Installation and method for liquefying cryogenic fluid
The system addresses the high cost and complexity of hydrogen liquefiers by using a common heater and pressurized ducts to efficiently liquefy and store hydrogen in multiple reservoirs with shared components.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2024074849
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-06-29
- Filing Date
- 2024-05-02
- Publication Date
- 2025-01-20
AI Technical Summary
Existing hydrogen liquefiers are expensive and require a large number of components due to their complex architecture.
A system with a common heater connected in parallel to multiple cryogenic storage units, using pressurized ducts and valves to heat and pressurize the liquid, allowing simultaneous supply and pressurization of multiple reservoirs, and incorporating shared components for efficient liquefaction.
Reduces costs and complexity by enabling simultaneous operation of multiple reservoirs with shared equipment, thus lowering storage and interconnection costs.
Smart Images
Figure 2025009845000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] The present invention relates to an installation and method for liquefying a cryogenic fluid, for example hydrogen.
[0002] The invention relates more particularly to an installation for liquefying a cryogenic fluid, for example hydrogen, comprising a circuit for supplying a fluid to be cooled, provided with an upstream end intended to be connected to a source of gas and a downstream end connected in parallel to a number of cryogenic stores for the liquefied fluid, the installation comprising a set of heat exchanger(s) in heat exchange with the supply circuit, and a cooling device in heat exchange with the set of heat exchanger(s), the cooling device comprising, for example, a refrigeration unit having a refrigeration cycle of a cycle gas comprising at least one of the following: hydrogen, helium, the installation comprising a set of liquid withdrawal ducts provided with a set of valve(s) and connecting the store to at least one connection end intended to be connected to a tank to be filled. [Background technology]
[0003] Hydrogen liquefiers are typically connected to multiple liquid reservoirs which are themselves connected to loading bays for filling trucks, see for example FR3088415A1.
[0004] These architectures are relatively expensive and require a large number of components. Summary of the Invention
[0005] The object of the present invention is to overcome all or some of the above identified disadvantages of the prior art.
[0006] To this end, the installation according to the invention, which otherwise complies with the generic definition given in the preamble above, is essentially characterised in that it comprises a common heater connected in parallel to a plurality of cryogenic stores for a fluid via a set of pressurisation ducts provided with valves, the set of pressurisation ducts and the corresponding valve(s) being adapted to enable pressurisation of each of the cryogenic stores by withdrawing liquid from the stores, heating the withdrawn liquid in the common heater and returning the heated fluid to the stores.
[0007] Further, an embodiment of the present invention comprises: - the set of liquid removal ducts comprises a common duct portion connected in parallel to each of the reservoirs and connected in parallel to at least one connection end, thereby allowing a plurality of reservoirs to simultaneously supply liquid to at least one connection end; - a set of pressurized ducts are connected in parallel to the lower portion of each of the reservoirs and comprise a first common duct portion connected to a first end of the heater, and a set of pressurized ducts are connected to a second end of the heater and comprise a second common duct portion connected in parallel to each of the reservoirs; the heater comprises two heat exchangers arranged in parallel, each ensuring heat exchange between a fluid conveyed by a set of pressurized ducts and a heating fluid, for example air; - the installation comprises a set of valve(s) configured to distribute the flow of fluid conveyed by the set of pressurized ducts into one or two heat exchangers arranged in parallel, - the installation comprises a set of return duct(s) configured to connect an upper portion of each of the reservoirs to a refrigeration device and / or a supply circuit and to allow the transfer of vaporized gas from the reservoir(s) to the refrigeration device and / or the supply circuit, - the set of return duct(s) comprises a common duct section connected in parallel to the upper part of each of the reservoirs, said common duct section comprising a common shut-off or flow and / or pressure control valve, - a common duct portion of the set of return duct(s) may have one or more of the following features: a bypass provided with a discharge valve configured to discharge the stream of gas into a receiver or to allow air venting.
[0008] The invention also relates to a method for producing and storing liquefied cryogenic fluid using equipment according to any one of the above or below characteristics, the method comprising the step of simultaneously pressurizing several or all of the storage units via a common heater.
[0009] The invention may also relate to any alternative device or method comprising any combination of the above or below features falling within the scope of the claims.
[0010] Further particular features and advantages will become apparent from the following description, given with reference to the drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic partial view illustrating an example of the structure and operation of an installation according to the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0012] The invention will be better understood on reading the following description, given purely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0013] Like reference numbers refer to like elements throughout the drawings.
[0014] 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. Individual features of different embodiments can also be combined and / or substituted to provide other embodiments.
[0015] The illustrated installation 1 for liquefying a cryogenic fluid, for example hydrogen, comprises a circuit 2 for supplying the fluid to be cooled, said circuit being provided with an upstream end 21 intended to be connected to a source 23 of gas, for example an electrolyser or a reformer.
[0016] The supply circuit 2 has a downstream end 22 connected in parallel to a number of cryogenic reservoirs 8 for the liquefied fluid (typically double-walled reservoirs insulated in vacuum). The reservoirs 8 can be filled simultaneously by the liquefaction device, for example by opening a common valve 122.
[0017] The installation 1 comprises a set of heat exchanger(s) 3 (schematically two) in heat exchange with the supply circuit 2. The installation 1 also comprises a cooling device 7 in heat exchange with the set of heat exchanger(s) 3. This cooling device comprises, for example, a cryogenic refrigeration unit 7 having a refrigeration cycle with a cycle gas comprising at least one of the following: hydrogen, helium.
[0018] Typically, the refrigeration installation 7 comprises a cycle circuit in which the cycle gas is subjected to a thermodynamic cycle (compression, cooling, expansion and heating) to generate a cooling power that is transferred to the supply circuit 2 for liquefying the gas. The installation 1 may also comprise a pre-cooling device (not shown) exchanging heat with part of the set of heat exchanger(s) 3, ensuring intermediate cooling (e.g. around 80 K) of the fluid to be cooled between the temperature at the upstream end 21 and the temperature at the downstream end 22 (e.g. around 20 K).
[0019] The installation 1 comprises a set of liquid withdrawal ducts 18, which are provided with a set of valves 38 and connect the reservoir 8 to at least one connection end 28 (which is, for example, flexible) intended to be connected to the tank 10 to be filled.
[0020] As illustrated, the set of liquid removal ducts 18 may comprise a common (collection) duct section connected in parallel to each of the reservoirs 8 and connected in parallel to one or more connection ends 28. This may allow multiple reservoirs 8 to simultaneously supply liquid to one or more connection ends 28.
[0021] The installation 1 comprises a common heater 4 connected in parallel to a number of cryogenic stores 8 for fluids via a set of pressurization ducts 5, 6 provided with valves 15, 16. The set of pressurization ducts 5, 6 and the corresponding valve(s) 15, 16 are configured to allow pressurization of each of the cryogenic stores 8 by drawing liquid from the stores 8, heating the drawn liquid in the common heater 4 and returning the heated fluid to the stores 8. The set of pressurization ducts 5, 6 may in particular comprise a first common duct section connected in parallel to the lower part of each of the stores 8 (to draw liquid) and also connected to a first end of the heater 4. The set of pressurization ducts 5, 6 may also comprise a second common duct section connected in parallel to a second end of the heater 4 (to withdraw heated fluid) and to each of the stores 8 (to reinject fluid to increase the pressure in the store(s) 8).
[0022] This means that a common heater 4 connected in parallel to several cryogenic stores 8 for a fluid forms a common pressurization unit (pressure boost unit (PBU)) making it possible to pressurize each of the stores 8 or even to simultaneously pressurize several stores 8. Thus, the installation 1 may comprise a single heater 4 for several separate stores 8.
[0023] This allows for advantageous sharing of equipment and lines, limiting storage, interconnection and operating costs.
[0024] As an example, the heater 4 may comprise or consist of two separate heat exchangers arranged in parallel, each ensuring a heat exchange between the fluid carried by the set of pressurized ducts 5, 6 and a heating fluid, for example air. The circuit may comprise a set of distribution valves 14 (one or more) arranged to distribute the flow of fluid carried by the set of pressurized ducts 5, 6 into one or two heat exchangers arranged in parallel. Each of these two separate heat exchangers 4 arranged in parallel may be dimensioned to ensure the heating of the entire flow to be heated. This means that this heating function may be doubled to ensure the possibility of heating by the heat exchanger 4 during the temporary unavailability (for example icing up) of the other heat exchanger 4. Thus, preferably, only one of the exchangers 4 is used during heating.
[0025] As illustrated, the installation 1 may also comprise a set of return ducts 9 configured to connect the upper portion of each of the storage units 8 to the refrigeration device 7 and / or the supply circuit 2 and to allow the transfer of vaporized gas from one or more storage units 8 to the refrigeration device 7 and / or the supply circuit 2 (when the properties of the gas are compatible).
[0026] The set of return duct(s) 9 in particular comprises a common duct section connected in parallel to the upper part of each of the reservoirs 8 (to recover the vaporized gas), which may comprise a common valve 19 for blocking or controlling the flow to the liquefaction device. Naturally, the connections of this common duct to each of the reservoirs 8 may also be provided with a valve, respectively, in each of the reservoirs 8.
[0027] Further, as illustrated, the common duct portion of the set of return ducts 9 preferably has a bypass provided with a discharge valve 29 configured to allow for discharge of the gas stream to a receiver or venting, for example, when the pressure and / or flow and / or properties of the gas are not such that it can be recirculated to the supply circuit and / or refrigeration system.
[0028] The installation 1 therefore has multiple cryogenic reservoirs 8 for liquid which share one or more components and which can be used as a single reservoir both for pressurization and for its removal or filling.
Claims
1. 1. An installation (1) for liquefying a cryogenic fluid, for example hydrogen, comprising a supply circuit (2) for supplying a fluid to be cooled, provided with an upstream end (21) intended to be connected to a source of gas (23) and a downstream end (22) connected in parallel to a plurality of cryogenic stores (8) for the liquefied fluid, said installation (1) comprising a set of one or more heat exchangers (3) in heat exchange with said supply circuit (2) and a cooling device (7) in heat exchange with said set of one or more heat exchangers (3), said cooling device comprising a refrigeration unit (7) having a refrigeration cycle for a cycle gas comprising at least one of the following: hydrogen, helium, said installation (1) being provided with a set of one or more valves (38) and comprising a set of liquid withdrawal ducts (18) connecting said cryogenic stores (8) to at least one connection end (28) intended to be connected to a tank (10) to be filled, The installation (1) comprises a common heater (4) connected in parallel to a number of said cryogenic stores (8) for fluids via a set of pressurized ducts (5, 6) provided with valves (15, 16), the set of pressurized ducts (5, 6) and the corresponding valves (15, 16) (one or more) heat each of the cryogenic stores (8) by drawing liquid from the cryogenic stores (8), heating the drawn liquid in the common heater (4) and returning the heated fluid to the cryogenic stores (8). the common heater (4) comprises two heat exchangers arranged in parallel, each ensuring heat exchange between the fluids conveyed by the set of pressurized ducts (5, 6) and a heated fluid, for example air, and the installation comprises a set of one or more valves (14) arranged to distribute the flow of the fluids conveyed by the set of pressurized ducts (5, 6) in one or two of the heat exchangers arranged in parallel.
2. 2. The installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the set of liquid withdrawal ducts (18) comprises a common duct section connected in parallel to each of the cryogenic stores (8) and connected in parallel to the at least one connection end (28), thereby making it possible for a plurality of stores (8) to simultaneously supply liquid to the at least one connection end (28).
3. 3. Installation according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the set of pressurized ducts (5, 6) comprises a first common duct section connected in parallel to a lower part of each of the cryogenic stores (8) and connected to a first end of the common heater (4), and the set of pressurized ducts (5, 6) comprises a second common duct section connected to a second end of the common heater (4) and connected in parallel to each of the cryogenic stores (8).
4. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the installation comprises a set of one or more return ducts (9) configured to connect the upper part of each of a plurality of said cryogenic storage sections (8) to the refrigeration device (7) and / or the supply circuit (2) and to allow the transfer of vaporized gas from one or more of said cryogenic storage sections (8) to the refrigeration device (7) and / or the supply circuit (2).
5. 5. Installation according to claim 4, characterized in that the set of one or more return ducts (9) comprises a common duct section connected in parallel to the upper part of each of a plurality of said cryogenic stores (8), said common duct section comprising a common shut-off or flow and / or pressure control valve (19).
6. 6. The installation according to claim 5, characterized in that the common duct portion of the set of one or more return ducts (9) comprises a bypass provided with a discharge valve (29) configured to discharge the stream of evaporated gas into a receiver or to allow air venting.
7. A method for producing and storing liquefied cryogenic fluid using an installation according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising pressurizing some or all of a plurality of said cryogenic stores (8) simultaneously via said common heater (4).