Large vacuum box system for solid hydrogen storage material production line

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of solid hydrogen storage material preparation equipment, in particular to a large vacuum box system for a solid hydrogen storage material production line, the whole system comprises a main cavity, a carrier roller support, a vacuumizing system, an inert gas replacement system and a sealing pressure maintaining device, the vacuum pumping system can quickly reduce the vacuum degree in the cavity to-0.1 MPa, and the inert gas replacement system is matched with the flow equalizing assembly to realize uniform filling of argon in the cavity; the vacuum box system adapts to a solid hydrogen storage material production line, is high in sealing and pressure maintaining performance and free of gas replacement residues, can improve the hydrogen storage material production quality and efficiency, adapts to production line operation requirements, and solves the problems that an existing large vacuum box is not thorough in gas replacement and poor in solid hydrogen storage material forming production line adapting effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of equipment for preparing solid hydrogen storage materials, and more specifically to a large vacuum chamber system for a solid hydrogen storage material production line. Background Technology

[0002] The preparation of solid-state hydrogen storage materials requires a high-vacuum, inert gas protective environment. The vacuum environment removes residual impurities from the material preparation process, while the inert gas protection prevents oxidation, ensuring the hydrogen storage and release activity, cycle life, and structural stability of the material. Therefore, large vacuum chambers are core equipment in solid-state hydrogen storage material production lines. However, existing large vacuum chambers are not directly adaptable to solid-state hydrogen storage material production lines. There is an urgent need to develop a large vacuum chamber that integrates efficient vacuuming, thorough gas replacement, and stable pressure maintenance functions, while also meeting the operational requirements of solid-state hydrogen storage material production lines to improve product quality and production efficiency. Chinese Patent Publication No. CN113858589A discloses a vacuum shaping box for processing ultra-large diameter pipes, comprising a first box and a second box; the first box and the second box are connected; an adjustment component is provided on the upper surface of the end of the first box away from the second box, and a positioning component is provided inside; the adjustment component and the positioning component are connected; a conveying component is provided at the bottom of the interior of the second box, and multiple spraying components are provided at the upper part of the interior of the second box above the conveying component. This vacuum shaping box for processing ultra-large diameter pipes achieves efficient shaping and cooling of the pipes through the cooperation of the first box and the second box. However, this technology lacks the functions of gas replacement and pressure stabilization, and is not suitable for solid-state hydrogen storage material production lines.

[0003] Chinese Patent Publication No. CN115523140A discloses a vacuum system for obtaining high vacuum in large cryogenic valve boxes, comprising two parallel cryogenic valve boxes. The cryogenic valve boxes are connected to a vacuum pump group via a main vacuum pipeline. The main vacuum pipeline is connected to a first extraction branch and a second extraction branch. A liquid nitrogen cold trap is installed on the first extraction branch, and a parallel gas source cylinder and a vacuum leak detection device are installed on the second extraction branch. The liquid nitrogen cold trap is connected to the vacuum pump group via the first extraction branch. This invention can rapidly replace gas to obtain a high vacuum within the cryogenic valve box cavity and maintain the required ultra-high vacuum operating environment for a long time, ensuring that the cooling medium requirements of the testing platform are met with minimal cooling loss. However, this technical method focuses on obtaining a cryogenic vacuum environment and does not address rapid gas replacement or the complex operating conditions of solid-state hydrogen storage material production lines. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, in order to address the above problems, this invention proposes a large vacuum box system for solid hydrogen storage material production lines, which solves the problem of poor compatibility between existing vacuum boxes and solid hydrogen storage material production lines.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a large vacuum chamber system for a solid hydrogen storage material production line, comprising a vacuum chamber, a roller support, a vacuum pumping system, an inert gas replacement system, a sealing and pressure maintaining device, and a control system; the roller support is divided into a front section, a middle section, and a rear section, wherein the middle section is located in the main cavity of the vacuum chamber, the vacuum pumping system and the inert gas replacement system are both connected to the main cavity, the sealing and pressure maintaining device is located at the door of the vacuum chamber, and the control system is connected to the vacuum pumping system, the inert gas replacement system, the sealing and pressure maintaining device, and the door opening and closing circuit, respectively; The vacuum chamber is welded from carbon steel or stainless steel. The main cavity volume of the vacuum chamber is 1-20m³. The entire chamber is reinforced with ribs to prevent deformation. The vacuum chamber is equipped with a front and rear gate valve. The inner surfaces of the front and rear gate valves and the contact surfaces of the vacuum chamber are machined by gantry milling or surface grinding. The front and rear gate valves can be opened and closed longitudinally or laterally via guide rails. The transmission system includes one or more of pneumatic, hydraulic, or motor-driven lead screws.

[0006] Furthermore, the roller bracket is made of stainless steel, and the middle section is located inside the main cavity of the vacuum chamber.

[0007] Furthermore, the vacuum pumping system is one or more of a mechanical vacuum pump, a Roots vacuum pump, and a diffusion vacuum pump. It is connected to the main cavity through a pipeline and a pressure balancing valve is installed on the pipeline. It can reduce the vacuum level in the main cavity to -0.1 to -0.01 MPa, and the vacuuming time is ≤30 minutes. The control panel automatically starts and stops the corresponding vacuum pump according to the target vacuum level.

[0008] Furthermore, the inert gas replacement system includes a gas source, an internal balance valve, and an external balance valve. The internal balance valve and the external balance valve are respectively located on both sides of the main cavity. During replacement, residual air in the cavity is quickly discharged. After gas replacement, the residual oxygen content in the cavity is ≤0.1%, and the replacement time is ≤5 minutes.

[0009] Furthermore, the sealing and pressure-maintaining device includes a valve sealing gasket, a pre-compression mechanism, and a sealing detection component. The sealing gasket is made of fluororubber, nitrile rubber, or silicone rubber. The pre-compression mechanism is a multi-point linkage locking structure, and the locking force is one or more of pneumatic, hydraulic, or motor screws. The vacuum chamber contains a pressure sensor that monitors the sealing status of the chamber door in real time based on the pressure difference changes in the vacuum chamber. When the pressure difference change is greater than 10 Pa / s, it indicates a sealing failure, which is fed back to the control panel and triggers an alarm.

[0010] Furthermore, the control system includes a PLC controller, a touch screen display, and alarm indicators. It can set the timing parameters for vacuuming, gas replacement, and opening and closing the chamber door to achieve fully automatic operation. In case of abnormal operating conditions, it will automatically stop and issue an audible and visual alarm.

[0011] By adopting the aforementioned technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: High vacuuming efficiency and stable pressure holding: It can quickly reduce the vacuum level to -0.1MPa, with a vacuuming time of ≤5min. The reinforced box and high-quality sealing structure ensure a pressure holding time of ≥8h and a vacuum level decay of ≤0.5Pa / S, meeting the vacuum requirements for the preparation of solid hydrogen storage materials.

[0012] Thorough gas replacement prevents material oxidation: Inert gas is uniformly replaced, and the residual oxygen content is ≤0.1%, which completely eliminates the oxidation failure of hydrogen storage materials and greatly improves the product qualification rate.

[0013] Stable structure and long service life: The reinforced rib design prevents deformation, the box can withstand a wide range of pressure differences, the stainless steel inner wall is treated to prevent corrosion, and the sealing gasket is resistant to aging, which greatly extends the service life of the equipment.

[0014] High degree of automation, adaptable to production line requirements: Fully automated operation, supports preset timing parameters, automatic warning and shutdown for abnormal operating conditions, can seamlessly match the continuous and batch operation of solid hydrogen storage material production lines, improve the overall operating efficiency of the production line and reduce labor costs. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall appearance of the large vacuum box used in the solid hydrogen storage material production line of the present invention (positive). Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram (reverse) of the overall appearance structure of the large vacuum box used in the solid hydrogen storage material production line of the present invention. Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1-Main cavity; 2-Front section of idler bracket; 3-Middle section of idler bracket; 4-Rear section of idler bracket; 5-Front insert valve; 6-Rear insert valve; 7-Guide rail; 8-Pressure balance valve; 9-Internal balance valve; 10-External balance valve; 11-Valve sealing gasket; 12-Pre-compression mechanism; 13-Material box. Detailed Implementation

[0016] To make the technical means, creative features, objectives and effects of this invention easier to understand, the invention will be further described below in conjunction with specific embodiments.

[0017] Please see Figures 1-2 This invention proposes a detailed description of a large vacuum chamber system for a solid hydrogen storage material production line with integrated gas replacement function, specifically for the batch production process of a graphene magnesium-based solid hydrogen storage material production line. The core adaptation parameters are: 100 kg of graphene magnesium-based hydrogen storage material can be processed per batch, vacuum degree is -0.09 MPa, and oxygen residue after gas replacement is ≤0.1%.

[0018] In this embodiment, the main cavity 1 of the vacuum chamber has a volume of 3m³. The vacuum chamber is made of 304 stainless steel and welded to avoid corrosion of the chamber and contamination of the hydrogen storage material. The outer side of the vacuum chamber is reinforced with annular and longitudinal ribs, which can withstand pressure of -0.3 to 0.4MPa. The vacuum degree decays by only 3KPa after 8 hours of pressure holding, which meets the requirements for long-term stable operation.

[0019] The roller support is made of 304 stainless steel, with parallel stainless steel rollers for easy transfer of solid hydrogen storage material boxes. It has a load-bearing capacity of ≥500kg, meeting the needs of large-scale processing.

[0020] The vacuum system uses a 2XZ-50 rotary vane vacuum pump (50L / s) to pump vacuum for 2 minutes, reducing the internal pressure to -0.09MPa. It can also preset the target vacuum level according to the process requirements of different hydrogen storage materials and automatically start and stop the corresponding pump to save energy and reduce consumption.

[0021] Inert gas replacement uses 99.99% high-purity argon as the protective gas. The gas source is argon from the closed production line. During replacement, the internal balance valve 9 is opened to purge argon three times. Finally, the oxygen residue in the cavity is ≤0.1%, which avoids the oxidation of the hydrogen storage material.

[0022] In the sealing and pressure-maintaining device, the valve sealing gasket 11 is made of fluororubber, with a temperature range of -20 to 200℃, aging resistance, and strong adhesion; the pre-compression mechanism 12 is an 8-point linkage cylinder lock, evenly distributed on the edge of the door, and the gasket compression is uniform after locking, ensuring the sealing effect; the sealing detection component is a vacuum detector, which monitors the pressure change at the door seal in real time. When the leakage is >10Pa / S, it immediately feeds back to the control system, triggers an audible and visual alarm and stops the machine, to avoid a sudden drop in vacuum affecting production.

[0023] The control system is based on a PLC and equipped with a 15-inch touch screen. It can preset vacuuming and gas replacement parameters and supports one-button start-up for fully automatic operation. The screen displays parameters such as vacuum degree, argon pressure, and sealing status in real time. In case of abnormal operating conditions (vacuum degree not up to standard, seal leakage, pump failure), it automatically triggers shutdown protection and audible and visual alarms, and saves fault records for easy troubleshooting. The equipment has a reserved PLC communication interface for the production line, which can be seamlessly connected to the main control system of the solid hydrogen storage material production line to realize linkage start and stop and adapt to production line operation.

[0024] The specific steps are as follows: Step 1, Feeding: Open the external balance valve 10 to restore the vacuum chamber to normal pressure (the vacuum chamber normally maintains a vacuum state of -0.02 to -0.08 MPa). Place the raw material box 13 on the front section 2 of the idler roller bracket, loosen the pre-pressure mechanism 12, open the front insert valve 5, and then transfer the material into the middle section 3 of the idler roller bracket inside the chamber. Close the front insert valve 5 and lock the pre-pressure mechanism 12. Start the program on the touch screen. The vacuum pump will evacuate to -0.09 MPa within 120 seconds. Open the internal balance valve 9 to allow argon gas inside the production line to enter the vacuum chamber, completing one argon filling. The argon filling process is divided into three stages, with oxygen residue ≤0.1%. Maintain the pressure until the internal pressure of the production line is 50 to 500 Pa. Open the rear insert valve 6 to remove the material to the rear section 4 of the idler roller bracket, connecting to the material feeding process of the production line.

[0025] Step 2, Discharge: Place the graphene magnesium-based hydrogen storage material box 13 into the rear section 4 of the roller bracket; open the internal balance valve to allow argon gas from inside the production line to enter the vacuum chamber, and restore the vacuum chamber to the internal pressure of 50-500 Pa (the vacuum chamber is normally maintained at a vacuum state of -0.02 to -0.08 MPa). Then open the rear insert valve 6 to transfer the material into the middle section 3 of the roller bracket inside the chamber, close the rear insert valve 6 and lock it; open the external balance valve 10 to allow external air to enter the vacuum chamber, restore the vacuum chamber to normal pressure, and then open the front insert valve 5 to remove the material box.

[0026] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered illustrative and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the present invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0027] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A large vacuum chamber system for a solid hydrogen storage material production line, characterized in that: The system includes a vacuum chamber, a roller bracket, a vacuum system, an inert gas replacement system, a sealing and pressure-maintaining device, and a control system. The roller bracket is divided into a front section, a middle section, and a rear section, wherein the middle section is located in the main cavity of the vacuum chamber. The vacuum system and the inert gas replacement system are both connected to the main cavity. The sealing and pressure-maintaining device is located at the door of the vacuum chamber. The control system is connected to the vacuum system, the inert gas replacement system, the sealing and pressure-maintaining device, and the door opening and closing circuit. The vacuum chamber is welded from carbon steel or stainless steel. The main cavity volume of the vacuum chamber is 1-20m³. The entire chamber is reinforced with ribs to prevent deformation. The vacuum chamber is equipped with a front and rear gate valve. The inner surfaces of the front and rear gate valves and the contact surfaces of the vacuum chamber are machined by gantry milling or surface grinding. The front and rear gate valves can be opened and closed longitudinally or laterally via guide rails. The transmission system includes one or more of pneumatic, hydraulic, or motor-driven lead screws.

2. The large vacuum chamber system for a solid hydrogen storage material production line according to claim 1, characterized in that: The roller bracket is made of stainless steel, and the middle section is located in the main cavity of the vacuum chamber.

3. The large vacuum chamber system for a solid hydrogen storage material production line according to claim 2, characterized in that: The vacuum pumping system is one or more of a mechanical vacuum pump, a Roots vacuum pump, and a diffusion vacuum pump. It is connected to the main cavity through a pipeline and a pressure balancing valve is installed on the pipeline. It can reduce the vacuum level in the main cavity to -0.1 to -0.01 MPa, and the vacuuming time is ≤30 minutes. The control panel automatically starts and stops the corresponding vacuum pump according to the target vacuum level.

4. The large vacuum chamber system for a solid hydrogen storage material production line according to claim 3, characterized in that: The inert gas replacement system includes a gas source, an internal balance valve, and an external balance valve. The internal balance valve and the external balance valve are respectively located on both sides of the main cavity. During replacement, residual air in the cavity is quickly discharged. After gas replacement, the residual oxygen content in the cavity is ≤0.1%, and the time for a single replacement is ≤5 minutes.

5. A large vacuum chamber system for a solid hydrogen storage material production line according to claim 4, characterized in that: The sealing and pressure-maintaining device includes a valve sealing gasket, a pre-compression mechanism, and a sealing detection component. The sealing gasket is made of fluororubber, nitrile rubber, or silicone rubber. The pre-compression mechanism is a multi-point linkage locking structure, and the locking force is one or more of pneumatic, hydraulic, or motor lead screws. The vacuum chamber contains a pressure sensor that monitors the sealing status of the chamber door in real time based on the pressure difference changes in the vacuum chamber. When the pressure difference change is greater than 10 Pa / s, it indicates a sealing failure, and feedback is sent to the control panel and an alarm is triggered.

6. A large vacuum chamber system for a solid hydrogen storage material production line according to claim 5, characterized in that: The control system includes a PLC controller, a touch screen display, and alarm indicators. It can set the timing parameters for vacuuming, gas replacement, and opening and closing the chamber door to achieve fully automatic operation. In case of abnormal operating conditions, it will automatically stop and issue an audible and visual alarm.

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