Electrical power producing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12180885-B2
Application number	US-202318380064-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 13, 2023
Priority date	Aug 24, 2022
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

A device includes a heat exchanger connected to an air line through which air flows and to a hydrogen line through which liquid-state hydrogen flows. The heat exchanger is configured to produce liquid-state air as the air and the liquid-state hydrogen exchange heat with each other. The device also includes a carbon dioxide separator connected to the heat exchanger via the air line and the hydrogen line. The carbon dioxide separator is configured to separate at least a portion of carbon dioxide from the air. The device also includes an air storage container connected to the heat exchanger via the air line. The air storage container is configured to store the liquid-state air discharged from the heat exchanger. The carbon dioxide separator is configured such that the air and the hydrogen exchange heat with each other inside the carbon dioxide separator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
a heat exchanger connected to an air line through which air flows and to a hydrogen line through which liquid-state hydrogen flows, the heat exchanger configured to produce liquid-state air as the air and the liquid-state hydrogen exchange heat with each other;
a carbon dioxide separator connected to the heat exchanger via the air line and the hydrogen line, the carbon dioxide separator configured to separate at least a portion of carbon dioxide from the air; and
an air storage container connected to the heat exchanger via the air line, the air storage container configured to store the liquid-state air discharged from the heat exchanger,
wherein the carbon dioxide separator is configured such that the air and the hydrogen exchange heat with each other inside the carbon dioxide separator.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein, with respect to a flow direction of the air that flows through the air line, the carbon dioxide separator is located upstream relative to the heat exchanger.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein, with respect to a flow direction of the liquid-state hydrogen that flows through the hydrogen line, the carbon dioxide separator is located downstream relative to the heat exchanger.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein, in the carbon dioxide separator, a direction in which the air flows is opposite to a direction in which the liquid-state hydrogen flows.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the carbon dioxide separator comprises a deposition pipe connected to the air line;
the deposition pipe includes a flow channel configured to provide a path through which the air flows; and
a temperature of the hydrogen that flows in the carbon dioxide separator is lower than the freezing point of the carbon dioxide in the air that flows in the carbon dioxide separator.

6. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a compressor connected to the air line, the compressor configured to pressurize the air that flows in the carbon dioxide separator.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the compressor is configured to pressurize carbon dioxide in the air at a pressure greater than or equal to the triple point pressure of carbon dioxide.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is further configured to discharge gas-state hydrogen.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the air supplied to the heat exchanger comprises gas-state air; and
the air discharged from the heat exchanger comprises liquid-state air.

10. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a liquid-state air pressurizer configured to increase a pressure of the liquid-state air stored in the air storage container by providing heat to the liquid-state air inside the air storage container.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein, in the heat exchanger, a direction in which the air flows is opposite to a direction in which the liquid-state hydrogen flows.

12. The device of claim 1 , further comprising an evaporator connected to the air storage container via the air line, the evaporator configured to evaporate the liquid-state air, supplied from the air storage container, through heat exchange.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the evaporator is configured to cause the liquid-state air to exchange heat with the atmosphere, thereby evaporating the liquid-state air.

14. The device of claim 12 , further comprising a power generator configured to receive the air discharged from the evaporator, via the air line, thereby producing electrical power.

15. The device of claim 14 , further comprising a regulator connected to the air line and located between the evaporator and the power generator on the air line, wherein the regulator is configured to:
adjust a pressure of the air discharged from the evaporator to be within a particular range; and
supply the air to the power generator.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Heo Jin Young

Classifications

• F25J2205/20

  using solidification of components · CPC title

• F25J2260/00

  Coupling of processes or apparatus to other units; Integrated schemes · CPC title

• F05D2220/76

  an electrical generator · CPC title

• F25J3/067

  separation of carbon dioxide (production of carbon dioxide in general C01B32/00) · CPC title

• F17C2265/07

  Generating electrical power as side effect · CPC title