Passive Piston Compression System for Hydrogen Energy Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need to utilize the work released by the depressurization of compressed hydrogen to compress another fluid efficiently, without relying on conventional gas compressors, which are energy-intensive and require external power sources.
Innovation Solution
A passive piston compression system that uses the expansion of a first compressed fluid to compress a second fluid, featuring a closed enclosure with a movable piston that varies the pressure of both fluids through translational movement, utilizing elastic return members and valves to manage fluid flow and pressure changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a conventional gas compressor is used to compress a fluid, then the fluid can be compressed to the required pressure, but the system requires external energy input and is energy-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the expansion of a compressed gas (first fluid) to automatically compress another gas (second fluid) without requiring external energy input. The compressed gas itself serves as the driving force for the compression process, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating the need for external power sources or conventional compressors.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the potentially wasted expansion energy of compressed gas into a useful compression force. Instead of allowing the compressed gas to expand uselessly or requiring additional energy for compression, the system harnesses this expansion work to compress another fluid, turning what would be wasted energy into a beneficial compression action.
2Loss of energy
If the work from depressurization of compressed hydrogen is not utilized, then the system remains simple, but energy is wasted and cannot be used for other applications
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the depressurization process of compressed hydrogen with the compression process of another fluid into a single integrated system. The expansion of compressed hydrogen and the compression of the second fluid occur simultaneously in the same device, allowing the system to capture and utilize the work from depressurization rather than wasting it, while maintaining relatively simple system architecture.
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 system enables the compression of a second fluid without external energy input, leveraging the work from the depressurization of the first fluid to increase the pressure of the second fluid, offering energy savings and efficient compression without the need for electrical supplies or external forces.
Implementation Method 1
a piston, located inside the enclosure and movable in translation along a translation axis following the expansion of the first compressed fluid
Implementation Method 2
the piston being configured to vary the pressure of the first fluid in the first chamber and the pressure of the second fluid in the second chamber by translational movement along the translation axis
Implementation Method 3
at least one elastic return member, in particular a spring, can be positioned between the piston and the second chamber, configured to be compressed by the piston in the event of translational movement of the piston towards the second chamber and configured to be relaxed in the event of translational movement of the piston towards the first chamber
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The main object of the invention is a passive compression system (1) with a piston (2) for compressing a second fluid (4) by expanding a first compressed fluid (3), comprising: a closed chamber (E); a piston (2), movable about a translational axis (T); a first chamber (5), intended to contain the first compressed fluid (3); a second chamber (6), intended to contain the second fluid (4) to be compressed. The first chamber (5) includes first inlet means (10) for the first fluid (3), and first outlet means (11) for the first fluid (3). The second chamber (6) includes second inlet means (12) for the second fluid (4), and second outlet means (13) for the second fluid (4). The piston (2) is configured to vary the pressure in the first chamber (5) and the pressure in the second chamber (6) by translational movement.