Hydrogen generator and information management system

Abstract

To provide a configuration capable of grasping the recovery amount by a recovery container 14 for recovering a composition containing a by-product generated during hydrogen generation.SOLUTION: A hydrogen generation part 12 generates hydrogen by reacting a hydrogen carrier with a liquid containing water. A body part 10 has a hydrogen generation part 12. The recovery container 14 is attachable to and detachable from the body part 10 and recovers a composition containing a by-product generated together with hydrogen in the hydrogen generation part 12. A detection part 13 detects the recovery amount of the composition recovered from the hydrogen generation part 12 by the recovery container 14. A memory 17 is provided in the recovery container 14 and stores information related to the recovery amount.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a hydrogen generation device that generates hydrogen, and an information management system including the hydrogen generation device. [Background technology]

[0002] A hydrogen generation device has been proposed that is equipped with a removable fuel cartridge and a fuel cartridge having a memory section that stores the amount of water supplied or the remaining amount of hydrogen that can be generated (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2010 / 026945 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in a hydrogen generating device that uses a metal hydride such as sodium borohydride as fuel, a composition (reaction product) containing a by-product such as sodium metaborate is also generated during hydrogen generation. Such a composition is collected in a collection container. Here, in the case of the configuration described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to determine the timing for replacing the fuel cartridge from the amount of water supplied or the remaining amount of hydrogen that can be generated, but it is not possible to determine the timing for replacing the collection container.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a configuration that makes it possible to grasp the amount of a composition containing a by-product generated during hydrogen generation collected in a collection container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The hydrogen generation device of the present invention is characterized by comprising a hydrogen generation unit that generates hydrogen by reacting a hydrogen carrier with a liquid containing water, a main body unit having the hydrogen generation unit, a collection container that is detachable from the main body unit and collects a composition containing a by-product generated together with hydrogen in the hydrogen generation unit, a detection unit that detects the amount of composition collected by the collection container from the hydrogen generation unit, and a memory unit provided in the collection container that stores information regarding the collection amount.

[0007] The information management system of the present invention is an information management system including a hydrogen generation device that generates hydrogen, and an information collection device connected to the hydrogen generation device so as to be able to communicate with the hydrogen generation device, wherein the hydrogen generation device includes a hydrogen generation unit that generates hydrogen by reacting a hydrogen carrier with a liquid containing water, a main body unit having the hydrogen generation unit, a collection container that is detachable from the main body unit and that collects a composition containing a by-product generated together with hydrogen in the hydrogen generation unit, an identification information unit provided in the collection container that is information related to the identification of the collection container, a detection unit that detects the amount of composition collected by the collection container from the hydrogen generation unit, and a transmission unit that transmits information related to the collection amount and information related to the identification of the collection container, and the information collection device includes a receiving unit that receives the information transmitted from the transmission unit, and a memory unit that stores information related to the collection container and the collection amount based on the information received by the receiving unit. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to grasp the amount of a composition containing a by-product generated during hydrogen generation collected in a collection vessel. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a hydrogen generation device according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 11 is a schematic configuration diagram of an information management system according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] <First embodiment> A first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. First, hydrogen has been attracting attention as an alternative energy source to fossil fuels. This is because, unlike fossil fuels, hydrogen does not generate carbon dioxide, a type of greenhouse gas that leads to global warming, when burned. One of the systems that uses hydrogen as an energy source that has been put to practical use is a fuel cell vehicle. A fuel cell vehicle is a vehicle that generates electricity using hydrogen as a raw material and runs by driving an electric motor with the generated electricity. In many fuel cell vehicles, hydrogen, which is an energy source, is stored in a hydrogen tank, and hydrogen discharged from the hydrogen tank is fed into a fuel cell to generate electricity. The hydrogen tank stores hydrogen by compressing it at a high pressure, for example, 70 MPa (700 times atmospheric pressure).

[0011] One of the issues with hydrogen as an energy source is its low energy density. The volumetric energy density of hydrogen is about 1 / 3000 of that of gasoline, so even if a 70MPa hydrogen tank is used, only about 1 / 5 of the energy of gasoline can be extracted from the same volume. For this reason, fuel cell vehicles that use hydrogen tanks generally require more frequent energy refueling than vehicles that use gasoline.

[0012] For this reason, various substances that can transport hydrogen at a higher energy density than hydrogen tanks (i.e., hydrogen carriers) are being considered. For example, borohydrides such as ammonia, methylcyclohexane, and sodium borohydride are known as hydrogen carriers, and hydrogen carriers are transported instead of hydrogen itself, and hydrogen is extracted from the hydrogen carrier when it is used.

[0013] [Hydrogen Carrier] Among hydrogen carriers, metal hydrides such as sodium borohydride are widely known, from which hydrogen can be easily extracted by adding water. As a method for obtaining hydrogen by hydrolysis of sodium borohydride, a method for dissolving sodium borohydride in water and using it as an aqueous solution is known. However, in this method, a problem occurs in that a larger amount of water is required than the theoretically required amount shown in the reaction formula, resulting in a decrease in the actual volumetric energy density. Therefore, in this embodiment, as described later, hydrogen is generated by adding a liquid containing water to the hydrogen carrier in the hydrogen generation device (specifically, by pouring a liquid containing water onto the hydrogen carrier).

[0014] Examples of hydrogen carriers that generate hydrogen when a liquid containing water is applied include the following. For example, one or a mixture of solid metal hydrides such as sodium borohydride, potassium borohydride, lithium borohydride, zinc borohydride, lithium aluminum hydride, sodium aluminum hydride, magnesium aluminum hydride, calcium aluminum hydride, magnesium hydride, lithium hydride, sodium hydride, and calcium hydride, and metal powders such as aluminum, zinc, calcium, and magnesium can be used. In addition to the hydrogen carrier, additives such as a reaction promoter and a desiccant can be used.

[0015] The hydrogen carrier of the present embodiment is not particularly limited to a solid or liquid, but is preferably a solid. As a solid hydrogen carrier, a solid such as a powder or granule is desirable, but a solid such as a sheet, pellet, or paste can also be used. As the powder, a particle size of about 10 μm to 10 mm can be used, and a particle size of about 10 μm to 3 mm or less, and further a particle size of about 10 μm to 100 μm or less are more preferable. In addition, when using in a sheet or pellet form, it is preferable to increase the surface area and the contact area with the water-containing liquid by performing surface roughening, porous treatment, etc., from the viewpoint of increasing the reactivity with the water-containing liquid.

[0016] The hydrogen carrier of this embodiment is intended to be one that generates by-products (reaction products) other than hydrogen, such as liquid, gel, or solid, after hydrogen is generated by a chemical reaction.

[0017] In this embodiment, sodium borohydride powder with an average particle size of 50 μm is used as the solid hydrogen carrier. The powdered sodium borohydride reacts with water to generate hydrogen. The reacted sodium borohydride changes into sodium metaborate, which is a by-product. Water that is not used in the reaction remains as it is. This reaction is expressed by the following chemical formula. NaBH4 (sodium borohydride) + 2H2O (water) →NaBO2(sodium metaborate)+4H2(hydrogen)···(1)

[0018] This reaction (chemical formula (1)) is known to be accelerated by Raney catalysts made from metals such as nickel, cobalt, and copper, and acidic solutions such as citric acid and acetic acid. In this embodiment, more water than in formula (1) is added to ensure efficient hydrolysis reaction throughout, and the by-product is a liquid sodium metaborate solution.

[0019] [Liquid containing water] The "liquid containing water" in this embodiment is not particularly limited as long as it is a liquid that reacts with the hydrogen carrier when applied and generates hydrogen. That is, the liquid containing water may be water alone. In addition, two or more types of liquid containing water may be prepared. By preparing two or more types of liquid containing water, the rate at which hydrogen is generated can be adjusted.

[0020] The liquid containing water can contain a water-soluble organic solvent. Examples of the water-containing liquid include alcohols, polyalkylene glycols, glycol ethers, nitrogen-containing compounds, and sulfur-containing compounds. Two or more selected from these can be mixed and used. By including a water-soluble organic solvent, the surface tension and the boiling and melting points of the water-containing liquid can be adjusted, thereby optimizing the reaction with the hydrogen carrier.

[0021] A surfactant can be added to the aqueous liquid, which can reduce the surface tension of the aqueous liquid, increasing the contact area with the hydrogen carrier and allowing for an efficient reaction.

[0022] The aqueous liquid may contain a water-soluble acidic substance. The acidic substance acts as a positive catalyst in the reaction between the aqueous liquid and the hydrogen carrier. The hydrogen generation speed can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of the aqueous liquid containing the acidic substance. In particular, the hydrogen generation speed can be increased by making the pH obtained by the aqueous liquid and the hydrogen carrier less than 9.0. Examples of the acidic substance include, but are not limited to, various acids such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, boric acid, and organic acids.

[0023] The aqueous liquid may contain a water-soluble basic substance. The basic substance acts as a negative catalyst in the reaction between the aqueous liquid and the hydrogen carrier. The hydrogen generation speed can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of the aqueous liquid containing the basic substance. In particular, the hydrogen generation speed can be slowed down by making the pH obtained by the aqueous liquid and the hydrogen carrier 9.0 or higher. Examples of bases include, but are not limited to, various bases such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and ammonia water.

[0024] The liquid containing water may contain a buffer solution. The buffer solution acts to suppress pH changes in the reaction between the liquid containing water and the hydrogen carrier. The speed of hydrogen generation can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of the liquid containing a buffering agent. Examples of buffer solutions include, but are not limited to, various buffer solutions such as phosphate buffer, glycine buffer, Good's buffer, Tris buffer, and ammonia buffer.

[0025] In addition to the above components, the water-containing liquid may contain various additives, such as antifoaming agents, pH adjusters, viscosity adjusters, rust inhibitors, preservatives, antifungal agents, antioxidants, and reduction inhibitors, as necessary.

[0026] [Hydrogen generator] The hydrogen generation device 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the hydrogen generation device 1 of this embodiment. In this figure, solid lines indicate exchanges of tangible objects such as hydrogen carriers, water, and hydrogen, and dotted lines indicate exchanges of intangible objects such as information and signals.

[0027] The hydrogen generation device 1 has a main body 10, a hydrogen carrier supplying unit 11, a hydrogen generation unit 12, a detection unit 13, a collection container 14, a control unit 15, and a display unit 16. A water supplying unit 21 and a fuel cell system 22 are also connected to the hydrogen generation device 1 as external mechanisms. The following describes the hydrogen generation device 1 that uses powdered sodium borohydride as fuel and as a hydrogen carrier.

[0028] In the hydrogen generating device 1, the hydrogen carrier is sent from the hydrogen carrier supply unit 11 to the hydrogen generating unit 12, where the hydrogen carrier is mixed with a liquid containing water supplied from a water supply unit 21 as an external mechanism, causing a hydrolysis reaction to generate hydrogen and by-products. The control unit 15 is for controlling conditions such as the amount of hydrogen generated in the hydrogen generating unit 12, the amount of hydrogen carrier supplied from the hydrogen carrier supply unit 11, the amount of solution containing water, and the reaction rate. In this embodiment, the supply amounts of the hydrogen carrier and solution containing water can be adjusted on the hydrogen generating unit 12 side via the control unit 15.

[0029] The hydrogen generated in the hydrogen generation unit 12 is sent to a fuel cell system 22 as an external mechanism. The fuel cell system 22 generates electricity using the hydrogen generated in the hydrogen generation unit 12, and is an example of an apparatus that utilizes the hydrogen generated in the hydrogen generation device 1. A composition containing a by-product (reaction product) generated during hydrogen generation (in this embodiment, a liquid containing the by-product and unreacted water) is collected in a collection container 14.

[0030] The detection unit 13 detects the amount of the composition containing by-products in the collection container 14. That is, the amount of the liquid containing the by-products and unreacted water sent to the collection container 14 is measured by the detection unit 13 as a composition containing by-products together, and is sent as information to the control unit 15 together with the reaction ratio of the hydrogen carrier and the solution containing water in the hydrogen generation unit 12. This information is calculated in the control unit 15, and information such as the amount of recovery and the amount of by-products accumulated in the collection container 14 is stored in the memory 17, which is a non-volatile memory associated with the collection container 14.

[0031] Furthermore, the display unit 16 displays information regarding the amount of hydrogen collected by the collection container 14, such as the remaining amount that can be collected in the collection container 14 and the amount that is OVER. In this embodiment, information regarding the amount of hydrogen collected and the amount that is close to OVER, taking into account the capacity of the collection container 14, is sent to the display unit 16, and the information is displayed on the display unit 16. Below, the components and functions of the hydrogen generation device 1 will be described in more detail with reference to the block diagram of FIG.

[0032] [Main body] The main body 10 is provided with the above-mentioned hydrogen carrier supply unit 11, hydrogen generation unit 12, detection unit 13, collection container 14, control unit 15, and display unit 16. As described below, the collection container 14 is detachable from the main body 10. The hydrogen carrier supply unit 11 may also be detachable from the main body 10.

[0033] [Hydrogen Carrier Supply Department] The hydrogen carrier supply unit 11 is a container capable of storing a hydrogen carrier, and is detachable from the hydrogen generation device 1. The hydrogen carrier is sent from the hydrogen carrier supply unit 11 to the hydrogen generation unit 12 by its own weight, and the supply amount can be adjusted by an on-off valve attached to the hydrogen generation unit 12 side. The container is preferably made of metal from the viewpoint of preventing static electricity, but a resin container that has been provided with anti-static measures can also be used without any particular problems.

[0034] [Water supply section] The water supply unit 21 has a function of being able to supply "liquid containing water" from a water supply, a water tank, etc., and a filter or the like is installed in the flow path to remove foreign matter, etc. In addition, for the purpose of promoting and stabilizing the hydrolysis reaction, the water supply unit 21 may have a function of adjusting the temperature of the water-containing liquid to be supplied, such as a heater or chiller. The supply amount of the water-containing liquid can be adjusted by an opening and closing valve attached to the hydrogen generation unit 12 side.

[0035] [Hydrogen generation unit] The hydrogen generating unit 12 has a function of generating hydrogen by a hydrolysis reaction between the hydrogen carrier and a solution containing water. The hydrogen generating unit 12 has a reaction unit (e.g., a container) 12a that reacts the hydrogen carrier with a solution containing water, and when generating hydrogen, first, the hydrogen carrier is supplied to the reaction unit 12a from the hydrogen carrier supply unit 11, and a liquid containing water is also supplied to the reaction unit 12a from the water supply unit 21. Next, the hydrogen carrier and water are mixed in the reaction unit 12a. The reaction unit 12a is equipped with a stirring blade or the like for promoting mixing, so that the mixing of the hydrogen carrier and the liquid containing water can be smoothly promoted.

[0036] When the hydrogen carrier and the liquid containing water are mixed in the reaction section 12a, a hydrolysis reaction occurs and hydrogen is generated. The generated hydrogen moves above the reaction section 12a, so a hydrogen outlet is provided above the reaction section 12a. The hydrogen outlet is connected to an external fuel cell system 22, and the hydrogen generated in the reaction section 12a is sent to the fuel cell system 22.

[0037] On the other hand, below the reaction section 12a, a delivery port is provided for delivering a liquid containing by-products and water produced by the hydrolysis reaction. An on-off valve is provided at the delivery port, and the liquid containing by-products and water produced in the reaction section 12a is collected at the bottom, and when the on-off valve is opened, it passes through the delivery port and is delivered to the collection container 14.

[0038] This valve is closed when hydrogen is being generated and opens when hydrogen generation has stopped. The appropriate timing for opening and closing the valve can also be determined by measuring the amount of hydrogen carrier supply and the amount of hydrogen generated.

[0039] Considering that heat is generated during the hydrolysis reaction, the reaction section 12a of the hydrogen generation section 12 is required to be heat resistant. In addition, in order to prevent the generated hydrogen from igniting, it is required to be able to prevent static electricity. For this reason, it is preferable that the inner wall of the reaction section 12a is made of metal.

[0040] In order to promote the hydrolysis reaction, a device for heating the mixed solution of the hydrogen carrier and water may be added to the hydrogen generating unit 12. In addition, the hydrogen generating unit 12 may have a transport unit such as a screw conveyor or a transport belt for transporting the hydrogen carrier therein, and may be configured to supply a liquid containing water to the hydrogen carrier transported by the transport unit.

[0041] [Detection section] The detection unit 13 is a sensor installed in the collection container 14, and has a function of detecting the amount of the composition containing by-products (in this embodiment, a liquid containing by-products and water) accumulating in the collection container 14, i.e., the amount of the composition recovered from the hydrogen generation unit 12. Specifically, the sensor used as the detection unit 13 is, for example, an ultrasonic, radio wave, laser, or capacitance type sensor that senses the position of the liquid surface of the composition inside the collection container 14. The detection unit 13 sends information related to the detected recovery amount to the control unit 15.

[0042] In the control unit 15, this information is used for processing such as calculation of by-products, remaining storage volume, and warning display of recovery volume (storage volume) OVER, as described below. That is, the control unit 15 calculates the volume of the composition including by-products based on the information detected by the detection unit 13 in combination with information such as container information.

[0043] Furthermore, the detection unit 13 may be a weight system that measures the weight of the collection container 14 including the contents. In this system, the weight of the composition including by-products is calculated based on the increase or decrease in weight. In any sensor, the amount of the composition including by-products, the amount of by-products, the remaining capacity, and other information can be calculated by using the measured volume or weight information and combining it with the reaction information of the hydrogen carrier and the liquid including water in the hydrogen generation unit 12.

[0044] The detection unit 13 can also use a digital counting method. This is a method for predicting the amount of composition including by-products after removing hydrogen from the reaction information of the hydrogen carrier and the liquid containing water in the hydrogen generation unit 12. Since the amount of hydrogen generated can be predicted from the amount of hydrogen carrier and the amount of liquid containing water can be determined, the amount of composition including by-products can also be predicted. However, this method is less accurate than the method using the above sensor because it cannot fully capture information such as evaporation of water after collection.

[0045] [Collection container] The collection container 14 is a container that can contain a composition containing by-products, such as by-products sent from the hydrogen generation unit 12 and a liquid containing unreacted water, and is a container that can be attached to and detached from the main body unit 10 of the hydrogen generation device 1. In other words, the collection container 14 is detachable from the main body unit 10, and collects a composition containing by-products that is generated together with hydrogen in the hydrogen generation unit 12.

[0046] Furthermore, the collection container 14 has a memory 17 as a storage unit that stores information regarding the amount collected by the collection container 14. The memory 17 is provided in the collection container 14. The information regarding the amount collected is information such as the amount of the composition containing by-products, the amount of the by-products, or the remaining amount. This information may also include identification information unique to the collection container 14, which is necessary when storing information such as the amount of the composition containing by-products, the amount of the by-products, or the remaining amount in an information collecting device.

[0047] The memory 17 is, for example, a non-volatile memory. Examples of non-volatile memories include semiconductor memories such as EEPROM and flash memory, magnetically rewritable magnetic tape media, and ferroelectric memories such as FeRAM, and any of these can be used. The memory 17 is preferably readable from the outside, and is preferably readable by a reading device such as a commonly used RFID reader, for example, as with an RFID tag.

[0048] A reader / writer 18 for the memory 17 is installed on the main body 10 side for reading and writing data from and to the memory 17. The reader / writer 18 is connected to the control unit 15, and information on the collection container measured by the detection unit 13 is sent to the control unit 15, and the control unit 15 can store the information in the memory 17 via the reader / writer 18.

[0049] Furthermore, the individual identification information of each collection container 14 refers to, for example, a lot number for each container. The identification information can be written in any manner, such as numbers, letters, or symbols, a barcode, or a two-dimensional code. The identification information is sent to the control unit 15 via a light receiving device such as an image recognition or laser system, or input from a keyboard, etc.

[0050] There is no particular restriction on the material of the collection container 14, and there is no problem whether it is made of metal or resin. However, depending on the type of hydrogen carrier used, the by-product may be flammable. In this case, it is preferable to use a metal container or a resin container with anti-static measures in view of preventing static electricity. Furthermore, if the hydrolysis reaction of the hydrogen carrier and the liquid containing water is an exothermic reaction, it is preferable to use a heat-resistant container. Furthermore, there is no particular restriction on the shape of the collection container 14, but there is no problem as long as the sensor used in the detection unit 13 functions without any problems.

[0051] [Control Unit] The control unit 15 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 15a, a RAM (Random Access Memory), a storage, a communication interface, a signal transmitting unit, a signal receiving unit, etc. The control unit 15 has a function of receiving information such as the reaction ratio obtained by the hydrogen generation device 1 and information such as the amount of hydrogen required from the fuel cell system, etc., and transmitting control commands to the entire hydrogen generation device, and also transmitting calculated information to the display unit 16 and the fuel cell system 22. The display unit 16 displays the remaining capacity of the collection container 14 and a warning that the collection amount is OVER, based on the information transmitted from the control unit 15. In addition, the memory 17 of the collection container 14 stores information such as the amount of the composition containing by-products and the amount of by-products, based on the information transmitted from the control unit 15.

[0052] The CPU 15a as a calculation unit calculates the amount of by-products contained in the composition recovered in the collection container 14, based on the amount of the composition recovered detected by the detection unit 13. Specifically, the CPU 15a calculates the amount of by-products from the reaction ratio between the hydrogen carrier and the water-containing liquid, and the amount of the composition recovered detected by the detection unit 13. The control unit 15 stores the amount of by-products calculated by the CPU 15a in the memory 17 provided in the collection container 14. That is, the information on the recovery amount stored in the memory 17 includes the amount of by-products calculated by the CPU 15a.

[0053] [Display] The display unit 16 has a function of receiving and displaying information related to the hydrogen generation unit 12, the detection unit 13, and the collection container 14 through the control unit 15. In particular, in this embodiment, the display unit 16 is capable of displaying information related to the capacity of the collection container 14. The information related to the capacity is at least one of the amount of composition that can be collected in the collection container 14 at that time and information indicating that the amount of composition collected in the collection container 14 has exceeded a predetermined amount (collection amount OVER warning). The information related to the capacity may also be information related to the replacement time of the collection container 14 at that time (remaining capacity).

[0054] That is, the display unit 16 is not particularly limited as long as it can display information such as the amount of composition including by-products collected in the collection container 14, the amount of by-products, the remaining storage amount, and a collection amount OVER warning. In addition, it may be possible to display all of these pieces of information, or it may be possible to display any one of these pieces of information. Note that the remaining storage amount indicates how much of the composition can be stored in the collection container 14 from now on. In addition, the amount of the composition, the amount of by-products, and the remaining storage amount may be shown numerically, or may be shown graphically, such as a bar graph or a pie chart.

[0055] Furthermore, the "predetermined amount" in the information indicating that the amount of the composition recovered in the recovery container 14 has exceeded a predetermined amount is, for example, an amount that is set in advance as an amount less than the full amount so that the recovered composition does not overflow from the recovery container 14. Note that the control unit 15 stops the operation of the hydrogen generation apparatus 1 at the point in time when a recovery amount OVER warning is issued.

[0056] The above-mentioned "predetermined amount" may be an amount that is set in advance, for example, by taking into consideration the period from when this information is displayed until when it is assumed that the next collection container 14 can be prepared. In this way, the period during which the hydrogen generation device 1 is stopped operating until the next collection container 14 is replaced can be shortened. In this case, it is preferable to display the information when the predetermined amount is exceeded, and then display the information that the collection container is full again when the collection amount is close to full, and to stop the operation of the hydrogen generation device 1 at this point.

[0057] Furthermore, the information regarding the replacement timing of the collection container 14 may be, in addition to the remaining capacity described above, information indicating the timing of replacement of the collection container 14, for example, by estimating the timing from the usage record up to that point and the remaining capacity, and indicating the replacement date, the time until replacement, etc. Furthermore, if it is warning information, a sound may be used instead of or in addition to the display.

[0058] The display method of the display unit 16 may be at least one or more of a display such as a liquid crystal display or an LED display, or a simple display such as a fluorescent display tube, a liquid crystal display, or an LED display. The display unit 16 may also be capable of displaying amounts using a meter or the like. In addition, as far as a warning display is concerned, there is no problem with an LED lamp, a rotating light, or a speaker that emits a warning sound.

[0059] [Example] Next, an example (Example) of a specific example of the present embodiment described above will be described. In this Example, a weight sensor was used as the detection unit 13, and a readable / writable RFID (radio frequency identification) tag was used as the memory 17 built into the collection container 14. The hydrogen carrier was sodium borohydride. In this Example, the operation of displaying the amount of the composition containing by-products collected in the hydrogen generation device 1, OVER, on the display unit 16 will be described in detail.

[0060] First, sodium borohydride is supplied from the hydrogen carrier supply unit 11, and water is supplied from the water supply unit 21. At this time, the respective supply amounts are supplied at a certain set ratio. This information is sent to the control unit 15. Next, in the hydrogen generation unit 12, sodium borohydride and water are stirred, causing a hydrolysis reaction to occur and hydrogen is generated. When the reaction is over, the by-product, sodium metaborate, is sent to the recovery container 14 in the form of a solution of water.

[0061] The weight sensor of the detection unit 13 measures the weight of each collection container 14, so the weight change (measured value-container weight) is measured as the amount of sodium metaborate solution, and the information on the amount of sodium metaborate solution is sent to the control unit 15, which calculates the amount of sodium metaborate (amount of by-product) and the amount of water according to the reaction ratio between the amount of sodium borohydride and the amount of water. The calculation method will be explained using Tables 1 and 2. [Table 1] [Table 2]

[0062] Table 1 shows the weight ratio of each component calculated from the molecular weight of each component in the reaction of the above-mentioned chemical formula (1), and the volume ratio divided by each specific gravity. In an actual hydrogen generation device 1, a large amount of water is often added to facilitate the hydrolysis reaction, and Table 2 shows the weight ratio of each component when this reaction is assumed. Here, the amount of sodium borohydride (NaBH4) supplied is designated as A, and the amount of water (H2O) supplied is designated as B.

[0063] That is, Table 2 shows that if the ratio of the supplied sodium borohydride (NaBH4) to the supplied water (H2O) is known, the weight of sodium metaborate (NaBO2) and the weight of water (H2O), which are components of the recovered composition (sodium metaborate solution), can be calculated from the amount of sodium metaborate solution measured by the detection unit 13. In addition, since the specific gravity of each component is known, the volumes of sodium metaborate and water can also be calculated. In addition, if additives such as catalysts and pH adjusters are contained in the supplied sodium borohydride or water, calculations can be made separately from the above formula, and if the additives change the reaction formula, a new formula can be used to perform the same calculation as above.

[0064] In addition, in this case, there is no problem if the sensor of the detection unit 13 does not measure weight but indirectly measures volume, such as a liquid level sensor, and the weight can be calculated using the specific gravity of each component from the volume calculated using the shape information of the storage container and the measurement value.

[0065] Next, the weight of sodium metaborate, the weight of water, the weight of the sodium metaborate solution, and the volume of the sodium metaborate solution calculated by CPU 15a of control unit 15 are stored in memory 17 built into collection container 14. At that time, if the volume of the sodium metaborate solution exceeds a certain amount relative to the capacity of collection container 14, a warning of the amount recovered is over can be displayed on display unit 16. Also, based on information on the volume of collection container 14 and the volume of the sodium metaborate solution, it is possible to constantly display the remaining amount to be recovered in collection container 14 on display unit 16.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, there is no problem even in the case where the water in collection container 14 partially evaporates when hydrogen generation apparatus 1 is stopped for an extended period of time. Since the last information when hydrogen generation apparatus 1 was operating remains in memory 17 of collection container 14, the difference between the newly measured amount of sodium metaborate solution and the amount of sodium metaborate solution in memory 17 is counted as the decrease in the amount of water, and it is possible to calculate again the current weight of sodium metaborate, the weight of water, the weight of the sodium metaborate solution, and the volume of the sodium metaborate solution.

[0067] Furthermore, even if the recovery container 14 is replaced with another one that is in the middle of use, it is possible to calculate the current weight of sodium metaborate, weight of water, weight of sodium metaborate solution, and volume of the sodium metaborate solution based on the information in memory 17, just as in the case when the hydrogen generation device 1 has been stopped for an extended period of time.

[0068] In the case of this embodiment, the amount of the composition collected in the collection container 14, which collects the composition including the by-product generated during hydrogen generation, can be known. That is, the amount of the composition part collected in the collection container 14 is detected by the detection unit 13 and stored in the memory 17. Therefore, by reading the information stored in the memory 17, the amount of the composition stored in the collection container 14 can be known. Therefore, the timing of replacing the collection container 14 can be known, and for example, the composition can be prevented from overflowing from the collection container 14. Even if the collection container 14 that has collected the composition to a certain extent is used in another device, the amount of the composition stored in the collection container 14 can be known from the information in the memory 17, so that the composition part can be prevented from overflowing from the collection container 14 even if the collection container 14 is used in another device halfway.

[0069] Furthermore, if the control unit 15 calculates the amount of by-products from the composition and stores the information in the memory 17 of the collection container 14, this is useful for reusing the by-products. For example, if the by-product is sodium metaborate, knowing how much sodium metaborate is contained in the collection container 14 makes it possible to know how much sodium borohydride can be regenerated when regenerating sodium borohydride. Furthermore, sodium metaborate can be used for other purposes as well as for regenerating sodium borohydride, and may be bought and sold. In this case, knowing the amount of sodium metaborate contained in the collection container 14 can be used to calculate the amount at the time of buying and selling.

[0070] <Second embodiment> The second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 2. In the above-mentioned first embodiment, information on the recovery amount of the composition was stored in the memory 17 of the recovery container 14. In contrast, in this embodiment, information on the identification of the recovery container 14 and information on the recovery amount detected by the detection unit 13 are transmitted to an information collection device 23 provided outside the hydrogen generation device 1A, and the information collection device 23 manages the recovery amount of the composition contained in the recovery container 14. Since the other configurations and functions are the same as those of the above-mentioned first embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for the similar configurations, and the description is omitted or simplified, and the following description will focus on the points different from the first embodiment.

[0071] The hydrogen generation apparatus 1A of this embodiment has a main body 10, a hydrogen carrier supply unit 11, a hydrogen generation unit 12, a detection unit 13, a collection container 14, a control unit 15, and a display unit 16, similar to the configuration of the first embodiment. A water supply unit 21 and a fuel cell system 22 are also connected to the hydrogen generation apparatus 1A as external mechanisms. Furthermore, in this embodiment, an information collection device 23 is communicatively connected to the hydrogen generation apparatus 1A. That is, in this embodiment, an information management system 100 is configured by communicatively connecting the hydrogen generation apparatus 1A and the information collection device 23.

[0072] The information collecting device 23 is, for example, an external terminal such as a personal computer connected to the hydrogen generation apparatus 1A, or an external server installed at a location different from the location where the hydrogen generation apparatus 1A is installed via an Internet line, etc. Such information collecting device 23 has a function of acquiring information from the hydrogen generation apparatus 1A, storing the acquired information, and performing calculations based on the acquired information.

[0073] The collection container 14 is provided with an identification information section 14a which is information relating to the identification of the collection container 14 (i.e., identification information specific to each collection container 14). In this embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, information relating to the amount of the composition collected in the collection container 14 is not stored on the collection container 14 side. For this reason, the identification information section 14a only needs to be able to identify the collection container 14, and may be, for example, a number assigned to each container. In this case, for example, a sheet on which a number or the like is printed may be attached to the collection container 14, or a number may be printed directly on the surface of the collection container 14.

[0074] That is, in this embodiment, the identification information unique to each collection container 14 refers to, for example, a lot number for each container. The identification information may be written in any manner, such as numbers, letters, or symbols, a barcode, or a two-dimensional code. The identification information is sent to the control unit 15 via a light receiving device such as image recognition or a laser method, or input from a keyboard, and is then transmitted to the information collecting device 23. The identification information unit 14a may have a memory that stores information related to the identification of the collection container 14. In this case, it is preferable that the memory be externally readable, such as an RFID tag.

[0075] As in the first embodiment, the control unit 15 has a CPU 15a and RAM as a calculation unit, and receives information such as the reaction ratio obtained in the hydrogen generation apparatus 1A and information such as the amount of hydrogen required from the fuel cell system, etc., and has the function of transmitting control commands to the entire hydrogen generation apparatus, as well as transmitting calculated information to the display unit 16, the fuel cell system 22, and the information collection device 23.

[0076] 2 illustrates a signal transmitting unit 15b as a transmitting unit and a first transmitting unit, and a signal receiving unit 15c as a second receiving unit. The signal transmitting unit 15b transmits information on the amount of the composition collected in the collection container 14 detected by the detection unit 13, and information on the identification of the collection container 14 written in the identification information section 14a of the collection container 14, to the information collecting device 23. The signal receiving unit 15c is capable of receiving the information transmitted from the information collecting device 23.

[0077] The information collecting device 23 has a CPU 23a, a memory 23b as a storage unit, a signal transmitting unit 23c as a second transmitting unit, and a signal receiving unit 23d as a receiving unit and a first receiving unit. The CPU 23a controls the entire information collecting device 23. The signal receiving unit 23d receives information transmitted from the signal transmitting unit 15b of the hydrogen generating device 1A. The memory 23b stores information on the collection container 14 and the amount of the composition collected in the collection container 14 in association with each other based on the information received by the signal receiving unit 23d. In addition, when the collection container 14 is replaced, the information collecting device 23 stores the information on the amount of collection received by the signal receiving unit 23d after replacement in the memory 23b as information on the collection container 14 after replacement based on information on the identification of the collection container 14.

[0078] The CPU 15a of the hydrogen generation apparatus 1A calculates the amount of by-products contained in the composition collected in the collection container 14, based on the information on the collection amount in the collection container 14 detected by the detection unit 13 and the information on the identification of the collection container 14. The calculation method at this time is the same as the calculation method performed by the CPU 15a of the control unit 15 in the first embodiment. The calculation result by the CPU 15a is transmitted to the information collection device 23 via the signal transmission unit 15b and stored in the memory 23b of the information collection device 23.

[0079] The amount of by-products contained in the composition may be calculated by the CPU 23a of the information collecting device 23. That is, the CPU 23a may calculate the amount of by-products contained in the composition collected in the collection container 14 based on the information on the collection amount in the collection container 14 transmitted from the hydrogen generating device 1A and the information on the identification of the collection container 14. In this case, the CPU 23a stores the calculated amount of by-products in the memory 23b.

[0080] In any case, memory 23b of information collecting device 23 stores information related to the recovery amount, including the amount of by-products contained in the composition recovered in collection container 14. Then, signal transmitting unit 23c of information collecting device 23 can transmit the information related to the recovery amount stored in memory 23b and information related to the identification of collection container 14 to signal receiving unit 15c of hydrogen generation apparatus 1A.

[0081] The display unit 16 of the hydrogen generation apparatus 1A displays information related to the capacity of the collection container 14 based on the information received by the signal receiving unit 15c. That is, the display unit 16 can display information such as the amount of the composition including by-products collected in the collection container 14, the amount of by-products, the remaining capacity, and a collection capacity over warning, similar to the first embodiment. The capacity may be calculated by the CPU 15a of the hydrogen generation apparatus 1A, or by the CPU 23a of the information collecting device 23, similar to the first embodiment.

[0082] The information on the capacity displayed on display unit 16 is, as in the first embodiment, at least one of the amount of composition collectable in collection container 14 at that time and information indicating that the amount of composition collected in collection container 14 has exceeded a predetermined amount, or information on the time to replace the collection container at that time, etc. Other contents on display unit 16 are also similar to those in the first embodiment.

[0083] Next, a specific example of this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, first, the identification information of each individual collection container is read by the control unit 15. Then, the hydrogen generation device 1 starts operating, and sodium borohydride and water are supplied to the hydrogen generation unit 12, causing a hydrolysis reaction, and the waste fuel after the reaction (a composition containing by-products, in this embodiment, a sodium metaborate solution) is sent to the collection container 14.

[0084] Here, similarly to the first embodiment, information on the reaction ratio and weight information of the sodium metaborate solution are sent to the control unit 15. Then, the weight of sodium metaborate, the weight of water, the weight of the sodium metaborate solution, the volume of the sodium metaborate solution, etc. are calculated in the CPU 15a. Then, this information is linked to the identification information of the collection container 14, and is transmitted to the information collecting device 23 via the Internet or the like, and stored.

[0085] If the hydrogen generation apparatus 1A is stopped for an extended period of time or is replaced with another collection container 14 that is in use, the control unit 15 of the hydrogen generation apparatus 1A can obtain information from the information collection device 23 based on the identification information of the collection container 14, and recalculate the current weight of sodium metaborate, weight of water, weight of the sodium metaborate solution, and volume of the sodium metaborate solution, as in the first embodiment.

[0086] In addition, in this embodiment, by sending information such as the installation location of each hydrogen generation apparatus 1A to the information collection device 23, it is possible to know the timing for replacing the collection containers 14 of the hydrogen generation apparatus 1A located in multiple locations. This can also be used, for example, to estimate the optimal route for delivering replacement collection containers 14 or used collection containers 14.

[0087] In the case of this embodiment, the amount of the composition including the by-product generated during hydrogen generation can be grasped. That is, in this embodiment, information on the amount of the composition collected in the collection container 14 is sent to the information collecting device 23 together with the identification information of the collection container 14, so that the information collecting device 23 can manage each collection container 14. Therefore, the control unit 15 of the hydrogen generation device 1A can obtain information on the collection container 14 by appropriately obtaining information from the information collecting device 23, and can appropriately grasp the amount of the composition collected in the collection container 14 even when the collection container 14 is replaced, for example.

[0088] Furthermore, in this embodiment, multiple hydrogen generation apparatuses 1A installed in different locations can be centrally managed by the information collection device 23. For example, by monitoring information on the collection containers 14 used in each hydrogen generation apparatus 1A in real time, it becomes easier to appropriately determine the replacement timing and delivery rules for each collection container 14.

[0089] The disclosure of this embodiment also includes the following configuration. (Configuration 1) a hydrogen generating unit that generates hydrogen by reacting a hydrogen carrier with a liquid containing water; A main body having the hydrogen generating unit; a collection container that is detachable from the main body and that collects a composition including a by-product generated together with hydrogen in the hydrogen generation unit; a detection unit that detects the amount of the composition recovered by the recovery container from the hydrogen generation unit; A storage unit provided in the collection container for storing information regarding the collection amount. A hydrogen generating device characterized by: (Configuration 2) A calculation unit that calculates an amount of the by-product contained in the composition recovered in the recovery container based on the recovery amount detected by the detection unit, The information regarding the recovery amount includes the amount of the by-product calculated by the calculation unit. 2. The hydrogen generating device according to claim 1, (Configuration 3) The calculation unit calculates the amount of the by-product from the reaction ratio between the hydrogen carrier and the water-containing liquid and the recovery amount detected by the detection unit. 3. The hydrogen generating device according to claim 2. (Configuration 4) The collecting container further includes a display unit capable of displaying information regarding the capacity of the collecting container. 4. The hydrogen generating device according to any one of configurations 1 to 3. (Configuration 5) The information on the capacity is at least one of the amount of the composition that can be collected in the collection container at that time and information indicating that the amount of the composition collected in the collection container has exceeded a predetermined amount. 5. The hydrogen generating device according to claim 4. (Configuration 6) The information regarding the capacity is information regarding the time to replace the collection container at that time. 6. The hydrogen generating device according to configuration 4 or 5. (Configuration 7) the hydrogen carrier is sodium borohydride; The by-product is sodium metaborate 7. The hydrogen generating device according to any one of configurations 1 to 6, (Configuration 8) An information management system including a hydrogen generating device that generates hydrogen and an information collecting device that is communicatively connected to the hydrogen generating device, The hydrogen generating apparatus comprises: a hydrogen generating unit that generates hydrogen by reacting a hydrogen carrier with a liquid containing water; A main body having the hydrogen generating unit; a collection container that is detachable from the main body and that collects a composition including a by-product generated together with hydrogen in the hydrogen generation unit; An identification information section provided on the collection container, the identification information section being information relating to the identification of the collection container; a detection unit that detects the amount of the composition recovered by the recovery container from the hydrogen generation unit; a transmitter for transmitting information regarding the collection amount and information regarding the identification of the collection container, The information collecting device includes: a receiving unit for receiving the information transmitted from the transmitting unit; a storage unit that stores information relating to the collection container and the collection amount in association with each other based on the information received by the receiving unit. 1. An information management system comprising: (Configuration 9) When the collection container is replaced, the information collecting device stores the information on the collection amount received by the receiving unit after the replacement in the storage unit as information on the collection container after the replacement based on information on the identification of the collection container. 9. The information management system according to configuration 8. (Configuration 10) The hydrogen generation apparatus further includes a calculation unit that calculates an amount of the by-product contained in the composition collected in the collection container based on information on the collected amount and information on identification of the collection container, The information regarding the recovery amount includes the amount of the by-product calculated by the calculation unit. 10. The information management system according to configuration 8 or 9. (Configuration 11) the transmitting unit is a first transmitting unit, the receiving unit is a first receiving unit, the information collection device further includes a second transmission unit capable of transmitting information regarding the collection amount stored in the storage unit and information regarding identification of the collection container, The hydrogen generation apparatus further includes a second receiving unit capable of receiving information transmitted from the second transmitting unit, and a display unit that displays information regarding the capacity of the collection container based on the information received by the second receiving unit. 11. The information management system according to any one of configurations 8 to 10. (Configuration 12) The information on the capacity is at least one of the amount of the composition that can be collected in the collection container at that time and information indicating that the amount of the composition collected in the collection container has exceeded a predetermined amount. 12. The information management system according to configuration 11. (Configuration 13) The information regarding the capacity is information regarding the time to replace the collection container at that time. 13. The information management system according to configuration 11 or 12. (Configuration 14) the hydrogen carrier is sodium borohydride; The by-product is sodium metaborate 14. The information management system according to any one of configurations 8 to 13. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 1. 1A Hydrogen Generator 10 Main body 12. Hydrogen generation unit 13. Detection section 14 Collection container 14a Identification information section 15 Control section 15a...CPU (calculation section) 15b Signal transmitting unit (transmitting unit, first transmitting unit) 15c Signal receiving unit (second receiving unit) 16...Display section 17 Memory (storage section) 23. Information gathering device 23b Memory (storage section) 23c Signal transmitting unit (second transmitting unit) 23d Signal receiving unit (first receiving unit) 100...Information Management System

Claims

1. a hydrogen generating unit that generates hydrogen by reacting a hydrogen carrier with a liquid containing water; A main body having the hydrogen generating unit; a collection container that is detachable from the main body and that collects a composition including a by-product generated together with hydrogen in the hydrogen generation unit; a detection unit that detects the amount of the composition recovered by the recovery container from the hydrogen generation unit; A storage unit provided in the collection container for storing information regarding the collection amount. A hydrogen generating device characterized by:

2. A calculation unit that calculates an amount of the by-product contained in the composition recovered in the recovery container based on the recovery amount detected by the detection unit, The information regarding the recovery amount includes the amount of the by-product calculated by the calculation unit.

2. The hydrogen generating apparatus according to claim 1 .

3. The calculation unit calculates the amount of the by-product from the reaction ratio between the hydrogen carrier and the water-containing liquid and the recovery amount detected by the detection unit.

3. The hydrogen generating apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The collecting container further includes a display unit capable of displaying information regarding the capacity of the collecting container.

2. The hydrogen generating apparatus according to claim 1 .

5. The information on the capacity is at least one of the amount of the composition that can be collected in the collection container at that time and information indicating that the amount of the composition collected in the collection container has exceeded a predetermined amount.

5. The hydrogen generating apparatus according to claim 4.

6. The information regarding the capacity is information regarding the time to replace the collection container at that time.

5. The hydrogen generating apparatus according to claim 4.

7. the hydrogen carrier is sodium borohydride; The by-product is sodium metaborate 2. The hydrogen generating apparatus according to claim 1 .

8. An information management system including a hydrogen generating device that generates hydrogen and an information collecting device that is communicatively connected to the hydrogen generating device, The hydrogen generating apparatus comprises: a hydrogen generating unit that generates hydrogen by reacting a hydrogen carrier with a liquid containing water; A main body having the hydrogen generating unit; a collection container that is detachable from the main body and that collects a composition including a by-product generated together with hydrogen in the hydrogen generation unit; An identification information section provided on the collection container, the identification information section being information relating to the identification of the collection container; a detection unit that detects the amount of the composition recovered by the recovery container from the hydrogen generation unit; a transmitter for transmitting information regarding the collection amount and information regarding the identification of the collection container, The information collecting device includes: a receiving unit for receiving the information transmitted from the transmitting unit; a storage unit that stores information relating to the collection container and the collection amount in association with each other based on the information received by the receiving unit.

1. An information management system comprising:

9. When the collection container is replaced, the information collecting device stores the information on the collection amount received by the receiving unit after the replacement in the storage unit as information on the collection container after the replacement based on information on the identification of the collection container.

9. The information management system according to claim 8,

10. The hydrogen generation apparatus further includes a calculation unit that calculates an amount of the by-product contained in the composition collected in the collection container based on information on the collected amount and information on identification of the collection container, The information regarding the recovery amount includes the amount of the by-product calculated by the calculation unit.

9. The information management system according to claim 8,

11. the transmitter is a first transmitter, the receiving unit is a first receiving unit, the information collection device further includes a second transmission unit capable of transmitting information regarding the collection amount stored in the storage unit and information regarding identification of the collection container, The hydrogen generation apparatus further includes a second receiving unit capable of receiving information transmitted from the second transmitting unit, and a display unit that displays information regarding the capacity of the collection container based on the information received by the second receiving unit.

9. The information management system according to claim 8,

12. The information on the capacity is at least one of the amount of the composition that can be collected in the collection container at that time and information indicating that the amount of the composition collected in the collection container has exceeded a predetermined amount.

12. The information management system according to claim 11.

13. The information regarding the capacity is information regarding the time to replace the collection container at that time.

12. The information management system according to claim 11.

14. the hydrogen carrier is sodium borohydride; The by-product is sodium metaborate 9. The information management system according to claim 8,

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