Method and system for producing at least one product

Abstract

The invention relates to a plant (100) and a method for operating this plant (100), which comprises a process unit (115) for producing a process product (111) using a fluid process reactant (131) and an electronic component (113), wherein the electronic component (113) can be temperature-controlled using a heat transfer medium. A characteristic feature is that the fluid process reactant (131) can be used upstream of the process unit (115) as a heat transfer medium for temperature-controlling the electronic component (113).

Description

Area

[0001] The invention relates to a method for operating a plant for obtaining a process product and to a plant for obtaining a process product. background

[0002] To produce hydrogen, water can be subjected to various electrolysis processes. Distinctions are made, for example, between high-temperature and low-temperature processes, as well as between high-pressure and low-pressure processes. Examples include alkaline electrolysis (AEL), electrolysis using proton exchange membranes (PEM), electrolysis using anion exchange membranes (AEM), electrolysis using solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOEC), and electrolysis using proton-conducting ceramics (PCE).

[0003] High-temperature processes can be carried out, for example, at temperatures between 400°C and 700°C, using alkaline electrolytes with adapted membranes, such as polysulfone membranes, the aforementioned solid oxide electrolysis cells, and oxygen-ion-conducting high-temperature materials. The latter include, in particular, doped zirconium dioxide or doped oxides of other rare earths, which become technically significant conductors at temperatures above 600°C. Low-pressure processes are typically carried out at atmospheric pressure, while high-pressure processes are carried out at significantly higher pressures, for example, up to 30 bar. The technical background and configurations of electrolysis processes are described in paragraphs

[0019] to

[0024] of EP 3 766 831 A1. Reference is also made to relevant technical literature.

[0004] Electrolysis processes typically use demineralized water. Other processes also use water, particularly demineralized water, to obtain corresponding products. The present invention is not limited to electrolysis processes but is equally suitable for such other processes. Therefore, reference is made below generally to a system with a process unit in which a process reactant, in particular demineralized water, is converted into a process product.

[0005] To supply the corresponding process equipment with electrical power and to control the process equipment, the process equipment includes electronic components. Due to the power dissipation of these electronic components, they heat up over time and must be cooled by a cooling circuit. A closed cooling circuit, through which a fluid coolant flows, is generally used for this purpose. It is also conceivable that the electronic components are cold, for example, due to the season or weather conditions, and must be warmed by the cooling circuit. Therefore, the term "temperature control" is also used below. A system of which such process equipment is a part, especially a large industrial plant, also includes additional electronic components that must be cooled or heated, i.e., temperature controlled, during the operation of the system.

[0006] Against this background, the present invention aims to provide improved possibilities for operating plants for the production of process products, as well as correspondingly improved plants. Overview

[0007] Against this background, a method for operating a plant for obtaining a process product and a plant for obtaining a process product with the features of the independent patent claims are proposed. Embodiments are the subject of the dependent patent claims and the following description.

[0008] The plant includes a process unit, which is configured to produce the process product using the process feedstock, in particular demineralized water. The plant also includes an electronic component. The process unit is, for example, an electrolysis unit or another process unit that uses demineralized water as a process feedstock, such as the pre-wash column of an sour gas scrubber or a steam generator.

[0009] It is understood that whenever a component, a reactant or a product is mentioned below, the corresponding explanations may also extend to several components, reactants or products and then apply in the same or a corresponding manner.

[0010] The electronic components of the plant, such as a power converter used to supply the process equipment with electrical energy, a battery for storing electrical energy that can be used to operate the process equipment, or a data center, must be cooled or heated, i.e., temperature-controlled, during plant operation. This is conventionally achieved using closed heat transfer circuits in which fluid chemicals are used as heat transfer fluids and inhibitors, for example, as corrosion inhibitors and / or antifreeze. However, this results in increased investment, monitoring, control, and maintenance costs.

[0011] By using a flow-through temperature control system (hereinafter referred to as a flow-through system), in which the process feedstock is used as a heat transfer medium before entering the process equipment, the investment and operating costs of the plant can be reduced, as, for example, a circulation pump and heat exchanger for cooling or heating the heat transfer medium can be omitted. Furthermore, the monitoring, control, and maintenance requirements of the flow-through system are also reduced. Additionally, using the process feedstock as a heat transfer medium can reduce the environmental impact caused by chemicals used in closed cooling circuits.

[0012] Furthermore, the process feedstock is tempered by its use as a heat transfer medium, thus reducing the (energy) expenditure required to bring the process feedstock to the necessary or efficient temperature for obtaining the process product.

[0013] In the inventive method for operating a plant for the production of a process product using a fluid process feedstock, in particular demineralized water, the electronic component of the plant is temperature-controlled by a continuous flow system. In this system, the process feedstock is used as a heat transfer medium; that is, the process feedstock passes through the system only once and is not recirculated. Subsequently, the process feedstock used as a heat transfer medium in the continuous flow system is used to produce the process product. At least a portion, but preferably the entire quantity, of the process feedstock used as a heat transfer medium is used in the process equipment to produce the at least one process product. This achieves the aforementioned advantages, in particular reduced investment and operating costs.

[0014] In one embodiment, the electronic component of the system is a power converter with an AC circuit and a DC circuit. The power converter is configured to be connected to an AC voltage source and to supply the at least one process unit with a DC voltage. The AC circuit is electrically connected to the AC voltage source, in particular by means of a transformer. The power converter is necessary to convert the AC voltage into the DC voltage required for the operation of the process unit. In this sense, a so-called inverter or AC-DC converter can be used as the power converter. It should be noted, however, that such a power converter can also, in principle, convert DC voltage into AC voltage.

[0015] Typically, such a power converter incorporates semiconductor switches like IGBTs, thyristors, or MOSFETs, which are connected accordingly, usually in a bridge configuration, and then controlled to convert the alternating current (AC) into a direct current (DC). The transformer allows the typically very high AC voltage from the AC power source, such as a power grid (at least in industrial-scale applications, a high voltage is typical), to be stepped down to a lower, required AC voltage.

[0016] Since an applied alternating voltage is converted into a direct voltage in the power converter, especially by means of semiconductor switches, a significant amount of heat is generated in the power converter, which can be efficiently dissipated by the through-flow system.

[0017] In one embodiment, the system includes an electronic component such as a battery for storing electrical energy or a data center. These components can also be cooled by the flow-through system, thereby achieving the aforementioned advantages on a greater scale.

[0018] In one embodiment, the system includes a storage container designed to hold the process feedstock. During operation, the process feedstock can be fed directly from this storage container to the process unit, i.e., without having to go through the continuous flow system. This allows the quantities of process feedstock used for cooling and for obtaining the at least one process product to be controlled independently.

[0019] In one embodiment, the process device is an electrolysis device comprising one or more electrolysis stacks, each of which may include a plurality of electrolysis cells configured to carry out electrolysis to obtain at least one process product, in particular hydrogen, for example in gaseous form.

[0020] For example, the system can be used for water electrolysis, i.e., for producing hydrogen as an electrolysis product from water, particularly from demineralized water as the electrolysis reactant. The types of water electrolysis mentioned at the beginning are particularly suitable here. Furthermore, the system can be used, with particular preference, for low-temperature electrolysis and / or medium-temperature electrolysis and / or high-temperature electrolysis, as partially described at the beginning.

[0021] For example, EPM, AEL, and AEM are typically operated at temperatures below 100°C as low-temperature electrolysis systems, although temperatures up to 130°C are possible and sometimes even very efficient. Medium-temperature electrolysis usually uses steam (and not liquid water), with temperatures between 150°C and 400°C at appropriate pressures. High-temperature electrolysis generally uses ceramic membranes, such as SOEC or the described HAT-PEM, in a temperature range above 600°C. The individual electrolysis units are designed accordingly.The specific type of electrolysis carried out with the system is less relevant to the present invention, as will become clear from the following explanations. In particular, the present invention can be used with any type of water-based electrolysis, especially demineralized water. This allows the amount of produced process product, in this case hydrogen and oxygen, to be flexibly adjusted.

[0022] The invention further relates to a system for obtaining a process product, comprising a process unit configured for obtaining the process product using a fluid process feedstock, an electronic component, and a continuous flow system configured for temperature-controlling the electronic component using a fluid heat transfer medium. A characteristic feature of the system is that the fluid process feedstock can be used as a heat transfer medium for temperature control of the electronic component upstream of the process unit in the continuous flow system. In the continuous flow system, the process feedstock can be used as a heat transfer medium before it is fed to the process unit for obtaining the process product. As already explained in connection with the process, the process feedstock passes through the continuous flow system only once.

[0023] The system according to the invention allows the advantages previously mentioned in connection with the method for operating an electrolysis system to be achieved.

[0024] In one embodiment, the electronic components are designed as a power converter with an AC circuit and a DC circuit, wherein the power converter is configured to be connected to an AC voltage source and to supply the process equipment with a DC voltage.

[0025] In one embodiment, the system includes a storage container designed to hold the process feedstock. Advantageously, the process feedstock can be fed directly from the storage container to the process unit without having to pass through the flow system.

[0026] For further features and advantages of a corresponding system and its embodiments, reference is expressly made to the above explanations concerning the method proposed according to the invention and its embodiments, since these apply in the same way. drawing

[0027] One embodiment of the invention is described below by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing and an explanation of the technical background, wherein Figure 1 schematically shows a system according to one embodiment.

[0028] Figure 1Figure 1 schematically shows a plant 100 for the production of at least one process product 111 according to a preferred embodiment. In the embodiment shown, four process products 111, 112, 121, 122 are produced. The plant 100 comprises two process units 115, 120 for the production of the process products 111, 112, 121, 122. Process unit 115 is an electrolysis unit. For example, in water electrolysis, demineralized water can be used as a process reactant 131 to produce hydrogen 111 and oxygen 112 as process products. In the second process unit 120, demineralized water 134 can also be used as a process reactant to produce two further process products 121, 122.

[0029] The system 110 further comprises an electronic component 113. The electronic component 113 shown is a power converter comprising an AC circuit and a DC circuit and configured to be connected to a three-phase AC voltage source 200. A transformer can be used, in particular, to connect the AC circuit and the AC voltage source 200. The AC voltage source 200 is, for example, a general power supply network or an island grid, with the system 110 being supplied with electrical energy, for example, directly from a wind turbine or a wind farm with several wind turbines. The power converter is further configured to supply the process unit 115 with a DC voltage. The process unit 115 is configured to carry out electrolysis.

[0030] The electronic components 113 of the system 110 are not limited to the power converter, but can also include other and / or additional electronic components. For example, the system 100 can also include a battery that stores electrical energy and is used to operate the process equipment 115, 120, for example, in the event of a failure of the AC voltage source 200. The system 100 can also include a data center where data is collected and evaluated. These additional electronic components can also be cooled by a flow-through cooling system.

[0031] Plant 100 further includes a storage container 130, which is designed to store the process reactant 131 used to produce the process products 111, 112, 121, 122 and as a heat transfer medium. Plant 100 is designed such that, in addition to the process reactant 133 used as a heat transfer medium, process reactant 132 can be supplied directly from the storage container 130 to the process unit 115. This allows the quantity of process reactants 132 and 133 for electrolysis and the quantity of process reactant 131 for temperature control to be adjusted independently of each other.

[0032] The system 100 has a flow-through system for cooling or heating the electronic component 113. In this flow-through system, the process feedstock 131 from the storage container 130 is used as a heat transfer medium. A heat exchanger, for example an air-to-air heat exchanger, can be arranged between the storage container 130 and the electronic components 113. This heat exchanger cools or heats the process feedstock 131 to a predetermined temperature. However, it is also possible to forgo the use of an air-to-air heat exchanger.

[0033] After use as a heat transfer medium, at least part 133 of the process reactant 131 is fed to the process unit 115 for electrolysis. Another part 134 of the process reactant 131 is fed to the second process unit 120 and used there to obtain the process products 121, 122.

[0034] A return of the process reactant 131 to the storage container 130 is not provided.

Claims

1. Method for operating a plant (100) comprising a process unit (115) for obtaining a process product (111) using a fluid process reactant (131) and an electronic component (113), wherein the electronic component (113) is temperature-controlled using a fluid heat transfer medium, characterized by the fact that The fluid process feedstock (131) is used upstream of the process device (115) as a heat transfer medium for temperature control of the electronic component (113).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the electronic component (113) is a power converter with an AC circuit and a DC circuit, wherein the power converter is configured to be connected to an AC voltage source (200) and to supply the process equipment (115) with a DC voltage.

3. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact thatthe electronic component (113) of the system (100) is a battery for storing electrical energy or a data center.

4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that The plant (100) includes a storage container (130) which is designed to store the process reactant (131).

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized by the fact that The process equipment (115) is supplied with the process reactant (132) directly from the storage container (130).

6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the process apparatus (115) is an electrolysis apparatus.

7. Method according to claim 6, characterized by the fact that the process product (111) is hydrogen.

8. Method according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized by the fact that the system (100) is used for low-temperature electrolysis and / or medium-temperature electrolysis and / or high-temperature electrolysis.

9. Plant (100) for obtaining a process product (111), comprising a process unit (115) configured for obtaining the process product (111) using a fluid process reactant (131), an electronic component (113) and a flow system configured for temperature-controlling the electronic component (113) using a fluid heat transfer medium, characterized by the fact that The fluid process feedstock (131) can be used upstream of the process equipment (115) in the continuous flow system as a heat transfer medium for temperature control of the electronic component (113).

10. Plant (100) according to claim 9, characterized by the fact that the electronic component (113) comprises a power converter with an AC circuit and a DC circuit, wherein the power converter is configured to be connected to an AC voltage source (200) and to supply the process equipment (115) with a DC voltage.

11. Plant (100) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized by the fact that it has a storage container (130) which is designed to store the process reactant (131).

12. Plant (100) according to claim 11, characterized by the fact that The process equipment (115) can be supplied with the process reactant (132) directly from the storage container (130).

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