Quick-start system for preparing hydrogen via aqueous methanol and hydrogen preparation method

Abstract

Disclosed are a quick-start system for preparing hydrogen via aqueous methanol, and hydrogen preparation method. The system comprises a liquid storage container, a raw material feeding device, a quick-start device, a hydrogen preparation equipment and a membrane separation device; the quick-start device comprises a first start device and a second start device; the first start device comprises a first heating mechanism and a first gasification pipeline, the first gasification pipeline is wound around the first heating mechanism; one end of the first gasification pipeline is connected to the liquid storage container, and methanol is fed into the first gasification pipeline via the raw material feeding device, for the first heating mechanism to heat and gasify; the hydrogen preparation equipment comprises a reforming chamber; the second start device comprises a second gasification pipeline, a main body of the second gasification pipeline is disposed in the reforming chamber; the methanol output by the first gasification pipeline and/or the second gasification pipeline heats the second gasification pipeline while heating the reforming chamber, to gasify the methanol in the second gasification pipeline. The present invention can be quickly started, while having less energy consumption and good practicability.

Claims

1. A quick-start device for a system preparing hydrogen via aqueous methanol comprising: the system preparing hydrogen via aqueous methanol comprising: a liquid storage container for storing liquid methanol and water; a hydrogen preparation equipment for preparing hydrogen via aqueous methanol, which comprises a heat exchanger, a vaporizing chamber and a reforming chamber; a membrane separation device for separating hydrogen from the gas output from the reforming chamber, which is deposited in a separation chamber and is located at the upper part inside the reforming chamber, the quick-start device is for providing activation energy to the hydrogen preparation equipment, which comprises a first start device and a second start device; the first start device comprises a first heating mechanism and a first gasification pipeline, the first gasification pipeline is wound around the first heating mechanism, one end of the first gasification pipeline is connected to the liquid storage container via a raw material feeding device, other end of the first gasification pipeline is located under the reforming chamber for outputting gasified methanol the gasified methanol is further ignited and combusted by an ignition mechanism or directly self-ignited under temperature reaching a spontaneous ignition point thereof; the second start device comprises a second gasification pipeline, one end of the second gasification pipeline is connected to the liquid storage container via a raw material feeding device, other end of the second gasification pipeline is located under the reforming chamber for outputting gasified methanol, a main body of the second gasification pipeline is disposed in the reforming chamber, the methanol output by the first gasification pipeline and/or the second gasification pipeline heats the second gasification pipeline while heating the reforming chamber, to gasify the methanol in the second gasification pipeline; the reforming chamber is provided with a heating pipeline at an inner wall thereof the quick-start device heats the reforming chamber by heating the heating pipeline; the reforming chamber is provided with a catalyst a lower part and a middle part of the reforming chamber has a temperature of 300 C.-420 C.; after activation, the hydrogen preparation system provides energy source for operation by the hydrogen prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment.

2. The quick-start device for a system preparing hydrogen via aqueous methanol as in claim 1, wherein: an upper part of the reforming chamber has a temperature of 400 C.-570 C. the reforming chamber is connected to the separation chamber through a connecting pipeline, while entire or a part of the connecting pipeline is deposited at the upper part of the reforming chamber, by which it enables to further heat the gas output from the reforming chamber by the high temperature at the upper part of the reforming chamber, the connecting pipeline serves as a buffer between the reforming chamber and the separation chamber, so that the temperature of the gas output from the reforming chamber is same with or close to the temperature of the separation chamber.

3. The quick-start device for a system preparing hydrogen via aqueous methanol as in claim 1, wherein: the raw material feeding device provides power to transport raw material in the liquid storage container to the hydrogen preparation equipment; the raw material feeding device provides a pressure of 0.15-5 MPa for the raw material, so that the hydrogen prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment has enough pressure; after the hydrogen preparation equipment is activated to prepare hydrogen, some hydrogen or/and residual gas prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment are combusted to maintain the operation of the hydrogen preparation equipment; the hydrogen prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment are transported to the membrane separation device for separation, wherein the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the membrane separation device for separating hydrogen is larger than or equal to 0.7M Pa.

4. The quick-start device for a system preparing hydrogen via aqueous methanol as in claim 1, wherein: the membrane separation device is the membrane separation device that is vacuum plated with a palladium-silver alloy on a porous ceramic surface, wherein the coating layer is the palladium-silver alloy with mass percent palladium of 75%-78% and mass percent silver of 22%-25%.

5. The hydrogen preparation method of the quick-start device for a system preparing hydrogen via aqueous methanol as in claim 1, wherein, the method comprises steps of: step S1, a quick-start step: activating the hydrogen preparation system by using the activation energy provided by the quick-start device, which specifically comprises: the first gasification pipeline is fed with methanol, and the methanol is heated and gasified by the first heating mechanism; the first gasification pipeline outputs the gasified methanol, which is further ignition and combustion by the ignition mechanism; or, the first gasification pipeline outputs the gasified methanol, the temperature of which reaches a spontaneous ignition point thereof, and thus the methanol is directly self-ignited after being output from the first gasification pipeline; the gasified methanol releases heat by combustion to provide activation energy for the hydrogen preparation equipment; in the meanwhile, combustion of the methanol output by the first gasification pipeline also heats the second gasification pipeline of the second start device to gasify the methanol in the second gasification pipeline; after the second gasification pipeline outputs the gasified methanol, the first start device is shut down after a preset time, the methanol output by the second gasification pipeline of the second start device heats the second gasification pipeline while heating the hydrogen preparation equipment, to gasify the methanol in the second gasification pipeline; the gasified methanol releases heat by combustion to provide the activation energy for the hydrogen preparation equipment.

6. The hydrogen preparation method as in claim 5, wherein: the step S1 specifically comprises: the first heating mechanism of the first start device is electrified to set a time, the methanol is fed into the first gasification pipeline after the first heating mechanism reaches a preset temperature; since the first gasification pipeline is closely wound around the first heating mechanism, the methanol temperature gradually rises; the first gasification pipeline outputs the gasified methanol, which is further ignition and combustion by the ignition mechanism; or, the first gasification pipeline outputs the gasified methanol, the temperature of which reaches a spontaneous ignition point thereof, and thus the methanol is directly self-ignited after being output from the first gasification pipeline; the gasified methanol releases heat by combustion to provide the activation energy for the hydrogen preparation equipment; in the meanwhile, the combustion of the methanol output by the first gasification pipeline also heats the second gasification pipeline of the second start device to gasify the methanol in the second gasification pipeline; after the second gasification pipeline outputs the gasified methanol, the first start device is shut down, the methanol output by the second gasification pipeline of the second start device heats the second gasification pipeline while heating the reforming chamber, to gasify the methanol in the second gasification pipeline.

7. The hydrogen preparation method as in claim 5, wherein: the hydrogen preparation method further comprises a step S2: after activation, the hydrogen preparation system provides energy for operation by hydrogen prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment; after sufficient hydrogen is prepared by the operation of the hydrogen preparation system, the quick-start device is shut down; some hydrogen or/and residual gas prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment are combusted to maintain the operation of the hydrogen preparation equipment; the hydrogen preparation process specifically comprises: the methanol and water in the liquid storage container are transported to the heat exchanger of the hydrogen preparation equipment via the raw material feeding device for heat exchange, and further entered in the vaporizing chamber for gasification after the heat exchange; the gasified methanol vapor and water vapor enter the reforming chamber, the reforming chamber is provided with a catalyst, a lower part and a middle part of the reforming chamber has a temperature of 300 C.-420 C.; an upper part of the reforming chamber has a temperature of 400 C.-570 C.; the reforming chamber is connected to the separation chamber through a connecting pipeline, while entire or a part of the connecting pipeline is deposited at the upper part of the reforming chamber, by which it enables to further heat the gas output from the reforming chamber by the high temperature at the upper part of the reforming chamber; the connecting pipeline serves as a buffer between the reforming chamber and the separation chamber, so that the temperature of the gas output from the reforming chamber is same with or close to the temperature of the separation chamber; the temperature in the separation chamber is set as 350 C.-570 C.; the separation chamber is provided with a membrane separator therein, and hydrogen is obtained at a gas production end of the membrane separator; the raw material feeding device provides power to transport the raw material in the liquid storage container to the hydrogen preparation equipment; the raw material feeding device provides a pressure of 0.15-5 MPa for the raw material, so that the hydrogen prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment has enough pressure; the hydrogen prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment are transported to the membrane separation device for separation, wherein the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the membrane separation device for separating hydrogen is larger than or equal to 0.7M Pa; the membrane separation device is the membrane separation device that is vacuum plated with a palladium-silver alloy on a porous ceramic surface, wherein the coating layer is the palladium-silver alloy with mass percent palladium of 75%-78% and mass percent silver of 22%-25%; after the hydrogen preparation equipment is activated to prepare hydrogen, some hydrogen or/and residual gas prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment are combusted to maintain the operation of the hydrogen preparation equipment.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the composition of a quick-start system for preparing hydrogen via aqueous methanol of the invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a quick-start device of the hydrogen preparation system of the invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a hydrogen preparation equipment and a heating pipeline thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(4) Hereinafter, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in details with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(5) Embodiment 1

(6) Please refer to FIG. 1, the invention discloses a quick-start system for preparing hydrogen via aqueous methanol, which comprises: a liquid storage container 10, a raw material feeding device 50, a quick-start device, a hydrogen preparation equipment 20 and a membrane separation device 30. The quick-start device provides activation energy for the hydrogen preparation equipment; the quick-start device comprises a first start device 40 and a second start device 60.

(7) As shown in FIG. 2, the first start device 40 comprises a housing 41, a first heating mechanism 42 and a first gasification pipeline 43 with an inner diameter of 1-2 mm, the first gasification pipeline 43 is closely wound around the first heating mechanism 42; the first heating mechanism 42 may be an electrical heating rod that utilizes alternating current, a storage battery or a dry battery.

(8) One end of the first gasification pipeline 43 is connected to the liquid storage container 10, methanol is fed into the first gasification pipeline 43; the other end of the first gasification pipeline 43 outputs gasified methanol, which is further ignition and combustion by an ignition mechanism; or, the other end of the first gasification pipeline 43 outputs the gasified methanol, the temperature of which reaches a spontaneous ignition point thereof, and thus the methanol is directly self-ignited after being output from the first gasification pipeline 43.

(9) The second start device 60 comprises a second gasification pipeline, a main body of the second gasification pipeline is disposed in the reforming chamber, the second gasification pipeline heats the reforming chamber (as well as other units in the hydrogen preparation system). The methanol output from the first gasification pipeline 43 or/and the second gasification pipeline heats the second gasification pipeline while heating the reforming chamber, to gasify the methanol in the second gasification pipeline.

(10) Firstly, it needs the methanol output from the first gasification pipeline 43 to heat the second gasification pipeline, and sets a time after the second gasification pipeline can continuously produce gasified methanol, it may choose to shut down the first start device 40 and heat the second gasification pipeline by the methanol output from the second gasification pipeline; thereby, it may further reduce the dependence on external energy source.

(11) Please refer to FIG. 3, in order to improve the heating rate of the hydrogen preparation equipment, the reforming chamber of the hydrogen preparation equipment 20 is provided with a heating pipeline 21 at the inner wall thereof, the heating pipeline 21 is placed with a catalyst (the heating temperature is controlled as 380 C.-480 C. if possible); the quick-start device 40 heats the reforming chamber by heating the heating pipeline 21, which may help to improve the heating efficiency.

(12) After the hydrogen preparation system is activated, the hydrogen preparation system provides energy for operation by the hydrogen prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment; at this time, it may shut down the quick-start device.

(13) The above describes the components of the hydrogen preparation system via aqueous methanol of the invention; the invention further discloses a hydrogen preparation method of the hydrogen preparation system via aqueous methanol while disclosing the above hydrogen preparation system, and the method comprises steps of:

(14) [step S1] a quick-start step: activating the hydrogen preparation system by using the activation energy provided by the quick-start device, which specifically comprises:

(15) the first heating mechanism of the first start device is electrified to set a time, the methanol is fed into the first gasification pipeline after the first heating mechanism reaches a preset temperature; since the first gasification pipeline is closely wound around the first heating mechanism, the methanol temperature gradually rises; the first gasification pipeline outputs gasified methanol, which is further ignition and combustion by the ignition mechanism; or, the first gasification pipeline outputs the gasified methanol, the temperature of which reaches a spontaneous ignition point thereof, and thus the methanol is directly self-ignited after being output from the first gasification pipeline;

(16) the gasified methanol releases heat by combustion to provide the activation energy for the hydrogen preparation equipment; in the meanwhile, the combustion of the methanol output by the first gasification pipeline also heats the second gasification pipeline of the second start device to gasify the methanol in the second gasification pipeline;

(17) after the second gasification pipeline outputs the gasified methanol, the first start device is shut down, the methanol output by the second gasification pipeline of the second start device heats the second gasification pipeline while heating the reforming chamber, to gasify the methanol in the second gasification pipeline; the reforming chamber is provided with a heating pipeline at an inner wall thereof, the heating pipeline is placed with a catalyst; the quick-start device heats the reforming chamber by heating the heating pipeline;

(18) [step S2] after the system is activated, the hydrogen preparation system provides energy for operation by the hydrogen prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment; after sufficient hydrogen is prepared by the operation of the hydrogen preparation system, the quick-start device is shut down; some hydrogen or/and residual gas prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment are combusted to maintain the operation of the hydrogen preparation equipment.

(19) Embodiment 2

(20) The present embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that, in the present embodiment, the hydrogen preparation system via aqueous methanol of the invention comprises: a liquid storage container, a raw material feeding device, a quick-start device, a hydrogen preparation equipment and a membrane separation device.

(21) The hydrogen preparation equipment comprises a heat exchanger, a vaporizing chamber and a reforming chamber; the membrane separation device is deposited in a separation chamber, which is deposited at the upper part inside the reforming chamber. The liquid storage container is connected to the hydrogen preparation equipment; the liquid storage container is stored with liquid methanol and water.

(22) The methanol and water in the liquid storage container are transported to the heat exchanger via the raw material feeding device for heat exchange, and further entered in the vaporizing chamber for gasification after the heat exchange; the gasify methanol vapor and water vapor enter the reforming chamber, the reforming chamber is provided with a catalyst, a lower part and a middle part of the reforming chamber has a temperature of 300 C.-420 C. An upper part of the reforming chamber has a temperature of 400 C.-570 C.; the reforming chamber is connected to the separation chamber through a connecting pipeline, while entire or a part of the connecting pipeline is deposited at the upper part of the reforming chamber, by which it enables to further heat the gas output from the reforming chamber by the high temperature at the upper part of the reforming chamber; the connecting pipeline serves as a buffer between the reforming chamber and the separation chamber, so that the temperature of the gas output from the reforming chamber is same with or close to the temperature of the separation chamber. The temperature in the separation chamber is set as 350 C.-570 C.; the separation chamber is provided with a membrane separator therein, and the hydrogen is obtained at a gas production end of the membrane separator. In view of the above improvement, it may ensure the low temperature requirement of the catalyst in the reforming chamber as well as the high temperature requirement of the separation chamber, so as to improve the efficiency for preparing hydrogen; in the meanwhile, preheating manners of the invention is very convenient (wherein the separation chamber is deposited at the upper part of the reforming chamber).

(23) Moreover, the raw material feeding device provides power to transport the raw material in the liquid storage container to the hydrogen preparation equipment; the raw material feeding device provides a pressure of 0.15-5 MPa for the raw material, so that the hydrogen prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment may have enough pressure; the hydrogen prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment is transported to the membrane separation device for separation, wherein the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the membrane separation device for separating hydrogen is larger than or equal to 0.7M Pa. In view of the improvement, the hydrogen prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment may have sufficient pressure, and hydrogen preparation efficiency and purity of the prepared hydrogen may be improved.

(24) After the hydrogen preparation equipment is activated to prepare hydrogen, some hydrogen or/and residual gas prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment are combusted to maintain the operation of the hydrogen preparation equipment, thereby it may reduce the dependence on the external energy source and have strong adaptability.

(25) The membrane separation device is the membrane separation device that is vacuum plated with a palladium-silver alloy on a porous ceramic surface, wherein the coating layer is the palladium-silver alloy with mass percent palladium of 75%-78% and mass percent silver of 22%-25%. The invention utilizes the palladium membrane separation device to better the purity of the hydrogen.

(26) The invention also discloses a hydrogen preparation method of the hydrogen preparation system via aqueous methanol, which comprises steps of:

(27) [step S1] a quick-start step: activating the hydrogen preparation system by using the activation energy provided by the quick-start device, which specifically comprises:

(28) the first heating mechanism of the first start device is electrified to set a time, the methanol is fed into the first gasification pipeline after the first heating mechanism reaches a preset temperature; since the first gasification pipeline is closely wound around the first heating mechanism, the methanol temperature gradually rises; the first gasification pipeline outputs gasified methanol, which is further ignition and combustion by the ignition mechanism; or, the first gasification pipeline outputs the gasified methanol, the temperature of which reaches a spontaneous ignition point thereof, and thus the methanol is directly self-ignited after being output from the first gasification pipeline;

(29) the gasified methanol releases heat by combustion to provide the activation energy for the hydrogen preparation equipment; in the meanwhile, the combustion of the methanol output by the first gasification pipeline also heats the second gasification pipeline of the second start device to gasify the methanol in the second gasification pipeline;

(30) after the second gasification pipeline outputs the gasified methanol, the first start device is shut down, the methanol output by the second gasification pipeline of the second start device heats the second gasification pipeline while heating the reforming chamber, to gasify the methanol in the second gasification pipeline; the reforming chamber is provided with a heating pipeline at an inner wall thereof, the heating pipeline is placed with a catalyst; the quick-start device heats the reforming chamber by heating the heating pipeline.

(31) [step S2] After the system is activated, the hydrogen preparation system provides energy for operation by the hydrogen prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment; after sufficient hydrogen is prepared by the operation of the hydrogen preparation equipment, the quick-start device is shut down, some hydrogen or/and residual gas prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment are combusted to maintain the operation of the hydrogen preparation equipment.

(32) The hydrogen preparation process specifically comprises:

(33) the methanol and water in the liquid storage container are transported to the heat exchanger of the hydrogen preparation equipment via the raw material feeding device for heat exchange, and further entered in the vaporizing chamber for gasification after the heat exchange; the gasify methanol vapor and water vapor enter the reforming chamber, the reforming chamber is provided with a catalyst, a lower part and a middle part of the reforming chamber has a temperature of 300 C.-420 C. An upper part of the reforming chamber has a temperature of 400 C.-570 C.; the reforming chamber is connected to the separation chamber through a connecting pipeline, while entire or a part of the connecting pipeline is deposited at the upper part of the reforming chamber, by which it enables to further heat the gas output from the reforming chamber by the high temperature at the upper part of the reforming chamber; the connecting pipeline serves as a buffer between the reforming chamber and the separation chamber, so that the temperature of the gas output from the reforming chamber is same with or close to the temperature of the separation chamber.

(34) The temperature in the separation chamber is set as 350 C.-570 C.; the separation chamber is provided with a membrane separator therein, and the hydrogen is obtained at a gas production end of the membrane separator; the raw material feeding device provides power to transport the raw material in the liquid storage container to the hydrogen preparation equipment; the raw material feeding device provides a pressure of 0.15-5 MPa for the raw material, so that the hydrogen prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment may have enough pressure; the hydrogen prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment are transported to the membrane separation device for separation, wherein the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the membrane separation device for separating hydrogen is larger than or equal to 0.7M Pa. The membrane separation device is the membrane separation device that is vacuum plated with a palladium-silver alloy on a porous ceramic surface, wherein the coating layer is the palladium-silver alloy with mass percent palladium of 75%-78% and mass percent silver of 22%-25%.

(35) After the hydrogen preparation equipment is activated to prepare hydrogen, some hydrogen or/and residual gas prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment are combusted to maintain the operation of the hydrogen preparation equipment.

(36) From the above, the quick-start system for preparing hydrogen via aqueous methanol provided by the invention can be quickly started, and the process generally takes less than 10 minutes; in the meanwhile, the hydrogen preparation system merely requires for electric energy at the beginning of the activation stage to cause a heating rod to gasify the methanol, and hence consumes little energy; generally two batteries is sufficient (the hydrogen preparation system is available for a small-sized hydrogen making machine that is easy to move). Therefore, the invention has good practicability, and can be cooperated with a hydrogen generator for daily use.

(37) Moreover, by improving transportation power of the raw material feeding device, the hydrogen prepared by the hydrogen preparation equipment can have sufficient pressure, and hydrogen preparation efficiency and purity of the prepared hydrogen can be improved.

(38) The descriptions and applications described herein are illustrative only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in the above embodiments. Modifications and variations of the disclosed embodiments herein are also possible, other substitutions and equivalents of various components in the embodiments are well-known to those skilled in the art. It will be clear to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be achieved by other forms, structures, arrangements, proportions, and with other elements, materials and components, without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Other changes and modifications of the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions.