RU2277274C1 - Method for converting chemical material energy into ac current energy - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: direct conversion of chemical-to-electrical energy; power supplies.

SUBSTANCE: proposed method for generating ac electricity includes formation of symmetrical electrochemical pair of gas-penetrable inert electrodes separated by electrolyte layer (ion-exchange membrane), each operating in turn as fuel and oxidizing electrode.

EFFECT: enhanced efficiency of process, extended life.

1 cl, 2 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of direct conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy and can be used in current sources.

A known method of converting chemical energy of a substance into electrical energy (N.V. Korovin "Electrochemical Generators", Publishing House "Energy", Moscow, 1974, pp. 5-12), in which they form a pair of chemically active electrodes separated by a layer of electrolyte, serves reagents and divert reaction products.

The disadvantages of this method are as follows.

The use of a conductor with ionic conductivity is associated with the transport of electrolyte material, its destruction and polarization of the electrodes. Another, no less significant drawback is the use of an oxidizing agent and a reducing agent of high chemical purity, since even minor impurities contaminate the fuel cell, reduce efficiency and shorten its service life.

The basis of the claimed invention is the task of creating a method of converting the energy of a chemical substance into electrical energy, which provides an increase in the efficiency of the process.

The technical result that can be obtained by implementing the proposed method is to increase the efficiency of the conversion process, significantly increase the service life of the fuel cell (FC), reduce the cost of fuel and oxidizer, and obtain directly alternating current in the FC with the possibility of further transformation.

The essence of the proposed method for converting chemical energy of fuel into electrical energy is as follows:

They form an electrochemical pair of gas-permeable inert electrodes made of a material with electronic conductivity, separated by a layer of electrolyte, an oxidizer and a reducing agent chamber, switching connections, a functional support system and supplying reagents to the zones of electrochemical reactions, taking off the combustion products, alternating cathode and anode interchanges, in As a result, the polarization of the electrodes accelerates the course of the electrochemical process without exerting a negative effect on it, and the electrolyte ions make t oscillatory motion in the electrolyte volume of the electrolyte not accompanied by the transfer agent.

The method is illustrated in the drawing, where figure 1 shows a diagram of a device for providing a change in the polarity of the electrodes, and figure 2 is a graph of the current.

The processes of adsorption of reagents and the reaction of electrochemical combustion on FC electrodes made of a material with electronic conductivity capable of decomposing and ionizing both fuel and oxidizer, equally closed by an electric circuit to an external load, lead to the appearance of an electric current in the circuit, accompanied by a decrease electric field strength between the electrodes. When changing the reagents on the electrodes (or changing the chambers by the electrodes), a similar process takes place, but with a change in the direction of the electric current in the opposite direction. Moreover, the electrolyte works indefinitely, since the electrolyte ions oscillate in the volume of the electrolyte, which is not accompanied by the transfer of matter.

The design and materials of a symmetric electrochemical pair, which includes two inert gas-permeable electrodes separated by an electrolyte layer (ion-exchange membrane), switching connections, and functional support systems are selected so that the deviations of the maximum amplitude current in the generator operation antiphases are equal in magnitude or do not differ more than 25%.

A diagram of a device for providing a change in the polarity of the electrodes is performed, for example, on a rotating rotor (figure 1).

Hydrogen, methane and other gaseous hydrocarbons, vapors of alcohols or liquid hydrocarbon fuels, products of incomplete combustion or gas conversion, etc. can be used as fuel, and oxygen, air, hydrogen peroxide and other oxidizing agents can be used as an oxidizing agent.

An example implementation of the method:

The proposed method is carried out using the device depicted in figure 1.

The rotor 1 of an electrochemical generator (ECG), made of a dielectric material and having an axis of rotation, consists of separate symmetrical fuel cells combined into groups by the number of phases by switching connections with the possibility of current collection in each group, each of which consists of a solid electrolyte plate 2 with deposited current outputs 3 and platinum electrodes 4 deposited on it from both sides.

The ECG stator consists of oxidizer and reducing agent chambers (in zones according to the number of phases), stabilization zones, and a functional support system.

When reagents are supplied to the electrodes in zone 1, an electrochemical combustion reaction takes place with the current collector of the most active component (Fig. 2) (zone 1A) and with stabilization of the reaction products with an open external circuit (zone 1B). At the entrance of this group of electrodes to zone 2, a similar process takes place, but with a change in the direction of movement of the electric current to the opposite.

The advantage of the proposed method is the ability to obtain an alternating electric current directly in the fuel cell, a significant increase in the service life and the use of reagents of low chemical purity.

Claims (1)

A method of converting the energy of fuel and oxidizer into energy of alternating electric current in an electrochemical generator consisting of a rotor and a stator, in which symmetrical fuel cells, each of which consists of a solid electrolyte with current leads and electrodes, are combined into groups and placed on the rotor, and on the stator place the oxidizer and reducing agent chambers, functional support systems, characterized in that each electrode is made of an active material capable of decomposition and ionization as fuel, and oxidizer, and the electrodes alternately perform the functions of the fuel and oxidation electrodes when changing reagents on the electrodes due to their rotation.

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