Electrochemical reaction device

Abstract

An electrochemical reaction device in an embodiment includes: a reaction unit including a first accommodation part to accommodate carbon dioxide and a second accommodation part to accommodate an electrolytic solution containing water; a reduction electrode to reduce the carbon dioxide; an oxidation electrode to oxidize the water; a power supply to pass current between the reduction electrode and the oxidation electrode; a pressure regulator to regulate a pressure in the first accommodation part; a reaction product detector to detect at least one of an amount and a kind of a substance produced at the reduction electrode; and a controller to control the pressure regulator based on a detection signal of the reaction product detector.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electrochemical reaction device comprising:
 a reaction unit comprising a first accommodation part configured to accommodate carbon dioxide, a second accommodation part configured to accommodate an electrolytic solution containing water, and a diaphragm provided between the first accommodation part and the second accommodation part;   a reduction electrode configured to reduce the carbon dioxide;   an oxidation electrode configured to oxidize the water;   a pressure regulator configured to regulate a pressure in the first accommodation part;   a reaction product detector configured to detect at least one of an amount and a kind of a substance produced at the reduction electrode; and   a controller configured to control the pressure regulator based on a detection signal of the reaction product detector.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the reaction product detector comprises an analyzer configured to analyze the substance produced at the reduction electrode. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the reaction product detector comprises an electrode potential monitor configured to monitor a potential of the reduction electrode. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein the electrode potential monitor is connected to a reference electrode arranged in the first accommodation part, and is configured to monitor the potential of the reduction electrode through the reference electrode. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the reaction product detector comprises a voltage and current monitor configured to monitor at least one of a voltage value and a current value of a current flowing between the reduction electrode and the oxidation electrode. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the pressure in the first accommodation part is regulated to be 0.1 MPa or more and 6.4 MPa or less. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second pressure regulator configured to regulate a pressure in the second accommodation part. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 7 , wherein a difference between the pressure in the first accommodation part and the pressure in the second accommodation part is regulated to be 0.5 MPa or less. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the reaction unit comprises the first accommodation part configured to accommodate an electrolytic solution containing the carbon dioxide in a manner to be in contact with the reduction electrode, and the second accommodation part configured to accommodate the electrolytic solution containing water in a manner to be in contact with the oxidation electrode. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the reaction unit comprises a first flow path configured to allow a gas or electrolytic solution containing the carbon dioxide to flow therethrough in a manner to be in contact with the reduction electrode as the first accommodation part, and a second flow path configured to allow the electrolytic solution containing water to flow therethrough in a manner to be in contact with the oxidation electrode as the second accommodation part.