An electrochemical cell has four volumes. A porous anode is provided between a first volume and a second volume. A ground electrode is provided between the second volume (2) and the third volume. A porous cathode is provided between the third volume and the fourth volume.

An electrolytic cell includes a housing, a first diaphragm, a first electrode, a second electrode, and a first discharge port. The housing held an electrolyte solution. The first diaphragm partitions the interior of the housing into a first cell and a second cell. The first electrode is provided inside the first cell. The first electrode includes a first surface facing the first diaphragm, a second surface different from the first surface, and a first hole. The second electrode is provided inside the second cell adjacent to the first diaphragm. The second electrode includes a third surface adjacent to the first diaphragm, a fourth surface different from the third surface, and a second hole. The first discharge port discharges the electrolyte solution from the second cell. The first cell is configured to supply the electrolyte solution supplied therein to the third surface side of the second cell.

Provided are an artificial photosynthesis module and an artificial photosynthesis device that have excellent energy conversion efficiency. The artificial photosynthesis module includes a first electrode that decomposes a raw material fluid with light to obtain a first fluid; a second electrode that decomposes the raw material fluid with the light to obtain a second fluid; and a diaphragm disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The diaphragm is formed of a membrane having through-holes, is immersed in pure water having a temperature of 25 C. for one minute, and has a light transmittance of 60% or more in a wavelength range of 380 nm to 780 nm in a state where the diaphragm is immersed in the pure water. The average hole diameter of the through-holes of the diaphragm is more than 0.1 m and less than 50 m. An artificial photosynthesis device has the above-described artificial photosynthesis module.

The present invention relates to a water splitting cell having at least one electrode comprising a porous membrane, wherein gas produced at the electrode diffuses out of the cell via the porous membrane, separating the gas from the reaction at the electrode without bubble formation.

Photocatalytic device to dissociate an aqueous phase to product hydrogen gas, said device being set up in such a way that at least one photocatalytic system in contact with said aqueous phase can be irradiated by a light source to producethrough an oxidation reaction in said aqueous phaseoxygen gas, electrons and protons at a means of electron capture, said device comprising: a first zone comprising said aqueous phase, and a means for reducing said protons set up to carry out a reduction reaction on said protons by said electrons in order to generate hydrogen gas.
said device being characterised in that said means for proton reduction is a proton exchange interface with a front side facing said means of electron capture, and a back side, with only said back side of said proton exchange interface bearing at least one catalyst and/or at least one catalytic system.

A high efficiency electrode consisting of an electrode plate having a top and a bottom. At least one saw-tooth opening is provided in the electrode plate. Each saw-tooth opening has a plurality of teeth extending upwardly toward the top of the electrode plate, the teeth being separated by v-shaped gaps. Bubbles travel quickly up the angled upslope of the teeth and are released when they reach an apex of each of the teeth.

An electrochemical reaction device, comprises: an anode to oxidize a first substance; a first flow path facing on the anode and through which a liquid containing the first substance flows; a cathode to reduce a second substance; a second flow path facing on the cathode and through which a gas containing the second substance flows; a porous separator provided between the anode and the cathode; and a power supply connected to the anode and the cathode. A thickness of the porous separator is 1 m or more and 500 m or less. An average fine pore size of the porous separator is larger than 0.008 m and smaller than 0.45 m. A porosity of the porous separator is higher than 0.5.

A membrane electrode assembly includes a pair of electrodes, each having a feeder layer that is porous and made of a conductive material, and an electrolyte membrane disposed between the pair of electrodes. At least one of the electrodes has a catalyst layer disposed in the feeder layer. In a cross section of the feeder layer, an electrolyte exists in a first region less than or equal to 80% of a thickness of the feeder layer from the electrolyte membrane toward an opposite direction to the electrolyte membrane, the catalyst layer exists at 50% or more of an outer circumference of a cross section of the conductive material in the first region, and the catalyst layer exists at 10% or less of the outer circumference of the cross section of the conductive material in a second region other than the first region.

Features for an aqueous reactor include a field generator. The field generator includes a series of parallel conductive plates including a series of intermediate neutral plates. The intermediate neutral plates are arranged in interleaved sets between an anode and a cathode. Other features of the aqueous reactor may include a sealed reaction vessel, fluid circulation manifold, electrical power modulator, vacuum port, and barrier membrane. Methods of using the field generator include immersion in an electrolyte solution and application of an external voltage and vacuum to generate hydrogen and oxygen gases. The reactor and related components can be arranged to produce gaseous fuel or liquid fuel. In one use, a mixture of a carbon based material and a liquid hydrocarbon is added. The preferred carbon based material is powdered coal.

The invention relates to methods and systems of converting electrical energy to chemical energy and optionally reconverting it to produce electricity as required. In preferred embodiments the source of electrical energy is at least partially from renewable source. The present invention allows for convenient energy conversion and generation without the atmospheric release of CO2. One method for producing methane comprises electrolysis of water to form hydrogen and oxygen, and using the hydrogen to hydrogenate carbon dioxide to form methane. It preferred to use the heat produced in the hydrogenation reaction to heat the water prior to electrolysis. The preferred electrical energy source for the electrolysis is a renewable energy source such as solar, wind, tidal, wave, hydro or geothermal energy. The method allows to store the energy gained at times of low demand in the form of methane which can be stored and used to generate more energy during times of high energy demand. A system comprising an electrolysis apparatus and a hydrogenation apparatus, and a pipeline for the transportation of two fluids, is also described.