Operation support apparatus, operation support system, operation support method, and non-transitory computer readable medium

Abstract

Provided is an operation support apparatus including a calculation unit which calculates an operating condition of an electrolyzer based on a first estimated value of a performance change in electrolytic performance in the electrolyzer. The operation support apparatus may further include an estimation unit which estimates a second estimated value of the performance change based on a first operating condition that is the operating condition calculated by the calculation unit. The calculation unit may calculate, based on the second estimated value, a second operating condition that is the operating condition under which a power consumption amount of the electrolyzer in a predetermined certain period becomes a predetermined power amount or a production amount of a product produced by the electrolyzer in the certain period becomes a predetermined production amount. The operating condition may include a plurality of parameters related to operation of the electrolyzer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An operation support apparatus comprising a calculation unit which calculates an operating condition of an electrolyzer based on a first estimated value of a performance change in electrolytic performance in the electrolyzer. 
     
     
         2 . The operation support apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an estimation unit which estimates a second estimated value of the performance change based on a first operating condition that is the operating condition calculated by the calculation unit. 
     
     
         3 . The operation support apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the calculation unit calculates, based on the second estimated value, a second operating condition that is the operating condition under which a power consumption amount of the electrolyzer in a predetermined certain period becomes a predetermined power amount,   calculates, based on the second estimated value, a second operating condition that is the operating condition under which a production amount of a product produced by the electrolyzer in the certain period becomes a predetermined production amount, or   calculates a cost related to running of the electrolyzer and calculates, based on the second estimated value, a second operating condition that is the operating condition under which the cost in a predetermined certain period becomes a predetermined cost.   
     
     
         4 . The operation support apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the calculation unit calculates a first power consumption amount, equivalent to the power consumption amount, based on the first estimated value and calculates a second power consumption amount, equivalent to the power consumption amount, based on the second estimated value, and   when the second power consumption amount is smaller than the first power consumption amount, the estimation unit estimates a third estimated value of the performance change,   the calculation unit calculates a first production amount, equivalent to the production amount, based on the first estimated value and calculates a second production amount, equivalent to the production amount, based on the second estimated value, and   when the second production amount is larger than the first production amount, the estimation unit estimates a third estimated value of the performance change, or   the calculation unit calculates a first cost, equivalent to the cost, based on the first estimated value and calculates a second cost, equivalent to the cost, based on the second estimated value, and   when the second cost is smaller than the first cost, the estimation unit estimates a third estimated value of the performance change.   
     
     
         5 . The operation support apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein when the second power consumption amount is equal to the first power consumption amount or larger than the first power consumption amount, the second production amount is equal to the first production amount or smaller than the first production amount, or the second cost is equal to the first cost or larger than the first cost, the calculation unit corrects the second operating condition based on the first estimated value and a first actual value of the performance change. 
     
     
         6 . The operation support apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein
 when the second power consumption amount is equal to the first power consumption amount or larger than the first power consumption amount, the estimation unit estimates the production amount, and   the calculation unit corrects the second operating condition based on the production amount estimated and an actual value of the production amount.   
     
     
         7 . The operation support apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a selection unit which selects, based on the first estimated value for each candidate of the operating condition, the candidate under which a power consumption amount of the electrolyzer in a predetermined certain period becomes a predetermined power amount or a production amount of a product produced by the electrolyzer in the certain period becomes a predetermined production amount. 
     
     
         8 . The operation support apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a selection unit which selects, based on the first estimated value for each candidate of the operating condition, the candidate under which a cost related to running of the electrolyzer in a predetermined certain period becomes a predetermined cost. 
     
     
         9 . The operation support apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the certain period includes a plurality of periods including a first period and a second period after the first period,   the calculation unit calculates, based on the first estimated value, a plurality of first operating conditions, including the first operating condition, in each of the plurality of periods, and   the estimation unit estimates a second estimated value of the performance change based on the plurality of first operating conditions.   
     
     
         10 . The operation support apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the operating condition includes a plurality of parameters related to operation of the electrolyzer, and   the calculation unit calculates one parameter of the plurality of parameters as the first operating condition, based on the first estimated value.   
     
     
         11 . The operation support apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the calculation unit calculates a first set value of another parameter among the plurality of parameters based on the first estimated value, and calculates the one parameter based on the first set value calculated.   
     
     
         12 . The operation support apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the electrolyzer includes an ion exchange membrane, and an anode chamber and a cathode chamber which are partitioned by the ion exchange membrane,   a first aqueous solution of alkali metal chloride is introduced into the anode chamber, and a second aqueous solution of alkali metal hydroxide is introduced into the cathode chamber,   a third aqueous solution of alkali metal chloride is discharged from the anode chamber, and a fourth aqueous solution of alkali metal hydroxide is discharged from the cathode chamber, and   the another parameter is at least one of a salt concentration of the first aqueous solution, an alkali concentration of the second aqueous solution, a salt concentration of the third aqueous solution, an alkali concentration of the fourth aqueous solution, a flow rate of the first aqueous solution, a flow rate of the second aqueous solution, a flow rate of the third aqueous solution, a flow rate of the fourth aqueous solution, a temperature of an aqueous solution of alkali metal chloride in the anode chamber, or a temperature of an aqueous solution of alkali metal hydroxide in the cathode chamber.   
     
     
         13 . The operation support apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the one parameter is a first current supplied to the electrolyzer, and   the calculation unit calculates the first current as the first operating condition, based on the first estimated value.   
     
     
         14 . The operation support apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the calculation unit calculates a first current as the first operating condition, based on the first estimated value,   the estimation unit estimates the second estimated value based on the first current, and   the calculation unit calculates a second current as the second operating condition, based on the second estimated value.   
     
     
         15 . The operation support apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the calculation unit corrects the first operating condition based on a second actual value of the performance change when the electrolyzer is operated under the first operating condition and the second estimated value. 
     
     
         16 . The operation support apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the electrolyzer includes an ion exchange membrane and a gasket which holds the ion exchange membrane,   the performance change in electrolytic performance is a performance change of the ion exchange membrane or a performance change of the gasket, and   the estimation unit estimates the first estimated value based on an actual value of impurity data regarding an accumulation rate of an impurity in the ion exchange membrane or based on an actual value of an elastic deformation amount of the gasket.   
     
     
         17 . The operation support apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the electrolyzer includes an ion exchange membrane, an anode chamber and a cathode chamber partitioned by the ion exchange membrane, an anode arranged in the anode chamber, and a cathode arranged in the cathode chamber,   a surface of the anode and a surface of the cathode are coated with a coating agent made of metal,   the performance change in electrolytic performance is a performance change based on a remaining amount of the coating agent on the surface of the anode or the surface of the cathode, and   the estimation unit estimates the first estimated value based on the remaining amount of the coating agent.   
     
     
         18 . The operation support apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the estimation unit estimates the remaining amount of the coating agent based on a type and an actual value of an amount of an element contained in the coating agent. 
     
     
         19 . An operation support system comprising: the operation support apparatus according to  claim 1 ; and the electrolyzer. 
     
     
         20 . An operation support method comprising calculating, by a calculation unit, an operating condition of an electrolyzer based on a first estimated value of a performance change in electrolytic performance in the electrolyzer. 
     
     
         21 . The operation support method according to  claim 20 , further comprising estimating, by an estimation unit, a second estimated value of the performance change based on the operating condition calculated in the calculating. 
     
     
         22 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having recorded thereon a program which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to calculate an operating condition of an electrolyzer based on a first estimated value of a performance change in electrolytic performance in the electrolyzer.