System

Abstract

System for generating process heat by means of the catalytic oxidation of hydrogen, at least consisting of four individual modules cooperating with one another in the form of - a hydrogen (H2) module (10) for supplying hydrogen, - an air module (12) for supplying air, - a reactor module (14) for converting a process gas consisting at least partially of hydrogen and oxygen into process heat, and - a heat module (16) for dissipating the process heat.

Description

[0001] HYDAC NEW TECHNOLOGIES GMBH Industriestraße, 66280 Sulzbach / Saar, Germany

[0002] system

[0003] The invention relates to a system for generating process heat by means of catalytic oxidation of hydrogen.

[0004] WO 2023 / 031142 A1 discloses a heating device for emitting heat into the environment, comprising a hydrogen supply unit and a reaction unit for generating heat from the hydrogen. The reaction unit is designed as a catalytic unit for the flameless combustion of hydrogen using a catalyst. The supply unit includes an electrolyzer for generating hydrogen and a water supply for providing water to the electrolyzer. The water supply includes a collection device for collecting water and, if necessary, a treatment device for treating the water. The heating device is preferably used in connection with heating food and can be designed, in particular, in the form of a grill.

[0005] WO 2024 / 126281 A1 discloses a ventilation heating device for heating an airflow, comprising an air distribution system with an air inlet and an air outlet downstream of a predetermined airflow direction. Furthermore, a catalytic unit for flameless hydrogen combustion is provided, arranged in the air distribution system between the air inlet and the air outlet such that at least a portion of the airflow can pass through the catalytic unit and be heated to a warm airflow. The air distribution system includes a collection section downstream of the catalytic unit in the flow direction, in which the warm airflow from the catalytic unit can be combined with a fresh airflow. Thus, a ventilation heating device for heating an airflow is created that provides a clean supply airflow with adjustable temperature and / or humidity control.

[0006] A tube bundle reactor is known from WO 2024 / 156524 A1. In this tube bundle reactor for carrying out catalytic gas-phase reactions, it comprises a bundle of catalyst-filled reaction tubes, a gas-inlet tube sheet, a gas-inlet hood spanning the gas-inlet tube sheet, and a throttle plate arranged upstream of the gas-inlet tube sheet, forming a space between the throttle plate and the gas-inlet tube sheet. The throttle plate has a predetermined number of throttle openings, and the throttle openings are arranged in a number such that a subcritical pressure ratio is maintained during normal operation and in the event of an explosion.A critical pressure ratio is achieved at the throttle plate, whereby a predetermined pressure in the space between the gases is not exceeded as a result of the gas inflow from the throttle plate and the gas outflow to the reaction tubes. In this way, a tube bundle reactor is created whose reaction tube bundle is reliably and cost-effectively protected against explosion pressure waves in the gas inlet area of ​​the tube bundle reactor, even at high operating pressures and temperatures, while minimizing disruption to normal operation. Based on this prior art, the invention aims to further develop, with knowledge of the prior art, certain catalysts for the flameless combustion of hydrogen in such a way as to create a system for generating process heat by means of catalytic oxidation of hydrogen, which can be used in a wide variety of applications with a cost-effective design.A system with all the features of claim 1 solves such a problem in its entirety.

[0007] The system according to the invention for generating process heat by means of catalytic oxidation of hydrogen consists of at least four interacting individual modules in the form of a

[0008] - Hydrogen (H2) module for supplying hydrogen,

[0009] Air module for supplying air,

[0010] Reactor module for converting a process gas consisting at least partially of hydrogen and oxygen into process heat, and heat module for removing the process heat.

[0011] In this way, a complete system is created; it is assembled modularly from individual components that can be specifically adapted to the respective task, i.e., to a particular type of machine or plant, so that the system exhibits a high degree of flexibility in terms of its application possibilities. The modules can also be manufactured cost-effectively and easily assembled into the overall system, which also helps to save costs.

[0012] The background to the development of the system according to the invention is the consideration that, in parallel with the so-called CO2-neutral energy transition, a transition to the CO2-neutral provision of process heat must also take place. In the industrial, domestic, and commercial, trade, and service (CTS) sectors, the provision of process heat accounts for the greatest energy demand and thus also the greatest potential for saving CO2 emissions. The associated known technologies, such as heat pumps, geothermal energy, and solar thermal energy, are currently only very limitedly suitable for covering the considerable heat demand, for example, in the rubber and plastics manufacturing industry, the construction sector, and the printing, paper, glass, and ceramics industries, including metal production and processing, etc. This gap in heat demand is closed by the system according to the invention for generating process heat by means of the catalytic oxidation of hydrogen.This has no equivalent in the state of the art.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the system according to the invention, the hydrogen (H2) module consists of components that serve to separate the system from an external hydrogen source and to regulate the inlet pressure and the supply of a certain amount of hydrogen relative to a mixing unit to which the air module and the reactor module are connected. Preferably, the hydrogen (H2) module further comprises the following individual components:

[0014] a connection device for connecting to the external hydrogen source and / or

[0015] a particle and / or coalescing filter and / or

[0016] a pressure regulating valve for controlling the inlet pressure and a volume flow rate or a quantity of hydrogen and / or

[0017] a pressure and / or temperature sensor.

[0018] The hydrogen (H2) module thus consists of individual components which, together, serve to isolate the entire system from an external hydrogen source, such as an electrolyzer, an H2 cylinder bank, metal hybrid storage tank, etc., and to regulate the inlet pressure and the hydrogen supply to the subsequent mixing unit. In addition to a so-called receptacle (connection tank) or a standard connection fitting for connecting to the respective hydrogen source, the components preferably include a particle and coalescing filter for separating particulate contamination or aerosols, as well as various types of valves, which are preferably combined into a functional or valve block to effectively complement the hydrogen (H2) module.

[0019] In a further preferred embodiment of the system according to the invention, the air module receives the oxygen necessary for the ongoing reaction in the reactor module by drawing in ambient air. Preferably, the air module comprises at least the following components:

[0020] - an air filter,

[0021] - a unit for drawing in air,

[0022] a temperature and / or pressure sensor.

[0023] Accordingly, the air module serves to supply air to the system, and the oxygen required for the reaction is preferably obtained by drawing it from the ambient air. The individual components of the air supply, such as filters, an intake unit, and sensors, can in turn be combined into a functional block as a module, which contributes to increasing the flexibility of the overall system.

[0024] In a further particularly preferred embodiment of the system according to the invention, it is provided that individual reaction gases, such as hydrogen and, in particular, oxygen bound in the air, are mixed together in a predefinable mixing ratio in the mixing unit and subsequently supplied to the reactor module for catalytic oxidation. Preferably, it is further provided that the gas mixture formed from the reaction gases hydrogen and oxygen can be preheated by means of an electric heating device before entering the reactor module. In this way, a mixing unit is created which combines the reaction gases in a predefinable mixing ratio so that the appropriately processed gas mixture can be supplied to the reactor module. A Venturi nozzle can also be used as the mixing unit.

[0025] The reactor module in question serves to generate process heat by means of catalytic oxidation and preferably comprises a plate heat exchanger and / or a shell-and-tube heat exchanger. A suitable catalyst can be applied to the gas-carrying side of the plates of the plate heat exchanger or to the gas-contacting side of the tube bundle of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger. As described, the applied catalyst serves the catalytic oxidation of hydrogen, generating the process heat produced in the process.

[0026] In a further preferred embodiment of the system according to the invention, additional heat dissipation from the reactor module occurs through the removal of saturated water vapor as exhaust gas from the system. Preferably, the heat module has an independent heat circuit that serves to dissipate the process heat through at least one heat exchanger within the reactor module, thus providing a heat sink. The heat module can, in particular, include a temperature sensor, a pump unit, an expansion vessel such as a hydraulic accumulator, and a shut-off valve. As a reaction product of the catalytic oxidation, saturated water vapor is produced as exhaust gas from the reactor module. This vapor is supplied to a condenser, preferably supplemented by a water separator, and directed towards a drain valve for further heat dissipation or heat recovery.A silencer can preferably be provided at the exhaust outlet. The heated fluid can then be fed into an air-to-liquid or a liquid-to-water heat exchanger.

[0027] The system according to the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to two embodiments shown in the drawing. Figures 1 and 2 show, in a general and not-to-scale representation as well as in simplified form and in the manner of a hydraulic circuit diagram, the essential components of systems for catalytic oxidation.

[0028] In Figure 1, the individual modules of the system are outlined with dashed lines for clarity, with the hydrogen (H2) module designated as 10, the air module as 12, the reactor module as 14, and the heat module as 16, each as a whole. The logical combination of all modules 10, 12, 14, and 16 forms a system for generating process heat by means of the catalytic oxidation of hydrogen. If the system shown in the figure has connection points to the environment for external components, such as heat sinks, these points extend outwards from a rectangular dashed-dotted frame, which, for the sake of simplicity, encompasses the system and its individual modules. For the sake of simplicity, the hydrogen (H2) module 10 will be referred to as the H2 module in the following.

[0029] The H2 module has an interface or connection point 18 for establishing a fluid- or media-carrying connection with a hydrogen source (not shown), for example, in the form of an electrolyzer, an H2 cylinder bundle, or a metal hybrid storage system. The connection point 18, or interface, can be standardized to cover the usual connection options in this area. Preferably, the hydrogen enters the H2 module 10 "dry" via the connection point 18. A shut-off valve 20 can be used on the inlet side to isolate the H2 module from the hydrogen source. Furthermore, individual sensors for system monitoring, such as a pressure sensor 22 and a temperature sensor 23, are preferably installed between the connection point 18 and the shut-off valve 20.Instead of implementing the connection point 18 as a standardized screw connection, a conventional quick-release coupling 25 can also be used as the connection fitting. Furthermore, a so-called receptacle (not shown) can also be used in the area of ​​the connection to the hydrogen source. Viewed in the direction of fluid flow, a filter unit 24 is connected to the shut-off valve 20, preferably consisting of a particle filter and a coalescing filter for separating particles or aerosols from the hydrogen stream. A functional or valve block 26 is connected to this, with a plurality of individual valves, such as a pressure relief valve 28, a shut-off valve 30, which can also be used as a metering valve, and a pressure control valve 32 (not specified in more detail).Furthermore, at least one sensor unit 34 is part of the functional block 26, which may consist of a pressure and / or temperature sensor for monitoring the operating parameters for the hydrogen. Depending on the use of a Venturi nozzle (not shown) or the mixing unit 36, a volume flow control for regulating pressure and volume flow may also be provided within the reactor module 14.

[0030] The components of the H2 module described above serve to separate the system from the external hydrogen source when required, and to regulate the inlet pressure and the supply of a quantity of hydrogen in relation to a mixing unit 36 ​​or Venturi nozzle, which has a fluid-carrying connection or interface with the output of the H2 module 10 on the inlet side.

[0031] In addition to the H2 module 10, the air module 12 is also connected to the inlet side of the mixing unit 36 ​​or Venturi nozzle. The air supply to the mixing unit 36 ​​serves to ensure the oxygen necessary for the reaction by drawing in ambient air. The air module 12 has an intake device 40, for example in the form of a suction fan, which draws air from the environment via an intake point 42 and a supply line 44. This supply line directs the ambient air to the inlet side of the intake device 40, which, if necessary, increases the pressure of the ambient air before delivering it to the inlet side of the mixing unit 36. In the example shown, the intake device 40 is located between two air filters 46, which are specifically designed to remove particles and, if necessary, harmful gases and aerosols from the ambient air before they enter the mixing unit 36.Between the intake device 40 and the first air filter 46, which follows the intake point 42 in the direction of flow, another sensor unit 48 is arranged, consisting at least of a pressure and / or temperature sensor. If necessary, it is sufficient to provide only one filter 46 on the inlet side of the intake device 40 (not shown).

[0032] The mixing unit 36, shown only symbolically in Figure 1, is of conventional design and serves to mix the individual reaction gases, such as hydrogen from the H2 module and, in particular, oxygen bound in air from the air module 12, in a predefinable mixing ratio and then supply them to the reactor module 14 for catalytic oxidation. The air module 12 could also be replaced by a device that introduces pure oxygen into the mixing unit 36, but this would likely result in increased operating costs for the system as a whole. Furthermore, a conventional Venturi nozzle (not shown) can be used as the mixing unit 36.

[0033] The reactor module 14 is connected to the outlet of the mixing unit 36 ​​in a fluid-carrying manner. The gas mixture originating from the mixing unit 36 ​​is preheated, preferably by means of an electric heating device 50, before entering the actual reactor 52. The reactor 52 serves to generate process heat by means of catalytic oxidation. A plate heat exchanger 54 or, alternatively, a shell-and-tube heat exchanger 56 can be used as the reactor 52 as part of a heat exchanger housing. The shell-and-tube heat exchanger 56 is symbolically represented as an example in Figure 1 and can logically replace the plate heat exchanger 54. The actual catalyst is applied to the gas-carrying side of the plates (not shown) of the plate heat exchanger 54 or to the gas-contacting side of the tube bundle (not shown) of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger 56. Suitable catalysts include palladium, platinum, etc.Through the catalytic oxidation of hydrogen and oxygen as the actual process gas and the resulting process heat, a large part of the heat transfer from the gas side to the fluid side, i.e., to the side of the heat module 16, takes place. Furthermore, additional heat can be removed from the reactor 52 through the discharge of the exhaust gas, particularly in the form of saturated water vapor. The reactor module 14, in turn, has individual pressure and temperature sensors 58, with one of the temperature sensors 58 on the output side of the heating device 50 controlling it based on its temperature response. Furthermore, the actual housing (not shown) of the reactor 52 is appropriately insulated to prevent heat loss to the environment.

[0034] The heat module 16 is connected to the outlet side of the heat exchanger 54 shown, carrying the medium. This module has a heat circuit 60, which serves to transfer the process heat received from the reactor 52 through the heat exchanger, such as the plate heat exchanger 54, and to supply it to a heat sink 62, for example, for heating purposes on the customer or consumer side. This heat sink 62 can itself consist of a suitable heat exchanger. The heat circuit 60, which runs in a closed configuration between the plate heat exchanger 54 and the heat sink 62, includes a circulation pump 64 for the necessary media circulation. Furthermore, the heat sink 62 can be separated from the rest of the heat circuit 60 by means of two shut-off valves 66.On the supply side of the circulating pump 64, another functional unit is connected upstream of the plate heat exchanger 54, with a coolant filter 70 for filtering the coolant used in the heat circuit 60, for example, a water-glycol mixture. The filter 70 is preferably located on the intake side of the fluid pump 64. On the discharge side of the controlled fluid pump 64 and upstream of the heat exchangers 54, 56, a branch is provided with a storage device 72, for example, a conventional hydraulic accumulator. Extending from the fluid inlet side of the storage device 72 is a drain valve 74. The two shut-off valves 66 mentioned above can consist of manually operated ball valves, which serve to shut off the system boundary to the heat sink 62 as needed. The heat sink 62 can have a fluid-fluid circuit or an air-fluid circuit.The pump-driven circulation of the cooling fluid in the heat circuit 60 is shown in the direction of the arrow. On the outlet side, a further sensor device 76, again consisting of at least one temperature and / or pressure sensor, is connected in the connecting line between the plate heat exchanger 54 and the downstream shut-off valve 66. Alternatively, instead of a plate heat exchanger for the heat sink 62, a heat exchanger 78 with a fan 80 as a blower unit can be used.

[0035] As further shown in Figure 1, in addition to the heat circuit 60, there is another heat circuit 82, the coolant of which is circulated along the direction of the arrow by another controlled fluid pump 84. This additional heat circuit 82 has an inlet condenser 86 with a separator 88 and an additional drain valve 90, which, when open, discharges condensate separated by the separator 88 into a tank-side collection container 92. As with the first heat circuit 60, a (customer-supplied) heat sink 94 is also connected to the additional heat circuit 82. Furthermore, the separator 88 is in fluid-carrying connection with a silencer 96, which leads to the environment on the outlet side and is connected to a throttle point 98 on the inlet side. This additional heat circuit 82 can also be monitored with appropriate sensors (not shown).Both heat circuits 60, 82 can be logically coupled. In a separate arrangement, as shown, the second heat circuit 82 can have a further storage device, such as a hydraulic accumulator and a drain valve, in a branch after the associated fluid pump 84 on the outlet side, similar to the first heat circuit 60; both are not shown.

[0036] Optionally, a third heat circuit 100 can be connected to the first heat circuit 60 and the second heat circuit 82, as shown in part by dashed lines. This fluid circuit, again containing a heat transfer medium, is connected to the outflow side of the condenser 86 of the second heat circuit 82 and also to the inflow side of the supply flow between the plate heat exchanger 54 and the first heat sink 62 of the first heat circuit 60. This third heat circuit 100 is also operated by a controlled fluid pump 102, which introduces fluid into a fluid expansion tank 106. This tank can be designed as a closed or semi-closed system and can be equipped with additional components 108, such as a level sensor 110 and a refilling device 112 with an inlet filter.Furthermore, a sensor 113 can be used, for example to measure the fluid temperature (viscosity).

[0037] In the return line, the heat transfer medium is again taken from the fluid expansion tank 106 and forwarded to a third (customer-supplied) heat sink 114, which can again consist of a conventional heat exchanger. The third heat sink 114 can also be separated from the third heat circuit 100, if necessary, via shut-off valves 66 of conventional design, such as ball valves. If residual heat from the exhaust gas is discharged to the outside via the silencer 96 of the second circuit 82, this can also be used for heating purposes (not shown). A programmable logic controller (PLC) 116 with a corresponding communication interface and power supply serves for central control of the system.

[0038] The second embodiment is explained in more detail below with reference to Figure 2; however, only insofar as it differs substantially from the first embodiment according to Figure 1. The same components are designated with the same reference numerals, and the explanations given so far for Figure 1 also apply accordingly to the embodiment according to Figure 2.

[0039] The key difference according to Figure 2 is that, according to Figure 1, the condenser 86 is not only connected at its inlet to the outlet of the plate heat exchanger 54 or shell and tube heat exchanger 56, but also to a further closed fluid circuit 118, which is logically connected to the first heat circuit 60. Thus, there are two connection points: an inlet 124 to the condenser 86 and an outlet 126 from the condenser 86, which is indicated by arrows in the corresponding lines in the direction of circulation. Both the inlet 124 and the outlet 126 are equipped with lockable inlet or diverter valves 128, which establish a fluid-carrying connection between a type of condenser circuit 130 with inlet 124 and outlet 126 and the first heat circuit 60 in a reversible manner.For this purpose, the inlet 124 opens into the fluid-carrying connection of the first heat circuit 60 between the first circulation pump 64 and upstream of the plate heat exchanger 54, with the corresponding inlet point being arranged with the valve 128 downstream of the functional unit 68 with the storage device 72 and the drain valve 74. Furthermore, the outlet 126 opens into the first heat circuit 60 upstream of the fluid flow.

[0040] 14

[0041] the coolant filter 70, which, in contrast to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, is located downstream of the first heat sink 62 and upstream of the first circulation or fluid pump 64 when viewed in the direction of flow. The heat system circuit shown in Figure 2 also serves to transfer the process heat through a heat exchanger into the reactor of the reactor module 14 and to make it available to a heat sink 62.

[0042] The system shown, for generating process heat by means of catalytic oxidation of hydrogen using the individual modules 10, 12, 14 and 16, enables a kind of "heat transition". Whether in the steel, paper, food or chemical industries, the process heat generated there regularly causes two-thirds of industrial greenhouse gas emissions, and the system according to the invention can close the associated decarbonization gap by generating process heat in an environmentally friendly way using the catalytic oxidation of hydrogen, without producing any significant amount of pollutants.

Claims

Patent claims 1. System for generating process heat by means of catalytic oxidation of hydrogen, consisting of at least four interacting individual modules in the form of a - Hydrogen (H2) module (10) for supplying hydrogen, air module (12) for supplying air, Reactor module (14) for converting a process gas consisting at least partially of hydrogen and oxygen into process heat, and Heat module (16) for dissipating process heat.

2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the hydrogen hydrogen(H2) module (10) consists of components which serve to separate the system from an external hydrogen source and to control the inlet pressure and the supply of a quantity of hydrogen with respect to a mixing unit (36) to which the air module (12) and the reactor module (14) are connected.

3. System according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the hydrogen (H2) module (10) comprises the following individual components: a connection device (18) for connecting to the external hydrogen source and / or - a particle and / or coalescing filter (24) and / or a pressure regulating valve (32) for regulating the inlet pressure and a volume flow rate or a quantity of hydrogen and / or - a pressure (22) and / or temperature sensor (23).

4. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the air module (12) receives the oxygen necessary for the ongoing reaction in the reactor module (14) by drawing in ambient air as part of the air supply (42, 44).

5. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the air module (12) comprises at least the following components: - an air filter (46), a unit (40) for drawing in air, a temperature and / or pressure sensor.

6. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the mixing unit (36) individual reaction gases, such as hydrogen and in particular oxygen bound in the air, are mixed together in a predeterminable mixing ratio and subsequently made available to the reactor module (14) for catalytic oxidation.

7. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gas mixture formed from the reaction gases hydrogen and oxygen can be preheated by means of an electric heating device (50) before entering the reactor module (14).

8. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reactor module (14) serves to generate process heat by means of catalytic oxidation, which has a plate heat exchanger (54) and / or shell and tube heat exchanger (56), and that a catalyst is applied to the gas-carrying side of the plates of the plate heat exchanger (54) or to the gas-contacting side of the tube bundle of the shell and tube heat exchanger (56).

9. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a further heat discharge from the reactor module cdh / 132003A / 0 17 (14) by the removal of saturated water vapor as exhaust gas from the system.

10. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heat module (16) has at least one independent heat circuit (60, 82, 100) which serves to remove the process heat through at least one heat exchanger within the reactor module (14) and to provide a heat sink (62, 94, 114) in each case.

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