Helium or hydrogen dispersion equipment
The helium or hydrogen dispersion equipment addresses safety concerns in hydrogen energy systems by integrating calibrated leak generation, advanced gas detection, and safety mechanism triggering, enhancing the detection speed and simulating conventional sensor response times to validate safety mechanisms.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- FR2023013319
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-11-30
- Publication Date
- 2025-06-27
- Estimated Expiration
- Not applicable · inactive patent
AI Technical Summary
Existing energy systems using hydrogen face challenges in ensuring safety due to inadequate representation of hydrogen detection sensor positions and ventilation efficiency in numerical studies, necessitating experimental validation to prevent hydrogen accumulation and explosive atmospheres.
The equipment for dispersing helium or hydrogen includes a sub-assembly for calibrated leak generation, a set of gas concentration sensors for detection and quantification, and a control unit that centralizes signal processing and triggers safety mechanisms, allowing for faster gas detection and simulated response times.
This solution enables quicker detection of gas concentrations and delayed signal transmission to simulate the response time of conventional sensors, effectively assessing the effectiveness of safety mechanisms in preventing explosive atmospheres.
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: Equipment for dispersing helium or hydrogen
[0001] Brief description: Equipment for dispersing helium or hydrogen incorporating a means for generating and regulating a calibrated leak, a set of means for detecting and quantifying the gas concentration, as well as a means for triggering the safety mechanism of an installation.
[0002] Field of the invention: energy systems using gaseous or liquid hydrogen Description of the problem to be solved
[0003] Energy systems using hydrogen are generally integrated into closed or semi-closed volumes, coupled with a detection system and a ventilation system. To ensure safety, the position of hydrogen detection sensors is very important, as is the efficiency of ventilation. These two points are generally verified by numerical studies (CFD simulation), but their representativeness compared to a physical realization is not always adequate. Only an experimental campaign allows validation of the absence of a zone of hydrogen accumulation which could create an explosive atmosphere. Detailed description of the invention
[0004] Helium or hydrogen dispersion equipment incorporating: a. A sub-assembly of the leak generation composed for example of a flow controller connected to a gas cylinder and its pressure regulator, b. A sub-assembly of the leak detection composed of a set of several gas concentration sensors (e.g. 10 sensors). The gas detected can be helium or hydrogen. These sensors are connected to a measurement acquisition unit.
[0005] A control sub-assembly centralizing the emission of the leak generation trigger signal and its flow rate, the reception of the detection signals from the concentration sensors. This control unit also integrates: a. A software function for setting the response time of the installation's concentration sensor, which is replaced by the equipment's set of sensors. This response time is then used to delay the triggering of the concentration detection signal. b. The signal timing software function, c. The electrical interface allowing connection to the interface of the installation under test (for example, a safety controller), to trigger the safety mechanisms of the installation, instead of the concentration sensor installed by default in the installation.
[0006] [Fig.l] Description of the equipment
[0007] [Fig.2]: Flowchart for processing the detection signal
[0008] [Fig.3]: Concentration as a function of time Main advantages
[0009] Equipment for carrying out tests coupling: a. leak generation from a geometric position of choice (e.g., which can be positioned at each interface that may be a source of leakage), b. leak detection at various positions in the installation (e.g. in a container or in an engine compartment), c. the timing of the triggering of the concentration detection signal, from the sensors of the equipment having a faster response time than the gas sensor used in a test installation, to simulate the response time of this sensor of the installation.
[0010] For this innovation, the main advantages are based on these last two points: a. the ability to detect gas more quickly than with a sensor conventionally used in industrial installations, which makes it possible to delay the signal to simulate the response time of this sensor, b. the ability to trigger the safety mechanism in order to assess its effectiveness in mitigating the risk of formation of an explosive atmosphere. Existing solutions and their disadvantages
[0011] Partially similar test equipment has already been set up as part of a study project on the dispersion of hydrogen in an enclosure [1, 2]. This equipment does not integrate the triggering functions of the installation's safety mechanisms. has. [1] Bernard-Michel et al, Int J Hydro Ener (2017) b. [2] De Stefano et al, Int J Hydro Ener (2019) Segmentation of the idea
[0012] State of the art: a. H2 or He gas detector b. Coupling of H2 or He gas detectors to a leak generation device c. Coupling of H2 or He gas detectors to a device for generating a controlled leak flow rate
[0013] Innovations: a. Coupling of H2 or He gas detectors to a device for generating a controlled leak flow rate and to a device for triggering the safety mechanism (e.g. ventilation, closing a valve, etc.) of the installation under test: i. Transmission of the detection signal(s) (according to the protocol required by the customer), in place of their detection means, ii. Delay in the transmission of the signal sent to the customer's PLC, to correspond to the response time of the gas detector installed by the customer.
Claims
Claims
1. Coupling of H2 or He gas detectors to a device for generating a controlled leak flow rate, and to a device for triggering the safety mechanism (e.g. ventilation, closing a valve, etc.) of the installation under test.
2. Coupling of H2 or He gas detectors to a device for generating a controlled leak flow rate, and to a device for triggering the safety mechanism (e.g. ventilation, closing a valve, etc.) of the installation under test comprising: • a) Transmission of the detection signal(s) (according to the protocol required by the customer), in place of their detection means,
3. Coupling of H2 or He gas detectors to a device for generating a controlled leak flow rate, and to a device for triggering the safety mechanism (e.g. ventilation, closing a valve, etc.) of the installation under test, comprising: • a) Delay in the transmission of the signal sent to the customer's PLC, to correspond to the response time of the gas detector installed by the customer.
4. Coupling of H2 or He gas detectors to a device for generating a controlled leak flow rate, and to a device for triggering the safety mechanism (e.g. ventilation, closing a valve, etc.) of the installation under test, comprising: • a) Transmission of the detection signal(s) (according to the protocol required by the customer), in place of their detection means, • b) Timing of the transmission of the signal sent to the customer's PLC, to correspond to the response time of the gas detector installed by the customer.