A method for controlling chemical or electrochemical reactions by means of a gas diffusion electrodes -

摘要

1,032,935. Automatic composition control. VARTA A.G. and SIEMENS-SCHUCKERTWERKE A.G. Dec. 6,1962 [Dec. 7, 1961], No. 46165/62. Heading G3R. [Also in Division G1] A chemical reaction in a reactor 2 Fig. 2 (not shown) is controlled by feeding through a pipe 5 to a gas diffusion electrode 6, a gas, such as a gaseous reactant or product which is present in a concentration dependent on the course or rate of the reaction and which is electrochemically absorbed on contact with the electrode to generate a signal for control purposes. The potential of the electrode 6 is maintained constant by a potentiostat 11 which is connected to a reference electrode 7, and a solenoid controlled valve 3 adjusts the velocity of flow of the drawn off gases in accordance with the current flow between electrode 6 and counter electrode 12. The chemical reaction may alternatively be controlled by varying the temperature or pressure in the reaction vessel. The arrangement may be applied to the control of gas diffision electrodes used as fuel cells.