Gas-liquid separator suitable for water electrolysis hydrogen production

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the technical field of hydrogen production through water electrolysis, and particularly relates to a gas-liquid separator suitable for hydrogen production through water electrolysis. According to the technical scheme, the gas-liquid separator suitable for water electrolysis hydrogen production comprises a barrel, an inlet pipe is arranged at one end of the barrel, the other end of the barrel is connected with a corrugated plate assembly, the other end of the corrugated plate assembly is connected with a mist catcher assembly, the other end of the mist catcher assembly is connected with an outlet pipe, a liquid outlet pipe is arranged below the barrel, and a liquid outlet pipe is arranged below the barrel. A baffle plate is arranged at the position, close to the inlet pipe, in the barrel, and a plurality of baffles are arranged in the barrel. The utility model provides the gas-liquid separator suitable for hydrogen production by electrolyzing water, which can improve the gas-liquid separation efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model belongs to the technical field of water electrolysis hydrogen production, and particularly relates to a gas-liquid separator suitable for water electrolysis hydrogen production. Background Art

[0002] Hydrogen production by water electrolysis is one of the best solutions for producing green hydrogen using renewable energy such as solar energy and wind energy. Hydrogen production by water electrolysis has become a hot topic of research today because its raw material is water, which has a wide range of sources. The source of raw water is wide, water electrolysis can generate hydrogen and oxygen, and hydrogen and oxygen reaction can generate water. Its recyclability and pollution-free nature determine the development prospects of hydrogen production by water electrolysis.

[0003] In the electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen, proton exchange membrane water electrolysis has better adaptability to the volatility of renewable energy power generation than traditional alkaline solution water electrolysis. Using proton exchange membrane electrolyzers to produce hydrogen by water electrolysis, PEM water electrolysis hydrogen production device has the advantages of compact structure, relatively small size, good operability, and high safety, making PEM water electrolysis hydrogen production have important research significance and good application prospects.

[0004] PEM water electrolysis for hydrogen production has the operational requirements of large hydrogen production and high gas-liquid separation efficiency. At present, some related patents provide some structures of gas-liquid separators. For example, patent 201420746559.4 provides a gas-liquid separator, on which the upper cover of the gas-liquid separator is provided with a gas inlet and a gas outlet, the lower cover of the gas-liquid separator is provided with a liquid outlet, and the liquid storage section is provided with a wire mesh, which can separate the gas and liquid as much as possible. Patent 201520003437.0 provides a gas-liquid separator, a spray pipe connected to the liquid inlet pipe in the shell, a partition with a liquid leakage hole provided in the shell, and a baffle with a leakage hole provided inside the shell, a blind plate is provided at the lower end of the spray pipe, the partition is located below the spray pipe, and the baffles are alternately distributed below the partition from top to bottom. By providing a baffle, multi-stage baffles fully separate gas and liquid.

[0005] However, there is a lack of large-scale, high-efficiency gas-liquid separators suitable for PEM water electrolysis to produce hydrogen. Therefore, a reasonably designed gas-liquid separator with high separation efficiency will be of great significance to improving the performance of PEM electrolysis and improving the quality of products such as hydrogen and oxygen.

[0006] The gravity-type gas-liquid separator uses the difference in density properties between the gas phase and the liquid phase to achieve two-phase separation under the action of gravity. Under normal working conditions, the density of the liquid phase is much greater than the density of the gas, and the gas buoyancy in the gas phase is less than the gravity of the liquid phase. Therefore, it is only necessary to provide the two-phase flow fluid with a sufficient distance in the flow direction and control the flow rate of the fluid to achieve the natural separation of the gas and liquid phases. However, the general gravity-type gas-liquid separator has a better separation effect for droplets with larger particle sizes. When the droplet size is small, the droplets are easily affected by the airflow, and the effect of gravity separation will be significantly reduced. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize and transform the internal structure of the existing gravity-type gas-liquid separator to improve its separation performance. Utility Model Content

[0007] In order to solve the above problems existing in the prior art, the purpose of the utility model is to provide a gas-liquid separator suitable for producing hydrogen by electrolyzing water, which can improve the gas-liquid separation efficiency.

[0008] The technical solution adopted by the utility model is:

[0009] A gas-liquid separator suitable for producing hydrogen by electrolyzing water comprises a cylinder, one end of which is provided with an inlet pipe, the other end of which is connected to a corrugated plate assembly, the other end of which is connected to a mist collector assembly, the other end of which is connected to an outlet pipe, a liquid outlet pipe is provided below the cylinder, a baffle is provided in the cylinder near the inlet pipe, and a plurality of baffles are provided in the cylinder.

[0010] The gas-liquid two-phase fluid enters the cylinder of the gas-liquid separator through the inlet pipe, and passes through the baffles and several baffles in turn, taking advantage of the large density of the liquid phase and the greater inertia it can easily obtain during the movement to escape from the trajectory of the gas phase. And in the cylinder of the gas-liquid separator, due to the difference in the density properties of the gas phase and the liquid phase, the two phases are separated under the action of gravity. And a corrugated plate assembly and a mist collector assembly are provided at the tail. In the mist collector assembly, when the liquid-carrying gas flows through the filter element, small-sized droplets will be directly intercepted and separated, thereby helping to separate droplets with smaller particle sizes. The utility model optimizes the structure of the existing gravity-type gas-liquid separator and adopts a combination of multiple separation methods to achieve the separation of a large number of tiny droplets and improve the efficiency of gas-liquid separation. It can be applied to large-scale PEM water electrolysis to produce hydrogen, obtain high-purity hydrogen and oxygen, and other product scenarios.

[0011] As a preferred solution of the utility model, the baffle is directly opposite to the inlet pipe, so that the baffle blocks the gas-liquid two phases, so that part of the liquid phase is settled, and the remaining gas-liquid two phases pass through the opening between the baffle and the cylinder.

[0012] As a preferred solution of the utility model, an opening for gas and liquid to pass through is provided between the baffle and the inner wall of the cylinder, and the direction of the opening is perpendicular to the inlet pipe.

[0013] As a preferred solution of the utility model, one side of the baffle is connected to the inner wall of the cylinder, and the other side of the baffle is separated from the inner wall of the cylinder.

[0014] As a preferred solution of the utility model, the positions where adjacent baffles are connected to the inner wall of the cylinder are located on opposite sides of the cylinder. The gas and liquid phases pass through each baffle in the cylinder in sequence to achieve deflection, which facilitates the sedimentation of the liquid phase.

[0015] As a preferred solution of the present utility model, the number of the baffles is three.

[0016] As a preferred solution of the utility model, the corrugated plate assembly is located at the upper part of the cylinder.

[0017] As a preferred solution of the utility model, the corrugated plate assembly includes a tube body, the tube body is connected to the cylinder body, and a plurality of corrugated plates are arranged on the inner wall of the tube body along the circumferential direction.

[0018] As a preferred solution of the utility model, a hook structure is provided on the corrugated plate, and the bending direction of the hook structure is downward.

[0019] As a preferred solution of the utility model, a liquid infusion tube is also provided at the bottom of the cylinder.

[0020] The beneficial effects of the utility model are:

[0021] The utility model comprehensively utilizes multiple separation methods such as inertial separation, gravity sedimentation separation, and filtration separation. It has a compact layout and high separation efficiency (above 98%). It can meet the special requirements of the gas-liquid separator for hydrogen production by electrolysis of water, that is, the medium entering the medium contains a large number of tiny droplets and the flow rate to be processed is large. It can be used in large-scale PEM water electrolysis to produce hydrogen and obtain high-purity hydrogen, oxygen and other products. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the utility model;

[0023] Figure 2 It is a top view of the utility model;

[0024] Figure 3 It is a cross-sectional view of the utility model;

[0025] Figure 4 It is a partial structural diagram of the utility model.

[0026] In the figure: 1-cylinder; 2-inlet pipe; 3-corrugated plate assembly; 4-mist collector assembly; 5-outlet pipe; 6-liquid outlet pipe; 7-baffle; 8-baffle; 9-liquid replenishment pipe; 31-tube body; 32-corrugated plate; 33-hook structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] In order to make the purpose, technical scheme and advantages of the embodiments of the utility model clearer, the technical scheme in the embodiments of the utility model will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the utility model. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the utility model, not all of the embodiments. Generally, the components of the embodiments of the utility model described and shown in the drawings here can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0028] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in the field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention. It should be noted that the embodiments of the present invention and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0029] like Figure 1 to Figure 4 As shown, the gas-liquid separator suitable for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of water of this embodiment comprises a cylinder 1, one end of the cylinder 1 is provided with an inlet pipe 2, the other end of the cylinder 1 is connected with a corrugated plate assembly 3, the corrugated plate assembly 3 is located at the upper part of the cylinder 1, the other end of the corrugated plate assembly 3 is connected with a mist collector assembly 4, the other end of the mist collector assembly 4 is connected with an outlet pipe 5, a liquid outlet pipe 6 is provided below the cylinder 1, a baffle 7 is provided in the cylinder 1 near the inlet pipe 2, a plurality of baffles 8 are provided in the cylinder 1, and a liquid replenishing pipe 9 is also provided at the bottom of the cylinder 1.

[0030] The baffle 7 is directly opposite to the inlet pipe 2, so that the baffle 7 blocks the gas-liquid two-phase, so that part of the liquid phase is settled, and the remaining gas-liquid two-phase passes through the opening between the baffle 7 and the cylinder 1. An opening for gas and liquid to pass through is provided between the baffle 7 and the inner wall of the cylinder 1, and the opening direction is perpendicular to the inlet pipe 2.

[0031] One side of the baffle 8 is connected to the inner wall of the cylinder 1, and the other side of the baffle 8 is separated from the inner wall of the cylinder 1. The positions where adjacent baffles 8 are connected to the inner wall of the cylinder 1 are located on opposite sides of the cylinder 1. The gas and liquid phases pass through each baffle 8 in the cylinder 1 in sequence to achieve deflection, which facilitates the sedimentation of the liquid phase. There are three baffles 8.

[0032] The corrugated plate assembly 3 comprises a tube body 31, which is connected to the cylinder body 1, and a plurality of corrugated plates 32 are arranged on the inner wall of the tube body 31 along the circumferential direction. The corrugated plates 32 are provided with a hook structure 33, and the bending direction of the hook structure 33 is downward.

[0033] After entering the cylinder 1 from the inlet pipe 2, the gas and liquid phases will pass through the baffle 7, several baffles 8 and the corrugated plate assembly 3 respectively. This is mainly a way of inertial separation. Its main principle is to use the large density of the liquid phase and the greater inertia it can easily obtain during the movement to escape the trajectory of the gas phase and achieve two-phase separation. A corrugated plate assembly 3 is provided near the outlet pipe 5 on the cylinder 1. A hook structure 33 is designed on each corrugated plate 32, which can block the vertically rising droplets, and after the droplets converge, they drip into the cylinder 1 due to gravity, thereby achieving gas-liquid separation and further improving the separation efficiency.

[0034] A certain liquid level will be maintained inside the cylinder 1 of the gas-liquid separator, and the two-phase fluid will separate due to the difference in gravity between the two phases during the migration process in the upper space. This is mainly a method of gravity sedimentation separation. The difference in the density properties of the gas phase and the liquid phase is used to achieve the two-phase separation under the action of gravity. Under normal working conditions, the density of the liquid phase is much greater than the density of the gas, and the gravity exerted on the liquid phase is also greater than the buoyancy of the gas in the gas phase. Therefore, it is only necessary to provide the two-phase flow fluid with a sufficient distance in the flow direction and control the flow rate of the fluid to achieve the natural separation of the gas and liquid phases.

[0035] At the tail end of the gas outlet, the two-phase fluid passes through the mist collector assembly 4, and a corresponding filter element wire mesh structure is installed inside to separate smaller droplet particles, further improving the separation effect. This is mainly based on the filtering separation method, and its principle is to use a filter element structure to intercept the gas-liquid two-phase flow. The filter element is a porous and dense material. When liquid and gas flow through the filter element, droplets larger than the diameter of the holes in the material will be directly intercepted and separated. Since the liquid is viscous, the intercepted droplets adhere to the material, thereby helping to separate droplets with a particle size smaller than the holes in the material, so it has a better separation effect on droplets below 100 microns.

[0036] In addition, the liquid level in the cylinder 1 of the gas-liquid separator can be controlled and adjusted through the liquid replenishing pipe 9 below the cylinder 1 and the liquid outlet pipe 6 below the cylinder 1 to achieve a reasonable liquid level.

[0037] In general, the gas-liquid separator of the utility model comprehensively utilizes various gas-liquid separation principles such as inertial separation, gravity sedimentation separation, and filtration separation, and designs a baffle 7, a baffle 8 assembly, a corrugated plate assembly 3, a mist collector assembly 4, etc. in the cylinder 1, with a compact layout and high separation efficiency.

[0038] In summary, the gas-liquid two-phase fluid enters the cylinder 1 of the gas-liquid separator through the inlet pipe 2, and passes through the baffle 7 and several baffles 8 in turn, taking advantage of the large density of the liquid phase and the greater inertia it is easier to obtain during the movement to escape from the trajectory of the gas phase. And in the cylinder 1 of the gas-liquid separator, due to the difference in the density properties of the gas phase and the liquid phase, the two-phase separation is achieved under the action of gravity. And a corrugated plate assembly 3 and a mist collector assembly 4 are provided at the tail. In the mist collector assembly 4, when the liquid-carrying gas flows through the filter element, small-sized droplets will be directly intercepted and separated, thereby helping to separate droplets with smaller particle sizes. The utility model optimizes the structure of the existing gravity-type gas-liquid separator and adopts a combination of multiple separation methods to achieve the separation of a large number of tiny droplets and improve the efficiency of gas-liquid separation. It can be applied to large-scale PEM water electrolysis to produce hydrogen, obtain high-purity hydrogen and oxygen, and other product scenarios.

[0039] The utility model comprehensively utilizes multiple separation methods such as inertial separation, gravity sedimentation separation, and filtration separation to design a new gas-liquid separator with compact layout and high separation efficiency (above 98%). It can meet the special requirements of the gas-liquid separator for hydrogen production by electrolysis of water, that the medium entering the medium contains a large number of tiny droplets and the flow rate to be processed is large, and can be used in large-scale PEM water electrolysis to produce hydrogen and obtain high-purity hydrogen, oxygen and other products.

[0040] Example:

[0041] like Figure 1 to Figure 4 As shown, a gas-liquid separator is composed of a cylinder 1 and internal components of the gas-liquid separator. The two-phase fluid enters the cylinder 1 through the inlet pipe 2. After passing through the baffle 7, the two-phase fluid will be dispersed in the upper space due to rebound, and the two phases will be separated by inertia during the collision process. The dispersed two-phase fluid will move to the right in the upper space, and during the migration process, the density difference between the gas and liquid phases will be used to separate them by gravity sedimentation in the upper space.

[0042] When encountering the baffle 8 in the cylinder 1, the droplets will collide and converge on the wall and separate from the gas phase. When the two-phase fluid flows through the corrugated plate assembly 3, the droplets will be separated by inertia on the corrugated plate 32. After the droplets converge, they will drip downward into the cylinder 1 due to gravity. The fluid carrying small particle droplets in the mist collector assembly 4 will separate the small particle droplets by filtering separation in the corresponding defoaming porous medium layer, further improving the separation efficiency. After the liquid in the cylinder 1 converges, it can be discharged through the liquid outlet pipe 6. When the liquid level is low, it can be supplemented and adjusted through the liquid replenishment pipe 9 to maintain the liquid level in the cylinder 1 at a reasonable level.

[0043] The present utility model is not limited to the above-mentioned optional implementation modes. Anyone can derive other various forms of products under the inspiration of the present utility model. However, no matter what changes are made in the shape or structure, all technical solutions that fall within the scope defined by the claims of the present utility model fall within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A gas-liquid separator suitable for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of water, characterized in that: The invention comprises a cylinder (1), one end of which is provided with an inlet pipe (2), the other end of which is connected to a corrugated plate assembly (3), the other end of which is connected to a mist collector assembly (4), the other end of which is connected to an outlet pipe (5), a liquid outlet pipe (6) is provided below the cylinder (1), a baffle (7) is provided in the cylinder (1) near the inlet pipe (2), and a plurality of baffles (8) are provided in the cylinder (1).

2. A gas-liquid separator suitable for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of water according to claim 1, characterized in that: The baffle (7) is directly opposite to the inlet pipe (2).

3. A gas-liquid separator suitable for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of water according to claim 2, characterized in that: An opening for gas and liquid to pass through is provided between the baffle plate (7) and the inner wall of the cylinder (1), and the direction of the opening is perpendicular to the inlet pipe (2).

4. A gas-liquid separator suitable for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of water according to claim 1, characterized in that: One side of the baffle (8) is connected to the inner wall of the cylinder (1), and the other side of the baffle (8) is separated from the inner wall of the cylinder (1).

5. A gas-liquid separator suitable for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of water according to claim 4, characterized in that: The positions where adjacent baffles (8) are connected to the inner wall of the cylinder (1) are located on the opposite sides of the cylinder (1).

6. A gas-liquid separator suitable for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of water according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of the baffles (8) is three.

7. A gas-liquid separator suitable for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of water according to claim 1, characterized in that: The corrugated plate assembly (3) is located at the upper part of the cylinder (1).

8. A gas-liquid separator suitable for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of water according to claim 1, characterized in that: The corrugated plate assembly (3) comprises a tube body (31), the tube body (31) is connected to the cylinder body (1), and a plurality of corrugated plates (32) are arranged on the inner wall of the tube body (31) along the circumferential direction.

9. A gas-liquid separator suitable for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of water according to claim 8, characterized in that: The corrugated plate (32) is provided with a hook structure (33), and the bending direction of the hook structure (33) is downward.

10. A gas-liquid separator suitable for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of water according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: A liquid infusion tube (9) is also provided at the bottom of the cylinder (1).

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