Hydrogen storage material hydrogen production and power generation system suitable for low-temperature environment

Abstract

The utility model provides a hydrogen storage material hydrogen production and power generation system suitable for low temperature environment, which comprises a liquid storage tank, a water pump, a reaction tank filled with a solid hydrogen storage material and a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, the outlet of the liquid storage tank is communicated with the inlet of the reaction tank through the water pump, and the outlet of the reaction tank is communicated with the inlet of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell. The water pump comprises a manual pump and a peristaltic pump which are connected in parallel. The solid hydrogen storage material is magnesium hydride or sodium borohydride, and the liquid storage tank is filled with an alcohol liquid or an alcohol aqueous solution with a freezing point lower than-40 DEG C. The hydrogen storage material hydrogen production and power generation system suitable for the low-temperature environment is simple, reasonable and compact in structure, can continuously and stably generate power in the low-temperature environment, and has very good application prospects and large-scale industrial popularization potential.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to hydrogen storage material technology, in particular to a hydrogen storage material hydrogen production and power generation system suitable for low-temperature environments. Background Art

[0002] Solid hydrogen storage materials, facilitated by a accelerator, can react with water to produce hydrogen. This is known as hydrolysis. For example, magnesium hydride combined with hydrochloric acid can react with water at room temperature and pressure to produce hydrogen. This hydrolysis reaction of the solid hydrogen storage material produces hydrogen, which is then transported to a fuel cell for power generation, forming a mobile hydrogen fuel cell system.

[0003] Currently, mobile hydrogen fuel cell power products cannot operate in extremely cold conditions (such as -40°C). On the one hand, water freezes at low temperatures, blocking pipelines and preventing the solid hydrogen storage material from reacting with water. On the other hand, the proton exchange membrane of the fuel cell is covered by ice, making it impossible to generate electricity. In addition, in extreme climates, the lithium battery in the mobile hydrogen fuel cell system is completely dead, making it impossible to preheat the water in the mobile hydrogen fuel cell system. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a mobile hydrogen fuel cell system that can start the solid hydrogen storage material hydrolysis to produce hydrogen and the fuel cell to generate electricity even at temperatures as low as -40°C and when the lithium battery is dead. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this utility model is to address the problem that current mobile hydrogen fuel cells cannot work in low-temperature environments, and to propose a hydrogen storage material hydrogen production and power generation system suitable for low-temperature environments. The system has a simple, reasonable and compact structure and can generate electricity continuously and stably in low-temperature environments.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention employs a technical solution: a hydrogen storage material hydrogen production and power generation system suitable for low-temperature environments, comprising a liquid storage tank, a water pump, a reaction tank containing solid hydrogen storage material, and a proton exchange membrane fuel cell. The liquid storage tank outlet is connected to the reaction tank inlet via the water pump, and the reaction tank outlet is connected to the proton exchange membrane fuel cell inlet. The water pump comprises a manual pump and a peristaltic pump connected in parallel. When power is available, the peristaltic pump is activated; when power is unavailable, the manual pump can be manually operated to fill the reaction tank with water.

[0006] Furthermore, the solid hydrogen storage material includes but is not limited to magnesium hydride or sodium borohydride.

[0007] Furthermore, the liquid storage tank contains an alcohol liquid or alcohol aqueous solution having a freezing point below -40°C, including but not limited to methanol or ethylene glycol aqueous solution. The alcohol aqueous solution is a 35%-65% ethylene glycol aqueous solution. The freezing point of methanol is -97.8°C; and most alcohol aqueous solutions (alcohol liquid mixed with water) will not freeze at a temperature of -40°C. For example, the solution formed by ethylene glycol and water has a relatively low freezing point and freezing point. When the ethylene glycol content is 68% and the water content is 32%, the freezing point of the ethylene glycol aqueous solution can be reduced to -68°C.

[0008] The reaction of the solid hydrogen storage material with the alcohol liquid to produce hydrogen is alcoholysis to produce hydrogen. Take magnesium hydride and sodium borohydride as examples of two hydrogen storage materials:

[0009] Reaction formula for hydrogen production from alcoholysis of magnesium hydride and methanol

[0010] MgH2+CH3OH=Mg(OCH3)2+H2

[0011] Sodium borohydride and methanol alcoholysis reaction to produce hydrogen

[0012] 2NaBH4+2CH3OH=2NaBCH3O+5H2

[0013] Furthermore, the alcohol aqueous solution is a 35%-65% ethylene glycol aqueous solution. The 35%-65% ethylene glycol aqueous solution does not freeze at -40°C and can react with sodium borohydride to produce hydrogen. Unless otherwise specified, % in this document refers to percentage by mass.

[0014] Furthermore, a spray device is provided on the top of the reaction tank containing the solid hydrogen storage material, and the outlet of the liquid storage tank is connected to the inlet of the spray device in the reaction tank through a water pump.

[0015] Furthermore, a heat exchanger is provided in the proton exchange membrane fuel cell, and the outlet of the liquid storage tank is connected to the heat exchanger via a water pump, that is, the liquid in the liquid storage tank can be used as a working liquid to cool or heat the fuel cell.

[0016] The working principle of the hydrogen generation and power generation system of hydrogen storage materials suitable for low temperature environments in this utility model is as follows:

[0017] The liquid storage tank is filled with alcohol liquid or alcohol aqueous solution that will not solidify at low temperatures (such as -40°C). The alcohol liquid or alcohol aqueous solution can be pumped by a peristaltic pump or a manual pump (when the lithium battery is out of power, a manual pump is used to pump water). The liquid in the liquid storage tank is pumped into the reaction tank to react with the solid hydrogen storage material to produce hydrogen, while also generating heat. The hydrogen carrying the heat then enters the proton exchange membrane fuel cell, melting the thin ice film on the proton exchange membrane, and the proton exchange membrane fuel cell starts to generate electricity.

[0018] The present invention is applicable to a hydrogen storage material hydrogen production and power generation system in a low-temperature environment. Specifically, the present invention has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0019] 1) The system of the present invention includes a liquid storage tank filled with alcohol liquid, which will not solidify in a low temperature environment (such as -40°C) and can provide an alcohol source and / or water source for the reaction tank;

[0020] 2) The system of the present invention includes a manual pump and a peristaltic pump connected in parallel, that is, the water pump is provided with a manual water pumping function, which can solve the problem that the lithium battery has no power to drive the peristaltic pump at low temperatures (such as -40°C).

[0021] 3) The hydrogen storage material reacts with alcohol liquid or alcohol aqueous solution to produce hydrogen, which can also generate heat. The hydrogen carries the heat to the proton exchange membrane fuel cell. The heat energy is transferred to the proton exchange membrane to melt the thin ice solidified at low temperatures (such as -40°C), solving the problem of hydrogen and oxygen being unable to diffuse through the thin ice into the proton exchange membrane and thus unable to generate electricity.

[0022] 4) The system of the present invention uses alcohol liquid or alcohol aqueous solution to cool or heat the proton exchange membrane fuel cell, which can solve the problem of water solidifying and being unable to flow at low temperatures when used as a heat exchange medium.

[0023] In summary, the utility model integrates the alcoholysis hydrogen production reaction tank and the fuel cell into a mobile hydrogen fuel cell system, which is suitable for mobile power generation in low-temperature environments and has very good application prospects and large-scale industrial promotion potential. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a hydrogen storage material hydrogen production and power generation system suitable for low-temperature environments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The present invention is further described below with reference to the following embodiments:

[0026] Example 1

[0027] This embodiment discloses a hydrogen storage material hydrogen production and power generation system suitable for low temperature environment, and its structure is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, the system comprises a liquid storage tank 1 containing an alcohol liquid, a water pump 2, a reaction tank 3 containing a solid hydrogen storage material, and a proton exchange membrane fuel cell 4. The outlet of the liquid storage tank 1 is connected to the liquid inlet of the reaction tank 3 via the water pump 2. The water pump 2 comprises a manual pump and a peristaltic pump connected in parallel. When power is available, the peristaltic pump is activated; when power is unavailable, the manual pump can be manually operated to allow water to enter the reaction tank. The gas outlet of the reaction tank 3 is connected to the gas inlet of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell 4.

[0028] The solid hydrogen storage material used in this embodiment is magnesium hydride. The alcohol liquid is methanol. In this specification, all reagents and instruments used are commercially available conventional products.

[0029] The liquid storage tank 1 of the hydrogen storage material hydrogen production power generation system suitable for low-temperature environments is filled with methanol; the proton exchange membrane fuel cell also uses methanol as a working liquid to cool or heat the fuel cell; the reaction tank 3 is filled with 650g of magnesium hydride and 5% citric acid mixed powder. During startup, a manual water pump is used to pump the methanol in the liquid storage tank 1 into the reaction tank 3 at a pumping speed of approximately 10 mL per minute to mix with the solid hydrogen storage material. After 5 minutes, the pumping is stopped. Approximately 50 mL of a mixed powder of methanol, magnesium hydride and 5% citric acid react to produce hydrogen and generate heat. The hydrogen carrying heat enters the proton exchange membrane fuel cell 4 to heat the proton exchange membrane fuel cell 4. After 3 minutes, the manual water pump is continued to pump the liquid in the liquid storage tank 1 into the reaction tank 3 at a pumping speed of 10 mL per minute to mix with the solid hydrogen storage material. After 5 minutes, the pumping is stopped. At this time, the hydrogen generated by the reaction can allow the proton exchange membrane fuel cell 4 to generate electricity, and the electricity is supplied to the water pump 2. The electrically driven water pump 2 continuously pumps water into the reaction tank 3, so that the proton exchange membrane fuel cell 4 continuously generates electricity and can meet external power needs.

[0030] This embodiment of a hydrogen storage material hydrogen production and power generation system suitable for low-temperature environments utilizes alcoholysis of solid hydrogen storage materials to produce hydrogen, replacing the hydrolysis of solid hydrogen storage materials. Alcoholic liquids generally do not solidify in low-temperature environments, and the hydrogen storage material reacts with the alcoholic liquid to produce hydrogen. This proton exchange membrane fuel cell utilizes an alcoholic liquid as its working fluid. Alcoholic liquids generally do not solidify in low-temperature environments and can serve as the fuel cell's working fluid to cool or heat the fuel cell. This embodiment's pumping pump includes a peristaltic pump and a manual pump. Even when the lithium battery is depleted, the alcoholic liquid can be manually pumped into the hydrogen storage material to produce hydrogen through alcoholysis. This alcoholysis not only produces hydrogen but also generates reaction heat. This heated hydrogen enters the fuel cell, melting the thin ice on the fuel cell's proton exchange membrane, enabling the fuel cell to begin generating electricity. This embodiment integrates the alcoholysis of the solid hydrogen storage material with the proton exchange membrane fuel cell to create a mobile hydrogen fuel cell power supply.

[0031] 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 they can still modify the technical solutions described in the above embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with 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 hydrogen storage material hydrogen production and power generation system suitable for low temperature environment, characterized in that: The invention comprises a liquid storage tank, a water pump, a reaction tank containing a solid hydrogen storage material, and a proton exchange membrane fuel cell. The outlet of the liquid storage tank is connected to the inlet of the reaction tank through the water pump, and the outlet of the reaction tank is connected to the inlet of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell. The water pump comprises a manual pump and a peristaltic pump connected in parallel. The solid hydrogen storage material is magnesium hydride or sodium borohydride. The liquid storage tank is filled with an alcohol liquid or an alcohol aqueous solution with a freezing point below -40°C.

2. The hydrogen storage material hydrogen production and power generation system suitable for low temperature environments according to claim 1, characterized in that: The alcohol aqueous solution is a 35%-65% ethylene glycol aqueous solution.

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