JPH08239786A - Hydrogen and oxygen generator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To develop a highly efficient hydrogen and oxygen generator of simple structure by pure water electrolysis, by arranging plural annular solid electrolyte units each provided with a porous feeder on both sides of an annular solid electrolyte membrane and further with an electrode plate on the upper and lower parts of the feeder in parallel. CONSTITUTION: A porous feeder 20 is provided on both sides of a solid electrolyte membrane 10 such as a cation-exchange membrane and further an annular electrode plate 30 also used as an anode and a cathode on the outside to constitute a solid electrolyte membrane unit 40, and a plurality of the units are stacked on one another. Pure water is supplied from the central hole 12 of the membrane 10 and spread outward in the radial direction of the feeder 20 of an anode chamber 36, and gaseous O2 is electrolytically generated by the membrane 10 on the anode side and recovered through a gas collecting chamber 36C and a line 31. Gaseous H is electrolytically generated on the cathode side, drawn off from the line 34b and collecting chamber 34C along with water and recovered from a line 33.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention uses a solid electrolyte membrane as a diaphragm and electrolyzes it while supplying pure water to the anode side.
The present invention relates to a hydrogen / oxygen generator for generating oxygen gas from the anode side and hydrogen gas from the cathode side.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the structure of this type of hydrogen / oxygen generator is as shown in FIG. 10 when it is applied to a large-scale facility such as when a large amount of oxygen gas or hydrogen gas is required. So-called "double pole filter press type electrolyzer" has been proposed ("New Edition Electrochemical Handbook",
(Company) edited by The Japan Electrochemical Society, published by Maruzen Co., Ltd., 2nd edition, 4th
Imprint, page 733).

This device has a solid electrolyte membrane 110, for example,
A cation exchange membrane (a fluororesin sulfonic acid cation exchange membrane, for example, "Nafion 117" manufactured by DuPont);
A mesh-shaped porous power feeding body 111, 112 made of a white metal group metal or the like attached on both sides thereof, and both porous power feeding bodies 111, 11
A plurality of solid electrolyte membrane units 120 1 and 120 2 each composed of a bipolar electrode plate 113 arranged on the outer side of 2 are arranged so that each unit is superposed. The bipolar electrode plate 113 is a single electrode plate in which the electric potentials of the front surface and the back surface of the electrode plate are opposite to each other when energized.

That is, in this case, by electrolyzing while supplying water to the anode side, 2H ₂ O →
A reaction such as O ₂ + 4H ⁺ + 4e ⁻ occurs to generate oxygen gas, and a reaction of 4H ⁺ + 4e ⁻ → 2H ₂ occurs to generate hydrogen gas on the cathode side.

Then, the solid electrolyte membrane units 120, 120
In addition to providing pure water supply paths 115, 115 for supplying pure water to the anode-side porous power feeders 111, 111, the anode-side porous power feeders 11 of the solid electrolyte membrane units 120, 120 are also provided.
1. Oxygen gas extraction paths 116, 116 for extracting oxygen gas (including water) from 1, 111 are arranged, and hydrogen gas (including water) is supplied from the porous power supply members 112, 112 on the cathode side of the solid electrolyte membrane units 120, 120. 2) for taking out hydrogen).

[0006]

However, as described above, the "multipole filter press type electrolyzer" is used.
Then, from the pure water supply paths 115, 115 disposed on one side of the anode-side porous power supply elements 111, 111, the porous power supply element 11 1,
Oxygen gas withdrawal path arranged on the other side of 1, 111
Pure water and oxygen gas generated on the anode side flow toward 116, 116.

Further, usually, the shapes of the porous power feeding members 111, 111 are disk-shaped, and therefore, as shown in FIG.
The cross-sectional area of the flow path through which pure water and oxygen gas flow increases once, and then the cross-sectional area at the outlet side shows the oxygen gas extraction path.
Since it decreases in the vicinity of 116,116, the flow resistance increases. This is the same on the cathode side, and if the flow resistance increases in this way, the electrical energy required for electrolysis also increases, and the efficiency of the entire device deteriorates.

As a method for solving such a problem, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-502908 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-033283, the central portion of the hydrogen / oxygen generator is axially moved to
In addition to providing a water supply path, water and hydrogen generated from the cathode plate are taken out from the flow path provided in the peripheral portion in the axial direction, and in the axial direction between the cylindrical housing (casing) and the cell outer peripheral portion. Disclosed is a hydrogen / oxygen generator configured to take out oxygen and water generated from an anode plate through a provided jacket.

However, these hydrogen / oxygen generators require a jacket for taking out oxygen and water, and therefore require a complicated structure such as a casing, a seal member, and a jacket.

In consideration of such a situation, the present invention can suppress the electric energy required for electrolysis as much as possible without increasing the resistance of the flow of pure water, oxygen gas, and hydrogen gas. It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and efficient hydrogen / oxygen generator that does not require a complicated structure such as a casing, a seal member, and a jacket as in the past.

[0011]

The present invention has been made in order to achieve the above-mentioned problems and objects in the prior art. The following (1) to (3) are summarized as follows. It is what

(1) A plurality of solid electrolyte membranes, a porous power feeding body provided on both sides of the solid electrolyte membrane, and an electrode plate disposed outside both of the porous power feeding bodies to perform both functions of an anode and a cathode. A bipolar hydrogen / oxygen generator having a structure in which individual solid electrolyte membrane units are stacked, wherein a pure water supply path communicating axially with each of the solid electrolyte membrane units is formed, and each of the electrode plates Forming the anode chamber and the cathode chamber on both sides,
A porous electricity supply body is housed, a pure water supply path for the anode chamber extending from the pure water supply path to the anode chamber is formed in each of the electrode plates, and a hydrogen gas collection chamber is provided radially outside each of the electrode plates. And forming a hydrogen gas path from the cathode chamber to the hydrogen gas collection chamber, and a hydrogen gas extraction path communicating axially with the hydrogen gas collection chamber formed on each electrode plate. Forming an oxygen gas collection chamber on the outer side of the electrode plate in the radial direction, and forming an oxygen gas path from the anode chamber to the oxygen gas collection chamber, and forming the oxygen gas collection chamber on each electrode plate. A hydrogen / oxygen generator characterized in that an oxygen gas extraction path is formed so as to axially communicate the oxygen gas collection chamber.

(2) The hydrogen / oxygen generator according to the above (1), wherein the solid electrolyte membrane is a solid polymer electrolyte membrane.

(3) The hydrogen / oxygen generator according to the above (1) or (2), wherein the pure water supply path is formed near the center of each solid electrolyte membrane unit. .

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the hydrogen / oxygen generator of the present invention, which is a vertical cross-sectional view showing only one side with respect to the central axis thereof, and A3 of FIG. -Corresponds to the vertical sectional view taken along the line A3 ', FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a partial vertical sectional view taken along the line A1-A1' in FIG. 2 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line A2-A2 'in FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line A3-A3' in FIG.

1 and 2, reference numeral 1 generally indicates the hydrogen / oxygen generator of the present invention. The hydrogen / oxygen generator 1 is basically composed of a ring-shaped solid electrolyte membrane 10, ring-shaped porous power feeders 20 and 20 provided on both sides of the solid electrolyte membrane 10, and upper and lower sides of both porous power feeders 20 and 20. It has a structure in which a plurality of annular solid electrolyte membrane units 40, 40, each of which is composed of an annular electrode plate 30 which performs both functions of an annular anode and a cathode, are arranged side by side. The hydrogen / oxygen generator 1 is preferably used in a vertical relationship as shown in FIG. 1, but it may be placed horizontally at an angle of 90 °, which is the reverse of this.

A pure water supply path 50 is formed in the vicinity of the central portion of each solid electrolyte membrane unit 40 so as to communicate with each other in the axial direction. The pure water supply path 50 is formed by the central hole 32 of the electrode plate 30,
Porous power feeding body 20, central hole portions 22, 22 of the solid electrolyte membrane 10
Extending through the central hole portion 12. Also, the electrode plate
An O-ring-shaped seal member 60 is provided around the central hole 32 on the upper surface of 30, and the pure water supply path 50 and the cathode chamber 34 are provided.
Is isolated.

Further, each electrode plate 30 is a bipolar electrode plate, and is a single electrode plate whose front and back surfaces have opposite potentials when energized, and is the anode side thereof. On the (lower side in FIG. 1) side, an annular recess-shaped anode chamber 36 is formed radially outward of the pure water supply path 50.
A porous power supply body 20 on the anode side is housed in. On the other hand, on the cathode side (upper side in FIG. 1), the cathode chamber in the shape of an annular recess is arranged radially outward with respect to the pure water supply path 50.
34 is formed, and the cathode-side porous power supply body 20 is accommodated in the cathode chamber 34.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, each electrode plate 30 is provided with a plurality of radial lines from the inner peripheral wall of the central hole portion 32, from the pure water supply path 50 to the anode. Pure water supply paths 36a, 36a for the anode chamber that reach the chamber 36 are formed.
Further, a plurality of substantially U-shaped oxygen gas passages 36b, 36b are radially formed on the outer side of the anode chamber 36 in the radial direction, and the end portion of the oxygen gas passages 36b, 36b is formed near the outer peripheral portion of the electrode plate 30. It is communicated with an annular oxygen gas collection chamber 36c formed on the side surface. In this case, the oxygen gas collection chamber 36c is connected to the electrode plate 30.
End surface 36d and an end surface 36d of another electrode plate 30 adjacent to the electrode plate 30 are formed with annular grooves 36c ', 36c', and the periphery thereof is a sealing member 36e composed of two O-rings. ,
36f is provided and sealed so that water and generated oxygen gas do not leak from the oxygen gas collection chamber 36c. The oxygen gas collection chambers 36c and 36c provided on the electrode plates 30 are axially displaced from the pure water supply passages 36a and 36a for the anode chamber at the positions angularly displaced from each other. , 36c are connected to an oxygen gas extraction path 31 formed so as to communicate with each other (see FIGS. 1, 2, and 5).

In this case, in this embodiment, the pure water supply path 36a for the anode chamber is provided at the position of the A3-A3 'cross section in FIG. 2, but it is not particularly limited to this cross section, and for example, ,
It can be provided at positions such as the A1-A1 'cross section and the A2-A2' cross section in FIG.

On the other hand, in each electrode plate 30, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, inside the outer peripheral end of the cathode chamber 34, hydrogen gas passages 34b, 34b having a substantially U shape are formed. , A plurality of radial formations are made at the positions deviated from the pure water supply paths 36a, 36a for the anode chamber described above and the central angle, and the end portions thereof are
The electrode plate 30 is communicated with a hydrogen gas collecting chamber 34c having an annular recess shape formed on the surface of the electrode plate 30 near the outer periphery on the anode side. In addition,
In this case, the hydrogen gas collection chamber 34c is attached to the end surface 34d of the electrode plate 30.
And an annular groove 34c ', 34c' formed in the end face 34d of the other electrode plate 30 adjacent to the electrode plate 30 and a sealing member 34e, 34f consisting of two O-rings around the groove 34c ', 34c'. It is provided and sealed so that water and generated hydrogen gas do not leak from the hydrogen gas collection chamber 34c. And
Hydrogen gas collection chambers 34c, 34c provided in each electrode plate 30
Is connected to a hydrogen gas extraction path 33 formed so as to connect the hydrogen gas collection chambers 34c, 34c in the axial direction at a position deviated from the hydrogen gas paths 34b, 34b in terms of the central angle.

The various routes described above may be provided by drilling the electrode plate 30 with a drill or the like.
It is also possible to perform electric discharge machining or casting.

In the case of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the oxygen gas collection chamber 36c is located radially outside the hydrogen gas collection chamber 34c. In addition, the hydrogen gas collection chamber 34c can be arranged radially outside the oxygen gas collection chamber 36c. Further, in the case of this embodiment, 10 anode pure water supply paths 36a, 36a and 10 oxygen gas paths 34b, 34b are provided, but the number can be changed appropriately. Further, in the present embodiment, the electrode plate, the porous power feeder, the solid electrolyte membrane and the like have a ring shape, but the present invention is not limited to this. Further, the pure water supply path communicates with the central portion of the solid electrolyte unit, but the invention is not limited to this.

Further, the solid electrolyte membrane 10 is formed by molding a solid polymer electrolyte into a membrane, for example, a cation exchange membrane (a fluororesin sulfonic acid cation exchange membrane, for example, "Nafion 117" manufactured by DuPont). It is preferable to use a "solid polymer electrolyte membrane" having a structure in which a porous anode and cathode made of a noble metal, particularly a platinum group metal, are chemically bonded by electroless plating on both sides. In this case, it is preferable that both electrodes be platinum, and in particular,
When a two-layer structure of platinum and iridium is used, the current density is high, for example, 50 to 70 A / dm ² in the conventional solid electrolyte having a structure in which an electrode physically contacts an ion exchange membrane. On the other hand, it becomes possible to carry out electrolysis at 80 ° C and 200 A / dm ² for a long period of about 4 years. In this case, in addition to the iridium, a solid polymer electrolyte membrane having a multilayer structure in which two or more kinds of platinum group metals are plated can be used,
Higher current density is possible.

Further, since the solid electrolyte membrane 10 of the present application has a structure in which electrodes made of a noble metal are chemically bonded to both sides of the solid polymer electrolyte by electroless plating, water is provided between the solid polymer electrolyte and both electrodes. Since there is no solution resistance and gas resistance, the contact resistance between the solid polymer electrolyte and both electrodes is low, the voltage is low, the current distribution is uniform, high current density, high temperature water electrolysis, high pressure water Electrolysis becomes possible, and highly pure oxygen and hydrogen gas can be efficiently obtained.

In this embodiment, the diameter of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 10 is preferably about 280 mm, and as shown in FIG. 1, the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 10 extends to the seal member 34f of the oxygen gas trap chamber 34c. Is to seal the film so that hydrogen gas and oxygen gas generated on both surfaces of the film are not mixed.

On the other hand, in order to ensure air permeability, it is preferable that the porous power supply body 20 is made of titanium mesh, for example, three layers of expanded metal and has a thickness of several mm. By using this porous power feeder, the electrode plate 30 to the platinum-plated portion of the surface of the solid electrolyte membrane 10, while supplying electricity necessary for electrolysis, pure water as a raw material and generated oxygen, hydrogen Gas can pass through. Further, the porous power feeding body 20, in short, may be a corrosion-resistant porous body having a conductive air permeability, in addition to the above, graphite porous body, metal porous body, porous conductive ceramics, etc. Is applicable.

The electrode plate 30 may be made of titanium and have a thickness of several mm to several tens of mm when the material is a metal, because it prevents the elution of metal ions in pure water. Therefore, considering the size of the O-ring groove, it is preferable to set it to about 20 mm. The material of the electrode plate 30 may be graphite instead of titanium. In this case, the dimensions of the electrode plate are preferably the same as those made of titanium.

Further, in order to arrange and fasten the solid electrolyte membrane units 40, 40 side by side, as shown in FIG. 6, outside the solid electrolyte membrane units 40, 40 at both ends, stainless steel,
For example, disk-shaped end plates 70, 70 made of SUS304, SUS316, etc. are provided, and when the solid electrolyte membrane units 40, 40 are arranged side by side, the individual electrode plates are bonded to each other when joining them. For insulation, an insulating coating 90 such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coating (see FIG. 1) or an annular insulating spacer 92 (see FIG. 7) is sandwiched between the end plates 70 and 70 at both ends and electrodes at both ends. A plurality of through holes 80, 80 reaching the end plates 70, 70 at both ends of the hydrogen / oxygen generator 1 are also provided by sandwiching another insulating spacer 93, 94 between the plate and the through holes 80, Through bolt to 80
This can be done by mounting 82 and 82 and fastening them with nuts 84.

Further, in this case, as shown in FIG. 6, one end plate 70 (lower side in FIG. 6) has a plug-like water supply port communicating with the pure water supply path 50 at the center thereof.
52 is provided and the oxygen gas extraction path 3
1, a plug-shaped oxygen side drain drain port 95 that communicates with the oxygen gas collection chamber 36c, a hydrogen gas extraction path 33, and a plug-shaped hydrogen side drain drain port 96 that communicates with the hydrogen gas collection chamber 34c
Is provided. In this case, the end plate 70
Inside the chamber, there are an oxygen gas collection chamber 36c and a hydrogen gas collection chamber 34c.
A circular oxygen gas collection chamber 76c and a hydrogen gas collection chamber 74c are provided so as to correspond to the above.

Further, the other end plate 70 (upper side in FIG. 6) has a plug-like oxygen gas outlet 9 which communicates with the oxygen gas outlet 31 and the oxygen gas trap chamber 36c.
7, a hydrogen gas take-out path 33, and a plug-like hydrogen gas take-out port 98 communicating with the hydrogen gas collecting chamber 34c are provided. The other end plate 70 (upper side in FIG. 6) has the other end (that is, the water supply port) of the pure water supply path 50.
Pure water supply path for the anode chamber of the end plate 70 on the side opposite to 52
A closing lid 52 'is provided for closing 36a).

The oxygen side drain drain port 95, the hydrogen side drain drain port 96, the oxygen gas outlet port 97, and the hydrogen gas outlet port 98 are each one or two or more in the circumferential direction at appropriate intervals. It can be provided in.

FIG. 8 shows the solid electrolyte membrane unit 4 described above.
FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view showing another embodiment in which 0 and 40 are arranged side by side and fastened, and the end plates 70 ′ and 70 ′ at both ends have a diameter larger than that of the electrode plate 30, and Multiple through holes
80 ', 80' are drilled and through bolts are inserted in the through holes 80 ', 80'.
It is configured such that 82 'and 82' are mounted and fastened with a nut 84 '. This eliminates the need to provide through holes for fastening bolts in the electrode plate 30, the insulating spacer 92, etc., and facilitates manufacturing.

Although not shown, the energization is carried out by connecting the electrode plates at both ends with the energizing end portions protruding outward from the outer periphery of the electrode plate.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 of another embodiment of the hydrogen / oxygen generator of the present invention. The same members as in the first embodiment described above are designated by reference numerals with 100 added. The difference from the first embodiment described above is that instead of making the oxygen gas collection chamber 36c annular, it has independent cylindrical oxygen gas collection chambers 136c and 136c. , 136c, and each oxygen gas collection chamber
An O-ring 136e is arranged around each of the 136c to seal the oxygen gas extraction path 131. Similarly, instead of forming the hydrogen gas collection chamber 34c in an annular shape, the hydrogen gas collection chamber 134c has an independent cylindrical shape.
c, 134c, hydrogen gas collection chambers 134c, 134c, and an O-ring 134e around each oxygen gas collection chamber 134c to seal the hydrogen gas extraction path 133. Is configured. In this case, although not shown, the end plate has an annular oxygen gas collection chamber,
The hydrogen gas collection chambers may be respectively formed, and the oxygen gas and the hydrogen gas from the plurality of gas collection chambers may be taken out from one oxygen gas outlet and one hydrogen gas outlet, respectively. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide many outlets,

The structure is simplified.

In the hydrogen / oxygen generator 1 of the present invention configured as described above, first, the central hole portion 12 of the solid electrolyte membrane 10 is supplied from the pure water supply system (not shown) through the pure water supply path 50. Through,
For the purpose of supplying pure water to the solid electrolyte membrane 10, it flows to the outside of the porous feeder 20 in the anode chamber 36 in the radial direction.

Then, the supplied pure water is electrolyzed by the solid electrolyte membrane 10 on the anode side, and 2H ₂ O → O ₂ + 4H ⁺
A reaction such as + 4e ⁻ occurs, oxygen gas is generated, and water and the generated oxygen gas are taken out through the oxygen gas paths 36b, 36b, the oxygen gas collection chamber 36c, and the oxygen gas extraction path 31, and the oxygen gas is generated. Oxygen gas is recovered in a gas-liquid separator (not shown) connected to the takeout path 31.

On the other hand, on the cathode side, the solid electrolyte membrane 10
H ⁺ passes through and is supplied with e-on the cathode side,
4H ^{+ +} 4e ^- → the reaction of 2H ₂ is occurs hydrogen gas generated, the hydrogen gas path 34b, 34b, via a hydrogen gas collection chamber 34c, and a hydrogen gas taking-out passage 33, the water and the generated hydrogen gas is removed, Hydrogen gas is recovered in a gas-liquid separator (not shown) connected to the hydrogen gas extraction path 33. In addition,
In this case, in the electrode plate 30, from the pure water supply path 50,
Pure water is supplied to the anode chamber 36 for electrolysis through a plurality of anode chamber pure water supply paths 36a, 36a radially provided from the inner peripheral wall of the central hole 32. There is.

[0040]

According to the hydrogen / oxygen generator of the present invention,
It is an extremely excellent invention that exhibits the remarkable and unique effects as shown below.

(1) Anode chamber 36 sandwiched between electrode plates 30 and kept at a constant gap, that is, the anode side porous feeder 20
Since pure water can flow to the outside in the radial direction by supplying pure water from the center, the pure water flows toward the outside in the radial direction, that is, toward the outer periphery while decreasing the flow velocity, while the solid on the anode side is reduced. The oxygen gas generated in the electrolyte membrane 10 is
Since it flows in the outer peripheral direction in the anode chamber 36 whose cross-sectional area in the flow direction increases, the flow resistance becomes very low. Therefore,
Since the flow resistance is low, the decomposition voltage required for electrolysis is also low and the electrical energy required for electrolysis is reduced, resulting in a very high efficiency of the device. This also applies to the cathode side.

(2) By providing the anode chamber 36 on the lower surface of the electrode plate 30, the generated oxygen gas flows separately on the upper surface of pure water and on the lower surface of pure water. , The drainage which has a bad effect due to its life can be prevented. (3) Further, on the anode side of the electrode plate 30, the oxygen gas passage 36b,
36b, oxygen gas collection chamber 36c, and oxygen gas extraction path
31 is provided on the cathode side with hydrogen gas passages 34b, 34b, a hydrogen gas collection chamber 34c, and a hydrogen gas extraction passage 33 so that oxygen gas and hydrogen gas can be extracted, respectively. It is possible to provide a simple and efficient hydrogen / oxygen generator, which does not require a complicated structure such as a seal member and a jacket.

(4) Since the solid polymer electrolyte membrane of the present application has a structure in which electrodes made of a noble metal are chemically bonded to both surfaces of the solid polymer electrolyte by electroless plating, the solid polymer electrolyte and the electrodes are Since there is no water between them, there is no solution resistance or gas resistance, so the contact resistance between the solid polymer electrolyte and the electrode is low, the voltage is low, the current distribution is uniform, high current density, high temperature water electrolysis, High-pressure water electrolysis becomes possible, and highly pure oxygen and hydrogen gas can be efficiently obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the hydrogen / oxygen generator of the present invention, which is a vertical cross-sectional view showing only one side with respect to a central axis thereof, and FIG. It corresponds to the vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line A3-A3 '.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line A1-A1 ′ of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line A2-A2 ′ of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line A3-A3 ′ of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which solid electrolyte membrane units of the present invention are arranged in parallel and fastened to form a hydrogen / oxygen generator.

7 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 showing a state where an annular insulating spacer is sandwiched between electrode plates.

FIG. 8 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view for explaining the state of another embodiment in which the solid electrolyte membrane units of the present invention are arranged in parallel and fastened to each other to form a hydrogen / oxygen generator.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 of another embodiment of the hydrogen / oxygen generator of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing an outline of a conventional bipolar / filter-press type hydrogen / oxygen generator.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing the flow of water and gas in a conventional bipolar / filter press type hydrogen / oxygen generator.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Hydrogen / oxygen generator 10 ... Solid electrolyte membrane 12 ... Solid electrolyte membrane central hole 20 ... Porous power feeder 22 ... Porous power feeder central hole 30 ... Electrode plate 31 ... Oxygen gas extraction path 32 ... Electrode Central hole 33 of the plate ... Hydrogen gas extraction path 34 ... Cathode chamber 34b ... Hydrogen gas path 34c ... Hydrogen gas collection chamber 34c '... Groove 34d ... End face 34e, 34f ... Seal member 36 ... Anode chamber 36a ... Pure for anode chamber Water supply path 36b ... Oxygen gas path 36c ... Oxygen gas collection chamber 36c '... Groove 36d ... End face 36e, 36f ... Seal member 40 ... Solid electrolyte membrane unit 50 ... Pure water supply path 60 ... Seal member 70 ... End plate 80 ... Through hole 82… Through bolt 84… Nut 110… Solid electrolyte membrane 111, 112… Porous power supply body 113… Bipolar electrode plate 115… Pure water supply path 116… Oxygen gas extraction path 117… Hydrogen gas extraction path 120… Solid electrolyte membrane unit

Front Page Continuation (72) Inventor Mamoru Nagao 2-7-18-102 Itakano, Higashiyodogawa-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Prefecture (72) Inventor Takashi Sasaki 3-310, Higashijiyugaoka, Shizen-cho, Miki City, Hyogo Prefecture (72) Inventor Harada Sorayuki 2-25-43 Nishioizumi, Nerima-ku, Tokyo

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of solid electrolyte membranes, a porous power feeding body provided on both sides of the solid electrolyte membrane, and an electrode plate disposed outside both of the porous power feeding bodies to perform both functions of an anode and a cathode. Bipolar hydrogen with a structure in which the solid electrolyte membrane units of
In the oxygen generator, a pure water supply path communicating with each of the solid electrolyte membrane units in the axial direction is formed, and an anode chamber and a cathode chamber are formed on both surfaces of each of the electrode plates, and porous power feeding is performed. A body is housed, a pure water supply path for the anode chamber extending from the pure water supply path to the anode chamber is formed on each electrode plate, and a hydrogen gas collection chamber is formed on the outer side in the radial direction of each electrode plate. In addition, a hydrogen gas path is formed from the cathode chamber to the hydrogen gas collection chamber, and a hydrogen gas extraction path that axially communicates the hydrogen gas collection chamber formed in each electrode plate is formed. An oxygen gas collection chamber is formed on the outer side in the radial direction of the electrode plate, and an oxygen gas path is formed from the anode chamber to the oxygen gas collection chamber, and the oxygen formed in each electrode plate is formed. Characterized by forming an oxygen gas extraction path that connects the gas collection chamber in the axial direction A hydrogen and oxygen generator. 2. The hydrogen / oxygen generator according to claim 1, wherein the solid electrolyte membrane is a solid polymer electrolyte membrane. 3. The hydrogen / oxygen generator according to claim 1, wherein the deionized water supply path is formed near the center of each solid electrolyte membrane unit.