Fluorine gas production device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021395901-A1
Application number	US-201917279670-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 7, 2019
Priority date	Oct 24, 2018
Publication date	Dec 23, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

There is provided a fluorine gas production device in which, even when an electrolytic solution containing hydrogen fluoride is electrolyzed at a high current density, a recombination reaction in the electrolytic solution and a recombination reaction in gas phase parts of an anode chamber and a cathode chamber are less likely to occur and the electrolytic solution can be electrolyzed with high current efficiency to produce fluorine gas. The fluorine gas production device includes an electrolytic cell (1), a partition wall (7) extending downward in the vertical direction from the ceiling surface inside the electrolytic cell (1) to partition the electrolytic cell (1) into an anode chamber (12) and a cathode chamber (14), an anode (3), and a cathode (5). The lower end of the partition wall (7) is immersed in the electrolytic solution (10) and a length (H) in the vertical direction of a portion immersed in the electrolytic solution (10) of the partition wall (7) is 10% or more and 30% or less of the distance from the bottom surface inside the electrolytic cell (1) to the liquid level of the electrolytic solution (10). The cathode (5) is completely immersed in the electrolytic solution (10) and the upper end of the cathode (5) is arranged at a lower position in the vertical direction relative to the lower end of the partition wall (7). The anode 3 is partially exposed from the liquid level of the electrolytic solution (10).

First claim

1 . A fluorine gas production device electrolyzing an electrolytic solution containing hydrogen fluoride to electrolytically synthesize fluorine gas comprising:
an electrolytic cell configured to store the electrolytic solution; a cylindrical partition wall configured to extend downward in a vertical direction from a ceiling surface inside the electrolytic cell to partition an inside of the electrolytic cell into an anode chamber and a cathode chamber; an anode configured to be disposed in the anode chamber; and a cathode configured to be disposed facing the anode, wherein a lower end of the partition wall is immersed in the electrolytic solution, a length in the vertical direction of a portion immersed in the electrolytic solution of the partition wall is 10% or more and 30% or less of a distance from a bottom surface inside the electrolytic cell to a liquid level of the electrolytic solution, the cathode is completely immersed in the electrolytic solution, an upper end of the cathode is arranged at a same position in the vertical direction as a position of the lower end of the partition wall or at a lower position in the vertical direction relative to the lower end of the partition wall, and the anode is placed to be partially exposed from the liquid level of the electrolytic solution.

2 . The fluorine gas production device according to claim 1 further comprising:
an anode connection member configured to supply power to the anode; and
a cathode connection member configured to supply power to the cathode, wherein
the anode connection member has one end connected to a positive electrode of a direct-current power supply and another end penetrating a wall body of the electrolytic cell to be connected to the anode,
the anode connection member and the electrolytic cell are insulated from each other,
the cathode connection member has one end connected to a bottom wall or a portion at a lower position in the vertical direction relative to the lower end of the partition wall of a side wall of the electrolytic cell and another end connected to the cathode, and
the electrolytic cell and a negative electrode of the direct-current power supply are connected to each other.

3 . The fluorine gas production device according to claim 2 , wherein
the cathode connection member is a metal pipe allowing circulation of a fluid.

4 . The fluorine gas production device according to claim 1 , wherein
the anode and the cathode have a flat plate shape, the anode, the cathode, the partition wall, and a side surface inside the electrolytic cell are provided to be parallel in the vertical direction, a shortest distance A between the anode and the cathode is 2.0 cm or more and 5.0 cm or less, a shortest distance B between the anode and the partition wall is 0.5 cm or more and 2.5 cm or less and is smaller than the shortest distance A, and a shortest distance C between a portion not facing the cathode of the anode and the side surface inside the electrolytic cell is 1.5 times or more and 3 times or less the shortest distance A.

5 . The fluorine gas production device according to claims 1 , wherein
the bottom surface inside the electrolytic cell is covered with an electrically insulating layered member formed of fluororesin or ceramic.

6 . The fluorine gas production device according to claim 1 , wherein
a portion facing the anode of the cathode is formed of at least one type of material selected from Monel (Trademark), nickel, and copper.

7 . The fluorine gas production device according to claim 1 , wherein
the portion facing the anode of the cathode is constituted by a flat plate or a flat plate including a through-hole with an opening ratio of 20% or less.

8 . The fluorine gas production device according to claim 1 not comprising:
a diaphragm configured to extend downward in the vertical direction from the partition wall to partition the inside of the electrolytic cell into the anode chamber and the cathode chamber.

9 . The fluorine gas production device according to claim 2 , wherein
the anode and the cathode have a flat plate shape, the anode, the cathode, the partition wall, and a side surface inside the electrolytic cell are provided to be parallel in the vertical direction, a shortest distance A between the anode and the cathode is 2.0 cm or more and 5.0 cm or less, a shortest distance B between the anode and the partition wall is 0.5 cm or more and 2.5 cm or less and is smaller than the shortest distance A, and a shortest distance C between a portion not facing the cathode of the anode and the side surface inside the electrolytic cell is 1.5 times or more and 3 times or less the shortest distance A.

10 . The fluorine gas production device according to claim 3 , wherein
the anode and the cathode have a flat plate shape, the anode, the cathode, the partition wall, and a side surface inside the electrolytic cell are provided to be parallel in the vertical direction, a shortest distance A between the anode and the cathode is 2.0 cm or more and 5.0 cm or less, a shortest distance B between the anode and the partition wall is 0.5 cm or more and 2.5 cm or less and is smaller than the shortest distance A, and a shortest distance C between a portion not facing the cathode of the anode and the side surface inside the electrolytic cell is 1.5 times or more and 3 times or less the shortest distance A.

11 . The fluorine gas production device according to claim 2 , wherein
the bottom surface inside the electrolytic cell is covered with an electrically insulating layered member formed of fluororesin or ceramic.

12 . The fluorine gas production device according to claim 3 , wherein
the bottom surface inside the electrolytic cell is covered with an electrically insulating layered member formed of fluororesin or ceramic.

13 . The fluorine gas production device according to claim 4 , wherein
the bottom surface inside the electrolytic cell is covered with an electrically insulating layered member formed of fluororesin or ceramic.

14 . The fluorine gas production device according to claim 2 , wherein
a portion facing the anode of the cathode is formed of at least one type of material selected from Monel (Trademark), nickel, and copper.

15 . The fluorine gas production device according to claim 3 , wherein
a portion facing the anode of the cathode is formed of at least one type of material selected from Monel (Trademark), nickel, and copper.

16 . The fluorine gas production device according to claim 4 , wherein
a portion facing the anode of the cathode is formed of at least one type of material selected from Monel (Trademark), nickel, and copper.

17 . The fluorine gas production device according to claim 5 , wherein
a portion facing the anode of the cathode is formed of at least one type of material selected from Monel (Trademark), nickel, and copper.

18 . The fluorine gas production device according to claim 2 , wherein
the portion facing the anode of the cathode is constituted by a flat plate or a flat plate including a through-hole with an opening ratio of 20% or less.

19 . The fluorine gas production device according to claim 3 , wherein
the portion facing the anode of the cathode is constituted by a flat plate or a flat plate including a through-hole with an opening ratio of 20% or less.

20 . The fluorine gas production device according to claim 4 , wherein
the portion facing the anode of the cathode is constituted by a flat plate or a flat plate inclu

Assignees

• Showa Denko Kk

Inventors

• FUKUCHI Yohsuke
• Kusumoto Nozomi
• Kobayashi Hiroshi

Classifications

• C25B11/046

  Alloys · CPC title

• C25B13/02

  characterised by shape or form · CPC title

• C25B11/03

  perforated or foraminous · CPC title

• C25B9/17

  Cells comprising dimensionally-stable non-movable electrodes; Assemblies of constructional parts thereof · CPC title

• C25B9/67

  Heating or cooling means · CPC title