Fluorine Gas Generation Device

Abstract

A fluorine gas generation device includes an electrolytic cell that electrolyzes hydrogen fluoride in an electrolytic bath constituted of a molten salt containing hydrogen fluoride. The fluorine gas generation device liquefies and circulates a hydrogen fluoride gas vaporized from the molten salt and mist derived from the molten salt which is entrained on the gases generated by using a circulating device connected to a pipe on an upper portion of the electrolytic cell, thereby returning the hydrogen fluoride gas and the mist derived from the molten salt to the electrolytic cell.

1 . A fluorine gas generation device that generates a fluorine gas by electrolyzing hydrogen fluoride in a molten salt containing potassium fluoride and hydrogen fluoride, the fluorine gas generation device comprising:
 an electrolytic cell that electrolyzes hydrogen fluoride in an electrolytic bath constituted of the molten salt containing potassium fluoride and hydrogen fluoride to generate a main product gas containing a fluorine gas as a main component on a side of an anode and a subsidiary product gas containing a hydrogen gas as a main component on a side of a cathode;   a first pipe that guides each of the main product gas and the subsidiary product gas from the electrolytic cell, the main product gas and the subsidiary product gas each containing a hydrogen fluoride gas vaporized from the molten salt in the electrolytic cell and mist derived from the molten salt which is entrained on the main product gas and the subsidiary product gas upon generation thereof, and   a heat exchange mechanism that is disposed on the first pipe to adjust a temperature of a portion of the first pipe;   wherein hydrogen fluoride liquefied in the portion of the first pipe whose temperature is adjusted by the heat exchange mechanism is returned to the electrolytic cell.   
     
     
         2 . The fluorine gas generation device as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a dip tube that is connected to a lower portion of the first pipe and returns the liquefied hydrogen fluoride to the electrolytic cell; and
 a second pipe that is connected to the electrolytic cell and the first pipe and guides each of the main product gas and the subsidiary product gas which contains the hydrogen fluoride gas vaporized from the molten salt of the electrolytic cell and the mist derived from the molten salt which is entrained on the main product gas and the subsidiary product gas upon generation thereof,   wherein the dip tube is immersed in the electrolytic bath of the electrolytic cell, such that a passage that guides each of the main product gas and the subsidiary product gas generated in the electrolytic cell, and a passage that returns the liquefied hydrogen fluoride to the electrolytic cell are provided separately from each other.   
     
     
         3 . The fluorine gas generation device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein a connecting portion at which the first pipe and the second pipe are connected with each other is located inside of the heat exchange mechanism that adjusts a temperature of the portion of the first pipe. 
     
     
         4 . The fluorine gas generation device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange mechanism is located in a position spaced by a distance of not less than 0 cm and not more than 200 cm from an upper portion of a top plate of the electrolytic cell. 
     
     
         5 . The fluorine gas generation device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a packing material is filled in an inside of the portion of the first pipe on which the heat exchange mechanism is disposed. 
     
     
         6 . The fluorine gas generation device as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the packing material filled in an inside of the portion of the first pipe on which the heat exchange mechanism is disposed is a regular packing material or an irregular packing material. 
     
     
         7 . The fluorine gas generation device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a heating medium or a cooling medium is allowed to pass through the heat exchange mechanism. 
     
     
         8 . The fluorine gas generation device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a temperature of the gas in the portion of the first pipe equipped with the heat exchange mechanism is adjusted to not less than a melting point of hydrogen fluoride and not more than a boiling point of hydrogen fluoride. 
     
     
         9 . The fluorine gas generation device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a pipe for supplying hydrogen fluoride is connected to the first pipe equipped with the heat exchange mechanism, and the hydrogen fluoride is added into the first pipe in an amount of 0.01 to 0.12 equivalent when a temperature of an inside of the first pipe equipped with the heat exchange mechanism is in a range of −83° C. to −50° C. 
     
     
         10 . The fluorine gas generation device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange mechanism is located in a position spaced by a distance of not less than 10 cm and not more than 100 cm from an upper portion of a top plate of the electrolytic cell. 
     
     
         11 . The fluorine gas generation device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the heat exchange mechanism is located in a position spaced by a distance of not less than 0 cm and not more than 200 cm from an upper portion of a top plate of the electrolytic cell. 
     
     
         12 . The fluorine gas generation device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein a packing material is filled in an inside of the portion of the first pipe on which the heat exchange mechanism is disposed. 
     
     
         13 . The fluorine gas generation device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein a heating medium or a cooling medium is allowed to pass through the heat exchange mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . The fluorine gas generation device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein a temperature of the gas in the portion of the first pipe equipped with the heat exchange mechanism is adjusted to not less than a melting point of hydrogen fluoride and not more than a boiling point of hydrogen fluoride. 
     
     
         15 . The fluorine gas generation device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein a pipe for supplying hydrogen fluoride is connected to the first pipe equipped with the heat exchange mechanism, and the hydrogen fluoride is added into the first pipe in an amount of 0.01 to 0.12 equivalent when a temperature of an inside of the first pipe equipped with the heat exchange mechanism is in a range of −83° C. to −50° C. 
     
     
         16 . The fluorine gas generation device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the heat exchange mechanism is located in a position spaced by a distance of not less than 10 cm and not more than 100 cm from an upper portion of a top plate of the electrolytic cell. 
     
     
         17 . The fluorine gas generation device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the heat exchange mechanism is located in a position spaced by a distance of not less than 0 cm and not more than 200 cm from an upper portion of a top plate of the electrolytic cell. 
     
     
         18 . The fluorine gas generation device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein a packing material is filled in an inside of the portion of the first pipe on which the heat exchange mechanism is disposed. 
     
     
         19 . The fluorine gas generation device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein a temperature of the gas in the portion of the first pipe equipped with the heat exchange mechanism is adjusted to not less than a melting point of hydrogen fluoride and not more than a boiling point of hydrogen fluoride. 
     
     
         20 . The fluorine gas generation device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the heat exchange mechanism is located in a position spaced by a distance of not less than 10 cm and not more than 100 cm from an upper portion of a top plate of the electrolytic cell.