Fuel cell type reactor and method for producing a chemical compound by using the same

• US 20030029733A1
• Filed: 10/09/2001
• Published: 02/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kasei Kabushiki Kaisha (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Otsuka, Kiyoshi, Suzuki, Ken, Yamanaka, Ichiro
• Granted Patent: US 6,569,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 205/439
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 3/00 Electrolytic production of organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 3/23 Oxidation halogenation C25B3/27
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 5/00 Electrogenerative processes, i.e. processes for producing compounds in which electricity is generated simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/10 Fuel cells with solid electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

Disclosed is a fuel cell type reactor for performing an oxidation reaction of a system comprising a substrate, a reductant and an oxidant, comprising: a casing; an anode which comprises an anode active material and which is ion-conductive or active species-conductive; and a cathode which comprises a cathode active material and which is ion-conductive or active species-conductive, wherein the anode and the cathode are disposed in spaced relationship in the casing to partition the inside of the casing into an intermediate compartment between the anode and the cathode, an anode compartment on the outside of the anode and a cathode compartment on the outside of the cathode, and wherein the intermediate compartment has an inlet for an electrolyte solution and a substrate, the anode compartment has an inlet for a reductant, and the cathode compartment has an inlet for an oxidant. Also disclosed is a method for producing various useful chemical compounds efficiently, safely and stably, which comprises performing an oxidation reaction of a system comprising a substrate, a reductant and an oxidant by using the above-mentioned fuel cell type reactor.

Claims

1. A fuel cell type reactor for performing an oxidation reaction of a system comprising a substrate, a reductant and an oxidant, comprising:

a casing;

an anode which comprises an anode active material and which is ion-conductive or active species-conductive; and

a cathode which comprises a cathode active material and which is ion-conductive or active species-conductive,

wherein said anode and said cathode are disposed in spaced relationship in said casing to partition the inside of said casing into an intermediate compartment between said anode and said cathode, an anode compartment on the outside of said anode and a cathode compartment on the outside of said cathode,

said intermediate compartment having an inlet for an electrolyte solution and a substrate,

said anode compartment having an inlet for a reductant,

said cathode compartment having an inlet for an oxidant, and

said anode and said cathode being connected to each other through an electron-conductive material in the outside of said casing.

2. The reactor according to claim 1, which further comprises an ion-conductive diaphragm disposed in said intermediate compartment to partition the intermediate compartment into an anode-side electrolyte solution compartment and a cathode-side electrolyte solution compartment which are, respectively, positioned between said anode and said diaphragm and between said cathode and said diaphragm, and

wherein said cathode-side electrolyte solution compartment has said inlet for an electrolyte solution and a substrate, and said anode-side electrolyte solution compartment optionally has an inlet for an electrolyte solution.

3. A method for producing a chemical compound by performing an oxidation reaction, which comprises:

providing the reactor of claim 1;

and

performing the following steps (1) to (4) in either order, or simultaneously with respect to at least two steps thereof,

(1) introducing an electrolyte solution to said intermediate compartment,

(2) introducing a substrate to said intermediate compartment,

(3) introducing a reductant to said anode compartment, and

(4) introducing an oxidant to said cathode compartment,

thereby producing a chemical compound from said substrate, said reductant and said oxidant in said intermediate compartment.

4. The method according to claim 3, which further comprises applying a voltage between said anode and said cathode.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein said reductant is a hydrogen donor and said oxidant is oxygen gas.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said substrate is t-butanol and said chemical compound produced is t-butylhydroperoxide.

7. A method for producing a chemical compound by performing an oxidation reaction, which comprises:

providing the reactor of claim 2, wherein, when said anode-side electrolyte solution compartment has no inlet for an electrolyte solution, the reactor is provided in such a condition that the anode-side electrolyte solution compartment contains an electrolyte solution, and

performing the following steps (1′

) to (4′

) in either order, or simultaneously with respect to at least two steps thereof,

(1′

) introducing an electrolyte solution to said anode-side electrolyte solution compartment, provided that when said anode-side electrolyte solution compartment has no inlet for an electrolyte solution, step (1′

) is omitted,

(2′

) introducing an electrolyte solution and a substrate to said cathode-side electrolyte solution compartment,

(3′

) introducing a reductant to said anode compartment, and

(4′

) introducing an oxidant to said cathode compartment,

thereby producing a chemical compound from said substrate, said reductant and said oxidant in said cathode-side electrolyte solution compartment.

8. The method according to claim 7, which further comprises applying a voltage between said anode and said cathode.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein said reductant is a hydrogen donor and said oxidant is oxygen gas.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said substrate is t-butanol and said chemical compound produced is t-butylhydroperoxide.