Double-body floating type anti-storm mass transfer system

Abstract

The invention relates to a double-body floating type anti-storm mass transfer system which is characterized in that a porous water-permeable plate is laid on a connecting bridge frame, and a mass transfer assembly is arranged on the porous water-permeable plate; semi-submersible floating bodies are arranged on the left side and the right side of the connecting bridge frame respectively, a front wave absorbing device is movably connected to the wave facing side of the connecting bridge frame through a hydraulic damper, and a rear wave absorbing device is fixedly arranged on the wave back side of the connecting bridge frame; the wave absorbing device comprises more than three porous grid plates, the pore diameters of the more than three porous grid plates are sequentially reduced from outside to inside, a gap is reserved between every two adjacent porous grid plates, and the lengths of the gaps are different. The front wave absorbing device can swing around a shaft along with the action of waves, absorbs and dissipates a large amount of wave energy, and interferes with the wave phase. The penetrating waves continue to spread backwards, are diffracted when passing through a slit between the double porous grid plates, and are further weakened through porous friction and vortex dissipation. And a calm shielding area of which the wave height is obviously reduced is formed in the area where the mass transfer assembly is located.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of water electrolysis technology, specifically to a dual-body floating anti-wind and wave mass transfer system. Background Technology

[0002] Hydrogen energy, as a clean and efficient energy carrier and a zero-carbon energy source, is an important component of the future energy system. The large-scale production of "green hydrogen" (hydrogen produced by electrolyzing water using renewable energy) is key to the development of the hydrogen energy industry.

[0003] In existing technologies, seawater direct electrolysis hydrogen production mass transfer devices (such as plate and tube bundle mass transfer structures) generally face problems such as insufficient wind and wave resistance, unstable mass transfer efficiency, and structural damage when directly deployed in sea areas affected by wind and waves. To enhance wind and wave resistance, it is usually necessary to reinforce the mass transfer device structure or add counterweights, but this significantly increases material costs and installation difficulty, and may affect electrolyte flow and gas release processes. Under dynamic wave loads, the flow field is severely disturbed, leading to instability at the gas-liquid mass transfer interface, significant fluctuations in mass transfer efficiency, and difficulty in maintaining a highly efficient and stable electrolysis reaction state.

[0004] Furthermore, traditional layout methods lack coordinated design with supporting structures, mooring systems, and breakwaters. Under extreme sea conditions, impact loads can easily lead to component fatigue, connection failure, or even overall damage, severely impacting system safety and durability. Existing solutions often focus on localized reinforcement rather than achieving synergistic optimization of wave resistance, mass transfer, and structural protection at the overall system level, thus limiting their practical application effectiveness.

[0005] Currently, there is no established method to directly deploy seawater hydrogen production mass transfer systems in the ocean's wind and wave environment to explore the feasibility of offshore hydrogen production. Most solutions remain at the conceptual stage or laboratory scale, lacking an innovative design that can systematically address core issues such as the impact of motion response in complex marine environments, the operational stability of mass transfer systems, and multifunctional integration.

[0006] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for a seawater direct electrolysis hydrogen production mass transfer system that can simultaneously and efficiently achieve resistance to complex wind and wave effects, stable mass transfer and water replenishment functions, and has good engineering applicability. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a twin-body floating anti-wind and wave mass transfer system to solve the aforementioned problems.

[0008] This invention provides the following technical solution: A twin-bodied floating, wave-resistant mass transfer system includes: The connecting cable tray is covered with a porous permeable sheet, and the mass transfer component is set on the porous permeable sheet. Semi-submersible floats are installed on the left and right sides of the connecting bridge. The front side of the connecting bridge is the wave-facing side and is movably connected to the front wave-damping device through a hydraulic damper. The rear side of the connecting bridge is the wave-avoiding side and is fixedly equipped with the rear wave-damping device. The semi-submersible buoy is equipped with an anchoring system; The perforated grid plate has a curved panel structure. The front wave-damping device includes three or more perforated grid plates. The aperture of the three or more perforated grid plates decreases from the outside to the inside. There is a gap between two adjacent perforated grid plates, and the length of each gap is different. The front wave-damping device and the rear wave-damping device have similar structures.

[0009] Preferably, the porosity of the porous grid plate is 30%-50%; the gap between two adjacent porous grid plates is less than the thickness of the porous grid plate.

[0010] Preferably, the semi-submersible float has a cylindrical structure.

[0011] Preferably, the mass transfer component is a plate-type mass transfer component, which is fixed on a porous permeable plate in a skid-mounted manner. The plate-type mass transfer component comprises a series of hydrophilic and air-repellent microporous mass transfer membranes stacked together.

[0012] Preferably, the interior of the semi-submersible buoy is divided into multiple functional compartments by watertight bulkheads, including ballast water tanks, alkali storage tanks, and equipment compartments.

[0013] Preferably, the ballast water tanks are provided in multiple sets, and the multiple sets of ballast water tanks are arranged along the length direction of the corresponding semi-submersible float.

[0014] Preferably, the semi-submersible float and the alkali storage tank on the semi-submersible float are respectively equipped with a first alkali storage tank and a second alkali storage tank; it also includes a mass transfer circulation pumping system, which is used to pump the alkali from the first alkali storage tank to the mass transfer component, and then send it to the second alkali storage tank after passing through the mass transfer component.

[0015] Preferably, it also includes a system circulation pumping system, which is used to supplement the lower concentration alkali solution in the second alkali solution storage tank to the electrolytic cell system, and then send it to the first alkali solution storage tank after passing through the electrolytic cell system.

[0016] Preferably, the mooring system includes four anchor chains for distributed mooring, with the four anchor chains respectively arranged at the bow and stern ends of the two sets of semi-submersible buoys.

[0017] Preferably, the anchor chain is connected to the corresponding semi-submersible buoy via a hydraulically driven deep-water anchor winch; the deep-water anchor winch is equipped with a tension sensor and an automatic control system, which can adjust the chain length and tension in real time according to environmental load.

[0018] The present invention has the following beneficial technical effects: This invention significantly enhances the system's resistance to wind and waves by combining a catamaran semi-submersible buoy with front and rear wave-damping devices, enabling safe operation even in high sea states; it also provides a wave-shielded area for mass transfer components, improving the continuity and efficiency of the production process.

[0019] The wave-damping device of this invention is connected to the head of the connecting bridge via a hydraulic damper. It can oscillate around its axis in response to wave action, absorbing and dissipating a large amount of wave energy while interfering with the wave phase. The penetrating waves continue to propagate backward, undergoing diffraction when passing through the slit between the two porous grid plates, and are further weakened by porous friction and vortex dissipation. Ultimately, a calm shielding zone with significantly reduced wave height is formed in the area where the mass transfer components are located.

[0020] This invention integrates mooring, wave damping, and stability control technologies, providing a highly reliable floating platform solution for direct electrolysis hydrogen production systems without desalination in open sea areas. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the front and rear wave-damping devices of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a front view of one of the connecting cable trays of the present invention.

[0022] The attached figures are labeled as follows: 1a-1b, Semi-submersible float; 2, Connecting bridge; 3, Porous permeable sheet material; 4a-4b, Anchor chain; 5, Deepwater anchor winch; 6, Ballast water tank; 8, Front wave damping device; 10, Rear wave damping device; 11, First alkali storage tank; 12, Second alkali storage tank; 13, Mass transfer circulation pumping system; 14, Mass transfer component; 15, System circulation pumping system; 16, Electrolytic cell system. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solutions of 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.

[0024] Example: A twin-bodied floating mass transfer system resistant to wind and waves, such as Figures 1-3 As shown, it includes: Two identical, horizontally positioned, and parallel semi-submersible buoys, 1a and 1b, are constructed of high-strength offshore platform steel (such as AH36) and are 3 meters in diameter and 30 meters in length. The buoys provide primary buoyancy. The interior of each buoy is divided into multiple functional compartments by watertight bulkheads, including ballast water tanks, alkali storage tanks, and equipment compartments.

[0025] Connecting cable tray 2 (with) Figure 1 (Partial view shown): A box-type truss structure is used to connect semi-submersible floats 1a and 1b, which are located opposite each other on the left and right sides of the connecting bridge 2. The connecting bridge 2 is 9 meters wide and 0.5 meters above the baseline. The deck on the connecting bridge 2 is covered with porous permeable sheet material 3. The porous permeable sheet material 3 provides a working platform for the superstructure equipment (mass transfer assembly 14) and personnel, while allowing seawater to flow over it, reducing the impact of waves on the superstructure. The porous permeable sheet material 3 provides ample space for the mass transfer assembly 14 water replenishment operation, and is used to arrange the mass transfer assembly 14, wave damping devices, control systems, and other auxiliary facilities.

[0026] Mooring System: Distributed mooring is achieved using four anchor chains: 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d. Two sets of anchor chains are arranged at the bow and stern of each of the semi-submersible buoys 1a and 1b. The anchor chains are Φ50mm R3 grade Studlink anchor chains with a minimum breaking strength (MBL) of not less than 1500 kN. Each set of anchor chains is connected to the corresponding semi-submersible buoy via a hydraulically driven deep-water anchor winch 5. The deep-water anchor winch 5 is equipped with a tension sensor and an automatic control system, which can adjust the chain length and tension in real time according to environmental loads. This is existing technology and will not be described in detail. Utilizing the multi-point, multi-angle composite anchor chain fixing effect, anchor chains 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d are positioned relative to each other at the four corners of the system, forming a redundant and self-adaptive load mooring network, significantly enhancing the system's positioning capability and resistance to wind and wave drift.

[0027] Ballast system: Both semi-submersible floats 1a and 1b have eight ballast water tanks 6 arranged along their length, with a total ballast water volume of up to 200 cubic meters. The ballast water is distributed through a pump, valve, and pipeline network system controlled by a central controller, which is existing technology and will not be described in detail here.

[0028] Wave damping devices: including a front wave damping device 8 and a rear wave damping device 10 with identical structures. The front wave damping device 8 is arranged on the wave-facing side of the system (relatively located in front of the connecting bridge 2), and is hinged to the head of the connecting bridge 2 via a hydraulic damper, allowing it to swing around its axis in response to wave action. The rear wave damping device 10 is fixedly arranged on the wave-receding side of the system (relatively located behind the connecting bridge 2). The front wave damping device 8 and the rear wave damping device 10 are multi-layer porous grid structures. In this embodiment, the front wave damping device 8 and the rear wave damping device 10 include three porous grids with different gap lengths arranged side by side. The porous grids are made of stainless steel with a porosity of 30%-50%. The aperture of the three porous grids decreases sequentially from the outside to the inside (towards the mass transfer component 14). The aperture of the three porous grids can be 8mm, 6mm and 5mm respectively. A gap is left between adjacent porous grids. The perforated grid is a curved steel plate that is 4 meters high and 10 meters wide. The outer side of the curved steel plate (the side facing the sea and away from the mass transfer component 14) is raised, and the inner side is recessed to improve its overall structural strength.

[0029] First alkali storage tank 11: Located in the equipment compartment amid the semi-submersible buoy 1a on the starboard side, with a volume of 10 cubic meters, it is used to store hot KOH alkali solution with a concentration of approximately 30 wt% from the electrolytic cell system 16. The tank body is made of duplex stainless steel and has an internal coil heat exchanger for alkali solution temperature control.

[0030] The second alkali storage tank 12 is located in the equipment compartment in the middle of the semi-submersible buoy 1b on the port side. It has a volume of 10 cubic meters and is used to store KOH solution whose concentration has dropped to 28-29% after being replenished with water by the mass transfer component 14.

[0031] The mass transfer circulation pumping system 13 includes two alkali-resistant centrifugal pumps (one in operation and one on standby). The alkali solution is pumped from the first alkali storage tank 11 through pipelines and distributed to the various parallel mass transfer components 14. The reduced concentration of the alkali solution is then returned to the second alkali storage tank 12. The pipelines are flexible and equipped with flow meters and online concentration monitoring instruments.

[0032] The system circulation pumping system 15 includes two pumps (one in operation and one on standby), responsible for transporting the 30wt% hot alkaline solution (after cooling and depressurization) circulated back from the electrolytic cell system 16 to the first alkaline solution storage tank 11, and simultaneously transporting the lower concentration alkaline solution from the second alkaline solution storage tank 12 to the electrolytic cell system 16 as a supplement. A pressure reducing valve and a heat exchanger are installed at the interface between the system circulation pumping system 15 and the electrolytic cell system 16.

[0033] Mass transfer component 14: A modularly designed plate mass transfer component, fixed in a skid-mounted manner to the top wall of the porous permeable plate 3 connecting the bridge 2, and located within the wave shielding zone (between the semi-submersible float 1a and semi-submersible float 1b) formed between the front wave damping device 8 and the rear wave damping device 10. Each plate mass transfer component is composed of a series of hydrophilic and air-repellent microporous mass transfer membranes stacked together, providing a large gas-liquid mass transfer interface.

[0034] Monitoring and Control System: This system integrates environmental monitoring units (wave radar, anemometer, and current meter, etc.), motion response monitoring units (attitude sensors and accelerometers, etc.), structural monitoring units (stress sensors and anchor chain tension sensors, etc.), and process monitoring units (flow rate, concentration, temperature, and pressure sensors, etc.). All data is fed into a central controller, which runs an algorithm based on model predictive control (MPC) to dynamically coordinate and control ballast water allocation, anchor chain tension adjustment, and monitor the alkali circulation process. This is existing technology and will not be elaborated further.

[0035] The work process is as follows: After being towed by a tugboat to the target operating area (water depth approximately 10-30 meters), the anchor chain is deployed and pre-tensioned via an anchor winch. Based on initial environmental monitoring data, the central controller automatically injects ballast water into each ballast tank 6, adjusting the system draft to a predetermined depth (e.g., 1.2 meters) and obtaining the optimal metacentric height (GM), enabling the system to withstand initial wind and waves.

[0036] Wave attenuation and shielding zone formation: Waves impact the front wave attenuation device 8 from the bow. The front wave attenuation device 8 oscillates around the hinge point, absorbing and dissipating a large amount of wave energy through a hydraulic damper, while simultaneously interfering with the wave phase. The penetrating wave continues to propagate backward, diffracting as it passes through the gaps (slits) between adjacent porous grid plates. Utilizing the principle of gap wave attenuation, when a wave encounters a porous obstacle, some energy permeates through the structure via penetration or overpass, forming an irregular transmitted wave at the rear of the structure. Some energy is dissipated due to nonlinear effects such as friction and impact, resulting in wave surface breaking and collapse. The remaining energy propagates back, colliding with the incident wave as a reflected wave, forming a standing wave at the front of the structure, thus achieving wave attenuation. Further weakening occurs through subsequent porous friction and vortex dissipation. Ultimately, a calm shielding zone with significantly reduced wave height is formed in the area where the mass transfer component 14 is located.

[0037] The post-wave damping device 10 is fixed, which further eliminates diffracted and reflected waves, forming a "calm water area" with a significantly reduced effective wave height in the wave-shielded area.

[0038] Alkali circulation and mass transfer water replenishment: During operation of the electrolyzer system 16 for hydrogen production, some water is consumed by electrolysis, increasing the concentration of the circulating alkali solution (maintained at ~30wt%) and raising its temperature. The hot alkali solution is pumped to the first alkali solution storage tank 11 for temporary storage and cooling. The mass transfer circulation pumping system 13 pumps 30wt% of the cooled alkali solution from the first alkali solution storage tank 11 into the mass transfer assembly 14 located in the wave-shielded zone. Due to the stable waves in the wave-shielded zone, the alkali solution flows slowly within the mass transfer assembly 14, undergoing mass transfer with seawater (water molecules) permeating through the microporous membrane. Water vapor in the seawater selectively permeates through the membrane into the alkali solution side, diluting the alkali solution and reducing its concentration to 28-29%. The diluted alkali solution is returned to the second alkali solution storage tank 12. The system circulation pumping system 15 pumps the lower-concentration alkali solution from the second alkali solution storage tank 12 back to the electrolyzer system 16 as makeup water, while simultaneously pumping the hot concentrated alkali solution returned from the electrolyzer system 16 back into the first alkali solution storage tank 11, completing one cycle.

[0039] Throughout the operation, the central controller continuously monitors environmental conditions and system motion response. For example, when a longer wave period is detected, the control system calculates and shifts ballast water to the stern to optimize the pitch response; when crosswinds increase, it appropriately tightens the anchor chain on the windward side and loosens the anchor chain on the leeward side to suppress drift and roll. This real-time dynamic adjustment ensures that the mass transfer assembly 14 is always in a relatively stable environment, guaranteeing a continuous and efficient mass transfer process.

[0040] Hydrodynamic simulations showed that the wave height in region 14 of the mass transfer component was significantly reduced under sea states 3-4 (significant wave height 0.5-1.25m). The amplitudes of both roll and pitch motions were effectively controlled. The alkali circulation system operated stably and could meet the water replenishment requirements of a hydrogen electrolyzer of this scale.

[0041] The anchor chain employs a multi-point, multi-angle mooring method to firmly anchor the buoy to the seabed, significantly enhancing the operational stability of the seawater hydrogen production mass transfer system under harsh sea conditions. The front and rear wave-damping structures, combining active and passive wave-damping, effectively reduce wave energy, providing a stable working environment for the internal mass transfer components. These mass transfer components utilize the phase transition migration principle for water molecule separation in seawater required for direct electrolysis hydrogen production without desalination. This invention, through the synergistic effect of the anchor chain system, ballast tuning, and wave-damping structures, greatly improves the wind and wave resistance and operational reliability of the mass transfer system, ensuring continuous and efficient operation of the mass transfer process even under high sea conditions. It is suitable for deep-sea renewable energy coupled with direct seawater electrolysis hydrogen production applications.

[0042] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of specific implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A twin-bodied floating, wave-resistant mass transfer system, characterized in that, include: A connecting cable tray (2) is provided, on which a porous permeable sheet (3) is laid, and a mass transfer component (14) is installed on the porous permeable sheet (3); Semi-submersible floats (1a, 1b) are provided on the left and right sides of the connecting bridge (2). The front side of the connecting bridge (2) is the wave-facing side and is connected to the front wave-damping device (8) via a hydraulic damper. The rear side of the connecting bridge (2) is the back wave side and is fixedly provided with the rear wave-damping device (10). Anchoring systems are provided on the semi-submersible buoys (1a, 1b); The front wave-damping device (8) includes three or more perforated grid plates. The aperture of the three or more perforated grid plates decreases from the outside to the inside. There is a gap between two adjacent perforated grid plates, and the length of each gap is different. The front wave-damping device (8) and the rear wave-damping device (10) have similar structures.

2. The twin-bodied floating anti-wind and wave mass transfer system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The porous grid plate has a curved panel structure, and the porosity of the porous grid plate is 30%-50%; the gap between two adjacent porous grid plates is less than the thickness of the porous grid plate.

3. The twin-bodied floating anti-wave mass transfer system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The semi-submersible floats (1a, 1b) have a cylindrical structure.

4. The twin-bodied floating anti-wind and wave mass transfer system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mass transfer component (14) is a plate-type mass transfer component, which is fixed on the porous permeable plate (3) in a skid-mounted manner. The plate-type mass transfer component consists of a series of hydrophilic and air-repellent microporous mass transfer membranes stacked together.

5. A twin-bodied floating anti-wind and wave mass transfer system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The semi-submersible buoys (1a, 1b) are divided into multiple functional compartments by watertight bulkheads. The functional compartments include ballast water tanks, alkali storage tanks, and equipment compartments.

6. A twin-bodied floating anti-wind and wave mass transfer system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The ballast water tanks are provided in multiple sets, and the multiple sets of ballast water tanks are arranged along the length direction of the corresponding semi-submersible floats (1a, 1b).

7. A twin-bodied floating anti-wind and wave mass transfer system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The semi-submersible floats (1a) and (1b) are equipped with a first alkaline storage tank (11) and a second alkaline storage tank (12), respectively. They also include a mass transfer circulation pumping system (13), which pumps the alkaline solution from the first alkaline storage tank (11) to the mass transfer component (14), and then sends it to the second alkaline storage tank (12) after passing through the mass transfer component (14).

8. A twin-bodied floating anti-wind and wave mass transfer system according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes a system circulation pumping system (15), which is used to supplement the lower concentration of alkaline solution in the second alkaline solution storage tank (12) to the electrolytic cell system (16), and then send it to the first alkaline solution storage tank (11) after passing through the electrolytic cell system (16).

9. A twin-bodied floating anti-wind and wave mass transfer system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mooring system includes four anchor chains (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) for distributed mooring, with the four anchor chains (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) respectively arranged at the head and tail ends of two sets of semi-submersible buoys (1a, 1b).

10. A twin-bodied floating anti-wind and wave mass transfer system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The anchor chains (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) are connected to the corresponding semi-submersible floats (1a, 1b) via a hydraulically driven deep-water anchor winch (5); the deep-water anchor winch (5) is equipped with a tension sensor and an automatic control system, which can adjust the chain length and tension in real time according to the environmental load.

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