KR20230153007A - Apparatus and method for producing a mixed gas of hydrogen and oxygen with adjustable oxygen concentration - Google Patents

Abstract

A hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas production device is disclosed. The manufacturing device has a separator between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, electrolyzes water to separate hydrogen and oxygen into the negative electrode and the positive electrode, respectively, and produces water electrolysis between the negative electrode and the positive electrode to produce hydrogen and oxygen. A hybrid gas generator that generates a mixed gas, an oxygen discharge portion that discharges oxygen generated in the water electrolysis unit, and a mixed gas that is a mixture of hydrogen generated in the water electrolysis unit and the hybrid gas generated in the hybrid gas generator. Includes mixed gas outlet.

Description

Apparatus and method for producing a mixed gas of hydrogen and oxygen with adjustable oxygen concentration}

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for producing a mixed gas of hydrogen and oxygen that can control oxygen concentration.

Hydrogen co-firing generators and hydrogen co-firing engines that burn a mixed gas of oxygen and water, called 'Brown gas', with fossil fuels such as bunker-C oil, LPG, and LNG are being commercialized.

For complete combustion, a hydrogen co-fired generator or hydrogen co-fired engine requires an optimal oxygen and hydrogen concentration ratio depending on the type and amount of fossil fuel used together or the specifications of the system. However, the oxygen-hydrogen mixed gas used in a conventional hydrogen co-fired generator or co-fired engine is produced by electrolyzing water, so the concentration ratio of oxygen and hydrogen is constant. As a result, conventional hydrogen co-firing generators or co-firing engines supply hydrogen from an external source, using hydrogen produced through water electrolysis or supplying hydrogen manufactured through extraction, so that pure oxygen is not used separately during combustion. It burns with air. Therefore, because fossil fuels and hydrogen are burned using air, when organic nitrogen contained in the fuel or excessive nitrogen (N2) gas in the combustion air is burned, environmental pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) are generated due to the high temperature of engine combustion heat. Even if hydrogen is mixed and used, there is a problem in that it is difficult to expect complete combustion.

The purpose of the present invention is to solve the above-described conventional problems, and to provide an apparatus and method for producing an oxygen concentration-controlled hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas capable of complete combustion by directly using oxygen produced by water electrolysis instead of air. It is there.

In order to achieve the above-described problem, an apparatus for producing a hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided. The hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas production device has a separator between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, and electrolyzes water to separate hydrogen and oxygen into the negative electrode and the positive electrode to produce water electrolysis, and electrolyzes water between the negative electrode and the positive electrode. A hybrid gas generator that generates a mixed gas of hydrogen and oxygen, an oxygen discharge portion that discharges oxygen generated in the water electrolysis section, and a mixture of the hydrogen generated in the water electrolysis section and the hybrid gas produced in the hybrid gas generator. It includes a mixed gas discharge unit that discharges mixed gas.

The hybrid gas generator may include a plurality of hybrid gas generator units each generating a hybrid gas of hydrogen and oxygen.

The number of hybrid gas generating units may be set according to the combustion device using the mixed gas or the fossil fuel used in the combustion device.

The oxygen discharge unit may include an oxygen collection unit that collects oxygen from the water electrolysis unit and an oxygen discharge pipe that communicates with the oxygen collection unit and discharges the oxygen.

The mixed gas discharge unit may include a hydrogen collection unit that collects hydrogen from the water electrolysis unit and a mixed gas collection unit that communicates with the hydrogen collection unit and collects the mixed gas of the mixed gas generating unit.

The hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas production device is provided between the water electrolysis unit and the mixed gas generating unit, and includes a first communication hole connecting the oxygen collection unit and the oxygen discharge pipe and a first communication hole connecting the hydrogen collection unit and the mixed gas collection unit. It may further include a separation gasket having a second communication hole.

The first communication hole may be connected to an oxygen outlet through a tube-shaped separation gasket, or may be connected to an oxygen outlet through a communication hole in the electrode and gasket of the mixed gas generation unit.

A method for producing a hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided. The method of producing a mixed gas of hydrogen and oxygen includes the steps of electrolyzing water to separate hydrogen and oxygen at the negative and positive electrodes, respectively, and generating a mixed gas of hydrogen and oxygen by electrolyzing water between the negative electrode and the positive electrode. It includes discharging oxygen generated in the water electrolysis unit and discharging a mixed gas in which hydrogen generated in the water electrolysis unit and the hybrid gas generated in the mixed gas generating unit are mixed.

The hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas production device according to an embodiment of the present invention is capable of controlling the oxygen concentration ratio in the generated hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas. As a result, complete combustion can be achieved by providing a combustion device using a hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas and a hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas with an oxygen concentration ratio suitable for the type of fossil fuel used by the combustion device.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an apparatus for producing a hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a diagram showing an apparatus for producing a hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a diagram showing the structure of a hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas production device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 is an exploded view of a unit water electrolysis unit.
Figure 5 is an exploded view showing a unit hybrid gas generation unit.
Figure 6 is a diagram showing the structure of a separation gasket.

Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the attached drawings. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, and/or alternatives to the embodiments of the present invention. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numbers may be used for similar components. In the drawings, the same reference numbers or symbols refer to components that perform substantially the same function, and the size of each component in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience of explanation. In describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a known technology or configuration related to the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted.

In this document, expressions such as “have,” “may have,” “includes,” or “may include” refer to the existence of the corresponding feature (e.g., a numerical value, function, operation, or component such as a part). , and does not rule out the existence of additional features.

In this document, expressions such as “A or B,” “at least one of A or/and B,” or “one or more of A or/and B” may include all possible combinations of the items listed together. . For example, “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” or “at least one of A or B” includes (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) it may refer to all cases including both at least one A and at least one B.

In embodiments of the present invention, terms containing ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one element from another element, and singular expressions are plural unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Includes expressions of

In addition, in the embodiments of the present invention, terms such as 'upper', 'lower', 'left', 'right', 'inner', 'outer', 'inner', 'outer', 'anterior', 'posterior', etc. is defined based on the drawing, and the shape or location of each component is not limited by this.

As used in this document, the expression “configured to” depends on the situation, for example, “suitable for,” “having the capacity to.” ," can be used interchangeably with "designed to," "adapted to," "made to," or "capable of." The term “configured (or set to)” may not necessarily mean “specifically designed to” in hardware. Instead, in some contexts, the expression “a device configured to” may mean that the device is “capable of” working with other devices or components.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas production device (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 shows a hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas production device (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a drawing.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas production device 1 includes a water electrolysis unit 10, a hydrogen/oxygen mixed gas generation unit 20, a water electrolysis unit 10, and a hydrogen/oxygen mixed gas generation unit. (20) may include a separation gasket 30, an oxygen collection tank 70, and a mixed gas collection tank 80 interposed between them.

The water electrolysis unit 10, the hydrogen/oxygen mixed gas generation unit 20, and the separation gasket 30 are connected to a plurality of bolts and nuts using the first support plate 40 on the left and the second support plate 50 on the right. can be firmly combined.

The water electrolysis unit 10 electrolyzes the water flowing in through the water supply unit 60 using a negative electrode (11 in Figure 3) and a positive electrode (13 in Figure 3) with a separator (12 in Figure 3) in between, producing hydrogen ( It can be produced by separating H ₂ ) and oxygen (O ₂ ). The generated oxygen (O ₂ ) can be sent to the oxygen collection tank 70 in a state contained in water. Additionally, the generated hydrogen (H ₂ ) may be sent to the mixed gas generator 20 in a state contained in water.

The hydrogen/oxygen mixed gas generator 20 electrolyzes the water introduced through the water supply unit 60 by the negative electrode (23 in FIG. 3) and the positive electrode (22 in FIG. 3) to produce hydrogen (H ₂ ) and oxygen ( O ₂ ) can produce a mixed gas (H ₂ + O ₂ ). The mixed gas (H ₂ + O ₂ ) generated in the hydrogen/oxygen mixed gas generation unit 20 is a mixed gas added to the hydrogen (H ₂ ) separately generated in the water electrolysis unit 10 and is contained in water. It may be sent to the collection tank 80.

The separation gasket 30 separates the water containing hydrogen (H ₂ ) and sends the water containing oxygen (O ₂ ) to the oxygen collection tank 70, and the water containing hydrogen (H ₂ ) is mixed. It can be sent to the gas generation unit (20).

The oxygen collection tank 70 can store water containing oxygen (O ₂ ) sent from the water electrolysis unit 10. The oxygen collection tank 70 extracts oxygen (O ₂ ) and may be sent to a consumer, for example, the combustion device 100 or discarded. The water in the oxygen collection tank 70 can be returned to the oxygen collection unit 16 of the water electrolysis unit 10 and circulated throughout.

The mixed gas collection tank 80 can store water containing the mixed gas (H ₂ +H ₂ +O ₂ ) sent from the mixed gas generator 20. The mixed gas collection tank 80 may extract the mixed gas (H ₂ +H ₂ +O ₂ ) and send it to the combustion device 100, for example. The water in the mixed gas collection tank 80 may be returned to the hydrogen collection unit 17 of the water electrolysis unit 10 and circulated throughout.

The water used for electrolysis can be groundwater or an electrolyte solution such as aqueous sodium chloride solution.

As described above, the combustion device 100 that uses mixed gas (H ₂ +H ₂ +O ₂ ) and fossil fuel together emits water (H ₂ O), thus nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur oxides (SOx). ), It is an eco-friendly energy generator that does not generate fine dust.

Figure 3 is a diagram showing the structure of a hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas production device (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 4 is an exploded view of the unit water electrolysis unit (10-1). 5 is an exploded view showing the unit hybrid gas generation unit 20-1, and FIG. 6 is a view showing the structure of the separation gasket 30.

Referring to FIG. 3, the hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas production device (1) consists of a water electrolysis unit (10), a mixed gas generation unit (20), a separation gasket (30), an oxygen collection unit (16), and an oxygen discharge pipe (24). It may include an oxygen discharge unit (16, 24), a mixed gas discharge unit (17, 25) consisting of a hydrogen collection unit (17) and a mixed gas collection unit (25), and a water supply unit (60). The power supply applies negative and positive voltages to the left electrode 11 of the water electrolysis unit 10 and the right electrode 21 of the mixed gas generation unit 20, respectively.

The water electrolysis unit 10 may include first to third water electrolysis units 10-1, 10-2, and 10-3 that are stacked and coupled in one direction. The number of unit electrolysis units can be increased or decreased as needed.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the first unit water electrolysis unit 10-1 includes a first electrode 11, a separator 12, a second electrode 13, a first gasket 14, and a second gasket ( 15) includes. The oxygen collection unit 16 and the hydrogen collection unit 17 shown in FIG. 3 are arranged to be horizontally spaced apart as shown in FIG. 4 and are arranged vertically for convenience of explanation.

As shown in FIG. 4, the first electrode 11 may include a first oxygen tank hole 161, a second hydrogen pipe hole 171, and a first water pipe hole 601.

The separation membrane 120 may include a second oxygen tank hole 162, a second hydrogen tank hole 172, and a second water tank hole 602.

The separator 12 is disposed between the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 13, and can selectively transmit anions or cations depending on the presence or absence of an electrolyte. As a result, during electrolysis, hydrogen may be generated on the negative electrode side and oxygen may be separated and generated on the positive electrode side based on the separator.

The second electrode 13 may include a third oxygen tank hole 163, a third hydrogen tank hole 173, and a third water tank hole 603.

The first gasket 14 is interposed between the first electrode 11 and the separator 12. The first gasket 14 includes a first gas generation space 140, a fourth oxygen tank hole 164, a hydrogen collection hole 174, and a fourth water supply hole 604 provided in the center.

In the first gas generation space 140, hydrogen can be generated because the polarity of the power applied to the first electrode 11 is negative voltage.

Water containing oxygen delivered through the first oxygen tank and hole 161 can pass through the fourth oxygen tank and hole 164.

The hydrogen collection hole 174 communicates with the first gas generation space 140 and collects water containing hydrogen generated in the first gas generation space 140.

The fourth water supply hole 604 supplements and supplies the water or electrolyte used in the first gas generation space 140.

The second gasket 15 is interposed between the separator 12 and the second electrode 13. The second gasket 15 includes a second gas generation space 150, an oxygen collection hole 165, a fourth hydrogen pipe hole 175, and a fifth water supply hole 605 provided in the center.

In the second gas generation space 150, oxygen can be generated because the polarity of the power applied to the second electrode 13 is positive voltage.

The oxygen collection hole 165 communicates with the second gas generation space 150 and collects water containing oxygen generated in the second gas generation space 150.

The fourth hydrogen communication hole 175 allows water containing hydrogen delivered through the second hydrogen communication hole 172 of the separation membrane 12 to pass.

The fifth water supply hole 605 supplements and supplies the water or electrolyte used in the second gas generation space 150.

Since the second and third unit water electrolysis units (10-2, 10-3) have a similar structure to the above-described first unit water electrolysis unit (10-1), their description is omitted.

Referring to FIG. 3, the hybrid gas generation unit 20 may include first to sixth hybrid gas generation units 20-1 to 20-6 that are stacked in one direction. The mixed gas generator 20 electrolyzes water to generate a mixed gas (H ₂ + O ₂ ) containing a mixture of hydrogen (H ₂ ) and oxygen (O ₂ ).

Referring to Figures 3 and 5, the first unit hybrid gas generation unit 20-1 includes a third electrode 21, a fourth electrode 23, and a third gasket 22. The oxygen discharge pipe 24 and the mixed gas collection unit 25 shown in FIG. 3 are horizontally spaced apart as shown in FIG. 5 and are arranged vertically for convenience of explanation.

As shown in FIG. 5, the third electrode 21 may include an oxygen discharge hole 241, a mixed gas discharge hole 251, and a sixth water supply hole 606.

The fourth electrode 23 may include a fifth oxygen tank hole 242, a mixed gas passage hole 252, and a seventh water supply hole 607.

The third gasket 22 is interposed between the third electrode 11 and the fourth electrode 23. The third gasket (22) includes a third gas generation space (220), a sixth oxygen tank hole (243), a mixed gas collection hole (253), and an eighth water supply hole (608) provided in the center.

Since the second to sixth hybrid gas generation units 20-2 to 20-6 have a similar structure to the above-described first unit hybrid gas generation unit 20-1, description thereof will be omitted.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the separation gasket 30 is interposed between the water electrolysis unit 10 and the mixed gas generating unit 20.

The separation gasket 30 has a first communication hole 31 connecting the oxygen collection unit 16 and the oxygen discharge pipe 24, and a second communication hole connecting the hydrogen collection unit 17 and the mixed gas collection unit 25. (32) and a water supply connection hole (33) connecting the water electrolysis unit (10) and the water supply unit (60) of the mixed gas generating unit (20). The oxygen discharge pipe 24 may be integrally coupled to the first communication hole 31 of the separation gasket 30.

The oxygen discharge units 16 and 24 may include an oxygen collection unit 16 provided in the water electrolysis unit 10 and an oxygen discharge pipe 24 provided in the mixed gas generation unit 20.

The oxygen collection unit 16 collects water containing oxygen generated in the first to third unit water electrolysis units (10-1 to 10-3) and connects it to the first communication hole (31) of the separation gasket (30). It is sent to the oxygen discharge pipe (24). The oxygen discharge pipe 24 discharges water containing oxygen generated in the water electrolysis unit 10 to the oxygen collection tank (70 in FIG. 1).

The oxygen discharge pipe 24 may be in the shape of a single pipe or may be in the shape of a through hole formed in the mixed gas generating unit 20. If the shape of the through hole formed in the mixed gas generator 20 is in the shape of each part of the mixed gas generator 20, for example, the third and fourth electrodes 21 and 23 and the third gasket 22. Each formed oxygen tank hole 242,243 needs to be sealed to prevent leakage.

The mixed gas discharge units 17 and 25 may include a hydrogen collection unit 17 of the water electrolysis unit 10 and a mixed gas collection unit 25 of the mixed gas generation unit 20.

The hydrogen collection unit 17 collects water containing hydrogen generated in the first to third unit water electrolysis units (10-1 to 10-3) and connects the second communication hole 32 of the separation gasket 30. It is sent to the mixed gas collection unit (25).

_The mixed gas collection unit ₂₅ is a mixed gas (H _{2 +} Water containing H ₂ +O ₂ ) can be collected. The mixed gas collection unit 25 sends water containing the mixed gas (H ₂ +H ₂ +O ₂ ) to the mixed gas collection tank (80 in FIG. 1).

The concentration of oxygen (O ₂ ) in the mixed gas (H ₂ + H ₂ + O ₂ ), that is, the concentration ratio of hydrogen (H ₂ ) and oxygen (O ₂ ), can be set according to the number of unit mixed gas generating units. The oxygen (O ₂ ) concentration in the set mixed gas (H ₂ + H ₂ + O ₂ ) is determined by the specifications of the combustion device 100 such as a hydrogen co-fired engine, hydrogen co-fired power generation, or hydrogen co-burner, or the mixed gas (H ₂ + H ₂ +O ₂ ) and can be determined experimentally depending on the fossil fuel being burned.

In the above, preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, but the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and may be used in the technical field to which the invention pertains without departing from the gist of the present invention as claimed in the claims. Of course, various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art, and these modifications should not be understood individually from the technical idea or perspective of the present invention.

1: Hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas production device
10: Anatomy of a faucet
11: first electrode
12: Separator
13: second electrode
14: first gasket
15: Second gasket
16: Oxygen collection unit
17: Hydrogen collection unit
20: Mixed gas generation unit
21: first electrode
22: Third gasket
23: Fourth electrode
24: Oxygen discharge pipe
25: Mixed gas collection unit
30: Separation gasket
40: First support plate
50: Second support plate
60: water supply unit

Claims (5)

A water electrolysis unit in which a separator is interposed between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, and which electrolyzes water to separate hydrogen and oxygen into the negative electrode and the positive electrode, respectively;
A hybrid gas generator that generates a hybrid gas of hydrogen and oxygen by electrolyzing water between the negative electrode and the positive electrode;
An oxygen discharge unit that discharges oxygen generated in the water electrolysis unit; and
A hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas production device comprising a mixed gas discharge unit that discharges a mixed gas of the hydrogen generated in the water electrolysis unit and the mixed gas generated in the mixed gas generating unit. According to paragraph 1,
A hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas production device wherein the mixed gas generating unit includes a plurality of unit mixed gas generating units each generating the mixed gas of hydrogen and oxygen. According to paragraph 2,
The mixed gas generator is a hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas production device in which the number of unit mixed gas generating units is set according to a combustion device using the mixed gas or a fossil fuel used in the combustion device. According to paragraph 1,
The oxygen discharge unit includes an oxygen collection unit that collects oxygen from the water electrolysis unit and an oxygen discharge pipe that communicates with the oxygen collection unit and discharges the oxygen,
The mixed gas discharge unit includes a hydrogen collection unit that collects hydrogen from the water electrolysis unit and a mixed gas collection unit that communicates with the hydrogen collection unit and collects the hydrogen of the hydrogen collection unit and the mixed gas of the mixed gas generator,
A separation gasket is provided between the water electrolysis unit and the mixed gas generating unit and has a first communication hole connecting the oxygen collection unit and the oxygen discharge pipe and a second communication hole connecting the hydrogen collection unit and the mixed gas collection unit. A device for producing a hydrogen and oxygen mixed gas further comprising: Electrolyzing water to separate and produce hydrogen and oxygen at the negative and positive electrodes, respectively;
Electrolyzing water between a negative electrode and a positive electrode to generate a mixed gas of hydrogen and oxygen;
Discharging oxygen generated in the water electrolysis; and
A method of producing a mixed gas of hydrogen and oxygen, comprising the step of discharging a mixed gas in which the hydrogen generated in the water electrolysis unit and the hybrid gas generated in the mixed gas generating unit are mixed.

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