Anode separator for use in electrochemical hydrogen pump and electrochemical hydrogen pump

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023227990-A1
Application number	US-202318183080-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 13, 2023
Priority date	Sep 25, 2020
Publication date	Jul 20, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

An anode separator for use in an electrochemical hydrogen pump includes a first anode gas flow channel having a serpentine shape, a second anode gas flow channel having a serpentine shape, and an anode gas discharge manifold into which an anode gas discharged from each of the first anode gas flow channel and the second anode gas flow channel flow. The first anode gas flow channel and the second anode gas flow channel are provided in a first region and a second region, respectively, that are divided from each other by a predetermined line parallel to a direction of the anode gas that flows into the anode gas discharge manifold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An anode separator made of metal for use in an electrochemical hydrogen pump, the anode separator comprising:
a first anode gas flow channel having a serpentine shape; a second anode gas flow channel having a serpentine shape; and an anode gas discharge manifold into which an anode gas discharged from each of the first anode gas flow channel and the second anode gas flow channel flow, wherein the first anode gas flow channel and the second anode gas flow channel are provided in a first region and a second region, respectively, that are divided from each other by a predetermined line parallel to a direction of the anode gas that flows into the anode gas discharge manifold.

2 . The anode separator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first anode gas supply manifold through which the anode gas that flows into the first anode gas flow channel flows; and a second anode gas supply manifold through which the anode gas that flows into the second anode gas flow channel flows.

3 . The anode separator according to claim 2 , wherein a first anode inlet of the first anode gas flow channel and a second anode inlet of the second anode gas flow channel are adjacent to each other.

4 . The anode separator according to claim 2 , wherein a total of an opening area of the first anode gas supply manifold and an opening area of the second anode gas supply manifold is larger than an opening area of the anode gas discharge manifold.

5 . The anode separator according to claim 1 , wherein the first anode gas flow channel and the second anode gas flow channel are connected to the anode gas discharge manifold without intersecting each other.

6 . The anode separator according to claim 1 , wherein the first anode gas flow channel and the second anode gas flow channel both become greater in amplitude of their serpentine shapes as they extend inward from their respective anode inlets and become smaller in amplitude of their serpentine shapes as they extend outward toward their respective anode outlets.

7 . The anode separator according to claim 1 , wherein
the first anode gas flow channel includes a plurality of flow channels, and the plurality of flow channels merge downstream into a decreased number of flow channels.

8 . The anode separator according to claim 1 , wherein
the second anode gas flow channel includes a plurality of flow channels, and the plurality of flow channels merge downstream into a decreased number of flow channels.

9 . The anode separator according to claim 2 , wherein the predetermined line is a line connecting a midpoint between the first anode gas supply manifold and the second anode gas supply manifold with a center of the anode gas discharge manifold.

10 . The anode separator according to claim 1 , wherein the serpentine shapes are linearly symmetrical with respect to the predetermined line.

11 . The anode separator according to claim 2 , wherein the first anode gas flow channel linearly extends from the first anode gas supply manifold, then bends toward the line connecting the midpoint between the first anode gas supply manifold and the second anode gas supply manifold with the center of the anode gas discharge manifold, then bends toward the anode gas discharge manifold, and then starts the serpentine shape of the first anode gas flow channel.

12 . The anode separator according to claim 2 , wherein the second anode gas flow channel linearly extends from the second anode gas supply manifold, then bends toward the line connecting the midpoint between the first anode gas supply manifold and the second anode gas supply manifold with the center of the anode gas discharge manifold, then bends toward the anode gas discharge manifold, and then starts the serpentine shape of the second anode gas flow channel.

13 . The anode separator according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a flow channel depth of the first anode gas flow channel to a flow channel width of the first anode gas flow channel and a ratio of a flow channel depth of the second anode gas flow channel to a flow channel width of the second anode gas flow channel are both equal to or less than 0.5.

14 . An electrochemical hydrogen pump comprising:
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; the anode separator according to claim 1 provided on the anode; and a voltage applier that applies a voltage between the anode and the cathode, wherein the electrochemical hydrogen pump causes, by using the voltage applier to apply a voltage, protons taken out from an anode gas supplied onto the anode to move to the cathode via the electrolyte membrane and produces compressed hydrogen.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kita Hiromi
• Kakuwa Takashi

Classifications

• C25B13/02 Primary

  characterised by shape or form · CPC title

• C25B1/04

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title

• C25B9/23

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

• C25B13/05

  based on inorganic materials · CPC title

• C25B1/02 Primary

  Hydrogen or oxygen · CPC title