Plate heat exchanger and hydrogen gas cooling system

Abstract

To enable prompt detection of plate type heat exchanger temperature at which hydrogen gas can be suitably cooled without causing brine leakage.SOLUTION: A hydrogen gas heat exchanger 20 is provided, comprising: a laminate 40 integrated by laminating a plurality of plates 41 to 44 including at least hydrogen gas plates 43 having a first groove formation area where a first groove for a fluid passage through which a hydrogen gas can pass is formed and hydrogen gas plates 42 having a second groove formation area where a second groove for fluid passage through which a cooling fluid can pass is formed in a lamination order specified in advance, the hydrogen gas heat exchanger 20 can cool the hydrogen gas by heat exchange between the hydrogen gas passing through the first groove for fluid passage and the cooling fluid passing through the second groove for fluid passage, and there is formed in the laminate 40, a recessed portion M into which a thermocouple 45 detecting the temperature of the laminate 40 can be inserted, by being recessed from the surface of the laminate 40 in the lamination direction of each plate 41 to 44 composing the laminate 40.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a plate heat exchanger configured to be able to cool hydrogen gas by heat exchange with a cooling fluid, and a hydrogen gas cooling system configured to include such a plate heat exchanger. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, the following patent document discloses a hydrogen station that can fill hydrogen vehicles (vehicles that use hydrogen gas as fuel) with hydrogen gas.

[0003] This hydrogen station includes a storage tank for storing hydrogen gas produced by a hydrogen production device, a compressor for compressing and pressurizing the hydrogen gas supplied from the storage tank, a pressure accumulator for storing the hydrogen gas pressurized by the compressor, and a hydrogen filling device (fuel filling device) for extracting the high-pressure hydrogen gas stored in the pressure accumulator and filling it into the fuel tank (gas tank) of a hydrogen vehicle. The hydrogen filling device also includes a plate-type heat exchanger for cooling the hydrogen gas transferred from the pressure accumulator to the fuel tank by heat exchange with brine. This heat exchanger includes multiple metal plates, such as metal plates with grooves that form brine flow paths and metal plates with grooves that form hydrogen gas flow paths, stacked together in a predetermined order to form an integrated stack.

[0004] At this hydrogen station, hydrogen gas produced in a hydrogen production unit and stored in a storage tank is compressed by a compressor and stored in an accumulator. When supplying hydrogen to a hydrogen vehicle, the hydrogen gas stored in the accumulator is forced through a hydrogen filling unit using the pressure applied by the compressor and filled into the fuel tank. In this case, the hydrogen gas moving from the accumulator to the hydrogen vehicle (fuel tank) increases in temperature due to the Joule-Thomson effect caused by the pressure reduction. However, at this hydrogen station, the hydrogen gas is cooled by heat exchange with brine as it passes through a heat exchanger installed in the hydrogen filling unit. This prevents excessively hot hydrogen gas from being supplied to a hydrogen vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-105760 A (pages 7-12, figures 1-12) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] At hydrogen stations such as those disclosed in the above patent documents, the equipment is sometimes shut down at the end of business hours or during equipment maintenance, and at such times, the cooling of the brine and the supply of brine to the heat exchanger are stopped, causing the temperature of the heat exchanger to rise above a temperature suitable for cooling hydrogen gas. Furthermore, the hydrogen filling device that fills hydrogen gas into hydrogen vehicles must be installed near the air supply operation position, while the cooling device that cools the brine supplied to the hydrogen filling device (heat exchanger) must be installed away from the air supply operation position so as not to interfere with the movement of the hydrogen vehicle. Therefore, the cooling device and the heat exchanger are installed at a distance from each other, and it takes a certain amount of time for the low-temperature brine cooled in the cooling device to reach the heat exchanger.

[0007] Therefore, in this type of hydrogen station, it is difficult to cool the hydrogen gas to an appropriate temperature in the heat exchanger in the hydrogen filling device immediately after the facility starts operating (immediately after cooling of the brine and supply to the heat exchanger begins). For this reason, some hydrogen stations of this type are configured to install a temperature sensor in the heat exchanger and limit the filling of hydrogen gas into hydrogen vehicles, etc., until the heat exchanger temperature, determined based on the sensor signal from the temperature sensor, has sufficiently dropped.

[0008] Among the heat exchangers used in this type of hydrogen station, many (e.g., the heat exchangers disclosed in the above-mentioned patent documents) are not provided with a mounting portion for attaching a temperature sensor. Therefore, to detect the temperature of such a heat exchanger, a temperature sensor is attached to the surface of the heat exchanger to detect the surface temperature. However, in this type of heat exchanger, the rigidity of the laminate (the portion where metal plates are stacked and integrated) must be sufficiently high to reliably prevent leakage of highly flammable high-pressure hydrogen gas. For this reason, the flow paths for the brine and hydrogen gas are formed inside the laminate (i.e., at a position away from the surface of the heat exchanger), and when low-temperature brine is supplied, it takes some time for the surface temperature of the heat exchanger to decrease to the same temperature as the brine.

[0009] Therefore, even if the low-temperature brine from the cooling device reaches the hydrogen filling device and the temperature near the brine flow path in the heat exchanger drops sufficiently to allow the hydrogen gas to be cooled appropriately, hydrogen gas filling is not permitted until the surface temperature of the heat exchanger (stack) drops to that temperature, making it difficult at this type of hydrogen gas station to quickly start supplying hydrogen gas immediately after the equipment starts operating.

[0010] Furthermore, in this type of hydrogen station, even if brine of the same temperature is supplied from the cooling device to the hydrogen filling device in the summer when the outside temperature is high and in the winter when the outside temperature is low, the temperature of the brine reaching the heat exchanger may differ. Furthermore, for example, when a large amount of hydrogen gas is continuously supplied, the temperature of the heat exchanger may rise excessively, making it difficult to adequately cool the hydrogen gas. Furthermore, when hydrogen gas is not supplied, i.e., when the hydrogen gas is not cooled, for a long period of time, the continuous supply of brine from the cooling device may overcool the heat exchanger, potentially resulting in condensation or frost.

[0011] Therefore, in order to maintain a state in which hydrogen gas can be suitably cooled without being affected by the ambient temperature or operating conditions, the applicant attempted to adopt a configuration in which the amount of brine supplied from the cooling device to the hydrogen filling device (heat exchanger) and the temperature of the brine to be supplied are adjusted according to the temperature of the heat exchanger. However, as mentioned above, when a configuration similar to the heat exchanger in the hydrogen station disclosed in the above patent document is adopted, it takes time for the temperature of the brine being supplied to become approximately the same as the surface temperature of the heat exchanger. Therefore, even if the amount of brine supplied and the temperature are adjusted according to the temperature detected by a temperature sensor disposed on the surface, it is not possible to sufficiently avoid overcooling or insufficient cooling, and it has been found that it is difficult to maintain a state in which hydrogen gas can be suitably cooled.

[0012] Meanwhile, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2017-067437 discloses a microchannel heat exchanger (plate-type heat exchanger; hereinafter, simply referred to as a "heat exchanger") equipped with a channel layer stack (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "stack") formed by alternately stacking multiple high-temperature channel layers provided with channels for high-temperature fluids and multiple low-temperature channel layers provided with channels for low-temperature fluids. In this heat exchanger, a temperature sensor is attached to the stack so that its sensing point is in contact with either the high-temperature fluid or the low-temperature fluid. Therefore, in the hydrogen station disclosed in the aforementioned patent document, by disposing this heat exchanger in a hydrogen filling device and directly detecting the temperature of the brine, it is possible to immediately determine whether the temperature has reached a temperature at which hydrogen gas can be suitably cooled.

[0013] However, the above heat exchanger employs a configuration in which the temperature sensor is inserted into the stack of plates constituting the high-temperature flow path layer and the low-temperature flow path layer in the stacking direction, with the sensing point protruding into the flow path. In this case, although the above document does not specifically disclose this, it is presumed that a sealant is disposed between the temperature sensor and the stack to prevent leakage of brine passing through the flow path. Here, the plates constituting the stack and the temperature sensor have different thermal expansion coefficients due to differences in their constituent materials and shapes. Therefore, the sealant must be made of an elastic material, taking into account fluctuations in the gap between the temperature sensor and the stack. Therefore, when the above heat exchanger is used over a long period of time, the elasticity of the sealant may decrease, potentially leading to brine leakage. To prevent this, the sealant must be replaced periodically, which increases the operating costs of the hydrogen station.

[0014] The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and its main object is to provide a plate heat exchanger that can quickly detect whether the temperature at which hydrogen gas can be suitably cooled is reached without causing brine leakage, and a hydrogen gas cooling system equipped with such a plate heat exchanger. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] In order to achieve the above object, the plate-type heat exchanger according to claim 1 comprises a stack of plates, which are stacked in a predetermined stacking order and integrated together, and which include at least a first plate having a first groove-formed region in which first fluid-passing grooves, through which hydrogen gas can pass, are formed, and a second plate having a second groove-formed region in which second fluid-passing grooves, through which a cooling fluid can pass, are formed, and which is configured to be able to cool the hydrogen gas by heat exchange between the hydrogen gas passing through the first fluid-passing grooves and the cooling fluid passing through the second fluid-passing grooves, The laminated body is formed by stacking and integrating a plurality of plates including at least the first plate and the second plate between a pair of base plates as the plate bodies, and In the stacking direction of each of the plates constituting the stack One of the pair of base plates From the surface of To a depth that does not penetrate either of the base plates An insertion recess configured to allow insertion of a temperature detector capable of detecting the temperature of the laminate Shape done The pair of base plates are made of plates that are thicker than the first plate body and the second plate body, and the insertion recess is formed at a portion where the first groove formation region of the first plate body and the second groove formation region of the second plate body overlap in the stacking direction so as not to communicate with the first fluid passage groove and the second fluid passage groove. are.

[0017] Also, claims 2 The plate-type heat exchanger described comprises a stack of a plurality of plates, the plurality of plates including at least a first plate having a first groove-formed region in which first fluid-passing grooves, through which hydrogen gas can pass, are formed, and a second plate having a second groove-formed region in which second fluid-passing grooves, through which a cooling fluid can pass, are stacked together in a predetermined stacking order, and the plate-type heat exchanger is configured to be able to cool the hydrogen gas by heat exchange between the hydrogen gas passing through the first fluid-passing grooves and the cooling fluid passing through the second fluid-passing grooves, The laminated body is formed by stacking and integrating a plurality of plates including at least the first plate and the second plate between a pair of base plates as the plate bodies, and In the plate surface direction of each plate constituting the laminate, A depth that does not reach the first fluid passage groove and the second fluid passage groove An insertion recess configured to allow insertion of a temperature detector capable of detecting the temperature of the laminate Shape done The insertion recess is configured such that notches formed on the outer edge portions of the plates stacked between the pair of base plates are connected in the stacking direction, and is formed so as not to communicate with the first fluid passage groove and the second fluid passage groove. are.

[0019] Also, claims 3 The plate heat exchanger according to claim 1 or 2 In the plate heat exchanger described above, the temperature detector is inserted into the insertion recess and is integrated with the stack.

[0020] Also, claims 4 The hydrogen gas cooling system described in claim 1 or 2 and a low-temperature fluid supply device that performs a cooling process to cool the cooling fluid and a supply process to supply the cooled cooling fluid to the plate-type heat exchanger, wherein the low-temperature fluid supply device detects the temperature of the plate-type heat exchanger via the temperature detector, and has a processing unit that performs at least one of a first process to change the cooling temperature of the cooling fluid in the cooling process and a second process to change the supply amount of the cooling fluid in the supply process based on the detected temperature.

[0021] Also, claims 5 The hydrogen gas cooling system described in claim 1 or 2 and a low-temperature fluid supply device that performs a cooling process to cool the cooling fluid and a supply process to supply the cooled cooling fluid to the plate-type heat exchanger, and the low-temperature fluid supply device has a processing unit that detects the temperature of the plate-type heat exchanger via the temperature detector and performs a temperature notification process to notify at least one of the hydrogen gas supply source and the air supply device that supplies the hydrogen gas from the supply source to the air supply target of the detected temperature. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] The plate-type heat exchanger described in claim 1 comprises a stack configured to be able to cool hydrogen gas by heat exchange between hydrogen gas passing through a first fluid passage groove formed in a first groove formation area of ​​a first plate and a cooling fluid passing through a second fluid passage groove formed in a first groove formation area of ​​a second plate, and the stack is formed with an insertion recess recessed from the surface of the stack in the stacking direction of each plate constituting the stack, configured to be able to insert a temperature detector capable of detecting the temperature of the stack.

[0023] Therefore, according to the plate heat exchanger of claim 1, when a low-temperature cooling fluid supplied from a low-temperature fluid supply device is passed through the flow path in the second groove-formed region, a temperature drop in the plate heat exchanger can be detected in a short time via the temperature detector in the insertion recess because the insertion recess is closer to the flow path of the cooling fluid than the surface of the plate heat exchanger. This makes it possible to quickly detect when the temperature of the plate heat exchanger drops to a temperature at which hydrogen gas can be suitably cooled by heat exchange with the cooling fluid. Furthermore, when a configuration is adopted in which the operating state of the low-temperature fluid supply device is changed depending on the temperature of the plate heat exchanger, it is possible to avoid situations in which the plate heat exchanger becomes overcooled due to overcooling or excessive supply of the cooling fluid, or the plate heat exchanger rises to a temperature at which it is difficult to suitably cool hydrogen gas due to insufficient cooling or insufficient supply of the cooling fluid. Furthermore, by arranging the temperature detector in an insertion recess that does not penetrate the cooling fluid flow path rather than having the temperature detector come into direct contact with the cooling fluid in the flow path, it is possible to avoid the cooling fluid in the cooling fluid flow path leaking out from the attachment point of the temperature detector due to thermal expansion, thermal contraction, etc.

[0024] Also, claims 1 In the plate heat exchanger described in the above, the insertion recess is formed in a position where the first grooved region of the first plate and the second grooved region of the second plate overlap in the stacking direction. 1 According to the described plate heat exchanger, a temperature detector can be placed near the location where heat exchange between the cooling fluid and hydrogen gas takes place, making it possible to accurately detect whether the plate heat exchanger has reached a temperature at which it can suitably cool the hydrogen gas.

[0025] Also, claims 2The plate-type heat exchanger described includes a stack configured to cool hydrogen gas by heat exchange between hydrogen gas passing through a first fluid passage groove formed in a first groove formation area of ​​a first plate and a cooling fluid passing through a second fluid passage groove formed in a first groove formation area of ​​a second plate, and the stack is formed with insertion recesses recessed from the surface of the stack in the plate surface direction of each plate constituting the stack, and configured to allow the insertion of a temperature detector capable of detecting the temperature of the stack.

[0026] Therefore, the claim 2 According to the plate heat exchanger described above, when a low-temperature cooling fluid supplied from a low-temperature fluid supply device is passed through the flow path in the second groove-formed region, a temperature drop in the plate heat exchanger can be detected in a short time via the temperature detector in the insertion recess because the insertion recess is closer to the flow path of the cooling fluid than the surface of the plate heat exchanger. This makes it possible to quickly detect when the temperature of the plate heat exchanger drops to a temperature at which hydrogen gas can be suitably cooled by heat exchange with the cooling fluid. Furthermore, when a configuration is adopted in which the operating state of the low-temperature fluid supply device is changed depending on the temperature of the plate heat exchanger, it is possible to suitably avoid situations in which the plate heat exchanger becomes overcooled due to overcooling or excessive supply of the cooling fluid, or the temperature of the plate heat exchanger rises to a temperature at which it is difficult to suitably cool hydrogen gas due to insufficient cooling or insufficient supply of the cooling fluid. Furthermore, by arranging the temperature detector in an insertion recess that does not penetrate the cooling fluid flow path rather than having the temperature detector come into direct contact with the cooling fluid in the flow path, it is possible to avoid the cooling fluid in the cooling fluid flow path leaking out from the attachment point of the temperature detector due to thermal expansion, thermal contraction, etc.

[0027] Also, claims 2 In the plate heat exchanger described above, the insertion recesses are configured by connecting notches formed in the outer edge portions of the plates stacked at least in the center in the stacking direction of the plates in the stacking direction. 2In the plate heat exchanger described, for example, compared to a configuration in which the plates are stacked and integrated to form a laminate and then the insertion recesses are formed by grinding, by forming the notches in advance during the production of the first and second plates, the insertion recesses are formed by stacking the plates, so that cutting chips and cutting oil do not adhere to the laminate and the process of removing cutting chips and cutting oil is unnecessary, which significantly reduces the manufacturing cost of the plate heat exchanger. Furthermore, by stacking the first and second plates so that the notches are connected in the stacking direction, it is possible to avoid stacking the plates in the wrong orientation, thereby avoiding the production of defective products.

[0028] Also, claims 3 In the plate heat exchanger described above, the temperature detector is inserted into the insertion recess and integrated with the laminate. 3 According to the described plate heat exchanger, it is possible to provide a plate heat exchanger that can detect temperature changes caused by the supply of cooling fluid in a short time via the temperature detector.

[0029] Also, claims 4 In the described hydrogen gas cooling system, a low-temperature fluid supply device that performs a cooling process to cool a cooling fluid and a supply process to supply the cooled cooling fluid to a plate-type heat exchanger is equipped with a processing unit that detects the temperature of the plate-type heat exchanger via a temperature detector and, based on the detected temperature, performs at least one of a first process to change the cooling temperature of the cooling fluid in the cooling process and a second process to change the supply amount of the cooling fluid in the supply process.

[0030] Therefore, the claim 4According to the hydrogen gas cooling system described above, it is possible to prevent the plate heat exchanger from becoming overcooled due to an excessively low temperature or an excessively large amount of cooling fluid being supplied from the low-temperature fluid supply device to the plate heat exchanger when the temperature in the vicinity of the cooling fluid flow path in the plate heat exchanger has dropped to a temperature that allows for suitable cooling of hydrogen gas, thereby significantly reducing the operating costs of the hydrogen gas cooling system.

[0031] Also, claims 5 In the described hydrogen gas cooling system, a low-temperature fluid supply device that performs a cooling process to cool a cooling fluid and a supply process to supply the cooled cooling fluid to a plate-type heat exchanger is equipped with a processing unit that detects the temperature of the plate-type heat exchanger via a temperature detector and performs a temperature notification process to notify at least one of the hydrogen gas supply source and the air supply device that supplies hydrogen gas from the supply source to the air supply target of the detected temperature.

[0032] Therefore, the claim 5 According to the described hydrogen gas cooling system, it is possible to detect in a short time that the temperature near the flow path of the cooling fluid in the plate heat exchanger has dropped to a temperature at which the hydrogen gas can be suitably cooled.Therefore, when a configuration is adopted in which the supply of hydrogen gas is restricted until the temperature of the plate heat exchanger drops to a temperature at which the hydrogen gas can be suitably cooled, the supply of hydrogen gas can be started quickly after the cooling and supply of the cooling fluid has begun. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0033] [Figure 1] 1 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of a hydrogen gas supply system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of the appearance of a hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 disposed in a dispenser 1 in a hydrogen gas supply system 100. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a heat exchanger 20 for cooling hydrogen gas. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a brine plate 42 in the heat exchanger 20 for cooling hydrogen gas. [Figure 5] 4 is a plan view of a hydrogen gas plate 43 in the heat exchanger 20 for cooling hydrogen gas. FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the stacking state of a base plate 41, a brine plate 42, a hydrogen gas plate 43, and a base plate 44 in a hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an external perspective view of a hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A according to another embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a brine plate 42a in a hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a hydrogen gas plate 43a in a hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A. [Figure 10] 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a stacking state of a base plate 41, a brine plate 42a, a hydrogen gas plate 43a, and a base plate 44a in a hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] Hereinafter, embodiments of a plate heat exchanger and a hydrogen gas cooling system will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] The hydrogen gas supply system 100 shown in Figure 1 corresponds to the hydrogen station (hydrogen station equipment) in the aforementioned patent document, and is configured to be able to supply hydrogen gas as fuel to a supply target Xb such as a hydrogen gas fuel cell vehicle.

[0036] As an example, this hydrogen gas supply system 100 includes a dispenser 1 that supplies hydrogen gas supplied from a hydrogen gas supply source Xa to a supply target Xb, and a brine supply device 2 that supplies low-temperature brine (an example of a "cooling fluid") to the dispenser 1 to cool the hydrogen gas to be supplied to the supply target Xb. In this case, the hydrogen gas supply source Xa is an example of a "supply source," and includes a hydrogen gas generator that generates hydrogen gas by reforming natural gas, or a storage tank that can store hydrogen gas that is produced at a separate location and transported to the installation site of the hydrogen gas supply system 100 (neither is shown).

[0037] On the other hand, the dispenser 1 is an example of an "air supply device" and is configured with a control valve 11, an operation unit 12, a processing unit 13, and a hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20. The control valve 11 adjusts the flow rate of hydrogen gas supplied from the hydrogen gas supply source Xa when supplying air to the air supply target Xb under the control of the processing unit 13. The operation unit 12 has an operation switch that instructs starting / stopping air supply, etc., and outputs an operation signal in response to switch operation to the processing unit 13. The processing unit 13 determines the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 based on the switch operation of the operation unit 12 and temperature data Dt output from a processing unit 33 of the brine supply device 2, as will be described later, and controls the control valve 11 in accordance with the determined temperature to start / stop the supply of hydrogen gas and adjust the supply amount (flow rate).

[0038] The hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 is an example of a "plate-type heat exchanger," and is configured to be able to cool hydrogen gas by heat exchange with low-temperature brine supplied from the brine supply device 2. In this case, in the hydrogen gas supply system 100 of this example, the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 is installed inside the dispenser 1 as one of the components of the hydrogen gas cooling device, but instead of this configuration, the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 can be disposed as a component separate from the "dispenser" so as to be able to cool the hydrogen gas supplied from the hydrogen gas supply source Xa to the dispenser 1, or the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 can be disposed as a component separate from the "dispenser" so as to be able to cool the hydrogen gas that passes through the dispenser 1 and is supplied to the supply target Xb.

[0039] 2 and 3, this hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 is configured with a laminate 40, a thermocouple 45, a filler 46, etc. Note that this hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 is also equipped with connectors for connecting brine piping and hydrogen gas piping to the laminate 40, but to facilitate understanding of the configuration of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, illustrations and detailed explanations of these will be omitted.

[0040] The stack 40 is an example of a "stack," in which brine plates 42, which form a flow path through which brine supplied from the brine supply device 2 can pass, and hydrogen gas plates 43, which form a flow path through which hydrogen gas supplied from the hydrogen gas supply source Xa can pass, are alternately stacked between a pair of base plates 41, 44 (an example of a "predetermined stacking order"), and the bonding surfaces of the plates 41-44 are bonded together by diffusion bonding to form an integrated structure. In this case, in the stack 40 of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 of this example, as an example, the plates 41-44 each correspond to a "plate" and are each formed into a rectangular shape in a plan view so that their outer shapes and sizes are equal to one another. In an actual hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, the stack 40 is covered with a heat insulating material or housed in a heat insulating casing to prevent heat radiation and heat absorption, but illustration and description of these heat insulating materials, casings, etc. are omitted.

[0041] The base plates 41 are each formed of a metal plate such as stainless steel and have a rectangular shape in a plan view. In this case, the base plates 41 are formed to be thicker than the brine plate 42 and the hydrogen gas plate 43, and to be approximately the same thickness as the base plate 44. In Figures 2, 3, and 7 referred to in this specification, the thicknesses of the plates 42 and 43 are illustrated as being thicker than their actual thicknesses in order to facilitate understanding of the configuration of the "plate heat exchanger."

[0042] The brine plates 42 are an example of a "second plate" and are formed of metal plates such as stainless steel in a rectangular shape in a plan view. As shown in FIG. 4, a groove-formed region A2 (an example of a "second groove-formed region": the region shaded with diagonal lines slanting downward to the right in the figure) is defined in the brine plate 42, forming "second fluid-passing grooves" through which brine can pass. The brine plate 42 also has a through-hole H2i for allowing brine supplied from the brine supply device 2 to flow into the "second fluid-passing grooves," a through-hole H2o for discharging brine that has passed through the "second fluid-passing grooves," and through-holes H2p and H2p that communicate with through-holes H3i and H3o provided in the hydrogen gas plate 43, as described below.

[0043] The hydrogen gas plate 43 is an example of a "first plate" and, like the brine plate 42, is formed of a metal plate such as stainless steel and has a rectangular shape in plan view. As shown in FIG. 5, the hydrogen gas plate 43 has a groove-formed region A3 (an example of a "first groove-formed region": the region shaded with diagonal lines slanting downward to the left in the figure) defined therein, forming a "first fluid passage groove" through which hydrogen gas can pass. The hydrogen gas plate 43 also has a through-hole H3i for allowing hydrogen gas supplied from the hydrogen gas supply source Xa to flow into the "first fluid passage groove," a through-hole H3o for discharging hydrogen gas that has passed through the "first fluid passage groove," and through-holes H3p, H3p that communicate with the through-holes H2i, H2o of the brine plate 42.

[0044] The base plate 44 is formed of a metal plate in a rectangular shape in plan view so that its outer shape, size, and thickness are similar to those of the base plate 41. As a result, in the stack 40 of this example, the base plates 41, 44 located at the ends in the stacking direction of the plates 41 to 44 are formed to a sufficient thickness, and the stack 40 has sufficiently high physical strength (ability to withstand deformation when internal pressure of hydrogen gas or brine is applied or when an external force is applied).

[0045] As shown in Figures 2 and 6, this base plate 44 is provided with a through hole H4ai that is connected to the through hole H2i of the brine plate 42 and one of the through holes H3p in the hydrogen gas plate 43, a through hole H4ao that is connected to the through hole H2o of the brine plate 42 and the other through hole H3p in the hydrogen gas plate 43, a through hole H4bi that is connected to one of the through holes H2p in the brine plate 42 and the through hole H3i in the hydrogen gas plate 43, and a through hole H4bo that is connected to the other through hole H2p in the brine plate 42 and the through hole H3o in the hydrogen gas plate 43.

[0046] In this case, in the hydrogen gas supply system 100 (dispenser 1) of this example, the through-hole H4ai formed in the base plate 44 of the laminate 40 functions as a brine inlet, and a pipe for supplying brine cooled in the brine supply device 2 to the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 is connected to the through-hole H4ai. The through-hole H4ao functions as a brine outlet, and a pipe for liquid-transporting brine whose temperature has increased by heat exchange with hydrogen gas in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 to the brine supply device 2 is connected to the through-hole H4ao. The through-hole H4bi functions as a hydrogen gas inlet, and a pipe for introducing hydrogen gas supplied from the hydrogen gas supply source Xa into the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 is connected to the through-hole H4bi. The through-hole H4bo functions as a hydrogen gas outlet, and a pipe for supplying hydrogen gas cooled by heat exchange with brine in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 to the gas supply target Xb is connected to the through-hole H4bo.

[0047] 3, a recess M (a hole that does not penetrate in the thickness direction) is formed in the center of one surface of the base plate 44 that constitutes the surface of the stack 40 (the back surface on the side where the brine plate 42 and the hydrogen gas plate 43 are present). In this case, the recess M is an example of an "insertion recess configured to allow the insertion of a temperature detector" and is recessed from the surface of the stack 40 (the surface of the base plate 44) in the stacking direction of the plates 41 to 44 that constitute the stack 40. As shown in FIG. 6, when the stack 40 is viewed along the stacking direction of the plates 41 to 44, the recess M is formed in the center of an area A23 where the grooved area A2 of the brine plate 42 and the grooved area A3 of the hydrogen gas plate 43 overlap.

[0048] In this case, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 of this example, the plates 41 to 44 are stacked so that the direction in which brine passes from the through hole H2i to the through hole H2o within the "second fluid passage groove" formed in the groove formation area A2 of the brine plate 42 (brine flow direction: direction shown by the white arrow in Figure 4) is opposite to the direction in which hydrogen gas passes from the through hole H3i to the through hole H3o within the "first fluid passage groove" formed in the groove formation area A3 of the hydrogen gas plate 43 (hydrogen gas flow direction: direction shown by the white arrow in Figure 5) (a configuration is adopted in which brine and hydrogen gas flow in countercurrent directions). In addition, the recess M is formed at a location where the center of the flow path length direction of the "second fluid passage groove" (brine flow path) in the groove formation region A2 and the center of the flow path length direction of the "first fluid passage groove" (hydrogen gas flow path) in the groove formation region A3 overlap in the stacking direction of each plate 41 to 44.

[0049] The thermocouple 45 is an example of a "temperature detector capable of detecting the temperature of the stack." As shown in FIG. 3, the thermocouple 45 is inserted into a recess M of the stack 40 and fixed to the stack 40 by a filler 46 so as to be able to detect the temperature of the stack 40. The thermocouple 45 is connected to a processing unit 33 (described later) in the brine supply device 2 via a signal line 45a (see FIGS. 1 to 3). In this example, the thermocouple 45 and the filler 46 for fixing the thermocouple 45 to the stack 40 are described as components of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 (an example in which a "plate-type heat exchanger" is configured with a "temperature detector" and a "fixing member" for fixing the thermocouple 45 to the "stack"). However, the "temperature detector" and the "fixing member" may not be components of the "plate-type heat exchanger," and a configuration may be adopted in which a separately prepared "temperature detector" is inserted and fixed in an "insertion recess" of the "stack" by an arbitrary "fixing member."

[0050] In this case, in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 of this example, the positions of the through holes H4ai, H4ao, H4bi, and H4bo are determined so that the brine flowing from the through hole H4ai (inlet) toward the through hole H4ao (outlet) and the hydrogen gas flowing from the through hole H4bi (inlet) toward the through hole H4bo (outlet) form countercurrent flows when the stack 40 is viewed along the stacking direction of the plates 41 to 44. Furthermore, in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 of this example, when the stack 40 is viewed along the stacking direction of the plates 41 to 44, a recess M is formed at a position where the center of the brine flow path in the flow path length direction overlaps with the center of the hydrogen gas flow path in the flow path length direction. Therefore, in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, as described below, when the supply of brine from the brine supply device 2 begins and the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 is gradually lowered, or when the hydrogen gas is cooled by heat exchange with the brine, it is possible to have the thermocouple 45 detect the average temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20.

[0051] 1, the brine supply device 2 is an example of a "low-temperature fluid supply device," and includes a brine cooling unit 31, a brine pump 32, and a processing unit 33. The brine supply device 2 also includes a brine tank for temporarily storing the brine recovered from the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, but to facilitate understanding of the configuration of the hydrogen gas supply system 100, these components are not shown or described in detail.

[0052] The brine cooling unit 31 includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator (not shown), and cools the brine by heat exchange with chlorofluorocarbon (refrigerant) under the control of the processing unit 33. The brine pump 32 liquid-transports the brine cooled by the brine cooling unit 31 toward the dispenser 1 (hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20) under the control of the processing unit 33. In this case, in the hydrogen gas supply system 100 of this example, a brine circulation path is formed so that the brine is liquid-transported from the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 to the brine cooling unit 31 by the brine pump 32 liquid-transporting the brine from the brine cooling unit 31 to the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20.

[0053] The processing unit 33 is an example of a "processing unit" and controls the brine supply device 2 overall. Specifically, when the brine cooling unit 31 (evaporator) performs a process of cooling the brine (an example of a "cooling process"), the processing unit 33 controls the compressor to compress a refrigerant in an amount necessary and sufficient for cooling the brine, and controls the expansion valve to supply a refrigerant in an amount necessary and sufficient for cooling the brine to the evaporator. In addition, in parallel with the brine cooling process by the brine cooling unit 31, the processing unit 33 controls the brine pump 32 to perform a process of supplying brine from the brine supply device 2 to the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 (a process of circulating brine between the brine cooling unit 31 and the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20: an example of a "supply process").

[0054] The processing unit 33 also detects the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 via the thermocouple 45, and executes a process of changing the cooling temperature of the brine in the above-mentioned "cooling process" (an example of a "first process") and a process of changing the amount of brine supplied in the above-mentioned "supply process" (an example of a "second process") based on the detected temperature. Furthermore, the processing unit 33 generates temperature data Dt that can identify the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 detected via the thermocouple 45, and executes a process of notifying the processing unit 13 of the dispenser 1 of the generated temperature data Dt (an example of a "temperature notification process").

[0055] In this example of the hydrogen gas supply system 100, the "hydrogen gas cooling system" is composed of the above-mentioned brine supply device 2, the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 arranged in the dispenser 1, and the piping connecting these to each other.

[0056] Next, an example of the operation of each part when hydrogen gas is supplied to the supply target Xb by the hydrogen gas supply system 100 will be described.

[0057] In this hydrogen gas supply system 100, when the equipment is in operation, the "cooling process" and "supply process" are performed in the brine supply device 2, and the temperature of the brine in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 and the brine circulation path is kept low. However, as mentioned above, when the equipment is shut down, such as at the end of business hours or during equipment maintenance, the "cooling process" and "supply process" are not performed, and the temperature of the brine in the brine supply device 2, the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, and the brine circulation path gradually rises. Therefore, immediately after the equipment is restarted at the start of business hours or after maintenance, or during the first operation after installation is completed, the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 is higher than the temperature at which hydrogen gas can be cooled to a suitable temperature.

[0058] Therefore, in the hydrogen gas supply system 100 of this example, as described above, the processing unit 33 of the brine supply device 2 determines the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 via the thermocouple 45 fixed to the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, and performs a process to adjust the cooling temperature of the brine in the ``cooling process'' (the target cooling temperature of the brine by the brine cooling unit 31) and the supply amount of brine in the ``supply process'' (the amount of brine liquid delivered by the brine pump 32) according to the determined temperature, and also performs a process to generate temperature data Dt and send it to the processing unit 13 of the dispenser 1 (to notify the determined temperature).

[0059] Specifically, in this hydrogen gas supply system 100, when the system is shifted from a stopped state to an operating state, the processing unit 33 controls the brine cooling unit 31 to start the "cooling process" and controls the brine pump 32 to start the "supply process." The processing unit 33 also identifies the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 via the thermocouple 45 to generate temperature data Dt, and outputs the generated temperature data Dt to the processing unit 13 of the dispenser 1 (an example of a "temperature notification process").

[0060] At this time, the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 determined via the thermocouple 45 is higher than the temperature at which hydrogen gas can be suitably cooled. Therefore, even if the operating unit 12 is operated to supply air to the air supply target Xb at this time (immediately after operation starts), the processing unit 13 of the dispenser 1 controls the control valve 11 to restrict the supply of air from the hydrogen gas supply source Xa to the air supply target Xb until the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 determined based on the temperature data Dt output from the dispenser 1 (processing unit 33) drops to a predetermined temperature (a temperature at which hydrogen gas can be suitably cooled). This reliably prevents the hydrogen gas from passing through the dispenser 1 (hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20) in a state where it is difficult to suitably cool the hydrogen gas, and prevents excessively high-temperature hydrogen gas from being supplied to the hydrogen gas supply source Xa.

[0061] In addition, the processing unit 33 of the brine supply device 2 continuously and repeatedly executes the process of outputting temperature data Dt to the dispenser 1 (processing unit 13), and controls the operating rate (compressor rotation speed and expansion valve opening) of the brine cooling unit 31 (an example of a "first processing") and the operating rate (motor rotation speed) of the brine pump 32 (an example of a "second processing") according to the difference between the identified temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 and the target temperature of the brine to be supplied to the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 (the temperature of the brine that can suitably cool the hydrogen gas in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20).

[0062] Specifically, when the difference between the identified temperature and the target temperature is large (i.e., when the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 is high), the processing unit 33 increases the operating rates of the brine cooling unit 31 and the brine pump 32 in order to shorten the time required for the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 to be able to suitably cool the hydrogen gas. This makes it possible to reduce the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 in a shorter time than in a configuration in which the operating rates of the brine cooling unit 31 and the brine supply device 2 are not changed.

[0063] Furthermore, when the difference between the identified temperature and the target temperature is small (i.e., when the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 is relatively low), the processing unit 33 reduces the operating rates of the brine cooling unit 31 and the brine pump 32. This makes it possible to avoid an excessive temperature drop in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 (a supercooled state that is unnecessary for cooling hydrogen gas) compared to a configuration in which the operating rates of the brine cooling unit 31 and the brine supply device 2 are not changed, and also makes it possible to sufficiently reduce the amount of power consumed by the brine cooling unit 31 and the brine pump 32.

[0064] Here, when the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 is elevated while the hydrogen gas supply system 100 is stopped and low-temperature brine is supplied to the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 from the brine supply device 2 as described above, the temperature of the area near the "second fluid passage groove" (brine flow path) of the brine plate 42 is reduced in a relatively short time by heat exchange with the supplied brine. However, for the "surface portion of the laminate 40" that is far from the "second fluid passage groove," the cold heat of the brine is gradually transferred from the "second fluid passage groove" to the "surface portion," thereby reducing the temperature, and it takes a long time for the temperature to decrease to a temperature suitable for cooling the hydrogen gas. Therefore, when a configuration is adopted in which the temperature of the surface portion of the stack 40 is detected and the operation of each part is controlled, even though the temperature of the "first fluid passage groove" (hydrogen gas flow path) located near the "second fluid passage groove" has dropped sufficiently to be in a state in which the hydrogen gas can be suitably cooled, the brine cooling section 31 and the brine pump 32 will be maintained in an improved state of operation, and the supply of hydrogen gas will be maintained in a regulated state, until the temperature of the surface portion has dropped sufficiently.

[0065] In contrast, in the hydrogen gas supply system 100 (hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20) of this example, a thermocouple 45 is fixed in a recess M formed in the base plate 41. Therefore, since the inside of the recess M is closer to the "second fluid passage groove" than the surface portion of the laminate 40, the time required from the start of the supply of low-temperature brine until it is determined that the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 detected via the thermocouple 45 has dropped to "a temperature at which hydrogen gas can be suitably cooled" is shortened. This makes it possible to maintain a state in which the operating rates of the brine cooling unit 31 and the brine pump 32 are improved, and to shorten the time required to maintain a state in which the supply of hydrogen gas is restricted.

[0066] Meanwhile, in the dispenser 1, when the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, determined based on the temperature data Dt sequentially output from the brine supply device 2 (processing unit 33), drops to the predetermined temperature, the processing unit 13 determines that the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 is in a state where it can suitably cool hydrogen gas, and releases the restriction on supply of hydrogen gas from the hydrogen gas supply source Xa to the gas supply target Xb. Therefore, when an instruction to start supplying hydrogen gas to the gas supply target Xb is issued by operating the operation unit 12, the processing unit 13 controls the control valve 11 to flow hydrogen gas from the hydrogen gas supply source Xa toward the gas supply target Xb. At this time, the hydrogen gas that has passed through the control valve 11 is cooled by heat exchange with the brine in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 before being supplied to the gas supply target Xb. This reliably prevents excessively high-temperature hydrogen gas from being supplied to the gas supply target Xb.

[0067] Here, when the supply of hydrogen gas to the supply target Xb continues for a long period of time (for example, when the fuel tank (gas tank) of the supply target Xb is large), the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 gradually rises as the hydrogen gas is continuously cooled in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20. For this reason, when the supply of hydrogen gas (i.e., the cooling of hydrogen gas in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20) is further continued, it may become difficult to cool the hydrogen gas to a suitable temperature. Therefore, when the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 determined via the thermocouple 45 rises above a predetermined temperature, the processing unit 33 increases the operating rate of the brine pump 32, for example, to increase the amount of brine supplied from the brine supply device 2 to the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20. This maintains a state in which the hydrogen gas can be suitably cooled in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20.

[0068] Thereafter, when the supply of air to the air supply target Xb is completed, the processing unit 13 controls the control valve 11 to stop the movement of hydrogen gas from the hydrogen gas supply source Xa to the air supply target Xb. At this time, low-temperature brine is supplied from the brine supply device 2 while heat exchange with hydrogen gas is not being performed in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, so that the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 gradually decreases. Therefore, the processing unit 33 reduces the operation rates of the brine cooling unit 31 and the brine pump 32 to operation rates associated with standby operation (an operating state in which air is not supplied to the air supply target Xb), and sequentially changes the operation rates of the brine cooling unit 31 and the brine pump 32 so that the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 identified via the thermocouple 45 does not become higher than a temperature at which cooling of the hydrogen gas can immediately be started. As a result, when the supply of hydrogen gas to the supply target Xb is resumed, the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 is maintained in a state in which the hydrogen gas can be cooled appropriately, so that the supply of hydrogen gas can be resumed immediately.

[0069] In this way, this hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 is provided with a stack 40 configured to be able to cool hydrogen gas by heat exchange between hydrogen gas passing through the ``first fluid passage groove'' formed in the groove formation area A3 of the hydrogen gas plate 43 and brine passing through the ``second fluid passage groove'' formed in the groove formation area A2 of the brine plate 42, and the stack 40 is formed with recesses M recessed from the surface of the stack 40 in the stacking direction of each plate 41 to 44 that constitutes the stack 40, and configured to allow the insertion of a thermocouple 45 that can detect the temperature of the stack 40.

[0070] Therefore, with this hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, when low-temperature brine supplied from the brine supply device 2 is passed through the brine flow path in the groove formation region A2, a temperature drop in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 can be detected in a short time via the thermocouple 45 in the recess M because the recess M is closer to the brine flow path than the surface of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20. This makes it possible to quickly detect when the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 has dropped to a temperature at which hydrogen gas can be suitably cooled by heat exchange with the brine. Furthermore, when a configuration is adopted in which the operating state of the brine supply device 2 is changed depending on the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 becomes supercooled due to supercooling or excessive supply of brine, or the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 rises to a temperature at which it is difficult to suitably cool hydrogen gas due to insufficient cooling or supply of brine. Furthermore, instead of a configuration in which the thermocouple 45 is in direct contact with the brine in the brine flow path, the thermocouple 45 is disposed in a recess M that does not penetrate the brine flow path, thereby making it possible to prevent the brine in the brine flow path from leaking out from the attachment point of the thermocouple 45 due to thermal expansion, thermal contraction, etc.

[0071] Furthermore, in this hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, the recesses M are formed in a region (region A23) where the groove formation region A3 of the hydrogen gas plate 43 and the groove formation region A2 of the brine plate 42 overlap in the stacking direction. Therefore, according to this hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, the thermocouple 45 can be disposed near the region where heat exchange between the brine and hydrogen gas takes place, making it possible to accurately detect whether the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 has reached a temperature at which it can suitably cool the hydrogen gas.

[0072] Furthermore, in this hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, a thermocouple 45 is inserted into the recess M and is integrated with the laminate 40 by a filler 46. Therefore, according to this hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, it is possible to provide a hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 that can detect temperature changes due to the supply of brine via the thermocouple 45 in a short period of time.

[0073] In addition, in this "hydrogen gas cooling system," the brine supply device 2, which performs a "cooling process" to cool the brine and a "supply process" to supply the cooled brine to the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, is equipped with a processing unit 33 that detects the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 via a thermocouple 45 and, based on the detected temperature, performs at least one of a "first process" to change the cooling temperature of the brine in the "cooling process" and a "second process" to change the amount of brine supplied in the "supply process."

[0074] Therefore, this "hydrogen gas cooling system" can prevent the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 from becoming supercooled due to excessively low temperature brine or an excessively large amount of brine being supplied from the brine supply device 2 to the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 when the temperature in the vicinity of the brine flow path in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 has dropped to a temperature at which hydrogen gas can be suitably cooled. This makes it possible to sufficiently reduce the operating costs of the hydrogen gas supply system 100.

[0075] Furthermore, in this "hydrogen gas cooling system," the brine supply device 2, which performs a "cooling process" to cool the brine and a "supply process" to supply the cooled brine to the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, is equipped with a processing unit 33 which performs a "temperature notification process" to detect the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 via a thermocouple 45 and notify the detected temperature to at least one of the hydrogen gas supply source Xa of hydrogen gas and the dispenser 1 (in this example, only the dispenser 1) which supplies hydrogen gas from the hydrogen gas supply source Xa to the supply target Xb.

[0076] Therefore, according to this "hydrogen gas cooling system", it is possible to detect in a short time that the temperature near the brine flow path in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 has dropped to a temperature at which hydrogen gas can be suitably cooled, and therefore, when a configuration is adopted in which the supply of hydrogen gas is restricted until the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 has dropped to a temperature at which hydrogen gas can be suitably cooled, the supply of hydrogen gas can be started quickly after the cooling and supply of brine has begun.

[0077] Next, another embodiment of the "plate heat exchanger" will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0078] Note that components having the same functions as the components of the aforementioned hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 are assigned the same reference numerals and redundant explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, the components other than the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 in the hydrogen gas supply system 100 are the same as those in the above example configured with the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, and therefore detailed explanations will be omitted.

[0079] The hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A shown in Fig. 7 is another example of a "plate-type heat exchanger" and is configured to be able to cool hydrogen gas by heat exchange with low-temperature brine supplied from a brine supply device 2. This hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A is configured with a stack 40a instead of the stack 40 in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20.

[0080] The stack 40a is another example of a "stack," in which brine plates 42a, which form a flow path through which brine supplied from the brine supply device 2 can pass, and hydrogen gas plates 43a, which form a flow path through which hydrogen gas supplied from the hydrogen gas supply source Xa can pass, are alternately stacked between a pair of base plates 41, 44a (another example of a "predetermined stacking order"), and the bonding surfaces of the plates 41, 42a, 43a, and 44a are bonded together by diffusion bonding to form an integrated unit. In this case, in the stack 40a in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A of this example, as an example, the plates 41, 42a, 43a, and 44a each correspond to a "plate," and are each formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view so that their outer shapes and sizes are equal to one another.

[0081] The brine plate 42a is another example of a "second plate" and is configured similarly to the brine plate 42 constituting the stack 40 in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, except that it has a notch N2, which is an example of a "notch," as shown in FIG. 8. The hydrogen gas plate 43a is another example of a "first plate," and is configured similarly to the hydrogen gas plate 43 constituting the stack 40 in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, except that it has a notch N3, which is another example of a "notch," as shown in FIG. 9. The base plate 44a is configured similarly to the base plate 44 constituting the stack 40 in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, except that it does not have a recess M formed therein.

[0082] 7 and 10, in this hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A (stack 40a), notches N2 formed in the outer edge of each brine plate 42a stacked in the center in the stacking direction of each plate 41, 42a, 43a, 44a, and notches N3 formed in the outer edge of the hydrogen gas plate 43a are connected in the stacking direction to form a recess N, which is another example of an "insertion recess configured to allow the insertion of a temperature detector." Also, as shown in FIG. 10, in this hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A (stack 40a), a thermocouple 45 is inserted into the recess N formed in the stack 40a and is integrated with the stack 40a by a filler 46.

[0083] Therefore, in the hydrogen gas supply system 100 equipped with this hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A, the time required from the start of the supply of low-temperature brine until it is determined that the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20 detected via the thermocouple 45 has dropped to a ``temperature at which hydrogen gas can be suitably cooled'' is shortened because the interior of the recess N is closer to the ``second fluid passage groove'' than the surface portion of the stack 40a.As a result, similar to the configuration equipped with the aforementioned hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, it is possible to shorten the time required to maintain an improved state of operation of the brine cooling section 31 and the brine pump 32, and to maintain a regulated state of hydrogen gas supply.

[0084] In this case, in this hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A, when the stack 40 is viewed along the stacking direction of the plates 41, 42a to 44a, the notches N2, N3 in the plates 42a, 43a are each formed on one side closer to the through holes H2o, H3o that communicate with the through holes H4ao, H4bo (outlets) of the base plate 44 than the through holes H2i, H3i that communicate with the through holes H4ai, H4bi (inlets) of the base plate 44. For this reason, the recess N formed by the communication of the notches N2, N3 in the stacking direction of the plates 42a, 43a is located closer to the through holes H4ao, H4bo (outlets) than to the through holes H4ai, H4bi (inlets).

[0085] Therefore, in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A of this example, in which the thermocouple 45 is disposed in this recess N, when the supply of brine from the brine supply device 2 starts and the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A is gradually lowered, it is possible to reliably determine whether the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A has dropped to a temperature at which the hydrogen gas can be sufficiently cooled even downstream in the flow path of the brine and hydrogen gas, based on the temperature detected via the thermocouple 45. Furthermore, in this hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A, when the hydrogen gas is cooled by heat exchange with the brine, it is possible to reliably determine whether the hydrogen gas discharged from the through hole H4bo (discharge port) has been sufficiently cooled, based on the temperature detected via the thermocouple 45.

[0086] In this way, this hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A is provided with a stack 40a configured to be able to cool hydrogen gas by heat exchange between hydrogen gas passing through the ``first fluid passage groove'' formed in the groove formation area A3 of the hydrogen gas plate 43a and brine passing through the ``second fluid passage groove'' formed in the groove formation area A2 of the brine plate 42a, and the stack 40a is formed with recesses N recessed from the surface of the stack 40a in the plate surface direction of each plate 41, 42a, 43a, 44a constituting the stack 40a, and configured to allow the insertion of a thermocouple 45 capable of detecting the temperature of the stack 40a.

[0087] Therefore, with this hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A, when low-temperature brine supplied from the brine supply device 2 is passed through the brine flow path in the groove formation region A2, a temperature drop in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A can be detected in a short time via the thermocouple 45 in the recess N because the recess N is closer to the brine flow path than the surface of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A. This makes it possible to quickly detect when the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A drops to a temperature at which hydrogen gas can be suitably cooled by heat exchange with the brine. Furthermore, when a configuration is adopted in which the operating state of the brine supply device 2 is changed depending on the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A, it is possible to suitably avoid a situation in which the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A becomes supercooled due to supercooling or excessive supply of brine, or the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A rises to a temperature at which it is difficult to suitably cool hydrogen gas due to insufficient cooling or supply of brine. Furthermore, instead of a configuration in which the thermocouple 45 is in direct contact with the brine in the brine flow path, the thermocouple 45 is disposed in a recess M that does not penetrate the brine flow path, thereby making it possible to prevent the brine in the brine flow path from leaking out from the attachment point of the thermocouple 45 due to thermal expansion, thermal contraction, etc.

[0088] In addition, in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A, the recess N is formed by connecting notches N2 and N3 formed in the outer edge of each plate 42a, 43a stacked at least in the center in the stacking direction of each plate 41, 42a, 43a, 44a in the stacking direction. Therefore, in the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A, compared to a configuration in which an "insertion recess" is formed by grinding after the plates 41, 42a, 43a, 44a are stacked and integrated (in this example, diffusion bonding) to form the stacked body 40a, by forming the notches N2 and N3 in advance during the manufacturing of the plates 42a, 43a, the recess N is formed by stacking the plates 42, 43a. This prevents cutting chips and cutting oil from adhering to the stacked body 40a, eliminating the need for a process for removing cutting chips and cutting oil, thereby significantly reducing the manufacturing cost of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A. Furthermore, when stacking the plates 41, 42a, 43a, and 44a, by stacking the plates 42a and 43a so that the notches N2 and N3 are connected in the stacking direction, it is possible to avoid stacking the plates 42a and 43a in the wrong direction, thereby avoiding the production of defective products.

[0089] Furthermore, in this hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A, a thermocouple 45 is inserted into the recess N and integrated with the stack 40a. Therefore, according to this hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A, it is possible to provide a hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20A that can detect temperature changes due to the supply of brine via the thermocouple 45 in a short period of time.

[0090] The configurations of the "plate heat exchanger" and "hydrogen gas cooling system" are not limited to the example configuration of the hydrogen gas supply system 100 described above.

[0091] For example, the configuration has been described with reference to an example in which a recess M is formed in the base plate 44 that constitutes the surface of the stack 40 in the stacking direction, not penetrating the base plate 44 in the thickness direction, and a thermocouple 45 is inserted therein. However, it is also possible to form an "insertion recess" deep enough to reach the "first plate" or the "second plate" in the stacking direction of each "plate" and insert a "temperature detector" (not shown). When such a configuration is adopted, the "first fluid passage groove" and the "second fluid passage groove" are formed avoiding the formation positions of the "holes" so that the "first fluid passage groove" formed in the "first plate" and the "second fluid passage groove" formed in the "second plate" do not communicate with the "holes" that constitute the "insertion recess." This prevents the "hydrogen gas" or the "cooling fluid" from leaking from the "insertion recess."

[0092] Furthermore, with regard to the "insertion recess recessed from the surface of the stack in the plate surface direction of each plate constituting the stack so that a temperature detection body can be inserted," it is also possible to form a "notch" in the "plate" that reaches the center in the plate surface direction, and insert the "temperature detection body" into the "insertion recess" formed by connecting such "notches" in the stacking direction (not shown). Even when such a configuration is adopted, the "first fluid passage groove" formed in the "first plate" and the "second fluid passage groove" formed in the "second plate" can be formed avoiding the formation position of this "notch" so that they do not communicate with the "notch" constituting the "insertion recess," thereby preventing the "hydrogen gas" or "cooling fluid" from leaking from the "insertion recess."

[0093] Furthermore, although the example has been described in which the through-hole H4ai serving as the brine inlet, the through-hole H4ao serving as the brine outlet, the through-hole H4bi serving as the hydrogen gas inlet, and the through-hole H4bo serving as the hydrogen gas outlet are all formed in one of the pair of base plates 41, 44 (base plate 44 in this example), it is also possible to form the brine inlet in one of the pair of base plates and the brine outlet in the other of the pair of base plates, or to form the hydrogen gas inlet in one of the pair of base plates and the hydrogen gas outlet in the other of the pair of base plates (not shown). In this case, by forming the brine inlet and the hydrogen gas outlet in the same base plate and also forming the hydrogen gas inlet and the brine outlet in the same base plate, the brine and hydrogen gas can pass through in counterflow in the stacking direction of each "plate body," thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the hydrogen gas by heat exchange with the brine.

[0094] Furthermore, the configurations of the heat exchanger 20 for cooling hydrogen gas in which a recess M is formed in the center of the brine flow path and the hydrogen gas flow path and a thermocouple 45 is arranged therein, and the heat exchanger 20A for cooling hydrogen gas in which a recess N is formed downstream of the brine flow path and the hydrogen gas flow path and a thermocouple 45 is arranged therein have been described as examples, but the position at which the "insertion recess" is formed (the position at which the "temperature detection body" is arranged) is not limited to these examples.

[0095] For example, by forming an "insertion recess" on the upstream side of the "cooling fluid" flow path (near the inlet of the "cooling fluid") and disposing a "temperature detector," it is possible to determine the temperature of the "cooling fluid" supplied from the "low-temperature fluid supply device" and reaching the "plate-type heat exchanger" based on the temperature detected by the "temperature detector." This makes it possible to reliably determine whether the temperature is high enough to cool the "hydrogen gas." Furthermore, by forming an "insertion recess" on the downstream side of the "cooling fluid" flow path (near the outlet of the "cooling fluid") and disposing a "temperature detector," it is possible to determine the temperature of the "low-temperature fluid" that has completed heat exchange with the "hydrogen gas" based on the temperature detected by the "temperature detector." This makes it possible to reliably determine whether the "hydrogen gas" has been sufficiently cooled to a suitable temperature.

[0096] Furthermore, by forming an "insertion recess" on the upstream side of the "hydrogen gas" flow path (near the inlet for "hydrogen gas") and disposing a "temperature detector," it is possible to determine the temperature of the "hydrogen gas" to be cooled based on the temperature detected by the "temperature detector," thereby making it possible to reliably determine whether the "hydrogen gas" can be suitably cooled by heat exchange with the "cooling fluid" supplied from the "low-temperature fluid supply device." Furthermore, by forming an "insertion recess" on the downstream side of the "hydrogen gas" flow path (near the outlet for "hydrogen gas") and disposing a "temperature detector," it is possible to determine the temperature of the cooled "hydrogen gas" based on the temperature detected by the "temperature detector," thereby making it possible to reliably determine whether the "hydrogen gas" has been sufficiently cooled to a suitable temperature.

[0097] Furthermore, the configuration has been described as an example in which the processing unit 33 of the brine supply device 2 notifies the processing unit 13 of the dispenser 1 of the temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, 20A identified via the thermocouple 45 (outputs temperature data Dt to the processing unit 13), but instead of (or in addition to) the processing unit 13 of the dispenser 1, a configuration can be adopted in which the processing of notifying the hydrogen gas supply source Xa of the identified temperature of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, 20A (outputs temperature data Dt to the hydrogen gas supply source Xa) is executed as a "temperature notification process." Also, a configuration in which the "temperature notification process" is not executed can be adopted.

[0098] Furthermore, although a configuration in which the processing unit 33 performs both the "first process" and the "second process" has been described as an example, a configuration in which only one of the "first process" and the "second process" is performed, or a configuration in which neither the "first process" nor the "second process" is performed, may also be adopted. In addition, although the configuration of the hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 20, 20A in which the "first plate body" and the "second plate body" are stacked so as to be in direct contact with each other to form the stack 40, 40a has been described as an example, the "stack" may also be formed by sandwiching a "plate body having any function," such as a "partition plate," between the "first plate body" and the "second plate body" (not shown). [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] 100 Hydrogen gas supply system 1 dispenser 2. Brine supply device 11 Control valve 12 Control section 13,33 Processing section 20,20A Hydrogen gas cooling heat exchanger 31 Brine cooling section 32 Brine pump 40, 40a laminate 41, 44, 44a Base plate 42,42a Brine Plate 43,43a Hydrogen gas plate 45 Thermocouple 45a signal line 46 Filler A2,A3 groove forming area A23 area Dt Temperature Data H2i,H2o,H2p,H3i,H3o,H3p through hole H4ai, H4bi entrance H4ao,H4bo outlet M,N recess N2, N3 notch Xa Hydrogen gas source Xb Air supply target

Claims

1. A plate-type heat exchanger comprising a stack of plates, the stack including at least a first plate having a first groove-forming region in which first fluid passage grooves, through which hydrogen gas can pass, are formed, and a second plate having a second groove-forming region in which second fluid passage grooves, through which a cooling fluid can pass, are stacked in a predetermined stacking order to form an integrated body, the plate being configured to be capable of cooling hydrogen gas by heat exchange between the hydrogen gas passing through the first fluid passage grooves and the cooling fluid passing through the second fluid passage grooves, The stack is formed by stacking and integrating a plurality of plate bodies including at least the first plate body and the second plate body between a pair of base plates as the plate bodies, and by forming an insertion recess that is recessed from the surface of one of the pair of base plates in the stacking direction of the plate bodies constituting the stack to a depth that does not penetrate the one of the base plates, and is configured to allow insertion of a temperature detector that can detect the temperature of the stack, the pair of base plates are formed of plates that are thicker than the first plate body and the second plate body, the insertion recess is formed at a location where the first groove formation region of the first plate and the second groove formation region of the second plate overlap in the stacking direction so as not to communicate with the first fluid passage groove and the second fluid passage groove.

2. A plate-type heat exchanger comprising a stack of plates, the stack including at least a first plate having a first groove-forming region in which first fluid passage grooves, through which hydrogen gas can pass, are formed, and a second plate having a second groove-forming region in which second fluid passage grooves, through which a cooling fluid can pass, are stacked in a predetermined stacking order to form an integrated body, the plate being configured to be capable of cooling hydrogen gas by heat exchange between the hydrogen gas passing through the first fluid passage grooves and the cooling fluid passing through the second fluid passage grooves, The stack is formed by stacking and integrating a plurality of plate bodies including at least the first plate body and the second plate body between a pair of base plates serving as the plate bodies, and by forming an insertion recess that is recessed in the plate surface direction of each of the plate bodies constituting the stack body from the surface of the stack body to a depth that does not reach the first fluid passage groove and the second fluid passage groove, and is configured so that a temperature detector that can detect the temperature of the stack body can be inserted into the insertion recess; The plate-type heat exchanger is configured such that notches formed on the outer edge of each of the plates stacked between the pair of base plates are connected in the stacking direction, and the insertion recesses are formed so as not to communicate with the first fluid passage grooves and the second fluid passage grooves.

3. 3. The plate heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the temperature detector is inserted into the insertion recess and is integrated with the laminate.

4. The plate heat exchanger according to claim 1 or 2; a low-temperature fluid supply device that performs a cooling process of cooling the cooling fluid and a supply process of supplying the cooled cooling fluid to the plate-type heat exchanger, The low-temperature fluid supply device detects the temperature of the plate-type heat exchanger via the temperature detector, and based on the detected temperature, is equipped with a processing unit that performs at least one of a first process of changing the cooling temperature of the cooling fluid in the cooling process and a second process of changing the supply amount of the cooling fluid in the supply process. This hydrogen gas cooling system is equipped with a processing unit.

5. The plate heat exchanger according to claim 1 or 2; a low-temperature fluid supply device that performs a cooling process of cooling the cooling fluid and a supply process of supplying the cooled cooling fluid to the plate-type heat exchanger, The low-temperature fluid supply device is a hydrogen gas cooling system that is equipped with a processing unit that detects the temperature of the plate-type heat exchanger via the temperature detector and performs temperature notification processing to notify at least one of the hydrogen gas supply source and the air supply device that supplies the hydrogen gas from the supply source to the supply target of the detected temperature.

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