Hydrogen production equipment

Abstract

To provide a hydrogen production device that is low cost, easy to control temperature, and suitable for small-scale hydrogen production. [Solution] The hydrogen production device comprises a main body 1, a secondary coil 2, an eddy current generating unit 3, and at least one support member 4 (4'). The main body has a chamber 11, one end of which is provided with a first inlet 12 for supplying a first substance to the chamber and a second inlet 13 for supplying a second substance to the chamber, and the other end is provided with an outlet 14 and an outlet 15. The secondary coil is wound around the outside of the main body. The eddy current generating unit is installed in the chamber at a position corresponding to the position where the secondary coil is wound. The support member has a plurality of through-holes and is installed in the chamber, and the eddy current generating unit is installed in the chamber by the support member.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a hydrogen production device, and more particularly to a hydrogen production device that produces hydrogen using thermal decomposition. [Background technology]

[0002] As a clean and highly efficient energy carrier, hydrogen plays a crucial role in the global energy transition. First, the only product produced after hydrogen combustion is water, making it a zero-carbon emission energy option. Because hydrogen energy is similar to electrical energy, it has advantages in industries that are difficult to electrify, such as heavy industry and long-distance transportation. According to predictions by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), hydrogen energy will meet 12% to 13% of global energy demand by 2050, but currently this percentage is close to zero.

[0003] Furthermore, hydrogen can be produced by electrolyzing water, making it a clean, non-polluting energy source, especially when the electricity comes from renewable sources. When hydrogen and oxygen undergo a chemical reaction, electrical energy and pure water are produced. Because hydrogen can exist in gaseous or liquid form, it is suitable for long-term storage and long-distance transportation, making it suitable for use in applications where renewable energy sources are limited.

[0004] In the industrial sector, hydrogen is an important raw material for ammonia synthesis, methanol synthesis, and oil refining. As the cost of generating electricity from renewable energy continues to fall, by 2030 the cost of producing green hydrogen in some regions will be roughly the same as that of traditional fossil fuels, promoting the widespread application of hydrogen energy in the industrial sector. In short, hydrogen plays an important role in promoting global energy transition, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting sustainable economic development. With technological improvements and policy support, the scope of hydrogen energy applications will continue to expand, providing a strong driving force for improving the global energy structure.

[0005] As described above, conventional methods of decomposing substances by thermal cracking or catalytic cracking, such as using methane to produce hydrogen, have been widely used in the industry. However, in thermal cracking, decomposing methane at high temperatures requires the installation of equipment capable of generating high temperatures, and common equipment includes cracking furnaces, vacuum flash pyrolysis devices, and plasma pyrolysis devices. Furthermore, in catalytic cracking, although it is effective in producing hydrogen, it requires high-temperature equipment and a catalyst to assist the cracking process. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Although the conventional high-temperature facilities described above can provide high temperatures to decompose gases and produce hydrogen, most of the facilities have problems such as high costs and difficulty in temperature control. Furthermore, these conventional facilities are often not suitable for the needs of power generation mechanisms for small-scale hydrogen production.

[0007] Therefore, the current challenge is to provide a hydrogen production device that is low-cost, easy to control the temperature, and suitable for small-scale hydrogen production. In other words, the object of the present invention is to provide a hydrogen production device that is low-cost, easy to control the temperature, and suitable for small-scale hydrogen production. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a hydrogen production device comprising a hydrogen production device main body, a secondary coil, an eddy current generating unit, and at least one support member. The hydrogen production device main body has a chamber, one end of which is provided with a first inlet for supplying a first substance to the chamber and a second inlet for supplying a second substance to the chamber, and the other end is provided with an outlet and a discharge port. The secondary coil is wound around the outside of the hydrogen production device main body. The eddy current generating unit is installed in the chamber at a position corresponding to the position where the secondary coil is wound. The support member has a plurality of through-holes and is installed in the chamber, and the eddy current generating unit is installed in the chamber by the support member.

[0009] In one embodiment, the support member has a support hole and a plurality of through holes, and the eddy current generating unit is drilled through the support hole and installed in the chamber.

[0010] In one embodiment, the hydrogen generating device of the present invention further includes a primary coil circuit, which is electrically connected to the secondary coil, causing the secondary coil to generate a high voltage AC current, which generates an AC magnetic field in the chamber of the hydrogen generating device body, thereby generating eddy currents in the eddy current generating unit and causing the eddy current generating unit to become hot.

[0011] In one embodiment, the operating voltage of the primary coil circuit is between 12V and 24V, and the voltage generated by the secondary coil is between 50KV and 200KV.

[0012] In one embodiment, the high temperature generated by the eddy current generating unit is between 1000°C and 1600°C.

[0013] In one embodiment, the hydrogen production device body is made of a quartz material or a ceramic material.

[0014] In one embodiment, a first nozzle is connected to the first inlet and a second nozzle is connected to the second inlet.

[0015] In one embodiment, the first substance is methane, ethane, propane, butane, methanol, ethanol, ammonia gas, water molecule gas, or water mist.

[0016] In one embodiment, the second substance is methane, ethane, propane, butane, methanol, ethanol, ammonia gas, water molecule gas, or water mist.

[0017] In one embodiment, the eddy current generating unit includes a tube, at least one fixing member, and a refractory conductive material, the fixing member being disposed on the tube, and the refractory conductive material being disposed within the tube by the fixing member.

[0018] In one embodiment, the refractory conductive material comprises a refractory metal or a refractory metal alloy.

[0019] In one embodiment, the refractory metal is tungsten, molybdenum, or tantalum, and the refractory metal alloy is a tungsten alloy, a molybdenum alloy, or a tantalum alloy.

[0020] In one embodiment, the tube is constructed from a quartz or ceramic material.

[0021] In one embodiment, the hydrogen generating device of the present invention further comprises a hydrogen separation membrane, which is installed in the chamber and positioned between the outlet and the discharge port.

[0022] In one embodiment, the hydrogen separation membrane comprises a ceramic membrane or a metal ceramic composite membrane. [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] In summary, the hydrogen production device of the present invention uses the AC magnetic field generated by the secondary coil to generate eddy currents in the refractory conductive material of the eddy current generation unit, thereby raising the temperature of the space surrounding the eddy current generation unit. This makes the manufacturing cost of the hydrogen production device of the present invention relatively low and the temperature easy to control. Furthermore, the high temperature generated by the eddy current generation unit causes the first and second substances to undergo a thermal decomposition reaction in the chamber to produce hydrogen. Therefore, the hydrogen production device of the present invention is suitable for small-scale hydrogen production facilities. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional schematic view of a hydrogen production device according to the present invention; [Figure 2] 2 is a schematic view showing the front side of the support member of the present invention in the direction B. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing another cross section of a hydrogen production device having a primary coil circuit. [Figure 4] 10 is a schematic view showing a front view of another support member according to the present invention, taken along the line B; [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing another cross section of a hydrogen production device having a first nozzle and a second nozzle. [Figure 6] 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another hydrogen generating device according to the present invention; FIG. [Figure 7] 10 is a schematic view showing a front view of another support member according to the present invention, taken along the line B; [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing yet another cross section of a hydrogen production device having a hydrogen separation membrane. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Specific embodiments of the hydrogen production device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, the hydrogen generating device of the present invention comprises a hydrogen generating device body 1, a secondary coil 2, an eddy current generating unit 3, and at least one support member 4. In this embodiment, two support members 4 are used.

[0027] The hydrogen production device main body 1 has a chamber 11. One end of the hydrogen production device main body 1 is provided with a first inlet 12 for supplying a first substance to the chamber 11 and a second inlet 13 for supplying a second substance to the chamber 11. In this embodiment, the first substance and the second substance are methane, ethane, propane, butane, methanol, ethanol, ammonia gas, water molecule gas, or water mist, respectively. The other end of the hydrogen production device main body 1 is provided with an outlet 14 for discharging hydrogen and an outlet 15 for discharging by-products. It should be noted here that in actual use, either the first inlet 12 or the second inlet 13 of the hydrogen production device main body 1 of the present invention can be closed (blocked) to prevent use. That is, only the first substance or only the second substance is introduced into the chamber 11 of the hydrogen production device main body 1.

[0028] As described above, the secondary coil 2 is wound around the outside of the hydrogen production device main body 1. The eddy current generating unit 3 is installed in the chamber 11 at a position corresponding to the position where the secondary coil 2 is wound. As shown in Figure 2, a support member 4 has a support hole 41 and a plurality of through holes 42 and is installed in the chamber 11. The eddy current generating unit 3 is drilled into the support member 4 by the support hole 41 and is further installed in the chamber 11 by the support member 4.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 3, the hydrogen generating device of the present invention further includes a primary coil circuit 5, which is electrically connected to the secondary coil 2 and causes the secondary coil 2 to generate high-voltage AC. Furthermore, an AC magnetic field is generated in the chamber 11 of the hydrogen generating device body 1, which generates eddy currents in the refractory conductive material 33 of the eddy current generating unit 3, thereby increasing the temperature of the chamber 11 around the eddy current generating unit 3. In this embodiment, the operating voltage of the primary coil circuit is between 12V and 24V, and the voltage generated by the secondary coil is between 50KV and 200KV. The high temperature generated by the eddy current generating unit 3 is between 1000°C and 1600°C. The high temperature of 1000°C and 1600°C causes the first or second substance to pyrolyze, generating hydrogen.

[0030] The hydrogen generation process using the hydrogen generating device of the present invention will be further described below. When the first substance is methane, or when both the first and second substances are methane, the methane is introduced into the chamber 11 via the first inlet 12 or the second inlet 13. The methane gas then passes through the high-temperature region where the eddy current generating unit 3 is located, where it undergoes a high-temperature decomposition reaction to generate hydrogen and solid carbon, as shown in chemical formula (1).

[0031] (chemical 1) CH4→C+2H2

[0032] When the first substance is methane and the second substance is water mist or water molecule gas, the methane is introduced into the chamber 11 via the first inlet 12, and the water mist or water molecule gas is introduced into the chamber 11 via the second inlet 13. The methane gas and water mist or water molecule gas then pass through the high-temperature region where the eddy current generation unit 3 is located, and the chemical reactions that produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide through the methane reforming reaction and water gas shift reaction are shown in chemical formulas (2) and (3).

[0033] (Case 2) CH4+H2O→CO+3H2

[0034] (3) CO+H2O→CO2+H2

[0035] As a result, hydrogen produced by pyrolysis is discharged through outlet 14 for use, while by-product solid carbon or carbon dioxide is discharged through outlet 15.

[0036] Please refer to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7. The eddy current generating unit 3 of the hydrogen generating device of the present invention includes a tube 31, two fixing members 32, and a refractory conductive material 33. In this embodiment, the tube 31 is made of quartz or ceramic. The refractory conductive material 33 is attached to the tube 31 by the fixing members 32. The eddy current generating unit 3 is installed in the chamber 11 by support members 4, 4', and 4". When viewed from the direction B in Figure 1, 3, or 7, the support members 4, 4', and 4" have support holes 41, 41', and 41" and a number of through holes 42, 42', and 42". The eddy current generating unit 3 is installed in the chamber 11 by passing through the support holes 41, 41', and 41". It is particularly important to note here that in this embodiment, the first or second substance passes through the multiple through-holes 42, 42', 42'' of the support members 4, 4', 4'' or the space between the support members 4, 4', 4'' and the hydrogen production device main body 1, causing the first or second substance to undergo a thermal decomposition reaction and generate hydrogen.

[0037] 5, the first inlet 12 and the second inlet 13 of the hydrogen generating device main body 1 of the present invention are connected to a first nozzle 121 and a second nozzle 131, respectively. The amount of gas when the first substance and the second substance are introduced into the chamber 11 can be controlled by the first nozzle 121 or the second nozzle 131, and when the second substance is water, an atomization effect is produced on the water.

[0038] 8, the hydrogen production device of the present invention includes a hydrogen separation membrane 6. The hydrogen separation membrane 6 is installed in the chamber 11 and located between the outlet 14 and the discharge port 15. The hydrogen separation membrane 6 allows hydrogen to pass through and is discharged from the outlet 14. The by-product carbon or carbon dioxide is blocked by the hydrogen separation membrane 6 and is discharged from the discharge port 15. In this embodiment, the hydrogen separation membrane 6 includes a ceramic membrane and a metal ceramic composite membrane.

[0039] In summary, the hydrogen production device of the present invention uses the AC magnetic field generated by the secondary coil to generate eddy currents in the refractory conductive material 33 of the eddy current generation unit 3, thereby raising the temperature of the space surrounding the eddy current generation unit 3. This makes the production cost of the hydrogen production device of the present invention relatively low and the temperature easy to control. Furthermore, in the hydrogen production device of the present invention, the high temperature generated by the eddy current generation unit 3 causes the first substance and the second substance to undergo a thermal decomposition reaction in the chamber 11, producing hydrogen. Therefore, the hydrogen production device of the present invention is suitable for small-scale hydrogen production facilities. [Industrial Applicability]

[0040] The present invention relates to a hydrogen production device, and more particularly to a hydrogen production device that uses pyrolysis to produce hydrogen. The hydrogen production device of the present invention has relatively low manufacturing costs, is easy to control temperature, and is suitable for small-scale hydrogen production facilities. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1 Hydrogen production device main body 11 Chamber 12 First entrance 13 Second entrance 14 Outlet 15 Outlet 121 No. 1 nozzle 131 Second nozzle 2 secondary coils 3 Eddy current generation unit 31 Body 32 Fixing member 33 Fire-resistant conductive materials 4, 4', 4'' support member 41, 41', 41'' support hole 42, 42', 42'' through holes 5 Primary coil circuit 6 Hydrogen separation membrane B direction

Claims

1. a hydrogen production device body having a chamber; a secondary coil wound around the outside of the hydrogen production device body; an eddy current generating unit installed in the chamber corresponding to a position where the secondary coil is wound; At least one support member having a support hole and a plurality of through holes, the eddy current generating unit being drilled into the support hole and installed in the chamber; a primary coil circuit electrically coupled to the secondary coil, causing the secondary coil to generate a high voltage AC current, and an AC magnetic field to be generated in the chamber of the hydrogen production device body, thereby generating an eddy current in the eddy current generating unit and causing the eddy current generating unit to reach a high temperature; a first inlet for supplying a first substance to the chamber and a second inlet for supplying a second substance to the chamber at one end of the hydrogen production device body, and an outlet and a discharge port at the other end.

2. 2. The hydrogen generating device according to claim 1, wherein the operating voltage of the primary coil circuit is between 12V and 24V, and the voltage generated by the secondary coil is between 50KV and 200KV.

3. 2. The hydrogen generating device according to claim 1, wherein the high temperature generated by the eddy current generating unit is between 1000°C and 1600°C.

4. 2. The hydrogen generating device according to claim 1, wherein the hydrogen generating device body is made of a quartz material or a ceramic material.

5. 2. The hydrogen production device according to claim 1, wherein a first nozzle is connected to the first inlet, and a second nozzle is connected to the second inlet.

6. 2. The hydrogen generating device according to claim 1, wherein the first substance is methane, ethane, propane, butane, methanol, ethanol, ammonia gas, water molecule gas, or water mist.

7. 2. The hydrogen generating device according to claim 1, wherein the second substance is methane, ethane, propane, butane, methanol, ethanol, ammonia gas, water molecule gas, or water mist.

8. 2. The hydrogen production device according to claim 1, wherein the eddy current generating unit includes a tube, at least one fixing member, and a refractory conductive material, the refractory conductive material including a refractory metal or a refractory metal alloy, and the refractory conductive material is provided within the tube by the fixing member.

9. 9. The hydrogen generating device according to claim 8, wherein the refractory metal is tungsten, molybdenum, or tantalum, and the refractory metal alloy is a tungsten alloy, a molybdenum alloy, or a tantalum alloy.

10. 9. The hydrogen generating device according to claim 8, wherein the tube is made of a quartz material or a ceramic material.

11. 2. The hydrogen generating device according to claim 1, further comprising a hydrogen separation membrane, the hydrogen separation membrane being disposed in the chamber between the outlet and the outlet.

12. 12. The hydrogen generating device according to claim 11, wherein the hydrogen separation membrane comprises a ceramic membrane or a metal ceramic composite membrane.

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