An integrated regulation device and method for liquid hydrogen storage and supply system

Abstract

The present invention discloses an integrated regulating device and method for a liquid hydrogen storage and supply system, relating to the field of hydrogen energy technology. The present invention uses a simple-structured, easily processed sonic nozzle assembly to replace existing large-volume components such as regulating valves and flow meters, and is unaffected by factors such as downstream power units and pipelines, thereby achieving coupled unification of hydrogen medium flow regulation and parameter measurement. The heat absorption characteristic of para-orthohydrogen conversion minimizes the downstream pressure of the sonic nozzle, ensuring that the corresponding sonic nozzle reaches a critical state and the calculation accuracy of the actual flow parameters is guaranteed. The characteristics of throttling heating when the hydrogen temperature is greater than the switch-back temperature and throttling cooling when it is less than the switch-back temperature are utilized to design a variety of coolant circulation methods, thereby improving the overall energy utilization efficiency of the system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of hydrogen energy technology, and in particular to an integrated regulating device and method for a liquid hydrogen storage and supply system. Background Art

[0002] The aviation industry contributes 2% of global carbon emissions annually, 99% of which stem from aircraft fuel consumption. Hydrogen is the most likely energy source for future aircraft. One of the primary uses of hydrogen in aircraft is as a power source for hydrogen-air fuel cells, which are widely used in small regional aircraft and drones. Due to its low density, liquid hydrogen is often used as an onboard storage medium for aircraft as the primary energy source. Liquid hydrogen has a volume ten times that of jet fuel of the same mass, offers excellent stability and safety, and is capable of storing and transporting large quantities of hydrogen in various environments. However, in cryogenic liquid hydrogen storage technology, the weight of the liquid hydrogen tank and its associated components contributes significantly to the overall system's storage-to-weight ratio. Therefore, lightweighting hydrogen storage systems has become a key objective, reducing costs, improving product competitiveness, and enhancing vehicle range. Liquid hydrogen storage and supply systems often require both hydrogen flow regulation and measurement. However, conventional components such as regulating valves and flow meters are bulky and heavy, making it difficult to achieve the design goal of lightweighting liquid hydrogen storage and supply systems. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an integrated regulation device and method for a liquid hydrogen storage and supply system, which utilizes sonic nozzles operating in parallel to achieve deep integration of hydrogen flow regulation and measurement operations. The sonic nozzles are brought to a critical state through the heat absorption characteristics of para-orthohydrogen conversion, and the hydrogen flow through the sonic nozzles is calculated. Based on the hydrogen throttling characteristics, multiple operating modes are designed to achieve efficient thermal integration of the entire system.

[0004] The specific technical solutions adopted in the present invention are as follows:

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an integrated regulating device for a liquid hydrogen storage and supply system, comprising a hydrogen pipeline, a liquid hydrogen storage tank, a liquid hydrogen vaporizer, a hydrogen heat exchanger, an integrated regulator, a cooler, a hydrogen-air fuel cell, a coolant circulation pipeline, and an air pipeline;

[0006] The liquid hydrogen vaporizer, hydrogen heat exchanger and cooler each have a first channel and a second channel inside thereof capable of forming heat exchange contact;

[0007] The hydrogen pipeline is sequentially connected to the liquid hydrogen storage tank, the liquid hydrogen shut-off valve, the liquid hydrogen pump, the first channel of the liquid hydrogen vaporizer, the first channel of the hydrogen heat exchanger, the integrated regulator, the second channel of the cooler and the hydrogen-air fuel cell, and is used to vaporize the liquid hydrogen medium in the liquid hydrogen storage tank and then transport it to the hydrogen-air fuel cell for reaction;

[0008] The integrated regulator includes a high-pressure container and a low-pressure container. The hydrogen pipeline is first connected to the high-pressure container inside the integrated regulator, and then divided into several parallel branches, each of which is connected in sequence to a control valve and a sonic nozzle. The branches are then connected to the low-pressure container together.

[0009] The high-pressure vessel is provided with a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor for measuring internal state parameters, and the low-pressure vessel is provided with a para-orthohydrogen converter; the para-orthohydrogen converter is used to reduce the pressure inside the low-pressure vessel by utilizing the heat absorption characteristic of the para-orthohydrogen conversion;

[0010] All control valves, temperature sensors and pressure sensors are connected to the controller through power signal lines. The controller can control the start and stop of each control valve through the input signal parameters of the temperature sensor and pressure sensor;

[0011] The air pipeline is connected in sequence to the air compressor, the air shut-off valve, the second channel of the liquid hydrogen vaporizer and the hydrogen-air fuel cell, and is used to transport the external air after compression and cooling to the hydrogen-air fuel cell for reaction;

[0012] The front end of the coolant circulation pipeline is divided into two branches, the first branch flows through the first cooling valve, and the second branch flows through the second cooling valve and the first channel of the cooler in sequence. Then the two branches merge and flow through the second channel of the hydrogen heat exchanger, the coolant circulation pump and the cooling channel of the hydrogen-air fuel cell in sequence, and then connect with the front end of the coolant circulation pipeline to form a circulation loop; the coolant circulation pipeline is used to utilize the cooling capacity of low-temperature hydrogen to perform thermal management on the hydrogen-air fuel cell, thereby improving the operating efficiency of the hydrogen-air fuel cell.

[0013] Preferably, the liquid hydrogen storage tank, liquid hydrogen pump, liquid hydrogen stop valve and liquid hydrogen vaporizer are all wrapped with insulation material for reducing heat leakage.

[0014] Preferably, the coolant circulation pipeline is filled with coolant.

[0015] Preferably, three parallel branches are provided inside the integrated regulator, the first branch is connected to the first electrically controlled valve and the first sonic nozzle in sequence, the second branch is connected to the second electrically controlled valve and the second sonic nozzle in sequence, and the third branch is connected to the third electrically controlled valve and the third sonic nozzle in sequence.

[0016] Preferably, the control valve is an electrically controlled valve or an integrated mechanical valve.

[0017] Preferably, the para-ortho-hydrogen converter is a metal porous medium coated with a para-ortho-hydrogen conversion catalyst.

[0018] Preferably, the pressure difference between the high-pressure container and the low-pressure container can cause the hydrogen inside each sonic nozzle to reach a critical state.

[0019] In a second aspect, the present invention provides an operating method using any of the integrated regulating devices for liquid hydrogen storage and supply systems described in the first aspect, wherein the operating method is divided into two modes, S1 and S2, according to the temperature of the hydrogen entering each sonic nozzle, as follows:

[0020] S1. When the hydrogen temperature inside the high-pressure vessel is lower than the hydrogen conversion temperature of 190K, the high-pressure hydrogen passing through the sonic nozzle will cool down, which has a large cooling capacity recovery potential. Therefore, the following operations are performed:

[0021] S101. Open the liquid hydrogen shut-off valve and each control valve, and start the liquid hydrogen pump. The liquid hydrogen medium inside the liquid hydrogen storage tank passes through the liquid hydrogen shut-off valve and the liquid hydrogen pump in sequence and enters the first channel of the liquid hydrogen vaporizer, where it absorbs heat from the air and is converted into high-pressure hydrogen. The high-pressure hydrogen then enters the first channel of the hydrogen heat exchanger, where it absorbs heat from the coolant to further increase its temperature, but keeps the outlet temperature below the hydrogen's return temperature of 190K. The high-pressure hydrogen then enters the integrated regulator for flow regulation and measurement.

[0022] S102. The high-pressure hydrogen flowing out of the hydrogen heat exchanger enters the high-pressure vessel and then flows into each branch. In each branch, the high-pressure hydrogen is converted into low-temperature, low-pressure hydrogen through a control valve and a sonic nozzle. The branches then merge and flow into the low-pressure vessel. Under the action of the para-ortho-hydrogen converter, the low-pressure hydrogen undergoes para-ortho-hydrogen conversion and is further cooled, further reducing the pressure inside the low-pressure vessel and causing each sonic nozzle to reach a critical state.

[0023] S103. The temperature T0 and pressure P0 parameters of the hydrogen gas inside the high-pressure container are measured by the temperature sensor and the pressure sensor, and are substituted into the controller via the power signal line. The controller obtains the hydrogen flow value of a single sonic nozzle using the mass flow formula and adjusts the start and stop of each control valve according to the hydrogen consumption demand of the hydrogen-air fuel cell, thereby realizing the integration of hydrogen flow regulation and measurement.

[0024] The mass flow formula is as follows:

[0025]

[0026] Among them, C d is the outflow coefficient, C r is the actual critical stream function, A t is the sonic nozzle area, R m is a constant;

[0027] The low-pressure hydrogen flowing out of the integrated regulator enters the second channel of the cooler along the hydrogen pipeline, absorbs the heat of the coolant and heats up again, and then enters the hydrogen-air fuel cell for reaction;

[0028] S104, open the air shut-off valve and start the air compressor; external air enters the air pipeline and passes through the air compressor and the air shut-off valve in sequence, then enters the second channel of the liquid hydrogen vaporizer, absorbs the cold energy of the liquid hydrogen and cools down, and then enters the hydrogen-air fuel cell for reaction;

[0029] S105. Open the second cooling valve and start the coolant circulation pump. The high-temperature coolant from the hydrogen-air fuel cell cooling channel passes through the second cooling valve and enters the first channel of the cooler for pre-cooling. The high-temperature coolant then enters the second channel of the hydrogen heat exchanger, absorbs the cold energy of the low-temperature hydrogen gas, and is cooled again, becoming a low-temperature coolant. The low-temperature coolant then passes through the coolant circulation pump and enters the cooling channel of the hydrogen-air fuel cell again to cool the hydrogen-air fuel cell, thereby improving the operating efficiency of the hydrogen-air fuel cell.

[0030] S2. When the hydrogen temperature inside the high-pressure vessel is greater than or equal to the hydrogen conversion temperature of 190K, the high-pressure hydrogen passing through the sonic nozzle will heat up, and the cooling capacity recovery potential is small. Therefore, the following operations are performed:

[0031] S201. Open the liquid hydrogen shut-off valve and each control valve, and start the liquid hydrogen pump. The liquid hydrogen medium inside the liquid hydrogen storage tank passes through the liquid hydrogen shut-off valve and the liquid hydrogen pump in sequence and enters the first channel of the liquid hydrogen vaporizer, where it absorbs heat from the air and is converted into high-pressure hydrogen. The high-pressure hydrogen then enters the first channel of the hydrogen heat exchanger, where it absorbs heat from the coolant to further increase its temperature, but keeps the outlet temperature greater than or equal to the hydrogen return temperature of 190K. The high-pressure hydrogen then enters the integrated regulator for flow regulation and measurement.

[0032] S202, the high-pressure hydrogen flowing out of the hydrogen heat exchanger enters the high-pressure vessel and then flows into each branch. In the branch, it passes through the control valve and the sonic nozzle, and is converted from high-pressure hydrogen to high-temperature low-pressure hydrogen. Then, the branches merge and enter the low-pressure vessel. Under the action of the para-ortho-hydrogen converter, the low-pressure hydrogen undergoes para-ortho-hydrogen conversion and is further cooled, so that the pressure inside the low-pressure vessel is further reduced, and each sonic nozzle reaches a critical state.

[0033] S203. The temperature T0 and pressure P0 parameters of the hydrogen gas inside the high-pressure container are measured by the temperature sensor and the pressure sensor, and are substituted into the controller via the power signal line. The controller obtains the hydrogen flow value of a single sonic nozzle using the mass flow formula and adjusts the start and stop of each control valve according to the hydrogen consumption demand of the hydrogen-air fuel cell, thereby realizing the integration of hydrogen flow regulation and measurement.

[0034] The low-pressure hydrogen flowing out of the integrated regulator enters the second channel of the cooler along the hydrogen pipeline, and then enters the hydrogen-air fuel cell for reaction;

[0035] S204, open the air shut-off valve and start the air compressor; external air enters the air pipeline and passes through the air compressor and the air shut-off valve in sequence, then enters the second channel of the liquid hydrogen vaporizer, absorbs the cold energy of the liquid hydrogen and cools down, and then enters the hydrogen-air fuel cell for reaction;

[0036] S205. Open the first cooling valve and start the coolant circulation pump. The high-temperature coolant from the cooling channel of the hydrogen-air fuel cell enters the second channel of the hydrogen heat exchanger through the first cooling valve, absorbs the cold energy of the low-temperature hydrogen for cooling, and is converted into low-temperature coolant. Then, it enters the cooling channel of the hydrogen-air fuel cell again through the coolant circulation pump to cool the hydrogen-air fuel cell, thereby improving the operating efficiency of the hydrogen-air fuel cell.

[0037] It should be pointed out that the various technical features in the above preferred embodiments can be combined without conflict, and do not constitute a limitation.

[0038] Compared with the existing technology, the present invention has the following outstanding and beneficial technical effects: a sonic nozzle assembly with a simple structure and easy processing is used to replace the existing large-volume components such as the regulating valve and flow meter, and is not affected by factors such as downstream power devices and pipelines, thereby realizing the coupled unification of the flow regulation and parameter measurement of the hydrogen medium; the heat absorption characteristic of the para-orthohydrogen conversion is used to minimize the pressure downstream of the sonic nozzle, ensuring that the corresponding sonic nozzle reaches a critical state and the calculation accuracy of the actual flow parameters is guaranteed; and the characteristics of throttling heating when the hydrogen temperature is greater than the switch-back temperature and throttling cooling when it is less than the switch-back temperature are used to design a variety of coolant circulation modes, thereby improving the overall energy utilization efficiency of the system.

[0039] The concept, specific structure and technical effects of the present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings to fully understand the purpose, characteristics and effects of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of an integrated regulating device for a liquid hydrogen storage and supply system of the present invention.

[0041] In the figure: hydrogen pipeline 1, liquid hydrogen storage tank 2, liquid hydrogen stop valve 3, liquid hydrogen pump 4, liquid hydrogen vaporizer 5, hydrogen heat exchanger 6, integrated regulator 7, high-pressure container 8, first electronically controlled valve 9, second electronically controlled valve 10, third electronically controlled valve 11, first sonic nozzle 12, second sonic nozzle 13, third sonic nozzle 14, low-pressure container 15, para-orthohydrogen converter 16, cooler 17, hydrogen-air fuel cell 18, power signal line 19, temperature sensor 20, pressure sensor 21, controller 22, coolant circulation pipeline 23, first cooling valve 24, second cooling valve 25, coolant circulation pump 26, air pipeline 27, air compressor 28, air stop valve 29. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the specific embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be implemented in many other ways than those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without violating the connotation of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below. The technical features in the various embodiments of the present invention can be combined accordingly without conflicting with each other.

[0043] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that when an element is considered to be "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or indirectly connected, that is, there are intermediate elements. On the contrary, when an element is said to be "directly" connected to another element, there are no intermediate elements.

[0044] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "first" and "second" are used solely for descriptive purposes and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features being described. Therefore, features defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features.

[0045] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "low temperature" and "high temperature" (such as "low temperature hydrogen", "low temperature coolant", and "high temperature coolant") all refer to high or low temperatures compared to the temperature of the same medium in the same passage, and are not to be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the temperature value of the indicated technical characteristics. Similarly, the terms "high pressure" and "low pressure" (such as "high pressure hydrogen" and "low pressure hydrogen") all refer to high or low pressure compared to the pressure of the same medium in the same passage, and are not to be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the pressure value of the indicated technical characteristics.

[0046] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the expressions “high pressure” and “low pressure” in the components “high pressure vessel” and “low pressure vessel” are only used to distinguish the relative high and low description purposes, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the absolute pressure limit of the indicated technical features.

[0047] See also Figure 1 In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an integrated regulating device for a liquid hydrogen storage and supply system is provided. The components of the device primarily include a hydrogen pipeline 1, a liquid hydrogen storage tank 2, a liquid hydrogen vaporizer 5, a hydrogen heat exchanger 6, an integrated regulator 7, a cooler 17, a hydrogen-air fuel cell 18, a coolant circulation pipeline 23, and an air pipeline 27. The following describes in detail the coordinated operational relationships between these components.

[0048] The interior of the liquid hydrogen vaporizer 5 has a first channel and a second channel that can form a heat exchange contact. The first channel is used to pass liquid hydrogen from the liquid hydrogen storage tank 2, and the second channel is used to pass air compressed by the air compressor 28. The liquid hydrogen absorbs the heat of the compressed air to heat up and vaporize, and the air absorbs the cold of the liquid hydrogen to cool down and enter the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18 for reaction. The interior of the hydrogen heat exchanger 6 has a first channel and a second channel that can form a heat exchange contact. The first channel is used to pass liquid hydrogen from the liquid hydrogen storage tank 2, and the second channel is used to pass coolant circulating in the coolant circulation pipeline 23. The liquid hydrogen absorbs the heat of the coolant and continues to heat up and vaporize, and the coolant absorbs the cold of the liquid hydrogen and cools down to cool the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18 for thermal management. The interior of the cooler 17 has a first channel and a second channel that can form heat exchange contact. The first channel is used to pass the high-temperature coolant flowing out of the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18, and the second channel is used to pass the liquid hydrogen flowing out of the integrated regulator 7. The cooler 17 only operates in mode S1 (that is, the hydrogen temperature inside the high-pressure container 8 is lower than the hydrogen conversion temperature of 190K). At this time, the coolant absorbs the coldness of the liquid hydrogen and initially cools down. The liquid hydrogen absorbs the heat of the coolant and continues to heat up and vaporizes, and then is passed into the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18 for reaction.

[0049] In the device of the present invention, the hydrogen pipeline 1 is connected in sequence to the liquid hydrogen storage tank 2, the liquid hydrogen stop valve 3, the liquid hydrogen pump 4, the first channel of the liquid hydrogen vaporizer 5, the first channel of the hydrogen heat exchanger 6, the integrated regulator 7, the second channel of the cooler 17 and the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18. That is, the head end of the hydrogen pipeline 1 is connected to the liquid hydrogen storage tank 2, and the end end is connected to the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18, which is used to vaporize the liquid hydrogen medium inside the liquid hydrogen storage tank 2 and transport it to the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18 for reaction.

[0050] In the device of the present invention, the integrated regulator 7 should be a relatively closed container device, which houses the high-pressure container 8, the low-pressure container 15, and the controller 22. The front end of the hydrogen pipeline 1 located inside the integrated regulator 7 is first connected to the high-pressure container 8, then divided into multiple branches, each of which is connected in parallel. A control valve and a sonic nozzle are sequentially installed on each branch along the direction of medium flow. The multiple branches are then connected together to the low-pressure container 15.

[0051] In a preferred embodiment of the device of the present invention, the integrated regulator 7 has three internal branches: a first branch sequentially connecting the first electrically controlled valve 9 and the first sonic nozzle 12; a second branch sequentially connecting the second electrically controlled valve 10 and the second sonic nozzle 13; and a third branch sequentially connecting the third electrically controlled valve 11 and the third sonic nozzle 14. Of course, the multiple parallel electrically controlled valves can be replaced with integrated mechanical opening valves as needed. The present invention arranges sonic nozzles and control valves in two or more parallel branches, enabling the regulation and measurement of different hydrogen flow rates.

[0052] In the apparatus of the present invention, a temperature sensor 20 and a pressure sensor 21 are provided on the high-pressure vessel 8. The temperature sensor 20 and the pressure sensor 21 are used to measure the internal state parameters of the high-pressure vessel 8. A para-orthohydrogen converter 16 is provided within the low-pressure vessel 15. Para-orthohydrogen converter 16 can reduce the internal pressure of the low-pressure vessel 15 by utilizing the endothermic nature of the para-orthohydrogen conversion.

[0053] In a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, the para-ortho-hydrogen converter can be a porous metal medium coated with a para-ortho-hydrogen conversion catalyst. The pressure difference between the high-pressure vessel and the low-pressure vessel should be sufficient to cause the hydrogen inside each sonic nozzle to reach a critical state.

[0054] In the device of the present invention, the power signal line 19 connects each control valve, temperature sensor 20, pressure sensor 21 and controller 22 in sequence. The controller 22 controls the start and stop of each control valve through the input signal parameters of the temperature sensor 20 and pressure sensor 21.

[0055] In a preferred embodiment of the device of the present invention, taking three branches as an example, the first electrically controlled valve 9, the second electrically controlled valve 10, the third electrically controlled valve 11, the temperature sensor 20 and the pressure sensor 21 are all connected to the controller 22 through the power signal line 19. In actual use, the controller 22 can feedback control the start and stop of the first electrically controlled valve 9, the second electrically controlled valve 10 and the third electrically controlled valve 11 through the input signal parameters of the temperature sensor 20 and the pressure sensor 21, thereby realizing the regulation of different hydrogen flow rates.

[0056] In the device of the present invention, the air pipeline 27 is connected in sequence to the air compressor 28, the air shut-off valve 29, the second channel of the liquid hydrogen vaporizer 5 and the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18. That is, along the direction of medium flow, the head end of the air pipeline 27 is connected to the external atmosphere, and the end end is connected to the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18, so that the external air can be compressed and cooled and then transported to the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18 for reaction.

[0057] In the device of the present invention, the hydrogen-air fuel cell includes two feed inlets, one for air and one for hydrogen. The inlet for hydrogen is connected to the end of hydrogen pipeline 1, and the inlet for air is connected to the end of air pipeline 27. In addition, the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18 also has a cooling channel, which serves as part of the coolant circulation pipeline 23. In actual use, coolant flows through the cooling channel, which can achieve thermal management of the battery and improve its operating efficiency.

[0058] In the device of the present invention, the front end of the coolant circulation pipeline 23 is divided into two branches. The first branch flows through the first cooling valve 24, and the second branch flows through the second cooling valve 25 and the first channel of the cooler 17 in sequence. Then the two branches merge into one pipeline and flow through the second channel of the hydrogen heat exchanger 6, the coolant circulation pump 26 and the cooling channel of the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18 in sequence, and finally connect with the front end of the coolant circulation pipeline 23 to form a circulation loop. Here, the front end of the coolant circulation pipeline 23 refers to the outlet position of the cooling channel of the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18. The coolant circulation pipeline 23 can use the cold energy of the low-temperature hydrogen to perform thermal management on the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18, thereby improving the operating efficiency of the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18.

[0059] In actual use, the first cooling valve 24 or the second cooling valve 25 is selectively opened based on the temperature of the hydrogen entering the sonic nozzle (i.e., the hydrogen temperature inside the high-pressure vessel 8). When the hydrogen temperature inside the high-pressure vessel 8 is less than the hydrogen's return temperature of 190K, the second cooling valve 25 is opened; when the hydrogen temperature inside the high-pressure vessel 8 is greater than or equal to the hydrogen's return temperature of 190K, the first cooling valve 24 is opened.

[0060] In a preferred embodiment of the device of the present invention, the exteriors of major components such as the liquid hydrogen storage tank, liquid hydrogen pump, liquid hydrogen shut-off valve, and liquid hydrogen vaporizer should be wrapped with insulation materials to reduce heat leakage in the system.

[0061] In another embodiment of the present invention, based on the above Figure 1 The liquid hydrogen storage and supply system integrated regulating device shown in the figure also provides an operating method of the liquid hydrogen storage and supply system integrated regulating device, which is specifically as follows:

[0062] It should be noted that this method first controls all valves to be closed and all devices to be stopped. According to the temperature of the hydrogen entering the sonic nozzle, the system can be divided into two operating modes.

[0063] S1, mode 1, the hydrogen temperature inside the high-pressure container 8 is lower than the hydrogen conversion temperature of 190K. At this time, the high-pressure hydrogen passing through the sonic nozzle will cool down, which has a large cooling capacity recovery potential;

[0064] S101: Open the liquid hydrogen shutoff valve 3 and all control valves, and start the liquid hydrogen pump 4. The liquid hydrogen medium within the liquid hydrogen storage tank 2 passes through the liquid hydrogen shutoff valve 3 and the liquid hydrogen pump 4 in sequence and enters the first channel of the liquid hydrogen vaporizer 5. Within this channel, the liquid hydrogen medium absorbs heat from the air and is converted into high-pressure hydrogen. The high-pressure hydrogen then enters the first channel of the hydrogen heat exchanger 6, where it absorbs heat from the coolant, further increasing its temperature. However, the outlet temperature must be kept below the hydrogen's return temperature of 190K. The high-pressure hydrogen then enters the integrated regulator 7 for flow regulation and measurement.

[0065] S102: The high-pressure hydrogen flowing out of the hydrogen heat exchanger 6 enters the high-pressure vessel 8 and then flows into various branches. There, it passes through control valves and sonic nozzles, converting from high-pressure hydrogen to low-temperature, low-pressure hydrogen. The low-temperature, low-pressure hydrogen then merges from each branch and enters the low-pressure vessel 15. Under the action of the para-ortho-hydrogen converter 16, the low-pressure hydrogen undergoes para-ortho-hydrogen conversion and further cools, further reducing the pressure inside the low-pressure vessel 15 and causing each sonic nozzle 14 to reach a critical state.

[0066] S103. The temperature T0 and pressure P0 parameters of the hydrogen inside the high-pressure container 8 are measured by the temperature sensor 20 and the pressure sensor 21, and are substituted into the controller 22 through the power signal line 19. The controller 22 obtains the hydrogen flow value of a single sonic nozzle through the mass flow formula, and adjusts the start and stop of each control valve according to the hydrogen consumption demand of the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18, thereby realizing the integration of hydrogen flow regulation and measurement.

[0067] The mass flow rate formula is as follows:

[0068]

[0069] Among them, C d is the outflow coefficient, C r is the actual critical stream function, A t is the sonic nozzle area, R m is a constant.

[0070] The low-pressure hydrogen flowing out of the integrated regulator 7 enters the second channel of the cooler 17 along the hydrogen pipeline 1, absorbs the heat of the coolant and heats up again, and then enters the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18 for reaction.

[0071] S104: Open air shutoff valve 29 and start air compressor 28. External air enters air line 27 and passes through air compressor 28 and air shutoff valve 29 in sequence before entering the second channel of liquid hydrogen vaporizer 5. It absorbs cold energy from the liquid hydrogen and cools down before entering hydrogen-air fuel cell 18 for reaction.

[0072] S105: Open the second cooling valve 25 and start the coolant circulation pump 26. The high-temperature coolant from the cooling channel of the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18 passes through the second cooling valve 25 and enters the first channel of the cooler 17 for pre-cooling. It then enters the second channel of the hydrogen heat exchanger 6, absorbs the cold energy of the low-temperature hydrogen gas, and is cooled again, becoming a low-temperature coolant. It then passes through the coolant circulation pump 26 and re-enters the cooling channel of the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18 to cool the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18 and improve the operating efficiency of the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18. The cooled coolant in the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18 absorbs heat and becomes a high-temperature coolant again. It then passes through the second cooling valve 25 and enters the first channel of the cooler 17 for pre-cooling. The above steps are repeated to achieve coolant circulation and continuously cool the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18.

[0073] S2, mode 2, the hydrogen temperature inside the high-pressure container 8 is higher than the hydrogen conversion temperature of 190K. At this time, the high-pressure hydrogen passing through the sonic nozzle will heat up, and the cooling capacity recovery potential is small;

[0074] During the operation of Mode 2, steps (1) to (4) are roughly the same as those of Mode 1, but step (5) is different, which will be explained in detail below:

[0075] S201: Open the liquid hydrogen shutoff valve 3 and all control valves, and start the liquid hydrogen pump 4. The liquid hydrogen medium within the liquid hydrogen storage tank 2 passes through the liquid hydrogen shutoff valve 3 and the liquid hydrogen pump 4 in sequence and enters the first channel of the liquid hydrogen vaporizer 5. There, the liquid hydrogen medium absorbs heat from the air and is converted into high-pressure hydrogen. The high-pressure hydrogen then enters the first channel of the hydrogen heat exchanger 6, where it absorbs heat from the coolant, further increasing its temperature. However, the outlet temperature must be greater than or equal to the hydrogen's return temperature of 190K. The high-pressure hydrogen then enters the integrated regulator 7 for flow regulation and measurement.

[0076] S202: The high-pressure hydrogen flowing out of the hydrogen heat exchanger 6 enters the high-pressure vessel 8 and then flows into various branches. There, it passes through control valves and sonic nozzles, converting high-pressure hydrogen into high-temperature, low-pressure hydrogen. The high-temperature, low-pressure hydrogen then merges with the branches and enters the low-pressure vessel 15. In the para-ortho-hydrogen converter 16, the low-pressure hydrogen undergoes para-ortho-hydrogen conversion and further cools, further reducing the pressure inside the low-pressure vessel 15 and causing the sonic nozzles 14 to reach a critical state.

[0077] S203. The temperature T0 and pressure P0 parameters of the hydrogen inside the high-pressure container 8 are measured by the temperature sensor 20 and the pressure sensor 21, and are substituted into the controller 22 through the power signal line 19. The controller 22 obtains the hydrogen flow value of a single sonic nozzle through the mass flow formula, and adjusts the start and stop of each control valve according to the hydrogen consumption demand of the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18, thereby realizing the integration of hydrogen flow regulation and measurement.

[0078] The mass flow rate formula is as follows:

[0079]

[0080] Among them, C d is the outflow coefficient, C r is the actual critical stream function, A t is the sonic nozzle area, R m is a constant.

[0081] The low-pressure hydrogen gas flowing out of the integrated regulator 7 enters the second channel of the cooler 17 along the hydrogen pipeline 1, and then enters the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18 for reaction.

[0082] S204: Open air shutoff valve 29 and start air compressor 28. External air enters air line 27 and passes through air compressor 28 and air shutoff valve 29 in sequence before entering the second channel of liquid hydrogen vaporizer 5. It absorbs the cold energy of the liquid hydrogen and cools down before entering hydrogen-air fuel cell 18 for reaction.

[0083] S205: Open the first cooling valve 24 and start the coolant circulation pump 26. The high-temperature coolant from the cooling channel of the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18 passes through the first cooling valve 24 and enters the second channel of the hydrogen heat exchanger 6. It absorbs the cold energy of the low-temperature hydrogen gas for cooling and is converted into low-temperature coolant. It then passes through the coolant circulation pump 26 and enters the cooling channel of the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18 again to cool the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18 and improve the operating efficiency of the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18. The coolant after cooling the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18 absorbs heat and becomes high-temperature coolant again. It then continues to pass through the first cooling valve 24 and enters the first channel of the cooler 17 for pre-cooling. The above steps are repeated to achieve the circulation of the coolant and continuously cool the hydrogen-air fuel cell 18.

[0084] It should be noted that the numbers in the above steps (such as S1, S2, etc.) do not specifically refer to the order of operations in actual use, but are only used to distinguish the implementation of a certain path or a certain function. In actual operation, several or single steps can be performed simultaneously, separately or sequentially as needed.

[0085] The embodiment described above is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Persons skilled in the art may make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, any technical solution obtained by equivalent substitution or equivalent transformation falls within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A liquid hydrogen storage and supply system integrated regulating device, characterized in that: It includes a hydrogen pipeline (1), a liquid hydrogen storage tank (2), a liquid hydrogen vaporizer (5), a hydrogen heat exchanger (6), an integrated regulator (7), a cooler (17), a hydrogen-air fuel cell (18), a coolant circulation pipeline (23) and an air pipeline (27); The liquid hydrogen vaporizer (5), the hydrogen heat exchanger (6) and the cooler (17) each have a first channel and a second channel inside thereof capable of forming heat exchange contact; The hydrogen pipeline (1) is sequentially connected to the liquid hydrogen storage tank (2), the liquid hydrogen stop valve (3), the liquid hydrogen pump (4), the first channel of the liquid hydrogen vaporizer (5), the first channel of the hydrogen heat exchanger (6), the integrated regulator (7), the second channel of the cooler (17) and the hydrogen-air fuel cell (18), and is used to vaporize the liquid hydrogen medium inside the liquid hydrogen storage tank (2) and transport it to the hydrogen-air fuel cell (18) for reaction; The integrated regulator (7) includes a high-pressure container (8) and a low-pressure container (15); the hydrogen pipeline (1) is first connected to the high-pressure container (8) inside the integrated regulator (7), and then divided into a plurality of parallel branches, each branch being connected in sequence to a control valve and a sonic nozzle, and the plurality of branches are then connected together to the low-pressure container (15); The high-pressure container (8) is provided with a temperature sensor (20) and a pressure sensor (21) for measuring internal state parameters, and a para-orthohydrogen converter (16) is provided in the low-pressure container (15); the para-orthohydrogen converter (16) is used to reduce the pressure inside the low-pressure container (15) by utilizing the heat absorption characteristic of the para-orthohydrogen conversion; All control valves, temperature sensors (20) and pressure sensors (21) are connected to a controller (22) via a power signal line (19). The controller (22) can control the start and stop of each control valve through input signal parameters of the temperature sensor (20) and the pressure sensor (21); The air pipeline (27) is connected in sequence to the air compressor (28), the air stop valve (29), the second channel of the liquid hydrogen vaporizer (5) and the hydrogen-air fuel cell (18), and is used to transport the external air after compression and cooling to the hydrogen-air fuel cell (18) for reaction; The front end of the coolant circulation pipeline (23) is divided into two branches, the first branch flows through the first cooling valve (24), and the second branch flows through the second cooling valve (25) and the first channel of the cooler (17) in sequence. The two branches then merge and flow through the second channel of the hydrogen heat exchanger (6), the coolant circulation pump (26) and the cooling channel of the hydrogen-air fuel cell (18) in sequence, and then communicate with the front end of the coolant circulation pipeline (23) to form a circulation loop; the coolant circulation pipeline (23) is used to utilize the coldness of low-temperature hydrogen to perform thermal management on the hydrogen-air fuel cell (18) and improve the operating efficiency of the hydrogen-air fuel cell (18).

2. The integrated regulating device for liquid hydrogen storage and supply system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The exteriors of the liquid hydrogen storage tank (2), the liquid hydrogen pump (4), the liquid hydrogen stop valve (3) and the liquid hydrogen vaporizer (5) are all wrapped with a heat-insulating material for reducing heat leakage.

3. The integrated regulating device for liquid hydrogen storage and supply system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The coolant circulation pipeline (23) is filled with coolant.

4. The integrated regulating device for liquid hydrogen storage and supply system according to claim 1, characterized in that: Three parallel branches are provided inside the integrated regulator (7), wherein the first branch is connected in sequence to the first electrically controlled valve (9) and the first sonic nozzle (12), the second branch is connected in sequence to the second electrically controlled valve (10) and the second sonic nozzle (13), and the third branch is connected in sequence to the third electrically controlled valve (11) and the third sonic nozzle (14).

5. The integrated regulating device for liquid hydrogen storage and supply system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control valve is an electrically controlled valve or an integrated mechanical valve.

6. The integrated regulating device for liquid hydrogen storage and supply system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The para-ortho-hydrogen converter (16) is a metal porous medium coated with a para-ortho-hydrogen conversion catalyst.

7. The integrated regulating device for liquid hydrogen storage and supply system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pressure difference between the high-pressure container (8) and the low-pressure container (15) can cause the hydrogen inside each sonic nozzle to reach a critical state.

8. An operating method using the integrated regulating device for liquid hydrogen storage and supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: According to the hydrogen temperature value inside the high-pressure container (8), it is divided into two modes, S1 and S2, as follows: S1. When the temperature of the hydrogen inside the high-pressure container (8) is lower than the hydrogen conversion temperature of 190K, the high-pressure hydrogen passing through the sonic nozzle will cool down and have a large cooling capacity recovery potential. Therefore, the following operations are performed: S101, open the liquid hydrogen stop valve (3) and each control valve, start the liquid hydrogen pump (4); the liquid hydrogen medium inside the liquid hydrogen storage tank (2) passes through the liquid hydrogen stop valve (3) and the liquid hydrogen pump (4) in sequence and enters the first channel of the liquid hydrogen vaporizer (5), absorbs the heat of the air and is converted into high-pressure hydrogen; the high-pressure hydrogen then enters the first channel of the hydrogen heat exchanger (6), absorbs the heat of the coolant and further increases the temperature, but makes the outlet temperature lower than the hydrogen return temperature of 190K, and then enters the integrated regulator (7) for flow regulation and measurement; S102, the high-pressure hydrogen flowing out of the hydrogen heat exchanger (6) enters the high-pressure container (8) and then enters each branch. In the branch, the high-pressure hydrogen is converted into low-temperature low-pressure hydrogen through the control valve and the sonic nozzle. Then, the branches merge and enter the low-pressure container (15). Under the action of the ortho-hydrogen converter (16), the low-pressure hydrogen undergoes ortho-hydrogen conversion and is further cooled, so that the pressure inside the low-pressure container (15) is further reduced, and each sonic nozzle (14) reaches a critical state; S103, measuring the temperature T0 and pressure P0 parameters of the hydrogen inside the high-pressure container (8) through the temperature sensor (20) and the pressure sensor (21), and substituting them into the controller (22) through the power signal line (19), the controller (22) obtains the hydrogen flow value of the single sonic nozzle through the mass flow formula, and adjusts the start and stop of each control valve according to the hydrogen consumption demand of the hydrogen-air fuel cell (18), thereby realizing the integration of hydrogen flow regulation and measurement; The mass flow formula is as follows: Among them, C d is the outflow coefficient, C r is the actual critical stream function, A t is the sonic nozzle area, R m is a constant; The low-pressure hydrogen flowing out of the integrated regulator (7) enters the second channel of the cooler (17) along the hydrogen pipeline (1), absorbs the heat of the coolant and heats up again, and then enters the hydrogen-air fuel cell (18) for reaction; S104, open the air stop valve (29), start the air compressor (28); the external air enters the air pipeline (27) and passes through the air compressor (28) and the air stop valve (29) in sequence, then enters the second channel of the liquid hydrogen vaporizer (5), absorbs the cold energy of the liquid hydrogen and cools down, and then enters the hydrogen-air fuel cell (18) to react; S105, opening the second cooling valve (25) and starting the coolant circulation pump (26); the high-temperature coolant from the cooling channel of the hydrogen-air fuel cell (18) passes through the second cooling valve (25) and enters the first channel of the cooler (17) for pre-cooling, then enters the second channel of the hydrogen heat exchanger (6), absorbs the cold energy of the low-temperature hydrogen gas and is cooled again, and is converted into a low-temperature coolant, then passes through the coolant circulation pump (26) and enters the cooling channel of the hydrogen-air fuel cell (18) again to cool the hydrogen-air fuel cell (18), thereby improving the operating efficiency of the hydrogen-air fuel cell (18); S2. When the temperature of the hydrogen inside the high-pressure container (8) is greater than or equal to the hydrogen conversion temperature of 190K, the high-pressure hydrogen passing through the sonic nozzle will heat up and the cooling capacity recovery potential is small. Therefore, the following operations are performed: S201, open the liquid hydrogen stop valve (3) and each control valve, start the liquid hydrogen pump (4); the liquid hydrogen medium inside the liquid hydrogen storage tank (2) passes through the liquid hydrogen stop valve (3) and the liquid hydrogen pump (4) in sequence and enters the first channel of the liquid hydrogen vaporizer (5), absorbs the heat of the air and is converted into high-pressure hydrogen; the high-pressure hydrogen then enters the first channel of the hydrogen heat exchanger (6), absorbs the heat of the coolant and further increases the temperature, but makes the outlet temperature greater than or equal to the hydrogen return temperature of 190K, and then enters the integrated regulator (7) for flow regulation and measurement; S202, the high-pressure hydrogen flowing out of the hydrogen heat exchanger (6) enters the high-pressure container (8) and then enters each branch. In the branch, the high-pressure hydrogen is converted into high-temperature low-pressure hydrogen through the control valve and the sonic nozzle. Then, the branches merge and enter the low-pressure container (15). Under the action of the ortho-hydrogen converter (16), the low-pressure hydrogen undergoes ortho-hydrogen conversion and is further cooled, so that the pressure inside the low-pressure container (15) is further reduced, and each sonic nozzle (14) reaches a critical state; S203, measuring the temperature T0 and pressure P0 parameters of the hydrogen inside the high-pressure container (8) through the temperature sensor (20) and the pressure sensor (21), and substituting them into the controller (22) through the power signal line (19), the controller (22) obtains the hydrogen flow value of a single sonic nozzle through the mass flow formula, and adjusts the start and stop of each control valve according to the hydrogen consumption demand of the hydrogen-air fuel cell (18), thereby realizing the integration of hydrogen flow regulation and measurement; The low-pressure hydrogen flowing out of the integrated regulator (7) enters the second channel of the cooler (17) along the hydrogen pipeline (1), and then enters the hydrogen-air fuel cell (18) for reaction; S204, open the air stop valve (29), start the air compressor (28); the external air enters the air pipeline (27) and passes through the air compressor (28) and the air stop valve (29) in sequence, then enters the second channel of the liquid hydrogen vaporizer (5), absorbs the cold energy of the liquid hydrogen and cools down, and then enters the hydrogen-air fuel cell (18) to react; S205, open the first cooling valve (24), start the coolant circulation pump (26), and the high-temperature coolant from the cooling channel of the hydrogen-air fuel cell (18) enters the second channel of the hydrogen heat exchanger (6) through the first cooling valve (24), absorbs the cold energy of the low-temperature hydrogen gas for cooling, and is converted into a low-temperature coolant. Then, it passes through the coolant circulation pump (26) and enters the cooling channel of the hydrogen-air fuel cell (18) again to cool the hydrogen-air fuel cell (18), thereby improving the operating efficiency of the hydrogen-air fuel cell (18).

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