Electrolysis device and electrolysis method

Abstract

An electrolysis device of an embodiment includes: an electrolysis cell including a cathode part in which a reduction electrode is disposed, an anode part in which an oxidation electrode is disposed, and a diaphragm provided between the cathode part and the anode part; a supply power property obtaining unit that obtains a property of power that is to be supplied to the electrolysis cell; an input gas property obtaining unit that obtains a property of a gas that is to be input to the electrolysis cell; an electric property obtaining unit that obtains an electric property of the electrolysis cell; an output gas property obtaining unit that obtains a property of an output gas of the electrolysis cell; a temperature obtaining unit that obtains a temperature of the electrolysis cell; a data storage unit that stores data from the obtaining units; and a data processing unit to which the data is sent from the data storage unit and that processes the data to determine a state of the electrolysis cell.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electrolysis device comprising:
 an electrolysis cell including a cathode part to be supplied with a gas or a liquid containing a substance to be reduced and in which a reduction electrode is disposed, an anode part to be supplied with a liquid containing a substance to be oxidized and in which an oxidation electrode is disposed, and a diaphragm provided between the cathode part and the anode part;   a supply power property obtaining unit that obtains a property of power that is to be supplied to the electrolysis cell;   an input gas property obtaining unit that obtains a property of a gas that is to be input to the electrolysis cell;   an electric property obtaining unit that obtains an electric property of the electrolysis cell;   an output gas property obtaining unit that obtains a property of an output gas of the electrolysis cell;   a temperature control unit that controls a temperature of the electrolysis cell;   a temperature obtaining unit that obtains the temperature of the electrolysis cell;   a data storage unit that stores data from the supply power property obtaining unit, the input gas property obtaining unit, the electric property obtaining unit, the output gas property obtaining unit, and the temperature obtaining unit; and   a data processing unit to which the data is sent from the data storage unit and that processes the data to determine a state of the electrolysis cell.   
     
     
         2 . The electrolysis device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the data processing unit is configured to calculate an equivalent circuit parameter by fitting using measurement data from at least one of the supply power property obtaining unit, the input gas property obtaining unit, the electric property obtaining unit, the output gas property obtaining unit, and the temperature obtaining unit and simulation data of an equivalent circuit model of the electrolysis cell, and to detect deterioration based on information of the equivalent circuit parameter.   
     
     
         3 . The electrolysis device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the data processing unit is configured to infer a deteriorated place by comparing the equivalent circuit parameter before real operation or at design time with the equivalent circuit parameter during the real operation.   
     
     
         4 . The electrolysis device according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the data processing unit is configured to find a deterioration degree of the equivalent circuit parameter, and to determine whether to stop the operation of the electrolysis cell by setting a determination standard for the deterioration degree, the deterioration degree being represented by [(the equivalent circuit parameter during the real operation)−(the equivalent circuit parameter before the real operation or at the design time)]/(the equivalent circuit parameter before the real operation or at the design time).   
     
     
         5 . The electrolysis device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the data processing unit is configured to calculate an equivalent circuit as the equivalent circuit model, the equivalent circuit including: a cathode part having a carbon dioxide reduction substance producing part and a hydrogen producing part that are connected in parallel and to which a series resistance is connected in series; a diaphragm part; and an anode part having an oxygen producing part and a series resistance that are connected in series, the cathode part, the diaphragm part, and the anode part being connected in series.   
     
     
         6 . The electrolysis device according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the data processing unit is configured to calculate a current density of the carbon dioxide reduction substance producing part of the equivalent circuit model based on a relational formula including, as variables, a current density represented by a Tafel equation and a production limit current density of the carbon dioxide reduction substance.   
     
     
         7 . The electrolysis device according to a  claim 6 ,
 wherein the data processing unit is configured to calculate the production limit current density of the carbon dioxide reduction substance based on a relational formula including, as variables, a flow rate of the substance to be reduced introduced to the cathode part and a flow rate of the substance to be reduced that has moved to the anode part from the cathode part.   
     
     
         8 . The electrolysis device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the data processing unit is installed in a cloud and is configured to determine the state of the electrolysis cell remotely.   
     
     
         9 . The electrolysis device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the electrolysis cell is configured to produce a carbon compound by supplying carbon dioxide as the substance to be reduced, or to produce ammonia by supplying nitrogen as the substance to be reduced.   
     
     
         10 . An electrolysis method comprising:
 supplying a gas or a liquid containing a substance to be reduced to a cathode part of an electrolysis cell, supplying a liquid containing a substance to be oxidized to an anode part of the electrolysis cell, and operating the electrolysis cell, the electrolysis cell including the cathode part in which a reduction electrode is disposed, the anode part in which an oxidation electrode is disposed, and a diaphragm provided between the cathode part and the anode part;   obtaining property data of power that is to be supplied to the electrolysis cell, property data of a gas that is to be input to the electrolysis cell, electric property data of the electrolysis cell, property data of an output gas of the electrolysis cell, and temperature data of the electrolysis cell, all the data being obtained during the operation of the electrolysis cell; and   processing the property data of the power, the property data of the gas, the electric property data, the property data of the output gas, and the temperature data to obtain an equivalent circuit model and an equivalent circuit parameter of the electrolysis cell, and determining a state of the electrolysis cell, using the equivalent circuit model and the equivalent circuit parameter of the electrolysis cell.   
     
     
         11 . The electrolysis method according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the determining the state of the electrolysis cell comprises determining a deterioration state of the electrolysis cell, using the equivalent circuit model and the equivalent circuit parameter.   
     
     
         12 . The electrolysis method according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the determining the state of the electrolysis cell comprises calculating the equivalent circuit parameter by fitting, using the obtained data and simulation data of the equivalent circuit model, and detecting a deterioration of the electrolysis cell based on information of the equivalent circuit parameter.   
     
     
         13 . The electrolysis method according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the determining the state of the electrolysis cell comprises inferring a deteriorated place by comparing the equivalent circuit parameter before real operation or at design time with the equivalent circuit parameter during the real operation.   
     
     
         14 . The electrolysis method according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the determining the state of the electrolysis cell comprises finding a deterioration degree of the equivalent circuit parameter, and determining whether to stop the operation of the electrolysis cell by setting a determination standard for the deterioration degree, the deterioration degree being represented by [(the equivalent circuit parameter during the real operation)−(the equivalent circuit parameter before the real operation or at the design time)]/(the equivalent circuit parameter before the real operation or at the design time).   
     
     
         15 . The electrolysis method according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the obtaining the data of the electrolysis cell comprises obtaining data of a reference electrolysis cell, and   wherein the electrolysis cell is designed based on the equivalent circuit model and the equivalent circuit parameter that are derived from the data of the reference electrolysis cell.   
     
     
         16 . The electrolysis method according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 selecting a candidate for the equivalent circuit model;   calculating the equivalent circuit parameter by fitting such that a square error between the data of the reference electrolysis cell and simulation data of the selected equivalent circuit model becomes small; and   determining whether the equivalent circuit parameter is valid, using the square error between the data of the reference electrolysis cell and the simulation data of the equivalent circuit parameter; and   designing the electrolysis cell using the equivalent circuit model and the equivalent circuit parameter determined as valid.