JPH0712476A - Cooling structure for sealing part of high temperature vessel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a cooling structure of a sealed part of a low-cost high temperature vessel in which cooling of the sealed part of the vessel can be effectively conducted with a simple structure. CONSTITUTION:An evaporating part 31 of a heat pipe 30 is disposed at sealed parts 20 of high temperature vessels 4, 5 arranged with a sealing member 22, and a condensing part 32 of the pipe 30 is disposed at a low temperature area side. The parts 20 of the vessels 4, 8 are more effectively cooled through the pipe 30 to prevent deterioration of the member 22.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a high-temperature container whose inside is sealed by a seal portion having a sealing material, such as a casing of a fuel cell power generation reactor using a solid electrolyte, and particularly to this high-temperature container. The present invention relates to a cooling structure of a seal part of the above.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 shows a cross section of a fuel cell power generation reactor using a solid electrolyte. In the figure, 1 is a cylindrical single cell having a cylindrical solid electrolyte 1a made of, for example, yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), an air electrode 1b on the inner surface side, and a fuel electrode 1c on the outer surface side. An air supply pipe 2 is inserted in the inside from the opening side of the upper end to the vicinity of the closed part of the lower end, and an air flow path 3 is formed between the air electrode 1b of the single cell 1 and the air supply pipe 2. . The unit cell 1 in which the air supply pipe 2 is inserted so as to project upward.
Are housed in a cylindrical casing body 4 whose upper end is closed, the lower end of which is supported on a fuel gas partition plate 5 which divides the lower part of the casing body 4 into upper and lower parts. The casing body 4 is guided and supported by a combustion gas partition plate 6 that divides the middle portion thereof into upper and lower parts. The upper end of the air supply pipe 2 is positioned and supported by an air partition plate 7 that divides the upper part of the casing body 4 into upper and lower parts.

The lower end of the casing body 4 is closed by a casing bottom plate 8 which can be opened and closed.
A fuel chamber 9 is formed between the fuel gas partition plate 5 and the fuel gas partition plate 5, and a unit cell 1 is provided at an intermediate portion of the casing body 4 partitioned by the fuel gas partition plate 5 and the combustion gas partition plate 6. A fuel gas channel is formed along the longitudinal direction.
A combustion chamber 11 is formed on the upper side of the casing body 4 partitioned by the combustion gas partition plate 6 and the air partition plate 7, and an air chamber 12 is formed on the upper end of the casing body 4 above the air partition plate 7. Has been formed.

Next, the operation of this fuel cell type power generation furnace will be described. The air supplied to the air chamber 12 is released to the air electrode 1b side of the single cell 1 through the air supply pipe 2, and while passing through the air flow path 3, the oxygen diffused in the air electrode 1b becomes ions. After passing through the solid electrolyte 1a, the fuel electrode 1
Reach the c side. Then, the oxygen is consumed, and the air whose oxygen concentration is slightly lowered is discharged from the air flow path 3 into the combustion chamber 11. Hydrogen, which is the fuel gas supplied into the fuel chamber 9, reaches the fuel gas passage 10 through the hole 5a provided in the fuel gas partition plate 5, and moves in the fuel gas passage 10. In the meantime, it reacts electrochemically with oxygen ions moving from the side of the air electrode 1b to become water vapor, and during this, electromotive force is generated between the air electrode 1b and the fuel electrode 1c of the single cell 1. Then, the remaining fuel gas consisting of hydrogen and water vapor reaches the combustion chamber 11 through the hole 6a provided in the combustion gas partition plate 6, where it is mixed with the aforementioned air and the hydrogen is burned. After that, it is discharged outside the power generation reactor. The plurality of unit cells 1 are connected in series and parallel to each other via an interconnector (not shown), and a predetermined amount of electric power is taken out from the electric power take-out portion of this power generation furnace.

By the way, the casing body 4 of the power generation furnace
The casing bottom plate 8 attached to the lower end of the casing can be opened and closed with respect to the casing body 4 for the purpose of assembling the unit cell 1 and the like in the casing body 4 and maintenance, but hydrogen as fuel gas is supplied. Since it forms a part of the fuel chamber 9, it is necessary for the joint portion 13 between the casing body 4 and the casing bottom plate 8 to have sufficient fuel gas leakage prevention measures. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 4, a ring-shaped groove 21 is formed on the outside of the casing body 4 by the casing body 4, the casing bottom plate 8 and the protrusions 8a thereof, and an O-ring or a silicone packing made of an organic material is formed. A seal member 22 such as is pushed into the ring-shaped groove 20 by a pressing tool 23 to form a seal portion.

On the other hand, inside the power generation furnace, the fuel cell hydrogen is burned, and the unit cell 1 is maintained at a high temperature of about 1000 ° C. Therefore, the temperature of the fuel chamber 9 is also kept. The temperature is as high as 700 to 800 ° C. Therefore, the temperature of the seal portion also exceeds the allowable temperature of the seal member 22, so that the water jacket 14 is formed on the convex portion 8a of the casing bottom plate 8, and the cooling water W is passed through the water jacket 14. As a result, the seal member 22 is cooled.

[0007]

However, in the water jacket system in which the cooling water W is passed through the water jacket 14 to cool the seal portion, if the cooling water W stops, the sealing member 2
There was a problem that 2 became high temperature and deteriorated, causing gas leakage. Further, in order to circulate the cooling water in the water jacket 14, a circulation pump, a cooler, a water pipe, etc. are required, which leads to a complicated device and a high cost, and at the same time, these devices are operated sufficiently. In addition, it was necessary to fully manage the operation of the equipment.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has a simple structure for cooling the seal portion of a high-temperature container, and
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cooling structure for a seal portion of a high temperature container, which can be surely performed and which requires low equipment.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a heat pipe evaporation unit at or near a seal portion of a high temperature container in which a sealing material is disposed, and a low temperature region. It is characterized in that the condensing part of this heat pipe is arranged on the side.

[0010]

In the heat pipe, the working fluid evaporates in the evaporating section arranged on the high temperature side and absorbs heat from the high temperature side, and the vapor is condensed on the condensing section arranged on the low temperature side. It is a heat transport means that moves, condenses, and releases heat to the low temperature side. Therefore, if the evaporating part of the heat pipe is arranged at or near the seal part of the high temperature container and the condensing part is arranged at the low temperature side, the heat of the seal part of the high temperature container or the vicinity thereof is low through the heat pipe. It is discharged to the area side and the seal material of the seal part is cooled.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. The examples described below relate to a fuel cell type power generation furnace using a solid electrolyte, and the basic configuration of the power generation furnace is the same as the power generation furnace described with reference to FIG. Therefore,
Also in this embodiment, the same parts or corresponding parts as the constituent parts of the power generation furnace described in FIGS. 3 and 4 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

1 and 2 show a seal portion provided between the casing main body 4 and the casing bottom portion, and a cooling means therefor. The seal portion 20 is attached to the casing body 4 side of the outer peripheral portion of the casing bottom plate 8, and forms a ring-shaped groove 21 around the casing body 4 between the casing body 4 and the casing bottom plate 8, and a ring-shaped groove. The seal member 22 is packed in the inside 21, and the pressing member 23 that pushes the seal member 22 toward the casing bottom plate 8 side of the ring-shaped groove 21. The seal portion 20 prevents the fuel gas in the casing body 4 from leaking outside from the joint portion 13 between the lower end of the casing body 4 and the casing bottom plate 8.

The cooling means for the seal portion 20 is composed of two heat pipes 30, 30. That is, the evaporation portions 31, 31 of the two heat pipes 30, 30 are respectively arranged in a half ring state of 180 degrees in the casing bottom plate 8 immediately below the seal member 22, and both of them form a 360 degree ring. Buried to form. The condensing part 32 of the heat pipe 30 projects from the outer surface of the casing bottom plate 8 into the atmosphere, which is a low temperature region, at a distance of 180 degrees from each other, and a plurality of fins 33 for heat radiation are attached to the outer peripheral part thereof. Has been.

The heat pipe 30 is a vacuum degassed sealed tube in which a fluid such as mercury and sodium which evaporates and condenses in a target temperature range is sealed as a working fluid. The heat is absorbed from the side to evaporate the working fluid, the vapor is moved to the condenser 32, and the fins 3 are introduced into the low temperature region of the condenser 32.
The heat is released via 3 to condense and liquefy the working fluid. The liquid circulation from the condenser 32 to the evaporator 31 is performed by the action of gravity or the wick (capillary structure) provided in the heat pipe 30. The ratio of the lengths of the evaporation portion 31 and the condensation portion 32 of the heat pipe 30 is determined so that the heat pipe 30 maximizes the cooling effect of the seal portion 20.

Next, the operation of the above cooling structure will be described.
When fuel gas and air are supplied to the power generation furnace, an electromotive force is generated in the single cell 1, and a predetermined power is taken out from this power generation furnace. During such power generation, the temperature around the unit cell 1 of the power generation furnace is maintained at about 1000 ° C, and the temperature of the fuel chamber 9 also rises to 700 to 800 ° C. Therefore, the temperature of the seal portion 20 between the casing body 4 and the casing bottom plate 8 and its vicinity also becomes high due to heat conduction and convection, and the temperature of the seal member 22 rises.

In this case, the working fluid in the evaporation portion 31 of the heat pipe 30 disposed in the casing bottom plate 8 near the seal member 22 evaporates, and heat is taken from the seal portion 20. Lower the temperature below the allowable temperature. Then, the evaporated working fluid moves toward the condenser 32, releases its heat into the atmosphere and is liquefied, and the evaporator 31 again
Will be moved to. By repeating evaporation and condensation of the working fluid in the heat pipe 30, the seal portion 20 is constantly cooled, and the seal member 22 is prevented from deterioration and gas leakage.

As described above, since the heat pipe 30 is used for cooling the seal portion 20 between the casing body 4 and the casing bottom plate 8 of the high-temperature power generation furnace, the conventional water jacket system in which the cooling water is circulated in the water jacket 14 is used. Compared with the conventional one, a circulation pump, a cooler, and a water pipe are not required, which simplifies the device and reduces the cost of the device. Further, once the heat pipe 30 is attached, no subsequent operation management is required. Since the operation management of the circulation pump is not sufficient like the water jacket type, the circulation pump stops and the temperature of the seal part rises. The temperature of the cooling water will not rise due to insufficient operation management of the cooler, and the temperature of the seal portion will not rise. That is, by using the heat pipe 30, the seal portion 20 can be surely cooled, and the seal member 22
Does not deteriorate. Further, since the heat pipe 30 uses the latent heat of the working fluid to carry out heat transfer, the seal portion 20 can be cooled to a uniform temperature as compared with the case of using cooling water.

In the above embodiment, the evaporation portions 31, 31 of the two heat pipes 30, 30 are buried in the casing bottom portion 8. However, one or three or more heat pipes 30 may be buried. In the method, the evaporation parts 31 of the two or three heat pipes 30 may be embedded so as to be along each other. Further, the burying place of the evaporating portion 31 of the heat pipe 30 is not limited to the casing bottom plate 8, and may be buried anywhere such as the ring member 24 or the pressing tool 23 as long as the seal member 22 can be sufficiently cooled.

Further, the same effect can be obtained by applying the present invention to a seal portion in a high temperature vessel used in a nuclear reactor or a seal portion in a high temperature portion of an engine.

[0020]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, since the seal portion of the high temperature container or its vicinity is cooled by the heat pipe, the seal material of the seal portion sufficiently maintains its sealing effect. can do. In this case, the heat pipe 30 is a heat transporting device having a simple structure and does not require a pump, a cooler, a water pipe or the like as compared with a water jacket type cooling device, so that the structure of the cooling unit is simple and the cost is low. Can also be lowered. Further, since the heat pipe 30 has no failure and maintenance is not required, the cooling of the seal portion can be reliably performed, and
Operation management is also easy.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view around a seal portion of a power generation furnace.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view around a seal portion of a power generation furnace.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a power generation furnace.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a conventional cooling structure of a seal portion.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 Casing Main Body 8 Casing Bottom Plate 20 Sealing Part 22 Sealing Member 30 Heat Pipe 31 Evaporating Part 32 Condensing Part

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A high temperature characterized in that an evaporation part of a heat pipe is arranged at or near a sealing part of a high temperature container in which a sealing material is arranged, and a condensing part of this heat pipe is arranged at a low temperature side. Cooling structure for the container seal.