Method, system and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for switching dryer tank in purifying hydrogen gas

Abstract

A dryer tank switching system for purifying hydrogen gas according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of dryer tanks, including a first dryer tank and a second dryer tank, for purifying hydrogen gas supplied through a supply line; a plurality of control valves disposed in the inlet side flow path and the outlet side flow path of each of the first dryer tank and the second dryer tank to control the flow of the hydrogen gas; a backpressure regulator disposed in the outlet side flow path of the plurality of dryer tanks to maintain the pressure of the flow path at a predetermined pressure; a monitoring unit for monitoring pressure information of the supply line and the regeneration line; and a control unit that, based on the pressure information, controls the plurality of control valves to perform pre-pressurization on the atmospheric dryer tank so that the pressure of the supply line reaches a predetermined pressure difference range with the pressure of the inlet side flow path of the atmospheric dryer tank among the plurality of dryer tanks.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a dryer tank switching method, a system, and a non-transient computer-readable recording medium for the purification of hydrogen gas. Background Technology

[0002] Generally, hydrogen gas produced through water electrolysis systems contains moisture, which adversely affects the purity and process stability of the hydrogen. Accordingly, the hydrogen gas undergoes a process to remove moisture by passing it through a dryer equipped with an adsorbent.

[0003] At this time, a system that operates two or more dryer tanks alternately is widely used to ensure a continuous supply of hydrogen. Specifically, while one dryer tank performs moisture removal, the other dryer tank performs the adsorbent regeneration process and then switches to a standby state, operating alternately at regular intervals.

[0004] However, in conventional dryer switching systems, when a dryer tank in the atmosphere (0~0.5 barg) is connected directly to a high-pressure (about 30 barg) hydrogen line and pressurized, a problem occurred in which the pressure of the entire line dropped instantaneously.

[0005] This pressure drop disrupts the pressure balance within the hydrogen purification line and stack, which can cause gas mixing problems due to the pressure difference between the oxygen and hydrogen sides.

[0006] In addition, if rapid discharge occurs during the regeneration phase after switching the dryer, problems such as line pressure instability and reduced durability due to the repeated opening and closing of the valve also occur.

[0007] To solve the above problems, there is a need for a technology that can efficiently regenerate the adsorbent while maintaining constant line pressure by stably controlling the dryer switching sequence.

[0008] The matters described in the background technology above are intended to aid in understanding the background of the invention and may include matters that are not disclosed prior art. Prior art literature

[0009] Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-2740267 (December 4, 2024) The problem to be solved

[0010] The present invention aims to solve all the problems of the aforementioned prior art.

[0011] In addition, the present invention has another objective of preventing a drop in pressure in the hydrogen line and ensuring pressure stability in the hydrogen purification process by gradually pre-pressurizing the atmospheric dryer tank during dryer switching.

[0012] In addition, another objective of the present invention is to stably perform switching between dryers by monitoring pressure information of the supply line and the regeneration line in real time and performing valve opening and closing control based on the pressure difference.

[0013] In addition, another objective of the present invention is to suppress pressure fluctuations in the discharge line and minimize pressure shock within the line by depressurizing the dryer tank immediately prior to the dryer switch and discharging residual hydrogen gas in stages.

[0014] In addition, another objective of the present invention is to improve the regeneration efficiency of the adsorbent by automatically controlling the discharge of hydrogen gas generated during the depressurization process, moisture removal, and heating.

[0015] In addition, another objective of the present invention is to implement a flexible multi-dryer control system capable of responding to changes in processing capacity by selecting a plurality of dryer tanks in a group unit to perform switching and regeneration.

[0016] However, the technical problems that this embodiment aims to solve are not limited to the technical problems described above, and other technical problems may exist. means of solving the problem

[0017] As a means to achieve the technical problem described above, a dryer tank switching system for purifying hydrogen gas according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of dryer tanks including a first dryer tank and a second dryer tank for purifying hydrogen gas supplied through a supply line; a plurality of control valves disposed in the inlet side flow path and the outlet side flow path of each of the first dryer tank and the second dryer tank to control the flow of the hydrogen gas; a backpressure regulator disposed in the outlet side flow path of the plurality of dryer tanks to maintain the pressure of the flow path at a predetermined pressure; a monitoring unit for monitoring pressure information of the supply line and the regeneration line; and a control unit that, based on the pressure information, controls the plurality of control valves to perform pre-pressurization on the atmospheric dryer tank so that the pressure of the supply line reaches a predetermined pressure difference range with the pressure of the inlet side flow path of the atmospheric dryer tank among the plurality of dryer tanks.

[0018] In addition, the monitoring unit may include a pressure sensor of the supply line, a pressure sensor of the regeneration line, and an internal pressure sensor of each of the plurality of dryer tanks.

[0019] In addition, the control unit may perform the pre-pressurization by opening the control valve positioned in the outlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank in response to the pressure difference between the pressure of the supply line and the pressure difference between the inlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank being greater than or equal to a predetermined pressure, and stop the pre-pressurization by closing the control valve positioned in the outlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank in response to the pressure difference between the pressure of the supply line and the pressure difference between the inlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank being less than a predetermined pressure.

[0020] In addition, the control unit can control the plurality of control valves to reduce the pressure of the immediately preceding operating dryer tank after switching the dryer tank, discharge hydrogen gas generated during the pressure reduction process to the outside, remove moisture remaining inside the immediately preceding operating dryer tank, and control heating to regenerate the immediately preceding operating dryer tank.

[0021] In addition, the control unit can control the control valve to discharge the hydrogen gas remaining inside the immediately preceding dryer tank in stages, thereby suppressing pressure fluctuations in the outlet side line of the immediately preceding dryer tank.

[0022] In addition, the dryer tank is a multi-dryer tank structure in which the operating dryer tank and the standby dryer tank are each composed of two or more units, and the control unit can control the plurality of control valves to select the operating dryer tank and the standby dryer tank in a group unit to perform switching and regeneration operations.

[0023] As another means for achieving the technical problem described above, a dryer tank switching method for purifying hydrogen gas according to an embodiment of the present invention may include: a step in which a plurality of control valves disposed in the inlet side flow path and the outlet side flow path of each of a plurality of dryer tanks, including a first dryer tank and a second dryer tank for purifying hydrogen gas supplied through a supply line, control the flow of the hydrogen gas; a step in which a backpressure regulator disposed in the outlet side flow path of the plurality of dryer tanks maintains the pressure of the flow path at a predetermined pressure; a step in which a monitoring unit monitors pressure information of the supply line and the regeneration line; and a step in which a control unit, based on the pressure information, controls the plurality of control valves to perform pre-pressurization on the atmospheric dryer tank so that the pressure of the supply line reaches a predetermined pressure difference range with respect to the pressure of the inlet side flow path of the atmospheric dryer tank among the plurality of dryer tanks.

[0024] As a means to achieve the technical problem described above, a method for implementing the present invention, a system, and a non-transient computer-readable recording medium for recording a computer program for executing the method are provided.

[0025] The above-described means for solving the problem are merely exemplary and should not be interpreted as intended to limit the invention. In addition to the exemplary embodiments described above, additional embodiments described in the drawings and the detailed description of the invention may exist. Effects of the invention

[0026] According to any one of the means for solving the problem of the present invention described above, by pre-pressurizing the ambient dryer tank when switching the dryer tank to minimize the pressure difference with the supply line, it is possible to prevent a drop in pressure in the hydrogen line and ensure pressure stability throughout the system.

[0027] In addition, according to the present invention, the control unit monitors the pressure difference between the supply line and the inlet side flow path of the ambient dryer tank in real time, and by opening and closing the control valve when the said pressure difference satisfies a predetermined condition, the dryer switching is performed in a pressure equilibrium state, thereby suppressing the phenomenon of gas mixing inside the stack.

[0028] In addition, according to the present invention, by depressurizing the dryer tank immediately prior to the dryer switch and gradually discharging the hydrogen gas generated during the depressurization process, it is possible to mitigate sudden pressure changes in the discharge line and minimize pressure shock within the line.

[0029] In addition, according to the present invention, moisture remaining inside the operating dryer tank immediately prior to the depressurization and discharge step is removed, and the adsorbent is regenerated according to heating control, so the desorption efficiency of the adsorbent can be improved and the regeneration time can be shortened.

[0030] In addition, according to the present invention, by switching and regenerating a plurality of dryer tanks in a group unit, it is possible to flexibly respond to fluctuations in hydrogen production volume or changes in operating conditions, and maintain the continuous operation of the entire process.

[0031] In addition, according to the present invention, since the purification mode and regeneration mode between dryers are switched through interlocking control between the control valve, backpressure regulator, and pressure sensor, stable and efficient purification operation can be achieved without user intervention.

[0032] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art from the description below. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0033] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of a dryer tank switching system for purifying hydrogen gas according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram exemplarily showing the flow of hydrogen gas in a dryer tank switching system for purifying hydrogen gas according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating, step-by-step, an exemplary method of switching a dryer tank for purifying hydrogen gas according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an overall system for controlling a dryer tank switching system for purifying hydrogen gas according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary hardware configuration of a dryer tank switching system according to Figure 1. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0034] Embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the attached drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the invention. However, the present invention may be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Furthermore, in order to clearly explain the present invention in the drawings, parts unrelated to the explanation have been omitted, and similar parts throughout the specification are denoted by similar reference numerals.

[0035] Throughout the specification, when a part is described as being "connected" to another part, this includes not only cases where they are "directly connected," but also cases where they are "electrically connected" with other components interposed between them or with other elements in between. Furthermore, when a part is described as "including" a component, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components, and it should be understood that this does not preclude the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0036] Throughout this specification, when a component is described as being located "on" another component, this includes not only cases where a component is in contact with another component, but also cases where another component exists between the two components.

[0037] In this specification, the term "part" includes a unit realized by hardware, a unit realized by software, and a unit realized using both. Additionally, one unit may be realized using two or more hardware, and two or more units may be realized by one hardware.

[0038] Some of the operations or functions described in this specification as being performed by a terminal or device may instead be performed by a server connected to said terminal or device. Likewise, some of the operations or functions described as being performed by a server may also be performed by a terminal or device connected to said server.

[0039] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings.

[0040] Configuration of the dryer tank switching system (100)

[0041] Below, we will examine the internal configuration of the dryer tank switching system (100) that performs an important function for the implementation of the present invention and the function of each component.

[0042] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of a dryer tank switching system for purifying hydrogen gas according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 1, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a dryer tank switching system (100) may include a hydrogen supply unit (1000), a first dryer tank (2100), a second dryer tank (2200), a mass flow controller (3000), a control valve (4000), a monitoring unit (5100, 5200), a filter unit (6000), a back pressure regulator (7000), a pressure regulating valve (8000), a hydrogen storage unit (9000), and a control unit (not shown).

[0044] First, a hydrogen supply unit (1000) according to one embodiment of the present invention can perform the role of introducing hydrogen gas generated from an external hydrogen production device (e.g., a water electrolysis system, etc.) into the dryer tank switching system (100) of the present invention through a supply line at a constant pressure. At this time, the hydrogen supply unit (1000) can be configured to supply hydrogen gas under a pressure condition of about 30 barg so that the subsequent process of purification and regeneration mode switching can be performed stably.

[0045] In one embodiment, the supply line may refer to a main flow path in which hydrogen gas supplied from the hydrogen supply unit (1000) flows into the dryer tank (2100, 2200), is purified, and then discharged to the hydrogen storage unit (9000) described later. That is, the supply line is a main line responsible for the purification mode of hydrogen gas, and hydrogen gas flows through either the first dryer tank (2100) or the second dryer tank (2200) depending on the operating state of the dryer tank described later.

[0046] Additionally, the hydrogen supply unit (1000) can supply hydrogen gas to a dryer tank (2100, 2200) operating in purification mode by linking with a control valve (4000) and a control unit (not shown). In this process, the mass flow controller (3000) variably controls the hydrogen flow rate supplied to the regeneration line in response to fluctuations in the hydrogen generation flow rate, thereby enabling stable maintenance of the adsorbent desorption conditions.

[0047] Next, a dryer tank (2100, 2200) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a first dryer tank (2100) and a second dryer tank (2200) for purifying hydrogen gas supplied through a supply line.

[0048] The first dryer tank (2100) and the second dryer tank (2200) can perform the function of producing high-purity dry hydrogen by removing moisture contained in hydrogen gas using an adsorbent.

[0049] Specifically, each dryer tank (2100, 2200) is provided with an adsorbent layer inside and can be configured to remove moisture from hydrogen gas by filling it with an adsorbent such as silica gel, zeolite, or activated alumina.

[0050] In one embodiment, the first dryer tank (2100) operates in a purification mode when operating as an operating dryer tank and may be configured to discharge hydrogen from which moisture has been removed by passing hydrogen gas introduced through a supply line through an adsorbent layer.

[0051] Meanwhile, the second dryer tank (2200) is an air dryer tank corresponding to the operation of the first dryer tank (2100) as an operating dryer tank, and when the adsorbent of the operating dryer tank reaches a moisture saturated state, it can be switched to a purification mode after undergoing a pre-pressurization process under the control of a control unit (not shown).

[0052] At this time, the internal pressure of the second dryer tank (2200) is adjusted to a predetermined pressure difference range (e.g., within about 0.4 to 0.6 barg) with respect to the pressure of the regeneration line by the control of the control valve (4000) and the back pressure regulator (7000), so that a sudden drop in the pressure of the supply line during switching can be prevented.

[0053] Additionally, the first dryer tank (2100) and the second dryer tank (2200) can alternately switch between an operating mode and a regeneration mode, and a control unit (not shown) can collect data on the internal pressure, temperature, flow rate, and moisture content of each tank detected by the monitoring unit (5100, 5200) in real time to control the timing of the switch between the two dryer tanks.

[0054] After the conversion is complete, the dryer tank from the previous operation is controlled to a depressurization stage to discharge residual hydrogen gas to the outside and perform a regeneration process to remove moisture remaining in the adsorbent layer.

[0055] At this time, the control unit (not shown) controls the control valve (4000) and pressure regulating valve (8000) described later in stages so that the internal pressure of the dryer tank immediately before operation is gradually reduced from a set reference pressure (e.g., about 30 barg), thereby preventing line instability caused by sudden pressure fluctuations.

[0056] And, hydrogen gas discharged during the depressurization process is discharged to the outside through a regeneration line (or discharge line), and at this time, the mass flow controller (3000) is controlled to maintain the discharge flow rate at a constant rate, thereby performing the role of mitigating pressure changes in the regeneration line.

[0057] In addition, the control unit (not shown) can suppress pressure fluctuations in the regeneration line by controlling the opening sequence of the control valve (4000) in stages so that discharge occurs sequentially according to the internal pressure of the immediately preceding operating dryer tank. A detailed explanation thereof will be provided later.

[0058] Meanwhile, during the regeneration stage of the dryer tank immediately prior to operation, the internal adsorbent layer is heated to allow the adsorbed moisture to be desorbed, and the moisture or trace amount of hydrogen generated at this time can be safely discharged to the outside through the regeneration line.

[0059] Next, the mass flow controller (3000) can be signal-connected to a control unit (not shown) as a component for precisely controlling the flow rate of hydrogen gas supplied to or discharged from a regeneration line.

[0060] In addition, the mass flow controller (3000) can maintain constant desorption conditions of the adsorbent by adjusting the flow rate in the regeneration line in real time according to fluctuations in the hydrogen generation flow rate or changes in the internal pressure of the dryer tank.

[0061] In addition, the mass flow controller (3000) can maintain a constant flow rate of hydrogen gas discharged during the depressurization or regeneration stage, thereby minimizing pressure fluctuations in the regeneration line and supporting the stable performance of the stepwise opening and closing operation of the control valve (4000) described later.

[0062] Next, a control valve (4000) according to one embodiment of the present invention may be placed in the inlet side path and the outlet side path of each of the supply line, regeneration line, and dryer tank (2100, 2200) to control the flow of hydrogen gas.

[0063] The control valve (4000) is electrically or signal-connected to a control unit (not shown) and may be configured to selectively open and close the inflow and outflow paths of hydrogen gas when switching between the purification mode and the regeneration mode between the operating dryer tank and the ambient dryer tank.

[0064] In addition, the control valve (4000) can perform a key flow path control role in the overall operation process of the system, such as the pre-pressurization step of the standby dryer tank when switching dryer tanks, the depressurization and regeneration step of the immediately preceding operating dryer tank, and the sequential discharge control step of the discharge line.

[0065] Each control valve can generally be implemented in the form of a solenoid valve for high-pressure hydrogen or a pneumatic valve, and can operate stably even in long-term operating environments by using internal corrosion-resistant materials (e.g., stainless steel or nickel alloy).

[0066] Next, a monitoring unit according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a pressure sensor (5100) and a temperature sensor (5200), and by monitoring temperature information and pressure information of the supply line and the regeneration line in real time and providing the operating status of the dryer tank (2100, 2200) to a control unit (not shown), it can support stable operation of the entire dryer tank switching system (100).

[0067] Specifically, the monitoring unit includes a pressure sensor of the supply line, a pressure sensor of the regeneration line, and an internal pressure sensor of each of the plurality of dryer tanks, and can transmit pressure information detected by each sensor to a control unit (not shown).

[0068] The control unit described later can optimize the opening and closing timing of the control valve (4000) and the pressure regulating valve (8000) described later based on this pressure information, thereby controlling the purification and regeneration process of the dryer tank (2100, 2200) to be performed stably.

[0069] Additionally, a temperature sensor (5200) is placed on the inner or outer wall of the supply line, regeneration line and dryer tank (2100, 2200) to detect changes in the temperature of the hydrogen gas and the heat of the adsorbent in each section.

[0070] In particular, by detecting temperature changes that occur during the process where the adsorbent is heated and moisture is desorbed in regeneration mode, the control unit can estimate the progress of desorption inside the adsorbent and adjust the regeneration conditions in real time.

[0071] Next, a filter unit (6000) according to one embodiment of the present invention is positioned in the inlet or outlet flow path of the first dryer tank (2100) and the second dryer tank (2200) and can perform the function of removing fine particles or impurities that can flow together with hydrogen gas.

[0072] Additionally, the filter unit (6000) may include, for example, a microporous metal filter, a ceramic filter, or a composite filter membrane, and may remove particulate matter, adsorbent dust, or condensate remaining after passing through the dryer tank (2100, 2200) so that high-purity hydrogen gas is delivered to the storage unit (9000).

[0073] Next, a back pressure regulator (7000) according to one embodiment of the present invention is placed in the outlet side flow path of a dryer tank (2100, 2200) to maintain the pressure of the flow path within a predetermined range.

[0074] Specifically, the backpressure regulator (7000) controls the hydrogen gas discharged from the operating dryer tank so that it does not fall below a certain pressure, thereby ensuring pressure stability of the entire hydrogen line and preventing pressure imbalance between the dryer tanks (2100, 2200) caused by a sudden drop in pressure.

[0075] In particular, the back pressure regulator (7000) operates in conjunction with the control valve (4000) and the pressure regulating valve (8000) described later, thereby ensuring that the pre-pressurization conditions of the standby dryer tank are stably maintained when switching the dryer tank.

[0076] That is, the back pressure regulator (7000) can gradually increase the hydrogen inflow pressure into the atmosphere dryer tank and control the pressure difference with the supply line to reach a predetermined range (e.g., within about 0.5 barg), thereby preventing a sudden drop in the supply line pressure during switching.

[0077] Through the operation of such a backpressure regulator (7000), the overall pressure balance within the system is maintained when switching the dryer tank, and the process of switching from purification mode to regeneration mode can be performed stably.

[0078] Next, in one embodiment of the present invention, a pressure regulating valve (8000) may be further provided in the regeneration line, and the pressure regulating valve (8000) is positioned along the regeneration line and can maintain the pressure of the regeneration line within a predetermined range.

[0079] The pressure regulating valve (8000) can adjust the degree of opening and closing according to a control signal from a control unit (not shown) to mitigate pressure fluctuations in the regeneration line and support the stable maintenance of the regeneration efficiency of the adsorbent.

[0080] Next, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a control unit (not shown) may be signal-connected to a mass flow controller (3000), a control valve (4000), a pressure regulating valve (8000), a back pressure regulator (7000), and a monitoring unit (5100, 5200) as a component for integrally controlling the entire operation process of a dryer tank switching system (100).

[0081] The control unit can determine the timing for switching between the purification mode and the regeneration mode of the dryer tank (2100, 2200) based on information such as pressure, temperature, flow rate, and moisture amount collected from each sensor, and transmit a control signal corresponding to this to the components described above.

[0082] Specifically, the control unit can perform pre-pressurization by controlling the control valve (4000) of the corresponding dryer tank so that the pressure of the supply line reaches a predetermined pressure difference range with the pressure at the inlet side of the ambient dryer tank, by referring to the detected values ​​of the supply line pressure, regeneration line pressure, and internal pressure of each dryer tank detected by the pressure sensor (5100).

[0083] Through this, even when the atmospheric dryer tank is pressurized from a low pressure of 0.5 barg to about 30 barg, the pressure balance of the entire supply line and regeneration line is maintained, preventing a sudden drop in line pressure. Therefore, the phenomenon of a temporary decrease in pressure in the hydrogen regeneration line during the switching of the dryer tank can be suppressed, and pressure stability of the entire hydrogen gas purification line can be secured.

[0084] Meanwhile, the control unit can prevent a sudden drop in pressure in the hydrogen line by controlling the dryer tank so as not to switch when the pressure in the supply line is below a set reference pressure.

[0085] In addition, the control unit monitors changes in internal pressure information of the immediately preceding operating dryer tank after switching to the dryer tank, and by controlling the control valve (4000) and the pressure regulating valve (8000) to open and close in stages during the pressure reduction stage so that discharge occurs sequentially, pressure fluctuations in the regeneration line can be suppressed. At this time, the mass flow rate controller (3000) can maintain a constant discharge flow rate according to the signal of the control unit, thereby supporting the stable maintenance of the adsorbent desorption conditions.

[0086] Next, the hydrogen storage unit (9000) can store hydrogen gas that has been purified and discharged through the first dryer tank (2100) and the second dryer tank (2200).

[0087] The hydrogen storage unit (9000) can stably store high-purity hydrogen gas from which moisture has been removed after passing through the dryer tanks (2100, 2200), and can be implemented in various forms such as a high-pressure storage vessel, a metal hydride storage body, and a liquid hydrogen storage device. Among these, the high-pressure storage vessel can be made of a material with secured pressure resistance and durability so as to safely store hydrogen at a pressure of about 30 barg or more.

[0088] Additionally, the hydrogen storage unit (9000) can be configured to stably supply the stored hydrogen gas to a subsequent process (e.g., an industrial gas supply network).

[0089] Furthermore, the hydrogen storage unit (9000) is connected to a control unit for communication, so that the storage pressure, storage capacity, and temperature can be monitored. Through this, the hydrogen storage status can be checked in real time, and maintenance work, such as replacing the storage container, additional charging, or safe discharge, can be performed at an appropriate time.

[0090] FIG. 2 is a diagram exemplarily showing the flow of hydrogen gas in a dryer tank switching system for purifying hydrogen gas according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0091] Referring to FIG. 2, hydrogen gas supplied at a pressure of about 30 barg from the hydrogen supply unit (1000) is first introduced into an operating dryer tank (e.g., a first dryer tank (2100)), and after moisture is removed while passing through an internal adsorbent layer, it can be discharged to a hydrogen storage unit (9000) via a filter unit (6000) and a back pressure regulator (7000).

[0092] At this time, the air dryer tank (e.g., the second dryer tank (2200)) operates in a regeneration mode, and a certain flow rate of hydrogen gas that has passed through the mass flow controller (3000) is supplied through the regeneration line to desorb moisture adsorbed on the internal adsorbent, and the desorbed moisture can be discharged to the outside along the discharge path.

[0093] In this way, when the first dryer tank (2100) operates in purification mode as an operating dryer tank, the hydrogen gas supplied from the hydrogen supply unit (1000) passes through the first dryer tank (2100) to remove moisture, and the purified hydrogen gas can be transferred to the hydrogen storage unit (9000) while maintaining a constant pressure through the backpressure regulator (7000).

[0094] In this process, a portion of the purified hydrogen gas is diverted and passes through a mass flow controller (3000) and is supplied into the interior of a second dryer tank (2200) along a regeneration line to be used for the regeneration of the adsorbent.

[0095] That is, the operating dryer tank (first dryer tank) can operate in purification mode, and the standby dryer tank (second dryer tank) can operate in regeneration mode.

[0096] Meanwhile, the control unit (not shown) can receive in real time the pressure of the supply line, the inlet side flow path pressure or outlet side flow path pressure of the operating dryer tank (e.g., the first dryer tank (2100)), and the inlet side flow path pressure or outlet side flow path pressure of the atmosphere dryer tank (e.g., the second dryer tank (2200)) through the monitoring unit (5100).

[0097] Additionally, the control unit can open the control valve (4000) connected to the outlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank (second dryer tank) in stages when the difference between the pressure of the supply line and the pressure of the inlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank is greater than a predetermined pressure (e.g., 29.4 to 29.6 barg or more).

[0098] This prevents a sudden pressure drop in the supply line during switching and maintains pressure stability in the hydrogen purification line.

[0099] And, when the internal pressure of the atmospheric dryer tank rises and the difference between the pressure of the supply line and the pressure of the flow path on the inlet side of the atmospheric dryer tank decreases to below a preset threshold, the control unit can stop the pre-pressurization by controlling the control valve (4000) placed on the outlet side flow path of the atmospheric dryer tank to close.

[0100] In one embodiment, the control valve (4000) that opens or closes may be controlled based on pressure information detected by a pressure sensor (5100) placed between the hydrogen supply unit (1000) and the operating dryer tank (2100) (i.e., pressure of the supply line) and a pressure sensor (5100) placed between the mass flow controller (3000) and the backpressure regulator (8000) (i.e., pressure of the flow path on the side of the atmospheric dryer tank inlet).

[0101] This prevents pressure imbalance or backflow within the line caused by excessive pressurization.

[0102] That is, by repeatedly opening and closing the control valve (4000), the new operating dryer tank is instantaneously raised to a high-pressure state, thereby mitigating in advance the pressure drop that may occur immediately after switching.

[0103] Afterwards, when the internal pressure of the air dryer tank (second dryer tank) rises sufficiently and the pressure difference with the pressure of the supply line reaches a reference range, the control unit can switch the purification flow path to the second dryer tank (2200).

[0104] Accordingly, the second dryer tank operates as a new operating dryer tank, and the first dryer tank can enter the depressurization phase as the previous operating dryer tank.

[0105] In the depressurization stage, the control unit controls the control valve (4000) in stages to discharge residual hydrogen gas remaining inside the previous operating dryer tank in stages, and the mass flow controller (3000) maintains the discharge flow rate at a constant level, thereby minimizing pressure fluctuations in the regeneration line corresponding to the outlet side line of the previous operating dryer tank.

[0106] In this process, desorption proceeds stably in the adsorbent layer of the immediately preceding dryer tank (first dryer tank), and regeneration efficiency can be improved.

[0107] At this time, when the discharge of hydrogen gas is completed, the immediate operating dryer tank (first dryer tank) can be set back to an atmospheric dryer tank by completely removing the desorbed moisture through the internal adsorbent being heated, and by completing the regeneration of the immediate operating dryer tank through cooling and pressure equilibration steps.

[0108] This series of switching, depressurization, and regeneration processes is performed by integrated control of the control unit and can be controlled in real time according to the pressure status of the supply line and the internal conditions of each dryer tank.

[0109] Also, the thick solid line in Fig. 2 represents the flow path of hydrogen gas activated in purification mode, and the thick dotted line represents the flow path of hydrogen gas activated in regeneration mode.

[0110] That is, the thick solid line indicates a flow in which hydrogen gas supplied from the hydrogen supply unit (1000) passes through a tank operating in purification mode among the operating dryer tanks (2100, 2200) to remove moisture, and the purified hydrogen gas passes through a back pressure regulator (7000) and is discharged to the hydrogen storage unit (9000).

[0111] On the other hand, the thick dotted line indicates a flow in which a portion of the hydrogen discharged in purification mode passes through a mass flow controller (3000) and is supplied to a regeneration line, flows into another dryer tank operating in regeneration mode, is used for the regeneration of the adsorbent, and then is discharged to the outside.

[0112] Meanwhile, the control unit can control the internal pressure of the atmospheric dryer tank to increase in stages by repeatedly controlling the control valve placed in the outlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank to open when the pressure difference between the supply line and the pressure difference between the supply line and the inlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank is greater than a predetermined pressure, and to close the control valve placed in the outlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank when the pressure difference between the supply line and the inlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank is less than a predetermined pressure.

[0113] Accordingly, the internal pressure of the air dryer tank can be gradually increased in a stepwise manner according to the repeated control of the control unit, and through this stepwise pressurization control, pressure fluctuations in the supply line and regeneration line are mitigated, and pressure drop in the hydrogen regeneration line during the dryer tank switching process is suppressed, thereby improving the pressure stability of the entire dryer tank switching system (100).

[0114] Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the dryer tanks (2100, 2200) may each be a multi-dryer tank structure composed of two or more units.

[0115] The control unit can classify a plurality of dryer tanks (2100, 2200) into groups and control switching and regeneration.

[0116] For example, the first group can be set as the operating dryer group and the second group as the standby dryer group, and switching can be performed on a group basis at regular intervals.

[0117] This multi-dryer group control structure enables stable operation even under high pressure conditions and can provide the advantage of flexibly expanding the hydrogen purification processing capacity of the dryer tank switching system (100).

[0118] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating, step-by-step, an exemplary method of switching a dryer tank for purifying hydrogen gas according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0119] Referring to FIG. 3, a plurality of control valves (4000) disposed in the inlet side flow path and the outlet side flow path of each of a plurality of dryer tanks, including a first dryer tank (2100) and a second dryer tank (2200) for purifying hydrogen gas supplied through a supply line, can control the flow of hydrogen gas (S100).

[0120] Next, a back pressure regulator (7000) disposed in the outlet side flow path of a plurality of dryer tanks (2100, 2200) can maintain the pressure of the outlet side flow path at a predetermined pressure (S200).

[0121] Next, the monitoring unit can monitor pressure information of the supply line and the regeneration line (e.g., pressure of the inlet side flow path of the atmospheric dryer tank) (S300).

[0122] Next, based on pressure information, the control unit can control a plurality of control valves (4000) so that the pressure of the supply line reaches a predetermined pressure difference range with the pressure of the inlet side flow path of the atmospheric dryer tank among the plurality of dryer tanks (2100, 2200), thereby performing pre-pressurization on the atmospheric dryer tank (S400).

[0123] Although the steps of S100, S200, S300, and S400 described above are listed in a specific order for convenience of explanation, the technical concept of the present invention is not limited thereto, and each step may be performed in parallel or with the order of some steps changed depending on the actual implementation environment.

[0124] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an overall system for controlling a dryer tank switching system for purifying hydrogen gas according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0125] Referring to FIG. 4, the entire system according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a dryer tank switching system (100), a device (200), and a network (300).

[0126] First, the dryer tank switching system (100) can perform the function of purifying hydrogen gas by alternately operating and regenerating a plurality of dryer tanks (2100, 2200) as described above.

[0127] In addition, the dryer tank switching system (100) can variably adjust the regeneration pressure and desorption speed of the adsorbent according to operating conditions by precisely controlling the flow rate of hydrogen supplied to the regeneration line through the mass flow controller (3000). Through this, unnecessary opening and closing of the control valve (4000) is reduced, the valve life is extended, and stable dryer switching and regeneration operation can be continuously performed even in a high-pressure environment.

[0128] Next, the device (200) may refer to a user terminal for monitoring the operating status, sensor data, and control history of the dryer tank switching system (100) in real time or for transmitting control commands.

[0129] Here, the device (200) includes a smartphone, tablet, smart watch, smart band, smart glasses, desktop computer, laptop computer, workstation, PDA, web pad, etc. Any digital device equipped with memory means and equipped with a microprocessor to have computational capabilities can be adopted as the device (200) according to the present invention. Such a device (200) may include an input means for inputting information (e.g., keyboard, etc.), a display means for displaying information (e.g., LCD, LED), etc.

[0130] The user may also check information such as the operating mode (purification / regeneration), pressure change, temperature profile, and adsorbent regeneration status of each dryer tank (2100, 2200) in real time through a dedicated monitoring application built into the device (200) or a web-based dashboard.

[0131] Additionally, the device (200) is configured to enable bidirectional communication with a control unit (not shown), allowing the user to perform control commands as needed, such as manually opening and closing the control valve (4000), adjusting the regeneration cycle, and changing the flow rate setting of the mass flow controller (3000). Through this, the user can immediately adjust operating conditions in a local environment or remotely check the status of the dryer tank switching system (100) and perform maintenance via the network (300) described later.

[0132] Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the device (200) may further include an application program for performing functions according to the present invention. Such an application may exist in the form of a program module within a server (not shown) or the device (200). Here, at least a part of the application may be replaced, as needed, with a hardware device or firmware device capable of performing substantially the same or equivalent functions.

[0133] Next, a network (300) according to one embodiment of the present invention may be configured regardless of the mode of communication, such as wired communication or wireless communication, and may be configured as various communication networks such as a Local Area Network (LAN), a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), or a Wide Area Network (WAN). Preferably, the network (300) referred to in this specification may be the known Internet or the World Wide Web (WWW). However, the network (300) may include at least a known wired / wireless data communication network, a known telephone network, or a known wired / wireless television communication network, without being limited thereto.

[0134] For example, the network (300) may be a wireless data communication network and may implement conventional communication methods such as WiFi communication, WiFi-Direct communication, Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication, 5G communication, Bluetooth communication (including Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication), infrared communication, ultrasonic communication, etc., in at least a part thereof.

[0135] In addition, the dryer tank switching system (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention may be directly coupled to an individual water electrolysis facility or hydrogen purification equipment as a standalone device, or may be linked with a central integrated control system within a large-scale hydrogen production plant to operate as part of overall process control and energy efficiency optimization.

[0136] Meanwhile, FIG. 5 is a diagram exemplarily showing some hardware configurations of a dryer tank switching system (100) according to FIG. 1.

[0137] Referring to FIG. 5, the dryer tank switching system (100) may include at least one processor (110) and a memory that stores instructions that instruct the at least one processor (110) to perform at least one operation.

[0138] The above at least one operation may include components (1000, 2100, 2200, 3000, 4000, 5100, 5200, 6000, 7000, 8000, and 9000) of the aforementioned dryer tank switching system (100) or other functions or methods of operation.

[0139] Here, at least one processor (110) may mean a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or a dedicated processor on which methods according to embodiments of the present invention are performed. Each of the memory (120) and the storage device (160) may be composed of at least one of a volatile storage medium and a non-volatile storage medium.

[0140] For example, the memory (120) may be one of read-only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM), and the storage device (160) may be flash memory, hard disk drive (HDD), solid-state drive (SSD), or various memory cards (e.g., micro SD card).

[0141] Additionally, the dryer tank switching system (100) may include a transceiver (130) that performs communication via a wireless network. Additionally, the dryer tank switching system (100) may further include an input interface device (140), an output interface device (150), a storage device (160), etc. Each component included in the dryer tank switching system (100) may be connected by a bus (170) to communicate with each other.

[0142] Examples of the dryer tank switching system (100) may include a communicable desktop computer, laptop computer, notebook, smartphone, tablet PC, mobile phone, smart watch, smart glass, e-book reader, PMP (portable multimedia player), portable game console, navigation device, digital camera, DMB (digital multimedia broadcasting) player, digital audio recorder, digital audio player, digital video recorder, digital video player, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), etc.

[0143] The embodiments according to the present invention described above may be implemented in the form of program instructions that can be executed through various computer components and recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc., either individually or in combination. The program instructions recorded on the computer-readable recording medium may be those specifically designed and configured for the present invention or those known and available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; optical recording media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs; magneto-optical media such as floptical disks; and hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program instructions, such as ROM, RAM, and flash memory. Examples of program instructions include machine code, such as that generated by a compiler, as well as high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter, etc. Hardware devices may be modified into one or more software modules to perform processing according to the present invention, and vice versa.

[0144] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to specific details such as specific components, limited embodiments, and drawings, this is provided only to aid in a more comprehensive understanding of the invention, and the invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and a person skilled in the art to which the invention belongs can make various modifications and changes from this description.

[0145] Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the embodiments described above, and all scopes equivalent to or equivalently modified from the claims set forth below, as well as the claims set forth below, shall be considered to fall within the scope of the concept of the present invention. Explanation of the symbols

[0146] 100: Dryer tank switching system 200: Device 300: Network 1000: Hydrogen supply unit 2100: 1st Dryer Tank 2200: 2nd Dryer Tank 3000: Mass flow controller 4000: Control valve 5100: Pressure sensor 5200: Temperature sensor 6000: Filter section 7000: Backpressure regulator 8000: Pressure regulating valve 9000: Hydrogen storage unit

Claims

Claim 1 A dryer tank switching system for purifying hydrogen gas comprises: a plurality of dryer tanks including a first dryer tank and a second dryer tank for purifying hydrogen gas supplied through a supply line; a plurality of control valves disposed in the inlet side flow path and the outlet side flow path of each of the first dryer tank and the second dryer tank to control the flow of the hydrogen gas; a backpressure regulator disposed in the outlet side flow path of the plurality of dryer tanks to maintain the pressure of the flow path at a predetermined pressure; a monitoring unit for monitoring pressure information of the supply line and the regeneration line; and a control unit that, based on the pressure information, controls the plurality of control valves to perform pre-pressurization on the atmospheric dryer tank so that the pressure of the supply line reaches a predetermined pressure difference range with respect to the pressure of the inlet side flow path of the atmospheric dryer tank among the plurality of dryer tanks, wherein the control unit causes the control valve disposed in the outlet side flow path of the atmospheric dryer tank to open in response to the pressure difference between the pressure of the supply line and the pressure of the inlet side flow path of the atmospheric dryer tank being greater than or equal to a predetermined pressure, thereby performing the pre-pressurization, and the pressure of the supply line and the atmospheric A system for stopping the pre-pressurization by closing the control valve positioned in the outlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank in response to the pressure difference of the inlet side path of the dryer tank being less than a predetermined pressure, and the control unit repeatedly controls the internal pressure of the atmospheric dryer tank to rise in stages by opening the control valve positioned in the outlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank in response to the pressure difference between the pressure of the supply line and the pressure difference of the inlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank being greater than or equal to a predetermined pressure, and closing the control valve positioned in the outlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank in response to the pressure difference between the pressure of the supply line and the pressure difference of the inlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank being less than a predetermined pressure. Claim 2 In claim 1, the monitoring unit comprises a pressure sensor of the supply line, a pressure sensor of the regeneration line, and an internal pressure sensor of each of the plurality of dryer tanks. Claim 3 delete Claim 4 In paragraph 2, the control unit controls the plurality of control valves to reduce the pressure of the immediately preceding operating dryer tank after switching the dryer tank, discharges hydrogen gas generated during the pressure reduction process to the outside, removes moisture remaining inside the immediately preceding operating dryer tank, and controls heating to regenerate the immediately preceding operating dryer tank. Claim 5 In paragraph 4, the control unit controls the control valve to discharge the hydrogen gas remaining inside the immediately preceding dryer tank in stages, thereby suppressing pressure fluctuations in the outlet side line of the immediately preceding dryer tank. Claim 6 In claim 5, the dryer tank is a multi-dryer tank structure in which the operating dryer tank and the standby dryer tank are each composed of two or more units, and the control unit is a system that controls the plurality of control valves to select the operating dryer tank and the standby dryer tank in a group unit to perform switching and regeneration operations. Claim 7 A method for switching dryer tanks for purifying hydrogen gas comprises: a step in which a plurality of control valves disposed in the inlet side path and the outlet side path of each of a plurality of dryer tanks, including a first dryer tank and a second dryer tank for purifying hydrogen gas supplied through a supply line, control the flow of the hydrogen gas; a step in which a backpressure regulator disposed in the outlet side path of the plurality of dryer tanks maintains the pressure of the path at a predetermined pressure; a step in which a monitoring unit monitors pressure information of the supply line and the regeneration line; and a step in which a control unit, based on the pressure information, controls the plurality of control valves to perform pre-pressurization on the atmospheric dryer tank such that the pressure of the supply line reaches a predetermined pressure difference range with respect to the pressure of the inlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank among the plurality of dryer tanks; wherein, in the step of performing pre-pressurization, the pre-pressurization is performed by opening the control valve disposed in the outlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank in response to the pressure difference between the pressure of the supply line and the pressure of the inlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank being greater than or equal to a predetermined pressure, and the pressure of the supply line and the atmospheric The pre-pressurization is stopped by closing the control valve disposed in the outlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank in response to the pressure difference in the inlet side path of the dryer tank being less than a predetermined pressure, and in the step of performing the pre-pressurization, the control valve disposed in the outlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank is opened in response to the pressure difference between the pressure of the supply line and the pressure difference in the inlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank being greater than or equal to a predetermined pressure, and the control valve disposed in the outlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank is closed in response to the pressure difference between the pressure of the supply line and the pressure difference in the inlet side path of the atmospheric dryer tank being less than a predetermined pressure by repeatedly controlling,A method for controlling the internal pressure of the above-mentioned atmospheric dryer tank to increase in stages. Claim 8 A non-transient computer-readable recording medium on which a computer program for executing the method according to paragraph 7 is recorded.

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