RU2277273C1 - Off-line power supply system - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: off-line power supply systems for equipment distant from power transmission lines.

SUBSTANCE: proposed power supply system has external power supply, electrochemical generator built around thermal cells, storage battery, electrolyzer, and high-pressure oxygen cylinders communicating through pipelines and valves with respective gas cavities of electrochemical generator thermal cells; mentioned thermal cells are alkali cells and electrolyzer is alkali electrolyzer; electrochemical generator thermal cells and electrolyzer have common electrolyte circulating loop. This electrolyte circulating loop is provided with electrolyte bowl designed to compensate for changes in electrolyte amount in the course of dilution mode of operation of thermal cells, circulating pump, heat exchanger, and set of valves for connecting electrolyte circulating loop to electrochemical generator thermal cells or to electrolyzer. Free volume of electrolyte bowl equals in original condition 1.1 to 1.2 of that of water produced within thermal sells as result of chemical reaction with hydrogen and oxygen contained in cylinders fully consumed. External power supply is reusable energy source that can be solar battery or wind-electric power unit, or both. Electrochemical generator thermal cells are provided with electrolyte temperature sensor inserted in circulating pump control circuit.

EFFECT: enhanced operating reliability of off-line power supply.

9 cl, 1 dwg

Description

Technical field

The invention relates to the field of autonomous energy supply systems (ASEP) of individual buildings or objects remote from the electric network of the power line, namely ASEP, including renewable energy sources as an external source of electricity, an electrochemical generator (ECG), a battery, an electrolyzer and storage cylinders reagents (hydrogen and oxygen).

State of the art

Known ASEP, including the electric network of the power line as an external energy source, ECG based on fuel cells (TE) with a polymer electrolyte, an inverter for converting and transmitting electricity from ECG to the electric network, electrolyzer, converter for supplying electrolyzer with direct current from the electric network, hydrogen storage cylinders and a valve system for connecting the cylinders either to the ECG or to the electrolyzer (see US Pat. No. 6,660,417, class H 01 M 8/18, 2003).

The disadvantage of this ASEP is its attachment to the electric network, as well as low reliability associated with the use of a complex system for ensuring the balance of water and heat in a fuel cell with a polymer electrolyte, as well as the need to use specially prepared water in the electrolyzer.

A known ASEP for a diesel-electric locomotive, including a diesel-electric generator as an external energy source, fuel cell-based ECG, an electrolyzer, cylinders for storing hydrogen and oxygen, a water capacity (see Canadian Pat. No. 2371297, class B 60 L 7 / 00, 2002).

The disadvantage of this ASEP is an insufficient working life and low reliability associated with a limited supply of diesel fuel and water and low reliability of a diesel-electric generator.

Of the known ASEPs, the closest in the set of essential features and the technical result achieved is ASEP containing an external source of electricity, ECG based on TE with solid polymer electrolyte, a battery, an electrolyzer with a solid polymer electrolyte, and hydrogen and oxygen cylinders connected via pipelines and valves with the corresponding gas cavities of the TE ECG and the electrolyzer (see US Pat. No. 6610193, class H 01 M 6/00, 2003).

The disadvantage of this ASEP is the limited area of its use associated with the need for an external source of water, as well as the complexity of its design and operation technology associated with the need to purify the water consumed from an external source of water.

The objective of the invention is the creation of reliable ASEP, devoid of these disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The indicated technical result is achieved by the fact that the ASEP contains an external electric power source, fuel cell-based ECG, an accumulator, an electrolyzer and hydrogen and oxygen cylinders connected by pipelines and valves to the corresponding gas cavities of an ECG thermoelectric cell and an electrolyzer, and alkaline TE is taken as an ECG thermoelectric pump with an alkaline electrolyte circulation circuit, an alkaline electrolyzer was taken as the electrolyzer, while the ECCH thermoelectric cell and the electrolyzer share a common alkaline electrolyte circuit. The use of alkaline TEH ECG and electrolyzer can significantly simplify the scheme and operation technology of ASEP, since they can be combined along the alkaline circuit of the electrolyte using a single circulation pump, an external water source and its purification system are not required, which expands the range of possible use of ASEP.

It is advisable that the hydrogen and oxygen cylinders were equipped with sensors of the maximum permissible values of the upper and lower pressures. According to the lower maximum permissible pressure value, the TE ECG is disconnected from the load, the electrolyzer is connected to an external source of electricity to generate hydrogen and oxygen, while the alkaline electrolyte circulation circuit is disconnected from the TE ECG and connected to the electrolyzer.

It is advisable that the circulation circuit of the alkaline electrolyte of the TE ECH was equipped with an electrolyte capacity designed to compensate for the change in the volume of the electrolyte that occurs when the TE is diluted with water formed in the TE during the electrochemical reaction, a circulation pump, a heat exchanger and a valve system for connecting the circulation circuit alkaline electrolyte to TE ECG or to the electrolyzer.

The presence of these units can significantly simplify the scheme and operation technology of ASEP and increase the reliability of its operation, since the operation of the TE ECG in the dilution mode does not require a complex system for removing and maintaining the water balance. The presence of a common alkaline electrolyte circulation circuit and a valve system allows you to connect, depending on the operating mode, the electrolyte circulation circuit to the ECH electrochemical cell or to the electrolyzer.

It is advisable that in the initial state the free volume of the electrolyte capacity was equal to 1.1 ÷ 1.2 the volume of water formed in the fuel cell as a result of the electrochemical reaction with the complete consumption of hydrogen and oxygen in the cylinders.

The presence of the indicated free volume in the electrolyte capacitance greatly simplifies the ASEP scheme, since without any additional devices (signaling devices, actuators, etc.), it allows accumulating all the water generated during the operation of the ECG in the alkaline electrolyte circulation circuit until complete consumption of hydrogen and oxygen from cylinders, and then, if necessary, use it in an electrolyzer to generate hydrogen and oxygen.

It is advisable that a renewable source of energy be taken as an external source of electricity: a solar battery, a wind power plant, or both. The use of renewable energy sources makes it possible to use ASEP in remote areas where there is no electric network of the power line and use both solar radiation energy and wind energy. In addition, these energy sources are environmentally friendly and do not harm the environment.

It is advisable that TE ECGs be equipped with an electrolyte temperature sensor included in the control circuit of the circulation pump. The presence of a temperature sensor provides the required temperature regime, which is maintained by changing the operating mode of the circulation pump by the signal of the temperature sensor.

The analysis of the prior art showed that the claimed combination of essential features set forth in the claims is unknown. This allows us to conclude that it meets the criterion of "novelty."

To verify the conformity of the claimed invention with the criterion of "inventive step", an additional search was carried out for known technical solutions in order to identify features that match the distinctive features of the claimed technical solution from the prototype. It is established that the claimed technical solution does not follow explicitly from the prior art. Therefore, the claimed invention meets the criterion of "inventive step".

List of drawings

The drawing shows one of the possible embodiments of the ASEP functional diagram.

ASEP includes an external source of electricity 1, for example, a solar battery or a wind power plant, ECG 2, battery 3, electrolyzer 4, hydrogen 5 and oxygen 6 cylinders, pipelines 7 and valves 8, 9 for connecting with the corresponding gas cavities of the EC ECG and electrolyzer, sensors the upper and lower maximum permissible values of hydrogen and oxygen pressures 17, 18, respectively, the circulation circuit of the electrolyte 10 with a capacity of 11, a circulation pump 12, a heat exchanger 13 and a valve system 14 for connecting a circuit electrolyte emulsions to the TE ECG 2 or to the electrolyzer 4. To control the operating temperature, the TE ECG 2 are equipped with a temperature sensor 15 included in the control circuit 16 of the pump 12. The capacity of the electrolyte 11 in the initial state has a free volume equal to 1.1-1.2 volumes water formed in the fuel cell as a result of the electrochemical reaction with the complete consumption of hydrogen and oxygen in the cylinders 5, 6.

Information confirming the possibility of carrying out the invention

ASEP works as follows. Hydrogen and oxygen from cylinders 5 and 6, respectively, through valves 8, 9 through pipelines 7 are supplied to the corresponding cavities of the EC ECG. ECG generates an electric current that is supplied to the consumer (not shown). The heat generated in the ECCH EC heat is removed by the electrolyte circulation circuit 10 and discharged into the environment in the heat exchanger 13. The water resulting from the reaction accumulates in the electrolyte capacity, causing it to dilute and increase in volume. The free volume of the electrolyte capacity in the initial state is selected based on the required energy consumption of the ASEP and the supply of reagents in cylinders 5, 6. When the total supply of reagents is consumed by the signal of the lower pressure limit values 17, 18 by means of valves 14, the electrolyte circulation circuit is disconnected from the ECH and it is connected to the electrolyzer 4, after which electric power is supplied to the electrolyzer 4 from an external source of electricity 1. The alkaline electrolyte undergoes electrolysis, the hydrogen and oxygen formed are filled in cylinders 5 and 6, respectively, while valves 8, 9 disconnect the cylinders from the TEH ECG. When triggered by the sensors of the upper maximum allowable pressure value of the reagents, the electrolyte circulation circuit 10 is disconnected from the electrolyzer 4 and connected to the ECCH thermoelectric generator. An external source of electric power 1 is disconnected from the electrolyzer 4. Power supply to consumers during the switching of ASEP components is made from the battery 3.

Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that the claimed ASEP can be implemented in practice with the achievement of the claimed technical result, i.e. it meets the criterion of "industrial applicability".

Claims (9)

1. An autonomous energy supply system containing an external source of electricity, an electrochemical generator based on fuel cells, a battery, an electrolyzer, hydrogen and oxygen cylinders connected by pipelines and valves to the corresponding gas cavities of the fuel cells of an electrochemical generator and an electrolyzer, characterized in that as The fuel cells of the electrochemical generator were taken alkaline fuel cells with an electrolyte circulation circuit, as an electric the alkaline electrolyzer is taken from the cell, while the fuel cells of the electrochemical generator and the cell have a common electrolyte circulation circuit. 2. The autonomous power supply system according to claim 1, characterized in that the hydrogen and oxygen cylinders are equipped with sensors of upper and lower maximum permissible pressure values. 3. The autonomous power supply system according to claim 1, characterized in that the circulation circuit of the electrolyte of the fuel cells of the electrochemical generator is equipped with an electrolyte capacity designed to compensate for changes in the volume of electrolyte that occurs when the fuel cells work as a result of dilution with water formed in the fuel cells during the electrochemical reaction, circulation pump, heat exchanger and valve system for connecting the circuit of the electrolyte circulation to the fuel cells electrochemical eski generator, or to the electrolyzer. 4. The autonomous energy supply system according to claim 3, characterized in that in the initial state the free volume of the electrolyte capacity is 1.1 ÷ 1.2 the volume of water formed in the fuel cells as a result of the electrochemical reaction with the complete consumption of hydrogen and oxygen in the cylinders . 5. The autonomous power supply system according to claim 1, characterized in that a renewable energy source is taken as an external source of electricity. 6. The autonomous power supply system according to claim 4, characterized in that a solar battery is taken as a renewable source of electricity. 7. The autonomous power supply system according to claim 4, characterized in that a wind power installation is taken as a renewable source of electricity. 8. The autonomous power supply system according to claim 4, characterized in that a solar battery and a wind power installation are taken as a renewable source of electricity. 9. The autonomous power supply system according to claim 1, characterized in that the fuel cells of the electrochemical generator are equipped with an electrolyte temperature sensor included in the control circuit of the circulation pump.