Hydrogen flow control device

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to provide a hydrogen flow rate control device that can control the flow rate of hydrogen gas to an appropriate amount and can stop the supply of hydrogen gas if an abnormality is detected. [Solution] A hydrogen flow rate control device comprising: a hydrogen gas supply channel; a flow rate detection means for detecting the flow rate of hydrogen gas in the hydrogen gas supply channel; a flow rate adjustment means installed in the hydrogen gas supply channel and capable of adjusting the flow rate of hydrogen gas; an on-off valve installed in the hydrogen gas supply channel and capable of stopping the supply of hydrogen gas; and a control means for adjusting the flow rate of hydrogen gas by the flow rate adjustment means and for controlling the opening and closing of the on-off valve.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a hydrogen flow rate control device for supplying hydrogen gas safely and without waste. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, development of fuel cells and power generation systems that utilize hydrogen gas has progressed. For example, hydrogen gas is supplied from a gas cylinder filled with hydrogen gas to a fuel cell or engine to generate electricity. In such cases, it is necessary to supply an appropriate amount of hydrogen gas according to the amount of electricity demand. Furthermore, if an abnormality occurs in the fuel cell or power generation system and an excessive supply of hydrogen gas is generated, this could lead to an accident, so it is necessary to reliably stop the supply of hydrogen in an emergency. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] An object of the present invention is to provide a hydrogen flow rate control device that can control the flow rate of hydrogen gas to an appropriate amount and can stop the supply of hydrogen gas when an abnormality is detected. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] The above object can be achieved by the following:

[0005] [1] A hydrogen flow rate control device comprising: a hydrogen gas supply channel; a flow rate detection means for detecting the flow rate of hydrogen gas in the hydrogen gas supply channel; a flow rate adjustment means installed in the hydrogen gas supply channel and capable of adjusting the flow rate of hydrogen gas; an on-off valve installed in the hydrogen gas supply channel and capable of stopping the supply of hydrogen gas; and a control means for adjusting the flow rate of hydrogen gas by the flow rate adjustment means and for controlling the opening and closing of the on-off valve.

[0006] [2] The hydrogen flow rate control device according to [1], further comprising a timing means, wherein the control means controls the flow rate adjusting means to adjust the flow rate of hydrogen gas according to time.

[0007] [3] A hydrogen flow control device according to [1] or [2], wherein when power is generated using hydrogen at a hydrogen gas supply destination that receives hydrogen gas from a hydrogen gas supply line, the control means controls the flow rate adjustment means to adjust the flow rate of hydrogen gas in accordance with the amount of generated electricity used.

[0008] [4] A hydrogen flow control device according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the control means controls the on-off valve to shut off the supply of hydrogen gas when it receives a warning signal from a hydrogen gas supply destination that receives hydrogen gas from the hydrogen gas supply path. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The hydrogen flow rate control device according to the present invention can control the flow rate of hydrogen gas to an appropriate amount, and can stop the supply of hydrogen gas when an abnormality is detected. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a hydrogen flow rate control system according to the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a cross-sectional view of a hydrogen flow rate control device according to the present invention as viewed from the side; [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart of a hydrogen gas flow rate control process according to the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart of a hydrogen gas flow rate control process according to the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a power generation system according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the drawings and embodiments.

[0012] The hydrogen flow rate control device will be described below. The hydrogen flow rate control device controls a hydrogen gas flow meter and an on-off valve, and can supply hydrogen gas at an appropriate pressure to a hydrogen gas supply destination such as a fuel cell or an engine. Figure 1 shows an example of a hydrogen flow rate control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The hydrogen flow rate control device 1 comprises a hydrogen gas supply line 2, a control unit 3, a hydrogen gas flow meter 4, and an on-off valve 5.

[0013] Hydrogen gas is supplied to hydrogen gas supply lines 2a-2c from curdles 6a-6c, each having a plurality of hydrogen gas cylinders. Each of the hydrogen gas supply lines 2a-2c is provided with a hydrogen gas flow meter 4a-4c and an on-off valve 5a-5c. It is preferable that the hydrogen gas flow meter 4 is installed closer to the curdle, which is the source of hydrogen gas, than the on-off valve 5, and that the on-off valve 5 is installed closer to the hydrogen gas destination 7.

[0014] The hydrogen gas that passes through the hydrogen gas flow meters 4a to 4c and the on-off valves 5a to 5c is supplied to hydrogen gas supply destinations 7a to 7c, respectively. The hydrogen gas supply destinations 7 are not particularly limited as long as they are facilities that use hydrogen gas, and examples include fuel cells and power generation systems equipped with an engine and a generator. The hydrogen gas supply destinations 7 do not have to be for the same purpose, and may be for different purposes. For example, the hydrogen gas supply destination 7a may be a fuel cell, and the hydrogen gas supply destinations 7b and 7c may be power generation systems.

[0015] In addition, in FIG. 1, one on-off valve 5 is provided for one hydrogen gas supply line 2, but for example, the hydrogen gas supply lines 2a and 2b may be connected at the ends of the hydrogen gas flow meters 4a and 4b, and one on-off valve 5 may be installed further ahead.

[0016] The control unit 3 is composed of a CPU, RAM, HDD, communication interface, etc. The control unit 3 executes a predetermined program stored therein and controls the hydrogen gas flow meter 4 and on-off valve 5. The control unit 3 is connected to the hydrogen gas flow meter 4 and on-off valve 5 via the communication interface by wired or wireless communication, and controls the hydrogen gas flow meter 4 and on-off valve 5 while sending and receiving information between them. The control unit 3 also has an internal timer that measures time. The RAM is the work area of ​​the CPU. The HDD is a memory area for saving programs and data. The control unit 3 can also be operated manually via a control panel.

[0017] The control unit 3 can adjust the flow rate of hydrogen gas in the hydrogen gas supply paths 2a to 2c by controlling each of the hydrogen gas flow meters 4a to 4c. For example, the control unit 3 adjusts the flow rate of hydrogen gas according to the time measured by an internal timer. For example, the flow rate of hydrogen gas can be kept lower during a specific time period, such as late at night, than during other time periods, thereby reducing the amount of hydrogen gas supplied. In this case, a specific upper limit value for the hydrogen gas flow rate is set for each time period. In this case, the flow rate can be set differently for each hydrogen gas supply path 2. For example, the hydrogen gas flow meter 4a can be set to a different hydrogen gas flow rate between 8:00 and 19:59 and between 20:00 and 7:59 the next day, and the hydrogen gas flow meter 4b can be set to a different hydrogen gas flow rate between 7:00 and 21:59 and between 22:00 and 6:59 the next day.

[0018] It is also possible to adjust the flow rate of hydrogen gas on a seasonal basis. For example, the amount of hydrogen gas supplied to the fuel cell and engine can be increased during seasons when electricity usage is high (such as summer), and reduced during seasons when electricity usage is low.

[0019] In this way, by adjusting the amount of hydrogen gas supplied depending on the time of day and the season, it is possible to prevent the hydrogen gas from being consumed more than necessary.

[0020] When power is generated using hydrogen at a hydrogen gas supply destination that receives hydrogen gas from the hydrogen gas supply line, the control unit 3 can also adjust the flow rate of hydrogen gas in accordance with the amount of generated electricity used. For example, when a power generation system including a hydrogen flow rate control device according to the present invention is installed in a business facility such as a factory or hospital, the flow rate of hydrogen gas can be adjusted in accordance with the amount of electricity used per unit time at the business facility.

[0021] In this case, the control unit 3 is connected to the business facility via communication and receives information about the amount of electricity per unit time in real time or at predetermined time intervals. If the amount of electricity per unit time used in the business facility is low, the control unit 3 controls the hydrogen gas flow meter 4 to decrease the amount of hydrogen gas supplied accordingly, and if the amount of electricity per unit time is high, the control unit 3 controls the hydrogen gas flow meter 4 to increase the amount of hydrogen gas supplied accordingly.

[0022] The control unit 3 can control each of the hydrogen gas flow meters 4 separately, and for example, if the amount of hydrogen gas used differs between hydrogen gas supply destination 7a and hydrogen gas supply destination 7b, the control unit 3 can control the hydrogen gas flow meters 4a and 4b so that the flow rates of hydrogen gas in the hydrogen gas supply path 2a and the hydrogen gas supply path 2c also differ.

[0023] In this way, by adjusting the supply amount of hydrogen gas in accordance with the amount of hydrogen gas used at the hydrogen gas supply destination 7, it is possible to prevent the hydrogen gas from being consumed more than necessary.

[0024] When the control unit 3 receives a warning signal from the hydrogen gas supply destination 7, it can also control the on-off valve 5 to close the supply of hydrogen gas. For example, if some kind of abnormality occurs in a fuel cell, a warning signal is sent from the fuel cell to the control unit 3. When the control unit 3 receives the warning signal, it controls the on-off valve 5 to close, thereby stopping the supply of hydrogen gas to the fuel cell and avoiding danger.

[0025] Alternatively, for example, when hydrogen is used in a generator that utilizes an engine, if the engine temperature or rotation speed falls outside a predetermined range, it can be assumed that an abnormality has occurred, and a warning signal can be sent from the power generation system equipped with the engine and generator to the control unit 3. When the control unit 3 receives the warning signal, it controls the on-off valve 5 to close, thereby stopping the supply of hydrogen gas to the engine.

[0026] The control unit 3 can individually control the on-off valves 5a to 5c. For example, when a warning signal is sent from a hydrogen gas supply destination 7a, the control unit 3 can close only the on-off valve 5a installed in the hydrogen gas supply path 2a corresponding to the hydrogen gas supply destination 7a.

[0027] The control unit 3 can also control the on-off valve 5 to close when maintenance is performed on the hydrogen gas supply destination 7 or when replacing the hydrogen gas cylinder. In this case, the on-off valve 5 is controlled to close by operating a control panel connected to the control unit 3.

[0028] Furthermore, when the hydrogen gas cylinder in the cylinder 6 becomes empty, the hydrogen gas flow meter 4 detects that the supply amount (pressure) of hydrogen gas has decreased, and notifies the control unit 3. When the control unit 3 is notified that the supply amount of hydrogen gas has decreased, it closes the on-off valve 5 to stop the supply of hydrogen gas to the hydrogen gas supply destination 7. When the hydrogen gas cylinder is replaced with a new one, it controls the on-off valve 5 to resume the supply of hydrogen gas.

[0029] 1, the hydrogen flow rate control device 1 is configured to have multiple hydrogen gas supply paths 2, each of which is provided with a hydrogen gas flow meter 4 and an on-off valve 5, but the number of hydrogen gas supply paths 2 provided in the hydrogen flow rate control device 1 is not particularly limited. Therefore, the control unit 3 may also be configured to control one hydrogen gas flow meter 4 and one on-off valve 5 installed in one hydrogen gas supply path 2.

[0030] The hydrogen gas flow meter 4 has the function of detecting the flow rate of hydrogen gas in the hydrogen gas supply line and the function of adjusting the flow rate of hydrogen gas. The hydrogen gas flow meter 4 reduces the pressure of hydrogen gas filled in a hydrogen gas cylinder at a pressure of 10.0 MPa or more to an optimum pressure for use in hydrogen gas supply destinations 7 such as fuel cells and engines, and adjusts the flow rate of hydrogen gas supplied to hydrogen gas supply destinations 7 to an appropriate flow rate. The hydrogen gas flow meter 4 and control unit 3 are connected by communication, and send information such as the detected hydrogen gas flow rate to the control unit 3, and receive signals from the control unit 3 to control the flow rate.

[0031] The on-off valve 5 is a component that starts and stops (shuts off) the supply of hydrogen gas, and is controlled by a built-in solenoid valve. If an abnormality occurs at the hydrogen gas supply destination 7, the control unit 3 will close the on-off valve 5 when it receives a warning signal from the hydrogen gas supply destination 7. In addition, by closing the on-off valve 5 during maintenance of the hydrogen flow control device 1 or the hydrogen gas supply destination 7, or when replacing the hydrogen gas cylinder, it is possible to prevent hydrogen gas from leaking outside.

[0032] 2 is a diagram showing an example of a cross-sectional view of a hydrogen flow control device according to the present invention as viewed from the side. The hydrogen flow control device 1 is designed with a unit mounted on the top surface of a case containing a control unit 3, which includes a hydrogen gas flow meter 4, an on-off valve 5, a valve 8 for supplying hydrogen gas into the hydrogen flow control device 1, and a valve 9 for supplying hydrogen to a hydrogen gas supply destination 7. Hydrogen gas supplied from a hydrogen gas cylinder is supplied into the hydrogen gas supply channel 2 via the valve 8 and passes through the hydrogen gas flow meter 4. The hydrogen gas that has passed through the hydrogen gas flow meter 4 passes through the on-off valve 5 and is supplied from the valve 9 to the hydrogen gas supply destination 7. Because the hydrogen gas flow rate varies depending on the amount of hydrogen gas supplied to the hydrogen gas destination 7, such as a fuel cell or an engine, it is preferable to design the size of the housing of the hydrogen flow control device 1 each time depending on the amount of hydrogen gas to be supplied.

[0033] A curdle system equipped with multiple hydrogen gas cylinders can be used as a hydrogen supply source. Curdle 6 consists of multiple hydrogen gas cylinders connected by connecting pipes. Using curdle 6 makes it possible to transport using a forklift, and also allows for a larger amount of hydrogen gas to be carried at one time. The hydrogen gas cylinders inside curdle 6 are connected by connecting pipes, and have a structure that allows them to be connected to the outside as a single pipe.

[0034] Next, the flow rate control process of hydrogen gas when adjusting the flow rate of hydrogen gas according to time as described above will be described. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart of the flow rate control process of hydrogen gas in the control unit.

[0035] First, it is determined whether it is time to start changing the flow rate of hydrogen gas (step S1). If it is determined that it is time to start changing the flow rate of hydrogen gas (YES in step S1), a signal is sent from the control unit 3 to the hydrogen gas flow meter 4 requesting adjustment of the flow rate of hydrogen gas (step S2). When the hydrogen gas flow meter 4 receives the signal, it adjusts the flow rate of hydrogen gas to a predetermined value. Once the flow rate of hydrogen gas has been adjusted, the process returns to step S1, and the series of processes is repeated.

[0036] On the other hand, if it is determined that the start time for changing the flow rate of hydrogen gas has not yet arrived (NO in step S1), it is determined whether the end time for changing the flow rate of hydrogen gas has arrived (step S3). If it is determined that the end time for changing the flow rate of hydrogen gas has arrived (YES in step S3), a signal is sent from the control unit 3 to the hydrogen gas flow meter 4 requesting that the flow rate of hydrogen gas be restored to the state before the change (step S4). Once the flow rate of hydrogen gas has been restored to the state before the change, the process returns to step S1, and the series of processes is repeated. If it is determined that the end time for changing the flow rate of hydrogen gas has arrived (NO in step S3), the process returns to step S1, and the series of processes is repeated.

[0037] Next, a description will be given of the hydrogen gas flow rate control process when adjusting the flow rate of hydrogen gas in accordance with the amount of generated electricity used, as described above. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart of the hydrogen gas flow rate control process in the control unit.

[0038] First, the control unit 3 receives information about the amount of electricity per unit time at the target business facility from the business facility (step S11). Next, the flow rate of hydrogen gas is calculated according to the received amount of electricity (step S12). Based on the calculated flow rate, the control unit 3 sends a signal to the hydrogen gas flow meter 4 requesting adjustment of the flow rate of hydrogen gas (step S13). The series of processes from steps S11 to S13 is repeatedly executed.

[0039] Next, a power generation system to which the hydrogen flow rate control device of the present invention is applied will be described. Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a power generation system according to the present invention. The power generation system comprises a hydrogen flow rate control device 1, a curdle 6, a generator unit 10, and a power combiner 16. The curdle 6 contains hydrogen gas that is supplied to the hydrogen flow rate control device 1 as fuel for the generator unit 10.

[0040] The control unit 3 in the hydrogen flow control device 1 can control the on-off valve 5 to close when the curdle 6 is replaced. Because the hydrogen flow control device 1 is connected to multiple curdles 6, hydrogen gas can be supplied to the hydrogen flow control device 1 through curdles 6b to 6d even while the curdle 6a is being replaced. Therefore, power can be supplied continuously even while the curdle 6 is being replaced. The hydrogen flow control device 1 supplies an appropriate amount of hydrogen gas to the generator unit 10 at the appropriate time.

[0041] The generator unit 10 is composed of an engine 11, a generator 12, a rectifier 13, a battery 14, or an inverter 15. Since multiple generator units 10 are provided in the power generation system, even when generator unit 10a is undergoing maintenance, generator units 10b and 10c can be operated to continuously supply power. Furthermore, when generator unit 10a is undergoing maintenance, a commercial power source may be used as an auxiliary power source to supply power. In this case, the control unit 3 in the hydrogen flow rate control device 1 can adjust the flow rate of hydrogen gas according to the number of generator units that are operating.

[0042] In the engine 11, hydrogen gas supplied from the hydrogen flow control device 1 is burned, causing the piston to move. If the temperature or rotation speed of the engine 11 falls outside a predetermined range, a warning signal is sent from the generator unit 10 to the control unit within the hydrogen flow control device 1, which controls the on-off valve to stop the supply of hydrogen gas to the generator unit 10.

[0043] In the generator 12, the kinetic energy obtained by the pistons in the engine 11 is converted into electrical energy. It is desirable that the generator 12 also be explosion-proof, for example by providing a ground wire or by taking measures to prevent sparks from scattering.

[0044] The rectifier 13 rectifies the AC power output from the generator 12 into DC power and outputs the rectified DC power to the battery 14 or the inverter 15. The battery 14 stores the DC power output from the rectifier 13. The stored power is output to the inverter 15 as needed, for example, when the amount of power generated by the generator 12 decreases.

[0045] The inverters 15 convert the DC power output from the rectifier 13 or the battery 14 into AC power. An inverter 15 is provided in each generator unit 10, and each inverter 15 is connected to one power combiner 16. The power combiner 16 combines the AC powers output from the multiple inverters 15 into one power.

[0046] To perform power combining, one of the multiple inverters 15 is arbitrarily selected in advance as the master inverter 15a, and the others are selected as slave inverters 15b and 15c, and the phases of the AC power output from the slave inverters 15b and 15c are controlled to match the phase of the AC power output from the master inverter 15a. By performing power combining in this manner, the AC powers generated by the multiple generator units 10 are combined without canceling each other out, making it possible to reduce loss of the generated power. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 1 Hydrogen flow control device 2 Hydrogen gas supply line 3. Control Unit 4 Hydrogen gas flow meter 5. On-off valve 6. Cardle 7 Hydrogen gas suppliers 8 valves 9 Valves 10 Generator Unit 11 Engine 12. Generator 13 Rectifier 14 Battery 15 Inverter 16 Power combiner

Claims

1. A hydrogen flow rate control device that is installed between a plurality of hydrogen gas supply sources and a plurality of hydrogen gas supply destinations, a plurality of hydrogen gas supply paths capable of supplying hydrogen gas from a plurality of hydrogen gas supply sources to a plurality of hydrogen gas supply destinations; a flow rate adjusting means that is installed in each hydrogen gas supply path and is capable of adjusting the flow rate of the hydrogen gas; an on-off valve that is installed in the hydrogen gas supply path and is capable of shutting off the supply of hydrogen gas; a control unit that controls the adjustment of the flow rate of hydrogen gas by the flow rate adjustment means and the opening and closing of the on-off valve; Equipped with each hydrogen gas supply path corresponds to a respective hydrogen gas supply source; Each of the hydrogen gas supply paths corresponds to a respective hydrogen gas supply destination, When power generation is performed using hydrogen gas at a hydrogen gas supply destination, the control unit controls the flow rate adjustment means to individually adjust the flow rate of hydrogen gas in the hydrogen gas supply path corresponding to the hydrogen gas supply destination in accordance with the amount of power used by the hydrogen gas supply destination, The control unit an electric power amount receiving means for receiving information about the amount of electric power used in a facility that uses the electric power generated at the hydrogen gas supply destination; a flow rate calculation means for calculating the flow rate of hydrogen gas based on the received information on the amount of power; Equipped with The control unit controls the flow rate adjusting means to adjust the flow rate of the hydrogen gas in accordance with the calculated flow rate. Hydrogen flow control device.

2. It can be connected to a hydrogen gas supply source, a card having multiple hydrogen gas cylinders. The hydrogen flow rate control device according to claim 1 .

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