COMPRESSION APPARATUS
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`BACKGROUND
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`1. Technical Field
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`fOOo01] The present disclosure relates to a compression apparatus.
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`2. Description of the Related Art
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`[0002]
`
`inrecent years, due to environmental issues, such as global warming,
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`and energy issues, such as depletion of petroleum resources, hydrogen has
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`attracted attention as a clean alternative energy source thai replaces fossil fueis.
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`Hydrogen basically releases only water even when burnt, does not discharde
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`carbon dioxide, which is responsible for global warming, and hardly discharges
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`nitrogen oxides and the like. Therefore, hydrogen is expected as clean energy.
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`in
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`addition, as apparatuses that utilize hydrogen as a fuel at high efficiency, for
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`example, fuel cells are known and are being developed and widely spread as
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`power supplies for automobiles and private power generation for househoid use.
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`[0003]
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`Inthe coming hydrogen society, technological development nas been
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`desired such that, in addition to the production of hydrogen, hydrogen can be
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`stored at a high density and can be transported or utilized in a small volume and at
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`alow cost.
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`In particular, to promote the spread of fuel cells used as distributed
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`energy sources, lis necessary to develop fuel supply infrastructure.
`
`(2004)
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`In viewof this, to stably supply hydrogen in the fuel supply infrastructure,
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`various proposals for purifying and compressing high-purity hydrogen have been
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`made.
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`fO008}]
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`For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.
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`2009-179642 discloses a water electrolytic device that produces high-pressure
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`hydrogen while conducting electrolysis of water. Here, hydrogen produced by
`
`water electralysis contains water vapor. Accordingly, in the storage of such
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`hydrogen in a hydrogen reservoir such as a tank, if the hydrogen contains water
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`vapor ini a large arnouni, the amount of hydrogen in the hydrogen reservoir is
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`decreased due to the presence of tne water vapor in the hydrogen reservoir,
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`resulting in @ reduction in efficiency. There is also & problem of condensation of
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`water vapor contained in hydrogen in the hydrogen reservoir. Therefore, ihe
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`amount of water vapor in hydrogen in the case of storage in a hydrogen reservoir
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`is desirably decreased to, for example, about less than or equal io 5 pom.
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`In view
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`of this, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-179842
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`proposes a hydrogen production system including, on a passage through which
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`nydrogen flows and which is iocated between a water electrolytic device anda
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`hydrogen reservoir, a gas-liquid separator that separates hydrogen and liquid
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`water from each other and an adsorption towerthat removes water vapor from
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`hydrogen by adsorption.
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`fO006]
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`In addition, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application
`
`Publication (Translation of PCT Application) No. 2017-34435 proposes a system
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`for stably removing water vapor in hydrogen with an adsorption tower that
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`removes water vapor in high-pressure hydrogen by adsorption, the adsorption
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`tower being configured as a pressure swing adsorption purifier (PSA).
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`SUMMARY
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`[0007] One non-limiting and exemplary embodiment provides a compression
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`apparatus in which a remover that removes at least one of water vapor or liquid
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`water in a cathode gas containing hydrogen compressed in a compressor can be
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`constituted more simply than in the related art.
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`fo08)}
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`In one general aspect, the techiniques disciosed here feature a
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`compression apparatus including a compressor that includes an electrolyte
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`membrane, an anode catalyst layer disposed on 4 first main surface of the
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`electrolyte membrane, a cathode catalyst layer disposed on a second main
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`surface of the electrolyte membrane, an anode gas diffusion layer disposed on the
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`anode catalyst layer, a cathode gas diffusion layer disposed on the cathode
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`catalyst layer, and a voliage applicator that applies a voilage between the anode
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`catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer, in which application of the voltage by
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`the voltage applicator causes movement of, through the electrolyte membrane
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`onto the cathode catalyst layer, a proton extracted from an anoce fluid that has
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`been supplied onto the anode catalyst layer, to produce compressed hydrogen;
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`and a remover that includes a water-permeable meribrane, a first flow path which
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`is disposed on a first main surface of the water-permeablie membrane and through
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`which @ cathode gas discharged from the compressor flows, and a second flow
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`path which is disposed on a second main surface of the water-permeabie
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`membrane and through which a gas at a lower pressure than the cathode gas
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`flows. The remover removes at least one of water vapor or liquid water contained
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`in the cathode gas flowing through the first flow path. The compressor and the
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`remover are provided as a single body.
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`(2009) The compression apparatus according io one aspect of tne present
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`disclosure is advantageous in that a remover that removes at least one of waiter
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`vapor or liquid water in a cathode gas containing hydrogen compressed in a
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`compressor can be constituted more simplythan in the related art.
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`fQ070) Additional benefits and advaniages of the disclosed ambodiments will
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`become apparent from the specification and drawings. The benefits and/or
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`advantages may be individually obtained by the various embodiments and
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`features of the specification and drawings, which need not all be provided in order
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`to obtain one or more of such benefits and/or advantages.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`Ott]
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`Fig. iA is a view llustrating an example of a compression apparatus
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`according to a first embodiment;
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`Fig. 1B is an enlarged view of portion IB of the compression apparatus in Fig. 1A;
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`Fig. 2 is a view illustrating an example of a compression apparatus in First
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`Exariple according to the first embodiment:
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`Fig. 3 is a view illustrating an exampie of a compression apparatus in Second
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`Examge according to the first embodiment:
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`Fig. 4 is & view illustrating an example of a compression apparatus according to a
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`sacond embodiment and
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`Fig. 5 is a view illustrating an example of a compression apparatus according io a
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`third embodiment.
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
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`6012)
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`Ina compressor, for example, an slectrocnemical hydrogen pump, using
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`a solid polymer electrolyte membrane (hereinafter, referred to as an electrolyte
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`membrane), hydrogen contained as a constituent element in a substance in an
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`anode fluid, such as a nydrogen-containing gas, to be supplied to the anode is
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`converted to protoris, the protons are moved to the cathode, the protons (H*) are
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`converted to hydrogen (riz) at the cathode, and compressed hydrogenis thereby
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`produced.
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`in general, in this case, the proton conductivily of the slectrofyte
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`membrane increases under a condition of high temperature and hign humidity (for
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`example, the temperature and the dew point of the hydrogen-containing gas to be
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`supplied ta the electrolyte membrane are about GO°C), and the efficiericy of the
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`nydrogen compression operation of ihe electrochemical hydrogen pump is
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`improved.
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`in contrast to this, when a high-pressure hydrogen-containing gas
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`(hereinafter, referred to as a cathode gas) discharged from the cathode of the
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`electrochemical hydrogen pump is stored in a hydrogen reservoir, the amount of
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`water vapor in the cathode gas is desired to be decreased. However, efficient
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`removal of such water vapor in the cathode gas is difficult in many cases.
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`fO013]
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`For example, as in the adsorption tower disclosed in Japanese
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`Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-1/79842 and Japanese
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`Unexamined Patent Application Publication (Transiation of PCTApplication) No.
`
`2017-534435, water vapor in hydrogen can be adsorbed by a porous adsorbent
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`such as zeolite. However, there is a limitation in the adsorption performance of
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`the adsorbent. The operation time of an adsorption tower depends on the amount
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`of water supplied to the adsorption tower. Therefore, when an adsorption tower is
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`used under the conditions for hydrogen containing water vapor in a large amount,
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`itis necessary to increase the size of the adsorption tower. Furthermore, since
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`high-pressure hydrogen flows through an adsorption tower, a vessel of the
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`adsorption tower needs to be configured to withstand high pressure, which may
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`result in a further increase in the size of fhe adsorption tower. As described in
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`Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (Transtation af PCT
`
`Application) No. 2017-534435, the use of a pressure swing adsorption purifier
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`enables a reduction in the loading arnount of adsorber.
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`In this case, however,
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`there may be problems in that, for example, a member constituting the flow path
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`through which hydrogen flows becomes complicated, and, during regeneration of
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`an adsorbent, it is necessary fo treat hydrogen adsorbed on the adsorbent
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`together with water vapor. Thus, there is room for improvement.
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`f6o14) Accardingly, the inventors of the present disclosure have conducted
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`extensive studies as described below, and as a result, nave found that at least one
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`of water vapor or liquid water in a cathode gas discharged from the cathode of a
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`compressor can be efficiently removed from the cathocie gas by using & water-
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`permeable membrane.
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`Incidentally, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application
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`Publication No. 2009-179842 proposes thal liquid water in hydrogen discharged
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`fram a water elecirolytic device is separated from hydrogen by a gas-liquid
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`separator, however, providing the above water-permeable membrane in the gas-
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`quid separator is not investigated.
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`fO078}]
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`Specifically, a compression apparatus according to a first aspect of the
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`present disclosure includes a compressor that includes an electroiyie membrane,
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`an anode catalyst layer disposed on a first main surface of the electrolyie
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`membrane, a cathode catalyst layer disposed on a second main surface of the
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`electroiyie membrane, an ancde gas diffusion layer disposed on the anode
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`catalyst layer, a cathode gas diffusion layer disposed on the cathode catalyst
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`layer, and a vollage applicator that applies a voliage between the anode catalyst
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`layer and the cathode catalyst layer, in which application of the voltage by the
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`voltage applicator causes movement of, through the electrolyte membrane onto
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`the cathode catalyst layer, a proton extracted fram an anode fluid that has been
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`supplied onto the anode catalyst layer, to produce compressed hydrogen; and
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`a remover that includes a water-permeable membrane, a first flow path
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`which is disposed on a first main surface of the water-permeable membrane and
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`through which a cathode gas discharged from the compressor flows, and a second
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`flow path which is disposed on a second main surface of the water-permeabie
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`membrane and through which @ gas at a lower pressure than the cathode gas
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`flows. The remover removes at least one of water vapor or liquid water contained
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`in the cathode gas flowing through the first flow path,
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`in which ihe compressor and ihe remover are provided as 4 single body.
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`fOO1G}
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`VVith this configuration, the compression apparatus according to this
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`aspect can constitute a remover that removes at least one of water vapor or liquid
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`water in the cathode gas containing hydrogen compressed in the compressor
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`more simply than in the related art.
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`[0017]
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`Specifically, in ihe compression apparatus according to this aspect, the
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`apparatus configuration can be simplified by providing the compressor and the
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`remover as a single body.
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`fOOts})
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`For example, a high-pressure cathode gas flows through the compressor
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`and the remover. Accordingly, if ine compressor and the remover are provided
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`separately fram each other, a pair of highly rigicl end plates for fixing the
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`compressor and the remover from the top and the bottom, respectively, is
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`necessary in many cases.
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`[In view of this, in the compression apparatus according
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`to this aspect, since the compressor and the remover are provided as a single
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`bady, for example, end plates used for the compressor and the remover can be
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`used in cammon. Therefore, the apparatus configuration can be simplified.
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`(2979) According fo a compression apparatus according ta a second aspect of
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`the present disclosure, in the compression apparatus according to the first aspect,
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`a first porous member may be disposed in the first flow path.
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`6020] Unless the first porous member is disposed in the first flow path of the
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`remover, ihe flow of the cathode gas in this first flow paih tends to be a laminar
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`flow.
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`In this case6, al least one of water vapor or liquid water in the cathode gas
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`flows together with ihe cathode gas. Therefore, for exarnpile, at least one of water
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`vapor or liquid water in the cathode gas present at a position apart from the water-
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`permeable membrane is jess likely to come in contact with the water-permeable
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`membrane. Thatis, inthis case, at least one of water vapor or liquid water that
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`passes through the water-permeable membrane may be limited to at least one of
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`water vapor or liquid water in the cathode gas Howing near the main surface of the
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`water-permeable membrane.
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`[0021]
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`Incontrast, in the compression apparatus according to this aspect, the
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`first porous member disposed in the first flow path can forcibly change the flowof
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`the cathode gas in the first flow path in random directions.
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`In this case, at least
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`one of water vapor or liquid water in the cathode gas present at various positions
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`in the first flow path can come in contact with the water-permeable membrane.
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`Thus, inthe compression apparatus accarding to this aspect, ai least one of water
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`vapor or liquid water in the cathode gas is more likely to come in contact with the
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`water-permeable membrane than the case where the first porous member is not
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`disposedin the first flow path. When at least one of water vapor or liquid water in
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`the cathode gas comes in contact with the water-permeable membrane, at ieast
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`one of high-pressure water vapor or liquid water that comes in contact with the
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`water-permeable membrane can be efficiently passed into the low-pressure gas
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`through the water-permeabie membrane by the differential pressure between the
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`first flow path (high pressure) and the second flow path (ow pressure} of the
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`remover. This enables the removal of at least one of water vapor or Hgquic water in
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`the cathode gas to be accelerated in the remover.
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`O22] According io a compression apparatus according to a third aspect of the
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`present disclosure, in the compression apparatus according to the first or second
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`aspect, a second porous member may be disposed in the second flow path.
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`f023] Unless the second porous member is disposed in the second flow path of
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`the remover, ihe water-permeable membrane is deformed by the differential
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`pressure between ihe first flow path (nigh pressure) and the second flow path (low
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`pressure) of the remover in a direction in which the second flow path is clogged.
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`For example, such a differential pressure may cause the water-permeabie
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`membrane to come in contact with a member of the remover, the member
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`constituting the second flow path. Consequently, the flow of the gas in the second
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`flow path may become difficull. However, this problem is alleviated in the
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`compression apparatus accarding to this aspect because the second porous
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`member is disposed in the second flow path. The water that has passed through
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`the water-permeable membrane can be efficiently drained, through pores of the
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`second porous member, to the outside of the remover together with the gas in the
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`second flow path.
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`O24) According io a compression apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the
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`present disclosure, the first porous member in the compression apparatus
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`according io the second aspect may include the cathode gas diffusion layer.
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`fo628) According to a compression apparatus according to a fifth aspect of the
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`present disclosure, the second corous member in the compression apparatus
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`according to the third aspect may include the anode gas diffusion layer.
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`fO028) According to @ compression apparatus accarding to @ sixth aspect of the
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`present disclosure, in ihe remover in the compression apparatus according to any
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`one of the first to fifth aspects, the first flow path may be disposed so as to be
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`located above the second flow path.
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`fOO27] Vvith this configuration, in the compression apparatus according to this
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`aspect, quid water in the cathode gas that Mows through the first flow path moves
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`from the tap to the bottom by the action of gravity, and thus the liquid water and
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`the water-permeable membrane easily came in contact with each other.
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`Therefore, in the compression apparatus according to this aspect, the removal of
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`the liquid water in the cathode gas can be accelerated in the remover compared
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`with the case where the vertical positional relationship between the first flow path
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`and the second flow path is reversed.
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`O28] According to a compression apparatus according to a seventh aspeci of
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`the present disclosure, the remover in the compression apparatus accarding to
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`any one of the first to sixth aspects may be disposed on a bottom side of the
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`compressor.
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`(6029) During the passage of a gas through the second flow path of the
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`remover, this gas is humidified by at least one of water vapor or liquid water in the
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`cathode gas that has passed through the water-permeable membrane. Therefore,
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`if the remover is disposed on the top side of the compressor, if is difficult to
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`provide an outlet of a low-pressure gas at the botiom surface of the remover.
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`Unless the outlet of the low-pressure gas is provided at the bottom surface of the
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`remover, liquid water in the low-pressure gas in the second flow path is unlikely to
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`be smoothly drained, and a pipe through which the low-pressure gas flows may be
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`clogged with liquid water.
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`(6030) However, in the compression apparatus according to this aspect, since
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`the remover is disposed on the bottom side of the compressor, the aullet of the
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`iow-pressure gas is easily provided at the bottom surface of the remover. When
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`the outlet of the low-pressure gas is provided at the bottom surface of the remover,
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`in the compression apparatus according to this aspect, liquid water in the low-
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`pressure qas in the second flow path can be smoothly drained by the action of
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`cravity.
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`PMOSi} According to a compression apparatus according to an eighth aspect of
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`the present disclosure, the compression apparatus according to any one of the
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`first to seventh aspects may include a heat-insulating member between the
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`compressor and the remover.
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`fOO32Z]
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`In the compressor, the proton conductivity of the electrolyte membrane
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`increases under a condition of high temperature and high humidity (for example,
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`the temperature and the dew point of a hydrogen-containing gas to be supplied to
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`the electrolyie membrane are about 60°C), and the efficiency of the hydrogen
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`compression operation of the campressar is improved.
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`6033)
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`in contrast, in the remover, for example, the temperature of the low-
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`ternperature gas flowing into the second flow path of the remover is made lower
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`than the temperature of the cathode gas flowing into ihe first flow path of the
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`remover. Consequently, when the cathode gas passes throughthe first How path,
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`the cathode gas is appropriately cooled by heat exchange through the water-
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`permeable membrane between the two gases. Thus, high-pressure condensed
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`water produced by condensation of water vapor in the cathode gas can be
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`efficiently passed into the low-pressure gas through the water-permeable
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`membrane by the differential pressure between the first flow path (high pressure}
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`and the second flow path (ow pressure}.
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`(0034)
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`Inthe compression apparatus described above, if the compressor and
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`the remover are provided as a single body without dispasing the heat-insulating
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`member between the compressor and the remover, the temperature of the
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`compressor may become lower than a desired temperature due to heat exchange
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`beiween the compressor and the remover. Alternatively, the temperature of the
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`remover may become higher than a desired temperature due to neat exchange
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`between the compressor and the remover.
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`[60381
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`In view of the above, in the compression apparatus according to this
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`aspect, the disadvantages described above can be reduced by disposing the heat-
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`insulating member between the compressor and the remover.
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`fOO36} According to a compression apparatus according to a ninth aspect of the
`
`present disclosure, the gas at the lower pressure in the compression apparatus
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`according to any one of the first to eighth aspects may be a hydrogen-containing
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`gas.
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`fOO37) According to this configuration, in the compression apparatus according
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`to this aspect, when a hydrogen-coniaining gas that flows Gui from the second flaw
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`path of the remover is supplied to the anode of the compressor, the hydrogen-
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`containing gas carn be humidified in the remover.
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`(8038) According fo a compression apparatus according to atenih aspect of the
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`present disclosure, the compression apparatus according to any one of the first to
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`ninth aspects may include a cooler thai cools the cathode gas flowing through the
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`first flow path.
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`[0039] According to this configuration, in the compression apparatus according
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`to this aspect, the removal of water vapor in the cathode gas can be accelerated
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`by cooling the cathode gas in the remover with the cooler. For example, the
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`amount of saturated water vapor contained in the cathode gas decreases with the
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`decrease in the temperature of the cathode gas. Therefore, when the amount of
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`water vapor in the cathode gas is the amount of saturated water vapor, a decrease
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`inthe temperature of the cathode gas wiih ihe cooler enables a rapid decrease in
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`the amourt of water vapor in the cathode gas. This enables ihe removal of water
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`vaporin the cathode gas to be accelerated.
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`in this case, since the amountof
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`liquid water present in the remover increases, the liquicl water is more likely to
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`come in contact with the water-permeable membrane. When the flauid water
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`comes in contact with the water-permeabie membrane, the high-pressure liquid
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`water that comes in contact with tne water-permeable membrane can be efficiently
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`passed into the low-pressure gas through the water-permeabie membrane by the
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`differential pressure between the first flow path (high pressure) and the second
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`flow path (low pressure) of the remover.
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`[00460] According to a compression apparatus according to an eleventh aspect of
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`the present disclosure, the remover in the compression apparatus according to
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`any one of ihe first to tenth aspecis may be stacked with respect to the
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`compressor in the same direction as a direction in which the anode gas diffusion
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`layer, the anode catalyst layer, the electrolyte membrane, the cathode catalyst
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`layer, and the cathode gas diffusion layer in the compressor are stacked.
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`PO41} According to this configuration, in the compression apparatus according
`
`to this aspect, a remover that removes ai least one of water vaporor liquid water
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`in the cathode gas containing hydrogen compressed in a compressor can be
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`constituted more simply than in the related art. The details of ihe operation and
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`effect of the compression apparatus according to this aspect are the same as the
`
`details of the operation and effect of ihe compression apparatus according to the
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`first aspect, and a description thereof is omitied.
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`[0042]
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`Specific examples of the aspects of the present disclosure will be
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`described below with reference to tne accompanying drawings. The specific
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`examples described below are exampies of the above aspecis. Therefore, for
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`example, the shapes, materials, cormponents, and arrangements and connection
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`forms of the cornponents described below da nat limit the aspects unless
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`otherwise specified in the claims. Among the components described below,
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`components that are not described in the independent claim defining the broadest
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`concept of the present aspects are described as optional componenis.
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`in ihe
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`drawings, a description of components denoted by the same reference numerals
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`may be omitted as appropriate. The drawings schematically illustrate components
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`for the sake of ease of understanding, and their shapes, dimension ratios, etc.
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`may not be accurstely Hlustrated.
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`First Embodiment
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`fO043] The anodefluid of the compressor is assumed to be any of various types
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`of gases and liquids as long as the fluid produces protons in the oxidation reaction
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`inthe anode. The anode fluid may be, for example, a hydrogen-containing gas or
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`quid water. For example, when the compressor is an electrochemical hydrogen
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`pump, the anode fluid may be a hydrogen-containing gas or ine like. For example,
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`when the compressor is a water electrolytic device, the anode fluid may be liquid
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`water or the like. When the anode fluid is iquid water, an electrolysis reaction of
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`the liquid water is carried out on an anode catalyst layer. Accordingly, in
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`embodiments described below, a description will be made of the configurations
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`and operations of an electrochemical hydragen pump, which is an example of the
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`compressor, and a compression apparatus including the compressor in the case
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`where the anode fluid is a nydrogen-containing gas.
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`Apparatus Configuration
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`fo044)
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`Fig. 1A is a view illustrating an example of a compression apparatus
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`according to a first embodiment. Fig. 1B is an enlarged view of portion IB of the
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`compression apparatus in Fig. 1A.
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`fOO45]
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`itis assumed that a "top" and a "bottom" in a vertical direction of a
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`compression apparatus 200 are defined as Hlusirated in Fig. 1A and that the
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`qravity acts from the “top” to the "bottom" (this also applies to other figures).
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`046)
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`In the example Hlustrated in Figs. 1A and 1B, the compression apparatus
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`200 includes an electrochemical hydrogen pump 7100, a rernover 300, anda
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`vollage applicator 102.
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`(0047) Here, members of the electrocnemical hydrogen pump 100 and members
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`of the remover 300 are disposed so as to be stacked in the vertical direction, and
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`the electrochemical hydrogen pump 100 is located on the top side with respect to
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`the remover 300 in the vertical direction.
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`0048] Configurations and other features of equioment of the compression
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`apparatus 200 will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.
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`Configuration of Electrochemical Hydrogen Pump
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`[60497
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`«As illustrated in Fig. 1A, the compression apparatus 200 includes a
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`nydrogen pump unit TOO4 and a hydrogen pump unit TOOB of the electrochemical
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`hydrogen pump 100. Note that the hydrogen pump unit 1O0A4 is located on the top
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`side with respect io the hydrogen pump unit 1TOOB.
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`POOoS0]
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`In this example, two hydrogen pump untis, Le., the hydrogen pump unit
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`1O0A and the hydrogen pump unit 1008 are itustrated. However, the number of
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`hydrogen pump units is not limited to this example. Specifically, the numberof
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`hydrogen pump units can be appropriately determined on the basis of, for
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`example, the operation conditions such as the amount of hydrogen to be
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`compressed at a cathode CA of the electrochemical hydragen pump 100.
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`fOOSi}] The hydrogen pump unit 1004 includes an electrolyie membrane 11, and
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`anode AN, a cathode CA, a cathode separator 15, and an intermediate separator
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`17. The hydrogen purnp unt 100B includes an electralyie membrane 11, an
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`anode AN, a cathode CA, the intermediate separator 17, and an anode separator
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`18. Specifically, the intermediate separator 17 functions as an anode separator of
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`the hydrogen pump unit 100A, also functions as a cathode separator of the
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`hydrogen pump unit 1OOB, and thus is used in the hydrogen pump unit 100A and
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`the hydrogen pump unit 100B in common.
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`fo052) The stack configuration of the hydrogen pump unit 100A will be described
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`inn more detail below. The stack configuration of the hydrogen pump uni 100B is
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`the same as thai of the hydrogen pump unit 100A, and a description thereof may
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`be amitted.
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`f0053) As illustrated in Fig. 1B, the anode AN is disposed on one main surface
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`of the electrolyte membrane 11. The anode AN is an electrode including an anode
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`catalyst layer 13 arid an anode gas diffusion layer 15.
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`(6084)
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`In general, in the electrochemical hydrogen pump 100, a catalyst coated
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`membrane CCM in which an anode catalyst layer 13 and a cathode catalyst layer
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`12 are assembied io an electrolyte membrane 11 as a single componertis often
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`used. Accordingly, when the catalyst coated membrane CCM is used as the
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`eleciroiyte membrane 11, the anode gas diffusion layer 15 is disposed on the main
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`surface of the anode catalyst layer 13 that is assembled to the catalyst coated
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`membrane CCM.
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`0055)
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`Asillustrated in Fig. 1B, the cathode CA is disposed on the other main
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`surface of the electrolyte membrane 11. The cathode CA is an electrode including
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`a cathode catalyst layer 12 and @ cathode gas diffusion layer 14. When the
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`catalyst coated membrane CCM is used as the electrolyie membrane 11, the
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`cathode gas diffusion layer 14 is disposed on the main surface of the cathode
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`catalyst layer 12 that is assembled to the catalyst coated membrane CCM.
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`O86] Thus, in the hydrogen pump unit 100A and the hydrogen pump unit 1008,
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`the electrolyte membrane 11 is held between the anode AN and the cathode CA
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`such that the anode catalyst layer 13 and the cathode catalyst layer 12 are in
`12
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`P 1026079
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`contact with the electralyie membrane 11. A cell including the cathede CA, the
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`electroiyie membrane 11, and the anode AN Is hereinafter referred to as a
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`membrane siectrode assembly (MEA).
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`fOO87] An insulator and a sealing member (not illustrated) each having an
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`annular and flat shape are disposed between the cathode separator 15 and the
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`intermediate separator 17 and between the intermediate separator 17 and the
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`anode separator 1 so as to surround the periphery of the MEA in plan view. This
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`prevents a short circuit between the cathode separator 16 and the intermediate
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`separator 17 and a short circuit between the intermediate separator 17 and the
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`anode separator 13.
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`foS58) The electrolyte membrane 11 has proton conductivity. The electrolyte
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`membrane 11 may have any configuration as long as the electrolyte membrane 11
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`has proton conductivily. Examples of the electrolyte membrane 71 include, but
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`are not limited to, fluorinated polymer electrolyte membranes and hydrocarbon
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`polymer electrolyte membranes. Specifically, for example, Nafion (registered
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`trademark, manufactured by DuPont) or Acipiex (registered trademark,
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`manufactured by Asahi Kasei Corporation) can be used as the electrolyte
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`membrane 71.
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`(60898) The anode catalyst layer 13 is disposed on one main surface of the
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`electroiyie membrane 11. The anode catalyst layer 13 includes, for example,
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`platinum as a catalytic metal, oul the catalytic metal is not imited fo this.
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`fOO6G] The cathode catalyst layer 12 is disposed on the other main surface of
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`the electrolyte membrane 171. The cathode catalyst layer 12 includes, for example,
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`piatinum as a catalytic metal, but the catalytic metal is not limited to this.
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`[0061] Examples of a catalyst suppori for the cathode catalyst layer 12 and the
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`anode catalyst layer 13 include, but are not limited to, carbon powders such as
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`carbon black and graphite, and electrically conductive oxide powders.
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`[60627
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`In the cathode catalyst layer 12 and the anode catalyst layer 13, fine
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`particles of a catalytic metal are supported on ihe catalyst support in a highiy
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`dispersed manner. A protan-conductive ionomer component is typically added to
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`the cathode catalyst layer 12 and the anode catalyst layer 13 in order to increase
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`the electrode reaction field.
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`fOO63] The cathode gas diffusion layer 14 is dispased on the cathode catalyst
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`layer i2. The cathode gas diffusion layer 14 is composed of a porous material
`13
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`P 1026079
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`and has electrical conductivity and gas diffusivity. Furthermore, the cathode gas
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`diffusion layer 14 desirably has elasticity so as to appropriately follow the
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`displacement or deformation of a component member caused by the differential
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`pressure between the cathode CA and the anode AN during the operation of the
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`electrochemical hydrogen pump 100.
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`In the electrochemical hydrogen pump 100
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`of this embodiment, a member composed of carbon fibers is used as the cathode
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`gas diffusion layer 14. The caihode gas diffusion layer 14 may be formed of, for
`