Method for producing electrolyzer, laminate, electrolyzer, and method for operating electrolyzer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022010442-A1
Application number	US-201917277102-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 12, 2019
Priority date	Sep 21, 2018
Publication date	Jan 13, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for producing a new electrolyzer by incorporating a laminate having an electrode for electrolysis and a new membrane, or only a new membrane, into an existing electrolyzer having an anode, a cathode that is opposed to the anode, and a membrane arranged between the anode and the cathode, wherein
the new membrane used satisfies an As/Ai of more than 0.87 and less than 1.1,

wherein, with respect to an area of the new membrane corresponding to an area in frames of an anode side gasket and a cathode side gasket that are formed from frames opposite to each other in an electrolyzer,

Ai represents an area equalized by an equilibrium liquid in incorporation into an electrolyzer and

As represents an area equalized by an aqueous solution after electrolyzer operation.

First claim

1 . A method for producing a new electrolyzer by incorporating a laminate comprising an electrode for electrolysis and a new membrane, or only a new membrane, into an existing electrolyzer comprising an anode, a cathode that is opposed to the anode, and a membrane arranged between the anode and the cathode, wherein
the new membrane used satisfies an As/Ai of more than 0.87 and less than 1.1,
wherein, with respect to an area of the new membrane corresponding to an area in frames of an anode side gasket and a cathode side gasket that are formed from frames opposite to each other in an electrolyzer,
Ai represents an area equalized by an equilibrium liquid in incorporation into an electrolyzer and
As represents an area equalized by an aqueous solution after electrolyzer operation.

2 . The method for producing the electrolyzer according to claim 1 , comprising forming a laminate comprising the electrode for electrolysis and the new membrane, wherein
the forming the laminate is performed outside the existing electrolyzer into which the laminate is to be incorporated, and the laminate is integrally incorporated into the existing electrolyzer.

3 . The method for producing the electrolyzer according to claim 1 , comprising allowing the new membrane to be in an equilibrium state by the equilibrium liquid at a stage before incorporation of the laminate or new membrane into the existing electrolyzer, incorporating the laminate or new membrane into the existing electrolyzer, and bringing the resultant into contact with the laminate or new membrane by use of an aqueous solution different from the equilibrium liquid, after electrolyzer operation.

4 . The method for producing the electrolyzer according to claim 1 , wherein the equilibrium liquid is a 0.00001 to 25 mol/L NaOH aqueous solution.

5 . The method for producing the electrolyzer according to claim 1 , wherein the equilibrium liquid is a 0.04 to 1.5 mol/L NaHCO 3 aqueous solution.

6 . The method for producing the electrolyzer according to claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution is pure water and a temperature of the pure water is 15 to 65° C.

7 . The method for producing the electrolyzer according to claim 1 , comprising selecting the new membrane that satisfies an As/Ai of more than 0.87 and less than 1.1.

8 . A laminate for use in the method for producing an electrolyzer according to claim 1 , comprising
an electrode for electrolysis and a new membrane, wherein the new membrane satisfies an As/Ai of more than 0.87 and less than 1.1,
wherein, with respect to an area of the new membrane corresponding to an area in frames of an anode side gasket and a cathode side gasket that are formed from frames opposite to each other in an electrolyzer,
Ai represents an area equalized by an equilibrium liquid in incorporation into an electrolyzer and
As represents an area equalized by an aqueous solution after electrolyzer operation.

9 . An electrolyzer comprising
an anode, an anode frame that supports the anode, an anode side gasket that is arranged on the anode frame, a cathode that is opposed to the anode, a cathode frame that supports the cathode, a cathode side gasket that is arranged on the cathode frame and is opposed to the anode side gasket, and a laminate comprising an electrode for electrolysis and a membrane, wherein the membrane satisfies an As/Ai of more than 0.87 and less than 1.1,
wherein, with respect to an area of the membrane corresponding to an area in frames of the anode side and cathode side gaskets,
Ai represents an area equalized by an equilibrium liquid in incorporation of the laminate into an electrolyzer and
As represents an area equalized by an aqueous solution after electrolyzer operation.

10 . A method for operating an electrolyzer comprising
an anode, an anode frame that supports the anode, an anode side gasket that is arranged on the anode frame, a cathode that is opposed to the anode, a cathode frame that supports the cathode, a cathode side gasket that is arranged on the cathode frame and is opposed to the anode side gasket, and a laminate comprising an electrode for electrolysis and a membrane, or a membrane arranged between the anode and the cathode, the method comprising allowing a membrane for renewal to be in an equilibrium state by an equilibrium liquid that is a 0.00001 to 25 mol/L NaOH aqueous solution or a 0.04 to 1.5 mol/L NaHCO 3 aqueous solution, incorporating the membrane or laminate that is allowed to be in an equilibrium state by the equilibrium liquid, into an electrolyzer and sandwiching and fixing the resultant between the anode side gasket and the cathode side gasket, and operating an electrolyzer and washing the membrane by an aqueous solution different from the equilibrium liquid, after electrolyzer operation, to provide an equilibrium state.

11 . A method for operating an electrolyzer comprising
an anode, an anode frame that supports the anode, an anode side gasket that is arranged on the anode frame, a cathode that is opposed to the anode, a cathode frame that supports the cathode, a cathode side gasket that is arranged on the cathode frame and is opposed to the anode side gasket, and a membrane arranged between the anode and the cathode, the method comprising allowing a membrane for renewal to be in an equilibrium state by an equilibrium liquid, incorporating the membrane or a laminate of the membrane and an electrode for electrolysis stacked, which is allowed in an equilibrium state by the equilibrium liquid, into an electrolyzer and sandwiching and fixing the resultant between the anode side gasket and the cathode side gasket, and operating an electrolyzer and allowing the membrane to be in an equilibrium state by an aqueous solution, after electrolyzer operation, wherein As/Ai is more than 0.87 and less than 1.1,
wherein, with respect to an area of the membrane corresponding to an area in frames of the anode side and cathode side gaskets corresponding to each other in the electrolyzer,
Ai represents an area equalized by the equilibrium liquid in incorporation into the electrolyzer and As represents an area equalized by the aqueous solution after electrolyzer operation.

Assignees

• Asahi Chemical Ind

Inventors

• Funakawa Akiyasu
• Morikawa Takuya
• Kado Yoshifumi

Classifications

• C25B1/46

  in diaphragm cells · CPC title

• C25B9/23 Primary

  comprising ion-exchange membranes in or on which electrode material is embedded · CPC title

• Y02E60/36

  Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis · CPC title

• C25B1/04 Primary

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title

• C25B13/02

  characterised by shape or form · CPC title