Hydrogen storage and supply device and system

Abstract

The invention relates to a hydrogen storage and supply device and system. The device comprises a storage pipeline, at least three storage tanks and a power mechanism. The storage pipeline is used for connecting hydrogen production equipment. And the at least three storage tanks are arranged at the downstream of the hydrogen production equipment and are communicated with one another through pipelines. Wherein water is pre-stored in at least one storage tank, and the other storage tanks are empty tanks and / or hydrogen storage tanks. And the power mechanism is arranged between the storage tank for pre-storing water and the other storage tanks. And when the hydrogen is stored, the storage tank for pre-storing water can receive the hydrogen, so that the water in the storage tank enters any empty storage tank. During gas supply, the power mechanism can transfer water in the storage tank for pre-storing water to any storage tank for storing hydrogen, so that the storage tank for storing hydrogen can provide hydrogen outwards. The gas storage and supply process of the system does not need to use an expensive hydrogen compressor, the safety is better, the power consumption is lower, the reliability is higher, and the manufacturing cost is greatly reduced. And in each inflation and deflation process of the storage tank, the residual amount of hydrogen is small, and the utilization rate of the storage tank is higher.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of hydrogen storage and supply, and in particular to a hydrogen storage and supply device and system. Background Art

[0002] For situations where hydrogen is used as a raw material (such as in the production of green liquid fuel and pipeline hydrogen), direct hydrogen storage is the most economical and effective method. A hydrogen storage and transportation system must be built. When renewable electricity is sufficient, multiple electrolyzers are used to accelerate the production and storage of hydrogen. The stored hydrogen can then be transported out when the renewable electricity output decreases or stops.

[0003] Existing hydrogen storage methods include compressed hydrogen storage, liquid hydrogen storage, organic liquid storage, metal hydrogen storage and other methods. Among them, the most commonly used is compressed hydrogen storage, that is, the hydrogen produced by electrolysis of water is compressed by a compressor (or directly enters the storage tank without compression at a pressure of 1.6MPa-3.0MPa after electrolysis of water) and then enters the hydrogen storage tank. The hydrogen in the storage tank is released when the hydrogen is needed. Since the storage tank pressure changes during the hydrogen storage and dehydrogenation process, the hydrogen pressure in the storage tank must be compressed by a compressor when it is lower than the hydrogen use pressure. In order to release the hydrogen in the storage tank as much as possible, the compressor inlet pressure is reduced, resulting in a large power consumption of the hydrogen compressor. Due to the disadvantages of hydrogen being difficult to compress, having a small molecular weight and easy to leak, a wide explosion range, poor safety and hydrogen embrittlement, the existing compressed hydrogen storage devices require large investments, high energy consumption and poor safety.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a hydrogen storage and supply system with low power consumption, low cost and high safety. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One object of the present invention is to address the deficiencies in the prior art and to provide a hydrogen storage and supply device. To solve the above technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] A hydrogen storage and supply device, comprising:

[0007] a storage pipeline for connecting to a hydrogen production device to receive hydrogen;

[0008] At least three storage tanks are arranged downstream of the hydrogen production equipment, and the at least three storage tanks are interconnected by pipelines, wherein at least one storage tank is pre-stored with water, and the remaining storage tanks are empty tanks and / or store hydrogen;

[0009] A power mechanism is provided between the storage tank for pre-storing water and the remaining storage tanks;

[0010] When hydrogen is stored, the storage tank that pre-stores water can receive hydrogen through the storage pipeline so that the water in the storage tank can enter any empty storage tank;

[0011] During gas supply, the power mechanism can transfer the water in the pre-water storage tank to any hydrogen storage tank, so that the hydrogen storage tank can provide hydrogen to the outside.

[0012] In one embodiment, the storage tank is a closed container.

[0013] In one embodiment, the effective volumes of the storage tanks are equal or approximately equal.

[0014] In one embodiment, the power mechanism is a reversible pump turbine, and when the tanks pre-stored with water receive hydrogen gas so that water enters any empty tank, the power mechanism can use the water to generate electricity.

[0015] In one embodiment, the hydrogen storage and supply device includes a bypass line connected between the pre-water storage tank and the empty storage tank, and arranged in parallel with the power mechanism. When the pre-water storage tank receives hydrogen, water can enter any empty storage tank through the bypass line.

[0016] A bypass valve is provided on the bypass pipeline, and the bypass valve is used to control the on-off of the bypass pipeline.

[0017] In one embodiment, the top of each storage tank is connected to a liquid inlet pipe, and the bottom of each storage tank is connected to a liquid phase pipeline;

[0018] The device also includes a temperature control pipeline, the liquid inlet end of the temperature control pipeline is connected to each liquid phase pipeline, and the liquid outlet end is connected to each liquid inlet pipe, so that at least part of the water discharged from the bottom of each storage tank can enter the top of each storage tank through the temperature control pipeline. A liquid inlet valve is provided on each liquid inlet pipe.

[0019] In one embodiment, a first regulating valve is provided on the temperature control pipeline, and the first regulating valve is used to control the flow of the temperature control pipeline according to the temperature in the storage tank.

[0020] In one embodiment, the hydrogen storage and supply device includes a heating device, which is arranged on the temperature control pipeline to heat the water entering each storage tank.

[0021] In one embodiment, the hydrogen storage and supply device includes a gas-liquid separator, which is arranged between a storage tank for pre-storing water and a storage tank for storing hydrogen, and is arranged in series with a power mechanism. The gas-liquid separator is used to separate water and gas from the water transferred to the hydrogen storage tank.

[0022] In one embodiment, the hydrogen storage and supply device includes a second regulating valve, which is arranged at the inlet of the gas-liquid separator. The second regulating valve is used to control the flow of water entering the gas-liquid separator according to the liquid level of the gas-liquid separator.

[0023] In one embodiment, the hydrogen storage and supply device includes an air bag, which is connected to the gas outlet of the gas-liquid separator.

[0024] In one embodiment, the bottom of each storage tank is connected to a first liquid phase pipeline and a second liquid phase pipeline respectively, the first liquid phase pipeline of any storage tank is connected to the second liquid phase pipeline of the other storage tanks, and the second liquid phase pipeline of any storage tank is connected to the first liquid phase pipeline of the other storage tanks;

[0025] Each first liquid phase pipeline is provided with a first liquid phase valve for controlling the on-off of the first liquid phase pipeline, and each second liquid phase pipeline is provided with a second liquid phase valve for controlling the on-off of the second liquid phase pipeline.

[0026] In one embodiment, the hydrogen storage and supply device includes a control valve, which is arranged on a pipeline connected to each first liquid phase pipeline, and is used to control the conduction or cutoff of each first liquid phase pipeline.

[0027] In one embodiment, the hydrogen storage and gas supply device includes a water inlet regulating valve, which is arranged on a pipeline connected to each second liquid phase pipeline, and is used to control the water flow entering any storage tank according to the pipeline network pressure of the storage pipeline.

[0028] In one embodiment, the top of each storage tank is connected to a gas phase pipeline, each gas phase pipeline is connected to the storage pipeline, and each gas phase pipeline is provided with a gas phase valve, each gas phase valve is used to control the on and off of each gas phase pipeline.

[0029] In one embodiment, the hydrogen storage and supply device includes a hydrogen regulating valve, which is arranged on the storage pipeline and is used to adjust the amount of hydrogen entering the storage tank according to the pipeline pressure of the storage pipeline and the pressure of the storage tank.

[0030] Another object of the present invention is to provide a hydrogen storage and supply system, comprising a hydrogen production equipment and any of the above described hydrogen storage and supply devices, wherein the storage pipeline is connected to the outlet end of the hydrogen production equipment;

[0031] The outlet end of the hydrogen production equipment is also connected to a hydrogen pipeline, which is arranged in parallel with the storage pipeline. The hydrogen provided to the outside by each storage tank is merged into the hydrogen pipeline.

[0032] It can be seen from the above technical solutions that the present invention has at least the following advantages and positive effects:

[0033] In the present invention, the hydrogen storage and gas supply device includes a storage pipeline and at least three storage tanks, and a power mechanism. The storage pipeline is used to connect to the hydrogen production equipment to receive hydrogen, and the at least three storage tanks are arranged downstream of the hydrogen production equipment. At least three storage tanks are interconnected by pipelines, and at least one storage tank has water pre-stored in it, and the remaining storage tanks are empty tanks and / or store hydrogen. The power mechanism is arranged between the storage tank for pre-storing water and the remaining storage tanks. When storing hydrogen, the storage tank for pre-storing water receives hydrogen through the storage pipeline, so that the water in the storage tank enters any empty storage tank. When supplying gas, the power mechanism can transfer the water in the storage tank for pre-storing water to any hydrogen storage tank, so that the hydrogen storage tank can provide hydrogen to the outside.

[0034] Therefore, the hydrogen storage and gas supply device of the present invention can utilize the hydrogen pressure of the hydrogen production equipment to inflate each storage tank, and at the same time, use water as the flow medium to achieve the purpose of inflating multiple storage tanks in sequence. The system uses a power mechanism as the power and water as the driving medium to achieve the purpose of supplying gas to the outside of multiple storage tanks in sequence. Therefore, the gas storage and gas supply process of this system does not require the use of expensive hydrogen compressors, and has better safety, lower power consumption, higher reliability, and significantly reduced cost. In addition, during each filling and discharging process of the storage tank, the amount of residual hydrogen is small, which makes the storage tank utilization rate higher and saves the investment cost of the storage tank. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] Figure 1 It is a structural diagram of a hydrogen storage and gas supply device and system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The system shown is a flow chart of the constant temperature inflation condition without energy recovery.

[0037] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The system shown is a flow chart of the constant temperature inflation condition with energy recovery.

[0038] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 The flow chart of the system shown is a constant temperature gas supply working condition.

[0039] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 The system shown is a flow chart of the system in liquid-free drive and aeration working condition.

[0040] The following are the descriptions of the reference numerals:

[0041] 10-Hydrogen production equipment; 11-Storage pipeline; 111-Hydrogen regulating valve; 12-Hydrogen pipeline; 13-Check valve;

[0042] 10'-Downstream hydrogen equipment;

[0043] 20-storage tank; 21-liquid inlet pipe; 211-liquid inlet valve; 22-first liquid phase pipeline; 221-first liquid phase valve; 23-second liquid phase pipeline; 231-second liquid phase valve; 24-gas phase pipeline; 241-gas phase valve;

[0044] 30-power mechanism; 31-turbine outlet valve;

[0045] 40-Bypass pipe; 41-Bypass valve;

[0046] 50-temperature control pipeline; 51-first regulating valve; 52-heating device;

[0047] 60-gas-liquid separator; 61-second regulating valve; 62-air bag;

[0048] 70-control valve; 80-water inlet regulating valve; 90-water supply pipeline. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] Typical embodiments embodying the features and advantages of the present invention are described in detail in the following description. It should be understood that the present invention is capable of various variations in different embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention, and that the descriptions and illustrations herein are intended to be illustrative rather than limiting.

[0050] In the description of this application, it should be understood that in the embodiments shown in the drawings, indications of directions or positional relationships (such as up, down, left, right, front, and back) are merely for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. These descriptions are appropriate when these elements are in the positions shown in the drawings. If the descriptions of the positions of these elements change, the indications of these directions will also change accordingly.

[0051] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the described features. Throughout the description of this application, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0052] See Figure 1 As shown, the hydrogen storage and supply system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a hydrogen production device 10 and a hydrogen storage and supply device. The hydrogen production device 10 is used to produce hydrogen. For example, the hydrogen production device 10 may be a water electrolysis hydrogen production device, which can utilize renewable electricity to produce hydrogen. The renewable electricity may be wind power, solar power, hydropower, or the like.

[0053] The number of hydrogen production equipment 10 can be one or more. When there are more than one hydrogen production equipment 10, the multiple hydrogen production equipment 10 are arranged in parallel.

[0054] like Figure 1 As shown, the outlet end of the hydrogen production device 10 is connected to a hydrogen pipeline 12. The hydrogen production device 10 can be connected to a downstream hydrogen consumption device 10' via the hydrogen pipeline 12 to supply hydrogen to the hydrogen consumption device 10'.

[0055] like Figure 1 As shown, the hydrogen storage and supply device includes a storage pipeline 11, which is connected to the outlet of the hydrogen production equipment 10. The storage pipeline 11 and the hydrogen supply pipeline 12 are arranged in parallel. Therefore, the storage pipeline 11 and the hydrogen supply pipeline 12 can simultaneously receive hydrogen produced by the hydrogen production equipment 10.

[0056] The storage pipeline 11 is primarily used to receive hydrogen produced by the hydrogen production equipment 10 and store it in multiple storage tanks 20. For example, if the hydrogen produced by the hydrogen production equipment 10 exceeds the hydrogen consumption of the downstream hydrogen consumption equipment 10', the excess hydrogen can be transported via the storage pipeline 11 to the storage tanks 20 for storage.

[0057] When the amount of hydrogen produced by the hydrogen production equipment 10 is lower than the amount required by the downstream hydrogen consumption equipment 10', the insufficient hydrogen can be supplemented by the hydrogen in the storage tanks 20. For example, the hydrogen provided by the storage tanks 20 can be fed into the hydrogen consumption pipeline 12, thereby supplying the hydrogen to the hydrogen consumption equipment 10'.

[0058] The specific embodiments of the hydrogen storage and gas supply device of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0059] See also Figure 1 As shown, the hydrogen storage and supply device of the embodiment of the present invention includes a storage pipeline 11, at least three storage tanks 20, and a power mechanism 30. The storage pipeline 11 is connected between the hydrogen production equipment 10 and the hydrogen consumption equipment 10' and is arranged in parallel with the hydrogen consumption pipeline 12.

[0060] like Figure 1 As shown, at least three storage tanks 20 are disposed downstream of the hydrogen production equipment 10. The at least three storage tanks 20 are arranged in parallel. Each storage tank 20 is a closed container. Each storage tank 20 is connected to the storage pipeline 11 via a pipeline to receive and store hydrogen produced by the hydrogen production equipment 10.

[0061] For example, in one embodiment, a gas-phase pipeline 24 is connected to the top of each storage tank 20, and each gas-phase pipeline 24 is connected to the storage pipeline 11. The gas-phase pipelines 24 are arranged in parallel with each other. Thus, the hydrogen production equipment 10 can be connected to each storage tank 20 via the storage pipeline 11 and the gas-phase pipelines 24. It is understood that in other embodiments, each gas-phase pipeline 24 can also be connected to the hydrogen production equipment 10 separately.

[0062] like Figure 1 As shown, each gas phase pipeline 24 is provided with a gas phase valve 241, each gas phase valve 241 is used to control the opening and closing of each gas phase pipeline 24. The gas phase valve 241 can be a bidirectional conduction gas phase valve. When hydrogen needs to be added to a storage tank 20, the gas phase valve 241 on the corresponding gas phase pipeline 24 is opened to allow the hydrogen produced by the hydrogen production equipment 10 to enter the storage tank 20. When a storage tank 20 needs to supply gas to the outside, the gas phase valve 241 on the corresponding gas phase pipeline 24 is opened to allow the hydrogen in the storage tank 20 to be supplied to the outside.

[0063] In one embodiment, the hydrogen storage and supply device includes a hydrogen regulating valve 111, which is provided on the storage line 11. The hydrogen regulating valve 111 is used to adjust the amount of hydrogen entering the storage tank 20 based on the pipeline pressure of the storage line 11 and the pressure of the storage tank 20. Therefore, by providing the hydrogen regulating valve 111, the system hydrogen pressure can be ensured to be constant.

[0064] like Figure 1 As shown, each gas phase pipeline 24 leading to the downstream hydrogen-using equipment 10' may be provided with a check valve 13, thereby preventing hydrogen from flowing back and ensuring safe and reliable operation of the system.

[0065] See also Figure 1 As shown, in the embodiment of the present invention, each storage tank 20 may be a spherical tank. Each storage tank 20 may be used to fill water, hydrogen, or be empty. It is understood that in other embodiments, each storage tank 20 may also be a cylindrical tank or a tank body of other shapes, or a high-pressure pipe bundle.

[0066] like Figure 1 As shown, in the hydrogen storage and gas supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention, among the at least three storage tanks 20, at least one storage tank 20 is pre-stored with water, and the remaining storage tanks 20 can be empty tanks and / or store hydrogen.

[0067] It should be noted that, herein, at least one storage tank 20 is pre-stored with water, and the remaining storage tanks 20 may be empty tanks and / or store hydrogen. These all refer to the initial states of the respective storage tanks 20 when the device enters the hydrogen storage mode or the gas supply mode. For example, when the device enters the hydrogen storage mode, at least one storage tank 20 is pre-stored with water, and the remaining storage tanks 20 are all empty tanks, or the remaining storage tanks 20 may include empty tanks and hydrogen storage tanks. When the device enters the gas supply mode, at least one storage tank 20 is pre-stored with water, and the remaining storage tanks 20 are all hydrogen storage tanks, or the remaining storage tanks 20 may include hydrogen storage tanks and empty tanks.

[0068] It is worth noting that, in the present invention, an empty tank should be understood as an empty storage tank 20 , and a hydrogen storage tank should be understood as a storage tank 20 storing hydrogen.

[0069] It is understood that in other embodiments, for example, when the device is not delivered or not in operation, each storage tank 20 may be empty. Before the device starts to operate, water can be filled into at least one storage tank 20 through an external water supply device.

[0070] Exemplarily, the remaining storage tanks 20 may include at least one empty tank and at least one hydrogen storage tank 20. Alternatively, the remaining storage tanks 20 may include at least two empty tanks or at least two hydrogen storage tanks 20.

[0071] That is, the hydrogen storage and gas supply device of the embodiment of the present invention includes at least three storage tanks 20, and one of the storage tanks 20 is pre-stored with water. Figure 1 As shown, the hydrogen storage and supply device may include more than three storage tanks 20, one of which is pre-stored with water, and the remaining storage tanks 20 are empty tanks.

[0072] like Figure 1 As shown, each storage tank 20 is a closed container. The multiple storage tanks 20 are interconnected through pipelines, so that the water in the storage tank 20 for pre-storing water can enter the empty tank or the storage tank 20 for storing hydrogen.

[0073] For example, when the hydrogen produced by the hydrogen production equipment 10 exceeds the hydrogen flow rate, the excess hydrogen can be transported to the storage tank 20 for storage, that is, the hydrogen storage and gas supply device enters the hydrogen storage stage. Figure 1 As shown, when hydrogen is stored, the hydrogen production equipment 10 can transport hydrogen to the storage tank 20 that pre-stores water through the storage pipeline 11 and the corresponding gas phase pipeline 24, so that the water in the storage tank 20 enters any empty storage tank 20.

[0074] See also Figure 1 As shown, in the embodiment of the present invention, the power mechanism 30 is provided between the pre-water storage tank 20 and the remaining storage tanks 20. The power mechanism 30 is mainly used to transfer the water in the pre-water storage tank 20 to any hydrogen storage tank 20.

[0075] For example, when the amount of hydrogen produced by the hydrogen production equipment 10 is lower than the required amount of hydrogen, the insufficient hydrogen can be supplemented by the hydrogen in the storage tank 20, that is, the hydrogen storage and gas supply device enters the gas supply stage. Figure 1 As shown, when supplying gas, the power mechanism 30 can transfer the water in the storage tank 20 for pre-storing water to any storage tank 20 for storing hydrogen, so that the storage tank 20 for storing hydrogen can provide hydrogen to the outside.

[0076] For the sake of convenience, the storage tank 20 for pre-storing water is referred to as a water tank, the empty storage tank 20 is referred to as an empty tank, and the storage tank 20 for storing hydrogen is referred to as a hydrogen storage tank. Figures 2 to 5 According to different working conditions, storage tank A is a water tank, and storage tanks B to D can be empty tanks or hydrogen storage tanks.

[0077] It is understood that when hydrogen is delivered to the water tank so that the water in the water tank enters any empty tank, the water tank becomes a hydrogen storage tank, and the empty tank becomes a water tank. The original water tank is then filled with hydrogen, and the hydrogen production equipment 10 can deliver hydrogen to the converted water tank, causing the water to enter the next empty tank. The filling process is repeated, thereby achieving the purpose of filling multiple empty tanks in sequence.

[0078] When the water in the water tank is transferred to any hydrogen storage tank, the water tank becomes empty and the hydrogen storage tank becomes a water tank. The original hydrogen storage tank then stops supplying gas and becomes a water tank. The power mechanism 30 can then transfer the water in the converted water tank to the next hydrogen storage tank, allowing multiple hydrogen storage tanks to sequentially supply gas, repeating the supply process. In other words, in the hydrogen storage and supply device of the present invention, each storage tank 20 can switch between a water tank, an empty tank, or a hydrogen storage tank, thereby enabling hydrogen storage or external supply.

[0079] like Figure 1 As shown, the effective volume of each storage tank 20 is equal or approximately equal. Therefore, when the water in the water tank enters any empty tank, the water tank is almost completely emptied and can store an equal volume of hydrogen. And when the water in the water tank enters any hydrogen storage tank, the equal volume of hydrogen in the hydrogen storage tank can be almost completely discharged. Therefore, the system only needs to fill water in one storage tank 20 to realize the sequential inflation or exhaust of multiple storage tanks 20 and ensure the adequacy of each inflation or exhaust of the storage tank 20. Compared with other solutions using equipment such as water reservoirs, the system of the present invention has higher operating efficiency, a smaller system footprint, and a lower investment cost for pre-storing water tanks.

[0080] It should be noted that in the embodiments of the present invention, the pressure of the hydrogen produced by the hydrogen production equipment 10 can be 1.6 MPa or above. Therefore, the network pressure of the storage pipeline 11 and the hydrogen use pipeline 12 can be 1.6 MPa or above. The pressure resistance of each storage tank 20 can be no less than 1.6 MPa. The operating pressure of the power mechanism 30 can be no less than 1.6 MPa.

[0081] See also Figure 1 In one embodiment, the bottom of each storage tank 20 is connected to a first liquid-phase pipeline 22 and a second liquid-phase pipeline 23. The first liquid-phase pipeline 22 of any storage tank 20 is connected to the second liquid-phase pipeline 23 of the remaining storage tanks 20, and the second liquid-phase pipeline 23 of any storage tank 20 is connected to the first liquid-phase pipeline 22 of the remaining storage tanks 20. It should be noted that under different operating conditions of the system, the first liquid-phase pipeline 22 at the bottom of each storage tank 20 can be used for water inlet or outlet, respectively, and the second liquid-phase pipeline 23 at the bottom of each storage tank 20 can be used for water inlet and outlet.

[0082] For example, see Figure 2 When the system is in a constant temperature inflation state without energy recovery, the first liquid phase pipeline 22 at the bottom of the water tank can be used for water discharge, and the second liquid phase pipeline 23 at the bottom of the empty tank is used for water intake, and the first liquid phase pipeline 22 at the bottom of the water tank is connected to the second liquid phase pipeline 23 at the bottom of the empty tank. Alternatively, Figure 3 As shown, when the system is in the constant temperature inflation state with energy recovery, the second liquid phase pipeline 23 at the bottom of the water tank can be used for water discharge, and the first liquid phase pipeline 22 at the bottom of the empty tank is used for water intake, and the second liquid phase pipeline 23 at the bottom of the water tank is connected to the second liquid phase pipeline 23 at the bottom of the water tank. Alternatively, as Figure 4 As shown, when the system is in a constant temperature gas supply condition, the first liquid phase pipeline 22 at the bottom of the water tank can be used for water discharge, and the second liquid phase pipeline 23 at the bottom of the empty tank is used for water intake. The second liquid phase pipeline 23 at the bottom of the water tank is connected to the second liquid phase pipeline 23 at the bottom of the empty tank, and the specific settings can be made according to actual working conditions.

[0083] like Figure 1 As shown, each first liquid phase pipeline 22 is provided with a first liquid phase valve 221 for controlling the on / off of the first liquid phase pipeline 22, and each second liquid phase pipeline 23 is provided with a second liquid phase valve 231 for controlling the on / off of the second liquid phase pipeline 23. The first liquid phase valve 221 and the second liquid phase valve 231 can be bidirectional valves, thereby reducing the number of valves provided in the system and simplifying the system layout.

[0084] Of course, in other embodiments, the first liquid phase valve 221 may be formed by two one-way valves arranged in parallel to respectively control the water inlet and outlet of the first liquid phase pipeline 22. The second liquid phase valve 231 may also be formed by two one-way valves arranged in parallel to respectively control the water inlet and outlet of the second liquid phase pipeline 23.

[0085] As shown in the figure, in one embodiment, the hydrogen storage and supply device includes a control valve 70. The control valve 70 is disposed on a pipeline connected to each first liquid-phase pipeline 22. The control valve 70 is used to control the conduction or blocking of each first liquid-phase pipeline 22. The control valve 70 can be a bidirectional valve, thereby reducing the number of valves provided in the system and simplifying the system layout.

[0086] When water needs to be introduced or discharged through any of the first liquid phase pipelines 22, the control valve 70 and the corresponding first liquid phase valve 221 can be opened simultaneously to achieve this. Thus, by setting the control valve 70, the operational reliability of the system can be improved.

[0087] See also Figure 1 In one embodiment, the hydrogen storage and gas supply device includes a water inlet regulating valve 80, which is arranged on a pipeline connected to each second liquid phase pipeline 23. The water inlet regulating valve 80 is used to control the water flow entering any storage tank 20 according to the pipeline pressure of the storage pipeline 11, that is, the pressure of the hydrogen produced by the hydrogen production equipment 10.

[0088] Specifically, when the system is in the hydrogen storage phase, the water inlet regulating valve 80 can control the water flow entering the empty tank based on the hydrogen pressure, thereby controlling the amount of hydrogen filled into the water tank. When the system is in the gas supply phase, the water inlet regulating valve 80 can control the water flow entering the hydrogen storage tank based on the hydrogen pressure, thereby controlling the amount of hydrogen discharged from the hydrogen storage tank. Thus, by providing the water inlet regulating valve 80, the amount of water entering the storage tank 20 can be adjusted based on the hydrogen pressure, thereby adjusting the amount of gas filled or exhausted from the storage tank 20, thereby ensuring a constant hydrogen pressure in the system.

[0089] See also Figure 3 In one embodiment, the power mechanism 30 is a reversible water pump turbine. The hydrogen production equipment 10 transports hydrogen into the storage tank 20 for pre-storing water, so that when water enters any empty storage tank 20, the power mechanism 30 can use water to generate electricity. In this embodiment, the power mechanism 30 is a reversible water pump turbine. The working principle of the reversible water pump turbine is that it can switch between turbine operation and water pump operation. In the water turbine operation, the impeller of the reversible water pump turbine is driven by the water flow to rotate, and can convert water energy into mechanical energy and drive the generator to generate electricity. In the water pump operation, the impeller of the reversible water pump turbine is driven to rotate by external power to drive the water flow to realize the pumping function.

[0090] By using a reversible pump-turbine, water from the water tank can flow into the empty tank through the reversible pump-turbine during the system's inflation. At this point, the reversible pump-turbine operates in turbine mode, generating electricity from the water. The operating capacity of the reversible pump-turbine in turbine mode is correlated with hydrogen pressure. By controlling the operation of the reversible pump-turbine, the flow of water entering the empty tank can be adjusted, thereby controlling the amount of hydrogen filling the tank and ensuring a constant hydrogen pressure.

[0091] When the system is supplying gas, the reversible pump-turbine operates in pumping mode, utilizing external power to pump water from the water tank into any hydrogen storage tank, thereby supplying hydrogen. While operating in pumping mode, the reversible pump-turbine's operating capacity is linked to hydrogen pressure, and its load can be adjusted using variable frequency speed regulation based on hydrogen consumption. By controlling the operation of the reversible pump-turbine, the water flow entering the hydrogen storage tank, and thus the amount of hydrogen discharged from the tank, can be controlled to maintain a constant hydrogen pressure.

[0092] Therefore, in the present invention, the use of a reversible pump-turbine as a power mechanism not only ensures the reliable operation of the hydrogen storage and supply system, but also effectively recovers energy from the system during the hydrogen storage phase, improving the system's energy utilization. Furthermore, the electrical energy converted by the reversible pump-turbine can be provided to the hydrogen production equipment 10, further reducing the energy consumption of the hydrogen storage and supply system.

[0093] like Figure 1 As shown, a reversible pump-turbine is equipped with a turbine outlet valve 31 on the outlet side of the system during turbine operation. Turbine outlet valve 31 opens when the system is operating under constant temperature and aeration conditions with energy recovery, enabling the reversible pump-turbine to generate electricity using water and allowing water to flow smoothly to the empty tank. Turbine outlet valve 31 can remain closed in all other operating conditions.

[0094] It is understood that in other embodiments, the power mechanism 30 may also be a water pump. In this case, when the system is in the hydrogen storage stage, the water in the water tank may enter the empty tank via other pipelines.

[0095] See also Figure 2 As shown, in another embodiment, the hydrogen storage and supply device includes a bypass line 40, which is connected between the storage tank 20 for pre-storing water and the empty storage tank 20 and is arranged in parallel with the power mechanism 30. When the hydrogen production equipment 10 transports hydrogen to the storage tank 20 for pre-storing water, water can enter either empty storage tank 20 through the bypass line 40.

[0096] By providing the bypass line 40 , the water in the water tank can enter the empty tank via the bypass line 40 without passing through the line where the power mechanism 30 is located, thereby broadening the operating mode of the system and improving the operating reliability of the system.

[0097] like Figure 2 As shown, a bypass valve 41 is provided on the bypass line 40, and the bypass valve 41 is used to control the on-off of the bypass line 40. When it is necessary to use the bypass line 40 to allow water to enter the empty tank, the bypass valve 41 can be opened. Among them, the bypass valve 41 can be a two-way valve.

[0098] See also Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the hydrogen storage and gas supply device includes a temperature control pipeline 50, which is respectively connected to the bottom and top of each storage tank 20, so that the water transferred between the water tank and the empty tank or hydrogen storage tank can partially enter the top of each storage tank 20 through the temperature control pipeline 50 and transfer heat with the gas phase of each storage tank 20. Therefore, by providing a temperature control pipeline 50, it can use the water circulating in the system pipeline to fill each storage tank 20 with water and achieve a spraying effect, thereby effectively preventing the temperature increase or decrease caused by the pressure change in the storage tank 20 from exceeding the limit, thereby ensuring system safety. In addition, by controlling the temperature fluctuation of the storage tank 20 within a smaller range, the pressure fluctuation in the storage tank 20 can be reduced, thereby improving the utilization rate of the storage tank 20.

[0099] For example, when storing hydrogen, the process of transferring water from the water tank to the empty tank causes the residual hydrogen in the empty tank to be compressed, causing the temperature to rise, which can adversely affect the equipment. By providing a temperature control line 50, the transferred water can be partially introduced into the empty tank, allowing the water to fully contact the compressed residual hydrogen in the empty tank, thereby effectively lowering the hydrogen temperature, ensuring that the hydrogen temperature in the storage tank 20 remains within a reasonable range, ensuring that the pressure fluctuation in the storage tank 20 is small, and thus improving the utilization rate of the storage tank 20. For example, the temperature fluctuation range of the hydrogen in the tank can be kept within 50°C to 60°C.

[0100] During gas supply, the process of transferring water from the water tank to the hydrogen storage tank causes the residual hydrogen in the water tank to expand, causing its temperature to drop, which can adversely affect the equipment. By providing a temperature control line 50, the transferred water can be partially introduced into the water tank, allowing the water to fully contact the expanded residual hydrogen in the water tank, thereby effectively raising the hydrogen temperature, ensuring that the hydrogen temperature in the storage tank 20 remains within a reasonable range, and ensuring that the pressure fluctuations in the storage tank 20 are minimal, thereby improving the utilization rate of the storage tank 20. Of course, the temperature control line 50 can also be provided with a heating device, described below, to heat the water entering the storage tank 20.

[0101] like Figure 1 As shown, the top of each storage tank 20 is connected to a liquid inlet pipe 21. It can be understood that the liquid inlet pipe 21 on the top of each storage tank 20 and the gas phase pipeline 24 on the top of each storage tank 20 are different pipelines, and the two do not overlap and do not affect each other.

[0102] like Figure 1As shown, the bottom of each storage tank 20 is connected to a liquid-phase pipeline, such as the first liquid-phase pipeline 22 and the second liquid-phase pipeline 23 described above. The liquid inlet end of the temperature-control pipeline 50 is connected to each liquid-phase pipeline. In other words, the liquid inlet end of the temperature-control pipeline 50 is connected to both the first liquid-phase pipeline 22 and the second liquid-phase pipeline 23 at the bottom of each storage tank 20. When the first liquid-phase pipeline 22 of a storage tank 20 discharges water, part of the water discharged through the first liquid-phase pipeline 22 can enter the temperature-control pipeline 50. When the second liquid-phase pipeline 23 of a storage tank 20 discharges water, part of the water discharged through the second liquid-phase pipeline 23 can enter the temperature-control pipeline 50.

[0103] like Figure 1 As shown, the liquid outlet of the temperature control line 50 is connected to each liquid inlet pipe 21, and each liquid inlet pipe 21 is provided with a liquid inlet valve 211. Thus, water can be introduced into the storage tank 20 as needed through the liquid inlet pipe 21 and the liquid inlet valve 211. The liquid inlet valve 21 can be a one-way valve that only allows water to enter the storage tank 20.

[0104] See also Figure 1 In one embodiment, a first regulating valve 51 is provided on the temperature control line 50. The first regulating valve 51 is used to control the flow rate of the temperature control line 50 according to the temperature within the storage tank 20. The temperature within the storage tank 20 may include the gas phase temperature and the liquid phase temperature. The technology for detecting the temperature within the storage tank is easy to understand. For example, a temperature sensor can be designed within the storage tank and electrically connected to an external control system. The external control system is used to monitor the operation of the entire system. This application does not specifically limit this.

[0105] In this embodiment, the flow rate is adjusted by setting the first regulating valve 51, which can be adaptively adjusted according to the hydrogen temperature (i.e., gas phase temperature) in each storage tank 20, thereby ensuring that the hydrogen temperature in the tank is maintained within a reasonable range.

[0106] like Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment, the hydrogen storage and supply device includes a heating device 52, which is arranged on the temperature control pipeline 50 to heat the water entering each storage tank 20. The heating device 52 can be an electric heater, which can be directly heated by renewable electricity. Alternatively, the heating device 52 can also be a structure such as a heat exchanger, and its heat exchange source can come from various forms such as waste heat provided by the downstream chemical process or heat from hydrogen combustion. For example, the downstream chemical process can be a liquid fuel synthesis process, which uses the heat generated by hydrogen and carbon to synthesize alcohol fuels.

[0107] By providing the heating device 52, the water entering the tank can be heated to avoid the occurrence of ice formation on the inner wall of the water tank in a low temperature environment, thereby broadening the application range of the system.

[0108] For example, if the project is located in northern China during the cold winter, ice may form on the inner surface of the water tank, affecting the hydrogen storage capacity of the storage tank 20. For example, when the water temperature in the tank is below 5°C, the heating device 52 needs to be turned on and hot water needs to be supplied to the tank through the temperature control pipe 50 to increase the water temperature in the tank to prevent freezing or ice melting.

[0109] Therefore, the first regulating valve 51 can also adaptively adjust the flow rate according to the water temperature (i.e., liquid phase temperature) in each storage tank 20, so that hot water can be input into each storage tank 20 in a timely manner through the first regulating valve 51 to increase the water temperature in the tank to prevent freezing or melting.

[0110] See also Figure 1 In one embodiment, the hydrogen storage and supply device includes a gas-liquid separator 60, which is disposed between the pre-water storage tank 20 and the hydrogen storage tank 20 and is connected in series with the power mechanism 30. The gas-liquid separator 60 is used to separate water transferred to the hydrogen storage tank 20 from gas.

[0111] Specifically, the gas-liquid separator 60 is provided with an inlet, a liquid outlet, and a gas outlet. The inlet of the gas-liquid separator 60 is connected to the bottom of each storage tank 20. For example, the inlet of the gas-liquid separator 60 is connected to the first liquid-phase pipeline 22 and the second liquid-phase pipeline 23 at the bottom of each storage tank 20 to receive water from the water tank. The liquid outlet of the gas-liquid separator 60 is connected to the bottom of each storage tank 20. For example, the liquid outlet of the gas-liquid separator 60 is connected to the first liquid-phase pipeline 22 and the second liquid-phase pipeline 23 at the bottom of each storage tank 20 to allow water to enter the hydrogen storage tank. The gas outlet of the gas-liquid separator 60 can be connected to the outside world or to an external gas storage structure.

[0112] Alternatively, as Figure 1 As shown, the hydrogen storage and supply device includes an airbag 62, which is connected to the gas outlet of the gas-liquid separator 60. By providing the airbag 62 to store the small amount of hydrogen separated by the gas-liquid separator 60, the pressure of the gas-liquid separator 60 can be maintained constant, avoiding pressure fluctuations in the gas-liquid separator 60 due to possible fluctuations in the liquid level. This ensures that the inlet pressure of the power mechanism 30, that is, the water pump, is constant, ensuring stable operation of the system.

[0113] See also Figure 1 In one embodiment, the hydrogen storage and supply device includes a second regulating valve 61, which is disposed at the inlet of the gas-liquid separator 60. The second regulating valve 61 is used to control the flow of water entering the gas-liquid separator 60 based on the liquid level of the gas-liquid separator 60. By providing the second regulating valve 61 to control the flow of water entering the gas-liquid separator 60, it is possible to ensure a constant liquid level in the gas-liquid separator 60, thereby maintaining a constant pressure in the gas-liquid separator 60 and ensuring stable system operation.

[0114] See also Figure 1 In one embodiment, the hydrogen storage and supply device includes a water supply pipeline 90, which can be connected to an external water source such as a water tank to replenish water to the system as needed.

[0115] See also Figures 2 to 4 The hydrogen storage and supply device according to the present invention can operate in the following three modes. In the figures, blue arrows indicate hydrogen flow, while green arrows indicate water flow. Solid lines in the figures represent system piping, while dashed lines represent system control circuits.

[0116] 1. Constant temperature inflation condition without energy recovery

[0117] like Figure 2 As shown, taking 4 storage tanks 20A, 20B, 20C, and 20D as examples, wherein storage tank 20A is a water tank, and storage tanks 20B, 20C, and 20D are empty tanks. When the hydrogen production equipment 10 is fully loaded (opening a large number of electrolyzers) or working at a higher load, the hydrogen produced exceeds the downstream hydrogen flow rate, and now the system will enter the hydrogen storage stage. The hydrogen production equipment 10 is filled with hydrogen to the storage tank 20A through the storage pipeline 11 and the gas phase pipeline 24 at the top of the storage tank 20A. At this time, the opening of the hydrogen regulating valve 111 is associated with the hydrogen pressure to ensure that the hydrogen pressure is constant. The hydrogen regulating valve 111 is also interlocked with the storage tank A pressure. When the storage tank A pressure approaches the hydrogen pressure (the difference between the two does not exceed 0.05MPa), the hydrogen regulating valve 111 is fully opened and disconnected from the hydrogen pressure.

[0118] At the same time, the system automatically opens control valve 70, first liquid-phase valve 221 at the bottom of tank 20A, bypass valve 41, water inlet regulating valve 80, and second liquid-phase valve 231 at the bottom of tank 20B. Water in tank 20A, under hydrogen pressure, flows out through first liquid-phase pipeline 22 at the bottom. After passing through control valve 70, it splits into two paths: one path (most of the water) enters tank 20B via bypass pipeline 40 and second liquid-phase pipeline 23 at the bottom of tank 20B. The other path (a smaller portion of the water) enters the top of tank 20B via temperature control pipeline 50 and liquid inlet pipe 21 at the top of tank 20B for spraying.

[0119] When the liquid level in tank 20A gradually decreases to zero while the liquid level in tank 20B gradually increases from zero to a predetermined near-full level, the water in tank 20A is completely transferred to tank 20B, and the aeration of tank 20A is completed. Simultaneously, the system automatically switches the aeration process based on the changes in the liquid levels of tanks 20A and 20B, stopping the aeration process in tank 20A and switching to the aeration process in tank 20B. It will be appreciated that the process of simultaneously filling tank 20B and transferring water to tank 20C (or any other empty tank) repeats the previous process.

[0120] It is understood that during the inflation process of tank 20A, the transfer of water from tank 20A to tank 20B, accompanied by the compression of the residual hydrogen in tank 20B, increases its temperature, which can adversely affect the equipment. The purpose of spraying water into tank 20B through temperature-controlled pipe 50 is to ensure sufficient contact between the water and the compressed hydrogen, thereby lowering the hydrogen temperature and maintaining the hydrogen temperature within tank 20B within a reasonable range during the inflation process.

[0121] The opening of the first regulating valve 51 is related to the temperature of the compressed hydrogen in the storage tank 20B. By controlling the amount of water entering the top of the storage tank 20B for spraying, the temperature of the hydrogen in the storage tank 20B can be kept within a reasonable range.

[0122] Moreover, the opening of the water inlet regulating valve 80 is related to the hydrogen pressure. By controlling the water flow entering the storage tank 20B and then controlling the gas filling amount of the storage tank 20A, the hydrogen pressure can be kept constant.

[0123] 2. Constant temperature inflation with energy recovery

[0124] like Figure 3 As shown, taking 4 storage tanks 20A, 20B, 20C, and 20D as examples, wherein storage tank 20A is a water tank, and storage tanks 20B, 20C, and 20D are empty tanks. When the hydrogen production equipment 10 is fully loaded (opening a large number of electrolyzers) or working at a higher load, the hydrogen produced exceeds the downstream hydrogen flow rate, and now the system will enter the hydrogen storage stage. The hydrogen production equipment 10 is filled with hydrogen to the storage tank 20A through the storage pipeline 11 and the gas phase pipeline 24 at the top of the storage tank 20A. At this time, the opening of the hydrogen regulating valve 111 is associated with the hydrogen pressure to ensure that the hydrogen pressure is constant. The hydrogen regulating valve 111 is also interlocked with the storage tank A pressure. When the storage tank A pressure approaches the hydrogen pressure (the difference between the two does not exceed 0.05MPa), the hydrogen regulating valve 111 is fully opened and disconnected from the hydrogen pressure.

[0125] At the same time, the system automatically starts the reversible pump-turbine and enters turbine operation. Water in tank 20A, under hydrogen pressure, flows out through the second liquid-phase pipeline 23 at the bottom. Simultaneously, the water inlet regulating valve 80 is fully opened, allowing water to enter the reversible pump-turbine for power generation. After being depressurized by the reversible pump-turbine, the water is split into two paths. One path (the vast majority of the water) enters tank 20B via control valve 70 and the first liquid-phase pipeline 22 at the bottom of tank 20B. The other path (a smaller portion of the water) enters the top of tank 20B for spraying via temperature control pipeline 50 and the liquid inlet pipe 21 at the top of tank 20B.

[0126] When the liquid level in tank 20A gradually decreases to zero while the liquid level in tank 20B gradually increases from zero to a predetermined near-full level, the water in tank 20A is completely transferred to tank 20B, and the aeration of tank 20A is completed. Simultaneously, the system automatically switches the aeration process based on the changes in the liquid levels of tanks 20A and 20B, stopping the aeration process in tank 20A and switching to the aeration process in tank 20B. It will be appreciated that the process of simultaneously filling tank 20B and transferring water to tank 20C (or any other empty tank) repeats the previous process.

[0127] It is understood that during the inflation process of tank 20A, the transfer of water from tank 20A to tank 20B, accompanied by the compression of the residual hydrogen in tank 20B, increases its temperature, which can adversely affect the equipment. The purpose of spraying water into tank 20B through temperature-controlled pipe 50 is to ensure sufficient contact between the water and the compressed hydrogen, thereby lowering the hydrogen temperature and maintaining the hydrogen temperature within tank 20B within a reasonable range during the inflation process.

[0128] The opening of the first regulating valve 51 is related to the temperature of the compressed hydrogen in the storage tank 20B. By controlling the amount of water entering the top of the storage tank 20B for spraying, the temperature of the hydrogen in the storage tank 20B can be kept within a reasonable range.

[0129] In addition, since the water inlet regulating valve 80 is fully open under this working condition, the water flow entering the storage tank 20B can be adjusted by controlling the operation of the reversible pump turbine, thereby controlling the gas filling amount of the storage tank 20A to ensure a constant hydrogen pressure.

[0130] 3. Constant temperature gas supply conditions

[0131] like Figure 4 As shown, four storage tanks 20A, 20B, 20C, and 20D are used as an example. Tank 20A is a water tank, while tanks 20B, 20C, and 20D are hydrogen tanks. When hydrogen production equipment 10 is operating at low load (reducing the number of electrolyzers in operation) or is stopped, the amount of hydrogen produced is lower than the downstream hydrogen flow rate, and the system enters the gas supply phase.

[0132] The system automatically activates power mechanism 30, such as a conventional water pump or a reversible pump-turbine. The reversible pump-turbine will be used for the following description. The reversible pump-turbine enters pumping mode, and control valve 70 is closed. Water in tank 20A enters gas-liquid separator 60 via bottom first liquid-phase pipeline 22 for water-gas separation. The separated water enters the reversible pump-turbine and, after being pressurized by the reversible pump-turbine, is split into two pathways. One pathway (mostly water) enters tank 20B via inlet regulating valve 80 and second liquid-phase pipeline 23 at the bottom of tank 20B. Hydrogen in tank 20B is squeezed out through top gas-phase pipeline 24 and fed into storage pipeline 11 for downstream hydrogen consumption equipment 10'. The other pathway (a small portion of water) returns to the top of tank 20A via bypass pipeline 40, temperature control pipeline 50, and top liquid inlet pipe 21 of tank 20A for spraying.

[0133] When the liquid level in tank 20A gradually decreases to zero while the liquid level in tank 20B gradually increases from zero to a specified near-full level, the water in tank 20A is completely transferred to tank 20B, and the hydrogen in tank 20B is completely discharged, marking the end of venting in tank 20B. Simultaneously, the system automatically switches venting based on the changes in the liquid levels of tanks 20A and 20B, stopping venting in tank 20B and switching to venting in tank 20C. It will be appreciated that the process of water flowing from tank 20B into the bottom of tank 20C (or any other hydrogen storage tank) to allow tank 20C to supply gas repeats the previous process.

[0134] It is understood that during the gas supply process from tank 20B, the transfer of water from tank 20A to tank 20B and the subsequent temperature drop of the residual hydrogen in tank 20A due to expansion can adversely affect the equipment. The purpose of spraying water into tank 20A through temperature-controlled pipe 50 is to ensure sufficient contact between the water and the expanding hydrogen, thereby raising the hydrogen temperature and maintaining the hydrogen temperature within tank 20A within a reasonable range during the gas supply process.

[0135] The opening of the first regulating valve 51 is related to the temperature of the expanded hydrogen in the storage tank 20A. By controlling the amount of water entering the top of the storage tank 20A for spraying, the temperature in the storage tank 20A can be kept within a reasonable range.

[0136] Moreover, the opening of the water inlet regulating valve 80 is related to the hydrogen pressure. By controlling the water flow entering the storage tank 20B and thus controlling the gas supply volume of the storage tank 20B, the hydrogen pressure can be kept constant.

[0137] It should be pointed out that under the gas supply condition, in addition to adjusting the gas supply volume by controlling the water inlet regulating valve 80, the load can also be adjusted by adjusting the speed of the reversible pump turbine by frequency conversion according to the downstream hydrogen consumption, so as to achieve the purpose of controlling the water flow entering the storage tank 20B and thus controlling the gas supply volume of the storage tank 20B.

[0138] It is understood that in other embodiments, the system can also perform the following liquid-free flooding and aeration conditions according to actual needs:

[0139] like Figure 5 As shown, four storage tanks 20A, 20B, 20C, and 20D are used as an example, where tank 20A is a water tank and tanks 20B, 20C, and 20D are empty tanks. When the hydrogen production equipment 10 is fully loaded (with a large number of electrolyzers running) or operating at a high load, the hydrogen produced exceeds the downstream hydrogen flow rate, and the system enters the hydrogen storage phase.

[0140] When the hydrogen storage capacity is large and the hydrogen storage speed is fast, in order to reduce the heat generated by hydrogen during storage and the slow heat dissipation of the outer surface of the storage tank 20 so that the hydrogen temperature rises beyond the allowable range, a single or multiple storage tanks 20 of varying numbers can be selected according to the specific situation to reduce the hydrogen temperature rise.

[0141] For example, see Figure 5 , the hydrogen production equipment 10 can simultaneously pass hydrogen into storage tanks 20B and 20C. At this time, the hydrogen regulating valve 111 and the gas phase valve 241 at the top of storage tanks 20B and C are opened, and all other valves in the system are closed. Among them, the opening of the hydrogen regulating valve 111 is associated with the hydrogen pressure to ensure that the hydrogen pressure is constant. The hydrogen regulating valve 111 is also interlocked with the pressure of storage tanks 20B and 20C. When the pressure of storage tanks 20B and 20C is close to the hydrogen pressure, the inflation of storage tanks 20B and 20C is completed. The system automatically closes the gas phase valve 241 at the top of storage tanks 20B and 20C, and automatically opens the gas phase valve 241 at the top of other empty tanks, repeating the inflation process.

[0142] The following will be the hydrogen consumption of the following hydrogen equipment for continuous operation 10' 50000N NM 3 / h as an example for detailed description.

[0143] Assume that the downstream hydrogen equipment 10' is a methanol synthesis process equipment. Generally, green methanol synthesis requires continuous replenishment of 50,000 NM 3 / h hydrogen, the maximum production capacity of water electrolysis hydrogen production equipment 10 is 200000NM 3 / h, that is, the water electrolysis hydrogen production equipment 10 can meet the demand of the methanol plant by working for 6 hours a day.

[0144] For ease of understanding, it is assumed that the water electrolysis hydrogen production equipment 10 operates at full load for 6 hours a day and is shut down for the remaining 18 hours. The hydrogen required for methanol synthesis during the shutdown period of the water electrolysis hydrogen production equipment 10 is provided by multiple hydrogen storage tanks.

[0145] For example, the hydrogen pressure generated by the electrolysis water hydrogen production equipment 10 is 1.6Mpa. After the electrolysis water hydrogen production equipment 10 starts working, the hydrogen storage capacity per hour is 200000NM 3 / h-50000NM 3 / h=150000NM 3 / h, hydrogen storage time is 6h, hydrogen release time is 18h, and the methanol synthesis plant operates continuously for 24 hours.

[0146] It can be understood that the total hydrogen storage capacity of the water electrolysis hydrogen production equipment 10 working for 6 hours per day is 900,000 NM 3 / h(volume flow rate 64494m 3 / h), then 2000m 3 , 32 1.6MPa storage tanks. During the 18 hours when the water electrolysis hydrogen production equipment 10 stops operating, the 32 storage tanks provide hydrogen.

[0147] like Figure 2 As shown in the figure, under constant temperature inflation conditions without energy recovery, it is assumed that tank A is filled with 93.1% water and the top gas phase pressure is 1.45 MPa. The remaining tanks are empty and have a pressure of 0.1 MPa. When tank A is completely inflated, tank B is filled with 93.1% water, and the hydrogen in the tank is compressed to 0.1 / 0.069 = 1.45 MPa (due to the effect of water spraying into tank B through the temperature control pipeline, this can be approximately considered isothermal compression). Due to the influence of the liquid level, the gas phase pressure at the top of tank B is the difference between the pressure of tank A and the pressure difference formed by the height of the liquid column relative to the tank diameter. If the tank diameter is 11.5 meters, the maximum gas phase pressure at the top of tank B is 1.6 MPa - 0.115 MPa = 1.485 MPa.

[0148] Under the gas supply condition, it is assumed that tank A is filled with 93.1% water and the top gas phase pressure is 1.45MPa. The remaining tanks are filled with hydrogen at a pressure of 1.6MPa and a temperature of 40℃. 3 / h(volume flow rate 3583m 3 / h) is discharged into the pipe network. The water in tank A (flow rate 3583m 3 After the hydrogen gas at the top of tank A is completely transferred to tank B, the pressure of the hydrogen gas gradually decreases to 0.1 MPa as the water is discharged.

[0149] Calculations show that the effective hydrogen storage rate of each tank is 93.1%. The water pump consumes 1997 kW of power, and the cumulative power consumption over 18 hours is 18 hours × 1997 kWh = 35946 kWh. Therefore, compared to traditional methods of storing and supplying gas using hydrogen compressors, the hydrogen storage and supply device of this application consumes significantly less power.

[0150] like Figure 3As shown in the figure, under constant-temperature aeration conditions with energy recovery, assume that tank A is filled with 94% water and the top gas pressure is 0.6 MPa. The remaining tanks are empty and have a pressure of 0.036 MPa. During the aeration process of tank A, as the liquid level in tank A gradually decreases, the liquid level in tank B gradually increases to 94% of its capacity. The gas volume in tank B is compressed by a factor of 1 / 0.06 = 16.67, and the corresponding gas pressure in tank B gradually increases by a factor of 16.67 (due to the effect of water spraying into tank B through the temperature control pipeline, this can be approximately considered isothermal compression). In other words, the gas pressure in tank B gradually increases from 0.036 MPa to 0.6 MPa.

[0151] In addition, the turbine back pressure gradually increases and the turbine power generation output gradually decreases.

[0152] Calculations show that the effective hydrogen storage rate of each tank is 97.75%. The average power generated by the turbine is 2210 kW, generating 13260 kW-h in 6 hours.

[0153] Under the gas supply condition, it is assumed that tank A is filled with 94% water and the top gas phase pressure is 0.6MPa. The remaining tanks are filled with hydrogen at a pressure of 1.6MPa and a temperature of 40℃. 3 / h hydrogen (volume flow rate 3583m 3 / h) is discharged into the pipe network. The water in tank A (flow rate 3583m 3 After the hydrogen gas at the top of tank A is completely transferred to tank B, the pressure of the hydrogen gas gradually decreases to 0.036 MPa as the water is discharged.

[0154] Calculations show that the water pump consumes 2075 kW of power, and the total accumulated power consumption over 18 hours is 18 hours × 2075 kW = 37,350 kW-h. The net power consumption per day is: water pump power consumption - turbine power generation = 37,350 kW-h - 13,260 kW-h = 24,090 kW-h. Therefore, compared to traditional hydrogen compressor storage and supply methods, the hydrogen storage and supply device of this application significantly reduces power consumption.

[0155] It is worth noting that when the system is under constant temperature inflation with energy recovery, the storage tank operates under negative pressure for a certain period of time. Therefore, the system needs to use a spherical tank or a high-pressure cylindrical container that can withstand negative pressure.

[0156] The hydrogen storage and supply device and system in the embodiments of the present invention utilizes hydrogen pressure from the hydrogen production equipment to inflate each tank, while simultaneously using water as the flow medium to achieve the goal of sequentially inflating multiple tanks. Furthermore, the system utilizes a power mechanism as its motive force, with water as the driving medium, to sequentially supply gas from multiple tanks. Consequently, the system's gas storage and supply process eliminates the need for expensive hydrogen compressors, resulting in improved safety, lower power consumption, higher reliability, and significantly reduced costs.

[0157] In addition, the amount of residual hydrogen in the tank is small during each filling and degassing process, which makes the tank utilization rate higher and saves the investment cost of the tank.

[0158] The hydrogen storage and gas supply device and system in the embodiment of the present invention can use an inverter water pump / turbine to effectively recover the pressure energy of the hydrogen storage process when the scale of hydrogen storage and transportation is large, thereby improving the energy utilization rate of the system.

[0159] The hydrogen storage and gas supply device and system in the embodiments of the present invention can only use one storage tank to fill water and circulate it among multiple storage tanks during the inflation or gas supply process, thereby effectively improving the system operation efficiency, reducing the system footprint, and reducing the investment cost of the water storage tank.

[0160] In the hydrogen storage and supply device and system of the present invention, each tank is a sealed container, interconnected by pipelines. Water in the water tank can flow through the pipelines to empty tanks or hydrogen storage tanks. Because the water flows in the sealed pipelines, it has no contact with air, effectively preventing corrosion of the inner walls of the tanks and extending their service life.

[0161] In the hydrogen storage and gas supply device and system in the embodiment of the present invention, a liquid inlet spray structure can be provided on the top of each storage tank, so as to effectively prevent the temperature increase and temperature decrease caused by the pressure change in the storage tank from exceeding the limit, ensure the safety of the system, and avoid the phenomenon that the temperature increase and temperature decrease of the hydrogen in the storage tank threatens the safe operation of the storage tank and reduces the hydrogen storage efficiency of the storage tank. In addition, by controlling the temperature fluctuation of the storage tank to be within a smaller range, the pressure fluctuation in the storage tank can be reduced, thereby improving the utilization rate of the storage tank. In addition, by setting a first regulating valve to perform adaptive adjustment of the flow rate according to the hydrogen temperature in each storage tank, it can be ensured that the temperature of the hydrogen in the tank is maintained within a reasonable range.

[0162] The hydrogen storage and gas supply device and system in the embodiment of the present invention can adjust the filling and exhaust volumes of the storage tank as needed by setting a hydrogen regulating valve, a water inlet regulating valve, etc., to ensure a constant hydrogen pressure in the system.

[0163] The above embodiments are merely exemplary descriptions of the structures. The structures in the embodiments are not fixed combination structures. In the absence of structural conflicts, the structures in multiple embodiments can be used in any combination.

[0164] While the present invention has been described with reference to several exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the terms used are intended to be illustrative and exemplary rather than restrictive. Since the present invention can be embodied in many forms without departing from the spirit or essence of the invention, it should be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited to any of the foregoing details, but should be interpreted broadly within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. All changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the claims or their equivalents are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A hydrogen storage and supply device, characterized in that: include: a storage pipeline for connecting to a hydrogen production device to receive hydrogen; At least three storage tanks are arranged downstream of the hydrogen production equipment, and the at least three storage tanks are interconnected by pipelines, wherein at least one storage tank is pre-stored with water, and the remaining storage tanks are empty tanks and / or store hydrogen; A power mechanism is provided between the storage tank for pre-storing water and the remaining storage tanks; During hydrogen storage, the storage tank pre-stored with water can receive hydrogen through the storage pipeline, so that the water in the storage tank enters any empty storage tank; During gas supply, the power mechanism can transfer the water in the pre-water storage tank to any hydrogen storage tank, so that the hydrogen storage tank can provide hydrogen to the outside.

2. The hydrogen storage and supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the storage tanks is a closed container.

3. The hydrogen storage and supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The effective volumes of the storage tanks are equal or approximately equal.

4. The hydrogen storage and supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power mechanism is a reversible water pump turbine. When the storage tanks that pre-store water receive hydrogen so that water enters any empty storage tank, the power mechanism can generate electricity using water.

5. The hydrogen storage and supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bypass pipeline is connected between the storage tank for pre-storing water and the empty storage tank, and is arranged in parallel with the power mechanism. When the storage tank for pre-storing water receives hydrogen, water can enter any of the empty storage tanks through the bypass pipeline. A bypass valve is provided on the bypass pipeline, and the bypass valve is used to control the on-off of the bypass pipeline.

6. The hydrogen storage and supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top of each storage tank is connected to a liquid inlet pipe, and the bottom of each storage tank is connected to a liquid phase pipeline; The device also includes a temperature control pipeline, the liquid inlet end of the temperature control pipeline is connected to each liquid phase pipeline, and the liquid outlet end is connected to each liquid inlet pipe, so that at least part of the water discharged from the bottom of each storage tank can enter the top of each storage tank through the temperature control pipeline, and each liquid inlet pipe is provided with a liquid inlet valve.

7. The hydrogen storage and supply device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The temperature control pipeline is provided with a first regulating valve, and the first regulating valve is used to control the flow of the temperature control pipeline according to the temperature in the storage tank.

8. The hydrogen storage and supply device according to claim 6, characterized in that: It comprises a heating device, which is arranged on the temperature control pipeline and is used to heat the water entering each storage tank.

9. The hydrogen storage and supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It includes a gas-liquid separator, which is arranged between the storage tank for pre-storing water and the storage tank for storing hydrogen, and is arranged in series with the power mechanism. The gas-liquid separator is used to separate water and gas from the water transferred to the hydrogen storage tank.

10. The hydrogen storage and supply device according to claim 9, characterized in that: A second regulating valve is included, which is arranged at the inlet of the gas-liquid separator and is used to control the flow of water entering the gas-liquid separator according to the liquid level of the gas-liquid separator.

11. The hydrogen storage and supply device according to claim 9, characterized in that: An air bag is included, and the air bag is communicated with the gas outlet of the gas-liquid separator.

12. The hydrogen storage and supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The bottom of each storage tank is connected to a first liquid phase pipeline and a second liquid phase pipeline, respectively. The first liquid phase pipeline of any storage tank is connected to the second liquid phase pipeline of the remaining storage tanks, and the second liquid phase pipeline of any storage tank is connected to the first liquid phase pipeline of the remaining storage tanks. Each of the first liquid phase pipelines is provided with a first liquid phase valve for controlling the on-off of the first liquid phase pipeline, and each of the second liquid phase pipelines is provided with a second liquid phase valve for controlling the on-off of the second liquid phase pipeline.

13. The hydrogen storage and supply device according to claim 12, characterized in that: It includes a control valve, which is arranged on a pipeline connected to each of the first liquid phase pipelines, and is used to control the conduction or cutoff of each of the first liquid phase pipelines.

14. The hydrogen storage and supply device according to claim 12, characterized in that: It includes a water inlet regulating valve, which is arranged on a pipeline connected to each of the second liquid phase pipelines, and is used to control the water flow entering any of the storage tanks according to the pipeline network pressure of the storage pipeline.

15. The hydrogen storage and supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The top of each storage tank is connected to a gas phase pipeline, each gas phase pipeline is connected to the storage pipeline, and each gas phase pipeline is provided with a gas phase valve, each gas phase valve is used to control the on and off of each gas phase pipeline.

16. The hydrogen storage and supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: It includes a hydrogen regulating valve, which is arranged on the storage pipeline and is used to adjust the amount of hydrogen entering the storage tank according to the pipeline network pressure of the storage pipeline and the pressure of the storage tank.

17. A hydrogen storage and supply system, characterized in that: It comprises a hydrogen production device and the hydrogen storage and gas supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the storage pipeline is connected to the outlet end of the hydrogen production device; The outlet end of the hydrogen production equipment is also connected to a hydrogen pipeline, which is arranged in parallel with the storage pipeline. The hydrogen provided to the outside by each storage tank is merged into the hydrogen pipeline.

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