JP4959227B2 - Steam generating apparatus and method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a steam generation apparatus and method for generating high-pressure steam using a gas obtained by separating a gas hydrate using a combustible gas as a guest gas and water.

High-pressure steam is used for various purposes such as washing a car at a gas station and disinfection in a hospital from a large plant such as a thermal power plant. To produce high-pressure steam, water is supplied to the boiler. A water pump was needed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique related to a steam generator that generates high-pressure steam for driving a steam turbine in a thermal power plant. In this technique as well, water is supplied to the steam generator by a water supply pump. Supply.
JP 2004-263945 A

  In order to solve such a problem, the present invention utilizes a gas obtained by separating and producing a gas hydrate using a combustible gas as a guest gas and water, and a gas pressure generated by separating and producing the gas hydrate. An object of the present invention is to provide a steam generator and a method capable of generating high-pressure steam without using a water supply pump.

A first invention is a steam generator using gas hydrate,
A tank for storing the gas hydrate;
The water separated from the gas hydrate in the tank is communicated with the tank, and the water separated from the gas hydrate is burned as fuel to boil the supplied water. With a boiler that generates steam,
A heat regulation unit capable of adjusting the amount of heat supplied to the tank in order to promote separation and generation from the gas hydrate to water and gas;
A pressure gauge for measuring the water pressure of water supplied to the boiler;
Based on the instruction information relating to the pressure of the steam to be generated in the boiler and the water pressure measured by the pressure gauge, the supply amount of the heat to the tank is calculated, and the temperature adjustment unit is controlled to control the tank A heat control unit that adjusts the amount of heat to be supplied to the calculated amount of heat;
It is a steam generator characterized by providing.

A second invention is the steam generator according to the first invention,
A boiler water control valve capable of adjusting the amount of water separated and generated from the gas hydrate and supplied to the boiler;
The amount of water supplied to the boiler is calculated based on the amount of steam to be generated in the boiler, and the amount of water supplied to the boiler is adjusted to the calculated amount of water supplied by controlling the boiler water control valve. A boiler water control unit,
It is a steam generator characterized by providing.

3rd invention is the steam generator as described in 1st or 2nd invention, Comprising:
The said heat regulation part is a steam generator characterized by using a part of the vapor | steam which the said boiler generate | occur | produced as a heat source .

4th invention is the steam generator as described in 1st- 3rd invention, Comprising:
An external water regulating valve capable of supplying water to the tank by opening and stopping the supply of water to the tank by closing;
A level meter for measuring the amount of water in the tank;
An external water controller that receives the amount of water measured by the level meter and opens the external water control valve to supply water to the tank when the amount of water measured by the level meter is equal to or less than a predetermined amount of water; ,
It is a steam generator characterized by providing.

5th invention is the steam generator as described in 1st- 4th invention, Comprising:
A steam generator characterized by comprising a water use control valve that enables the water generated in the tank to be discharged by opening and can stop the water generated in the tank by closing. It is.

A sixth invention is the steam generator according to the first to fifth inventions,
A steam generation device comprising a gas use control valve that can discharge gas generated in the tank by being opened and can stop discharging gas generated in the tank by being closed. It is.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the steam generator and method which can produce | generate a high voltage | pressure steam, without using a water supply pump can be provided.

  FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a steam generator 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the steam generator 1 of the present embodiment includes a tank 10, a boiler 20, a boiler water control valve 31, a gas control valve 32, a thermal control valve 34, an external water control valve 33, and a water use control valve 35. , A gas use control valve 36, a thermometer 41, a pressure gauge 42, a level meter 43, a boiler water control unit 51, a gas control unit 52, an external water control unit 53, a thermal control unit 54, and the like.

The tank 10 is a tank excellent in pressure resistance and heat insulation, and can store gas hydrate. By the way, the gas hydrate is an clathrate hydrate in which gas molecules are taken in as a guest gas in a cage structure formed by water molecules. For example, the theoretical chemical formula of methane hydrate in which methane is the guest gas is CH ₄ · 5.75H ₂ O. The gas hydrate guest gas used in the present invention may be a combustible gas. For example, a combustible gas such as natural gas, methane, ethane, propane, butane, or hydrogen can be used. In this tank 10, the gas hydrate is separated to generate gas and water.

Note that the gas hydrate used in the steam generator 1, the pure hydrate _(e.g., CH 4 · 5.75H ₂ O) the following equation the ratio of water or ice _(H 2 O) as a hydrate ratio μ Define as follows.

In the steam generator 1, a gas hydrate having a hydrate ratio that can be used without excessive gas and water may be used. For example, when a gas hydrate using natural gas as a guest gas is used in the steam generator 1, the hydrate ratio that can be used for this natural gas hydrate without using excessive gas and water is as follows. Can be calculated.

Here, H _x is the enthalpy of water supplied to the boiler 20, H _y is the enthalpy of water vapor generated in the boiler 20, H _NG is the calorific value of natural gas, and M is the natural gas contained in 1 kg of natural gas hydrate. Mass.

Assuming that the water supplied to the boiler 20 is 5 ° C./3 atm and the water vapor generated in the boiler 20 is 140 ° C./3 atm, the enthalpy H _x of the water at 5 ° C./3 atm is 5 kcal. The enthalpy H _y of water at 140 ° C. and 3 atm is 655 kcal / kg. Further, it is generally known that the mass M of natural gas contained in 1 kg of natural gas hydrate is 0.13 kg. Natural gas has a calorific value that varies depending on the gas composition, but the calorific value H _NG of a typical natural gas is about 13,000 kcal / kg. Substituting these values into equation (2) yields a hydrate ratio μ = 0.37.

  The tank 10 is provided with a level meter 43, and measures the amount of water separated and generated from the gas hydrate and stored in the tank 10. The level meter 43 transmits the measured amount of water to each control unit 51 to 54.

  The boiler 20 receives supply of gas separated and generated from the gas hydrate in the tank 10 and burns the gas as fuel to boil water to generate steam. As the water used here, water generated by separation from the gas hydrate in the tank 10 can be used. In general, when water is supplied to a boiler, it is necessary to apply pressure to the water with a pump or the like. In the steam generator 1, the pressure in the tank 10 is high due to the gas generated from the gas hydrate. Since the water is supplied to the boiler 20 using the above, no pump is required.

  The thermometer 41 measures the temperature of the water supplied from the tank 10 to the boiler 20, and the measurement result is transmitted to each control unit 51 to 54. The pressure gauge 42 measures the pressure of water supplied from the tank 10 to the boiler 20, and the measurement result is transmitted to the respective control units 51 to 54.

  The boiler water adjustment valve 31 adjusts the amount of water supplied from the tank 10 to the boiler 20. The gas control valve 32 adjusts the amount of gas supplied from the tank 10 to the boiler 20. The external water adjustment valve 33 adjusts the amount of water supplied to the tank 10 from the outside.

  The thermal control valve 34 adjusts the amount of hot water supplied into the tank 10 in order to promote the separation and generation from the gas hydrate in the tank 10 into water and gas. That is, in the present embodiment, hot water is used as a heat source for promoting the separation and generation of gas hydrate into water and gas. In addition, as a heat source, not only warm water but high temperature steam may be used, and in that case, a part of the steam generated by the boiler 20 may be used. Alternatively, a high-temperature gas other than water vapor or a fluid containing heat such as outside air may be used as the heat source. In this case, the heat source heats the gas hydrate in the tank 10 by heating the tank 10 from the outside. Supply. Furthermore, a heater heated by electric energy may be used as the heat source, and in this case, a current controller that controls the amount of current supplied to the heater is used instead of the heat adjustment valve 34 as the heat adjustment unit.

  The water use control valve 35 is a valve for adjusting the amount of water to be taken out when the water stored in the tank 10 is used outside the boiler 20, and the gas use control valve 36 is stored in the tank 10. This is a valve for adjusting the amount of gas to be taken out when using gas other than the boiler 20.

  The control parts 51-54 also receive the information about the measurement result by the thermometer 41, the pressure gauge 42, and the level gauge 43, and control the boiler 20, each adjustment valve 31-34, and the pumps 44-45. Hereinafter, control of each control part 51-54 and the movement of each adjustment valve 31-34 by those control are demonstrated. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the amount, temperature, and pressure of steam to be generated by the boiler are instructed or set in advance.

  The boiler water control unit 51 calculates the amount of water supplied to the boiler 20 based on the amount of steam to be generated in the boiler 20, and controls the boiler water control valve 31 to determine the amount of water supplied to the boiler 20. Adjust to the calculated water supply. That is, if the amount of steam generated in the boiler 20 is large, it is necessary to supply a large amount of water commensurate with it, and the boiler water control valve 31 is controlled to open. On the other hand, if the amount of steam generated in the boiler 20 is small, it is necessary to supply a small amount of water commensurate with it to the boiler 20, and the boiler water control valve 31 is controlled to be closed.

  The gas control unit 52 supplies gas to the boiler 20 based on the amount, pressure, and temperature of steam to be generated in the boiler 20, the temperature measured by the thermometer 41, and the pressure measured by the pressure gauge 42. The supply amount is calculated, and the gas control valve 32 is controlled to adjust the amount of gas supplied to the boiler 20 to the calculated water supply amount. That is, it is necessary to adjust the heating power of the boiler 20 according to the amount, pressure, and temperature of the steam generated in the boiler 20, but the gas control unit 52 adjusts the amount of gas supplied to the boiler 20 by the gas control valve 32. By doing so, the heating power of the boiler 20 is adjusted.

  The external water control unit 53 receives the amount of water measured by the level meter 43, and when the amount of water measured by the level meter 43 is equal to or less than a predetermined amount of water, the external water control valve 33 is opened to supply water to the tank 10. Supply. That is, when there is not enough water to be supplied to the boiler 20 in the tank 10, the external water control valve 33 is opened to supply water to the tank 10, so that the water in the tank 10 is replenished and included in the water. By supplying the heated heat into the tank 10, the separation and generation from the gas hydrate in the tank 10 into water and gas is promoted. A pump 44 for supplying this water to the tank 10 is required. Note that the external water supplied to the tank 10 may include warm heat.

  The thermal control unit 54 calculates the supply amount of the thermal heat to the tank 10 according to the pressure of the steam to be generated by the boiler 20 and the pressure measured by the pressure gauge 42, and based on the calculation result, the thermal control valve 34. Is supplied to the tank 10. That is, water supply to the boiler 20 uses the pressure in the tank 10, but if the pressure in the tank 10 is less than the pressure necessary to supply water to the boiler 20, the pressure in the tank 10 is reduced. It is necessary to raise. Therefore, the thermal control unit 54 controls the thermal control valve 34 to supply a medium containing thermal heat to the tank 10, thereby promoting the separation and generation from the gas hydrate in the tank 10 into water and gas.

  The water in the tank 10 may be used not only as water that is the source of water vapor in the boiler 20 but also for other purposes. Specifically, a water use adjustment valve 35 may be provided so that water in the tank 10 can be taken out.

  Further, the gas in the tank 10 may be used not only as fuel for the boiler 20 but also for other purposes. Specifically, a gas use control valve 36 may be provided so that the gas in the tank 10 can be taken out.

  As described above, according to the steam generator 1 of the present embodiment, the gas hydrate using the combustible gas as the guest gas is separated and produced, and the gas hydrate is separated and produced. By using the pressure of the generated gas, high-pressure steam can be generated without using a water supply pump. That is, when gas is separated and produced from gas hydrate, if the gas hydrate is stored in a sealed tank, the pressure in the storage tank increases. Since the combustible gas and water can be supplied to the boiler 20 by using this pressure, there is a merit that a compressor, a pump, and the like become unnecessary.

  Moreover, according to the steam generator 1, by controlling the boiler water control valve 31 by the boiler water control part 51, an appropriate amount of water required by the boiler 20 can be supplied.

  Moreover, according to the steam generator 1, by controlling the gas control valve 32 by the gas control unit 52, the heating power of the boiler 20 can be adjusted according to the amount, pressure, and temperature of the steam generated in the boiler 20. it can.

  And according to the steam generator 1, by controlling the external water control valve 33 by the external water control part 53, it can adjust so that the quantity of the water in the tank 10 may not run short. Moreover, if external water containing heat is used, separation and generation from gas hydrate in the tank 10 into water and gas can be promoted, and the shortage of water in the tank 10 can be compensated.

  Furthermore, according to the steam generator 1, the temperature control valve 34 is controlled by the temperature control unit 54 to promote the separation and generation from the gas hydrate to water and gas, so that the pressure in the tank 10 is appropriately set. The pressure in the tank 10 can be used to supply water to the boiler 20.

  By the way, the high-pressure steam produced | generated by the steam generator 1 can be used for various uses. For example, when used in a natural gas station that supplies automobile fuel, high-pressure steam generated by the steam generator 1 and water generated by separation from the gas hydrate can be used for car washing, and separated from the gas hydrate. The generated gas can be supplied to the automobile. In addition, steam for cleaning at a cleaning store, steam for steaming cooking at a kitchen, disinfection steam at a hospital, steam for heating a building, and the like can be considered.

  In addition, the description of the above embodiment is for facilitating understanding of the present invention, and does not limit the present invention. It goes without saying that the present invention can be changed and improved without departing from the gist thereof, and that the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of a steam generator 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Steam generator 10 Tank 20 Boiler 31 Boiler water control valve 32 Gas control valve 33 External water control valve 34 Thermal control valve 35 Water use control valve 36 Gas use control valve 41 Thermometer 42 Pressure gauge 43 Level meter 51 Boiler water control part 52 Gas control unit 53 External water control unit 54 Thermal control unit

Claims (8)

A steam generator using gas hydrate,
A tank for storing the gas hydrate;
The water separated from the gas hydrate in the tank is communicated with the tank, and the water separated from the gas hydrate is burned as fuel to boil the supplied water. With a boiler that generates steam,
A heat regulation unit capable of adjusting the amount of heat supplied to the tank in order to promote separation and generation from the gas hydrate to water and gas;
A pressure gauge for measuring the water pressure of water supplied to the boiler;
Based on the instruction information relating to the pressure of the steam to be generated in the boiler and the water pressure measured by the pressure gauge, the supply amount of the heat to the tank is calculated, and the temperature adjustment unit is controlled to control the tank A heat control unit that adjusts the amount of heat to be supplied to the calculated amount of heat;
A steam generator characterized by comprising: The steam generator according to claim 1,
A boiler water control valve capable of adjusting the amount of water separated and generated from the gas hydrate and supplied to the boiler;
The amount of water supplied to the boiler is calculated based on the amount of steam to be generated in the boiler, and the amount of water supplied to the boiler is adjusted to the calculated amount of water supplied by controlling the boiler water control valve. A boiler water control unit,
A steam generator characterized by comprising: The steam generator according to claim 1 or 2,
The said heat regulation part uses a part of the vapor | steam which the said boiler generate | occur | produced as a heat source, The steam generator characterized by the above-mentioned . It is a steam generator of Claims 1-3 ,
An external water regulating valve capable of supplying water to the tank by opening and stopping the supply of water to the tank by closing;
A level meter for measuring the amount of water in the tank;
An external water controller that receives the amount of water measured by the level meter and opens the external water control valve to supply water to the tank when the amount of water measured by the level meter is equal to or less than a predetermined amount of water; ,
A steam generator characterized by comprising: It is a steam generator of Claims 1-4 ,
A steam generator characterized by comprising a water use control valve that enables the water generated in the tank to be discharged by opening and can stop the water generated in the tank by closing. . The steam generator according to claim 1,
A steam generation device comprising a gas use control valve that can discharge gas generated in the tank by being opened and can stop discharging gas generated in the tank by being closed. . A steam generation method using gas hydrate,
Storing the gas hydrate in a tank;
Adjusting the amount of heat supplied to the tank to promote separation and generation of water and gas from the gas hydrate;
Supplying water separated from the gas hydrate to the boiler communicating with the tank by the pressure of the gas separated from the gas hydrate;
Measuring the water pressure of water supplied to the boiler;
Wherein the gas is separated produced from gas hydrate is burned as a fuel, seen including the steps of: generating steam by boiling water supplied to said boiler,
In the step of adjusting the amount of heat, the amount of heat supplied to the tank is calculated based on the instruction information related to the pressure of the steam to be generated in the boiler and the measured water pressure, A method for generating steam, characterized in that the amount of heat supplied is adjusted to the calculated amount of heat . The steam generation method according to claim 7,
In the step of adjusting the amount of heat, a part of the steam generated by the boiler is used as a heat source .

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