Hydrogen recuperation for vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017320393-A1
Application number	US-201515526797-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 23, 2015
Priority date	Nov 18, 2014
Publication date	Nov 9, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to a method ( 100 ) for converting and/or storing electric energy E obtained from mechanical energy M in a vehicle comprising a motor ( 1 ), in particular a motor vehicle. In the method, a) mechanical energy M obtained when braking and/or during an overrun operation of the vehicle is converted into electric energy E in a first step using a generator ( 2 ), b) the electric energy is stored in an intermediate energy store ( 3 ) in a second step, c) the stored electric energy E is discharged to an electrolysis module ( 4 ) in a third step, d) the module converts the electric energy E into chemical energy C in a fourth step at least by splitting water (H 2 O) into hydrogen (H 2 ) and oxygen (O2), and e) the chemical energy is conducted into a gas tank ( 5 ) of the vehicle for temporary storage and/or is supplied to the motor ( 1 ) and/or a fuel cell ( 10 ) of the vehicle in a fifth step.

First claim

1 . A method for converting and/or storing electric energy E obtained from mechanical energy M in a vehicle comprising a motor ( 1 ), wherein the mechanical energy M is obtained when braking and/or during an overrun operation of the vehicle, the method comprising
a) converting the mechanical energy into electric energy E in a first step using a generator ( 2 ), b) storing the electric energy in an intermediate energy store ( 3 ) in a second step, c) discharging the stored electric energy E to an electrolysis module ( 4 ) in a third step, d) having the module convert the electric energy E into chemical energy C in a fourth step at least by splitting water (H 2 O) into hydrogen (H 2 ) and oxygen (O 2 ), and e) conducting the chemical energy into a gas tank ( 5 ) of the vehicle for temporary storage and/or supplying the chemical energy to the motor ( 1 ) and/or a fuel cell ( 10 ) of the vehicle in a fifth step.

2 . The method ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the hydrogen (H 2 ) is compressed by a compressor ( 6 ) prior to temporary storage in the gas tank ( 5 ).

3 . The method ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the voltage of an on-board power supply ( 15 ) of the vehicle is increased in order to increase the power density of the intermediate energy store ( 3 ) for the electric energy E.

4 . The method ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the hydrogen (H 2 ) reacts with the carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) present in the exhaust gases and/or carbon monoxide (CO) in a reactor module ( 14 ) to form methane (CH 4 ) and water (H 2 O), wherein the methane (CH 4 ) is conducted into the gas tank ( 5 ) of the vehicle and/or supplied to the motor ( 1 ).

5 . The method ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the water (H 2 O) required for the conversion of electric energy E into chemical energy C comes from a water tank ( 7 ) and/or a reactor module ( 14 ) and/or the fuel cell ( 10 ) and/or from exhaust gas ( 11 ) of the motor ( 1 ).

6 . The method ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the chemical energy C converted in the form of hydrogen (H 2 ) and oxygen (O 2 ) from the electric energy E is supplied to the fuel cell ( 10 ), which converts the chemical energy C into electric energy D under reaction of the hydrogen (H 2 ) with oxygen (O 2 ) to form water (H 2 O).

7 . The method ( 100 ) according to claim 6 , characterized in that the water (H 2 O) obtained during the reaction of hydrogen (H 2 ) and oxygen (O 2 ) is conducted into the water tank ( 7 ) and/or discharged to the electrolysis module ( 4 ).

8 . The method ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the compressor ( 6 ) is driven electrically and/or via exhaust gases ( 11 ) of the motor ( 1 ).

9 . A mobile system for converting mechanical energy M via electric energy E into chemical energy C, which system is connected to a motor system and/or a fuel cell system of a vehicle, said mobile system comprising a water tank ( 7 ), an electrolysis module ( 4 ) which is at least connected to the water tank ( 7 ) and to which electric energy E is supplied from an intermediate energy store ( 3 ) of the motor system and/or of the fuel cell system, and a compressor ( 6 ), which is at least connected to a gas tank ( 5 ) of the motor system and/or the fuel cell system in order to compress at least the hydrogen (H 2 ) converted in the electrolysis module ( 4 ) from the water (H 2 O) prior to being introduced into the gas tank ( 5 ).

10 . A mobile system for converting electric energy E obtained from mechanical energy M into chemical energy C while carrying out the method of claim 1 , the mobile system being is connected to a motor system and/or a fuel cell system of a motor vehicle, said mobile system comprising a water tank ( 7 ), an electrolysis module ( 4 ) which is at least connected to the water tank ( 7 ) and to which electric energy E is supplied from an intermediate energy store ( 3 ) of the motor system and/or of the fuel cell system, and a compressor ( 6 ), which is at least connected to a gas tank ( 5 ) of the motor system and/or the fuel cell system in order to compress at least the hydrogen (H 2 ) converted in the electrolysis module ( 4 ) from the water (H 2 O) prior to being introduced into the gas tank ( 5 ).

11 . The method ( 100 ) according to claim 4 , characterized in that the water (H 2 O) required for the conversion of electric energy E into chemical energy C comes from a water tank ( 7 ) and/or the reactor module ( 14 ) and/or the fuel cell ( 10 ) and/or from exhaust gas ( 11 ) of the motor ( 1 ).

12 . A method ( 100 ) for converting and/or storing electric energy E obtained from mechanical energy M in a vehicle comprising a motor ( 1 ), wherein the mechanical energy M is obtained when braking and/or during an overrun operation of the vehicle, the method comprising
a) converting the mechanical energy into electric energy E in a first step using a generator ( 2 ), b) storing the electric energy in an intermediate energy store ( 3 ) in a second step, c) discharging the stored electric energy E to an electrolysis module ( 4 ) in a third step, d) having the module convert the electric energy E into chemical energy C in a fourth step at least by splitting water (H 2 O) into hydrogen (H 2 ) and oxygen (O 2 ), and e) conducting the chemical energy into a gas tank ( 5 ) of the vehicle for temporary storage in a fifth step.

13 . A method ( 100 ) for converting and/or storing electric energy E obtained from mechanical energy M in a vehicle comprising a motor ( 1 ), wherein the mechanical energy M is obtained when braking and/or during an overrun operation of the vehicle, the method comprising
a) converting the mechanical energy into electric energy E in a first step using a generator ( 2 ), b) storing the electric energy in an intermediate energy store ( 3 ) in a second step, c) discharging the stored electric energy E to an electrolysis module ( 4 ) in a third step, d) having the module convert the electric energy E into chemical energy C in a fourth step at least by splitting water (H 2 O) into hydrogen (H 2 ) and oxygen (O 2 ), and e) supplying the chemical energy to the motor ( 1 ) and/or a fuel cell ( 10 ) of the vehicle in a fifth step.

14 . The method according to claim 13 wherein the fifth step (e) also includes conducting the chemical energy into a gas tank ( 5 ) of the vehicle for temporary storage.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Reitemann Guenter
• Walter Gerhard

Classifications

• B60L11/1898

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• H01M2250/402

  Combination of fuel cell with other electric generators · CPC title

• B60Y2400/202

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M16/003

  of fuel cells with other electrochemical devices, e.g. capacitors, electrolysers · CPC title

• H01M8/186

  by electrolytic decomposition of the electrolytic solution or the formed water product · CPC title