Electrochemical reaction device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10458024-B2
Application number	US-201715703386-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2017
Priority date	Oct 27, 2016
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

An electrochemical reaction device in an embodiment includes: a reaction vessel including a first accommodating part to accommodate a first electrolytic solution containing carbon dioxide, and a second accommodating part to accommodate a second electrolytic solution containing water; a reduction electrode disposed in the first accommodating part; an oxidation electrode disposed in the second accommodating part; a power supply electrode connected to the reduction electrode and the oxidation electrode; and a third accommodating part to mix a first gas component produced in the first accommodating part with the first electrolytic solution after the first gas component is produced.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrochemical reaction device comprising:
a reaction vessel comprising a first accommodating part configured to accommodate a first electrolytic solution containing carbon dioxide, a second accommodating part configured to accommodate a second electrolytic solution containing water, a first inflow port for introducing the first electrolytic solution containing the carbon dioxide to the first accommodating part, a first outflow port for discharging the first electrolytic solution containing a first gas component from the first accommodating part, a second inflow port for introducing the second electrolytic solution to the second accommodating part, and a second outflow port for discharging the second electrolytic solution containing a second gas component from the second accommodating part;
a reduction electrode disposed in the first accommodating part;
an oxidation electrode disposed in the second accommodating part;
a power supply connected to the reduction electrode and the oxidation electrode;
a first gas/liquid separating unit configured to separate the first electrolytic solution and the first gas component containing a gas reduction product and the carbon dioxide, and comprising a third inflow port for introducing the first electrolytic solution containing the first gas component discharged from the first outflow port, a third outflow port for discharging the first gas component separated from the first electrolytic solution, and a fourth outflow port for discharging the first electrolytic solution from which the first gas component is separated;
a first gas/liquid mixing unit configured to mix the first gas component with the first electrolytic solution, and comprising a fourth inflow port for introducing the first electrolytic solution discharged from the fourth outflow port, a fifth inflow port for introducing the first gas component discharged from the third outflow port, a fifth outflow port for discharging the first electrolytic solution in which the carbon dioxide is dissolved, and a sixth outflow port for taking out the gas reduction product not dissolving in the first electrolytic solution; and
a second gas/liquid mixing unit configured to dissolve carbon dioxide in the first electrolytic solution, and comprising a sixth inflow port for introducing the first electrolytic solution discharged from the fifth outflow port, a seventh inflow port for introducing the first electrolytic solution from a first electrolytic solution tank, an eighth inflow port for injecting carbon dioxide from a carbon dioxide tank into the first electrolytic solution introduced from the sixth inflow port and the seventh inflow port, and a seventh outflow port for sending the first electrolytic solution in which the carbon dioxide dissolves to the first inflow port.

2. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second gas/liquid separating unit configured to separate the second gas component from the second electrolytic solution.

3. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first circulation channel to send the first electrolytic solution discharged from the sixth outflow port to the first inflow port.

4. The device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a second circulation channel to send the second electrolytic solution discharged from the second gas/liquid separating unit to the second inflow port.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the gas reduction product contains at least one selected from the group consisting of carbon monoxide, methane, ethane, and ethylene.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the power supply is driven with renewable energy of sunlight, wind power, geothermal power, or tidal power.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the power supply comprises a photoelectric conversion body having a first surface electrically connected to the reduction electrode and a second surface electrically connected to the oxidation electrode.

8. An electrochemical reaction device comprising:
a reaction vessel comprising a first accommodating part configured to accommodate a first electrolytic solution containing carbon dioxide, a second accommodating part configured to accommodate a second electrolytic solution containing water, a first head space configured to accommodate a first gas component containing a gas reduction product and the carbon dioxide at an upper portion of the first accommodating part, a second head space configured to accommodate a second gas component at an upper portion of the second accommodating part, a first inflow port for introducing the first electrolytic solution containing the carbon dioxide to the first accommodating part, a first outflow port for discharging the first electrolytic solution from the first accommodating part, a second outflow port for discharging the first gas component from the first head space, a second inflow port for introducing the second electrolytic solution to the second accommodating part, a third outflow port for discharging the second electrolytic solution from the second accommodating part, and a fourth outflow port for discharging the second gas component from the second head space;
a reduction electrode disposed in the first accommodating part;
an oxidation electrode disposed in the second accommodating part;
a power supply connected to the reduction electrode and the oxidation electrode;
a first gas/liquid mixing unit configured to mix the first gas component with the first electrolytic solution, and comprising a third inflow port for introducing the first electrolytic solution discharged from the first outflow port, a fourth inflow port for introducing the first gas component discharged from the second outflow port, a fifth outflow port for discharging the first electrolytic solution in which the carbon dioxide is dissolved, and a sixth outflow port for taking out the gas reduction product not dissolving in the first electrolytic solution; and
a second gas/liquid mixing unit configured to dissolve carbon dioxide in the first electrolytic solution, and comprising a fifth inflow port for introducing the first electrolytic solution discharged from the fifth outflow port, a sixth inflow port for introducing the first electrolytic solution from a first electrolytic solution tank, an seventh inflow port for injecting carbon dioxide from a carbon dioxide tank into the first electrolytic solution introduced from the fifth inflow port and the sixth inflow port, and a seventh outflow port for sending the first electrolytic solution in which the carbon dioxide is dissolved to the first inflow port.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Kitagawa Ryoto
• Mikoshiba Satoshi
• Ono Akihiko
• Kudo Yuki
• Tamura Jun
• Tsutsumi Eishi
• Sugano Yoshitsune
• MOTOSHIGE Asahi
• Yamagiwa Masakazu
• Yamada Arisa

Classifications

• C25B1/00 Primary

  Electrolytic production of inorganic compounds or non-metals · CPC title

• H02S10/20

  Systems characterised by their energy storage means (H02S40/38 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C25B1/02

  Hydrogen or oxygen · CPC title

• Y02P20/133

  Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight · CPC title

• C25B15/08

  Supplying or removing reactants or electrolytes; Regeneration of electrolytes · CPC title