Gas supply device and gas supply method

Abstract

To provide a gas supply device capable of using a gas obtained by vaporizing liquefied gas as a driving fluid for sending the liquefied gas without using a pump having a problem of a seal in a movable part or a problem of weight, and supplying the gas to a gas using part.SOLUTION: A gas supply device of the present disclosure includes a liquefied gas container that stores a liquefied gas, an injector that discharges the liquefied gas sucked from the liquefied gas container, a first liquefied gas supply path that selectively supplies the liquefied gas from the liquefied gas container to the injector, a gas supply path that selectively supplies a gas obtained by vaporizing the liquefied gas flowing from the injector to a gas utilization unit, and a driving fluid supply path that selectively supplies a gas obtained in the gas supply path to the injector as a driving fluid.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[[Technical Field]]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a gas supply device and a gas supply method. [[Background Art]]

[0002] A liquefied hydrogen fuel supply system is known, in which liquefied hydrogen stored in a liquefied hydrogen tank is sent to a vaporizer by a liquefied hydrogen pump, and the vaporized hydrogen is supplied to a hydrogen engine.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a hydrogen engine system including: a liquefied hydrogen tank that stores liquefied hydrogen at an extremely low temperature; a liquefied hydrogen pump that pressurizes the liquefied hydrogen stored in the liquefied hydrogen tank and sends the liquefied hydrogen to a vaporizer; a vaporizer that vaporizes the liquefied hydrogen sent by the liquefied hydrogen pump; and a tank that stores high-pressure hydrogen gas. For a liquefied hydrogen pump that pressurizes liquefied hydrogen, generally, a positive displacement piston pump that performs pressurization through the reciprocating motion of a piston, or a turbo pump that performs pressurization by rotating an impeller is used. [[Prior Art Literature]] [[Patent Literature]]

[0004] [[Patent Document 1]] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2024-76195 [[Summary of the Invention]] [[Problem to be Solved by the Invention]]

[0005] A positive displacement piston pump that pressurizes cryogenic liquefied hydrogen with a piston has problems such as poor durability and elasticity in cryogenic environments, for example, with respect to the piston ring that seals between the cylinder tube and the piston. In addition, since a turbo pump that performs pressurization by rotating an impeller includes a motor and an impeller, when it is mounted on a moving body, the weight of the moving body increases, which causes a problem of worsening fuel efficiency. Therefore, the purpose of this disclosure is to provide a gas supply device that can supply gas obtained by vaporizing liquefied gas to a gas utilization unit without using a pump which has issues with sealing in movable parts and weight. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The gas supply device relating to this disclosure is A liquefied gas container in which liquefied gas is stored, An injector that discharges liquefied gas drawn in from a liquefied gas container, A first liquefied gas supply path selectively flows liquefied gas from a liquefied gas container towards an injector, A gas supply path that selectively supplies gas obtained by vaporizing liquefied gas flowing in from an injector midway through its flow to a gas utilization section, The system includes a drive fluid supply path that selectively supplies the gas obtained in the gas supply path to the injector as a drive fluid.

[0007] The gas supply method relating to this disclosure is: The system extracts liquefied gas from a liquefied gas supply source by circulating the gas obtained by vaporizing the liquefied gas as a driving fluid. The extracted liquefied gas is then vaporized to obtain a gas which is used as a driving fluid and also supplied to the gas utilization section. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, a gas supply device can be provided that can supply gas obtained by vaporizing liquefied gas to a gas utilization unit without using a pump which has issues with sealing in movable parts and weight. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This figure shows a gas supply device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 2] This figure shows the gas generation and supply procedure of a gas supply device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 3]This figure shows the gas generation and supply procedure of a gas supply device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 4] This figure shows a gas supply device according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. This embodiment includes at least the first and second embodiments. <First Embodiment: See Figures 1-3> The gas supply device 1 according to this embodiment is, as an example, a gas supply device that supplies gas obtained by vaporizing liquefied gas to a gas utilization unit. With this gas supply device 1, the gas obtained by vaporizing liquefied gas can be used as a driving fluid for transporting liquefied gas and supplied to the gas utilization unit without using a pump which has problems with sealing in movable parts and weight. Examples of liquefied gases include liquefied hydrogen, liquefied natural gas (LNG), or liquefied ammonia. The gas supply device 1 supplies gas, which is a vaporized liquefied gas, to, for example, the engine of an aircraft, an unmanned aerial vehicle, or a drone, or to a fuel cell.

[0011] [Gas supply device 1: See Figure 1] As shown in Figure 1, the gas supply device 1 comprises a liquefied gas container 10 in which liquefied gas LG is stored, an injector 20 that discharges liquefied gas LG drawn in from the liquefied gas container 10, a first liquefied gas supply passage 51 that selectively flows liquefied gas LG from the liquefied gas container 10 to the injector 20, a gas supply passage that selectively supplies gas G obtained by vaporizing the liquefied gas LG flowing in from the injector 20 midway through its flow to the gas utilization section 100, a drive fluid supply passage 54 that selectively supplies gas G obtained in the gas supply passage as a drive fluid to the injector 20, and a control unit 80 that controls the operation of each component of the gas supply device 1.

[0012] Further, the gas supply path includes a gas container (40A) that stores gas G obtained by vaporizing liquefied gas LG, and a vaporization function that vaporizes the liquefied gas LG upstream of the gas container (40A). The vaporization function in the present embodiment is a vaporizer (30). The driving fluid supply path (54) is led out from the gas container (40A). Further, the gas supply path includes a second liquefied gas supply path (53) that selectively allows the liquefied gas LG to flow from the injector (20) toward the vaporizer (30), a check valve (60) provided midway in the second liquefied gas supply path (53) that prevents backflow of the liquefied gas LG, a gas flow path (56) that allows the gas G to flow from the vaporizer (30) toward the gas container (40A), and a first gas supply path (55) that selectively allows the gas G to flow from the gas container (40A) toward the gas utilization unit (100). The expression "selectively flow" means, for example, that the flow path allows fluid to flow in some cases and does not allow fluid to flow in other cases by opening and closing a valve.

[0013] For the vaporization function of vaporizing the liquefied gas LG, for example, a pipe connecting from the injector (20) to the gas container (40A) may be configured as a double pipe, the liquefied gas LG is circulated through the inner pipe, and a high-temperature heat medium may be circulated between the inner pipe and the outer pipe. Heat exchange is performed between the liquefied gas LG and the high-temperature heat medium, thereby vaporizing the liquefied gas LG. Note that as long as the pressure and supply amount of the gas G required by the gas utilization unit (100) can be achieved, the gas G may be supplied to the gas utilization unit (100) by directly connecting a double pipe having a vaporization function from the injector (20) to the gas utilization unit (100) without providing the gas container (40A).

[0014] Furthermore, the gas supply device 1 includes an overflow flow path (52) that allows the liquefied gas LG to flow from the injector (20) toward the liquefied gas container (10) when the check valve (60) is closed.

[0015] In FIG. 1 and other figures, the arrows shown between the liquefied gas container (10), the injector (20), the vaporizer (30), the gas container (40) and the gas utilization unit (100) indicate the direction in which the liquefied gas LG or the gas G circulates.

[0016] [Liquefied gas container 10: See FIG. 1] The liquefied gas container 10 stores liquefied gas LG therein. The liquefied gas container 10 is subjected to a heat insulation treatment for reducing heat input to the liquefied gas LG from the surroundings of the liquefied gas container 10 in order to maintain the liquefied gas LG in a liquid state. As an example, the liquefied gas container 10 is formed into a double tank structure including an inner tank and an outer tank, a heat insulating material is filled between the inner tank and the outer tank, and the space between the inner tank and the outer tank is evacuated, thereby achieving the heat insulation treatment. As an example, a granular heat insulating material such as perlite, which is excellent in low-temperature heat insulation, is used as the heat insulating material.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 1, the liquefied gas container 10 includes: a pressure container body 11 that stores liquefied gas LG therein; a first pressure detection unit 12 that detects the pressure of gas G inside the pressure container body 11; a filling valve 13 for switching between starting and stopping the filling of liquefied gas LG from a liquefied gas supply source (not shown) in order to fill the pressure container body 11 with liquefied gas LG from the outside; and a filling passage 14 through which the liquefied gas LG to be filled flows. Further, a liquid level detection unit (not shown) detects the storage amount of the liquefied gas LG in the pressure container body 11, and the control unit 80 acquires the detection result. The control unit 80 that has received the detection result determines whether the filling amount of the liquefied gas LG into the liquefied gas container 10 has reached the upper limit filling amount or the lower limit filling amount.

[0018] The liquefied gas LG is stored on the lower side of the pressure container body 11, and the gas G obtained by vaporization of the liquefied gas LG is stored above the liquid surface of the liquefied gas LG.

[0019] A first liquefied gas supply passage 51 and the filling passage 14 are connected to the bottom of the pressure container body 11. Further, the first pressure detection unit 12 and an overflow passage 52 are connected to the top of the pressure container body 11. A liquefied gas supply valve 71 is provided in the middle of the first liquefied gas supply passage 51. When the liquefied gas supply valve 71 is opened, communication is established between the liquefied gas container 10 and the injector 20, allowing liquefied gas LG to flow to the injector 20. In this embodiment, the liquefied gas supply valve 71 is a control valve controlled by the control unit 80. When the flow of liquefied gas LG from the liquefied gas container 10 to the injector 20 is started, the liquefied gas supply valve 71 is opened by the control unit 80. Conversely, when the flow of liquefied gas LG from the liquefied gas container 10 to the injector 20 is stopped, the liquefied gas supply valve 71 is closed by the control unit 80.

[0020] The first pressure detection unit 12 detects the pressure of the gas G inside the pressure vessel body 11. The detection result detected by the first pressure detection unit 12 is acquired by the control unit 80.

[0021] The filling valve 13 is closed except when filling the liquefied gas container 10 with liquefied gas LG. In this embodiment, the filling valve 13 is a manual valve, but it may also be a control valve controlled by the control unit 80. Liquefied gas LG is filled into the liquefied gas container 10 via the filling passage 14 from a liquefied gas supply source connected to the filling valve 13.

[0022] In this embodiment, in order to supply gas G to the gas utilization unit 100 over a long period of time, it is desirable that the liquefied gas container 10 can store a large amount of liquefied gas LG. Furthermore, the liquefied gas container 10 is kept at a low pressure. Here, low pressure refers to, for example, a gauge pressure of about 1 to 2 atmospheres.

[0023] Gas container 40A stores gas G, which is the vaporized form of liquefied gas LG, after its pressure has reached high pressure. Here, high pressure refers to, for example, a gauge pressure of about 10 atmospheres.

[0024] [Injector 20: See Figure 1] The injector 20 discharges the liquefied gas LG supplied from the liquefied gas container 10 toward the vaporizer 30. The injector 20 draws in the liquefied gas LG stored in the liquefied gas container 10 by generating a predetermined low-pressure state inside.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, the injector 20 comprises a plurality of nozzles 23A, 23B, and 23C arranged coaxially, and an injector body 21 with a plurality of nozzles provided inside.

[0026] The multiple nozzles 23A, 23B, and 23C are arranged in the order of gas nozzle 23A, mixing nozzle 23B, and transport nozzle 23C, from upstream to downstream of the flow of liquefied gas LG and gas G through the injector 20. In other words, the inlet side of the gas nozzle 23A, mixing nozzle 23B, and transport nozzle 23C is on the left side of the plane of Figure 1, and the discharge side is on the right side of the plane of Figure 1.

[0027] The multiple nozzles 23A, 23B, and 23C include a gas nozzle 23A that accelerates the flow velocity of gas G as a driving fluid supplied from a gas container 40A, a mixing nozzle 23B that mixes liquefied gas LG drawn in from a liquefied gas container 10 with gas G that has passed through the gas nozzle 23A, and a transport nozzle 23C that transports the mixture of gas G and liquefied gas LG that has passed through the mixing nozzle 23B. The mixture of gas G and liquefied gas LG is, for example, a state of liquefied gas LG in which gas G has been cooled by liquefied gas LG and liquefied again, and liquefied gas LG drawn in from the liquefied gas container 10. Alternatively, for example, it is a gas-liquid mixed state in which gas G is mixed with liquefied gas LG in a gaseous state. In this embodiment, a mode in which the mixture of gas G and liquefied gas LG flows in the state of liquefied gas LG in its individual form will be described.

[0028] The injector body 21 comprises an upstream first body 21A into which gas G is introduced, and a downstream second body 21B that mixes the introduced gas G with liquefied gas LG and discharges the mixture.

[0029] The first body 21A is provided with an introduction region 24 for introducing gas G into the gas nozzle 23A. The second body 21B is provided with a mixing region 25 for introducing liquefied gas LG into the mixing nozzle 23B, an overflow region 26 through which the liquefied gas LG discharged from the mixing nozzle 23B flows when the check valve 60 is closed, and a transport region 27 for transporting the liquefied gas LG discharged from the transport nozzle 23C toward the outlet of the injector 20.

[0030] The introduction area 24 is provided with an inlet 22 for receiving gas G as a driving fluid supplied from the gas container 40A. The mixing area 25 is provided with an inlet 25A for receiving liquefied gas LG drawn in from the liquefied gas container 10. The overflow region 26 is provided with an overflow outlet 26A that allows the liquefied gas LG, which is discharged as a mixture from the mixing nozzle 23B when the check valve 60 is closed, to flow out towards the liquefied gas container 10. The conveying area 27 is provided with an outlet 27A through which the mixture discharged from the conveying nozzle 23C is discharged.

[0031] Gas G supplied from the inlet 22 is introduced into the gas nozzle 23A via the introduction area 24. The cross-sectional area of ​​the gas nozzle 23A decreases from the inlet side to the outlet side. Gas G supplied as a driving fluid from the gas container 40A enters the inlet of the gas nozzle 23A and accelerates its flow velocity by passing through the flow path of the gas nozzle 23A, where the cross-sectional area is reduced. By accelerating the flow velocity of gas G and discharging the gas G, whose pressure has decreased due to the Venturi effect, into the mixing region 25, a predetermined low-pressure state is created in the mixing region 25. Due to the predetermined low-pressure state created in the mixing region 25, the liquefied gas LG stored in the liquefied gas container 10 is drawn into the mixing region 25. The gas G discharged from the outlet of the gas nozzle 23A is supplied to the mixing nozzle 23B.

[0032] The mixing nozzle 23B receives liquefied gas LG, which is drawn from the liquefied gas container 10 into the mixing area 25, and gas G, which has flowed through the gas nozzle 23A. The cross-sectional area of ​​the mixing nozzle 23B decreases from the inlet side to the discharge side. Gas G that has flowed through the gas nozzle 23A and liquefied gas LG drawn in from the liquefied gas container 10 are introduced from the inlet of the mixing nozzle 23B. By passing the gas G and liquefied gas LG through the flow path of the mixing nozzle 23B, whose cross-sectional area gradually decreases, the flow velocity of the mixture of gas G and liquefied gas LG is accelerated. With the flow velocity of the liquefied gas LG as a mixture accelerated, the liquefied gas LG, whose pressure has decreased due to the Venturi effect, is discharged toward the transport nozzle 23C. The liquefied gas LG at low pressure is supplied to the transport nozzle 23C. Furthermore, when the pressure inside the mixing region 25 reaches a predetermined low-pressure state, the momentum of the mixture of gas G and liquefied gas LG passing through the mixing nozzle 23B is maximized.

[0033] The transport nozzle 23C increases the pressure of the mixture discharged from the mixing nozzle 23B and discharges the liquefied gas LG into the transport area 27. The cross-sectional area of ​​the transport nozzle 23C increases from the inlet side to the discharge side. The mixture that has flowed through the mixing nozzle 23B is introduced from the inlet of the transport nozzle 23C, and the flow velocity of the liquefied gas LG is reduced by passing it through the flow path of the transport nozzle 23C, where the cross-sectional area gradually increases. With the flow velocity of the liquefied gas LG reduced, the pressure of the liquefied gas LG has increased due to the Venturi effect, and it is discharged into the transport area 27.

[0034] The liquefied gas LG discharged from the transport nozzle 23C flows through the transport area 27 and is discharged from the discharge port 27A. If the pressure of the liquefied gas LG discharged from the discharge port 27A is higher than the pressure downstream of the check valve 60, the check valve 60 opens, and the liquefied gas LG flows through the second liquefied gas supply passage 53 and is supplied to the vaporizer 30. If the pressure of the liquefied gas LG in the transport area 27 is lower than the pressure downstream of the check valve 60, the check valve 60 will not open, and the liquefied gas LG will not be supplied to the vaporizer 30. Furthermore, since the check valve 60 does not open, no fluid will flow back from the vaporizer 30 towards the injector 20. If the check valve 60 does not open and liquefied gas LG is not discharged from the transport area 27, the liquefied gas LG is discharged from the overflow outlet 26A of the overflow area 26 upstream of the transport area 27, flows through the overflow channel 52, and is sent to the liquefied gas container 10.

[0035] [Check valve 60: See Figure 1] The check valve 60 prevents fluid from flowing back from the gas container 40A to the injector 20. The check valve 60 is installed in the middle of the second liquefied gas supply passage 53. In this embodiment, it is installed at the uppermost part of the second liquefied gas supply passage 53. The check valve 60 includes a valve body 61 that moves vertically on the plane of the drawing, and the valve body 61 is provided with a closing surface 61A that contacts the outer edge of the discharge port 27A to close the discharge port 27A. The check valve 60 opens when the pressure on the primary side upstream of the check valve 60 exceeds the pressure on the secondary side downstream of the check valve 60. When the check valve 60 opens, liquefied gas LG is sent from the injector 20 to the vaporizer 30 through the second liquefied gas supply passage 53.

[0036] The pressure of the gas G stored inside the gas container 40A is, for example, about 10 atmospheres in gauge pressure. A vaporizer 30 is provided between the check valve 60 and the gas container 40A, so the pressure of the gas G in the gas container 40A reaches the check valve 60 via the vaporizer 30. In other words, in order for the check valve 60 to open, the pressure of the liquefied gas LG in the transport area 27 must exceed the pressure of the gas G in the gas container 40A. When the pressure inside the mixing region 25 of the injector 20 reaches a predetermined low-pressure state, the liquefied gas LG with maximized momentum is supplied to the transport region 27, and the pressure of the liquefied gas LG in the transport region 27 exceeds the pressure of the gas G in the gas container 40A, causing the check valve 60 to open.

[0037] [Vaporizer 30: See Figure 1] The vaporizer 30 performs a vaporization function, vaporizing the supplied liquefied gas LG to generate gas G. The generated gas G is supplied to the gas container 40A via the gas flow path 56. The vaporizer 30 is located upstream of the gas container 40A and is supplied with liquefied gas LG discharged from the injector 20. The vaporizer 30 vaporizes the supplied liquefied gas LG to obtain gas G. The vaporizer 30 is a heat exchanger that vaporizes the liquefied gas LG circulating inside it through heat exchange with a heat transfer medium. The heat transfer medium that exchanges heat with the liquefied gas LG may be a liquid such as water, or a gas such as carbon dioxide.

[0038] [Gas container 40A: See Figure 1] The gas container 40A stores the gas G supplied from the vaporizer 30 and selectively supplies the stored gas G to the gas utilization unit 100. The gas container 40A comprises a container body 41A for storing gas G and a second pressure detection unit 42 for detecting the pressure of the gas G stored in the container body 41A.

[0039] A gas passage 56 is connected to the bottom of the container body 41A. A drive fluid supply passage 54, a first gas supply passage 55, and a second pressure detection unit 42 are connected to the top of the container body 41A. A drive fluid supply valve 72 is provided in the middle of the drive fluid supply passage 54. When the drive fluid supply valve 72 is opened, communication is established between the gas container 40A and the injector 20, enabling the supply of gas G as the drive fluid to the injector 20. In this embodiment, the drive fluid supply valve 72 is a control valve controlled by the control unit 80. When the supply of gas G from the gas container 40A to the injector 20 is started, the drive fluid supply valve 72 is opened by the control unit 80. Conversely, when the supply of gas G from the gas container 40A to the injector 20 is stopped, the drive fluid supply valve 72 is closed by the control unit 80.

[0040] A gas supply valve 73 is provided in the middle of the first gas supply path 55. When the gas supply valve 73 is opened, communication is established between the gas container 40A and the gas utilization unit 100, enabling the supply of gas G to the gas utilization unit 100. In this embodiment, the gas supply valve 73 is a control valve controlled by the control unit 80. When the supply of gas G from the gas container 40A to the gas utilization unit 100 is to be started, the gas supply valve 73 is opened by the control unit 80. Conversely, when the supply of gas G from the gas container 40A to the gas utilization unit 100 is to be stopped, the gas supply valve 73 is closed by the control unit 80.

[0041] The second pressure detection unit 42 detects the pressure inside the container body 41A. Specifically, it detects the pressure of the gas G that has been vaporized from the liquefied gas LG stored in the container body 41A. The detection result detected by the second pressure detection unit 42 is acquired by the control unit 80.

[0042] [Control unit 80: See Figure 1] The control unit 80 controls the operation of each component of the gas supply device 1. The control unit 80 controls the switching of the opening and closing of each of the liquefied gas supply valve 71, the drive fluid supply valve 72, and the gas supply valve 73. It also receives the detection results from the first pressure detection unit 12 and the second pressure detection unit 42. The control unit 80 may also control the switching of the opening and closing of each valve based on the detection results from the first pressure detection unit 12 and the second pressure detection unit 42. The control unit 80 includes an output unit (not shown) that notifies the operator of the status of the gas supply device 1. For example, the output unit notifies the operator that the upper limit of the liquefied gas LG in the liquefied gas container 10 has been reached.

[0043] [Gas generation and supply procedure: See Figures 2 and 3] The following describes the gas generation and supply procedure (gas supply method) in the gas supply device 1 using Figures 2 and 3. The gas generation and supply procedure for gas G described below is performed according to instructions from the control unit 80. Before starting this procedure, the inside of the liquefied gas container 10 and injector 20 is replaced with gas G obtained, for example, by vaporizing liquefied gas LG. Alternatively, the inside of the liquefied gas container 10 and injector 20 may be in a state of medium vacuum (JIS Z 8126-1) of less than 100 Pa and above 0.1 Pa. Furthermore, it is assumed that liquefied gas LG is filled into the liquefied gas container 10 in a state of being replaced with gas G or in a state of medium vacuum, and that the vaporizer 30, gas flow path 56, and gas container 40A are filled with high-pressure gas G obtained by vaporizing liquefied gas LG, and that all valves are closed. In the drawing, the open valve state is shown as white, and the closed valve state is shown as black. Furthermore, when the closing surface 61A of the valve body 61 is away from the discharge port 27A, the check valve 60 is open, and when the closing surface 61A is in contact with the outer edge of the discharge port 27A, the check valve 60 is closed.

[0044] [Step 1 S101: See Figure 2 S101] In the first step S101, the liquefied gas supply valve 71 and the drive fluid supply valve 72 are opened. As a result, gas G as the drive fluid is supplied from the gas container 40A to the injector 20 via the drive fluid supply passage 54 and circulates inside the injector 20. In addition, liquefied gas LG stored inside the liquefied gas container 10, which serves as the liquefied gas supply source, is drawn out by the injector 20 and supplied to the injector 20 via the first liquefied gas supply passage 51. In the first step S101, the liquefied gas LG reaches the transport area 27. However, if the pressure of the liquefied gas LG in the transport area 27 is lower than the pressure inside the gas container 40A, the check valve 60 does not open, and the liquefied gas LG discharged from the mixing nozzle 23B is returned to the liquefied gas container 10 via the overflow channel 52.

[0045] The open and closed states of the valves are summarized below. Open (ON): Liquefied gas supply valve 71, drive fluid supply valve 72 Closed (OFF): Gas supply valve 73, filling valve 13

[0046] [Step 2 S102: See Figure 2 S102] The second step S102 is executed following the first step S101. In the first step S101, the liquefied gas LG circulates between the liquefied gas container 10 and the injector 20, gradually lowering the pressure inside the mixing region 25, and the pressure of the liquefied gas LG in the transport region 27 increases. When the pressure inside the mixing region 25 reaches a predetermined low pressure state, the momentum of the liquefied gas LG passing through the mixing nozzle 23B is maximized, and the pressure of the liquefied gas LG in the transport region 27 of the injector 20 exceeds the pressure inside the gas container 40A, causing the check valve 60 to open. With the check valve 60 open, the liquefied gas LG is sent from the injector 20 to the vaporizer 30. The liquefied gas LG sent from the injector 20 enters the vaporizer 30, and the vaporizer 30 vaporizes the liquefied gas LG.

[0047] In the second step S102, the gas supply valve 73 may be opened based on the detection result of the second pressure detection unit 42. For example, when the pressure of gas G detected by the second pressure detection unit 42 begins to rise, the check valve 60 opens and liquefied gas LG is supplied to the vaporizer 30, and it is determined that the vaporizer 30 has started to produce gas G, and the gas supply valve 73 is opened. Alternatively, for example, the gas supply valve 73 may be opened after the pressure of gas G detected by the second pressure detection unit 42 reaches the pressure required by the gas utilization unit 100. This supplies gas G from the gas container 40A to the gas utilization unit 100.

[0048] In the second step S102, when the check valve 60 opens and the supply of liquefied gas LG to the vaporizer 30 begins, the liquefied gas LG will no longer return to the liquefied gas container 10 via the overflow passage 52.

[0049] In the second step S102, the supply of gas G as a driving fluid from the gas container 40A to the injector 20 continues, and the supply of liquefied gas LG from the liquefied gas container 10 to the injector 20 also continues.

[0050] Furthermore, if the inside of the injector 20 is in a medium vacuum state before the procedure begins, the inside of the mixing region 25 is also in a medium vacuum state. In other words, as soon as the injector 20 starts drawing in the liquefied gas LG from the liquefied gas container 10, the momentum of the liquefied gas LG passing through the mixing nozzle 23B is maximized. As a result, as soon as the injector 20 starts drawing in the liquefied gas LG from the liquefied gas container 10, the pressure of the liquefied gas LG in the transport region 27 exceeds the pressure inside the gas container 40A, causing the check valve 60 to open and the supply of liquefied gas LG from the injector 20 to the vaporizer 30 to begin. Therefore, if the procedure is started with the inside of the injector 20 in a semi-vacuum state, in the first step S101, the liquefied gas supply valve 71 and the drive fluid supply valve 72 are opened, and the supply of liquefied gas LG from the injector 20 to the vaporizer 30 is started. Subsequently, the vaporizer 30 starts generating gas G, so the second step S102 is executed immediately after the first step S101.

[0051] The open / closed states of the valve in step S102 are summarized below. Open (ON): Liquefied gas supply valve 71, drive fluid supply valve 72, gas supply valve 73 Closed (OFF): Filling valve 13

[0052] [Step 3 S103: See Figure 3 S103] When the amount of liquefied gas LG stored in the liquefied gas container 10 falls below the minimum filling amount, the second step S102 is followed by the third step S103.

[0053] In the third step S103, if the control unit 80, which receives the detection result detected by the liquid level detection unit (not shown), determines that the liquefied gas LG stored in the liquefied gas container 10 is below the lower limit filling amount, it closes the liquefied gas supply valve 71, the drive fluid supply valve 72, and the gas supply valve 73. This stops the supply of gas G from the gas container 40A to the gas utilization unit 100 and stops the supply of liquefied gas LG to the vaporizer 30 by the injector 20.

[0054] The open / closed state of the valve in step 3, S103, is summarized below. Open (ON): None Closed (OFF): Liquefied gas supply valve 71, drive fluid supply valve 72, gas supply valve 73, filling valve 13

[0055] [Step 4 S104: See Figure 3 S104] Following the third step S103, the fourth step S104 is executed. In the fourth step S104, the filling valve 13, which is connected to a liquefied gas LG supply source (not shown), is opened by the operator, and the filling of the liquefied gas LG into the liquefied gas container 10 begins. When the amount of liquefied gas LG in the liquefied gas container 10 reaches the upper limit of the filling amount, the operator closes the filling valve 13 to stop the filling of the liquefied gas LG into the liquefied gas container 10. Whether or not the upper limit of the filling amount has been reached is determined by the control unit 80, which receives the detection result detected by a liquid level detection unit (not shown), and when the amount of liquefied gas LG filled reaches the upper limit of the filling amount, an alarm is issued from the output unit of the control unit 80.

[0056] After the liquefied gas container 10 has been filled with liquefied gas LG, the supply of gas G as a driving fluid from the gas container 40A to the injector 20 is resumed, and the supply of liquefied gas LG from the liquefied gas container 10 to the injector 20 is also resumed. When the pressure of the liquefied gas LG in the transport area 27 exceeds the internal pressure of the gas container 40A, liquefied gas LG is supplied to the vaporizer 30, and the generation of gas G is resumed. Once the supply of gas G to the gas container 40A is resumed, the supply of gas G to the gas utilization unit 100 is also resumed.

[0057] [effect] The gas supply device 1 according to this embodiment, as described above, provides the following effects. [First Effect] The gas supply device 1 includes an injector 20 that discharges liquefied gas LG drawn in from a liquefied gas container 10, and a gas supply path that selectively supplies gas G obtained by vaporizing the liquefied gas LG flowing in from the injector 20 in a vaporizer 30 to the gas utilization unit 100. The gas supply device 1 supplies gas G, which is generated by vaporizing liquefied gas LG supplied from the injector 20 in the vaporizer 30, to the gas utilization unit 100. This allows the gas obtained by vaporizing liquefied gas to be supplied to the gas utilization unit without using a pump, which has issues with sealing in movable parts and weight.

[0058] [Second Effect] The gas supply device 1 is equipped with a check valve 60 to prevent backflow of fluid to the injector 20. By providing the check valve 60 between the injector 20 and the gas container 40A, it is possible to increase the pressure of the liquefied gas LG supplied from the injector 20 until it exceeds the pressure of the gas G in the gas container 40A, while preventing the gas G from backflowing and rendering the injector 20 inoperable.

[0059] <Second Embodiment: See Figure 4> The gas supply device 2 according to this embodiment differs from the gas supply device 1 of the first embodiment in that it does not have a vaporizer 30. In the gas supply device 1 of the first embodiment, the vaporizer 30 vaporized the liquefied gas LG to obtain gas G, so the functions of the vaporizer 30 that generates gas G and the gas container 40A that stores gas G are separated. However, in the gas supply device 2 of the second embodiment, since there is no vaporizer 30, the gas container 40B is responsible for the vaporization function of the liquefied gas LG. In Figure 4, elements that are the same as in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as in Figure 1, and their descriptions are omitted. In the gas supply device 2 according to this embodiment, the gas obtained by vaporizing liquefied gas can be supplied to the gas utilization unit without using a pump which has issues with sealing in movable parts and weight.

[0060] [Gas container 40B: See Figure 4] The gas container 40B stores the liquefied gas LG supplied from the injector 20 and selectively supplies the gas G generated by vaporizing the stored liquefied gas LG to the gas utilization unit 100. The gas container 40B comprises a container body 41B for storing liquefied gas LG and gas G, and a second pressure detection unit 42 for detecting the pressure of gas G stored in the container body 41B.

[0061] The gas container 40B is equipped with a heat input section (not shown) that allows for selective heat exchange with the liquefied gas LG stored in the gas container 40B. Furthermore, the gas container 40B is insulated to reduce heat input from its surroundings in order to generate gas G only in accordance with the amount of heat input from the heat input section. For example, the gas container 40B is made into a double-tank structure with an inner tank and an outer tank, and insulation material is filled between the inner and outer tanks, and the space between the inner and outer tanks is further evacuated to achieve insulation. For example, granular insulation material such as perlite, which has excellent low-temperature insulation properties, is used as the insulation material. By reducing the influence of heat input from the surroundings through insulation treatment and then inputting heat through the heat input section, the amount of gas G generated can be arbitrarily adjusted. By arbitrarily adjusting the amount of gas G generated, the internal pressure of the gas container 40B can be arbitrarily adjusted.

[0062] The heat input section is a metal body made of, for example, copper or aluminum, and is configured to be able to contact and separate from the gas container 40B by a drive source (not shown). Copper or aluminum is used for the metal body because a metal with high thermal conductivity is required in order to increase the amount of heat input from the heat input section to the gas container 40B. Heat input begins when the metal body constituting the heat input section is brought into contact with the gas container 40B, and stops when the metal body constituting the heat input section is separated from the gas container 40B.

[0063] Alternatively, the gas container 40B may have a double-walled structure with a vacuum between the inner and outer tanks. In this case, heat may be supplied to the gas container 40B by selectively circulating gaseous carbon dioxide between the inner and outer tanks. The space between the inner and outer tanks through which gaseous carbon dioxide circulates is called the carbon dioxide flow passage. When heat input from the heat input unit is started, the flow of carbon dioxide into the carbon dioxide flow passage is started. When heat input from the heat input unit is stopped, the flow of carbon dioxide in the carbon dioxide flow passage is stopped. When heat input from the heat input unit is stopped, the gaseous carbon dioxide lingering in the middle of the carbon dioxide flow passage is cooled and solidified by the liquefied gas LG supplied to the gas container 40B. As the gaseous carbon dioxide lingering in the middle of the carbon dioxide flow passage solidifies and its volume contracts, the vacuum insulation is restored. When heat input from the heat input unit is stopped, a vacuum is created between the inner and outer tanks of the gas container 40B, thus maintaining the vacuum insulation effect.

[0064] The gas container 40B generates gas G by selectively applying heat to the heat input section, thereby vaporizing the liquefied gas LG supplied to the gas container 40B. The liquefied gas LG supplied to the gas container 40B is either vaporized upon introduction into the gas container 40B or stored at the bottom of the gas container 40B before being vaporized into gas G. The vaporized gas G is supplied to the gas utilization section 100 and the injector 20.

[0065] [effect] As described above, the gas supply device 2 according to this embodiment will still achieve the first and second effects even if the gas container 40B is assigned the functions of storing liquefied gas LG and supplying the gas G generated by vaporizing liquefied gas LG to the gas utilization unit 100, without providing a vaporizer 30. [Third Effect] By not including a vaporizer 30, the gas supply device 2 can occupy less space than the gas supply device 1.

[0066] [Note] The gas supply device related to this disclosure can be understood as follows. [Note 1] The gas supply device (1,2) relating to this disclosure is A liquefied gas container (10) in which liquefied gas (LG) is stored, An injector (20) that discharges liquefied gas (LG) drawn in from a liquefied gas container (10), A first liquefied gas supply path (51) selectively flows liquefied gas (LG) from a liquefied gas container (10) to an injector (20), A gas supply path (40A, 40B, 53, 55, 56) selectively supplies gas (G) obtained by vaporizing liquefied gas (LG) flowing in from the injector (20) midway through its flow to the gas utilization section (100), The system includes a drive fluid supply passage (54) that selectively supplies gas (G) obtained in gas supply passages (40A, 40B, 53, 55, 56) to an injector (20) as a drive fluid.

[0067] [Note 2] In Appendix 1, preferably, The gas supply lines (53, 55) are The system includes gas containers (40A, 40B) for storing gas (G) obtained by vaporizing liquefied gas (LG), The gas (G) stored in the gas containers (40A, 40B) is supplied to the gas utilization section (100).

[0068] [Note 3] In Appendix 2, preferably, The gas supply lines (53, 55) are Upstream from the gas container (40A), a vaporization function (30) is provided to vaporize the liquefied gas (LG). The gas container (40A) is The vaporization function (30) stores the gas (G) that is vaporized.

[0069] [Note 4] In Appendix 3, preferably, The vaporization function (30) is, This is a vaporizer (30) located upstream of the gas container (40A).

[0070] [Note 5] In Appendix 2, preferably, The gas supply lines (53, 55) are The gas container (40B) is equipped with a vaporization function (30) for vaporizing liquefied gas (LG).

[0071] [Note 6] In any of the appendices 1 to 5, preferably, The gas supply lines (40A, 40B, 53, 55, 56) are The injector (20) is equipped with a check valve (60) to prevent backflow of fluid.

[0072] [Note 7] In Appendix 6, preferably, The system includes an overflow channel (52) that allows liquefied gas (LG) to flow from the injector (20) to the liquefied gas container (10) when the check valve (60) is closed.

[0073] [Note 8] In any of the appendices 1 to 7, preferably, The injector (20) is It has multiple nozzles arranged coaxially, Multiple nozzles, A gas nozzle (23A) into which gas (G) is introduced as the driving fluid, A mixing nozzle (23B) into which liquefied gas (LG) drawn in from a liquefied gas container (10) and gas (G) that has passed through a gas nozzle (23A) are introduced, The system includes a conveying nozzle (23C) into which a mixture of liquefied gas (LG) and gas (G) that has passed through a mixing nozzle (23B) is introduced.

[0074] [Note 9] In any of the appendices 2 to 8, preferably, The drive fluid supply passage (54) is It is drawn from the gas container (40A, 40B).

[0075] [Note 10] The gas supply method described herein is: The liquefied gas (LG) is vaporized to produce a gas (G), which is then circulated as a driving fluid. This gas (G) is then drawn from the liquefied gas supply source (10), and the drawn liquefied gas (LG) is vaporized to produce a gas (G), which is used as a driving fluid and also supplied to the gas utilization section (100).

[0076] In addition to the above, it is possible to select or replace the configurations listed in the above embodiments, or to change them to other configurations as appropriate. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0077] 1,2 Gas supply device 10. Liquefied gas containers 11 Pressure vessel body 12 First pressure detection unit 13. Filling valve 14 Filling path 20 Injectors 21 Injector Body 21A First Body 21B Second Body 22 Inlet 23A Gas Nozzle 23B Mixing Nozzle 23C Conveyor Nozzle 24 Introduction areas 25 Mixed area 25A Inlet 26 Overflow area 26A Overflow Outlet 27 Conveying Area 27A outlet 30 Vaporizer 40A, 40B gas containers 41A, 41B Container body 42 Second pressure detection unit 51. First liquefied gas supply channel 52 Overflow channel 53 Second liquefied gas supply channel 54 Drive fluid supply channel 55. First gas supply line 56 Gas flow path 60 Check valve 61 Valve body 61A Closure surface 71 Liquefied gas supply valve 72 Drive fluid supply valve 73 Gas supply valve 80 Control Unit 100 Gas Utilization Section G Gas LG Liquefied Gas S101 Step 1 S102 Step 2 S103 Step 3 S104 Step 4

Claims

1. A liquefied gas container in which liquefied gas is stored, An injector that discharges the liquefied gas drawn in from the liquefied gas container, A first liquefied gas supply path selectively flows the liquefied gas from the liquefied gas container toward the injector, A gas supply path that selectively supplies gas obtained by vaporizing the liquefied gas flowing in from the injector midway through its flow to a gas utilization section, The system includes a drive fluid supply path that selectively supplies the gas obtained in the gas supply path to the injector as a drive fluid, The aforementioned injector is Based on the supply of the gas from the drive fluid supply passage, a suction action is generated on the liquefied gas stored in the liquefied gas container, and the suctioned liquefied gas is discharged. Gas supply device.

2. The aforementioned gas supply line is The system includes a gas container for storing the gas obtained by vaporizing the liquefied gas, The gas stored in the gas container is supplied to the gas utilization unit. The gas supply device according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned gas supply line is Upstream from the aforementioned gas container, a vaporization function is provided to vaporize the liquefied gas, The aforementioned gas container is The gas vaporized by the aforementioned vaporization function is stored in The gas supply device according to claim 2.

4. The aforementioned vaporization function is This vaporizer is located upstream of the aforementioned gas container. The gas supply device according to claim 3.

5. The aforementioned gas supply line is The gas container is equipped with a vaporization function for vaporizing the liquefied gas. The gas supply device according to claim 2.

6. The aforementioned gas supply line is The injector is equipped with a check valve to prevent backflow of fluid to the injector. A gas supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. When the check valve is closed, the injector is provided with an overflow channel that allows the liquefied gas to flow from the injector towards the liquefied gas container. The gas supply device according to claim 6.

8. The aforementioned injector is It has multiple nozzles arranged coaxially, The aforementioned multiple nozzles are A gas nozzle through which the gas, which serves as the driving fluid, is introduced, A mixing nozzle into which the liquefied gas drawn in from the liquefied gas container and the gas that has passed through the gas nozzle are introduced, The system includes a conveying nozzle into which the liquefied gas that has passed through the mixing nozzle and the mixture of the gas are introduced. A gas supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

9. The aforementioned drive fluid supply passage is The gas drawn from the aforementioned gas container, The gas supply device according to claim 3 or 5.

10. A gas supply path that selectively supplies the gas obtained by vaporizing the liquefied gas flowing in from the injector midway through the flow to the gas utilization section, and supplies the gas to the gas utilization section, By supplying the gas obtained in the gas supply path to the injector from a drive fluid supply path that selectively supplies the gas as a driving fluid to the injector, a suction action is generated in the injector toward the liquefied gas stored in the liquefied gas container, and the suctioned liquefied gas is discharged from the injector toward the gas supply path. Gas supply method.

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