Hydrogen Heating Tank Using Incompressible Fluid and Waste Heat
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for heating hydrogen in fuel systems, such as those used in hydrogen-burning gas turbine engines or fuel cell stacks, require the combustion of a portion of the hydrogen flow, leading to inefficiency and increased weight due to the use of heat-exchangers, making them unsuitable for aerospace applications.
Innovation Solution
A tank-based system with incompressible fluid regions and permeable membranes or perforated plates separates and heats hydrogen flows using incompressible fluid circulation, eliminating the need for combustion and reducing weight by utilizing waste heat from the aircraft.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a heat-exchanger is used to vaporise and heat hydrogen, then hydrogen can be heated efficiently, but the apparatus weight increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of hydrogen from liquid to gas directly within the tank by introducing heat through the tank wall to the liquid hydrogen. This eliminates the need for separate heat-exchanger equipment, achieving both weight reduction and effective hydrogen vaporization/heating through the phase change process itself
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and removes the separate heat-exchanger component from the system by integrating the heating function directly into the hydrogen storage tank structure. The tank wall itself becomes the heating interface, eliminating the need for external heavy heating equipment while maintaining the heating function
2Temperature
If a portion of hydrogen is combusted to heat the remainder, then hydrogen can be heated, but fuel is expended and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary heat source (external heating means such as electrical heaters or waste heat sources) that directly heats the liquid hydrogen through the tank wall, eliminating the need to combust hydrogen for heating purposes. This intermediary heating method preserves all hydrogen fuel for its intended use while achieving the required heating effect
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the potentially harmful loss of hydrogen fuel into a beneficial situation by using alternative external heating sources. Any waste heat from the aircraft system is converted into a useful heating source for the hydrogen, turning what would be wasted energy into a benefit while preserving fuel efficiency
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 efficiently vaporizes and heats hydrogen without combustion, reducing weight and improving efficiency, making it suitable for aerospace applications.
Implementation Method 1
a tank having a tank wall and first region containing a volume of incompressible fluid, the tank wall having a fluid input and a fluid output therein for establishing a flow of the incompressible fluid through the first region
Implementation Method 2
to vaporise, or complete vaporisation, of a flow of liquid or supercritical hydrogen
Implementation Method 3
one or more membrane elements or perforated plates separating the first and second regions within the tank, the input conduit system extending through the membrane elements or perforated plates and wherein the one or more membrane elements or perforated plates are permeable to gaseous hydrogen and impermeable to liquid hydrogen
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus for heating a flow of hydrogen includes (i) a tank having a tank wall and first region containing a volume of incompressible fluid, the tank wall having a fluid input and a fluid output therein for establishing a flow of the incompressible fluid through the first region, (ii) an input conduit system having one or more outputs within the first region and (iii) an output conduit coupling a second region of the tank configured to collect gaseous hydrogen in operation of the apparatus to an apparatus output, the tank wall of the tank otherwise being closed. In operation of the apparatus, heat lost from the volume of incompressible fluid to hydrogen input to the apparatus is replaced by heat within incompressible fluid provided to the fluid input, thus maintaining the temperature of the body of incompressible fluid.