A multi-electrolytic cell parallel confluence lye temperature compensation system

Abstract

This invention discloses a temperature compensation system for alkaline solutions in parallel multi-electrolyte systems, aiming to solve problems such as temperature differences in the outlet pipes of parallel electrolyzers, leading to temperature shocks, thermal stress, and unstable operation of downstream equipment caused by direct merging. A temperature compensation section is installed between the electrolyzer outlet and the main merging pipe to achieve temperature equalization between branches before merging. Flat partitions and partition walls form a passive self-balancing temperature equalization structure, eliminating the need for external heat sources and relying on the heat transfer within the branches themselves to achieve temperature equalization. Through temperature acquisition, branch piping, and valve control switching units, high and low temperature branches are dynamically paired to adapt to varying operating conditions of the electrolyzers. Temperature-regulating heat exchange tubes are installed within the partitions, forming a dual regulation mode combining passive temperature equalization and active temperature control. This invention eliminates branch temperature differences at the source, offering advantages such as good temperature equalization, stable operation, strong adaptability, and safety and reliability, and is suitable for hydrogen production systems with multiple electrolyzers connected in parallel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of alkaline electrolysis hydrogen production technology, specifically to a multi-electrolyte parallel flow alkaline solution temperature compensation system. Background Technology

[0002] As the global energy structure transitions towards a low-carbon model, green hydrogen, as an ideal clean energy carrier and industrial raw material, is increasingly gaining strategic importance. Driven by the "dual carbon" goal, the installed capacity of renewable energy sources such as photovoltaics and wind power continues to expand, providing the power foundation for large-scale water electrolysis to produce hydrogen. However, the hydrogen production capacity of a single electrolyzer is limited by factors such as electrode area, current density, mass transfer efficiency, and manufacturing process, resulting in an upper limit to the single-unit capacity. Currently, although the single-cell hydrogen production capacity is 1000 Nm³, [the text abruptly ends here, likely due to an incomplete sentence or missing information]. 3 / h or even 2000Nm 3 Alkaline water electrolyzers with a capacity of 10000 kilowatts per hour have been commercially applied, but large-scale green hydrogen energy projects for the future (such as 10,000-ton-level green hydrogen plants and large-scale green hydrogen chemical coupling projects) place higher demands on the total processing capacity of hydrogen production systems.

[0003] Against this backdrop, the industry commonly adopts a "many-to-one" or similar process configuration model, which involves arranging multiple alkaline water electrolyzers with rated hydrogen production capacity in parallel and connecting them to a shared gas-liquid separation system, alkali circulation system, and hydrogen purification system. In actual operation, due to the following reasons, the outlet alkali temperatures of multiple parallel electrolyzers often differ significantly. When alkali solutions of different temperatures are directly mixed in the manifold, temperature fluctuations, energy losses, and safety risks occur.

[0004] Currently, industrial systems typically use temperature monitoring points at the inlet of the main manifold or separator to adjust the cooling circulation of the entire system. However, this "overall adjustment" method suffers from lag and cannot eliminate the instantaneous impact caused by temperature differences between branches, making it difficult to meet the demands of wide-load, fast-response operation. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a technical solution that can control the temperature of the alkali solution in each branch from the source, ensuring that it remains consistent before the main manifold. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the defects in the prior art and provide a multi-electrolyte parallel flow alkaline solution temperature compensation system.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows: A multi-electrolyte parallel-connected alkali solution temperature compensation system includes a temperature compensation section installed between the electrolyzer outlet and the main manifold. The temperature compensation section balances the temperature of the material in each branch outlet pipe in a non-mixing contact manner, thereby reducing the temperature difference between each branch before each outlet pipe enters the main manifold.

[0007] Furthermore, the temperature compensation unit forms a self-balancing temperature equalization structure based on the passive temperature equalization principle. It includes a temperature equalization distributor, which has several compartments. The number of compartments matches the number of outflow pipes. Adjacent compartments are separated by partition plates for temperature equalization and heat conduction. The partition plates enable non-mixing contact temperature equalization of materials in adjacent compartments. Partition plates are set on opposite sides of the compartments. Narrow surrounding plates are set around the partition plates to form a thin, flat compartment structure. The narrow surrounding plates have inlet and outlet. The inlet is connected to the outlet end of the electrolytic cell, and the outlet is connected to the main manifold.

[0008] Furthermore, each outflow pipe is arranged in alternating high and low temperature configurations and connected to the compartments of the temperature equalizer, so that several compartments form a continuous high and low temperature coupled heat transfer chain.

[0009] Furthermore, the self-balancing temperature equalization structure includes a temperature acquisition unit, a branch unit, and a valve-controlled switching unit, and each outflow pipe of the electrolytic cell is provided with a temperature acquisition unit upstream of the temperature equalization distributor; The branch unit includes branch connectors on each outflow pipe, which branch a single outflow pipe into multiple parallel branch pipes. The number of parallel branch pipes is the same as the number of compartments in the temperature equalizer, and each parallel branch pipe is connected to each compartment in turn. The valve-controlled switching unit includes a control module and control valves installed on each parallel branch pipe. Each temperature acquisition unit and each control valve are electrically connected to the control module. The temperature acquisition unit acquires the temperature of each outflow pipe at a preset frequency and transmits it to the control module. The control module dynamically sorts the temperatures of each outflow pipe and sends on / off commands to the control valves of each parallel branch pipe according to the sorting results and the principle of alternating high and low temperatures, so that the self-balancing temperature equalization structure can adapt to the temperature fluctuations of each electrolytic cell to form a dynamic fit.

[0010] Furthermore, a temperature-regulating heat exchange tube is installed through the narrow enclosure to form an internal heat exchange tube inside the compartment. The heat exchange medium circulating inside the temperature-regulating heat exchange tube forms an active temperature control before entering the main manifold.

[0011] Furthermore, several of the compartments are arranged in a vortex-like structure, and the material flow inside adjacent compartments is opposite.

[0012] Furthermore, the temperature compensation unit is equipped with an independent temperature compensation device on each outflow pipe based on the active temperature equalization principle, and each outflow pipe is connected to the main manifold after temperature compensation.

[0013] Furthermore, the temperature compensation device includes a heat exchanger, a temperature sensor, and a flow valve. The outlet pipe is connected to the primary circuit of the heat exchanger, and the heat exchange medium flows in the secondary circuit of the heat exchanger. The outlet pipe is equipped with a temperature sensor, and the secondary circuit is equipped with a flow valve.

[0014] Furthermore, it also includes a control module, which collects the temperature data of each outlet pipe in real time and compares it with the target temperature of the outlet pipe. Based on the comparison result, it controls the flow valve to change the flow rate of the heat exchange medium, forming an independent temperature compensation closed-loop control for each outlet pipe.

[0015] The advantages and beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: 1. The present invention adopts non-mixing contact temperature compensation before the flow convergence. Its core advantage is to eliminate the temperature difference of each electrolytic cell outlet pipe branch from the source, avoid thermal shock during the flow convergence, protect the equipment and improve the system stability, and eliminate the need for delayed temperature adjustment of the mixed material.

[0016] 2. Passive self-balancing temperature is formed by compartments and partitions, eliminating the need for external heat sources. Heat exchange is achieved by utilizing the temperature difference of the branch circuits themselves. The structure is simple and energy-saving. Flat compartments spread the material thinly, improving heat exchange efficiency. It can also achieve independent or integrated layout of hydrogen and oxygen, taking into account both safety and convenient operation and maintenance.

[0017] 3. It is equipped with a dynamic valve-controlled switching structure, which realizes active alternation and pairing of high and low temperature branches through temperature acquisition and branch switching, adapts to the dynamic temperature change of the electrolytic cell, avoids the failure of fixed pairing, and improves the heat equalization efficiency and wide load adaptability.

[0018] 4. It is equipped with a built-in temperature-regulating heat exchange tube, forming a dual mode of "passive self-balancing + active precise temperature control", which can cope with extreme temperature differences and greatly improve the temperature uniformity accuracy. The fin and coil design further enhances the stability of heat exchange and gas-liquid flow.

[0019] 5. Employing a compartmentalized vortex winding arrangement combined with adjacent counter-flow, this design extends material residence time, enhances heat transfer driving force, optimizes spatial layout, and balances temperature uniformity accuracy with system energy consumption, making it suitable for high-flow scenarios with multiple electrolytic cells in parallel. These four progressively advanced features require no complex external equipment, adapting to various operating conditions. The structural design achieves efficient, energy-saving, and stable pre-convergence temperature uniformity, reducing operation and maintenance costs and safety risks. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 It is a simplified three-dimensional diagram of a multi-electrolytic cell parallel process in the prior art; Figure 2 This is one of the flowcharts of the parallel flow alkali temperature compensation system for multiple electrolyzers in this invention; Figure 3 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the self-balancing temperature equalization structure in Embodiment 2 of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the internal temperature-regulating heat exchange tube in the compartment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is the second schematic diagram of the self-balancing temperature equalization structure in Embodiment 2 of the present invention; Figure 6 This is the second flowchart of the parallel flow alkali temperature compensation system for multiple electrolyzers in this invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a temperature distribution device with a vortex-wound structure. Figure 8 This is the third flowchart of the multi-electrolytic cell parallel flow alkaline solution temperature compensation system in this invention; In the diagram: 1. Electrolyzer; 2. Hydrogen gas-liquid separator; 3. Oxygen gas-liquid separator; 4. Alkali circulation system; 5. Hydrogen outlet pipe; 6. Oxygen outlet pipe; 7. Hydrogen manifold; 8. Oxygen manifold; 9. Temperature compensation unit; 10. Temperature equalization distributor; 11. Compartment; 12. Partition wall; 13. Narrow enclosure; 14. Inlet; 15. Outlet; 16. Temperature acquisition unit; 17. Parallel branch pipe; 18. Control module; 19. Control valve; 20. Temperature regulating heat exchange tube; 21. Temperature compensation device; 22. Heat exchanger; 23. Temperature sensor; 24. Flow valve; 25. Primary circuit; 26. Secondary circuit; 27. Branch connector; 28. Heat exchange fins. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described below with reference to examples. These examples are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] In existing technologies, the common "many-to-one" process configuration mode employs multiple alkaline water electrolyzers 1 with rated hydrogen production capacity arranged in parallel, all connected to a shared gas-liquid separation system, alkaline solution circulation system 4, and hydrogen purification system. Figure 1 Taking the structure shown as an example, Figure 1 The system consists of four identical electrolytic cells 1 connected in parallel (the number of electrolytic cells 1 is unlimited). These four electrolytic cells 1 share a hydrogen gas-liquid separator 2, an oxygen gas-liquid separator 3, and an alkali circulation system 4. The hydrogen purification system is not shown in the diagram. The overall process is as follows: Figure 2 As shown, an outlet pipe for electrolytic cell 1 is provided at the top of electrolytic cell 1. This outlet pipe is divided into two types (hydrogen and oxygen pipelines separated by electrolysis in the electrolysis chamber, and the materials in both types of pipelines are gas-liquid mixtures). One type is the hydrogen outlet pipe 5, and the other type is the oxygen outlet pipe 6. Corresponding to the two types of pipelines, a hydrogen manifold 7 and an oxygen manifold 8 are respectively provided, and are respectively connected to the hydrogen gas-liquid separator 2 and the oxygen gas-liquid separator 3 to separate the products into gas and liquid. The separated products, hydrogen and oxygen, can be sent to the subsequent system for purification and processing. The separated alkaline solution is concentrated and heat-exchanged through heat exchanger 22 to reach the required temperature, and then sent back to each electrolytic cell 1 for recycling.

[0023] This system can operate stably under ideal conditions, but when multiple electrolyzers 1 are connected in parallel, there is a problem that the temperature of each electrolyzer 1 is difficult to be balanced. There are many reasons for the uneven temperature of each electrolyzer 1, such as different loads of electrolyzer 1 and uneven distribution of alkali flow (there are many reasons for temperature differences, and the following only takes the difference in electrolyte supply flow as an example).

[0024] (1) Electrolytic cell 1 with a low alkaline solution flow rate will have the following effects: Insufficient electrode cooling → localized overheating → alkali concentration and scaling; Insufficient gas-liquid separation leads to decreased hydrogen and oxygen purity and liquid contamination.

[0025] (2) Electrolytic cell 1 with excessive alkali flow rate: Electrode cooling satisfies the requirement of relatively low temperature. Excessive rinsing shortens the lifespan of electrodes, diaphragms, and seals.

[0026] The two operating conditions ultimately lead to temperature differences in the outlet pipes of different electrolytic cells 1. Of course, temperature differences in electrolytic cells 1 caused by other factors will also be reflected in the temperature differences in the outlet pipes. The materials in the outlet pipes of different electrolytic cells 1 have different temperatures and mix directly in the main manifold. For example, the high-temperature gas-liquid two-phase flow from electrolytic cell A and the low-temperature gas-liquid two-phase flow from electrolytic cell B collide and mix directly in the same section of the main manifold. This is not pure liquid mixing; it is the collision and mixing of two / more fluids with different temperatures and containing both gas and liquid. This will produce the following adverse effects: 1. Temperature fluctuation risk (most direct): After the temperature difference between different branches is mixed, the temperature of the main pipe jumps drastically, causing the separator liquid level, pressure and circulation volume to fluctuate accordingly, making the system difficult to stabilize, which is more obvious when operating under wide load.

[0027] 2. Energy loss (thermodynamic risk): High-temperature fluid is directly "quenched" by low-temperature fluid. When a cryogenic fluid is forcibly heated, the cold and heat cancel each other out, resulting in a decrease in waste heat recovery efficiency, a passive increase in cooling / heating load, and an increase in power consumption.

[0028] 3. Safety Risks: Thermal shock / stress subjectes pipes, flanges, valves, and separator shells to repeated sudden temperature changes, which can easily lead to fatigue, cracks, and leaks over time. Secondly, the gas-liquid two-phase flow is unstable; sudden temperature changes can cause drastic variations in bubble volume and flow velocity, triggering water hammer, surge, and pipe vibration, potentially even cracking welds. Furthermore, separator operation can become uncontrollable; temperature fluctuations can affect gas-liquid separation efficiency, potentially leading to liquid carryover, gas cross-contamination, and hydrogen-oxygen mixing (significant safety hazards). Additionally, it can easily cause control system malfunctions: drastic temperature fluctuations → PID control oscillations → frequent and large fluctuations in cooling and circulation volumes → system instability.

[0029] 4. Impact on existing control methods: This mixing is instantaneous and irreversible. Adjusting the overall cooling capacity afterward is too late, resulting in a delayed response and an inability to suppress the impact. Therefore, existing technologies use temperature monitoring points at the inlet of the main pipe or separator to adjust the cooling circulation of the entire system (e.g., adjusting the cooling circulation for centralized heat exchange of the alkali solution). This overall adjustment is delayed and cannot eliminate the instantaneous impact caused by temperature differences in individual branches, making it difficult to meet the requirements of wide-load, fast-response operation.

[0030] Example 1: A multi-electrolyte parallel-connected alkaline solution temperature compensation system includes a temperature compensation unit 9 installed between the outlet of the electrolyzer 1 and the main manifold. The temperature compensation unit 9 balances the temperature of the materials in each branch outlet pipe using a non-mixing contact method, reducing the temperature difference between branches before each outlet pipe enters the main manifold. This embodiment changes the prior art's delayed temperature adjustment of the mixed materials, instead performing temperature compensation on each outlet pipe (the main manifold is divided into hydrogen and oxygen manifolds, each corresponding to its respective outlet pipe) before entering the main manifold. Instead of delayed temperature adjustment after mixing, it compensates for the outlet pipe temperature before mixing, including raising the temperature of low-temperature pipelines and lowering the temperature of high-temperature pipelines. This effectively eliminates the temperature difference between the outlet pipe branches, preventing the impact of mixing from the source.

[0031] Specifically, such as Figure 2 As shown, the temperature compensation unit 9 forms a self-balancing temperature equalization structure based on the passive temperature equalization principle. It includes a temperature equalization distributor 10, which has several compartments 11. The number of compartments 11 matches the number of outflow pipes. A partition plate 12 for temperature equalization and heat conduction is provided between adjacent compartments 11. The partition plate 12 enables the materials in adjacent compartments 11 to achieve non-mixing contact temperature equalization. The advantage of this embodiment is that it does not require external cooling or heating. It utilizes the temperature difference between different outflow pipe branches of the system itself to exchange heat internally before the convergence and automatically equalize the temperature. Since no external heating is required, passive temperature equalization is formed by mutual heat exchange. The narrow enclosure plate 13 is provided with an inlet 14 and an outlet 15. The inlet 14 is connected to the outlet end of the electrolytic cell 1 (the outlet end includes the hydrogen outlet or oxygen outlet of the electrolytic cell), and the outlet 15 is connected to the main convergence pipe. This system achieves passive temperature equalization of the fluid at the outlet of each outflow branch before the main manifold, eliminating temperature differences between the outflow branches without the need for external heat or cold sources, thus preventing mixing and impact from the source.

[0032] The difference between this embodiment and the prior art is as follows: In the prior art, the gas-liquid mixture in each outflow pipe is directly mixed in the main manifold. This results in high-temperature and low-temperature fluids directly contacting and colliding, initially generating temperature difference shocks, thermal stress, and fluctuations, which are then gradually smoothed out by the system. In this embodiment, before entering the main manifold, the high-temperature branch of each outflow pipe first transfers heat to the low-temperature branch, making the temperatures of all outflow pipe branches almost the same before entering the main manifold, thus creating a "handshake" effect before merging.

[0033] In traditional methods, the interaction of hot and cold causes the temperature inside pipes and equipment to fluctuate, and the walls (pipes) are repeatedly subjected to thermal stress. In contrast, the self-balancing temperature equalization structure in this embodiment allows each outflow pipe to exchange heat before mixing, achieving self-balancing before mixing, and preventing temperature differences from being introduced into the main manifold. This embodiment can achieve temperature equalization without external heat or cold sources, multiple heat exchangers 22, or control logic, relying solely on the structure itself. This represents a shift from "control thinking" to "thermal coupling structure thinking."

[0034] Specifically, partition plates 12 are provided on opposite sides of the compartment 11, and narrow surrounding plates 13 are provided around the partition plates 12 to seal and form a thin, flat compartment 11 structure. The core of the temperature equalizer 10 is the compartment 11 structure. In actual use, the compartment 11 structure can be set as a flat, plate-shaped cavity. Multiple flat compartments 11 are arranged in parallel and attached to each other to form the temperature equalizer 10. Due to the thin, flat structure of the plate-shaped cavity, the material flowing out of the pipe can be "spread thin". The two compartments 11 are separated by partition plates 12 and then enclosed by narrow surrounding plates 13 to form a sealed compartment 11 structure, which can "spread and flatten" the gas-liquid two-phase flow in the pipe, so that the contact area between the alkali solution and the inner wall of the cavity is increased by more than 60% compared with the circular branch pipe. The adjacent compartments 11 are directly attached by partition plates 12, resulting in a large heat exchange area, a short heat transfer path, and a high heat exchange rate, fundamentally solving the problem of poor temperature equalization.

[0035] Furthermore, the "thinning and flattening" design of the flat plate compartment 11 in this embodiment not only improves heat exchange efficiency but also effectively improves the flow state of the gas-liquid two-phase flow, avoiding common problems such as bubble retention and uneven flow velocity in circular branch pipes, reducing the risk of liquid carryover and cross-contamination during the gas-liquid separation process, and reducing the scouring and wear of the gas-liquid two-phase flow on the pipes and compartment 11, thus extending the service life of the temperature equalization distributor 10 and the subsequent gas-liquid separator. This is a special effect that conventional circular branch pipe temperature equalization structures cannot achieve.

[0036] In practical use, there are two design options: One approach is to install two independent temperature distributors 10 in the system, such as... Figure 2As shown, the hydrogen outlet pipes 5 of several electrolytic cells 1, which are arranged in parallel, are centrally connected to the hydrogen outlet pipes 10 and the oxygen outlet pipes 10, respectively. Similarly, the oxygen outlet pipes 6 are centrally connected to the oxygen outlet pipes 10. In this way, the hydrogen pipeline and the oxygen pipeline can be set up separately, and the pipeline functional layout is clearer.

[0037] Another configuration involves connecting both the hydrogen and oxygen outlet pipes to the same temperature distribution unit 10. Specifically, for example... Figure 8 As shown, since the compartments 11 are all independent of each other, the materials in adjacent compartments 11 will not come into contact with each other, and heat transfer is only achieved through the partition plates 12. Therefore, in this embodiment, the temperature equalization distributors 10 for hydrogen and oxygen can be integrated into one unit, allowing the outflow pipes of hydrogen and oxygen to flow into the corresponding fixed compartments 11. Furthermore, the hydrogen compartments 11 and oxygen compartments 11 are staggered, which ensures that the temperatures of the subsequent hydrogen gas-liquid separator 2 and oxygen gas-liquid separator 3 are kept uniform. According to actual operating experience, it is normal for the hydrogen side to be 2-5°C higher than the oxygen side. If the temperature difference is too large, it will cause liquid level imbalance, decreased gas purity, equipment corrosion, and safety risks. If the temperature difference between the two sides leads to a density difference in the alkali solution, it will increase the liquid level difference in the bottom connecting pipe of the hydrogen and oxygen separators. An excessive liquid level difference will disrupt the hydrogen-oxygen pressure balance, making it easier for the gas to penetrate the diaphragm and mix. This can result in decreased purity or, in severe cases, the formation of explosive gas, triggering an interlock shutdown. This embodiment uses separate compartments 11 for hydrogen and oxygen to ensure that the two materials are equilibrium at the gas-liquid separator, thus avoiding excessive temperature differences in the downstream system.

[0038] The staggered arrangement of the hydrogen-oxygen compartments 11 not only achieves self-balancing temperature between hydrogen and oxygen branches, but also utilizes the inherent temperature difference (2-5℃) between the hydrogen and oxygen sides for passive heat exchange across media. This further reduces the overall temperature difference between the hydrogen and oxygen sides, making the temperatures of the downstream hydrogen and oxygen separators more uniform. This effectively suppresses liquid level imbalance caused by the density difference of the alkali solution, reduces the risk of gas leakage, and also reduces equipment corrosion caused by temperature differences (such as increased corrosiveness of the alkali solution on the high-temperature side). This extends the service life of downstream equipment such as the hydrogen-oxygen separator and connecting pipes, and improves the overall operational stability of the system.

[0039] Example 2: This embodiment is based on the same principle as Embodiment 1, except that the outflow pipes are arranged alternately at high and low temperatures and connected to the compartments 11 of the temperature equalizer 10, forming a continuous high-low temperature coupled heat transfer chain. In the previous embodiment, the temperature of each outflow pipe was effectively balanced by the large-area partition plate 12. However, to improve the temperature equalization effect, this embodiment is improved. In the previous embodiment, the outflow pipes and compartments 11 were fixedly connected. Since the temperature of each parallel electrolytic cell 1 will fluctuate, the temperature of the downstream outflow pipe will change. This may change the original arrangement of the high-temperature and low-temperature compartments 11 being close together, resulting in the high-position compartment being close to the high-temperature compartment 11. Although the mutual temperature self-balancing between high and low temperatures can still be achieved, the high-temperature and low-temperature compartments 11 are relatively far apart, and the equalization effect is somewhat reduced. In this embodiment, the goal is to actively align the high-temperature and low-temperature compartments to maximize heat transfer and quickly equalize the temperature difference.

[0040] Furthermore, the self-balancing temperature equalization structure includes a temperature acquisition unit 16, a branch unit, and a valve-controlled switching unit. Each outlet pipe of the electrolytic cell 1 is equipped with a temperature acquisition unit 16 upstream of the temperature equalization distributor 10. In actual use, a temperature sensor 23 can be used to acquire the actual temperature on each outlet pipe. This embodiment uses hydrogen and oxygen temperature equalization distributors 10 as examples, such as... Figure 1 Taking four parallel electrolytic cells 1 as an example, the four electrolytic cells 1 correspond to four hydrogen flow outlet pipes 5 (referred to as H1, H2, H3, and H4 respectively). Figure 5 As shown, the hydrogen temperature distributor 10 corresponds to four outflow pipes and consists of four corresponding compartments 11 (denoted as A, B, C, and D). The structure in Embodiment 1 can be understood as H1 being fixedly connected to A, i.e., H1-A. Similarly, the other outflow pipes are connected and denoted as H2-B, H3-C, and H4-D, respectively.

[0041] In this embodiment, each hydrogen outlet pipe 5 is provided with a branch unit; such as Figure 3 As shown, the branch unit includes branch connectors 27 on each outflow pipe, which branch a single outflow pipe into multiple parallel branch pipes 17. The number of parallel branch pipes 17 is the same as the number of compartments 11 in the temperature equalizer 10. Each parallel branch pipe 17 is connected to each compartment 11 in sequence. Specifically, the H1 pipeline is connected to four compartments 11, A, B, C, and D, respectively, via parallel branch pipes 17, namely H1-A, H1-B, H1-C, and H1-D. Similarly, the H2 pipeline is connected to H2-A, H2-B, H2-C, and H2-D; the H3 pipeline is connected to H3-A, H3-B, H3-C, and H3-D; and the H4 pipeline is connected to H4-A, H4-B, H4-C, and H4-D. The valve-controlled switching unit includes a control module 18 and control valves 19 respectively installed on each parallel branch pipe 17. That is, each parallel branch pipe 17 is equipped with a control valve 19. Each temperature acquisition unit 16 and each control valve 19 are electrically connected to the control module 18. The temperature acquisition unit 16 acquires the temperature of each outflow pipe at a preset frequency and transmits it to the control module 18. The control module 18 dynamically sorts the temperatures of each outflow pipe and sends on / off commands to the control valves 19 of each parallel branch pipe 17 according to the sorting result and the high and low temperature alternating pairing principle. This allows the self-balancing temperature equalization structure to adapt to the temperature fluctuations of each electrolytic cell 1 and form a dynamic fit. Each time the control valve 19 is switched, only one control valve 19 corresponding to each compartment 11 is opened. Similarly, only one of the four parallel control valves 19 on each branch joint 27 is opened, thereby preventing two outflow pipes from entering the same compartment 11 and directly mixing.

[0042] In actual use, the temperature of each hydrogen outlet pipe 5 is collected by the temperature acquisition unit 16. The program arranges the temperatures according to high and low, and then controls the control valve 19 on the corresponding parallel branch pipe 17 to open according to the high and low temperature alternating pairing method on the temperature distribution device 10, while the other control valves 19 are closed. For example, in the previous test, compartments A and B 11 were set up with high temperature and low temperature bonding. However, in this test, the hydrogen outlet pipe 5 corresponding to compartment B 11 has increased due to the temperature fluctuation of the electrolytic cell 1, and the temperature of the hydrogen outlet pipe 5 corresponding to compartment D 11 has decreased. As a result, compartments A and B 11 are set up with high temperature and high temperature bonding. Therefore, the control module 18 can switch the control valve 19 so that the material that originally entered compartment D 11 enters compartment B 11, thereby maintaining the efficient heat homogenization design of high and low temperature alternating bonding. It is understandable that each compartment 11 contains hydrogen, and the internal materials are essentially the same; the main difference lies in the temperature of each compartment 11. In this embodiment, switching the control valve 19 does not cause materials with large temperature differences to come into contact and mix. Essentially, the upstream temperature acquisition unit 16 detects temperature changes, while the temperature of each compartment 11 is always set alternately between high and low temperatures. When the control module 18 switches the control valve 19, the effect is to allow materials in the outflow pipe at the corresponding temperature to enter the corresponding compartment 11. The actual temperature difference of the internal materials before and after the switch is not significant. In this embodiment, adjacent compartments 11 remain passively isolating. The difference lies in the active control of material switching into different compartments 11. This allows for the adaptation and adjustment of the compartments 11 entering through the outflow pipe according to the fluctuations of each electrolytic cell 1, ensuring a reasonable temperature difference between the two sides of any two partition plates 12, maintaining heat transfer efficiency, and achieving rapid global temperature uniformity. This prevents the problem of one area being completely hot or completely cold. This embodiment only uses four parallel electrolytic cells 1 as an example. In actual production, when facing a process with more parallel electrolytic cells 1, the advantages of this embodiment will be more prominent, allowing the compartments 11 of the flat cavity to truly play the role of balancing temperature in the optimal arrangement, forming an active pairing for uniform heating.

[0043] The dynamic valve-controlled switching structure in this embodiment offers energy savings and wide load adaptability. It eliminates the need for additional heating / cooling equipment, achieving efficient heat utilization solely through active pairing. Compared to the conventional "independent branch heat exchanger 22 + refrigerant / heating medium" solution, it reduces system energy consumption by 15%-25%. Simultaneously, the control valve 19 exhibits a fast switching response (≤0.5s), and its temperature acquisition frequency dynamically adapts to changes in the electrolytic cell 1's load. Within a wide load range (20%-100%), it maintains a highly efficient heat homogenization state with alternating high and low temperatures. This addresses the pain points of conventional fixed pairing structures, such as decreased temperature homogenization and large system fluctuations during low-load and variable-load operation of the electrolytic cell 1. It ensures that the system eliminates confluence impacts at the source under various operating conditions, improving system stability and reliability. Furthermore, the dynamic switching logic avoids frequent operation of the control valve 19 (by setting a temperature difference threshold), extending valve lifespan and reducing maintenance costs. It also prevents gas-liquid flow disturbances caused by frequent switching, further enhancing gas-liquid separation efficiency.

[0044] Example 3: This embodiment shares the same core principle as Embodiments 1 and 2, which involves temperature compensation for each outflow branch before the main manifold to eliminate temperature shocks at the source. The difference lies in that this embodiment adds an active temperature control structure to the passive temperature equalization of Embodiments 1 and 2, forming a dual temperature equalization mode of "passive self-balancing + active precise temperature control". This mode is suitable for electrolytic hydrogen production conditions with large temperature fluctuations and high requirements for temperature equalization accuracy. It solves the problem that the first two embodiments, which rely solely on passive heat exchange, cannot cope with extreme temperature differences (such as a sudden rise / fall in local branch temperature caused by a single electrolyzer 1 failure).

[0045] Specifically, a temperature-regulating heat exchange tube 20 is installed through the narrow enclosure 13, such as... Figure 4 As shown, an internal heat exchange pipe is formed inside the compartment 11. The heat exchange medium circulating inside the temperature-regulating heat exchange pipe 20 forms an active temperature control before entering the main pipe. Both ends of the temperature-regulating heat exchange pipe 20 pass through the narrow enclosure 13 and extend to the outside of the temperature distributor 10. One end serves as the heat exchange medium inlet and the other end serves as the heat exchange medium outlet. External auxiliary equipment such as heat exchange medium circulation pumps and constant temperature chambers can be connected to realize the circulation supply and temperature regulation of the heat exchange medium, thereby actively controlling the temperature of the gas-liquid two-phase flow material in the compartment 11.

[0046] Further refine the details, such as Figure 4As shown (using a flat compartment as an example), heat exchange fins 28 can be installed on the temperature-regulating heat exchange tube 20, and the coiled shape of the temperature-regulating heat exchange tube 20 can be designed as needed. The heat exchange fins are made of a high thermal conductivity, alkali-resistant material (the same material as the partition plate 12, such as a copper-nickel alloy), and are evenly arranged along the axial direction of the temperature-regulating heat exchange tube 20. The fin width is adapted to the thickness of the compartment 11, ensuring that the fins can fully contact the gas-liquid two-phase flow within the compartment 11 without creating dead flow zones. The heat exchange fins and the temperature-regulating heat exchange tube 20 are integrally formed to avoid a decrease in thermal conductivity due to loose connections, and also to prevent scaling and corrosion at the contact points between the fins and the material.

[0047] The coiled shape of the temperature-regulating heat exchange tube 20 can be flexibly designed according to the flat structure of the compartment 11. It can adopt a "straight tube structure", "serpentine coiling" or "U-shaped coiling" to ensure that the temperature-regulating heat exchange tube 20 is evenly distributed in the compartment 11, maximizing the coverage of the internal space of the compartment 11, and ensuring that the material in each area of ​​the compartment 11 can fully contact the heat exchange tube, avoiding local temperature unevenness. It is understandable that setting heat exchange fins or adjusting the coiling shape can not only increase the heat exchange area (compared to finless, straight heat exchange tubes, the heat exchange area can be increased by more than 80%), but also create a turbulent effect on the product material in the compartment 11. During the flow process, the material collides with the fins and coiled heat exchange tubes, breaking the original laminar flow state, making the gas-liquid two-phase flow more uniformly mixed, and making it less likely for bubbles to be trapped, further enhancing the heat exchange effect, while improving the efficiency of passive temperature uniformization (heat transfer between compartments 11 through the partition plate 12).

[0048] In this embodiment, the heat exchange medium can be selected according to the actual temperature control requirements. Mediums that are compatible with the system, non-corrosive, and have high thermal conductivity are preferred. For example, when cooling high-temperature branches is required, a low-temperature refrigerant (such as cooled alkaline solution or ethylene glycol solution) circulates within the heat exchange tube; when heating low-temperature branches is required, a high-temperature heat medium (such as waste heat recovered from the system or heated alkaline solution) circulates within the heat exchange tube, achieving "on-demand temperature control and precise temperature replenishment." Simultaneously, a flow regulating valve can be installed at the inlet of the temperature-regulating heat exchange tube 20, linked with the temperature acquisition unit 16 (using the temperature sensor 23 from Embodiment 2) and the control module 18. Based on the real-time temperature within each compartment 11, the flow rate of the heat exchange medium is dynamically adjusted to avoid energy waste caused by excessive temperature control, achieving a coordinated approach between active temperature control and passive temperature equalization.

[0049] This embodiment employs a dual structure of "passive self-balancing (heat transfer via the wall panels 12 of compartment 11) + active precise temperature control (built-in temperature-regulating heat exchange tubes 20)," retaining the advantages of the previous two embodiments—"no need for numerous external devices, energy efficiency"—while overcoming the shortcomings of passive temperature equalization in handling extreme temperature differences. Simultaneously, the design of the heat exchange fins and coiled heat exchange tubes not only enhances the efficiency of active temperature control but also further optimizes the flow state of the gas-liquid two-phase flow, reducing the risk of liquid carryover and gas cross-contamination, thus balancing temperature equalization accuracy and system stability. Furthermore, the active temperature control structure can flexibly adapt to electrolytic hydrogen production systems of different scales and operating conditions. When a single electrolyzer 1 malfunctions, causing a sudden temperature change, rapid intervention can be achieved through the temperature-regulating heat exchange tubes 20, preventing the localized temperature difference from spreading to the entire system, reducing the risk of system interlock shutdown, and improving the system's fault tolerance and reliability.

[0050] It should be noted that the temperature-regulating heat exchange tube 20 of this embodiment is compatible with the two types of temperature equalization distributors 10 in Embodiment 1 (independent hydrogen-oxygen type and integrated hydrogen-oxygen type) and the dynamic valve-controlled switching structure in Embodiment 2. That is, whether it is a fixed pairing compartment 11 or a dynamically switching compartment 11, the temperature-regulating heat exchange tube 20 can be built into the compartment 11 to form a dual guarantee of "passive temperature equalization + active temperature control", further expanding the system's adaptability and meeting the temperature equalization requirements in different scenarios.

[0051] Example 4: This embodiment further improves the arrangement structure of the compartments 11 and the material flow direction of the temperature distributor 10. The core purpose is to optimize the heat transfer efficiency between the compartments 11, extend the material temperature uniformity time, and enhance the flow stability of the gas-liquid two-phase flow. It solves the problems of "short material residence time, insufficient temperature uniformity in the edge area and large space occupation of the equipment shape" in the previous embodiment of "parallel arrangement of compartments 11", further improves the temperature uniformity accuracy and system operation stability, and is suitable for industrial scenarios with multiple electrolytic cells 1 connected in parallel and large material flow.

[0052] Specifically, several compartments 11 are arranged in a vortex-like spiral structure, with the material flow directions inside adjacent compartments 11 being opposite. In this embodiment, the overall shape of the temperature equalizer 10 can be designed as circular or elliptical to match the vortex-like spiral structure. All compartments 11 are arranged in a vortex-like spiral layer by layer with the center of the temperature equalizer 10 as the origin, such as... Figure 7 As shown, adjacent compartments 11 are separated and sealed by partitions 12 to form a continuous vortex-type compartment 11 channel; each compartment 11 is a thin and flat structure to ensure that the material can be spread thinly and flat, thus ensuring the heat exchange area.

[0053] The number of compartments 11 is the same as the number of outlet pipes of electrolytic cell 1. All compartments 11 are wound around the origin to form a "concentric vortex" structure. The spacing between adjacent compartments 11 is uniform (matching the thickness of the partition plate 12), ensuring that each partition plate 12 can fully play its heat transfer role.

[0054] The material flow directions inside adjacent compartments 11 are opposite. For example, along the vortex winding direction, the material flow direction of odd-numbered compartments 11 (such as the 1st, 3rd, and 5th layers) is "from the outside to the inside," while the material flow direction of even-numbered compartments 11 (such as the 2nd, 4th, and 6th layers) is "from the inside to the outside." That is, the material in adjacent compartments 11 flows in opposite directions. Figure 7 The dashed line indicates the direction of medium flow. For example, the material in the outermost (first layer) compartment 11 enters from the outer inlet 14 and flows towards the center; the material in the adjacent second layer compartment 11 enters from the inlet 14 near the center and flows outward; the material in the third layer compartment 11 flows from the outside towards the center again, and so on, to achieve reverse convection of materials in adjacent compartments 11.

[0055] On the one hand, the vortex-like arrangement significantly extends the residence time of materials in the compartment 11—compared to the parallel arrangement of compartments 11 in Embodiment 1, the material flow path length is effectively increased, allowing the materials more time to contact the partition plate 12 and exchange heat with adjacent compartments 11; on the other hand, the material in adjacent compartments 11 flows in the opposite direction, which can maximize the temperature difference between adjacent compartments 11 (when in reverse convection, the heat transfer driving force between high-temperature materials and low-temperature materials is stronger), and the heat transfer efficiency can be improved by more than 30% compared with the forward flow, further enhancing the passive temperature uniformity effect. At the same time, the reverse flow can create stronger disturbance to the materials, break the laminar flow state of the gas-liquid two-phase flow, reduce bubble retention, and avoid local temperature dead zones. When used in conjunction with the temperature-regulating heat exchange tube 20 and heat exchange fins in Embodiment 3, the uniformity of active temperature control can be further improved.

[0056] It should be further noted that the vortex winding compartment 11 structure of this embodiment is fully compatible with the core structures of the previous three embodiments: it can be adapted to the hydrogen-oxygen independent and hydrogen-oxygen integrated temperature distributor 10 of Embodiment 1 (the hydrogen-oxygen compartment 11 can be arranged in alternating windings); it can be adapted to the dynamic valve-controlled switching structure of Embodiment 2 (through branch pipes and control valves 19, materials of different temperatures in the outflow pipe are dynamically distributed to the vortex compartment 11 to maintain alternating high and low temperatures); and it can be adapted to the built-in temperature-regulating heat exchange tube 20 of Embodiment 3 (the temperature-regulating heat exchange tube 20 can be arranged along the vortex trajectory to adapt to the material flow direction, further improving the efficiency of active temperature control).

[0057] Example 5: In this embodiment, the temperature compensation unit 9 is equipped with an independent temperature compensation device 21 on each outflow pipe based on the active temperature equalization principle. After temperature compensation, each outflow pipe is connected to the main manifold. The difference between this embodiment and the previous embodiment is that the "active temperature equalization principle" is adopted, and an independent temperature compensation device 21 is set on each outflow pipe of the electrolysis cell 1 to achieve precise and independent temperature compensation for each outflow pipe. This is suitable for the electrolysis hydrogen production conditions where the temperature fluctuations of each branch are large and the temperature equalization accuracy requirements are extremely high. It ensures that the temperature of each outflow pipe can accurately reach the preset target value before entering the main manifold, thereby eliminating the temperature difference shock during the convergence.

[0058] The system consists of multiple electrolytic cells 1 connected in parallel, several outflow pipes, several independent temperature compensation devices 21, a main manifold, and a control module 18. Each outflow pipe is connected to the outlet of one electrolytic cell 1, and each outflow pipe is connected in series with an independent temperature compensation device 21. All outflow pipes processed by the temperature compensation devices 21 are connected to the main manifold.

[0059] Furthermore, such as Figure 6 As shown, the temperature compensation device 21 includes a heat exchanger 22, a temperature sensor 23, and a flow valve 24. The outflow pipe is connected to the primary circuit 25 of the heat exchanger 22. The heat exchange medium flows through the secondary circuit 26 of the heat exchanger 22. The temperature sensor 23 is installed on the outflow pipe, and the flow valve 24 is installed on the secondary circuit 26. The heat exchanger 22 can be a shell-and-tube heat exchanger or a plate heat exchanger. The outflow pipe is connected in series to the primary circuit 25 of the heat exchanger 22, meaning that the gas-liquid two-phase flow flows into the primary circuit 25 of the heat exchanger 22 from the outflow pipe, and after the heat exchange temperature is regulated, it flows out from the primary circuit 25 and continues to flow to the main pipe. The secondary circuit 26 of the heat exchanger 22 is used to flow the heat exchange medium to realize the transfer and exchange of heat. The flow valve 24 is installed on the secondary circuit 26 of the heat exchanger 22 to regulate the flow rate of the heat exchange medium in the secondary circuit 26. By changing the flow rate of the heat exchange medium, precise control of the material temperature in the primary circuit 25 is achieved.

[0060] Temperature sensor 23 is fixedly installed on the outflow pipe, upstream of heat exchanger 22 (near the outlet of electrolytic cell 1), and is used to collect the temperature of the gas-liquid two-phase flow in the corresponding outflow pipe in real time; temperature sensor 23 is selected as a high temperature resistant and alkali resistant model (such as PT100 platinum resistance sensor).

[0061] Furthermore, the control module 18 adopts a PLC controller as the control center of the entire temperature compensation system. It is electrically connected to the temperature sensor 23 and flow valve 24 of each set of temperature compensation devices 21 to realize fully automated control of "temperature acquisition → data comparison → flow regulation → closed-loop feedback". The control module 18 presets the target temperature of each outflow pipe and has a built-in control algorithm that can automatically adjust the opening of the flow valve 24 according to the temperature deviation.

[0062] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-electrolyte parallel-connected alkaline solution temperature compensation system, characterized in that, The device includes a temperature compensation section installed between the electrolytic cell outlet and the main manifold. The temperature compensation section balances the temperature of the material in each branch outlet pipe in a non-mixing contact manner, thereby reducing the temperature difference between each branch before each outlet pipe enters the main manifold.

2. The multi-electrolyte parallel flow alkaline solution temperature compensation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature compensation unit forms a self-balancing temperature equalization structure based on the passive temperature equalization principle. It includes a temperature equalization distributor, which has several compartments. The number of compartments matches the number of outflow pipes. Adjacent compartments are separated by partition plates for temperature equalization and heat conduction. The partition plates enable non-mixing contact temperature equalization of materials in adjacent compartments. Partition plates are set on opposite sides of the compartments. Narrow surrounding plates are set around the partition plates to form a thin, flat compartment structure. The narrow surrounding plates have inlet and outlet. The inlet is connected to the outlet end of the electrolytic cell, and the outlet is connected to the main manifold.

3. The multi-electrolyte parallel flow alkaline solution temperature compensation system according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each outflow pipe is arranged in alternating high and low temperature configurations and connected to the compartments of the temperature equalization distributor, so that several compartments form a continuous high and low temperature coupled heat transfer chain.

4. The multi-electrolyte parallel flow alkaline solution temperature compensation system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The self-balancing temperature equalization structure includes a temperature acquisition unit, a branch unit, and a valve-controlled switching unit. Each outflow pipe of the electrolytic cell has a temperature acquisition unit upstream of the temperature equalization distributor. The branch unit includes branch connectors on each outflow pipe, which branch a single outflow pipe into multiple parallel branch pipes. The number of parallel branch pipes is the same as the number of compartments in the temperature equalizer, and each parallel branch pipe is connected to each compartment in turn. The valve-controlled switching unit includes a control module and control valves installed on each parallel branch pipe. Each temperature acquisition unit and each control valve are electrically connected to the control module. The temperature acquisition unit acquires the temperature of each outflow pipe at a preset frequency and transmits it to the control module. The control module dynamically sorts the temperatures of each outflow pipe and sends on / off commands to the control valves of each parallel branch pipe according to the sorting results and the principle of alternating high and low temperatures, so that the self-balancing temperature equalization structure can adapt to the temperature fluctuations of each electrolytic cell to form a dynamic fit.

5. The multi-electrolyte parallel flow alkaline solution temperature compensation system according to claim 2, characterized in that, A temperature-regulating heat exchange tube is installed through the narrow enclosure, forming an internal heat exchange tube inside the compartment. The heat exchange medium circulating inside the temperature-regulating heat exchange tube forms an active temperature control before entering the main manifold.

6. The multi-electrolyte parallel flow alkaline solution temperature compensation system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The compartments are arranged in a vortex-like structure, and the material flow inside adjacent compartments is opposite.

7. The multi-electrolyte parallel flow alkaline solution temperature compensation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature compensation unit is based on the active temperature equalization principle and has an independent temperature compensation device on each outflow pipe. After temperature compensation, each outflow pipe is connected to the main manifold.

8. The multi-electrolyte parallel flow alkaline solution temperature compensation system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The temperature compensation device includes a heat exchanger, a temperature sensor, and a flow valve. The outlet pipe is connected to the primary circuit of the heat exchanger, and the heat exchange medium flows in the secondary circuit of the heat exchanger. The outlet pipe is equipped with a temperature sensor, and the secondary circuit is equipped with a flow valve.

9. A multi-electrolyte parallel-connection alkaline solution temperature compensation system according to claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes a control module, which collects the temperature data of each outlet pipe in real time and compares it with the target temperature of the outlet pipe. Based on the comparison result, it controls the flow valve to change the flow rate of the heat exchange medium, forming an independent temperature compensation closed-loop control for each outlet pipe.

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