JP2006193358A - Hydrogen production apparatus for internal combustion engine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a safe and efficient on-vehicle type hydrogen production apparatus for an internal combustion engine for producing hydrogen from water or liquid fuel by using a catalyst and generation of micro-nanobubbles in response to a background that the necessity to safely and efficiently generate hydrogen with an apparatus mounted on an automobile for its internal combustion engine becomes growing. <P>SOLUTION: This hydrogen production apparatus comprises a micro-nanobubble generator 4 which generates a cone-shaped or truncated cone-shaped tapered cylindrical swirling flow of a liquid substance and a spiral flow of a vapor phase substance at the central part of the tapered cylindrical swirling flow, and generates micro-nanobubbles in the vicinity of the outlet part of the tapered cylindrical swirling flow and the spiral flow by causing a difference of swirling velocities in the spiral flow of the vapor phase substance. The micro-nanobubble generator is disposed in a tank 2 where the liquid phase substance 3 is filled. The apparatus is so constituted that a catalyst 9 is arranged in the tank 2 to generate hydrogen. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

In gasoline engines, it is known that mixing a certain percentage of hydrogen with gasoline will greatly increase the combustion speed, while exhaust gas, especially the most effective CO ₂ reduction measures that are said to cause global warming. As an effective solution, the development of an efficient fuel cell is expected. Under such circumstances, in an internal combustion engine of an automobile, there is an increasing need to safely and efficiently generate hydrogen by being mounted on the automobile. In light of such a background, the present invention relates to a safe and efficient vehicle-mounted hydrogen generator for an internal combustion engine that generates micro / nano bubbles and generates hydrogen from water or liquid fuel using a catalyst. .

Conventionally, various methods have been developed for securing hydrogen for a vehicle-mounted fuel cell, but there are problems such as safety or extremely high reaction temperature. For example, in a method using pure hydrogen contained in a cylinder, there is a limit to increasing the size of the cylinder due to the weight of the cylinder, and there remains a problem in ensuring safety during a collision. Further, methods using a catalyst for hydrocarbons such as liquid fuel and air and air have been proposed, but both require a high temperature for heating the catalyst to 700 ° C. or 1000 ° C. Various problems to be solved such as catalyst deterioration remain. As a technique for improving these problems, there is Patent Document 1, which uses Rh-modified (Ni—CeO ₂ ) —Pt, a raw material composed of methanol or a liquid hydrocarbon at room temperature, oxygen (or air), Alternatively, a technique for generating hydrogen from the raw material by causing catalytic reaction between oxygen (or air) and water vapor in a reaction furnace is presented.

  However, although the above technique improves the conventional problems, it is necessary to keep the reaction temperature of the catalyst at 600 ° C. to 800 ° C., and there are still problems in terms of required power and safety. Is.

JP-A-2002-220202

  The present invention is intended to remedy the drawbacks of the prior art described above, and is not a method in which methanol or liquid fuel and air are contact-reacted in a high-temperature reactor using a high-temperature catalyst, but water or liquid phase. Technology that generates hydrogen by generating micro / nano bubbles of gas phase materials such as air and gas phase fuel in liquid phase materials such as fuel, thereby causing ionization in the liquid phase material and placing a catalyst. It is about.

  A hydrogen generator for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1 generates a tapered cylindrical swirling flow such as a conical shape by a liquid phase substance and a spiral flow due to a gas phase substance in a central portion of the tapered cylindrical swirling flow. In the tank filled with the same liquid phase material, the micro / nano bubble generator generates micro / nano bubbles by generating a difference in the rotational speed of the spiral flow caused by the same gas phase material in the vicinity of the outlet of the spiral flow and spiral flow. The hydrogen generating apparatus installed in 1 is characterized in that hydrogen is generated by arranging a catalyst in the tank.

Since the present invention is configured as described above, the swirling flow of the liquid phase substance is formed in a tapered cylindrical shape such as a conical shape or a truncated cone shape toward the outlet portion, so that a negative pressure is applied to the central portion thereof. A part is formed. Due to this negative pressure, the sucked gas phase substance passes through the central portion of the tapered cylindrical swirling flow, thereby forming a thin thread-like spiral flow of the gas phase substance. Since the transverse cross section of the tapered cylindrical swirling flow is gradually reduced toward the outlet portion, the flow velocity becomes faster toward the outlet portion, and the specific gravity of the liquid phase substance and the gas phase substance increases with this turning. From the difference, centrifugal force acts on the liquid phase material and centripetal force acts on the gas phase material, and as a result, the liquid phase portion and the gas phase portion are separated. For this reason, the thin thread-like spiral flow of the gas phase material continues as a continuous cotton to the outlet portion, and is ejected from the outlet portion into the stationary liquid phase material in the tank, and at the same time, the swirl is weakened rapidly. Therefore, a thin thread-like spiral flow caused by a gas phase substance causes a sudden difference in swirling speed before and after the outlet, and the cavity formed by the thread-like spiral flow is continuously and stably cut. Nano-sized fine bubbles are generated in the vicinity of the outlet, and are released into the liquid phase substance. When the gas phase component dissolves in the liquid phase substance, the fine bubbles instantaneously become several thousand atmospheres and several thousand degrees Celsius. The shock wave generated at that time causes the liquid phase substance to ionize, and H ⁺ appear. H ⁺ receives electrons by the reaction of the arranged catalyst to generate hydrogen H ₂ . As described above, according to the present invention, there is an effect that hydrogen can be generated very simply, efficiently and safely.

  Preferably, the liquid phase material is water and the gas phase material is air.

  By configuring in this way, hydrogen can be efficiently and simply used by using water and air that have been used for hydrogen generation and are used to using hydrogen without using new substances for hydrogen generation. It can be generated.

  Preferably, the liquid phase substance is a liquid phase fuel, and the gas phase substance is air.

  By configuring in this way, without using a new substance for generating hydrogen, it is possible to efficiently and easily use liquid phase fuel and air that have been conventionally used for hydrogen generation and are used to generating hydrogen. Hydrogen can be generated.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, preferably, the liquid phase substance is a liquid phase fuel, and the gas phase substance is a gas phase fuel.

  By configuring in this way, without using a new substance for hydrogen generation, it is possible to efficiently and efficiently use liquid phase fuel and gas phase fuel that are conventionally used for hydrogen generation and are accustomed to handling. It can easily generate hydrogen.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hydrogen generator for an internal combustion engine, wherein the micro / nano bubble generator includes a container body having a tapered cylindrical portion such as a conical shape, and a part of an inner peripheral surface of the tapered cylindrical portion. Pressurized liquid phase material inlet opened in the tangential direction, gas phase material inlet opened at the bottom of the tapered cylindrical portion, and the tapered cylindrical swirl flow established at the top of the tapered cylindrical portion And a spiral outflow port portion.

  Since the present invention is configured as described above, it is ensured that the tapered cylindrical swirling flow of the liquid phase substance is formed in a tapered cylindrical shape such as a conical shape or a truncated cone shape toward the outlet portion. A negative pressure portion is reliably formed at the center. Due to this negative pressure, the sucked gas phase substance passes through the central part of the above-mentioned tapered cylindrical swirling flow, so that a fine thread-like spiral flow of the gas phase substance is formed reliably, and the generation of micro / nano bubbles is ensured. It can be made.

  The apparatus of the present invention according to claim 6 is characterized in that the catalyst is a catalyst supported in the vicinity of the outlet of the micro / nano bubble generator.

  With this configuration, the catalyst is widely diffused and distributed in the liquid phase material in the tank by contacting the swirling flow ejected at the outlet of the micro / nano bubble generator. Even if the ionization of is carried out over a wide range, hydrogen can be generated efficiently.

  The apparatus of the present invention according to claim 7 is characterized in that the catalyst is a catalyst mixed with a liquid phase substance in a tank.

  With this configuration, the catalyst can be widely diffused and distributed in the liquid phase material in the tank, and can efficiently generate hydrogen even when the ionization of the liquid phase material is performed over a wide range. it can.

  The present invention according to claim 8 is characterized in that the catalyst is a catalyst supported on a honeycomb or a pellet installed in a tank.

  With this configuration, the catalyst can be loaded on the honeycomb or pellets in advance, and the catalyst can be loaded very easily because it is only necessary to install the honeycomb or pellets in the tank.

The invention according to claim 9 is characterized in that the catalyst is a composite catalyst of titanium oxide (TiO ₂ ) and platinum (Pt).

Since the composite catalyst of titanium oxide (TiO ₂ ) and platinum (Pt) is a colloid, it can be maintained in a widely dispersed state without agglomeration and precipitation in the liquid phase material over a long period of time. Hydrogen can be generated well and stably.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a first embodiment according to the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a hydrogen generator for an internal combustion engine, and reference numeral 2 denotes a tank filled with a liquid phase substance 3 made of water or liquid phase fuel. A micro / nano bubble generator 4 is disposed in the liquid phase substance in the tank 2. The details are shown in FIG. 4 and will be described in detail later. Reference numeral 5 denotes a pressurized liquid phase substance supply pipe, which is connected to the pressurized liquid phase substance inlet 12 provided on the side surface of the tapered cylindrical portion 11 in FIG. 7, the liquid phase substance 3 in the tank 2 is circulated and reused by the pump 9. Reference numeral 6 denotes a gas phase substance supply pipe, which is connected to a gas phase substance introduction port 13 arranged at the bottom 14 of the tapered cylindrical part 11 in FIG. Air or gas phase fuel is used as the gas phase material. As a combination of the liquid phase substance and the gas phase substance, three kinds of combinations of water and air, a combination of liquid fuel and air, and a liquid fuel and gas phase fuel are extremely desirable.

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the micro / nano bubble generator 4 of FIGS. The micro / nano bubble generator 4 has a tapered cylindrical portion 11 having a conical shape or a truncated cone shape formed therein, and a tangential direction on a part of the inner wall circumferential surface of the tapered cylindrical portion 11. The pressurized liquid phase substance inlet 12 is disposed so as to be positioned at the position. The pressurized liquid phase substance inlet 12 is connected to a pressurized liquid phase substance supply pipe 5 connected to a pump 8 as shown in FIGS.
In addition, a gas phase substance introduction port 13 is disposed in the bottom portion 4 of the tapered cylindrical portion 11 so as to penetrate the center thereof, and the gas phase substance introduction port 13 is shown in FIGS. The gas phase material supply pipe 6 is connected to a gas phase material supply unit (not shown).
Furthermore, an outlet 15 for a swirling flow due to a liquid phase material and a spiral flow due to a gas phase material, which will be described later, is provided at the top of the tapered cylindrical portion 11, and the baffle is positioned so as to face the outside. A plate 16 is installed. In the case of the first embodiment, although not shown, a composite catalyst of titanium oxide (TiO ₂ ) and platinum (Pt) is supported on the baffle plate 16 or the outlet portion 15.

Next, the driving situation of the first embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b).
First, the pressurized liquid phase material is pumped into the tapered cylindrical portion 11 from the pressurized liquid phase material inlet 12 of the micro / nano bubble generator 4, so that the outlet portion 15 is directed into the tapered cylindrical portion 11. A tapered cylindrical swirling flow is generated, and a negative pressure portion is formed at the center of the swirling flow. Due to this negative pressure, the gas phase material is sucked from the gas phase material introducing portion 13, and the gas phase material passes through the central axis where the pressure is the lowest to form a thin spiral flow of the gas phase material. The speed of the swirling flow increases toward the outlet portion 15 as the tapered cylindrical portion 11 gradually reduces its cross section toward the outlet portion 15. Along with this rotation, centrifugal force acts on the liquid phase substance and centripetal force acts on the gas phase substance due to the difference in specific gravity between the liquid phase substance and the gas phase substance. It becomes possible, and the thin thread-like spiral flow of the gas phase substance continues to the outlet portion 15 continuously. The spiral flow caused by the gas phase material is ejected to the outside (in the liquid phase material in the tank 2) at the outlet 15 and the swirl is weakened rapidly by the stationary liquid phase material in the tank 2 simultaneously with the ejection. It is done. For this reason, the thin thread-like spiral flow caused by the gas phase material is continuously and stably cut before and after the outlet portion 15, and as a result, a large number of micro / nano-sized fine bubbles are generated near the outlet portion 15. Then, it is released into the liquid phase substance 3 in the tank 2.

When the gas phase component dissolves in the liquid phase substance, the fine bubbles instantaneously become several thousand atmospheres and several thousand degrees Celsius. The shock wave generated at that time causes the liquid phase substance to ionize, and H ⁺ appear. The catalyst carried in the vicinity of the outlet 15 of the tapered cylindrical part 11 is a colloid, and is widely diffused and distributed in the liquid phase substance in the tank 2 due to contact with the swirling swirling flow. H ⁺ receives electrons by the reaction of this catalyst and generates hydrogen H ₂ .

Next, the principle of hydrogen generation will be described.
FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing the principle of hydrogen generation. As described above, there are three combinations of the liquid phase material and the gas phase material: (1) water and air, (2) liquid phase fuel and air, and (3) liquid phase fuel and gas phase fuel. As the fine bubbles are dissolved, water is ionized in the case (1), liquid fuel is ionized with oxygen in the case (2), and liquid fuel is ionized in the case (3). Become. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, in the case (1), H ₂ O becomes H ⁺ and OH ⁻ , and in the case (2), C _n H _m−1 and O ₂ become C _n. H _mp and ^2H +, 2OH ^- becomes, (3) in the case of, C _n H _m-1 is C _n H _mp · and ^{H +.} In each case, H ⁺ is commonly generated by the ionization of the liquid phase material, but this alone does not lead to the generation of hydrogen, and H ⁺ is the titanium oxide (TiO ₂ ) in the liquid phase material in the tank 2 and Only when it reacts with the platinum (Pt) composite catalyst and receives electrons, it is generated as hydrogen H ₂ .

Next, second and third embodiments of the present invention will be described. 2 and 3 show the hydrogen generator for an internal combustion engine having the same structure as that of FIG. 1, but the method for supporting the catalyst is different.
In the second embodiment of FIG. 2, the composite catalyst of titanium oxide (TiO ₂ ) and platinum (Pt) is colloidal rather than being supported on the baffle plate 16 or the outlet 15 of the tapered cylindrical portion. The catalyst is mixed in the liquid phase substance in the tank 2 and is diffused and distributed in the liquid phase substance. Since such a configuration utilizing the characteristics of the colloid, even if it is left for a long time, it can continue to be dispersed without coagulating or precipitating in the liquid phase material. 3 is widely diffused and distributed, and even if ionization of the liquid phase material is performed over a wide range, hydrogen can be generated efficiently and stably over a long period of time.

In the third embodiment of FIG. 3, the composite catalyst of titanium oxide (TiO ₂ ) and platinum (Pt) is not supported on the baffle plate 16 or the outlet portion 15 of the tapered cylindrical portion, but in advance. Is supported on a honeycomb or a pellet, and the honeycomb or the pellet is placed in a tank. By configuring in this way, it is only necessary to dispose the honeycomb or pellet carrying the catalyst in advance in the tank 2, so that the apparatus can be assembled very easily and within a short time.

The conceptual diagram of the 1st Example regarding the hydrogen generator for internal combustion engines of this invention. The conceptual diagram of the 2nd Example regarding the hydrogen generator for internal combustion engines of this invention. The conceptual diagram of the 3rd Example regarding the hydrogen generator for internal combustion engines of this invention. 1 is a detailed view of a micro / nano bubble generator that is a main component of a hydrogen generator for an internal combustion engine according to the present invention. Explanatory drawing of the hydrogen production | generation principle which is the principal part of the hydrogen generator for internal combustion engines of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hydrogen generator for internal combustion engines 2 Tank 3 Liquid phase substance 4 Micro / nano bubble generator 5 Pressurized liquid phase substance supply pipe 6 Gas phase substance supply pipe 7 Liquid phase substance return pipe 8 Pump 9 Colloidal catalyst 10 Honeycomb or pellet 11 Tapered Cylindrical inner part 12 Pressurized liquid phase substance inlet 13 Gas phase substance inlet 14 Bottom part 15 Outlet part 16 Baffle plate

Claims (9)

  A tapered cylindrical swirling flow such as a conical shape due to a liquid phase substance and a spiral flow due to a gas phase substance at the center of the tapered cylindrical swirling flow are generated, and the same air is generated in the vicinity of the outlet of the tapered cylindrical swirling flow and the spiral flow. In a hydrogen generator installed in a tank filled with the same liquid phase material, a micro / nano bubble generator that generates micro / nano bubbles by generating a difference in swirling speed in the spiral flow due to the phase material is used. A hydrogen generator for an internal combustion engine, characterized in that hydrogen is generated by arranging   2. The hydrogen generation apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the liquid phase substance is water and the gas phase substance is air.   2. The hydrogen generator for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the liquid phase substance is a liquid phase fuel, and the gas phase substance is air.   2. The hydrogen generating apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the liquid phase material is a liquid phase fuel, and the gas phase material is a gas phase fuel.   The above-mentioned micro / nano bubble generator is a container body having a tapered cylindrical part such as a conical shape, and a pressurized liquid phase substance introduced in a tangential direction to a part of the inner peripheral surface of the tapered cylindrical part. A gas phase substance introduction port opened at the bottom of the tapered cylindrical portion, and the tapered cylindrical swirling flow and the spiral outlet portion opened at the top of the tapered cylindrical portion. The hydrogen generator for an internal combustion engine according to any one of claims 1 to 4.   The said catalyst is a catalyst carry | supported by the said exit part vicinity of the said micro nano bubble generator, The hydrogen generator for internal combustion engines as described in any one of Claims 1-5 characterized by the above-mentioned.   The said catalyst is a catalyst mixed with the liquid phase substance in a tank, The hydrogen generator for internal combustion engines as described in any one of Claims 1-5 characterized by the above-mentioned.   6. The hydrogen generator for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst is a catalyst supported on a honeycomb or a pellet installed in a tank. The catalyst, titanium oxide (TiO ₂₎ and an internal combustion engine for a hydrogen generator according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that a composite catalyst of platinum (Pt).

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