Hydrogen system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11332835-B2
Application number	US-201916270707-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 8, 2019
Priority date	Mar 6, 2018
Publication date	May 17, 2022
Grant date	May 17, 2022

Abstract

A hydrogen system includes: a generator which generates hydrogen-containing gas; a storage which stores the hydrogen-containing gas generated by the generator; a first gas passage which connects the generator and the storage; a housing which houses the generator, the storage and the first gas passage; a second gas passage in which the hydrogen-containing gas discharged from the first gas passage to an outside of the housing flows; a first valve provided to the second gas passage; a third gas passage in which the hydrogen-containing gas discharged from the storage to the outside of the housing flows; a second valve provided to the third gas passage; and a controller which opens at least one of the first valve and the second valve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hydrogen system comprising:
a generator which generates hydrogen-containing gas;
a storage which stores the hydrogen-containing gas generated by the generator;
a first gas passage which connects the generator and the storage;
a housing which houses the generator, the storage and the first gas passage;
a second gas passage in which the hydrogen-containing gas discharged from the first gas passage to an outside of the housing flows;
a first valve provided to the second gas passage;
a third gas passage in which the hydrogen-containing gas discharged from the storage to the outside of the housing flows;
a second valve provided to the third gas passage;
a fourth gas passage in which the hydrogen-containing gas discharged from the storage and supplied to a hydrogen-using apparatus flows;
at least one detector which detects hydrogen leakage inside the housing; and
a controller which includes a processor and a memory storing a program, and the program, when executed by the processor, causes the controller to open at least one of the first valve and the second valve to discharge the hydrogen-containing gas to the outside of the housing when the at least one detector detects the hydrogen leakage.

2. The hydrogen system according to claim 1 , wherein the executed program causes the controller, when the at least one detector detects the hydrogen leakage, to first open the first valve out of the first valve and the second valve.

3. The hydrogen system according to claim 2 , wherein the executed program causes the controller, if the at least one detector no longer detects the hydrogen leakage within a predetermined time length after the first valve is opened, not to open the second valve.

4. The hydrogen system according to claim 2 , wherein the executed program causes the controller, if the at least one detector continues detecting the hydrogen leakage beyond a predetermined time length after the first valve is opened, to open the second valve.

5. The hydrogen system according to claim 1 , wherein the executed program causes the controller to open both the first valve and the second valve.

6. The hydrogen system according to claim 1 , wherein the executed program causes the controller, when the at least one detector detects the hydrogen leakage, to open both the first valve and the second valve.

7. The hydrogen system according to claim 1 , wherein the executed program causes the controller to open the first valve, and to close the second valve.

8. The hydrogen system according to claim 1 , wherein the executed program causes the controller, when the at least one detector detects the hydrogen leakage, to open the first valve, and to close the second valve.

9. The hydrogen system according to claim 1 , wherein the executed program causes the controller to close the first valve, and to open the second valve.

10. The hydrogen system according to claim 1 , wherein the executed program causes the controller, when the at least one detector detects the hydrogen leakage, to close the first valve, and to open the second valve.

11. The hydrogen system according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a third valve provided to the first gas passage downstream of a branch point of the first gas passage from which the second gas passage is branched, wherein
the executed program causes the controller to close the third valve while the controller opens the first valve.

12. The hydrogen system according to claim 11 ,
further comprising a fourth valve provided to the first gas passage upstream of the branch point from which the second gas passage is branched, wherein
the executed program causes the controller to close the third valve and to open the fourth valve while the controller opens the first valve.

13. The hydrogen system according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a third valve provided to the first gas passage downstream of a branch point of the first gas passage from which the second gas passage is branched, wherein
the executed program causes the controller to close the third valve while the controller opens the second valve.

14. The hydrogen system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a third valve provided to the first gas passage downstream of a branch point of the first gas passage from which the second gas passage is branched:
a fourth valve provided to the first gas passage upstream of the branch point from which the second gas passage is branched: and
a first joint and a second joint provided to the first gas passage between the third valve and the fourth valve, wherein
the second gas passage is branched from the first gas passage between the first joint and the second joint.

15. The hydrogen system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one detector includes
a first detector which detects hydrogen leakage from the first gas passage, and
a second detector which detects hydrogen leakage from the storage, and

the executed program causes the controller, if the first detector detects the hydrogen leakage but the second detector detects no hydrogen leakage, to open the first valve, and to close the second valve.

16. The hydrogen system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one detector includes
a first detector which detects hydrogen leakage from the first gas passage, and
a second detector which detects hydrogen leakage from the storage, and

the executed program causes the controller, if the second detector detects the hydrogen leakage but the first detector detects no hydrogen leakage, to open the second valve, and to close the first valve.

17. The hydrogen system according to claim 1 , further comprising a ventilator which ventilates an interior of the housing,
wherein the executed program causes the controller, when the at least one detector detects hydrogen leakage, to operate the ventilator.

18. The hydrogen system according to claim 1 , further comprising a ventilator which ventilates an interior of the housing,
wherein the executed program causes the controller, when the at least one detector detects hydrogen leakage, to stop generation of the hydrogen-containing gas by the generator, and to operate the ventilator.

19. The hydrogen system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a third valve provided to the first gas passage downstream of a branch point of the first gas passage from which the second gas passage is branched; and
a receiver which receives an input from an outside, wherein
the executed program causes the controller, based on the input received by the receiver, to perform one of
a first mode of opening the first valve and the second valve, or
a second mode of closing the second valve and the third valve, and opening the first valve.

20. The hydrogen system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a third valve provided to the first gas passage downstream of a branch point of the first gas passage from which the second gas passage is branched; and
a receiver which receives an input from an outside, wherein
the executed program causes the controller, based on the input received by the receiver to perform one of:
a first mode of opening the first valve and the second valve,
a second mode of closing the second valve and the third valve, and opening the first valve, or
a third mode of closing the first valve and the third valve, and opening the second valve.

21. A hydrogen system comprising:
a generator which generates hydrogen-containing gas;
a storage which stores the hydrogen-containi

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yakumaru Yuuichi
• Fujii Hiroaki
• Shimizu Atsushi

Classifications

• C01B3/34

  by reaction of hydrocarbons with gasifying agents · CPC title

• C25B1/04

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title

• Y02E60/32

  Hydrogen storage · CPC title

• C01B3/02 Primary

  Production of hydrogen; Production of gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen · CPC title

• C01B3/0005

  Reversible storage of hydrogen, e.g. by hydrogen getters or electrodes · CPC title