Gas water separator test bench

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of gas-water separator test bench, belong to test platform technical field, including fan system, gas flowmeter, heating device;Still include water pump, atomizing device, gas-water separator, weighing sensor, PLC control system, PLC control system is electrically connected with fan system, gas flowmeter, heating device, water pump and weighing sensor, for receiving measurement data and controlling each component operation.The utility model can accurately measure the use effect of each working condition point gas-water separator, and according to result carries out structural adjustment to gas-water separator.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of testing platform technology, and in particular to a test bench for a gas-water separator in a hydrogen circuit component of a fuel cell. Background Technology

[0002] During the operation of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), water is continuously generated as one of the reaction products. Some of this water is carried out of the stack by the reaction gas stream, some is discharged through the cathode tailpipe, and the remainder enters the anode circulation loop. To ensure the stable operation of the fuel cell system, it is necessary to effectively separate and discharge the liquid water in a timely manner to prevent its accumulation in the stack and its impact on gas transport and electrochemical reactions. A gas-water separator plays a crucial role in this process, efficiently achieving water-gas separation and ensuring optimal system operation. Furthermore, the separated water can be recycled, contributing to improved overall system efficiency and sustainability.

[0003] To scientifically evaluate the separation efficiency and overall performance of gas-liquid separators, a dedicated testing platform needs to be built. This testing platform can simulate the actual operating conditions of fuel cells, and by accurately measuring the separator's performance under different operating conditions, it provides reliable data support for structural optimization and operating strategies, thereby promoting the continuous improvement of PEMFC system performance.

[0004] The existing test bench operates as follows: An air compressor (compressed air) is first connected to a fan. The fan speed is adjusted via a frequency converter, precisely controlling the gas flow to the required value. Simultaneously, water is manually pumped out and atomized via a needle valve, mixing with the compressed air before entering the gas-liquid separator. In the separator, the mixed gas and liquid phases flow through the internal structure to achieve water-gas separation. The separated liquid water is discharged through a drain valve on the separator and collected for weighing. Comparing its mass with the initial input water mass allows calculation of the separator's separation efficiency. Conversely, the separated air is returned to the circulation system, achieving closed-loop gas utilization.

[0005] The current test bench exhibits several limitations in practical use: First, the water inflow rate relies on manual adjustment, making it difficult to guarantee accuracy and directly impacting the accuracy and repeatability of test data. Second, during prolonged operation, the equipment generates its own heat and lacks an effective heat dissipation mechanism, leading to a continuous temperature rise and ultimately causing overheating shutdown, affecting the continuity of testing. Furthermore, the test bench lacks a heating device, making it impossible to regulate the inlet air temperature and thus difficult to accurately simulate the operating conditions of a gas-water separator in a real fuel cell environment. Finally, limited by the fan power, the system is insufficient to achieve high gas flow rates and lacks real-time dynamic adjustment capabilities for gas flow, restricting the coverage of test conditions and the flexibility of response. Utility Model Content

[0006] This utility model addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a gas-water separator test bench.

[0007] The technical solution of this utility model to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows: A gas-liquid separator test bench, comprising: The fan system is used to deliver compressed air; A gas flow meter is used to measure air flow and feed the flow data back to the PLC control system. There are two heating devices, one for heating compressed air and the other for heating liquid water to a set temperature. A water pump, connected to a water storage tank and controlled by a PLC control system, is used to supply a fixed quantity of liquid water. The atomizing device, connected to the water pump, is used to atomize liquid water and mix it with heated air to form a gas-liquid two-phase flow. A gas-liquid separator, connected to an atomizing device, is used to separate liquid water and air in a gas-liquid two-phase flow. A weighing sensor is installed at the liquid water outlet of the gas-liquid separator to measure the mass of the separated liquid water and feed the mass data back to the PLC control system. The PLC control system is electrically connected to the fan system, gas flow meter, heating device, water pump and weighing sensor, and is used to receive measurement data and control the operation of each component.

[0008] Furthermore, the fan system includes a low-power fan and a high-power fan, which are connected in parallel and switched by a PLC control system. The low-power fan is activated when the flow rate demand is low and the high-power fan is activated when the flow rate demand is high.

[0009] Furthermore, the cooling device is a plate heat exchanger, with the primary side branch of the plate heat exchanger connected in series in the gas circulation loop, and the secondary side branch of the plate heat exchanger connected to an external cooling water source.

[0010] Furthermore, a pressure sensor is also installed on the gas circulation loop to detect the gas pressure. The pressure sensor is electrically connected to the PLC control system and feeds back the detected pressure data to the PLC control system.

[0011] Furthermore, the PLC control system is configured to: adjust the speed of the fan system to stabilize the gas flow rate based on the measurement data of the gas flow meter; control the speed of the water pump to control the water intake according to the set program; calculate the separation efficiency of the gas-water separator based on the mass of liquid water measured by the weighing sensor; control the opening of the heating device to heat the water in the water storage tank to a set temperature based on the temperature of the water in the storage tank; and control the opening of the heating device to heat the compressed air to a set temperature based on the temperature of the compressed air.

[0012] Furthermore, it also includes a gas circulation loop, whose inlet end is connected to the gas outlet of the gas-water separator, and whose outlet end is connected to the inlet of the fan system, so that the separated air can be returned to the fan system for recirculation. A back pressure valve, installed on the gas circulation loop, is used to release gas to reduce the system temperature; A cooling device is installed in the gas circulation loop to cool the return gas.

[0013] In summary, compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the above technical solution are: (1) By adding a heating device, this utility model can effectively adjust and control the inlet temperature, so that it can accurately simulate the actual gas temperature conditions during the operation of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell, and improve the fit of the test conditions. (2) This utility model upgrades the original manual adjustment method to PLC automatic control of the water pump, realizing precise and stable control of the water quality, fundamentally improving the problem of inaccurate water volume, and enhancing the reliability and repeatability of test data; (3) This utility model adds a back pressure valve at the end of the equipment circulation to reduce the heat accumulation inside the system by controlling the discharge of some high-temperature gas and alleviate the temperature rise problem caused by continuous operation; (4) The gas circulation loop of this utility model is equipped with a plate heat exchanger to actively cool the returning gas flow, effectively reducing the overall temperature of the circulating gas, thereby controlling the system operating temperature and ensuring that the equipment can work continuously and stably for a long time. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of the present utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The principles and features of this utility model are described below with reference to all the accompanying drawings. The examples given are only for explaining this utility model and are not intended to limit the scope of this utility model.

[0016] This utility model discloses a gas-water separator test bench.

[0017] Reference Figure 1 A gas-liquid separator test bench includes a fan system, a gas flow meter, a heating device, a water pump, an atomizing device, a gas-liquid separator, a weighing sensor, a gas circulation loop, a back pressure valve, a cooling device, and a PLC control system. The fan system is used to deliver compressed air. The fan system includes two fans: a low-power fan and a high-power fan, connected in parallel. The PLC control system switches between the two fans according to flow rate requirements. Specifically, the low-power fan is activated when flow rate is low, and the high-power fan is activated when flow rate is high, ensuring efficient and stable operation of the system under different conditions. The parallel design of the two fans expands the flow rate range, making this solution more widely applicable.

[0018] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the atomizing device is an atomizer, which is an electric needle valve. The opening of the needle valve is controlled by a PLC to achieve the flow rate of the liquid. An atomizing nozzle is added to the front end of the needle valve to atomize the liquid water.

[0019] In this embodiment, the weighing sensor used is a ZEMIC L6D (5kg) weighing sensor from AVIC; the back pressure valve is model RXBF-S32-1.0, which is mainly used to control the pipeline pressure stability and prevent liquid from flowing out by gravity or siphoning.

[0020] The blower system is connected to an air compressor, which provides compressed air. A three-way valve is installed on the pipeline connecting the blower system and the air compressor to control the flow rate of compressed air. A gas flow meter is connected to the outlet of the blower system. After compressed air is supplied to the blower system, it is delivered to the flow meter through the blower system. The gas flow meter measures the flow rate of the compressed air and feeds the measurement data back to the PLC control system. The PLC control system then activates the heating device to heat the compressed air to the set temperature. The PLC control system activates the heating device based on the water temperature in the storage tank (when the water temperature is below the set temperature). The heating device heats the water in the tank. Once the set temperature is reached, the PLC control system activates the water pump, which draws a measured amount of liquid water from the tank. The heated liquid water is then atomized in an atomizing device, which refines the water to ensure more thorough mixing with the heated compressed air. This atomized water and hot air form a two-phase flow that enters the air-water separator. In the separator, the liquid water is separated, and the discharged water's mass is measured by a weighing sensor. This mass data is fed back to the PLC control system. By comparing the discharged water mass with the initial input water mass, the separation efficiency of the air-water separator can be calculated.

[0021] In this embodiment, two heating devices are provided: one for heating compressed air and the other for heating water in the storage tank. A temperature sensor detects the water temperature in the storage tank and feeds the detected data back to the PLC control system. When the water in the storage tank reaches the set temperature, the PLC control system activates the water pump, which draws water from the storage tank and delivers it to the atomizing device for atomization.

[0022] It should be noted that a liquid flow meter is also provided in this embodiment. The liquid flow meter is connected between the water pump and the atomizing device and is used to measure the amount of water sprayed (flow rate) in the water pump. The liquid flow meter feeds back the measured flow rate data to the PLC control system.

[0023] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the discharged water is generally placed in a container so that the weighing sensor can measure it.

[0024] In this embodiment, the PLC control system controls the opening and closing of the drain valve to discharge the water inside the gas-water separator.

[0025] In the gas-water separator, the separated air can continue to participate in the circulation or be discharged from the system. In this embodiment, when the separated air continues to participate in the circulation, this embodiment also includes a gas circulation loop, the inlet of which is connected to the gas outlet of the gas-water separator, and the outlet of which is connected to the inlet of the fan system, so that the separated air can be returned to the fan system for recirculation.

[0026] A back pressure valve is also installed in the gas circulation loop to effectively control the discharge of some high-temperature gas, reduce the accumulation of heat inside the system, and alleviate the temperature rise problem caused by continuous operation.

[0027] A cooling device is also provided in the gas circulation loop to cool the return gas. In this embodiment, the cooling device is a plate heat exchanger. The primary side branch of the plate heat exchanger is connected in series in the gas circulation loop, and the secondary side branch of the plate heat exchanger is connected to an external cooling water source. By actively cooling the return gas flow, the overall temperature of the circulating gas is effectively reduced, thereby controlling the system operating temperature and ensuring that the equipment can operate continuously and stably for a long time. The cooling water source can be a water chiller.

[0028] A pressure sensor is also installed on the gas circulation loop to detect the gas pressure. The pressure sensor is electrically connected to the PLC control system and feeds back the detected pressure data to the PLC control system.

[0029] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the PLC control system is configured to: adjust the speed of the fan system according to the measurement data of the gas flow meter to stabilize the gas flow; control the speed of the water pump according to the set program to control the water intake; calculate the separation efficiency of the gas-water separator according to the mass of liquid water measured by the weighing sensor; control the opening of the heating device according to the temperature of the compressed air to heat the compressed air to the set temperature; and control the opening of the heating device according to the temperature of the water in the water storage tank to heat the water in the water storage tank to the set temperature.

[0030] In addition, for ease of use, proportional valves, drain valves and other valves will be installed on each pipeline in this embodiment to control the opening and closing status of the pipeline; similarly, sensors such as temperature sensors or pressure sensors will also be installed to measure the temperature or pressure of compressed air / water.

[0031] The test bench provided by this invention has superior temperature control capabilities, higher water flow accuracy, and stronger continuous operational stability, enabling a more realistic and reliable evaluation of the performance of the gas-water separator under near-real-world operating conditions. It can also accurately measure the performance of the gas-water separator at various operating points and adjust the structure of the gas-water separator based on the results.

[0032] It should also be noted that this embodiment upgrades the original manual water pump adjustment method to automatic water pump control by a PLC control system, realizing precise and stable regulation of the incoming water quality, fundamentally improving the problem of inaccurate water volume, and enhancing the reliability and repeatability of test data.

[0033] In this embodiment, by adding a heating device, the intake air temperature is effectively regulated and controlled, enabling it to accurately simulate the actual gas temperature conditions during the operation of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, thereby improving the fit of the test conditions.

[0034] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A gas-water separator test bench, characterized in that, include: The fan system is used to deliver compressed air; A gas flow meter is used to measure air flow and feed the flow data back to the PLC control system. There are two heating devices, one for heating compressed air and the other for heating liquid water to a set temperature. A water pump, connected to a water storage tank and controlled by a PLC control system, is used to supply a fixed amount of liquid water. The atomizing device, connected to the water pump, is used to atomize liquid water and mix it with heated air to form a gas-liquid two-phase flow. A gas-liquid separator, connected to an atomizing device, is used to separate liquid water and air in a gas-liquid two-phase flow. A weighing sensor is installed at the liquid water outlet of the gas-liquid separator to measure the mass of the separated liquid water and feed the mass data back to the PLC control system. The PLC control system is electrically connected to the fan system, gas flow meter, heating device, water pump and weighing sensor, and is used to receive measurement data and control the operation of each component.

2. The gas-water separator test bench according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fan system includes a low-power fan and a high-power fan. The low-power fan and the high-power fan are connected in parallel and switched by a PLC control system. The low-power fan is activated when the flow demand is low and the high-power fan is activated when the flow demand is high.

3. The gas-water separator test bench according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a gas circulation loop, on which a cooling device is provided. The cooling device is a plate heat exchanger. The primary side branch of the plate heat exchanger is connected in series in the gas circulation loop, and the secondary side branch of the plate heat exchanger is connected to an external cooling water source.

4. A gas-water separator test bench according to claim 3, characterized in that: A pressure sensor is also installed on the gas circulation loop to detect the gas pressure. The pressure sensor is electrically connected to the PLC control system and feeds back the detected pressure data to the PLC control system.

5. A gas-water separator test bench according to claim 1, characterized in that: The PLC control system is configured to: adjust the speed of the fan system to stabilize the gas flow rate based on the measurement data of the gas flow meter; control the speed of the water pump to control the water intake according to the set program; calculate the separation efficiency of the gas-water separator based on the mass of liquid water measured by the weighing sensor; control the opening of the heating device to heat the water in the water storage tank to a set temperature based on the temperature of the water in the storage tank; and control the opening of the heating device to heat the compressed air to a set temperature based on the temperature of the compressed air.

6. A gas-water separator test bench according to claim 3, characterized in that, The inlet of the gas circulation loop is connected to the gas outlet of the gas-water separator, and its outlet is connected to the inlet of the fan system, so that the separated air can be returned to the fan system for recirculation. A back pressure valve, installed on the gas circulation loop, is used to release gas to reduce the system temperature; A cooling device is installed in the gas circulation loop to cool the return gas.

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