Oxygen concentration or humidity controlling apparatus

Abstract: An oxygen concentration controlling element where the shortest distance between the anode 1 and cathode 2 separated by a solid electrolyte film 3 is not larger than 50 µm, to accelerate the back-diffusion of water generated in the cathode to the anode and dispense with a tank or a pump for supplying water to the anode. An oxygen concentration or humidity controlling apparatus where a photoelectric element 111 is disposed at an opening of a space 101 to be controlled to the atmospheric air and electric energy from the photoelectric element is accumulated in a secondary battery 112, thus realizing space-saving apparatus which can operate continuously even if the power is turned off, and a humidity controlling apparatus functioning both as a humidifier and as a dehumidifier.

Description: This invention relates to controlling apparatus according to the preamble of claim 1 for adjusting the oxygen concentration in an elevator, a vegetable compartment of a refrigerator or the like, or for controlling humidities in a sealed vessel. Description of the Related Art Fig. 1 is a structural diagram of an electrochemical oxygen concentration controller disclosed, for instance, in the Japanese Patent Publication No. 2-44764(1990). In Fig. 1, references 1-13 represent the follows, respectively; 1 an anode, 2 a catode, 3 a solid polymer electrolyte film, 4a, 4b collectors, 5 an oxygen enriched chamber, 6 an oxygen deficient chamber, 7 a gas inlet to the oxygen enriched chamber 5, 8 a gas output from the oxygen enriched chamber 5, 9 a gas inlet to the oxygen deficient chamber 6, 10 a gas output from the oxygen deficient chamber 6, 11 a generative water tank, 12 a supply water tank and 13 a pump. The word "oxygen deficient" referred to above means to reduce the oxygen concentration in a gas. To the contrary, the word "oxygen enriched" stands for increasing of the oxygen concentration in a gas. NAFION-117 (trade name of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co.) described in the specification of the Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-52119 (1988), etc. is used for the solid polymer electrolyte film 3. The nominal thickness of the solid polymer electrolyte film 3 is 7 mil, i.e., approximately 170 µm, and the shortest distance between the anode and cathode is 150 µm or so. The above electrochemical oxygen concentration controller operates in a manner as follows. The water is electrolyzed by the external power in the anode 1, whereby a reaction according to a formula (1) takes place, thus increasing the oxygen concentration in the oxygen enriched chamber 5. 2H 2 O → O 2 + 4H + + 4e - Protons (H + ) and electrons (e - ) generated at this time are, respectively through the solid polymer electrolyte film and the external circuit, brought to the cathode, and consume the oxygen in the reaction according to a formula (2). As a result, the oxygen concentration in the oxygen deficient chamber 6 lowers. O 2 + 4H + + 4e - → 2H 2 O The water of average three molecules or so is moved from the anode to the cathode along with the protons (H + ). The excessive water is, together with the water generated in the reaction of the formula (2), further transferred to the cathode from the anode. Meanwhile, the anode requires water, and therefore it is necessary to transfer the water to the water supply tank 12 by the pump 13. The above electrochemical oxygen concentration controller of Fig. 1 utilizing the oxygen deficient chamber is applied to a storehouse of vegetables and fruits or a vegetable compartment of a refrigerator, as revealed in the Japanese Patent Publication No. 55-25343 (1980). On the other hand, an air conditioner is an example of the electrochemical oxygen concentration controller of a type using the oxygen enriched chamber to increase the oxygen concentration inside hospital rooms or the like. As depicted before, the conventional electrochemical oxygen concentration controller needs two tanks, that is, the generative water tank 11 and the water supply tank 12, and moreover it necessitates to transfer water by means of the pump 13. Fig. 2 is a cross section showing the structure of a conventional oxygen concentration controlling apparatus disclosed, for example, in the Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-52119 (1988). Referring to Fig. 2, an oxygen concentration controlling element 60 is hermetically disposed inside an insulating frame 50 and consists of a diaphragm 3 made of a proton conductive solid and a first and a second porous electrodes 1, 2 arranged at the surfaces of the diaphragm 3. A first and a second reaction chambers 5, 6 provided with a first and a second collectors 4a, 4b, respectively, are separated from each other by the oxygen concentration controlling element 60 in the frame 50. A voltage is added to the first and second collectors 4a, 4b from a direct current supply 14. At this time, the first collector 4a is charged positively. A supply tube 17 couples the second reaction chamber 6 with the atmospheric air. A first water tank 11 having a first communication port 11a in the lower part, a first discharge tube 11b at the ceiling and a first suction port 11c in the upper part, stores the water in a manner to leave a gas layer in the upper part. Similarly, a second water tank 12 provided with a second communication port 12a in the lower part, a water supply port 12d at the bottom, a second discharge tube 12b at the ceiling and a second suction port 12c in the upper part stores the water, with a gas layer remaining in the upper part. The first communication port 11a of the first water tank 11 is connected to the second communication port 12a of the second water tank 12 by a communication tube 22, and the second reaction chamber 6 is connected to the first suction port 11c of the first water tank 11 by a first suction tube 23. The first reaction chamber 5 is connected with the water supply port 12d of the second water tank 12 by a water supply tube 24, while the first reaction chamber 5 is connected with the second suction port 12c of the second water tank 12 by a second suction tube 25. When operating the conventional oxygen concentration controlling apparatus in the above-discussed structure, first, the water is stored in the first and second water tanks 11, 12. The water level in the water tanks 11, 12 are held the same because the tanks 11, 12 communicate with each other via the communication tube 22. Subsequently, the water is supplied from the second water tank 12 to the first reaction chamber 5 through the water supply tube 24. On the other hand, to the second reaction chamber 6 is fed the oxygen through the supply tube 17 from outside. In this state, a voltage is impressed to the first and second collectors 4a, 4b from the direct current supply 14 as to charge the first collector 4a positively. Accordingly, the following reaction takes place at the interface between the first porous electrode 1 which is charged positively by the impressed voltage and the diaphragm 3 made of the proton conductive solid; 2H 2 O → 4H + + O 2 + 4e - As a result of the reaction, the water supplied to the first reaction chamber 5 is electrolyzed to produce the oxygen. The produced oxygen passes through the second suction tube 25 to the second water tank 12 together with the water left without reacting. As the oxygen and water are separated in the second water tank 12, only the water is stored in the second water tank 12, and the oxygen is discharged from the second discharge tube 12b to be fed to the atmosphere which is necessary to be enriched as in an elevator, etc. The hydrogen ions generated in the above reaction move through the diaphragm 3 toward the negatively charged second porous electrode 2. When the hydrogen ions reach the second porous electrode 2, it brings about the following reaction at the interface between the second porous electrode 2 and the diaphragm 3 of a proton conductive solid; 4H + + O 2 +4e - → 2H 2 O or 2H + + 2e - → H 2 In consequence, the hydrogen ions and the oxygen supplied from the atmospheric air to the second reaction chamber 6 are electrolyzed to form water or hydrogen. The water or hydrogen, together with the atmospheric air with the oxygen consumed in the above reaction, passes through the first suction tube 23 into the first water tank 11, where it is separated to gas and liquid. Only the water is stored within the first water tank 11, while the remaining gas is discharged through the first discharge tube 11b and fed to the ambience, for example, a vegetable compartment of a refrigerator where the oxygen concentration is to be controlled. Because of the above constitution of the conventional oxygen concentration controlling apparatus, separate direct current supply 14 and first and second water tanks 11, 12 are required to be provided separately, thus making the apparatus bulky and space-wasting. It is also disadvantageous that the oxygen concentration controlling apparatus is unable to operate if the direct current supply 14 is stopped due to some failure. Fig. 3 is a cross section of a conventional humidity controlling apparatus disclosed, e.g., in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-277126 (1987) and also EP 0 313 658. In the drawing, a humidity controlling element 103 is constituted of a first and a second porous electrodes 105, 106 divided by a diaphragm 104 made of a proton conductive solid, and hermetically and rigidly circumscribed by a frame 107 made of an insulating member. The frame 107 is fixedly secured in the periphery thereof in the airtight state to an opening 102 of a sealed vessel 101 in a manner as the second porous electrode 106 of the humidity controlling element 103 is directed outside. A direct current supply 108 applies a voltage to the first and second porous electrodes 105, 106 via a lead wire 109, charging the first porous electrode 105 positively. The operation of the above humidity controlling apparatus will be depicted now. The moisture contained in a gas in the sealed vessel 101 accompanies a reaction as follows at the interface between the first porous electrode 105 positively charged by the voltage from the direct current supply 108 and the diaphragm 104 of a proton conductive solid; H 2 O → 2H + + 1/2O 2 + 2e - The moisture contained in the gas of the container 101 is electrolyzed through the reaction and the oxygen molecules remain in the sealed vessel 101. The resultant hydrogen ions move towards the negatively charged second porous electrode 106 through the diaphragm 104. Then, the hydrogen ions reaching the second porous electrode 106 react at the interface between the second porous electrode 106 and the diaphragm 104 according to the following formula; 2H + + 1/2O 2 + 2e - → H 2 O or 2H + + 2e - → H 2 As a result of this reaction, the hydrogen ions produce water or hydrogen which is in turn discharged to the space in touch with the second porous electrode 106. Accordingly, the humidity in the sealed vessel 101 is removed. In the prior art, the direct current supply 108 should be provided separately from the above humidity controlling apparatus, therefore, requiring an additional space therefor. for. If the direct current supply 108 is troubled and stopped, the humidity controlling apparatus cannot work. Moreover, since the current is supplied only in one direction by the direct current supply 108, the apparatus functions only as a dehumidifier. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention has been devised to solve the above-described disadvantages inherent in the prior art, and has for its first object to provide an oxygen concentration controlling apparatus which requires no generative water tank, no water supply tank and no pump, thus saving space, and an oxygen concentration or humidity controlling apparatus capable of continuously operating even if the power supply is stopped because of a fault, etc. A second object of this invention is to provide a humidity controlling apparatus serving both as a dehumidifier and as a humidifier. In view of the foregoing objects, the present invention provides a controlling element as set out in the claims. The above and further objects and features of the invention will more fully be apparent from the following detailed description with accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a cross section of a conventional oxygen concentration controlling apparatus; Fig. 2 is a cross section of another conventional oxygen concentration controlling apparatus; Fig. 3 is a cross section of a conventional humidity controlling apparatus; Fig. 4 is a cross section of an oxygen concentration controlling apparatus according to a first embodiment of this invention; Fig. 5 is a graph indicating a change with the passage of time of the relative humidity and the oxygen concentration in the oxygen concentration controlling apparatus of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a graph showing the relationship between the shortest distance between an anode and a cathode, and the relative humidity in the oxygen concentration controlling apparatus of Fig. 4. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An electrochemical oxygen concentration controlling apparatus using a solid polymer electrolyte film (referred to as an oxygen concentration controller hereinafter) and a humidity controlling apparatus according to this invention will be discussed hereinafter. Fig. 4 is a cross section indicating the structure of an oxygen concentration controller according to an embodiment of this invention. Referring to Fig. 4, an anode 1 for electrolyzing water thereby to generate oxygen comprises an anode base material 1a and an anode catalyst layer 1b. A cathode 2 which generates water thereby to consume oxygen is constituted of a cathode base material 2a and a cathode catalyst layer 2b. A solid polymer electrolyte film 3 is held between the anode 1 and the cathode 2. The anode base material 1a is formed of an expanded metal of Pt-plated titanium, and the cathode base material 2a is made of carbon fibers. Both base materials 1a and 2a are porous. In Fig. 4, the solid polymer electrolyte film 3 thrusts into both the anode base material 1a and the cathode base material 2a as indicated by corrugated lines. The thrusting layers are the anode catalyst layer 1b and the cathode catalyst layer 2b of a platinum. The shortest distance between the anode 1 and the cathode 2 is represented by D which is confirmed to be 30 µm through the sectional observation by a scanning electron microscope. The solid electrolyte film 3 has a thickness T of about 130 µm and is made of NAFION-115 (trade name of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co.). As mentioned above, the solid polymer electrolyte film 3 is arranged to thrust into the anode base material 1a and the cathode base material 2a by hot pressing at 190°C with 50 kgf/cm 2 . The anode catalyst layer 1b and the cathode catalyst layer 2b of the platinum catalyst where the reactions according to the foregoing formulas (1) and (2) take place scatter three-dimensionally in the solid polymer electrolyte film 3 thrusting into the anode base material 1a and the cathode base material 2a. An insulating resin 18 is exposed to both an oxygen enriched side 19 and an oxygen deficient side 20 with holding a composition of the coin-shape anode 1, cathode 2 and the solid polymer electrolyte film 3, which divides the both sides. An arrow 21 indicates a direction of the water back-diffusion from the cathode to the anode. It is to be noted here that the instant oxygen concentration controller is not provided with any generative water tank, supply water tank or pump at all. The operation of the above oxygen concentration controller will now be described below. Fig.5 is a graph showing a change with the passage of time of the relative humidity and the oxygen concentration in the oxygen concentration controller of Fig. 4 when a direct current of 2.5V is applied between the anode 1 and the cathode 2 from an external direct current source to let a current flow while the oxygen enriched side 19 is kept airtight. In the graph, solid lines indicate the relative humidity and oxygen concentration by the oxygen concentration controller of this invention, and dashed lines represent comparative results by a conventional oxygen concentration controller using 170 µm thick NAFION-115 (trade name of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co.) with the shortest distance between the anode and the cathode being 150 µm. Although the oxygen concentration of the oxygen concentration controller of the invention with the shortest distance between the anode 1 and the cathode 2 being 30 µm rises to approximately the same level as the conventional controller, the relative humidity loss lowers. That is because the oxygen enriched side 19 kept airtight has enough water owing to the large amount of the back-diffused water from the cathode 2 to the anode 1 indicated by the arrow 21 in Fig. 4. The reason for this large amount of the back-diffused water is supposed to be the shorter distance between the anode 1 and the cathode 2, where water is back-diffused more easily due to the concentration difference of water between the cathode 2 and the anode 1, so that the water in the cathode 2 returns to the anode 1 more quickly than the water evaporates from the anode 1. In the meantime, since the oxygen has smaller solubility to water, the diffusing amount of oxygen from the oxygen enriched side 19 to the oxygen deficient side 20 is little so long as the solid polymer electrolyte film 3 contains moisture even if the distance between the anode 1 and the cathode 2 shortens. The diffusing amount is hardly influenced by the short distance between the anode 1 and the cathode 2, as is shown by the solid line in Fig. 5. In other words, the amount of the back-diffusing water increases remarkably by shortening the distance between the anode and the cathode, without transporting water from the cathode to the anode by the pump as in the conventional oxygen concentration controlling apparatus. As is also clear from the graph of Fig. 5, the oxygen concentration controllability is not lost even when the distance between the anode and cathode shortens. After the same experiment is conducted for the oxygen deficient side 20 as to render the oxygen deficient side 20 kept airtight, the oxygen concentration controllability is confirmed. If the distance D between the anode 1 and the cathode 2 is made considerably smaller than the thickness T of the solid polymer electrolyte film 3, a longer diffusion distance of oxygen can be secured than the back-diffusion distance of water, and moreover, the evaporation of water to the oxygen deficient side 20 from the cathode 2 is restricted. Accordingly, the water returns from the cathode 2 to the anode 1 more, thereby reliably preventing the diffusion of oxygen to the cathode 2. Fig. 6 shows the relationship between the shortest distance of the anode 1 and the cathode 2, and the amount of the back-diffusion of water in the oxygen concentration controller of this invention. In this case, the thickness of the solid polymer electrolyte film 3, and the condition of hot pressing of thrusting the anode base material 1a and the cathode base material 2a into the film 3 are varied so as to vary the shortest distance between the anode 1 and the cathode 2. NAFION-117 (trade name of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co.) of approximately 170 µm thick, is used for the solid polymer electrolyte film 3. The hot pressing of the anode 1 and the cathode 2 is carried out at 190°C with a bearing stress of 50kgf/cm 2 for three minutes, where the thrusting depth is controlled by means of a spacer of a constant thickness. In the case of Fig. 6, the other conditions are kept same as in the case of Fig. 5, except that the relative humidity is plotted after a predetermined time has passed. As is understood from the graph of Fig. 6, the relative humidity is higher according to this invention in which the shortest distance of the anode and the cathode is not greater than 50 µm. This means that the consuming amount of water at the side of the anode decreases, which is presumed to occur from the increase of the amount of the back-diffusion of water from the cathode to the anode. According to this invention, it is necessary only that the solid polymer electrolyte film is held between the anode and the cathode, but is unnecessary that the anode and the cathode thrust into the solid polymer electrolyte film as in the foregoing embodiment. It is enough that the shortest distance between the anode and the cathode is not larger than 50 µm, favorably 20-50 µm, where the amount of the back-diffusion of water is large, thereby preventing the diffusion of oxygen from the cathode to the anode. In this case, the thickness of the solid polymer electrolyte film can be 50 µm or thinner. The amount of the back-diffusion of water increases as in the above embodiment even if the solid polymer electrolyte film is of 50 µm thick or more, so long as at least one of the anode and the cathode has the porous base material thrusting into the solid polymer electrolyte film to make the shortest distance not greater than 50 µm. Morevover, it is not necessarily required that both the anode base material and the cathode base material thrust into the solid polymer electrolyte film as in the above-described embodiment. If at least one of the anode and cathode has a porous base material thrusting into the solid polymer electrolyte film in the oxygen concentration controller of this invention, the diffusion of oxygen from the cathode to the anode is more effectively prevented. Although the kind of the electrode base material is not strictly limited so long as it is an electrically conductive porous material with corrosion resistance, generally-used stainless steel fibers, platinum-plated stainless steel fibers, etc. besides the porous expanded metal may be used as the anode base material, and stainless steel fibers or nickel fibers may be employed as well for the cathode base material. As the solid polymer electrolyte film, a metal that conducts protons, in addition to NAFION-117, NAFION-115 (trade names of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co.) referred to above, XUS-13.204.10 (trade name of Dow Chemical Co.) or the like which is generally used for the solid polymer electrolyte film can be employed. Moreover, the size and the shape of the oxygen concentration controller of the invention are not particularly restricted, but the controller may be bent in order to be compact in structure so long as the controller is constituted tuted of the anode, the cathode and the solid polymer electrolyte film held therebetween. Although the controllability of the controller which differs depending on the size thereof and cannot be determined indiscriminately, if the area of the electrode is 100cm 2 , the generating amount of oxygen is 20-200cc/min. and the deoxydation amount is 20-200cc/min.

Claims: A controlling element (20) comprising: a porous anode (1) for electrolyzing water to generate oxygen; a porous cathode (2) for generating water to consume oxygen; and a solid proton-conductive electrolyte film (3) sandwiched between said anode (1) and cathode (2), characterised in that; said anode (1) and cathode (2) are arranged with a shortest distance therebetween of not larger than 50 µm, thereby to back diffuse the water generated by said cathode (2) to said anode (1). A controlling element according to claim 1, wherein at least either one of porous electrode base materials of said anode (1) and cathode (2) thrusts into said solid electrolyte film (3). A controlling element according to any preceding claim, further characterised in that a catalyst layer (1b or 2b) for speeding up the chemical reaction to generate oxygen or to generate water is formed in at least one of said anode or cathode on the side thereof adjacent said solid electrolyte film and is impregnated with a catalyst scattering in three dimensions. A controlling element according to Claim 3, wherein said catalyst layer is formed by thrusting said solid electrolyte film into said anode or cathode. A controlling element according to Claim 3 or 4, wherein said anode is made of Pt-plated titanium and said cathode is made of carbon fibres.

Inventors: MITSUDA KENRO, MURAHASHI TOSHIAKI, YAMAUCHI SHIRO, YOSHIOKA TAKEO, MITSUDA, KENRO, MURAHASHI, TOSHIAKI, YAMAUCHI, SHIRO, YOSHIOKA, TAKEO, Mitsuda, Kenro, c/o Mitsubishi Denki K.K., Murahashi, Toshiaki, c/o Mitsubishi Denki K.K., Yamauchi, Shiro, c/o Mitsubishi Denki K.K., Yoshioka, Takeo, c/o Mitsubishi Denki K.K.
Applicants: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP, MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1993
Main classification: B01D53
IPC codes: G05D22, G05D21, B01D53