JP2005289439A - Container - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a container giving a less burden to the environment, and excellent in efficiency, versatility and practical usability. <P>SOLUTION: The container is equipped with a fuel cell system with a fuel cell. It is possible that the container is a tank container, and a temperature controlling means is an electric heater. It is also possible that the container is a van container, and the temperature controlling means is an air conditioning means with a fuel cell system as an electric power source. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a container loaded on a railway, a truck, a ship and the like.

  Conventionally, diesel generators that use light oil as fuel have been installed in containers that can be adjusted in temperature, and heaters, air conditioners, refrigerators, etc. are driven by the electric power to heat and cool the containers.

  However, exhaust gas from a diesel engine contains NOx, soot and the like, and a reduction thereof is desired. For example, a device for trapping dust can be attached, but this requires space, which may lead to a reduction in the load capacity.

  In addition, because of the exhaust of the generator, soundproofing measures for the power generation engine are not perfect, and it has been required to reduce noise especially at night.

  Furthermore, the tank of the tank container is heated, such as when transporting a low-fluidity liquid, but since the electric power was once generated by the diesel generator as the heat source and the electric heater was heated, the energy efficiency is high. I could not say.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a power supply device for an in-vehicle cooling device that uses a fuel cell instead of a diesel generator. In this document, a refrigeration container and a fuel cell that is separately provided from the refrigeration container are placed on a truck bed, and the refrigeration container can be removed from the vehicle. By using a fuel cell, improvement in noise and exhaust gas is expected.

  However, in such a configuration, since the fuel cell remains installed in the vehicle, the vehicle must be dedicated to the refrigeration container, and there is room for improvement in versatility and practicality, for example, it is difficult to apply it to railways. was there. Or, in order to empty the loading platform, the fuel cell must be removed from the vehicle separately from the container, and there is room for improvement in work efficiency and practicality.

In addition, there is a tank container equipped with an electric mixer to prevent the fluid contained in the tank from solidifying, but there is room for improvement in terms of NOx, dust, and noise even in the case where a diesel generator is provided as a power source for the electric mixer. It was.
JP-A-6-137735

  The object of the present invention is to reduce the burden on the environment in terms of noise and exhaust gas, can be loaded and unloaded without reducing work efficiency, can be suitably applied to railways, trucks, ships, etc., and has excellent versatility and practicality It is to provide an excellent container.

  According to the present invention, the following containers are provided.

  1) A container comprising a fuel cell system having a fuel cell.

2) The said container is a container with a temperature control function provided with a temperature control means,
The container according to 1), wherein the power source of the temperature adjusting means is the fuel cell system.

3) The container is a tank container,
The container according to 2), wherein the temperature adjusting means is an electric heater using a fuel cell system as a power source.

4) The container according to 3), further comprising a flow path through which the heat medium taken out from the fuel cell system flows as temperature adjusting means different from the electric heater.

5) The container according to 3) or 4), further comprising an electric pump powered by the fuel cell system for supplying and / or discharging liquid from the tank.

6) The container is a tank container,
The container according to any one of 1) to 5), further comprising: an electric mixing unit that uses the fuel cell system as a power source for mixing the load in the tank.

7) The container is a van container,
The container according to 2), wherein the temperature adjusting means is an air conditioning means using a fuel cell system as a power source.

  8) The container according to 7), further comprising water spraying means for spraying water discharged from the fuel cell system into the container.

9) The container according to 7) or 8), further comprising a flow path through which the heat medium taken out from the fuel cell system flows as temperature adjusting means different from the air conditioning means.

  10) The fuel cell system includes liquid fuel storage means for storing liquid fuel, a hydrogen production apparatus for producing a hydrogen-containing gas from the liquid fuel, and a fuel cell using the hydrogen-containing gas as fuel 1) to 9) The container according to any one of the above.

  11) The container according to any one of 1) to 10), further comprising power storage means for storing power generated in the fuel cell system.

  12) The container according to any one of 1) to 11), wherein the fuel cell is fixed to the container via a shock absorber.

  By using a fuel cell system instead of a diesel generator as a power source and installing a fuel cell system in a container, the load on the environment is reduced in terms of noise and exhaust gas, and it can be loaded and unloaded without reducing work efficiency. A container that can be suitably applied to trucks, ships, etc., has excellent versatility, and is highly practical.

  The gas discharged from the fuel cell system is low NOx and does not include soot that is generated in a diesel engine. Further, since the fuel cell is not a rotating device, the fuel cell system has low noise, and can be 50 dB or less at 1 m on the machine side, for example. For this reason, a large-scale soundproofing measure is unnecessary, and the apparatus can be made compact accordingly.

[Container with temperature control function]
As a typical form of the container, there is a tank container mainly used for transporting a liquid. Another typical form of container is a van container. A container provided with a temperature control function is used in both the tank container and the van container.

  The tank container has a configuration in which, for example, a substantially cylindrical tank is fixed to a frame. When the liquid stored in the tank is a liquid having a low room temperature fluidity such as heavy oil, for example, a temperature adjusting means for heating the liquid stored is provided in order to increase the fluidity of the liquid.

  In the present invention, a known electric heater can be employed as the temperature adjusting means used in the tank container. Furthermore, the tank can be heated by providing a flow path of the heat medium on the outer surface of the tank or inside the tank, and flowing a heat medium having exhaust heat from the fuel cell system. As this structure, for example, a known warm water jacket structure can be adopted.

  A van container is a box-shaped container, and a container with temperature control means known as a refrigerated container or a frozen container for transporting fresh food or frozen food is used.

  In the present invention, as the temperature adjusting means used for the van container, a known air conditioning means known as an air conditioner or a refrigerator can be employed. Alternatively, in the van container, when only heating is necessary, the container can be heated by providing an electric heater or a heat medium flow path in the container as in the case of the tank container.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

  In the tank container shown in FIG. 1, an electric heater 121 having a heating wire 122 is disposed in contact with the outer wall surface of the tank 101 fixed to the metal frame 102. The fuel cell system 110 is provided in the frame, the electric heater and the fuel cell are electrically connected, the electric heater is operated using the fuel cell as a power source, and the tank is heated. At this time, in order to keep the temperature within a desired range, the output of the electric heater is controlled by the temperature control means 105 interposed between the electric heater and the fuel cell system. With the above configuration, the liquid in the tank is heated to a desired temperature. It is also possible to drive the electric equipment provided in the container, such as the temperature control means and the control device provided in the fuel cell system, with electric power generated in the fuel cell system. The temperature control means can use a known technique known as a temperature controller or the like.

  Although the electric heater is provided on the outer wall surface of the tank here, it can be provided inside the tank.

  For example, when the heavy oil is contained in a tank and transported, the electric heater can be set to about 40 ° C. or higher and 100 ° C. or lower, and the temperature of the heavy oil can be kept at 40 ° C. or higher and 70 ° C. or lower.

  Fuel cells have less impact on the environment, such as noise and exhaust gas, than diesel generators. It is also possible to increase the power generation efficiency. In addition, since the container is equipped with a fuel cell system etc., no special equipment is required on the vehicle side and it is excellent in versatility, and the container and the fuel cell system etc. can be mounted on the vehicle at once or taken off from the vehicle. This is also good in terms of work efficiency.

  FIG. 2 shows a tank container suitable for heating the liquid in the tank 201 fixed to the frame 202. In the form shown in FIG. 2, temperature control means using a heat medium is further added to the form having the electric heater shown in FIG. 1 (however, the illustration of the electric heater and the like is omitted). That is, in addition to heating by the electric heater, the exhaust heat of the fuel cell system 210 is taken out in the form of a heat medium (here, hot water), and the hot water is passed through the hot water passage 231 provided on the outer wall surface of the tank to heat the tank. To do. The flow rate and temperature of this hot water can be controlled by the temperature control means 205 to control the temperature of the liquid in the tank. In this embodiment, since both the generated power and the exhaust heat of the fuel cell system are used, the liquid in the tank can be heated more efficiently.

  Here, the flow path of the heat medium is provided on the outer wall surface of the tank, but may be provided inside the tank.

  For example, when the heavy oil is contained in a tank and transported, the temperature of the heavy oil can be kept at 40 ° C. or higher and 70 ° C. or lower using hot water of 40 ° C. or higher and 100 ° C. or lower.

  The flow path of the heat medium can be appropriately formed using a circular tube or a rectangular tube. In FIG. 2, only two hot water flow paths are shown for simplicity, but the arrangement of the hot water flow paths can be determined as appropriate, for example, the hot water flow paths are evenly arranged over the entire circumference of the tank. . Although the heat medium flow path is provided on the outer wall surface of the tank here, it can also be provided inside the tank. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, a hot water flow path can be provided on the outer wall of the tank and an electric heater can be provided on the outer side thereof. Alternatively, an electric heater can be provided on the outer wall of the tank, It can also be provided.

  Heat dissipation loss can be suppressed by providing the heat insulating means 232 outside the tank provided with the hot water flow path. The heat insulating means can be appropriately selected according to the temperature used from a known heat insulating material, and in some cases, a known heat insulating structure such as a vacuum heat insulating structure can also be adopted. The heat insulating means is not limited to the container having the form shown in FIG. 2, but can be appropriately applied to the container having the form shown in FIG.

  In addition to hot water, fluids other than hot water, such as steam and combustion exhaust gas, can be taken out of the fuel cell system and used as a heat medium for tank heating and the like. It is preferable to circulate the heat medium used for tank heating or the like, such as warm water or steam (or its condensed water), to the fuel cell system so as not to waste the heat medium.

  FIG. 3 shows a tank container of the form shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 for supplying a liquid load to the tank from the outside and / or discharging a liquid load from the tank. 1 shows an embodiment in which an electric pump is provided (the temperature adjusting means and the temperature control means are not shown). That is, FIG. 3 shows a tank container including an electric pump 341 for unloading and / or discharging liquid stored in a tank 301 fixed to the frame 302. The electric pump is electrically connected to the fuel cell and is driven by electric power generated in the fuel cell. The tank, the electric pump, and the stop valve 342 are connected by a pipe 343 in this order. In a tank container equipped with such a pump and a power source, the pump can be operated as necessary, and the liquid can be unloaded and dispensed regardless of the equipment on the receiving side, similarly to the tank lorry.

  FIG. 4 shows a form in which a fuel cell is applied to a van container. In this van container, the temperature in the cargo compartment 403 is controlled by air conditioning means 450 driven by the fuel cell system 410 as a power source. This form can be applied to so-called refrigerated containers or refrigerated containers. As the air conditioning means itself, a known air conditioner or refrigerator driven by electricity can be applied. The van container has a structure partitioned by a partition wall into a cargo compartment 403 that is an area for accommodating cargo and a unit portion 451 that is an area for accommodating a fuel cell system and air conditioning means. However, the outlet from which air is blown from the air-conditioning means to the cargo compartment and the air intake from the cargo compartment to the air-conditioning means are appropriately provided, for example, at positions that open at the upper or lower part of the cargo compartment.

  Since such a van container uses a fuel cell, it is low in NOx and dust, is environmentally friendly, can be reduced in weight, and can increase the volume for storing cargo.

  FIG. 5 shows a form in which spray means for spraying water generated by the fuel cell system is further added to the van container of the form shown in FIG. For example, when storing fresh food such as vegetables, water may be sprayed on the fresh food in a container in order to maintain freshness. In such a case, this embodiment is suitable.

  For example, in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC), hydrogen supplied to the anode chamber becomes protons and passes through the electrolyte, and reacts with oxygen on the cathode side to generate water. Therefore, the cathode off gas discharged from the cathode chamber contains moisture. Liquid water can be obtained by condensing moisture in such cathode off-gas or other gas in the fuel cell system. The water generated in the fuel cell system 510 is boosted by a boosting means such as a pump as needed, and sprayed from the water spray nozzle 561 into the cargo compartment 503 through the pipe 562. A known technique can be used for the water spray nozzle itself, and for example, a pipe having many small-diameter holes can be used.

  In order to condense the moisture in the gas, the gas may be appropriately cooled, such as air cooling, and gas-liquid separation may be performed, and a known air cooler or gas-liquid separator can be employed.

  Although not shown, as in the case of the tank container shown in FIG. 2, the cargo compartment can be heated also in the van container using the exhaust heat of the fuel cell system. In other words, in addition to air-conditioning means, for example, a pipe (heat medium flow path) for flowing hot water under the floor of the van container is installed, and hot water taken out from the fuel cell system is made to flow there, so to speak, in the form of floor heating The inside can be heated. If the same cargo compartment is heated by both the air conditioning means and the heat medium flow path, both the generated power and the exhaust heat of the fuel cell system can be used, which is preferable in terms of efficiency. Alternatively, the cargo compartment can be divided into two or more, a part can be cooled by air conditioning means, and the remaining part can be heated by a heat medium. In this case, both the cargo to be heated and the cargo to be cooled can be carried.

  As described above, in addition to using a fuel cell system as a power source, by using exhaust heat and by-products of the fuel cell system, a container with a temperature control function that is excellent in efficiency and resources can be effectively used. Provided.

[Electric mixing means]
In the tank container, in order to prevent solidification of the liquid load in the tank, the liquid load can be stirred with an electric stirrer, or the liquid load can be circulated using a circulation electric pump. It is preferable to use a fuel cell system as a power source for electric mixing means such as an electric stirrer and an electric pump from the viewpoint of reducing NOx, dust, and noise. In addition to the temperature adjusting means as described above, the electric mixing means may be used in addition to the electric pump for supplying the liquid to the tank and / or discharging the liquid from the tank.

[Inverter]
In the present invention, an inverter that converts direct current into alternating current can be provided, for example, when the power obtained from the fuel cell system is direct current power and the device that uses the power only supports alternating current. Further, if necessary, a device for forming a power source suitable for a device using power, such as a voltage converter, can be provided. As these devices, well-known devices that constitute a power source can be appropriately employed.

[Hybridization by means of power storage]
In addition to the fuel cell system, it is preferable to provide power storage means in the container. Thereby, it can be set as the hybrid type of a fuel cell and an electric power storage means. When the power consumption is small, the power generated by the fuel cell can be stored in the power storage means, and when the power consumption is large, the power of the power storage means can be used when starting, stopping, and the like.

  Since continuous operation is preferable to intermittent operation for a fuel cell, if it is hybridized, load fluctuations are absorbed by the power storage means, and the fuel cell can be operated continuously at a constant output over a relatively long period of time. Become. For example, in the form of FIG. 1 in which the tank is heated by an electric heater, when temperature control is performed by a thermostat, the electric heater is repeatedly turned on and off at a relatively short time interval. In such a case, it is particularly preferable to make a hybrid.

  As the power storage means, a known device that stores power, such as a secondary battery or an electric double layer capacitor, can be appropriately employed.

  FIG. 7 shows an example of a form in which the power storage means is electrically connected to a fuel cell system or the like. Electricity is generated by the fuel cell system 701, and the electric power is supplied to an electric power utilization device 703 such as an air conditioning unit, an electric heater, a temperature control unit, and an electric mixing unit to perform air conditioning. When the power use device is stopped or when the power consumption is small, the power generated by the fuel cell system is supplied to the power storage means 702 and stored. At the time of starting the fuel cell system, the power stored in the power storage means can be used by the fuel cell system or the power use device. Moreover, the power of the power storage means can be supplied to the power use device when the load of the power use device changes.

  An example of the operation pattern of the power storage means is shown in FIG. FIG. 6A shows a pattern when the output (power generation amount) of the fuel cell system is constant and the power demand (here, the required power of the air conditioner is considered as a representative example) changes. When the required power of the air conditioner exceeds the output of the fuel cell system, power is supplied (discharged) from the power storage unit, and otherwise, the fuel cell system stores power in the power storage unit. FIG. 2B shows an example of an operation pattern including starting and stopping of the fuel cell system. In this pattern, when the fuel cell system is activated, the amount of power generation gradually increases and becomes constant at the rated value. When stopped, power generation stops almost instantaneously. If the required power of the air conditioner exceeds the output of the fuel cell system, power is supplied (discharged) from the power storage means, and otherwise the electricity is stored from the fuel cell system to the power storage means. .

[Buffer device]
In order to suppress vibration during transportation as much as possible, it is preferable to fix the fuel cell to the container via a shock absorber. As the shock absorber, a known shock absorber such as an elastic member such as a spring or rubber or an air spring can be used. For example, the fuel cell can be sandwiched from above and below by a spring attached to the ceiling or upper frame of the container and a spring attached to the floor or lower frame of the container.

[Fuel cell fuel and its storage]
The fuel of the fuel cell can be appropriately selected according to the type of fuel cell used. When hydrogen is a reactant of the fuel cell, hydrogen storage means such as a cylinder storing hydrogen is provided in the container, and this hydrogen can be supplied to the fuel cell. However, it is preferable to use liquid fuel from the viewpoint of easy handling.

  As the liquid fuel, petroleum fuels such as gasoline, naphtha and kerosene, alcohols such as methanol and the like, hydrocarbon fuels which are liquid at 0.1 MPa and 25 ° C., or liquefied petroleum gas can be used. Of these, kerosene is preferred because it is readily available and easy to handle.

  When liquid fuel is used, the fuel cell system includes liquid fuel storage means for storing liquid fuel. As the liquid fuel storage means, a known tank, cylinder or the like can be adopted depending on the type of liquid fuel.

[Fuel cell system]
The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, and optionally includes equipment for operating the fuel cell and extracting power. In the present invention, a known configuration can be applied to the fuel cell system itself.

〔Fuel cell〕
As the fuel cell, a known fuel cell can be appropriately used. For example, a fuel cell of a type in which hydrogen is a reactant of the electrode reaction in the fuel electrode, specifically, a solid polymer type, phosphoric acid type, molten carbonate type, solid oxide type fuel cell can be adopted. . Hereinafter, the configuration of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell will be described.

  The fuel cell electrode consists of an anode (fuel electrode) and cathode (air electrode) and a solid polymer electrolyte sandwiched between them. A hydrogen-containing gas is required on the anode side, and an oxygen-containing gas such as air is required on the cathode side. If so, it is introduced after appropriate humidification treatment.

  At this time, a reaction in which hydrogen gas becomes protons and emits electrons proceeds at the anode, and a reaction in which oxygen gas obtains electrons and protons to become water proceeds at the cathode. In order to promote these reactions, platinum black and Pt catalyst or Pt-Ru alloy catalyst supported on activated carbon are used for the anode, and platinum black and Pt catalyst supported on activated carbon are used for the cathode. Usually, both the anode and cathode catalysts are formed into a porous catalyst layer together with Teflon, a low molecular weight polymer electrolyte membrane material, activated carbon or the like as necessary.

  As solid polymer electrolytes, Nafion (Nafion, manufactured by DuPont), Gore (Gore, manufactured by Gore), Flemion (Flemion, manufactured by Asahi Glass), Aciplex (Aciplex, manufactured by Asahi Kasei), etc. A molecular electrolyte membrane is usually used, and the porous catalyst layer is laminated on both sides thereof to form an MEA (Membrane Electrode Assembly). Further, the fuel cell is assembled by sandwiching the MEA with a separator having a gas supply function, a current collecting function, particularly an important drainage function in the cathode, and the like made of a metal material, graphite, carbon composite and the like. The electric load is electrically connected to the anode and the cathode.

[Hydrogen production equipment]
When a fuel cell using hydrogen as a reactant is used and the above-described liquid fuel is used, a hydrogen production apparatus for producing a gas containing hydrogen (hydrogen-containing gas) from the liquid fuel is provided in the fuel cell system.

  The hydrogen production apparatus has at least a reformer. The reformer reacts water and / or oxygen with a raw material for hydrogen production (for example, the above-described liquid fuel), which is a raw material for producing a hydrogen-containing gas, and produces a hydrogen-containing gas (reformed gas) containing hydrogen. It is a device to manufacture. In this apparatus, the raw material for hydrogen production is mainly decomposed into hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Usually, carbon dioxide and methane are also contained in the cracked gas.

  The hydrogen production equipment further includes a desulfurizer that reduces the concentration of sulfur in the liquid fuel supplied to the reformer, a preheater that preheats the liquid fuel supplied to the reformer, and a vaporizer that vaporizes the liquid fuel as necessary. , Shift reactor for reducing the carbon monoxide concentration in the hydrogen-containing gas (reformed gas) discharged from the reformer, and further reducing the carbon monoxide concentration in the hydrogen-containing gas discharged from the shift reactor A selective oxidation reactor is provided.

[Reformer]
Examples of the reforming reaction include a steam reforming reaction, an autothermal reforming reaction, and a partial oxidation reaction.

The steam reforming reaction is a reaction between steam and a raw material for producing hydrogen. However, since it involves a large endotherm, heating from the outside is usually required. Usually, the reaction is carried out in the presence of a metal catalyst typified by a Group VIII metal such as nickel, cobalt, iron, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium and platinum. The reaction temperature can be 450 ° C to 900 ° C, preferably 500 ° C to 850 ° C, more preferably 550 ° C to 800 ° C. The amount of steam introduced into the reaction system is defined as the ratio of the number of moles of water molecules to the number of moles of carbon atoms contained in the raw material for hydrogen production (steam / carbon ratio), and this value is preferably 0.5-10. Preferably it is 1-7, More preferably, it is 2-5. When the raw material for hydrogen production is liquid, the space velocity (LHSV) at this time is A / B when the flow rate in the liquid state of the raw material for hydrogen production is A (L / h) and the volume of the catalyst layer is B (L). This value is preferably set in the range of 0.05 to 20 h ⁻¹ , more preferably 0.1 to 10 h ⁻¹ , and still more preferably 0.2 to 5 h ⁻¹ .

  Autothermal reforming reaction is a method of reforming while balancing the reaction heat by advancing the steam reforming reaction with the heat generated at this time while oxidizing part of the raw material for hydrogen production, Since it has a relatively short start-up time and is easy to control, it has recently attracted attention as a hydrogen production method for fuel cells. Also in this case, the reaction is usually carried out in the presence of a metal catalyst, typically a Group VIII metal such as nickel, cobalt, iron, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium and platinum. The amount of steam introduced into the reaction system is preferably 0.3 to 10, more preferably 0.5 to 5, and still more preferably 1 to 3 as a steam / carbon ratio.

  In autothermal reforming, oxygen is added to the raw material in addition to steam. The oxygen source may be pure oxygen, but in many cases air is used. Usually, oxygen is added to such an extent that it can generate an amount of heat that can balance the endothermic reaction associated with the steam reforming reaction, but the amount of addition is appropriately determined in relation to heat loss and external heating installed as necessary. The amount is preferably from 0.05 to 1, more preferably from 0.1 to 0.75, even more preferably as the ratio of the number of moles of oxygen molecules to the number of moles of carbon atoms contained in the raw material for hydrogen production (oxygen / carbon ratio). Is set to 0.2 to 0.6. The reaction temperature of the autothermal reforming reaction is set in the range of 450 ° C. to 900 ° C., preferably 500 ° C. to 850 ° C., more preferably 550 ° C. to 800 ° C., as in the case of the steam reforming reaction. When the raw material for hydrogen production is liquid, the space velocity (LHSV) at this time is preferably selected in the range of 0.1 to 30, more preferably 0.5 to 20, and still more preferably 1 to 10.

  The partial oxidation reaction is a method in which a reforming reaction is advanced by oxidizing a raw material for hydrogen production, and it has attracted attention as a hydrogen production method because it has a relatively short start-up time and can be designed compactly. The catalyst may or may not be used, but when the catalyst is used, a metal catalyst or a perovskite, typically a Group VIII metal such as nickel, cobalt, iron, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, platinum, etc. The reaction is carried out in the presence of a spinel oxide catalyst. Steam can be introduced to suppress the generation of soot in the reaction system, and the amount thereof is preferably 0.1 to 5, more preferably 0.1 to 3, more preferably 1 to 1, as a steam / carbon ratio. 2.

  In partial oxidation reforming, oxygen is added to the raw material. The oxygen source may be pure oxygen, but in many cases air is used. In order to secure a temperature for proceeding the reaction, the amount added is appropriately determined in terms of heat loss and the like. The amount is preferably 0.1 to 3, more preferably 0.2 to 0.7 as the ratio of the number of moles of oxygen molecules to the number of moles of carbon atoms contained in the raw material for hydrogen production (oxygen / carbon ratio). . The reaction temperature of the partial oxidation reaction can be in the range of 1,000 to 1,300 ° C. when a catalyst is not used, and when a catalyst is used, the reaction temperature is 450 as in the case of the steam reforming reaction. It can be set in the range of from 550C to 900C, preferably from 500C to 850C, and more preferably from 550C to 800C. When the raw material for hydrogen production is liquid, the space velocity (LHSV) at this time is preferably selected in the range of 0.1-30.

  In the present invention, a known reformer capable of performing the above reforming reaction can be used as the reformer.

[Shift reactor]
The gas generated in the reformer contains, for example, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, and steam in addition to hydrogen. Further, nitrogen is also contained when air is used as an oxygen source in autothermal reforming or partial oxidation reforming. Among these, the shift reactor performs a shift reaction in which carbon monoxide is reacted with water and converted into hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Usually, the reaction proceeds in the presence of a catalyst, and a catalyst containing a noble metal such as a mixed oxide of Fe—Cr, a mixed oxide of Zn—Cu, platinum, ruthenium, and iridium is used. Mol%) is preferably reduced to 2% or less, more preferably 1% or less, and even more preferably 0.5% or less. The shift reaction can also be carried out in two stages, in which case a high temperature shift reactor and a low temperature shift reactor are used.

  Since the shift reaction is an exothermic reaction, operating conditions at a low temperature are preferable in terms of equilibrium, but it is actually necessary to maintain a certain temperature depending on the temperature at which the activity of the catalyst used is expressed. Specifically, when the shift reaction is carried out in one stage, it is usually in the range of 100 to 450 ° C, preferably 120 to 400 ° C, more preferably 150 to 350 ° C. If the temperature is lower than 100 ° C, the activity is difficult to be expressed due to the CO adsorption of the catalyst itself, and it is disadvantageous in that the CO conversion tends not to be performed well. In addition, the CO concentration becomes high, and this case is disadvantageous in that there is a tendency that the CO conversion cannot be performed well.

[Selective oxidation reactor]
In order to further reduce the carbon monoxide concentration in the shift reactor outlet gas, the shift reactor outlet gas can be treated with a selective oxidation reaction. In this step, a catalyst containing iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, copper, silver, gold, etc. is used, preferably 0.5 to the number of moles of carbon monoxide remaining. The carbon monoxide concentration is preferably increased by selectively converting carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide by adding 10 moles, more preferably 0.7-5 moles, and even more preferably 1-3 moles of oxygen. Is reduced to 10 ppm (on a molar basis of the dry base) or less. In this case, the carbon monoxide concentration can be reduced by reacting with the coexisting hydrogen simultaneously with the oxidation of carbon monoxide to generate methane. The selective oxidation reaction can also be performed in two stages.

Although the selective oxidation reaction varies depending on the catalyst used and the structure of the container, it is usually carried out in the range of 50 to 250 ° C, preferably 60 to 220 ° C, more preferably 80 to 200 ° C. If it is lower than 50 ° C., it is disadvantageous in that the activity of the catalyst does not appear well and CO tends to be not reduced well, and if it exceeds 250 ° C., in the case of CO selective oxidation. This is disadvantageous in that it tends to lead to excessive consumption of hydrogen due to a decrease in combustion selectivity, leading to an increase in catalyst bed temperature and a reduction in the reforming process efficiency of the entire hydrogen production equipment. This is disadvantageous in that not only CO but also CO ₂ co-existing in a large amount may occur, resulting in a thermal runaway state.

[Water storage means and water treatment means]
When the fuel cell system requires water, the fuel cell system can be provided with water storage means. The water storage means may be any structure that can store water, and a known water tank or the like can be appropriately employed.

  In addition, a water treatment means for improving the cleanliness of water can be provided for preventing scale generation. As the water treatment means, known water treatment equipment such as a filter and an ion exchange device can be employed.

[Other equipment]
In addition to the above devices, known components of the hydrogen production apparatus or fuel cell system can be appropriately provided in the hydrogen production apparatus or fuel cell system as necessary. Specific examples include means for supplying an oxygen-containing gas such as air to the cathode of a fuel cell, a steam generator for generating steam used for humidifying the gas supplied to the fuel cell, and various devices such as a fuel cell. Cooling system for cooling, pressurizing means such as pumps, compressors and blowers for pressurizing various fluids, flow rate adjusting means such as valves for adjusting the flow rate of the fluid or shutting off / switching the flow of the fluid And channel shut-off / switching means, heat exchangers for heat exchange and heat recovery, vaporizers for vaporizing liquids, condensers for condensing gases, heating / heat-retaining means for externally heating various devices with steam, etc. These include fluid storage means, instrumentation air and electrical systems, control signal systems, control devices, and output and power electrical systems.

[Fuel cell system exhaust heat recovery and by-product use]
The operating temperature of a fuel cell is, for example, about 80 ° C. to 100 ° C. even in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, and generates heat during power generation. In addition to this, there may be a device having an operating temperature equal to or higher than the above temperature range, such as a reformer, in the fuel cell system. Since there is a device that operates at a relatively high temperature in this way, it is possible to use the exhaust heat of the fuel cell system, and for example, heat of about 60 ° C. can be taken out as hot water. In some cases, steam can be taken out. Further, when the reformer is an externally heated reformer that generates heat necessary for the reforming reaction by the burner, the combustion exhaust gas of the burner can also be used as a heat source.

  A flow path through which a heat medium such as water or steam flows can be formed in such equipment, and the heat medium can be heated by heat exchange, and the heated heat medium can be used as a heat source in a tank container or a van container. it can. The heat medium can be circulated.

  Alternatively, the exhaust gas from the burner can be used as a heat medium as a heat source in a container.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of the configuration of a fuel cell system using kerosene as the liquid fuel. Kerosene is stored in the kerosene tank 601. This kerosene is converted into a hydrogen-containing gas by the hydrogen production device 690 and supplied to the fuel cell 607 for power generation.

  Specifically, the kerosene from the kerosene tank is branched, one is desulfurized by the desulfurizer 602, and the other is burned by the burner 603b of the reformer 603. When kerosene having a low sulfur content is used, the desulfurizer 602 can be omitted. Steam is mixed with kerosene heated and / or vaporized as necessary, and this mixture becomes a reformed gas containing hydrogen by a reforming reaction in a reaction tube (reforming tube) of the reformer 603. The reformed gas is supplied to the anode chamber 607 a of the fuel cell (PEFC) 607 after the CO concentration is reduced by the shift reactor 604 and the selective oxidation reactor 605. Since the anode chamber outlet gas contains a combustible component, the anode chamber outlet gas is guided to the reformer burner 603b through a line (not shown) and burned.

  The cathode chamber of the fuel cell is supplied with air that is heated and / or humidified as necessary. The cathode chamber outlet gas is cooled by a heat exchanger 610, water is recovered by a gas-liquid separator 611, and the gas is discharged out of the system. In the heat exchanger 610, for example, air or water can be used as a cooling medium. The fluid used as the cooling medium can be used as appropriate in the fuel cell system. When air is used, it can be used as air sent to the cathode chamber of the fuel cell or air sent to the burner of the reformer. When water is used, it can be used as water sent to the selective oxidation reactor. That is, the heat exchanger 610 can be used as a preheater for air or water.

  The water collected by the gas-liquid separator 611 is branched, one is sent to a water spray nozzle for spraying water into the cargo compartment, and the other is stored in the water tank 612. The water that has passed through the water treatment device 613 from the water tank can be used to cool the selective oxidation reactor and the shift reactor, in which case the water is heated to become steam. The branch to the spray nozzle may be downstream of the water treatment device. Thus, by using the by-product (here, water) of the fuel cell system, the amount of water previously loaded in the container can be reduced, which is efficient and resource saving.

  The fuel cell is provided with a water cooling device 607r, which cools the fuel cell and heats the water. The heated water is used in the heat exchanger 608 to heat hot water that is a heat medium for heating the container. For the configuration of the water cooling device, a known configuration used for water cooling of the fuel cell can be used.

[Application to railway or truck containers]
The case where the present invention is applied to a truck container and a railway container will be described.

  In the case of a tank container, the tank capacity for storing the load is preferably 10 kL or more and 30 kL or less, for example.

  In the case of a van container, for example, there is a van container capable of adjusting the temperature in the cargo compartment in the range of −25 ° C. to 25 ° C. as a freezing container of all temperature zones, and the container of the present invention can be applied to such a container.

  It is preferable to use a tank having a capacity of 100 L or less as means for storing liquid fuel used as a raw material for hydrogen production.

  The power generation output of the fuel cell is preferably 10 kW or less.

  The mass of the fuel cell system is preferably less than 1.5 ton.

The fuel cell system is preferably accommodated in an area of less than 2.6 m ³ .

It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of the tank container of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows another example of the tank container of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows another example of the tank container of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of the van container of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows another example of the van container of this invention. It is a process flow figure showing an example of a fuel cell system. It is a block diagram for demonstrating the example of the electrical connection with an electric power storage means, a fuel cell system, etc. FIG. It is a chart for demonstrating the example of the driving | running pattern of an electric power storage means.

Explanation of symbols

101, 201, 301 Tank 102, 202, 302 Frame 105, 205 Temperature controller 110, 210, 310, 410, 510 Fuel cell system 121 Electric heater 122 Heating wire 231 Hot water flow path 232 Heat insulating material 341 Electric pump 342 Stop valve 343 Piping 403, 503 Cargo compartment 450, 550 Air conditioning means 451 Water spray nozzle 562 Water piping 601 Kerosene tank 602 Desulfurizer 603 Reformer 603a Reforming pipe 603b Burner 604 Shift reactor 605 Selective oxidation reactor 607 Fuel cell 607a Anode chamber 607c Cathode chamber 607r Cooling device 608 Heat exchanger 610 Heat exchanger 611 Gas-liquid separator 612 Water tank 613 Water treatment device 690 Hydrogen production device 701 Fuel cell system 702 Electric power storage means 703 Electric power utilization device

Claims (12)

  A container comprising a fuel cell system having a fuel cell. The container is a container with a temperature adjustment function including a temperature adjustment means,
The container according to claim 1, wherein a power source of the temperature adjusting means is the fuel cell system. The container is a tank container;
The container according to claim 2, wherein the temperature adjusting means is an electric heater using a fuel cell system as a power source. Furthermore, the container of Claim 3 which has a flow path through which the thermal medium taken out from the said fuel cell system flows as a temperature control means different from the said electric heater. 5. The container according to claim 3, further comprising an electric pump powered by the fuel cell system for supplying liquid to the tank and / or discharging liquid from the tank. The container is a tank container;
The container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: an electric mixing unit that uses the fuel cell system as a power source for mixing the load in the tank. The container is a van container,
The container according to claim 2, wherein the temperature adjusting means is air conditioning means using a fuel cell system as a power source.   The container according to claim 7, further comprising water spraying means for spraying water discharged from the fuel cell system into the container. Furthermore, the container of Claim 7 or 8 which has a flow path through which the heat medium taken out from the said fuel cell system flows as temperature control means different from the said air-conditioning means.   10. The fuel cell system according to claim 1, comprising: a liquid fuel storage unit that stores liquid fuel; a hydrogen production device that produces a hydrogen-containing gas from the liquid fuel; and a fuel cell that uses the hydrogen-containing gas as fuel. The container according to item 1.   Furthermore, the container as described in any one of Claims 1-10 provided with the electric power storage means to store the electric power which generate | occur | produced in the said fuel cell system.   The container according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the fuel cell is fixed to the container via a shock absorber.

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