FR3078344A1 - OPTICAL SOLAR ELECTROLYSER AND RELATED METHODS - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a set of means capable of converting the solar radiation simultaneously into heat and electric energy, said means being used to produce steam from any liquid mixture containing water and to allow electrolysis at a high temperature. vaporized mixture thus obtained. The calorific and electrical energy required for this production are generated by a solar kettle optical system surrounded by solar panels. The invention is characterized in that the calories necessary for the vaporization of the aqueous mixture to be electrolyzed are obtained in said solar kettle device by concentration in a focal point of the energy of the solar radiation by means of an optical system consisting of a lens composed of two convex diopters enveloping a central portion containing the water used in the composition of said mixture to be electrolyzed, so that the lens thus formed serves simultaneously as a concentrator of the solar radiation, but also of intermediate reservoir as well as a heater of said water by absorbing a portion of said solar radiation. The invention is characterized in that the electrical energy required for the electrolysis is provided by the photovoltaic cells installed at the periphery of said optical system and optionally by other external renewable or non-renewable sources. The invention is characterized in that it supports different types of electrolyser. Given its possibility of mass production and low cost components of its lens, the invention is intended to become an economical alternative for domestic production or other different by-products, for example hydrogen and oxygen or syngas purified to be converted into hydrocarbon or alcohol, especially in developing countries.

Description

© OPTICAL SOLAR ELECTROLYSER AND RELATED METHODS.

FR 3 078 344 - A1

The invention relates to a set of means capable of converting solar radiation simultaneously into heat and into electrical energy, said means being used to produce steam from any liquid mixture containing water and to allow electrolysis at temperature. high of the vaporized mixture thus obtained. The calorific and electrical energies necessary for this production are generated by a solar kettle optical system surrounded by solar panels.

The invention is characterized in that the calories necessary for the vaporization of the aqueous mixture to be electrolyzed are obtained in said solar kettle device by concentration in a focal point of the energy of solar radiation by means of an optical system consisting of a lens composed of two convex diopters enveloping a central part containing the water used in the composition of said mixture to be electrolyzed, so that the lens thus formed serves simultaneously as a concentrator of solar radiation, but also as an intermediate reservoir as well as a heater for said water by absorbing part of said solar radiation.

The invention is characterized in that the electrical energy necessary for electrolysis is supplied by the photovoltaic cells installed on the periphery of said optical system and optionally by other external sources renewable or not.

The invention is characterized in that it supports different types of electrolyser.

Given its possibility of mass production and the low cost of the components of its lens, the invention is intended to become an economical alternative for the domestic or other production of various by-products, for example hydrogen and oxygen, even purified syngas capable of being transformed into hydrocarbon or alcohol, especially in developing countries.

OPTICAL SOLAR ELECTROLYSER AND RELATED METHODS.

INTRODUCTION

The awareness by users of the harmful effects of pollution and the reduction in hydrocarbon reserves has created the conditions for a new market for solutions proposing the use of carbon-free energy sources such as hydrogen , mainly used today to power fuel cells or to improve the efficiency of heat engines. Other ways are currently open for its direct use in engines, but also for producing various alternative fuels, in particular by combining it with carbon dioxide. However, in the current state of available technologies, hydrogen remains an expensive gas to produce, distribute and store. One of the problems to which the invention proposes to provide solutions is therefore that of its autonomous production by electrolysis at high temperature, and of making possible its local and / or domestic transformation for example into ethanol or methanol by using an adequate electrolyser.

It should be noted that several types of domestic electrolysers have recently appeared on the market, the electrical energy of which is generally supplied by solar panels.

The particularity of the system proposed here is that it takes advantage of the water to be electrolyzed to make it the central component of the lens used to concentrate the sun's rays and that therefore said lens is also used as a reservoir, and that the concentration of said rays solar at a focal point makes it possible to obtain a temperature of several hundred degrees depending on the conditions of sunshine and the path of the sun, it being specified that the envelope of said lens can be satisfied with a quality of glass, or even completely ordinary synthetic material.

Among the advantages of the solution proposed here, one is that the water constituting the heart of the lens absorbs a certain category of infrared constituting solar radiation, so that said water is preheated by said infrared; one of the other advantages is that before being introduced into the reservoir lens, the water used, if it is stored / injected at a sufficiently low temperature, allows the cooling of the photovoltaic cells to improve the yield.

The main materials used are therefore also inexpensive to manufacture or integrate, such as the photovoltaic cells that surround the lens, and the large-scale dissemination of the production system presented here should lower the price, making the system particularly competitive.

The invention presented here is therefore by its price and its design installable in individuals such as a simple solar panel, and such domestic production on site of hydrogen and / or hydrocarbon ensures the users of said invention a certain autonomy for those of their engines or various devices which are / will be tomorrow supplied by one or the other of these energy sources; but it can also be installed as a battery, alone or in addition to a solar photovoltaic farm, in configurations where the by-products obtained make it possible, for example, to store energy in periods of strong sunshine.

STATE OF TECHNOLOGY

Solar oven technology has been the subject of numerous patents for more than a century.

Among these patents, which have fallen into the public domain today, we can cite that obtained in 1878 by the Frenchman Augustin Mouchot.

Closer to home, we can cite the document WO 2014037630 A1 presenting an autonomous thermo-regulated cooking device using solar energy. Or the document EP 2312232 A2 presenting a solar barbecue, or finally the document WO 1997013104 A1 which presents a system. concentrator optics and apparatus using concentrated light. ”.

Regarding the specific functionality of a solar kettle, we can also cite the document

FR 2485705 A1 having a solar collector. Concerning high temperature electrolysis several patents have been filed, this is particularly the case of documents WO 2014097101 A1 presenting a process of high temperature electrolysis of water vapor ..., or also the document FR 2957359 B1 which presents a device for electrolysis of water at high temperature ... or the document

WO 2011110679 A1 which also has a device for electrolysis of water at high temperature ..., or else the document FR 2927907 B1 which presents an installation for producing hydrogen gas by electrolysis of water .... Some recent documents include moreover a production of synthetic gas, as is for example the case in the document WO 2017009577 A1 which presents a device and method for producing synthesis gas.

All of these inventions have unquestionably advanced the state of the art, but most of them propose the use of parabolic mirrors and no system combining the functions of optical lens and reservoir, and do not integrate electrolysis means as proposed in the invention presented here.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention presented here is characterized in that it comprises a plurality of means capable of converting solar radiation simultaneously into heat and into electrical energy, said means being used to produce steam and electrolysis products at high temperature, it being specified that the invention can be equipped with different types of electrolysers adapted to the by-products to be obtained.

The invention presented here is characterized in that it consists of a swiveling reception structure (100) on which are installed a plurality of means among which:

- combined means for concentrating solar radiation and for storing water consisting of at least one optical tank system (200),

- means for vaporizing liquid consisting of at least one device called a solar kettle (300),

- means for managing the vaporization process,

- means for generating driving forces consisting of at least one turbine powered by the steam produced (400),

means for generating electrical energy of photovoltaic origin consisting of at least one set of photovoltaic cells with cooling means (500),

- electrolysis means adapted to the production requested, consisting of at least one electrolyser device (600),

- At least one set of connections to external sources of the various devices constituting the invention.

- At least one control and regulation system for the various devices constituting the invention, for example to ensure security.

The invention is characterized in that it comprises in particular means for concentrating solar radiation by means of an optical reservoir system (200) formed by the union of two parts consisting of two plates (20E.20I) with raised edges made of natural or synthetic glass comprising in their central part a convex dioptric device (20G.20D), the said parts being assembled inverted one against the other while leaving a space between the two said plates thanks to their edges, and fixed one against the other by the peripheral seal (20J) ensuring the tightness of this assembly which gives this assembly the characteristics and performance of a converging optical lens when the interior part thus constituted as a reservoir (20R) is filled with the water to be electrolyzed, it being specified that said water is initially introduced through the orifice (210) to pass through the pipe (211) from which it emerges through the orifice (212) p or come and fill the reservoir lens (20R). The water to be electrolyzed exits via the outlet orifice (214) arranged in the lower part and its reintroduction after passage through the circulator (420) takes place through the inlet orifice (213) arranged in part higher; it being specified that maintaining the level of the water contained in the tank and filling it with the orifice (210) is controlled by an automatic system, for example consisting of a float valve (not shown).

The invention is characterized in that the central diopter (20G) exposed to solar radiation is surrounded by a multitude of photovoltaic cells installed on the periphery of the outer plate (20E), from which they are isolated by the pipe (211) which is surrounded by fins in contact with said cells capable of cooling them and in which the water to be electrolyzed circulates; it being specified that this arrangement has a double functionality, that of lowering the temperature of the photovoltaic cells to improve the performance ·· and of transferring the residual heat of said cells to the water intended for said reservoir lens (20R) to increase the temperature , and that moreover the shape of said pipe depends on the conditions of sunshine of the place of installation, by taking for example the form of a winding in contiguous turns as presented in the version of execution which is the subject of the figures ci -after.

The invention is further characterized in that it comprises means for vaporizing liquid, which means consisting of at least one device called a solar kettle, as detailed in FIG. 2, the invention is characterized in that the device solar kettle (300) consists of a metal housing (310) open on its front part and in which are installed the vaporizer device (320), the thermostatic inlet valves (331) of the liquid mixture to be vaporized and those (332 ) controlling the evacuation of steam, as well as the additional resistors (341,342).

The vaporizer device (320) comprises a vaporization chamber (322) consisting of the mounting of a front plate (321) in a material which is highly conductive of heat, such as for example titanium, assembled to a rear plate (323) consisting of a material with very low heat conductivity and spaced from the front plate by a suitable distance to trigger the vaporization of the liquid mixture to be vaporized introduced into the space existing between the two said plates, the shape of the assembly being adapted so as to follow the azimuth / zenith paths of the sun from the place of installation and by limiting the contour of said plates to the displacements of the point of impact (325) on the front plate of the focal point concentrating the solar radiation during its trajectory.

The invention works thus: the water contained in said reservoir lens (20R) is sent by the pipe (410) to the circulator (420) and a part is sent by the pipe (430) to the solar kettle (300), to be introduced into the vaporizer device (320), mixed -for example with another fluid introduced through the orifice (350) such as carbon dioxide- or not depending on the electrolysis device (600) installed.

After the initial filling with the liquid to be electrolyzed of the vaporizing device (320), the introduction of said liquid is ensured by a thermostatic regulating valve (331) whose probe is installed at the low point of the vaporizing device, and the release of the steam produced in said vaporizer device is controlled by a second thermostatic valve (332) whose probe is installed at the high point of said vaporizer device.

The first introduction valve (331) is of the progressive opening type with minimum flow rate, for example comprising a bimetallic strip and the probe of which is installed at the low point of the vaporizing device (320), and the function of said valve is to both when it is closed to let in / out a minimum of liquid to be electrolyzed, and by its gradual opening to ensure a flow rate of liquid to be electrolyzed in relation to the importance of the production of steam; so that at the start of the vaporization process, the heat released by the solar focal point at the point of impact (325) triggers around this point the vaporization of the liquid, the vapor produced of which is evacuated towards the top point of said vaporization point. spray device; and that during this production of steam, there is simultaneously partial discharge under pressure and through the lower valve of part of the liquid to be electrolyzed, and rise in temperatures reached at the two low and high levels of the vaporizing device, up to that the pressure / temperature reached at the high point triggers the opening of the upper thermostatic valve (332) and the release of the steam produced, and the reintroduction by the lower valve (331) of a new quantity of liquid to electrolyzed.

The invention presented here is capable of operating different types of electrolysers depending on the products to be produced.

The system presented here is also equipped, before the introduction of the steam into the electrolysis device, with electrical resistors (342) capable of generating additional calories, under certain conditions specified below, and installed after leaving the vaporizing device. and the inlet (350) optionally provided for the introduction, for example by means of a suction device of the venturi type, of additional fluid, for example carbon dioxide, which must enter into the composition of the mixture to be electrolyzed.

Upon leaving said devices, the steam produced is injected into a turbine (400) to drive, after adjusting the number of revolutions, the circulator (420), as well as, in the version of execution which is the subject of the figures below. next, the compressors (442,444) of the gases leaving the electrolysis device (600).

After passing through said turbine (400), the steam produced is injected through the outlet (432) into the electrolysis device as well as the gas (oxygen, carbon dioxide, etc.) necessary for the operation of the electrolyser installed .

Different types of high temperature electrolysers are installed in the invention, and will be chosen according to what must be produced and the temperature attainable at the place of installation; it being specified that in the execution version presented here, the invention is configured for the production of hydrogen and oxygen.

In optimal conditions of solar radiation, the consumption of the electric energy produced by the photovoltaic panels is reserved for the electrolysis devices (600), in the other conditions the invention is provided with means of control, regulation and piloting , allowing said electrical energy to be distributed between said electrolysis devices and the supply of complementary resistors (341,342) for increasing the temperature of the vapor, so as to optimize the efficiency of said electrolysis devices.

At the outlet of the electrolyser used (610), the gases produced (611,612) are directed to their respective separators / condensers (621,622), the cooling of which is ensured by an exchanger system (630) supplied by the circulator (420) and transferring the calories subtracted from said gases into the water contained in the reservoir lens (20R), and the condensed water is reintegrated into the reservoir lens by the pipe (615); these characteristics make it possible to advantageously recover said calories to increase the temperature of the water entering the mixture to be electrolyzed and thus optimize the efficiency of the installation, said gases thus produced by electrolysis being moreover compressed by the compressor (s) ( 44X).

All of the means described above are installed on an orientable and tiltable cradle (100) to be oriented along the axis optimizing the capture of solar radiation from the place of installation.

The water necessary for the operation of the system presented here comes from the distribution circuits or from an independent tank.

In the configuration presented here for the production of hydrogen and oxygen, the water reformed by condensation and leaving the separators / condensers (621,622) is collected by gravity and reintroduced by the orifice (615) in the reservoir lens (20R) ; it is therefore necessary to install said orifice collecting this water from the separators / condensers (621,622) sufficiently high so that the in situ inclination prevents the pouring of part of the water contained in the reservoir lens (20R).

To illustrate what is written above, FIG. 1 illustrates the arrangement of the various constituents of the present invention used for the production of hydrogen and oxygen; to facilitate the presentation and understanding of the layout of the various elements, the invention is presented in this figure in a non-tilted position.

Among the other functionalities not detailed, the invention is characterized in that it comprises a set of connections to external systems of the various devices constituting the invention, for example for an external electrical supply or even the addition of gaseous or not in the installed electrolysis device, and also characterized in that it includes safety control and regulation means to avoid any malfunction, such as overvoltages, overpressures, etc.

The invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described and presented in the various figures, which are illustrated and given only by way of examples of possible alternative embodiments. The characteristics, objects and advantages of the present invention presented here are only by way of nonlimiting examples.

FIGURES

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 shows a schematic view of the main elements constituting the invention.

FIG. 2 represents a schematic view of the devices for generating steam (300) and driving by the turbine (400).

Claims (9)

1- Installation characterized in that it comprises a plurality of means capable of converting solar radiation simultaneously into heat and into electrical energy, said means being used to produce steam and electrolysis products at high temperature., And is characterized in that it consists of a swiveling reception structure (100) receiving a plurality of means among which: - combined means for concentrating solar radiation and storing water (200), - liquid vaporization means (300), - means for managing the vaporization process, - means for generating driving forces (400), means of generating electrical energy of photovoltaic origin (500), - electrolysis means adapted to the production requested (600), - at least one set of connections to external systems of the various devices constituting the installation, - at least one control and regulation system for the various devices making up the installation. 2- Installation according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises combined means for concentrating solar radiation and for storing water, which means consisting of at least one optical reservoir system (200) formed by the union of two parts made up of two plates (20E.20I) with raised edges in natural or synthetic glass comprising in their central part a convex dioptric device (20G.20D), the said parts being assembled inverted one against the other while leaving space between the two said plates thanks to their edges, and fixed one against the other by the peripheral seal (20J) ensuring the tightness of this assembly which gives this assembly the characteristics and performance of a converging optical lens when the inner part thus constituted as a reservoir (20R) is filled with water to be electrolyzed, it being specified that said water is initially introduced through the orifice (210) for pa sser through the pipe (211) from which it emerges through the orifice (212) to fill the reservoir lens (20R). The water to be electrolyzed exits via the outlet orifice (214) arranged in the lower part and its reintroduction after passage through the circulator (420) takes place through the inlet orifice (213) arranged in part higher; it being specified that maintaining the level of the water contained in the tank and filling it with the orifice (210) is controlled by an automatic system. 3- Installation according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises means for vaporizing liquid, which means consisting of at least one device called solar kettle (300), which device consisting of a metal housing (310) open on its front part and in which are installed the vaporizing device (320), the thermostatic inlet valves (331) of the liquid mixture to be vaporized and those (332) controlling the evacuation of the vapor produced, as well as the additional resistances (341,342 ), and in that said vaporizing device (320) comprises a vaporization chamber (322) consisting of the mounting of a front plate (321) in a material highly conductive of heat, such as for example titanium, assembled to a rear plate (323) made of a material with very low heat conductivity and spaced from the front plate by an appropriate distance to trigger the vaporization of the liquid to vaporized mixture er introduced into the space existing between the two said plates, the shape of the assembly being adapted so as to follow the azimuth / zenith paths of the sun from the place of installation and by limiting the outline of said plates to the displacements of the focal point d impact (325) on the front plate concentrating solar radiation during its trajectory. 4- Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means for managing the vaporization process, which means consisting of at least one thermostatic regulating valve (331) of the progressive opening type with minimum flow, the probe is installed at the low point of the vaporizing device, said valve managing the introduction into the vaporizing device (320) of the liquid to be vaporized, and at least one second thermostatic valve (332) whose probe is installed at from the high point of said vaporizing device, said second valve managing the release of the vapor produced. 5- Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means for generating driving forces (400), which means consisting of at least one turbine (400) supplied and rotated by the steam produced and injected to drive, after adaptation of the number of revolutions, several devices including at least one circulator (420), as well as at least one compressor (44X). 6. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means for generating electrical energy of photovoltaic origin (500), which means consisting of at least one set of photovoltaic cells with cooling means. , which assembly comprising a multitude of photovoltaic cells surrounding the central diopter (20G) exposed to solar radiation and installed on the periphery of the outer plate (20E), from which they are isolated by the pipe (211) which is surrounded by fins in contact with said cells and whose shape depends on the sunshine conditions of the place of installation. 7- Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises electrolysis means suitable for the production requested, which means consisting of at least one electrolysis device (600) operating at high temperature, which device comprising at least one electrolyser (610) whose characteristics depend on the by-products to be obtained, separators / condensers the number of which depends on the said by-products to be obtained, as well as a heat exchanger system (630) supplied by the circulator (420), and characterized in that the presence of the compressors (44X) allows the compression of said gases. 8- Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a set of connections to external systems of the various devices constituting the invention. 9- Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it includes safety control and regulation means to avoid any malfunction, as well as control means making it possible to distribute said electrical energy produced between said devices. electrolysis and supply of additional resistors (341,342) for increasing the temperature of the vapor, so as to optimize the efficiency of said electrolysis devices.