JPS62204099A - Container for metal hydride - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To uniformly charge the inside of a container by metal hydride by simple ways by holding the metal hydride in dispersed form into the minute spaces formed by screens. CONSTITUTION:Heat insulating members 3a, 3b, and 3c are installed onto the inner surface of a heat resisting container 1, and a plurality of heating pipes 4 in return type for the flow of thermal medium and metal hydride 5 are installed inside. A heat transmission disc 6 for the smooth heat transmission between the heating pipes 4 and the metal hydride 5 is accommodated. The heat transmission disc 6 is formed into the lattice-shaped screens on the surface and forms a cylindrical heat exchanger 7 in the combination with the heating pipes 4. With such constitution, the inside of the container can be charged with the metal hydride uniformly by the simple ways.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a metal hydride container suitable for heat storage, temperature raising or cooling heat pumps, hydrogen storage, etc. using metal hydrides.

(B) Prior Art Some metals or alloys easily combine with hydrogen to form metal hydrides, while others easily dehydrogenate and return to their original metals or alloys. These hydrogenations and dehydrogenations are relatively easily carried out, accompanied by endotherms and exotherms, but attempts are currently being made to utilize the reaction heat, hydrogen pressure, or hydrogen storage capacity at this time. In this specification, metals or alloys having hydrogen storage capacity are also referred to as metal hydrides, unless there is a particular problem.

In order to efficiently utilize the functions of this metal hydride,
A container with good heat exchange capacity and low heat loss becomes essential. Therefore, in consideration of these points, the applicant first stored a metal hydride in a cylindrical pressure vessel equipped with a hydrogen inlet/output pipe via a heat insulating material, and also airtightly penetrated the end face of the pressure vessel. We proposed a metal hydride container in which a heat medium tube with a plurality of heat transfer fins attached perpendicularly to the tube axis is arranged (Japanese Patent Application No. 10775/1982).

(See specification of Japanese Patent Application No. 60784467).

According to this container structure, the metal hydride is evenly distributed and stored between the heat transfer fins, so the distance between the heat transfer fins and the metal hydride can be kept small, and excellent heat exchange ability can be obtained. Since the heat transfer pipe is disposed at the center axis of the pressure vessel, there is an advantage that sensible heat loss to the pressure vessel is suppressed.

(c) Problems to be solved by the invention However, in the metal hydride container previously proposed by the applicant, a metal hydride inlet is provided to distribute and store the metal hydride between each heat transfer fin. There are problems in that the internal structure of the container becomes complicated, as the container is covered with a holder on the surface, and it becomes difficult to fill the container with metal hydride.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention aims to provide a metal hydride container that facilitates the filling of metal hydrides and has an excellent heat exchange ability and ability to suppress heat loss. A plurality of heat transfer pipes are folded back and placed together with a metal hydride through a heat insulating material inside a sealed pressure vessel, and the heat transfer disks provided perpendicularly to the heat transfer disks are mesh-shaped. The heat medium pipes are arranged in contact with each other and brazed to the heat medium pipes, while a connection joint with excellent heat insulation is interposed between the heat medium pipes penetrating the end face of the pressure vessel and the pressure vessel. It has a structure that allows it to be drawn out of the container.

(e) By making the working metal hydride container have the above structure,
When filling metal hydrides, place a heat transfer pipe with a mesh disc inside a pressure-resistant container via a heat insulating material, close one end of the container, leave the other end open, and close the open end. Pour the metal hydride powder upwards. This results in
The metal hydride can be filled extremely easily and uniformly into the container.

Further, the metal hydride filled inside the container is partitioned and held by the mesh. Therefore, the distance between the metal hydride and the heat transfer member becomes minute. Furthermore, as multiple heat transfer tubes are arranged in the heat transfer disk, the distance between the heat transfer tubes and the metal hydride becomes smaller, and extremely efficient heat transfer is achieved between the heat transfer medium flowing through the heat transfer tubes and the metal hydride. An exchange takes place.

In addition, as a result of providing a connection joint with excellent heat insulation between the heat transfer pipe and the end face of the pressure vessel through which the heat transfer pipe passes,
There is also no heat loss leaking from the heat medium pipe to the pressure vessel, and the heat loss is suppressed to an even smaller level than in the previous proposal.

In addition, as mentioned above, as the metal hydride is dispersed and held in the microscopic spaces formed by the mesh, the stress caused by the volume expansion that occurs during hydrogen storage is dispersed, and the container is prevented from breaking due to stress concentration caused by the unevenness of the metal hydride. It develops excellent effects such as being able to prevent.

(f) Example Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of a metal hydride container according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front sectional view taken along line A''-A in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the joint between the heat medium tube and the pressure-resistant container lid in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the heat medium tube and heat transfer disk in FIG. 1. It is a figure for explaining the engagement state with.

In these figures, a pressure-resistant container l is formed using stainless steel, and has a cylindrical body 1a, a lid body 1b having a hydrogen inlet/output conduit 2 provided on one end surface thereof, and a lid body 1c provided on the other end thereof, which are flange-like. The inside is hermetically sealed by bonding.

Insulating materials 3a, 3b, 3 are provided on the inner surface of the pressure vessel 1.
c is provided, and a plurality of folded heat medium tubes (seven in this example) 4 through which a heat medium flows, and a metal hydride 5;
A heat transfer disk 6 for smooth heat transfer between the heat medium pipes 4 and the metal hydride 5 is housed. The heat transfer disk 6 is made of a material with good thermal conductivity such as copper or aluminum, and has a lattice-like mesh formed on each surface, so that the heat transfer disk 6 is connected to the heat medium pipe 4 as shown in FIG. A cylindrical heat exchanger 7 is formed by combining them. That is, as shown in the sectional view of FIG. 5(a), the assembly explanatory view of FIG. 5(b), the partial perspective view of FIG. 5(c), and the detailed perspective view of the cylindrical portion of FIG. A plurality of sets of four heat transfer disks 6 are prepared, and on the lattice surface of each of the four heat transfer disks 6, there are seven cylinders 6A to 6D of different lengths that fit into the heat medium pipes 4. It is formed one by one. These cylinders, for example 6A, have a square plate 6P having the same IllD fold as the lattice, as shown in the same figure (d).
The colored plate 6P is fitted and bonded to a grid to form a heat transfer disk 6, as shown in FIG. 2(c). In order to attach the heat transfer disk 6 to the heat medium pipe 4, as shown in FIG.
By fitting 6D into the heat medium pipe 4 one after another, it can be assembled as shown in FIG. 3(a), and the heat exchanger 7 portion shown in FIG. 3 is formed. At this time, each heat transfer disk 6
are stacked so as to be in contact with each other and are fixed to the heat medium tubes 4 one after another, so that a small chamber is formed inside the cylinder of the heat exchanger 7 by the lattice network of each heat transfer disk 6. .

By the way, when aluminum is used as the material for both the heat medium tube 4 and the heat transfer disk 6, a brazing material (aluminum alloy, DA Q 5i) is applied to the outer wall of the heat medium tube 4 and the heat transfer disk 6 in advance.
-6, 7, 8 (American Welding Society classification), etc.), the heat transfer disk 6 is passed through the heat medium tube 4 to form the cylindrical shape of the heat exchanger 7 as described above, and then heat treatment is performed. By fixing them together, the heat exchanger 7 can be easily constructed. Further, as a specific method for coating the heat transfer disk 6 with the brazing metal, there is a method of punching metal using an aluminum plate coated with the brazing metal and using this as the heat transfer disk 6, or a method of using an aluminum plate coated with the brazing metal to form a punched metal. There is a method in which a wire mesh is formed from a material and used as the heat transfer disk 6. By these methods, it is possible to eliminate clogging of the holes on the lattice surface of the heat transfer disk 6 that occurs when the brazing material is melted, and to form small chambers inside the cylinder.

Next, in order to house the thus configured heat exchanger 7 together with the metal hydride 5 inside the pressure container l, first, hydrogen passes through the cylindrical side of the heat exchanger 7, but the metal hydride powder passes through. A cylindrical body 1 covered with a heat insulating material 3a having an unparalleled filter function.
a Pass through the inside. Next, a filter plate 8 that allows only hydrogen to pass is applied to the surface of the heat transfer disk 6 at one end of the heat exchanger 7 passed through the cylindrical body 1a, and a heat insulating material 3c is attached from above. The medium pipe 4 is passed through a screw hole formed in advance in the lid 1c. That is, the heat medium pipe 4 of the lid 1b or 1c
As shown in FIG. 4, an enlarged sectional view of the penetrating portion, seven screw holes 11 are formed in the penetrating portion to be screwed into a connecting joint body 10 having a tapered threaded portion 9. These 7 screw holes 1
1 through each heat transfer disk 4 protruding from the heat insulating material 3c, pass the connecting joint main body 10 through the heat medium pipe 4, screw the threaded part 9 into the screw hole 11, and connect the heat medium pipe 4 to the lid. Fixed at 1c. The connection joint body 10 is made of a rigid heat insulating material such as alumina ceramics, and has a concave surface 13 formed on the side opposite to the tapered threaded portion 9 to hold the O-ring 12 between it and the heat transfer pipe 4. ing. In order to bring the O-ring 12 into close contact with the surface of the heat medium pipe 4 and the concave surface 13 of the connection joint body 10 and to improve the airtightness inside the pressure vessel 1, the connection joint cap 14 is passed through the heat medium pipe 4, and the connection joint body 10 is Screw into the screw formed at the tip of the and tighten.

The lid 1c to which the seven heat medium pipes 4 are fixed in this manner is fixed to the flange portion of the cylindrical body 1a with bolts and nuts, and one end of the pressure vessel 1 is closed. Further, the metal hydride 5 powder is poured into the pressure vessel 1 from the lattice surface of the heat transfer disk 6 with the other open end facing upward. As a result, the metal hydride 5 passes through the lattice network of the stacked heat transfer disks 6 and is uniformly filled to the bottom. Next, this heat exchanger 7
and the other open side of the pressure vessel 1 filled with metal hydride 5.

The filter plate 15 is removed in the same manner as the one end closing operation described above.
The heat insulating material 3b and the lid 1b are installed and closed in this order, completely sealing the inside of the pressure container 1.

Finally, it protrudes from both ends of the pressure vessel 1. The metal hydride container of this example is constructed by connecting seven heat medium pipes 4 to form a single pipe outside the container, and covering the surface of the pipes with a heat insulating material 16. During hydrogen storage, hydrogen is introduced into the pressure vessel 1 through the hydrogen inlet/output pipe 2, diffuses through the heat insulating material 3, and passes through the filters [15, 8 or the heat insulating material 3a having a filter function] into the lattice shape of the heat transfer disk 6. It is occluded in the metal hydride 5 which is divided and held in the mesh.

The heat generated at this time is transferred to the heat medium pipe 4 via the heat transfer disk 6. In this case, the distance from the metal hydride 5 to the heat transfer disk 6 is extremely small.

In addition, a plurality of heat medium pipes 4 are arranged on the surface of the heat transfer disk 6,
The distance over which the heat transferred onto the heat transfer disk 6 is transferred to the heat medium pipe 4 is also extremely small. Due to this.

The heat generated by the metal hydride 5 is extremely quickly and efficiently transferred to the heat medium flowing through the heat medium pipe 4 and taken out to the outside.

On the other hand, when releasing hydrogen, the heat required for dehydrogenation is transferred to the heat medium pipe 4.
The heat transfer medium flows through the lattice network of the heat transfer disk 6,
It is transmitted to each metal hydride 5. As a result, the metal hydride 5 is dehydrogenated, and the generated hydrogen is transferred to the filter plate 15,
8 or from the heat insulating material 3a through the hydrogen in/out conduit 2 and taken out to the outside of the container.

According to the structure of the metal hydride container of this embodiment, the metal hydride 5 is charged into the pressure container 1 with one end of the pressure container 1 open. It is extremely easy to do, as all you have to do is pour the powder from above.

Furthermore, heat exchange between the metal hydride 5 and the heat medium flowing through the heat medium pipe 4 is performed extremely efficiently by shortening the heat transfer distance and increasing the heat transfer area of the heat transfer disk 6 to the metal hydride 5. It will be done.

Furthermore, since the metal hydride 5 is divided and held in each small chamber composed of a lattice-like mesh, even if the metal hydride 5 is pulverized by repeated hydrogen absorption and release, the metal hydride 5 will not remain inside the container. Unevenness can be prevented and good heat transfer characteristics can be maintained.

At the same time, it is possible to disperse the stress concentration caused by the volumetric expansion of the metal hydride 5 that occurs during hydrogen storage, and to reduce the influence of swelling.

In addition, each heat medium pipe 4 is housed inside the pressure vessel 1 through a heat insulating material 3, and between the heat medium pipe 4 and the lids 1b, lc, connection joints 10, 12 with good heat insulation properties are provided. .14 is present, heat loss to the pressure vessel 1 is suppressed, and thermal efficiency can also be improved in this respect.

(G) Detailed Description of the Invention According to the present invention, as described in detail, the filling of the metal hydride into the container is extremely simple, the heat loss to the container is small, and the contact between the metal hydride and the heat transfer member is reduced. A metal hydride container with a large area and a short heat transfer distance and extremely high thermal efficiency can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of a metal hydride container according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 1, and FIG. A perspective view of the medium pipe and the heat transfer disk part, Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the joint between the heat medium pipe and the pressure-resistant container lid in Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a view of the heat medium pipe of the heat transfer disk in Fig. 3. The installation is shown in the explanatory diagram. The figure (a) is a sectional view thereof, and the figure (b) is an explanatory diagram of its assembly. FIG. 4(c) is a partial perspective view of the same, and FIG. 4(d) is a detailed perspective view of the cylindrical portion thereof. 1...Pressure vessel, 2...Hydrogen inlet/output conduit. 3a, 3b, 3c, 16...insulating material, 4...heat medium pipe, 5...metal hydride, 6...heat transfer disk, 7...
Heat exchanger, 8.15... Filter plate, 9... Tapered screw plate, 10... Connection joint body, 11... Screw hole, 12... O-ring, 13... Concave surface, 14・
...Connection joint cap. Agent Patent Attorney Crest 1) Seiji 1-1 Part Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 (a) Figure 5 (c) (d) A

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A cylindrical pressure-resistant container equipped with a hydrogen inlet/output pipe, a heat insulating material affixed to the inner surface of the container, and a plurality of cylindrical pressure containers housed inside the heat insulating material and arranged adjacent to each other in the axial direction of the cylinder to form a lattice network. a heat transfer disk, a heat medium pipe which is passed through the heat transfer disk from the end wall surface of the container by folding it back and passing through the disk surface multiple times at approximately equal intervals; and the heat medium tube and the end wall surface of the container. A metal hydride container comprising: a heat-insulating connection joint inserted between the metal hydride and the metal hydride divided and held in the lattice-like mesh of the heat transfer disk. (2) The metal hydride container according to claim 1, wherein the heat medium tube and the plurality of heat transfer disks are simultaneously fixed together by a brazing method.