Oxygen generation system

Abstract

To provide a system that generates oxygen using water having more impurities than pure water while suppressing the influence of impurities.SOLUTION: An oxygen generation system S comprises: a cooling water passage 90 through which cooling water for cooling an engine 30 flows; a first heat generator 41 that generates heat by heat exchange with cooling water flowing through the cooling water passage 90; a generation part 44 that generates steam from water by heat generated by the first heat generator 41 and generates distilled water by cooling the steam; and an electrolysis part 10 that electrolyzes distilled water generated by the generation part 44 to generate hydrogen and oxygen.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an oxygen generation system.

Background Art

[0002] An exhaust gas flow path downstream of an engine or a system for supplying ozone to an engine is known. The exhaust gas purification system described in Patent Document 1 generates ozone from oxygen generated by electrolyzing water and supplies the ozone to the exhaust gas flow path.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In order to suppress corrosion of electrodes and generation of gas due to impurities contained in water, it is desirable to use pure water with a very small impurity content as the water used for oxygen generation. However, pure water has problems such as being more expensive and difficult to obtain than water with a high impurity content such as tap water.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of these points, and an object thereof is to generate oxygen using water with more impurities than pure water while suppressing the influence of impurities.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The oxygen generation system according to an aspect of the present invention includes a cooling water passage through which cooling water for cooling a drive source flows, a first heat generator that generates heat by exchanging heat with the cooling water flowing through the cooling water passage, a generation unit that generates water vapor from water by the heat generated by the first heat generator and generates distilled water by cooling the water vapor, and an electrolysis unit that electrolyzes the distilled water generated by the generation unit to generate hydrogen and oxygen.

[0007] The cooling water passage connects the drive source and the first heat generator, and cooling water may be circulated between the drive source and the first heat generator.

[0008] A first branch flow path that branches from the downstream side of the drive source in the cooling water passage and joins the upstream side of the drive source in the cooling water passage, and a first switching valve that switches whether or not to direct the cooling water from the cooling water passage to the first branch flow path. The first heat generator may exchange heat with the cooling water in the first branch flow path.

[0009] It may have a heat control unit that switches the first switching valve so as to direct the cooling water from the cooling water passage to the first branch flow path when the temperature of the first heat generator is less than a threshold value.

[0010] A second branch flow path that branches from the downstream side of the drive source in the cooling water passage and joins the upstream side of the drive source in the cooling water passage, and a second switching valve that switches whether or not to direct the cooling water from the cooling water passage to the second branch flow path. The first heat generator may exchange heat with the cooling water that has exchanged heat with the exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust flow path of the drive source in the second branch flow path.

[0011] It may have a heat control unit that switches the second switching valve so as to direct the cooling water from the cooling water passage to the second branch flow path when the temperature of the first heat generator is less than a threshold value.

[0012] A second heat generator that is supplied with power and generates heat, a power storage device that supplies power to the second heat generator, and a heat control unit that causes the power storage device to supply power to the second heat generator when the temperature of the first heat generator is less than a threshold value and the power storage amount of the power storage device is equal to or greater than a predetermined power storage amount. The generation unit may generate water vapor from water by the heat generated by the first heat generator and the second heat generator.

[0013] It has a tank that stores water for generating water vapor, and when the concentration of impurities contained in the water stored in the tank is equal to or greater than a predetermined concentration, the generation unit may drain the water from the tank.

Advantages of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, there is an effect of generating oxygen using water having more impurities than pure water while suppressing the influence of impurities.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] <Outline of the Oxygen Generation System S> FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the outline of the oxygen generation system S according to the present embodiment. The oxygen generation system S shown in FIG. 1 includes an electrolysis unit 10, an ozone generation unit 20, an ozone supply unit 21, a hydrogen supply unit 22, an engine 30, a radiator 31, a power storage device 32, a notification device 33, and a distilled water generation device 40. The oxygen generation system S is a system that generates oxygen for generating ozone to be supplied to the engine 30 from water containing more impurities than pure water. The water containing more impurities than pure water is, for example, tap water. As an example, the impurities are minerals such as calcium and magnesium, chlorine used when disinfecting water, and aluminum used in the water purification process. The oxygen generation system S is provided, for example, in a vehicle, a ship, or a power plant.

[0017] The electrolysis unit 10 has a power source 11, a U-tube 14, and a distilled water tank 15. The electrolysis unit 10 is a device that electrolyzes the distilled water generated by the generation unit 44 of the distilled water generation device 40 to generate hydrogen and oxygen. Details of the generation unit 44 will be described later. The power source 11 applies a voltage between the cathode 12 and the anode 13 of the power source 11 inserted into the U-tube 14 using electric power supplied from a battery, a solar power generation system, or a regenerative energy system. The U-tube 14 is an electrolytic cell for electrolyzing the distilled water supplied from the distilled water tank 15 into oxygen and hydrogen. In the U-tube 14, when the power source 11 applies a voltage between the cathode 12 and the anode 13, hydrogen is generated from the cathode 12 and oxygen is generated from the anode 13. The distilled water tank 15 is a tank that stores the distilled water generated by the distilled water generation device 40 and has a remaining amount sensor 151. The remaining amount sensor 151 is a sensor for detecting the distance (height) between the bottom surface of the distilled water tank 15 and the liquid level of the distilled water stored in the distilled water tank 15.

[0018] The ozone generation unit 20 generates ozone from the oxygen generated by the electrolysis unit 10. For example, the ozone generation unit 20 generates ozone from oxygen by irradiating the oxygen obtained from the anode part 142 of the U-shaped tube 14 through the first pipeline 81 with ultraviolet rays. The ozone supply unit 21 obtains the ozone generated by the ozone generation unit 20 through the second pipeline 82 and supplies it to the intake passage 80. The hydrogen supply unit 22 supplies the hydrogen obtained from the cathode part 141 of the U-shaped tube 14 through the third pipeline 83 to the intake passage 80.

[0019] The engine 30 is an internal combustion engine that burns and expands a mixture of fuel and intake air (air) to generate power. The fuel is, for example, gasoline, light oil, or natural gas. The engine 30 can enhance the combustibility of the fuel or improve the fuel efficiency of the fuel by taking in the air containing ozone and hydrogen supplied to the intake passage 80 from the intake passage 80.

[0020] The radiator 31 is provided on the downstream side of the engine 30 and the distilled water generation device 40 in the circulation direction D1 of the cooling water passage 90 through which the cooling water for cooling the engine 30 flows, and cools the cooling water that has passed through the engine 30. For example, the radiator 31 is provided with a fan for allowing air to flow in, and cools the cooling water by exchanging heat between the incoming air and the cooling water.

[0021] The cooling water passage 90 connects the engine 30 and the first heat generator 41 of the distilled water generation device 40, and is a water passage for circulating the cooling water between the engine 30 and the first heat generator 41. As the cooling water flows in the circulation direction D1 in the cooling water passage 90, the cooling water heated by the engine 30 is cooled by heat exchange with the first heat generator 41 and then further cooled by heat exchange with the air flowing into the radiator 31. By arranging the cooling water passage 90 in this way, the oxygen generation system S can effectively utilize the heat of the cooling water heated by the engine 30 in the first heat generator 41 before the air flowing into the radiator 31 and the cooling water exchange heat. Details of the first heat generator 41 will be described later.

[0022] The power storage device 32 is, for example, a battery. The power storage device 32 supplies power to the second heat generator 42 included in the distilled water generation device 40. Details of the second heat generator 42 will be described later. The notification device 33 is a device for notifying the operator of a vehicle, ship, or power plant in which the oxygen generation system S is provided of the state of the oxygen generation system S. The notification device 33 notifies the operator of the state, for example, by causing an image indicating the state of the oxygen generation system S to be displayed on a display (not shown) or causing a sound indicating the state to be emitted from a speaker (not shown).

[0023] The distilled water generation device 40 includes a first heat generator 41, a second heat generator 42, a water tank 43, a generation unit 44, a drain tank 45, and a control device 46. The first heat generator 41 is a device that generates heat by exchanging heat with the cooling water flowing through the cooling water passage 90. A temperature sensor 411 for measuring the temperature of the first heat generator 41 is provided in the first heat generator 41. The second heat generator 42 is a device that generates heat by being supplied with power from the power storage device 32. The water tank 43 is a tank that stores water such as tap water containing more impurities than pure water, which is supplied from the outside of the oxygen generation system S, and has a remaining amount sensor 431. The remaining amount sensor 431 is a sensor for detecting the distance between the bottom surface of the water tank 43 and the liquid level of the water stored in the water tank 43.

[0024] The generation unit 44 includes a first storage tank 441, a second storage tank 442, a cooling unit 443, and an impurity sensor 444. The generation unit 44 is a device that generates distilled water from the water supplied from the water tank 43 and supplies the distilled water to the distilled water tank 15. The generation unit 44 generates water vapor from water by the heat generated by the first heat generator 41 and the second heat generator 42, for example, and generates distilled water by cooling the water vapor.

[0025] The first storage tank 441 and the second storage tank 442 are tanks that store water for generating steam, which is supplied from the water tank 43. The first storage tank 441 has a remaining amount sensor 445, and the second storage tank 442 has a remaining amount sensor 446. The remaining amount sensor 445 is a sensor for detecting the distance between the bottom surface of the first storage tank 441 and the liquid level of the water stored in the first storage tank 441. The remaining amount sensor 446 is a sensor for detecting the distance between the bottom surface of the second storage tank 442 and the liquid level of the water stored in the second storage tank 442.

[0026] The water amounts in the first storage tank 441 and the second storage tank 442 are each adjusted so as to store water in a predetermined amount or more. The predetermined amount is determined in each of the first storage tank 441 and the second storage tank 442 according to, for example, the amount of water that can be stored. For example, when the remaining amount of water based on the remaining amount sensor 445 in the first storage tank 441 is less than the predetermined amount, water is supplied from the water tank 43 via the first pump 71 provided in the fourth pipe line 84. Similarly, when the remaining amount of water based on the remaining amount sensor 446 in the second storage tank 442 is less than the predetermined amount, water is supplied from the water tank 43 via the first pump 71 provided in the fourth pipe line 84.

[0027] In the first storage tank 441, the heat generated by the first heat generator 41 heats the water supplied from the water tank 43, so that the water is changed into steam. In the second storage tank 442, the heat generated by the second heat generator 42 heats the water supplied from the water tank 43, so that the water is changed into steam. Note that the first storage tank 441 may increase the temperature of the first storage tank 441 by exchanging heat with the cooling water in the cooling water passage 90, and the first storage tank 441 may exchange heat with the water supplied from the water tank 43 to change the water into steam. That is, in the first storage tank 441, it may be provided so that the heat of the cooling water flowing through the cooling water passage 90 heats the water supplied from the water tank 43 without passing through the first heat generator 41. In this case, the temperature sensor 411 may be a sensor for detecting the temperature of the water stored in the first storage tank 441.

[0028] The water vapor generated in each of the first storage tank 441 and the second storage tank 442 is supplied to the cooling unit 443 via the fifth pipeline 85. A second pump 72 is provided in the fifth pipeline 85. By the second pump 72 transferring the water vapor, the water vapor generated in each of the first storage tank 441 and the second storage tank 442 is supplied to the cooling unit 443.

[0029] The cooling unit 443 is a device for cooling the water vapor generated in at least one of the first storage tank 441 and the second storage tank 442 to generate distilled water. The cooling unit 443 cools, for example, the water vapor generated and staying in at least one of the first storage tank 441 and the second storage tank 442 to a temperature not exceeding the outside air temperature (so-called normal temperature) to generate distilled water. The cooling unit 443 supplies the generated distilled water to the distilled water tank 15.

[0030] By the distilled water generation device 40 generating distilled water and supplying it to the distilled water tank 15 as described above, the electrolysis unit 10 can electrolyze distilled water with fewer impurities than the water stored in the water tank 43 to generate hydrogen and oxygen. As a result, corrosion of the cathode 12 and the anode 13 due to impurities and generation of gas can be suppressed, and the labor for the operator of the oxygen generation system S to prepare pure water can be reduced.

[0031] The impurity sensor 444 is a sensor for measuring the concentration of impurities contained in the water stored in the first storage tank 441. The drain tank 45 is a drainage tank for storing the water drained from the first storage tank 441 and the second storage tank 442. The control device 46 executes a process for controlling the amount of heat generated in the first heat generator 41 and the second heat generator 42 and the amount of water stored in the first storage tank 441 and the second storage tank 442. The control device 46 may have a housing including electronic components, or may be a printed circuit board on which electronic components are mounted. Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of the control device 46 will be described in detail.

[0032] <Configuration of the control device 46> FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the control device 46. The control device 46 includes a storage unit 47 and a control unit 48. The control unit 48 includes an acquisition unit 481, a heat control unit 482, and a notification unit 483.

[0033] The storage unit 47 has a storage medium such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), or an SSD (Solid State Drive), for example. The storage unit 47 stores the programs executed by the control unit 48. The storage unit 47 stores various information for controlling the amount of heat generated by the first heat generator 41 and the second heat generator 42 and the amount of water stored in the first storage tank 441 and the second storage tank 442.

[0034] The control unit 48 is a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), for example. The control unit 48 functions as the acquisition unit 481, the heat control unit 482, and the notification unit 483 by executing the programs stored in the storage unit 47. Note that the control unit 48 may be configured by one processor, or may be configured by a combination of a plurality of processors or one or more processors and an electronic circuit. Hereinafter, the configuration of each unit realized by the control unit 48 will be described.

[0035] The acquisition unit 481 acquires the remaining amount of distilled water stored in the distilled water tank 15, the temperature of the first heat generator 41, the concentration of impurities contained in the water stored in the first storage tank 441, and the remaining amount of electricity stored in the power storage device 32. The acquisition unit 481 acquires the distance (height) between the bottom surface of the distilled water tank 15 and the liquid level of the distilled water stored in the distilled water tank 15 detected by the remaining amount sensor 151, and specifies the remaining amount of the distilled water stored in the distilled water tank 15 based on the distance, thereby acquiring the remaining amount of the distilled water tank 15. The acquisition unit 481 acquires, for example, the temperature of the first heat generator 41 measured by the temperature sensor 411, the concentration of impurities measured by the impurity sensor 444, and the remaining amount of power of the power storage device 32 acquired from the power storage device 32.

[0036] The acquisition unit 481 may acquire the distance between the bottom surface of the first storage tank 441 and the liquid level of the water stored in the first storage tank 441 detected by the remaining amount sensor 445, and specify the remaining amount of the water stored in the first storage tank 441 based on the distance. The acquisition unit 481 may acquire the distance between the bottom surface of the second storage tank 442 and the liquid level of the water stored in the second storage tank 442 detected by the remaining amount sensor 446, and specify the remaining amount of the water stored in the second storage tank 442 based on the distance.

[0037] The acquisition unit 481 may acquire the distance between the bottom surface of the water tank 43 and the liquid level of the water stored in the water tank 43 detected by the remaining amount sensor 431, and specify the remaining amount of the water stored in the water tank 43 based on the distance. The acquisition unit 481 acquires, for example, the above various types of information at a predetermined period. The predetermined period is, for example, a fixed value less than 1 second and is stored in the storage unit 47.

[0038] The heat control unit 482 controls the amount of heat generated by the first heat generator 41 and the second heat generator 42, and the amount of water stored in the first storage tank 441 and the second storage tank 442, to cause the cooling unit 443 to generate distilled water. For example, when the amount of water stored in the first storage tank 441 acquired by the acquisition unit 481 is less than a predetermined amount, the heat control unit 482 drives the first pump 71 to supply water from the water tank 43 to the first storage tank 441. For example, when the amount of water stored in the second storage tank 442 acquired by the acquisition unit 481 is less than a predetermined amount, the heat control unit 482 drives the first pump 71 to supply water from the water tank 43 to the second storage tank 442. The predetermined amount is, for example, 20% of the amount of water that can be stored in the first storage tank 441 or the second storage tank 442, and is stored in the storage unit 47.

[0039] For example, when the temperature of the first heat generator 41 is less than the threshold value and the power storage amount of the power storage device 32 is equal to or greater than a predetermined power storage amount, the heat control unit 482 causes the power storage device 32 to supply power to the second heat generator 42. The threshold value is the temperature at which the water stored in the first storage tank 441 changes to water vapor, and is, for example, 100 degrees. The predetermined power storage amount is the amount of power required to change a predetermined amount (20%) of the amount of water that can be stored in the second storage tank 442 into water vapor. By operating in this manner, when the temperature of the first heat generator 41 decreases, the distilled water generation device 40 can generate distilled water by using the first heat generator 41 and the second heat generator 42 in combination. As a result, the distilled water generation device 40 can generate distilled water by using the electricity stored in the battery in combination even when the temperature of the cooling water is low, such as at the start of the engine 30.

[0040] On the other hand, when the temperature of the first heat generator 41 is equal to or higher than the threshold value or the power storage amount of the power storage device 32 is less than the predetermined power storage amount, the heat control unit 482 does not cause the power storage device 32 to supply power to the second heat generator 42. That is, the heat control unit 482 does not use the first heat generator 41 and the second heat generator 42 in combination, and generates distilled water using only the first heat generator 41. By operating in this manner, the distilled water generation device 40 can generate distilled water without using unnecessary power.

[0041] Incidentally, in the first storage tank 441 and the second storage tank 442, impurities remain when distilled water is generated, so the higher the amount of impurities generated, the higher the concentration of impurities. Therefore, when the concentration of impurities contained in the water stored in the first storage tank 441 is equal to or higher than a predetermined concentration, the heat control unit 482 causes the generation unit 44 to drain water from the first storage tank 441 and the second storage tank 442. The predetermined concentration is a concentration at which it is highly probable that gas generation due to impurities will occur, and is stored in the storage unit 47.

[0042] For example, when the concentration of impurities acquired by the acquisition unit 481 from the impurity sensor 444 is equal to or higher than a predetermined concentration, the heat control unit 482 causes the generation unit 44 to drain water from the first storage tank 441 and the second storage tank 442 to the drain tank 45. By operating in this way, the distilled water generation device 40 can suppress the concentration of impurities contained in the water stored in the first storage tank 441 and the second storage tank 442 to less than the predetermined concentration. As a result, generation of gas due to impurities inside the first storage tank 441 and the second storage tank 442 can be suppressed, so the distilled water generation device 40 can safely generate distilled water.

[0043] The notification unit 483 notifies the notification device 33 of the state information indicating the state of the oxygen generation system S, so that the operator of the vehicle, ship, or power plant in which the oxygen generation system S is provided can be notified of the state of the oxygen generation system S from the notification device 33. The notification unit 483 acquires from the acquisition unit 481 at least any one of the remaining amount of the distilled water stored in the distilled water tank 15, the remaining amount of the water stored in the water tank 43, the remaining amount of the water stored in the first storage tank 441, and the remaining amount of the water stored in the second storage tank 442. The notification unit 483 notifies the notification device 33 of the state information indicating the acquired remaining amount, causing the notification device 33 to display an image indicating the remaining amount.

[0044] When the remaining amount of water stored in the water tank 43 is less than a predetermined first remaining amount (for example, 20%), the notification unit 483 may cause the notification device 33 to emit a first sound for prompting water addition to the water tank 43. By operating in this manner, the notification unit 483 can notify the operator of a vehicle, ship, or power plant provided with the oxygen generation system S that there may be a shortage of water for generating distilled water.

[0045] The notification unit 483 acquires, for example, from the heat control unit 482 information indicating whether or not the heat control unit 482 is supplying power from the power storage device 32 to the second heat generator 42. When the notification unit 483 determines that the power storage device 32 is supplying power to the second heat generator 42, the notification unit 483 causes the notification device 33 to display an image indicating that the distilled water generation device 40 is generating distilled water using the second heat generator 42.

[0046] When the amount of distilled water stored in the distilled water tank 15 is equal to or greater than a predetermined first amount (for example, 80%) and it is determined that the distilled water generation device 40 is generating distilled water, the notification unit 483 may cause the notification device 33 to emit a second sound indicating a failure of the oxygen generation system S. When the amount of water stored in the storage tank 441 is less than a predetermined second amount (for example, 20%) and it is determined that the distilled water generation device 40 is generating distilled water, the notification unit 483 may cause the notification device 33 to emit a third sound indicating a failure of the oxygen generation system S. By operating as described above, the notification unit 483 can notify the operator of a vehicle, ship, or power plant provided with the oxygen generation system S of the state in which the oxygen generation system S is generating distilled water or an abnormality of the oxygen generation system S.

[0047] <First Modification Example> In the above description, the cooling water passage 90 connects the engine 30, the first heat generator 41, and the radiator 31, and the operation of circulating cooling water among the engine 30, the first heat generator 41, and the radiator 31 is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this. The oxygen generation system S may switch whether or not to direct the cooling water toward the first heat generator 41.

[0048] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an operation of switching whether or not to direct cooling water toward the first heat generator 41. The oxygen generation system S shown in FIG. 3 is different from the oxygen generation system S shown in FIG. 1 in that it has a first branch flow path 91 and a first switching valve 92, and the cooling water path 90 circulates cooling water between the engine 30 and the radiator 31 without connecting the first heat generator 41, and is the same in other respects. The first branch flow path 91 is a flow path that branches from the downstream side of the engine 30 in the cooling water path 90 and merges into the upstream side of the engine 30 in the cooling water path 90. The first switching valve 92 is a switching valve that switches whether or not to direct cooling water from the cooling water path 90 toward the first branch flow path 91. As shown in FIG. 3, the first heat generator 41 exchanges heat with the cooling water in the first branch flow path 91. By configuring the oxygen generation system S in this way, the oxygen generation system S can control whether or not to generate distilled water using the first heat generator 41.

[0049] In FIG. 3, for example, when the temperature of the first heat generator 41 is less than the threshold value, the heat control unit 482 switches the first switching valve 92 so as to direct the cooling water from the cooling water path 90 toward the first branch flow path 91. For example, when the temperature of the first heat generator 41 acquired by the acquisition unit 481 from the temperature sensor 411 is less than the threshold value, the heat control unit 482 switches the first switching valve 92 to direct the cooling water in the cooling water path 90 toward the first branch flow path 91. By operating in this way, the heat control unit 482 enables the oxygen generation system S to supply an appropriate amount of heat to the first heat generator 41.

[0050] When the remaining amount of the distilled water stored in the distilled water tank 15 acquired by the acquisition unit 481 is less than a predetermined remaining amount, the heat control unit 482 may switch the first switching valve 92 so as to direct the cooling water from the cooling water path 90 toward the first branch flow path 91. The predetermined remaining amount is, for example, 80% of the amount of distilled water that the distilled water tank 15 can store, and is stored in the storage unit 47. By operating in this way, the distilled water generation device 40 can prevent a state where the generated distilled water cannot be stored in the distilled water tank 15, and can supply the generated distilled water at a timing when the distilled water tank 15 can store it.

[0051] The notification unit 483 acquires, for example, information indicating the state in which the heat control unit 482 has switched the first switching valve 92 from the heat control unit 482, and specifies whether or not the cooling water flowing through the cooling water passage 90 is flowing through the first branch passage 91. When the notification unit 483 specifies that the cooling water is flowing through the first branch passage 91, the notification device 33 is caused to display an image indicating that the distilled water generation device 40 is generating distilled water.

[0052] <Second Modification Example> In the above description, the operation in which the cooling water that has exchanged heat with the engine 30 exchanges heat with the first heat generator 41 has been illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this. In addition to the heat exchange between the engine 30 and the cooling water, the oxygen generation system S may exchange heat between the exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust passage 86 and the cooling water.

[0053] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation of exchanging heat between the cooling water and the exhaust gas. The oxygen generation system S shown in FIG. 4 is different from the oxygen generation system S shown in FIG. 3 in that it has a second branch passage 93, a second switching valve 94, and a heat exchanger 34, and is the same in other respects. The second branch passage 93 is a passage that branches from the downstream side of the engine 30 in the cooling water passage 90 and merges into the upstream side of the engine 30 in the cooling water passage 90. The second switching valve 94 is a switching valve that switches whether or not to direct the cooling water from the cooling water passage 90 to the second branch passage 93. The heat exchanger 34 is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the cooling water flowing through the cooling water passage 90 and the exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust passage 86.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 4, when the heat control unit 482 switches the second switching valve 94 so that the cooling water flows toward the second branch channel 93, the first heat generator 41 exchanges heat with the exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust passage 86 of the engine 30 and the cooling water that has undergone heat exchange in the second branch channel 93. By configuring the oxygen generation system S in this way, the oxygen generation system S can further heat the first heat generator 41. Further, when burning the fine particles collected by a purification device (not shown) provided in the exhaust passage 86, the heat control unit 482 can prevent the cooling water from flowing toward the second branch channel 93, so that the exhaust temperature flowing through the exhaust passage 86 can be increased to facilitate burning of the fine particles.

[0055] Furthermore, when the temperature of the first heat generator 41 is lower than the threshold value, the heat control unit 482 may switch the second switching valve 94 so that the cooling water flows from the cooling water passage 90 toward the second branch channel 93. By operating in this way, when the amount of heat provided to the first heat generator 41 by the cooling water that has exchanged heat with the engine 30 is insufficient, the oxygen generation system S can further supply the heat of the exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust passage 86 to the first heat generator 41. As a result, the distilled water generation device 40 can reduce the probability that the amount of heat provided to the first heat generator 41 is insufficient, making it easier to generate distilled water.

[0056] The notification unit 483 acquires, for example, information indicating the state in which the heat control unit 482 has switched the second switching valve 94 from the heat control unit 482, and determines whether or not the cooling water flowing through the cooling water passage 90 is flowing through the second branch channel 93. When the notification unit 483 determines that the cooling water is flowing through the second branch channel 93, the notification unit 483 causes the notification device 33 to display an image indicating that the distilled water generation device 40 is generating distilled water using the heat of the exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust passage 86.

[0057] <Processing sequence in the oxygen generation system S> FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a processing sequence in the oxygen generation system S according to the second modification. The processing sequence shown in FIG. 5 is a sequence showing the process of causing the distilled water generation device 40 to generate distilled water in the oxygen generation system S shown in FIG. 4.

[0058] The heat control unit 482 determines whether the remaining amount of the distilled water stored in the distilled water tank 15 acquired by the acquisition unit 481 is less than a predetermined remaining amount (S11). When the remaining amount of the distilled water is equal to or more than the predetermined remaining amount (NO in S11), the heat control unit 482 repeats the process of S11. When the remaining amount of the distilled water is less than the predetermined remaining amount (YES in S11), the heat control unit 482 determines whether the temperature of the first heat generator 41 acquired by the acquisition unit 481 is less than a threshold value (S12). When the temperature of the first heat generator 41 is equal to or more than the threshold value (NO in S12), the heat control unit 482 returns to the process of S11. When the temperature of the first heat generator 41 is less than the threshold value (YES in S12), the heat control unit 482 causes the cooling water to flow from the cooling water path 90 to the first branch flow path 91 by switching the first switching valve 92 (S13).

[0059] After the heat control unit 482 causes the cooling water to flow from the cooling water path 90 to the first branch flow path 91, the heat control unit 482 determines whether the temperature of the first heat generator 41 acquired by the acquisition unit 481 is less than a threshold value (S14). When the temperature of the first heat generator 41 is equal to or more than the threshold value (NO in S14), the oxygen generation system S ends the process and causes the distilled water generator 40 to generate distilled water with the cooling water flowing from the cooling water path 90 to the first branch flow path 91. When the temperature of the first heat generator 41 is less than the threshold value (YES in S14), the heat control unit 482 causes the cooling water to flow from the cooling water path 90 to the second branch flow path 93 by switching the second switching valve 94 (S15).

[0060] After the heat control unit 482 causes the cooling water to flow from the cooling water path 90 to the second branch flow path 93, the heat control unit 482 determines whether the temperature of the first heat generator 41 acquired by the acquisition unit 481 is less than a threshold value (S16). When the temperature of the first heat generator 41 is equal to or more than the threshold value (NO in S16), the oxygen generation system S ends the process and causes the distilled water generator 40 to generate distilled water with the cooling water flowing from the cooling water path 90 to the first branch flow path 91 and the second branch flow path 93. When the temperature of the first heat generator 41 is less than the threshold value (YES in S16), the heat control unit 482 determines whether the power storage amount of the power storage device 32 is equal to or more than a predetermined power storage amount (S17).

[0061] When the power storage amount of the power storage device 32 is less than a predetermined power storage amount (NO in S17), the oxygen generation system S ends the process and causes the distilled water generation device 40 to generate distilled water with the cooling water directed from the cooling water passage 90 to the first branch passage 91 and the second branch passage 93. When the power storage amount of the power storage device 32 is equal to or greater than the predetermined power storage amount (YES in S17), the heat control unit 482 causes power to be supplied from the power storage device 32 to the second heat generator 42 (S18), and generates heat in the second heat generator 42, thereby causing the distilled water generation device 40 to generate distilled water.

[0062] <Effect of Oxygen Generation System S> As described above, the oxygen generation system S includes a cooling water passage 90 through which cooling water for cooling the engine 30 flows, a first heat generator 41 that generates heat by exchanging heat with the cooling water flowing through the cooling water passage 90, a generation unit 44 that generates water vapor from water by the heat generated by the first heat generator 41 and generates distilled water by cooling the water vapor, and an electrolysis unit 10 that electrolyzes the distilled water generated by the generation unit 44 to generate hydrogen and oxygen.

[0063] With the oxygen generation system S configured in this way, oxygen can be generated using distilled water generated from water containing more impurities than pure water. As a result, by performing electrolysis using distilled water with fewer impurities than water such as tap water, corrosion of the electrodes and generation of gas due to impurities can be suppressed. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the user from requiring a large amount of cost or taking a lot of effort to obtain pure water.

[0064] As described above, the present invention has been explained using embodiments. However, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist. For example, all or part of the device can be configured by functionally or physically dispersing and integrating it in any unit. Also, new embodiments resulting from any combination of multiple embodiments are included in the embodiments of the present invention. The effects of the new embodiments resulting from the combination have the effects of the original embodiments combined.

Explanation of Signs

[0065] S Oxygen generation system 10 Electrolysis unit 11 Power supply 12 Cathode 13 Anode 14 U-tube 141 Cathode section 142 Anode section 15 Distilled water tank 151 Remaining amount sensor 20 Ozone generation unit 21 Ozone supply unit 22 Hydrogen supply unit 30 Engine 31 Radiator 32 Power storage device 33 Notification device 34 Heat exchanger 40 Distilled water generation device 41 First heat generator 411 Temperature sensor 42 Second heat generator 43 Water tank 431 Remaining amount sensor 44 Generation unit 441 First storage tank 442 Second storage tank 443 Cooling section 444 Impurity sensor 445 Remaining amount sensor 446 Remaining amount sensor 45 Drain tank 46 Control device 47 Storage section 48 Control Unit 481 Acquisition Unit 482 Thermal Control Unit 483 Notification Unit 71 First Pump 72 Second Pump 80 Intake Passage 81 First Pipeline 82 Second Pipeline 83 Third Pipeline 84 Fourth Pipeline 85 Fifth Pipeline 86 Exhaust Passage 90 Cooling Water Path 91 First Branch Flow Path 92 First Switching Valve 93 Second Branch Flow Path 94 Second Switching Valve

Claims

1. A cooling water channel through which cooling water for cooling a drive source flows, A first heat generator that generates heat by exchanging heat with the cooling water flowing through the cooling water channel, A generation unit that generates steam from water by the heat generated by the first heat generator and generates distilled water by cooling the steam, An electrolysis unit that electrolyzes the distilled water generated by the generation unit to generate hydrogen and oxygen, An oxygen generation system having the above.

2. The cooling water channel connects the drive source and the first heat generator, and circulates cooling water between the drive source and the first heat generator, The oxygen generation system according to Claim 1.

3. A first branch flow path that branches from the downstream side of the drive source in the cooling water channel and merges into the upstream side of the drive source in the cooling water channel, A first switching valve that switches whether or not to direct cooling water from the cooling water channel to the first branch flow path, Having, The first heat generator exchanges heat with the cooling water in the first branch flow path, The oxygen generation system according to Claim 1.

4. A heat control unit that switches the first switching valve so as to direct cooling water from the cooling water channel to the first branch flow path when the temperature of the first heat generator is less than a threshold value, The oxygen generation system according to Claim 3.

5. A second branch flow path that branches from the downstream side of the drive source in the cooling water channel and merges into the upstream side of the drive source in the cooling water channel, A second switching valve that switches whether or not to direct cooling water from the cooling water channel to the second branch flow path, Having, The first heat generator exchanges heat with the cooling water that has exchanged heat with the exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust flow path of the drive source in the second branch flow path, The oxygen generation system according to Claim 1.

6. A heat control unit that switches the second switching valve so as to direct cooling water from the cooling water channel to the second branch flow path when the temperature of the first heat generator is less than a threshold value, The oxygen generation system according to Claim 5.

7. A second heat generator that is supplied with power and generates heat, A power storage device that supplies power to the second heat generator, A heat control unit that supplies power from the power storage device to the second heat generator when the temperature of the first heat generator is less than a threshold value and the power storage amount of the power storage device is equal to or greater than a predetermined power storage amount, The generation unit generates steam from water by the heat generated by the first heat generator and the second heat generator, The oxygen generation system according to Claim 1.

8. having a tank for containing water for generating steam, wherein the generating unit discharges water from the tank when the concentration of impurities contained in the water contained in the tank is equal to or higher than a predetermined concentration, The oxygen generation system according to claim 1.

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