SELF-CONTAINED PORTABLE DEVICE FOR FILLING CYLINDERS WITH HIGH-PRESSURE HYDROGEN

Abstract

The invention relates to power engineering equipment, in particular, to an self-contained portable device for filling cylinders with high-pressure hydrogen at preliminary high-pressure hydrogen production from hydrolysis. The technical result of the invention is providing with high-purity high-pressure hydrogen charging in any place, where there is an access to water, with complete elimination of power costs, reducing reactor weight, high performance reliability and easy servicing of the device. The self-contained portable device for charging cylinders with high-pressure hydrogen comprising a reaction chamber containing a solid reagent cartridge and reaction liquid pipe configured to supply liquid reagent to the lower part of the reaction chamber, a refrigerant dryer comprising installed in series a hydrogen cooler, filter-separator and hydrogen dryer, liquid reagent pipeline connected with the reaction liquid pipe, high-pressure hand pump connected with the liquid reagent pipeline to the reaction chamber and configured to feed liquid reagent in portions to the reaction chamber, gaseous hydrogen pipeline connecting the reaction chamber and refrigerant dryer, treated gaseous hydrogen pipeline configured to supply high-pressure hydrogen from the refrigerant dryer to a cylinder, wherein the gaseous hydrogen pipeline, treated gaseous hydrogen pipeline and liquid reagent pipeline are equipped with quick-release couplings, and the reaction chamber is placed in the reaction chamber cooling tank.

Claims

1. The self-contained portable device for filling cylinders with high-pressure hydrogen comprising a reaction chamber containing a solid reagent cartridge and reaction liquid pipe configured to supply liquid reagent to the lower part of the reaction chamber, a refrigerant dryer comprising installed in series a hydrogen cooler, filter-separator and hydrogen dryer, liquid reagent pipeline connected with the reaction liquid pipe, high-pressure hand pump connected with the liquid reagent pipeline to the reaction chamber and configured to feed liquid reagent in portions to the reaction chamber, gaseous hydrogen pipeline connecting the reaction chamber and refrigerant dryer, treated gaseous hydrogen pipeline configured to supply high-pressure hydrogen from the refrigerant dryer to a cylinder, wherein the gaseous hydrogen pipeline, treated gaseous hydrogen pipeline and liquid reagent pipeline are equipped with quick-release couplings, and the reaction chamber is placed in the reaction chamber cooling tank.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0027] The invention will be more clear from non-limiting description with references to the attached drawings illustrating as follows:

[0028] FIG. 1—Schematic diagram of the device.

[0029] 1—reaction chamber; 2—solid reagent cartridge; 3—low-pressure tank; 4—high-pressure hand pump; 5—filter-separator; 6—hydrogen cooler; 7—hydrogen dryer, 8—hydrogen cylinder; 9—pressure gage; 10—safety valve; 11—reaction chamber cooling tank; 12—ball valve; 13—check valve; 14—cylinder cutoff valve; 15—thermometer; 16—reaction liquid pipe.

Conventions:

[0030] —Liquid flow direction

[0031] —Gas flow direction

[0032] —Flexible pipeline

[0033] —Coupling nut joint

[0034] —Quick-release couplings

[0035] —Male couplings

[0036] —Female couplings

Embodiment of the Invention

[0037] The self-contained portable device for charging cylinders high-pressure hydrogen comprises a reaction chamber (1), reaction liquid pipe (16), hydrogen cooler (6) and hydrogen dryer (7) with filter-separator (5), hand pump (4), liquid reagent pipeline, gaseous hydrogen pipeline and treated gaseous hydrogen pipeline.

[0038] The reaction chamber (1) contains solid reagent cartridge (2), and the reaction liquid pipe (16) itself is equipped with a pressure gage (9) and thermometer (15) and is located in the reaction chamber cooling tank (11). The reaction liquid pipe (16) supplies liquid reagent to the lower part of the reaction chamber (1). One end of the liquid reagent pipeline is connected with the reaction liquid pipe (16), and the other end—with the high-pressure hand pump (4) which feeds liquid reagent in portions to the reaction chamber (1), wherein, the liquid reagent pipeline are equipped with quick-release couplings and the check valve (13). High-pressure hand pump (4) is connected with the low-pressure tank (3) by means of the liquid reagent pipeline. The gaseous hydrogen pipeline connects the reaction chamber (1), the cooler (6) and the hydrogen dryer (7). The gaseous hydrogen pipeline could be located either in the reaction chamber pressure cap, or outside the cap and be connected with the reaction chamber (1), cooler (6) and dryer (7) by quick-release couplings. The treated gaseous hydrogen pipeline supplies high-pressure hydrogen from the cooler (6) and the dryer (7) to the cylinder (8), wherein, the treated gaseous hydrogen pipeline is equipped with quick-release couplings, check valve (13), pressure gage (9), thermometer (15) and cylinder cutoff valve (14).

[0039] Solid reagent could be selected from the group: NaBH.sub.4, LiBH.sub.4, KBH.sub.4, Mg(BH.sub.4).sub.2, Ca(BH.sub.4).sub.2, NH.sub.4BH.sub.4, (CH.sub.3).sub.4, NaAlH.sub.4, LiAlH.sub.4, KAlH.sub.4, NaGaH.sub.4, LiGaH.sub.4 and KGaH.sub.4, MgH.sub.2, aluminum or its alloys with the following metals: Fe, Bi, Sn, Ga, In. Solid reagent is in the form of a powder or a tablet of compressed substance disclosed above with possible addition of 5-20% catalyst (hydrogen release rate increases in presence of 5-10% catalyst, if too high concentrations exceeding 20% are used, the reaction rate decreases due to competition between OH.sup.− and BH.sub.4.sup.− anions for adsorption places on the catalyst surface).

[0040] Liquid reagent could be distilled, fresh, sea, melt water with 0-10 mg/l content of impurities (Ca.sup.2+, Mg.sup.2+, Na.sup.+, K.sup.+, I.sup.−, HSO.sub.3.sup.−, SO.sub.2.sup.3−, bicarbonates, sulphates, chlorides).

[0041] Low-pressure tank (3) for liquid reagent supply could be any means contained in the place of cylinder charging and through which liquid reagent could be supplied to the reaction chamber (1) by hand pump (4). Low-pressure tank (3) for liquid reagent supply are vessels of different volume.

[0042] Reaction chamber cooling tank (11) could be any means contained in the place of cylinder charging and enabling to cool the reaction chamber (1).

[0043] Reaction chamber cooling tank (11) is a vessel of different volume.

[0044] Water or snow is used as a cooling fluid for cooling the reaction chamber (11).

[0045] Standard materials (silica gel; silicalite; zeolites, including molecular sieves—NaA, CaA, NaX, ZSM-5, NaY and their combinations; calcium chloride; aluminum oxide; vermiculite and their combinations, for example, CaCl.sub.2—SiO.sub.2, CaCl.sub.2—Al.sub.2O.sub.3) are used as a filter-separator.

[0046] The claimed device operates as follows. The claimed self-contained portable device for charging cylinders with high-pressure hydrogen is delivered disassembled to the place of high-pressure hydrogen cylinder charging. The disassembled self-contained portable device for charging cylinders with high-pressure hydrogen consists of the following parts: reaction chamber (1) with cartridge (2) containing solid reagent; reaction liquid pipe (16); gas treatment unit, comprising hydrogen cooler (6), filter-separator (5) and hydrogen dryer (7) installed in series; liquid reagent pipeline, gaseous hydrogen pipeline and treated gaseous hydrogen pipeline. When the self-contained portable device for self-contained with high-pressure hydrogen is delivered, the device is assembled in situ. For this purpose, the reaction chamber (1) is placed in the reaction chamber cooling tank (11)—vessel with water taken in the cylinder (9) charging place. Cartridge (2) comprising a solid reagent in the form of a powder or tablets from the above list is placed into the reaction chamber (1) with top cover removed. The cartridge is fixed on the reaction chamber (1) bottom and center, then the top cover of the reaction chamber (1) is tightly closed, and the gas treatment unit, comprising hydrogen cooler (6), filter-separator (5) and hydrogen dryer (7) installed in series, is installed on the cover, while the hydrogen cooler and dryer are connected with the gaseous hydrogen pipeline, located inside the reaction chamber (1) cover, by quick-release couplings.

[0047] Then the high-pressure hand pump (4) is connected with the reaction liquid pipe (16) through the liquid reagent pipeline by quick-release couplings. The high-pressure hand pump (4) and low-pressure tank (3) for liquid reagent supply (water vessel is filled in the place of cylinder charging) are connected through the liquid reagent pipeline by quick-release couplings. Hydrogen cooler (6), hydrogen dryer (7) and hydrogen charged cylinder (9) are connected through the treated gaseous hydrogen pipeline by quick-release couplings. When the claimed device is assembled, the first portion of liquid reagent (water) is supplied from the low-pressure tank (3) for liquid reagent supply through the liquid reagent pipeline to the reaction chamber (1) by high-pressure hand pump (4).

[0048] Volume of liquid reagent portions corresponds to the high-pressure hand pump (4) chamber volume and could be 50-1,000 ml. Hydrogen is produced in the reaction chamber (1) as a result of hydrolysis of the first portion of liquid reagent and solid reagent located below the liquid reagent level. Hydrolysis products fill up the camber free volume heightwise not above the height of the reacted solid reagent. The produced hydrogen raises up in the reaction chamber (1) and through the gaseous hydrogen pipeline enters the gas treatment unit where hydrogen is cooled and dried by means of hydrogen cooler (6), filter-separator (5) and hydrogen dryer (7) installed in series. Then, the cooled and dried hydrogen enters the cylinder (8) via the treated gaseous hydrogen pipeline through the check valve. Then the second portion of liquid reagent is supplied, and further cylinder hydrogen charging operations are carried out similar to the operations after feeding the first portion of liquid reagent. Portion feeding of liquid reagent is executed until the cylinder (8) pressure is 350 bar, which is monitored on the pressure gage (9) in the treated gaseous hydrogen pipeline, closing the isolating valve (13) in the treated gaseous hydrogen pipeline, and disconnecting the charged cylinder (8) by quick-release connections. Then, connecting the empty cylinder to the treated gaseous hydrogen pipeline (15) by quick-release couplings, opening the isolating valve (13) in the treated gaseous hydrogen pipeline (15), and beginning slow charging of empty cylinder (8) by pressure equalization. If necessary, several empty cylinders (8) are used for recharging. When operation of the claimed device is completed (all cylinders are charged or solid reagent level in the cartridge is critical), if residual hydrogen is present in the device, there is hydrogen removing from the catalytic chamber, then opening the catalytic chamber cover, removing cartridge and hydrolysis products, washing the chamber and preparing it for the next charging. Hydrolysis reaction with gaseous hydrogen production is carried out at the temperature from −40° C. (when using salt solution and acid solution instead of water) to +350° C. and pressure from 0 bar to 700 bar inside the reactor. Hydrogen parameters in the reaction chamber (1) are monitored using readings of the thermometer (15) and pressure gage (9). It is not allowed to heat the reaction chamber (1) above the upper permissible temperature, for the purpose of decreasing the temperature in the reaction chamber (1) delay time between water portions supply is reduced. In case of using as a solid reagent one of the following catalysts could be added: CoCl.sub.2 , Co.sub.2O.sub.3, CoO, NiCl.sub.2, NiO, RuCl.sub.3, RuOHCl.sub.3, H.sub.2PtCl.sub.4, PtCl.sub.2, PdCl.sub.2.

[0049] Powder mixture of solid reagent and catalyst or mixture compressed as a tablet is loaded into the cartridge (2).

[0050] The device weight is reduced due to the fact that the produced hydrogen is supplied directly to the charged cylinder (no receiver); due to minimization of the reaction chamber volume and weight, weight of the reaction mixture, amount of water used and reactor volume, which are possible owing to complete reacting of the reaction mixture and reaction water; and also due to refusal from a compressor.

[0051] Maintaining the temperature and pressure inside the reactor below the maximum-permissible 250° C. and 700 bar is ensured due to water portion feeding and passive heat removal from the reactor surface owing to extended reactor surface, and also owing to use of cartridges with pre-dosed amount of solid reagent. The reaction chamber is designed to maintain high pressure (up to 400 bar) at 250° C.

[0052] Possibility of high-pressure charging is ensured due to the fact that hydrolysis reaction with the claimed solid reagents is irreversible and does not stop when pressure raises up to 700 bar and higher.

[0053] Elimination of power costs is ensured due to use of hand pump.

[0054] The claimed device provides with high-purity high-pressure hydrogen charging in any place, where liquid reagent is available and it is possible to deliver the claimed device, owing to possibility of delivering the claimed device disassembled to the cylinder hydrogen charging place, and also owing to use of liquid reagent supply means and cooling means in the cylinder hydrogen charging place.

[0055] The invention has been disclosed above with reference to a specific embodiment. Other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from its substance, as it is disclosed in the present description. Accordingly, the invention should be considered limited in scope only by the following claims.