Hydrogen system and method of operating hydrogen system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021323817-A1
Application number	US-202117365033-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 1, 2021
Priority date	Mar 13, 2020
Publication date	Oct 21, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A hydrogen system includes: a compressor that applies a voltage between an anode and a cathode to move hydrogen in hydrogen-containing gas supplied to the anode to the cathode via an electrolyte membrane and compress the hydrogen; a first flow path through which hydrogen-containing gas discharged from the anode of the compressor flows; a second flow path to supply cathode off-gas to the anode of the compressor, the cathode off-gas being discharged from the cathode of the compressor; an on-off valve provided on the second flow path; and a controller that opens the on-off valve in a normal stop.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A hydrogen system comprising:
a compressor that applies a voltage between an anode and a cathode to move hydrogen in hydrogen-containing gas supplied to the anode to the cathode via an electrolyte membrane and compress the hydrogen; a first flow path through which hydrogen-containing gas discharged from the anode of the compressor flows; a second flow path to supply cathode off-gas to the anode of the compressor, the cathode off-gas being discharged from the cathode of the compressor; an on-off valve provided on the second flow path; and a controller that opens the on-off valve in a normal stop.

2 . The hydrogen system according to claim 1 , further comprising
a third flow path through which the cathode off-gas discharged from the cathode of the compressor flows, wherein the second flow path branches from the third flow path.

3 . The hydrogen system according to claim 1 , further comprising
a fourth flow path through which the hydrogen-containing gas to be supplied to the anode of the compressor flows, wherein the second flow path merges with the fourth flow path.

4 . The hydrogen system according to claim 2 , further comprising
a first check valve that is provided on the third flow path downstream of a point at which the second flow path branches and that prevents a flow in a direction opposite to a direction in which the cathode off-gas discharged from the cathode of the compressor flows.

5 . The hydrogen system according to claim 3 , further comprising
a second check valve that is provided on the fourth flow path upstream of a point at which the second flow path merges and that prevents a flow in a direction opposite to a direction in which the hydrogen-containing gas to be supplied to the anode of the compressor flows.

6 . The hydrogen system according to claim 1 , further comprising
a pressure-reducing valve that is provided on the second flow path downstream of the on-off valve and that depressurizes the cathode off-gas flowing through the second flow path.

7 . The hydrogen system according to claim 6 , further comprising
a third check valve that is provided on the second flow path downstream of the pressure-reducing valve and that prevents a flow in a direction opposite to a direction in which the cathode off-gas flows through the second flow path.

8 . The hydrogen system according to claim 7 , further comprising
a flow-rate adjuster that is provided on the second flow path between the pressure-reducing valve and the third check valve and that adjusts a flow rate of the cathode off-gas flowing through the second flow path.

9 . The hydrogen system according to claim 5 , wherein
the first flow path merges with the fourth flow path at a point downstream of the second check valve.

10 . A method of operating a hydrogen system, comprising:
applying a voltage between an anode and a cathode to move hydrogen in hydrogen-containing gas supplied to the anode to the cathode via an electrolyte membrane and compress the hydrogen; supplying cathode off-gas compressed at the cathode to the anode when the compressing the hydrogen is normally stopped; and discharging, via a flow path through which hydrogen-containing gas discharged from the anode flows, the cathode off-gas supplied to the anode.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nakaue Takayuki
• Kamata Tomoya

Classifications

• C25B1/04 Primary

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title

• C25B15/08

  Supplying or removing reactants or electrolytes; Regeneration of electrolytes · CPC title

• C25B15/02

  Process control or regulation · CPC title

• C25B9/19

  with diaphragms · CPC title

• B01D53/326

  in electrochemical cells · CPC title