KR20070092014A - Apparatus for manufacturing catalyst powder - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for preparing catalyst powder that can obtain catalyst powder with a uniform particle size by spraying a catalytic solution into a tube is provided. In a system for preparing catalyst powder from a solution container(30) in which a catalytic solution is stored, the system for preparing catalyst powder comprises: a tube(10); a first tube holder(12) holding one end portion of the tube; a second tube holder(14) holding the other end portion of the tube; a spray nozzle(32) embedded in the first tube holder to spray a catalytic solution from the solution container into the tube; a reciprocating means(40) having a powder collector(42) attached to an end portion thereof such that the powder collector is movable through the second tube holder; and a heating means(20) heating the tube. The system further comprises an opening-and-closing valve(34) interposed between the spray nozzle and the solution container.

Description

Catalytic powder manufacturing apparatus {APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING CATALYST POWDER}

1 is a view of a catalyst synthesis apparatus according to the present invention;

2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1;

3 is a view showing a state in which the dried catalyst is withdrawn from the tube.

<Description of Symbols for Major Parts of Drawings>

10: tube

12, 14: tube holder

20: heating means

30: solution container

32: injection nozzle

34: on-off valve

40: reciprocating means

42: powder collector

The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing a catalyst by reducing the catalyst raw material, and more particularly to a catalyst powder production apparatus that can obtain a powder having a constant catalyst characteristics and uniform particle size.

In general, a fuel cell system is a power generation system that directly obtains electrical energy by an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen contained in a hydrocarbon-based fuel such as methanol or natural gas and oxygen in the air. Such fuel cell systems can be broadly classified into alkali type, phosphoric acid type, molten carbonate, solid oxide type and solid polymer electrolyte type according to the type of electrolyte.

Such a fuel cell system basically has a stack in which a plurality of unit cells for generating electricity are stacked. The stack has a structure in which a plurality of unit cells stacked between end plates are fastened by bolts and nuts. The unit cell includes an electrode membrane assembly (MEA) provided with electrodes on both sides of the polymer electrolyte membrane, and a separator, that is, a bipolar plate, respectively disposed on both sides of the MEA and having a fluid flow channel processed on the surface thereof.

The power generation efficiency of a fuel cell system depends largely on the electrode. Such an electrode generally includes an electrode catalyst layer in which a fine catalyst powder, for example, a carbon powder on which platinum powder is supported, is bonded with a binder. Thus, in order to improve power generation efficiency of a fuel cell system, the catalyst has excellent catalyst properties and a good powder state. Good catalyst powder is required.

According to the conventional example, a catalyst powder was obtained by adding a reducing agent or a surfactant to a solution containing a catalyst raw material and then performing heat treatment in a reducing atmosphere. However, since the catalyst powder production method as described above is made in a batch manner, it is difficult to obtain a homogeneous powder. That is, it was difficult to keep the particle size state of powder uniform.

The present invention has been proposed in order to solve the conventional problems as described above, and an object thereof is to provide a catalyst powder production apparatus that can obtain a good particle size state of the powder.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a catalyst powder manufacturing apparatus includes a through-shaped tube, a first tube holder for supporting one end of the tube, a second tube holder for supporting the other end of the tube, and A injection nozzle embedded in the first tube holder for injecting a catalyst solution into the tube, a reciprocating means having a powder collector movable at the end of the tube and attached to an end thereof, and heating for heating the tube. It is characterized by consisting of means.

The injection nozzle is fluidly connected to the solution container in which the catalyst solution is stored with the on / off valve interposed therebetween.

The reciprocating means is a cylinder, and the heating means is a hot wire or a halogen lamp. The heating means is provided with a reflector.

The catalyst solution is a platinum acid solution and, if necessary, contains an ionomer or carbon such as Nafion.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a view showing a catalyst powder production apparatus according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken line II-II of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a view showing the withdrawal state of the catalyst powder prepared according to the present invention. .

First, a catalyst solution is prepared to prepare a catalyst powder. The catalyst solution is a solution in which the catalyst raw material is dissolved in an acid solution. At least one solvent selected from the group consisting of distilled water, ethanol, alcohol and acetone may be added to the catalyst solution as necessary. This catalyst solution may be stored in the solution vessel 30 (see FIG. 1). The catalyst solution may be composed of, for example, a platinum acid solution.

According to the present invention, the apparatus 100 for producing the catalyst powder from the catalyst solution described above, as shown in Figure 1, the tube 10 having a through structure and the first end of the one end of the tube 10, The tube holder 12 and the second tube holder 14 supporting the other end of the tube 10 are provided.

At the periphery of the tube 10 is provided heating means 20 for heating it. The heating means 20 may be made of a heating element, such as a heating wire wound around the periphery of the tube 10 or a plurality of halogen lamps surrounding the periphery of the tube 20. At this time, in order to improve the heating effect by the heating means 20, a reflecting mirror may be provided around the tube 20 so that the heat emitted from the heating means 20 can be reflected toward the tube 10. have.

The lower portion of the second tube holder 14 is provided with a reciprocating means 40 capable of variable length operation, the powder collector 42 is provided at the end of the reciprocating means 40. The reciprocating means 40 may be configured as a cylinder. The powder collector 42 has a plate-like structure. For example, the powder collector 42 may have a disc or square plate structure according to the inner surface structure of the tube 10. The powder collector 42 may enter or exit the inside of the tube 10 through the second tube holder 14 by the variable length operation of the reciprocating means 40.

The first tube holder 12 includes a spray nozzle 32 for injecting a catalyst solution toward the inside of the tube 10. The injection nozzle 32 is fluidly connected to the solution container 30 located outside the tube 10. Preferably, an on-off valve 34 may be provided between the injection nozzle 32 and the solution container 30.

Hereinafter, the operation of the catalyst powder production apparatus according to the present invention will be described.

First, the solution container 30 is fluidly connected to the injection nozzle 32, and the powder collector 420 is inside the tube 10, preferably the tube 10 adjacent to the second tube holder 14. The heating means 20 is operated to heat the inside of the tube 10 to a predetermined temperature, for example, about 150 to 500 ° C.

Thereafter, the catalyst solution discharged from the solution container 30 by the opening operation of the opening / closing valve 34 is sprayed into the tube 10 in the form of a spray by the injection operation of the injection nozzle 32. At this time, the catalyst solution in the spray form is uniformly distributed in the tube 10, so that no entanglement between the catalyst solutions occurs.

While the catalyst solution injected from the injection nozzle 32 is directed toward the second tube holder 14, the highly volatile solution contained in the catalyst solution is evaporated by the temperature inside the tube 10, and as a result, it is uniform. One particle catalyst powder is obtained.

This catalyst powder accumulates on the powder collector 42.

When a predetermined amount of catalyst powder is accumulated on the powder collector 42 through the above-described process, the powder collector 42 is drawn out from the inside of the tube 10 to the outside by the lowering operation of the reciprocating means 40. A catalyst powder (A) having a particle size can be obtained.

When the catalyst solution is a platinum acid solution, the inside of the tube 10 is maintained at a temperature of about 200 ℃. At this time, the platinum catalyst contained in the spray-type platinum acid solution sprayed into the tube 10 through the injection nozzle 32 is reduced while the highly volatile solution is evaporated and converted into platinum powder. The particle size of such platinum powder can be kept uniform.

On the other hand, after mixing the ionizer, such as Nafion in the platinum acid solution and sprayed into the tube 10 through the injection nozzle 32, it is possible to obtain a platinum catalyst coated Nafion. In this Nafion, the platinum catalyst has a uniform particle size and is uniformly distributed, thereby obtaining a good Nafion.

In addition, when carbon is mixed with the platinum acid solution, a supported catalyst can be obtained with the same effect.

According to the present invention, a catalyst powder having a uniform particle size can be obtained by spraying the catalyst solution in the form of a spray inside the tube.

Claims (8)

An apparatus for producing a catalyst powder from a solution vessel in which a catalyst solution is stored, A tube; A first tube holder supporting one end of the tube; A second tube holder supporting the other end of the tube; An injection nozzle embedded in the first tube holder for injecting a catalyst solution from the solution container into the tube; Reciprocating means having a powder collector moveable through the second tube holder attached to an end thereof; Catalyst powder manufacturing apparatus, characterized in that consisting of a heating means for heating the tube. The method of claim 1, Catalyst powder manufacturing apparatus further comprises an on-off valve interposed between the injection nozzle and the solution container. The method of claim 1, The catalyst powder manufacturing apparatus, characterized in that the reciprocating means is a cylinder. The method of claim 1, The heating means is a catalyst powder production apparatus, characterized in that the hot wire or halogen lamp. The method of claim 4, wherein Catalytic powder production apparatus, characterized in that the heating means is provided with a reflector. The method of claim 1, Catalyst catalyst production apparatus, characterized in that the catalyst solution is a platinum acid solution. The method of claim 6, The catalyst powder production apparatus characterized in that the catalyst solution contains Nafion. The method according to claim 6 or 7, The catalyst powder production apparatus, characterized in that the catalyst solution contains carbon.

Images