ES1284229U - Hydrogen and energy transport system (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

System for the transport of energy and hydrogen, using conduits for their transfer and containers for their storage, comprising conduits inside which hydrogen flows with a pressure (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Energy and hydrogen transportation system

field of invention

In energy transport systems and transfer of hydrogen gas. Hydrogen is used to generate electricity, and in oil refineries to remove impurities, such as sulfur and olefins, from crude oil. The removal of these impurities produces less polluting gasoline and diesel, which is the fundamental requirement for modern internal combustion engines, allowing vehicle emissions to be reduced.

State of the art

Hydrogen transportation and transfer systems are complicated, costly, dangerous and/or ineffective. The same happens with the transport of electrical energy. With the present invention these problems can be solved in a simple and economical way.

Purpose of the invention.

Use a useful, practical, economical, simple, safe and leak-free system for the transfer of hydrogen gas.

Transport hydrogen through pipelines over long distances, without losses and economically.

To be able to substitute the transport of electrical energy for that of hydrogen gas using gas pipelines.

To be able to reuse the current gas or oil pipelines for the transfer of hydrogen.

Take advantage of renewable energy transformed into green hydrogen, especially that obtained by photoelectrolysis , using transition metal oxides and sulphides. Where photoelectrochemical cells transform solar radiation into electricity through photoactive anodes and cathodes. These are semiconductors capable of absorbing solar radiation and spontaneously promoting an electric current that circulates from the anode to the cathode, allowing water molecules to break on the anode surface, forming oxygen and protons, which travel through the electrolyte. toward the cathode to form hydrogen.

At the destination the hydrogen can be used to produce electricity with fuel cells. Hydrogen can be transported and even stored in double-walled containers or conduits, between which nitrogen or a noble or inert gas pressurized at a higher pressure than the internal pressure of hydrogen is used. In this way it acts as a barrier preventing hydrogen from escaping.

Problem to solve.

Hydrogen gas presents great difficulty in its storage and transportation. Leakage occurs because of the small size of the hydrogen molecule and because of the large differential pressure that exists across the vessel shell. There is no waterproof material that prevents the leakage of hydrogen between its molecules. With the present system this problem is solved, being able to transfer it over long distances, as gas, by means of cheaper gas pipelines, less heavy and without leaks. The transport of electrical energy is expensive and inefficient, it has many losses, with the proposed transfer system the problem can be solved. For all of the above, this system is very ecological, especially if it is green hydrogen that is obtained with renewable energies.

The energy and hydrogen transport system, using conduits for its transfer and containers for its storage, using conduits inside which the hydrogen flows with a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure, which is done automatically by sucking with pumps, turbines or fans applied at the extraction end of the duct, which are driven by electric motors and the ducts or containers have double walls. To facilitate circulation, intermediate pumps, turbines, etc., suckers and impellers can be added along the duct.

As the internal pressure of hydrogen is lower, it does not treat or is not forced out of it. The wall does not allow oxygen to enter and mix with hydrogen, which is at a lower pressure. Optionally, its interior walls and even the exterior ones can be covered with an additional insulating layer.

Double-walled containers and ducts have a chamber between them which is filled with nitrogen, a noble gas or mineral oil at a pressure higher than the one you want to transfer or store the hydrogen. The walls can be kept apart by separating straps.

You can use countless gas or oil pipelines that are currently in disuse, or whose current use could be changed. They would serve for the transport of hydrogen, energy and simultaneously, due to the fact that they are large pipes or conduits, for its storage until later use.

The transport of energy using hydrogen gas pipelines avoids the losses that occur with the current transport of electrical energy.

Double-walled containers can be used as car bottles in vehicles.

With this system there are no leaks, allowing the ducts to be simpler, lighter, safer and cheaper, more consistent materials not affected by corrosion can be used.

The ducts can be covered or lined with insulating layers resistant to corrosion and external atmospheric elements.

The shells of the ducts and containers can be made of special steel or polymers, reinforced with carbon and glass fibers, sheets or crossed bands of Kevlar or carbon nanotubes and epoxy with aluminum, aluminized, blued plates, etc. Polyester or polyethylene is resistant to atmospheric agents. Polymers can be spray applied and ducts can be made by extrusion.

Carbon, austenitic, ferritic, etc. steels can be used for the vessels and ducts. and steels with copper, brass, chrome molybdenum alloys, with copper bronze alloys with aluminum, tin, manganese, lead, silica, etc., and with copper bronze alloys with nickel.

Microalloyed steels are also useful.

It adds an independent emergency system by means of pressure switches, which, upon detecting that there is no vacuum inside the ducts, activate cut-off solenoid valves or pumps or turbines which provide a slight vacuum inside said ducts. This system only acts in case of stoppage of the suction system, but not in case of breakage of the ducts.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 shows a schematic and partially sectioned view of a single-shell or single-shell hydrogen duct of the invention.

Figure 2 shows a schematic, partial and sectional view of variants of ducts. Figure 3 shows a schematic and partially sectioned view of a container for hydrogen storage.

More detailed description of the invention

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the invention, it consists of the conduit (1) through which hydrogen (H2) circulates at a pressure slightly below atmospheric, which is sucked from the extraction end for use by some pumps, turbines or fans (2) driven by the electric motor (3), with which the pressure in the duct is automatically lowered. The stopcock (7) allows cutting or opening the passage of hydrogen. Figure 2 shows a double-walled conduit (1a), the outer wall (4) and the inner wall (5), between which carries nitrogen, noble gas or mineral oil (6) at a pressure higher than that of hydrogen, the which circulates through the internal duct.

Figure 3 shows the double-walled container or bottle (1b), the external wall (4a) and the internal wall (5a), between which it carries nitrogen, noble gas or mineral oil (6) at a pressure higher than that of hydrogen. . The key (7) allows the manual cut-off or flow of hydrogen.

Claims (8)

1. System for transporting energy and hydrogen, comprising pipes for its transfer and containers for its storage, characterized in that the pipes have pumps, turbines or fans at the end for extraction, driven by electric motors and because Both the ducts and the containers are double-walled. 2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that they carry intermediate pumps, turbines or fans inside and along the ducts. 3. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the double-walled ducts and containers have a chamber between them which is filled with nitrogen, noble gas or mineral oil at a pressure higher than the one desired to transfer or store the hydrogen. 4. System according to claim 3, characterized in that the walls are kept separated by separating strips. 5. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the ducts and containers are covered or lined with insulating layers. 6. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the ducts and containers are made of steel or polymers, reinforced with carbon and glass fibers, sheets or crossed bands of Kevlar or carbon nanotubes and epoxy with aluminum, aluminized or blued plates. 7. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the materials of the containers and ducts are selected from carbon, austenitic, ferritic steels and steels with copper alloys, brass, chrome molybdenum, with copper bronze alloys with aluminum, tin, manganese , lead and silica, and with copper-nickel bronze alloys or micro-alloyed steels. 8. System according to claim 1, characterized in that it adds an independent emergency system by means of pressure switches, which, upon detecting that there is no vacuum inside the ducts, activate cut-off solenoid valves or pumps or turbines which provide a slight vacuum inside these ducts.