Solid-state hydrogen storage and fast hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating and application thereof

Abstract

The application relates to a solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating, which comprises a hydrogen storage unit and a control unit; the hydrogen storage unit comprises a hydrogen storage container, a hydrogen storage medium, an induction heating body and an electromagnetic induction coil, the hydrogen storage medium, the induction heating body and the electromagnetic induction coil are located in the hydrogen storage container; when the electromagnetic induction coil is electrified, the induction heating body can sense the magnetic field change and generate heat; the hydrogen storage medium comprises a solid-state hydrogen storage material, and the induction heating body is made of an electrically-conductive and thermally-conductive material; the control unit comprises a rectifier inverter, a controller and a control circuit; the controller is electrically connected with the rectifier inverter and is used for connecting or cutting off external current; the rectifier inverter is electrically connected with the control circuit and is used for converting external current into direct current and outputting the direct current to the control circuit; and the control circuit is electrically connected with the electromagnetic induction coil. The solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system provided by the application can be used in hydrogen energy vehicles, aerospace equipment and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of hydrogen energy vehicle-mounted hydrogen storage and supply technology, and in particular to a solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating and its application. Background Technology

[0002] Hydrogen energy boasts natural advantages such as abundant sources, high energy density, and clean, pollution-free operation, making it widely applicable in industrial and transportation sectors. Currently, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles primarily utilize high-pressure gaseous hydrogen storage (35 / 70 MPa), but practical applications still face the following challenges: 1) Hydrogen refueling stations require costly hydrogen pressurization and high-pressure storage equipment, and the delivery pipelines have extremely high pressure resistance requirements; 2) To protect fragile components such as the fuel cell membrane electrode assembly, the vehicle must be equipped with a sophisticated and expensive hydrogen pressure reducing valve assembly; 3) Higher rated hydrogen refueling pressure leads to greater energy consumption during refueling, and there are potential safety risks under high-pressure environments; 4) High-pressure gas cylinders are large and have a fixed shape, making them difficult to adapt to the flexible layout of the vehicle chassis.

[0003] In contrast, solid-state hydrogen storage, which achieves low-pressure, high-density storage through reversible chemical reactions between hydrogen storage materials (such as hydrogen storage alloys and metal hydrides), is a highly promising alternative. Among them, magnesium-based hydrides (MgH2) and lithium borohydride (LiBH4) have excellent mass and volumetric hydrogen storage capacity. Currently, the core challenge hindering the large-scale application of high-performance solid-state hydrogen storage materials lies in the mismatch of their thermo-mechanical characteristics: 1) The hydrogen release temperature is too high, typically exceeding 250°C for high-capacity materials such as magnesium-based materials; 2) The normal operating temperature of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is approximately 80°C, and the waste heat generated under this condition is far from sufficient to drive the hydrogen release of solid materials; 3) Traditional internal heat exchangers (such as long straight tubes, spiral tubes, or finned structures) are indirect heat exchangers, exhibiting significant thermal resistance and slow cold-start response. Therefore, when the system lacks an external heat source, the hydrogen storage material cannot release hydrogen in time to drive the fuel cell; 4) Using bulky external heating equipment or directly consuming the stack's electricity for heating would significantly reduce the overall vehicle's energy efficiency and effective hydrogen storage density.

[0004] Therefore, it is of great significance to develop a hydrogen storage and supply system that has lower pressure and smaller volume compared to high-pressure gas cylinders, and can achieve second-level thermal response, internal self-heating, and no need for complex external heat exchange systems compared to traditional solid-state hydrogen storage devices. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to provide a solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating and its application. By integrating a magnetically conductive metal column and an electromagnetic coil inside the hydrogen storage container, the eddy current effect is utilized to allow the heating element to directly act on the hydrogen storage medium, achieving rapid heating of the magnetically and electrically conductive metal column. The heating timing and duration can be flexibly controlled via an external controller. This significantly improves the hydrogen charging and discharging efficiency and low-temperature start-up performance of the solid-state hydrogen storage system.

[0006] First aspect:

[0007] A solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating includes a hydrogen storage unit and a control unit; The hydrogen storage unit includes a hydrogen storage container, a hydrogen storage medium, an induction heating element, and an electromagnetic induction coil. The hydrogen storage medium, the induction heating element, and the electromagnetic induction coil are located inside the hydrogen storage container. The induction heating element is coupled to the electromagnetic induction coil. When the electromagnetic induction coil is energized, the induction heating element can sense the change in the magnetic field, thereby generating heat. The hydrogen storage medium includes a solid hydrogen storage material, and the induction heating element is made of a conductive and thermally conductive material. The control unit includes a rectifier-inverter, a controller, and a control circuit; the controller is electrically connected to the rectifier-inverter and is used to connect or disconnect external current; the rectifier-inverter is electrically connected to the control circuit and is used to convert external current into DC power and output it to the control circuit; the control circuit is electrically connected to the electromagnetic induction coil.

[0008] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following significant advantages: (1) Achieved rapid thermal response and efficient hydrogen charging and discharging: The metal column inside the container is directly heated by electromagnetic induction, eliminating the physical thermal resistance in the traditional heat exchange process. The heating speed is fast and the temperature control range is wide. The efficient hydrogen charging and discharging working temperature of the hydrogen storage material (such as 250℃ required by magnesium materials) can be reached in as little as 30 seconds, which significantly improves the conversion efficiency.

[0009] (2) The system structure is highly integrated and lightweight: It does not rely on bulky external heat exchangers, circulating pumps and complex fluid pipelines. It can achieve self-heating function by relying on built-in metal columns and coils, which significantly improves the compactness of the hydrogen storage device and the space utilization of the whole vehicle.

[0010] (3) Overcoming the limitations of low temperature cold start: This system does not rely on the waste heat feedback of the fuel cell system. Through the electromagnetic self-heating mechanism, it ensures that the vehicle can still quickly release sufficient hydrogen in low temperature environment (the utilization rate of hydrogen storage material exceeds 90%), thus ensuring the stability and reliability of hydrogen supply.

[0011] (4) Expanding application areas: The simple structure and easy-to-control logic of this solution have the potential to be applied to hydrogen energy application areas such as aerospace and drones, which have strict requirements for weight and start-up performance.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment, the control circuit modulates the current of the rectifier-inverter into a high-frequency pulse current with a frequency of 20-40kHz, and outputs it to the electromagnetic induction coil.

[0013] Controlling the frequency of the high-frequency pulse current to 20-40kHz can help address issues related to noise, switching losses, cost, and penetration depth.

[0014] (1) First, the frequency exceeds the hearing limit of the human ear (20Hz~20kHz), thus avoiding the generation of howling noise when the equipment is running.

[0015] (2) Secondly, by controlling the frequency within this range, a low-cost and technologically mature high-power insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) module can be selected to reduce switching losses while maintaining high output power.

[0016] (3) Finally, based on the calculation formula for the penetration depth δ, ,(in The resistivity of the material For frequency, (Permeability). Too high a frequency will result in insufficient penetration depth, with electromagnetic heating concentrated on the outer layer of the induction heating element, leading to slow heating at the center of the induction heating element and thus affecting the heating rate of the hydrogen storage medium; too low a frequency will result in excessive penetration depth, possibly completely penetrating the induction heating element and severely reducing heating efficiency.

[0017] (4) In addition, the frequency of 20-40kHz provides an ideal penetration depth for common induction heating elements such as stainless steel, enabling synchronous isothermal heating of the entire bed of solid hydrogen storage medium.

[0018] As a preferred embodiment, the inductive heating element is a metal column, and an array of several metal columns is distributed within the hydrogen storage container. The metal columns have a large specific surface area, enabling rapid heat transfer to the hydrogen storage medium, thus achieving rapid heating of the hydrogen storage medium. The array distribution of the metal columns also facilitates uniform heating of the hydrogen storage medium within the container.

[0019] As a preferred embodiment, the hydrogen storage medium is spherical or ellipsoidal and fills the space between the metal column and the inner wall of the hydrogen storage container.

[0020] Spherical or ellipsoidal hydrogen storage media have the following advantages: (1) Excellent fluidity and packing properties: The small contact area between hydrogen storage media enables a more compact arrangement, thereby increasing the overall volumetric hydrogen storage density of the system.

[0021] (2) Uniformly distribute the stress generated by hydrogen storage / release: Solid hydrogen storage alloys (such as magnesium-based alloys) undergo huge lattice expansion (volume expansion rate is usually 10%~20%) when absorbing hydrogen, and then contract violently when releasing hydrogen. Spherical or ellipsoidal structures help to uniformly distribute the mechanical stress caused by this repeated expansion and contraction.

[0022] (3) Improved heat transfer performance and reduced hydrogen flow resistance: The spherical or ellipsoidal particle geometry is symmetrical, and the heat conduction is uniform within the particles and between them. At the same time, this structure allows hydrogen to penetrate more smoothly and uniformly into the interior and surface of the hydrogen storage medium, improving hydrogen diffusion efficiency.

[0023] As a preferred embodiment, the system further includes a monitoring unit connected to the hydrogen storage unit and electrically connected to the control unit. The monitoring unit includes a gravity sensor fixed to the bottom of the hydrogen storage container. The gravity sensor monitors the total mass change of the hydrogen storage container in real time, and the difference is used to calculate the current hydrogen storage level.

[0024] As a preferred embodiment, the monitoring unit further includes a temperature sensor connected to the interior of the hydrogen storage container. The temperature sensor monitors the internal temperature of the hydrogen storage container in real time to ensure that the hydrogen storage medium reaches the optimal activation temperature for efficient hydrogen absorption and release.

[0025] As a preferred embodiment, the hydrogen refueling stage includes the following steps: inputting a command to the controller; the rectifier-inverter converting the external current into DC power and outputting it to the control circuit; the control circuit modulating the DC power into a high-frequency pulse current and outputting it to the electromagnetic induction coil; the electromagnetic induction coil exciting a high-frequency alternating magnetic field; the induction heating element in the high-frequency alternating magnetic field heating up; and through heat conduction, the hydrogen storage medium reaching the optimal activation temperature for hydrogen absorption.

[0026] As a preferred embodiment, the controlled hydrogen supply stage includes the following steps: inputting a command to the controller; the rectifier-inverter converting the external current into DC power and outputting it to the control circuit; the control circuit modulating the DC power into a high-frequency pulse current and outputting it to the electromagnetic induction coil; the electromagnetic induction coil exciting a high-frequency alternating magnetic field; the induction heating element in the high-frequency alternating magnetic field heating up; and the hydrogen storage medium heating up and releasing hydrogen gas through heat conduction.

[0027] As a preferred embodiment, the controlled hydrogen supply stage further includes the following steps: adjusting the duty cycle of the high-frequency pulse current through the control circuit to achieve precise control of the hydrogen release rate.

[0028] The second aspect: The first aspect describes the application of the solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, aerospace equipment, and drones. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a hydrogen storage container for a solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating.

[0031] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of a hydrogen storage container for a solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating.

[0032] Among them, 11-hydrogen storage container, 12-hydrogen storage medium, 13-induction heating element, 14-electromagnetic induction coil, 15-hydrogen filling pipeline, 16-hydrogen supply pipeline, 21-rectifier inverter, 22-controller, 23-control circuit, 31-gravity sensor, 32-temperature sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0033] Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail. This detailed description should not be considered as a limitation of the present invention, but rather as a more detailed description of certain aspects, features, and embodiments of the present invention.

[0034] It should be understood that the terminology used in this invention is merely for describing particular embodiments and is not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, with respect to numerical ranges in this invention, it should be understood that each intermediate value between the upper and lower limits of the range is also specifically disclosed. Any stated value or intermediate value within a stated range, as well as each smaller range between any other stated value or intermediate value within said range, is also included in this invention. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may be independently included or excluded from the range.

[0035] Unless otherwise stated, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. While only preferred methods and materials have been described herein, any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein may be used in the implementation or testing of this invention. All references to this specification are incorporated by way of citation to disclose and describe methods and / or materials associated with those references. In the event of any conflict with any incorporated reference, the content of this specification shall prevail.

[0036] Various modifications and variations can be made to the specific embodiments described in this specification without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Other embodiments derived from this specification will also be apparent to those skilled in the art. This specification and embodiments are merely exemplary.

[0037] The terms “include,” “including,” “have,” “contain,” etc., used in this article are all open-ended terms, meaning that they include but are not limited to.

[0038] A solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating includes a hydrogen storage unit, a control unit, and a monitoring unit.

[0039] The hydrogen storage unit includes a hydrogen storage container 11, a hydrogen storage medium 12, an induction heating element 13, and an electromagnetic induction coil 14, all located within the hydrogen storage container 11. When the electromagnetic induction coil 14 is energized, the induction heating element 13 senses a change in the magnetic field, thereby generating heat. The induction heating element 13 is made of a conductive and thermally conductive material and, in this embodiment, is a metal column, arranged in an array within the hydrogen storage container. The hydrogen storage medium 12 comprises a solid hydrogen storage material, spherical or ellipsoidal in shape, filling the space between the metal column and the inner wall of the hydrogen storage container 11.

[0040] The control unit includes a rectifier-inverter 21, a controller 22, and a control circuit 23. The controller 22 is electrically connected to the rectifier-inverter 21 and is used to connect or disconnect the external current. The rectifier-inverter 21 is electrically connected to the control circuit 23 and is used to convert the external current into DC power and output it to the control circuit 23. The control circuit 23 modulates the current output by the rectifier-inverter 21 into a high-frequency pulse current with a frequency of 20-40kHz and outputs it to the electromagnetic induction coil 14.

[0041] The monitoring unit includes a gravity sensor 31 and a temperature sensor 32. The gravity sensor 31 and the temperature sensor 32 are electrically connected to the controller 22 respectively. The gravity sensor 31 is fixed to the bottom of the hydrogen storage container 11, and the temperature sensor 32 is connected to the inside of the hydrogen storage container 11.

[0042] The hydrogen refueling stage includes the following steps: inputting a command to the controller 22, the rectifier inverter 21 converting the external current into DC power and outputting it to the control circuit 23, the control circuit 23 modulating the DC power into a high-frequency pulse current and outputting it to the electromagnetic induction coil 14, the electromagnetic induction coil 14 exciting a high-frequency alternating magnetic field, the induction heating element 13 in the high-frequency alternating magnetic field heats up, and the hydrogen storage medium 12 reaches the optimal activation temperature for hydrogen absorption through heat conduction.

[0043] The controlled hydrogen supply stage includes the following steps: inputting a command to the controller 22, the rectifier inverter 21 converts the external current into DC power and outputs it to the control circuit 23, the control circuit 23 modulates the DC power into a high-frequency pulse current and outputs it to the electromagnetic induction coil 14, the electromagnetic induction coil 14 excites a high-frequency alternating magnetic field, the induction heating element 13 in the high-frequency alternating magnetic field heats up, and the hydrogen storage medium 12 heats up and releases hydrogen through heat conduction. At the same time, the hydrogen release rate can be precisely controlled by adjusting the duty cycle of the high-frequency pulse current.

[0044] This invention relates to a solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating, which can be applied to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, aerospace equipment, and drones, among other devices with stringent requirements for weight and start-up performance.

[0045] Example 1 like Figures 1-3 As shown, a solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating includes a hydrogen storage unit, a control unit, and a monitoring unit.

[0046] The hydrogen storage unit includes a hydrogen storage container 11, a hydrogen storage medium 12, an induction heating element 13, an electromagnetic induction coil 14, a hydrogen filling pipeline 15, and a hydrogen supply pipeline 16. The hydrogen storage medium 12, the induction heating element 13, and the electromagnetic induction coil 14 are located inside the hydrogen storage container 11. The hydrogen filling pipeline 15 and the hydrogen supply pipeline 16 pass through the hydrogen storage container 11, connecting the interior of the hydrogen storage container 11 to the outside. When the electromagnetic induction coil 14 is energized, the induction heating element 13 senses the change in the magnetic field, thereby generating heat. The induction heating element 13 is made of a conductive and thermally conductive material and, in this embodiment, is a metal column, which is arrayed within the hydrogen storage container. The hydrogen storage medium 12 includes a solid hydrogen storage material, which is spherical or ellipsoidal and fills the space between the metal column and the inner wall of the hydrogen storage container 11. Due to the low density of hydrogen, the hydrogen filling pipeline 15 is located below the hydrogen storage container 11, and the hydrogen supply pipeline 16 is located above the hydrogen storage container 11.

[0047] The control unit includes a rectifier-inverter 21, a controller 22, and a control circuit 23. The controller 22 is electrically connected to the rectifier-inverter 21 and is used to connect or disconnect the external current. The rectifier-inverter 21 is electrically connected to the control circuit 23 and is used to convert the external current into DC power and output it to the control circuit 23. The control circuit 23 modulates the current output by the rectifier-inverter 21 into a high-frequency pulse current with a frequency of 20-40kHz and outputs it to the electromagnetic induction coil 14.

[0048] The monitoring unit includes a gravity sensor 31 and a temperature sensor 32. The gravity sensor 31 and the temperature sensor 32 are electrically connected to the controller 22 respectively. The gravity sensor 31 is fixed to the bottom of the hydrogen storage container 11, and the temperature sensor 32 is connected to the inside of the hydrogen storage container 11.

[0049] The hydrogen refueling stage includes the following steps: inputting a command to the controller 22, the rectifier inverter 21 converting the external current into DC power and outputting it to the control circuit 23, the control circuit 23 modulating the DC power into a high-frequency pulse current and outputting it to the electromagnetic induction coil 14, the electromagnetic induction coil 14 exciting a high-frequency alternating magnetic field, the induction heating element 13 in the high-frequency alternating magnetic field heats up, and the hydrogen storage medium 12 reaches the optimal activation temperature for hydrogen absorption through heat conduction.

[0050] The controlled hydrogen supply stage includes the following steps: inputting a command to the controller 22, the rectifier inverter 21 converts the external current into DC power and outputs it to the control circuit 23, the control circuit 23 modulates the DC power into a high-frequency pulse current and outputs it to the electromagnetic induction coil 14, the electromagnetic induction coil 14 excites a high-frequency alternating magnetic field, the induction heating element 13 in the high-frequency alternating magnetic field heats up, and the hydrogen storage medium 12 heats up and releases hydrogen through heat conduction. At the same time, the hydrogen release rate can be precisely controlled by adjusting the duty cycle of the high-frequency pulse current.

[0051] Comparative Example 1 Traditional hydrothermal method: It uses 80°C circulating water for heating, and it takes 20 minutes for the system to rise from ambient temperature to operating temperature. It also cannot drive high-temperature magnesium-based materials.

[0052] Comparative Example 2 Resistance wire heating method: slow heating rate (3-5 minutes), and due to the limited range of heat radiation, the temperature gradient inside the container is too large, and the utilization rate of hydrogen storage material is only 70%.

[0053] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed. However, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. For those skilled in the art, any changes, modifications, substitutions, integrations, and parameter alterations to these embodiments without departing from the concept of the present invention are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating, characterized in that, Includes hydrogen storage unit and control unit; The hydrogen storage unit includes a hydrogen storage container, a hydrogen storage medium, an induction heating element, and an electromagnetic induction coil. The hydrogen storage medium, the induction heating element, and the electromagnetic induction coil are located inside the hydrogen storage container. The induction heating element is coupled to the electromagnetic induction coil. When the electromagnetic induction coil is energized, the induction heating element can sense the change in the magnetic field, thereby generating heat. The hydrogen storage medium includes a solid hydrogen storage material, and the induction heating element is made of a conductive and thermally conductive material. The control unit includes a rectifier-inverter, a controller, and a control circuit; the controller is electrically connected to the rectifier-inverter and is used to connect or disconnect external current; the rectifier-inverter is electrically connected to the control circuit and is used to convert external current into DC power and output it to the control circuit; the control circuit is electrically connected to the electromagnetic induction coil.

2. The solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control circuit modulates the current of the rectifier-inverter into a high-frequency pulse current with a frequency of 20-40kHz, and outputs it to the electromagnetic induction coil.

3. The solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inductive heating element is a metal column, and an array of several metal columns is distributed inside the hydrogen storage container.

4. The solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating according to claim 3, characterized in that, The hydrogen storage medium is spherical or ellipsoidal and fills the space between the metal column and the inner wall of the hydrogen storage container.

5. The solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a monitoring unit, which is connected to the hydrogen storage unit and electrically connected to the control unit; the monitoring unit includes a gravity sensor, which is fixed to the bottom of the hydrogen storage container.

6. The solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating according to claim 5, characterized in that, The monitoring unit also includes a temperature sensor, which is connected to the interior of the hydrogen storage container.

7. The solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hydrogen refueling stage includes the following steps: inputting instructions to the controller, the rectifier-inverter converting external current into DC power and outputting it to the control circuit, the control circuit modulating the DC power into a high-frequency pulse current and outputting it to the electromagnetic induction coil, the electromagnetic induction coil exciting a high-frequency alternating magnetic field, the induction heating element in the high-frequency alternating magnetic field heating up, and the hydrogen storage medium reaching the optimal activation temperature for hydrogen absorption through heat conduction.

8. The solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controlled hydrogen supply stage includes the following steps: inputting a command to the controller, the rectifier-inverter converting the external current into DC power and outputting it to the control circuit, the control circuit modulating the DC power into a high-frequency pulse current and outputting it to the electromagnetic induction coil, the electromagnetic induction coil exciting a high-frequency alternating magnetic field, the induction heating element in the high-frequency alternating magnetic field heating up, and the hydrogen storage medium heating up and releasing hydrogen gas through heat conduction.

9. The solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating according to claim 8, characterized in that, The controlled hydrogen supply stage also includes the following steps: adjusting the duty cycle of the high-frequency pulse current through the control circuit to achieve precise control of the hydrogen release rate.

10. The application of the solid-state hydrogen storage and rapid hydrogen supply system based on electromagnetic induction heating as described in any one of claims 1 to 9 in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, aerospace equipment, and unmanned aerial vehicles.

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