초록 ▼

A slush hydrogen production device ( 10 ) utilizes a hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator ( 30 ) having a wheel ( 50 ) of material exhibiting the magnetocaloric effect. The wheel is rotated through a magnetic field of varying intensity around the circumference of a wheel housing ( 36 ) created

A slush hydrogen production device ( 10 ) utilizes a hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator ( 30 ) having a wheel ( 50 ) of material exhibiting the magnetocaloric effect. The wheel is rotated through a magnetic field of varying intensity around the circumference of a wheel housing ( 36 ) created by the windings of superconductive magnets ( 56 ). The material of the wheel ( 50 ) follows a magnetic Carnot cycle as the wheel rotates ( 36 ) through regions of low temperature heat transfer and high temperature heat transfer. Liquid hydrogen is supplied to the regions of low and high temperature heat transfer through inlet pipes ( 39 and 42 ). Gaseous hydrogen is produced in the high temperature heat transfer region and vented away by an outlet pipe ( 48 ). Solid hydrogen is produced in the low temperature heat transfer region by direct solidification upon the magnetic wheel ( 50 ); and is removed by scrapers ( 76 ) and deposited in a compartment ( 26 ) where it mixes with liquid hydrogen to form slush hydrogen. A second magnetic refrigerator ( 108 ) may be used to keep its magnets and the magnets of the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator ( 30 ) at a temperature region suitable to maintain superconductivity. The slush hydrogen production device ( 10 ) may be part of a larger operating system that includes a liquid hydrogen storage tank ( 146 ), a slush hydrogen storage tank ( 136 ), a slush conditioner ( 148 ) and appropriate connective plumbing.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A slush hydrogen production device comprising:(a) a hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator which has a low temperature heat transfer region and a high temperature heat transfer region, hydrogen being solidified in the low temperature heat transfer region and heat being transferred away from th

1. A slush hydrogen production device comprising:(a) a hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator which has a low temperature heat transfer region and a high temperature heat transfer region, hydrogen being solidified in the low temperature heat transfer region and heat being transferred away from the magnetic refrigerator via gaseous hydrogen in the high temperature heat transfer region;(b) means for removing the solidified hydrogen from the low temperature heat transfer region and mixing the solidified hydrogen with liquid hydrogen to form slush hydrogen; and(c) means for venting the gaseous hydrogen from the high temperature heat transfer region. 2. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 1 wherein the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator includes:(a) magnetic material which exhibits the magnetocaloric effect mounted for movement into and out of the low temperature heat transfer region and the high temperature heat transfer region; and(b) means for producing a magnetic field at a position over a portion of the magnetic material such that each point of the magnetic material can be moved into and out of the magnetic field as the material is moved. 3. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 2 wherein the magnetic material is in the form of a wheel and including means for driving the magnetic wheel in rotation. 4. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 3 wherein the magnetic wheel is comprised of a plurality of flat rings of magnetic material each mounted to a holding rim which maintains the magnetic rings in stacked spaced relation, wherein liquid hydrogen contacts the flat rings of magnetic material in the high temperature heat transfer region and is partially boiled off, and hydrogen solidifies upon the flat rings of magnetic material in the low temperature heat transfer region. 5. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 2 wherein the magnetic material is gadolinium gallium garnet. 6. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 4 wherein the means for removing the slush hydrogen from the low temperature heat transfer region includes a scraper that scrapes the slush from the surfaces of the magnetic rings. 7. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 6 wherein the scraper is a series of cylindrical plates in stacked spaced relation that interleave with the flat rings of magnetic material. 8. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 3 wherein the means for producing the magnetic field includes a plurality of solenoidal coils formed of superconducting windings, the solenoidal coils being wound to create a bore through which the magnetic wheel rotates, the coils being wound such that the magnetic field varies at different points along the circumference of the wheel, the magnetic field being a maximum at the high temperature heat transfer region and a minimum in the low temperature heat transfer region. 9. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 8 wherein the field is varied along the circumference of the wheel by altering the number of windings in the coils at different positions about the circumference of the wheel. 10. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 8 wherein the superconducting windings are formed of Nb 3 Sn. 11. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 9 further including a second refrigerator operative to bring the solenoidal coils of the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator to a temperature range required to produce the superconductive effect in the windings and to maintain that temperature. 12. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 11 wherein the second refrigerator is a second magnetic refrigerator having a low temperature heat transfer region and a high temperature heat transfer region, the solenoidal coils of the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator and the second magnetic refrigerator being linked to the low temperature heat transfer region of the second magnetic refrigerator to produce the superconductive effect in the windings of t he hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator and the windings of the second magnetic refrigerator, and including means for transferring heat away from the high temperature heat transfer region of the second magnetic refrigerator. 13. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 12 wherein the solenoidal coils of the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator and the solenoidal coils of the second magnetic refrigerator are linked together by a rod which is a good conductor of heat at cryogenic temperatures. 14. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 12 wherein the means for transferring heat away from the high temperature heat transfer region of the second magnetic refrigerator is a rod which is a good conductor of heat at cryogenic temperatures that leads to a means for dissipating heat. 15. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 14 wherein the means for dissipating heat is a heat exchanger immersed in a bath of liquid hydrogen. 16. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 8 further including a helium gas precooler that is used to cool the solenoidal coils of the first magnetic refrigerator to superconducting temperatures, the precooler comprising:(a) a source of high pressure helium gas;(b) an expansion valve through which the helium gas passes, thereby reducing the pressure and causing the temperature of the helium gas to cool to a temperature required for the superconductive effect in the solenoidal coils of the first magnetic refrigerator; and(c) means for circulating the cooled helium gas about the solenoidal coils of the first magnetic refrigerator. 17. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 16 wherein the precooler further includes a heat exchanger through which the helium gas passes before passing through the expansion valve, the heat exchanger thereby intermediately cooling the helium gas before the cooling of the expansion valve. 18. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 17 wherein the heat exchanger is immersed in a bath of liquid hydrogen, the heat exchanger acting to cool the helium gas to the temperature of the liquid hydrogen. 19. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 1 wherein the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator is enclosed within an insulated tank having a top and a bottom, and wherein the solidified hydrogen removed from the low temperature heat transfer region is allowed to fall to a bottom section of the vacuum insulated tank containing slush hydrogen. 20. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 19 further including means for pumping the slush from the bottom of the vacuum insulated tank to an independent slush hydrogen storage tank. 21. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 19 further including means for venting the gaseous hydrogen from the high temperature heat extraction region to a collection system outside of the vacuum insulated tank. 22. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 19 including an independent liquid hydrogen storage tank wherein liquid hydrogen is stored and means for feeding the liquid hydrogen therefrom to the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator to replace the solidified hydrogen produced by the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator and removed as hydrogen slush and to replace the gaseous hydrogen that is vented from the high temperature heat transfer region. 23. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 19 wherein the insulated tank has an upper partition and a lower partition that divide the tank into an upper compartment and a lower compartment, the insulated tank having a first insulated pipe and a second insulated pipe that connect the upper compartment to the area between the partitions, the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator being positioned between the upper and lower partitions and wherein the first insulated pipe comprises the means for venting the gaseous hydrogen from the high temperature heat transfer region, and the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator receiving liquid hydrog en in its high temperature heat transfer region by the second insulated pipe. 24. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 23 including means for venting the gaseous hydrogen from the upper compartment of the insulated tank to a collection system outside of the insulated tank. 25. A slush hydrogen production device comprising:(a) a hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator which has a low temperature heat transfer region and a high temperature heat transfer region, hydrogen being solidified in the low temperature heat transfer region and heat being transfered away from the magnetic refrigerator via gaseous hydrogen in the high temperature heat transfer region, the hydrogen slushifier refrigerator including;(1) a magnetic wheel mounted for rotation about a central axis into and out of the low temperature heat transfer region and the high temperature heat transfer regions, the magnetic wheel including a plurality of flat rings of material which exhibits the magnetocaloric effect mounted to a surrounding holding rim which maintains the magnetic rings in spaced relation, and wherein liquid hydrogen contacts the flat rings of magnetic material in the high temperature heat transfer region and is partially boiled off, and hydrogen solidifies upon the flat rings of magnetic material in the low temperature heat transfer region;(2) means for driving the magnetic wheel about its axis of rotation;(3) means for producing a magnetic field at a position over a portion of the magnetic wheel such that each point of the magnetic wheel can be moved into and out of the magnetic field as the magnetic wheel is rotated;(4) means for removing the solidified hydrogen from the rings of magnetic material at the low temperature heat transfer region; and(5) means for venting the gaseous hydrogen from the high temperature heat transfer region;(b) a first compartment storing liquid hydrogen and means for transferring liquid hydrogen from the first compartment to the high temperature heat transfer region to absorb heat from the magnetic material in that region and be converted to gaseous hydrogen; and(c) a second compartment for containing slush hydrogen which is connected to the hydrogen slushifier refrigerator to receive solid hydrogen produced by the hydrogen slushifier refrigerator and removed by the means for removing. 26. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 25 including means for transfering liquid hydrogen from the second compartment to the low temperature transfer region so that the liquid hydrogen transfers heat to the rings of magnetic material and solidifies. 27. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 25 wherein the material of the magnetic rings is gadolinium gallium garnet. 28. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 25 wherein the means for removing the slush hydrogen from the low temperature heat transfer region including a scraper that scrapes the slush from the surfaces of the magnetic rings. 29. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 28 wherein the scraper is a series of cylindrical plates in stacked spaced relation that interleaves with the flat rings of magnetic material. 30. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 25 wherein the means for producing the magnetic field includes a plurality of solenoidal coils formed of superconducting windings, the solenoidal coils being wound to create a bore through which the magnetic wheel rotates, the coils being wound such that the magnetic field varies at different points along the circumference of the wheel, the magnetic field being a maximum at the high temperature heat transfer region and a minimum in the low temperature heat transfer region. 31. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 30 wherein the field is varied along the circumference of the wheel by altering the number of windings in the coils at different positions about the circumference of the wheel. 32. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 30 wherein the superconducting windings are formed of Nb 3 Sn. 33. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 30 further including a second refrigerator operative to bring the solenoidal coils of the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator to a temperature range required to produce the superconductive effect in the windings and to maintain that temperature. 34. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 33 wherein the second refrigerator is a second magnetic refrigerator having a low temperature heat transfer region and a high temperature heat transfer region, the solenoidal coils of the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator and the second magnetic refrigerator being linked to the low temperature heat transfer region of the second magnetic refrigerator to produce the superconductive effect in the windings of the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator and including means for transferring heat away from the high temperature heat transfer region of the second magnetic refrigerator. 35. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 34 wherein the solenoidal coils of the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator and the solenoidal coils of the second magnetic refrigerator are linked together by a rod which is a good conductor of heat at cryogenic temperatures. 36. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 34 wherein the means for transferring heat away from the high temperature heat transfer region of the second magnetic refrigerator is a rod which is a good conductor of heat at cryogenic temperatures that leads to a means for dissipating heat. 37. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 36 wherein the means for dissipating heat is a heat exchanger immersed in a bath of liquid hydrogen. 38. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 30 further including a helium gas precooler that is used to cool the solenoidal coils of the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator to superconducting temperatures, the precooler comprising:(a) a source of high pressure helium gas;(b) an expansion valve through which the helium gas passes, thereby reducing the pressure and causing the temperature of the helium gas to cool to a temperature required for the superconductive effect in the solenoidal coils of the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator; and(c) a means for circulating the cooled helium gas about the solenoidal coils of the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator. 39. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 25 wherein the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator is enclosed within an insulated tank having a top and a bottom, within which are formed the first and second compartments, and wherein the hydrogen slush removed from the low temperature heat transfer region is allowed to fall into the second compartment of the vacuum insulated tank. 40. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 39 further including a means for pumping the slush from the second compartment of the vacuum insulated tank to an independent slush hydrogen storage tank. 41. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 40 further including means for venting the gaseous hydrogen from the high temperature heat extraction region to a collection system outside of the vacuum insulated tank. 42. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 39 including an independent liquid hydrogen storage tank wherein liquid hydrogen is stored and means for feeding the liquid hydrogen therefrom to the first compartment to replace the hydrogen solidified by the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator and to replace the gaseous hydrogen that is vented from the high temperature heat transfer region. 43. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 39 wherein the insulated tank has an upper partition and lower partition that divides the tank into the first and second compartments, the insulated tank having a hydrogen slushifier insulated pipe and a second insulated pipe that connect the first compartment to the area between the partitions, the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator being positioned between the upper and lower partition and wherein the first insulated pipe is the means for venting the gaseous hydrogen from the high temperature heat transfer region, the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator receiving liquid hydrogen in its high temperature heat transfer region by the second insulated pipe. 44. The slush hydrogen production device of claim 43 including means for venting the gaseous hydrogen from the upper compartment of the insulated tank to a collection system outside of the insulated tank. 45. A slush hydrogen maintenance facility comprising:(a) a slush hydrogen production device which comprises:(1) a hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator which has a low temperature heat transfer region and a high temperature heat transfer region, hydrogen being solidified in the low temperature heat transfer region and heat being transferred away from the magnetic refrigerator via gaseous hydrogen in the high temperature heat transfer region;(2) means for removing the solidified hydrogen from the low temperature heat transfer region and mixing the solidified hydrogen with liquid hydrogen to form slush hydrogen;(3) means for venting the gaseous hydrogen from the high temperature heat transfer region;(4) an insulated tank which encloses the hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator and having a compartment for slush hydrogen and wherein the solidified hydrogen removed from the low temperature heat extraction region is received into the slush hydrogen compartment of the insulated tank;(b) a slush hydrogen storage tank located outside of the insulated tank of the slush hydrogen production device;(c) means for pumping the slush hydrogen from the bottom of the insulated tank of the slush hydrogen production device to the slush hydrogen storage tank;(d) a liquid hydrogen storage tank located outside of the insulated tank of the slush hydrogen production device;(e) means for delivering liquid hydrogen from the liquid hydrogen storage tank to the slush hydrogen production device to replace the slush hydrogen produced by the slush hydrogen production device and to replace the gaseous hydrogen that is vented from the high temperature heat transfer region of the slush hydrogen production device. 46. The slush hydrogen maintenance facility of claim 45 further comprising:(a) means for conditioning slush hydrogen in the slush hydrogen storage tank so as to increase the ratio of solid to liquid hydrogen in the slush; and(b) a means for transferring slush from the slush hydrogen storage tank to the means for conditioning slush. 47. The slush hydrogen maintenance facility of claim 46 wherein the means for conditioning slush is a second slush hydrogen production device, which comprises:(a) a hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator which has a low temperature heat transfer region and a high temperature heat transfer region, hydrogen being solidified in the low temperature heat transfer region and heat being transferred away from the magnetic refrigerator via gaseous hydrogen in the high temperature heat transfer region;(b) means for removing the solidified hydrogen from the low temperature heat transfer region and mixing the solidified hydrogen with liquid hydrogen to form slush hydrogen; and(c) means for venting the gaseous hydrogen from the high temperature heat transfer region. 48. A method of producing slush hydrogen using a magnetic refrigerator of the type having a magnetic wheel of material which exhibits the magnetocaloric effect mounted for movement, and at least one superconducting magnet coil mounted at a position over a portion of the magnetic wheel such that the material at each point of the magnetic wheel moves into and out of the magnetic field from the coil as the wheel rotates, comprising the steps of:(a) inducing a current in the coil to produce a magnetic field;(b) rotating the magnetic wheel into and out of the magnetic field to produce regions of low temperature heat transfer and high temperature he at transfer;(c) supplying liquid hydrogen to the regions of low temperature heat transfer and to the region of high temperature heat transfer;(d) solidifying solid hydrogen in the low temperature heat transfer region on the wheel and venting gaseous hydrogen away from the high temperature heat transfer region; and(e) removing the solid hydrogen from the wheel and accumulating the solid hydrogen as slush. 49. The method of claim 48 wherein steps (b), (c), (d), and (e) are repeated until a desired consistency or amount of slush is obtained.