Diagnosis method of electrolytic unit, diagnosis method of electrolytic apparatus, diagnosis apparatus of electrolytic unit, operation system, and non-transitory storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026062825-A1
Application number	US-202519309674-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 26, 2025
Priority date	Aug 30, 2024
Publication date	Mar 5, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

In an embodiment, a diagnosis method of an electrolytic unit in which an electrochemical reaction occurs with a feed supplied by input of electric power is provided. In the diagnosis method, for the electrolytic unit, each of a membrane resistance caused by a membrane, an anode resistance caused by an anode, and a cathode resistance caused by a cathode is estimated based on a measurement result of a frequency characteristic of an impedance. In the diagnosis method, an operation status and a deterioration state of the electrolytic unit are determined based on time changes of the membrane resistance, the anode resistance, and the cathode resistance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A diagnosis method of an electrolytic unit in which an electrochemical reaction using a feed supplied occurs by input of electrical power, the diagnosis method comprising:
estimating each of a membrane resistance caused by a membrane, an anode resistance caused by an anode, and a cathode resistance caused by a cathode of the electrolytic unit based on a measurement result of a frequency characteristic of impedance; and determining an operation status and a deterioration state of the electrolytic unit based on a time change of each of the membrane resistance, the anode resistance, and the cathode resistance.

2 . The diagnosis method according to claim 1 , in the determining the operation status and the deterioration state of the electrolytic unit, further comprising:
calculating a parameter related to a time change as a determination parameter for each of the membrane resistance, the anode resistance, and the cathode resistance; and comparing a calculation result of the determination parameter with a reference range including a value in a case where a resistance value is unchanged over time for each of the membrane resistance, the anode resistance, and the cathode resistance.

3 . The diagnosis method according to claim 2 , in the determining the operation status and the deterioration state of the electrolytic unit, further comprising:
determining that overheating has occurred in the electrolytic unit based on the fact that the determination parameter of at least one of the anode resistance and the cathode resistance is below the reference range and the determination parameter of the membrane resistance is below the reference range; and determining that an overcurrent has occurred in the electrolytic unit based on the fact that the determination parameter of at least one of the anode resistance and the cathode resistance is below the reference range and the determination parameter of the membrane resistance is not below the reference range.

4 . The diagnosis method according to claim 3 , in the determining the operation status and the deterioration state of the electrolytic unit, further comprising:
determining whether or not the determination parameter of each of the anode resistance and the cathode resistance is below the reference range; and in a case where the determination parameter of at least one of the anode resistance and the cathode resistance is below the reference range, determining whether or not the determination parameter of the membrane resistance is below the reference range, and determining which of the overheating and the overcurrent has occurred in the electrolytic unit.

5 . The diagnosis method according to claim 2 , further comprising, in the determining the operation status and the deterioration state of the electrolytic unit, determining that an insufficient supply of the feed has occurred in the electrolytic unit based at least on the fact that the determination parameter of one or more of the membrane resistance, the anode resistance, and the cathode resistance exceeds a threshold set higher than the reference range.

6 . The diagnosis method according to claim 5 , in the determining the operation status and the deterioration state of the electrolytic unit, further comprising:
determining whether or not the determination parameter of each of the anode resistance and the cathode resistance is below the reference range; and in a case where the determination parameter of any one of the anode resistance and the cathode resistance is not below the reference range, determining whether or not the determination parameter of each of the membrane resistance, the anode resistance, and the cathode resistance exceeds the threshold, and determining whether or not the insufficient supply of the feed has occurred in the electrolytic unit.

7 . The diagnosis method according to claim 5 , further comprising, in the determining the operation status and the deterioration state of the electrolytic unit, determining that material deterioration has occurred in the electrolytic unit based on at least the fact that the determination parameters of one or more of the membrane resistance, the anode resistance, and the cathode resistance exceed the reference range, and the determination parameter of any one of the membrane resistance, the anode resistance, and the cathode resistance is equal to or less than the threshold.

8 . The diagnosis method according to claim 7 , in the determining the operation status and the deterioration state of the electrolytic unit, further comprising:
determining whether or not the determination parameter of each of the anode resistance and the cathode resistance is below the reference range; and in a case where the determination parameter of any one of the anode resistance and the cathode resistance is not below the reference range, determining whether or not the determination parameter of each of the membrane resistance, the anode resistance, and the cathode resistance exceeds the reference range and whether or not the determination parameter exceeds the threshold, and determining whether or not the material deterioration has occurred in the electrolytic unit.

9 . The diagnosis method according to claim 2 , further comprising, in the determining the operation status and the deterioration state of the electrolytic unit, calculating, for each of the membrane resistance, the anode resistance, and the cathode resistance, any one of a time change magnification, a parameter corresponding to the time change magnification, a time change amount, and a parameter corresponding to the time change amount as the determination parameter.

10 . The diagnosis method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
adjusting a voltage of the electrolytic unit in a state of operating the electrolytic unit; superimposing a diagnosis current on an operating current input to the electrolytic unit in a state where the voltage of the electrolytic unit is adjusted to a prescribed voltage range; and measuring the frequency characteristic of the impedance of the electrolytic unit in a state where the diagnosis current is superimposed on the operating current.

11 . A diagnosis method of an electrolytic apparatus including a plurality of electrolytic units in each of which an electrochemical reaction using a feed supplied occurs by input of electrical power, the diagnosis method comprising:
determining the operation status and the deterioration state, for each of the electrolytic units, by performing the diagnosis method according to claim 1 on each of the electrolytic units.

12 . A diagnosis apparatus of an electrolytic unit in which an electrochemical reaction using a feed supplied occurs by input of electrical power, the diagnosis apparatus comprising a processor that:
estimates, for the electrolytic unit, each of a membrane resistance caused by a membrane, an anode resistance caused by an anode, and a cathode resistance caused by a cathode based on a measurement result of a frequency characteristic of impedance; and determines an operation status and a deterioration state of the electrolytic unit based on a time change of each of the membrane resistance, the anode resistance, and the cathode resistance.

13 . An operation system comprising:
the diagnosis apparatus according to claim 12 ; and the electrolytic unit in which a determination regarding the operation status and the deterioration state is made by the processor of the diagnosis apparatus.

14 . The operation system according to claim 13 , further comprising, as the electrolytic unit, a plurality of electrolytic units

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Uno Wataru
• Morimoto Sayaka
• Yagi Ryosuke
• Yoshinaga Norihiro

Classifications

• G01R27/02

  Measuring real or complex resistance, reactance, impedance, or other two-pole characteristics derived therefrom, e.g. time constant (by measuring phase angle only G01R25/00) · CPC title

• C25B15/023 Primary

  Measuring, analysing or testing during electrolytic production · CPC title

• C25B15/02

  Process control or regulation · CPC title

• C25B1/04 Primary

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title