Solid hydrogen storage system

Abstract

The invention discloses a solid hydrogen storage system which comprises a heat preservation box and a hydrogen storage container fixed in the heat preservation box and used for being filled with a hydrogen storage material, and a pressure sensor, a thermocouple collecting pipe, a heating element connector and a hydrogen connecting pipe are installed on the side wall of the hydrogen storage container. A heating element connected with the heating element joint and a thermocouple connected with the thermocouple collecting pipe are arranged in the thermal insulation box, a cooling jacket with a jacket water inlet pipe and a jacket water outlet pipe is wrapped on the outer side of the thermal insulation box, and a hydrogen connecting pipe, the jacket water inlet pipe and the jacket water outlet pipe penetrate through the outer wall of the thermal insulation box and are connected with an external pipeline. The system is simple in structure, circulating cooling loop equipment needed in the hydrogen charging and discharging process is separated, complex components such as a heat exchange agent cold and hot storage tank, a pump, an instrument and a valve do not need to be arranged, the system structure is greatly simplified, and the overall appearance size is remarkably reduced. And when the vehicle moves, components such as a heat exchange agent cold and hot storage tank are omitted, so that the problem of additional load caused by liquid level oscillation of the storage tank is avoided, and the safety of the system is greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of hydrogen energy storage, and in particular to a solid-state hydrogen storage system. Background Art

[0002] With the acceleration of energy transition, hydrogen energy as a clean energy source has attracted considerable attention. As a key component of hydrogen energy utilization, the development of solid-state hydrogen storage systems is crucial. With significant advantages such as high safety, high volumetric hydrogen storage density, and low-cost low-pressure applications, solid-state hydrogen storage has broad application prospects in hydrogen storage, transportation, and utilization.

[0003] However, existing solid-state hydrogen storage systems still have some shortcomings in practical applications. During the hydrogen absorption process, solid-state hydrogen storage materials must reach specific temperature conditions to initiate the absorption reaction. During this process, the material releases a large amount of heat. To ensure a continuous and stable absorption process, the hydrogen storage material must be heated to the required starting temperature. Furthermore, the heat released by the material during the absorption process must be dissipated promptly to prevent excessive temperatures from affecting absorption efficiency and even causing performance degradation. This requires the system to be equipped with heating and cooling devices, as well as supporting piping systems. During the dehydrogenation process, the hydrogen storage material absorbs external heat to release hydrogen, requiring the heating device to provide this heat. To meet the heat requirements of the hydrogen storage material at different stages of the absorption and dehydrogenation process, the system must integrate numerous devices, including heating and cooling pipes, hot and cold heat exchanger tanks, and heat exchanger pumps. These devices each perform distinct functions and require independent layout within the system, precise interconnection, and coordinated operation. The large number of components, their diverse functions, and their close interdependence significantly increase the complexity of system integration. In terms of spatial layout, the numerous components stacked on top of each other and occupying space make the entire solid-state hydrogen storage system bulky and occupying a large space. This places high demands on the system's installation and deployment, limiting its wide range of application scenarios. Furthermore, the large number of devices and complex structure also lead to increased manufacturing costs. During the equipment installation and subsequent maintenance process, the assembly and commissioning of numerous components, as well as the increase in potential failure points, further increase the cost and difficulty of installation and maintenance.

[0004] For this reason, existing solid-state hydrogen storage systems are only suitable for experimental research or fixed hydrogen storage locations, such as testing the performance of hydrogen storage materials in laboratories and centralized hydrogen storage at fixed locations. However, in mobile application scenarios, such as hydrogen transport vehicles or hydrogen-powered vehicles, existing solid-state hydrogen storage systems are too large, heavy, and expensive to meet the vehicle's requirements for lightweight, miniaturized, and economical hydrogen storage systems. Therefore, they are difficult to use in hydrogen transport vehicles or hydrogen-powered vehicles, seriously restricting the widespread application and promotion of hydrogen energy in mobile fields such as transportation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention provides a solid-state hydrogen storage system with a simple structure and effectively reduced system size, making it suitable for mobile application scenarios such as hydrogen transport vehicles and hydrogen-powered vehicles.

[0006] The solid-state hydrogen storage system described in the present invention includes an insulation box and a hydrogen storage container fixed inside the insulation box for filling with hydrogen storage material. The side wall of the hydrogen storage container is installed with a pressure sensor, a thermocouple header, a heating element connector and a hydrogen pipe. The interior of the hydrogen storage container is provided with a heating element connected to the heating element connector and a thermocouple connected to the thermocouple header. The outside of the hydrogen storage container is wrapped with a cooling jacket, and the cooling jacket is provided with a jacket water inlet pipe and a jacket water outlet pipe, wherein the hydrogen pipe, the jacket water inlet pipe and the jacket water outlet pipe pass through the outer wall of the insulation box and are connected to the external pipeline.

[0007] The solid-state hydrogen storage system is constructed by wrapping a cooling jacket around the outside of the hydrogen storage container, and the hydrogen pipe, jacket water inlet pipe and jacket water outlet pipe pass through the outer wall of the insulation box and are connected to the external pipeline. During the hydrogen charging and discharging operations, the hydrogen pipe is tightly combined with the external hydrogen inlet pipe, and the jacket water inlet pipe and outlet pipe are seamlessly connected to the external circulating coolant loop. At this time, the heating element uniformly heats the hydrogen storage material. After the thermocouple detects that the predetermined working temperature has been reached, the hydrogen storage material can start the hydrogen absorption program. Subsequently, with the help of the jacket water inlet pipe and jacket water outlet pipe, the heat exchange with the external circulating coolant is carried out to continuously maintain the stability of the hydrogen absorption process. The hydrogen charging and discharging operations can be stopped after the pressure sensor detects the predetermined pressure. The present invention has a simple structure, separates the circulating cooling circuit equipment required for the hydrogen charging and discharging processes, avoids the configuration of complex equipment such as heat exchanger hot and cold storage tanks, pumps, instruments, valves, etc., greatly simplifies the system structure, and significantly reduces the overall external dimensions of the system. In addition, since components such as heat exchanger hot and cold storage tanks have been eliminated, the additional load problem caused by tank liquid level sloshing is effectively avoided during vehicle movement, thereby greatly enhancing the safety of the system.

[0008] As a preferred solution of the present invention, a hydrogen valve is also installed on the hydrogen connecting pipe.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a battery, a control panel, a controller and a hydrogen leakage alarm are installed inside the thermal insulation box. The pressure sensor, thermocouple manifold, heating element connector, hydrogen valve and hydrogen leakage alarm are connected to the controller via cables, and the controller is connected to the control panel. The heating element is connected to the heating element connector and then connected to the battery via cables.

[0010] As a preferred solution of the present invention, an air guide pipe is further provided inside the hydrogen storage container.

[0011] As a preferred solution of the present invention, two air guide pipes are provided inside the hydrogen storage container, and an air guide pipe support device is provided between the two air guide pipes to connect them.

[0012] As a preferred solution of the present invention, the gas guide pipe is a hydrogen distribution pipe.

[0013] As a preferred solution of the present invention, the heating elements are evenly distributed inside the hydrogen storage container, and heating element support devices are provided between the heating elements.

[0014] As a preferred solution of the present invention, the heating element is an electric heating wire, an electric heating rod, an electric heating sheet, an electric heating film or a heating plate.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hydrogen storage container is a horizontal container or a vertical container.

[0016] As a preferred solution of the present invention, the hydrogen storage container adopts a fully welded structure or a bolted flange connection structure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a solid-state hydrogen storage system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments of the present invention without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, top, bottom, inside, outside, vertical, horizontal, longitudinal, counterclockwise, clockwise, circumferential, radial, axial...), then the directional indication is only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the various components in a certain specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0020] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "installed," "disposed," "provided with," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they may refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they may refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they may refer to internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention in specific contexts.

[0021] If there are descriptions involving "first" or "second" in the embodiments of the present invention, the descriptions of "first" or "second" are only for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or suggesting their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the present invention, "several" means more than one, "more" means more than two, and "above", "below", "within", etc. are all understood to include the number itself. In addition, the technical features of each embodiment can be arbitrarily combined. In order to make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0022] like Figure 1As shown, a solid-state hydrogen storage system includes an insulation box 14 and a hydrogen storage container 1 fixed inside the insulation box for filling with hydrogen storage material 2. The side wall of the hydrogen storage container is installed with a pressure sensor 3, a thermocouple header 5, a heating element connector 9, and a hydrogen pipe 17. The hydrogen storage container is provided with a heating element 7 connected to the heating element connector and a thermocouple 6 connected to the thermocouple header. The outside of the hydrogen storage container is wrapped with a cooling jacket 16, and the cooling jacket is provided with a jacket water inlet pipe 15 and a jacket water outlet pipe 10. The hydrogen pipe 17, the jacket water inlet pipe 15, and the jacket water outlet pipe 10 pass through the outer wall of the insulation box 14 to connect to the external pipeline. The solid-state hydrogen storage system is described, because the cooling jacket is wrapped around the outside of the hydrogen storage container, and the hydrogen pipe, the jacket water inlet pipe, and the jacket water outlet pipe pass through the outer wall of the insulation box to connect to the external pipeline. During hydrogen charging and discharging operations, the hydrogen pipe is tightly integrated with the external hydrogen inlet pipe, and the jacket water inlet and outlet pipes are seamlessly connected to the external circulating coolant circuit. At this time, the heating element heats the hydrogen storage material evenly. After the thermocouple detects that the temperature has reached the predetermined working temperature, the hydrogen storage material can start the hydrogen absorption program. Subsequently, the jacket water inlet pipe and the jacket water outlet pipe are used for heat exchange with the external circulating coolant to continuously maintain the stability of the hydrogen absorption process. After the pressure sensor detects the predetermined pressure, the hydrogen charging and discharging operations can be stopped. The present invention has a simple structure and separates the circulating cooling circuit equipment required for the hydrogen charging and discharging processes, avoiding the configuration of complex equipment such as heat exchanger hot and cold storage tanks, pumps, instruments, valves, etc., greatly simplifying the system structure and significantly reducing the overall external dimensions of the system. In addition, since components such as heat exchanger hot and cold storage tanks are abandoned, the additional load problem caused by the sloshing of the tank liquid level is effectively avoided during the movement of the vehicle, thereby greatly enhancing the safety of the system.

[0023] A hydrogen valve 18 is also installed on the hydrogen pipe 17. This valve is added to the hydrogen pipe to precisely control the flow of hydrogen. For example, during the hydrogen charging phase, controlling the valve opening ensures that hydrogen enters the hydrogen storage container at an appropriate flow rate, preventing safety hazards caused by excessive hydrogen flow, such as localized overheating of the hydrogen storage material or a sudden increase in pressure, thereby ensuring smooth hydrogen storage. During hydrogen discharge, the hydrogen output flow rate is precisely controlled to meet the hydrogen flow requirements of the hydrogen-consuming equipment, ensuring stable operation of the equipment.

[0024] The interior of the thermal insulation box 14 is equipped with a battery 11, a control panel 19, a controller 20, and a hydrogen leakage alarm 21. The pressure sensor 3, the thermocouple manifold 5, the heating element connector 9, the hydrogen valve 18, and the hydrogen leakage alarm 21 are connected to the controller 20 via a cable 4. The controller 20 is connected to the control panel 19, wherein the heating element 7 is connected to the heating element connector 9 and then connected to the battery 11 via a cable 4. The battery, control panel, controller, and hydrogen leakage alarm are centrally installed inside the thermal insulation box to form a highly integrated control system, which makes the connection between the various components more compact and the signal transmission more stable and reliable, thereby achieving precise coordinated control of the hydrogen storage system's charging and discharging process. For example, pressure and temperature monitoring can be achieved. Through cable connection, the pressure sensor and the thermocouple manifold transmit the pressure and temperature data inside the hydrogen storage container to the controller in real time. Based on this data, the controller can accurately control the power of the heating element and the opening of the hydrogen valve to ensure that the hydrogen storage process is carried out under safe and appropriate temperature and pressure conditions. To achieve intelligent control, the controller compares and analyzes monitoring data with preset parameters to automatically control the heating element, thereby precisely regulating the temperature of the hydrogen storage material and ensuring optimal hydrogen absorption and desorption. Simultaneously, based on data from the pressure sensor, the hydrogen valve automatically opens and closes, precisely adjusting the inflow and outflow of hydrogen, ensuring the safety and efficiency of the hydrogen storage process. Furthermore, a hydrogen leak alarm monitors the hydrogen concentration within the system in real time. Upon detecting a hydrogen leak, a signal is immediately transmitted to the controller via a cable, triggering an alarm mechanism that prompts operators to take timely action, effectively preventing safety incidents such as fires and explosions caused by hydrogen leaks and significantly improving system safety. The system also features fault diagnosis and early warning capabilities. The controller monitors the operating status of various components in real time, such as battery voltage, sensor signals, and heating element operation. If an anomaly is detected, a warning signal is quickly issued, enabling operators to intervene promptly to prevent further escalation and ensure stable system operation.

[0025] The hydrogen storage container 1 is further provided with an air duct 8, wherein two air ducts 8 are provided inside the hydrogen storage container, and an air duct support device 13 is provided between the two air ducts 8 to connect them. Specifically, the air duct 8 is a hydrogen distribution pipe, which can also be replaced by an air guide structure such as a sintered porous metal material. The provision of the air duct ensures that the hydrogen is evenly distributed inside the hydrogen storage container. During the hydrogen filling process, hydrogen is evenly dispersed into the hydrogen storage material through the air duct (such as the hydrogen distribution pipe), avoiding the phenomenon of excessively high or low local hydrogen concentration. This helps to improve the utilization rate of the hydrogen storage material and ensure the efficiency and uniformity of the entire hydrogen storage process. During the hydrogen discharge process, the air duct can also ensure the uniform release of hydrogen, avoid excessive or low local pressure, and ensure the stability and safety of hydrogen discharge. The air duct support device is provided between the two air ducts to enhance the structural stability of the air duct. The gas pipe support device effectively prevents vibration or deformation caused by hydrogen flow during the charging and discharging processes, ensuring long-term stable operation and extending the pipe's service life. Gas pipes are not limited to hydrogen distribution pipes; other gas-conducting structures, such as sintered porous metal materials, can also be used. This allows hydrogen storage containers to select the most suitable gas-conducting structure based on different hydrogen storage materials, charging and discharging processes, and application scenarios, further optimizing hydrogen distribution and storage performance.

[0026] The heating elements 7 are evenly distributed inside the hydrogen storage container 1, and heating element support devices 12 are also provided between the heating elements 7. The heating elements are evenly distributed inside the hydrogen storage container, which can make all parts of the hydrogen storage material heated evenly. During the heating process, the problem of local overheating or insufficient heating is avoided, ensuring that the temperature distribution of the hydrogen storage material in the entire container is uniform, thereby improving the hydrogen absorption and desorption performance of the hydrogen storage material, enabling it to adsorb and release hydrogen more efficiently. The heating element support devices provided between the heating elements can effectively prevent the heating elements from being deformed, displaced or colliding with each other due to thermal expansion and contraction during the heating or cooling process, thereby improving the structural stability and service life of the heating elements.

[0027] The heating element 7 is an electric heating wire, an electric heating rod, an electric heating sheet, an electric heating film, or a heating plate. Different forms of heating elements such as electric heating wires, electric heating rods, electric heating sheets, electric heating films, and heating plates have high flexibility in shape and size, and can be customized and installed according to the internal space and layout of the hydrogen storage container. For example, the filamentous structure of the electric heating wire can be easily bent and fixed, and can be customized and installed according to the complex shape of the internal space of the hydrogen storage container to achieve precise local heating, which is particularly suitable for focusing on heating key areas of the hydrogen storage material; electric heating sheets and heating plates can be cut into suitable shapes and fit on the inner wall of the hydrogen storage container or inserted between the hydrogen storage materials; electric heating rods can be arranged in different positions as needed to achieve focused heating of key areas of the hydrogen storage material.

[0028] The hydrogen storage container 1 is a horizontal container or a vertical container to adapt to different application scenarios. For example, on a vehicle, the center of gravity of a horizontal container is lower, which helps to improve the stability and safety of the equipment; the vertical container is suitable for installation on vehicles with limited height but a smaller footprint.

[0029] The hydrogen storage container 1 adopts a fully welded structure or a bolted flange connection structure. The fully welded structure connects the various components of the hydrogen storage container together by welding to form a whole. This structure has extremely high sealing performance, can effectively prevent hydrogen leakage, and ensure the safety of the hydrogen storage process. At the same time, the welded connection has high strength and can withstand the high-pressure environment inside the hydrogen storage container, improving the pressure resistance and structural stability of the container. The bolted flange connection structure connects the components of the hydrogen storage container together through flanges and bolts, which facilitates the assembly, disassembly and maintenance of the hydrogen storage container. When the interior of the hydrogen storage container needs to be inspected, parts replaced or cleaned, the hydrogen storage container can be quickly opened and sealed again after the maintenance work is completed, which improves the convenience of operation and the maintainability of the system.

[0030] The above descriptions are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural transformations made by using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields are included in the patent protection scope of the present invention. In the description of the present invention, the reference terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "embodiment", "illustrative embodiment", "example", "specific example" or "some examples" are intended to mean that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in an appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. It is explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments, and the embodiments of the present invention and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

Claims

1. A solid-state hydrogen storage system, characterized in that: The invention comprises a heat preservation box (14) and a hydrogen storage container (1) fixed inside the heat preservation box for filling a hydrogen storage material (2), wherein a pressure sensor (3), a thermocouple header (5), a heating element connector (9) and a hydrogen pipe (17) are installed on the side wall of the hydrogen storage container, a heating element (7) connected to the heating element connector and a thermocouple (6) connected to the thermocouple header are provided inside the hydrogen storage container, a cooling jacket (16) is wrapped around the outside of the hydrogen storage container, and a jacket water inlet pipe (15) and a jacket water outlet pipe (10) are provided on the cooling jacket, wherein the hydrogen pipe (17), the jacket water inlet pipe (15) and the jacket water outlet pipe (10) pass through the outer wall of the heat preservation box (14) and are connected to an external pipeline.

2. The solid-state hydrogen storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that: A hydrogen valve (18) is also installed on the hydrogen connecting pipe (17).

3. The solid-state hydrogen storage system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The heat preservation box (14) is internally installed with a battery (11), a control panel (19), a controller (20) and a hydrogen leakage alarm (21); the pressure sensor (3), the thermocouple manifold (5), the heating element connector (9), the hydrogen valve (18) and the hydrogen leakage alarm (21) are connected to the controller (20) via a cable (4); the controller (20) is connected to the control panel (19); and the heating element (7) is connected to the heating element connector (9) and then to the battery (11) via the cable (4).

4. The solid-state hydrogen storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that: An air guide pipe (8) is also provided inside the hydrogen storage container (1).

5. The solid-state hydrogen storage system according to claim 4, characterized in that: Two air guide pipes (8) are arranged inside the hydrogen storage container, and an air guide pipe support device (13) is provided between the two air guide pipes (8) to connect them.

6. The solid-state hydrogen storage system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The gas guide pipe (8) is a hydrogen distribution pipe.

7. The solid-state hydrogen storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heating elements (7) are evenly distributed inside the hydrogen storage container (1), and heating element support devices (12) are provided between the heating elements (7).

8. The solid-state hydrogen storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heating element (7) is an electric heating wire, an electric heating rod, an electric heating sheet, an electric heating film, or a heating plate.

9. The solid-state hydrogen storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hydrogen storage container (1) is a horizontal container or a vertical container.

10. The solid-state hydrogen storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hydrogen storage container (1) adopts a fully welded structure or a bolted flange connection structure.

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