Electrolytic hydrogen production gas-liquid separator

Abstract

The utility model provides an electrolysis hydrogen production gas-liquid separator, which belongs to the technical field of water electrolysis hydrogen production, and comprises a tank body, a gas-liquid inlet is formed in a sealing head on one side of the tank body, a liquid outlet and a water replenishing port are respectively formed in the bottom of the tank body, and a gas outlet is formed in the top of the tank body; the gas-liquid inlet is connected with a gas-liquid inlet pipe, the gas-liquid inlet pipe is arranged in the tank body and extends to a position close to the seal head on the other side of the tank body along the length direction of the tank body, and the end part of the gas-liquid inlet pipe is sealed by a sealing plate; a plurality of jet flow separation openings are distributed in the side face of the pipe wall of the gas-liquid inlet pipe in the length direction of the gas-liquid inlet pipe, and a plurality of jet flow separation openings are also distributed in the circumferential direction of the gas-liquid inlet pipe. The gas-liquid separator is good in separation effect and high in separation efficiency, alkali liquor splashing at the inlet can be avoided, the liquid level stability is improved, the quantity of bubbles carried by alkali liquor is reduced, and the yield and the yield of gas are also improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of water electrolysis hydrogen production, in particular to a gas-liquid separator for electrolytic hydrogen production. Background Art

[0002] The current process for hydrogen production by water electrolysis is as follows: Water is electrolyzed under a DC electric field, generating hydrogen at the cathode and oxygen at the anode. Hydrogen / oxygen, carrying the electrolyte (i.e., alkaline solution), passes through the electrolyzer's gas rings and pipelines and enters the hydrogen / oxygen liquid separator. Within the separator, gravity separation is performed using the difference in specific gravity between the gas and liquid phases. The hydrogen / oxygen then flows upward into the hydrogen / oxygen side scrubber, where it is washed with demineralized water, cooled, and defoamed. The separated hydrogen / oxygen then enters a subsequent system for gas purification, ultimately yielding the hydrogen / oxygen product.

[0003] In the aforementioned process, hydrogen / oxygen is separated from alkali liquor and gas (i.e., hydrogen / oxygen) in a hydrogen / oxygen liquid-liquid separator. The alkali liquor is primarily carried by hydrogen or oxygen. The effectiveness of this separation directly determines the material and energy consumption during this production process and subsequent purification. Furthermore, since separation systems for hydrogen production by water electrolysis are mostly skid-mounted, this also involves the complexity of the equipment structure and materials, welding, and the difficulty of manufacturing skid-mounted equipment. Alkali liquor, under the action of gas, forms a gas-melt liquid. Commonly used hydrogen / oxygen liquid-liquid separators in the prior art primarily have a central inlet, where gravity and baffles separate the gas and liquid phases. However, the existing gas-liquid separators are relatively simple in structure. As the amount of electrolyte circulation increases, the gas-liquid separation effect is often poor. It is also easy to form alkali liquid splashing at the inlet, which causes a large amount of gas to enter the alkali liquid, but increases the amount of bubbles carried by the alkali liquid, which is more detrimental to gas-liquid separation, reduces the gas-liquid separation efficiency, and also reduces the gas production and yield. It is also easy to cause liquid level fluctuations and inaccurate liquid levels, resulting in frequent start-stop of the material replenishment pump and its valve, wasting materials and causing signal acquisition and PLC system control errors, resulting in safety hazards and a significant reduction in the service life of the operating mechanism. Therefore, in the case of water electrolysis hydrogen production and the electrolyte being alkali liquid, a gas-liquid separator that is superior to the existing separation system and suitable for water electrolysis hydrogen production system is proposed. Utility Model Content

[0004] The utility model provides a gas-liquid separator for electrolytic hydrogen production, which is used to solve the problem that existing gas-liquid separators are prone to alkali liquid splashing at the inlet, increasing the amount of bubbles carried by the alkali liquid, causing liquid level fluctuations and inaccurate liquid levels, affecting the separation effect and separation efficiency, and reducing gas production and yield.

[0005] The utility model provides a gas-liquid separator for producing hydrogen by electrolysis, comprising: a tank body, which is arranged horizontally; a gas-liquid inlet is provided on a head on one side of the tank body, a liquid outlet and a water replenishing port are respectively provided on the bottom of the tank body, and a gas outlet is provided on the top of the tank body; the gas-liquid inlet is connected to a gas-liquid inlet pipe, which is provided inside the tank body and extends along the length direction of the tank body to a head on the other side close to the tank body, and its end is closed by a closing plate; a plurality of jet separation openings are distributed on the side surface of the tube wall of the gas-liquid inlet pipe along the length direction of the gas-liquid inlet pipe, and a plurality of jet separation openings are also distributed on the circumference of the gas-liquid inlet pipe; the jet separation openings distributed on the circumference of the gas-liquid inlet pipe have a flow deviation angle of 15-60° with the horizontal axis of the gas-liquid inlet pipe.

[0006] Furthermore, a plurality of jet separation openings are evenly distributed on the closing plate in multiple layers.

[0007] Furthermore, the jet separation port is a table-shaped structure, and the inlet diameter on the inner wall of the gas-liquid inlet pipe is smaller than the outlet diameter on the outer wall of the pipe.

[0008] Furthermore, a liquid-holding weir with an open top is provided below the gas-liquid inlet pipe. The cross-section of the liquid-holding weir is an inverted trapezoidal structure with a larger top and a smaller bottom, and the top width of the liquid-holding weir is greater than the diameter of the gas-liquid inlet pipe; gaps are left between the sides and both side ends of the liquid-holding weir and the inner wall of the tank body.

[0009] Furthermore, the gas-liquid inlet pipe is arranged at a height of 1 / 3-1 / 2 from the top of the tank body; and the liquid weir is arranged at a height of 1 / 4-1 / 3 from the bottom of the tank body.

[0010] Furthermore, a plurality of balancing pipes are connected to the bottom of the tank.

[0011] Furthermore, a disassembly port is provided on the top of the tank body, a support frame is provided inside the tank body, and a liquid level gauge is provided on the side of the tank body.

[0012] Furthermore, a demisting screen is provided at the gas outlet.

[0013] The utility model provides an electrolytic hydrogen production gas-liquid separator, which reduces gas-liquid contact by changing the internal structure of the gas-liquid separator, and simultaneously jets alkali liquid onto the inner wall of the tank through a gas-liquid inlet pipe, so that the alkali liquid flows along the inner wall of the tank to the liquid surface, thereby avoiding the problem of increasing the amount of bubbles carried by the alkali liquid due to splashing of the alkali liquid, reducing the problem of liquid fluctuation in the tank, improving the stability of the liquid surface, improving the separation effect and efficiency of the gas-liquid separator, and improving the gas production and yield.

[0014] The gas-liquid inlet pipe and jet separation port in this gas-liquid separator can jet the alkali liquid in the gas-liquid mixture onto the inner wall of the tank, breaking the gas-liquid two-phase mixture while allowing the alkali liquid to flow along the inner wall into the alkali liquid temporarily stored in the tank. This prevents the alkali liquid from splashing onto the liquid surface and entrapping bubbles. In conjunction with the liquid-holding weir, it can buffer and slow the downward-directed jet flow, increasing the gas-liquid separation path and improving the separation effect.

[0015] This gas-liquid separator can be applied to the hydrogen production side or the oxygen production side of the electrolytic hydrogen production system. It can achieve good gas-liquid separation effect in a limited space, significantly improve the purity of the separated gas, and increase the adjustable range of the electrolyte circulation volume, ensuring the normal and stable operation of the separation system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a gas-liquid separator for producing hydrogen through electrolysis provided in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 for Figure 1 AA-direction cross-sectional schematic diagram;

[0019] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a gas-liquid inlet pipe provided in one embodiment of the present utility model;

[0020] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A cross-sectional schematic diagram in the BB direction;

[0021] Figure 5 for Figure 3 C-direction diagram.

[0022] Description of reference numerals:

[0023] 1. Tank body, 2. Gas-liquid inlet, 3. Liquid outlet, 4. Water supply port, 5. Gas outlet, 6. Liquid weir, 7. Balance pipe, 8. Disassembly port, 9. Liquid level gauge, 21. Gas-liquid inlet pipe, 22. Closing plate, 23. Jet separation port, 51. Demisting screen. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] To make the purpose, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention more clear, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention are clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts also fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0025] like Figure 1 、 Figure 3 and Figure 4 The utility model provides a gas-liquid separator for producing hydrogen by electrolysis, comprising: a tank body 1, which is arranged horizontally; a gas-liquid inlet 2 is provided on a head on one side of the tank body 1, a liquid outlet 3 and a water replenishing port 4 are respectively provided on the bottom of the tank body 1, and a gas outlet 5 is provided on the top of the tank body 1; the gas-liquid inlet 2 is connected to a gas-liquid inlet pipe 21, which is provided inside the tank body 1 and extends along the length direction of the tank body 1 to the head on the other side near the tank body 1, and its end is closed by a closing plate 22; on the side surface of the tube wall of the gas-liquid inlet pipe 21, a plurality of jet separation ports 23 are distributed along the length direction of the gas-liquid inlet pipe 21, and a plurality of jet separation ports 23 are also distributed in the circumferential direction of the gas-liquid inlet pipe 21; the jet separation ports 23 distributed in the circumferential direction of the gas-liquid inlet pipe 21 have a deviation angle of 15-60° with the horizontal axis of the gas-liquid inlet pipe 21.

[0026] The tank body 1 of the gas-liquid separator is arranged horizontally, which can make the gas-liquid mixture spread better and more evenly in the tank body 1, make the overall flow field more uniform and reduce the peak flow rate, which is beneficial to increase the liquid level stability in the gas-liquid separator. The gas-liquid mixture enters the gas-liquid separator from the gas-liquid inlet 2. After the gas-liquid two phases are separated by the gravity difference between the gas and liquid phases, the gas phase is discharged into the purification unit from the gas outlet 5 at the top of the tank body 1, and the liquid phase-alkali solution is discharged from the liquid outlet 3 at the bottom of the tank body 1 to the electrolytic cell for reuse. The water supply port 4 is used to replenish desalted water for the gas-liquid separator. The replenished desalted water can be used as supplementary water (electrolysis water) for the electrolysis system. At the same time, it can cool the alkali solution, improve the separation effect, and reduce the workload of subsequent scrubbers and heat exchangers.

[0027] The jet separation port 23 on the tube wall of the gas-liquid inlet pipe 21 is set to have a deflection angle of 15-60°. It will not spray directly upward or downward, nor will it be directly introduced into the alkali liquid surface in the tank body 1. Instead, the alkali liquid in the gas-liquid mixture will be jetted onto the inner wall of the tank body 1. While breaking the gas-liquid two-phase mixed state, the alkali liquid can flow along the inner wall of the tank body 1 into the alkali liquid temporarily stored in the tank body 1, thereby reducing the liquid fluctuation problem in the tank body 1, avoiding frequent start and stop of the water replenishment port 4 due to liquid level fluctuation, and avoiding the situation where the alkali liquid falls on the liquid surface and splashes water to wrap the bubbles, thereby improving the liquid level stability, reducing the amount of bubbles carried by the alkali liquid, and also helping to improve the separation effect and separation efficiency, and increase the gas production and yield.

[0028] like Figure 5 Furthermore, the sealing plate 22 is evenly distributed with multiple layers of jet separation openings 23. The jet separation openings 23 on the sealing plate 22 can eject the gas-liquid mixture onto the inner wall of the head of the tank body 1, causing the gas and liquid phases to separate after impact, thereby accelerating the gas-liquid separation efficiency. The diameter of the sealing plate 22 and the gas-liquid inlet pipe 21, as well as the number and diameter of the jet separation openings 23 on the sealing plate 22 and the gas-liquid inlet pipe 21, can be selected and set by those skilled in the art based on the feed rate of the gas-liquid mixture or the amount of liquid carried over, so as to ensure the separation effect.

[0029] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 The jet separation ports 23 on the sealing plate 22 are arranged in a 2-layer 12-port arrangement, with 4 ports opened in the inner layer and 8 ports opened in the outer layer. The diameter of the gas-liquid inlet pipe 21 is Φ108, and there are 6 jet separation ports 23 distributed in the circumference. The deflection angle is 45°, the opening diameter is Φ6, and the hole spacing is 5mm. The feed capacity of the gas-liquid separator is 4000m 3 / h, this setting can ensure that the alkali liquid can be ejected onto the inner wall of the tank body 1 instead of falling directly onto the alkali liquid surface below, and there will be no splashing of the alkali liquid and the situation of carrying liquid.

[0030] like Figure 4 Furthermore, the jet separation port 23 is a terraced structure, and the inlet diameter on the inner wall of the gas-liquid inlet pipe 21 is smaller than the outlet diameter on the outer wall. From the perspective of the flow direction of the gas-liquid mixture, the inlet diameter of the jet separation port 23 is smaller than the outlet diameter, so that a scattered jet can be generated at the outlet of the jet separation port 23, thereby jetting the gas-liquid mixture to the inner wall of the tank body 1 to separate them. At the same time, under the condition of the same initial velocity, after the gas and liquid enter the jet separation port 23, since the terraced structure of the jet separation port 23 is a variable diameter structure, the flow velocities of the gas and liquid phases will definitely change and produce differences therein, so that separation will occur in the terraced structure, and the bubbles in the mixed liquid will burst, achieving gas-liquid separation, thereby improving the gas-liquid separation effect.

[0031] In order to further prevent the gas-liquid mixture ejected from the jet separation port 23 from directly contacting the alkali solution surface below, Figure 1 and Figure 2 Furthermore, a liquid-holding weir 6 with an open top is provided below the gas-liquid inlet pipe 21. The cross-section of the liquid-holding weir 6 is an inverted trapezoidal structure with a larger top and a smaller bottom, and the top width of the liquid-holding weir 6 is greater than the diameter of the gas-liquid inlet pipe 21; there is a gap between the side surfaces and both side ends of the liquid-holding weir 6 and the inner wall of the tank body 1.

[0032] If the deflection angle of the jet separation port 23 is small and the number is large, the gas-liquid mixture ejected from the downward-slanting part of the jet separation port 23 will first collide with the liquid weir 6, and realize diversion on the inner wall of the liquid weir 6. The liquid phase-alkali solution will overflow downward from the two ends or sides of the liquid weir 6 and finally merge into the alkali solution at the bottom of the tank body 1. The liquid weir 6 can buffer and slow down the ejected material, increase the path of gas-liquid separation, and improve the separation effect.

[0033] Furthermore, the gas-liquid inlet pipe 21 is arranged at a height of 1 / 3-1 / 2 from the top of the tank body 1 ; the liquid weir 6 is arranged at a height of 1 / 4-1 / 3 from the bottom of the tank body 1 .

[0034] like Figure 1 Furthermore, the bottom of the tank body 1 is also connected to a plurality of balance pipes 7. The balance pipe 7 is used to connect the hydrogen side gas-liquid separator and the oxygen side gas-liquid separator to balance the liquid levels between the two gas-liquid separators, thereby ensuring that the separated hydrogen and oxygen will not mix in the gas-liquid separator to avoid the risk of explosion. Figure 1 In the embodiment, three balancing pipes 7 are provided, which can avoid the problem that the balancing pipe 7 is too large in diameter and affects the volume of the equipment, thereby making it impossible to install it in the skid, and the multi-pipeline structure is more conducive to the adjustment and balance of the alkali liquid level.

[0035] like Figure 1 Furthermore, a disassembly port 8 is provided on the top of the tank body 1, a support frame (conventional setting, not shown) is provided inside the tank body 1, and a liquid level gauge 9 is provided on the side of the tank body 1. The disassembly port 8 is for the convenience of installation and maintenance. The support frame is a structure for fixing the gas-liquid inlet pipe 21 and the liquid weir 6, and the number and distribution method can be set arbitrarily. The liquid level gauge 9 is used to monitor the real-time liquid level in the gas-liquid separator, so as to facilitate timely water replenishment or balancing of the liquid level. Through the measurement data of the liquid level gauge 9 installed on the tank body 1, the PLC control system can determine whether to replenish desalted water into the tank body 1 through the water replenishment port 4.

[0036] like Figure 1Furthermore, a demisting mesh 51 is provided at the gas outlet 5. The material of the demisting mesh 51 is not limited, including but not limited to nickel mesh or plastic mesh. Installing the demisting mesh 51 at the gas outlet 5 can reduce the gas flow rate and further separate the residual liquid in the gas, thereby reducing the amount of liquid carried by the gas.

[0037] The electrolytic hydrogen production gas-liquid separator provided by the present invention is that when it is working, the gas-liquid mixture enters the gas-liquid inlet pipe 21 from the gas-liquid inlet 2, and in the process of flowing along the gas-liquid inlet pipe 21, part of it is ejected from the jet separation port 23 on the pipe wall of the gas-liquid inlet pipe 21, and part of it is ejected from the jet separation port 23 on the closing plate 22 at the end of the gas-liquid inlet pipe 21. In the process of ejection, the gas-liquid two-phase mixed state is broken, and the alkali liquid is jetted to the inner wall of the tank body 1, i.e., the head, and merges into the alkali liquid temporarily stored in the tank body 1 along the inner wall of the tank body 1, thereby reducing the liquid fluctuation problem in the tank body 1 and avoiding the situation where the alkali liquid falls on the liquid surface and splashes water to wrap the bubbles. The gas passes upward through the buffering of the demisting mesh 51 and the re-interception of the entrained liquid, and is discharged into the purification unit from the gas outlet 5. The liquid is temporarily stored in the gas-liquid separator. When the liquid level meter 9 measures or monitors that the liquid level is too high, the alkali solution is discharged through the liquid outlet 3. If the liquid level monitoring is low, desalted water is added to the gas-liquid separator through the water supply port 4, which can not only cool the alkali solution, but also replenish the electrolytic water of the electrolysis system.

[0038] When the deflection angle of the jet separation port 23 is small and the number is large, the gas-liquid mixture ejected from the downwardly inclined part of the jet separation port 23 will first collide with the liquid weir 6, and realize diversion on the inner wall of the liquid weir 6. The liquid phase - alkali liquid will overflow downward from the two ends or sides of the liquid weir 6, and finally merge into the alkali liquid at the bottom of the tank body 1. The liquid weir 6 can buffer and slow down the ejected material, increase the path of gas-liquid separation, and improve the separation effect. At the same time, during the operation of the gas-liquid separator, the liquid level balance between the hydrogen side gas-liquid separator and the oxygen side gas-liquid separator is also maintained by the balance pipe 7. When the gas-liquid separator needs to be repaired, the internal structure can be disassembled, repaired and installed using the disassembly port 8.

[0039] It should be noted that the detailed structure of some devices is not described in detail in this utility model, but belongs to the prior art known to those skilled in the art, so it will not be repeated here. In addition, the parts not described in this device are the same as the prior art or can be implemented by using the prior art.

[0040] It should be noted that pressure sensors, flow meters or temperature sensors are installed on the delivery pipelines inside the device between different units and equipment. Different valves are also installed, such as pressure relief valves, pressure regulating valves, safety valves, etc., which are used to adjust and stabilize the pressure of the entire device.

[0041] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that the technical solutions described in the above embodiments can still be modified, or some or all of the technical features therein can be replaced by equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A gas-liquid separator for hydrogen production by electrolysis, characterized in that: include: The tank body is arranged horizontally; a gas and liquid inlet is provided on a head on one side of the tank body, a liquid outlet and a water supply port are respectively provided at the bottom of the tank body, and a gas outlet is provided at the top of the tank body; The gas-liquid inlet is connected to a gas-liquid inlet pipe, which is arranged inside the tank body and extends along the length direction of the tank body to the head on the other side of the tank body, and its end is closed by a closing plate; on the side surface of the tube wall of the gas-liquid inlet pipe, a plurality of jet separation ports are distributed along the length direction of the gas-liquid inlet pipe, and a plurality of jet separation ports are also distributed circumferentially of the gas-liquid inlet pipe; the jet separation ports distributed circumferentially of the gas-liquid inlet pipe have a deviation angle of 15-60° with the horizontal axis of the gas-liquid inlet pipe.

2. The gas-liquid separator for hydrogen production by electrolysis according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sealing plate is evenly distributed with a plurality of jet separation openings arranged in multiple layers.

3. The gas-liquid separator for hydrogen production by electrolysis according to claim 1, characterized in that: The jet separation port is a table-shaped structure, and the inlet diameter on the inner wall of the gas-liquid inlet pipe is smaller than the outlet diameter on the outer wall of the pipe.

4. The gas-liquid separator for hydrogen production by electrolysis according to claim 1, characterized in that: A liquid-holding weir with an open top is provided below the gas-liquid inlet pipe. The cross-section of the liquid-holding weir is an inverted trapezoidal structure with a larger top and a smaller bottom, and the top width of the liquid-holding weir is greater than the diameter of the gas-liquid inlet pipe. A gap is left between the side surfaces and both side ends of the liquid-holding weir and the inner wall of the tank body.

5. The gas-liquid separator for hydrogen production by electrolysis according to claim 4, characterized in that: The gas-liquid inlet pipe is arranged at a height of 1 / 3-1 / 2 from the top of the tank body; the liquid weir is arranged at a height of 1 / 4-1 / 3 from the bottom of the tank body.

6. The gas-liquid separator for hydrogen production by electrolysis according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the tank is also connected to a plurality of balancing pipes.

7. The gas-liquid separator for hydrogen production by electrolysis according to claim 1, characterized in that: A disassembly opening is provided on the top of the tank body, a support frame is provided inside the tank body, and a liquid level gauge is provided on the side of the tank body.

8. The gas-liquid separator for hydrogen production by electrolysis according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: A demisting screen is provided at the gas outlet.

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