A multipurpose integrated passive system for converting green energy

A multipurpose passive system using renewable energy sources generates hydrogen and oxygen efficiently and safely, addressing energy needs in remote areas with a sustainable and eco-friendly solution, eliminating the need for fossil fuels and active components.

WO2025163609A1PCT designated stage Publication Date: 2025-08-07ZEST CLEAN POWER PTE LTD
View PDF 1 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Application Number
PCT/IB2025/051136
Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2024-02-04
Filing Date
2025-02-03
Publication Date
2025-08-07

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing systems for generating clean energy, particularly in remote areas, are bulky, complex, costly, and require frequent maintenance, lacking a sustainable, cost-effective, and eco-friendly solution for energy needs such as cooking and heating, and there is a need for a passive system that produces ultra-pure green oxygen for medical use.

Method used

A multipurpose integrated passive system utilizing renewable energy sources like solar and wind to generate electricity, split water into hydrogen and oxygen using a water electrolyser, store these gases separately, and manage energy and water supply with a smart controller for safety and efficiency, eliminating the need for fossil fuels and active components.

Benefits of technology

The system provides a cost-effective, reliable, and sustainable solution for generating green hydrogen and oxygen, suitable for remote areas, addressing energy and environmental concerns while ensuring safety and efficiency in energy utilization.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure IB2025051136_07082025_PF_FP_ABST
    Figure IB2025051136_07082025_PF_FP_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The present invention provides a multipurpose integrated passive system (20) for converting green energy comprising a renewable energy conversion module (1) to generate electricity, a water and gas management module (3) to supply water to the water electrolyser (4), a water electrolyser (4) connected with one or more potassium hydroxide (KOH) tank (4a, 4b), is configured to split water into hydrogen gas and oxygen gas and said gases are separately directed into the storage assembly (5). The storage assembly (5) include a plurality of gas storage tanks (5a, 5b) for separately storing the gases and a plurality of valves for controlling the flow of said gases, a burner assembly (6) include a hydrogen burner (7), wherein the hydrogen gas from the gas storage tank (5a) is delivered to the hydrogen burner (7), and a controller (2) configured to ensures to safety and efficiency of the multipurpose integrated passive system (20).
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

[0001]“A MULTIPURPOSE INTEGRATED PASSIVE SYSTEM FOR CONVERTING GREEN ENERGY” FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of renewable energy generation. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multipurpose integrated passive system for converting green energy (including hydrogen and oxygen) that possesses applications in lighting, cooking and space heating and is ideal for remote areas. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Around one-third of the global population cook using open fires or inefficient stoves fuelled by kerosene, biomass and coal. Such type of cooking practice causes harmful household air pollution. According to the world health organization, household air pollution caused the death of 3.2 million deaths in 2020, including over 2, 37,000 deaths of children under the age of five. The combined ambient and household air pollution effects are associated with 6.7 million premature deaths annually. Household air pollution exposure leads to non-communicable diseases, including stroke, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. Women and children, typically responsible for household chores such as cooking and collecting firewood, bear the most significant health burden from using polluting fuels and technologies in homes. It is essential to expand the use of clean fuels and technologies to reduce household air pollution and protect health. Modern cooking fuels, such as biogas, liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas, alcohol fuels and biomass stoves are used, and however, they cause emissions causing indoor air pollution. Around 91% of the urban Indian population has access to modern cooking fuel. On the other hand, only 53% of the rural Indian population has access to modern cooking fuel. More than 80% of people in Sub Saharan Africa use charcoal, kerosene or firewood for cooking whereas, there are also several people staying at extreme cold climate which are remotely located, and they use harmful fuel for space heating. Further, there are burners that employ hydrogen as fuel. However, in these conventional burners, hydrogen is blended in different percentage with the other fossil fuels and burnt to convert it into thermal energy. US8697027B2 discloses a method for generating power by utilizing a metal hydride slurry and hydrogen peroxide to produce hydrogen and oxygen. This method enhances energy density and efficiency, making it suitable for applications in non-air breathing environments. The process includes multiple reactions that generate electricity and steam, with the potential for recycling by products, thus offering a self-contained power generation system. However, this invention has a bulky setup and is complex to use. Further, in real world scenarios it is impractical to setup this bulky system, which also increase the overall cost and requires frequent maintenance. The state of the art discloses the systems that lack a sustainable, cost-effective, environment friendly system that alleviates the problem of fulfilling the energy needs of society such as clean fuel for cooking, eco-friendly and user-friendly heating appliances to mitigate cold climate and so on. Therefore, there is a need to develop a passive, sustainable, user-friendly, renewable fuel based solution to meet the energy needs of people in a cost-effective and eco-friendly manner and is ideal for remote areas where traditional energy infrastructure is unavailable. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The main object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose integrated passive system for converting green energy. Another object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose integrated passive system that is ideal for remote areas. Another object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose integrated passive system for converting green energy that is easy to adopt and free from the use of fossil fuel. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose integrated passive system for converting green energy that operates at a wide range of temperatures. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose integrated passive system for converting green energy that is sustainable and renewable energy based, and provides clean fuel for cooking and space heating. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose integrated passive system that is beneficial for several people lining at the remote locations around the globe. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a passive solution that produce ultra-pure green oxygen onsite which is used for medical purpose. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose integrated passive system that operates entirely passively, eliminating the need for several components in the system, which not only reduces costs but also enhances system reliability by removing active components Still another object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose integrated passive system for converting green energy that converts fuel into thermal energy by taking ambient air as a source of oxygen. . SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a multipurpose integrated passive system for converting in situ green hydrogen and green oxygen using renewable energy sources such as solar energy, wind energy. Also, the multipurpose integrated passive system that is ideal for remote areas where traditional energy infrastructure is unavailable. In an embodiment, the present invention provides a multipurpose integrated passive system for converting green energy comprising at least one renewable energy conversion module , at least one controller, at least one water and gas management module, at least one water electrolyser, at least one storage assembly and at least one burner assembly. The renewable energy conversion module is configured to generate electricity and supply the electricity in an electrochemical energy storage unit for storage purpose and for supporting a continuous operation. The electrochemical storage system (e.g. battery) to cater the electrical need except the electrolyser in absence of renewable energy sources and the chemical storage (e.g. in the form of hydrogen) to cater the thermal energy requirements. The oxygen available as a byproduct in the process is aimed to store for medical purpose. Further, the water and gas management module is configured to supply water to the water electrolyser for ensuring the continuous operation. Further, the water electrolyser is connected with at least one pair of potassium hydroxide tank, and water electrolyser is configured to split a pre-defined volume of water into a pre-defined amount of hydrogen gas and oxygen gas and the gases are separately directed into a storage assembly. Further, the storage assembly include a plurality of gas storage tanks for separately storing the gases and a plurality of valves for controlling the flow of said gases. Further, the burner assembly include a hydrogen burner, wherein the hydrogen gas from the storage tank is delivered to the burner assembly, via a plurality of valves. Furthermore, the controller is a smart controller that is configured to optimize the energy utilization, monitors a set of system parameters and ensures the safety and efficiency of the multipurpose integrated system. The above objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the hereinafter set forth brief description of the drawings, detailed description of the invention, and claims appended herewith. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING An understanding of the multipurpose integrated passive system for converting green energy of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the following figures: Figure 1 is a block diagram of the multipurpose integrated passive system for converting green energy, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is another block diagram of the multipurpose integrated passive system for converting green energy, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the multipurpose integrated passive system for converting green energy, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is another schematic diagram of the multipurpose integrated passive system for converting green energy, according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a flow diagram of working of the multipurpose integrated passive system for converting green energy, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 is a graphical representation of performance of the solar panels is presented for a typical day and over a 30-day period, according to the present invention. Figure 7 is a graphical representation of performance of the water electrolyser for both a typical day and a 30-day period, according to the present invention. Figure 8 is a graphical representation of performance of the water electrolyser for both a typical day and a 30-day period, according to the present invention. Figure 9 is a graphical representation of the daily hydrogen production by the present invention, according to the present invention. Figure 10 is a graphical representation of daily water requirement for the present invention on a typical day, according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention will now be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein. Rather, the embodiment is provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The present invention now will be described hereinafter with reference to the detailed description, in which some, but not all embodiments of the invention are indicated. Indeed, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and shouldnot be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. The present invention is described fully herein with non- limiting embodiments and exemplary experimentation. The terms “multipurpose integrated passive system” and “system” are replaceable and refers to the multipurpose integrated system for converting green energy of the present invention. The present invention relates to a multipurpose integrated passive system for producing in situ Hydrogen and Oxygen by using renewable energy sources such as solar energy, wind energy while ensuring minimal environmental impact and reduced dependency on non- renewable sources such as fossil fuels and the present invention is ideal for remote areas. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a multipurpose integrated passive system for converting green energy, comprising at least one renewable energy conversion module , at least one controller, at least one water and gas management module, at least one water electrolyser, at least one storage assembly and at least one burner assembly. The renewable energy conversion module is configured to generate electricity and supply the electricity in an electrochemical energy storage unit for supporting a continuous supply of electricity to the appliances in the absence of the renewable energy. Further, the water and gas management module is configured to supply water to the water electrolyser for ensuring the continuous operation. The electrochemical storage system (e.g. battery) to cater the electrical need except the electrolyser in absence of renewable energy sources and the chemical storage (e.g. in the form of hydrogen) to cater the thermal energy requirements. The oxygen available as a by- product in the process is aimed to store for medical purpose. Further, the water electrolyser is connected with at least one pair of potassium hydroxide tank, and water electrolyser is configured to split a pre-defined volume of water into a pre-defined amount of hydrogen gas and oxygen gas and the gases are separately directed into a storage assembly. Further, the storage assembly include a plurality of gas storage tanks for separately storing the gases and a plurality of valves for controlling the flow of said gases. Further, the burner assembly include a hydrogen burner, wherein the hydrogen gas from the storage tank is delivered to the burner assembly, via a plurality of valves. Furthermore, the controller is a smart controller that is configured to optimize the energy utilization, monitor a set of system parameters and ensures the safety and efficiency of the multipurpose integrated system. Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2, a block diagram and schematic diagram of the multipurpose integrated passive system for converting green energy, according to an embodiment of the present invention are depicted. The multipurpose integrated passive system (20) comprises at least one renewable energy conversion module (1), at least one controller (2), at least one water and gas management module (3), at least one water electrolyser (4), at least one storage assembly (5) and at least one burner assembly (6). Further, all the units or modules of the multipurpose integrated system (20) (as depicted in Figure 2) are interconnected with each other via pipe assembly or any other known means for transferring energy. Furthermore, the system (20) include any such numbers of the units, as required to implement one or more features of the present invention. The renewable energy conversion module (1) is configured to generate electricity and supply the electricity in an electrochemical energy storage unit (8) for storage purpose thereby supporting a continuous operation of electrical appliances except the electrolyser. In an implementation, the renewable energy conversion module (1) includes at least one renewable energy source such as one or more wind energy converters, one or more hydropower modules, and one or more photovoltaic panels (1a). In an implementation, the electrochemical energy storage unit (8) include but not limited to accumulator, battery such as rechargeable battery. Further, the techniques of electricity generation from the renewable energy sources are the standard techniques, which are known to a person skilled in the art. Thereafter, the water and gas management module (3) is configured to supply water (i.e. pure water) to the water electrolyser (4) for ensuring the continuous operation and gas conditioning and preparing for the end use. In an implementation, the water and gas management module (3) includes a water tank (3a) and the plurality of valves (404, 405, 406, 407, and 408). Further, the structure and dimensions of the water tank (3a) and the plurality of valves (404, 405, 406, 407, and 408) depends on the requirement and setup of the present invention. Further, the water tank (3a) is made up of material such as plastic, silicon, stainless steel or any other known material based on the operating pressure. Further, the water electrolyser (4) is connected with one pair or more potassium hydroxide tank (4a, 4b). The water electrolyser (4) is configured to split a pre-defined volume of water into a pre-defined amount of hydrogen gas and oxygen gas. The pre-defined volume is set by an operator depending upon the requirement and setup of the present invention. In an implementation, the pre-defined volume of water is approximately 1.15 L / day for producing 1400 l / day hydrogen. In an implementation, the water electrolyser (4) is connected to one pair or more potassium hydroxide (KOH) scrubber (12a, 12b) for removing a plurality of impurities mainly KOH present in the product gases, thereby ensuring purity of the gases. Thereafter, the gases are separately directed into the storage assembly (5). In an implementation, the gases are directed to the storage assembly (5) via the pipe assembly or any other standard means. Further, the storage assembly (5) include a plurality of gas storage tanks (5a, 5b) for separately storing the gases and a plurality of valves for controlling the flow of said gases. In an implementation, the plurality of valves include one or more non-return valve (201, 202) for preventing backflow of the gases, one or more pressure-reducing valve (500) for ensuring a safe pressure level, one or more needle valve (301, 302, 303) and a solenoid valve (401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 410, 411, 412) for allowing precise and automated control of the gases. The solenoid valve (401) is configured to control a concentration of potassium hydroxide (KOH) between the KOH tanks (4a, 4b). Also, plurality of valves (402, 403) are configured to control water replenishment from the KOH tanks (4a, 4b) to the KOH scrubber (12a, 12b). Additionally, plurality of valves (404, 405) are configured to control pressure between the KOH scrubber (12a, 12b) and the water and gas management module (3). Further, the gases from the storage tank (5a) are delivered to the burner assembly (6), via a plurality of valves. In an implementation, the burner assembly (6) include a flame arrestor (600) for ensuring safety by preventing backflow of the flames of the hydrogen burner (7) and a chimney (13) for removing exhaust gases from the hydrogen burner (7). In an implementation, the chimney (13) is equipped with a hydrogen sensor (700) for detecting any gas leakage and an exhaust fan (800) for removing excess gases. The hydrogen sensor (700) used herein, refer to a gas detector that detects the presence of hydrogen. The hydrogen sensor (700) include one or more micro-fabricated point-contact hydrogen sensors and are used to locate hydrogen leaks. Further, the controller (2) is a smart controller that is configured to optimize the energy utilization, monitors a set of system parameters and ensures the safety and efficiency of the multipurpose integrated system (20). In an implementation, the set of system parameters include temperature, pressure, demand and alike. In an implementation, the controller (2) includes a current controller for controlling the electricity. Further, the controller (2) includes a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) (900) unit for optimal utilization of energy received from the renewable energy conversion module (1). Also, the controller (2) includes at least one relay (11) and a pressure switch (10) for ensuring safety and operational control of the renewable energy conversion module (1). The multipurpose integrated passive system (20) of the present invention generates in-situ pure hydrogen gas and the oxygen gas for fulfilling green energy need depending on demand such as pure hydrogen fuel for cooking and heating or supply of oxygen for medical or health related systems. The multipurpose integrated passive system (20) generates pure hydrogen gas as a green fuel and eliminates the need of blending said fuel with any fossil fuel for combustion. EXAMPLE 1 Preferred Implementation of the multipurpose integrated system The multipurpose integrated passive system (20) is configured to generate, store, utilize green hydrogen and pure oxygen using the renewable energy sources such as solar energy or wind energy. The multipurpose integrated passive system (20) combines several components such as water electrolyser (4) that is preferably an alkaline water electrolyser, potassium hydroxide based water electrolyser, electrochemical energy storage unit (8), controller (2) and safety mechanisms into a cohesive and autonomous setup. The primary aim of the present invention is to create sustainable energy to achieve net-zero emission cooking while addressing environmental, energy, and safety concerns. In Figure 3, a plurality of photovoltaic panels (1a) are depicted, which are a part of the renewable energy conversion module (1) and are configured to generate electricity through the solar energy. Further, as depicted in Figure 2, the generated electricity / energy is stored in the electrochemical energy storage (8) (such as battery (depicted in Figure 3) for providing energy to the electrical appliances excluding water electrolyser (4). Further, the water electrolyser (4) splits the water (supplied by the water and gas management module (3)) into hydrogen gas and oxygen gas. Thereafter, these two gases are directed to separate gas storage tanks (5a, 5b) for separately storing the gases for future use on demand. The hydrogen tank (i.e. gas storage tank (5a)) from the plurality of storage tanks (5a, 5b) is connected to the hydrogen burner (7) for suppling the hydrogen gas to the hydrogen burner (7). Further, the oxygen gas is used in other applications. Similarly, another implementation of the present invention is depicted in Figure 4 in which a pressure relief valve is connected to the gas storage tank (5b) (i.e., oxygen gas storing tank) for a controlled release / supply of oxygen. In another way, a pilot-controlled valve (100) regulates the hydrogen tank pressure by using the oxygen tank pressure as a reference, as shown in Figure 4. The oxygen tank pressure limits to a maximum value using a pressure switch (90) in this case. Further, detailed functions of each component for the present invention is explained in the below paragraphs. The water electrolyser (4) or preferably alkaline electrolyser (4) produces green hydrogen and pure oxygen. The water electrolyser (4) utilizes alkaline water, wherein the water splits into hydrogen and oxygen when the water electrolyser (4) is supplied with electricity. Hydrogen thus produced, was then stored in the storage tank or hydrogen tank (5a), to be utilized as fuel whereas the by-product oxygen was stored separately in oxygen tank (5b), to be employed for medical purpose. Hydrogen being the smallest molecule, a fraction of hydrogen diffuses the separator, however, the fraction of hydrogen in oxygen was tuned by adjusting different parameters such as operating current, pressure of hydrogen and diffusivity through the separator which is used for hydrogen therapy. In the water electrolyser (4), water was electrolysed thereby producing hydrogen and oxygen. The water electrolyser (4) comprises of one and more anode and equal number of cathode, which are separated by a separator that acts as ionic conductor called electrolyte. When the separator is soaked in alkaline water, the separator acts as an anionic conductor. The electrode reactions are given below (refer to Eq.1, Eq.2 and Eq.3): Cathode: 2H2O + 2e- H2+2OH- ------------- Eq.1 Anode: 2OH- 1 / 2O2+H2O + 2e- ----------------- Eq.2 Total: H2O H2+1 / 2O2------------------------- Eq.3 When electricity was supplied from the electrochemical energy storage unit (8), the water present in the alkaline water electrolyser (4) splits and produces hydrogen and oxygen. The water electrolyser (4), as depicted in Figure 3, is connected to the KOH tanks (4a, 4b) by two sides where one KOH tank (4a) was for hydrogen separation and another KOH tank (4b) was for oxygen separation. The hydrogen and oxygen gases produced, drive the KOH water solution flow on both sides (4a, 4b) using buoyant force. Thereafter, the hydrogen produced by the water electrolyser (4) is stored in a low-pressure tank (5a). The gas storage tank (5a) being connected to the water electrolyser (4) directly through a non-return valve (201) that restricted the flow of hydrogen from the gas storage tank (5a) to the water electrolyser (4). The gas storage tank (5a) and KOH tank (4a) are generally maintained at the same pressure when the gas storage tank (4) was operational. The burner module (7) of the present invention accepts hydrogen from the gas storage tank (5a) as fuel, without requiring blending with any other fossil fuel. The burner assembly (6) include a flame arrestor (600) for ensuring safety by preventing backflow of the flames of the hydrogen burner (7) and a chimney (13) for removing exhaust gases from the hydrogen burner (7). Further, the chimney (13) is equipped with a hydrogen sensor (700) for detecting any gas leakage and an exhaust fan (800) for removing excess gases. Further, the hydrogen sensor (700) is crucial for safety in case the flame goes off. If the hydrogen sensor (700) detects excessive hydrogen for extended period, an alarm is activated, thereafter if the hydrogen sensor (700) continues to detect hydrogen for prolonged time, the controller (2) activates the solenoid valve (412) to stop the flow of hydrogen in the burner. Further, the controller (2) is employed in the present invention to control one or more operations of the water electrolyser (4) based on the pressure of hydrogen storage tank (5a). Further, the controller (2) regulates the operating current to achieve desired level of hydrogen concentration in the oxygen. Moreover, the controller (2) regulates charging and discharging of the electrochemical energy storage unit (8) and controls the hydrogen flowrate to achieve the desired flame temperature hydrogen air mixing ratio. Additionally, the controller (2) detects the hydrogen leakage in the system (20) and control the emergency switches and valves and activates the emergency warning. Moreover, as soon as the controller (2) detects the flame and provided warning for the flame as flame was not distinctly visible. Hydrogen as a fuel possesses a safety concern, hence, the controller (2) is essential to ensure highest level of safety. The present invention provides the system (20) which is a cost-effective system, in which a relatively smaller battery size is opted as the daily energy demand for cooking is substantially high compared to the electrical demand in the system (20) caters mostly for the requirement of cooking system. Since, the electrolyser power requirement was substantially high as compared to the battery capacity, the development of the controller (2) allows the electrochemical energy storage unit (8) to charge safely from the photovoltaic panels (1a) while producing the hydrogen simultaneously, however, and discharges to meet the other electrical requirements in the system (20) except the electrolysis. Moreover, small battery storage helps in providing the electrical power to the system (20) for meeting the lighting load while cooking. EXAMPLE 2 Working Mechanism of Multipurpose Integrated System for Converting Green Energy The working method (as depicted in Figure 5) of the present invention initiates from generation of electricity via the renewable energy source. Further, the electricity is stored in the electrochemical energy storage unit (8). The electricity generated from the renewable energy source is fed to the water electrolyser (4) through a MPPT unit (900). The electrochemical energy storage unit (8) provides the voltage to the DC to steer the current injection in the DC bus that was directly employed by the water electrolyser (4) as the electrochemical energy storage unit (8) takes minimal energy for charging that is achieved by the current voltage controller (9). The majority of electricity was employed in the water electrolyser (4) to convert into hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen compartment (i.e. the storage tank (5a)) of the water electrolyser (4) is directly connected to the storage tank (5a) through the non-return valve (201) and allows to develop the pressure in the storage tank (5a) by developing hydrogen pressure in the water electrolyser (4). Thereafter, the oxygen side compartment (i.e. gas storage tank (5b)) is structured in such a way that the differential pressure across the separator is maintained at a predefined desired value. When cooking or heating was required, the hydrogen is released through the hydrogen burner (7) and combustion of hydrogen fuel took place in presence of air under a lean mixture condition in which the air to fuel ratio is 5-10, which depends on the flow rate of hydrogen The hydrogen gas and oxygen gas were separated in the respective separators in the KOH tanks (4a, 4b) and passed through the KOH scrubbers (12a, 12b) that includes water suitable for use in the electrolyser. As hydrogen (H₂) and oxygen (O₂) bubble through the water, KOH was dissolved in the water (i.e. KOH water solution) and KOH free hydrogen and oxygen gases were stored in the respective gas storage tanks (5a, 5b) Further, a pilot- controlled valve regulates pressure of the oxygen tank (5b) by taking pressure of the hydrogen tank (5a) as a reference, maintaining equal pressure in both the gas storage tanks (5a, 5b). The hydrogen tank (i.e. gas storage tank (5a)) was connected to the hydrogen burner (7) through valves (411, 412). The valve (412) is the solenoid valve that is operated to ensure the safety of the system (20). The valve (412) is a normal open solenoid valve and the valve (500) is the pressure-reducing valve that maintains constant pressure at the burner inlet. The flame arrestor (600) is a valve that prevented any flame propagation within the system (20). The hydrogen flow was controlled through the hydrogen burner (7) with the help of the needle valve (303). As hydrogen and oxygen were produced, water was consumed on the hydrogen side and produced on the oxygen side resulting in a dilution of KOH concentration in the oxygen side’s KOH tank (4b), and an increase in KOH concentration on the hydrogen side’s KOH tank (4a). To address the imbalance, the valve (401) was opened to balance the concentration levels of KOH between the two tanks (4a, 4b). Water replenishment occurred when the electrolyser was not operational, and hydrogen and oxygen were not being produced. Meanwhile, at the same time, the valves (402, 403) were opened to replenish the water consumed in the KOH scrubbers (12a, 12b) during operation. Before opening the valves (402, 403), the valves (404, 405) were opened to equalize the pressure between the KOH scrubber tank (12a, 12b) and the water tank (3a) and then closed. When the KOH scrubber tank (12a, 12b) was emptied by gravity, a vacuum was created, causing a pressure drop between the water tank (3a) and the KOH scrubber tank (12a, 12b). The observed pressure differential led to water flowing from the water tank (3a) to the KOH scrubber tank (12a, 12b) when valves (406 or 407) were opened, until the pressure in both the tanks is equalized. The process allowed pure water from the water tank (3a) to be transferred to the KOH scrubber tank (12a, 12b), while water from the KOH scrubber tank (12a, 12b) was passively transferred to the water electrolyser (4) / KOH tanks (4a, 4b). The valve (412) was employed to balance the water level between the hydrogen and oxygen KOH scrubber tank (12a, 12b). Alternatively, water was replenished from the water tank (3a) passively by the following method: The valve (404) is briefly opened to equalize the pressure between the water tank (3a) and the KOH scrubbers (12a) on the hydrogen side, and then closed. Subsequently, the valves (401, 406) were opened, and the valve (302) is slowly opened that created a differential pressure between the KOH scrubbers (12a, 12b) on the hydrogen and oxygen sides. As a result, water flowed from the water tank (3a) to the KOH scrubber (12a) on the hydrogen side to the KOH tank (4a) on the hydrogen side and subsequently, from the KOH tank (4a) on the hydrogen side to the KOH tank (4b) on the oxygen side. Conversely, water flowed from the KOH scrubber (12a, 12b) to the KOH tank (4a, 4b) by slowly the opening valve (301) while keeping the valves (401, 407) open. Additionally, it is possible to replenish water in the KOH scrubber (12a, 12b) after transferring water to the KOH tanks (4a, 4b) by opening the valves (402, 403). To replenish water from the water tank (3a) to the KOH scrubber (12a, 12b), the needle valves (301, 302) are opened while the valves (404, 405) remained closed and the valves (402, 403) remained closed. The water electrolyser (4) is automatically controlled based on the pressure in the storage tank (5a). When pressure of the storage tank (5a) reached the maximum set value, the pressure switch (10) turned off the water electrolyser (4). The electrolyser (4) turned back on when pressure of the storage tank (5a) decrease to 10% from the maximum set value. Additionally, if the open circuit voltage of the photovoltaic panels (1a) decreased below a specified threshold, the relay (11) was activated to disconnect the photovoltaic panels (1a) from the water electrolyser (4). Further, the current-voltage controller manages the voltage and current within the system (20). The current-voltage controller (9) ensured that the electrochemical energy storage unit (8) is charged with a rated current and prevent discharging to the water electrolyser (4) however, meeting other electrical demands, if needed. The current-voltage controller (9) also limits the charging current based on the battery size to enhance the life of the battery. During off-sunshine hours, the controller (2) keeps the water electrolyser (4) at open circuit potential that helped to extend the lifespan of the water electrolyser (4). The present invention deals with hydrogen that requires a high level of safety measure to be in place through a continuous monitoring of hydrogen concentration in ambient air at different important location. In the present invention, the hydrogen burner (7) is placed at certain height in the chimney (13). The entire range of operation was divided in three levels (i) normal; (ii) unusual; and (iii) dangerous. If the hydrogen concentration recorded by different sensors (such as hydrogen sensor (700)) are above a threshold limit considered for normal operation and below the dangerous threshold limit, an audio alarm is activated in the system (20) and a ventilation system was also activated to operate at a moderate level. If the hydrogen concentration crossed the dangerous limit, the supply of hydrogen to the burner was disconnected, different audio alarm was activated and the ventilation system is operated at the highest level. For safety purposes, the chimney (13) with the hydrogen sensor (700) is installed, as depicted in Figure 2. The chimney (13) is equipped with the exhaust fan (800) for ensuring that any leaked gas was directed through the sensor. If a gas leak was detected, the solenoid valve (412) was closed automatically to secure the system (20). The flame temperature of hydrogen is as high as 2045°C when the hydrogen is burnt in air. However, when insufficient fuel is supplied called lean mixture, the flame temperature is reduced. The present invention achieves a wide variation in the air to fuel volumetric ratio (i.e.5-10) that results in achieving wide variation in the operating flame temperature (i.e.200°C to 700 °C). The flow rate of hydrogen is controlled by the controller (2). EXAMPLE 3 Experimentation Analysis The present invention was installed and was operated over an extended period. The present invention includes three 580 WPsolar panels (i.e., photovoltaic panels (1a)) connected in series. The present invention also includes a 1 kW electrolyser (i.e., water electrolyser (4)), which is directly connected to the solar panels through the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) unit (900) that operates at a 12V DC output. The performance of the solar panels is presented for a typical day (in part A) and over a 30-day period (in part B) in Figure 6. Figure 7 illustrates a graphical representation of performance of the water electrolyser (4) for both a typical day (in part A) and a 30-day period (in part B). Further, Figure 8 shows graphical representation of the current-voltage characteristic curve of the water electrolyser (4). Thereafter, Figure 9 presents a graphical representation of the daily hydrogen production by the present invention. Also, a graphical representation of daily water requirement for the present invention on a typical day is depicted in Figure 10. Some of the technically advanced features of the present invention include but not limited to green hydrogen production, purification and storage, smart energy management, versatile applications, safety mechanisms. The hydrogen produced by the present invention is used for cooking and industrial energy needs, while the pure oxygen has medical and industrial applications. Also, some of the integrated safety features like flame arrestors, pressure switches, and automated valves make the system (20) reliable and secure. The system (20) operates on renewable energy, significantly reducing carbon emissions and contributing to a cleaner environment and promotes the use of green hydrogen, a clean energy carrier that emits only water when combusted. The integration of MPPT technology ensures maximum energy extraction from the photovoltaic panels (1a). Also, optimized energy utilization reduces operational costs and improves the system’s (20) overall efficiency. The system (20) has the ability to function autonomously in remote or off-grid locations due to its reliance on solar energy and integrated electrochemical energy storage (8). The use of renewable energy reduces dependence on costly fossil fuels. The present invention also ensures cost-effectiveness for small-scale residential and large-scale industrial applications. Features like flame arrestors, pressure switches, and automated valves ensure safe handling of hydrogen and oxygen, mitigating risks associated with gas storage and combustion. By generating hydrogen and oxygen without relying on fossil fuels, the system (20) supports decarbonisation goals. Some of the potential applications of the present invention include cooking, heating, medical use, industrial use and off-grid energy systems. Hydrogen is used as a clean- burning fuel for domestic and industrial cooking. The pure oxygen generated is utilized in hospitals and medical facilities for therapeutic applications. Also, hydrogen and oxygen are served as raw materials for industrial processes like metal cutting, welding, and chemical manufacturing. Moreover, the system (20) is ideal for remote areas where traditional energy infrastructure is unavailable. Therefore, the present invention provides a multipurpose integrated passive system (20) for converting green energy which represents a significant advancement in sustainable technology, by integrating hydrogen and oxygen production, renewable energy utilization, and advanced safety mechanisms into a compact system, the present invention also addresses energy, environmental, and safety challenges simultaneously. Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention set forth herein will readily occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims

CLAIMS We claim:

1. A multipurpose integrated passive system (20) for converting green energy comprising: at least one renewable energy conversion module(1); at least one controller (2); at least one water and gas management module (3); at least one water electrolyser (4); at least one storage assembly (5); and at least one burner assembly (6); wherein, said renewable energy conversion module (1) is configured to generate electricity and supply the electricity in an electrochemical energy storage unit (8) for storage purpose and supporting continuous operation of one or more electrical appliances ; said water and gas management module (3) is configured to supply water to the water electrolyser (4) for ensuring the continuous operation and gas conditioning and preparing for an end use; said water electrolyser (4) connected with at least one pair potassium hydroxide (KOH) tank (4a, 4b), is configured to split a pre-defined volume of water into hydrogen gas and oxygen gas and said gases are separately directed into the storage assembly (5); said storage assembly (5) include a plurality of gas storage tanks (5a, 5b) for separately storing the gases for future use on demand and a plurality of valves for controlling the flow of said gases; said burner assembly (6) include a hydrogen burner (7), in which the hydrogen gas from the gas storage tank (5a) is delivered to the hydrogen burner (7), via a plurality of valves; andsaid controller (2) is a smart controller that is configured to optimize the energy utilization, monitors a set of system parameters and ensures safety and efficiency of the multipurpose integrated passive system (20).

2. The multipurpose integrated passive system (20) for converting green energy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said renewable energy conversion module(1) includes at least one renewable energy source such as one or more photovoltaic panels (1a), wind energy converter, and hydropower module.

3. The multipurpose integrated passive system (20) for converting green energy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrochemical energy storage is at least one of a battery and an accumulator.

4. The multipurpose integrated passive system (20) for converting green energy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controller (2) includes: a) a current voltage controller (9) for controlling the electricity; b) a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) (900) unit for optimal utilization of energy received from the renewable energy conversion module(1); and c) at least one relay (11) and a pressure switch (10) for ensuring safety and operational control of the renewable energy conversion module(1).

5. The multipurpose integrated passive system (20) for converting green energy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said water electrolyser (4) is connected to one pair or more potassium hydroxide (KOH) scrubbers (12a, 12b) for removing a plurality of impurities, thereby ensuring purity of the gases.

6. The multipurpose integrated passive system (20) for converting green energy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of valves include one or more non-return valves (201, 202) for preventing backflow of the gases, one or more pressure- reducing valves (500) for ensuring a safe pressure level, one or more needle valve (301, 302, 303) and one or more solenoid valve (401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 410, 411, 412) for allowing precise and automated control of the gases.

7. The multipurpose integrated passive system (20) for converting green energy as claimed in claim 6, wherein said solenoid valve (401) is configured to control a concentration of potassium hydroxide (KOH) between the KOH tanks (4a, 4b).

8. The multipurpose integrated passive system (20) for converting green energy as claimed in claim 6, wherein said plurality of valves (402, 403) are configured to control water replenishment from the KOH tanks (4a, 4b) to the KOH scrubbers (12a, 12b).

9. The multipurpose integrated passive system (20) for converting green energy as claimed in claim 6, wherein said plurality of valves (404, 405) are configured to control pressure between the KOH scrubbers (12a, 12b) and the water and gas management module (3).

10. The multipurpose integrated passive system (20) for converting green energy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said burner assembly (6) include a flame arrestor (600) for ensuring safety by preventing backflow of the flames of the hydrogen burner (7) and a chimney (13) for removing exhaust gases from the hydrogen burner module (7).

11. The multipurpose integrated passive system (20) for converting green energy as claimed in claim 10, wherein said chimney (13) is equipped with a hydrogen sensor (700) for detecting any gas leakage and an exhaust fan (800) for removing excess gases.

12. The multipurpose integrated passive system for converting green energy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said water management module (3) includes a water tank (3a) and the plurality of valves (404, 405, 406, 407, 408).

13. The multipurpose integrated passive system for converting green energy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pre-defined volume of water range from 1 to 1.5L per day for producing hydrogen in range from 1400l per day.

14. The multipurpose integrated passive system (20) for converting green energy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said multipurpose integrated system (20) produces in-situ pure hydrogen gas and the oxygen gas for fulfilling green energy need depending on demand.

15. The multipurpose integrated passive system (20) for converting green energy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said set of system parameters include temperature, pressure, demand and alike.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Industrial internet of things smart heating systems and methods that produce and use hydrogen fuel

    US20190056107A1