Hydrogen Engine Double-Pipe Inert Gas Flow Control on Ships
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydrogen engine systems for ships require a compact inert gas supply system due to limited space, and conventional inert gas tanks are unsuitable for mounting on ships, necessitating a generator-based solution that maintains system compactness and effective hydrogen leakage management.
Innovation Solution
A hydrogen engine system with a generator on board to produce inert gas, utilizing a flow rate adjusting unit to manage inert gas flow, including pressure adjusting units and throttles to ensure appropriate inert gas flow rates and leakage confinement without increasing generator size, and a controller for safe operation based on oxygen and nitrogen concentration thresholds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a tank for storing inert gas is used, then the inert gas supply system is simple, but it occupies excessive space on the ship
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the inert gas storage function from a traditional tank and replaces it with an on-demand generation system. The inert gas is generated by decomposing organic peroxide in a generator, eliminating the need for large storage tanks while maintaining the necessary inert gas supply for hydrogen leakage management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the state of inert gas from stored (static) to generated (dynamic). By using chemical decomposition of organic peroxide, the system transforms from storing large volumes of inert gas to generating it on-demand, significantly reducing space requirements while maintaining functional effectiveness.
2Reliability
If the flow rate of inert gas is increased to ensure effective leakage management, then hydrogen leakage confinement is improved, but the generator size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a flow rate adjusting unit that dynamically controls the inert gas flow rate based on actual leakage conditions. This allows the system to maintain high flow rates for effective leakage confinement only when needed, while operating at lower flow rates during normal conditions, thus avoiding the need for an oversized generator.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial action by using the flow rate adjusting unit to provide inert gas at the minimum necessary flow rate for effective leakage management. Rather than continuously supplying maximum flow, the system adjusts the flow rate to match actual needs, reducing generator size requirements while maintaining reliability.
3Reliability
If a double pipe structure is used for hydrogen gas flow, then hydrogen leakage detection is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a double pipe structure where the first flow passage (for hydrogen gas) is nested within the second flow passage (for inert gas). This nested configuration allows hydrogen leakage to be detected by monitoring the inert gas flow, improving detection reliability while maintaining a compact and integrated structure rather than separate independent systems.
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 system achieves a compact inert gas supply system that effectively manages hydrogen leakage, prevents explosion risks, and allows continuous operation using alternative fuels, avoiding a 'dead ship' condition even in the event of hydrogen leakage.
Implementation Method 1
a generator (51) mounted on the ship 1000 and configured to generate an inert gas
Implementation Method 2
a flow rate adjusting unit 73 configured to adjust a flow rate of the inert gas in the second flow passage 72
Implementation Method 3
the flow rate adjusting unit 73 may include a pressure adjusting unit 731 disposed at a selectable portion P1 of the second flow passage 72, the pressure adjusting unit 731 being configured to generate a pressure difference in the inert gas between a primary side and a secondary side of the selectable portion P1
Implementation Method 4
a second flow passage 72 including an outer pipe that surrounds at least part of the first flow passage 41 serving as an inner pipe to form a double pipe 8
Implementation Method 5
a hydrogen engine 1 mounted on a ship 1000 and configured to combust hydrogen gas in a combustion chamber 12
Data Source
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AI summary
An objective is to compactly configure an inert gas supply system in an engine system including a double pipe through which hydrogen gas and inert gas flow. The engine system S includes: a hydrogen engine 1 mounted on a ship 1000; a hydrogen flow passage 41 configured to allow hydrogen gas to flow therethrough so that the hydrogen gas is supplied to the hydrogen engine 1; a generator 51 mounted on the ship 1000 and configured to generate an inert gas; a nitrogen flow passage 72 including an outer pipe 72c, 72d that surrounds at least part of the hydrogen flow passage 41 serving as an inner pipe 41a, 41b to form a double pipe 8, the nitrogen flow passage 72 being configured to discharge nitrogen gas, supplied from the generator 51, to the outside of the ship through the outer pipe 72c, 72d; and a flow rate adjusting unit 73 disposed closer to the hydrogen engine 1 than to the generator 51 on a flow path formed by the nitrogen flow passage 72 and configured to adjust a flow rate of nitrogen gas in the nitrogen flow passage 72.