Alkaline water electrolysis vessel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023096320-A1
Application number	US-202117798913-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 23, 2021
Priority date	Mar 31, 2020
Publication date	Mar 30, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

An alkaline water electrolysis vessel including: an anode-side frame body defining an anode chamber; a cathode-side frame body defining a cathode chamber; an ion-permeable separating membrane being arranged between the anode-side frame body and the cathode-side frame body, and separating the anode chamber and the cathode chamber; a gasket being sandwiched by the anode-side frame body and the cathode-side frame body to be held therebetween, and holding the periphery of the separating membrane; an anode being arranged in the anode chamber without being held by the gasket; a cathode being arranged in the cathode chamber without being held by the gasket; and an electroconductive first elastic body arranged in the anode chamber, wherein the anode is a flexible first porous plate; and the anode is arranged between the separating membrane and the first elastic body, and is pushed by the first elastic body toward the cathode.

First claim

1 . An alkaline water electrolysis vessel comprising:
an anode-side frame body defining an anode chamber; a cathode-side frame body defining a cathode chamber; an ion-permeable separating membrane being arranged between the anode-side frame body and the cathode-side frame body, and separating the anode chamber and the cathode chamber; a gasket being sandwiched by the anode-side frame body and the cathode-side frame body to be held therebetween, and holding a periphery of the separating membrane; an anode being arranged in the anode chamber without being held by the gasket; a cathode being arranged in the cathode chamber without being held by the gasket; and an electroconductive first elastic body arranged in the anode chamber, wherein the anode is a flexible first porous plate; and the anode is arranged between the separating membrane and the first elastic body, and is pushed by the first elastic body toward the cathode.

2 . The electrolysis vessel according to claim 1 ,
the anode chamber comprising:
at least one first electroconductive rib protruding from an inner wall of the anode-side frame body; and
an electroconductive first current collector held by the first electroconductive rib, the first current collector supporting the first elastic body.

3 . The electrolysis vessel according to claim 1 or 2 , claim 1 further comprising:
an electroconductive first rigid current collector being arranged in contact with the anode,
the first rigid current collector being arranged between the anode and the first elastic body,
the first rigid current collector supporting the anode.

4 . The electrolysis vessel according to claim 1 , wherein the cathode is a rigid porous plate.

5 . The electrolysis vessel according to claim 4 ,
the cathode chamber comprising:
at least one second electroconductive rib protruding from an inner wall of the cathode-side frame body,
the second electroconductive rib holding the cathode.

6 . The electrolysis vessel according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an electroconductive second elastic body arranged in the cathode chamber, wherein the cathode is a flexible second porous plate; and the cathode is arranged between the separating membrane and the second elastic body, and is pushed by the second elastic body toward the anode.

7 . The electrolysis vessel according to claim 6 ,
the cathode chamber comprising:
at least one second electroconductive rib protruding from an inner wall of the cathode-side frame body; and
an electroconductive second current collector held by the second electroconductive rib,
the second current collector supporting the second elastic body.

8 . The electrolysis vessel according to claim 6 further comprising:
an electroconductive second rigid current collector arranged in contact with the cathode,
the second rigid current collector being arranged between the cathode and the second elastic body,
the second rigid current collector supporting the cathode.

9 . A method for replacement of an electrode of an alkaline water electrolysis vessel, the electrode being the anode of the alkaline water electrolysis vessel as defined in claim 1 , the method comprising:
separating the anode-side frame body from the gasket; separating the separating membrane from the anode; taking the anode out of the anode chamber; and assembling the alkaline water electrolysis vessel with a new anode instead of the anode taken out of the anode chamber.

Assignees

• Tokuyama Corp

Inventors

• Tanaka Yasuyuki

Classifications

• C25B9/63

  Holders for electrodes; Positioning of the electrodes · 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

• C25B9/60

  Constructional parts of cells · CPC title

• C25B15/04

  Regulation of the inter-electrode distance · CPC title