KR20210049454A - Water electroysis bipolar plate structure for producing hydrogen peroxide - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a bipolar plate structure provided with an electrical shielding means to prevent electrical corrosion caused by anode and cathode, and provides the electrolysis bipolar plate structure, wherein a bipolar plate is interposed in a center, a cathode portion including a cathode serving as a gas diffusion electrode (GDE) is coupled to one surface of the bipolar plate, and an anode portion including an anode is coupled to the opposite surface, and between the bipolar plate and the cathode portion and the anode portion includes an electrical shielding means for preventing electrical corrosion caused by the anode and the cathode, in which the bipolar plate has recesses of a certain depth for installation of a cathode and an anode on one side and the opposite side, respectively, a running water inlet and a running water outlet are formed for the flow of water in the cathode and anode portions at the upper and lower corresponding ends of both sides of the bipolar plate extending outwardly from the recess, respectively, and the cathode portion is configured to be coupled to a cathode, a cathode shielding plate, and a gasket for covering the entire cathode portion.

Description

Water electrolysis bipolar plate structure for generating hydrogen peroxide {WATER ELECTROYSIS BIPOLAR PLATE STRUCTURE FOR PRODUCING HYDROGEN PEROXIDE}

The present invention relates to a bipolar plate for water electrolysis used in an electrolysis device for generating an oxidizing agent, and more particularly, to a bipolar plate structure for water electrolysis provided with an electrical shielding means for preventing electrical corrosion due to an anode and a cathode. .

Hydrogen peroxide has a strong oxidizing power and is used in various ways such as chemical synthesis, water treatment, pulp and paper processes, bleaching agents, and catalysts. In addition, hydrogen peroxide can replace chlorine due to its friendly properties, and can be used in fields requiring the generation and supply of oxygen.

In general, the production of hydrogen peroxide is made by reacting oxygen in the air with organic compounds such as anthraquinone or isopropyl alcohol, and commercially, it is made into an aqueous solution having a concentration of 35, 50, 70 and 90%.

1 is a schematic diagram of an electrolysis device for generating hydrogen peroxide. A known hydrogen peroxide generator using electrolysis includes a reactor in which electrolysis is performed, an anode installed in the reactor, an H+ moving membrane, and a cathode (gas diffusion electrode; GDE). And, the space inside the reactor is divided into three parts by the anode and the cathode. At this time, H+ generated from the electrolyte flowing outside the anode into the space between the anode and the cathode flows through the anode and the H+ transfer membrane, and oxygen gas supplied to the outside of the gas diffusion electrode through the gas diffusion electrode flows into the space and hydrogen peroxide. Is created.

In general, hydrogen peroxide is a wide variety of chemicals, including household disinfectants, oxidizers for wastewater treatment, and bleach for leather processing. Among them, hydrogen peroxide is widely used for wastewater treatment and bleach for leather processing, and there is a risk of burns when it comes into contact with the human body. Since the oxidizing power is very high, it can react with organic solvents and cause a large explosion.

Therefore, when a large amount of hydrogen peroxide is used, there are many dangers to the user in transport (transport), storage, and use. Therefore, in general, if the storage capacity is 300 kg or more, it is designated and managed as Class 6 dangerous goods.

In addition, since there is a risk of explosion when the concentration of hydrogen peroxide is high, a method of electrolyzing water and a certain electrolyte and blowing oxygen or air to produce a concentration within a maximum of 35% is applied.

On the other hand, the applicant of the present invention has applied for an electrolysis device that can produce hydrogen peroxide on-site through an electrochemical reaction by introducing oxygen into the cathode, and has been registered as patents 1,907,642, 1,910,636 and 1,932,163. According to such an electrolysis device, the size of the storage tank can be minimized because it produces the required amount in real time, and it is possible to reduce the risk of high concentration explosion due to evaporation of moisture, and to minimize user handling. It can greatly reduce the risk of purchase/transport/storage/use.

However, in the electrolysis device, the structure of applying current by fastening the anode and cathode busbars in each single cell increases the leakage points of the electrolyte, complicates the connection of wires and cables, and causes electrical corrosion due to the anode and the cathode. There is a problem to be done.

Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a bipolar plate structure provided with an electrical shielding means for preventing electrical corrosion due to an anode and a cathode.

According to one aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, the bipolar plate is centered on one side of the bipolar plate, and a cathode portion including a cathode, which is a gas diffusion electrode (GDE), and an anode portion including an anode on the opposite side. An electrolytic bipolar plate structure for generating hydrogen peroxide comprising an electrical shielding means for preventing electrical corrosion due to the anode and the cathode between the bipolar plate and the cathode portion and the anode portion, respectively, wherein the bipolar plate has one side The opposite side of the plate has recesses of a certain depth for installation of the cathode and anode, respectively, and the upper and lower corresponding ends of both sides of the bipolar plate extending outward from the recess are flowing water for the flow of water in the cathode and anode parts. An inlet port and a flowing water outlet port are respectively formed, and the cathode portion is composed of a combination of a cathode and a cathode shielding plate, and a gasket for covering the entire cathode portion, and the anode portion is an anode and an anode shielding plate, and the entire anode portion There is provided an electrolytic bipolar plate structure consisting of a coupling configuration of a gasket for covering.

According to the present invention, the cathode portion further includes a GDE cathode support for supporting the cathode with respect to the bipolar plate, and the GDE cathode support is provided by being integrally coupled with the cathode by welding, and a concave portion on the cathode side An oxygen inlet for supplying oxygen from the outside is provided at one end of the gas diffusion electrode GDE.

In addition, in the bipolar plate, spaces for installing the cathode shielding plate and the anode shielding plate are provided at the upper and lower corresponding ends of each concave portion on one side and the opposite side, and the cathode shielding plate and the anode shielding plate are respectively provided in the upper and lower spaces Coupled, and the negative electrode shielding plate is attached or fixed to the upper and lower spaces of one side of the bipolar plate to prevent current from flowing from the negative electrode to the bipolar plate, and between the upper and lower ends of the negative electrode and the bipolar plate. It is configured to be spaced apart and made of at least one of plastic-based materials including PVC, PP, and PTFE, and the positive electrode shielding plate is the opposite side of the bipolar plate to prevent current from flowing from the positive electrode to the bipolar plate. It is attached or fixed to the upper and lower spaces of the anode and is configured to separate the upper and lower ends of the positive electrode and the bipolar plate, and is made of at least one of plastic-based materials such as PVC, PP, and PTFE, and the gasket is a negative electrode and a positive electrode. In order to prevent leakage of water flowing along the part and at the same time induce a uniform upward flow from the flowing water inlet to the flowing water outlet on each side of the bipolar plate, a number of vertical upward flow lines are formed in correspondence with each recessed part. , The gasket is preferably made of at least one of non-conductive materials including PTFE, silicone, and rubber.

In the present invention, the negative electrode is preferably an electrode that is spray-coated by mixing conductive carbon powder, granules, PVDF, PTFE, etc. on nickel foam, and then hot-pressed at 100 to 350°C at 10 bar to 300 bar, and the positive electrode is iridium, a platinum group transition metal. 1 among transition metals selected from the group consisting of (Ir), rucenium (Ru), platinum (Pt), tantalum (Ta), titanium (Ti), tin (Sn), antimony (Sb) and manganese (Mn) After coating more than a species, an electrode that is pyrolyzed is preferable.

From the above-described features, the present invention can easily assemble a plurality of electrolysis cells by applying a bipolar plate structure, and it is possible to prevent the occurrence of electrical corrosion due to the anode and the cathode.

1 is a general schematic diagram of an electrolysis device for generating hydrogen peroxide,
2 is an external and exploded perspective view of a bipolar plate structure for water electrolysis according to the present invention for generating hydrogen peroxide in an electrolysis device,
3 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the bipolar plate structure for water electrolysis of FIG. 2,
4 is a view showing the flow of water in the cathode portion of the bipolar plate structure for water electrolysis of FIG. 2;
5 is a view showing the flow of water in the anode portion of the bipolar plate structure for water electrolysis of FIG. 2, and
6 is a view showing an example of an electrolysis device formed by connecting a plurality of bipolar plate structures for water electrolysis of FIG. 2.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail through the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

In the following embodiments, the illustration and description are omitted except for inevitable parts in the description of the invention, and the same reference numerals are assigned to the same and similar elements throughout the specification, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted without repetition. do.

FIG. 2 is a view showing an external shape (a) and an exploded configuration (b) of the electrolytic bipolar plate structure for generating hydrogen peroxide according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a part of the cathode portion of the bipolar plate structure according to FIG. 2. It is a drawing.

The electrolytic bipolar plate structure for generating hydrogen peroxide according to the present invention is composed of a bipolar plate 100, a cathode part 200, and an anode part 300, and a gas diffusion electrode ( The cathode portion 200 including the cathode 210, which is GDE), is coupled, and the anode portion 300 including the anode 310 is coupled to the opposite side.

The bipolar plate 100 has recesses 110 and 120 having a predetermined depth for installation of the cathode 210 and the anode 310 on one side and the opposite side, respectively, and the bipolar plate extending outward from each of the recesses Flowing water inlets 111 and 121 and flowing water outlets 112 and 122 are formed at the upper and lower corresponding ends of both sides of the 100 for the flow of water in the cathode part 200 and the anode part 300, respectively. .

The cathode part 200 is installed on one side of the bipolar plate 100, a cathode 210 having a certain area, a GDE cathode support 220 for supporting the cathode with respect to the bipolar plate 100, In addition, a negative electrode shielding plate 230 and a gasket 240 for covering the entire negative electrode part are combined. In this embodiment, the cathode 210 and the GDE cathode support 220 are preferably provided integrally coupled by welding, and the bipolar through a screw hole 221 drilled along the circumferential surface of the GDE cathode support 220 It is fastened to the recess 110 on one side of the plate 100 with a screw 222.

In addition, the anode part 300 is made of a combination of an anode 310 having a certain area, an anode shielding plate 330, and a gasket 340 for covering the entire anode, and the anode 310 is It is fastened with a screw 312 to the concave portion 120 of the other side of the bipolar plate 100 through a screw hole 311 perforated along the surface.

In addition, spaces 113 and 114 for installing the cathode shielding plate 230 and the anode shielding plate 330 at the upper and lower corresponding ends of the recesses 110 and 120 on one side of the bipolar plate 100 and the opposite side thereof. (123, 124) are provided, respectively, and the cathode shielding plate 230 and the anode shielding plate 330 are respectively coupled to the upper and lower spaces. An oxygen inlet 115 for supplying oxygen from the outside to the cathode 210, which is a gas diffusion electrode (GDE), is formed at one end of the concave portion 110 on the cathode portion 200 side.

The cathode shielding plate 230 is to prevent current from flowing from the cathode 210 to the bipolar plate 100, and if the current to be used in the gas diffusion electrode (GDE), which is the cathode 210, is a bipolar plate without hydrogen peroxide generation reaction When flowing through (100), the hydrogen peroxide generation efficiency by the cathode current is greatly reduced. Therefore, the negative electrode shielding plate 230 is generally manufactured to have a certain length using a plastic-based material such as PVC, PP, and PTFE, and the upper and lower ends of the negative electrode 210 and the bipolar plate 100 are spaced apart from each other. It is attached or fixed to the upper and lower spaces 113 and 114 on one side of the bipolar plate 100.

The anode shielding plate 330 is to prevent current from flowing from the anode 310 to the bipolar plate 100, and if the current to be used in the anode 310 flows through the bipolar plate 100, the bipolar plate 100 The corrosion proceeds. Therefore, the positive electrode shielding plate 330 is generally manufactured to have a certain length using a plastic-based material such as PVC, PP, and PTFE, and the upper and lower ends of the positive electrode 310 and the bipolar plate 100 are spaced apart from each other. It is attached or fixed to the upper and lower spaces 123 and 124 on the opposite side of the bipolar plate 100.

The gaskets 240 and 340 cover the cathode part 200 and the anode part 300, respectively, and prevent leakage of water flowing along the cathode part 200 and the anode part 300, as well as a bipolar plate ( In order to induce an upward flow from the running water inlet 111, 121 on each side of the 100) to the running water outlet 112, 122, a plurality of flow paths in the vertical direction corresponding to the respective recesses 110, 120, or It has a structure in which lines 241 and 341 (hereinafter referred to as'upstream lines') are formed, and such a plurality of upstream lines 241 and 341 are each electrode portion of the cathode 210 and the anode 310 Induces a uniform flow of running water in The gaskets 240 and 340 are generally made of a non-conductive material such as PTFE, silicone, rubber, etc., and block current flow to portions other than the cathode shielding plate 230 or the anode shielding plate 330.

Meanwhile, the gas diffusion electrode GDE, which is the cathode 310, generates hydrogen peroxide, and has a structure in which a gas diffusion layer is formed on a thinly processed nickel plate and a catalyst layer is formed on the nickel foam. The anode is made of platinum group transition metals iridium (Ir), rucenium (Ru), platinum (Pt), tantalum (Ta), titanium (Ti), tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), and manganese (Mn). As an electrode coated with at least one of the transition metals selected from the group and then pyrolyzed, hypochlorite ions are generated and are effective in generating oxygen.

As shown in the above equation, the anodic reaction is an oxygen generation reaction, and the cathodic reaction is a hydrogen peroxide generation reaction by externally supplied oxygen and a hydrogen generation reaction by water decomposition reaction, where the hydrogen generation reaction can be viewed as a side reaction.

In the cathode, hydrogen peroxide is produced by using 1 mol of oxygen and 2 mol of hydrogen ions. The negative electrode is suitable for an electrode made by spray coating by mixing conductive carbon powder, granules, PVDF, PTFE, etc. on nickel foam and then hot pressing. Here, the conductive carbon includes all wood-based or coal-based carbon components. At this time, it can be applied in the form of powder or granules, and more preferably, a size of 10 micrometers (㎛) or less is preferable. The coating on the nickel foam may be performed by brush, support, or the like, and more preferably, spray coating may be used. The hot pressing condition is suitable to compress to 10bar to 300bar within 100 to 350°C.

4 is a view showing the flow of water in the cathode portion of the bipolar plate structure according to FIG. 2, and FIG. 4(a) is a cathode 210 and a cathode shielding plate 230 on one side of the bipolar plate, which is the cathode portion 200. In the state where is installed, the flow path of water through the running water inlet 111 and the running water outlet 112 is shown by arrows. 4(b) shows a state in which the gasket 240 is coupled to the outside of the cathode part 200 in FIG. 4(a), and the water introduced through the flowing water inlet 111 is on the surface of the gasket 240 An arrow shows a state that rises along the upstream line 241 and flows toward the flowing water outlet 112. At this time, the flow of running water flows in a uniform flow along the surface of the cathode 210, and the supply and flow of oxygen required for hydrogen peroxide generation to the cathode part 200 through the oxygen inlet 115 shown in FIG. When this occurs, oxygen passes through the GDE cathode support 220 and then generates hydrogen peroxide through an electrolysis reaction in the gas diffusion electrode GDE, which is the cathode 210 by applying power.

5 shows the flow of water in the anode portion of the bipolar plate structure according to FIG. 2, and FIG. 5(a) is an anode 310 and an anode shielding plate 330 on opposite sides of the bipolar plate, which is the anode portion 300. In the state where is installed, an arrow shows the inflow and outflow paths of water through the running water inlet 121 and the running water outlet 122. 5(b) shows a state in which the gasket 340 is coupled to the outside of the anode part 300 in FIG. 5(a), and the water introduced through the flowing water inlet 121 is on the surface of the gasket 340. An arrow shows a state that rises along the upstream line 341 and flows toward the flowing water outlet 122. At this time, the flowing water flows in a uniform flow along the surface of the anode 310 and oxygen is generated through an electrolysis reaction due to the application of power.

6 shows an example of an electrolysis device formed using a bipolar plate structure according to the present invention, in which current is applied to both sides in a state in which a plurality of bipolar plate structures 1 are arranged in a row. A fastening nut in a state where the anode stack end plate (2) and the cathode stack end plate (3), which are parts, are disposed, and insulated end plates (4) and (5) for insulating the anode and the cathode are disposed on the outside. It can be seen that the configuration is coupled using (6) and the fastening bolt (7).

Here, between the bipolar plate structures 1, the flow of anode water and cathode water is separated by using a cation exchange membrane (not shown) for the purpose of preventing the anodic oxidation reaction of hydrogen peroxide as described above. In addition, instead of a cation exchange membrane, a diaphragm membrane for the purpose of simple separation may also be used.

Various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the contents described so far are only to the extent that some of the preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated, except for those that may appear in the appended claims below. It is not limited by the above contents. Accordingly, the present invention understands that many changes, modifications and substitutions of equivalents can be made without departing from the spirit and gist of the invention within the scope of the following claims, provided those of ordinary skill in the same technical field. You will have to do it.

1: bipolar plate structure
2: anode stack end plate
3: cathode stack end plate
4,5: insulated end plate
6: tightening nut
7: Fastening bolt
100: bipolar plate
110,120: required part
111,121: running water inlet
112,122: running water outlet
113,114,123,124: space
200: cathode part
210: cathode
220: GDE cathode support
221: screw hole
222: screw
230: cathode shielding plate
240: gasket
241: upstream line
300: anode part
310: anode
311: screw hole
312: screw
330: anode shielding plate
340: gasket
341: upstream line

Claims (10)

With the bipolar plate as the center, a cathode portion including a cathode that is a gas diffusion electrode (GDE) on one side of the bipolar plate and an anode portion including an anode on the opposite side are respectively coupled, and between the bipolar plate and the cathode portion and the anode portion. An electrolytic bipolar plate structure for generating hydrogen peroxide comprising an electrical shielding means for preventing electrical corrosion due to the anode and the cathode. The method of claim 1,
The bipolar plate has a concave portion of a predetermined depth for installation of a cathode and an anode on one side and the opposite side, respectively, and at the upper and lower corresponding ends of both sides of the bipolar plate extending outward from the concave portion, the cathode portion and the anode portion A flowing water inlet and a flowing water outlet are respectively formed for the flow of water in the cathode, the cathode part is made of a combination of a cathode and a cathode shielding plate, and a gasket for covering the entire cathode, and the anode part is an anode and an anode shielding plate. And a gasket for covering the entire anode portion. The method of claim 1,
The cathode portion further comprises a GDE cathode support for supporting the cathode with respect to the bipolar plate, wherein the GDE cathode support is integrally coupled with the cathode by welding. The method of claim 2,
The bipolar plate has spaces for installing the negative electrode shielding plate and the positive electrode shielding plate at upper and lower corresponding ends of each concave portion on one side and the other side, respectively, and the negative electrode shielding plate and the positive electrode shielding plate are combined in the upper and lower spaces. Electrolytic bipolar plate structure, characterized in that the. The method of claim 2,
An electrolysis bipolar plate structure, characterized in that the cathode portion has an oxygen inlet for supplying oxygen from the outside to the cathode, which is the gas diffusion electrode (GDE), at one end of the concave portion of the cathode portion. The method of claim 2,
The negative electrode shielding plate is attached or fixed to the upper and lower spaces of one side of the bipolar plate to prevent current from flowing from the negative electrode to the bipolar plate, so that the upper and lower ends of the negative electrode and the bipolar plate are spaced apart from each other. Consisting of, the electrolytic bipolar plate structure, characterized in that made of at least one of plastic-based materials including PVC, PP, and PTFE. The method of claim 2,
The positive electrode shielding plate is attached or fixed to upper and lower spaces on the opposite side of the bipolar plate to prevent current from flowing from the positive electrode to the bipolar plate, so as to separate the upper and lower ends of the positive electrode and the bipolar plate. And, the electrolytic bipolar plate structure, characterized in that made of at least one of plastic-based materials such as PVC, PP, PTFE. The method of claim 2,
In the gasket, a plurality of vertical upward flow lines are formed in correspondence to respective recesses in order to induce a uniform flow of running water from the running water inlet on each side of the bipolar plate to the running water outlet, and PTFE, silicone, and rubber Electrolytic bipolar plate structure, characterized in that made of at least one of the non-conductive material comprising a. The method of claim 1,
The negative electrode is an electrolytic bipolar plate structure, characterized in that after spray-coating a mixture of conductive carbon powder, granules, PVDF, PTFE, etc. on nickel foam, and hot pressing at 10 bar to 300 bar at 100 to 350°C. The method of claim 1,
The anode is made of platinum group transition metals such as iridium (Ir), rucenium (Ru), platinum (Pt), tantalum (Ta), titanium (Ti), tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), and manganese (Mn). Electrolytic bipolar plate structure, characterized in that the electrode is pyrolyzed after coating with at least one of the transition metals selected from the group consisting of.

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