Hydrogen Production Device Standby Operation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional operation methods for hydrogen production devices result in the consumption of product gas during pressure increasing processing and waste of source gas, leading to increased operational time before starting the product gas producing operation.
Innovation Solution
An operation method for a hydrogen production device that includes a stand-by operation where product gas is circulated within the reforming processing unit, and upon starting the product gas producing operation, immediate supply of source gas and steam to the reformer, with reformed gas being directly supplied to the adsorption towers, and discarding product gas if hydrogen concentration is below a set value.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If pressure increasing processing is performed using product gas before starting the product gas producing operation, then the system pressure is increased to operating level, but product gas is consumed during this process
Solution Approach 1:
The reforming processing unit uses its own internal product gas to increase pressure before operation start, rather than requiring external product gas supply. The circulating pump recirculates the internal product gas to build up system pressure, making the system self-sufficient for its own pressurization needs.
2Productivity
If source gas is supplied and reformed before the adsorption towers are ready, then the reforming process can begin early, but the reformed gas must be discarded if the adsorption towers are not yet operational
Solution Approach 1:
The adsorption towers are prepared in advance by circulating product gas through them before the reforming process begins. This preliminary action ensures the adsorption towers are ready to immediately process reformed gas when it becomes available, eliminating the need to discard any reformed gas and preventing source gas waste.
3Reliability
If multiple processing steps (pressure increasing, material introduction, purification) are executed sequentially before product gas production, then proper system preparation is ensured, but the time to start production is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple preparation steps into a single integrated stand-by operation. The circulating pump simultaneously performs pressure increasing and adsorption tower preparation by recirculating product gas through both the reforming processing unit and the adsorption towers, eliminating the need for sequential execution of separate steps.
4Temperature
If the reformer is heated by the heating burner during stand-by operation, then the reformer reaches operating temperature faster, but energy is consumed to maintain heating without production
Solution Approach 1:
The heating burner continues to operate during stand-by mode to maintain the reformer at operating temperature, ensuring that the reforming process can begin immediately when material is introduced. The energy consumption is justified by the elimination of production delays that would otherwise occur while waiting for the reformer to heat up.
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
This method allows for the efficient start-up of the product gas producing operation while minimizing the consumption of product gas and source gas, and reducing the time taken before the start of the operation.
Implementation Method 1
a reformer for performing steam reforming processing on the source gas in a state in which the reformer is heated to a reforming temperature
Implementation Method 2
heating burner for heating a reformer
Implementation Method 3
a plurality of adsorption towers that perform a pressure swing adsorption operation of adsorbing, using an adsorbent, adsorption target components other than the hydrogen components from the reformed gas
Implementation Method 4
compressor for source gas supply for supplying a source gas
Data Source
AI summary
When the product gas producing operation is stopped, a stand-by operation is executed in which a product gas filling up a reforming processing unit is circulated, in a state in which an adsorbent of adsorption towers is maintained in a state in which adsorption target components are desorbed, and the heating of a reformer by a heating burner is maintained, and when the stand-by operation is stopped and the product gas producing operation is started, initial operation processing is executed in which immediately after the start, a source gas and steam are supplied to the reformer to produce a reformed gas, and the reformed gas from the reforming processing unit supplied to the adsorption towers to produce the product gas, and then the product gas producing operation in which the product gas is collected in a product gas tank is executed.