Hydrogen Purification Membrane with Electrochemical Compressor
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current hydrogen gas supply systems for fuel cells have low overall efficiency due to high purification efforts and incomplete conversion of hydrogen, resulting in maximum efficiency of around 38% and real efficiency between 30% to 34%, with significant effort required for gas cleaning and limited electricity generation.
Innovation Solution
A system that partially separates and purifies hydrogen gas using a separation membrane, allowing for reduced cleaning effort and increased overall efficiency by utilizing a combined separation and cleaning process, where only a portion of the gas mixture is cleaned for electricity generation, and the residual is thermally utilized, with an electrochemical compressor promoting hydrogen separation and reducing operating pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complete purification of hydrogen gas from LOHC dehydrogenation is performed, then fuel cell operation is ensured, but overall process efficiency decreases to 30-34%
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial purification by separating only a portion of the hydrogen gas stream through the membrane unit. The separation unit divides the gas mixture into a purified hydrogen stream (sent to fuel cell) and a residual stream (thermally utilized). This partial action approach achieves sufficient purity for fuel cell operation while avoiding the excessive energy consumption of complete purification, thereby improving overall process efficiency.
2Reliability
If a two-stage process with preliminary separation and subsequent purification is used, then hydrogen gas is purified, but process complexity and effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the separation and purification functions into a single membrane-based unit. The separation membrane performs both tasks simultaneously by selectively permeating hydrogen while blocking impurities like CO and TOC. This consolidation eliminates the need for multiple sequential units, reducing process complexity while maintaining high hydrogen purity for fuel cell operation.
3Productivity
If high pressure is applied in dehydrogenation unit, then hydrogen release is enhanced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical pressure application with an electrochemical compressor that uses electrical energy to drive hydrogen separation through the membrane. This substitution allows for more efficient energy utilization, as the electrochemical process directly converts electrical energy into separation work, reducing the overall energy consumption compared to traditional mechanical compression methods.
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 increased overall efficiency up to 38% by optimizing hydrogen gas utilization, reducing cleaning effort, and allowing for partial electricity generation and thermal utilization of residual gas, thereby enhancing the fuel cell's partial efficiency and reducing operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
the separation/purification unit (5) has a separation membrane (17) for separating and purifying the hydrogen gas from the gas mixture
Implementation Method 2
An electrochemical compressor according to claim 2 enables advantageous hydrogen separation in the separation/purification unit. By applying an electrical voltage, the passage of hydrogen gas through the separation membrane is promoted
Implementation Method 3
Hydrogen gas can be used to generate electricity in a fuel cell
Implementation Method 4
A thermal utilization unit, in particular a hydrogen burner, connected to the separation/purification unit via a second fluid line, enables a significant increase in the overall efficiency of the system by efficiently combusting a residual gas mixture
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a system for providing hydrogen gas, comprising a dehydrogenation unit (4) for releasing a gas mixture containing hydrogen gas out of an at least partly loaded hydrogen carrier medium and comprising a separating/purifying unit (5) which is connected to the dehydrogenation unit (4) for at least partly separating hydrogen gas from the gas mixture and for purifying the separated hydrogen gas, wherein the separating/purifying unit (5) has a separating membrane (17), a usage unit (6) which is connected to the separating/purifying unit (5; 5a) for using the purified hydrogen gas, and a thermal utilization unit (7) which is connected to the separating/purifying unit (5; 5a) for thermally utilizing the remaining gas mixture.