Vanadium-platinum alloy efficient adsorption assembly for hydrogen purification

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of hydrogen isotope separation and purification, in particular to a vanadium-platinum alloy efficient adsorption assembly for hydrogen purification, which comprises a pressure container, a vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed, a gas inlet, a gas outlet, a temperature control system and a control system. The adsorption bed is formed by filling vanadium-platinum alloy particles of which the surfaces are modified with porous ceramic coatings; a plurality of micro heat pipes are integrated in the adsorption bed, evaporation sections of the micro heat pipes are embedded in the bed layer, and condensation sections are in heat conduction connection with the temperature control system; the control system is configured to receive a concentration feedback signal of the on-line gas analyzer and dynamically adjust the temperature of the temperature control system and the displacement gas flow of the gas inlet based on a model predictive control algorithm so as to execute an adsorption-displacement-desorption cycle process. According to the assembly, through the integrated design of materials, structures and control, the poison resistance, the bed temperature uniformity and the hydrogen isotope separation efficiency and recovery rate are remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of hydrogen isotope separation and purification technology, and in particular to a vanadium-platinum alloy high-efficiency adsorption component for hydrogen purification. Background Technology

[0002] In nuclear energy, particularly in the fuel cycle of deuterium-tritium fusion reactors, the efficient and safe separation and purification of the radioactive isotope tritium from the reaction tail gas is a core technological step towards achieving a closed fuel cycle and sustainable energy production. While current mainstream hydrogen isotope separation technologies can achieve separation, they generally suffer from extremely high system energy consumption, significant challenges in material reliability under cryogenic conditions, and slow process response, making it difficult to meet the urgent requirements of future large-scale fusion reactors for efficient, compact, and intelligent fuel processing systems. Therefore, developing an integrated separation and purification component based on novel functional materials and advanced process control has become an important research direction in this field.

[0003] Specifically, existing adsorption bed technology based on metal hydrides faces a prominent comprehensive technical challenge when treating the complex exhaust gases from fusion reactors: during the cyclic hydrogen adsorption and desorption process, the adsorption capacity, separation selectivity, and cycle life of the adsorbent material rapidly decline due to poisoning by impurity gases and uneven heat transfer within the bed. Furthermore, traditional open-loop control processes cannot achieve precise optimization of tritium recovery rate and separation purity, severely restricting the long-term operational efficiency and economic viability of the overall system. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the above shortcomings, this invention provides a vanadium-platinum alloy high-efficiency adsorption component for hydrogen purification, aiming to improve the problems of rapid adsorption capacity decay, low separation efficiency, and short service life of existing metal hydride adsorption beds in the process of hydrogen isotope purification due to material poisoning, uneven bed heat transfer, and crude separation control.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a vanadium-platinum alloy high-efficiency adsorption component for gas purification, comprising a pressure vessel, a vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed disposed within the pressure vessel, an inlet and an outlet communicating with the pressure vessel, a temperature control system for heating and / or cooling the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed, and a control system for controlling process parameters.

[0006] The vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed is formed by filling vanadium-platinum alloy particles with a porous ceramic coating on their surface.

[0007] The vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed integrates multiple micro heat pipes. The evaporation section of the micro heat pipes is embedded in the bed layer of the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed, and the condensation section extends to exchange heat with the temperature control system.

[0008] The control system is configured to receive concentration feedback signals from an online gas analyzer and dynamically adjust the temperature of the temperature control system and the flow rate of the displacement gas through the inlet based on a preset model predictive control algorithm, so as to execute an adsorption-displacement-desorption cycle process including concentration feedback control.

[0009] Preferably, the porous ceramic coating is an alumina, zirconium oxide, or titanium oxide coating.

[0010] Preferably, the thickness of the porous ceramic coating is 2 nanometers to 50 nanometers.

[0011] Preferably, the micro heat pipes are uniformly arrayed across the cross-section of the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed.

[0012] Preferably, the condensation section of the micro heat pipe is in direct thermal contact with the cooling channel or heating jacket of the temperature control system.

[0013] Preferably, the adsorption-displacement-desorption cycle process includes the following steps:

[0014] During the adsorption stage, the hydrogen-containing mixed gas is controlled to enter the pressure vessel through the inlet;

[0015] During the replacement phase, based on feedback from the online gas analyzer, the introduction of lean tritium replacement gas is controlled, and its flow rate is dynamically adjusted.

[0016] During the desorption phase, the heating rate of the temperature control system and the depressurization process inside the pressure vessel are programmed and controlled according to the output of the model predictive control algorithm.

[0017] Preferably, the step of controlling the hydrogen-containing mixed gas to enter the pressure vessel through the inlet during the adsorption stage specifically includes:

[0018] The control system opens the air intake control valve connected to the air inlet according to the preset adsorption program, so that the hydrogen-containing mixed gas flows into the pressure vessel through the air inlet and then flows through the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed.

[0019] Preferably, the step of controlling the introduction of lean tritium replacement gas and dynamically adjusting its flow rate based on feedback from the online gas analyzer during the replacement phase specifically includes:

[0020] The control system receives in real time the detection signal of the tritium concentration in the gas flowing out of the outlet from the online gas analyzer;

[0021] The detection signal is compared with a preset tritium concentration threshold, and a control command is generated based on the comparison result.

[0022] Based on the control command, the opening of the displacement gas regulating valve connected to the lean tritium displacement gas source is adjusted to dynamically control the flow rate of the lean tritium displacement gas introduced into the inlet.

[0023] Preferably, the step of programmatically controlling the heating rate of the temperature control system and the depressurization process within the pressure vessel based on the output of the model predictive control algorithm during the desorption stage specifically includes:

[0024] The model predictive control algorithm calculates and generates the optimal temperature control curve and the optimal pressure control curve for the desorption stage based on a preset process model and optimization objective.

[0025] The control system sends instructions to the temperature control system according to the optimal temperature control curve to programmatically control the heating rate of the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed.

[0026] Simultaneously, the control system sends instructions to the pumping device connected to the pressure vessel according to the optimal pressure control curve, so as to programmatically control the depressurization process inside the pressure vessel.

[0027] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0028] 1. In this invention, an ultrathin porous ceramic coating is applied to the surface of vanadium-platinum alloy particles, constructing a molecular sieve-like selective barrier. Its nanoscale pores allow rapid permeation of hydrogen isotope gases while effectively preventing larger molecules such as carbon monoxide and water vapor, or highly adsorbent impurities, from directly contacting the active surface of the alloy, thus significantly mitigating the poisoning problem of the adsorbent material at its source. The rigid ceramic coating also constrains the volume expansion of the alloy particles during hydrogen adsorption and desorption cycles, inhibiting material pulverization and greatly extending the service life of the component.

[0029] 2. In this invention, multiple micro heat pipes are directly integrated and embedded inside the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed to form an embedded high-efficiency heat transfer network. This design utilizes the extremely high equivalent thermal conductivity of the heat pipes to instantly and uniformly transfer the huge heat load generated during adsorption exothermic or desorption endothermic processes. This ensures that the entire bed operates at a nearly uniform optimized temperature, which not only significantly improves the kinetic rate of adsorption / desorption and shortens the process cycle, but also avoids damage to the material caused by local overheating or overcooling, further ensuring operational stability.

[0030] 3. In this invention, by configuring a control system integrating a model predictive control algorithm and coupling it with real-time concentration feedback from an online gas analyzer, the component achieves closed-loop intelligent control of the entire adsorption-displacement-desorption cycle. The system can dynamically optimize the heating rate of the temperature control system, the displacement gas flow rate, and the pumping depressurization procedure according to real-time operating conditions, precisely controlling the separation front. This effectively reduces the dead zone retention and premature penetration of hydrogen isotopes in the bed, thereby achieving higher product gas tritium concentration and separation purity while ensuring a high tritium recovery rate, realizing simultaneous optimization of separation efficiency and economy. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the overall structure of the vanadium-platinum alloy high-efficiency adsorption component for hydrogen purification proposed in this invention.

[0032] Figure 2 This is a magnified schematic diagram of the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed of the vanadium-platinum alloy high-efficiency adsorption component for hydrogen purification proposed in this invention.

[0033] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the operation process of the vanadium-platinum alloy high-efficiency adsorption component for hydrogen purification proposed in this invention.

[0034] The components include: 1. Pressure vessel; 2. Vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed; 3. Inlet; 4. Outlet; 5. Temperature control system; 6. Control system; 7. Online gas analyzer; 8. Inlet control valve; 9. Displacement gas regulating valve; 10. Tritium-depleted displacement gas source; 11. Pumping device; 12. Micro heat pipe; 13. Vanadium-platinum alloy particles; and 14. Porous ceramic coating. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] This invention provides a vanadium-platinum alloy high-efficiency adsorption component for hydrogen purification, such as... Figures 1-3 As shown, it includes a pressure vessel 1, a vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2 disposed within the pressure vessel 1, an air inlet 3 and an air outlet 4 communicating with the pressure vessel 1, a temperature control system 5 for heating and / or cooling the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2, and a control system 6 for controlling process parameters.

[0037] The vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2 is formed by filling vanadium-platinum alloy particles 13 with a porous ceramic coating 14 on the surface;

[0038] The vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2 integrates multiple micro heat pipes 12. The evaporation section of the micro heat pipes 12 is buried in the bed layer of the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2, and the condensation section extends to exchange heat with the temperature control system 5.

[0039] The control system 6 is configured to receive concentration feedback signals from the online gas analyzer 7 and dynamically adjust the temperature of the temperature control system 5 and the flow rate of the replacement gas through the inlet 3 based on a preset model predictive control algorithm, so as to execute an adsorption-displacement-desorption cycle process including concentration feedback control.

[0040] Specifically, the vanadium-platinum alloy high-efficiency adsorption assembly for hydrogen purification in this embodiment includes a pressure vessel 1, a vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2, an inlet 3, an outlet 4, a temperature control system 5, and a control system 6. The inlet 3 and outlet 4 are respectively connected to the internal space of the pressure vessel 1. The temperature control system 5 is used for programmed heating and cooling of the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2 within the pressure vessel 1.

[0041] A vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2 is fixedly disposed inside the pressure vessel 1. This vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2 is formed by a large number of vanadium-platinum alloy particles 13 with a porous ceramic coating 14 on their surfaces, tightly packed together. The porous ceramic coating 14 uniformly covers the surface of each vanadium-platinum alloy particle 13. The porous ceramic coating 14 can be made of alumina, zirconium oxide, or titanium oxide, and its thickness is preferably 2 nanometers to 50 nanometers. The porous ceramic coating 14 has nanoscale interconnected pores, the pore size of which allows hydrogen molecules and deuterium and tritium isotope molecules to pass through, but effectively blocks larger impurity gas molecules.

[0042] The vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2 has multiple micro heat pipes 12 uniformly integrated inside the bed layer. The evaporation section of each micro heat pipe 12 is directly embedded in the bed layer formed by vanadium-platinum alloy particles 13. The condensation section of each micro heat pipe 12 extends out of the bed layer and maintains direct thermal contact with the heat transfer interface of the temperature control system 5, thereby establishing an efficient heat conduction path between the evaporation section and the condensation section of the micro heat pipe 12.

[0043] Inlet 3 is connected to an external gas source via a pipeline. An inlet control valve 8 is installed on this pipeline. The inlet control valve 8 is controlled by the control system 6 and is used to regulate or switch the process gas entering pressure vessel 1. Outlet 4 is connected to an online gas analyzer 7 via a pipeline. The online gas analyzer 7 is used to detect and analyze the concentrations of various components in the gas flowing out of outlet 4 in real time, such as the concentrations of hydrogen, deuterium, and tritium. The online gas analyzer 7 sends the detected concentration signals to the control system 6 in real time.

[0044] The temperature control system 5 may specifically include an electric heating unit and a fluid cooling unit. The temperature control system 5 surrounds the exterior of the pressure vessel 1 or is integrated into its wall, heating or cooling the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2 through heat conduction. The operating mode and power of the temperature control system 5 are controlled by commands from the control system 6.

[0045] The evacuation device 11 is connected to the internal space of the pressure vessel 1 via a dedicated evacuation pipeline. The evacuation device 11 is used to perform vacuuming or depressurization operations inside the pressure vessel 1 during the desorption phase. Its start / stop and evacuation speed are controlled by the control system 6. The lean tritium replacement gas source 10 is connected to the pipeline before the inlet 3 via a pipeline. A replacement gas regulating valve 9 is installed on this connecting pipeline. The replacement gas regulating valve 9 is controlled by the control system 6 and is used to precisely regulate the flow rate of the lean tritium replacement gas entering the system.

[0046] Control system 6 is the core of the component's control system. Control system 6 is electrically connected to the online gas analyzer 7, temperature control system 5, intake control valve 8, displacement gas regulating valve 9, and extraction device 11. Control system 6 internally contains a model predictive control algorithm based on the component's thermodynamic and kinetic model.

[0047] When operating the adsorption-displacement-desorption cycle process including concentration feedback control, the workflow of the control system 6 is as follows: In the adsorption stage, the control system 6 opens the inlet control valve 8 according to a preset program, controlling the hydrogen-containing mixed gas to enter the pressure vessel 1 through the inlet 3 at a specific flow rate and flow through the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2. Simultaneously, the temperature control system 5 maintains the bed at the optimal adsorption temperature. In the displacement stage, the control system 6 receives the tritium concentration signal from the online gas analyzer 7 in real time, calculates and dynamically adjusts the opening of the displacement gas regulating valve 9 using a model predictive control algorithm to control the inflow rate of the tritium-depleted displacement gas. In the desorption stage, the control system 6 synchronously and programmatically controls the heating rate of the temperature control system 5 and the depressurization process of the pumping device 11 according to the optimal temperature and pressure program curve calculated by the model predictive control algorithm, to achieve efficient desorption and separation of hydrogen isotopes.

[0048] Furthermore, the porous ceramic coating 14 is an alumina, zirconium oxide, or titanium oxide coating.

[0049] Specifically, a porous ceramic coating 14 covers the surface of the vanadium-platinum alloy particles 13, forming a continuous physical and chemical barrier. The porous ceramic coating 14 is made of ceramic oxide, specifically selected from alumina, zirconium oxide, or titanium oxide. These materials are chosen based on their structural stability at high temperatures, good compatibility with the vanadium-platinum alloy matrix, and the ability to form an ideal nanoporous structure through specific processes. When alumina is used as the porous ceramic coating 14, the alumina coating is amorphous or crystalline, with an interconnected nanoporous network on its surface and interior. The thickness of the alumina coating is preferably 2 to 50 nanometers, with an average pore size of less than 0.5 nanometers. This pore size allows hydrogen molecules and deuterium and tritium isotope molecules to diffuse freely, but effectively prevents larger or more polar impurity molecules such as carbon monoxide, methane, and water molecules from directly contacting the internal vanadium-platinum alloy particles 13.

[0050] When the porous ceramic coating 14 is made of zirconium oxide, it also possesses a nanoporous structure. Besides its molecular sieving function, the higher chemical inertness of the zirconium oxide coating further enhances its resistance to acidic impurity gases in complex gaseous environments. When the porous ceramic coating 14 is made of titanium oxide, it may exhibit certain photocatalytic auxiliary properties while providing a nanoporous barrier. However, in this embodiment, its main function remains selective molecular sieving and physical protection. The porous ceramic coating 14 is generated in situ and firmly bonded to the surface of the vanadium-platinum alloy particles 13 through atomic layer deposition or sol-gel processes. This process requires precise control of the precursor concentration, reaction temperature, and number of cycles to ensure the formation of a porous ceramic coating 14 with uniform thickness, controllable porosity, and strong adhesion to the substrate. The modified vanadium-platinum alloy particles 13 maintain their high-capacity hydrogen absorption and desorption characteristics while achieving excellent resistance to impurity gas poisoning.

[0051] Furthermore, the thickness of the porous ceramic coating 14 is 2 nanometers to 50 nanometers.

[0052] Specifically, in this embodiment, the thickness of the porous ceramic coating 14 is limited to the range of 2 nanometers to 50 nanometers. When the thickness of the porous ceramic coating 14 is at the lower limit of this range, that is, approximately 2 nanometers to 10 nanometers, the coating has the characteristic of being extremely thin. At this thickness, the porous ceramic coating 14 exhibits minimal diffusion resistance to hydrogen isotope gases, enabling near-uncoated vanadium-platinum alloy particles 13 to achieve rapid adsorption and desorption kinetics. Simultaneously, even at this extremely thin thickness, the fully covered porous ceramic coating 14 can still effectively block most larger impurity gas molecules, providing basic protection.

[0053] When the thickness of the porous ceramic coating 14 increases to the middle of this range, for example, 10 nm to 30 nm, the coating structure becomes more complete and dense. At this thickness, the porous ceramic coating 14 maintains excellent hydrogen permeability while significantly enhancing its ability to block impurity molecules, especially providing more reliable separation selectivity for impurity gases with molecular dynamic diameters closer to hydrogen. The mechanical strength of the coating also increases accordingly, making it more resistant to the volume deformation of the vanadium-platinum alloy particles 13 during hydrogen adsorption and desorption cycles. When the thickness of the porous ceramic coating 14 reaches the upper limit of this range, i.e., 30 nm to 50 nm, the coating provides the strongest physical barrier. At this thickness, the porous ceramic coating 14 can most effectively protect the vanadium-platinum alloy particles 13 from various impurities in complex gas environments, especially the poisoning of strongly adsorbed impurities. Although the absolute resistance to gas permeation increases, its permeation flux remains within the process-acceptably efficient range due to the porous nature of the coating. Furthermore, a thicker coating has a more significant effect on suppressing the pulverization of the vanadium-platinum alloy particles 13.

[0054] Limiting the thickness of the porous ceramic coating 14 to between 2 nanometers and 50 nanometers is to achieve a better overall technical balance while ensuring the core functions of the coating. A thickness less than 2 nanometers may result in discontinuous coatings, failing to provide effective comprehensive protection; a thickness exceeding 50 nanometers may cause excessive gas permeation resistance, affecting the overall processing efficiency and kinetic performance of the component. By selecting this thickness range, it is ensured that the porous ceramic coating 14 can achieve both efficient selective gas permeation and impurity blocking, while maintaining good structural stability and process economy.

[0055] Furthermore, the micro heat pipes 12 are uniformly arrayed on the cross-section of the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2.

[0056] Specifically, in this embodiment, multiple micro heat pipes 12 are arranged according to a specific geometric pattern, forming a uniform array on the cross-section of the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2. Specifically, a uniform array distribution means that the micro heat pipes 12 are arranged at regular intervals on the bed cross-section perpendicular to the gas flow direction. A typical distribution is a rectangular array, where the rows and columns of the micro heat pipes 12 are arranged at equal intervals on the cross-section. Another typical distribution is an equilateral triangular array, where the centers of each micro heat pipe 12 form the vertices of a series of equilateral triangles on the cross-section. Regardless of the specific array form used, the core objective is to ensure that the heat conduction distance between any vanadium-platinum alloy particle 13 at any point on the bed cross-section and the evaporation section of the nearest one or more micro heat pipes 12 is substantially equal and minimized.

[0057] By implementing this uniform array distribution, when the adsorption exothermic or desorption endothermic processes occur within the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2, the heat can be rapidly captured by the evaporation section of the nearest micro heat pipe 12. The heat is then efficiently conducted to the condensation section located at the outer edge of the bed through the phase change cycle of the working fluid inside the micro heat pipe 12, and finally transferred to the temperature control system 5. Conversely, when the bed needs to be heated, heat can also be rapidly and uniformly transferred from the temperature control system 5 into the bed interior through this path. This uniform array distribution design effectively eliminates local hot or cold spots caused by uneven heat transfer distances in traditional adsorption beds. It ensures that the temperature field of the entire vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2 remains highly uniform and changes synchronously during the process, thereby guaranteeing that all vanadium-platinum alloy particles 13 operate under consistent and optimized temperature conditions. This plays a crucial role in improving the overall separation efficiency of hydrogen isotopes and the cyclic stability of the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2.

[0058] Furthermore, the condensation section of the micro heat pipe 12 is in direct thermal contact with the cooling channel or heating jacket of the temperature control system 5.

[0059] Specifically, the quality of the thermal connection between the condensing section of the micro heat pipe 12 and the temperature control system 5 directly determines the rate and efficiency of heat transfer. In this embodiment, the condensing section of the micro heat pipe 12 maintains direct thermal contact with the cooling channel or heating jacket of the temperature control system 5. The temperature control system 5 includes a physical interface for heat exchange, specifically the wall of the cooling channel or the inner surface of the heating jacket. The condensing section of the micro heat pipe 12 physically extends to and fits against this interface. To achieve direct thermal contact, the outer surface of the condensing section and the corresponding interface of the temperature control system 5 can be tightly bonded by welding, interference fit filling with high thermal conductivity material, or precision machining, ensuring that there is no significant air gap or low thermal conductivity medium layer between them.

[0060] When the module operates in the adsorption stage or other conditions requiring heat dissipation, the heat generated inside the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2 is transferred to the condensation section via the micro heat pipe 12. Because the condensation section is in direct thermal contact with the cooling channel wall of the temperature control system 5, the heat is rapidly introduced into the cooling medium within the channel and carried away. When the module operates in the desorption stage and requires heating, the heating jacket of the temperature control system 5 generates heat. This heat is efficiently transferred in the reverse direction through the inner surface of the heating jacket, via direct thermal contact with the condensation section, to the interior of the micro heat pipe 12, and finally released from the evaporation section into the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2, achieving rapid and uniform heating of the bed. This direct thermal contact connection method minimizes the contact thermal resistance between the condensation section of the micro heat pipe 12 and the temperature control system 5. It ensures efficient and controllable bidirectional heat transfer between the interior of the bed and the external temperature control medium, which is a crucial structural basis for achieving rapid and precise programmed temperature control of the entire module.

[0061] Furthermore, the adsorption-displacement-desorption cycle process includes the following steps:

[0062] During the adsorption stage, the steps for controlling the hydrogen-containing gas mixture to enter the pressure vessel 1 through the inlet 3 specifically include:

[0063] According to the preset adsorption program, the control system 6 opens the intake control valve 8 connected to the intake port 3, so that the hydrogen-containing mixed gas flows into the pressure vessel 1 through the intake port 3 and flows through the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2.

[0064] Specifically, before the cycle begins, the control system 6 ensures that the displacement gas regulating valve 9 is closed and controls the temperature control system 5 to preheat or precool the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2 to a preset adsorption temperature, typically ranging from 50°C to 150°C. When the adsorption stage is initiated, the control system 6 sends an opening command to the inlet control valve 8 according to its internally stored preset adsorption program. The inlet control valve 8 responds to the command, opening from a completely closed state to the program-set opening degree. The opened inlet control valve 8 allows hydrogen-containing mixed gas from an external gas source to enter the internal space of the pressure vessel 1 through the connected pipeline at a controlled flow rate and pressure via the inlet 3. The hydrogen-containing mixed gas typically contains isotopes such as hydrogen, deuterium, and tritium, as well as any possible impurity gases.

[0065] The hydrogen-containing mixed gas entering pressure vessel 1 then diffuses and flows through a vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2 filled with vanadium-platinum alloy particles 13. During this process, hydrogen isotope molecules in the mixed gas pass through the porous ceramic coating 14 on the surface of the vanadium-platinum alloy particles 13 and are selectively adsorbed by the vanadium-platinum alloy matrix, while most impurity gases are blocked by the porous ceramic coating 14. The heat released during the adsorption process is rapidly absorbed and dissipated by the evaporation section of the micro heat pipe 12.

[0066] Unadsorbed gas and a small amount of unadsorbed hydrogen isotopes pass through the entire vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2 and are discharged from the outlet 4 into the pressure vessel 1. The discharged gas can be directed to subsequent processing units or directly vented. Simultaneously, the online gas analyzer 7 samples and analyzes the discharged gas. The control system 6 controls the adsorption process to continue for a set period of time according to a preset adsorption program, or until the online gas analyzer 7 detects that the outlet tritium concentration has reached a certain set threshold, thus determining that the adsorption stage has ended. Subsequently, the control system 6 closes the inlet control valve 8 and prepares to execute the next process stage.

[0067] Furthermore, during the replacement phase, based on feedback from the online gas analyzer 7, the introduction of lean tritium replacement gas is controlled, and its flow rate is dynamically adjusted.

[0068] During the replacement phase, based on feedback from the online gas analyzer 7, the steps of controlling the introduction of lean tritium replacement gas and dynamically adjusting its flow rate specifically include:

[0069] The control system 6 receives in real time the detection signal of tritium concentration in the gas flowing out of the outlet 4 from the online gas analyzer 7;

[0070] The detection signal is compared with a preset tritium concentration threshold, and a control command is generated based on the comparison result.

[0071] Based on control commands, the opening of the displacement gas regulating valve 9 connected to the lean tritium displacement gas source 10 is adjusted to dynamically control the flow rate of the lean tritium displacement gas introduced into the inlet 3.

[0072] Specifically, the control system 6 first closes the inlet control valve 8, stopping the flow of hydrogen-containing mixed gas. Then, the control system 6 controls the displacement gas regulating valve 9 to open to an initial degree, allowing the lean tritium displacement gas from the lean tritium displacement gas source 10 to flow through the regulating valve 9 and into the pressure vessel 1 through the inlet 3. Simultaneously, the online gas analyzer 7 continuously samples the gas flowing out from the outlet 4 and analyzes its tritium concentration in real time. The online gas analyzer 7 continuously sends the detected tritium concentration signal to the control system 6 in the form of an electrical or digital signal.

[0073] The control system 6 has one or more preset tritium concentration thresholds. The control system 6 compares and calculates the real-time received tritium concentration detection signal with the preset tritium concentration thresholds. Based on the comparison result, the model predictive control algorithm of the control system 6 dynamically generates control commands. The purpose of these control commands is to control the tritium concentration in the outflowing gas to approach a preset target. If the real-time tritium concentration is higher than the target value, the control algorithm will calculate a command to reduce the flow rate of the tritium-depleted replacement gas; if the real-time tritium concentration is lower than the target value and the replacement effect needs to be maintained, the algorithm will calculate a command to increase the flow rate.

[0074] The control system 6 outputs the control command to the displacement gas regulating valve 9. The displacement gas regulating valve 9 responds to the command, adjusting its valve core opening in real time, thereby changing the flow rate of the depleted tritium displacement gas flowing through its passage. The increase or decrease in flow rate directly affects the flushing and displacement intensity of the adsorbed phase within the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2.

[0075] This process forms a closed-loop control: changes in the flow rate of the depleted tritium replacement gas affect the desorption behavior of the bed, which in turn changes the tritium concentration at the outlet. This outlet tritium concentration is detected by the online gas analyzer 7 and fed back to the control system 6, which then recalculates and adjusts the flow rate. Through this dynamic adjustment, the replacement process is optimized, effectively replacing weakly adsorbed hydrogen and deuterium while maximizing the retention of tritium in the bed, achieving initial separation. When the tritium concentration detected by the online gas analyzer 7 continues to rise and reaches a certain set threshold, indicating that the tritium front is about to be replaced from the bed, the control system 6 determines that the replacement phase has ended and subsequently closes the replacement gas regulating valve 9.

[0076] Furthermore, during the desorption stage, the heating rate of the temperature control system 5 and the depressurization process inside the pressure vessel 1 are programmed and controlled according to the output of the model predictive control algorithm.

[0077] During the desorption phase, based on the output of the model predictive control algorithm, the steps for programmatically controlling the heating rate of the temperature control system 5 and the depressurization process within the pressure vessel 1 specifically include:

[0078] The model predictive control algorithm calculates and generates the optimal temperature control curve and the optimal pressure control curve for the desorption stage based on a preset process model and optimization objectives.

[0079] The control system 6 sends instructions to the temperature control system 5 according to the optimal temperature control curve to programmatically control the heating rate of the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2.

[0080] At the same time, the control system 6 sends instructions to the pumping device 11 connected to the pressure vessel 1 according to the optimal pressure control curve, so as to programmatically control the depressurization process in the pressure vessel 1.

[0081] Specifically, the control system 6 first closes all intake-related valves, including the intake control valve 8 and the displacement gas regulating valve 9, ensuring that the pressure vessel 1 is in a sealed state. Then, the control system 6 invokes its internally pre-set model predictive control algorithm. This algorithm performs rolling optimization calculations based on a pre-established process model describing the desorption kinetics of the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2, and set optimization objectives. Optimization objectives typically include maximizing tritium recovery purity, minimizing desorption time, or minimizing energy consumption. The algorithm calculates and predicts the optimal operating strategy for a future period, and accordingly generates optimal temperature and pressure control curves that vary over time throughout the entire desorption process. The optimal temperature control curve specifies how the target temperature of the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2 should change over time, and the optimal pressure control curve specifies how the target pressure inside the pressure vessel 1 should change over time.

[0082] The control system 6 sends a sequence of commands to the temperature control system 5 based on the calculated optimal temperature control curve. This sequence precisely specifies the heating power or temperature setpoint that the temperature control system 5 should achieve at different time points. The temperature control system 5 responds to the commands and begins programmed heating of the pressure vessel 1 according to the command requirements. Due to the presence of the micro heat pipe 12, heat is rapidly and evenly introduced into the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2, allowing its temperature to rise closely following the target value set by the optimal temperature control curve. This process achieves precise programmed control of the heating rate of the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed 2. Simultaneously, the control system 6 sends another set of commands to the pumping device 11 connected to the pressure vessel 1 based on the calculated optimal pressure control curve. This sequence precisely specifies the pumping rate or pressure setpoint that the pumping device 11 should achieve at different time points. The pumping device 11 responds to the commands and begins programmed pumping of the pressure vessel 1 according to the command requirements. By adjusting the pumping rate, the gas phase pressure inside the pressure vessel 1 is precisely controlled, causing it to decrease according to the trajectory set by the optimal pressure control curve. This process achieves precise programmed control of the depressurization process inside the pressure vessel 1.

[0083] Throughout the desorption phase, the heating program of the temperature control system 5 and the depressurization program of the pumping device 11 are synchronized and coordinated according to the output of the model predictive control algorithm. This programmed coordinated control allows isotopes such as hydrogen, deuterium, and tritium to be desorbed in stages under optimal temperature and pressure conditions based on their differences in binding energy with the alloy, thereby achieving high-efficiency and high-purity separation. When the model predictive algorithm determines that the desorption process is basically complete, or when the online gas analyzer 7 detects that the concentration of the target isotope in the desorbed gas is lower than the set value, the control system 6 controls the temperature control system 5 to stop heating and controls the pumping device 11 to stop pumping, thus ending the desorption phase. Afterward, the assembly can be cooled and prepared for the next cycle.

[0084] Finally, it should be noted that the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vanadium-platinum alloy high-efficiency adsorption assembly for hydrogen purification, comprising a pressure vessel (1), a vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed (2) disposed within the pressure vessel (1), an inlet (3) and an outlet (4) communicating with the pressure vessel (1), a temperature control system (5) for heating and / or cooling the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed (2), and a control system (6) for controlling process parameters, characterized in that, The vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed (2) is formed by filling vanadium-platinum alloy particles (13) with a porous ceramic coating (14) on the surface; The vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed (2) integrates multiple micro heat pipes (12). The evaporation section of the micro heat pipes (12) is buried in the bed layer of the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed (2), and the condensation section extends to exchange heat with the temperature control system (5). The control system (6) is configured to receive concentration feedback signals from the online gas analyzer (7) and dynamically adjust the temperature of the temperature control system (5) and the flow rate of the replacement gas through the air inlet (3) based on a preset model predictive control algorithm, so as to execute an adsorption-displacement-desorption cycle process including concentration feedback control.

2. The vanadium-platinum alloy high-efficiency adsorption component for hydrogen purification according to claim 1, characterized in that, The porous ceramic coating (14) is an alumina, zirconium oxide, or titanium oxide coating.

3. The vanadium-platinum alloy high-efficiency adsorption component for hydrogen purification according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the porous ceramic coating (14) is 2 nanometers to 50 nanometers.

4. The vanadium-platinum alloy high-efficiency adsorption component for hydrogen purification according to claim 1, characterized in that, The micro heat pipes (12) are uniformly arrayed on the cross-section of the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed (2).

5. The vanadium-platinum alloy high-efficiency adsorption component for hydrogen purification according to claim 1, characterized in that, The condensation section of the micro heat pipe (12) is in direct thermal contact with the cooling channel or heating jacket of the temperature control system (5).

6. The vanadium-platinum alloy high-efficiency adsorption component for hydrogen purification according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adsorption-displacement-desorption cycle process includes the following steps: During the adsorption stage, the hydrogen-containing mixed gas is controlled to enter the pressure vessel (1) through the inlet (3); During the replacement phase, based on feedback from the online gas analyzer (7), the introduction of depleted tritium replacement gas is controlled, and its flow rate is dynamically adjusted; During the desorption phase, the heating rate of the temperature control system (5) and the depressurization process in the pressure vessel (1) are programmed according to the output of the model predictive control algorithm.

7. The vanadium-platinum alloy high-efficiency adsorption component for hydrogen purification according to claim 6, characterized in that, The step of controlling the hydrogen-containing mixed gas to enter the pressure vessel (1) through the inlet (3) during the adsorption stage specifically includes: The control system (6) opens the air intake control valve (8) connected to the air inlet (3) according to the preset adsorption program, so that the hydrogen-containing mixed gas flows into the pressure vessel (1) through the air inlet (3) and flows through the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed (2).

8. The vanadium-platinum alloy high-efficiency adsorption component for hydrogen purification according to claim 6, characterized in that, The steps of controlling the introduction of depleted tritium replacement gas and dynamically adjusting its flow rate based on feedback from the online gas analyzer (7) during the replacement phase specifically include: The control system (6) receives in real time the detection signal of the tritium concentration in the gas flowing out of the outlet (4) from the online gas analyzer (7); The detection signal is compared with a preset tritium concentration threshold, and a control command is generated based on the comparison result. Based on the control command, the opening of the displacement gas regulating valve (9) connected to the depleted tritium displacement gas source (10) is adjusted to dynamically control the flow rate of the depleted tritium displacement gas introduced into the inlet (3).

9. The vanadium-platinum alloy high-efficiency adsorption component for hydrogen purification according to claim 6, characterized in that, The steps of programmatically controlling the heating rate of the temperature control system (5) and the depressurization process in the pressure vessel (1) during the desorption stage, based on the output of the model predictive control algorithm, specifically include: The model predictive control algorithm is based on a preset process model and optimization objective, and calculates and generates the optimal temperature control curve and the optimal pressure control curve for the desorption stage. The control system (6) sends instructions to the temperature control system (5) according to the optimal temperature control curve to programmatically control the heating rate of the vanadium-platinum alloy adsorption bed (2). Meanwhile, the control system (6) sends instructions to the pumping device (11) connected to the pressure vessel (1) according to the optimal pressure control curve, so as to programmatically control the depressurization process in the pressure vessel (1).

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