ITAR20090011A1 - HYDROGEN COGENERATION PLANT, PARTICULARLY FOR OUT-OF-GRILL BUILDINGS - Google Patents

Description

HYDROGEN COGENERATION PLANT,

ESPECIALLY FOR OFF-GRID BUILDINGS

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a hydrogen cogeneration plant, particularly for off-grid buildings.

The scientific world in recent years has been making great efforts to find convincing answers to the energy crisis that now seems to have involved the entire planet.

Nowadays the most commonly used energy sources are those from fossil fuels, such as oil and other natural hydrocarbons, coal in general and all its forms (from peat to anthracite) and natural gas.

This is due to the fact that they have many advantages: they have a high energy / volume ratio, they are easily transportable, they are easily stored, they can be used with relatively simple machinery and they are relatively cheap.

Fossil energy sources, however, present serious problems.

First of all, they are pollutants: mainly due to the diffusion into the atmosphere of substances naturally associated with these fuels (for example sulfur dioxide).

Furthermore, they are called into question for the so-called "greenhouse effect" since their use determines an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, a gas which is not chemically dangerous in itself, but which is now considered the main culprit of overheating. global.

Finally and above all, these energy sources are not renewable resources since the process of fossilization of the organic substance that underlies these fossil fuels is extremely long and the quantity that is fossilized today is negligible compared to the energy needs of the society in which we live. This last characteristic, in particular, implies the fact that the fields being exploited are exhausted, while the energy demands increase, with a consequent increase in their price.

The depletion of fossil fuel deposits and the increase from public pressure that sees in oil, coal, etc. the main source of environmental damage, causes ever greater shares of alternative energy sources to be considered in national and international energy baskets.

In this regard, we are increasingly oriented towards the exploitation of alternative energy sources that have the characteristic of being renewable such as solar or wind power. At the current state of the art, there are cogeneration plants that exploit energy from alternative renewable sources to accumulate it using the hydrogen energy vector. The purpose of this energy vector is to store the energy used during its synthesization process, to make it available at a different point in space and time, in other forms through combustors or fuel cells (or "fuel cells"). . Hydrogen, which is the most important energy vector for the accumulation of renewable energy sources, can be produced on site by splitting the water molecule H2O (which is supplied as demineralized as possible) by means of electric current (synthesis by electrolysis):

2H20 = 2H2 O2.

However, this process requires the use of a very high amount of energy, which is necessary to break the molecular bonds and deliver the pure hydrogen molecule (H2).

At the current state of the art, there is no concrete possibility of creating a device that allows to make a building, intended for residential, office or industrial use, independent of electricity, gas, sewer, plumbing, telephone networks, etc. .: a building of this type, using Anglo-Saxon terms is also called "off-grid", in off-grid translation, or even eco-building with an island.

The main problem for creating an off-grid building, in fact, is identified in the decoupling between the moment of production of energy from renewable sources or of useful material (water, gas, ...) and the moment of use of the same energy or of the aforementioned useful matter.

Furthermore, the balance between what is taken and what is introduced into the eco-system should tend to zero.

Another problem consists in the fact that, although the energy that comes from renewable sources practically involves only an initial installation cost in addition to the maintenance of the equipment, in the current state of the art it often presents serious problems of continuity and energy density for the construction of a building for residential purposes, for office or industrial use, totally independent from the aforementioned networks.

In practice, renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power do not allow for good continuity and density of operation.

The aim of the invention is to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks in known types of hydrogen cogeneration plants, particularly for out-of-grid buildings, which allows the construction of a habitable building, i.e. for civil use as an office or home, completely independent. from any network and totally autonomous.

Within the scope of the above aim, an object of the invention is to provide a hydrogen cogeneration plant, particularly for off-grid buildings, which allows to minimize energy and water waste.

Another object of the invention is to provide a building in a non-urbanized area, making it habitable even without connection to the electrical, water, thermal, etc. networks.

Another object of the invention is to make such an off-grid building autonomous over time, regardless of the position in which it is constructed or the place in which it is found, eliminating the problem of making it sustainable.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a hydrogen cogeneration plant, particularly for out-of-grid buildings, which is able to reuse any waste or waste, both human and energetic, produced inside the off-grid building.

Not least object of the invention is to provide a hydrogen cogeneration plant, particularly for out-of-grid buildings, with means easily available on the market as well as using commonly used materials, so that the device is economically competitive and easy to assemble.

This aim and the other purposes are achieved by a hydrogen cogeneration plant, particularly for off-grid buildings, according to the invention, characterized in that it comprises an electrolyser connected to connection means with at least one container body for collecting water and a renewable electricity generation means, a hydrogen container element connected to at least one user element of said hydrogen for the production of electric current and thermal energy, said electric current and said thermal energy being available to the off-grid building, having moreover, connection means between said at least one user element and a thermal energy storage element, said thermal energy storage element being connected to the outlet of a purification plant for the discharges coming from said off-grid building.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the hydrogen cogeneration plant, particularly for out-of-grid buildings, illustrated by way of non-limiting example with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 represents a diagram of the operation of the hydrogen cogeneration plant;

Figure 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of the cooling system of the off-grid building;

Figure 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of the heating system of the out-of-grid building;

Figure 4 represents the operation diagram of the purification plant.

With reference to the aforementioned figures, the hydrogen cogeneration plant, particularly for off-grid buildings, according to the invention, which is identified as a whole with reference 1.

A key feature of this system consists in the fact that it includes:

<–> an electrolyser 8 (or electrolytic cell) connected to connection means with at least one container body 7 for collecting water and to renewable electricity generation means 3;

<–> a hydrogen container element 9 connected to at least one hydrogen user element for the production of electricity and thermal energy that are available to the off-grid building 2;

<–> means of connection between the user element and a thermal energy storage element 6. The thermal energy storage element 6 is also connected to the outlet of an exhaust purification plant 24 coming from the building off-grid 2, such as a phyto-purification plant.

The means of generating renewable electricity 3, preferably with a short chain for logistical and dispersion problems, may for example provide for the use of solar cells or rotors that exploit the force of the wind or tides.

In the embodiment presented here, the generation means 3 advantageously comprise at least one photovoltaic module, also provided with thermal solar panels to collect the thermal component of solar radiation, normally positioned on the upper roof of the building 2.

In other construction solutions, the use of other renewable energy sources with a short chain can be envisaged, such as wind, hydroelectric, or geothermal, also in addition to solar.

Advantageously, the thermal energy storage element 6 comprises elements of connection with renewable thermal energy production means 5.

Said means of production of renewable thermal energy 5 may include, for example, the combustion of biomasses, i.e. substances of animal and vegetable origin, non-fossil, and / or the conversion of the thermal component of the solar radiation collected by the aforementioned solar thermal modules, into so that the solar radiation is fully exploited.

The container element 9 may consist of a cylinder containing metal hydrides that absorb the molecular hydrogen coming from the electrolysis of the water inside the electrolyser 8.

Another embodiment provides that this hydrogen is contained in containers at pressure below 5 bars or at higher pressures (around 200 bars) but with the help of a compressor.

Preferably, electric current storage means 4 are provided, connected to the renewable electric energy generation means 3. These storage means 4 can be constituted by an electric battery, known per se, such as for example a lithium or lead battery. o to the gel, connected to the means of generating electricity 3, as well as to any inverters and charge regulators. Advantageously, a first hydrogen user element can consist of a cogenerator 14, for the production of electricity and thermal energy (for example a fuel cell, but also an engine). A second hydrogen user element is also provided, sometimes also an alternative to the cogenerator 14, which includes a hydrogen burner 15, for the production of thermal energy only.

The thermal energy storage element 6 may consist for example of a first hot water tank which can normally be provided inside the building 2 or underground, downstream of the purification plant 24.

The water container body 7 actually represents a water reserve for building 2 for consumption by users, after installing a water purification system connected to it.

The container 7 can consist of another tank and also acts as a cold thermal accumulator. This second tank can be buried.

The water collected by this cold thermal accumulator can be withdrawn from a nearby water basin (river, lake, sea) and possibly connected to a desalination plant, from an underground aquifer through, for example, a well, and / or through the collection of rain water. In the latter case, the container 7 is connected to an inclined plane 18 which may consist of the roof of the building 2.

The hot and cold thermal accumulators, i.e. the element 6 and the container 7, are advantageously used to heat or cool the building 2 (indoor air conditioning), by installing heat exchange means between the fluids at different temperatures. .

In particular, in the embodiment presented here, these exchange means preferably provide an absorber 20 fed directly by the means for generating the electrical energy 3 and / or by the thermal energy storage element 6 and / or also by the storage means 4, also called "solar cooling". With reference to Figure 2, the absorber 20 uses the water contained in the element 6 as an incoming hot fluid, releasing frigories through the work of the thermal machine 21 and a back-up coming from the photovoltaic modules.

In the winter months, the necessary calories are directly taken from the solar thermal or from the element 6, but can be integrated by those sold by the absorber 20 in its inverted cycle operation, by-passing the thermal machine 21 (see figure 3).

Means are also provided for connection to an exhaust purification plant 24. These discharges are divided into gray water 25 and black water 27, as shown in Figure 4.

The system 24 preferably comprises a degreaser 26 for collecting gray water 25, connected at the outlet with the discharge of a septic tank 28 for collecting black water 27 and connected in succession to means for phyto-purification 29.

The pipe inside the degreaser 26 draws above the level of the soaps deposited on the bottom as well as in the pit 28 the pipe is above the level of organic deposits from fermentation.

The liquid coming out from the degreaser 26 and from the septic tank 28 is advantageously purified by the purification means 24 and carried into the container 7 by the aforementioned connection means (such as a pipe with pumps).

In other solutions it is possible to foresee that portions of phytodepuration water be reused for the irrigation of biomass to be burned and / or for non-potable use inside the building 2. Such means for phytodepuration 29 consist for example of plants that can then be used as a means of producing a portion of thermal energy, ie as additional biomass.

Preferably, the electrical current storage means 4 are connected to means for transmitting information of the users of the off-grid building 2 with the outside.

Therefore, building 2 can be equipped, for example, with a radio link 22, preferably with a WiFi system (wireless fidelity, i.e. that can connect to local wireless networks), for the transmission of information, such as telephone calls, access to the internet, etc.

With reference to Figure 1, building 2 receives electricity and thermal energy derived from hydrogen or in the form of hot water (element 6).

The supply of drinking water is instead guaranteed by the water (rain or groundwater) collected inside the container body 7, consisting for example of one or more tanks, and possibly a purification plant.

As far as electricity is concerned, it is supplied directly by the means of generation 3 (solar, wind, tide, water, ...) and / or by the means of storage 4.

Hydrogen is supplied directly by the electrolyser 8 and can be used to power the kitchen stove or to transform it into heat (through the burner 15) or heat and electricity (through the cogeneration inside the cogenerator 14). In this case, the current produced can also be reused to power the electrolyser 8. In addition to supplying building 2, the hydrogen from electrolysis can be a fuel for means of transport or be used in industry.

The hot water comes from the storage element 6, for example constituted by another tank where the wastewater, light and dark, coming from building 2 is collected, allowing the gray water and black water to pass from the 'purification plant 24.

The water contained in the thermal accumulator can be heated by means of thermal energy production 5 (biomass) and / or the transfer of the thermal component of the solar radiation produced by the photovoltaic module 13 into the element 6 and / or the energy thermal generated by one or more elements that use hydrogen (cogenerator, burner, ...).

From what has been described above, it can therefore be seen how the invention achieves the intended aim and objects and in particular it is emphasized that a hydrogen cogeneration plant is provided, particularly for out-of-grid buildings, which allows a habitable building, for civil use such as office or home or as an industry, to be completely independent from any network, electrical, thermal, water, telephone, etc. and totally autonomous.

In particular, hydrogen acts as a modulator of the discontinuity in the supply of electricity and thermal energy from renewable sources, also giving it greater energy density.

Another advantage of this hydrogen cogeneration plant can be identified in the extreme ability to recover electricity, heat and water, which allows the minimization of waste and significantly increases the overall efficiency, as well as the recycling of waste. or waste, both human and energetic, produced inside the habitable building.

Another advantage of the invention consists in having created a structure that can be built in an uninhabited and / or uninhabitable area, disconnected from the electricity, water, gas, etc., allowing its habitability and complete sustainability.

Another advantage of the invention is given by the fact that the hydrogen cogeneration plant exploits a connection between different energy sources, thermal and water, all connected to each other, allowing the off-grid building to be habitable and autonomous for a period of indefinite, practically infinite, regardless of the position or place in which it is located.

Last but not least, the use of means that are easily available on the market and commonly used materials have made the device economically competitive and easy to assemble.

In practice it has been found that the device thus described, allows the realization of an exergetically optimized hydrogen cogeneration plant, particularly for off-grid buildings for residential purposes, for offices and for industrial purposes.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept.

Furthermore, all the details can be replaced by other technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to the requirements, provided they are consistent with the manufacturing purpose.

Claims (11)

R I V E N D I C A Z I O N I 1) Hydrogen cogeneration plant, particularly for off-grid buildings, characterized in that it comprises an electrolyser (8) connected to means of connection with at least one container body (7) for collecting water and to means of generating electricity renewable (3), a container element (9) of hydrogen connected to at least one user element of said hydrogen for the production of electricity and thermal energy, said electric current and said thermal energy being available to the off-grid building (2 ), further having connection means between said at least one user element and a thermal energy storage element (6), said thermal energy storage element (6) being connected to the outlet of an exhaust purification plant (24) coming from said off-grid building (2). 2) Plant, according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said thermal energy storage element (6) comprises elements for connection with renewable thermal energy production means (5). 3) Plant according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said container element (9) comprises a cylinder containing absorption metal hydrides for molecular hydrogen. 4) Plant, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises electric current storage means (4) connected to said renewable electric energy generation means (3). 5) Plant according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one user element comprises a cogenerator (14), for the production of electric current and thermal energy. 6) Plant, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means for receiving the electric current coming out of said cogenerator (14). 7) Plant according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one user element comprises a burner (15) of said hydrogen, for the production of thermal energy. 8) Plant, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said sewage purification plant (24) comprises a degreaser (26) for collecting gray water (25) connected at the outlet with the discharge of a septic tank ( 28) for the collection of black water (27) and connected to means for phytoremediation (29), downstream of said degreaser (26) and said septic tank (28). 9) Plant, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises heat exchange means between said thermal energy storage element (6) and the water collected in said container body (7) for air conditioning of internal environments to said off-grid building (2). 10) Plant according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said heat exchange means comprise an absorber (20) for the transfer of calories and frigories. 11) Plant, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said means for storing electric current (4) are connected with means for transmitting information of the users of said off-grid building (2) with the outside .