Offshore wind power generation - seawater desalination - water electrolysis combined system

Abstract

The offshore wind power generation-seawater desalination-water electrolysis combined system according to the present invention includes a wind power generator that rotates blades with the power of wind to generate electricity and includes a cooler for preventing heating caused by electricity generation, a seawater desalination device that desalinates seawater using hot water that passes through the cooler and is discharged after heat exchange, and a water electrolysis device that receives fresh water (ultrapure water) produced by the seawater desalination device and a heat source discharged from the device and uses the heat source for hydrogen production, and is characterized in that a part of the heat source discharged from the water electrolysis device after hydrogen production is heat exchanged with the cooler and with the heat source discharged from the seawater desalination device. The present invention having such a configuration has the effect of providing an offshore wind power generation-seawater desalination-water electrolysis combined system that can produce water by a seawater desalination method and produce hydrogen and oxygen by a low-temperature electrolysis method by utilizing a hot water waste heat source that is discarded after heat exchange in the cooler of the offshore wind power generator.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system capable of utilizing waste heat sources from offshore wind power generation, and more particularly to an offshore wind power generation-seawater desalination-water electrolysis integrated system. [Background technology]

[0002] Natural energy power generation includes wind power, hydroelectric power (tidal power), wave power, solar cells, solar heat, etc., among which wind power can be installed perpendicular to the index, so it requires a smaller installation area than other natural energy power generation installations, and can be used day and night. Patent documents 1 and 2 disclose the use of this wind power generation to power a pressure pump for treating untreated water or seawater in a reverse osmosis plant. Patent document 3 discloses the use of wind power generation as power for a pump that draws up seawater for the purpose of desalinating the seawater. Patent document 4 also discloses the use of wind power generation as power for producing hydrogen by electrolyzing fresh water obtained in a seawater desalinization device.

[0003] There have also been attempts to desalinize seawater using wind power directly as a power source. Patent Document 5 discloses an osmotic pressure seawater desalination device in which an air compressor is connected to a windmill shaft and compressed air from a compressed air tank is applied to seawater to produce fresh water from seawater. Patent Document 6 discloses a wind-driven seawater desalination plant as a means for sending seawater to an evaporation tube for the seawater desalination plant.

[0004] Current large-scale commercial wind power generation facilities, whether on land or offshore, are connected to existing transmission lines and the electricity generated is transmitted in real time for use. The offshore environment is suitable for turning wind turbines, with no obstacles, and so there is relatively little to worry about when it comes to siting wind power generation facilities, and so the installation of offshore wind power generation facilities has been increasing recently.

[0005] Offshore wind power generation facilities are extremely advantageous for efficiently obtaining electricity. However, when installing wind power generation facilities on the ocean, it is necessary to install new power transmission facilities to connect the offshore site to existing onshore power transmission lines, which requires large-scale construction work and excessively increases installation costs. This problem has acted as an obstacle to the spread of floating wind power generation facilities.

[0006] In addition, because electricity generated using wind power generation facilities relies on wind, it is generated regardless of demand. Therefore, in the conventional form of supplying electricity to demand in real time, it is essential to use it in combination with other power generation methods that are easy to control, and this has also acted as an obstacle to its widespread use.

[0007] For the reasons mentioned above, even though it is known that electricity can be obtained efficiently when wind power generation equipment is installed on water, up until now, water-based wind power generation has not been widely adopted.

[0008] Natural energy sources such as wind power, as mentioned above, are environmentally friendly and do not cause resource depletion, so they are easily considered suitable energy sources. However, all of these are restricted by natural geographical conditions, and depending on the weather conditions and location, it may be difficult to obtain the desired amount of generated power. In the future, it would be ideal if we could utilize wind energy, or natural energy sources such as tides and ocean currents, which are abundant in the ocean. As a way to overcome these problems, research into green hydrogen production, which uses offshore wind energy to produce hydrogen, has recently been actively conducted both domestically and internationally.

[0009] In recent years, there have been problems with the difficulty of securing stable water resources due to factors such as the uneven geographical or temporal distribution of water resources caused by localized or short-term rainfall due to global warming, and the decline in water retention in mountainous areas due to forestry decline or deforestation. In order to secure a stable supply of water resources, there are seawater desalinization methods such as reverse osmosis (RO), adsorption desalinization (AD), membrane distillation (MD), and evaporation methods (MED, MSF, MVR). In addition, hydrogen can be produced by using freshwater obtained by utilizing such seawater desalinization methods in the ocean.

[0010] Offshore wind turbines are equipped with coolers to prevent the heating phenomenon that occurs during electricity production. At this time, the cold water that is heat exchanged using a cold heat source is heated and discharged as hot water (waste heat source). By utilizing this discarded waste heat source, water can be produced using the seawater desalination method, and hydrogen and oxygen can be produced using the low-temperature water electrolysis method. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0011] [Patent Document 1] JP 2004-537668 (Title: Wind power plant with seawater or brackish water desalination plant, Publication date: December 16, 2004) [Patent Document 2] JP 2000-202441 (Title: Operating device for seawater desalination device using wind power generator and seawater desalination method, Publication date: July 25, 2000) [Patent Document 3] JP 2004-290945 (Title: Seawater Desalination System, Publication Date: October 21, 2004) [Patent Document 4] Patent Publication No. 2005-069125 (Title: Wind Power Generation Device and Hydrogen Production Equipment Using Wind Power, Publication Date: March 17, 2005) [Patent Document 5] JP 2003-083230 (Title: Windmill Generator and Windmill Plant and Their Operation Method, Publication Date: March 19, 2003) [Patent Document 6] JP 2005-521557 (Title: Evaporation tube for seawater desalination plant, Publication date: July 21, 2005) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0012] The present invention has been made to improve these problems, and its purpose is to provide an offshore wind power generation-seawater desalination-water electrolysis combined system that can produce water by a seawater desalination method and hydrogen and oxygen by a low-temperature water electrolysis method by utilizing a hot water waste heat source that is discarded after heat exchange in the cooler of an offshore wind turbine.

[0013] The technical problems of the present invention are not limited to those described above, and other technical problems not described above will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] In order to achieve the above object, an offshore wind power generation-seawater desalination-water electrolysis combined system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a wind power generator that generates electricity by rotating blades with the power of wind and includes a cooler for preventing heating caused by electricity production, a seawater desalination device that desalinates seawater using warm water discharged after heat exchange through the cooler, and a water electrolysis device that receives fresh water (ultrapure water) and a heat source discharged after seawater desalination in the seawater desalination device and uses them to produce hydrogen, and is characterized in that a part of the heat source discharged from the water electrolysis device after hydrogen production is heat exchanged with the cooler and with the heat source discharged from the seawater desalination device. Electricity generated by the wind power generator is used as power supplied to the seawater desalination device and the water electrolysis device.

[0015] In addition, the temperature of the waste heat (high-temperature water) and seawater used in the offshore wind power generation-seawater desalination-water electrolysis integrated system according to one embodiment of the present invention can be set according to the surrounding environment (wind power generation capacity, region, etc.).

[0016] The seawater desalination method used in the desalination device included in the offshore wind power generation-seawater desalination-water electrolysis integrated system according to one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that it is any one selected from the adsorption desalination method (AD), membrane distillation method (MD), or evaporation method (MED, MSF, MVR).

[0017] In addition, the hydrogen production method used in the water electrolysis device included in the offshore wind power generation-seawater desalination-water electrolysis integrated system according to one embodiment of the present invention is characterized by being a low-temperature water electrolysis (PEM) method. Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an offshore wind power generation-seawater desalination-water electrolysis combined system that can produce water by a seawater desalination method and hydrogen and oxygen by a low-temperature water electrolysis method by utilizing a hot water waste heat source that is discarded after heat exchange in a cooler of an offshore wind power generator.

[0019] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those described above, and other effects not described above will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a heat source system that utilizes a waste heat source (unutilized heat source) of an offshore wind power generation-seawater desalination-water electrolysis integrated system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing system configurations of the inlet temperature and the discharge temperature of a membrane distillation method (MD), an evaporation method (MED, MSF, MVR), and a PEM water electrolysis device among the seawater desalination methods applicable to the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration of an adsorption desalination method (AD) and an inlet temperature and a discharge temperature of a PEM water electrolysis device, among the seawater desalination methods applicable to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings to such an extent that those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains can easily carry out the present invention.

[0022] In describing the embodiments, technical details that are well known in the technical field to which the present invention pertains and are not directly related to the present invention will be omitted in order to more clearly convey the gist of the present invention without obscuring it.

[0023] For the same reason, in the accompanying drawings, some components are exaggerated, omitted, or illustrated in a schematic manner. Also, the size of each component does not completely reflect the actual size. The same reference numerals are used to refer to the same or corresponding components in each drawing.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a heat source system that utilizes a waste heat source (unutilized heat source) of an offshore wind power generation-seawater desalination-water electrolysis integrated system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 1, an offshore wind power generation-seawater desalination-water electrolysis combined system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a wind turbine generator 10 that generates electricity by rotating blades using wind power and includes a cooler for preventing heating due to electricity production, a seawater desalination device 30 that desalinates seawater using hot water discharged after heat exchange through the cooler, and a water electrolysis device 50 that receives a heat source discharged after seawater is desalinated by the seawater desalination device 30 and uses it for hydrogen production, and is characterized in that a portion of the heat source discharged from the seawater desalination device 30 after seawater desalination is heat exchanged with the hot water discharged from the cooler.

[0026] Seawater flowing into the first heat exchanger 20 passes through the first low-temperature water flow pipe 9, passes through the generator and cooler 7 of the wind power generator 10, is heated, returns to the first heat exchanger 20 through the first high-temperature water flow pipe 19, and then flows into the seawater desalination device 30 through the second high-temperature water flow pipe 21. A portion of the seawater flows into the second heat exchanger 40 and can be used as a heat source for hydrogen production using the water electrolysis device 50.

[0027] In addition, the seawater desalination device 30 directly pumps seawater using the second low-temperature water flow pipe 26 and the third low-temperature water flow pipe 27 to use it in the desalination process, and after the desalination process is completed, supplies fluid to the second heat exchanger 40 via the fourth low-temperature water flow pipe 28 and the desalination device discharge pipe 29.

[0028] In addition, the water electrolysis device 50 receives a fluid through a water electrolysis device inlet pipe 45 connected to the second heat exchanger 40 and uses the fluid for hydrogen production, and discharges fluid other than hydrogen through a water electrolysis device outlet pipe 55 so that the fluid can be used as a heat source for the first heat exchanger 20 and the second heat exchanger 40.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the system configuration of the inlet temperature and the discharge temperature of the membrane distillation method (MD), the evaporation method (MED, MSF, MVR), and the PEM water electrolysis device among the seawater desalination methods applicable to the present invention.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 2, the inlet temperatures and outlet temperatures of the seawater desalination plant 30 and the water electrolysis plant 50 are shown.

[0031] The seawater flowing into the first heat exchanger 20 to cool the wind power generator 10 has a temperature of 10 degrees (°C) or less for efficient heat exchange, and the seawater that has completed heat exchange through the generator and cooler 7 is supplied to the seawater desalination device 30 at a temperature of 60 to 80 degrees (°C). At this time, the temperature of the seawater directly supplied as cooling water for the seawater desalination device 30 through the third low-temperature water flow pipe 27 is 10 degrees (°C) or less, and depending on the situation, a general cooler can be directly used without using a seawater cooling heat source.

[0032] Here, the steam produced through the desalination process is condensed through cooling water (cooler) to obtain fresh water (ultrapure water). Depending on the situation, an ultrapure water production device can be added. At this time, the temperature of the produced water will be about 10 to 30 degrees (℃).

[0033] Here, the seawater desalination method used in the seawater desalination device 30 included in the offshore wind power generation-seawater desalination-water electrolysis integrated system according to one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that it is any one selected from the membrane distillation method (MD) or the evaporation methods (MED, MSF, MVR).

[0034] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a system configuration of an adsorption desalination method (AD) and an inlet temperature and an outlet temperature of a PEM water electrolysis device, among the seawater desalination methods applicable to the present invention.

[0035] 3, a seawater desalination apparatus 30 using an adsorption-type desalination method (AD) receives seawater (raw seawater for desalination) at 10 to 20 degrees (°C) through a second low-temperature water flow pipe 26, and receives seawater (cooling water) at 10 degrees (°C) or less through a third low-temperature water flow pipe 27. Depending on the situation, a general cooling device may be used directly without using a seawater cooling heat source.

[0036] In addition, cold water below 10 degrees (°C) that has passed through the third low-temperature water flow pipe 27 can be used as a heat source for adsorbing water vapor, and hot water of 60 to 80 degrees (°C) that has passed through the second high-temperature water flow pipe 21 can be used as a heat source for desorbing the adsorbed water vapor.

[0037] Here, the steam produced by the seawater desalinization is condensed through the cooling water (cooler) of the third low-temperature water flow pipe 27 to obtain fresh water (ultrapure water), and an ultrapure water production device can be additionally used depending on the quality of the fresh water. At this time, the temperature of the produced water is about 10 to 30 degrees (℃).

[0038] Furthermore, for efficient hydrogen production, ultrapure water is required, and the inlet temperature must be maintained at 50 to 80 degrees (°C). The ultrapure water (10 to 30 degrees (°C)) obtained by seawater desalination needs to be heated to 50 degrees (°C), and the heat sources for heating at this time can include waste heat from wind power generation, waste heat sources discarded after seawater desalination, and waste heat sources (60 degrees (°C)) from the water electrolysis device 50 discharged after hydrogen production.

[0039] Meanwhile, although the present specification and drawings disclose preferred embodiments of the present invention, even if specific terms are used, these are used in a general sense merely to easily explain the technical contents of the present invention and to aid in the understanding of the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It is obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains that, in addition to the embodiments disclosed herein, other modifications based on the technical concept of the present invention can be implemented. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 3 Blades 5 Generator support stand 7. Generator 9. First low-temperature water flow pipe 10. Wind Turbine 19 1st high temperature water flow pipe 20 1st heat exchanger 21 2nd high temperature water flow pipe 22 3rd high temperature water flow pipe 26 Second low-temperature water flow pipe 27 Third low-temperature water flow pipe 28 No. 4 low temperature water flow pipe 29 Desalination equipment discharge pipe 30 Seawater desalination equipment 40 Second heat exchanger 45 Water electrolyzer inlet pipe 50 Water electrolysis equipment 55 Water electrolyzer discharge pipe

Claims

1. A wind turbine generator that generates electricity by rotating blades using wind power and includes a cooler to prevent heating caused by electricity generation; a seawater desalination device for desalinating seawater using hot water discharged after passing through the cooler and exchanging heat therewith; A water electrolysis device that receives fresh water (ultrapure water) produced by the seawater desalination device and a heat source discharged from the seawater desalination device and uses the received water to produce hydrogen, a part of a heat source discharged from the water electrolysis apparatus after hydrogen production is heat-exchanged with the cooler, and the part of the heat source is heat-exchanged with a heat source discharged from a seawater desalination apparatus; an offshore wind power generation-seawater desalination-water electrolysis combined system, characterized in that seawater flowing into a first heat exchanger 20 passes through a first low-temperature water flow pipe 9 and the cooler of the wind power generator, where it is heated, returns to the first heat exchanger 20 through a first high-temperature water flow pipe 19, and then flows into the seawater desalination device through a second high-temperature water flow pipe 21, where the seawater is desalinated.

2. 2. The offshore wind power generation-seawater desalination-water electrolysis composite system according to claim 1, wherein temperatures of the waste heat (high-temperature water) and seawater used in the system can be set in accordance with the surrounding environment (wind power generation capacity, region, etc.).

3. The seawater desalinization method used in the desalinization apparatus is as follows:

2. The offshore wind power generation-seawater desalination-water electrolysis combined system according to claim 1, characterized in that the combined system is any one selected from the group consisting of an adsorption desalination method (AD), a membrane distillation method (MD), and an evaporation method (MED, MSF, MVR).

4. The hydrogen production method used in the desalination apparatus includes: The offshore wind power generation-seawater desalination-water electrolysis combined system according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a low-temperature water electrolysis (PEM) method.

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