U.S. patent application number 14/126601 was filed with the patent office on 2014-05-01 for heat exchanger.
This patent application is currently assigned to TAIYO NIPPON SANSO CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is Shinji Kataoka, Noboru Watanabe. Invention is credited to Shinji Kataoka, Noboru Watanabe.
Application Number | 20140116663 14/126601 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47424055 |
Filed Date | 2014-05-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140116663 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kataoka; Shinji ; et
al. |
May 1, 2014 |
HEAT EXCHANGER
Abstract
Provided is a heat exchanger in which heat exchange between a
low-temperature cooling medium and brine and heat exchange between
brine and hydrogen gas can be efficiently performed and downsizing
of cooling facilities or reduction in facility cost can be
attained. The heat exchanger comprises: a vacuum insulated
container 12 which is filled with brine, a lid 13 closing an upper
portion opening of the container, a rotation axis 14 arranged in
the axis direction of the container, a propeller 15 provided on the
rotation axis, a helical hydrogen gas cooling tube 16, 17 provided
in a vertically two-stage structure around the rotation axis and
the propeller, and a cooling medium tube 18 for cooling brine which
is arranged around the hydrogen gas cooling tubes.
Inventors: |
Kataoka; Shinji; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Watanabe; Noboru; (Tokyo, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Kataoka; Shinji
Watanabe; Noboru |
Tokyo
Tokyo |
|
JP
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
TAIYO NIPPON SANSO
CORPORATION
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
47424055 |
Appl. No.: |
14/126601 |
Filed: |
June 25, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
June 25, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2012/066109 |
371 Date: |
December 16, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/163 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28F 2250/08 20130101;
F28D 2021/0047 20130101; F28D 7/103 20130101; F28D 7/024
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/163 |
International
Class: |
F28D 7/02 20060101
F28D007/02; F28D 7/10 20060101 F28D007/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 28, 2011 |
JP |
2011-142831 |
Claims
1. A heat exchanger which cools hydrogen gas with brine cooled by a
low-temperature cooling medium characterized by comprising: a
vacuum insulated container with which brine is filled; a lid which
closes the upper portion opening of the container; a rotation axis
arranged in the axis direction of the container; a propeller
provided along the rotation axis; a helical hydrogen gas cooling
tube arranged around the rotation axis and the propeller; and a
cooling medium tube for cooling brine arranged around the hydrogen
gas cooling tube.
2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the hydrogen
gas cooling tube is provided with a plurality of hydrogen gas
cooling tubes having a vertically multistage structure.
3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the upper end
and the lower end of the cooling medium tube are communicatively
connected to an annular upper portion manifold and an annular lower
portion manifold, respectively, and a cooling medium is circulated
in the cooling medium tube from the lower end to the upper end
direction.
4. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein a gas-phase
portion between the inner surface of the lid and the liquid surface
of brine in the container is supplied with a dry gas.
5. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein a bottom
portion of the container is provided with a drain for discharging
brine with which the container is filled.
6. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the container
has a vertically long bottomed cylindrical shape and a lower
portion of the container is supported with three or more support
legs, and the container can be stood by itself with its axis
vertical.
7. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein that the
low-temperature cooling medium is a low-temperature cooling medium
for refrigerators using a refrigeration cycle.
8. A heat exchanger which cools hydrogen gas by brine which is
cooled by a low-temperature cooling medium characterized by
comprising a vacuum insulated double walled vertically long
bottomed cylindrical container which is filled with brine, a
disk-shaped lid closing an upper portion opening of the container,
a rotation axis which penetrates the center of the lid to be
arranged in the axis direction of the container, a propeller
provided on the rotation axis, a helical hydrogen gas cooling tube
provided around the rotation axis and the propeller, and a
plurality of cooling medium tubes for cooling brine which are
arranged around the hydrogen gas cooling tube, whose upper ends and
lower ends are communicatively connected to an annular upper
portion manifold and an annular lower portion manifold,
respectively, and through which a cooling medium supplied from a
cooling medium inlet pipe communicating the lower portion manifold
is discharged from a cooling medium outlet pipe communicating the
upper portion manifold, wherein the rotation axis, the hydrogen gas
cooling tube, the plurality of cooling medium tubes for cooling
brine and the container are concentrically arranged centering on
the rotation axis in a planar view in the order from inside
mentioned below: the propeller, the hydrogen gas cooling tube, the
plurality of cooling medium tubes for cooling brine and the
container.
9. A heat exchanger according to claim 8, wherein the
low-temperature cooling medium is a low-temperature cooling medium
tier refrigerators using a refrigeration cycle.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a heat exchanger, and more
particularly to a heat exchanger which is suitable for a heat
exchanger for cooling hydrogen gas which is set up in a facility
filling a fuel tank of a hydrogen automobile or the like with a
hydrogen gas.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Hydrogen gas which is used as a fuel for a hydrogen
automobile such as a fuel-cell automobile has the property that the
temperature thereof rises due to the Joule-Thompson effect when it
is adiabatically expanded at a portion such as a variety of valves
or flowmeters provided along a pathway through which hydrogen gas
flows. The temperature of hydrogen gas therefore rises due to the
Joule-Thompson effect when hydrogen gas passes at a valve or the
like provided along a pathway from a source of hydrogen gas supply
through which a hydrogen automobile is filled with hydrogen gas. At
the same time, the temperature of hydrogen gas rises also due to
heat of compression when hydrogen gas is compressed at a high
pressure and a fuel tank of the hydrogen automobile is filled
therewith.
[0003] There arises such a problem that the temperature of a fuel
tank exceeds the upper limit temperature thereof 85.degree. C. when
the temperature of hydrogen gas rises or a problem that the
pressure of the tank decreases as the tank is cooled after being
filled with hydrogen gas. A variety of apparatuses or methods are
therefore proposed in which a hydrogen automobile is filled with
hydrogen while cooling hydrogen gas, by arranging cooling
facilities along a pathway through which hydrogen gas flows, in the
cooling facilities.
[0004] As the cooling facilities for cooling hydrogen gas, proposed
are those in which brine is cooled by exchanging heat with a
low-temperature cooling medium of a refrigerator to be stored in a
storage tank and then, hydrogen gas is cooled with the
low-temperature brine stored in the storage tank (see, for example,
Patent Document 1) and those in which hydrogen gas is cooled by
exchanging heat between a liquefied gas such as liquefied nitrogen
and hydrogen gas (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS
Patent Documents
[0005] Patent Document 1: JP 2008-164177 A
[0006] Patent Document 2: JP 2008-267496 A
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0007] However, since the cooling facilities according to Patent
Document 1 need a heat exchanger which exchanges heat between a
low-temperature cooling medium in a refrigeration cycle and brine,
a heat exchanger which exchanges heat between the brine and
hydrogen gas, a brine storage tank, a piping and a pump for
circulating brine, or the like, the facilities become complex and
the footprint thereof is large, which makes the facility cost high.
While the cooling facilities according to Patent Document 2 need
only one heat exchanger and downsizing or simplification of the
facilities is possible, since a liquefied gas which is consumed by
exchanging heat with hydrogen gas needs to be constantly supplied,
the running cost is considerably high, which is problematic.
[0008] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to
provide a heat exchanger in which heat exchange between a
low-temperature cooling medium and brine and heat exchange between
brine and hydrogen gas can be efficiently performed and downsizing
of cooling facilities or reduction in facility cost can be
attained.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0009] In order to attain the above-mentioned object, a heat
exchanger which cools hydrogen gas with brine cooled by a
low-temperature cooling medium according to the present invention
is characterized by comprising:
[0010] a vacuum insulated container with which brine is filled;
[0011] a lid which closes the upper portion opening of the
container;
[0012] a rotation axis arranged in the axis direction of the
container;
[0013] a propeller provided along the rotation axis;
[0014] a helical hydrogen gas cooling tube arranged around the
rotation axis and the propeller; and
[0015] a cooling medium tube for cooling brine arranged around the
hydrogen gas cooling tube.
[0016] It is preferable in the above-mentioned heat exchanger; that
the hydrogen gas cooling tube is provided with a plurality of
hydrogen gas cooling tubes having a vertically multistage
structure; that the upper end and the lower end of the cooling
medium tube are communicatively connected to an annular upper
portion manifold and an annular lower portion manifold,
respectively, and a cooling medium is circulated in the cooling
medium tube from the lower end to the upper end direction; that a
gas-phase portion between the inner surface of the lid and the
liquid surface of brine in the container is supplied with a dry
gas; that a bottom portion of the container is provided with a
drain for discharging brine with which the container is filled;
that the container has a vertically long bottomed cylindrical shape
and a lower portion of the container is supported with three or
more support legs, and the container can be stood by itself with
its axis vertical; and that the low-temperature cooling medium is a
low-temperature cooling medium for refrigerators using a
refrigeration cycle.
[0017] Further, a heat exchanger which cools hydrogen gas by brine
which is cooled by a low-temperature cooling medium is
characterized by comprising a vacuum insulated double walled
vertically long bottomed cylindrical container which is filled with
brine, a lid closing an upper portion opening of the container, a
rotation axis which penetrates the center of the lid to be inserted
in the container in the axis direction, a propeller provided on the
rotation axis, a helical hydrogen gas cooling tube provided around
the rotation axis and the propeller, and a plurality of cooling
medium tubes for cooling brine which are arranged around the
hydrogen gas cooling tube, whose upper ends and lower ends are
communicatively connected to an annular upper portion manifold and
an annular lower portion manifold, respectively, and through which
a cooling medium supplied from a cooling medium inlet pipe
communicating the lower portion manifold is discharged from a
cooling medium outlet pipe communicating the upper portion
manifold, wherein the rotation axis, the hydrogen gas cooling tube,
the plurality of cooling medium tubes for cooling brine and the
container are concentrically arranged centering on the rotation
axis in a planar view in the order from inside mentioned below: the
propeller, the hydrogen gas cooling tube, the plurality of cooling
medium tubes for cooling brine and the container. It is preferable
that the low-temperature cooling medium is a low-temperature
cooling medium for refrigerators using a refrigeration cycle.
Effects of the Invention
[0018] According to the present invention, heat exchange which
cools brine by a low-temperature cooling medium in a
low-temperature cycle and heat exchange which cools hydrogen gas by
the cooled brine can be performed in one container, and a storage
tank for brine or a piping and a pump for circulating brine can be
omitted, whereby downsizing of cooling facilities and reduction in
facility cost can be attained. Since a low-temperature cooling
medium for refrigerators is employed as a cold source, the running
cost of the present invention can be reduced compared with those
employing a liquefied gas as the cold source.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional front view showing one
embodiment of a heat exchanger of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a heat exchanger in FIG. 1.
[0021] FIG. 3 is a III-III cross-sectional view of FIG. 1.
MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0022] A heat exchanger 11 according to the embodiment comprises: a
vacuum insulated double walled vertically long bottomed cylindrical
container 12 which is filled with brine, a disk-shaped lid 13
closing an upper portion opening of the container 12, a rotation
axis 14 which penetrates the center of the lid 13 to be arranged in
the container 12 in the axis direction, a plurality of axial-flow
propellers 15 provided on the rotation axis 14 in the vertical
direction, a helical first hydrogen gas cooling tube 16 and a
second hydrogen gas cooling tube 17 provided in a vertically
two-stage structure around the rotation axis 14 and the propeller
15, and a plurality of cooling medium tubes 18 for cooling brine
which are arranged around the first hydrogen gas cooling tube 16
and the second hydrogen gas cooling tube 17 in the axis
direction.
[0023] The upper end and the lower end of each of the plurality of
cooling medium tubes 18 for cooling brine are communicatively
connected to an annular upper portion manifold 19 provided on the
upper position of the first hydrogen gas cooling tube 16 and an
annular lower portion manifold 20 provided on the lower position of
the second hydrogen gas cooling tube 17, respectively. The cooling
medium tube 18 for cooling brine corresponds to an evaporator in a
refrigeration cycle, and cools brine around the cooling medium tube
18 by cold generated when a depressurized liquid cooling medium
evaporates.
[0024] The container 12 is provided with three or more support legs
21 at a container lower portion and is formed such that the
container can be stood by itself with its axis vertical. The bottom
of the container 12 is provided with a drain 22 for discharging
brine filling the container 12 at the time of maintenance or the
like.
[0025] The lid 13 is detachably fixed on a flange 12a provided on
the outer periphery of an upper portion of the container 12 by
fasteners 23 composed of a multiple of bolts and nuts. On the
center of the outer surface of the lid 13, a speed reducer 25 with
a covering is provided in which the rotation speed of a drive shaft
24 which is rotatably driven by an air motor, not illustrated, is
reduced to be transmitted to the rotation axis 14. The propeller 15
is rotated via the drive shaft 24, the speed reducer 25 and the
rotation axis 14 by operating the air motor. The brine in the
container 12 is elevated along the inner circumference sides of the
first hydrogen gas cooling tube 16 and the second hydrogen gas
cooling tube 17 by the rotation of the propeller and descended from
the upper side of the first hydrogen gas cooling tube 16 along the
outside of the cooling medium tube 18 and circulated from the lower
side of the second hydrogen gas cooling tube 17 to the inner side
of the second hydrogen gas cooling tube 17.
[0026] The lid 13 is provided with a first hydrogen gas inlet pipe
16a and a second hydrogen gas inlet pipe 17a which supply hydrogen
gas from a source of hydrogen gas supply to the first hydrogen gas
cooling tube 16 and the second hydrogen gas cooling tube 17,
respectively, and a first hydrogen gas outlet pipe 16b and a second
hydrogen gas outlet pipe 17b which outlet hydrogen gas cooled by
the first hydrogen gas cooling tube 16 and the second hydrogen gas
cooling tube 17 and transmit to a destination to be used, for
example, a fuel tank of an automobile. The hydrogen gas cooling
tubes 16,17 are connected with the first hydrogen gas outlet pipe
16b and the second hydrogen gas outlet pipe 17b, respectively, in a
bonding structure which does not need a joint by butt welding.
[0027] The first hydrogen gas inlet pipe 16a is provided along the
outer side of the first hydrogen gas cooling tube 16 in the axis
direction and communicated to the lower end of the first hydrogen
gas cooling tube 16; the first hydrogen gas outlet pipe 16b is
communicated to the upper end of the first hydrogen gas cooling
tube 16. The second hydrogen gas inlet pipe 17a is provided along
the outer sides of the first hydrogen gas cooling tube 16 and the
second hydrogen gas cooling tube 17 in the axis direction and
communicated to the lower end of the second hydrogen gas cooling
tube 17. The second hydrogen gas outlet pipe 17b is communicated to
the upper end of the second hydrogen gas cooling tube 17 and
provided along the outside of the first hydrogen gas outlet pipe
16b in the axis direction.
[0028] In addition, a cooling medium inlet pipe 20a which
penetrates the lid 13 and inlets a low-temperature cooling medium
for cooling brine from the lower portion manifold 20 to each
cooling medium tube 18 for cooling brine, and a cooling medium
outlet pipe 19a which outlets the low-temperature cooling medium
for cooling brine from the upper portion manifold 19 are provided.
The cooling medium inlet pipe 20a is provided in the inner
circumference of the cooling medium tube 18 between the first
hydrogen gas inlet pipe 16a, the second hydrogen gas inlet pipe
17a, the first hydrogen gas outlet pipe 16b and the second hydrogen
gas outlet pipe 17b in the axis direction.
[0029] Although, for the low-temperature cooling medium for cooling
brine, a liquefied gas such as liquefied nitrogen can also be
employed, the running cost can be preferably reduced by employing
chlorofluorocarbon or the like for refrigerators (not illustrated)
using a refrigeration cycle.
[0030] The first and second hydrogen gas cooling tubes 16,17, the
upper portion manifold 19 and the lower portion manifold 20 and the
plurality of cooling medium tube 18 for cooling brine are arranged
concentrically centering on the rotation axis 14 arranged on the
axis of the container 12 in a planar view in the order from inside
mentioned below: the first and second hydrogen gas cooling tubes
16,17, a plurality of cooling medium tubes 18 for cooling brine;
the upper portion manifold 19 and the lower portion manifold 20 are
formed in a circle shape centering on the rotation axis 14.
[0031] Between the inner surface of the lid 13 and the liquid
surface of brine, a gas-phase portion for dealing with thermal
expansion of brine is provided, as well as, a dry gas supply pipe
26a which constantly supplies the gas-phase portion with a dry gas
for preventing deterioration of brine and a dry gas discharge pipe
26b which emits the supplied dry gas are provided penetrating the
lid 14.
[0032] Next, examples of how the heat exchanger 11 is used for
filling a fuel tank of an automobile with hydrogen gas will be
explained. First, valves of the dry gas supply pipe 26a and the dry
gas discharge pipe 26b are opened to fill the gas-phase portion
with a dry gas; valves of the cooling medium inlet pipe 20a and the
cooling medium outlet pipe 19a are opened to inlet a liquid cooling
medium expanded at an expansion valve (not illustrated) of an
refrigerator or a low-temperature gaseous cooling medium which is
generated by evaporation of the liquid cooling medium into the
cooling medium tube 18; brine is cooled by exchanging heat between
low-temperature cooling medium in a low-temperature cycle and the
brine via the cooling medium tube 18, as well as, brine in the
container 12 is cooled to a preset brine cooling temperature by
rotating the propeller 15 by an air motor, not illustrated, via the
drive shaft 24, the speed reducer 25 and the rotation axis 14. When
the temperature of brine reaches the brine cooling temperature, the
refrigerator is stopped to interrupt inlet of the low-temperature
cooling medium into the cooling medium tube 18, as well as, the air
motor is stopped to interrupt circulation of brine and the heat
exchanger 11 is made in a standby state. When the temperature of
brine in the standby state rises up to the preset upper limit
temperature, the refrigerator and the air motor are operated again
to cool brine to the brine cooling temperature.
[0033] When a fuel tank of an automobile is filled with a
high-pressure hydrogen gas which is compressed in advance, the
valves of the first hydrogen gas inlet pipe 16a and the second
hydrogen gas inlet pipe 17a are individually opened; hydrogen gas
from a source of hydrogen gas supply is individually supplied to
lower ends of the first hydrogen gas cooling tube 16 and the second
hydrogen gas cooling tube 17, and at the same time, the
refrigerator and the air motor are operated to resume cooling of
brine and circulation of brine. The supplied hydrogen gas rises up
in the first hydrogen gas cooling tube 16 and the second hydrogen
gas cooling tube 17 exchanging heat with precooled brine to be
cooled to a predetermined temperature and is outlet to the first
hydrogen gas outlet pipe 16b and the second hydrogen gas outlet
pipe 17b, and fills the fuel tank via a piping for filling.
[0034] By providing the container 12 filled with brine with the
helical hydrogen gas cooling tubes 16, 17 and the cooling medium
tube 18 for cooling brine, a conventional brine storage tank and
piping and pump for circulating brine can be omitted, whereby
downsizing of hydrogen gas cooling facilities can be attained. By
providing the rotation axis 14 which is arranged in the axis
direction of the container 12 with the propeller 15 and circulating
brine in the container 12, heat exchange between a low-temperature
cooling medium flowing in the cooling medium tube 18 and brine and
heat exchange between hydrogen gas flowing in the hydrogen gas
cooling tubes 16, 17 and brine can be efficiently performed, and
each heat exchange efficiency can be improved, whereby downsizing
of the heat exchanger 11 can be attained.
[0035] Since the lid 13 is provided with all of the rotation axis
14, the first hydrogen gas inlet pipe 16a, the second hydrogen gas
inlet pipe 17a, the first hydrogen gas outlet pipe 16b, the second
hydrogen gas outlet pipe 17b, the cooling medium inlet pipe 20a,
the cooling medium outlet pipe 19a, the dry gas supply pipe 26a and
the dry gas discharge pipe 26b, there is no need to process on the
peripheral wall of the container 12 for connecting a piping, and
joining and assembly of each piping can be performed at the lid 13,
whereby manufacturing of the heat exchanger 11 can be easily
performed and the production cost can be reduced. Further,
maintenance of the heat exchanger 11 can be easily performed by
discharging brine in the container 12 from the drain 22 and
removing the lid 13, whereby reduction in the maintenance cost can
be attained. By precooling brine and making the heat exchanger 11
in a standby state, hydrogen gas can be effectively cooled from the
beginning of filling of hydrogen gas.
[0036] Although, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the gas-phase
portion is constantly supplied with a fresh dry gas, it may be
filled with a dry gas in advance. Although nitrogen gas is the best
for the dry gas, inert gases other than nitrogen or a dry air can
also be used.
[0037] In addition, although, in the above-mentioned embodiment,
the hydrogen gas cooling tube has a vertically two-stage structure,
the tube can be arranged in a vertically three- or more stage
structure depending on the conditions such as the height of the
container, and can also be arrange in a vertically one-stage
structure. The coil diameter of the helix of the hydrogen gas
cooling tube varies depending on the flow rate of hydrogen gas, the
size of the tube or the like, and generally the coil diameter is
preferably in the range of 100 mm to 500 mm; the pitch of the helix
is preferably in the range of 5 mm to 32 mm.
[0038] Although, in the above-mentioned embodiment, an air motor is
employed for driving the drive shaft, an electric motor can also be
used. The propeller varies depending on the length of the hydrogen
gas cooling tube, and while a plurality of the propellers is
preferably provided, only one propeller may also be provided.
[0039] Further although, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the
upper portion manifold and the lower portion manifold are provided
and a plurality of straight tube-shaped cooling medium tubes are
arranged, each manifold can be omitted by making the cooling medium
tube in the same helical shape as the hydrogen gas cooling
tube.
[0040] By using, as the cooling medium tube or the hydrogen gas
cooling tube, a fin-attached tube or a tube in which a helical
groove is formed on the inner surface thereof, the heat transfer
area can be made large, whereby the heat transfer effect can be
promoted. By using a tube in which a helical groove is formed on
the inner surface thereof, turbulence of fluid flowing in the tube
can be promoted and the heat transfer efficiency can be further
improved.
REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0041] 11 . . . heat exchanger, 12 . . . container, 13 . . . lid,
14 . . . rotation axis, 15 . . . propeller, 16 . . . first hydrogen
gas cooling tube, 16a . . . first hydrogen gas inlet pipe, 16b . .
. first hydrogen gas outlet pipe, 17 . . . second hydrogen gas
cooling tube, 17a . . . second hydrogen gas inlet pipe 17a, 17b . .
. second hydrogen gas outlet pipe, 18 . . . cooling medium tube, 19
. . . upper portion manifold, 20 . . . lower portion manifold, 21 .
. . support leg, 22 . . . drain pipe, 23 . . . fastener, 24 . . .
drive shaft, 25 . . . speed reducer, 26a . . . dry gas supply pipe,
26b . . . dry gas discharge pipe
* * * * *