ANALYSIS SYSTEM, ANALYSIS METHOD, AND ANALYSIS PROGRAM

Abstract

 Provided is an analysis system including a terminal device having an element acquisition unit which acquires an amount of an element contained in an object in an electrolyzer, and a server having a reception unit which receives the amount of the element which is acquired by the element acquisition unit, and a state analysis unit which analyzes a state of the object based on the amount of the element which is received by the reception unit. The electrolyzer may have an ion exchange membrane, and an anode chamber and a cathode chamber which are separated by the ion exchange membrane. An aqueous solution of an alkali metal chloride or an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide may be inputted into the anode chamber, and an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide may be outputted from the cathode chamber. The state analysis unit may analyze a state of the object based on a predetermined first relationship between a current efficiency of the electrolyzer and the amount of the element, analyze a state of the object based on a predetermined second relationship between a voltage of the electrolyzer and the amount of the element, or analyze a state of the object based on a predetermined third relationship between a chloride ion concentration in the aqueous solution of the alkali metal hydroxide and the amount of the element.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to an analysis system, an analysis method, and an analysis program.

2. RELATED ART

[0002] Patent documents 1 and 2 describe "a step of creating a correspondence table representing a relationship between X-ray analysis data and the cumulative fatigue degree" (claim 1). Patent document 3 describes "a procedure for performing a deterioration acceleration test on a test body on which a coating film to be diagnosed is formed under predetermined conditions" (claim 1). Patent document 4 describes "by calculating through a collation with a deterioration and lifespan diagnosis curve, a deterioration degree and a remaining life of the electronic apparatus are estimated" (claim 1).

LIST OF CITED REFERENCES

PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0003] 

Patent Document 1: Japanese patent No. 6762818

Patent Document 2: Japanese patent No. 6762817

Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-009906

Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 10-313034

PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED

[0004] For an electrolytic apparatus including an ion exchange membrane or the like, production efficiency of a product produced by the electrolytic apparatus easily decreases when performance of the ion exchange membrane or the like degrades. Accordingly, it is preferable to promptly recover the performance of the ion exchange membrane or the like. In order to promptly recover the performance of the ion exchange membrane or the like, it is preferable to promptly identify a factor for the degradation of the performance of the ion exchange membrane or the like and to promptly take countermeasures to recover the performance.

[0005] To take countermeasures against the degradation of the performance of the ion exchange membrane or the like, by benchmarking against past degradation of the performance, positioning of the degradation of the performance in a benchmark object can be preferably recognized as compared with the past degradation of the performance. With this configuration, it becomes easier to decide content of performance recovery measures of the ion exchange membrane or the like and a time to implement the recover measures. In addition, for this benchmark, it is preferable to use as much data of the past degradation of the performance as possible.

[0006] When the degradation of the performance occurs in the ion exchange membrane or the like, it is preferably possible to recognize a period of time from a timing at which the degradation of the performance is recognized to an end of life of the ion exchange membrane or the like. With this configuration, it becomes easier to decide a timing at which the ion exchange membrane or the like is to be regenerated. In addition, when the ion exchange membrane or the like is to be replaced, it becomes easier to decide a time when the ion exchange membrane or the like is prepared.

GENERAL DISCLOSURE

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an analysis system. An analysis system includes a terminal having an element acquisition unit which acquires an amount of an element contained in an object in an electrolyzer, and a server having a reception unit which receives the amount of the element which is acquired by the element acquisition unit, and a state analysis unit which analyzes a state of the object based on the amount of the element which is received by the reception unit.

[0008] The electrolyzer may have an ion exchange membrane, and an anode chamber and a cathode chamber which are separated by the ion exchange membrane. An aqueous solution of an alkali metal chloride or an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide may be inputted into the anode chamber, and an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide may be outputted from the cathode chamber. The state analysis unit may analyze the state of the object based on a predetermined first relationship between a current efficiency of the electrolyzer and the amount of the element, analyze the state of the object based on a predetermined second relationship between a voltage of the electrolyzer and the amount of the element, or analyze the state of the object based on a predetermined third relationship between a chloride ion concentration in the aqueous solution of the alkali metal hydroxide and the amount of the element.

[0009] The electrolyzer may include a plurality of electrolyzers, and the plurality of electrolyzers may be arranged in mutually different locations. The terminal may include a plurality of terminals, the object may include a plurality of objects, and the element acquisition unit in each of the plurality of terminals may respectively acquire the amount of the element contained in each of the plurality of objects. The reception unit may receive the amount of the element which is acquired by the element acquisition unit in each of the plurality of terminals. The state analysis unit may analyze a state of one of the objects based on the amount of the element which is acquired by the element acquisition unit in each of the plurality of terminals and received by the reception unit.

[0010] The server may further have a state prediction unit which predicts a time when the object is put into a predetermined first state based on a change over time of the amount of the element and the first relationship, predicts a time when the object is put into a predetermined second state based on a change over time of the amount of the element and the second relationship, or predicts a time when the object is put into a predetermined third state based on the amount of the element and the third relationship.

[0011] The state prediction unit may predict, based on a change over time of the amount of the element in one of the electrolyzers and the first relationship, a time when the object in one of the electrolyzers or another of the electrolyzers is put into the first state, predict, based on a change over time of the amount of the element in one of the electrolyzers and the second relationship, a time when the object in one of the electrolyzers or another of the electrolyzers is put into the second state, or predict, based on a change over time of the amount of the element in one of the electrolyzers and the third relationship, a time when the object in one of the electrolyzers or another of the electrolyzers is put into the third state.

[0012] The element acquisition unit may further acquire a type of the element. The reception unit may further receive the type of the element. The type of the element may include types of elements, and the state prediction unit may predict a time when the object is put into the first state for each of the types of the elements, predict a time when the object is put into the second state for each of the types of the elements, or predict a time when the object is put into the third state for each of the types of the elements.

[0013] The server may further have an operating condition acquisition unit which acquires respective operating conditions in the plurality of electrolyzers. The state prediction unit may predict a time when the object is put into the first state for each of the operating conditions, predict a time when the object is put into the second state for each of the operating conditions, or predict a time when the object is put into the third state for each of the operating conditions.

[0014] The first state may be a first state predicted based on a change over time of the amount of the element and the first relationship. The state prediction unit may predict a time when the object is put into the first state for each of the operating conditions and each of the types of the elements, predict a time when the object is put into the second state for each of the operating conditions and each of the types of the elements, or predict a time when the object is put into the third state for each of the operating conditions and each of the types of the elements.

[0015] The state prediction unit may predict the state of the object when a first countermeasure according to the state of the object that is a first countermeasure to recover the current efficiency of the electrolyzer is implemented, predict the state of the object when a second countermeasure according to the state of the object that is a second countermeasure to recover the voltage of the electrolyzer is implemented, or predict the state of the object when a third countermeasure according to the state of the object that is a third countermeasure to recover the chloride ion concentration in the aqueous solution of the alkali metal hydroxide is implemented.

[0016] When the state analysis unit analyzes that the state of one of the objects in one of the electrolyzers is at least one of the first state or the second state, the element acquisition unit may acquire the amount of the element contained in another of the objects in one of the electrolyzers.

[0017] The analysis system may further include an information terminal which is arranged in a location in which the electrolyzer is arranged and has a first transmission unit which transmits the amount of the element which is acquired by the element acquisition unit.

[0018] The server may further have a second transmission unit which transmits an analysis result obtained through analyzing by the state analysis unit to the information terminal. The element acquisition unit may acquire the amount of the element based on the analysis result transmitted by the second transmission unit.

[0019] An input tube through which liquid to be inputted into the electrolyzer passes may be connected to the electrolyzer. When the state analysis unit analyzes that the object is in a fourth state in which the object contains a predetermined amount or more of an element contained in the input tube, the second transmission unit may transmit an instruction to the element acquisition unit to acquire the element contained in the input tube.

[0020] The server may further have at least one of a first state learning unit which generates a first state inference model which outputs a first inferred state of the object based on the current efficiency and the amount of the element through machine learning on a relationship between the current efficiency and the amount of the element, or a second state learning unit which generates a second state inference model which outputs a second inferred state of the object based on the voltage and the amount of the element through machine learning on a relationship between the voltage and the amount of the element.

[0021] The element acquisition unit may acquire the amount of the element for each of positions of the element in the object. The reception unit may receive the amount of the element for each of the positions of the element. The state analysis unit may analyze the state of the object based on the amount of the element for each of the positions of the element.

[0022] The element acquisition unit may acquire the amount of element for each of the positions of the element in the object and each of the types of the elements. The reception unit may receive the amount of element for each of the positions of the element and each of the types of the elements. The state analysis unit may analyze the state of the object based on each of the positions of the element and the amount of the element for each of the types of the elements.

[0023] An opening through which liquid to be inputted into the electrolyzer passes may be provided to the electrolyzer. The state analysis unit may analyze the state of the object based on a position of the opening and a position of the element in the object.

[0024] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an analysis method. The analysis method includes acquiring, by an element acquisition unit, an element by acquiring an amount of an element contained in an object in an electrolyzer, receiving, by a reception unit, the amount of the element acquired in the acquiring the element, and analyzing, by a state analysis unit, a state of the object based on the amount of the element which is received in the receiving.

[0025] The electrolyzer may have an ion exchange membrane, and an anode chamber and a cathode chamber which are separated by the ion exchange membrane. An aqueous solution of an alkali metal chloride or an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide may be inputted into the anode chamber, and an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide may be outputted from the cathode chamber

[0026] The analyzing, by the state analysis unit, may be analyzing the state of the object based on a predetermined first relationship between a current efficiency of the electrolyzer and the amount of the element, analyzing the state of the object based on a predetermined second relationship between a voltage of the electrolyzer and the amount of the element, or analyzing the state of the object based on a predetermined third relationship between a chloride ion concentration in the aqueous solution of the alkali metal hydroxide and the amount of the element.

[0027] The analysis method may further include predicting, by a state prediction unit, a state by predicting a time when the object is put into a predetermined first state based on a change over time of the amount of the element and the first relationship, predicting a time when the object is put into a predetermined second state based on a change over time of the amount of the element and the second relationship, or predicting a time when the object is put into a predetermined third state based on a change over time of the amount of the element and the third relationship.

[0028] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an analysis program. The analysis program causes a computer to function as the analysis system.

[0029] Note that the summary clause does not necessarily describe all necessary features of the embodiments of the present invention. The present invention may also be a sub-combination of the features described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] 

Fig. 1 illustrates an example of an electrolytic apparatus 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 illustrates an example of a detail of a single electrolytic cell 91 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a vicinity of an ion exchange membrane 84 in the electrolytic cell 91 illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 illustrates an example of a block diagram of an analysis system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5 illustrates an example of an acquisition result of an amount and a type of an element which are acquired by an element acquisition unit 12.

Fig. 6 illustrates an example of a relationship between an intensity of X-rays 114 and a current efficiency CE in a case where a terminal 10 is a portable X-ray fluorescence analysis terminal, and an object 110 is an ion exchange membrane 84.

Fig. 7 illustrates an example of a relationship between the intensity of the X-rays 114 and a voltage CV in a case where the terminal 10 is the portable X-ray fluorescence analysis terminal, and the object 110 is the ion exchange membrane 84.

Fig. 8 illustrates an example of a relationship between the intensity of the X-rays 114 and a Cl^- (chloride ion) concentration of liquid 75 in a case where the terminal 10 is the portable X-ray fluorescence analysis terminal, and the object 110 is the ion exchange membrane 84.

Fig. 9 illustrates an example of a relationship between the intensity of the X-rays 114 and the voltage CV in a case where the terminal 10 is the portable X-ray fluorescence analysis terminal, and the object 110 is at least one of an anode 80 or a cathode 82.

Fig. 10 illustrates another example of the block diagram of the analysis system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 11 illustrates another example of the block diagram of the analysis system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 12 illustrates an example of an analysis result Ra.

Fig. 13 illustrates another example of the block diagram of the analysis system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 14 is a diagram of the ion exchange membrane 84 and an input tube 92 in Fig. 2 which are viewed in a direction from the anode 80 to the cathode 82.

Fig. 15 illustrates another example of the block diagram of a server 20 in the analysis system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 16 illustrates an example of a first state inference model 122.

Fig. 17 illustrates an example of a second state inference model 132.

Fig. 18 is a flowchart including an example of an analysis method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 19 illustrates an example of a computer 2200 in which the analysis system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be entirely or partially embodied.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0031] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention, but the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to claims. In addition, not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the solution of the invention.

[0032] Fig. 1 illustrates an example of an electrolytic apparatus 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electrolytic apparatus 200 of the present example includes an electrolyzer 90, an input tube 92, an input tube 93, an output tube 94, and an output tube 95.

[0033] The electrolytic apparatus 200 electrolyzes an electrolyte solution. The electrolyzer 90 is a tank for electrolyzing an electrolyte solution. The electrolyte solution is, for example, an NaCl (sodium chloride) aqueous solution. The electrolyzer 90 generates Cl₂ (chlorine), NaOH (sodium hydroxide), and H₂ (hydrogen) through electrolysis of an NaCl (sodium chloride) aqueous solution, for example. The electrolyzer 90 may include a plurality of electrolytic cells 91 (electrolytic cell 91-1 to the electrolytic cell 91-N, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 2). N is, for example, 50.

[0034] In the present example, the input tube 92 and the input tube 93 are connected to each of the electrolytic cell 91-1 to the electrolytic cell 91-N. Liquid 70 is inputted into each of the electrolytic cell 91-1 to the electrolytic cell 91-N. The liquid 70 may be inputted into each of the electrolytic cell 91-1 to the electrolytic cell 91-N after passing through the input tube 92. The liquid 70 is an aqueous solution of an alkali metal chloride or an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide. The alkali metal is an element belonging to group 1 of the periodic table of the elements. When the liquid 70 is an aqueous solution of an alkali metal chloride, the liquid 70 is an aqueous solution of NaCl (sodium chloride), for example. When the liquid 70 is an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide, the liquid 70 is a KOH (potassium hydroxide) aqueous solution or an NaOH (sodium hydroxide) aqueous solution, for example.

[0035] Liquid 72 is inputted into each of the electrolytic cell 91-1 to the electrolytic cell 91-N. The liquid 72 may be inputted into each of the electrolytic cell 91-1 to the electrolytic cell 91-N after passing through the input tube 93. The liquid 72 is an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide. The liquid 72 is, for example, an NaOH sodium hydroxide aqueous solution. When the liquid 70 is an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide, the liquid 72 is an aqueous solution of a same alkali metal hydroxide (for example, KOH).

[0036] In the present example, the output tube 94 and the output tube 95 are connected to each of the electrolytic cell 91-1 to the electrolytic cell 91-N. Liquid 76 and gas 78 (described below) are outputted from each of the electrolytic cell 91-1 to the electrolytic cell 91-N. The liquid 76 and the gas 78 (described below) may be outputted to the outside of the electrolytic apparatus 200 after passing through the output tube 95. The liquid 76 is an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide. When the liquid 72 is an NaOH (sodium hydroxide) aqueous solution, the liquid 76 is an NaOH (sodium hydroxide) aqueous solution. The gas 78 (described below) may be H₂ (hydrogen).

[0037] Liquid 74 and gas 77 (described below) are outputted from each of the electrolytic cell 91-1 to the electrolytic cell 91-N. The liquid 74 and the gas 77 (described below) may be outputted to the outside of the electrolytic apparatus 200 after passing through the output tube 94. The liquid 74 is an aqueous solution of an alkali metal chloride or an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide. When the liquid 70 is an NaCl (sodium chloride) aqueous solution, the liquid 74 is an NaCl (sodium chloride) aqueous solution. When the liquid 70 is a KOH (potassium hydroxide) aqueous solution, the liquid 74 is a KOH (potassium hydroxide) aqueous solution. When the liquid 70 is an NaCl (sodium chloride) aqueous solution, the gas 77 (described below) is Cl₂ (chlorine). When the liquid 74 is a KOH aqueous solution (potassium hydroxide), the gas 77 (described below) is O₂ (oxygen).

[0038] Fig. 2 illustrates an example of a detail of a single electrolytic cell 91 in Fig. 1. The electrolyzer 90 has an anode chamber 79, an anode 80, a cathode chamber 98, a cathode 82, and the ion exchange membrane 84. In the present example, the single electrolytic cell 91 has the anode chamber 79, the anode 80, the cathode chamber 98, the cathode 82, and the ion exchange membrane 84. The anode chamber 79 and the cathode chamber 98 are provided inside the electrolytic cell 91. The anode chamber 79 and the cathode chamber 98 are separated by the ion exchange membrane 84. The anode 80 is arranged in the anode chamber 79. The cathode 82 is arranged in the cathode chamber 98.

[0039] The input tube 92 and the output tube 94 are connected to the anode chamber 79. The input tube 93 and the output tube 95 are connected to the cathode chamber 98. The liquid 70 is inputted into the anode chamber 79. The liquid 72 is inputted into the cathode chamber 98.

[0040] The ion exchange membrane 84 is a membranous substance that prevents passage of ions having a same sign as the ions arranged in the ion exchange membrane 84 and allows passage of only ions having different signs. In the present example, the ion exchange membrane 84 is a membrane that allows passage of Na⁺ (sodium ions) and prevents passage of Cl^- (chloride ions).

[0041] The anode 80 and the cathode 82 may be maintained at a predetermined positive potential and a predetermined negative potential, respectively. The liquid 70 inputted into the anode chamber 79 and the liquid 72 inputted into the cathode chamber 98 are electrolyzed by a potential difference between the anode 80 and the cathode 82. In the anode 80, the following chemical reaction occurs.

        Chemical Formula 1     2 Cl^- → Cl₂ + 2e^-

[0042] When the liquid 70 is an NaCl (sodium chloride) aqueous solution, NaCl (sodium chloride) is ionized into Na⁺ (sodium ion) and Cl^- (chloride ion). Cl₂ (chlorine) gas is generated in the anode 80 by the chemical reaction shown in Chemical Formula 1. The gas 77 (the Cl₂ (chlorine) gas) and the liquid 74 may be outputted from the anode chamber 79. Na⁺ (sodium ion) moves from the anode chamber 79 to the cathode chamber 98 via the ion exchange membrane 84 by an attractive force from the cathode 82.

[0043] In the anode chamber 79, liquid 73 may be retained. The liquid 73 is an aqueous solution of an alkali metal chloride or an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide. In the present example, the liquid 73 is an NaCl (sodium chloride) aqueous solution. The Na⁺ (sodium ion) concentration and the Cl^- (chloride ion) concentration of the liquid 73 may be less than the Na⁺ (sodium ion) concentration and the Cl^- (chloride ion) concentration of the liquid 70.

[0044] In the cathode 82, the following chemical reaction occurs.

        Chemical Formula 2     2H₂O + 2e^- → H₂ + 2OH^-

[0045] When the liquid 72 is an NaOH (sodium hydroxide) aqueous solution, NaOH (sodium hydroxide) is ionized into the Na⁺ (sodium ions) and OH^- (hydroxide ions). H₂ (hydrogen) gas and OH^- (hydroxide ions) are generated in the cathode 82 by the chemical reaction shown in Chemical Formula 2. The gas 78 (the H₂ (hydrogen) gas) and the liquid 76 may be outputted from the cathode chamber 98.

[0046] In the cathode chamber 98, liquid 75 may be retained. The liquid 75 is an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide. In the present example, the liquid 75 is an NaOH (sodium hydroxide) aqueous solution. In the present example, the liquid 75 in which OH^- (hydroxide ions) generated by the chemical reaction shown in Chemical Formula 2 and Na⁺ (sodium ions) moved from the anode chamber 79 are dissolved is retained in the cathode chamber 98.

[0047] Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a vicinity of the ion exchange membrane 84 in the electrolytic cell 91 illustrated in Fig. 2. The anion group 86 is fixed to the ion exchange membrane 84 of the present example. Since anions are repelled by the anion group 86, the anions hardly pass through the ion exchange membrane 84. In the present example, the anions are Cl^- (chloride ions). Since cations 71 are not repelled by the anion group 86, the cations can pass through the ion exchange membrane 84. When the liquid 70 (see Fig. 2) is an NaCl (sodium chloride) aqueous solution, the cation 71 is Na⁺ (sodium ion).

[0048] Fig. 4 illustrates an example of a block diagram of an analysis system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The analysis system 100 includes a terminal 10 and a server 20. The terminal 10 has an element acquisition unit 12. The server 20 has a reception unit 22 and a state analysis unit 24. The state analysis unit 24 is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU). An analysis program for executing an analysis method which will be described below may be installed in the server 20, or an analysis program for causing the server 20 to function as the analysis system 100 may be installed in the server 20.

[0049] The analysis system 100 may include an information terminal 30. The information terminal 30 may have a display unit 32. The information terminal 30 may be a stationary computer terminal, or may be a tablet computer. When the information terminal 30 is a tablet computer, the display unit 32 may be a monitor of the tablet computer.

[0050] The information terminal 30 and the terminal 10 may communicate through a wire 99, or may communicate by way of short range radio such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or Bluetooth (registered trademark). The wire 99 is, for example, a USB cable or the like. In the present example, the information terminal 30 has a first transmission unit 14.

[0051] The electrolyzer 90 and the server 20 may be arranged in different locations. The different locations may refer to different geographical locations. The server 20 is installed, for example, in City A in Japan. When the server 20 is installed in City A in Japan, the electrolyzer 90 may be installed in City B in Japan which is different from City A, or may be installed in a foreign country other than Japan. A location in which the server 20 is arranged is set as a location Sa. A location in which the electrolyzer 90 is arranged is set as a location Sb.

[0052] The electrolyzer 90 may be arranged in a same location as the terminal 10 and the information terminal 30. The same location may refer to a same geographical location. The terminal 10 and the information terminal 30 may be arranged in the location Sb. When the electrolyzer 90 is installed in a predetermined plant, the electrolyzer 90 and also the terminal 10 and the information terminal 30 may be used by a same user in the predetermined plant.

[0053] The element acquisition unit 12 acquires an amount of an element contained in an object 110 in the electrolyzer 90 (see Fig. 1). The terminal 10 is, for example, a portable X-ray fluorescence analysis terminal. When the terminal 10 is the portable X-ray fluorescence analysis terminal, the terminal 10 irradiates the object 110 with X-rays 112. The X-rays 112 irradiated to the object 110 cause electrons from an inner shell in the element contained in the object 110 to be released to the outside of the shell. When the electrons released to the outside of the shell fall into the inner shell, the X-rays 114 having energy specific to the element are emitted from the object 110. When the terminal 10 is the portable X-ray fluorescence analysis terminal, the element acquisition unit 12 acquires the amount of the element by measuring an intensity of the emitted X-rays 114. The intensity of the X-rays 114 may refer to a count number of the X-rays 114 acquired per unit time by the element acquisition unit 12. As the intensity of the X-rays 114 is greater, the amount of the element which is acquired by the element acquisition unit 12 is larger.

[0054] The object 110 may be the ion exchange membrane 84 (see Fig. 2), may be the anode 80 (see Fig. 2), or may be the cathode 82 (see Fig. 2). The object 110 may be the ion exchange membrane 84, may be the anode 80, or may be the cathode 82, which is still installed in the electrolyzer 90. When the terminal 10 is the portable X-ray fluorescence analysis terminal, the element acquisition unit 12 can acquire the amount of the element contained in the object 110 which is still installed in the electrolyzer 90.

[0055] The element acquisition unit 12 may further acquire a type of the element contained in the object 110. When the object 110 is irradiated with the X-rays 112, energy of the X-rays 114 emitted from the object 110 depends on the type of the element. Thus, when the terminal 10 is the portable X-ray fluorescence analysis terminal, the element acquisition unit 12 can acquire the type of the element by measuring the energy of the emitted X-rays 114.

[0056] The liquid 70 (see Fig. 1) obtained by performing a predetermined treatment on saltwater in which raw salt is dissolved is inputted in the electrolyzer 90 (see Fig. 1). The predetermined treatment is, for example, precipitation of a suspended solid (SS) contained in saltwater by a clarifier, removal of the SS by a ceramic filter, removal of at least one of Ca (calcium), Sr (strontium), Ba (barium), or Mg (magnesium) contained in saltwater by a resin column, or the like. Raw salt may contain I (iodine).

[0057] Since the electrolyzer 90 electrolyzes the liquid 70, in accordance with duty time of the electrolyzer 90, an element inputted in the predetermined treatment on saltwater may be accumulated in the ion exchange membrane 84 (see Fig. 2). When the element is accumulated in the ion exchange membrane 84, ion exchange performance of the ion exchange membrane 84 may fall.

[0058] The anode 80 and the cathode 82 are in contact with the liquid 73 and the liquid 75, respectively. The liquid 73 and the liquid 75 are electrolyte solutions. Surfaces of the anode 80 and the cathode 82 may be coated with Ru (ruthenium) or the like to suppress a rise of a voltage of the electrolyzer 90. When the coating on the surfaces of the anode 80 and the cathode 82 are degraded, voltages between the anode 80, the ion exchange membrane 84, and the cathode 82 tend to rise.

[0059] A user of the analysis system 100 may acquire the amount and the type of the element contained in at least one of the ion exchange membrane 84, the anode 80, or the cathode 82 by causing the terminal 10 to be close to at least one of the ion exchange membrane 84, the anode 80, or the cathode 82. With this configuration, the user of the analysis system 100 can acquire the amount of the element without removing at least one of the ion exchange membrane 84, the anode 80, or the cathode 82 from the electrolyzer 90. The user of the analysis system 100 may acquire the amount and the type of the element contained in at least one of the ion exchange membrane 84, the anode 80, or the cathode 82 in a state of being installed in the electrolyzer 90.

[0060] Fig. 5 illustrates an example of an acquisition result of an amount and a type of an element which are acquired by the element acquisition unit 12. In the present example, the amount of the element is represented by an intensity of the X-rays 114 (see Fig. 4), and the type of the element is represented by energy at which the X-rays 114 shows a peak. In the present example, the X-rays 114 are distributed in a spectral manner. The element acquisition unit 12 may acquire a spectral distribution of the X-rays 114.

[0061] The first transmission unit 14 (see Fig. 4) transmits the amount of the element which is acquired by the element acquisition unit 12. The first transmission unit 14 may transmit the amount and the type of the element which are acquired by the element acquisition unit 12. The first transmission unit 14 may wirelessly transmit the amount and the type of the element. A term "wireless" in the present specification refers to communication without depending on a wire. The term "wireless" may refer to all communications via the Internet, and is not limited to a communication by way of short range radio such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or the like. The first transmission unit 14 may wirelessly transmit the spectral distribution of the X-rays 114 illustrated in Fig. 5.

[0062] The reception unit 22 (see Fig. 4) receives the amount of the element which is acquired by the element acquisition unit 12. In the present example, the reception unit 22 receives the amount of the element which is transmitted by the first transmission unit 14. The reception unit 22 may receive the amount and the type of the element which are transmitted by the first transmission unit 14. The reception unit 22 may wirelessly receive the amount and the type of the element. The reception unit 22 may wirelessly receive the spectral distribution of the X-rays 114 which is transmitted by the first transmission unit 14.

[0063] The state analysis unit 24 analyzes a state of the object 110 based on the amount of the element which is received by the reception unit 22. When the object 110 is the ion exchange membrane 84, the state of the object 110 may be a state of ion exchange performance of the ion exchange membrane 84. When the ion exchange performance of the ion exchange membrane 84 is degraded, a current efficiency of the electrolyzer 90 may fall. The current efficiency is set as a current efficiency CE. The current efficiency CE may refer to a current efficiency of the electrolyzer 90, or may refer to a current efficiency of the ion exchange membrane 84.

[0064] The current efficiency CE refers to a ratio of an actual amount of production to a theoretical amount of production of a product which is to be produced by the electrolyzer 90. The product is set as a product P. A theoretical amount of production of the product P is set as an amount of production Pa. An actual amount of production of the product P is set as an amount of production Pr. The current efficiency CE refers to a ratio of the amount of production Pr to the amount of production Pa.

[0065] When the ion exchange performance of the ion exchange membrane 84 is degraded, the voltage of the electrolyzer 90 may rise. The voltage is set as a voltage CV. The voltage CV may be a voltage per one electrolytic cell 91 (see Fig. 1).

[0066] When the ion exchange performance of the ion exchange membrane 84 is degraded, anions of the liquid 73 (see Fig. 2) may pass through the ion exchange membrane 84. When anions of the liquid 73 (see Fig. 2) pass through the ion exchange membrane 84, the anions are contained in the liquid 75. When the liquid 73 is an NaCl (sodium chloride) aqueous solution and the liquid 75 is an NaOH (sodium hydroxide) aqueous solution, Cl^- (chloride ions) that have passed through the ion exchange membrane 84 are contained in an NaOH (sodium hydroxide) aqueous solution. As the ion exchange performance of the ion exchange membrane 84 is further degraded, a Cl^- (chloride ion) concentration of the NaOH (sodium hydroxide) aqueous solution is more likely to be increased. The Cl^- (chloride ion) concentration of the NaOH (sodium hydroxide) aqueous solution is a so-called in-caustic salt concentration.

[0067] When the object 110 is the ion exchange membrane 84, an analysis on the state of the object 110 may refer to an identification of a factor causing a fall of the current efficiency CE by analyzing the type and the amount of the element contained in the ion exchange membrane 84, or may refer to an identification of a factor causing a rise of the voltage CV.

[0068] When the object 110 is the anode 80 and the cathode 82, the state of the object 110 may be a coating condition of a metal or the like with which the surfaces of the anode 80 and the cathode 82 are coated. When the coating condition of the anode 80 and the cathode 82 are degraded, the voltage CV may rise. When the object 110 is the anode 80 and the cathode 82, the analysis of the state of the object 110 may refer to an identification of a factor causing a rise of the voltage CV by analyzing types and amounts of the elements contained in the anode 80 and the cathode 82.

[0069] Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 respectively illustrate an example of a relationship between the intensity of the X-rays 114 and the current efficiency CE and an example of a relationship between the intensity of the X-rays 114 and the voltage CV in a case where the terminal 10 is the portable X-ray fluorescence analysis terminal and the object 110 is the ion exchange membrane 84. Fig. 8 illustrates an example of a relationship between the intensity of the X-rays 114 and a Cl^- (chloride ion) concentration of the liquid 75 in a case where the terminal 10 is the portable X-ray fluorescence analysis terminal and the object 110 is the ion exchange membrane 84. Fig. 9 illustrates an example of a relationship between the intensity of the X-rays 114 and the voltage CV in a case where the terminal 10 is the portable X-ray fluorescence analysis terminal and the object 110 is at least one of the anode 80 or the cathode 82. The intensity of the X-rays 114 in Figs. 6 to 9 may be an intensity of the X-rays 114 by an element at any energy showing a peak of the intensity in Fig. 5.

[0070] As illustrated in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, when the object 110 is the ion exchange membrane 84, as the intensity of the X-rays 114 is greater, the current efficiency CE is more likely to be decreased, and the voltage CV is more likely to be increased. The relationship between the intensity of the X-rays 114 and the current efficiency CE which is illustrated in Fig. 6 is set as a predetermined first relationship R1 between the current efficiency CE and the amount of the element. The relationship between the intensity of the X-rays 114 and the voltage CV which is illustrated in Fig. 7 is set as a predetermined second relationship R21 between the voltage CV and the amount of the element.

[0071] As illustrated in Fig. 8, when the object 110 is the ion exchange membrane 84, as the intensity of the X-rays 114 is greater, the Cl^- (chloride ion) concentration of the liquid 75 is more likely to be increased. The relationship between the intensity of the X-rays 114 and the Cl^- (chloride ion) concentration of the liquid 75 which is illustrated in Fig. 8 is set as a predetermined third relationship R3 between a concentration of Cl^- (chloride ions) in an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide and the amount of the element.

[0072] As illustrated in Fig. 9, when the object 110 is at least one of the anode 80 or the cathode 82, as the intensity of the X-rays 114 is weaker, the voltage CV is more likely to be increased, and as the intensity of the X-rays 114 is weaker, a rate of change of the voltage CV is more likely to be increased. The relationship between the intensity of the X-rays 114 and the voltage CV which is illustrated in Fig. 9 is set as a predetermined second relationship R22 between the voltage CV and the amount of the element.

[0073] The state analysis unit 24 (see Fig. 4) may analyze the state of the ion exchange membrane 84 based on the first relationship R1. The state analysis unit 24 may analyze the state of the ion exchange membrane 84 based on the second relationship R21. The state analysis unit 24 may analyze the state of the ion exchange membrane 84 based on the first relationship R1 and the second relationship R21. The state analysis unit 24 may analyze at least one of the state of the anode 80 or the state of the cathode 82 based on the second relationship R22. The state analysis unit 24 may analyze the state of the ion exchange membrane 84 based on the third relationship R3.

[0074] Fig. 10 illustrates another example of the block diagram of the analysis system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the analysis system 100 of the present example, the server 20 further has an operating condition acquisition unit 23, a storage unit 25, and a second transmission unit 27. The analysis system 100 of the present example is different from the analysis system 100 illustrated in Fig. 4 in the above described aspect.

[0075] The second transmission unit 27 transmits an analysis result of the state of the object 110 which is analyzed by the state analysis unit 24 to the information terminal 30. The analysis result is set as an analysis result Ra. The second transmission unit 27 may wirelessly transmit the analysis result Ra to the information terminal 30. The analysis result Ra may be displayed on the display unit 32.

[0076] In the present example, the amount of an element contained in the object 110 which has been acquired by the element acquisition unit 12 in the terminal 10 is transmitted to the server 20 by the first transmission unit 14, and in the server 20, the state of the object 110 is analyzed by the state analysis unit 24 based on the amount of the element. Thus, the user of the analysis system 100 can recognize the analysis result Ra without a delivery of a sample of the object 110 for analyzing the state from the location Sb to the location Sa. As compared with a case where the sample of the object 110 is delivered from the location Sb to the location Sa, a period of time from an acquisition of the amount of the element contained in the object 110 to a calculation of the analysis result Ra is more likely to be shortened.

[0077] In the present example, the analysis result Ra is transmitted to the information terminal 30 by the second transmission unit 27. Thus, a user of the electrolyzer 90 can immediately recognize the analysis result Ra based on the amount of the element which is acquired by the terminal 10 by looking at the display unit 32. The user of the electrolyzer 90 can operate the electrolyzer 90 while looking at the analysis result Ra.

[0078] The operating condition acquisition unit 23 acquires an operating condition of the electrolyzer 90. The operating condition is set as an operating condition Cd. The operating condition Cd refers to an operating situation of the electrolyzer 90 which may affect the state of the object 110. The operating condition Cd may include a current supplied to the electrolyzer 90, the current efficiency CE of the electrolyzer 90, the voltage CV of the electrolyzer 90, a pH and a flow rate of the liquid 70 (see Fig. 2), a pH and a flow rate of the liquid 72 (see Fig. 2), a target production amount of the product P, and the like. The operating condition acquisition unit 23 may wirelessly acquire the operating condition Cd from the electrolyzer 90.

[0079] The operating condition Cd may be continually acquired, or may be periodically acquired. For example, the periodical acquisition refers to a continual acquisition at a predetermined time interval such as a daily acquisition from 8:00 in the morning to 20:00 in the evening or a continual 8-hour acquisition every three days.

[0080] The storage unit 25 may store the operating condition Cd acquired by the operating condition acquisition unit 23, and the type and the amount of the element contained in the object 110. When the electrolyzer 90 is operated under a plurality of operating conditions Cd, the storage unit 25 may store the type and the amount of the element for each of the plurality of operating conditions Cd. The storage unit 25 may further store the analysis result Ra.

[0081] Note that a configuration may be adopted where the operating condition Cd is not acquired by the operating condition acquisition unit 23. The storage unit 25 may store the operating condition Cd inputted by the user of the analysis system 100.

[0082] Fig. 11 illustrates another example of the block diagram of the analysis system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The analysis system 100 of the present example is different from the analysis system 100 illustrated in Fig. 10 in that the plurality of terminals 10 and the plurality of information terminals 30 are provided.

[0083] In the present example, the plurality of electrolyzers 90 are arranged in mutually different locations. In the present example, an electrolyzer 90-1 is arranged in a location Sb1, an electrolyzer 90-2 is arranged in a location Sb2, and an electrolyzer 90-m is arranged in a location Sbm. Where m is an integer greater than or equal to 2.

[0084] The location Sb1 to the location Sbm may be mutually different geographical locations. The location Sb1 is, for example, a predetermined city in United States, the location Sb2 is, for example, a predetermined city in Europe, and the location Sbm is, for example, a predetermined city in Australia. In the present example, a terminal 10-1 and an information terminal 30-1 are arranged in the location Sb1, a terminal 10-2 and an information terminal 30-2 are arranged in the location Sb2, and a terminal 10-m and the information terminal 30-m are arranged in the location Sbm.

[0085] In the present example, each of the element acquisition units 12 in the plurality of terminals 10 respectively acquires the amount of the element contained in each of the plurality of objects 110. The reception unit 22 in the server 20 receives the amount of the element which is acquired by each of the element acquisition units 12 in the plurality of terminals 10. In the present example, each of the first transmission units 14 in the plurality of information terminals 30 respectively transmits the amount of the element contained in each of the plurality of objects 110, and the reception unit 22 receives each of the amounts of the elements which are transmitted by the first transmission units 14.

[0086] The state analysis unit 24 in the server 20 analyzes a state of one of the objects 110 based on the amount of the element which has been acquired by each of the element acquisition units 12 in the plurality of terminals 10 and received by the reception unit 22. In the present example, the state analysis unit 24 analyzes the state of one of the objects 110 based on each of the amounts of the elements which has been transmitted by each of the first transmission units 14 in the plurality of information terminals 30 and received by the reception unit 22. One of the objects 110 refers to any one or more of the objects 110 of the electrolyzer 90-1 to the electrolyzer 90-m.

[0087] The storage unit 25 may store the respective operating conditions Cd in the plurality of electrolyzers 90 and the type and the amount of the element contained in each of the plurality of objects 110. The storage unit 25 may store the operating condition Cd and the type and the amount of the element for each of the plurality of electrolyzers 90.

[0088] The state analysis unit 24 may calculate the first relationship R1 (see Fig. 6) based on the current efficiency CE in each of the plurality of electrolyzers 90 and the amount of the element contained in each of the plurality of objects 110. The first relationship R1 may be previously set, or may be calculated by the state analysis unit 24. The state analysis unit 24 may calculate the second relationship R21 (see Fig. 7) and the second relationship R22 (see Fig. 9) based on the voltage CV of each of the plurality of electrolyzers 90 and the amount of the element contained in each of the plurality of objects 110. The second relationship R21 and the second relationship R22 may be previously set, or may be calculated by the state analysis unit 24. The first relationship R1, the second relationship R21, and the second relationship R22 may be stored in the storage unit 25.

[0089] The state analysis unit 24 may analyze the state of one of the ion exchange membranes 84 based on the amount of the element which is received by the reception unit 22 and the first relationship R1 stored in the storage unit 25. With this configuration, the user of the analysis system 100 can recognize the state of one of the ion exchange membranes 84 which has been compared with a state of another of the ion exchange membranes 84. In the present example, since the reception unit 22 receives the amount of the element which is transmitted by the first transmission unit 14 in each of the plurality of information terminals 30, the reception unit 22 can receive the amounts of the elements of the objects 110 in the electrolyzers 90 arranged to be mutually separated by a long distance, and also the state analysis unit 24 can analyze the state of one of the ion exchange membranes 84. Thus, the user of the analysis system 100 can recognize the analysis result Ra without delivery of a sample of the object 110 to analyze the state from each of the plurality of locations Sb to the location Sa. The calculation of the analysis result Ra by the state analysis unit 24 is facilitated as compared with a case where the sample of the object 110 is delivered from each of the plurality of locations Sb to the location Sa.

[0090] Similarly, the state analysis unit 24 may analyze the state of one of the ion exchange membranes 84 based on the amount of the element which is received by the reception unit 22 and the second relationship R21 stored in the storage unit 25. Similarly, the state analysis unit 24 may analyze the state of one of the anodes 80 or the cathodes 82 based on the amount of the element which is received by the reception unit 22 and the second relationship R22 stored in the storage unit 25.

[0091] Each of the plurality of element acquisition units 12 may further acquire identification information for identifying the object 110 in one of the electrolyzers 90 and the object 110 in another of the electrolyzers 90 among the plurality of electrolyzers 90. The identification information is set as identification information Id. When the object 110 is the ion exchange membrane 84, the identification information Id may be a type of the ion exchange membrane 84. The type of the ion exchange membrane 84 may be a physical quantity which may be different for each of individual ion exchange membranes 84, such as a density of an anion group 86 (see Fig. 3) in the ion exchange membrane 84 or a thickness of the ion exchange membrane 84. The type of the ion exchange membrane 84 may be a so-called lot number for each of the individual ion exchange membranes. The type of the ion exchange membrane 84 may be a type of the anion group 86 (see Fig. 3).

[0092] When the object 110 is the anode 80 (see Fig. 2) or the cathode 82 (see Fig. 2), the identification information Id may be a type of an element with which the surface of the anode 80 or the cathode 82 is coated. When the object 110 is the anode 80 and the cathode 82, the identification information Id may be a number assigned to a frame which holds the anode 80 and the cathode 82. The frame holds one anode 80 and one cathode 82 in pairs. One of the ion exchange membranes 84 may be arranged between the anode 80 in one of frames and the cathode 82 in another of the frames. The anode 80 in the one of the frames, the cathode 82 in the another of the frames, and the one of the ion exchange membrane 84 may be included in one electrolytic cell 91 (see Fig. 2).

[0093] The reception unit 22 may receive the identification information Id of each of the plurality of objects 110. The first transmission unit 14 may transmit the identification information Id. Each of the plurality of first transmission units 14 may transmit the identification information Id of each of the plurality of objects 110. In the present example, the reception unit 22 receives the identification information Id transmitted by the first transmission unit 14.

[0094] The storage unit 25 may store the respective operating conditions Cd in the plurality of electrolyzers 90, the types and the amounts of the elements contained in the plurality of objects 110, and the identification information Id corresponding to each of the plurality of electrolyzers 90. The storage unit 25 may store the operating condition Cd, the type and the amount of the element, and the identification information Id for each of the plurality of electrolyzers 90.

[0095] The storage unit 25 may further store, with regard to the plurality of electrolyzers 90 arranged at mutually different locations, a plurality of pieces of location information related to the different locations. In the example of Fig. 11, the storage unit 25 stores respective pieces of location information related to the location Sb1 to the location Sbm. The location information related to the location Sb is, for example, information indicating that the location Sb is New York in United States.

[0096] The storage unit 25 may store the respective operating conditions Cd in the plurality of electrolyzers 90, the types and the amounts of the elements contained in the plurality of objects 110, the identification information Id corresponding to each of the plurality of electrolyzers 90, and the location information related to each of the plurality of electrolyzers 90. The storage unit 25 may store the operating condition Cd, the type and the amount of the element, the identification information Id, and the location information for each of the plurality of electrolyzers 90.

[0097] A predetermined first state of the object 110 is set as a first state S1. The first state S1 may be a state in which the object 110 is reaching an end of life. When the object 110 is the ion exchange membrane 84 (see Fig. 2), the first state S1 may be a state in which it is difficult for the ion exchange membrane 84 to repel anions.

[0098] A predetermined second state of the object 110 is set as a second state S2. The second state S2 may be a state in which the object 110 is reaching the end of life. When the object 110 is the anode 80 (see Fig. 2) or the cathode 82 (see Fig. 2), the second state S2 may be a state in which an amount of a coating material with which the surface of the anode 80 or the cathode 82 is coated is less than a predetermined amount.

[0099] A predetermined third state of the object 110 is set as a third state S3. When the object 110 is the ion exchange membrane 84, the third state S3 may be a state in which since the ion exchange membrane 84 is reaching the end of life, the Cl^- (chloride ion) concentration of the liquid 75 (aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide) is a predetermined threshold concentration.

[0100] The second transmission unit 27 may transmit the analysis result Ra to the information terminal 30. The second transmission unit 27 may transmit the analysis result Ra to the terminal 10. The state analysis unit 24 may further analyze, based on the analysis result Ra, the type of the element which is acquired by the element acquisition unit 12. The second transmission unit 27 may transmit the type of the element which is analyzed by the state analysis unit 24 to the information terminal 30. The type of the element which is analyzed by the state analysis unit 24 may be displayed on the display unit 32 (see Fig. 10).

[0101] Fig. 12 illustrates an example of the analysis result Ra. Fig. 12 is an example of the analysis result Ra on the state of the anode 80. Fig. 12 illustrates the analysis result Ra with regard to the plurality of anodes 80. In Fig. 12, a time refers to an elapsed period of time from a start of the use of the anode 80 to an analysis of the state of the anode 80. The elapsed period of time may be a number of elapsed years. In Fig. 12, a remaining amount refers to a remaining amount of a coating material with which the anode 80 is coated. The coating material may be Ru (ruthenium). In Fig. 12, the analysis result Ra of this time is represented by a black circle. An analysis result Ra represented by a white circle may be a past analysis result Ra which is older than the analysis result of this time.

[0102] The analysis result Ra illustrated in Fig. 12 may be displayed on the display unit 32 (see Fig. 10). With this configuration, the user of one of the electrolyzers 90 (see Fig. 11) can recognize the analysis result Ra on the state of the anode 80 in one of the electrolyzers 90 which has been compared with the analysis result Ra on the state of the anode 80 in another of the electrolyzers 90 (see Fig. 11).

[0103] To identify a factor for the degradation of the performance of the object 110, the operation of the electrolytic apparatus 200 may be temporarily stopped. A period of time to stop the operation of the electrolytic apparatus 200 is preferably as short as possible. When the terminal 10 is the portable X-ray fluorescence analysis terminal, it is facilitated for the user of the electrolytic apparatus 200 to identify the factor for the degradation of the performance of the object 110 without removing the object 110 from the electrolytic apparatus 200, and to take countermeasures for the recovery of the performance of the object 110. Therefore, the period of time to stop the operation of the electrolytic apparatus 200 is more likely to be shortened. Since the user of the electrolytic apparatus 200 may recover the performance of the object 110 without the replacement of the object 110, it is less likely to lose the object 110.

[0104] The element acquisition unit 12 (see Fig. 11) may acquire the amount of the element based on the analysis result Ra transmitted by the second transmission unit 27 (see Fig. 11). The element acquisition unit 12 may acquire the amount of the element based on the analysis result Ra which is transmitted by the second transmission unit 27 and received by the information terminal 30. With this configuration, the element acquisition unit 12 can acquire the amount of the element on which the analysis result Ra has been reflected. For example, when the analysis result Ra of one of the ion exchange membranes 84 is the analysis result Ra indicating that a particular element is accumulated in one of locations of the one of the ion exchange membranes 84, the acquisition by the element acquisition unit 12 of the amount of the element on which the analysis result Ra has been reflected refers to the acquisition by the element acquisition unit 12 of the particular element in another of the locations of the one of the ion exchange membranes 84, or the like.

[0105] When the state analysis unit 24 analyzes that the state of the one of the objects 110 in one of the electrolyzers 90 is at least one of the first state S1, the second state S2, or the third state S3, the element acquisition unit 12 may acquire an amount of an element contained in another of the objects 110 in one of the electrolyzers 90. The element acquisition unit 12 (see Fig. 11) may acquire an amount of an element contained in another of the objects 110 (see Fig. 4) in one of the electrolyzers 90 (see Fig. 11).

[0106] For example, when the second transmission unit 27 (see Fig. 11) transmits, to the information terminal 30-1, the analysis result Ra indicating that the state of the ion exchange membrane 84 (see Fig. 2) which is arranged at one electrolytic cell 91-1 (see Fig. 1) in the electrolyzer 90-1 is the first state S1, an element acquisition unit 12-1 (see Fig. 11) may acquire an amount of the element contained in the ion exchange membrane 84 arranged at another electrolytic cell 91-2 in the electrolyzer 90-1. When the ion exchange membrane 84 arranged at the one electrolytic cell 91-1 is in the first state S1, it is more likely that the ion exchange membrane 84 arranged at the another electrolytic cell 91-2 is in the first state S1 than a case where the ion exchange membrane 84 is not in the first state S1. Thus, it is facilitated for the user of the analysis system 100 to recognize the state of the ion exchange membrane 84 arranged at the another electrolytic cell 91-2.

[0107] Similarly, for example, when the second transmission unit 27 (see Fig. 11) transmits, to the information terminal 30-2, the analysis result Ra indicating that the state of the anode 80 (see Fig. 2) arranged at one electrolytic cell 91-2 (see Fig. 1) in the electrolyzer 90-2 (see Fig. 11) is the second state S2, an element acquisition unit 12-2 may acquire an amount of the element contained in the anode 80 arranged at another electrolytic cell 91-3 in the electrolyzer 90-2.

[0108] Similarly, for example, when the second transmission unit 27 (see Fig. 11) transmits, to the information terminal 30-m, the analysis result Ra indicating that the state of the ion exchange membrane 84 (see Fig. 2) arranged at one electrolytic cell 91-3 (see Fig. 1) in the electrolyzer 90-m (see Fig. 11) is the third state S3, an element acquisition unit 12-m (see Fig. 11) may acquire an amount of the element contained in the ion exchange membrane 84 arranged at another electrolytic cell 91-1 in the electrolyzer 90-m.

[0109] Fig. 13 illustrates another example of the block diagram of the analysis system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the analysis system 100 of the present example, the server 20 further has a state prediction unit 26. The analysis system 100 of the present example is different from the analysis system 100 illustrated in Fig. 11 in the above described aspect. The state prediction unit 26 is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU). The state analysis unit 24 and the state prediction unit 26 may be a single CPU.

[0110] The element acquisition unit 12 may acquire a change over time of the amount of the element contained in the object 110. In accordance with an elapse of the duty time of the electrolyzer 90, the element contained in the liquid 70 (see Fig. 2) or the like may be accumulated in the object 110. Thus, the amount of the element contained in the object 110 may change over time.

[0111] The first transmission unit 14 may transmit the change over time of the amount of the element which is acquired by the element acquisition unit 12. The reception unit 22 may receive the change over time of the amount of the element which is transmitted by the first transmission unit 14.

[0112] The state prediction unit 26 may predict a time when the object 110 is put into the first state S1 based on the change over time of the amount of the element which is received by the reception unit 22 and the first relationship R1 (see Fig. 6) or based on the change over time of the amount of the element which is received by the reception unit 22 and the second relationship R21 (see Fig. 7). As described above, the first state S1 may be the state in which the object 110 is reaching the end of life. When the object 110 is the ion exchange membrane 84 (see Fig. 2), the first state S1 may be a state in which it is difficult for the ion exchange membrane 84 to repel anions.

[0113] When an intensity of the X-rays 114 (see Fig. 4 and Fig. 10) is set as an intensity In, the current efficiency CE and the voltage CV are respectively represented by Expression 1 and Expression 2 below.

[0114] In Expression 1 and Expression 2, each of i, j, and k may be any of Ni (nickel), Ca (calcium), Sr (strontium), Ba (barium), I (iodine), Fe (iron), and Zr (zirconium).

[0115] In Expression 1, α1 denotes a degree of impact applied on a fall of the current efficiency CE by the element i.

[0116] In Expression 1, β1 denotes a degree of impact applied on a fall of the current efficiency CE by the element j and the element k. In Expression 1, CE0 denotes an initial current efficiency before the fall of the current efficiency CE. In Expression 2, α2 denotes a degree of impact applied on a rise of the voltage CV by the element i. In Expression 2, β2 denotes a degree of impact applied on the rise of the voltage CV by the element j and the element k. In Expression 2, CV0 denotes an initial voltage before the rise of the voltage CV. The state prediction unit 26 may calculate an increase speed of the intensity In. The state prediction unit 26 may predict a time when the ion exchange membrane 84 is put into the first state S1 based on the increase speed of the intensity In.

[0117] The first relationship R1 may be determined for each of the identification information Id. The state prediction unit 26 may predict, based on a change over time of an amount of an element in one of the electrolyzer 90 and the first relationship R1 in the one of the electrolyzers 90, a time when the object 110 in the one of the electrolyzers 90 is put into the first state S1, or may predict a time when the object 110 in another of the electrolyzers 90 is put into the first state S1.

[0118] The second relationship R21 may be determined for each of the identification information Id. The state prediction unit 26 may predict, based on a change over time of an amount of an element in one of the electrolyzers 90 and the second relationship R21 in the one of the electrolyzers 90, a time when the object 110 of the one of the electrolyzers 90 is put into the first state S1, or may predict a time when the object 110 in another of the electrolyzers 90 is put into the first state S1.

[0119] The state prediction unit 26 may predict a time when the object 110 is put into the second state S2 based on the change over time of the amount of the element which is received by the reception unit 22 and the second relationship R22 (see Fig. 9). As described above, the second state S2 may be the state in which the object 110 is reaching the end of life. When the object 110 is the anode 80 (see Fig. 2) or the cathode 82 (see Fig. 2), the second state S2 may be a state in which an amount of a coating material with which the surface of the anode 80 or the cathode 82 is coated is less than a predetermined amount.

[0120] The voltage CV is also represented by Expression 3 below.

[0121] In Expression 3, i may be Ru (ruthenium), and j may be Fe (iron). In Expression 3, α3 and β3 denote a degree of impact on the voltage CV by the element i (in the present example, Ru (ruthenium)). In Expression 3, ε denotes a degree of impact on the voltage CV by the element j (in the present example, Fe (iron)). In Expression 3, γ is a constant.

[0122] The state prediction unit 26 may calculate an exhaustion speed of the coating material with which the surface of the anode 80 or the cathode 82 is coated. The exhaustion speed may be an amount of change per unit time of In_i in Expression 3. The state prediction unit 26 may predict a time when the anode 80 (see Fig. 2) is put into the second state S2 based on the exhaustion speed of the coating material.

[0123] The second relationship R22 may be determined for each of the identification information Id. The state prediction unit 26 may predict, based on a change over time of an amount of an element in one of the electrolyzer 90 and the second relationship R22 in the one of the electrolyzers 90, a time when the object 110 in the one of the electrolyzers 90 is put into the second state S2, or may predict a time when the object 110 in another of the electrolyzers 90 is put into the second state S2.

[0124] The state prediction unit 26 may predict a time when the object 110 is put into the third state S3 based on the change over time of the amount of the element which is received by the reception unit 22 and the third relationship R3 (see Fig. 8). When the object 110 is the ion exchange membrane 84, the third state S3 may be a state in which since the ion exchange membrane 84 is reaching the end of life, the Cl^- (chloride ion) concentration of the liquid 75 (aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide) is a predetermined threshold concentration.

[0125] The third relationship R3 may be determined for each of the identification information Id. The state prediction unit 26 may predict, based on a change over time of an amount of an element in one of the electrolyzers 90 and the third relationship R3 in the one of the electrolyzers 90, a time when the object 110 of the one of the electrolyzers 90 is put into the third state S3, or may predict a time when the object 110 in another of the electrolyzers 90 is put into the third state S3.

[0126] The second transmission unit 27 may transmit the time when the object 110 is put into the first state S1, the time when the object 110 is put into the second state S2, or the time when the object 110 is put into the third state S3 which is predicted by the state prediction unit 26 to the information terminal 30. With this configuration, the user of the electrolyzer 90 can recognize the time when the object 110 is put into the first state S1, the time when the object 110 is put into the second state S2, or the time when the object 110 is put into the third state S3.

[0127] The state prediction unit 26 may predict the time when the object 110 is put into the first state S1 for each of the types of the elements based on the change over time of the amount of the element which is received by the reception unit 22 and the first relationship R1 (see Fig. 6) or based on the change over time of the amount of the element which is received by the reception unit 22 and the second relationship R21 (see Fig. 7). The state prediction unit 26 may predict the time when the object 110 is put into the second state S2 for each of the types of the elements based on the change over time of the amount of the element which is received by the reception unit 22 and the second relationship R22 (see Fig. 9). The state prediction unit 26 may predict the time when the object 110 is put into the third state S3 for each of the types of the elements based on the change over time of the amount of the element which is received by the reception unit 22 and the third relationship R3 (see Fig. 8).

[0128] The state prediction unit 26 may predict the time when the object 110 is put into the first state S1 for each of the operating conditions Cd. As described above, the operating condition Cd may include the current supplied to the electrolyzer 90, the current efficiency CE of the electrolyzer 90, the voltage CV of the electrolyzer 90, the pH and the flow rate of the liquid 70 (see Fig. 2), the pH and the flow rate of the liquid 72 (see Fig. 2), the target production amount of the product P, and the like. When the object 110 is the ion exchange membrane 84, a time when the ion exchange membrane 84 is put into a state in which it is difficult to repel anions may depend on the operating condition Cd. Thus, since the time when the object 110 is put into the first state S1 is predicted for each of the operating conditions Cd, the user of the electrolyzer 90 can recognize the time when the object 110 is put into the first state S1 for each of the operating conditions Cd. Similarly, the state prediction unit 26 may predict the time when the object 110 is put into the second state S2 for each of the operating conditions Cd, and may predict the time when the object 110 is put into the third state S3 for each of the operating conditions Cd.

[0129] The state prediction unit 26 may predict the time when the object 110 is put into the first state S1 for each of the operating conditions Cd and each of the types of the elements. The state prediction unit 26 may predict the time when the object 110 is put into the second state S2 for each of the operating conditions Cd and each of the types of the elements. The state prediction unit 26 may predict the time when the object 110 is put into the third state S3 for each of the operating conditions Cd and each of the types of the elements.

[0130] A countermeasure to recover the current efficiency CE of the electrolyzer 90 is set as the first countermeasure Cm1. For example, when the current efficiency CE is less than a predetermined value, the first countermeasure Cm1 is a countermeasure based on a factor by which the current efficiency CE is less than the predetermined value, that is a countermeasure to recover the current efficiency CE to be the predetermined value or more by eliminating the factor. For example, when the factor by which the current efficiency CE is less than the predetermined value is an adhesion of a predetermined impurity onto the ion exchange membrane 84, the first countermeasure Cm1 is to remove the impurity from the ion exchange membrane 84.

[0131] A countermeasure to recover the voltage CV of the electrolyzer 90 is set as a second countermeasure Cm2. For example, when the voltage CV is above a predetermined value, the second countermeasure Cm2 is a countermeasure based on a factor by which the voltage CV is above the predetermined value, that is a countermeasure to recover the current efficiency CE to be the predetermined value or less by eliminating the factor. For example, when an NaCl (sodium chloride) aqueous solution is inputted into the anode chamber 79 and when a factor by which the voltage CV is above a predetermined value is that the NaCl (sodium chloride) concentration of the aqueous solution is out of a predetermined range, the second countermeasure Cm2 is a countermeasure for the NaCl (sodium chloride) concentration to return to a predetermined range.

[0132] A countermeasure to recover the Cl^- (chloride ion) concentration of the liquid 75 is set as a third countermeasure Cm3. When a Cl^- (chloride ion) concentration of the liquid 75 is above a predetermined concentration, the third countermeasure Cm3 is a countermeasure based on a factor by which the Cl^- (chloride ion) concentration is above the predetermined concentration, that is a countermeasure to recover the Cl^- (chloride ion) concentration of the liquid 75 to be the predetermined value or less by eliminating the factor. The recovery of the Cl^- (chloride ion) concentration to be the predetermined value or less may refer to a fall of the Cl^- (chloride ion) concentration to be the predetermined value or less.

[0133] The storage unit 25 may store at least one of the first countermeasure Cm1, the second countermeasure Cm2, or the third countermeasure Cm3. When the first countermeasure Cm1 is implemented, the state prediction unit 26 may predict the state of the object 110 in a case where the first countermeasure Cm1 is implemented. The state prediction unit 26 may predict the state of the object 110 in a case where the first countermeasure Cm1 is implemented for each of the operating conditions Cd. The second transmission unit 27 may transmit, to the information terminal 30, the state of the object 110 which is predicted by the state prediction unit 26, that is the state of the object 110 in a case where the first countermeasure Cm1 is implemented. With this configuration, the user of the electrolyzer 90 can predict the state of the object 110 in a case where the first countermeasure Cm1 is implemented on the electrolyzer 90.
Note that the second transmission unit 27 may transmit the state of the object 110 in a case where the first countermeasure Cm1 is implemented to the terminal 10.

[0134] Similarly, when the second countermeasure Cm2 is implemented, the state prediction unit 26 may predict the state of the object 110 in a case where the second countermeasure Cm2 is implemented. The state prediction unit 26 may predict the state of the object 110 in a case where the second countermeasure Cm2 is implemented for each of the operating conditions Cd. The second transmission unit 27 may transmit, to the information terminal 30, the state of the object 110 which is predicted by the state prediction unit 26, that is the state of the object 110 in a case where the second countermeasure Cm2 is implemented. Note that the second transmission unit 27 may transmit the state of the object 110 in a case where the second countermeasure Cm2 is implemented to the terminal 10.

[0135] Similarly, when the third countermeasure Cm3 is implemented, the state prediction unit 26 may predict the state of the object 110 in a case where the third countermeasure Cm3 is implemented. The state prediction unit 26 may predict the state of the object 110 in a case where the third countermeasure Cm3 is implemented for each of the operating conditions Cd. The second transmission unit 27 may transmit, to the information terminal 30, the state of the object 110 which is predicted by the state prediction unit 26, that is the state of the object 110 in a case where the third countermeasure Cm3 is implemented. Note that the second transmission unit 27 may transmit the state of the object 110 in a case where the third countermeasure Cm3 is implemented to the terminal 10.

[0136] Fig. 14 is a diagram of the ion exchange membrane 84 and the input tube 92 in Fig. 2 which are viewed in a direction from the anode 80 to the cathode 82. In the present specifications, the direction from the anode 80 to the cathode 82 is referred to as a side view. In the present example, the ion exchange membrane 84 contains impurity 89. The impurity 89 may be contained in the liquid 70.

[0137] The input tube 92 through which the liquid 70 passes is connected to the electrolyzer 90. In the side view of the single electrolytic cell 91 (see Fig. 1), the input tube 92 is arranged below the ion exchange membrane 84. An opening 60 through which the liquid 70 passes is provided to the electrolyzer 90. A top end of the input tube 92 is connected to the opening 60. In Fig. 14, a position of the opening 60 in the side view is represented by a bolded line, and positions of both ends of the opening 60 in the side view are represented by dashed lines.

[0138] The input tube 92 contains an element which forms the input tube 92. The element is set as an element E. The element E may be inputted to the anode chamber 79 (see Fig. 2) by the liquid 70. When the input tube 92 is degraded over age, the element E is likely to be inputted into the anode chamber 79. The element E inputted into the anode chamber 79 may be accumulated in the object 110.

[0139] The state analysis unit 24 (see Fig. 4, Fig. 10, and Fig. 11) may analyze at least one of the amount or the type of the element E contained in the object 110. A state in which the object 110 contains a predetermined amount or more of the element E is set as a fourth state S4 of the object 110.

[0140] When the state analysis unit 24 analyzes that the object 110 is in the fourth state S4, the second transmission unit 27 (see Fig. 10 and Fig. 11) may transmit, to the element acquisition unit 12 (see Fig. 4, Fig. 10, and Fig. 11), an instruction to acquire the element E. The second transmission unit 27 may transmit an instruction relates to an examination of the input tube 92 to the information terminal 30. The instruction related to the examination of the input tube 92 may be displayed on the display unit 32 of the information terminal 30. With this configuration, the user of the electrolyzer 90 can start the examination of the input tube 92.

[0141] In the present example, it is assumed that the impurity 89 is the element E or a compound of the element E. The element acquisition unit 12 (see Fig. 4, Fig. 10, and Fig. 11) may acquire an amount of the element E for each of positions of the element E in the object 110. A position of the element E refers to a position of the impurity 89 in the side view of the ion exchange membrane 84 in the side view of the single electrolytic cell 91 (see Fig. 1). The element acquisition unit 12 may acquire the amount of the element E for each of predetermined positions in the object 110, or may acquire position information of the element E in the object 110 and the amount of the element E corresponding to the position information. The element acquisition unit 12 may acquire the amount of the element E for each of the positions of the element E in the object 110 and each of the types of the elements E.

[0142] The first transmission unit 14 (see Fig. 4, Fig. 10, and Fig. 11) may transmit the amount of the element E for each of the positions of the element E. The reception unit 22 (see Fig. 4, Fig. 10, and Fig. 11) may receive the amount of the element E for each of the positions of the element E. The state analysis unit 24 may analyze the state of the object 110 based on the amount of the element E for each of the positions of the element E. The position of the impurity 89 may depend on the type of the element E. Thus, since the state of the object 110 is analyzed based on the position of the element E, the element E bringing about the state of the object 110 is more likely to be identified. The second transmission unit 27 (see Fig. 10 and Fig. 11) may transmit, to the information terminal 30, the analysis result Ra based on the position of the element E and the amount of the element E. The second transmission unit 27 may transmit the analysis result Ra to the terminal 10.

[0143] The first transmission unit 14 (see Fig. 4, Fig. 10, and Fig. 11) may transmit the amount of the element E for each of the positions of the element E and each of the types of the elements E. The reception unit 22 (see Fig. 4, Fig. 10, and Fig. 11) may receive the amount of the element E for each of the positions of the element E and each of the types of the elements E. The state analysis unit 24 may analyze the state of the object 110 based on the amount of the element E for each of the positions of the element E and each of the types of the elements E. The second transmission unit 27 (see Fig. 10 and Fig. 11) may transmit, to the information terminal 30, the analysis result Ra based on the position of the element E, the type of the element E, and the amount of the element E. The second transmission unit 27 may transmit the analysis result Ra to the terminal 10.

[0144] The state analysis unit 24 may analyze the state of the object 110 based on the position of the opening 60 and the position of the element E in the object 110. The position of the opening 60 and the position of the element E may be positions in the side view of the single electrolytic cell 91 (see Fig. 1). A phrase "being based on the position of the opening 60 and the position of the element E" may refer to being based on a relative positional relationship between the position of the opening 60 and the position of the element E. The relative positional relationship between the position of the opening 60 and the position of the element E is, for example, a distance between the position of the opening 60 and the position of the element E.

[0145] The state of the object 110 may depend on the position of the opening 60 and the position of the element E. Thus, since the state of the object 110 is analyzed based on the position of the opening 60 and the position of the element E, the element E bringing about the state of the object 110 is more likely to be identified. The second transmission unit 27 may transmit the analysis result Ra based on the position of the opening 60 and the position of the element E to the information terminal 30.

[0146] Fig. 15 illustrates another example of the block diagram of the server 20 in the analysis system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is noted however that in Fig. 15, the terminal 10, the information terminal 30, and the electrolyzer 90 are omitted. The server 20 of the present example is different from the server 20 illustrated in Fig. 10 and Fig. 11 in that a first state learning unit 120 and a second state learning unit 130 are further provided.

[0147] The first state learning unit 120 generates a first state inference model 122 (described below) through machine learning on a relationship between the current efficiency CE and the amount of the element which is acquired by the element acquisition unit 12 (see Fig. 10 and Fig. 11). The second state learning unit 130 generates a second state inference model 132 (described below) through machine learning on a relationship between the voltage CV and the amount of the element which is acquired by the element acquisition unit 12.

[0148] Fig. 16 illustrates an example of the first state inference model 122. When a current efficiency CE and an amount of an element are inputted, the first state inference model 122 outputs a first inferred state with respect to the current efficiency CE and the amount of the element. The first inferred state is set as a first inferred state Se1.

[0149] Fig. 17 illustrates an example of the second state inference model 132. When a voltage CV and an amount of an element are inputted, the second state inference model 132 outputs a second inferred state with respect to the voltage CV and the amount of the element. The second inferred state is set as a second inferred state Se2.

[0150] The first inferred state Se1 and the second inferred state Se2 may be the analysis result Ra by the state analysis unit 24. The first state inference model 122 and the second state inference model 132 may be stored in the storage unit 25. The state analysis unit 24 may analyze the state of the object 110 based on at least one of the first state inference model 122 or the second state inference model 132 stored in the storage unit 25.

[0151] Fig. 18 is a flowchart including an example of an analysis method according to an embodiment of the present invention. The analysis method according to an embodiment of the present invention is an example of an analysis method of the object 110 (see Fig. 4) in the analysis system 100 (see Fig. 4, Fig. 10, Fig. 11, and Fig. 13). The analysis method of the present example includes an element acquisition step S100, a reception step S104, and a state analysis step S109.

[0152] The element acquisition step S100 is a step for the element acquisition unit 12 to acquire an amount of an element contained in the object 110 in the electrolyzer 90. The analysis method of the present example includes a first transmission step S102. The first transmission step S102 is a step for the first transmission unit 14 to transmit the amount of the element which is acquired in the element acquisition step S100. The reception step S104 is a step for the reception unit 22 to receive the amount of the element which is acquired in the element acquisition step S100. In the present example, the reception step S104 is a step for the reception unit 22 to receive the amount of the element which is transmitted in the first transmission step S102.

[0153] The analysis method of the present example includes a determination step S106. The determination step S106 may be a step for the state analysis unit 24 to determine whether the object 110 is the ion exchange membrane 84, or at least one of the anode 80 or the cathode 82. In the determination step S106, the state analysis unit 24 may determine whether the object 110 is the ion exchange membrane 84, or at least one of the anode 80 or the cathode 82 based on the type of the element which is acquired in the element acquisition step S100.

[0154] The analysis method of the present example includes a storage step S108 and a storage step S114. When it is determined in the determination step S106 that the object 110 is the ion exchange membrane 84, the storage step S108 may be a step for the storage unit 25 to store the amount of the element which is acquired in the element acquisition step S100. When it is determined in the determination step S106 that the object 110 is at least one of the anode 80 or the cathode 82, the storage step S114 may be a step for the storage unit 25 to store the amount of the element which is acquired in the element acquisition step S100.

[0155] The state analysis step S109 is a step for the state analysis unit 24 to analyze the state of the object 110 based on the amount of the element which is received in the reception step S104. In Fig. 18, a range of the state analysis step S109 is surrounded by a dashed line.

[0156] When the object 110 is the ion exchange membrane 84, the state analysis step S109 of the present example has an intensity acquisition step S110, a determination step S112, determination steps S200 to S212, and a comparison step S300. The intensity acquisition step S110 is a step for the reception unit 22 to acquire an intensity of the X-rays 114 (see Fig. 4) which is measured by the element acquisition unit 12.

[0157] A threshold of the intensity of the X-rays 114 is set as a threshold intensity Stp. The threshold intensity Stp may be previously set for each of the types of the elements. The determination step S112 is a step for the state analysis unit 24 to determine whether the intensity of the X-rays 114 which is acquired in the intensity acquisition step S110 is the threshold intensity Stp or more. When it is determined in the determination step S112 that the intensity of the X-rays 114 is the threshold intensity Stp or more, the analysis method proceeds to step S200. When it is determined in the determination step S112 that the intensity of the X-rays 114 is less than the threshold intensity Stp, the analysis method proceeds to step S300.

[0158] In the state analysis step S109, the state analysis unit 24 may analyze the state of the object 110 (in the present example, the ion exchange membrane 84) based on the predetermined first relationship R1 between the current efficiency CE of the electrolyzer 90 and the amount of the element, or may analyze the state of the object 110 (in the present example, the ion exchange membrane 84) based on the predetermined second relationship R21 between the voltage CV of the electrolyzer 90 and the amount of the element. In the present example, in the determination steps S200 to S212, the state analysis unit 24 analyzes the state of the object 110 (in the present example, the ion exchange membrane 84) by determining whether the intensity of the X-rays 114 is the threshold intensity Stp or more for each of predetermined elements. In the present example, the predetermined elements are Ni (nickel), Ca (calcium), Sr (strontium), Ba (barium), I (iodine), Fe (iron), and Zr (zirconium).

[0159] When the object 110 is at least one of the anode 80 or the cathode 82, the state analysis step S109 of the present example has an intensity acquisition step S116. The intensity acquisition step S116 is a step for the reception unit 22 to acquire the intensity of the X-rays 114 (see Fig. 4) which is measured by the element acquisition unit 12.

[0160] In the state analysis step S109, the state analysis unit 24 may analyze the state of the object 110 (in the present example, at least one of the anode 80 or the cathode 82) based on the predetermined second relationship R22 between the voltage CV of the electrolyzer 90 and the amount of the element. In the present example, the state analysis unit 24 analyzes the state of the object 110 (in the present example, at least one of the anode 80 or the cathode 82) based on the intensity of the X-rays 114 (see Fig. 4) which is acquired in the intensity acquisition step S116.

[0161] In the state analysis step S109, the state analysis unit 24 may analyze the state of the object 110 (in the present example, the ion exchange membrane 84) based on the predetermined third relationship R3 between the Cl^- (chloride ion) concentration in the aqueous solution of the alkali metal hydroxide and the amount of the element. In the present example, in the determination steps S200 to S212, the state analysis unit 24 analyzes the state of the object 110 (in the present example, the ion exchange membrane 84) by determining whether the intensity of the X-rays 114 is the threshold intensity Stp or more for each of the predetermined elements.

[0162] The analysis method of the present example further includes a proposal step S220. The proposal step S220 is a step of proposing an examination item, a countermeasure, or the like to the user of the electrolyzer 90 with regard to the element in which the intensity of the X-rays 114 is the threshold intensity Stp or more. The countermeasure may be at least one of the first countermeasure Cm1, the second countermeasure Cm2, or the third countermeasure Cm3 described above.

[0163] The comparison step S300 is a step for the state analysis unit 24 to compare the analysis result Ra of one of the objects 110 with the analysis result Ra of another of the objects 110. The one of the objects 110 may be the object 110 set as an analysis target. The another of the objects 110 may be the object 110 related to a past analysis result Ra. With this configuration, the user of one of the electrolyzers 90 can recognize the analysis result Ra of the state of the object 110 of one of the electrolyzers 90 which has been compared with the analysis result Ra of the object 110 in another of the electrolyzers 90.

[0164] The analysis method of the present example further includes a state prediction step S302, a second transmission step S304, and a display step S306. The state prediction step S302 is a step for the state prediction unit 26 to predict a time when the object 110 (in the present example, the ion exchange membrane 84) is put into the first state S1 based on the change over time of the amount of the element and the first relationship R1, or to predict a time when the object 110 (in the present example, the ion exchange membrane 84) is put into the second state S2 based on a change over time of the amount of the element and the second relationship R21. The state prediction step S302 is a step for the state prediction unit 26 to predict a time when the object 110 (in the present example, at least one of the anode 80 or the cathode 82) is put into the second state S2 based on a change over time of the amount of the element and the second relationship R22. The state prediction step S302 is a step for the state prediction unit 26 to predict a time when the object 110 (in the present example, the ion exchange membrane 84) is put into the third state S3 based on a change over time of the amount of the element and the third relationship R3.

[0165] The second transmission step S304 is a step for the second transmission unit 27 to transmit the analysis result Ra in the state analysis step S109 to the information terminal 30. The second transmission step S304 may be a step for the second transmission unit 27 to transmit, to the information terminal 30, the time when the object 110 is put into the first state S1 or the time when the object 110 is put into the second state S2 which is predicted in the state prediction step S302.

[0166] A display step S306 is a step for the display unit 32 in the information terminal 30 to display the analysis result Ra. With this configuration, the user of the electrolyzer 90 can recognize the analysis result Ra. The display step S306 may be a step for the display unit 32 in the information terminal 30 to display the time when the object 110 is put into the first state S1 or the time when the object 110 is put into the second state S2. With this configuration, the user of the electrolyzer 90 can recognize the time when the first state S1 is established or the time when the second state S2 is established.

[0167] Various embodiments of the present invention may be described with reference to a flowchart and a block diagram. According to the various embodiments of the present invention, a block may represent (1) a step of a process where operations are executed or (2) a section of an apparatus having a role for executing operations.

[0168] A specific step may be executed by a dedicated circuit, a programmable circuit, or a processor. A specific section may be implemented by a dedicated circuit, a programmable circuit, or a processor. The programmable circuit and the processor may be supplied together with a computer readable instruction. The computer readable instruction may be stored on a computer readable medium.

[0169] The dedicated circuit may include at least one of a digital hardware circuit and an analog hardware circuit. The dedicated circuit may include at least one of an integrated circuit (IC) and a discrete circuit. The programmable circuit may a hardware circuit including include logical AND, logical OR, logical XOR, logical NAND, logical NOR, and other logical operations. The programmable circuit may include a reconfigurable hardware circuit including a flip-flop, a register, a memory element such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA) and a programmable logic array (PLA), and the like.

[0170] A computer readable medium may include any tangible device that can store instructions to be executed by a suitable device. Since the computer readable medium includes the tangible device, the computer readable medium having the instruction stored on the device constitutes a product including an instruction that may be executed in order to provide means to execute an operation specified by a flowchart or a block diagram.

[0171] The computer readable medium may be, for example, an electronic storage medium, a magnetic storage medium, an optical storage medium, an electromagnetic storage medium, a semiconductor storage medium, or the like. More specifically, for example, the computer readable medium may be a floppy disk, a diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), a static random access memory (SRAM), a compact disk read only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a Blu-ray (registered trademark) disk, a memory stick, an integrated circuit card, or the like.

[0172] The computer readable instruction may include any of an assembler instruction, an instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instruction, a machine instruction, a machine dependent instruction, a microcode, a firmware instruction, state-setting data, a source code, and an object code. The source code and the object code may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages including an object oriented programming language and a procedural programming language in related art. The object oriented programming language may be, for example, Smalltalk (registered trademark), JAVA (registered trademark), C++, or the like. The procedural programming language may be, for example, a "C" programming language.

[0173] The computer readable instruction may be provided to a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, or a processor or a programmable circuit of another programmable data processing apparatus locally or via a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet. The general purpose computer, the special purpose computer, or the processor or the programmable circuit of the other programmable data processing apparatus may perform the computer readable instruction in order to provide means which performs operations specified by the flowchart illustrated in Fig. 18 or the block diagrams illustrated in Fig. 4, Fig. 10, Fig. 11, Fig. 13, and Fig. 15. The processor may be, for example, a computer processor, a processing unit, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor, a controller, a microcontroller, or the like.

[0174] Fig. 19 illustrates an example of a computer 2200 in which the analysis system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be entirely or partially embodied. The program installed in the computer 2200 can cause the computer 2200 to function as or execute operations associated with the analysis system 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention or one or more sections of the analysis system 100, or can cause the computer 2200 to execute each of steps according to the analysis method of the present invention or thereof (see Fig. 18). The program may be executed by a CPU 2212 so as to cause the computer 2200 to execute certain operations associated with some or all of the flowcharts (Fig. 18) and the blocks in the block diagrams (Fig. 4, Fig. 10, Fig. 11, Fig. 13, and Fig. 15) described herein.

[0175] The computer 2200 according to the present embodiment includes a CPU 2212, a RAM 2214, a graphics controller 2216, and a display device 2218. The CPU 2212, the RAM 2214, the graphics controller 2216, and the display device 2218 are mutually connected by a host controller 2210. The computer 2200 further includes input/output units such as a communication interface 2222, a hard disk drive 2224, a DVD-ROM drive 2226, and an IC card drive. The communication interface 2222, the hard disk drive 2224, the DVD-ROM drive 2226, and the IC card drive, and the like are connected to the host controller 2210 via an input/output controller 2220. The computer further includes legacy input/output units such as a ROM 2230 and a keyboard 2242. The ROM 2230, the keyboard 2242, and the like are connected to the input/output controller 2220 through an input/output chip 2240.

[0176] The CPU 2212 operates according to programs stored in the ROM 2230 and the RAM 2214, thereby controlling each unit. The graphics controller 2216 obtains image data generated by the CPU 2212 on a frame buffer or the like provided in the RAM 2214 or in the RAM 2214 itself to cause the image data to be displayed on the display device 2218.

[0177] The communication interface 2222 communicates with other electronic devices via a network. The hard disk drive 2224 stores programs and data used by the CPU 2212 in the computer 2200. The DVD-ROM drive 2226 reads the programs or the data from the DVD-ROM 2201, and provides the read programs or data to the hard disk drive 2224 via the RAM 2214. The IC card drive reads programs and data from an IC card, or writes programs and data to the IC card.

[0178] The ROM 2230 stores a boot program or the like executed by the computer 2200 at the time of activation, or a program depending on the hardware of the computer 2200. The input/output chip 2240 may connect various input/output units via a parallel port, a serial port, a keyboard port, a mouse port, or the like to the input/output controller 2220.

[0179] The program is provided by a computer readable medium such as the DVD-ROM 2201 or the IC card. The program is read from a computer readable medium, installed in the hard disk drive 2224, the RAM 2214, or the ROM 2230 which are also examples of the computer readable medium, and executed by the CPU 2212. The information processing described in these programs is read by the computer 2200 and provides cooperation between the programs and the above described various types of hardware resources. An apparatus or method may be constituted by realizing the operation or processing of information in accordance with the usage of the computer 2200.

[0180] For example, when a communication is performed between the computer 2200 and an external device, the CPU 2212 may execute a communication program loaded onto the RAM 2214 to instruct communication processing to the communication interface 2222, on the basis of the processing described in the communication program. The communication interface 2222, under control of the CPU 2212, reads transmission data stored on a transmission buffering region provided in a recording medium such as the RAM 2214, the hard disk drive 2224, the DVD-ROM 2201, or the IC card, and transmits the read transmission data to a network or writes reception data received from a network to a reception buffering region or the like provided on the recording medium.

[0181] The CPU 2212 may cause all or a necessary portion of a file or a database to be read into the RAM 2214, the file or the database having been stored in an external recording medium such as the hard disk drive 2224, the DVD-ROM drive 2226 (DVD-ROM 2201), the IC card, or the like. The CPU 2212 may perform various types of processing on the data on the RAM 2214. The CPU 2212 may then write back the processed data to the external recording medium.

[0182] Various types of information, such as various types of programs, data, tables, and databases, may be stored in the recording medium to undergo information processing. The CPU 2212 may perform various types of processing on the data read from the RAM 2214, which includes various types of operations, processing of information, condition judging, conditional branch, unconditional branch, search or replace of information, or the like, as described throughout the present disclosure and designated by an instruction sequence of programs. The CPU 2212 may write the result back to the RAM 2214.

[0183] The CPU 2212 may search for information in a file, a database, or the like in the recording medium. For example, when a plurality of entries, each having an attribute value of a first attribute associated with an attribute value of a second attribute, are stored in the recording medium, the CPU 2212 may search for an entry matching the condition whose attribute value of the first attribute is designated, from among the plurality of entries, read the attribute value of the second attribute stored in the entry, and read a second attribute value to obtain the attribute value of the second attribute associated with the first attribute satisfying the predetermined condition.

[0184] The above explained program or software modules may be stored in the computer readable media on the computer 2200 or of the computer 2200. A recording medium such as a hard disk or a RAM provided in a server system connected to a dedicated communication network or the Internet can be used as the computer readable media. The program may be provided to the computer 2200 by the recording medium.

[0185] While the present invention has been described by way of the embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above described embodiments. It is apparent to persons skilled in the art that various alterations or improvements can be made to the above described embodiments. It is also apparent from the description of the claims that embodiments added with such alterations or improvements can be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0186] The operations, procedures, steps, and stages of each process performed by an apparatus, system, program, and method illustrated in the claims, embodiments, or diagrams can be performed in any order as long as the order is not indicated by "prior to," "before," or the like and as long as the outputted from a previous process is not used in a later process. Even if the operation flow is described by using phrases such as "first" or "next" in the scope of the claims, specification, or drawings, it does not necessarily mean that the process must be performed in this order.

EXPLANATION OF REFERENCES

[0187] 10: terminal; 12: element acquisition unit; 14: first transmission unit; 20: server; 22: reception unit; 23: operating condition acquisition unit; 24: state analysis unit; 25: storage unit; 26: state prediction unit; 27: second transmission unit; 30: information terminal; 32: display unit; 60: opening; 70: liquid; 71: cation; 72: liquid; 73: liquid; 74: liquid; 75: liquid; 76: liquid; 77: gas; 78: gas; 79: anode chamber; 80: anode; 82: cathode; 84: ion exchange membrane; 86: anion group; 89: impurity; 90: electrolyzer; 91: electrolytic cell; 92: input tube; 93: input tube; 94: output tube; 95: output tube; 98: cathode chamber; 100: analysis system; 112: X-rays; 114: X-rays; 120: first state learning unit; 122: first state inference model; 130: second state learning unit; 132: second state inference model; 200: electrolytic apparatus; 2200: computer; 2201: DVD-ROM; 2210: host controller; 2212: CPU; 2214: RAM; 2216: graphics controller; 2218: display device; 2220: input/output controller; 2222: communication interface; 2224: hard disk drive; 2226: DVD-ROM drive; 2230: ROM; 2240: input/output chip; 2242: keyboard.

Claims

1. An analysis system comprising:

a terminal having an element acquisition unit which acquires an amount of an element contained in an object in an electrolyzer; and

a server having a reception unit which receives the amount of the element which is acquired by the element acquisition unit, and a state analysis unit which analyzes a state of the object based on the amount of the element which is received by the reception unit.

2. The analysis system according to claim 1, wherein

the electrolyzer has an ion exchange membrane, and an anode chamber and a cathode chamber which are separated by the ion exchange membrane,

an aqueous solution of an alkali metal chloride or an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide is inputted into the anode chamber, and an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide is outputted from the cathode chamber, and

the state analysis unit analyzes the state of the object based on a predetermined first relationship between a current efficiency of the electrolyzer and the amount of the element, analyzes the state of the object based on a predetermined second relationship between a voltage of the electrolyzer and the amount of the element, or analyzes the state of the object based on a predetermined third relationship between a chloride ion concentration in the aqueous solution of the alkali metal hydroxide and the amount of the element.

3. The analysis system according to claim 2, wherein

the electrolyzer includes a plurality of electrolyzers, and the plurality of electrolyzers are arranged in mutually different locations,

the terminal includes a plurality of terminals, the object includes a plurality of objects, and the element acquisition unit in each of the plurality of terminals respectively acquires the amount of the element contained in each of the plurality of objects,

the reception unit receives the amount of the element which is acquired by the element acquisition unit in each of the plurality of terminals, and

the state analysis unit analyzes a state of one of the objects based on the amount of the element which is acquired by the element acquisition unit in each of the plurality of terminals and received by the reception unit.

4. The analysis system according to claim 3, wherein the server further has a state prediction unit which predicts a time when the object is put into a predetermined first state based on a change over time of the amount of the element and the first relationship, predicts a time when the object is put into a predetermined second state based on a change over time of the amount of the element and the second relationship, or predicts a time when the object is put into a predetermined third state based on the amount of the element and the third relationship.

5. The analysis system according to claim 4, wherein the state prediction unit predicts, based on a change over time of the amount of the element in one of the electrolyzers and the first relationship, a time when the object in one of the electrolyzers or another of the electrolyzers is put into the first state, predicts, based on a change over time of the amount of the element in one of the electrolyzers and the second relationship, a time when the object in one of the electrolyzers or another of the electrolyzers is put into the second state, or predicts, based on a change over time of the amount of the element in one of the electrolyzers and the third relationship, a time when the object in one of the electrolyzers or another of the electrolyzers is put into the third state.

6. The analysis system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein

the element acquisition unit further acquires a type of the element,

the reception unit further receives the type of the element, and

the type of the element includes types of elements, and the state prediction unit predicts a time when the object is put into the first state for each of the types of the elements, predicts a time when the object is put into the second state for each of the types of the elements, or predicts a time when the object is put into the third state for each of the types of the elements.

7. The analysis system according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein

the server further has an operating condition acquisition unit which acquires respective operating conditions in the plurality of electrolyzers, and

the state prediction unit predicts a time when the object is put into the first state for each of the operating conditions, predicts a time when the object is put into the second state for each of the operating conditions, or predicts a time when the object is put into the third state for each of the operating conditions.

8. The analysis system according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein
the state prediction unit predicts the state of the object when a first countermeasure according to the state of the object that is a first countermeasure to recover the current efficiency of the electrolyzer is implemented, predicts the state of the object when a second countermeasure according to the state of the object that is a second countermeasure to recover the voltage of the electrolyzer is implemented, or predicts the state of the object when a third countermeasure according to the state of the object that is a third countermeasure to recover the chloride ion concentration in the aqueous solution of the alkali metal hydroxide is implemented.

9. The analysis system according to any one of claims 4 to 8, wherein
when the state analysis unit analyzes that the state of one of the objects in one of the electrolyzers is at least one of the first state or the second state, the element acquisition unit acquires the amount of the element contained in another of the objects in one of the electrolyzers.

10. The analysis system according to any one of claims 3 to 9, further comprising:
an information terminal which is arranged in each of the locations and has a first transmission unit which transmits the amount of the element which is acquired by the element acquisition unit.

11. The analysis system according to claim 10, wherein

the server further has a second transmission unit which transmits an analysis result obtained through analyzing by the state analysis unit to the information terminal, and

the element acquisition unit acquires the amount of the element based on the analysis result transmitted by the second transmission unit.

12. The analysis system according to claim 11, wherein

an input tube through which liquid to be inputted into the electrolyzer passes is connected to the electrolyzer, and

when the state analysis unit analyzes that the object is in a fourth state in which the object contains a predetermined amount or more of an element contained in the input tube, the second transmission unit transmits an instruction to the element acquisition unit to acquire the element contained in the input tube.

13. The analysis system according to any one of claims 2 to 12, wherein
the server further has at least one of a first state learning unit which generates a first state inference model which outputs a first inferred state of the object based on the current efficiency and the amount of the element through machine learning on a relationship between the current efficiency and the amount of the element, or a second state learning unit which generates a second state inference model which outputs a second inferred state of the object based on the voltage and the amount of the element through machine learning on a relationship between the voltage and the amount of the element.

14. The analysis system according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein

the element acquisition unit acquires the amount of the element for each of positions of the element in the object,

the reception unit receives the amount of the element for each of the positions of the element, and

the state analysis unit analyzes the state of the object based on the amount of the element for each of the positions of the element.

15. The analysis system according to claim 14, wherein

an opening through which liquid to be inputted into the electrolyzer passes is provided to the electrolyzer, and

the state analysis unit analyzes the state of the object based on a position of the opening and a position of the element in the object.

16. An analysis method comprising:

acquiring, by an element acquisition unit, an element by acquiring an amount of an element contained in an object in an electrolyzer;

receiving, by a reception unit, the amount of the element acquired in the acquiring the element; and

analyzing, by a state analysis unit, a state of the object based on the amount of the element which is received in the receiving.

17. The analysis method according to claim 16, wherein

the electrolyzer has an ion exchange membrane, and an anode chamber and a cathode chamber which are separated by the ion exchange membrane,

an aqueous solution of an alkali metal chloride or an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide is inputted into the anode chamber, and an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide is outputted from the cathode chamber, and

the analyzing, by the state analysis unit, is analyzing the state of the object based on a predetermined first relationship between a current efficiency of the electrolyzer and the amount of the element, analyzing the state of the object based on a predetermined second relationship between a voltage of the electrolyzer and the amount of the element, or analyzing the state of the object based on a predetermined third relationship between a chloride ion concentration in the aqueous solution of the alkali metal hydroxide and the amount of the element.

18. The analysis method according to claim 17, further comprising:
predicting, by a state prediction unit, a state by predicting a time when the object is put into a predetermined first state based on a change over time of the amount of the element and the first relationship, predicting a time when the object is put into a predetermined second state based on a change over time of the amount of the element and the second relationship, or predicting a time when the object is put into a predetermined third state based on a change over time of the amount of the element and the third relationship.

19. An analysis program for causing a computer to function as the analysis system according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

Drawing