Solid polymer membrane-type water-electrolysis apparatus

Abstract

A solid polymer membrane-type water-electrolysis apparatus according to the present invention includes a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, an oxygen electrode mounted in contact with one side of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane, a hydrogen electrode mounted in contact with the other side of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane, separator plates mounted adjacent the outsides of the oxygen electrode and the hydrogen electrode and serving as current collector plates having passages for water and generated gasses, fixing plates disposed outside the separator plates and made of a non-conductive material, and reservoirs disposed outside said fixing plates for storing water and the generated gasses. The fixing plates include pressing members build therein for pressing the oxygen electrode and the hydrogen electrode against the solid polymer electrolyte membrane, and flow passages are included in the pressing members. The reservoirs are fixed integrally by tie bolts by clamping the solid polymer electrolyte membrane, the oxygen electrode, the hydrogen electrode, the separator plates and the fixing plates together from outside the fixing plates. Further, the reservoirs have water supply bores provided at locations higher in level than the position of the water electrolysis level, and discharge bores for discharging the generated gasses. In this apparatus, storage tanks for the produced oxygen and hydrogen gasses are formed integrally into a compact structure. Thus, the apparatus is convenient for movement and preservation, and the oxygen and hydrogen gasses stored can be brought into a pressure equal to or higher than the atmospheric pressure and supplied to a remote place.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.