FR2852530A1 - Self-contained and portable gas generator from solid and fluid reagents has reservoir for fluid and mobile barrel containing cartridges of solid reagent - Google Patents

Abstract

The gas generator is designed to produce gases such as hydrogen or oxygen from solid reagents and fluid reagents. It comprises a reservoir (1) for a fluid reagent, a pump (2) and distribution circuit (3), and a movable barrel (4) with eight chambers to hold cartridges (5) of solid reagent, surmounted by an outlet manifold (6) for the product gas, connected via a non-return valve to a buffer reservoir (7). The gas generator is designed to produce gases such as hydrogen or oxygen from solid reagents such as hydrides enclosed in fusible capsules of gelatin or other materials that do not deteriorate in air, and fluid reagents such as water. It consists of a reservoir (1) for a fluid reagent, a pump (2) and distribution circuit (3), and a movable barrel (4) with eight chambers to hold cartridges (5) of a solid reagent, surmounted by an outlet manifold (6) for the gas produced by the reaction, which is connected via a non-return valve to a buffer reservoir (7). The fluid reagent is injected into each cartridge in a series of bursts until all the solid reagent is used up.

Description

The present invention relates to an autonomous and portable device

  gas generator from solid reagents. These reagents have the property of performing molecular storage of said gas without pressure within this solid material. This property makes it possible to reduce the volume by a factor of up to 1400 with respect to this same gas under normal conditions.

  The device keeps the reaction and reaction products separate and inert with respect to the constituent materials. It preserves the environment and keeps the reagents intact for the operating conditions. It allows a use of the gas produced, according to the needs of the user. eg use of pure gas for a specific application: oxygen respirator, inert gas, heat engine, or electricity generation coupled to a fuel cell.

  Gas or liquid gas contained in containers with or without pressure is traditionally used which constitutes a danger in case of accident, shock or fire.

  Some manufacturers provide reinforced containers for industrial use but this does not eliminate the danger of explosion or the possibility of spreading said gas into the environment while increasing the total mass of gas and container used. (For example: 40 ton tank 20 to hold 500 kg H2 at 200 bar) These disadvantages are such that the use of combustible gases, stored as such, or liquid, in mobile or portable or residential applications, is curbed or non-existent, or even destined to disappear, because of the risks incurred.

  The device according to the invention overcomes these disadvantages, It has 12 features that contribute to it.

  According to a first characteristic, it comprises pots receiving cartridges of solid or fluid inert, non-explosive and incombustible reagents. These reagents are optimally packaged, by this term is meant conditioning which minimizes the mass (or volume) of reagents used per gram (liter) of product gas due to the use of the most advantageous reagents for the production of the reagent. application: for example, the lighter (or less bulky) ones, in order to obtain a reactive mass / minimum reaction product ratio (or reactive volume / minimum reaction product).

  These same reagents are packaged in separate confinements, so as to make them inert with respect to the environment either in a package or by insertion into individual capsules protecting them from any contact with the ambient environment.

  By progressive dilution and controlled by the physical characteristics of the reactive fluid (pressure, temperature), the capsules also provide a controllable delay at the start of the reaction.

  The mass of reactant product of each cartridge (and thus the volume of gas produced, as well as the kinetics of reaction) depends on the number and size of the capsules.

  According to a second characteristic, by gravitational effect, by means of a pump, by a propellant piston or by the opening of a tank of inert gas under pressure, the user triggers the injection of the fluid reagent.

  According to a third feature, the fluid reagent is directed by a series of solenoid valves and hydraulic circuits to the selected pot and reagent cartridge.

  According to a fourth characteristic, the injection time is dimensioned so that the quantity QI of reactive liquid injected (in kg), equal to the product of the mass flow rate of the pump (in kg / s) by the duration of the flow. (in s) causes a chemical reaction with a quantity Q2 (in kg) of solid reagent, according to the stoichiometric ratio specific to the desired reaction.

  According to a fifth characteristic, the triggered reaction results in the production of reaction products from X to Y seconds depending on the packaging and the temperatures T1 and T2 of the reactive products.

  According to a sixth characteristic, the chemical reaction lasts until Qi + Q2 kg of reaction products are obtained after a period of U to V seconds after starting the reaction according to the particle size between G1 and G2. solid reactive product.

  Thanks to these two last characteristics, it is possible to modulate the start-up time of the DP production, the reaction gas (from X to Y s) as well as its production rate QP, in Kg / s, of the value QPminimum = RG ( Ql + Q2) N at the value Qpmaximum = RG (Ql + Q2) / U, where RG is the yield (0 to 1) of mass production of product gas relative to the total mass of reactive products.

  According to a seventh characteristic, the injection of the liquid reagent may be repeated several times in successive puffs until the total consumption of the mass of the solid reagent present in the cartridge of the pot.

  According to an eighth characteristic, the device comprises N distinct pots arranged around a cylinder, each comprising an independent reagent cartridge and a control device for triggering up to N simultaneous reactions and to have a gas production rate equal to the sum of the individual flows.

  According to a ninth characteristic, the device is rechargeable by cassette N cartridges or unitary cartridge in a short time by quick opening of the barrel.

  This makes it possible to know at any time the reserve of reagent available and to refill the device completely or partially in reagents in a few seconds.

  According to a tenth characteristic, the device comprises a buffer tank, supplied independently by the reaction products of each of the N pots via N check valves, which can contain a small volume W 40 m 3 of reaction product gas at a variable pressure between 1 and P bars, the capacity of this tank thus allows to store from W m3 to PXW m3 of the gas supposed to follow the law of the perfect gases.

  According to an eleventh characteristic, the reservoir comprises two pressure gauges, one of maximum pressure range (0 to 300 bar), the other of adjustable pressure of 45 service with a built-in pressure reducer, a safety valve calibrated according to the calculation pressure. tank and finally a service tap.

  According to a twelfth characteristic, the device makes it possible to regenerate, from an energy produced by use, a part of the reaction products obtained in aqueous solution and / or to directly produce an additional reaction product gas by electrolysis. (Ex: recovery of the reaction heat or the braking energy of a mobile) According to particular embodiments The device can supply hydrogen gas from a solid reagent based on hydride rendered inert and a fluid reagent separated from the previous one by 3 barriers: 1) different and sealed confinements with respect to each other, 2) motor device and active valve to direct and mix the 2 reagents 3) sheathing of the solid reagent allowing a delayed reaction according to a variable delay predetermined by the characteristics of the fluid on the solid reagent.

  A prototype exists consisting of a barrel with 8 pots and 8 cartridges solid reagent container, a fluid reagent tank and a buffer gas tank generated.

  The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. FIG. 1 shows the block diagram of the invention. FIG. 2 shows a section of the front view and the bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of the invention. the device comprises a reactive fluid reservoir (1), a pump (2), a reactive fluid distribution circuit (3), a removable barrel consisting of 8 pots (4), each comprising a solid reagent retention cartridge ( 5), surmounted by a gas reaction product exhaust manifold (6) connected by a check valve to a buffer tank (7). 25

Claims (9)

  1) Apparatus for generating gases such as hydrogen, oxygen, from solid reagents such as hydrides, enclosed in gelatin capsules or other air-inert materials and fluid reagents such as water; characterized in that it comprises: a reactive fluid reservoir (1), a pump (2), a reactive fluid distribution circuit (3), a removable barrel consisting of 8 pots (4), each comprising a cartridge of solid reagent retention (5), surmounted by a gaseous reaction product exhaust manifold (6), connected by a check valve to a buffer tank (7).   2) Device according to claim 1 producing said gas by injecting the fluid reagent in contact with the capsules, the solid reagent pots being grouped respectively around a removable barrel 3) Device according to claims 1 and 2 comprising means for distributing and directing the fluid reagent to 1, 2.3 to 8 solid reagent retention pots simultaneously, the distributor being constituted by a series of solenoid valves, actuated by the command control module, acting as a switch.   4) Device according to claims 2 comprising a liquid reagent injector 20 in each cartridge by successive bursts to total consumption of the mass of solid reagent contained in said cartridge.   5) Device according to claim 4 comprising a control module controlling the opening of 1 to 8 solenoid valves for injecting the liquid reagent in each or in 2 or 3 up to 8 simultaneous cartridges of the barrel. With this property it allows summing the gas flow rates of each pot activated to supply the buffer tank.   6) Device according to claim 5 comprising a removable barrel containing 8 cartridges. to reload the entire 1-8 rounds of solid reagent at once in seconds.   7) Device according to claim 1 comprising a small gaseous reaction product storage tank arranged buffer buffer, it receives the gas generated from the outlet of 8 check valves whose input is connected to the reaction chamber of the pots retention at the outlet of gaseous reaction product such as hydrogen.   8) Device according to claim 7 comprising 2 manometers and a safety valve and a gas-specific service valve product, one from 1 to 300 bar, the other measuring the operating pressure in an adjustable regulator, it allows the operating pressure of said gas to be adjusted according to the needs of the user regardless of the tank pressure, the relief valve is set to remain under the design pressure of the tank.   9) Device according to claim 7 comprising a means for regenerating part of the aqueous reaction products or generating the reaction product, hydrogen, oxygen, by electrolysis.