JP2007265950A - Liquid constant-rate discharging apparatus and method of liquid constant-rate discharge - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid constant-rate discharging apparatus that, in the event of delivering liquid such as water from a liquid accommodating container even if the amount thereof is small, is capable of performing constant-rate delivery. <P>SOLUTION: This liquid constant-rate discharging apparatus comprises: the liquid accommodating container 2 for accommodating water therein; a water lead-out pipe 11 for discharging water from the liquid accommodating container 2; a gas accommodating container 1 for accommodating compressed air; and an introduction pipe 6 for feeding the compressed air in the gas accommodating container 1 into the liquid accommodating container 2; and is structured so that constant-rate water can be discharged from the water lead-out pipe 11 by making the compressed air act on the liquid in the liquid accommodating container 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid fixed amount discharge device and a liquid fixed amount discharge method capable of supplying a small amount of liquid in a fixed amount.

  A fuel cell is an energy source that is attracting attention because it has higher power generation efficiency than other power generation systems and does not generate substances that pollute the atmosphere. In a hydrogen supply type fuel cell, air (oxygen) is supplied to the cathode and hydrogen is supplied to the anode in order to generate power. Hydrogen becomes hydrogen ions and electrons by the catalytic reaction at the anode, and the hydrogen ions move through the electrolyte and react with oxygen by the catalytic reaction at the cathode to become water. On the other hand, the electrons travel through the external circuit and move to the cathode. Electric energy is generated by the movement of the electrons.

  As described above, it is necessary to supply fuel such as hydrogen to the fuel cell. Accordingly, various apparatuses for generating hydrogen are known and disclosed in, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 below. These all generate hydrogen by decomposing hydrocarbons. The hydrogen generators in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are constituted by a cylindrical reactor as well as a cylindrical heat supply device.

  Further, the hydrogen gas generation unit disclosed in Patent Document 3 below is a metal (corresponding to a hydrogen generating agent) that generates hydrogen by a chemical reaction between a tank for storing water (corresponding to a reaction liquid) and water. , A heating means arranged close to the reaction vessel, an introduction pipe for introducing the water contained in the tank into the reaction vessel, and the hydrogen produced in the reaction vessel and unreacted water in the tank A return pipe for introduction into the tank and a discharge pipe for discharging hydrogen and water in the tank. A pump is used to introduce the tank water into the reaction vessel, thereby controlling the amount of water supplied to the reaction vessel. The reaction container is accommodated in the apparatus main body, and is closely held by the heating means. Thereby, the water introduced into the reaction vessel is heated to become water vapor, and the reaction for generating hydrogen gas in the reaction vessel can be promoted.

JP 2004-63127 A JP 2004-59340 A JP 2004-149394 A

  In the hydrogen generator as described above, it may be desirable to control the amount of water fed into the reaction vessel to be constant. For example, when a large amount of water is fed, there is a problem that more hydrogen gas than necessary is generated. In order to control (limit) the feed amount of water, it is preferable to use a pump. However, a space for housing the pump and a mechanism for driving the pump are required, which increases costs and enlarges the apparatus. In particular, when a hydrogen generator is incorporated in a portable device such as a notebook personal computer, a PDA, or a mobile phone, a configuration capable of realizing miniaturization as much as possible is required. That is, a hydrogen generator equipped with a small liquid supply device that can supply water without using a pump is desired. In addition, in the case of a hydrogen generator for portable equipment, the amount of water fed into the reaction vessel is very small (for example, 2 to 3 cc per hour), and such a small amount of water can be sent in a fixed amount. Required.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its problem is that when a liquid such as water is sent out from a liquid container, even if the amount is small, it can be sent out in a fixed amount. It is to provide an apparatus and a method for liquid quantitative discharge.

In order to solve the above problems, a liquid dispensing apparatus according to the present invention includes:
A liquid storage container in which a liquid is stored;
A liquid discharge path for discharging liquid from the liquid container;
A gas container for containing compressed gas;
A gas supply path for supplying the compressed gas in the gas storage container into the liquid storage container,
It is characterized in that the fixed amount liquid can be discharged from the liquid discharge path by applying a compressed gas to the liquid in the liquid storage container.

  The operation and effect of the liquid quantitative discharge device having such a configuration will be described. This apparatus includes a liquid storage container for storing a liquid and a gas storage container for storing a compressed gas, which are connected by a gas supply path. The liquid in the liquid storage container is discharged (sent out) from the liquid discharge path, and compressed gas is applied to the liquid in order to perform the discharge operation. By applying the compressed gas, the pressure can be applied uniformly to the liquid surface in the liquid container, and the liquid can be quantitatively discharged from the liquid discharge path even if the amount is small. The discharge amount can be adjusted by the pressure value by the compressed gas. As a result, when a liquid such as water is sent out from the liquid storage container, it is possible to provide a liquid quantitative discharge device that can send out a fixed amount even if the amount is small.

  In the present invention, there is provided a movable partition wall disposed so as to partition the inside of the liquid storage container, the liquid is stored on one side partitioned by the movable partition wall, and the compressed gas is introduced on the other side. It is preferable.

  According to this configuration, when the compressed gas is applied, it does not act directly on the liquid surface, but acts via the movable partition wall. Thereby, the whole liquid level can be pressed more uniformly and a small amount of liquid can be discharged quantitatively.

  The gas supply path according to the present invention is preferably provided with a control mechanism for controlling the gas supply amount.

  By providing such a control mechanism, the gas supply amount can be controlled, so that the pressure value applied to the liquid can also be changed. Thereby, the quantity of the liquid which should be sent out from a liquid discharge path can be adjusted.

  In the present invention, the liquid is a reaction liquid that reacts with the hydrogen generating agent to generate hydrogen gas, and the reaction liquid discharged from the liquid discharge path is supplied to the reaction vessel in which the hydrogen generating agent is accommodated. It is preferable that

  As a result, the water in the liquid container can be quantitatively supplied to the reaction container. Further, since a constant amount can be continuously supplied even with a very small amount of water, the amount of hydrogen gas generated in the reaction vessel can be controlled to be appropriate. Therefore, it can be suitably used particularly in a fuel cell system used for portable devices.

In order to solve the above problems, a liquid quantitative discharge method according to the present invention includes:
Applying a compressed gas to the liquid stored in the liquid storage container;
And a step of quantitatively discharging the liquid from the liquid container by the action of the compressed gas.

  According to this configuration, as described above, by applying the compressed gas, the pressure can be applied uniformly to the liquid surface in the liquid storage container, and the liquid can be quantitatively discharged from the liquid discharge passage even in a small amount. Can be made. The discharge amount can be adjusted by the pressure value by the compressed gas. As a result, when a liquid such as water is sent out from the liquid storage container, it is possible to provide a liquid quantitative discharge method that can send out a fixed amount even if the amount is small.

  In the present invention, the liquid is a reaction liquid that reacts with the hydrogen generating agent to generate hydrogen gas, and has a step of supplying the reaction liquid discharged from the liquid storage container to the reaction container in which the hydrogen generating agent is stored. Is preferred.

  According to this configuration, since a constant amount can be continuously supplied even with a very small amount of water, the amount of hydrogen gas generated in the reaction vessel can be controlled to be appropriate.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a liquid fixed amount discharge apparatus and a liquid fixed amount discharge method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of a liquid fixed amount discharge apparatus according to the first embodiment. This liquid fixed amount discharge device includes a gas container 1 and a liquid container 2. The gas storage container 1 stores compressed air. Note that other gas such as nitrogen may be used instead of air. An introduction pipe 4 and a check valve 5 are provided on the upper wall surface of the gas storage container 1, and air is introduced into the gas storage container 1 through the introduction pipe 4. The amount of air introduced is, for example, about 3 cc, and is stored in a state compressed to about 3 atmospheres. As the check valve 5, any type of valve can be used. In order to reduce the size of the entire apparatus, the check valve 5 opens when the primary side is larger than the pressure on the secondary side, and closes when the pressure is small. A check valve provided with a beak-shaped elastic member is preferred. This check valve 5 is called, for example, a duck bill, and various types are commercially available. The same applies to check valves used in other places.

  Water as a reaction liquid is accommodated in the liquid storage container 2. This water functions as a reaction liquid that reacts with the hydrogen generator to generate hydrogen gas, and an acid or alkali solution may be used in addition to water. The amount of water stored in the liquid storage container 2 is also about 3 cc. An introduction pipe 8 and a check valve 9 are provided on the container wall surface, and water can be introduced into the liquid storage container 2 through the introduction pipe 8.

  The gas container 1 and the liquid container 2 are connected by a communication pipe 6 that is a gas supply path, and a valve 7 is provided in the middle of the communication pipe 6. The valve 7 functions as a control mechanism that controls the amount of compressed air that passes through the communication pipe 6. When air is introduced into the gas storage container 1, the valve 7 is closed. . By opening the valve 7, the air in the gas container 1 is introduced into the liquid container 2, and the water surface W is pressed.

  A hydrogen generating agent 10 is accommodated in the reaction vessel 3. Examples of the hydrogen generating agent 10 include metal particles that react with a reaction solution such as water to generate hydrogen gas, for example, one or more metal particles selected from Fe, Al, Mg, Zn, Si, and the like. And oxidized metal particles. Further, the hydrogen generator 10 may contain a catalyst component, an alkaline earth metal oxide, carbon black, or the like. The hydrogen generating agent 10 may be in the form of powder, granulated or tableted.

  The reaction container 3 and the liquid container 2 are connected by a water outlet pipe 11 and a check valve 12. Accordingly, the water pressed by the compressed air is sent into the reaction vessel 3 through the water outlet tube 11. By providing the check valve 12, the introduced water does not flow back, and hydrogen gas generated in the reaction container 3 does not enter the liquid container 2 side. From the gas supply pipe 13, hydrogen gas generated in the reaction vessel 3 is discharged and supplied to a fuel cell (not shown).

  The gas container 1, the liquid container 2, and the reaction container 3 can be formed of an appropriate metal material, resin material, glass, or the like in consideration of strength, corrosion resistance, and the like. It is also optional whether each container is composed of one part or a plurality of parts. In addition, the shape and size of each container can be determined as appropriate based on the purpose of use and specifications. Furthermore, regarding the arrangement of each container, a rational arrangement configuration can be adopted as appropriate in consideration of the size and design of the entire apparatus. Also, each pipe that allows liquid or gas to pass through can be formed of an appropriate metal material or resin material, and a flexible material may be selected as necessary.

  According to the liquid dispensing apparatus according to the present invention, compressed air is stored in the gas storage container 1 with the valve 7 closed, and then the valve 7 is opened by a predetermined amount, whereby the compressed air is stored in the liquid storage container 2. Can be sent in. Thereby, the water surface W of the water in the liquid storage container 2 is pressed by the compressed air, and water is discharged from the water outlet pipe 11 into the reaction container 3 by this pressing action. Since the water surface W is pressed by the compressed air, a uniform and stable pressure can be applied over the entire water surface, so that a constant amount of water can be always sent out from the water outlet pipe 11. Moreover, even if it is a small amount of 2 to 3 cc per hour, a fixed amount can be sent out stably by applying a pressing force by compressed air. As the water is gradually discharged, the water surface W also decreases, and the compressed air is fed into the liquid container 2 from the gas container 1 side.

Second Embodiment
Next, the configuration of the liquid quantitative discharge device according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. A description will be given centering on differences from FIG. In FIG. 2, a movable partition wall 14 is provided inside the liquid storage container 2 so as to partition the inside of the liquid storage container 2. As shown in the drawing, the movable partition wall 14 is disposed on the water surface W, and the surface of the movable partition wall 14 opposite to the water surface W is pressed by the compressed air. By providing the movable partition wall 14, the water surface W can be pressed more uniformly, and water can be quantitatively discharged in a more stable state.

  The movable partition wall 14 is a plate-like member, and can be formed of an appropriate material. For example, glass having good slipperiness can be used. Moreover, even if the posture of the liquid storage container 2 is turned upside down by providing the movable partition wall portion 14, the entire surface of the movable partition wall portion 14 is pressed by the compressed air, so that the water does not turn over.

<Experimental result>
An experiment was conducted to confirm the effect of the configuration according to the present invention. As a comparative example for the present invention, an experiment was performed by a method of pressing with a spring. A spring type configuration diagram is as shown in FIG. 3, in which a coil spring 20 acts on the movable partition wall 14. The valve was set so that 0.04 ml of water was discharged from the liquid container per minute. The experimental results are shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the spring type, the discharge amount of water is not stable, and the discharge amount tends to decrease with time. On the other hand, in the case of this invention, it turns out that water can be discharged | emitted in the substantially stable state irrespective of progress of time. Therefore, it was confirmed that a small amount of water could be sent out in a fixed amount.

<Third Embodiment>
Next, the configuration of the liquid quantitative discharge device according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment and the second embodiment. The structure of the injection valve B for injecting compressed air into the gas storage container 1 will be described. When using a liquid fixed amount discharge device for a fuel cell used in a portable device, the liquid fixed amount discharge device is required to be downsized, and the injection valve B itself is preferably downsized as much as possible. Incidentally, in the case of the above-mentioned use, the compressed air to be injected is 2 to 3 cc, and the pressure is about 0.3 to 0.5 MPa.

  As the injection valve B, a valve having the same structure as the valve used for injecting gas into the gas lighter can be used. FIG. 6 shows the configuration, FIG. 6 (a) shows a state where the valve is closed, and FIG. 6 (b) shows a state where the valve is opened for air injection.

  As shown in FIG. 6, a movable valve body 21 that is movable along the central axis of the valve support 26 is provided, and is urged in a closing direction by a spring 22. An air passage 21 a is formed in the movable valve body 21. A groove 21b is formed in the central portion of the movable valve body 21 in the axial direction, and a seal member 23 is fitted therein. An air injection part 21 c is provided at the end of the movable valve body 21. The movable valve body 21 is supported inside the valve support 26 by a valve lid 24.

  When the compressed air is injected into the gas storage container 1, the movable valve body 21 is pressed by the air cylinder 25 as shown in FIG. Thereby, the air passage 21a in the movable valve body 21 is brought into a state of communicating with the inside of the gas storage container 1, and air can be injected.

  Next, the check valve 30 disposed in the liquid container 2 and the partition wall 2a of the reaction container 3 will be described. As the check valve 30, a so-called umbrella is used. The check valve 30 is a rubber product in which the engaging portion 31 and the umbrella portion 32 are integrally molded, and can be deformed by pressure. The engaging portion 31 engages with the engaging hole 2c formed in the partition wall 2a. In addition, a communication hole 2b is provided adjacent to the engagement hole 2c, and water is supplied to the reaction vessel 3 through the communication hole 2b. That is, when the water surface W is pressed by the pressure of the compressed air, the umbrella portion 32 is deformed through the communication hole 2 b and water is supplied to the reaction container 3 in a fixed amount.

<Fourth embodiment>
Next, the configuration of the liquid dispensing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The structure is similar to that of the third embodiment, and differences from the third embodiment will be mainly described. In this embodiment, a pressure relief passage 2d is formed inside the partition wall 2a, one end 2e of the passage 2d is connected to the inside of the reaction vessel 3, and the other end 2f is connected to the outside air. A safety valve 33 is press-fitted into the other end 2f. This is to ensure the safety of the apparatus by releasing pressure when water is excessively supplied into the reaction vessel 3 and a large amount of hydrogen is generated.

  The size of the passage 2d is set to, for example, about φ2.5 mm, and the safety valve 33 can be made of silicon rubber formed in a truncated cone shape. The safety valve 33 can be attached by press-fitting into the other end 2f of the passage 2d, and the pressure value is preferably set to about 0.5 to 2N.

  A cooling chamber 40 is provided in the lower part of the reaction vessel 3 and contains cotton 41 (absorbent cotton or the like) infiltrated with water. A communication hole 3b is provided in the partition wall 3a of the reaction vessel 3 and the cooling chamber 40, and hydrogen gas generated in the reaction vessel 3 is supplied to the cooling chamber 40 through the communication hole 3b and is cooled in the gas state. It is discharged from the supply pipe 13. Moreover, the nonwoven fabric 42 is provided so that the communication hole 3b may be covered, and it prevents that a hydrogen generating agent falls in the cooling chamber 40. FIG.

  According to the above configuration, when the pressure in the reaction vessel 3 becomes high, the safety valve 33 can drop from the other end 2f of the passage 2d, and the internal pressure can be released. This ensures safety when hydrogen is generated more than necessary. As a configuration of the safety valve 33, a simple configuration in which rubber is press-fitted is employed in the present embodiment, but a safety valve having another configuration may be employed. For example, a lid member that closes the passage 2d and a spring that urges the passage in a direction that blocks the passage by the lid member are provided, and the lid member is opened against the urging force of the spring when the pressure increases. Thus, the pressure may be released. In the present embodiment, the passage 2d for releasing the pressure is provided in the partition wall 2a. However, the passage may be formed in the side wall surface 3c of the reaction vessel 3.

  In the present embodiment, the water is accommodated in the cooling chamber 40 by infiltrating the cotton 41. However, the water may be directly accommodated without using the cotton 41. In this case, it is preferable to provide a check valve as appropriate so that water does not move to another region.

  Next, a modification of the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 8A, one end of the pressure relief passage 2d is provided in the communication hole 2b for supplying water. According to this configuration, when the pressure in the reaction container 3 is increased, the water supplied from the liquid storage container 2 can be released through the passage 2d. In FIG. 8A, the passage 2d is provided only for one communication hole 2b, but the passage 2d may be provided similarly for the other communication holes 2b.

  FIG. 8B is a configuration example in which a thin portion 3 d is partially formed on the side wall surface 3 c of the reaction vessel 3. According to this configuration, when the pressure in the reaction vessel 3 is increased, the thin portion 3d is destroyed, so that the internal pressure can be released.

  As described above, various embodiments of the liquid quantitative discharge device according to the present invention have been described. The configuration employed in each of these embodiments can be appropriately employed in other embodiments.

  In the present embodiment, the fuel cell is used as an application of the liquid quantitative discharge device (method), but the present invention is not limited to this and can be used for other applications.

The conceptual diagram which shows the structure of the liquid fixed quantity discharge apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The conceptual diagram which shows the structure of the liquid fixed quantity discharge apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. The figure which shows the structure of spring type (comparative example) Graph showing experimental results The conceptual diagram which shows the structure of the liquid fixed quantity discharge apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. The figure which shows the composition of the air injection section The conceptual diagram which shows the structure of the liquid fixed quantity discharge apparatus which concerns on 4th Embodiment. The conceptual diagram which shows the modification of the liquid fixed quantity discharge apparatus which concerns on 4th Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Gas container 2 Liquid container 3 Reaction container 6 Introducing pipe 7 Valve 10 Hydrogen generating agent 11 Water outlet pipe 12 Check valve 14 Movable partition part 30 Check valve 33 Safety valve 40 Cooling chamber B Injection valve W Water surface

Claims (6)

A liquid storage container in which a liquid is stored;
A liquid discharge path for discharging liquid from the liquid container;
A gas container for containing compressed gas;
A gas supply path for supplying compressed gas in the gas container into the liquid container,
A liquid fixed quantity discharge device characterized in that a fixed quantity liquid can be discharged from a liquid discharge channel by applying a compressed gas to a liquid in a liquid storage container.   It is characterized by comprising a movable partition wall disposed so as to partition the inside of the liquid storage container, storing liquid on one side partitioned by the movable partition wall, and introducing compressed gas on the other side. The liquid fixed quantity discharge device according to claim 1.   The liquid dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a control mechanism for controlling a gas supply amount is provided in the gas supply path.   The liquid is a reaction liquid that reacts with the hydrogen generating agent to generate hydrogen gas, and the reaction liquid discharged from the liquid discharge path is configured to be supplied to a reaction vessel in which the hydrogen generating agent is accommodated. The liquid fixed quantity discharge device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. Applying a compressed gas to the liquid stored in the liquid storage container;
And a step of quantitatively discharging the liquid from the liquid container by the action of the compressed gas.   The liquid is a reaction liquid that reacts with the hydrogen generating agent to generate hydrogen gas, and has a step of supplying the reaction liquid discharged from the liquid storage container to the reaction container in which the hydrogen generating agent is stored. The liquid fixed quantity discharge method according to claim 5.

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