KR0170928B1 - Process for preparation of hydrogen by electrolysis of vapor using glow discharge and apparatus therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of water vapor using a glow discharge, and to an apparatus used therein, the reactor (1) partially filled with water (11), only the end portion of the water (11) above A hydrogen production apparatus comprising a metal cathode (2) in the form of an exposed wire, a plate anode (3) disposed opposite thereto, a dual mode power source (4) connected to both electrodes, and an inductor (5) connected in series with the circuit. Electrolysis of water vapor by electric discharge can produce hydrogen easily and stably.

Description

Method for producing hydrogen by glow discharge decomposition of water vapor and apparatus used therein

1 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus for producing hydrogen by glow discharge decomposition of steam;

(A) and (b) of FIG. 2 is explanatory drawing which shows the produced | generated hydrogen separation method.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

1: reactor 2: cathode

3: anode 4: power

5: inductor

The present invention relates to a method for producing hydrogen by glow electrodischarge decomposition of steam and to an apparatus used therein.

Hydrogen, which is used as a fuel source for hydrogen fuel cells, has been produced by electrolyzing water and then stored and used in other forms. However, since hydrogen is very explosive, an economical hydrogen storage system has not been developed yet. Thus, research has been conducted on how to provide hydrogen on demand from materials that are safe to handle.

Most of the production of hydrogen relies on the reforming of hydrocarbon fuels such as methane and methanol through thermochemical reactions. This reforming method is possible in the presence of a catalyst such as Cu—Zn at a temperature of 200 ° C. or higher. The product of this reforming reaction includes compounds such as Co and Co _{2 in} addition to hydrogen. However, this reforming reaction is endothermic and must maintain a high temperature of 200 ° C. or higher, and this requires that the reactor be insulated thoroughly.

As described above, the method for producing hydrogen through reforming reaction through a thermochemical reaction proceeds at a high temperature and is an endothermic reaction. The disadvantage is that the size of the system is huge, especially when the reforming reactor is mounted on a transport vehicle.

Another method of producing hydrogen immediately when needed is a plasma electrolysis method in which the reaction of a metal raw material such as aluminum with water by electric discharge is not easy to ignite, and once ignited, the water is a large heatsink. Because it acts as a sink, the combustion reaction does not last. In addition, in order to sustain the electrochemical combustion reaction or plasma electrolysis, the ambient temperature of the cathode and the anode must be high, and thus there is a disadvantage of inefficient heat treatment, such as increasing the temperature of the entire water inside the reactor. In order to compensate for these disadvantages, a plasma electrolysis method between water vapor and metal may be considered in a reactor equipped with a thermal insulation device, but the metal fuel in the form of wire rapidly melts due to the heat conduction of the reaction heat, and thus it is not practical.

In addition, in order to promote plasma electrolysis in water, electrochemical reactions must be concentrated at the end of the cathode, which requires the surface of the wire to be treated with an insulator.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing hydrogen by a plasma electrolysis method by glow discharge and a device used therein simply and efficiently.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes the steps of sensing the internal temperature and hydrogen partial pressure of the reactor (1); According to the detection signal, the speed of entry of the cathode 2 composed of metal wires is adjusted so that the cathode 2 penetrates through the water 11 filled in a part of the reactor 1, and its tip is exposed to the water 11. Making it possible; Adjusting a power according to the detection signal to apply a voltage between the cathode (2) and the anode (3) in the form of a plate; And it provides a method for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of water vapor with a glow discharge comprising the step of separating the generated hydrogen.

In the present invention, the reactor (1) partially filled with water (11), the metal cathode (2) in the form of a wire exposed only the end portion of the water (11), the plate anode (3) installed facing the two electrodes, these two electrodes Provided is a hydrogen production apparatus comprising a connected dual mode power source 4 and an inductor 5 connected in series with a circuit.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail.

In the present invention, plasma electrolysis is performed by inducing a chemical reaction with water vapor by glow electric discharge of the consumable metal raw material. That is, hydrogen is produced by applying a voltage between the cathode and the anode after exposing the tip of the cathode made of metal wire over the water filled in a part of the reactor.

When the electrochemical combustion reaction or plasma electrolysis of the consumable metal raw material is continued, the heat of reaction of the combustion reaction is conducted through the wire, and by this conduction heat, part of the water evaporates to fill the reactor. At this time, the water not only serves as a source of water vapor used for the reaction, but also takes away the heat conducted through the wire, thereby preventing the wire from melting.

In addition, the conduction of electricity by ions is not possible due to the interface between water vapor and water, so the electrochemical reaction of the wire is limited to only the exposed part of the water. Therefore, the surface treatment of the wire becomes unnecessary.

The apparatus used in the water tank manufacturing method of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, passes through the water inside the reactor 1, which is only partially filled with water. ) And a flat plate anode 3 is located facing each other. A power source 4 having two modes of high voltage / low current and low voltage / high current is used as a power source for inducing electrical discharge through these two electrodes. Several Henry's inductors 5 are connected in series with this discharge circuit.

The consumable metal wire used as the cathode is preferably a metal such as Al, Mg, Ti, Fe, etc., having a diameter of 0.05-5 mm. Since the metal wire is consumed by combustion with water vapor, it is preferable to adjust the feed rate to the wire feeder by the motor 10 so that a constant length, ie, about 5 mm at the end, is always exposed to the water top depending on the burning speed. Most of the electrochemical reaction of the wire is preferably exposed on water. Since the electrochemical reaction of the wire is mostly concentrated on the exposed part of the water, smooth plasma electrolysis can be continued without treating the surface of the wire. The internal temperature and the hydrogen partial pressure of the reactor are measured by the temperature sensor 12 and the hydrogen partial pressure sensor 13, respectively, and the value is feed-in to the controller 7 and the controller 7 according to these values. Can control the speed and power of the wire.

The positive electrode 3 is located at a distance of about 2-5 mm from the negative electrode 2, and it is preferable to use a flat plate made of Al, Ni, or carbon.

In order to produce hydrogen using the apparatus as described above, the water partially filled in the reactor 1 is first heated to 50 ° C. or more.

In the electrical circuit containing the inductor 5, the voltage of the power supply 4 is raised to 100V-1kV to induce discharge between the cathode 2 and the anode 3 whose only part is exposed to the top of the water, and the ignition When the voltage drops to 100V-50V, the current goes above 100mA to proceed with the reaction.

Hydrogen produced by the method for producing hydrogen and the apparatus according to the present invention passes through the cooling tube 9 together with water vapor to remove supersaturated water and utilizes the pressure difference between each gas as shown in FIG. (a)), only hydrogen is separated by the electrochemical voltage difference (FIG. 2 (b)) and can be collected in the hydrogen collection vessel 8.

The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following examples.

However, the scope of the present invention is not limited only to the following Examples.

The partially filled water in reactor 1 was once heated to 50 ° C. In an electric circuit containing 5 Henry's inductors, the voltage of the power source was raised to 5 kV and ignited. After ignition, the voltage was dropped to 100V and the current was increased to 50mA to proceed with the reaction. The metal wire was always exposed to the top of the water 5mm. Hydrogen was separated by removing oxygen and water vapor from the resulting gas mixture.

As described above, according to the present invention, hydrogen can be produced very simply and stably. By exposing a portion of the consumable metal raw material in the form of a wire to act as a cathode, the effect of concentrating electrical conductivity on the exposed end of the wire, assisting the evaporation of water using heat conduction through the wire, and physical There are advantages of having various effects such as preserving the form.

Claims (10)

Sensing the internal temperature of the reactor 1 and the partial pressure of hydrogen; According to the detection signal, the speed of entry of the cathode 2 composed of metal wires is adjusted so that the cathode 2 penetrates through the water 11 filled in a part of the reactor 1, and its tip is exposed to the water 11. Making it possible; Adjusting a power according to the detection signal to apply a voltage between the cathode (2) and the plate-shaped anode (3); And producing hydrogen by electrolysis of water vapor into a glow discharge comprising the step of separating the generated hydrogen. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that between the cathode (2) and the anode (3) is filled with water vapor. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cathode is exposed about 5 mm out of the water. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the cathode (2) is located 2-5 mm away from the weak electrode (3). The method according to claim 1, wherein the internal temperature value and the hydrogen partial pressure value of the reactor (1) are input to the controller (7), and according to these values, the controller is exposed to the outside of the water (11). Adjusting the length. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the cathode (2) is combusted and consumed as the electrolysis proceeds, and the water (11) around the cathode (2) is evaporated by cathode combustion heat. The method of claim 1, wherein the voltage between the cathode (2) and the anode (3) is raised to 100V-1kV to induce the discharge so that the cathode (2) is ignited. Reducing. Reactor (1) partially filled with water (11), metal cathode (2) in the form of wire with only the tip exposed above water (11), plate anode (3) installed opposite thereto, dual mode connected to both electrodes An apparatus for producing hydrogen, comprising an inductor (5) connected in series with a power source (4) and a circuit. 9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the cathode (2) consists of Al, Mg, Ti or Fe. 10. The device according to claim 8, wherein the cathode (2) is a wire of 0.5-5 mm in diameter.