JP2920860B2 - Heating device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an exothermic device for generating heat in a solid by introducing hydrogen into the solid and increasing the hydrogen concentration locally, particularly at a temperature of 1000.degree. C. or less.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a method for causing an exothermic reaction involving hydrogen in a solid (heating element) at a temperature of 1000 ° C. or lower, an electrolysis method and a vacuum method are conventionally known.

[0003] First, the electrolysis method will be described. In this method, deuterium (D) generated by the electrolysis of heavy water (D ₂ O) is absorbed into an electrode (heating element) made of palladium (Pd) or titanium (Ti), thereby making the P (decomposition) element durable.
An exothermic reaction is caused by increasing the concentration of deuterium in the heating element made of d or Ti. However, in the electrolysis method, since deuterium is naturally accumulated on a Pd electrode or the like by electrolysis for a long time, it is difficult to control the accumulation rate of deuterium to cause a highly efficient exothermic reaction. On the other hand, the vacuum method is capable of controlling the accumulation rate of deuterium, and attempts to achieve a highly efficient exothermic reaction by actively accumulating deuterium. Specifically, a Pd or Ti plate is used as a heating element, and a temperature gradient, a potential gradient, a pressure gradient, or the like is applied to the heating element to absorb light hydrogen or deuterium to form a hydrogen storage layer, thereby generating heat. As in the electrolysis method, sufficient accumulation of light hydrogen or deuterium is an important factor for efficiently performing an exothermic reaction.

A conventional vacuum method will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an example of a conventional heating device based on a vacuum method. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes a Pd plate, 2 denotes an arrow indicating a moving direction of deuterium atoms, 3 denotes a Mn oxide film, 4 denotes an oxide film / Pd interface, and 5 denotes Au.
A thin film cover, 6 is a heater, 7 is a cooling device, 8 is a vacuum chamber, 9 is an exhaust device, 10 is a high temperature side chamber (deuterium), and 11 is a low temperature side chamber (vacuum).

[0006] The accumulation of deuterium is performed as follows. That is, deuterium (D) is added to the heating element 1 made of a Pd plate.
After occlusion of the atoms, one end of the heating element 1 is heated by the heater 6, while the other end of the heating element 1 is cooled by the cooling device 7. A high-temperature chamber (deuterium gas chamber) connected to the heated end of the heating element 1.
10 is filled with deuterium, and a low-temperature side chamber (vacuum chamber) 1 is connected to an end of the heating element 1 at a low temperature.
1 is evacuated. By forming a temperature gradient and a pressure gradient in the heating element 1 in this manner, deuterium atoms move and diffuse toward the low-temperature side end surface of the heating element 1, that is, in the direction of arrow 2. The deuterium (D) atoms are formed by a manganese (Mn) oxide film 3 (having a smaller atomic diffusion coefficient of deuterium than Pd) formed on a boundary surface between the low temperature side end of the heating element 1 and the low temperature side chamber 11. Further diffusion to the outside of the heating element 1 is prevented. Therefore, an accumulation layer is formed near the oxide film / Pd interface 4. That is, the occluded deuterium diffuses toward this interface (in the direction of the arrow 2) and is localized and concentrated in the heating element 1.

[0007]

However, in the conventional heating device shown in FIG. 2, when a temperature gradient and a pressure gradient are formed in Pd1 in order to accumulate deuterium, the cooling device 7,
Complicated and expensive equipment such as a heater 6 and an exhaust device (such as a turbo-molecular pump) 9 are required, energy for operating these devices is required, and a heat recovery device is required for recovering generated heat. Had to be provided separately.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to form a temperature gradient and a pressure gradient in a thin layer of Pd or Ti without providing an exhaust device such as a cooler, a heater, and a turbo molecular pump, and utilize these gradients. An object of the present invention is to provide a heat generating device capable of causing an exothermic reaction by forming a layer in which light hydrogen, deuterium or tritium is accumulated, and effectively recovering generated heat.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a heat generating apparatus according to the present invention comprises a first thin layer made of a material selected from palladium and titanium, and a material forming the first thin layer. A second thin layer covering one surface of the first thin layer and a second thin layer covering the other surface of the first thin layer, and being effective for an exothermic reaction. A heating element comprising a third thin layer of a catalyst;
For supplying and circulating a gas selected from a hydrogen isotope and a mixed gas comprising a hydrogen isotope and a reaction gas for causing an exothermic reaction on the third thin layer on the third thin layer side of the heating element; A feed circulating means; a product removing means for removing a product generated by the exothermic reaction; and a heat recovery means for recovering heat generated by the gas circulation. Preferably, the reaction gas is a substance selected from the group consisting of oxygen and a mixture gas of hydrogen and oxygen, and the third thin layer is made of a palladium-alumina catalyst. Preferably, the above-mentioned heating element has a tubular shape.

[0010]

The apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that a hydrogen isotope (light hydrogen, deuterium or tritium, or a mixture thereof) is mixed with a reaction gas which generates heat by a reaction to form a thin layer of Pd or Ti on one side. It is supplied to a catalyst layer for promoting the exothermic reaction provided on the surface, where an exothermic reaction is carried out by the action of the catalyst on the surface, while a surface of the thin layer of Pd or Ti opposite to the catalyst layer is provided. A heat medium is supplied to the side of the layer provided with a diffusion coefficient of light hydrogen, deuterium or tritium smaller than that of Pd or Ti to recover the generated heat, and a temperature gradient is formed in the Pd or Ti thin layer. Further, a pressure gradient is formed in the Pd or Ti thin layer by setting the pressure of the mixed gas of the light hydrogen, deuterium or tritium and the reaction gas higher than that of the heat medium. At this time, the temperature is controlled by the supply amount of the reaction gas, the supply amount of the light hydrogen, deuterium, or tritium, and the supply amount of the heating medium, and the pressure is controlled by the pressure of the supply gas. By circulating the mixed gas of the heat medium and the light hydrogen, deuterium, or tritium and the reaction gas, the deuterium, light hydrogen, or tritium storage layer is formed from the Pd or Ti layer and these layers. An exothermic reaction occurs at the interface with a layer having a small diffusion coefficient of light hydrogen, deuterium, or tritium. The heat generated by the exothermic reaction is continuously recovered by exchanging heat between the circulated heat medium and light hydrogen, deuterium or tritium containing the reaction gas in a heat exchanger. The difference from the prior art is that an exothermic reaction using a reaction gas is used instead of a heater and a heating medium is used instead of a cooler to provide a temperature gradient. Another difference is that heat is exchanged between a circulated heat medium and a mixed gas of light hydrogen or deuterium or tritium and a reaction gas in a heat exchanger to recover heat. The reaction gas is first used to generate a temperature gradient. However, when an exothermic reaction occurs due to deuterium or tritium, the effect is almost eliminated and the supply is stopped.

[0011]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of a heat generating device according to the present invention.

The heating device according to the present invention comprises a container 30, a heating element 31 housed in the container 30,
1, a pipe 32 for supplying deuterium and a reaction gas composed of oxygen and light hydrogen, a storage tank 33 for the reaction gas, a storage tank 34 for the deuterium, and a supply of the deuterium and the reaction gas A controller 35 for controlling the amount and supply pressure, and a pump 3 for supplying deuterium and reaction gas
6, a heat exchanger 37 for exchanging heat of a mixed gas consisting of deuterium and a reaction gas, a condenser 38 for removing water vapor as a reaction product, and a heat medium such as metallic sodium, water vapor, and air. 39 for supplying the inside of the heating element 31
A heat medium tank 40, a control device 41 for controlling the supply amount and the supply pressure of the heat medium, a pump 42 for supplying the heat medium, and a heat exchanger 43 for exchanging heat of the heat medium. Is done.

The heating element 31 used in this embodiment is manufactured as follows. That is, palladium (Pd)
A thin film of Au having a smaller diffusion coefficient of deuterium than Pd is coated on the inner surface of the tube 44 by vapor deposition, sputtering, ion plating, plating, or the like. Similarly, the outer surface of a palladium vibrator is covered with Pd-Al _{A 2} O ₃ thin film is coated by vapor deposition, sputtering, ion plating, plating or the like.

Next, a method of using the heat generating device having the above-described configuration will be described.

The heating element 31 is disposed in the container 30, and deuterium, oxygen and light are mixed in the container 30 outside the heating element 31 so that deuterium or a mixed gas composed of deuterium, oxygen and hydrogen flows. A pipe 32 of a mixed gas with a reaction gas composed of hydrogen is connected to the container 30. The heating medium is a heating element 3
The pipe 39 of the heat medium is connected so as to flow into the inside 1. The connection between the pipe 39 of the heating medium and the heating element 31 is completely sealed so that a mixed gas of the heating medium and deuterium or a mixed gas of deuterium and oxygen and light hydrogen does not mix in the container. A storage tank 34 for deuterium and a storage tank 33 for a reaction gas comprising oxygen and light hydrogen are connected by a pipe 32 to the control device 3.
Connect to 5. The control device 35 is connected to the pump 36 by the pipe 32. The pump 36 is connected to the container 30 in which the heating element 31 is placed by a pipe 32. The container 30 is connected to the heat exchanger 37 by a pipe 32. Heat exchanger 3
7 is connected to the condenser 38 by the pipe 32. Condenser 3
8 is connected to a control device 35 by a pipe 32. on the other hand,
The storage tank 40 for the heat medium and the control device 41 are connected to each other by a pipe 39. Control device 41 is connected to pump 42 and pipe 39
Connected by The pump 42 is connected to the heating element 31 through the container 30 by a pipe 39. Heating element 31 into container 30
To the heat exchanger 43 via a pipe 39. The heat exchanger 43 is connected to the control device 41 via a pipe 39.

A reaction gas consisting of deuterium, oxygen and light hydrogen is supplied to a vessel outside the heating element 31 by a pump 36 to cause an exothermic reaction in which water is generated from oxygen and light hydrogen on the catalyst surface and heated to about 300 ° C. I do. Thereafter, the supply of the reaction gas is stopped, only the deuterium is supplied, and the deuterium is absorbed in the Pd tube 44 of the heating element in the process of cooling to room temperature. At this time, since the catalyst layer 45 is porous, it does not hinder occlusion of deuterium. Cooling is performed by flowing a heating medium such as metallic sodium, water, and air inside the heating element 31.
After occlusion of deuterium in the Pd tube 44, the reaction gas is mixed and supplied again with deuterium, and the exothermic reaction is caused in the catalyst layer 45 on the outer surface of the Pd tube 44 to raise the temperature, and the heat medium Pd tube 4
Cooling inside 4 is performed. Therefore, a temperature gradient occurs outside and inside the heating element 31. Steam, which is an exothermic reaction generating portion of light hydrogen and oxygen, is removed by a condenser. The mixed gas of the reaction gas and the deuterium from which the water vapor has been removed is controlled by the control unit 35 to control the supply amount and the supply pressure, and the shortage is supplied from the storage tank 33 for the reaction gas and the storage tank 34 for the deuterium while It is again supplied to the container 30 by 36. The heat medium is also circulated while controlling the supply amount and the supply pressure by the control device 41. Further, by increasing the supply pressure of the mixed gas of deuterium and the reaction gas as compared with the heating medium, a pressure gradient is generated outside and inside the heating element 31. By using the temperature gradient and the pressure gradient as driving forces, deuterium accumulated in the Pd tube 44 diffuses inward. However, since the inner surface of the Pd tube 44 is covered with the Au layer 46 having a smaller atomic diffusion coefficient of deuterium than Pd, the Pd tube 44 and the Au layer 4
Deuterium accumulates at the interface of No. 6 where heat is generated by these reactions. The generated heat is recovered by performing heat exchange of the heat medium in the heat exchanger 43. The heat medium is circulated by the pump 36. The heat generated by the exothermic reaction of deuterium is also recovered by circulating deuterium or a mixed gas of deuterium and a reaction gas with the pump 36 and exchanging heat with the heat exchanger 37. Since the exothermic reaction of deuterium has a larger calorific value than the exothermic reaction of oxygen and light hydrogen, when the exothermic reaction of deuterium occurs, the supply of the reaction gas is controlled by the control device 3.
Stop at 5. That is, the exothermic reaction between oxygen and light hydrogen in the reaction gas is used as a trigger for causing an exothermic reaction of deuterium. This apparatus can be used many times as a heat source by repeating the exothermic reaction due to occlusion of deuterium in Pd and accumulation of hydrogen in the manner described above. Since the explosion limit of hydrogen is 4-75%,
When mixing deuterium and reactant gas, the ratio of total deuterium and light hydrogen to the total is 4 to avoid danger of explosion.
Keep out of the range of ~ 75%.

The heat recovered by the heat exchanger can be used for air conditioning via, for example, an absorption refrigerator.

Although this embodiment has been described with reference to deuterium, similar effects can be obtained by using light hydrogen or tritium. Similar effects can be obtained by using Ti instead of Pd. Further, even when only oxygen gas is used as a reaction gas, a similar effect can be obtained because an exothermic reaction occurs with deuterium. This is because deuterium is an isotope of deuterium, and the number of extranuclear electrons most closely related to chemical properties is the same as that of deuterium except for the number of neutrons. This is because the properties can be regarded as the same. A reaction other than the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen may be used for the exothermic reaction. However, it is necessary to use a catalyst effective for an exothermic reaction inherent in the catalyst layer. In the heating element of this example, an Au thin film having a smaller diffusion coefficient of deuterium than Pd was formed on the inner surface of the Pd tube, and a Pd-Al ₂ O ₃ catalyst layer was provided on the outer surface of the Pd tube. May be. However, in that case, P
A mixed gas of deuterium, oxygen, and light hydrogen flows inside the d tube, and a heat medium flows outside the Pd tube.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By controlling the supply amount, supply pressure, and reaction gas amount of the heat medium to be circulated and hydrogen isotopes (light hydrogen, deuterium, or tritium) containing the reaction gas, Pd or T can be easily obtained.
A predetermined temperature gradient and pressure gradient are formed in the thin layer of i, heat is generated by local accumulation of hydrogen isotopes in the thin layer, and the generated heat is circulated to the heat medium and hydrogen isotope. It is possible to efficiently collect and use the heat by using the body, and it is possible to realize a compact heat generating device that integrates heat generation and heat recovery that does not require a dedicated heater, cooler, and exhaust device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating accumulation of deuterium in a conventional vacuum method.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 Pd plate (heating element) 2 Arrow indicating moving direction of deuterium atom 3 Mn oxide film 4 Oxide film / Pd interface 5 Au thin film cover 6 Heater 7 Cooling device 8 Vacuum chamber 9 Exhaust device 10 High temperature side chamber (deuterium) Reference Signs List 11 low temperature side chamber (vacuum) 30 container 31 heating element 32 piping 33 storage tank for reaction gas 34 storage tank for deuterium 35 control device 36 pump 37 heat exchanger 38 condenser 39 piping 40 heating medium tank 41 control device 42 pump 43 Heat exchanger 44 Pd tube 45 Pd-Al ₂ O ₃ catalyst layer 46 Au layer

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Maki Ishizawa 1-1-6 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Kazuhiko Takeno 1-16-1 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Japan Within Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Takahisa Masayo 1-1-6 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) F24J 1 / 00 C01B 3/00 F28D 20/00

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A first thin layer made of a material selected from palladium and titanium, and a material having a smaller atomic diffusion coefficient of a hydrogen isotope than a material constituting the first thin layer, and A heating element comprising a second thin layer covering one surface of one thin layer, and a third thin layer comprising a catalyst effective for an exothermic reaction, covering the other surface of the first thin layer; Supplying a gas selected from a hydrogen isotope and a mixed gas comprising a reaction gas for causing an exothermic reaction on the hydrogen isotope and the third thin layer to the third thin layer side of the heating element; A heat generating apparatus comprising: a supply circulating unit for circulating; a product removing unit for removing a product generated by the exothermic reaction; and a heat recovery unit for recovering heat generated by circulating the gas. . 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reaction gas is a substance selected from the group consisting of oxygen and a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen, and said third thin layer is a palladium-alumina catalyst. A heating device characterized by comprising: 3. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein said heating element is in the form of a tube.