Liquefied cryogenic fluid production and storage facility

Abstract

The invention relates to an installation (100) for producing and storing liquefied cryogenic fluid comprising: a liquefier (3) configured to produce a liquefied cryogenic fluid from a feed gas (30); a first storage (4) configured to be supplied by the liquefier (3); a second storage (7) configured to store liquid hydrogen having a degree of purity greater than or equal to a first predetermined degree of purity; a source of gaseous hydrogen (8) configured to deliver gaseous hydrogen having in particular a degree of purity greater than or equal to the first predetermined degree of purity; an air source (2) configured to deliver air (1); a nitrogen gas source (6) configured to deliver nitrogen gas; a control unit configured to selectively flush and / or purge the first storage (4) with air (1), nitrogen gas, hydrogen gas and liquid hydrogen. Abstract figure: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Installation for the production and storage of liquefied cryogenic fluid

[0001] The present invention relates to an installation for producing and storing liquefied cryogenic fluid and a method for preparing such an installation.

[0002] A hydrogen liquefier is generally configured to produce liquid hydrogen without it being possible to guarantee continuous operation, in particular when the availability of feed gas is linked to the presence of solar or wind energy. The liquid hydrogen produced by the liquefier is therefore stored in one or more liquefied hydrogen storages from which tanks to be filled such as semi-trailers are filled. Thus, even when the liquefier is stopped (the liquefier is stopped in particular when it is not delivering a fluid such as hydrogen or when it delivers a fluid such as hydrogen at a temperature greater than or equal to -150 °C), it remains possible to ensure the filling of one or more tanks to be filled.

[0003] When commissioning the liquefier, while the storage does not contain liquid hydrogen, it is necessary to prepare the storage by removing any impurities it may contain in order to avoid pollution of the storage. It is also essential to reduce the temperature of the internal wall of the storage until it reaches a value below -150°C.

[0004] A problem arises in particular when the liquefier is stopped, in particular due to the presence of impurities in the fluid delivered by the liquefier when its temperature is greater than or equal to -150°C.

[0005] The present invention aims to effectively remedy these drawbacks by proposing an installation for producing and storing liquefied cryogenic fluid, for example liquefied hydrogen, comprising: - a liquefier configured to produce a liquefied cryogenic fluid from a feed gas; - a first storage configured to be supplied by the liquefier with liquefied cryogenic fluid and being configured to allow the storage of the liquefied cryogenic fluid; - a second storage configured to store liquid hydrogen having a degree of purity greater than or equal to a first predetermined degree of purity, the first predetermined degree of purity being for example greater than or equal to 99.9999 mol %, the installation being configured to allow the transfer into the first storage, of at least a portion of the liquid hydrogen from the second storage, via a first transfer pipe provided with a first valve of a set of valves; - a source of gaseous hydrogen configured to deliver gaseous hydrogen having in particular a degree of purity greater than or equal to the first predetermined degree of purity, the installation being configured to allow the transfer into the first storage, of at least a portion of the gaseous hydrogen delivered by the source of gaseous hydrogen, via a second transfer pipe provided with a second valve of a set of valves; - an air source configured to deliver air, the installation being configured to allow the transfer into the first storage, of at least a portion of the air delivered by the air source, via a third transfer pipe provided with a third valve of the set of valves; - a source of gaseous nitrogen configured to deliver gaseous nitrogen, the installation being configured to allow the transfer into the first storage, of at least a portion of the gaseous nitrogen delivered by the source of gaseous nitrogen, via a fourth transfer pipe provided with a fourth valve of the set of valves; - a control unit configured to control at least the set of valves to selectively sweep and / or purge the first storage with air, gaseous nitrogen, gaseous hydrogen and liquid hydrogen, the first storage being in particular fluidically isolated from the liquefier and / or the liquefier being stopped.

[0006] The invention thus makes it possible to prepare the first storage, in particular by removing the impurities that it could contain and / or by lowering the temperature of the mass of the first storage, even when the liquefier is stopped.

[0007] According to one embodiment, when the liquefier is stopped, it does not deliver fluid such as hydrogen or it delivers a fluid such as hydrogen at a temperature greater than or equal to -150°C.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the second storage is configured to be mobile relative to the liquefier, for example by being transported by a trailer or a truck.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the source of gaseous hydrogen comprises a first vaporizer supplied with liquid hydrogen from the second storage, the first vaporizer being in particular configured to selectively operate according to a first mode in which it delivers gaseous hydrogen at a first temperature and according to a second mode in which it delivers gaseous hydrogen at a second temperature lower than the first temperature, in particular lower by at least 100°C.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the installation comprises a third storage intended to store liquid nitrogen, the gaseous nitrogen source comprising a second vaporizer configured to receive liquid nitrogen from the third storage and to deliver gaseous nitrogen.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the first storage comprises a double-envelope enclosure separated by thermal insulation.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the installation comprises a filling pipe provided with a filling valve for filling a tank to be filled with liquefied cryogenic fluid coming from the first storage.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the installation comprises a collection pipe provided with a collection valve, configured to allow the transfer of a gas collected in a gaseous atmosphere of the tank to be filled, to the liquefier, with a view to its recycling.

[0014] The invention further relates to a method for preparing an installation as described above, the first storage being in particular fluidically isolated from the liquefier and / or the liquefier being in particular shut down, the method comprising the steps: - a) sweep and / or purge the first storage with air, in particular to dry the interior of the first storage; - b) sweeping and / or purging the first storage with nitrogen gas, in particular to remove oxygen from inside the first storage; - c) sweeping and / or purging the first storage with hydrogen gas, in particular to remove nitrogen from inside the first storage; - d) reducing the temperature of an internal wall of the first storage until it reaches a value below -150°C, the interior of the first storage comprising a quantity of nitrogen below 0.1 ppm, the temperature of the internal wall being reduced in particular at a rate of maximum 5°C per hour, for example at a rate of maximum 8°C per hour.

[0015] According to one embodiment, step c) is implemented as soon as the first storage contains less than 0.5% oxygen.

[0016] According to one embodiment, steps a), b), c, and d) are carried out successively one after the other.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the first storage comprises a pressure relief valve configured to selectively authorize or prevent an overpressure inside the first storage from being evacuated to the outside, steps a), b) and c) being carried out in particular while the pressure relief valve is configured to authorize the evacuation of an overpressure inside the first storage.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the method comprises step e) of at least partially filling the first storage, for example at least 10% of its total capacity, with liquid hydrogen coming from the second storage, the temperature of the wall internal temperature of the first storage being in particular less than or equal to -250°C.

[0019] According to one embodiment, step b) is carried out with gaseous nitrogen at a temperature between 0°C and 50°C, step c) being carried out with gaseous hydrogen at a temperature between 0°C and 50°C.

[0020] According to a variant, step b) is carried out with gaseous nitrogen at a temperature between -150°C and 0°C and step c) is carried out with gaseous hydrogen at a temperature between -150°C and 0°C.

[0021] According to one embodiment, step d) is implemented by alternating the operation of sweeping and / or purging the first storage with gaseous hydrogen at a temperature between -151°C and -250°C and / or with liquid hydrogen less than or equal to -250°C.

[0022] According to one embodiment, steps b) and / or c) comprise a sweep, for example at low pressure, the low pressure being in particular between 1.0 and 3.5 bara, the sweep being in particular carried out with gaseous nitrogen and respectively with gaseous hydrogen, the sweep being followed by a plurality of compression / expansion cycles.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the compression / expansion cycles are accompanied by an alternation of openings / closings of the pressure relief valve.

[0024] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description and examining the accompanying figures. These figures are given only for illustrative purposes but in no way limit the invention.

[0025] [Fig-1] is a schematic representation of an installation according to the invention;

[0026] [Fig.2] is a schematic representation of a method according to the invention.

[0027] With reference to [Fig.l], an installation 100 for producing and storing liquefied cryogenic fluid, for example liquefied hydrogen.

[0028] The installation 100 comprises: - a liquefier 3 configured to produce a liquefied cryogenic fluid from a feed gas 30; - a first storage 4 configured to be supplied by the liquefier 3, with liquefied cryogenic fluid and being configured to allow the storage of the liquefied cryogenic fluid; - a second storage 7 configured to store liquid hydrogen having a degree of purity greater than or equal to a first predetermined degree of purity, the first predetermined degree of purity being for example greater than or equal to 99.9999 mol %, the installation 100 being configured to allow the transfer into the first storage 4, of at least a portion of the liquid hydrogen from the second storage 7, via a first transfer pipe 21 provided with a first valve 11 of a set of valves 11, 12, 13, 14; - a source of gaseous hydrogen 8 configured to deliver gaseous hydrogen having in particular a degree of purity greater than or equal to the first predetermined degree of purity, the installation 100 being configured to allow the transfer into the first storage 4, of at least a portion of the gaseous hydrogen delivered by the source of gaseous hydrogen 8, via a second transfer pipe 22 provided with a second valve 12 of a set of valves 11, 12, 13, 14; - an air source 2 configured to deliver air 1, the installation 100 being configured to allow the transfer into the first storage 4, of at least a portion of the air delivered by the air source 2, via a third transfer pipe 23 provided with a third valve 13 of the set of valves 11, 12, 13, 14; - a gaseous nitrogen source 6 configured to deliver gaseous nitrogen, the installation 100 being configured to allow the transfer into the first storage 4, of at least a portion of the gaseous nitrogen delivered by the gaseous nitrogen source 6, via a fourth transfer pipe 24 provided with a fourth valve 14 of the set of valves 11, 12, 13, 14; - a control unit configured to control at least the set of valves 11, 12, 13, 14 to selectively sweep and / or purge the first storage 4 with air 1, gaseous nitrogen, gaseous hydrogen and liquid hydrogen, the first storage 4 being in particular fluidically isolated from the liquefier 3 and / or the liquefier 3 being stopped.

[0029] The installation 100 comprises an inlet pipe 20 provided with an inlet valve 10, the inlet pipe 20 being configured to allow the feed gas 30 to enter the liquefier 3.

[0030] The second storage 7 is configured to be mobile relative to the liquefier 3, for example by being transported by a trailer or a truck.

[0031] The gaseous hydrogen source 8 comprises a first vaporizer 8 supplied with liquid hydrogen from the second storage 7, the first vaporizer 8 being in particular configured to selectively operate according to a first mode in which it delivers gaseous hydrogen at a first temperature and according to a second mode in which it delivers gaseous hydrogen at a second temperature lower than the first temperature, in particular lower by at least 100°C.

[0032] The installation 100 comprises a third storage 5 intended to store liquid nitrogen, the gaseous nitrogen source 6 comprising a second vaporizer 6 configured to receive liquid nitrogen from the third storage 5 and to deliver gaseous nitrogen.

[0033] The first storage 4 comprises a double-envelope enclosure separated by a thermal insulation.

[0034] The installation 100 comprises a filling pipe 25 provided with a filling valve 15 for filling a tank to be filled 9 with liquefied cryogenic fluid coming from the first storage 4. The tank to be filled 9 is for example a mobile tank such as a tanker truck.

[0035] The installation 100 comprises a collection pipe 27 provided with a collection valve 17, configured to allow the transfer of a gas collected in a gaseous atmosphere of the tank to be filled 9, to the liquefier 3, with a view to its recycling by the liquefier 3.

[0036] The installation 100 comprises a supply line 26 fluidly connecting the liquefier 3 to the first storage 4, to supply the first storage 4 with liquefied cryogenic fluid. The supply line 26 is provided with a supply valve 16 to allow or prevent the passage of liquefied cryogenic fluid from the liquefier 3 to the first storage 4.

[0037] [Fig.2] represents a method for preparing an installation 100 as described above, the first storage 4 being in particular fluidically isolated from the liquefier 3 and / or the liquefier 3 being in particular stopped.

[0038] The method comprises the steps: - a) sweeping and / or purging the first storage 4 with air, in particular to dry the interior of the first storage 4; - b) sweeping and / or purging the first storage 4 with nitrogen gas, in particular to remove oxygen from inside the first storage 4; - c) sweeping and / or purging the first storage 4 with hydrogen gas, in particular to remove nitrogen from inside the first storage 4; - d) reducing the temperature of an internal wall of the first storage 4 until it reaches a value lower than -150°C, the interior of the first storage 4 comprising a quantity of nitrogen lower than 0.1 ppm, the temperature of the internal wall being reduced in particular at a rate of maximum 5°C per hour, for example at a rate of maximum 8°C per hour; - e) at least partially filling the first storage 4, for example at least 10% of its total capacity, with liquid hydrogen coming from the second storage 7, the temperature of the internal wall of the first storage 4 being in particular less than or equal to -250°C.

[0039] Steps a), b), c), and d) are carried out successively one after the other.

[0040] The first storage 4 comprises a pressure relief valve configured to selectively allow or prevent excess pressure inside the first storage 4 from being discharged to the outside.

[0041] Steps a), b) and c) are carried out while the pressure relief valve is configured to allow the evacuation of excess pressure inside the first storage 4.

[0042] Step b) is carried out with nitrogen gas at a temperature between 0°C and 50°C, step c) being carried out with hydrogen gas at a temperature between 0°C and 50°C.

[0043] Alternatively, step b) is carried out with nitrogen gas at a temperature between -150°C and 0°C and step c) is carried out with hydrogen gas at a temperature between -150°C and 0°C.

[0044] Step d) is implemented by alternating the operation of sweeping and / or purging the first storage 4 with gaseous hydrogen at a temperature between -151°C and -250°C and / or with liquid hydrogen less than or equal to -250°C.

[0045] Steps b) and / or c) comprise a sweep, for example at low pressure, the low pressure being in particular between 1.0 and 3.5 bara, the sweep being in particular carried out with gaseous nitrogen and respectively with gaseous hydrogen, the sweep being followed by a plurality of compression / expansion cycles.

[0046] The compression / expansion cycles are accompanied by an alternation of openings / closings of the pressure relief valve.

Claims

1. Claims Installation (100) for producing and storing liquefied cryogenic fluid, for example hydrogen, comprising: - a liquefier (3) configured to produce a liquefied cryogenic fluid from a feed gas (30); - a first storage (4) configured to be supplied by the liquefier (3), with liquefied cryogenic fluid and being configured to allow the storage of the liquefied cryogenic fluid; - a second storage (7) configured to store liquid hydrogen having a degree of purity greater than or equal to a first predetermined degree of purity, the first predetermined degree of purity being for example greater than or equal to 99.9999 mol %, the installation (100) being configured to allow the transfer into the first storage (4), of at least a portion of the liquid hydrogen from the second storage (7), via a first transfer pipe (21) provided with a first valve (11) of a set of valves (11, 12, 13, 14) - a source of gaseous hydrogen (8) configured to deliver gaseous hydrogen having in particular a degree of purity greater than or equal to the first predetermined degree of purity, the installation (100) being configured to allow the transfer into the first storage (4), of at least a portion of the gaseous hydrogen delivered by the source of gaseous hydrogen (8), via a second transfer pipe (22) provided with a second valve (12) of a set of valves (11, 12, 13, 14); - an air source (2) configured to deliver air (1), the installation (100) being configured to allow the transfer into the first storage (4), of at least a portion of the air delivered by the air source (2), via a third transfer pipe (23) provided with a third valve (13) of the set of valves (11, 12, 13, 14); - a source of gaseous nitrogen (6) configured to deliver gaseous nitrogen, the installation (100) being configured to allow the transfer into the first storage (4), of at least a portion of the nitrogen gas delivered by the nitrogen gas source (6), via a fourth transfer line (24) provided with a fourth valve (14) of the set of valves (11, 12, 13, 14); - a control unit configured to control at least the set of valves (11, 12, 13, 14) to selectively flush and / or purge the first storage (4) with air (1), nitrogen gas, hydrogen gas and liquid hydrogen, the first storage (4) being in particular fluidically isolated from the liquefier (3) and / or the liquefier (3) being stopped.

2. Installation (100) according to the preceding claim, the source of gaseous hydrogen (8) comprising a first vaporizer (8) supplied with liquid hydrogen from the second storage (7), the first vaporizer (8) being in particular configured to selectively operate according to a first mode in which it delivers gaseous hydrogen at a first temperature and according to a second mode in which it delivers gaseous hydrogen at a second temperature lower than the first temperature, in particular lower by at least 100°C.

3. Installation (100) according to one of the preceding claims, the installation comprising a third storage (5) intended to store liquid nitrogen, the source of gaseous nitrogen (6) comprising a second vaporizer (6) configured to receive liquid nitrogen from the third storage (5) and to deliver gaseous nitrogen.

4. Installation (100) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a filling pipe (25) provided with a filling valve (15) for filling a tank to be filled (9) with liquefied cryogenic fluid coming from the first storage (4).

5. Installation (100) according to the preceding claim, comprising a collection pipe (27) provided with a collection valve (17), configured to allow the transfer of a gas collected in a gaseous atmosphere of the tank to be filled (9), to the liquefier (3), for the purpose of its recycling.

6. Method for preparing an installation (100) according to one of the preceding claims, the first storage (4) being in particular fluidically isolated from the liquefier (3) and / or the liquefier (3) being in particular when stopped, the method comprising the steps: - a) sweeping and / or purging the first storage (4) with air, in particular to dry the interior of the first storage (4); - b) sweeping and / or purging the first storage (4) with nitrogen gas, in particular to remove oxygen from the interior of the first storage (4); - c) sweeping and / or purging the first storage (4) with hydrogen gas, in particular to remove nitrogen from the interior of the first storage (4); - d) reducing the temperature of an internal wall of the first storage (4) until it reaches a value lower than -150°C, the interior of the first storage (4) comprising a quantity of nitrogen lower than 0.1 ppm, the temperature of the internal wall being in particular reduced at a rate of maximum 5°C per hour, for example at a rate of maximum 8°C per hour, steps a), b), c, and d) being in particular carried out successively one after the other.

7. Method according to the preceding claim, the first storage (4) comprising a pressure relief valve configured to selectively authorize or prevent an overpressure inside the first storage (4) from being evacuated to the outside, steps a), b) and c) being carried out in particular while the pressure relief valve is configured to authorize the evacuation of an overpressure inside the first storage (4).

8. Method according to one of claims 6 to 7, comprising step e) of at least partially filling the first storage (4), for example at least 10% of its total capacity, with liquid hydrogen coming from the second storage (7), the temperature of the internal wall of the first storage (4) being in particular less than or equal to -250°C.

9. Method according to one of claims 6 to 8, step d) being implemented by alternating the operation of sweeping and / or purging the first storage (4) with gaseous hydrogen at a temperature between -151°C and -250°C and / or with liquid hydrogen less than or equal to -250°C.

10. Method according to one of claims 6 to 9, steps b) and / or c) comprising a sweep, for example at low pressure, the low pressure being in particular between 1.0 and 3.5 bara, the sweep being in particular carried out with nitrogen gas and respectively with hydrogen gas, the sweeping being followed by a plurality of compression / expansion cycles.

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