splitting reaction represented by the above formulas (A1), (A2), (B1) and (B2) is as shown in the following formula (C):
H ₂ O → H ₂ + 1 / 2O ₂ (C)

When using the Fe ²⁺ / Fe ³⁺ redox system as described above, a Pt / SrTiO ₃ : Rh-based and / or Ru / SrTiO ₃ : Rh-based photocatalyst can be used as the hydrogen-generating photocatalyst. As the generated photocatalyst, it is known to use a WO ₃ type, BiVO ₄ type and / or Bi ₂ MoO ₆ type photocatalyst (Patent Document 1).

However, in the hydrogen generation method disclosed in Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 2, the hydrogen generation photocatalyst particles (11), the oxygen generation photocatalyst particles (12), and the aqueous electrolyte solution (250) are combined into a single container (210). In the case of using the hydrogen generator (200) in which the water decomposition reaction is carried out, the resulting gas is a mixed gas of hydrogen and oxygen (H ₂ + O ₂ ). Therefore, in order to store or use hydrogen alone, it is necessary to separate hydrogen from this mixed gas.

In order to solve such a problem, a hydrogen generator (300) as shown in FIG. 3 has been proposed (Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2). Here, in this hydrogen generator (300), the hydrogen generation photocatalyst particles (11) and the first electrolyte aqueous solution (351) are put in the first container (311), and the oxygen generation photocatalyst particles (12). And the second aqueous electrolyte solution (352) are placed in the second container (312), and the first container (311) and the second container (312) are H ⁺ , Fe ^2+. And an ion exchange membrane (350) that allows the passage of ions such as Fe ³⁺ .

When hydrogen is generated using such a hydrogen generator (300), hydrogen (H ₂ ) can be obtained from the first container (311) by the decomposition of water, and the second container (312). ) Can obtain oxygen (O ₂ ), so that it is not necessary to separate hydrogen from a mixed gas of hydrogen and oxygen.

  Further, as other hydrogen generation methods using solar energy, in Patent Documents 2 and 3, hydrogen and oxygen are generated at separate electrodes in catalytic decomposition or electrolysis of water using light, and thereby hydrogen is generated. Has proposed another water splitting device that separately collects oxygen and oxygen.

  Patent Documents 4 to 6 disclose that photocatalyst particles are used on a fiber-like, film-like, sheet-like, or tape-like support, and that the photocatalyst particles are molded into these shapes. doing.

JP 2005-199187 A JP2001-213608 JP2008-075097 JP 2011-213553 A JP 2004-016920 A International Publication WO02 / 053501

Chen-Chia Lo, Chao-Wei Huang, Chi-Hung Liao, Jeffrey C. S. Wu, “Novel Twin Reactor for Separate Evolution of Hydrogen and Oxygen in Photocatalytic Water Splitting, International Journal of Hydrogen, 35”, International Journal of Hydrogen. 1523-1529 Szu-Chun Yu; Chao-Wei Huang; Chi-Hung Liao; S. Wu; Sun-Tang Chang; Kuei-Hsien Chen; 291-299

  The present invention provides a hydrogen generator capable of efficiently producing hydrogen using a hydrogen generation photocatalyst and an oxygen generation photocatalyst.

  As a result of intensive studies, the present inventor has arrived at the present invention described below.

<1> A hydrogen generator for decomposing water into hydrogen and oxygen, having an outer cylindrical transparent container and an inner cylindrical transparent container, and satisfying the following (a) to (l): Hydrogen generator:
(A) The inner cylindrical transparent container is housed inside the outer cylindrical transparent container so as to be rotatable coaxially with the outer cylindrical transparent container,
(B) The outer cylindrical transparent container has an electrolyte aqueous solution inlet into which the aqueous electrolyte solution flows in, an aqueous electrolyte solution outlet through which the aqueous electrolyte solution flows out, an outer hydrogen outlet through which the generated hydrogen flows out, and the generated oxygen flows out. Has an outer oxygen outlet,
(C) The inner cylindrical transparent container is a rotor blade fixed coaxially with the inner cylindrical transparent container in the inner cylindrical transparent container, an inner hydrogen outlet from which generated hydrogen flows out, and Has an inner oxygen outlet through which oxygen flows out,
(D) The inside of the inner cylindrical transparent container is partitioned into one or a plurality of hydrogen generation chambers and one or a plurality of oxygen generation chambers by the rotor blades, and the inner hydrogen outlet is the hydrogen generation chamber And the inner oxygen outlet is disposed in the oxygen generation chamber,
(E) The electrolyte aqueous solution flows in from the electrolyte aqueous solution inlet of the outer cylindrical transparent container and flows out of the electrolyte aqueous solution outlet of the outer cylindrical transparent container. The rotating blade fixed to the wing receives power, and the inner cylindrical transparent container is rotated,
(F) The outer hydrogen outlet and the inner hydrogen outlet are arranged at substantially the same radial position, whereby the inner cylindrical transparent container is rotated inside the outer cylindrical transparent container. Sometimes, the outer hydrogen outlet and the inner hydrogen outlet communicate with each other, and the produced hydrogen can be taken out from the inner side of the inner cylindrical transparent container through the inner hydrogen outlet and the outer hydrogen outlet. Can
(G) The outer oxygen outlet and the inner oxygen outlet are arranged at substantially the same radial position, whereby the inner cylindrical transparent container is rotated inside the outer cylindrical transparent container. Sometimes, the outer oxygen outlet and the inner oxygen outlet communicate with each other, and the generated oxygen can be taken out from the inner side of the inner cylindrical transparent container through the inner oxygen outlet and the outer oxygen outlet. Can
(H) A hydrogen generation photocatalyst is disposed on a portion of the rotor blade facing the hydrogen generation chamber, and an oxygen generation photocatalyst is disposed on a portion of the rotor blade facing the oxygen generation chamber. Is placed,
(I) The electrolyte aqueous solution contains water, a reduced ionic species, and an oxidized ionic species generated by oxidation of the reduced ionic species,
(J) the reducing ion species, the oxidizing ion species, and the hydrogen ions are movable between the hydrogen generation chamber and the oxygen generation chamber;
(K) When the hydrogen generation photocatalyst in the hydrogen generation chamber is irradiated with light, hydrogen ions in the aqueous electrolyte solution are reduced by the catalytic action of the hydrogen generation photocatalyst to generate hydrogen, and the aqueous electrolyte solution (1) When the oxygen generation photocatalyst in the oxygen generation chamber is irradiated with light, the electrolyte aqueous solution is generated by the catalytic action of the oxygen generation photocatalyst. The water therein is decomposed and oxidized to produce hydrogen ions and oxygen, and the oxidized ion species in the electrolyte aqueous solution are reduced to produce the reduced ion species.
<2> The rotor blade is formed of an ion exchange material, and the reduced ion species, the oxidized ion species, and hydrogen ions pass through the ion exchange membrane, the hydrogen generation chamber, the oxygen generation chamber, The hydrogen generator according to <1>, wherein the hydrogen generator is movable between the two.
<3> The hydrogen generator according to <1> or <2>, wherein the surface of each blade of the rotor blade is inclined with respect to the rotation axis of the rotor blade.
<4> The hydrogen production apparatus according to any one of <1> to <3>, wherein the light irradiation is solar light irradiation.
<5> Hydrogen production comprising irradiating light to the hydrogen generation photocatalyst and the oxygen generation photocatalyst of the hydrogen generation device according to any one of <1> to <4> above to generate hydrogen from water Method.

  According to the hydrogen generator of the present invention, hydrogen and oxygen can be obtained separately. Further, according to the hydrogen generator of the present invention, the rotating blade supporting the photocatalyst is rotated by supplying the electrolyte aqueous solution to contact the photocatalyst with the electrolyte aqueous solution, and the generated hydrogen and oxygen are desorbed from the photocatalyst. Can be promoted. In particular, according to the hydrogen generator of the present invention, the generated hydrogen and oxygen are removed from the photocatalyst without using a separate power source that rotates the rotor blade supporting the photocatalyst, that is, in a relatively simple configuration. Separation can be promoted.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a mechanism of water splitting reaction by a combination of a hydrogen generation photocatalyst and an oxygen generation photocatalyst. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a first aspect of a conventional hydrogen generator. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a second aspect of a conventional hydrogen generator. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the hydrogen generator of the present invention. 5A and 5B are cross-sectional views of the hydrogen generator of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a view showing an outer cylindrical transparent container of the hydrogen generator of the present invention. 6A is a top perspective view, FIG. 6B is a bottom perspective view, and FIG. 6C is a bottom view. FIG. 7 is a view showing an inner cylindrical transparent container of the hydrogen generator of the present invention. 7A is a top perspective view, FIG. 7B is a bottom perspective view, and FIG. 7C is a bottom view. FIG. 8 is an enlarged bottom view of the inner cylindrical transparent container of the hydrogen generator of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, the hydrogen generator and the hydrogen production method of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the specific modes shown in the drawings.

《Hydrogen generator》
Hereinafter, the hydrogen generator of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiment shown in the drawings.

  The hydrogen generator (500) of the present invention is a hydrogen generator that decomposes water into hydrogen and oxygen, and includes an outer cylindrical transparent container (600) and an inner cylindrical transparent container (700). . These transparent containers can be formed of any material as long as the light irradiated to the hydrogen generator of the present invention can reach the photocatalyst on the rotor blades, for example, transparent such as glass and polymer. Can be made of material.

<Outer cylindrical transparent container>
The outer cylindrical transparent container (600) of the hydrogen generator (500) of the present invention includes an electrolyte aqueous solution inlet (612) through which an aqueous electrolyte solution flows and an electrolyte through which the aqueous electrolyte solution flows, as shown in FIG. It has an aqueous solution outlet (614), an outer hydrogen outlet (622) through which produced hydrogen flows out, and an outer oxygen outlet (624) through which produced oxygen flows out.

  Here, the electrolyte aqueous solution inlet (612) and the electrolyte aqueous solution outlet (614) are arranged so that the electrolyte is in the outer cylindrical transparent container (600) as shown by an arrow (602) in FIG. 6 (c). As shown below, power is supplied to the rotor blade fixed in the inner cylindrical transparent container, that is, rotational force.

  At least one of the flow path to the electrolyte aqueous solution inlet (612) and the flow path from the electrolyte aqueous solution outlet (614) has a control valve and is supplied to the outer transparent cylindrical container (600). The flow rate of the electrolyte aqueous solution and the electrolyte aqueous solution flowing out from the electrolyte aqueous solution can be controlled, and thereby the water level of the electrolyte aqueous solution in the hydrogen generation vessel (500) of the present invention can be adjusted.

  In addition to or instead of this, the positional relationship between the electrolyte aqueous solution inlet (612) and the electrolyte aqueous solution outlet (614) and the outer hydrogen outlet (622) and outer oxygen outlet (624) is as follows. By adjusting, it is possible to prevent the electrolyte solution from being blown out from the outer hydrogen outlet (622) or the outer oxygen outlet (624) due to the momentum of the electrolyte aqueous solution flowing in from the electrolyte aqueous solution inlet (612). Specifically, for example, with respect to the rotation direction of the inner cylindrical transparent container (700) inside the outer cylindrical transparent container (600), the outer hydrogen outlet (622) and the outer oxygen outlet (624) It can be at a position that is 30 ° or more, 90 ° or more, 180 ° or more, or 270 ° or more away from the inlet (612) at an angle of 360 ° or less. Here, this angle is an angle indicated by “x °” in FIG.

  In the embodiment shown in the figure, an electrolyte aqueous solution inflow, an electrolyte aqueous solution outflow port, an outer hydrogen outflow port, and an outer oxygen outflow port are arranged one by one, but a plurality of them can also be used.

<Inner cylindrical transparent container>
The inner cylindrical transparent container (700) of the hydrogen generator (500) of the present invention is accommodated rotatably inside the outer cylindrical transparent container (600) coaxially with the outer cylindrical transparent container. Here, the inner cylindrical transparent container (700) is, as shown in FIG. 7 in particular, a rotating blade (750) fixed coaxially with the inner cylindrical transparent container in the inner cylindrical transparent container, It has an inner hydrogen outlet (782) through which produced hydrogen flows out and an inner oxygen outlet (792) through which produced oxygen flows out.

  In the inner cylindrical transparent container (700) of the hydrogen generator of the present invention, the electrolyte aqueous solution flows in from the electrolyte aqueous solution inlet as shown by the arrow (702) in FIG. As a result, the rotating blade (750) fixed in the inner cylindrical transparent container receives power and rotates as indicated by an arrow (704) in FIG. 7 (c).

  That is, according to this, an inner cylindrical transparent container (700) can be rotated by supply of electrolyte aqueous solution. Therefore, in particular, according to this, the inner cylindrical transparent container can be rotated by supplying the electrolyte aqueous solution without using a separate power source for rotating the inner cylindrical transparent container, that is, with a relatively simple configuration. .

  Here, the surface of each blade of the rotor blade may be inclined with respect to the rotation axis of the rotor blade. In this case, it is possible to adjust the power received by the rotor blades by supplying the electrolyte aqueous solution, thereby optimizing the rotation of the inner cylindrical transparent container. In this case, the angle with respect to sunlight can be adjusted, and thereby the light received by the photocatalyst on the rotor blade can be optimized.

  The rotor blade can be formed of any material as long as hydrogen can be generated by the hydrogen generator of the present invention.

  Thus, for example, a rotor blade is formed of fiber material, for example, fiber of inorganic material such as glass fiber, carbon fiber, metal fiber, or fiber of polymer material such as nylon fiber, acrylic fiber, etc., thereby increasing the surface area. The loading of the catalyst can be promoted. In addition, when the rotor blade is made of a fiber material, the electrolyte aqueous solution moves between the hydrogen generation chamber and the oxygen generation chamber through the rotor blade by forming a fine gap between the fibers. While being possible, mixing of hydrogen produced in the hydrogen production chamber and oxygen produced in the oxygen production chamber can be prevented.

  Further, the rotor blade can be formed of an ion exchange material, particularly an ion exchange membrane. In this case, as shown below, ions are passed between the hydrogen generation chamber and the oxygen generation chamber through the rotor blade. While being able to move, mixing of hydrogen generated in the hydrogen generation chamber and oxygen generated in the oxygen generation chamber can be prevented.

  For example, it may be preferable to form the rotor blade with a transparent material in order to suppress light absorption by the rotor blade itself and increase the proportion of light that can be used in the photocatalyst.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 8 in particular, the inside of the inner cylindrical transparent container (700) is provided with one or more hydrogen generation chambers (780) and one or more oxygen generation chambers by a rotor blade (750). (790), the inner hydrogen outlet (782) is disposed in the hydrogen generation chamber, and the inner oxygen outlet (792) is disposed in the oxygen generation chamber.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the four hydrogen generation chambers (780) and the four oxygen generation chambers (790) are alternately arranged, and one inner hydrogen outlet is provided in each hydrogen generation chamber (780). (782) are arranged, and one inner oxygen outlet (792) is arranged in each oxygen generation chamber (790). However, the number of hydrogen generation chambers and oxygen generation chambers can be any number, and the number of these chambers does not have to be the same. Also, each hydrogen generation chamber can have more than one inner hydrogen outlet, and each oxygen generation chamber can have more than one inner oxygen outlet.

  Here, particularly as shown in FIG. 5 (a), the outer hydrogen outlet (622) of the outer cylindrical transparent container (600) and the inner hydrogen outlet (782) of the inner cylindrical transparent container (700). ) Are arranged at substantially the same radial position, so that when the inner cylindrical transparent container (700) rotates inside the outer cylindrical transparent container (600), the outer hydrogen outlet and the inner The hydrogen outlet is in communication with the inner cylindrical transparent container so that the produced hydrogen can be taken out from the inner hydrogen outlet and the outer hydrogen outlet.

  Similarly, as shown particularly in FIG. 5B, the outer oxygen outlet (624) of the outer cylindrical transparent container (600) and the inner oxygen outlet of the inner cylindrical transparent container (700). (792) are disposed at substantially the same radial position so that when the inner cylindrical transparent container (700) rotates inside the outer cylindrical transparent container (600), the outer oxygen outlet And the inner oxygen outlet communicate with each other so that the generated oxygen can be taken out from the inner side of the inner cylindrical transparent container through the inner oxygen outlet and the outer oxygen outlet.

<Hydrogen production mechanism>
In the hydrogen generator of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 8, a hydrogen generation photocatalyst (786) is disposed in a portion of the rotor blade (750) facing the hydrogen generation chamber (780) and is rotated. An oxygen generation photocatalyst (796) is disposed in a portion of the blade facing the oxygen generation chamber (790).

  Further, in the hydrogen generator of the present invention, the aqueous electrolyte solution contains water, a reduced ionic species, and an oxidized ionic species generated by oxidizing the reduced ionic species, and these ions are separated from the hydrogen generation chamber and the oxygen generation chamber. It is possible to move between. The movement of these ions can be achieved by the fact that the aqueous electrolyte solution itself can move between the hydrogen generation chamber and the oxygen generation chamber by convection.

  In the hydrogen generator of the present invention, as described above, the rotor blade can be formed of an ion exchange material, particularly an ion exchange membrane. In this case, the reduced ion species, the oxidized ion species, and the hydrogen ions are The movement of these ions can also be promoted by being able to move between the hydrogen generation chamber and the oxygen generation chamber through the ion exchange membrane.

According to the hydrogen generation apparatus of the present invention, when the hydrogen generation photocatalyst and the oxygen generation photocatalyst on the rotor blade are irradiated with light, for example, sunlight, through the outer cylindrical transparent container and the inner cylindrical transparent container. As shown in FIG. 1, hydrogen ions (H ⁺ ) in the electrolyte aqueous solution in the hydrogen generation chamber are reduced by the catalytic action of the hydrogen generation photocatalyst to generate hydrogen (H ₂ ), and the electrolyte in the hydrogen generation chamber The reduced ionic species (Fe ²⁺ ) in the aqueous solution are oxidized to produce oxidized ionic species (Fe ³⁺ ).

Further, in the hydrogen generator of the present invention, when the hydrogen generating photocatalyst and the oxygen generating photocatalyst are irradiated with light, as shown in FIG. (H ₂ O) is decomposed and oxidized to generate hydrogen ions (H ⁺ ) and oxygen (O ₂ ), and oxidized ion species (Fe ³⁺ ) in the electrolyte aqueous solution in the oxygen generation chamber are reduced to reduce Ionic species (Fe ²⁺ ) are generated.

Here, the reduced ion species (Fe ²⁺ ), the oxidized ion species (Fe ³⁺ ), and the hydrogen ions (H ⁺ ) can move between the hydrogen generation chamber and the oxygen generation chamber. Accordingly, the reduced ion species (Fe ²⁺ ) and hydrogen ions (H ⁺ ) move from the oxygen generation chamber to the hydrogen generation chamber, and the oxidized ion species (Fe ³⁺ ) move from the hydrogen generation chamber to the oxygen generation chamber. The reaction continues.

  Therefore, as a whole reaction, hydrogen is generated in the hydrogen generation chamber and oxygen is generated in the oxygen generation chamber.

Regarding the hydrogen generator of the present invention, as the reducing ion species and reducing ion species of the aqueous electrolyte solution, any combination of reducing ion species and reducing ion species can be used as long as hydrogen can be produced by the hydrogen generator of the present invention. Can do. These reducing ion species and reducing ion species may be, for example, Fe ²⁺ and Fe ³⁺ , respectively. These iron ions can be provided by, for example, iron nitrate (Fe (NO ₃ ) ₃ ), iron chloride (FeCl ₃ ), or iron sulfate (Fe ₂ (SO ₄ ) ₃ ).

In the hydrogen generation apparatus of the present invention, the hydrogen generation photocatalyst may be a photocatalyst selected from the group consisting of Pt / SrTiO ₃ : Rh system, Ru / SrTiO ₃ : Rh system, and combinations thereof, and generates oxygen. The photocatalyst may be a photocatalyst selected from the group consisting of WO ₃ series, BiVO ₄ series, Bi ₂ MoO ₆ series, and combinations thereof.

《Hydrogen production method》
The hydrogen production method of the present invention includes generating light from water by irradiating the light receiving unit of the hydrogen generator of the present invention with light, particularly sunlight.

  According to such a method of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently generate hydrogen from water using light, particularly sunlight, as an energy source.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Light 200 Conventional hydrogen production apparatus 300 Conventional hydrogen production apparatus 500 Hydrogen generation apparatus of this invention 600 Outer cylindrical transparent container 700 Inner cylindrical transparent container 750 Rotary blade

Claims (5)

A hydrogen generator for decomposing water into hydrogen and oxygen, the hydrogen generator having an outer cylindrical transparent container and an inner cylindrical transparent container and satisfying the following (a) to (l) :
(A) The inner cylindrical transparent container is accommodated in the inner side of the outer cylindrical transparent container so as to be rotatable coaxially with the outer cylindrical transparent container;
(B) The outer cylindrical transparent container has an electrolyte aqueous solution inlet into which the electrolyte aqueous solution flows in, an electrolyte aqueous solution outlet through which the electrolyte aqueous solution flows out, an outer hydrogen outlet through which the generated hydrogen flows out, and the generated oxygen flows out. Has an outer oxygen outlet,
(C) The inner cylindrical transparent container has a rotor blade fixed coaxially with the inner cylindrical transparent container in the inner cylindrical transparent container, an inner hydrogen outlet from which the generated hydrogen flows out, and Has an inner oxygen outlet through which oxygen flows out,
(D) The inside of the inner cylindrical transparent container is partitioned into one or a plurality of hydrogen generation chambers and one or a plurality of oxygen generation chambers by the rotor blades, and the inner hydrogen outlet is the hydrogen generation chamber And the inner oxygen outlet is disposed in the oxygen generation chamber,
(E) The electrolyte aqueous solution flows in from the electrolyte aqueous solution inlet of the outer cylindrical transparent container, and flows out of the electrolyte aqueous solution outlet of the outer cylindrical transparent container, so that the inside of the inner cylindrical transparent container The rotating blade fixed to the wing receives power, and the inner cylindrical transparent container is rotated.
(F) The outer hydrogen outlet and the inner hydrogen outlet are arranged at substantially the same radial position, whereby the inner cylindrical transparent container is rotated inside the outer cylindrical transparent container. Sometimes, the outer hydrogen outlet and the inner hydrogen outlet communicate with each other, and the generated hydrogen is taken out from the inner side of the inner cylindrical transparent container through the inner hydrogen outlet and the outer hydrogen outlet. Can
(G) The outer oxygen outlet and the inner oxygen outlet are arranged at substantially the same radial position, whereby the inner cylindrical transparent container is rotated inside the outer cylindrical transparent container. Sometimes, the outer oxygen outlet and the inner oxygen outlet communicate with each other, and the generated oxygen is taken out from the inner side of the inner cylindrical transparent container through the inner oxygen outlet and the outer oxygen outlet. Can
(H) A hydrogen generation photocatalyst is disposed in a portion of the rotor blade facing the hydrogen generation chamber, and an oxygen generation photocatalyst is disposed in a portion of the rotor blade facing the oxygen generation chamber. Is placed,
(I) The aqueous electrolyte solution contains water, a reduced ionic species, and an oxidized ionic species generated by oxidation of the reduced ionic species,
(J) the reducing ion species, the oxidizing ion species, and the hydrogen ions are movable between the hydrogen generation chamber and the oxygen generation chamber;
(K) When the hydrogen generation photocatalyst in the hydrogen generation chamber receives light irradiation, hydrogen ions in the aqueous electrolyte solution are reduced by the catalytic action of the hydrogen generation photocatalyst to generate hydrogen, and the aqueous electrolyte solution (1) When the oxygen generation photocatalyst in the oxygen generation chamber is irradiated with light, the electrolyte aqueous solution is generated by the catalytic action of the oxygen generation photocatalyst. Water therein is decomposed and oxidized to generate hydrogen ions and oxygen, and the oxidized ion species in the aqueous electrolyte solution are reduced to generate the reduced ion species.   The rotor blade is formed of an ion exchange material, and the reduced ion species, the oxidized ion species, and hydrogen ions pass between the hydrogen generation chamber and the oxygen generation chamber through the ion exchange material. The hydrogen generator according to claim 1, which is movable.   The hydrogen generator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the surface of each blade of the rotor blade is inclined with respect to the rotation axis of the rotor blade.   The hydrogen production apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light irradiation is solar light irradiation.   A hydrogen production method comprising irradiating light to the hydrogen generation photocatalyst and the oxygen generation photocatalyst of the hydrogen generation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 to generate hydrogen from water.

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