Hydrogen Production Start-Up Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing hydrogen production apparatuses require a lengthy time to heat the desulfurizer, reformer, and CO transformer during start-up due to low internal pressure in the closed circulation circuit after purging, which hampers quick resumption of hydrogen production.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a closed circulation circuit that recirculates gas through the desulfurizer, reformer, and CO transformer while bypassing the hydrogen purification unit, with a purge gas supply path to increase pressure within the circuit, and a throttle unit to manage flow resistance, ensuring efficient heat transfer and pressure increase during start-up.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a purging step is performed to replace gas in the closed circulation circuit with hydrogen-rich gas, then the hydrogen-rich gas is filled into the circuit, but the pressure within the circuit becomes relatively low (about 0.2 MPaG), which reduces heating efficiency and increases start-up time
Solution Approach 1:
A pressure increase step is performed before the heating step to increase the internal pressure of the closed circulation circuit. This preliminary action ensures that when heating subsequently occurs, the gas is at optimal pressure for efficient heat transfer, thereby reducing start-up time while maintaining safe hydrogen-rich gas filling conditions
2Ease of operation
If the pressure within the closed circulation circuit is relatively low after purging, then the gas can be easily filled, but only a small amount of gas can be heated by the heating means, which increases start-up time
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure increase step is performed as a preliminary action before heating. By increasing pressure first, the system prepares the gas for more efficient heating in the subsequent step, allowing a larger amount of gas to be heated effectively and reducing overall start-up time
Solution Approach 2:
The internal pressure parameter of the closed circulation circuit is changed from a low state (after purging) to a higher state (before heating). This parameter change optimizes the heating efficiency by ensuring sufficient gas volume and pressure for effective heat transfer, thereby reducing start-up time
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 configuration allows for rapid heating of the desulfurizer, reformer, and CO transformer, significantly reducing start-up time and enabling quicker hydrogen production by efficiently transferring heat and maintaining high pressure within the circuit.
Implementation Method 1
a reformer that heats the desulfurized source gas in a state mixed with steam with a heating means and obtains a reformed gas
Implementation Method 2
a CO transformer that causes carbon monoxide in the reformed gas to react with steam
Data Source
AI summary
A hydrogen production apparatus including a desulfurizer, a reformer, a CO transformer a gas flow path, and a purge gas supply path which is provided where a purge gas is supplied to an upstream side of a pressure feeding apparatus in the gas flow path, prior to a stopping operation, a purging step of replacing gas within the gas flow path with the purge gas and filling the purge gas into the gas flow path is performed, and in a start-up operation in which a heating means is operated to increase the temperature of the gas within the gas flow path, which is performed prior to a hydrogen purification operation, a pressure increasing step of supplying the purge gas from the purge gas supply path to the closed circulation circuit and increasing the pressure within the closed circulation circuit is performed.