Gas-Liquid Separator for Water Electrolysis with Ultrasonic Defoaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current gas-liquid separation methods in alkaline water electrolysis systems are inefficient in handling high concentration electrolytes, leading to poor separation of micro-bubbles and high operating costs, as they rely on shear force flow fields which are inadequate for the micro-bubble systems produced in water electrolysis.
Innovation Solution
A gas-liquid separator that uses a combination of physical methods including spraying, ultrasonic defoaming, and size screening, with a spiral flowing path and a filter mechanism to enhance gas-liquid separation efficiency, utilizing an atomizer to convert the gas-liquid mixture into mist droplets, and ultrasonic oscillation to facilitate bubble separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high concentration alkaline electrolyte is used to improve electrolytic efficiency, then conductivity increases, but gas-liquid separation effect deteriorates due to poor bubble separation
Solution Approach 1:
The gas-liquid separator divides the separation process into multiple stages: a first gas-liquid separation chamber for initial separation and a second gas-liquid separation chamber for final separation. This multi-stage segmentation allows efficient handling of high concentration electrolyte by progressively separating gas bubbles from the liquid phase, addressing the poor separation effect caused by high conductivity electrolytes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a vertical dimension to the separation process by stacking separation chambers at different heights and using a liquid level control mechanism. The electrolyte flows from the first chamber to the second chamber through controlled liquid level differences, adding a vertical flow dimension that enhances separation efficiency for high concentration electrolytes.
2Productivity
If shear force flow field is used for gas-liquid separation, then separation is achieved for pure water and air, but separation efficiency deteriorates for micro-bubbles in high concentration electrolyte
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an ultrasonic vibration device that generates high-frequency mechanical vibrations in the electrolyte. This mechanical vibration disrupts the stability of micro-bubbles in high concentration electrolyte, enhancing their coalescence and separation from the liquid phase, thereby significantly improving separation efficiency where shear force alone is insufficient.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hydrophobic material as an intermediary substance to facilitate gas-liquid separation. This hydrophobic material preferentially interacts with gas bubbles, promoting their aggregation and separation from the electrolyte phase, thereby improving the separation of micro-bubbles that cannot be effectively separated by shear force alone.
3Device complexity
If conventional gas-liquid separation methods are used, then simple design is achieved, but separation efficiency for water electrolysis micro-bubbles deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The gas-liquid separator is segmented into multiple functional modules: pressurization device, first separation chamber, second separation chamber, ultrasonic vibration device, and liquid level control mechanism. This modular segmentation maintains design simplicity through standardized components while achieving high separation efficiency for water electrolysis micro-bubbles through coordinated operation of each module.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs a multi-functional gas-liquid separation system that combines pressurization, gravity-based separation, ultrasonic vibration, and hydrophobic material assistance into a single integrated device. This universal design handles various electrolyte concentrations and bubble sizes, maintaining simplicity while achieving high separation efficiency across different operating conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves a significant increase in gas-liquid separation efficiency, with a 48% improvement in gas separation effects through stirring, 48% through filtration, and 58% through ultrasonic oscillation, resulting in high purity gas and liquid discharge.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid feeding pressurized tube for receiving and pressurizing a gas-liquid mixed liquor
Implementation Method 2
an atomizing spray head, which is connected to the liquid feeding pressurized tube, in which the atomizing spray head converts the gas-liquid mixed liquor after pressurized by the liquid feeding pressurized tube into a mist droplet gas-liquid mixture
Implementation Method 3
an ultrasonic oscillation mechanism, set on an outer wall of the gas-liquid separation chamber, which is used for oscillating the mist droplet gas-liquid mixture in the gas-liquid separation chamber
Implementation Method 4
a filter mechanism, located at the top of the internal reservoir, which performs the gas-liquid separation for unbroken bubbles in the mist droplet gas-liquid mixture through the pore difference
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a gas-liquid separator of a water electrolysis system, comprising: a liquid feeding atomizer and a gas-liquid separation chamber, wherein the liquid feeding atomizer includes a liquid feeding pressurized tube; and an atomizing spray head, in which the atomizing spray head converts a gas-liquid mixed liquor after pressurized by the liquid feeding pressurized tube into a mist droplet gas-liquid mixture. The gas-liquid separation chamber comprises a spiral flowing way, and the spiral flowing way extends the time that the mist droplet gas-liquid mixture spraying into the gas-liquid separation chamber flows downwards to the bottom of the gas-liquid separation chamber; an ultrasonic oscillation mechanism; a stirrer; an internal reservoir; and a filter mechanism, which performs the gas-liquid separation for unbroken bubbles in the mist droplet gas-liquid mixture through the pore difference.