Compression apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12553424-B2
Application number	US-202318302092-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2023
Priority date	Nov 10, 2020
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

A compression apparatus includes at least one compression unit, a voltage applier, an anode end plate provided on an anode separator located at a first end in a direction of stacking, a cathode end plate provided on a cathode separator located at a second end in the direction of stacking, a first seal material that surrounds an outer periphery of the cathode, and a second seal material that surrounds an outer periphery of a first space in which to store compressed hydrogen, the first space being provided between the cathode end plate and the cathode separator located at the second end. The compression apparatus causes, by using the voltage applier to apply a voltage, protons taken out from an anode fluid that is supplied to the anode to move to the cathode via the electrolyte membrane and produces compressed hydrogen. An area of a region surrounded by the second seal material is larger than an area of a region surrounded by the first seal material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A compression apparatus comprising:
at least one compression unit including an electrolyte membrane, an anode provided on a first principal surface of the electrolyte membrane, a cathode provided on a second principal surface of the electrolyte membrane, an anode separator provided on the anode, and a cathode separator provided on the cathode; a voltage applier that applies a voltage between the anode and the cathode; an anode end plate provided on the anode separator located at a first end in a direction of stacking; a cathode end plate provided on the cathode separator located at a second end in the direction of stacking; a first seal material that surrounds an outer periphery of the cathode; a second seal material that surrounds an outer periphery of a first space in which to store compressed hydrogen, the first space being provided between the cathode end plate and the cathode separator located at the second end, the first space being provided at a position facing to the cathode separator; and a first plate provided between the cathode end plate and the cathode separator positioned at the second end, wherein: the first space is a recess formed in the first plate and facing to the cathode separator, the second seal material is disposed in a groove formed in the first plate at a periphery of the recess, the compression apparatus causes, by using the voltage applier to apply a voltage, protons taken out from an anode fluid that is supplied to the anode to move to the cathode via the electrolyte membrane and produces compressed hydrogen, and an area of a region surrounded by the second seal material is larger than an area of a region surrounded by the first seal material.

2 . The compression apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a third seal material that surrounds an outer periphery of a second space in which to store the compressed hydrogen, the second space being provided between the anode end plate and the anode separator located at the first end,
wherein an area of a region surrounded by the third seal material is larger than the area of the region surrounded by the first seal material.

3 . The compression apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an area of a region surrounded by an outer edge of the second seal material is larger than an area of a region surrounded by an outer edge of the first seal material.

4 . The compression apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein an area of a region surrounded by an outer edge of the third seal material is larger than an area of a region surrounded by an outer edge of the first seal material.

5 . The compression apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a ring material that is adjacent to an outer edge of the second seal material and that surrounds the second seal material.

6 . The compression apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a ring material that is adjacent to an outer edge of the third seal material and that surrounds the third seal material.

7 . The compression apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein no ring material surrounding the first seal material is provided on an outer edge of the first seal material.

8 . The compression apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a length from an inner edge to an outer edge of the second seal material is greater than a length from an inner edge to an outer edge of the first seal material.

9 . The compression apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein a length from an inner edge to an outer edge of the third seal material is greater than a length from an inner edge to an outer edge of the first seal material.

10 . The compression apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an outer edge of the first seal material falls within an outer edge of the second seal material when seen from an angle parallel with a direction of stacking of the anode separator, the anode, the electrolyte membrane, the cathode, and the cathode separator.

11 . The compression apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein an outer edge of the first seal material falls within an outer edge of the third seal material when seen from an angle parallel with a direction of stacking of the anode separator, the anode, the electrolyte membrane, the cathode, and the cathode separator.

12 . The compression apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an outer edge of the second seal material falls within an outer edge of the cathode separator when seen from an angle parallel with a direction of stacking of the anode separator, the anode, the electrolyte membrane, the cathode, and the cathode separator.

13 . The compression apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein an outer edge of the third seal material falls within an outer edge of the cathode separator when seen from an angle parallel with a direction of stacking of the anode separator, the anode, the electrolyte membrane, the cathode, and the cathode separator.

14 . The compression apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first seal material and the second seal material are O-rings.

15 . The compression apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the first seal material, the second seal material, and the third seal material are O-rings.

16 . The compression apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the first seal material is disposed in a groove formed in the cathode separator.

17 . The compression apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein further comprising
a second plate provided between the anode end plate and the anode separator positioned at the first end, wherein the second space is formed by a recess formed in the second plate, and the third seal material is disposed in a groove formed in a periphery of the recess.

18 . A compression apparatus comprising:
a plurality of compression units stacked in a stacking direction and including a first end unit at a first end in the stacking direction and a second end unit at a second end opposite to the first end in the stacking direction, each of the first end unit and the second end unit including an electrolyte membrane, an anode provided on a first principal surface of the electrolyte membrane, a cathode provided on a second principal surface of the electrolyte membrane, an anode separator provided on the anode, and a cathode separator provided on the cathode; a voltage applier that applies a voltage between the anode of the second end unit and the cathode of the first end unit; an anode end plate provided on the anode separator of the second end unit; a cathode end plate provided on the cathode separator of the first end unit; a first seal material that surrounds an outer periphery of the cathode of the first end unit; a second seal material that surrounds an outer periphery of a first space in which compressed hydrogen is stored, the first space being provided between the cathode end plate and the cathode separator of the first end unit, the first space being provided at a position facing to the cathode separator; and a first plate provided between the cathode end plate and the cathode separator of the first end unit, wherein: the first space is a recess formed in the first plate and facing the cathode separator of the first end unit, the second seal material is disposed in a groove formed in the first plate at a periphery of the recess, the compression apparatus causes, by using the voltage applier to apply a voltage, protons taken out from an anode fluid that is supplied to the anode of the second end unit to move to the cathode of the first end unit via the electrolyte membrane and produces

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kakuwa Takashi
• Kita Hiromi
• Sakai Osamu

Classifications

• C25B9/75

  having bipolar electrodes · CPC title

• C25B9/60

  Constructional parts of cells · CPC title

• C25B1/02 Primary

  Hydrogen or oxygen · CPC title

• H01M8/0656

  by electrochemical means (H01M8/065 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C25B9/77

  having diaphragms · CPC title