Water-saving electrolytic water hydrogen production system integrating waste heat recovery
By integrating waste heat recovery and condensate recycling into the water electrolysis hydrogen production system, the problems of water shortage and high energy consumption are solved, and the effects of water saving and efficient hydrogen production are achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202422810949.X
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-11-19
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-19
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-11-19
AI Technical Summary
When existing water electrolysis hydrogen production technology is deployed in areas with abundant water resources, there is a problem of water shortage and high energy consumption.
A water-saving electrolytic water hydrogen production system with integrated waste heat recovery was designed. The waste heat of the circulating alkali solution was recovered for gas cooling, and the condensate was used as raw material supplement to reduce the consumption of water and alkali solution.
It reduces system energy consumption, reduces water resource consumption, achieves sustainable development goals, and improves the efficiency and environmental friendliness of the hydrogen production process.
Smart Images
Figure CN223357776U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The utility model belongs to the technical field of alkaline water hydrogen production, and specifically relates to a water-saving electrolytic water hydrogen production system with integrated waste heat recovery. Background Art
[0002] As the global energy mix shifts toward a low-carbon and sustainable model, the development of clean and efficient renewable energy solutions has become an irreversible trend. Hydrogen, with its green and pollution-free properties, is gradually becoming a star in the energy sector. It is not only an ideal energy carrier but also enables efficient conversion to and from electricity through advanced water electrolysis technology. This process not only increases energy flexibility but also provides an effective means of storing and regulating intermittent energy sources such as wind and solar power.
[0003] Alkaline water hydrogen production technology, an innovative method for producing hydrogen through water electrolysis, plays a vital role in global carbon reduction efforts. It not only provides a high-purity, zero-carbon emission method for producing hydrogen, but also demonstrates unparalleled environmental advantages compared to traditional fossil fuel hydrogen production methods, making it a key technology for promoting energy transition and achieving carbon neutrality. However, current water electrolysis production technology is typically deployed in regions with abundant wind and solar resources, often facing water shortages. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The purpose of the utility model is to solve the above technical problems and provide a water-saving electrolysis hydrogen production system with integrated waste heat recovery.
[0005] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the utility model provides a water-saving electrolysis water hydrogen production system with integrated waste heat recovery, comprising an electrolyzer; the hydrogen outlet of the electrolyzer is connected to the inlet of a hydrogen separator, and the oxygen outlet of the electrolyzer is connected to the inlet of an oxygen separator; the gas outlet of the hydrogen separator is connected to the gas inlet of a hydrogen scrubber, and the alkali liquid outlet of the hydrogen separator is connected to the circulating alkali liquid inlet of the electrolyzer via a circulating alkali liquid pump and a chiller; the gas outlet of the oxygen separator is connected to the gas inlet of the oxygen scrubber, and the alkali liquid outlet of the oxygen separator is connected to the circulating alkali liquid inlet of the electrolyzer via a circulating alkali liquid pump and a chiller The group is connected to the circulating alkali liquid inlet of the electrolytic cell; the alkali liquid outlet of the hydrogen scrubber is connected to the alkali liquid inlet of the chiller, and the alkali liquid outlet of the oxygen scrubber is connected to the alkali liquid inlet of the chiller. The chilled water outlet of the chiller is connected to the chilled water inlet of the hydrogen scrubber and the chilled water inlet of the oxygen scrubber respectively; the top gas vapor outlet of the hydrogen scrubber is connected to the inlet of the hydrogen gas-water separator, and the top gas vapor outlet of the oxygen scrubber is connected to the inlet of the oxygen gas-water separator; the liquid outlet of the hydrogen gas-water separator and the liquid outlet of the oxygen gas-water separator are both connected to the raw water tank.
[0006] Furthermore, the alkali solution outlet of the chiller is connected to the circulating alkali solution inlet of the electrolytic cell through an air cooler.
[0007] Furthermore, the liquid outlet of the hydrogen gas-water separator is connected to the raw water tank via the hydrogen side condensate collector and the hydrogen side water seal tank.
[0008] Furthermore, the liquid outlet of the oxygen steam-water separator is connected to the raw water tank via the oxygen side condensate collector and the oxygen side water seal tank.
[0009] Furthermore, the water outlet of the raw water tank is connected to the water supply inlet of the hydrogen separator and the water supply inlet of the oxygen separator via a water supply pump.
[0010] Furthermore, the hydrogen steam-water separator and the oxygen steam-water separator are separated by gravity.
[0011] Furthermore, a height difference is maintained between the hydrogen-side condensate collector and the hydrogen water seal tank, and between the hydrogen water seal tank and the raw water tank to utilize gravity reflux.
[0012] Furthermore, a height difference is maintained between the oxygen-side condensate collector and the oxygen water seal tank, and between the oxygen water seal tank and the raw water tank to utilize gravity reflux.
[0013] Compared with the existing technology, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: the present invention is a water-saving electrolysis water hydrogen production system with integrated waste heat recovery. The recovered waste heat is used for gas cooling, and the recovered condensate is used as raw material supplement, which not only reduces energy consumption, but also reduces the consumption of water and alkali solution, providing strong support for achieving sustainable development goals. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] Figure 1 This is a flow chart of the water-saving electrolysis hydrogen production system with integrated waste heat recovery in the utility model;
[0015] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the height difference. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.
[0017] like Figure 1The water-saving electrolytic water hydrogen production system with integrated waste heat recovery includes an electrolytic cell 16, a hydrogen separator 4, an oxygen separator 13, a hydrogen gas-liquid separator 6, an oxygen gas-liquid separator 11, a hydrogen scrubber 5, an oxygen scrubber 12, a hydrogen side condensate collector 7, an oxygen side condensate collector 10, a hydrogen water seal tank 8, an oxygen water seal tank 9, a raw water tank 14, a chiller 2, an air cooler 1, a water supply pump 15 and an alkali solution circulation pump 3; the hydrogen outlet of the electrolytic cell 16 is connected to the inlet of the hydrogen separator 4, and the electrolytic cell The oxygen outlet of 16 is connected to the inlet of the oxygen separator 13; the gas outlet of the hydrogen separator 4 is connected to the gas inlet of the hydrogen washing tower 5, and the alkali liquid outlet of the hydrogen separator 4 is connected to the circulating alkali liquid inlet of the electrolyzer 16 via the circulating alkali liquid pump 3, the chiller 2 and the air cooler 1; the gas outlet of the oxygen separator 13 is connected to the gas inlet of the oxygen washing tower 12, and the alkali liquid outlet of the oxygen separator 13 is connected to the circulating alkali liquid inlet of the electrolyzer 16 via the circulating alkali liquid pump 3, the chiller 2 and the air cooler 1; the hydrogen The alkali liquid outlet of the gas washing tower 5 is connected to the alkali liquid inlet of the chiller 2, and the alkali liquid outlet of the chiller 2 is connected to the circulating alkali liquid inlet of the electrolyzer 16 through the air cooler 1. The alkali liquid outlet of the oxygen washing tower 12 is connected to the alkali liquid inlet of the chiller 2, and the alkali liquid outlet of the chiller 2 is connected to the circulating alkali liquid inlet of the electrolyzer 16 through the air cooler 1. The chilled water outlet of the chiller 2 is connected to the chilled water inlet of the hydrogen washing tower 5 and the chilled water inlet of the oxygen washing tower 12 respectively; the gas outlet of the top of the hydrogen washing tower 5 is connected to the chilled water inlet of the oxygen washing tower 12; The outlet of the oxygen scrubber 12 is connected to the inlet of the hydrogen steam-water separator 6, and the liquid outlet of the hydrogen steam-water separator 6 is connected to the raw water tank 14 through the hydrogen side condensate collector 7 and the hydrogen side water seal tank 8; the gas outlet of the top of the oxygen scrubber 12 is connected to the inlet of the oxygen steam-water separator 11, and the liquid outlet of the oxygen steam-water separator 11 is connected to the raw water tank 14 through the oxygen side condensate collector 10 and the oxygen side water seal tank 9; the water outlet of the raw water tank is connected to the water supply inlet of the hydrogen separator 4 and the water supply inlet of the oxygen separator through the water supply pump 15 respectively.
[0018] The hydrogen separator 4 and the oxygen separator 13 use the separated hot circulating alkali liquid to provide heat to the chiller to produce chilled water; the circulating alkali liquid that has recovered waste heat through the chiller is further cooled by an air cooler; the washed hydrogen and oxygen are cooled using the chilled water produced by the chiller to further recover water vapor in the gas.
[0019] The specific recovery electrolysis process is as follows: the inlet alkali temperature of the electrolytic cell 16 is 60-70°C, and the outlet alkali temperature of the electrolytic cell 16 does not exceed 100°C. The mixture of high-temperature alkali liquid and hydrogen produced by the electrolytic cell 16 is separated by the hydrogen separator 4, and the circulating alkali liquid of about 95°C that is initially separated by gravity is transported to the water cooling unit 2 through the circulating alkali liquid pump 3 to recover the heat of the circulating alkali liquid; the mixture of high-temperature alkali liquid and oxygen produced by the electrolytic cell 16 is separated by the oxygen separator 13, and the circulating alkali liquid of about 95°C that is separated by gravity is transported to the water cooling unit 2 through the circulating alkali liquid pump 3 to recover the heat of the circulating alkali liquid. The chiller 2 uses the heat of the circulating alkali liquid of about 95°C to produce chilled water of about 7°C and transport it to the hydrogen scrubber 5 and the oxygen scrubber 12 respectively; the high-temperature hydrogen separated by the hydrogen separator 4, a large amount of water vapor and a small amount of circulating alkali liquid are transported to the hydrogen scrubber 5, and the circulating alkali liquid is further washed out by chilled water. The washed circulating alkali liquid is then The circulating alkali liquor is pumped to chiller 2 via circulating alkali liquor pump 3. Chilled water cools the high-temperature hydrogen and water vapor to approximately 70°C before being transported to hydrogen separator 6, where condensate and hydrogen are separated. The separated hydrogen becomes qualified product gas, and the condensed water is collected in hydrogen-side condensate collector 7. Similarly, the high-temperature oxygen, a large amount of water vapor, and a small amount of circulating alkali liquor separated by oxygen separator 13 are transported to oxygen scrubber 12, where they are further scrubbed with chilled water to produce circulating alkali liquor. The washed circulating alkali liquor is then transported to chiller 2 via circulating alkali liquor pump 3. Chilled water cools the high-temperature oxygen and water vapor to approximately 70°C before being transported to oxygen separator 11, where condensate and oxygen are separated. The separated oxygen becomes qualified product gas, and the condensed water is collected in oxygen-side condensate collector 10. The two high-temperature gases separated by the separators are further cooled in the hydrogen scrubber and oxygen scrubber, respectively, to reduce the amount of water and alkali liquor entrained in the gases, thereby minimizing the loss of alkali liquor and raw water.
[0020] The operating temperature of the electrolytic cell 16 is 60-70°C. The circulating alkali solution at about 80°C coming out of the water cooling unit 2 needs to be further cooled. Therefore, the water cooling unit 2 recovers the heat of the circulating alkali solution and cools it to about 80°C. The circulating alkali solution is transported to the air cooler 1 for further cooling. The circulating alkali solution cooled to 60-70°C enters the electrolytic cell 16 again to prepare for the next cycle.
[0021] To prevent cross-penetration between hydrogen and oxygen and the condensate, the condensate in hydrogen-side condensate collector 7 is further isolated in hydrogen water-sealed tank 8, while the condensate in oxygen-side condensate collector 10 is further isolated in oxygen water-sealed tank 9. Within hydrogen water-sealed tank 8 and oxygen water-sealed tank 9, the condensate flows back by gravity to raw water tank 14 for recycling. Water in raw water tank 14 is then fed by water-replenishing pump 15 to hydrogen separator 4 and oxygen separator 13, respectively, for replenishment, enabling the recycling of raw water and conserving water resources.
[0022] In order to ensure the effective operation of the system, the height difference between the hydrogen side condensate collector 7 and the hydrogen water seal tank 8, and between the hydrogen water seal tank 8 and the raw water tank 14 is maintained. Similarly, the height difference between the oxygen side condensate collector 10 and the oxygen water seal tank 9, and between the oxygen water seal tank 9 and the raw water tank 14 is maintained. Figure 2 shown.
[0023] In the present invention, the circulating alkaline solution separated by the hydrogen-oxygen separator is first introduced into a chiller to capture and recover waste heat, further cooled by an air cooler, and then recirculated to the electrolytic cell; at the same time, the chilled water obtained by utilizing the waste heat of the circulating alkaline solution is used to cool hydrogen and oxygen; after the hydrogen and oxygen are cooled, the water mist droplets carried are removed by a steam-water separator, and the separated condensate is collected in a water seal tank; finally, the collected condensate is recovered to the raw water tank by gravity for reuse. This system optimizes the process of hydrogen production by electrolysis of water, and by recycling the waste liquid generated in the system, it not only reduces the wastewater discharge of the system, but also effectively reduces the demand for fresh desalted water; in addition, by recycling the chilled water produced by the waste heat of the circulating alkaline solution to cool hydrogen and oxygen, on the one hand, waste heat is recovered, and on the other hand, the invention reduces the water content in the gas, further saving water resources.
Claims
1. A water-saving electrolysis hydrogen production system with integrated waste heat recovery, comprising an electrolytic cell (16); characterized in that: The hydrogen outlet of the electrolytic cell (16) is connected to the inlet of the hydrogen separator (4), and the oxygen outlet of the electrolytic cell (16) is connected to the inlet of the oxygen separator (13); the gas outlet of the hydrogen separator (4) is connected to the gas inlet of the hydrogen washing tower (5), and the alkali liquid outlet of the hydrogen separator (4) is connected to the circulating alkali liquid inlet of the electrolytic cell (16) through the circulating alkali liquid pump (3) and the chiller (2); the gas outlet of the oxygen separator (13) is connected to the gas inlet of the oxygen washing tower (12), and the alkali liquid outlet of the oxygen separator (13) is connected to the circulating alkali liquid inlet of the electrolytic cell (16) through the circulating alkali liquid pump (3) and the chiller (2); The alkali liquid outlet of the hydrogen scrubber (5) is connected to the alkali liquid inlet of the chiller (2), the alkali liquid outlet of the oxygen scrubber (12) is connected to the alkali liquid inlet of the chiller (2), and the chilled water outlet of the chiller (2) is connected to the chilled water inlet of the hydrogen scrubber (5) and the chilled water inlet of the oxygen scrubber (12) respectively; the top gas and steam outlet of the hydrogen scrubber (5) is connected to the inlet of the hydrogen gas-water separator (6), and the top gas and steam outlet of the oxygen scrubber (12) is connected to the inlet of the oxygen gas-water separator (11); the liquid outlet of the hydrogen gas-water separator (6) and the liquid outlet of the oxygen gas-water separator (11) are both connected to the raw water tank (14).
2. The water-saving electrolysis hydrogen production system with integrated waste heat recovery according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The alkali solution outlet of the chiller (2) is connected to the circulating alkali solution inlet of the electrolytic cell (16) via the air cooler (1).
3. The water-saving electrolysis hydrogen production system with integrated waste heat recovery according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The liquid outlet of the hydrogen steam-water separator (6) is connected to the raw water tank (14) via the hydrogen side condensate collector (7) and the hydrogen side water seal tank (8).
4. The water-saving electrolysis hydrogen production system with integrated waste heat recovery according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The liquid outlet of the oxygen steam-water separator (11) is connected to the raw water tank (14) via the oxygen side condensate collector (10) and the oxygen side water seal tank (9).
5. The water-saving electrolysis hydrogen production system with integrated waste heat recovery according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The water outlet of the raw water tank (14) is connected to the water supply inlet of the hydrogen separator (4) and the water supply inlet of the oxygen separator (13) via a water supply pump (15).
6. The water-saving electrolysis hydrogen production system with integrated waste heat recovery according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The hydrogen steam-water separator (6) and the oxygen steam-water separator (11) are separated by gravity.
7. The water-saving electrolysis hydrogen production system with integrated waste heat recovery according to claim 3 is characterized in that: A height difference is maintained between the hydrogen-side condensate collector (7) and the hydrogen water seal tank (8), and between the hydrogen water seal tank (8) and the raw water tank (14), so that gravity reflux is utilized.
8. The water-saving electrolysis hydrogen production system with integrated waste heat recovery according to claim 4 is characterized in that: A height difference is maintained between the oxygen-side condensate collector (10) and the oxygen water seal tank (9), and between the oxygen water seal tank (9) and the raw water tank (14), so that gravity reflux is utilized.