Hydrogen mixer

Abstract

The utility model relates to a kind of hydrogen mixers, comprising: gas-water separation mechanism and the hydrogen mixing mechanism being set above gas-water separation mechanism, hydrogen mixing mechanism includes: mixed main part, primary flow hydrogen gas inlet pipe and secondary flow hydrogen gas inlet pipe, mixed main part is equipped with mixing chamber, the mixed main part is equipped with pressure relief safety valve, the primary flow hydrogen gas inlet pipe is equipped with primary flow hydrogen gas inlet channel, the secondary flow hydrogen gas inlet pipe is equipped with secondary flow hydrogen gas inlet channel, the gas-water separation mechanism is equipped with gas-water separation casing and the gas-water separation chamber being set in gas-water separation casing, the primary flow hydrogen gas inlet channel, secondary flow hydrogen gas inlet channel, mixing chamber and gas-water separation chamber jointly form y-shaped structure, the sidewall of the gas-water separation casing is equipped with mixed hydrogen gas inlet interface pipe, the bottom of the gas-water separation casing is equipped with liquid outlet, the liquid outlet is connected with drain valve by first connecting pipe, to reduce the hydrogen water division of stack.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of hydrogen fuel cells, and in particular to a hydrogen mixer. Background Technology

[0002] Hydrogen fuel cells are widely considered a key trend in the future development of new energy vehicles due to their high efficiency, high power density, and zero emissions. The hydrogen supply of a hydrogen fuel cell typically exceeds its theoretical consumption. Directly releasing this excess hydrogen without recycling would result in significant waste, and the release of large amounts of unreacted hydrogen into the atmosphere would pose a significant risk of high-concentration hydrogen emissions. Therefore, hydrogen recycling is necessary. Since the exhaust gas from the fuel cell stack contains droplets, a gas-liquid separator is required to separate these droplets. Secondary hydrogen is then collected from the exhaust gas and fed into the fuel cell stack via an ejector. During operation, primary hydrogen is introduced through a high-pressure nozzle, forming a low-pressure intake zone. The secondary hydrogen is then drawn into the fuel cell stack. Secondary hydrogen is drawn in and mixed with the secondary hydrogen before being fed into the fuel cell stack. The gas-liquid separator and ejector are typically integrated into one device. Please refer to prior art ZL202122154266.X, which discloses such an integrated gas-liquid separator and ejector device, including an integrated housing. The integrated housing comprises a gas-liquid separator housing and an ejector housing. The top of the gas-liquid separator housing has a secondary hydrogen outlet. Inside the ejector housing is a high-pressure nozzle. A primary hydrogen injection channel is located in front of the high-pressure nozzle. A low-pressure zone is formed around the high-pressure nozzle and is connected to the hydrogen return outlet. Primary hydrogen is ejected from the high-pressure nozzle through the injection channel, then drawn in secondary hydrogen in the low-pressure zone, mixed, and then output. The drawback of this integrated gas-liquid separator and ejector device is that the separation chamber and the primary hydrogen injection channel within the gas-liquid separator are separately configured (i.e., the separation chamber is located at the bottom, and the primary hydrogen injection channel is located at the left end). Therefore, before the high-pressure nozzle injects the gas, the secondary hydrogen in the separation chamber and the primary hydrogen in the primary hydrogen injection channel cannot exchange heat. Consequently, when the secondary hydrogen containing high concentrations of water vapor mixes with the lower-temperature primary hydrogen in the mixing zone, it will condense to produce a large amount of liquid water. This liquid water will block the hydrogen path after entering the fuel cell stack, causing a decrease in fuel cell stack performance and flooding of the hydrogen manifold and distribution channel. Moreover, when the ambient temperature is low, this liquid water will freeze.

[0003] To solve this technical problem, our company later developed an integrated gas-liquid separator and ejector device (see ZL202310212741.5). This device integrates a primary hydrogen injection channel within a column. When the primary hydrogen flows through this channel, the cooler primary hydrogen exchanges heat with the warmer secondary hydrogen in the primary cyclone gas-liquid separator. This heat exchange raises the temperature of the primary hydrogen in the injection channel and lowers the temperature of the secondary hydrogen in the primary cyclone gas-liquid separator, thus reducing the temperature difference between the two. When the primary and secondary hydrogen enter the ejector, the generation of large amounts of liquid water is avoided. Furthermore, the reduced temperature of the secondary hydrogen liquefies some of its water vapor, enhancing the water separation effect.

[0004] Over time, our company has further developed this technology, providing a hydrogen mixer with a simpler structure that can also solve the aforementioned technical problems. Utility Model Content

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, the purpose of this invention is to provide a hydrogen mixer that can reduce the amount of water entering the fuel cell stack.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows: a hydrogen mixer, comprising: a gas-water separation mechanism and a hydrogen mixing mechanism disposed above the gas-water separation mechanism, wherein the gas-water separation mechanism and the hydrogen mixing mechanism are connected by several fixing components, the hydrogen mixing mechanism comprising: a mixing body, a primary flow hydrogen inlet pipe and a secondary flow hydrogen inlet pipe, the mixing body having a mixing chamber, the mixing body having a pressure relief safety valve connected to the mixing chamber, the primary flow hydrogen inlet pipe having a primary flow hydrogen inlet channel, the secondary flow hydrogen inlet pipe having a secondary flow hydrogen inlet channel, the gas-water separation mechanism having a gas-water separation shell and a gas-water separation chamber disposed within the gas-water separation shell, the primary flow hydrogen inlet channel, the secondary flow hydrogen inlet channel, the mixing chamber and the gas-water separation chamber together forming a Y-shaped structure, the side wall of the gas-water separation shell having a mixed hydrogen inlet interface pipe, the bottom of the gas-water separation shell having a liquid outlet, the liquid outlet being connected to a drain valve through a first connecting pipe.

[0007] Preferably, a hydrogen mixer in this invention is further configured such that the primary flow hydrogen inlet pipe is connected to the mixing body via a threaded connection.

[0008] Preferably, the hydrogen mixer of this utility model is further configured such that the secondary flow hydrogen inlet pipe is connected to the mixing body via a threaded connection.

[0009] Preferably, the hydrogen mixer of this utility model is further configured such that the drain valve is connected to the water storage tank of the tail section through a second connecting pipe.

[0010] Preferably, the hydrogen mixer of the present invention is further configured such that: the gas-water separation mechanism is a baffle-type gas-water separation mechanism, and the gas-water separation shell is provided with a water-catching perforated plate.

[0011] Preferably, the hydrogen mixer of this utility model is further configured such that the gas-water separation mechanism is a centrifugal gas-water separation mechanism.

[0012] Preferably, the hydrogen mixer of this utility model is further configured such that the fixing components are bolts and nuts.

[0013] Preferably, a hydrogen mixer of the present invention is further configured such that the pressure relief safety valve is located at the top of the mixing body.

[0014] Preferably, a hydrogen mixer in this invention is further configured such that the angle between the axis of the primary flow hydrogen inlet pipe and the center line of the mixing body is the same as the angle between the axis of the secondary flow hydrogen inlet pipe and the center line of the mixing body.

[0015] Preferably, the hydrogen mixer of the present invention is further configured such that the angle between the axis of the primary flow hydrogen inlet pipe and the center line of the mixing body is 30°~60°, and the angle between the axis of the secondary flow hydrogen inlet pipe and the center line of the mixing body is 30°~60°.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: The hydrogen mixer in the present invention designs the primary hydrogen inlet channel, the secondary hydrogen inlet channel, the mixing chamber and the gas-water separation chamber into a Y-shaped structure. This structural design allows the primary and secondary hydrogen to be fully mixed by convection, while also generating a velocity component to push the mixed hydrogen into the lower gas-water separation chamber. During the mixing process, the water vapor in the secondary hydrogen condenses into liquid water after encountering the lower-temperature primary hydrogen. Then, the mixed hydrogen and liquid water enter the lower gas-water separation chamber for gas-water separation. The separated mixed hydrogen enters the fuel cell stack through the mixed hydrogen inlet interface pipe, and the separated liquid enters the tail discharge water storage tank through the liquid outlet at the bottom of the gas-water separation shell. (In existing technologies, secondary hydrogen gas exiting the reactor is typically filtered through a gas-liquid separator before being mixed with primary hydrogen gas and then fed into the reactor. Because secondary hydrogen gas contains water vapor that cannot be filtered out by the gas-liquid separator, the water vapor in the secondary hydrogen gas condenses into liquid water when it encounters the cooler primary hydrogen gas. Existing technologies directly feed the mixed hydrogen gas and liquid water into the reactor, leading to a series of problems such as reduced reactor performance and flooding. This invention, however, develops a hydrogen mixer that overturns this traditional structural design. The core design principle of this invention is to first fully mix the secondary hydrogen gas exiting the reactor with the primary hydrogen gas without first separating it through a gas-liquid separator. After mixing, the mixture is then separated by a gas-liquid separator. This allows the liquid water formed by the condensation of water vapor in the secondary hydrogen gas during the mixing process to be separated by the gas-liquid separator, thereby reducing the amount of water entering the reactor, improving reactor performance, and preventing flooding.) Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the hydrogen mixer in this utility model.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the hydrogen mixer in this utility model from one angle.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the hydrogen mixer in this utility model from another angle.

[0020] Figures 1 to 3In the middle: 1. Gas-water separation mechanism, 10. Gas-water separation shell, 100. Mixed hydrogen inlet pipe, 101. Liquid outlet, 102. First connecting pipe, 103. Drain valve, 104. Water trapping orifice plate, 11. Gas-water separation chamber, 2. Hydrogen mixing mechanism, 20. Mixing body, 200. Mixing chamber, 201. Pressure relief safety valve, 21. Primary flow hydrogen inlet pipe, 210. Primary flow hydrogen inlet channel, 22. Secondary flow hydrogen inlet pipe, 220. Secondary flow hydrogen inlet channel, 3. Fixing component. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The present invention provides a hydrogen mixer in further detail below through specific embodiments.

[0022] Please see Figures 1 to 3A hydrogen mixer includes a gas-water separation mechanism 1 and a hydrogen mixing mechanism 2 disposed above the gas-water separation mechanism 1. The gas-water separation mechanism 1 and the hydrogen mixing mechanism 2 are connected by several fasteners 3. In this embodiment, the fasteners 3 are bolts and nuts, and the number of fasteners 3 is four. The hydrogen mixing mechanism 2 includes a mixing body 20, a primary flow hydrogen inlet pipe 21, and a secondary flow hydrogen inlet pipe 22. In this embodiment, the primary flow hydrogen inlet pipe 21 and the mixing body 20 are connected by threads. The secondary flow hydrogen inlet pipe 22 and the mixing body 20 are also connected by threads. The advantage of the threaded connection is that it facilitates assembly, disassembly, and maintenance. Of course, in other embodiments, the primary flow hydrogen inlet pipe 21 and the mixing body 20 can also be connected by welding or other methods, and the secondary flow hydrogen inlet pipe 22 and the mixing body 20 can also be connected by welding or other methods, which can also achieve the present invention. The mixing body 20 is provided with a mixing chamber 200. The mixing body 20 is equipped with a pressure relief safety valve 201 connected to the mixing chamber 200. In this embodiment, the pressure relief safety valve 201 is located at the top of the mixing body 20. The function of the pressure relief safety valve 201 is to prevent excessive pressure of the hydrogen entering the reactor. The angle between the axis of the primary flow hydrogen inlet pipe 21 and the centerline of the mixing body 20 is the same as the angle between the axis of the secondary flow hydrogen inlet pipe 22 and the centerline of the mixing body 20. The angle between the axis of the primary flow hydrogen inlet pipe 21 and the centerline of the mixing body 20 is 30°~60°, and the angle between the axis of the secondary flow hydrogen inlet pipe 22 and the centerline of the mixing body 20 is 30°~60°. The primary hydrogen inlet pipe 21 is provided with a primary hydrogen inlet channel 210, and the secondary hydrogen inlet pipe 22 is provided with a secondary hydrogen inlet channel 220. The gas-water separation mechanism 1 is provided with a gas-water separation shell 10 and a gas-water separation chamber 11 disposed in the gas-water separation shell 10. The primary hydrogen inlet channel 210, the secondary hydrogen inlet channel 220, the mixing chamber 200 and the gas-water separation chamber 11 together form a Y-shaped structure.

[0023] The gas-liquid separator 10 has a mixed hydrogen inlet pipe 100 on its side wall and a liquid outlet 101 at its bottom. The liquid outlet 101 is connected to a drain valve 103 via a first connecting pipe 102. The drain valve 103 is connected to a tailrace water tank (not shown) via a second connecting pipe. In this embodiment, the gas-liquid separator 1 is a baffle-type gas-liquid separator, and the gas-liquid separator 10 has a water-catching perforated plate 104 inside. Of course, in other embodiments, the gas-liquid separator can also be a centrifugal gas-liquid separator. Both the baffle-type and centrifugal gas-liquid separators are existing technologies.

[0024] The working principle of the hydrogen mixer in this invention is as follows: primary hydrogen enters the mixing chamber 200 of the mixing body 20 through the primary hydrogen inlet pipe 21, and secondary hydrogen enters the mixing chamber 200 of the mixing body 20 through the secondary hydrogen inlet pipe 22. Then, the primary and secondary hydrogen are mixed in the mixing chamber 200. Since the secondary hydrogen contains water vapor and the primary hydrogen has a lower temperature, the water vapor in the secondary hydrogen condenses to produce liquid water (also known as temperature drop liquefaction). The mixed hydrogen, along with the liquid water, enters the gas-water separation chamber 11 below. Then, large water droplets are intercepted by the water trapping orifice plate 104 and flow with the inclined water trapping orifice plate 104 to the bottom of the gas-water separation shell 10 for storage. When a certain amount of water is stored, the drain valve 103 is triggered to open and drain the water into the tail drain water tank. The separated mixed hydrogen enters the fuel cell stack from the mixed hydrogen inlet pipe 100 on the side wall of the gas-water separation shell 10.

[0025] In summary, the hydrogen mixer in this invention, by designing the primary hydrogen inlet channel 210, the secondary hydrogen inlet channel 220, the mixing chamber 200, and the gas-water separation chamber 11 into a Y-shaped structure, not only ensures uniform mixing of the primary and secondary hydrogen but also generates a velocity component to propel the mixed hydrogen into the lower gas-water separation chamber 11. This achieves a process of mixing first, then separating the gas and water, and finally feeding it into the stack. The improved structure significantly enhances the performance of the fuel cell stack, effectively reducing hydrogen and water ingress into the stack and preventing flooding, even during high-power operation in the fuel cell system.

[0026] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of this utility model, as well as some of its applications, and are not intended to limit this utility model. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the inventive concept of this utility model, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A hydrogen mixer, characterized in that: include: A gas-water separation mechanism and a hydrogen mixing mechanism disposed above the gas-water separation mechanism are provided. The gas-water separation mechanism and the hydrogen mixing mechanism are connected by several fixing components. The hydrogen mixing mechanism includes: a mixing body, a primary flow hydrogen inlet pipe, and a secondary flow hydrogen inlet pipe. The mixing body has a mixing chamber and a pressure relief safety valve connected to the mixing chamber. The primary flow hydrogen inlet pipe has a primary flow hydrogen inlet channel, and the secondary flow hydrogen inlet pipe has a secondary flow hydrogen inlet channel. The gas-water separation mechanism has a gas-water separation shell and a gas-water separation chamber disposed within the gas-water separation shell. The primary flow hydrogen inlet channel, the secondary flow hydrogen inlet channel, the mixing chamber, and the gas-water separation chamber together form a Y-shaped structure. The side wall of the gas-water separation shell has a mixed hydrogen inlet interface pipe, and the bottom of the gas-water separation shell has a liquid outlet. The liquid outlet is connected to a drain valve through a first connecting pipe.

2. The hydrogen mixer as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The primary hydrogen inlet pipe is connected to the mixing body via a threaded connection.

3. A hydrogen mixer as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The secondary flow hydrogen inlet pipe is connected to the mixing body via a threaded connection.

4. A hydrogen mixer as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The drain valve is connected to the tail drain's water storage tank via a second connecting pipe.

5. A hydrogen mixer as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The gas-water separation mechanism is a baffle-type gas-water separation mechanism, and the gas-water separation shell is provided with a water-catching perforated plate.

6. A hydrogen mixer as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The gas-water separation mechanism is a centrifugal gas-water separation mechanism.

7. A hydrogen mixer as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The fasteners are bolts and nuts.

8. A hydrogen mixer as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The pressure relief safety valve is located at the top of the mixing body.

9. A hydrogen mixer as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The angle between the axis of the primary hydrogen inlet pipe and the centerline of the mixing body is the same as the angle between the axis of the secondary hydrogen inlet pipe and the centerline of the mixing body.

10. A hydrogen mixer as described in claim 9, characterized in that: The angle between the axis of the primary hydrogen inlet pipe and the center line of the mixing body is 30°~60°, and the angle between the axis of the secondary hydrogen inlet pipe and the center line of the mixing body is 30°~60°.

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