Organic hydride production apparatus

Abstract

An organic hydride production apparatus includes: a membrane electrode assembly in which an anode electrode and a cathode electrode are laminated with a membrane interposed therebetween; a supply flow path which extends in a vertical direction, and in which a catholyte flows from a lower side to an upper side; and a collection flow path which extends in the vertical direction, and in which the catholyte flows from a lower side to an upper side. A flow resistance R 1 of the catholyte flowing through the cathode electrode, a flow resistance R 2 of the catholyte flowing through the collection flow path, and a flow resistance R 3 of the catholyte flowing through the supply flow path satisfy a relation of R 1> R 2> R 3.

1 . An organic hydride production apparatus comprising:
 a membrane electrode assembly in which an anode electrode that oxidizes water in an anolyte to generate protons and a cathode electrode that hydrogenates a substance to be hydrogenated in a catholyte with the protons to generate an organic hydride are laminated with a membrane that moves the protons from the anode electrode side to the cathode electrode side interposed therebetween;   a supply flow path which extends in a vertical direction, in which the catholyte flows from a lower side to an upper side, and through which the catholyte is sent to the cathode electrode; and   a collection flow path which extends in the vertical direction and into which the catholyte flows from the cathode electrode, wherein a flow resistance R 1  of the catholyte flowing through the cathode electrode, a flow resistance R 2  of the catholyte flowing through the collection flow path, and a flow resistance R 3  of the catholyte flowing through the supply flow path satisfy a relation of R 1 >R 2  >R 3 .   
     
     
         2 . The organic hydride production apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the organic hydride production apparatus comprises a plate member laminated on the membrane electrode assembly,   the supply flow path and the collection flow path are formed of grooves provided on a surface of the plate member, and   the organic hydride production apparatus comprises a flow obstruction member disposed at least in the collection flow path and structured to increase the flow resistance R 2  in the collection flow path to be larger than the flow resistance R 3  in the supply flow path.   
     
     
         3 . The organic hydride production apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the flow obstruction member is an elongated body extending along the collection flow path.   
     
     
         4 . The organic hydride production apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the flow obstruction member is formed of a coil or a stent.   
     
     
         5 . The organic hydride production apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the flow obstruction member is formed of a porous member.