A bubble fusion chamber and gas-liquid separator capable of inducing rapid bubble fusion and transport

Abstract

This utility model belongs to the field of gas-liquid separation technology, specifically relating to a bubble fusion chamber and a gas-liquid separator capable of inducing rapid fusion and transport of bubbles. The gas-liquid separator includes: a shell; a gas-liquid inlet and a liquid outlet on the shell, with a gas outlet at the top; an internal space within the shell serving as a tank chamber, which houses the bubble fusion chamber. The bubble fusion chamber is sealed on all sides and open at the top, or has a porous support layer. The bubble fusion chamber contains packing material, which consists of multiple fibers; the gas-liquid inlet connects to the lower part of the bubble fusion chamber. The device of this application induces forced collision and fusion of ultra-small bubbles, which can increase the bubble size from the difficult-to-separate 10-100 micrometers to the millimeter or even centimeter scale without significantly increasing the water pressure drop. When these larger bubbles enter the shell, they can rapidly rise and separate from the solution.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of gas-liquid separation technology, specifically relating to a bubble fusion chamber and a gas-liquid separator that can induce rapid fusion and transport of bubbles. Background Technology

[0002] Hydrogen energy, with its clean and renewable characteristics, has become an important direction for global energy development. It is not only abundant in reserves but also boasts high energy density and zero emissions, playing a crucial role in driving energy transition and achieving sustainable development. However, the effective utilization of hydrogen energy relies on efficient and safe extraction and storage technologies, with water electrolysis being a key component. In water electrolysis hydrogen production systems, the gas-liquid separator is paramount, responsible for separating the hydrogen and oxygen produced by electrolysis from the electrolyte, ensuring gas purity and system safety.

[0003] Currently, commercial gas-liquid separators primarily rely on gravity for separation. They utilize the buoyancy of bubbles generated by water electrolysis, causing them to rise to the surface and burst into gas. Common types include horizontal and vertical separators. However, the presence of tiny bubbles complicates the separation process. These bubbles, ranging in size from 10 to 100 micrometers, mix with the high-viscosity alkaline electrolyte, leading to prolonged separation times, potentially several minutes or even longer. For effective separation, it's typically necessary to increase the volume of the separator and the electrolyte to extend the bubble residence time. This not only increases equipment costs and space requirements but also results in excessively long cold start times due to the large electrolyte volume. Traditional alkaline electrolyzers are ill-suited to fluctuating energy levels due to cold start issues. Furthermore, insufficient separation time or excessive flow rate can cause tiny bubbles to be carried back into the electrolyzer by the electrolyte, leading to cross-contamination of hydrogen and oxygen, reducing gas purity and increasing safety risks. A hydrogen content exceeding 2% in oxygen can pose a hazard.

[0004] Therefore, improving the efficiency and safety of water electrolysis hydrogen production systems requires optimizing the gas-liquid separator to enhance its ability to separate microbubbles, reduce bubble separation time, and decrease electrolyte consumption. This will help better address the technological challenges in hydrogen energy utilization and promote its widespread application globally.

[0005] This application is submitted in order to address the above issues. Utility Model Content

[0006] The device proposed in this application effectively solves the problems of small bubble size making separation by gravity difficult, difficulty in meeting the gas-liquid separation requirements under marine turbulent conditions, excessively large gas-liquid separator size, and high manufacturing costs.

[0007] Using the structure of this application, when the gas-liquid mixture enters the bubble fusion chamber through the gas-liquid inlet, the superhydrophobic fiber packing, through its three-dimensional structure, traps bubbles and promotes the collision and fusion of multiple bubbles. Small bubbles, difficult to separate at the micrometer level, gradually merge into millimeter-sized bubbles. Larger bubbles deform through interaction with the internal superhydrophobic fiber packing, forming rapid channels for bubble discharge. After entering the liquid chamber of the tank, they quickly float upwards due to gravity. The maximum upward velocity of the merged bubbles is increased to more than 5000 times that before merging. The bubble separation time is reduced from 5-10 minutes in traditional gravity separation to a few seconds, the separation efficiency is increased from 90%-98% to 99.9%, the volume is reduced to 1 / 6 of the original, and the key parameter, hydrogen concentration in oxygen, decreases from 1.8% in traditional gravity gas-liquid separators to 0.45%.

[0008] The first aspect of this application provides a bubble fusion chamber 6 that can induce rapid fusion and transport of bubbles. The bubble fusion chamber 6 is sealed on all four sides and open at the top or has a porous support layer 10. The bubble fusion chamber 6 is provided with a filler 9, which contains multiple fibers.

[0009] The bubble fusion chamber 6 has a gas-liquid mixture inlet.

[0010] A second aspect of this application provides a gas-liquid separator capable of inducing rapid fusion and transport of bubbles, the gas-liquid separator comprising: a housing 4;

[0011] The housing 4 is provided with a gas-liquid inlet 1 and a liquid outlet 2, and the upper part of the housing 4 is provided with a gas outlet 3;

[0012] The space inside the shell 4 is a tank chamber 5, and the tank chamber 5 is provided with a bubble fusion chamber 6. The bubble fusion chamber 6 is sealed on all sides and open at the top or has a porous support layer 10. The bubble fusion chamber 6 is provided with filler 9.

[0013] The gas-liquid inlet 1 is connected to the lower part of the bubble fusion chamber 6.

[0014] The lower part refers to the middle and lower part or the bottom, or it can refer to the downstream of the bubble fusion chamber 6.

[0015] Preferably, the filler 9 comprises multiple fibers, with the diameter of a single fiber being 0.1-100μm and the length of a single fiber being 1mm-50cm.

[0016] Preferably, the plurality of fibers are selected from one or more of conventional fibers, air-loving fibers, and air-repellent fibers.

[0017] Preferably, the fiber filling is either disordered or ordered.

[0018] Preferably, the multiple fibers comprise super-air-friendly fibers 9b and super-air-repellent fibers 9a, and the ratio of the number of super-air-friendly fibers 9b to super-air-repellent fibers 9a gradually increases from the bottom to the top of the bubble fusion chamber 6, so as to gradually increase the hydrophilicity of the filler 9.

[0019] Preferably, the porous support layer 10 is a porous mesh structure. The material is one or more of metals or non-metals. For example, the porous support layer 10 is selected from one or more of stainless steel mesh, titanium mesh, nickel mesh, PPS mesh, polyphenylene sulfide mesh, nylon mesh, PEEK mesh, and polyether ether ketone mesh. The pore size of the porous mesh structure is 10 μm to 10 mm, and the thickness is 0.1 mm to 10 mm. It provides mechanical support and restraint for the filler 9, preventing the fibers of the filler 9 from being washed out by the gas-liquid mixture. The porous support layer 10 can be fixed to the wall of the bubble fusion chamber 6.

[0020] Preferably, the shell 4 contains liquid and gas; the space occupied by the liquid in the tank chamber 5 is the tank liquid chamber 5a, and the space above the tank liquid chamber 5a is the tank gas chamber 5c; or, the tank chamber 5 is divided according to height into the tank liquid chamber 5a located at the bottom and the tank gas chamber 5c located above the tank liquid chamber 5a.

[0021] A portion of the bubble fusion chamber 6 is located in the liquid chamber 5a of the tank, and another portion is located in the gas chamber 5c of the tank; or, all of the bubble fusion chamber 6 is located in the liquid chamber 5a of the tank; or, all of the bubble fusion chamber 6 is located in the gas chamber 5c of the tank.

[0022] Preferably, the bubble contact angle of the superaerophilic fiber 9b is less than 30 degrees, and the bubble contact angle of the superaerophobic fiber 9a is greater than 150 degrees.

[0023] Compared with the prior art, this application has the following advantages:

[0024] 1. This application describes a gas-liquid separator based on superphilic / hydrophobic fibers induced by rapid bubble fusion and transport, used for gas-liquid separation of electrolytes containing hydrogen and oxygen. The device of this application, by inducing forced collisions and fusion of ultra-small bubbles, can increase the bubble size from the difficult-to-separate 10-100 micrometers to the millimeter or even centimeter scale without significantly increasing the water flow pressure drop. When these larger bubbles enter the shell, they can rapidly rise and thus separate from the solution. Theoretical calculations show that the maximum rising velocity of micrometer-sized bubbles is 2 × 10⁻⁻⁻⁻⁶. 5The maximum rising speed of millimeter-sized bubbles is 0.109 m / s (diameter 1 mm), while the maximum rising speed of millimeter-sized bubbles is 0.109 m / s (diameter 1 mm). The rising speed of the merged bubbles is 5000 times that of the unmerged bubbles, which significantly increases the rising speed of the bubbles and reduces their residence time in the liquid. The solution volume required for rapid bubble separation is also significantly reduced. A conventional gravity-type gas-liquid separator requires a 60L gas-liquid separator volume for a 10kW electrolyzer, but the gas-liquid separator volume using this invention is reduced to 10L, the liquid residence time is shortened from 8 min to 6 s, and the hydrogen concentration in oxygen is reduced from 1.8% to 0.45%.

[0025] 2. Compared with traditional gravity-type gas-liquid separators, the device of this application can effectively reduce the volume of electrolyte and the capacity of the gas-liquid separator, thereby significantly reducing the footprint of the device.

[0026] 3. Compared to traditional gravity-type gas-liquid separators, in the device of this application, because bubbles are forced to merge into larger bubbles, the risk of bubbles being mixed with the electrolyte and carried back to the electrolyzer is reduced, thereby lowering the possibility of gas cross-contamination in the gas-liquid separator. This improvement reduces the hydrogen content in oxygen and enhances the overall safety of the electrolytic hydrogen production system. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a vertical super-hydrophobic / air-repellent fiber gas-liquid separator.

[0028] Figure 2 In the diagram, a, b, and c represent the contact morphologies between a conventional fiber interface, a superhydrophobic fiber interface, and a superhydrophobic fiber interface and air bubbles, respectively. The conventional interface refers to a fiber interface without superhydrophobic or superhydrophobic surface modification; in Example 1, an unmodified nickel fiber surface was used.

[0029] Figure 3 This refers to the process of absorbing air bubbles after contact with a superaerophilic interface.

[0030] Figure 4 Images a and b are scanning electron microscope images of the superhydrophobic fiber 9a and superhydrophobic fiber 9b from Example 1, respectively.

[0031] Figure 5 This represents the relationship between the maximum rising speed of a bubble and its diameter.

[0032] Figure 6 A comparison of gas-liquid separators with different fiber packing materials.

[0033] Figure 7 A comparison of the effects of different fiber fillers on pressure drop and hydrogen concentration in oxygen.

[0034] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a dual-bubble fusion chamber gas-liquid separator.

[0035] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a horizontal gas-liquid separator.

[0036] List of reference numerals in the attached diagram:

[0037] 1. Gas-liquid inlet, 2. Liquid outlet, 3. Gas outlet, 4. Shell, 5a. Tank liquid chamber, 5b. Tank liquid surface, 5c. Tank gas chamber, 6. Bubble fusion chamber, 7. Bubble fusion chamber inlet, 8. Bubble fusion chamber shell, 9. Packing material, 9a. Superhydrophobic fiber, 9b. Superhydrophobic fiber, 10. Porous support layer, 11. Microporous channel, 12. Bubble, 13. Microporous outlet. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the embodiments.

[0039] Those skilled in the art will understand that the following embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. Where specific techniques or conditions are not specified in the embodiments, they are performed in accordance with the techniques or conditions described in the literature in the field or according to the product manual. Materials or equipment whose manufacturers are not specified are all conventional products that can be obtained by purchase.

[0040] Those skilled in the art will understand that, unless specifically stated otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “an,” “the,” and “the” used herein may also include the plural forms. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, “a plurality” means two or more. It should be further understood that the term “comprising” as used in the specification of this application means the presence of the stated feature, integer, step, operation, element, and / or component, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. It should be understood that when we say an element is “connected” to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element, or there may be an intermediate element. Furthermore, the term “connected” as used herein can include wireless connections.

[0041] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0042] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0043] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0044] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0045] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. The illustrative expressions of the above terms in this specification should not be construed as necessarily referring to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification.

[0046] Those skilled in the art will understand that, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical and scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. It should also be understood that terms such as those defined in general dictionaries should be understood to have the meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the prior art, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless defined as herein.

[0047] To address the challenges of separating tiny bubbles generated in water electrolysis hydrogen production systems, such as poor separation efficiency, large separation equipment, and long separation time, this application proposes a gas-liquid separator that can induce rapid bubble fusion and transport, thereby promoting bubble fusion and accelerating gas-liquid separation.

[0048] The gas-liquid separator includes: a shell 4, a bubble fusion chamber 6, etc.

[0049] The shell 4 serves as the main outer shell of the gas-liquid separator. Its bottom is the gas-liquid inlet 1 and the liquid outlet 2, and its top is the gas outlet 3. All of these are connected to the outside world through pipes.

[0050] The interior space of the shell 4 is a tank chamber 5. The lower part of the tank chamber 5 is a liquid chamber 5a, the upper part is a gas chamber 5c, and the middle part is a bubble fusion chamber 6. The bottom of the bubble fusion chamber 6 is connected and fixed to the gas-liquid inlet 1 by a pipe. The bottom of the bubble fusion chamber 6 is the bubble fusion chamber inlet 7, the top is a porous support layer 10, the surrounding area is a closed bubble fusion chamber shell 8, and the middle space is filled with filler 9.

[0051] Of course, the bubble fusion chamber 6 is interconnected and fixed to the gas-liquid inlet 1, and the connection method includes, but is not limited to, pipes. The fixing method can be through pipe support to the gas-liquid inlet 1, or additional support structures can be added for fixing.

[0052] The installation height of the bubble fusion chamber 6 is adjustable. It can be partially located in the liquid chamber 5a of the tank, partially located in the gas chamber 5c of the tank, or entirely located in the liquid chamber 5a of the tank, or entirely located in the gas chamber 5c of the tank.

[0053] The bubble fusion chamber 6 can have various appearances, including but not limited to cylindrical, cuboid, cube, polyhedral, etc., and its material can be metal or non-metal. Metal materials include titanium, stainless steel, nickel, etc., and non-metal materials include PTFE, PP, etc.

[0054] The filler 9 of the bubble fusion chamber 6 is fiber, with a diameter of 0.1~100μm and a length of 1mm to 50cm for a single fiber. The material can be metal or non-metal, including but not limited to stainless steel fiber, titanium fiber, nickel fiber, carbon fiber, PP fiber, PTFE fiber, etc.

[0055] Fiber materials can be fibers of a single diameter, or a mixture of fine and coarse fibers. Fiber materials can consist entirely of short fibers, long fibers, or a mixture of long and short fibers.

[0056] Preferably, the filling material 9 can be filled in a disordered or ordered manner.

[0057] Preferably, the fiber filled with filler 9 can be one or more of conventional surface fibers, air-repellent fibers, or air-repellent fibers. The air-repellent fiber can be a super-air-repellent fiber 9b. The air-repellent fiber can be a super-air-repellent fiber 9a.

[0058] When the filler 9 is filled in a disordered manner, the ratio of super-aerophilic fibers 9b to super-aerophobic fibers 9a can range from 0% to 100%. For example, super-aerophilic fibers 9b and super-aerophobic fibers 9a are mixed and filled in a three-dimensional interlocked disordered structure. A gradient wettability structure can be obtained by adjusting the ratio of different aerophilic / aerophobic fibers in different layers. For example, at the bottom of the bubble fusion chamber 6, the number of super-aerophobic fibers 9a accounts for 90% of the total number of fibers within this height, and the number of super-aerophilic fibers 9b accounts for 10% of the total number of fibers within this height. At the top of the bubble fusion chamber 6, the number of super-aerophobic fibers 9a accounts for 50% of the total number of fibers within this height, and the number of super-aerophilic fibers 9b accounts for 50% of the total number of fibers within this height. Moreover, from the bottom to the top, the ratio of super-aerophobic fibers 9a to super-aerophilic fibers 9b gradually and uniformly transitions.

[0059] Preferably, when the filler 9 is filled in an ordered manner, the ratio of super-aerobic fibers 9b and super-aerobic fibers 9a can range from 0% to 100%. Preferably, the super-aerobic fibers 9b and super-aerobic fibers 9a are arranged in an ordered manner from the bottom to the top of the bubble fusion chamber 6, and the ratio of the number of super-aerobic fibers 9b to super-aerobic fibers 9a gradually increases from the bottom to the top of the bubble fusion chamber 6, thereby achieving a gradual increase in aerobicness from bottom to top. This allows the bubbles to maintain a spherical shape at the lower super-aerobic fibers 9a and merge in situ, increasing the bubble volume. Then, through the interaction of the upper super-aerobic fibers 9b with the bubbles, the bubbles deform and adhere to the surface of the super-aerobic fibers 9b, forming a rapid gas passage, allowing the bubbles to be quickly discharged.

[0060] Superaerophilic fiber 9b can be obtained through surface modification of conventional fibers, including but not limited to plasma spraying and brush coating. Superaerophobic fiber 9a can be obtained by growing nanoarrays through methods including but not limited to electrochemical deposition and hydrothermal reaction.

[0061] The liquid level in the liquid chamber 5a of the tank is adjustable and can be adjusted by regulating the flow rate of the gas-liquid inlet 1 and the liquid outlet 2. The liquid level can be located in the middle of the bubble fusion chamber 6, or below the bubble fusion chamber inlet 7 of the bubble fusion chamber 6, or above the porous support layer 10.

[0062] The gas-liquid inlet 1 can be connected to a gas-liquid mixture pipeline, including a water electrolysis hydrogen production system (not shown in the figure), and the gas outlet 3 can be connected to a gas scrubber, gas storage tank, etc., in the water electrolysis hydrogen production system. Connection methods include, but are not limited to, threaded connections and flange connections.

[0063] Preferably, one or more bubble fusion chambers 6 can be provided inside a gas-liquid separator.

[0064] Example 1

[0065] Combination Figures 1-4 As shown, a gas-liquid separator based on super-affin / air-repellent fiber-induced rapid bubble fusion and transport in this embodiment includes: a shell 4, a tank liquid chamber 5a, a tank gas chamber 5c, a bubble fusion chamber 6, and packing 7, etc.

[0066] The housing 4 serves as the main outer shell of the gas-liquid separator, providing sealing and support for the internal liquid and gas. The housing 4 can be made of metallic materials such as titanium or stainless steel, or a non-metallic material such as PTFE can be used as the lining. The bottom of the housing 4 has a gas-liquid inlet 1 and a liquid outlet 2, which are connected to the interior of the housing 4 via pipes. The gas-liquid mixture enters the housing 4 through the gas-liquid inlet 1 and flows out through the liquid outlet 2. The top of the housing 4 has a gas outlet 3, which communicates with the internal space of the housing 4 via a pipe, allowing the separated gas to be discharged from the gas outlet 3.

[0067] The shell 4 contains liquid and gas; the space occupied by the liquid in the tank chamber 5 is the tank liquid chamber 5a, and the space above the tank liquid chamber 5a is the tank gas chamber 5c. The tank liquid chamber 5a and the tank gas chamber 5c are used to store the liquid and gas after gas-liquid separation, respectively.

[0068] The liquid level in the liquid chamber 5a of the tank can be dynamically adjusted according to changes in pressure and flow rate at the gas-liquid inlet 1, liquid outlet 2, and gas outlet 3. The liquid level can rise from the lowest point to the highest point of the shell 4. The bubble fusion chamber inlet 7 at the bottom of the bubble fusion chamber 6 is connected to and fixed to the gas-liquid inlet 1 via a pipe. The inside of the bubble fusion chamber 6 is connected to the pipe of the gas-liquid inlet 1, and the gas-liquid mixture flows into the bubble fusion chamber 6 from the gas-liquid inlet 1 through the pipe.

[0069] Within the bubble fusion chamber 6, as the gas-liquid mixture passes through the packing 9, micron-sized bubbles 12 in the gas-liquid mixture are intercepted as they pass through the lower superhydrophobic fiber 9a. See Figure 2The contact morphology between the superhydrophobic interface and bubble 12 is visible. Due to the air-repellency of the superhydrophobic fiber 9a surface, bubble 12 maintains its spherical shape and undergoes in-situ bubble merging, resulting in increased bubble volume. Subsequently, the superhydrophobic fiber 9b filler interacts with the bubble 12, causing it to deform and adhere to the surface of the superhydrophobic fiber 9b, forming a rapid gas passage for rapid gas expulsion, resulting in millimeter-sized large bubbles 12. Figure 3 .like Figure 2 As can be seen from c, the contact pattern between the superaerophilic interface and 12 shows that the bubble 12 deforms and adheres to the surface of the superaerophilic fiber 9b. The large bubble 12 and the liquid formed above flow out through the porous support layer 10 and enter the liquid chamber 5a of the tank. After the large bubble 12 rises rapidly, the gas enters the gas chamber 5c of the tank and is discharged through the gas outlet 3.

[0070] In the specific operation process, in this embodiment 1, firstly, metal fibers, such as nickel fibers with a diameter of 5 μm, are selected and soaked in 3M HCl for 10 min to remove the oxide layer on the surface. Then, they are washed with deionized water and placed in a prepared solution for hydrothermal reaction at 120°C for 6 h to obtain nickel fibers with a grown nanoarray surface. These nickel fibers have a superhydrophobic surface structure and can be used as superhydrophobic fiber 9a. Then, the superhydrophobic fiber 9a is soaked in a 0.5% (v / v) polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) dispersion for 5 min, and then heated in a tube furnace at 320°C under a nitrogen atmosphere for 30 min to obtain a uniformly loaded PTFE superhydrophobic fiber 9b. This is then mixed and opened using an opening machine at a ratio of 50% by weight of superhydrophobic fiber 9a and 50% by weight of superhydrophobic fiber 9b. A uniform superhydrophobic / gas-repellent fiber mixture is formed and filled into the bubble fusion chamber 6.

[0071] In this embodiment, the porous support layer 10 is a porous mesh structure made of PPS mesh. The porous mesh structure has a pore size of 10 μm and a thickness of 1 mm to provide mechanical support for the filler 9.

[0072] In specific operating conditions, firstly, the gas-liquid mixture generated by the water electrolysis system (not shown in the figure), with bubble sizes 12 ranging from 10 μm to 100 μm, enters the bubble fusion chamber 6 through the gas-liquid inlet 1. The packing material 9 is composed of super-sensitive and super-hydrophobic fibers 9a, with numerous tiny three-dimensional interconnected pores within the fibers. When the gas-liquid mixture contacts the packing material 9, the ultra-small bubbles 12 and the solution flow within the microporous channels 11. Due to the tortuous nature of the pores within the fibers, most of the tiny bubbles 12 accumulate at these tortuous points and gradually merge as the bubbles 12 accumulate, forming larger bubbles 12. Especially on the surface of the super-hydrophobic fibers 9a, the bubbles 12 maintain a spherical structure (e.g., Figure 2The superhydrophobic interface (contact morphology of superhydrophobic fiber 9a) facilitates collision and merging with other bubbles 12, forming larger bubbles 12. However, since the larger bubbles 12 are difficult to transport within the superhydrophobic fiber 9a, they are easily trapped within the three-dimensional structure. At this point, the superhydrophobicity of the superhydrophobic fiber 9b doped within this application allows it to interact with the bubbles 12, causing deformation and allowing the bubbles 12 to adhere to the surface of the superhydrophobic fiber 9b, reducing the windward area and enabling rapid transport of the bubbles 12, which are then discharged from the micropore outlet 13. Due to the rapid merging effect of the superhydrophobic fiber 9a filler and the rapid transport of the larger bubbles 12 by the superhydrophobic filler, efficient merging and transport of the bubbles 12 are achieved.

[0073] Figure 6 Comparison of gas-liquid separators with different fiber fillers. 1. Conventional fiber gas-liquid separator uses unmodified nickel fibers of the same diameter and filler amount as in Example 1 as filler 9, with other structural parameters being the same; 2. Superaerophilic fiber gas-liquid separator refers to the separator in Example 1 where all filler 9 is replaced with the superaerophilic fiber 9b described in Example 1, while the filling method remains unchanged; 3. Superaerophobic fiber gas-liquid separator refers to the separator in Example 1 where all filler 9 is replaced with the superaerophobic fiber 9a described in Example 1, while the filling method remains unchanged; 4. Superaerophilic / superaerophobic fiber gas-liquid separator specifically refers to the separator scheme in Example 1, that is, a mixed fiber system composed of superaerophilic fiber 9b and superaerophobic fiber 9a.

[0074] from Figure 6 The pressure drop loss of different structures shows that the pressure drop of a single fiber is relatively large. Using a super-affine / air-phobic hybrid fiber can reduce the pressure drop and the hydrogen concentration in the oxygen. When the bubbles enter the bubble fusion chamber 6, the bubble size is 10μm to 100μm. After passing through the bubble fusion chamber 6, the bubble size can reach the millimeter level. After forming large bubbles 12, they exit the packing 9 from the microporous outlet 13 and flow into the liquid chamber 5a of the tank through the porous support layer 10. Because the liquid and bubbles 12 flow in from the liquid surface of the tank liquid chamber 5a, the bubble 12 has a short rising distance, and being millimeter-sized, its maximum rising velocity can reach 0.108m / s (diameter 1mm). It can rise rapidly, form a gas phase, and overflow from the gas outlet 3, while the liquid is discharged from the liquid outlet 2. The entire process completes gas-liquid separation, greatly accelerating the separation speed.

[0075] pass Figure 5 The maximum buoyancy can be observed for different bubble sizes 12. Theoretical calculations show that the maximum buoyancy of a micron-sized bubble 12 with a diameter of 20 micrometers is 2 × 10⁻⁻⁻⁻⁶. 5 The maximum rising speed of the combined bubble 12 is 0.109 m / s, while the maximum rising speed of the millimeter-sized bubble 12 with a diameter of 1 mm is 0.109 m / s. The rising speed of the combined bubble 12 is 5000 times that of the uncombined bubble, which significantly increases the rising speed of the bubble 12 and reduces its residence time in the liquid.

[0076] pass Figure 7 The differences between the super-hydrophilic / fiber-repellent gas-liquid separator of Example 1 and a traditional gravity gas-liquid separator can be compared. A traditional gravity gas-liquid separator mainly comprises a large vertical tank with an inlet for the gas-liquid mixture (often with a baffle), a gravity settling zone, a top gas collection space (possibly containing a demister), and a bottom liquid storage zone. Its principle is based on the density difference between hydrogen and the electrolyte, relying on gravity for natural sedimentation separation in a large space at low speed: bubbles rise and coalesce, while the liquid sinks. This structure is simple and reliable, but to achieve sufficient separation, the equipment volume must be large enough, i.e., a large unit capacity, to provide a long residence time, resulting in a large footprint and relatively low separation efficiency for tiny bubbles. In terms of volume, the super-hydrophilic / fiber-repellent gas-liquid separator of this application, because the bubble 12 is forcibly merged, reduces the size of the bubble 12 from 20μm to the 1mm level, achieving rapid bubble 12 buoyancy, and shortening the liquid residence time from 8 minutes in the gravity separator to 30 seconds, thus greatly reducing the separator volume from the original 60L to 1 / 6 of the original.

[0077] Example 2

[0078] Combination Figure 8 The difference between this embodiment and embodiment 1 is that there are two bubble fusion chambers 6 in this embodiment, which are connected to the gas-liquid inlet 1 through pipes. The gas-liquid mixture can enter the two bubble fusion chambers 6 through the gas-liquid inlet 1 respectively, which increases the flow rate and reduces the pressure drop resistance. The working principle and process are the same as in embodiment 1.

[0079] Example 3

[0080] Combination Figure 9 The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that the gas-liquid separator in Embodiment 1 is a vertical separator, while the gas-liquid separator in Embodiment 3 is a horizontal separator. The working principle and process are the same as in Embodiment 1.

Claims

1. A bubble fusion chamber capable of inducing rapid fusion and transport of bubbles, characterized in that, The bubble fusion chamber (6) is sealed on all sides and open at the top or has a porous support layer (10). The bubble fusion chamber (6) is filled with a packing material (9) containing multiple fibers. The bubble fusion chamber (6) has a gas-liquid mixture inlet.

2. The bubble fusion chamber capable of inducing rapid fusion and transport of bubbles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter of a single fiber is 0.1-100μm, and the length of a single fiber is 1mm-50cm.

3. The bubble fusion chamber capable of inducing rapid fusion and transport of bubbles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multiple fibers are selected from one or more of the following: conventional fibers, air-loving fibers, and air-repellent fibers.

4. The bubble fusion chamber capable of inducing rapid fusion and transport of bubbles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fibers are filled in a disordered or ordered manner.

5. The bubble fusion chamber capable of inducing rapid fusion and transport of bubbles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multiple fibers include super-air-friendly fibers (9b) and super-air-repellent fibers (9a), and the ratio of the number of super-air-friendly fibers (9b) to super-air-repellent fibers (9a) gradually increases from the bottom to the top of the bubble fusion chamber (6).

6. The bubble fusion chamber capable of inducing rapid fusion and transport of bubbles according to claim 5, characterized in that, The bubble contact angle of the super-air-friendly fiber (9b) is less than 30 degrees, and the bubble contact angle of the super-air-repellent fiber (9a) is greater than 150 degrees.

7. A gas-liquid separator capable of inducing rapid fusion and transport of bubbles, characterized in that, The gas-liquid separator includes: a housing (4); The housing (4) is provided with a gas-liquid inlet (1) and a liquid outlet (2), and the upper part of the housing (4) is provided with a gas outlet (3). The space inside the shell (4) is a tank chamber (5), and the tank chamber (5) is provided with a bubble fusion chamber (6) as described in any one of claims 1-5. The gas-liquid inlet (1) is connected to the gas-liquid mixture inlet of the bubble fusion chamber (6).

8. The gas-liquid separator capable of inducing rapid fusion and transport of bubbles according to claim 7, characterized in that, The shell (4) contains liquid and gas; The space occupied by the liquid in the tank chamber (5) is the tank liquid chamber (5a), and the space above the tank liquid chamber (5a) is the tank gas chamber (5c); or, the tank chamber (5) is divided into the tank liquid chamber (5a) located at the bottom and the tank gas chamber (5c) located above the tank liquid chamber (5a) according to height. A portion of the bubble fusion chamber (6) is located in the liquid chamber (5a) of the tank, and another portion is located in the gas chamber (5c) of the tank; or, the entire bubble fusion chamber (6) is located in the liquid chamber (5a) of the tank; or, the entire bubble fusion chamber (6) is located in the gas chamber (5c) of the tank.

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