JP2006316817A - Hydrogen feed method and hydrogen feed device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hydrogen feed device which can feed hydrogen more speedily suppressing the temperature rise when feeding hydrogen into a vehicle, etc., using hydrogen as fuel. <P>SOLUTION: The device 10 feeds hydrogen into a hydrogen retaining means 21 for the vehicle 20, etc., using hydrogen as fuel. The device is provided with a hydrogen storage means 11 for storing hydrogen, a hydrogen transfer tube 12 for transferring hydrogen while feeding hydrogen from the hydrogen storage means 11 into the hydrogen retaining means 21, and a pressure reducing valve 14 for opening/closing in feeding hydrogen. The hydrogen feed device 10 has a cooling means 13 for cooling at least one of the hydrogen storage means 11 and the hydrogen transfer tube 12 to a lower temperature than ordinary temperatures so as to solve the above subject. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a hydrogen supply method and a hydrogen supply apparatus. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for supplying hydrogen to hydrogen holding means included in a vehicle, ship, airplane, or fuel cell that uses hydrogen as fuel.

  In recent years, from the viewpoint of protecting the environment, vehicles, ships, airplanes, and fuel cells (hereinafter referred to as hydrogen) fueled by hydrogen gas (hereinafter also simply referred to as hydrogen) have been requested by purifying exhaust gas and reducing carbon dioxide generation. , Also referred to as vehicles, etc.) is being put to practical use. A hydrogen station, which is a facility for supplying hydrogen gas to the vehicle or the like, is known as an indispensable facility for practical use of a vehicle or the like using hydrogen gas as a fuel.

  In a hydrogen station, a vehicle is usually caused by a pressure difference between a hydrogen storage means (usually a cylinder or the like) of the hydrogen station and a hydrogen holding means (usually an in-vehicle hydrogen tank or the like). Hydrogen is supplied to a hydrogen holding means such as. When hydrogen is supplied in this way and hydrogen holding means such as a vehicle is filled with hydrogen, the pressure decreases when the hydrogen in the hydrogen storage means moves to the hydrogen holding means such as the vehicle, and as a result Isoenthalpy expansion occurs, and the temperature of hydrogen in hydrogen holding means such as a vehicle rises. For example, there has been reported an example in which the temperature of the hydrogen gas in the hydrogen holding means reaches a maximum of 85 ° C. when the hydrogen holding means such as a vehicle at atmospheric pressure is rapidly filled with hydrogen from a 40 MPa hydrogen storage means.

  Since hydrogen may react directly with other elements at high temperatures or may explode when mixed with oxygen gas, such an increase in temperature is not preferable. Further, when the temperature of hydrogen rises, the volume of hydrogen increases, and the hydrogen holding means such as the vehicle seems to be filled immediately, but when the temperature drops after filling with hydrogen, the volume of hydrogen is reduced. It is determined that the hydrogen filling amount suddenly decreases in the hydrogen amount measuring device or the like of the hydrogen holding means. Then, it is necessary to refill hydrogen holding means such as a vehicle with hydrogen.

  In order to avoid an increase in the temperature of the hydrogen holding means, such as a vehicle, due to a rise in the temperature of the hydrogen gas, the rate at which hydrogen is charged into the hydrogen holding means is slowed so that the hydrogen holding means and the hydrogen holding means There is also a method of suppressing the temperature rise by increasing the heat exchange time with the outside air and increasing the heat radiation amount. However, this method is not suitable for practical use because hydrogen cannot be charged rapidly.

As a method for making it possible to fill the hydrogen holding means such as a vehicle with hydrogen while suppressing the temperature rise, the apparatus has a plurality of gas storage means (cylinders, the above-described hydrogen storage means) having different pressures. There is known a method for suppressing a temperature rise on the vehicle side to be filled by sequentially starting filling from the gas means (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Further, as a similar method, there is known a method of cooling the main body of a high-pressure gas container (the above-described hydrogen holding means) of a vehicle when fuel gas (hydrogen gas) is filled (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
JP 2004-293752 A JP 2004-232777 A

  However, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, an increase in the number of hydrogen storage means (cylinders) complicates the configuration and also requires complicated control, which may increase the hydrogen filling time. There were inconveniences such as being difficult to supply continuously to a plurality of vehicles. Further, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2, a cooling system is required for each vehicle, and the configuration of the vehicle becomes complicated. This configuration makes the vehicle itself heavy and requires power for moving the cooling system. In some cases, the fuel consumption deteriorated.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and in supplying hydrogen to vehicles, ships, airplanes, or fuel cells that use hydrogen as a fuel, supply of hydrogen that can supply hydrogen more quickly while suppressing an increase in temperature. The main object is to provide a method and a hydrogen supply device.

  In order to solve the above problems, a hydrogen supply method of the present invention is a method of supplying hydrogen to a hydrogen holding means of a vehicle, ship, airplane or fuel cell using hydrogen as a fuel, wherein the hydrogen is supplied at a temperature higher than room temperature. It supplies to the said hydrogen holding means in the cooled state, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  In the hydrogen supply method of the present invention, a stage in which hydrogen supplied to the hydrogen holding means is stored, or a stage in which hydrogen is transferred until hydrogen is supplied to the hydrogen holding means, It is preferable to cool hydrogen in at least one of the stages.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a hydrogen supply apparatus according to the present invention is an apparatus that supplies hydrogen to hydrogen holding means of a vehicle, ship, airplane, or fuel cell that uses hydrogen as fuel, and stores hydrogen. A hydrogen storage means, a hydrogen transfer pipe through which hydrogen is transferred from the hydrogen storage means to the supply of hydrogen to the hydrogen holding means, and a pressure reducing valve that opens and closes when hydrogen is supplied, It has a cooling means for cooling at least one of the hydrogen storage means and the hydrogen transfer pipe to a temperature lower than normal temperature.

  In the hydrogen supply apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable that the cooling means has a heat exchanger, and the hydrogen transfer pipe is cooled by attaching the heat exchanger to the hydrogen transfer pipe. In the hydrogen supply apparatus of the present invention, the cooling means has a pipe through which the refrigerant passes, and the hydrogen storage means is cooled by attaching a pipe through which the refrigerant passes around the hydrogen storage means. preferable.

  According to the hydrogen supply method of the present invention, when hydrogen is supplied to a vehicle, ship, airplane, or fuel cell (vehicle, etc.) that uses hydrogen as fuel, the hydrogen is retained in the vehicle by cooling the hydrogen in advance. It is possible to prevent the temperature of the means from rising and to fill the hydrogen holding means such as a vehicle faster with hydrogen. Therefore, it is possible to continuously fill the hydrogen holding means such as a plurality of vehicles with hydrogen.

  In the above hydrogen supply method, specifically, in at least one of the stage where the hydrogen supplied to the hydrogen holding means is stored or the hydrogen supplied to the hydrogen holding means is transferred. By adopting a method in which hydrogen is cooled, it is possible to supply hydrogen to a vehicle or the like as described above by changing the configuration of the conventional hydrogen station. Furthermore, in the above-described hydrogen supply method, it is only necessary to add a cooling means capable of cooling hydrogen to the configuration of the conventional hydrogen station, so that it is not necessary to complicate piping such as a hydrogen transfer pipe for passing hydrogen. The configuration and control method can be simplified. Further, since it is not necessary to provide a cooling means or the like for a vehicle or the like to which hydrogen is supplied, it is possible to avoid an increase in the weight of the vehicle or the like and an increase in energy required for the cooling means for the vehicle or the like. There is no deterioration in fuel consumption.

  The same effect as that of the hydrogen supply method of the present invention can also be obtained by the hydrogen supply apparatus of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, the hydrogen supply method and the hydrogen supply apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a hydrogen supply apparatus of the present invention.

  First, as shown in FIG. 1, a hydrogen supply device 10 according to the present invention includes a hydrogen storage 11 in which hydrogen is stored and a process from supplying hydrogen to an in-vehicle hydrogen tank 21 of a hydrogen fuel vehicle 20 from the hydrogen storage 11. It has a hydrogen transfer pipe 12 through which hydrogen is transferred, and a pressure reducing valve 14 that opens and closes when hydrogen is supplied, and cools at least one of the hydrogen storage 11 or the hydrogen transfer pipe 12 to a temperature lower than room temperature. A cooling device 13 is provided. The hydrogen storage 11 functions as the hydrogen storage means of the present invention, and the cooling device 13 functions as the cooling means 13 of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a hydrogen-fueled automobile 20 as an example of a vehicle, a ship, an airplane or a fuel cell to which hydrogen is supplied in the present invention, and the in-vehicle hydrogen tank 21 functions as the hydrogen holding means of the present invention.

  The hydrogen supply device 10 has a hose 15 connected to supply hydrogen to the vehicle-mounted hydrogen tank 21 on the side of the hydrogen transfer pipe 12 that does not have the hydrogen storage 11 of the pressure reducing valve 14. Hydrogen is supplied to the hydrogen fuel vehicle 20 through 15. The components of the hydrogen supply apparatus 10 will be described below.

  In the hydrogen storage 11, the hydrogen gas transferred from the external hydrogen source 30 is sealed and stored in a compressed state. The material, size, and the like of the hydrogen storage 11 are not particularly limited, and a conventionally known hydrogen cylinder or the like can be used in accordance with the location, area, and the like of the hydrogen supply device 10. The hydrogen source 30 will be described later.

  The hydrogen transfer pipe 12 is a member provided to transfer hydrogen from the hydrogen storage 11 to the hose 15. The material and size of the hydrogen transfer pipe 12 are not particularly limited, and conventionally known ones can be used.

  The cooling device 13 is a device that cools at least one of the hydrogen storage 11 and the hydrogen transfer pipe 12 (that is, only the hydrogen storage 11, only the hydrogen transfer pipe 12, or both the hydrogen storage 11 and the hydrogen transfer pipe 12). is there. The cooling device 13 cools the hydrogen supplied to the hydrogen fueled automobile 20 by cooling these members. The cooling device 13 cools each member to at least a temperature lower than room temperature (the temperature outside the hydrogen storage 11 or the hydrogen transfer pipe 12). Specifically, the cooling device 13 supplies 0 to 0 when supplying hydrogen to the hydrogen fuel vehicle 20. It is preferable to cool to about 20 ° C. This temperature of hydrogen corresponds to a temperature measured by thermometers TT1 and TT2 described later. The temperature of the hydrogen to be cooled may be set in consideration of the scale of the in-vehicle hydrogen tank 21 that supplies hydrogen, the desired hydrogen temperature in the tank 21, and the like. At this time, the temperature of the hydrogen after decompression can be obtained by calculation based on the hydrogen pressure condition and temperature condition (for example, from the hydrogen storage 11 having a pressure of about 50 MPa at room temperature to the hydrogen fueled vehicle 20 having a pressure of about 40 MPa. When the vehicle-mounted hydrogen tank 21 is filled with hydrogen, it is calculated by calculation that the temperature of hydrogen rises by about 4.2 ° C.)

  By cooling at least one of the hydrogen storage 11 or the hydrogen transfer pipe 12 by the cooling device 13, the hydrogen is cooled, and the hydrogen charged in the in-vehicle hydrogen tank 21 of the hydrogen-fueled vehicle 20 has a desired temperature. It will not be hotter than. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate conventional inconveniences such as hydrogen is easily ignited, the volume of hydrogen is increased, and a lot of hydrogen appears to be filled.

  When the cooling device 13 cools the hydrogen storage 11, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, a pipe 131 through which a cooling medium (refrigerant) is passed can be attached around the hydrogen storage 11. Although the method of attaching the pipe 131 through which the refrigerant passes is not particularly limited, as shown in FIG. 1, the pipe 131 can be spirally wound around the hydrogen storage 11. In addition, when the cooling device 13 cools the hydrogen storage 11, although not shown, a so-called double pipe system is used, and the hydrogen storage 11 is installed in a pipe through which the refrigerant sent from the cooling device 13 passes. Hydrogen in the hydrogen storage 11 can be cooled.

  When the cooling device 13 cools the hydrogen transfer pipe 12, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, the hydrogen transfer pipe 12 can be cooled by providing a heat exchanger 132 in the hydrogen transfer pipe 12. When the hydrogen transfer pipe 12 is cooled using the heat exchanger 132, the pressure reducing valve 14 is close to the hydrogen storage 11 side as shown in FIG. It is preferable that the hydrogen is well cooled when the heat exchanger 132 is attached and hydrogen is supplied to the hydrogen fueled automobile 20. When the cooling device 13 cools the hydrogen transfer pipe 12, although not shown, a so-called double pipe system is used, and the hydrogen is transferred by the refrigerant through the hydrogen transfer pipe 12 into a pipe through which the refrigerant sent from the cooling device 13 is passed. Hydrogen in the transfer pipe 12 can also be cooled. Thus, the cooling device 13 should just be able to cool the hydrogen storage 11 and the hydrogen transfer pipe 12, and the structure is not specifically limited.

  The pressure reducing valve 14 is provided in the middle of the hydrogen transfer pipe 12 or between the tip of the hydrogen transfer pipe 12 on the side not having the hydrogen storage 11 and the hose 15 and is opened and closed when supplying hydrogen (valve). It is. The pressure reducing valve 14 functions to keep the flow rate on the side having the hose 15 at a predetermined flow rate by adjusting the degree of opening and closing of the valve. The type of the pressure reducing valve 14 is not particularly limited as long as it is used for hydrogen as a fluid, and a conventionally known one can be used.

  A pressure gauge and a thermometer are respectively provided on the side having the hydrogen storage 11 of the pressure reducing valve 14 and the side having the hose 15. The pressure gauge PT1 and the thermometer are provided on the side of the hydrogen storage 11 of the pressure reducing valve 14. Let TT1 be the pressure gauge PT2 and the thermometer TT2 on the hose 15 side of the pressure reducing valve 14. These pressure gauges and thermometers are provided so that the state of pressure and temperature before and after hydrogen passes through the pressure reducing valve 14 can be confirmed. The types of these pressure gauges and thermometers are not particularly limited, and conventionally known ones can be used.

  The range of the hydrogen pressure measured by the pressure gauge PT1 is not particularly limited, but is usually included in the range of 40 to 80 MPa. On the other hand, the range of the pressure of hydrogen passing through the pressure reducing valve 14 measured by the pressure gauge PT2 is not particularly limited, but is usually included in the range of 1 to 70 MPa. These hydrogen pressures are set within a range in which the in-vehicle hydrogen tank 21 can be filled with hydrogen. Further, the range of the hydrogen temperature measured by the thermometer TT1 or the thermometer TT2 can be obtained by calculation based on the hydrogen pressure in the hydrogen storage 11 and the hydrogen pressure in the in-vehicle hydrogen tank 21. The temperature of the thermometer TT2 can be changed by the value of the pressure gauge PT2. By setting the temperature of hydrogen measured by each thermometer TT1, TT2 within an appropriate range, even if the temperature of hydrogen rises due to a pressure change, the temperature of hydrogen charged in the in-vehicle hydrogen tank 21 can be increased to 50 It can be suppressed to about ℃.

  The hose 15 is connected to the tip of the hydrogen transfer pipe 12 on the side that does not have the hydrogen storage 11, and is provided on the side of the pressure reducing valve 14 that does not have the hydrogen storage 11. The hose 15 is used to fill the in-vehicle hydrogen tank 21 of the hydrogen fuel automobile 20 with the hydrogen transferred from the hydrogen storage 11 through the hydrogen transfer pipe 12. A nozzle for filling is usually provided at the tip of the connecting side, and hydrogen is supplied to the in-vehicle hydrogen tank 21 through this nozzle. The material and size of the hose 15 are not particularly limited, but a hose called a high-pressure hose is usually used.

  Here, FIG. 1 shows a hydrogen fuel vehicle 20 and the hydrogen supply device 10 of the present invention is described above. However, the hydrogen fuel vehicle 20 is shown as an example of a vehicle. The target to which the hydrogen supply device 10 supplies hydrogen gas is usually a vehicle, a ship, an airplane, or a fuel cell that is driven by using hydrogen as a fuel, and examples of the vehicle include an automobile, a train, and a fuel cell vehicle. Vehicles, ships, airplanes, or fuel cells that are driven by using hydrogen as a fuel have hydrogen holding means such as an on-vehicle hydrogen tank 21 and the like, and are supplied from the hydrogen supply device 10 to the hydrogen holding means via the hose 15. It is filled with hydrogen.

  The hydrogen supply device 10 of the present invention is usually provided in a facility called a so-called hydrogen station. However, a hydrogen supply vehicle, ship, airplane, facility for supplying (transferring) hydrogen to the hydrogen holding means of the fuel cell, and the like. Any facility may be provided.

  In addition, the hydrogen source 30 for transferring the hydrogen gas to the hydrogen supply device 10 is not particularly limited, but the hydrogen source 30 may be located elsewhere, and the hydrogen produced at that location may be transferred to the hydrogen storage 11. Alternatively, the hydrogen source 30 may be located near the hydrogen storage 11, and may be moved to the hydrogen storage 11 immediately after producing hydrogen. When the former hydrogen source 30 is used, it can be said that the hydrogen supply device 10 is provided in a so-called off-site hydrogen station. When the latter hydrogen source 30 is used, it can be said that the hydrogen supply device 10 is provided in a so-called on-site hydrogen station.

  Further, the hydrogen supply method of the present invention supplies hydrogen to the hydrogen holding means such as the above-mentioned vehicle in a state where the hydrogen is cooled from room temperature. Specifically, the hydrogen supplied to the hydrogen holding means is A stage in which hydrogen is stored (stage in which hydrogen is stored in the hydrogen storage 11 described above) or a stage in which hydrogen is transferred until hydrogen is supplied to the hydrogen holding means (in the hydrogen transfer pipe 12 described above) It is preferable to cool the hydrogen in at least one of the stages in which hydrogen is transferred. The hydrogen supply method of the present invention can also be performed by the hydrogen supply apparatus 10 described above, but the apparatus and facility in which the hydrogen supply method of the present invention is performed are limited to the hydrogen supply apparatus described above. It is not a thing.

It is the schematic which shows the supply apparatus of hydrogen of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Hydrogen supply apparatus 11 ... Hydrogen storage (hydrogen storage means)
12 ... Hydrogen transfer pipe 13 ... Cooling device (cooling means)
131 ... Pipe through which refrigerant is passed 132 ... Heat exchanger 14 ... Pressure reducing valve 15 ... Hose 20 ... Hydrogen fuel automobile (vehicle etc.)
21… On-board hydrogen tank (hydrogen holding means)
30 ... Hydrogen source PT1, PT2 ... Pressure gauge TT1, TT2 ... Thermometer

Claims (5)

A method for supplying hydrogen to hydrogen holding means of a vehicle, ship, airplane or fuel cell using hydrogen as fuel,
A method for supplying hydrogen, characterized in that hydrogen is supplied to the hydrogen holding means in a state cooled from room temperature.   The hydrogen is cooled in at least one of the stage in which hydrogen supplied to the hydrogen holding means is stored or the stage in which hydrogen is transferred until hydrogen is supplied to the hydrogen holding means. The method for supplying hydrogen according to claim 1, wherein: A device for supplying hydrogen to hydrogen holding means of a vehicle, ship, airplane or fuel cell using hydrogen as fuel,
A hydrogen storage means for storing hydrogen, a hydrogen transfer pipe through which hydrogen is transferred from the hydrogen storage means to the supply of hydrogen to the hydrogen holding means, a pressure reducing valve that opens and closes when hydrogen is supplied, Have
An apparatus for supplying hydrogen, comprising: cooling means for cooling at least one of the hydrogen storage means and the hydrogen transfer pipe to a temperature lower than normal temperature.   The said cooling means has a heat exchanger, The said hydrogen transfer pipe | tube is cooled by attaching the said heat exchanger to the said hydrogen transfer pipe | tube, The hydrogen supply apparatus of Claim 3 characterized by the above-mentioned.   The said cooling means has a pipe | tube which lets a refrigerant pass, and cools the said hydrogen storage means by attaching the pipe | tube which lets the said refrigerant pass to the circumference | surroundings of the said hydrogen storage means. Hydrogen supply device.

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