Ammonia manufacturing apparatus and ammonia manufacturing method

An ammonia manufacturing apparatus, comprising:

• an electrochemical reaction cell including:
• a first reaction tank in which a reduction electrode is arranged and gaseous nitrogen is supplied;
• a second reaction tank in which an oxidation electrode is arranged and an electrolytic solution containing water or water vapor is supplied;
• and a diaphragm provided between the first reaction tank and the second reaction tank;
• a nitrogen supply unit that includes a nitrogen supply part introducing gaseous nitrogen to the first reaction tank;
• an ammonia collection unit that includes an ammonia collection part collecting ammonia contained in discharged products of the first reaction tank;
• and
• an ammonia separation unit that includes an ammonia separation part separating ammonia from the electrolytic solution discharged from the second reaction tank, wherein
• the reduction electrode includes a reduction catalyst that reduces nitrogen to produce ammonia, a porous carbon material that supports the reduction catalyst, and an organic polymer material that binds the porous carbon material, and
• the porous carbon material has pores with a BET average pore size of 1 nm or more and 15 nm or less.

An ammonia manufacturing method, comprising:

• supplying gaseous nitrogen to a first reaction tank and supplying an electrolytic solution containing water or water vapor to a second reaction tank in an electrochemical reaction cell, the electrochemical reaction cell including:
• the first reaction tank in which a reduction electrode is arranged;
• the second reaction tank in which an oxidation electrode is arranged;
• and a diaphragm provided between the first reaction tank and the second reaction tank;
• supplying electric power to the reduction electrode and the oxidation electrode, reducing nitrogen in the first reaction tank by the reduction electrode to produce ammonia, and oxidizing the electrolytic solution or water vapor in the second reaction tank by the oxidation electrode;
• separating ammonia from discharged products of the first reaction tank to manufacture ammonia;
• and
• circulating the electrolytic solution outside the second reaction tank, taking out at least part of the circulating electrolytic solution, separating ammonia from the taken-out electrolytic solution, and sending the electrolytic solution from which ammonia has been separated to the second reaction tank, wherein
• the reduction electrode includes a reduction catalyst that reduces nitrogen to produce ammonia, a porous carbon material that supports the reduction catalyst, and an organic polymer material that binds the porous carbon material, and
• the porous carbon material has pores with a BET average pore size of 1 nm or more and 15 nm or less.