A liquid hydrogen storage tank system and its operation method for energy recovery using hydrogen fuel cells.

Abstract

This invention discloses a liquid hydrogen storage tank system and its operation method using a hydrogen fuel cell for energy recovery. The system includes a liquid hydrogen storage tank and a hydrogen fuel cell. The liquid hydrogen storage tank has a liquid hydrogen inlet and outlet and a gaseous hydrogen outlet. The outlet of the liquid hydrogen storage tank is connected to a circulation pipeline and a gaseous hydrogen outlet pipeline, respectively. A circulation pump and a chiller are connected to the circulation pipeline, respectively. The gaseous hydrogen outlet pipeline is sequentially connected to the hydrogen fuel cell and the chiller. This invention recovers the heat of combustion from the evaporation of gaseous hydrogen during long-term storage in the liquid hydrogen storage tank. On the one hand, it effectively reduces heat leakage from the external environment into the liquid hydrogen storage tank; on the other hand, the hydrogen fuel cell efficiently recovers the heat of combustion of gaseous hydrogen and converts it into part of the electrical energy of the chiller, providing long-term cooling for the liquid hydrogen storage tank, reducing the internal temperature of the liquid hydrogen storage tank, reducing liquid hydrogen evaporation loss, improving energy utilization efficiency, and achieving full utilization of energy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of liquid hydrogen storage tank insulation technology, and in particular to a liquid hydrogen storage tank system and operation method that uses a hydrogen fuel cell for energy recovery. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, people have paid increasing attention to the development of the new energy industry, especially the hydrogen energy industry. In the development of the hydrogen energy industry, efficient and low-cost hydrogen storage and transportation technology is a necessary guarantee for large-scale hydrogen use. Current technology mainly involves wrapping liquid hydrogen storage tanks with multiple layers of insulation material to reduce heat leakage from the external environment. However, because liquid hydrogen has a low sensible heat of vaporization, even a tiny amount of heat leakage from the liquid hydrogen storage tank will cause the liquid hydrogen to vaporize and evaporate, still resulting in a waste of hydrogen energy. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing technologies by proposing a liquid hydrogen storage tank system and its operation method that utilizes a hydrogen fuel cell for energy recovery.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0005] A liquid hydrogen storage tank system for energy recovery using a hydrogen fuel cell includes a liquid hydrogen storage tank and a hydrogen fuel cell. The liquid hydrogen storage tank has a liquid hydrogen inlet and outlet and a gaseous hydrogen outlet. The output end of the liquid hydrogen storage tank is connected to a circulation pipeline and a gaseous hydrogen output pipeline, respectively. A circulation pump and a chiller are connected to the circulation pipeline, respectively. The gaseous hydrogen output pipeline is connected to the hydrogen fuel cell and the chiller in sequence.

[0006] The sidewall of the liquid hydrogen storage tank includes an outer tank, an inner tank, and a vacuum chamber. Insulation and cooling structures are respectively provided between the outer tank and the inner tank.

[0007] Preferably, the insulation structure includes an outer multi-layer insulation material and an inner multi-layer insulation material, with an intermediate insulation material filling the space between the inner multi-layer insulation material and the inner tank body of the liquid hydrogen storage tank.

[0008] Preferably, a vacuum is provided between the outer multilayer insulation material, the middle insulation material, and the inner multilayer insulation material.

[0009] Preferably, the intermediate insulation material is one or a combination of polyurethane material, perlite, and hollow glass microsphere material.

[0010] Preferably, the cooling structure includes a large-area cooling screen, which is located between the inner tank of the liquid hydrogen storage tank and the intermediate insulation material. The large-area cooling screen has a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet, and its two ends are connected to a circulation pipeline.

[0011] Preferably, a buffer tank is installed on the circulation pipeline. The buffer tank has a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet, and is connected to a large-area cold shield and a circulation pump respectively through the circulation pipeline.

[0012] Preferably, the hydrogen fuel cell has a gaseous hydrogen inlet, an air inlet, an exhaust gas outlet, and an energy storage device. The gaseous hydrogen inlet and the exhaust gas outlet are connected to a liquid hydrogen storage tank through a gaseous hydrogen output pipeline. The energy storage device can store the electrical energy converted from the hydrogen fuel cell and power the refrigerator.

[0013] Preferably, the large-area cold screen has a hexagonal honeycomb structure and is made of aluminum alloy, and the large-area cold screen is equipped with a baffle tube.

[0014] Preferably, the energy source for the refrigeration unit is supplied simultaneously by the energy storage device of the hydrogen fuel cell and an external power source.

[0015] An operation method for a liquid hydrogen storage tank system using a hydrogen fuel cell for energy recovery, the operation method comprising the following steps:

[0016] 1) The liquid hydrogen storage tank consists of an outer tank body, an inner tank body, an insulation structure, and a vacuum chamber, which reduces heat leakage from the liquid hydrogen storage tank.

[0017] 2) When the liquid hydrogen in the liquid hydrogen storage tank is vaporized due to heat leakage and accumulates inside the tank, causing the pressure inside the tank to rise, the liquid hydrogen storage tank gas hydrogen outlet is opened, allowing the gas hydrogen to enter the hydrogen fuel cell through the gas hydrogen output pipe, react with oxygen in the air, charge the energy storage device in the hydrogen fuel cell, and the exhaust gas after the reaction is released through the exhaust gas outlet of the hydrogen fuel cell.

[0018] 3) Turn on the power switches of the chiller and the circulation pump. The refrigerant flows along the circulation pipeline. The chiller provides cooling for the refrigerant, and the refrigerant provides uniform cooling for the insulation structure to reduce heat leakage from the external environment to the interior of the liquid hydrogen storage tank.

[0019] Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects of this invention are: This invention recovers the heat of combustion of vaporized hydrogen during long-term storage in liquid hydrogen storage tanks. On the one hand, it can effectively reduce heat leakage from the external environment into the liquid hydrogen storage tank; on the other hand, it uses a hydrogen fuel cell to efficiently recover the heat of vaporized hydrogen combustion and convert it into part of the electrical energy of the refrigeration unit, providing long-term cooling for the liquid hydrogen storage tank, reducing the internal temperature of the liquid hydrogen storage tank, reducing liquid hydrogen evaporation loss, improving energy utilization efficiency, and achieving full utilization of energy. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art more specifically and intuitively, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below.

[0021] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the structure proposed in this invention;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a composite multilayer thermal insulation material structure.

[0023] In the diagram: liquid hydrogen storage tank 01, composite multilayer insulation material 02, large area cold shield 03, refrigerator 04, circulation pump 05, buffer tank 06, circulation pipeline 07, hydrogen fuel cell 08, gaseous hydrogen output pipeline 09, outer tank of liquid hydrogen storage tank 011, inner tank of liquid hydrogen storage tank 012, external multilayer insulation material 021, internal multilayer insulation material 022. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments.

[0025] Reference Figure 1-2 A liquid hydrogen storage tank system for energy recovery using a hydrogen fuel cell includes a liquid hydrogen storage tank 01 and a hydrogen fuel cell 08. The liquid hydrogen storage tank 01 has a liquid hydrogen inlet and outlet and a gaseous hydrogen outlet. The output end of the liquid hydrogen storage tank 01 is connected to a circulation pipe 07 and a gaseous hydrogen output pipe 09, respectively. A circulation pump 05 and a refrigerator 04 are connected to the circulation pipe 07, respectively. The gaseous hydrogen output pipe 09 is connected to the hydrogen fuel cell 08 and the refrigerator 04 in sequence. The circulation pump 05 has an electric motor, a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet, and is connected to the circulation pipe 07 to provide power for the refrigerant.

[0026] The side wall of the liquid hydrogen storage tank 01 includes an outer tank 011, an inner tank 012, and a vacuum chamber. An insulation structure and a cooling structure are respectively provided between the outer tank 011 and the inner tank 012. The outer tank 011 and the inner tank 012 serve as the main external pressure-bearing components.

[0027] In this embodiment, the thermal insulation structure includes an external multi-layer thermal insulation material 021 and an internal multi-layer thermal insulation material 022, with an intermediate thermal insulation material filling the space between the internal multi-layer thermal insulation material 022 and the inner tank body 012 of the liquid hydrogen storage tank.

[0028] In this embodiment, a vacuum is set between the outer multilayer insulation material 021, the middle insulation material, and the inner multilayer insulation material 022.

[0029] In this embodiment, the intermediate insulation material is one or a combination of polyurethane material, perlite, and hollow glass microsphere material.

[0030] In this embodiment, the cooling structure includes a large-area cooling screen 03, which is located between the inner tank body 012 of the liquid hydrogen storage tank and the intermediate insulation material. The large-area cooling screen 03 has a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet, and is connected to the circulation pipe 07 at both ends. The large-area cooling screen 03 provides continuous cooling supply to the liquid hydrogen storage tank 01 to maintain the low temperature state of the liquid hydrogen storage tank 01.

[0031] In this embodiment, a buffer tank 06 is installed on the circulation pipeline 07. The buffer tank 06 has a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet and can hold a certain amount of refrigerant. The buffer tank 06 has a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet and is connected to the large-area cold screen 03 and the circulation pump 05 through the circulation pipeline 07 respectively. The refrigerant can be cryogenic helium gas, which obtains cold energy from the refrigerator 04 to provide uniform cold energy replenishment for the large-area cold screen 04, thereby reducing heat leakage from the external environment to the liquid hydrogen storage tank 01.

[0032] In this embodiment, the hydrogen fuel cell 08 has a gaseous hydrogen inlet, an air inlet, an exhaust gas outlet, and an energy storage device. The gaseous hydrogen inlet and the exhaust gas outlet are connected to the liquid hydrogen storage tank 01 through a gaseous hydrogen output pipe 09. The energy storage device can store the electrical energy converted from the hydrogen fuel cell and power the refrigerator.

[0033] In this embodiment, the large-area cold shield 03 has a hexagonal honeycomb structure. The large-area cold shield 03 is used to absorb heat leakage from the external environment into the liquid hydrogen storage tank 01. The hexagonal honeycomb structure increases the radiative heat exchange area, and aluminum alloy material is used. Furthermore, the large-area cold shield 03 is equipped with a turbulence-inducing tube.

[0034] In this embodiment, the energy source for the refrigeration unit 04 is supplied simultaneously by the energy storage device of the hydrogen fuel cell 08 and an external power source.

[0035] An operation method for a liquid hydrogen storage tank system using a hydrogen fuel cell for energy recovery, the operation method comprising the following steps:

[0036] 1) Liquid hydrogen storage tank 01 consists of an outer tank body 011, an inner tank body 012, an insulation structure, and a vacuum chamber, which reduces heat leakage of liquid hydrogen storage tank 01.

[0037] 2) When the liquid hydrogen in the liquid hydrogen storage tank 01 is vaporized due to heat leakage and accumulates inside the tank, causing the pressure inside the tank to rise, the gaseous hydrogen outlet of the liquid hydrogen storage tank 01 is opened, allowing the gaseous hydrogen to enter the hydrogen fuel cell 08 through the gaseous hydrogen output pipe 09, react with oxygen in the air, and charge the energy storage device in the hydrogen fuel cell 08. After the reaction, the exhaust gas is released through the tail gas outlet of the hydrogen fuel cell 08.

[0038] 3) Turn on the power switches of the refrigeration unit 04 and the circulation pump 05. The refrigerant flows along the circulation pipe 07. The refrigeration unit 04 provides cooling for the refrigerant, and the refrigerant provides uniform cooling for the insulation structure to reduce heat leakage from the external environment to the liquid hydrogen storage tank 01.

[0039] During long-term storage of liquid hydrogen in liquid hydrogen storage tank 01, the liquid hydrogen storage tank 01 is first insulated by other insulation materials, internal multi-layer insulation materials 022 and external multi-layer insulation materials 021. Other insulation materials are filled between the inner tank body and the inner multi-layer insulation materials, which are one or more combinations of polyurethane materials, perlite, and hollow glass microsphere insulation materials to reduce heat leakage of liquid hydrogen storage tank.

[0040] However, due to the low latent heat of vaporization of liquid hydrogen, even a tiny amount of heat leakage can cause liquid hydrogen to evaporate. At present, the technology cannot completely insulate the liquid hydrogen storage tank 01. These heat leaks cause the liquid hydrogen inside the storage tank to vaporize and continuously accumulate inside the tank, causing the pressure inside the tank to rise.

[0041] After the liquid hydrogen storage tank 01 has been stored for a period of time, the gaseous hydrogen outlet of the liquid hydrogen storage tank 01 is opened, allowing the gaseous hydrogen to enter the hydrogen fuel cell 08 through the gaseous hydrogen output pipe 09. It reacts with oxygen in the air to charge the energy storage device in the hydrogen fuel cell 08. After the reaction, the exhaust gas is released through the exhaust gas outlet of the hydrogen fuel cell 08. The power switches of the refrigerator 04 and the circulation pump 05 are turned on, and the refrigerant flows along the circulation pipe 07. The refrigerator 04 provides cooling for the refrigerant, and the refrigerant provides uniform cooling to the composite multilayer insulation material to reduce heat leakage from the external environment to the liquid hydrogen storage tank 01, thereby reducing liquid hydrogen evaporation loss, improving the efficiency of liquid hydrogen energy utilization, and realizing full utilization of energy.

[0042] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A liquid hydrogen storage tank system for energy recovery using a hydrogen fuel cell, comprising a liquid hydrogen storage tank (01) and a hydrogen fuel cell (08), wherein the liquid hydrogen storage tank (01) has a liquid hydrogen inlet and outlet and a gaseous hydrogen outlet, characterized in that, The liquid hydrogen storage tank (01) is connected to a circulation pipe (07) and a gaseous hydrogen output pipe (09) at its output end. A circulation pump (05) and a refrigerator (04) are connected to the circulation pipe (07) respectively. The gaseous hydrogen output pipe (09) is connected to the hydrogen fuel cell (08) and the refrigerator (04) in sequence. The side wall of the liquid hydrogen storage tank (01) includes an outer tank (011), an inner tank (012), and a vacuum chamber. An insulation structure and a cooling structure are respectively provided between the outer tank (011) and the inner tank (012). The cooling structure includes a large-area cold screen (03), which is located between the inner tank body (012) of the liquid hydrogen storage tank and the intermediate insulation material. The large-area cold screen (03) has a cooling medium inlet and a cooling medium outlet, and is connected to the circulation pipe (07) at both ends. A buffer tank (06) is installed on the circulation pipe (07). The buffer tank (06) has a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet, and is connected to the large-area cold screen (03) and the circulation pump (05) respectively through the circulation pipe (07). The large-area cold screen (03) has a hexagonal honeycomb structure and is made of aluminum alloy. The large-area cold screen (03) is equipped with a baffle tube. The energy source for the refrigeration unit (04) is supplied simultaneously by the energy storage device of the hydrogen fuel cell (08) and an external power source.

2. The liquid hydrogen storage tank system for energy recovery using a hydrogen fuel cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, The insulation structure includes an outer multilayer insulation material (021) and an inner multilayer insulation material (022), with an intermediate insulation material filling the space between the inner multilayer insulation material (022) and the inner tank body (012) of the liquid hydrogen storage tank.

3. A liquid hydrogen storage tank system for energy recovery using a hydrogen fuel cell, as described in claim 2, is characterized in that, The space between the external multilayer insulation material (021), the intermediate insulation material, and the internal multilayer insulation material (022) is vacuum-sealed.

4. A liquid hydrogen storage tank system for energy recovery using a hydrogen fuel cell according to claim 3, characterized in that, The intermediate insulation material is one or a combination of polyurethane, perlite, and hollow glass microspheres.

5. A liquid hydrogen storage tank system for energy recovery using a hydrogen fuel cell according to claim 4, characterized in that, The hydrogen fuel cell (08) has a gaseous hydrogen inlet, an air inlet, a tail gas outlet, and an energy storage device. The gaseous hydrogen inlet and the tail gas outlet are connected to the liquid hydrogen storage tank (01) through a gaseous hydrogen output pipe (09). The energy storage device stores the electrical energy converted by the hydrogen fuel cell and supplies power to the refrigerator.

6. The method for operating a liquid hydrogen storage tank system using a hydrogen fuel cell for energy recovery as described in any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The execution method includes the following steps: 1) The liquid hydrogen storage tank (01) consists of an outer tank body (011), an inner tank body (012), an insulation structure, and a vacuum chamber, which reduces heat leakage from the liquid hydrogen storage tank (01). 2) When the liquid hydrogen in the liquid hydrogen storage tank (01) is vaporized due to heat leakage and accumulates inside the tank, causing the pressure inside the tank to rise, the gas hydrogen outlet of the liquid hydrogen storage tank (01) is opened, and the gas hydrogen enters the hydrogen fuel cell (08) through the gas hydrogen output pipe (09), reacts with oxygen in the air, and charges the energy storage device in the hydrogen fuel cell (08). After the reaction, the exhaust gas is released through the tail gas outlet of the hydrogen fuel cell (08). 3) Turn on the power switches of the refrigeration unit (04) and the circulation pump (05). The refrigerant flows along the circulation pipe (07). The refrigeration unit (04) provides cooling for the refrigerant, and the refrigerant provides uniform cooling for the insulation structure to reduce heat leakage from the external environment to the liquid hydrogen storage tank (01).

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