Installation and process for supplying liquefied hydrogen

Abstract

The invention relates to an installation and a method for supplying liquefied hydrogen to at least one user (3), comprising a liquefier (2) configured to produce pressurized liquefied hydrogen at a pressure between 2 and 80 bar, a distribution circuit (4) configured to transport the pressurized liquid hydrogen, the distribution circuit (4) having an upstream end connected to an outlet of the liquefier (2) and at least one downstream end (14) intended to be connected to the user (3), the downstream end (14) of the distribution circuit (4) being located from the upstream end by a distance greater than 500 m and preferably several kilometers, the downstream end (14) of the distribution circuit (4) comprising a pressure-reducing device (24) configured to supply liquid hydrogen to the user at a predetermined reduced pressure. Abstract figure: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Installation and method for supplying liquefied hydrogen

[0001] The invention relates to an installation and a method for supplying liquefied hydrogen.

[0002] The invention relates more particularly to an installation for supplying liquefied hydrogen to at least one user, the installation comprising a liquefier configured to produce liquefied hydrogen under pressure at a pressure between 2 and 80 bar, a distribution circuit configured to transport the liquid hydrogen under pressure, the distribution circuit having an upstream end connected to an outlet of the liquefier and at least one downstream end intended to be connected to the user.

[0003] In medium-sized hydrogen liquefiers (1 to 30 tonnes / day), hydrogen is generally produced in liquid form at the outlet of the liquefier and then stored at low pressure and transferred to the user (possibly over long distances) using mobile transport storage units with a capacity of between 2 tonnes and 5 tonnes.

[0004] For larger liquefiers, managing these numerous mobile transport storage units becomes problematic, especially if the individual user requirements exceed the capacity of these units. It is then necessary to transfer several mobile storage units together to the user's location and to provide the infrastructure to supply the user from these multiple units.

[0005] Furthermore, during the transfer of liquid hydrogen from mobile storage units to the user, some of the hydrogen is extracted as low-pressure vapor to facilitate the liquid transfer and prevent pressure increases in the storage units. Heat inputs during transport and transfer are also sources of low-pressure hydrogen vapor. These hydrogen vapors can represent 10 to 15% of the quantity of hydrogen transferred and are often difficult to utilize locally (and therefore lost) because they are mostly cold (between 25 K and 80 K) and at low pressure (between 1 and 2 bar).

[0006] One object of the present invention is to overcome all or part of the disadvantages of the prior art noted above.

[0007] To this end, the installation according to the invention, which otherwise conforms to the generic definition given in the preamble above, is essentially characterized in that the downstream end of the distribution circuit is located away from the upstream end of a distance greater than 500m and preferably equal to several kilometers, the downstream end of the distribution circuit comprising a pressure-reducing device configured to supply liquid hydrogen to the user at a predetermined reduced pressure.

[0008] Furthermore, embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features: - the installation includes a fluid flow to be cooled comprising a heat transfer fluid circuit in heat exchange with a refrigeration device for the installation, - The installation includes a heat exchanger located on the downstream end of the distribution circuit, downstream of the expansion valve configured to ensure heat exchange between the expanded liquid hydrogen and the flow of fluid to be cooled in the installation. - the fluid flow to be cooled includes a recovery circuit for the installation intended to be connected to a user reservoir, - The refrigeration system is configured to provide cooling to at least part of the distribution circuit, - the distribution circuit defines a volume of between thirty and several hundred cubic meters, - The installation is configured to regulate the pressure within the distribution circuit, for example by modulating the production of liquefied hydrogen by the liquefier, - The installation includes a liquid storage tank connected to and adjacent to the liquefier, - the distribution circuit includes a compression unit configured to increase the pressure of the liquid hydrogen and / or a buffer storage volume of the liquefied hydrogen under pressure.

[0009] The invention also relates to a method of supplying liquefied hydrogen to at least one user using an installation conforming to any of the preceding characteristics, comprising a step of producing liquefied hydrogen at a pressure between 2 and 80 bar by the liquefier, a step of transporting this liquefied hydrogen in the distribution circuit, a step of de-escalating the transported liquefied hydrogen to a determined pressure and a step of supplying the de-escalated hydrogen to a user.

[0010] According to other possible features: - the process includes a step of recovering cold generated during the expansion step of the liquefied hydrogen and a step of using this cold to cool a fluid stream, for example at least one of the following: a stream of vaporization gas, a heat transfer fluid flow, the pressurized liquid hydrogen flow from the distribution circuit, - the liquefied hydrogen produced during the production stage has a temperature higher than the saturation temperature of hydrogen.

[0011] The invention may also relate to any alternative device or method comprising any combination of the above or below features within the scope of the claims.

[0012] Other features and advantages will become apparent from the following description, given with reference to the figures in which: Brief description of the figures

[0013] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0014] [Fig. 1] is a schematic and partial view illustrating an example of the structure and operation of an installation according to a possible embodiment of the invention. Detailed description

[0015] In all the figures, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements.

[0016] In this detailed description, the following embodiments are examples. Although the description refers to one or more embodiments, this does not mean that the features apply only to a single embodiment. Simple features from different embodiments can also be combined and / or interchanged to provide other embodiments.

[0017] The illustrated liquefied hydrogen supply installation 1 is configured to supply at least one user 3. The installation 1 includes at least one liquefier 2 configured to produce pressurized liquefied hydrogen at a pressure preferably between 2 and 80 bar. The inlet pressure of the gaseous hydrogen to the liquefier may be between 80 bar and 4 bar, the outlet pressure being, for example, simply reduced by the pressure losses of the liquefaction system (for example, between 100 mbar and 2 bar). The hydrogen exiting the liquefier 2 may be at a higher temperature (between 40 K and 212 K) than the saturation temperature at atmospheric pressure (approximately 20 K) or may be subcooled (between 21 K and 15 K) to compensate for the thermal inputs of the lines 4 of the distribution circuit described below.

[0018] The installation includes a distribution circuit 4 configured to transport pressurized liquid hydrogen to the user(s).

[0019] This distribution circuit 4 has an upstream end connected to an outlet of the liquefier 2 and at least one downstream end 14 intended to be connected to the user 3. The downstream end 14 of the distribution circuit 4 is located away from the upstream end of a distance greater than 500m and preferably equal to several kilometers, for example 2 to 20 km.

[0020] As illustrated, the downstream end 14 of the distribution circuit 4 includes, in close proximity to the user 3, a pressure-reducing device 24 configured to supply liquid hydrogen to the user 3 at a predetermined reduced pressure.

[0021] That is to say, the installation 1 makes it possible to maintain the relatively high pressure of the hydrogen source supplied to the inlet of the liquefier 2 throughout the cooling phase within the liquefier 2 and also between the liquefier 2 and the remote user 3. This pressure makes it possible to transport the cold hydrogen (liquid or supercritical) over long distances via thermally insulated piping in the distribution circuit 4. The pressure reduction necessary to meet the needs of the users 3 is carried out as close as possible to them (adjacent to the users or at a distance of a few tens or hundreds of meters).

[0022] The transfer of pressurized liquid hydrogen in the piping of the distribution circuit 4 can be done over several kilometers depending on the needs of the users 3. When a user (truck, train, boat, plane, ...) requires a filling of its transport tank, a heat exchanger system 5 and valve(s) adapted to its need is installed locally near the tank to be filled (user 3).

[0023] As illustrated, the installation may include a heat exchanger 5 disposed at the downstream end 14 of the distribution circuit 4, downstream of the expansion member 24, and configured to ensure heat exchange between the expanded liquid hydrogen and, for example, a flow of fluid to be cooled from the installation 1. The expansion member 24 may include, for example, an expansion valve or turbine.

[0024] That is to say, a system of expansion valve(s) and exchanger(s) can make it possible to cool the hydrogen to the temperature desired by the user 3 while recovering the cold from the low pressure hydrogen generated during the expansion and transfer.

[0025] As illustrated, this recovered cooling power can be used to cool a vaporization gas recovery circuit 6 of the installation 1, for example, vaporization gas recovered in at least one user tank 3 which is intended to receive liquid hydrogen at the downstream end 14 of the distribution circuit 4. For this purpose, the vaporization gas recovery circuit 6 can be in heat exchange with the liquid hydrogen flow in the heat exchanger 5 (for example, counter-currently). The cold vapor recovery circuit 6 can be installed locally and can share several user filling stations 3 if necessary.

[0026] Installation 1 may include for this purpose a set of valves to control all or part of these flows and for example to regulate the pressure and / or temperature in the pipes and / or in the heat exchanger 5.

[0027] For example, a valve 16 on the recovery circuit 6 upstream of the heat exchanger 5 and a valve 26 downstream on the portion of the circuit which returns to the refrigeration device 8.

[0028] Similarly, a valve 36 may be provided on a line connecting the storage 3 to the refrigeration device 8 without passing through the heat exchanger 5 (to direct the flow of vapors to the refrigeration device 8 or another vapor recovery system if necessary, in particular if the temperature and / or pressure conditions do not correspond to the need of the heat exchanger 5).

[0029] As also schematically shown, this cold can be used to cool a heat transfer fluid circuit 7 in heat exchange with a refrigeration device 8 of the installation 1 located near the user 3. That is to say, the installation 1 can include, at the user's location, a refrigeration device 8 configured to ensure cooling of at least part of the distribution circuit 4 (for example to compensate for a possible warming of the liquid hydrogen transported from the liquefier 2).

[0030] This refrigeration device 8 (cycle refrigerator or other) is located away from the liquefier 2 and can recover the residual cold from the low-pressure hydrogen in order to cool the high-pressure hydrogen in the distribution circuit 4.

[0031] For example, a heat transfer fluid circuit 7 can be used to exchange heat with the expanded liquid hydrogen flow in the heat exchanger 5, thereby transferring this cooling to the refrigeration device 8. This refrigeration device 8 can cool the distribution circuit 4 (or directly the liquid hydrogen transported therein) via a heat transfer fluid loop 17 in heat exchange with the distribution circuit 4.

[0032] Thus, for example, the gas recovery circuit 6 can be configured to transfer these relatively low-pressure cold vapors to a refrigerant cycle of the refrigeration device 8, which in turn will cool the high-pressure hydrogen in the refrigeration circuit 8. This cooling of the refrigeration circuit 8 can be carried out in a main pipeline and / or in a branch line supplying only one user 3.

[0033] These recovered vaporization gases can be used to supply gaseous users of the installation (truck, bus, light vehicles) or can also be re-compressed and reinjected into the distribution circuit 4 after being cooled by the refrigeration device 8.

[0034] Thus, an additional line (with a valve) connected to the user 3 and returning to the refrigeration device 8 (without passing through the heat exchanger 5) can allow the circuit to be cooled and the low-pressure vapors to be recovered at a higher temperature level in the refrigeration device 8.

[0035] Installation 1 thus enables the transport of hydrogen under pressure and cold (liquid or supercritical) over long distances and thus avoids a large number of mobile transport storage and associated logistics.

[0036] The heat recovery exchanger 5 at the user 3 can be adapted to each type of use. This allows for the recovery of cold from the expansion of pressurized liquid hydrogen down to the pressure of the user 3, thus limiting the generation of cold vapor. This does not require rotating machinery in the vicinity of the users 3.

[0037] The cold vapors recovered from the tanks 3 can be used in the refrigeration device 8 (for example a cycle refrigerator whose cycle gas can be of the same nature as these recovered gases).

[0038] The cold from these recovered vaporization gases can be used to compensate for thermal inputs on the installation, for example at the level of circuit 4 of distribution of high-pressure liquid hydrogen.

[0039] This arrangement makes it possible to limit the additional refrigeration power required. This limits the size of the machines.

[0040] Furthermore, this solution makes it possible to reduce the size of the liquefier 2 if the outlet temperature of the liquid hydrogen produced is greater than the saturation temperature.

[0041] It should be noted that the high-pressure piping of the distribution circuit 4 (with a density close to that of a liquid) can also serve as a hydrogen buffer storage system. This buffer volume can, for example, reach several hundred cubic meters depending on the pipe diameter and length. Thus, when the hydrogen demand from users 3 decreases, the surplus can be stored in this buffer.

[0042] Preferably, the liquefier 2 is configured to control the fluid pressure in the distribution circuit 4 and to adapt its capacity to the demand.

[0043] As illustrated in dotted lines, the distribution circuit 4 may include at least one compression element 10 configured to increase the pressure of the liquid hydrogen and / or a buffer storage volume of the liquefied hydrogen under pressure in the distribution circuit 4 if necessary.

[0044] Note that the compression element 10 can be positioned before or after one of the cooling elements of the distribution circuit 4 linked to the refrigerator 8 according to the needs of the users 3 distributed along the circuit 4.

[0045] In addition, liquid hydrogen storage can also be provided at the outlet of liquefier 2 with potentially its own compression or pressure management device.

[0046] Note that a device for converting ortho hydrogen into para hydrogen can be provided during the recovery and reheating of vaporization gases to generate a surplus of refrigeration or a reduction in the size of the local refrigeration device 8.

[0047] Note that user 3 can be the final storage of the molecule for the user or a temporary storage allowing the filling of another storage for transport or use by the user.

Claims

Demands

1. Installation for supplying liquefied hydrogen to at least one user (3), the installation (1) comprising a liquefier (2) configured to produce liquefied hydrogen under pressure at a pressure between 2 and 80 bar, a distribution circuit (4) configured to transport the liquid hydrogen under pressure, the distribution circuit (4) having an upstream end connected to an outlet of the liquefier (2) and at least one downstream end (14) intended to be connected to the user (3), the downstream end (14) of the distribution circuit (4) being located from the upstream end by a distance greater than 500m and preferably equal to several kilometers, the downstream end (14) of the distribution circuit (4) comprising a pressure-reducing device (24) configured to supply liquid hydrogen to the user at a specified reduced pressure.

2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a flow of fluid to be cooled comprising a circuit (7) of heat transfer fluid in heat exchange with a device (8) for refrigerating the installation.

3. Installation according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a heat exchanger (5) disposed on the downstream end (14) of the distribution circuit (4) downstream of the expansion device (24) configured to ensure heat exchange between the expanded liquid hydrogen and the flow of fluid to be cooled in the installation.

4. Installation according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the flow of fluid to be cooled comprises a circuit (6) for the recovery of the installation intended to be connected to a user tank (3).

5. Installation according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the refrigeration device (8) is configured to provide cooling of at least a part of the distribution circuit (4).

6. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distribution circuit (4) delimits a volume of between thirty and several hundred cubic meters.

7. Installation according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it is configured to regulate the pressure within the distribution circuit (4), for example by modulating the production of liquefied hydrogen by the liquefier (2).

8. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a liquid storage tank connected to and adjacent to the liquefier (2).

9. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distribution circuit (4) includes a compression device (10) configured to increase the pressure of the liquid hydrogen and / or a buffer storage volume of the liquefied hydrogen under pressure.

10. Method of supplying liquefied hydrogen to at least one user (3) using an installation (1) conforming to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a step of producing liquefied hydrogen at a pressure between 2 and 80 bar by the liquefier, a step of transporting this liquefied hydrogen in the distribution circuit (4), a step of de-expanding the transported liquefied hydrogen to a determined pressure and a step of supplying the de-expanded hydrogen to a user (3).

11. A method according to claim 10 comprising a step of recovering cold generated during the step of expanding the liquefied hydrogen and a step of using this cold to cool a fluid stream, for example at least one of: a stream (6) of vaporization gas, a stream (4) of heat transfer fluid, the pressurized liquid hydrogen stream of the distribution circuit (4).

12. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the liquefied hydrogen produced during the production step has a temperature above the saturation temperature of hydrogen.