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JP-2026074828-A - Hydrogen isotope separation system

JP2026074828AJP 2026074828 AJP2026074828 AJP 2026074828AJP-2026074828-A

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a hydrogen isotope separation system that can suppress the increase in power consumption. [Solution] The hydrogen isotope separation system 10 includes a separator 15 having an ion exchange membrane 15a, an anode 15b, and a cathode 15c. The hydrogen isotope separation system 10 includes an anode supply path 10a that supplies heavy water containing light water toward the anode 15b, and a cathode supply path 10b that supplies an inert gas toward the cathode 15c. The hydrogen isotope separation system 10 includes a heat transfer medium circuit 30 that supplies a heat transfer medium to an anode-side humidifier 14A located in the anode supply path 10a, a cathode-side humidifier 14B located in the cathode supply path 10b, and the separator 15. The heat transfer medium circuit 30 heats the anode-side humidifier 14A with the heat transfer medium after heating the cathode-side humidifier 14B. [Selection Diagram] Figure 1

Inventors

  • 神田 卓也
  • 古澤 宏一朗
  • 高橋 和幸
  • 石川 出

Assignees

  • 本田技研工業株式会社

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20241021

Claims (4)

  1. A separator for separating hydrogen isotopes, comprising an ion exchange membrane and an anode and a cathode provided on both sides of the ion exchange membrane in the thickness direction, an anode supply path that supplies heavy water containing light water toward the anode, A cathode supply path for supplying inert gas toward the cathode, an anode-side humidifier provided in the anode supply path, A cathode-side humidifier is provided in the cathode supply path, The separator, the anode-side humidifier, and the cathode-side humidifier are provided with a heat transfer medium circuit that supplies a heat transfer medium to them. The aforementioned heat transfer circuit is The system includes a heater for heating the heat transfer medium, A hydrogen isotope separation system comprising supplying the heat transfer medium heated by the heater to the cathode-side humidifier, and then supplying the heat transfer medium discharged from the cathode-side humidifier to the anode-side humidifier.
  2. The aforementioned heat transfer circuit is The hydrogen isotope separation system according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer medium heated by the heater is supplied to the separator, and the heat transfer medium discharged from the separator is supplied to the cathode-side humidifier.
  3. The aforementioned heat transfer circuit is The hydrogen isotope separation system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the separator, the cathode-side humidifier, and the anode-side humidifier are connected sequentially in series.
  4. The aforementioned heat transfer circuit is The hydrogen isotope separation system according to claim 3, wherein the heat transfer medium discharged from the anode-side humidifier is supplied to the heater.

Description

This invention relates to a hydrogen isotope separation system. In recent years, research and development has been conducted on fuel cells that contribute to energy efficiency, in order to ensure that more people have access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and advanced energy. Conventionally, a system is known in which raw water containing heavy water and tritium is decomposed by an electrolytic cell having an ion exchange membrane and a catalyst to obtain hydrogen and oxygen with low deuterium and tritium content, respectively (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this system, the hydrogen and oxygen obtained by the electrolytic cell are supplied to a fuel cell to extract water with low heavy water and tritium content (light water). Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-11903 A diagram illustrating the configuration of a hydrogen isotope separation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.A figure showing an example of an isotope exchange equilibrium reaction in the separator of a hydrogen isotope separation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.A diagram illustrating the configuration of a heat transfer medium circuit in a hydrogen isotope separation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, an embodiment of the hydrogen isotope separation system of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. Figure 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a hydrogen isotope separation system 10 according to an embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the hydrogen isotope separation system 10 of the embodiment includes, for example, an anode supply channel 10a and a cathode supply channel 10b, an anode discharge channel 10c and a cathode discharge channel 10d, a heavy water tank 11, an electrolytic unit 12, a nitrogen tank 13, an anode-side humidifier 14A and a cathode-side humidifier 14B, a separator 15, an anode-side condenser 16A and a cathode-side condenser 16B, an anode-side on-off valve 17A and a cathode-side on-off valve 17B, an anode-side tank 18A and a cathode-side tank 18B. The heavy water tank 11 stores water containing heavy water and light water, for example. The heavy water tank 11 is connected to the anode supply line 10a. The heavy water tank 11 supplies water containing heavy water and light water to the electrolytic cell 12 via the anode supply line 10a. Light water is ( 1H₂¹⁶O ), and heavy water is water containing at least one of the hydrogen isotopes such as deuterium (D) and tritium (T). The electrolytic unit 12 includes, for example, an electrolytic cell or electrolytic vessel for electrolyzing water containing heavy water supplied from the heavy water tank 11. For example, the electrolytic unit 12 is an electrolytic cell. The electrolytic unit 12 is connected to the anode supply path 10a. In the electrolytic apparatus 12, for example, the electrolytic reaction shown in the following formula (1) occurs. The electrolytic reaction in the electrolytic apparatus 12 includes the electrolytic reaction obtained by replacing deuterium (D) with tritium (T) in the semi-heavy water (HDO) in the following formula (1). For example, the electrolytic unit 12 discharges hydrogen ( H₂ ), deuterium ( D₂ ), hydrogen deuteride (HD), and hydrogen tritiate (HT) obtained by the electrolytic reaction into the anode supply channel 10a. The electrolytic unit 12 discharges oxygen ( O₂ ) obtained by the electrolytic reaction to the outside other than the anode supply channel 10a. For example, the electrolytic unit 12 may supply the oxygen ( O₂ ) obtained by the electrolytic reaction to an external coupling device (not shown), such as a fuel cell. For example, the coupling device (not shown) may produce water ( H₂O ) by recombining hydrogen ( H₂ ) supplied from the separator 15 (described later) and oxygen ( O₂ ) supplied from the electrolytic unit 12 in a catalytic reaction. The nitrogen tank 13 stores gases such as air containing nitrogen ( N₂ ). The nitrogen tank 13 is connected to the cathode supply passage 10b. The nitrogen tank 13 supplies gases such as air containing nitrogen ( N₂ ) to the cathode supply passage 10b. The anode-side humidifier 14A is installed between the electrolytic unit 12 and the separator 15 in the anode supply path 10a. The anode-side humidifier 14A humidifies the hydrogen ( H₂ ), deuterium ( D₂ ), hydrogen deuteride (HD), and hydrogen tritiate (HT), etc., supplied from the electrolytic unit 12 with water, such as water vapor and liquid water. The cathode-side humidifier 14B is installed in the cathode supply path 10b. The cathode-side humidifier 14B humidifies gases such as air containing nitrogen ( N2 ) supplied from the nitrogen tank 13 with water vapor and liquid water, for example. The separator 15 includes, for example, a catalyst or fuel cell that separates hydrogen isotopes from hydrogen ( H₂ ), deuterium ( D₂ ), hydrogen deuteride (HD), and hydrogen tritiate (HT) supplie