Gas-alkali separation and alkali liquor cooling integrated device in water electrolysis hydrogen production equipment
By integrating gas-alkali separation and alkali solution cooling into the alkaline water electrolysis hydrogen production system with a horizontal cylindrical shell design, the problems of large footprint of independent equipment, complex piping, large alkali solution consumption and low separation efficiency are solved, thus achieving compact and efficient operation of the equipment and cost reduction.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202511097497.8
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-08-06
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-17
AI Technical Summary
In the existing alkaline water electrolysis hydrogen production system, the gas-alkali separator and the alkali liquid cooler are set up independently, resulting in a large footprint, complex piping, large alkali liquid consumption, low separation efficiency and failure to synergistically utilize the impact of temperature reduction on separation efficiency.
The gas-alkali separator and alkali liquid cooler are integrated into one by a horizontal cylindrical shell. The U-shaped tube-side cooling water and shell-side alkali liquid design improves separation efficiency by reducing temperature and simplifies pipeline connections.
The equipment volume was reduced by 40%-60%, the alkali solution consumption was reduced by 50%-70%, the separation efficiency was improved by 2%-5%, the operating cost was reduced by 20%-30%, and the equipment life was extended by 30%-50%.
Smart Images
Figure CN120797009A_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of hydrogen production by water electrolysis, and particularly relates to an integrated device for gas-alkali separation and alkali solution cooling in a hydrogen production device by water electrolysis. BACKGROUND
[0002] In an alkaline water electrolysis hydrogen production system, a gas-alkali separator and an alkali solution cooler are two key components. In the prior art, these two devices are usually independently arranged, and the following problems exist:
[0003] Large floor area: two independent containers occupy a large space, especially in a skid-mounted or compact hydrogen production device.
[0004] Complex piping: the gas-liquid mixture needs to flow through the gas-alkali separator and the cooler in sequence through the pipeline, and there are many pipeline connection points, which has a risk of leakage and high maintenance cost.
[0005] Large amount of alkali solution: the traditional cooler and the connecting pipeline need to be filled with a large amount of alkali solution, which leads to a large initial liquid injection amount and KOH consumption, and increases the operation cost.
[0006] Limited separation efficiency: the separation effect of the independent gas-alkali separator is limited by single gravity sedimentation or inertial separation, and gas-liquid separation is common.
[0007] Temperature influence is not synergistically utilized: in the prior art, the separation and cooling processes are disconnected, and the high-temperature gas-liquid mixture (70-90℃) directly enters the separator, which leads to low separation efficiency (the gas phase usually carries 5-10mg / m 3 ).
[0008] The prior art attempts to solve the above problems through integrated design, such as integrating gas-liquid separation with washing and cooling functions, but has not achieved deep integration of the gas-alkali separator and the cooler, and has not utilized the synergistic optimization effect of temperature reduction on separation efficiency. SUMMARY
[0009] The purpose of the present application is to provide an integrated device for gas-alkali separation and alkali solution cooling in a hydrogen production device by water electrolysis, which adopts a horizontal cylindrical shell as a separator, integrates the functions of the gas-alkali separator and the alkali solution cooler in one body, reduces the temperature of the gas-liquid mixture by letting the cooling water pass through the U-shaped tube and the alkali solution pass through the shell, optimizes the separation effect, and at the same time reduces the equipment volume, simplifies the pipeline connection, reduces the equipment cost and the amount of alkali solution.
[0010] The above technical purpose of the present application is achieved by the following technical solution:
[0011] The application discloses an integrated device for gas-alkali separation and alkali solution cooling in a hydrogen production equipment by electrolyzing water.
[0012] Preferably, the material of the horizontal cylindrical shell is 316L stainless steel or Q345R steel, and the inner wall of the horizontal cylindrical shell is sprayed with a polytetrafluoroethylene coating.
[0013] Preferably, the U-shaped heat exchange pipe is made of silicon carbide, has a wall thickness of 2-3 mm, a pipe diameter of φ25*2.5 mm, and a plurality of groups of the U-shaped heat exchange pipes are arranged in a regular triangle, and the pipe centers of adjacent U-shaped heat exchange pipes are 32 mm apart.
[0014] Preferably, a plurality of groups of baffle plates are also arranged at equal intervals along the gas-liquid movement route in the gas-liquid separation chamber, the U-shaped heat exchange pipes penetrate through the baffle plates and are fixedly arranged with the baffle plates, each group of the baffle plates is arranged with a spacing between the left and right side walls in the gas-liquid separation chamber, and adjacent baffle plates are arranged with a spacing staggered with the gas-liquid separation chamber.
[0015] Preferably, the baffle plate is made of 316L stainless steel or Q345R steel, has a thickness of 5-8 mm, and has a spacing of 200-300 mm.
[0016] Preferably, the flange connecting portions of the heat exchange chamber and the gas-liquid separation chamber are provided with pipe plates, and the U-shaped heat exchange pipes and the pipe plates are fixedly connected through expansion welding.
[0017] Preferably, the bottom of the gas-liquid separation chamber is also provided with a balance port near the alkali solution outlet, and the top of the gas-liquid separation chamber is also provided with a plurality of groups of reflux ports and a manhole, and the reflux ports extend to the bottom of the gas-liquid separation chamber through pipelines.
[0018] Preferably, a demister is arranged at the gas-liquid inlet in the gas-liquid separation chamber.
[0019] Preferably, an inlet distributor is arranged at the alkali solution inlet in the gas-liquid separation chamber, and a shunt baffle is further arranged at the inlet distribution portion of the bottom of the gas-liquid separation chamber.
[0020] In summary, the present application has the following advantages:
[0021] 1. Optimized separation effect: By reducing the temperature of the gas-liquid mixture from 70-90℃ to 40-50℃, the separation efficiency is improved through multiple mechanisms of temperature reduction: the solubility of gas in the lye decreases, reducing gas dissolution loss, increasing gas recovery by 2%-5%; the density difference between gas and liquid increases, according to Stokes' law, the settling velocity of lye droplets increases by 15%-20%; the surface tension of the droplets increases, making it easier for small droplets to coalesce into larger droplets, reducing the "non-separation rate" of lye droplets in the gas phase from 8%-10% to 2%-3%; lye evaporation is reduced, reducing the gas phase liquid carryover by more than 50%.
[0022] 2. Compact structure, reducing volume: horizontal integrated design reduces the number of equipment, reduces the floor area by 40%-60%, suitable for skid-mounted or space-limited scenarios, and horizontal structure is more convenient for arrangement in narrow space.
[0023] 3. Reduce equipment cost and lye consumption: reduce one independent container and related pipeline, reduce material cost by 30%-40%; simplify pipeline connection, reduce leakage risk, reduce maintenance cost by about 20%; integrated design eliminates the need for lye filling of traditional coolers and connecting pipelines, reducing the initial lye injection volume by 50%-70%, significantly reducing the consumption of KOH and other lye, reducing operating costs.
[0024] 4. Optimize process flow: gas-alkali separation and lye cooling process are completed in the horizontal integrated container, shortening the process flow, reducing intermediate links, improving system operation efficiency and stability.
[0025] 5. High heat exchange efficiency: U-shaped tube structure is adopted, with cooling water in the tube side and lye in the shell side, and the setting of baffle increases the turbulence degree of lye, improves the heat exchange efficiency, and ensures the stability of cooling effect.
[0026] 6. Prolong the service life of equipment: reducing temperature reduces the corrosion of high temperature on equipment, corrosion rate is reduced by 30%-50%, prolongs the service life of equipment, at the same time, horizontal structure reduces the uneven stress of equipment, improves the overall stability of equipment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0027] Figure 1 is the external structure schematic diagram of the present application;
[0028] Figure 2 is Figure 1 the sectional view of A-A in DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0029] The specific embodiments of the present application will be further described below in conjunction with the drawings, and the embodiments do not constitute a limitation on the present application.
[0030] As Figure 1 and 2 The integrated device for gas-alkali separation and alkali cooling in a water electrolysis hydrogen production equipment is shown in the drawings, which comprises a horizontal cylindrical shell 1, which is more convenient to install and maintain compared with a vertical shell, the inside of the horizontal cylindrical shell 1 is separated into a heat exchange chamber 3 and a gas-liquid separation chamber 4 by a flange 2, the overall volume is reduced by 40%-60% compared with a traditional split device, the gas-liquid separation chamber 4 is provided with a gas-liquid inlet 5 away from the heat exchange chamber 3, the alkali outlet 6 is arranged at the bottom of the gas-liquid separation chamber 4 close to the heat exchange chamber 3, the gas outlet 7 is arranged at the top of the gas-liquid separation chamber 4 close to the heat exchange chamber 3, a horizontal partition plate 8 is arranged in the heat exchange chamber 3, the cold water outlet 10 is arranged above the partition plate 8 in the heat exchange chamber 3, the cold water inlet 9 is arranged below the partition plate 8 in the heat exchange chamber 3, a plurality of U-shaped heat exchange pipes 11 are further arranged in the gas-liquid separation chamber 4, the inlet and outlet of the U-shaped heat exchange pipes 11 are communicated with the cold water inlet 9 and the cold water outlet 10 in the heat exchange chamber 3 respectively, forming a circulation loop of cooling water in the pipe, which realizes cooling by absorbing the heat of the alkali in the shell, and the cooling water flowing in the pipe reduces the temperature of the gas-liquid mixture in the shell from 70-90℃ to 40-50℃.
[0031] The material of the horizontal cylindrical shell 1 is 316L stainless steel or Q345R steel, and the inner wall of the horizontal cylindrical shell 1 is sprayed with a polytetrafluoroethylene coating.
[0032] The U-shaped heat exchange pipes 11 are made of silicon carbide, which is corrosion-resistant and has a high thermal conductivity (120-270 W / (m·K)), a wall thickness of 2-3 mm, and a pipe diameter of φ25×2.5 mm, a plurality of U-shaped heat exchange pipes 11 are arranged in a regular triangle, the center distance of adjacent U-shaped heat exchange pipes 11 is 32 mm, which ensures the heat exchange efficiency and effectively reduces the temperature of the gas-liquid mixture to 40-50℃.
[0033] A plurality of baffle plates 12 are also arranged at equal intervals along the gas-liquid flow path in the gas-liquid separation chamber 4, which guides the flow of alkali in the shell, increases the contact time of alkali and U-shaped pipes, and simultaneously strengthens gas-liquid separation by using the baffle effect, the U-shaped heat exchange pipes 11 penetrate through the baffle plates 12 and are fixedly arranged with the baffle plates 12, each group of baffle plates 12 is arranged with a spacing between the left and right side walls inside the gas-liquid separation chamber 4, and the spacing between adjacent baffle plates 12 and the gas-liquid separation chamber 4 is arranged in a staggered interval.
[0034] The baffle plates 12 are made of 316L stainless steel or Q345R steel, with a thickness of 5-8 mm and a spacing of 200-300 mm.
[0035] The flange 2 connecting part of the heat exchange chamber 3 and the gas-liquid separation chamber 4 is provided with a tube plate 13, the U-shaped heat exchange pipe 11 is fixed with the tube plate 13 through expansion welding, so that the sealing performance of the tube and the shell is ensured, leakage is prevented, the tube plate 13 separates the tube and the shell, and the mixing of the cooling water and the lye is prevented.
[0036] The gas-liquid separation chamber 4 is further provided with a plurality of groups of reflux ports 15 and a group of manholes 16 at the top of the gas-liquid separation chamber 4, and the reflux ports 15 extend to the bottom of the gas-liquid separation chamber 4 through pipelines.
[0037] The gas-liquid separation chamber 4 is provided with a demister 17 at the gas outlet 7, which is used for capturing the small lye mist droplets remaining in the gas phase.
[0038] The gas-liquid separation chamber 4 is provided with an inlet distributor 18 at the gas-liquid inlet 5, which can slow down the flow rate of the gas-liquid mixture (70-90 DEG C) and uniformly distribute it into the shell.
[0039] The working process of the application comprises:
[0040] Gas-liquid entry and distribution: the gas-liquid mixture enters the shell of the gas-liquid separation chamber 4 of the horizontal integrated container through the inlet distributor 18 and starts to flow under the guidance of the baffle 12.
[0041] Gas-liquid separation and cooling in the shell: the lye flows in the shell and exchanges heat with the cooling water in the tube, and the temperature decreases from 70-90 DEG C to 40-50 DEG C, and at the same time, under the action of the baffle 12, the gas and the lye in the gas-liquid mixture are gradually separated, the gas flows upward, and the lye collects downward under the action of gravity; wherein the cooling water inlet temperature is not more than 30 DEG C, the flow is dynamically adjusted according to the lye temperature, the outlet lye temperature is stabilized at 40-50 DEG C to achieve the best separation effect; the residence time of the gas-liquid mixture in the shell is controlled within 30-60 seconds to ensure that the gas-liquid separation and cooling are fully carried out.
[0042] Gas phase purification: after the separated gas removes part of the mist droplets through the demister 17, it enters the next process through the gas outlet.
[0043] Lye reflux: the cooled lye collects at the bottom of the shell and is refluxed to the electrolytic tank through the outlet, reducing the lye loss of the system.
[0044] The application realizes the deep integration of gas-liquid separation and cooling function through the structure innovation of the horizontal cylindrical shell, the U-shaped pipe tube for cooling water and the shell for lye, and the temperature coordination control, and provides a new technical scheme for efficient and low-cost alkaline water electrolysis hydrogen production.
[0045] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art may make various modifications or equivalent substitutions to the present invention within the essence and protection scope of the present invention, and such modifications or equivalent substitutions should also be deemed to fall within the protection scope of the technical solution of the present invention.
Claims
1. An integrated device for gas-alkali separation and alkali solution cooling in a water electrolysis hydrogen production device, characterized in that: The utility model comprises a horizontal cylindrical shell, wherein the interior of the horizontal cylindrical shell is separated by a flange to form a heat exchange chamber and a gas-liquid separation chamber, a gas-liquid separation chamber is provided with a gas-liquid inlet on the side away from the heat exchange chamber, an alkali liquid outlet is provided at the bottom of the gas-liquid separation chamber near the heat exchange chamber, a gas outlet is provided at the top of the gas-liquid separation chamber near the heat exchange chamber, a horizontally arranged partition is passed through the heat exchange chamber, a cold water outlet is provided above the partition in the heat exchange chamber, and a cold water inlet is provided below the partition in the heat exchange chamber, and a plurality of groups of U-shaped heat exchange tubes are further provided inside and outside the gas-liquid separation chamber, and the inlet and outlet of the U-shaped heat exchange tubes are respectively connected with the cold water inlet and the cold water outlet in the heat exchange chamber.
2. The integrated device for gas-alkali separation and alkali solution cooling in a water electrolysis hydrogen production device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The horizontal cylindrical shell is made of 316L stainless steel or Q345R steel, and the inner wall of the horizontal cylindrical shell is sprayed with a polytetrafluoroethylene coating.
3. The integrated device for gas-alkali separation and alkali solution cooling in a water electrolysis hydrogen production device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The U-shaped heat exchange tube is made of silicon carbide, with a wall thickness of 2-3mm and a tube diameter of φ25×2.5mm. Multiple groups of the U-shaped heat exchange tubes are arranged in an equilateral triangle, and the center distance between adjacent U-shaped heat exchange tubes is 32mm.
4. The integrated device for gas-alkali separation and alkali solution cooling in a water electrolysis hydrogen production device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of groups of deflection baffles are also arranged at equal intervals along the gas-liquid flow path in the gas-liquid separation chamber. The U-shaped heat exchange tube passes through the deflection baffle and is fixed to the deflection baffle. A distance is set between each group of the deflection baffles and the left and right side walls inside the gas-liquid separation chamber, and the distances between adjacent deflection baffles and the gas-liquid separation chamber are staggered.
5. The integrated device for gas-alkali separation and alkali solution cooling in a water electrolysis hydrogen production device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The deflection baffles are made of 316L stainless steel or Q345R steel, with a thickness of 5-8 mm and a spacing of 200-300 mm.
6. The integrated device for gas-alkali separation and alkali solution cooling in a water electrolysis hydrogen production device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flange connections between the heat exchange chamber and the gas-liquid separation chamber are both provided with sealing tube sheets, and the U-shaped heat exchange tubes and the tube sheets are fixed by expansion welding.
7. The integrated device for gas-alkali separation and alkali solution cooling in a water electrolysis hydrogen production device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A balance port is provided at the bottom of the gas-liquid separation chamber near the alkali liquid outlet, and multiple groups of reflux ports and a group of manholes are provided at the top of the gas-liquid separation chamber. The reflux ports extend to the bottom of the gas-liquid separation chamber through pipelines.
8. The integrated device for gas-alkali separation and alkali solution cooling in a water electrolysis hydrogen production device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A demister is provided at the gas-liquid inlet of the gas-liquid separation chamber.
9. The integrated device for gas-alkali separation and alkali solution cooling in a water electrolysis hydrogen production device according to claim 1, characterized in that: An inlet distributor is provided at the alkali liquid inlet in the gas-liquid separation chamber, and a diversion baffle is also provided at the inlet distribution position at the bottom of the gas-liquid separation chamber.