IP Library › Granted Patent US 12698565
Granted Patent B2
US 12698565 · App. 19/048,082 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Method for controlling hydrogen generation system, and hydrogen generation system

Inventors: Kosuke Harada (Tokyo, JP); Koji Matsuoka (Tokyo, JP); Hirofumi Takami (Tokyo, JP); Yasushi Sato (Tokyo, JP); Hirokazu Kojima (Koriyama, JP); Naoya Itou (Koriyama, JP); Taku Tsujimura (Koriyama, JP); Hirohide Furutani (Koriyama, JP)
Assignee: ENEOS CORPORATION
C25B1/04C25B9/77C25B15/033
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12698565
App. No.
19/048,082
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for controlling a hydrogen generation system includes controlling the potentials of an electrode for oxygen generation and an electrode for hydrogen generation included in an electrolyzer so that the potential change is smaller in the electrode for oxygen generation or the electrode for hydrogen generation having a larger deterioration rate than in the electrode having a smaller deterioration rate.

Claims (53)

1 . A control device comprising:

a controller configured to control an electrolysis device including an anode electrode and a cathode electrode with different deterioration rates,

wherein the controller controls potentials of the anode electrode and the cathode electrode so that a potential change in the electrode with a larger deterioration rate is smaller than a potential change in the electrode with a smaller deterioration rate.

2 . The control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the electrolysis device discharges an anode product generated by the anode electrode from an anode chamber accommodating the anode electrode, and

wherein the controller stops electrolysis by the electrolysis device by suppressing discharge of the anode product from the anode chamber after stopping supply of an electrolytic current to the electrolysis device in a case the electrode with a larger deterioration rate is the cathode electrode.

3 . The control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the electrolysis device discharges an anode product generated by the anode electrode from an anode chamber accommodating the anode electrode, and

wherein the controller stops electrolysis by the electrolysis device by stopping supply of an electrolytic current to the electrolysis device after suppressing discharge of the anode product from the anode chamber in a case the electrode with a larger deterioration rate is the anode electrode.

4 . The control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the electrolysis device discharges a cathode product generated by the cathode electrode from a cathode chamber accommodating the cathode electrode, and

wherein the controller stops electrolysis by the electrolysis device by stopping supply of an electrolytic current to the electrolysis device after suppressing discharge of the cathode product from the cathode chamber in a case the electrode with a larger deterioration rate is the cathode electrode.

5 . The control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the electrolysis device discharges a cathode product generated by the cathode electrode from a cathode chamber accommodating the cathode electrode, and

wherein the controller stops electrolysis by the electrolysis device by suppressing discharge of the cathode product from the cathode chamber after stopping supply of an electrolytic current to the electrolysis device in a case the electrode with a larger deterioration rate is the anode electrode.

6 . The control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the electrolysis device discharges oxygen generated by the anode electrode from an anode chamber accommodating the anode electrode, and

wherein the controller stops electrolysis by the electrolysis device by suppressing discharge of the oxygen from the anode chamber after stopping supply of an electrolytic current to the electrolysis device in a case the electrode with a larger deterioration rate is the cathode electrode.

7 . The control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the electrolysis device discharges oxygen generated by the anode electrode from an anode chamber accommodating the anode electrode, and

wherein the controller stops electrolysis by the electrolysis device by stopping supply of an electrolytic current to the electrolysis device after suppressing discharge of the oxygen from the anode chamber in a case the electrode with a larger deterioration rate is the anode electrode.

8 . The control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the electrolysis device discharges hydrogen generated by the cathode electrode from a cathode chamber accommodating the cathode electrode, and

wherein the controller stops electrolysis by the electrolysis device by stopping supply of an electrolytic current to the electrolysis device after suppressing discharge of the hydrogen from the cathode chamber in a case the electrode with a larger deterioration rate is the cathode electrode.

9 . The control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the electrolysis device discharges hydrogen generated by the cathode electrode from a cathode chamber accommodating the cathode electrode, and

wherein the controller stops electrolysis by the electrolysis device by suppressing discharge of the hydrogen from the cathode chamber after stopping supply of an electrolytic current to the electrolysis device in a case the electrode with a larger deterioration rate is the anode electrode.

10 . The control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the controller stops electrolysis by the electrolysis device by executing at least one of:

supplying an inert gas or a reducing gas to an anode chamber accommodating the anode electrode in a case the electrode with a larger deterioration rate is the cathode electrode; or

supplying an inert gas or an oxidizing gas to a cathode chamber accommodating the cathode electrode in a case the electrode with a larger deterioration rate is the anode electrode.

11 . The control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein, during electrolysis by the electrolysis device, the electrolysis device discharges oxygen generated by the anode electrode from an anode chamber accommodating the anode electrode and discharges hydrogen generated by the cathode electrode from a cathode chamber accommodating the cathode electrode, and

wherein the controller starts electrolysis from a stop of electrolysis by the electrolysis device by executing at least one of:

starting to discharge the hydrogen from the cathode chamber at a time of or after starting supply of an electrolytic current to the electrolysis device in a case the electrode with a larger deterioration rate is the cathode electrode; or

starting to discharge the oxygen from the anode chamber at a time of or after starting supply of an electrolytic current to the electrolysis device in a case the electrode with a larger deterioration rate is the anode electrode.

12 . The control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein, during stop of electrolysis by the electrolysis device, the controller executes at least one of:

supplying hydrogen to a cathode chamber accommodating the cathode electrode in a case the electrode with a larger deterioration rate is the cathode electrode; or

supplying oxygen to an anode chamber accommodating the anode electrode in a case the electrode with a larger deterioration rate is the anode electrode.

13 . The control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the controller stops electrolysis by the electrolysis device by executing at least one of:

controlling a pressurizing mechanism to pressurize a cathode chamber accommodating the cathode electrode in a case the electrode with a larger deterioration rate is the cathode electrode; or

controlling the pressurizing mechanism to pressurize an anode chamber accommodating the anode electrode in a case the electrode with a larger deterioration rate is the anode electrode.

14 . The control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the electrolysis device is a water electrolysis device that generates hydrogen by electrolysis of water.

15 . The control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the deterioration rate of the anode electrode is a value obtained, in a case where the anode electrode is subjected to a potential cycle test of repeatedly applying a potential of the anode electrode during rated electrolysis in the electrolysis device and a potential obtained by subtracting an overvoltage from a potential of the cathode electrode during the rated electrolysis, by dividing an amount of change in voltage during the rated electrolysis before and after the potential cycle test by the number of cycles, and

wherein the deterioration rate of the cathode electrode is a value obtained, in a case where the cathode electrode is subjected to a potential cycle test of repeatedly applying a potential of the cathode electrode during rated electrolysis in the electrolysis device and a potential obtained by subtracting an overvoltage from a potential of the anode electrode during the rated electrolysis, by dividing an amount of change in voltage during the rated electrolysis before and after the potential cycle test by the number of cycles.

16 . An electrolysis system comprising:

an electrolysis device including an anode electrode and a cathode electrode with different deterioration rates; and

a control device including a controller configured to control the electrolysis device,

wherein the controller controls potentials of the anode electrode and the cathode electrode so that a potential change in the electrode with a larger deterioration rate is smaller than a potential change in the electrode with a smaller deterioration rate.