Hydrogen purification system and electrolytic hydrogen generation system

Abstract

This application discloses a hydrogen purification system and an electrolytic hydrogen production system, relating to the field of electrolytic hydrogen production technology. The hydrogen purification system includes a drying unit, a gas supply unit, and a heat exchange unit. The drying unit includes at least two drying towers, each surrounded by a jacket. The jacket and the outer periphery of the drying tower form a heat exchange cavity. The drying unit also includes an exhaust pipe connecting the at least two drying towers. The gas supply unit includes a gas supply pipe connected to the at least two drying towers. The heat exchange unit is connected to the heat exchange cavities of the at least two drying towers, and is used to supply a heat exchange medium to the heat exchange cavity of any of the drying towers to heat or cool them. The technical solution provided by this application aims to reduce the energy consumption and safety hazards of the hydrogen purification system, and improve the economy and reliability of the electrolytic hydrogen production system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments in this application relate to the field of hydrogen electrolysis technology, and in particular to a hydrogen purification system and an electrolysis hydrogen production system. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, most electrolytic hydrogen production systems require purification devices to deoxygenate and dry the hydrogen produced by the preparation device, in order to reduce the oxygen, saturated water, etc. carried in the output gas and ensure the purity of the hydrogen output by the electrolytic hydrogen production system.

[0003] However, current hydrogen purification systems suffer from high energy consumption and poor system safety, which reduces the economy and reliability of electrolytic hydrogen production systems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application proposes several embodiments under Subject 1, Subject 2, and Subject 3, aiming to reduce the energy consumption and safety hazards of hydrogen purification systems and improve the economy and reliability of electrolytic hydrogen production systems.

[0005] An embodiment of this application proposes a hydrogen purification system including a drying unit, a gas supply unit, and a heat exchange unit. The drying unit includes at least two drying towers, each of which is surrounded by a jacket. The jacket and the outer periphery of the drying tower together form a heat exchange cavity. The drying unit also includes an exhaust pipe connecting the at least two drying towers. The gas supply unit includes a gas supply pipe connecting the at least two drying towers. The heat exchange unit is connected to the heat exchange cavity pipes of the at least two drying towers respectively. The heat exchange unit is used to supply a heat exchange medium to the heat exchange cavity of any of the drying towers to heat or cool the drying tower.

[0006] In one embodiment, the heat exchange unit includes a steam heating mechanism and a cooling mechanism. The steam heating mechanism is connected to the heat exchange chamber pipes of at least two of the drying towers to supply heating steam to the heat exchange chambers. The cooling mechanism is connected to the heat exchange chamber pipes of at least two of the drying towers to supply coolant to the heat exchange chambers.

[0007] In one embodiment, the steam heating mechanism includes a steam supply pipe and a steam discharge pipe. The steam supply pipe includes at least two first steam branch pipes, which are connected to the heat exchange chambers of at least two of the drying towers in a one-to-one correspondence. Each first steam branch pipe is provided with a first steam control valve. The steam discharge pipe includes at least two second steam branch pipes, which are connected to the heat exchange chambers of at least two of the drying towers in a one-to-one correspondence. Each second steam branch pipe is provided with a second steam control valve.

[0008] In one embodiment, the steam heating mechanism further includes a first temperature transmitter and a first temperature regulating valve, the first temperature transmitter and the first temperature regulating valve being disposed on the steam supply pipeline, and the first temperature transmitter being electrically connected to the first temperature regulating valve.

[0009] In one embodiment, the steam heating mechanism further includes a condenser and a condensate collection container, the steam discharge pipe is connected to the inlet end of the condenser, and the drain end of the condenser is connected to the inlet end pipe of the condensate collection container.

[0010] In one embodiment, the cooling mechanism is connected to the condenser piping to deliver coolant to the condenser.

[0011] In one embodiment, the steam heating mechanism further includes a steam generator, the water inlet of which is connected to the drain pipe of the condensate collection container, and the steam outlet of which is connected to the steam supply pipe.

[0012] In one embodiment, the cooling mechanism includes a coolant supply pipe and a coolant discharge pipe. The coolant supply pipe includes at least two first cooling branch pipes, which are connected to the heat exchange chambers of at least two of the drying towers in a one-to-one correspondence. Each first cooling branch pipe is provided with a first cooling control valve. The coolant discharge pipe includes at least two second cooling branch pipes, which are connected to the heat exchange chambers of at least two of the drying towers in a one-to-one correspondence. Each second cooling branch pipe is provided with a second cooling control valve.

[0013] In one embodiment, the cooling mechanism further includes a coolant collection container, and the coolant discharge pipe is connected to the inlet end of the coolant collection container.

[0014] In one embodiment, the gas supply unit further includes a heating device and / or a deoxygenation device, wherein the heating device and / or the deoxygenation device are disposed on the gas supply pipeline.

[0015] In one embodiment, the steam heating mechanism is connected to the heating device via a pipe to supply steam to the heating device.

[0016] In one embodiment, a second temperature regulating valve is provided on the pipeline connecting the steam heating mechanism and the heating device. The gas supply unit further includes a second temperature transmitter, which is located on the gas supply pipeline and between the heating device and the deoxygenation device. The second temperature regulating valve is electrically connected to the second temperature transmitter.

[0017] In one embodiment, the gas supply unit further includes a cooler disposed in the deoxygenation device, and the cooling mechanism is connected to the cooler via a pipe to supply coolant to the cooler.

[0018] One embodiment of this application also provides an electrolytic hydrogen production system, which includes the hydrogen purification system as described above.

[0019] In the various embodiments provided in this application, a jacket is provided around the outer periphery of the drying tower of the drying unit, forming a heat exchange cavity with the outer periphery of the drying tower. The heat exchange unit can then transport the heat exchange medium into the heat exchange cavity through a pipeline, allowing the heat exchange medium to exchange heat with the drying tower, thereby heating or cooling the drying tower. This enables the drying unit to utilize the heating and cooling of the drying tower, reducing the temperature requirement for regenerated hydrogen. Compared to heating hydrogen before introducing it into the drying tower for regeneration, this method effectively reduces heating energy consumption and avoids the potential safety hazards associated with heating hydrogen, thus improving the safety and reliability of the hydrogen purification system. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments or prior art of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the hydrogen purification system provided in this application;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the hydrogen purification system provided in this application;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a drying tower of a hydrogen purification system provided in this application.

[0024] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0025] 100. Hydrogen purification system; 10. Drying unit; 11. Drying tower; 13. Jacket; 15. Exhaust pipe; 30. Gas supply unit; 31. Gas supply pipe; 311. Second temperature transmitter; 33. Heating device; 35. Deoxygenation device; 37. Second temperature regulating valve; 50. Heat exchange unit; 51. Steam heating mechanism; 511. Steam supply pipe; 5111. First steam branch pipe; 5113. First steam control valve; 5115. First temperature transmitter; 5117. First temperature regulating valve; 513, steam discharge pipe; 5131, second steam branch pipe; 5133, second steam control valve; 515, condenser; 517, condensate collection container; 519, steam generator; 53, cooling mechanism; 531, coolant supply pipe; 5311, first cooling branch pipe; 5313, first cooling control valve; 533, coolant discharge pipe; 5331, second cooling branch pipe; 5333, second cooling control valve; 535, coolant collection container. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of several embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0027] It should be noted that if directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) are involved in multiple embodiments of this application, the directional indications are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

[0028] Furthermore, if multiple embodiments of this application involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the use of "and / or" or "and / or" throughout the text implies three parallel solutions. For example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

[0029] Understandably, in an electrolytic hydrogen production system, the hydrogen produced by the preparation device through certain electrolysis operations can be transported to a hydrogen purification system for purification and impurity removal processes such as gas-liquid separation, deoxygenation, and drying, so that the hydrogen meets certain purity requirements before being transported to a storage container for storage or use, thus achieving stable and reliable operation of the electrolytic hydrogen production system.

[0030] In hydrogen purification systems, hydrogen gas undergoes gas-liquid separation and deoxygenation before being introduced into a drying tower for drying and dehydration. The drying tower is typically filled with a drying medium such as molecular sieves. After a certain period of drying and dehydration, this medium becomes water-saturated. In this state, the drying tower's drying and dehydration effect on hydrogen is poor, easily leading to the processed hydrogen failing to meet the required purity. Therefore, after a certain drying period, the drying tower usually needs to switch to a regeneration state. This regeneration process reduces the saturated water adsorbed by the drying medium, allowing the drying tower to regain a better water absorption state and continue drying hydrogen. To ensure the continuous drying operation of the hydrogen purification system, at least two drying towers are typically configured, with each tower alternating between drying and regeneration states. This means that while some drying towers are performing drying operations, others are simultaneously entering regeneration. After a period of time, the operating states of the drying towers are switched, allowing those reaching a certain level of water saturation to switch to regeneration. The regenerated towers then take over the drying operation, ensuring a continuous supply of hydrogen from the preparation unit to the hydrogen purification system for purification, thus guaranteeing the stable operation of the electrolytic hydrogen production system.

[0031] Most hydrogen purification systems utilize hydrogen that has undergone gas-liquid separation and deoxygenation as regeneration gas to reduce contamination within the drying tower. By heating the regeneration gas to a certain temperature and then introducing it into the drying tower to hot-blow the drying medium, the saturated water adsorbed on the drying medium is discharged outside the drying tower by the high-temperature regeneration gas flow. Then, lower-temperature regeneration gas is introduced into the drying tower to cool it down, restoring it to a more stable, dryable working state. However, heating hydrogen to form the regeneration gas flow for hot-blowing regeneration requires high-power heating equipment to ensure the hydrogen reaches the required heating temperature, resulting in high heating energy consumption. Furthermore, hydrogen purification systems typically use electric heating equipment, which is prone to thermal runaway. Given the flammable and explosive nature of hydrogen, thermal runaway of electric heating equipment can pose safety hazards, reducing the economic efficiency and safety performance of the hydrogen purification system. To address these issues, this application proposes a hydrogen purification system 100.

[0032] Please see Figures 1 to 3In one embodiment of this application, the hydrogen purification system 100 includes a drying unit 10, a gas supply unit 30, and a heat exchange unit 50. The drying unit 10 includes at least two drying towers 11, and each drying tower 11 is surrounded by a jacket 13. The jacket 13 and the outer periphery of the drying tower 11 together form a heat exchange cavity. The drying unit 10 also includes an exhaust pipe 15 connecting the at least two drying towers 11. The gas supply unit 30 includes a gas supply pipe 31, which is connected to the at least two drying towers 11. The heat exchange unit 50 is connected to the heat exchange cavity pipes of the at least two drying towers 11 respectively. The heat exchange unit 50 is used to deliver a heat exchange medium to the heat exchange cavity of any drying tower 11 to heat or cool the drying tower 11.

[0033] In this application, by installing a jacket 13 around the outer periphery of the drying tower 11, the jacket 13 can surround and enclose the drying tower 11, and the jacket 13 and the outer wall of the drying tower 11 can form a heat exchange cavity with a certain volume. The outer wall of the drying tower 11 can be made of a material with good thermal conductivity. By connecting the heat exchange unit 50 in parallel with the heat exchange cavity pipes of at least two drying towers 11, the heat exchange unit 50 can generate high-temperature heat exchange media such as high-temperature gas and high-temperature liquid at a certain temperature, and can also generate low-temperature heat exchange media such as low-temperature airflow and low-temperature liquid at a certain temperature. Then, the heat exchange unit 50 can be used to transport the heat exchange medium of the corresponding temperature into the heat exchange cavity of the drying tower 11, so that the heat exchange medium can exchange heat with the drying tower 11 in the heat exchange cavity, thereby realizing the heating or cooling of the drying tower 11.

[0034] Therefore, after a drying operation for a period of time, the hydrogen purification system 100 can switch the drying tower 11 to a regeneration state to reduce the saturated water adhering to the drying medium inside the drying tower 11. At this time, the hydrogen purification system 100 can control the heat exchange unit 50 to supply high-temperature heat exchange medium into the heat exchange chamber of the drying tower 11 in the regeneration state. The high-temperature heat exchange medium is used to heat the drying tower 11, so that a better high-temperature regeneration environment can be formed inside the drying tower 11. At this time, relatively low-temperature hydrogen can be used as the regeneration gas flow and introduced into the drying tower 11 through the gas supply unit 30, so that the regeneration gas flow in the drying tower 11 carries away the saturated water adhering to the drying medium, realizing stable hot blowing regeneration of the drying tower 11. By using the heat exchange unit 50 to supply high-temperature heat exchange medium into the heat exchange chamber of the drying tower 11 to heat the drying tower 11, the heating temperature requirement of the regeneration gas flow can be effectively reduced. Furthermore, due to the high heat transfer efficiency between the heat exchange medium and the drying tower 11, it is beneficial to better reduce the heating energy consumption of the heat exchange unit 50 and reduce the operating cost of the hydrogen purification system 100. In addition, the drying tower 11 can also be made of a material with good thermal conductivity and heat transfer efficiency, and the heat exchange unit 50 can transport a high-temperature heat exchange medium into the heat exchange chamber, so that the internal temperature of the drying tower 11 can be stably raised to the required regeneration temperature. At this time, room-temperature hydrogen can be introduced into the drying tower 11 to remove the saturated water adsorbed by the drying medium, thereby realizing the regeneration treatment of the drying tower 11. This better avoids the safety hazards that may be caused by heating hydrogen, and makes the hydrogen purification system 100 have better safety performance.

[0035] After the drying tower 11 is regenerated by hot blowing using the regenerated airflow for a certain period of time, the heat exchange unit 50 can be regulated to deliver a lower temperature heat exchange medium to the heat exchange chamber. The low temperature heat exchange medium flows in the heat exchange chamber and exchanges heat with the drying tower 11, allowing the heat exchange medium to carry the heat of the drying tower 11 out of the heat exchange chamber, thereby cooling the drying tower 11. At this time, the air inlet unit can deliver room temperature or low temperature hydrogen to the drying tower 11, so that the hydrogen can further remove the temperature and saturated water in the inner cavity of the drying tower 11, so that the drying tower 11 can better restore its dryable working state, achieve reliable regeneration of the drying tower 11, and ensure the continuous purification operation of the hydrogen purification system 100.

[0036] The hydrogen purification system 100 can, during operation, allow some drying towers 11 to perform drying operations while others are in a regeneration state. This allows at least two drying towers 11 to be used alternately to continuously perform drying operations, ensuring the stable operation of the electrolytic hydrogen production system. The hydrogen purification system 100 can also allow the drying towers 11 performing the drying operation to supply a portion of the dried hydrogen as a regeneration gas flow to the drying towers 11 in the regeneration state, allowing the regeneration gas flow to purge and regenerate the drying towers 11. Alternatively, it can utilize a storage container to store the dried hydrogen, with pipes connecting the storage container to each drying tower 11. This allows a certain amount of hydrogen to be supplied from the storage container as a regeneration gas flow to the drying towers 11 in the regeneration state for purge and regeneration. Of course, in other embodiments, other methods can be used to supply dried hydrogen to the drying towers 11 as a regeneration gas flow for regeneration, and this application does not limit this approach.

[0037] In one embodiment of this application, a jacket 13 is provided around the drying tower 11 of the drying unit 10, forming a heat exchange cavity with the outer periphery of the drying tower 11. The heat exchange unit 50 can then transport a heat exchange medium into the heat exchange cavity through a pipeline, allowing the heat exchange medium to exchange heat with the drying tower 11, thereby heating or cooling the drying tower 11. This allows the drying unit 10 to utilize the heating and cooling of the drying tower 11, reducing the temperature requirement for regenerated hydrogen. Compared to heating hydrogen and introducing it into the drying tower 11 for regeneration, this method effectively reduces heating energy consumption and avoids the potential safety hazards associated with heating hydrogen, thus improving the safety and reliability of the hydrogen purification system 100.

[0038] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment of this application, the heat exchange unit 50 includes a steam heating mechanism 51 and a cooling mechanism 53. The steam heating mechanism 51 is connected to the heat exchange chamber pipes of at least two drying towers 11 to deliver heating steam to the heat exchange chambers. The cooling mechanism 53 is connected to the heat exchange chamber pipes of at least two drying towers 11 to deliver coolant to the heat exchange chambers.

[0039] In this embodiment, the hydrogen purification system 100 may include a heat exchange unit 50 comprising a steam heating mechanism 51 and a cooling mechanism 53. The steam heating mechanism 51 generates steam at a certain temperature by heating water. By connecting the steam heating mechanism 51 to the heat exchange chambers of at least two drying towers 11, the steam heating mechanism 51 can be controlled to deliver steam to any of the heat exchange chambers of the drying towers 11. This allows the heat exchange unit 50 to use the heat carried by the steam to heat the inner cavity of the drying tower 11, enabling the drying tower 11 to complete hot-blowing regeneration under certain temperature conditions, reducing the heating requirement for the regeneration gas flow. Using the steam heating mechanism 51 to deliver high-temperature steam as the heating medium allows the high-temperature steam's fluidity to facilitate smoother delivery of the heating medium through the pipes to the heat exchange chambers of the drying tower 11. Furthermore, the generally higher steam temperature improves the heating efficiency of the drying tower 11, further enhancing the practicality and structural reliability of the hydrogen purification system 100.

[0040] The cooling mechanism 53 can store coolants such as cooling water, propylene glycol coolant, and organic coolant at low temperatures. The coolant can be transported to the heat exchange chamber of the drying tower 11 through pipelines. The coolant exchanges heat with the drying tower 11 in the heat exchange chamber to achieve cooling and temperature reduction of the drying tower 11, ensuring stable regeneration treatment of the drying tower 11. The drying tower 11 can also be connected to a discharge pipe that connects to the heat exchange chamber. This allows high-temperature steam to be discharged from the discharge pipe after being heated in the heat exchange chamber for a certain period of time. This ensures that the heat exchange chamber can continuously receive a stable supply of high-temperature steam to heat the drying tower 11, thus guaranteeing the heating efficiency of the drying tower 11. Furthermore, after the drying tower 11 has completed its hot-blowing regeneration, it can stably discharge high-temperature steam, allowing the cooling mechanism 53 to stably deliver coolant to the heat exchange chamber to cool the drying tower 11. Simultaneously, the coolant that has exchanged heat with the drying tower 11 can be discharged from the discharge pipe, allowing the cooling mechanism 53 to continuously supply coolant at a lower temperature to the heat exchange chamber, ensuring rapid cooling of the drying tower 11. This, in turn, helps to improve the temperature control efficiency of the heat exchange unit 50 on the drying tower 11, further enhancing the practicality and reliability of the hydrogen purification system 100.

[0041] See Figure 1 and Figure 3In one embodiment of this application, the steam heating mechanism 51 includes a steam supply pipe 511 and a steam discharge pipe 513. The steam supply pipe 511 includes at least two first steam branch pipes 5111, which are connected to the heat exchange chambers of at least two drying towers 11 respectively. Each first steam branch pipe 5111 is provided with a first steam control valve 5113. The steam discharge pipe 513 includes at least two second steam branch pipes 5131, which are connected to the heat exchange chambers of at least two drying towers 11 respectively. Each second steam branch pipe 5131 is provided with a second steam control valve 5133.

[0042] In this embodiment, the steam heating mechanism 51 can be provided with a steam supply pipe 511 and a steam discharge pipe 513 respectively connected to the drying tower 11. Steam can be transported to the heat exchange chamber of the drying tower 11 through the steam supply pipe 511, so that the steam transfers heat to the drying tower 11 in the heat exchange chamber and then discharges through the steam discharge pipe 513. This allows the steam heating mechanism 51 to continuously supply high-temperature steam to the heat exchange chamber of the drying tower 11 to heat the drying tower 11, thereby further improving the heating efficiency of the drying unit 10.

[0043] The steam supply pipe 511 can be connected to at least two first steam branch pipes 5111, which are arranged in parallel. A first steam control valve 5113 is installed on each first steam branch pipe 5111 to control the on / off state of the branch pipe, thereby connecting one branch pipe 5111 to the heat exchange chamber of the drying tower 11. By controlling the first steam control valve 5113 of each branch pipe 5111, the steam heating mechanism 51 can stably deliver steam to the heat exchange chamber of the drying tower 11 requiring regeneration. Similarly, by installing at least two second steam branch pipes 5131 on the steam discharge pipe 513, and installing a second steam control valve 5133 on each branch pipe 5131, the on / off state of the branch pipes can be controlled, allowing the steam heating mechanism 51 to stably discharge the steam heated from the drying tower 11 via the steam discharge pipe 513. Furthermore, the valves on the steam branch pipe can be used to control the stable steam supply from the steam heating mechanism 51 to the regeneration drying tower 11, thereby achieving more stable and reliable system control of the hydrogen purification system 100.

[0044] See Figure 1In one embodiment of this application, the steam heating mechanism 51 further includes a first temperature transmitter 5115 and a first temperature regulating valve 5117. The first temperature transmitter 5115 and the first temperature regulating valve 5117 are disposed on the steam supply pipeline 511, and the first temperature transmitter 5115 is electrically connected to the first temperature regulating valve 5117.

[0045] Understandably, the first temperature transmitter 5115 can detect the temperature of the steam flowing in the steam supply pipeline 511 and output the detected temperature signal; while the first temperature regulating valve 5117 may include, but is not limited to, a self-operated temperature control valve, an electric temperature control valve, etc., and can be used to regulate the temperature of the steam flowing in the steam supply pipeline 511. Furthermore, the steam heating mechanism 51 can adjust the first temperature regulating valve 5117 according to the temperature signal detected and fed back by the first temperature transmitter 5115, so that the first temperature regulating valve 5117 regulates the steam temperature in the steam supply pipeline 511, enabling the steam heating mechanism 51 to stably deliver steam that meets the regeneration temperature of the drying tower 11, maintaining the stability of the regeneration temperature of the drying tower 11, and further improving the practicality and reliability of the hydrogen purification system 100. The steam heating mechanism 51 can compare the temperature detected by the first temperature transmitter 5115 with the desired set temperature. When the detected temperature is lower than the set temperature, the first temperature regulating valve 5117 can be adjusted to raise the steam temperature. When the detected temperature is higher than the set temperature, the first temperature regulating valve 5117 can be adjusted to lower the steam temperature. This can effectively maintain the steam temperature supplied by the steam heating mechanism 51 and ensure the stable and reliable regeneration of the drying tower 11 of the drying unit 10.

[0046] Therefore, by installing a first temperature transmitter 5115 and a first temperature regulating valve 5117 on the steam supply pipeline 511, the linkage between the first temperature transmitter 5115 and the first temperature regulating valve 5117 can ensure stable heating of the drying tower 11 by steam, thereby further improving the practicality and reliability of the hydrogen purification system 100.

[0047] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment of this application, the steam heating mechanism 51 further includes a condenser 515 and a condensate collection container 517. The steam discharge pipe 513 is connected to the inlet end of the condenser 515, and the drain end of the condenser 515 is connected to the inlet end of the condensate collection container 517.

[0048] In this embodiment, the steam heating mechanism 51 can transport the steam heated by the drying tower 11 to the condenser 515 through the steam discharge pipe 513, so that the steam is cooled and condensed in the condenser 515 to form condensate. The condenser 515 and the condensate collection container 517 are connected by a pipe. The condensate collection container 517 may include, but is not limited to, a water storage tank or water tank, etc., so that the condensed condensate can be stably collected in the condensate collection container 517, realizing the reuse of steam. Compared with the method of directly discharging steam into the outdoor environment, it can effectively reduce the waste of water resources and further improve the practicality and reliability of the hydrogen purification system 100.

[0049] The condenser 515 can be configured with a combination of heat-conducting fins and a heat dissipation device, or a coolant can be introduced into the condenser 515 to create a low-temperature environment, allowing the steam to fully dissipate heat and condense within the condenser 515, thus achieving stable recovery and utilization of high-temperature steam. Of course, this application is not limited to this; in other embodiments, other cooling methods can also be used to condense the steam in the condenser 515. This application does not limit the operating mode of the condenser 515.

[0050] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment of this application, the cooling mechanism 53 is piped to the condenser 515 to deliver coolant to the condenser 515.

[0051] In this embodiment, the cooling mechanism 53 can be connected to the condenser 515 via a branch pipe, allowing the cooling mechanism 53 to supply coolant to the condenser 515 through the pipe. The coolant then exchanges heat with the steam in the condenser 515 via convection, achieving condensation of the steam within the condenser 515. Alternatively, a coolant pipe can be coiled around the outer periphery of the steam-supplying pipe within the condenser 515 to ensure convection heat exchange between the steam and coolant during steam flow. Or, a heat-conducting structure can be installed between the steam-supplying pipe and the coolant-supplying pipe within the condenser 515 to transfer heat from the steam to the coolant, achieving stable convection heat exchange between the steam and the condenser 515. Of course, there are many other ways to arrange the convection heat exchange of the coolant in the condenser 515, and this application does not limit this, as long as it enables the condenser 515 to condense the steam into condensate through convection heat exchange between the coolant and steam.

[0052] Therefore, by using the cooling mechanism 53 to supply coolant to the condenser 515 to achieve heat exchange and condensation of steam in the condenser 515, the number of heat dissipation components in the condenser 515 can be reduced, which is conducive to improving the overall integrity of the heat exchange unit 50 and further improving the practicality and reliability of the hydrogen purification system 100.

[0053] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment of this application, the steam heating mechanism 51 further includes a steam generator 519, the water inlet of the steam generator 519 is connected to the drain end of the condensate collection container 517, and the steam outlet of the steam generator 519 is connected to the steam supply pipe 511.

[0054] In this embodiment, the steam generator 519 can be used to heat water to form steam at a certain temperature. By connecting the drain end of the condensate collection container 517 to the water inlet pipe of the steam generator 519, and connecting the steam outlet of the steam generator 519 to the steam supply pipe 511, the condensate stored in the condensate collection container 517 can be transported to the steam generator 519 through the pipe. The steam generator 519 heats the condensate to form steam at a certain temperature, and then the steam is transported to the steam supply pipe 511 so that the steam supply pipe 511 can stably deliver the steam to the heat exchange chamber of the drying tower 11 to heat the drying tower 11. A pump can be installed on the pipe connecting the condensate collection container 517 and the steam generator 519. The pump can be used to stably draw condensate from the condensate collection container 517 and transport it to the steam generator 519, ensuring the stable operation of the steam heating mechanism 51.

[0055] Therefore, by using the condenser 515 and the condensate collection container 517 to condense and recover the steam heated by the drying tower 11, and by using the steam generator 519 to heat the condensate to generate high-temperature steam and deliver it to the steam supply pipeline 511, the steam heating mechanism 51 can be set up with a circulating steam structure, thereby achieving better overall performance of the heat exchange unit 50 and further improving the practicality and reliability of the steam purification system.

[0056] See Figure 1 and Figure 3 In one embodiment of this application, the cooling mechanism 53 includes a coolant supply pipe 531 and a coolant discharge pipe 533. The coolant supply pipe 531 includes at least two first cooling branch pipes 5311, which are connected to the heat exchange chambers of at least two drying towers 11 in a one-to-one correspondence. Each first cooling branch pipe 5311 is provided with a first cooling control valve 5313. The coolant discharge pipe 533 includes at least two second cooling branch pipes 5331, which are connected to the heat exchange chambers of at least two drying towers 11 in a one-to-one correspondence. Each second cooling branch pipe 5331 is provided with a second cooling control valve 5333.

[0057] In this embodiment, the cooling mechanism 53 can be provided with a coolant supply pipe 531 and a coolant discharge pipe 533 respectively connected to the drying tower 11. The coolant can be delivered to the heat exchange chamber of the drying tower 11 through the coolant supply pipe 531, so that the coolant can exchange heat with the drying tower 11 through convection in the heat exchange chamber and then be discharged through the coolant discharge pipe 533. This allows the cooling mechanism 53 to continuously supply low-temperature coolant to the heat exchange chamber of the drying tower 11 to cool down the drying tower 11, which is beneficial to improve the cooling rate of the drying tower 11 after regeneration.

[0058] The coolant supply pipe 531 can be connected to at least two first cooling branch pipes 5311, which are arranged in parallel. By setting a first cooling control valve 5313 on each first cooling branch pipe 5311, the first cooling control valve 5313 can control the opening and closing of the first cooling branch pipe 5311, thereby connecting one first cooling branch pipe 5311 to the heat exchange chamber of a drying tower 11. By controlling the first cooling control valve 5313 of each first cooling branch pipe 5311, the cooling mechanism 53 can stably deliver steam to the heat exchange chamber of the drying tower 11 that needs to be regenerated. Similarly, by installing at least two second cooling branch pipes 5331 on the coolant discharge pipe 533, and installing a second cooling control valve 5333 on each second cooling branch pipe 5331, the on / off state of the second cooling branch pipes 5331 can be controlled by the second cooling control valves 5333. This allows the cooling mechanism 53 to stably discharge the coolant after cooling the drying tower 11 through the coolant discharge pipe 533. Furthermore, the valves on the cooling branch pipes can control the stable cooling of the regeneration drying tower 11 by the cooling mechanism 53, achieving more stable and reliable system control of the hydrogen purification system 100.

[0059] See Figure 2 In one embodiment of this application, the cooling mechanism 53 further includes a coolant collection container 535, and the coolant discharge pipe 533 is connected to the inlet end of the coolant collection container 535.

[0060] In this embodiment, the cooling mechanism 53 can connect the coolant discharge pipe 533 to the coolant collection container 535, so that the coolant discharge pipe 533 can transport the coolant after cooling the drying tower 11 to the coolant collection container 535 for storage, thereby better realizing the recycling of coolant. The coolant collection container 535 may include, but is not limited to, a storage tank or storage vessel. By storing the discharged coolant in the coolant collection container 535, the coolant can be cooled and then returned to the coolant supply pipe 531, realizing the coolant circulation operation of the cooling mechanism 53; or, after the coolant has been cooled by heat exchange with the drying tower 11, it can have a certain temperature, and the liquid collected in the coolant collection container 535 can be used in other heating environments, such as heating the regeneration gas flow. Of course, the cooling mechanism 53 can collect the coolant after cooling the drying tower 11 for many other uses, which are not limited in this application.

[0061] Therefore, by using the coolant collection container 535 to collect and store the coolant after the drying tower 11 has been cooled, the waste of coolant discharge can be better reduced, and the practicality and reliability of the hydrogen purification system 100 can be further improved.

[0062] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment of this application, the gas supply unit 30 further includes a heating device 33 and / or a deoxygenation device 35, which are disposed on the gas supply pipeline 31.

[0063] It is understandable that the hydrogen output from the preparation device may contain a certain amount of oxygen. When the gas inlet unit supplies hydrogen to the drying tower 11, the deoxygenation device 35 can be used to perform a certain deoxygenation operation on the hydrogen to better reduce the oxygen mixed in the hydrogen, thereby enabling the hydrogen purification system 100 to achieve better hydrogen purification operation and ensure the stable hydrogen output of the electrolytic hydrogen production system.

[0064] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the deoxygenation device 35 mostly utilizes the reaction of catalytic material with oxygen doped in hydrogen to achieve hydrogen deoxygenation. Since the reaction of oxygen with catalytic material requires a certain amount of heat, by sequentially setting a heating device 33 and a deoxygenation device 35 on the intake pipe, the heating device 33 can be used to stably heat the hydrogen to the temperature at which oxygen reacts with the catalytic material, and then the heated hydrogen flows into the deoxygenation device 35 for deoxygenation, ensuring that the intake unit can more stably remove impurities from the hydrogen, and further improving the practicality and reliability of the hydrogen purification system 100.

[0065] In other embodiments, the gas supply unit 30 may be equipped with a heating device 33 on the gas supply pipeline 31 to heat the hydrogen, so that the gas supply pipeline 31 can stably supply heated hydrogen for the hot blowing regeneration of the drying unit 10, or the heated hydrogen can be used to achieve better deoxygenation of hydrogen, or the heated hydrogen can be used in other catalytic systems of the hydrogen purification system 100 to ensure the stable operation of the hydrogen purification system 100 and further improve the practicality and reliability of the hydrogen purification system 100.

[0066] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment of this application, the steam heating mechanism 51 is pipe-connected to the heating device 33 to supply steam to the heating device 33.

[0067] In this embodiment, the heating device 33 may include a housing, through which the intake pipe can pass. The steam heating mechanism 51 can be connected to the housing of the heating device 33 via a branch pipe, allowing the steam heating mechanism 51 to supply high-temperature steam to the inner cavity of the housing. This enables the heating device 33 to utilize the high-temperature steam within the housing to transfer heat to the intake pipe, thereby heating the hydrogen flowing in the intake pipe. Therefore, using the steam heating mechanism 51 to supply high-temperature steam to the heating device 33 for heating the hydrogen reduces the need for heating components such as electric heaters and heating wires, thus lowering the cost of the intake unit. Furthermore, it helps avoid the potential safety hazards of thermal runaway of heating components leading to hydrogen deflagration, improving the safety performance of the hydrogen purification system 100 and further enhancing its practicality and reliability.

[0068] Furthermore, the heating device 33 can also be connected to a discharge pipe, which can be used to discharge the water vapor after heat exchange, so that the steam heating mechanism 51 can better and continuously supply high-temperature steam to the heating device 33, ensuring stable heating of hydrogen by the heating device 33. When the steam heating mechanism 51 also includes a condensate collection container 517, the discharge pipe on the heating device 33 can be connected to the air inlet of the condenser 515, so that the condensate formed after heat exchange of steam in the heating device can be transported through the pipe to the condensate collection container 517 for storage, which is conducive to better recycling of water resources and further improves the practicality and reliability of the hydrogen purification system 100.

[0069] See Figure 1In one embodiment of this application, a second temperature regulating valve 37 is provided on the pipe connecting the steam heating mechanism 51 and the heating device 33. The gas supply unit 30 also includes a second temperature transmitter 311, which is located on the gas supply pipe 31 and between the heating device 33 and the deoxygenation device 35. The second temperature regulating valve 37 is electrically connected to the second temperature transmitter 311.

[0070] In this embodiment, by installing a second temperature transmitter 311 on the inlet pipe connecting the heating device 33 and the deoxygenation device 35, the temperature of the hydrogen gas supplied to the deoxygenation device 35 can be detected. Based on the detection result, it can be determined whether the hydrogen temperature meets the requirements for catalytic deoxygenation. Furthermore, by installing a second temperature regulating valve 37 on the pipe connecting the steam heating mechanism 51 and the heating device 33, the second temperature regulating valve 37 can, but is not limited to, a self-operated temperature control valve or an electric temperature control valve. This valve can regulate the temperature of the steam supplied to the heating device 33 for heating, thereby improving the hydrogen deoxygenation operation in the deoxygenation device 35. Moreover, the temperature detected by the second temperature transmitter 311 can feed back a control signal to the second temperature regulating valve 37, causing the valve to adjust the temperature of the steam supplied to the heating device 33. This allows the heating device 33 to better heat the hydrogen to the required temperature, thus improving the hydrogen deoxygenation operation of the inlet unit. Specifically, the temperature detected by the second temperature transmitter 311 can be compared with the set temperature required for hydrogen. When the detected temperature is lower than the set temperature, the second temperature regulating valve 37 can be adjusted to increase the steam temperature. When the detected temperature is higher than the set temperature, the second temperature regulating valve 37 can be adjusted to decrease the steam temperature. This allows the heating device 33 to better utilize steam at a suitable temperature to heat the hydrogen, ensuring stable deoxygenation of hydrogen within the deoxygenation device 35.

[0071] Therefore, by installing a second temperature transmitter 311 on the pipeline connecting the steam heating mechanism 51 and the heating device 33, and installing a second temperature regulating valve 37 on the air inlet pipeline between the heating device 33 and the deoxygenation device 35, the linkage between the second temperature transmitter 311 and the second temperature regulating valve 37 can ensure stable and reliable heating of hydrogen by steam in the heating device 33, thereby achieving stable and reliable deoxygenation of hydrogen in the deoxygenation device 35 and further improving the practicality and reliability of the hydrogen purification system 100.

[0072] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment of this application, the gas supply unit 30 further includes a cooler, which is disposed in the deoxygenation device 35, and the cooling mechanism 53 is connected to the cooler pipe to deliver coolant to the cooler.

[0073] Understandably, after hydrogen is delivered to the deoxygenation unit 35 for deoxygenation, the output hydrogen has a high temperature. Therefore, the deoxygenation unit 35 can be equipped with a cooler at the output end to cool and lower the temperature of the deoxygenated hydrogen. This allows the hydrogen to be delivered more stably to the drying tower 11 of the drying unit 10 for drying. This helps to prevent the drying medium in the drying tower 11 from releasing water vapor due to heat, which could affect the drying effect of the hydrogen. This further improves the structural stability and reliability of the hydrogen purification system 100.

[0074] The cooler can be configured by wrapping the intake pipe with a coolant flow pipe; or it can be configured by surrounding the intake pipe with heat dissipation fins, allowing the coolant to flow through the fins for heat exchange. Of course, in other embodiments, the cooler can also adopt other structural forms, which are not limited in this application. By connecting the cooling mechanism 53 to the cooler pipe, the cooling mechanism 53 can supply coolant to the cooler, enabling the low-temperature coolant to exchange heat with the hydrogen through convection, achieving stable cooling of the hydrogen. This helps to reduce the number of cooling components, resulting in a simpler structure for the hydrogen purification system 100, and further improving the practicality and reliability of the hydrogen purification system 100.

[0075] In addition, the cooler can be connected to a discharge pipe, allowing the coolant after heat exchange to be discharged through the discharge pipe. This ensures that the cooling mechanism 53 can continuously supply low-temperature coolant to the cooler, guaranteeing stable cooling of the hydrogen. When the cooling mechanism 53 also includes a coolant collection container 535, the cooler's discharge pipe can be connected to the inlet of the coolant collection container 535, allowing the coolant after heat exchange to be discharged into the coolant collection container 535 for collection and reuse. This reduces coolant waste and further improves the practicality and reliability of the hydrogen purification system 100.

[0076] This application also proposes an electrolytic hydrogen production system, which includes a hydrogen purification system 100. The specific structure of the hydrogen purification system 100 is as described in the above embodiments. Since this electrolytic hydrogen production system adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.

[0077] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of this application and does not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural transformations made based on the technical concept of this application and the contents of the specification and drawings of this application, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A hydrogen purification system, characterized by, include: A drying unit includes at least two drying towers, each of which is surrounded by a jacket, the jacket and the outer periphery of the drying tower forming a heat exchange chamber, and the drying unit also includes an exhaust pipe connecting the at least two drying towers. A gas supply unit, the gas supply unit including a gas supply pipeline, the gas supply pipeline being connected to at least two of the drying towers; A heat exchange unit is connected to the heat exchange chamber pipes of at least two of the drying towers. The heat exchange unit is used to deliver heat exchange medium to the heat exchange chamber of any of the drying towers to heat or cool the drying towers.

2. The hydrogen purification system of claim 1, wherein, The heat exchange unit includes: A steam heating mechanism is connected to the heat exchange chamber pipes of at least two of the drying towers to supply heating steam to the heat exchange chambers; A cooling mechanism is provided, which is connected to the heat exchange chamber pipes of at least two of the drying towers to deliver coolant to the heat exchange chambers.

3. The hydrogen purification system of claim 2, wherein, The steam heating mechanism includes a steam supply pipe and a steam discharge pipe. The steam supply pipe includes at least two first steam branch pipes, which are connected to the heat exchange chambers of at least two drying towers in a one-to-one correspondence. Each first steam branch pipe is equipped with a first steam control valve. The steam discharge pipeline includes at least two second steam branch pipes, which are connected one-to-one with the heat exchange chambers of at least two of the drying towers. Each second steam branch pipe is equipped with a second steam control valve.

4. The hydrogen purification system of claim 3, wherein, The steam heating mechanism further includes a first temperature transmitter and a first temperature regulating valve, which are located on the steam supply pipeline. The first temperature transmitter is electrically connected to the first temperature regulating valve.

5. The hydrogen purification system of claim 3, wherein, The steam heating mechanism also includes a condenser and a condensate collection container. The steam discharge pipe is connected to the inlet end of the condenser, and the drain end of the condenser is connected to the inlet end pipe of the condensate collection container.

6. The hydrogen purification system of claim 5, wherein, The cooling mechanism is connected to the condenser piping to supply coolant to the condenser.

7. The hydrogen purification system of claim 5, wherein, The steam heating mechanism also includes a steam generator, the water inlet of which is connected to the drain pipe of the condensate collection container, and the steam outlet of which is connected to the steam supply pipe.

8. The hydrogen purification system of claim 2, wherein, The cooling mechanism includes a coolant supply pipe and a coolant discharge pipe. The coolant supply pipe includes at least two first cooling branch pipes, which are connected to the heat exchange chambers of at least two drying towers in a one-to-one correspondence. Each first cooling branch pipe is equipped with a first cooling control valve. The coolant discharge pipe includes at least two second cooling branch pipes, which are connected one-to-one with the heat exchange chambers of at least two of the drying towers. Each second cooling branch pipe is equipped with a second cooling control valve.

9. The hydrogen purification system of claim 8, wherein, The cooling mechanism also includes a coolant collection container, and the coolant discharge pipe is connected to the inlet end of the coolant collection container.

10. The hydrogen purification system of any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein, The gas supply unit further includes a heating device and / or a deoxygenation device, which are located on the gas supply pipeline.

11. The hydrogen purification system of claim 10, wherein, The steam heating mechanism is connected to the heating device via a pipeline to supply steam to the heating device.

12. The hydrogen purification system of claim 11, wherein, The steam heating mechanism is connected to the heating device via a second temperature regulating valve. The gas supply unit also includes a second temperature transmitter, which is located on the gas supply pipeline and between the heating device and the deoxygenation device. The second temperature regulating valve is electrically connected to the second temperature transmitter.

13. The hydrogen purification system of claim 10, wherein, The gas supply unit also includes a cooler, which is located in the deoxygenation device. The cooling mechanism is connected to the cooler via a pipe to supply coolant to the cooler.

14. An electrolytic hydrogen production system, characterized by, The electrolytic hydrogen production system includes a hydrogen purification system as described in any one of claims 1 to 13.

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