Abstract: An electrochemical cell for a hydrogen pump includes an electrolyte membrane, an anode catalyst layer disposed on a first main surface of the electrolyte membrane, a cathode catalyst layer disposed on a second main surface of the electrolyte membrane, an anode gas diffusion layer disposed on the anode catalyst layer, and a cathode gas diffusion layer disposed on the cathode catalyst layer. When a voltage is applied between the anode catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer, the cathode gas diffusion layer is exposed to a hydrogen-containing gas at a pressure higher than that at the anode gas diffusion layer. A thickness of the anode gas diffusion layer is greater than or equal to a thickness of the cathode gas diffusion layer.

Abstract: A hydrogen system includes: a compressor that causes, by application of a voltage between an anode and a cathode, hydrogen in a hydrogen-containing gas supplied to the anode to move to the cathode through an electrolyte membrane and compresses the hydrogen; a first flow channel that supplies the hydrogen-containing gas to the anode; a second flow channel that branches off from the first flow channel and supplies the hydrogen-containing gas to the cathode; and a check valve that is provided in the second flow channel and prevents a flow in a direction opposite to a flow of the hydrogen-containing gas to be supplied to the cathode.

Abstract: A hydrogen system includes a compressor that causes, by applying a voltage across an anode and a cathode with an interposed electrolyte membrane therebetween, hydrogen in a hydrogen-containing gas supplied to the anode to move to the cathode and produces compressed hydrogen; a pressure regulator that regulates pressure at least at the anode; and a controller that controls the pressure regulator to make the pressure at the anode higher than pressure at the cathode with the hydrogen-containing gas prevented from flowing out of the anode in a stop.

Abstract: A compression apparatus includes 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, an anode separator provided on the anode, a cathode separator provided on the cathode, and a voltage applier that applies a voltage between the anode and the cathode. The compression apparatus causes, by using the voltage applier to apply a voltage, protons taken out from a hydrogen-containing gas that is supplied to the anode to move to the cathode via the electrolyte membrane and produces compressed hydrogen. The anode separator has a first flow channel, provided in a principal surface thereof facing away from the anode, through which a cooling fluid flows.

Abstract: A hydrogen system includes: a compressor including at least one cell that includes an electrolyte membrane, an anode catalyst layer provided on one principal surface of the electrolyte membrane, a cathode catalyst layer provided on another principal surface of the electrolyte membrane, an anode gas diffusion layer provided on the anode catalyst layer and including a porous sheet containing a metal, and a cathode gas diffusion layer provided on the cathode catalyst layer, and a voltage applicator that apples a voltage between the anode catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer, wherein the compressor that generates compressed hydrogen by causing the voltage applicator to apply the voltage to move hydrogen in hydrogen-containing gas supplied to an anode to the cathode via the electrolyte membrane; and a controller that causes the voltage applicator to apply the voltage after shutdown or at startup.

Abstract: A hydrogen system includes: a compressor that includes an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte membrane interposed therebetween and generates compressed hydrogen by applying a voltage between the anode and the cathode to move protons extracted from anode fluid supplied to the anode to the cathode; a voltage applicator that applies the voltage between the anode and the cathode; a first flow passage through which a cathode off-gas containing the compressed hydrogen discharged from the cathode is supplied to the anode of the compressor; a first on-off valve disposed in the first flow passage; and a controller that causes the voltage applicator to apply the voltage with the first on-off valve opened during a period of time from startup of the hydrogen system until supply of the cathode off-gas to a hydrogen reservoir is started.

Abstract: An electrochemical hydrogen pump includes an electrolyte membrane, an anode catalyst layer, a cathode catalyst layer, an anode gas diffusion layer, a cathode gas diffusion layer, an anode separator, a cathode separator, a first end plate and a second end plate that are disposed on the respective ends of at least one hydrogen pump unit in which the electrolyte membrane, the catalyst layers, the gas diffusion layers, and the separators are stacked on each other, a fastener that fastens the end plates and at least one hydrogen pump unit, and a voltage applier. The electrochemical hydrogen pump transfers hydrogen from the anode catalyst layer to the cathode catalyst layer and pressurizes hydrogen when the voltage applier applies the voltage. The cathode gas diffusion layer includes a water-repellent carbon fiber layer in a main surface thereof that is on a side of the cathode catalyst layer, and is compressed by the fastener.

Abstract: A compression apparatus including an electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer in contact with one of main surfaces; a cathode catalyst layer in contact with the other of the main surfaces; an anode gas diffusion layer in contact with the anode catalyst layer; and a cathode gas diffusion layer in contact with the cathode catalyst layer, the membrane electrode assembly used in a compression apparatus that generates compressed hydrogen by applying voltage between the anode catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer to move protons, taken out of an anode fluid supplied to the anode catalyst layer, to the cathode catalyst layer via the electrolyte membrane. The cathode gas diffusion layer includes a porous carbon sheet and a porosity of a first surface layer in an opposite side to a side of the cathode catalyst layer is lower than a porosity of a layer inward from the first surface layer.

Abstract: A compression apparatus includes a stack of electrochemical cells each including an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte membrane interposed therebetween, a pair of insulating plates disposed at respective ends of the stack in a stacking direction, a pair of end plates disposed on outside surfaces of the respective insulating plates, and a voltage applicator that applies a voltage between the anode and the cathode. The end plate having the cathode gas channel includes a first region that includes an outer peripheral surface of the cathode gas channel and is composed of a first steel material and a second region other than the first region which is composed of a second steel material. The first steel material has higher hydrogen embrittlement resistance than the second steel material, and the second steel material has higher stiffness than the first steel material.

Abstract: A compression apparatus includes a stack of electrochemical cells each including an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte membrane interposed therebetween, a pair of insulating plates disposed at respective ends of the stack in a stacking direction, a pair of first end plates disposed on outside surfaces of the respective insulating plates, and a voltage applicator that applies a voltage between the anode and the cathode. Upon the voltage applicator applying the voltage, the compression apparatus causes hydrogen included in a hydrogen-containing gas fed to the anode to move to the cathode and produces compressed hydrogen. One of the first end plates have a first channel formed therein, through which the hydrogen-containing gas fed to the anode flows, and a second channel formed therein, through which a heating medium flows. The compression apparatus further includes a heater that heats the heating medium.

Abstract: A compressor includes an electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer in contact with a first primary surface of the electrolyte membrane; a cathode catalyst layer in contact with a second primary surface of the electrolyte membrane; an anode diffusion layer disposed on the anode catalyst layer and including a porous carbon sheet; a cathode gas diffusion layer on the cathode catalyst layer; an anode support disposed on the anode diffusion layer and including a metal sheet having a plurality of vent holes; an anode separator disposed on the anode support and having, on the primary surface thereof closer to the anode support, a fluid flow channel through which an anode fluid flows; and a voltage applicator that applies a voltage across the anode catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer.

Abstract: This invention provides an electrochemical hydrogen pump which allows reduction efficiency due to increase of contact resistances to be suppressed with a light-weight and compact structure. An electrochemical hydrogen pump (24) comprises: single battery cells (m1-m3) that each include an anode separator (7), an anode diffusion layer (5), an anode electrode layer (3), an electrolyte membrane (2), a cathode electrode layer (4), a cathode diffusion layer (6), and a cathode separator (8); and pressurization spaces that are provided in positions sandwiching the anode diffusion layer and the cathode diffusion layer therebetween. The pressurization spaces include an anode pressurization space (27) provided in an anode-side member and a cathode pressurization space (28) provided in a cathode-side member.

Abstract: A hydrogen system includes: a compressor that applies a voltage between an anode and a cathode to move hydrogen in hydrogen-containing gas supplied to the anode to the cathode via an electrolyte membrane and compress the hydrogen; a first flow path through which hydrogen-containing gas discharged from the anode of the compressor flows; a second flow path to supply cathode off-gas to the anode of the compressor, the cathode off-gas being discharged from the cathode of the compressor; an on-off valve provided on the second flow path; and a controller that opens the on-off valve in a normal stop.

Abstract: An electrochemical hydrogen pump includes an electrolyte membrane, an anode on a first primary surface of the electrolyte membrane, a cathode on a second primary surface of the electrolyte membrane, and an anode separator on the anode. The anode includes an anode catalyst layer on the first primary surface of the electrolyte membrane and an anode gas diffusion layer on the anode catalyst layer. The anode gas diffusion layer includes a porous carbon sheet that is a powder molded body.

Abstract: An electrochemical hydrogen pump includes a hydrogen pump unit including an electrolyte film, an anode catalyst layer, a cathode catalyst layer, an anode gas diffusion layer, an anode separator, a cathode gas diffusion layer, and a cathode separator, a first end plate and a second end plate, a fastener, and a voltage applicator. The electrochemical hydrogen pump transfers and pressurizes hydrogen on the cathode catalyst layer, when a voltage is applied by the voltage applicator. Cathode gas flow channels in which the cathode gas flows are connected to each other. The amount of thickness reduction of the cathode gas diffusion layer due to compression resulting from fastening of the fastener is larger in the hydrogen pump unit positioned at at least one end of the stacked hydrogen pump units than in the hydrogen pump unit positioned at neither end of the stacked hydrogen pump units.

Abstract: An electrochemical hydrogen pump includes an electrolyte membrane, an anode catalyst layer on one primary surface of the electrolyte membrane, a cathode catalyst layer on the other primary surface of the electrolyte membrane, an anode gas diffusion layer on the anode catalyst layer, an anode separator on the anode gas diffusion layer, and a voltage applicator that applies a voltage between the anode catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer. Application of the voltage causes hydrogen in a hydrogen-containing gas supplied to above the anode catalyst layer to move above the cathode catalyst layer and to be pressurized. The anode gas diffusion layer includes a porous carbon sheet that contains carbon fibers and a carbon material different from the carbon fibers and that has a larger porosity in a first surface layer on the anode separator side, than in a second surface layer on the anode catalyst layer side.

Abstract: An electrochemical hydrogen pump includes an electrolyte membrane, an anode catalyst layer in contact with one primary surface of the electrolyte membrane, a cathode catalyst layer in contact with the other primary surface of the electrolyte membrane, an anode gas diffusion layer in contact with the anode catalyst layer, a cathode gas diffusion layer in contact with the cathode catalyst layer, and a voltage applicator that applies a voltage between the anode catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer. Application of the voltage by the voltage applicator causes hydrogen in a hydrogen-containing gas supplied to above the anode catalyst layer to move above the cathode catalyst layer and to be pressurized. The anode gas diffusion layer includes a porous carbon sheet that has a smaller porosity in a first surface layer, which is on the anode catalyst layer side, than in the inside layer deeper than the first surface layer.

Abstract: An electrochemical hydrogen pump includes an electrolyte membrane, an anode catalyst layer, a cathode catalyst layer, an anode gas diffusion layer, a cathode gas diffusion layer, an anode separator, a cathode separator, a first end plate and a second end plate that are disposed on the respective ends of at least one hydrogen pump unit in which the electrolyte membrane, the catalyst layers, the gas diffusion layers, and the separators are stacked on each other, a fastener that fastens the end plates and at least one hydrogen pump unit, and a voltage applier. The electrochemical hydrogen pump transfers hydrogen from the anode catalyst layer to the cathode catalyst layer and pressurizes hydrogen when the voltage applier applies the voltage. The cathode gas diffusion layer includes a water-repellent carbon fiber layer in a main surface thereof that is on a side of the cathode catalyst layer, and is compressed by the fastener.

Abstract: An electrochemical hydrogen pump includes a hydrogen pump unit including an electrolyte film, an anode catalyst layer, a cathode catalyst layer, an anode gas diffusion layer, an anode separator, a cathode gas diffusion layer, and a cathode separator, a first end plate and a second end plate, a fastener, and a voltage applicator. The electrochemical hydrogen pump transfers and pressurizes hydrogen on the cathode catalyst layer, when a voltage is applied by the voltage applicator. Cathode gas flow channels in which the cathode gas flows are connected to each other. The amount of thickness reduction of the cathode gas diffusion layer due to compression resulting from fastening of the fastener is larger in the hydrogen pump unit positioned at at least one end of the stacked hydrogen pump units than in the hydrogen pump unit positioned at neither end of the stacked hydrogen pump units.