초록 ▼

A transformer (57) using exhaust gas heat as a heat source is provided at a fuel supply system (5) of a gas engine ( 1), wherein the transformer (57) causes a transformational reaction (H2+CO2→CO+H2O) between hydrogen and carbon dioxide, thus changing the composition of the fuel, and this fuel

A transformer (57) using exhaust gas heat as a heat source is provided at a fuel supply system (5) of a gas engine ( 1), wherein the transformer (57) causes a transformational reaction (H2+CO2→CO+H2O) between hydrogen and carbon dioxide, thus changing the composition of the fuel, and this fuel with a changed composition is supplied to a combustion chamber. Furthermore, water vapor is produced by an exhaust heat boiler (52) using exhaust gas heat as a heat source, and this water vapor is supplied to a fuel supply system. Further still, a hydrogen separating device (56) is provided that separates and extracts hydrogen from a fuel, and the fuel is supplied to a combustion chamber after hydrogen is separated and extracted.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A gas engine that uses a fuel containing hydrogen components, comprising: a transformer that uses engine exhaust heat as a heat source; wherein a transformational reaction (H2+CO2 →CO+H2O) between hydrogen and carbon dioxide is caused to occur in the transformer,

The invention claimed is: 1. A gas engine that uses a fuel containing hydrogen components, comprising: a transformer that uses engine exhaust heat as a heat source; wherein a transformational reaction (H2+CO2 →CO+H2O) between hydrogen and carbon dioxide is caused to occur in the transformer, changing a composition of the fuel, and the fuel with a changed composition is supplied to a combustion chamber. 2. The gas engine according to claim 1, wherein the engine exhaust system comprises a CO2 separating means; and wherein the carbon dioxide separated from the exhaust gas by the CO2 separating means is supplied to the transformer. 3. The gas engine according to claim 1, comprising: a hydrogen separating means for separating and extracting hydrogen from a fuel; wherein the hydrogen separated by the hydrogen separating means is supplied to the transformer. 4. The gas engine according to claim 1, wherein the fuel is a hydrocarbon-based fuel; wherein the gas engine comprises a fuel reforming device that reforms fuel by using engine exhaust heat to cause an endothermic reaction (CmHn+mH2O→mCO+(n/2+m)H 2) between water vapor and the fuel; and wherein a fuel reformed by the fuel reforming device is supplied to a combustion chamber. 5. The gas engine according to claim 4, wherein: the hydrogen separating means that separates and extracts hydrogen from the fuel and the fuel reforming device are integrally configured, and wherein, while hydrogen is separated and extracted by the hydrogen separating means, a fuel reforming operation is performed by the fuel reforming device. 6. The gas engine according to claim 4: wherein the temperature inside the transformer is raised by combusting a portion of pre-reforming fuel or post-reforming fuel. 7. The gas engine according to claim 4: wherein the temperature inside the fuel reforming device is raised by combusting a portion of pre-reforming fuel or post-reforming fuel. 8. The gas engine according to claim 4: wherein the temperature inside the fuel reforming device is raised by combusting a portion of pre-transformation fuel or post-transformation fuel. 9. The gas engine according to claim 4, comprising: an oxidation catalyst device that causes non-combusted components in exhaust gas to be combusted; wherein the temperature inside the fuel reforming device is raised above the temperature of the exhaust by the combustion of non-combusted components with the oxidation catalyst device. 10. The gas engine according to claim 4, comprising: a hydrogen absorbing device that contains a hydrogen absorbing material and is capable of absorbing hydrogen; wherein the temperature inside the fuel reforming device is raised above the temperature of the exhaust by the heat generated by hydride formation when the hydrogen absorbing material absorbs hydrogen. 11. The gas engine according to claim 4, wherein the pressure inside the fuel reforming device can be reduced when a hydrocarbon-based fuel is reformed. 12. The gas engine according to claim 1: wherein the temperature inside the transformer is raised by combusting a portion of pre-transformation fuel or post-transformation fuel. 13. The gas engine according to claim 1, comprising: an oxidation catalyst device that causes non-combusted components in exhaust gas to be combusted; wherein the temperature inside the transformer is raised above the temperature of the exhaust by the combustion of non-combusted components with the oxidation catalyst device. 14. The gas engine according to claim 1, comprising: a hydrogen absorbing device that contains a hydrogen absorbing material and is capable of absorbing hydrogen; wherein the temperature inside the transformer is raised above the temperature of the exhaust by the heat generated by hydride formation when the hydrogen absorbing material absorbs hydrogen. 15. The gas engine according to claim 14, comprising: a tank that stores hydrogen; wherein the hydrogen inside the tank is absorbed by the hydrogen absorbing material inside the hydrogen absorbing device, and hydrogen is drawn from the hydrogen absorbing device using engine exhaust heat and supplied to a combustion chamber. 16. The gas engine according to claim 14, comprising: a tank that stores hydrogen; wherein the hydrogen inside the tank is absorbed by the hydrogen absorbing material inside the hydrogen absorbing device on the one hand; an exhaust temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the exhaust; and a pressure adjustment means for adjusting the pressure inside the hydrogen absorbing device; wherein, based on the exhaust temperature detected by the exhaust temperature sensor, the pressure adjustment means adjusts the pressure inside the hydrogen absorbing device, and controls the formation of hydrides of hydrogen and the hydrogen absorbing material, and the separation of hydrogen from the hydrogen absorbing material. 17. A gas engine according to claim 14, further comprising a tank that stores hydrogen, the hydrogen inside the tank is absorbed by the hydrogen absorbing material inside the hydrogen absorbing device; an exhaust temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the exhaust; and a pressure adjustment means for adjusting the pressure inside the hydrogen absorbing device, wherein hydrogen is drawn from the hydrogen absorbing device using engine exhaust heat and supplied to a combustion chamber, wherein, based on the exhaust temperature detected by the exhaust temperature sensor, the pressure adjustment means adjusts the pressure inside the hydrogen absorbing device, and controls the formation of hydrides of hydrogen and the hydrogen absorbing material, and the separation of hydrogen from the hydrogen absorbing material, and wherein the following operations are performed together; a supply operation in which hydrogen drawn from the hydrogen absorbing device is supplied to a combustion chamber in the gas engine; and a control operation in which the formation of hydrides of hydrogen and the hydrogen absorbing material, and the separation of hydrogen from the hydrogen absorbing material is controlled by adjusting the pressure inside the hydrogen absorbing device in the gas engine. 18. The gas engine according to claim 1, comprising: a knocking sensor that detects an occurrence of knocking; and a hydrogen supply amount control means that receives output from the knocking sensor and measures the knocking intensity, and, when a predetermined value of knocking intensity is exceeded, reduces the mixing proportion of hydrogen in the total fuel supplied to the combustion chamber. 19. The gas engine according to claim 18 comprising: a mixing ratio adjustment means for adjusting the mixing proportions of hydrogen and hydrogen-separated reformed fuel. 20. The gas engine according to claim 1, wherein the fuel is a pure hydrogen fuel. 21. A gas engine that uses a fuel containing hydrogen components, comprising: a hydrogen separating means for separating and extracting hydrogen from the fuel, a water vapor generating means for generating water vapor, and a mixer, wherein the fuel is a hydrocarbon-based fuel; wherein the gas engine comprises a fuel reforming device that reforms fuel by using engine exhaust heat to cause an endothermic reaction (CmHn+mH2O→mCO+(n/2+m)H 2) between the water vapor generated by the water vapor generating means and the fuel; and wherein the fuel reformed by the fuel reforming device and from which hydrogen has been separated and extracted by the hydrogen separating means is supplied to a combustion chamber after the reformed fuel is first mixed by the mixer with the water vapor aenerated by the water vapor generating means. 22. The gas engine according to claim 21, wherein the hydrogen separating means and the fuel reforming device are integrally configured, and wherein, while hydrogen is separated and extracted by the hydrogen separating means, a fuel reforming operation is performed by the fuel reforming device. 23. The gas engine according to any of the claims 21, 22, or 5, comprising: a desulfurizing device that removes sulfur content contained in a fuel by hyd rogenation-desulfurization; wherein a portion of the hydrogen separated and extracted by the hydrogen separating means is supplied to the desulfurizing device. 24. A gas engine that uses a fuel containing hydrogen components, comprising: a transformer that uses engine exhaust heat as a heat source; and a hydrogen separating means for separating and extracting hydrogen from a fuel, wherein a transformational reaction (H2+CO2 →CO+H2O) between hydrogen and carbon dioxide is caused to occur in the transformer, changing a composition of the fuel, and the fuel with a changed composition is supplied to a combustion chamber, wherein the engine exhaust system comprises a CO2 separating means, wherein the carbon dioxide separated from the exhaust gas by the CO2 separating means is supplied to the transformer, wherein the hydrogen separated by the hydrogen separating means is supplied to the transformer and wherein the following operations are performed together: a supply operation in which carbon dioxide separated by the CO2 separating means of the gas engine is supplied to the transformer; and a supply operation in which hydrogen separated by a hydrogen separating means of the gas engine is supplied to the transformer. 25. A gas engine that uses a fuel containing hydrogen components, comprising: a transformer that uses engine exhaust heat as a heat source; and a hydrogen separating means for separating and extracting hydrogen from the fuel, wherein a transformational reaction (H2+CO2 →CO+H2O) between hydrogen and carbon dioxide is caused to occur in the transformer, changing a composition of the fuel, and the fuel with a changed composition is supplied to a combustion chamber, wherein a fuel from which hydrogen has been separated and extracted by the hydrogen separating means is supplied to a combustion chamber and wherein at least two of the following operations are performed: a supply operation in which a fuel that has a changed composition due to a transformational reaction using the transformer of the gas engine is supplied to a combustion chamber; a supply operation in which water vapor that is produced by a water vapor producing means that uses engine exhaust heat as a heat source to produce water vapor is supplied to a fuel supply system; and a supply operation in which a fuel from which hydrogen has been separated and extracted by the hydrogen separating means in the gas engine is supplied to a combustion chamber. 26. The gas engine according to claim 25, wherein, in the supply operation in which water vapor is supplied to a fuel supply system of the gas engine; the fuel is a hydrocarbon-based fuel; wherein the gas engine comprises a fuel reforming device that reforms fuel by using engine exhaust heat to cause an endothermic reaction (CmHn+mH2O→mCO+(n/2+m)H 2) between water vapor and the fuel; and wherein a fuel reformed by the fuel reforming device is supplied to a combustion chamber. 27. A gas engine that uses a fuel containing hydrogen components, comprising: a transformer that uses engine exhaust heat as a heat source; wherein a transformational reaction (H2+CO2 →CO+H2O) between hydrogen and carbon dioxide is caused to occur in the transformer, changing a composition of the fuel, and the fuel with a changed composition is supplied to a combustion chamber, wherein the fuel is a hydrocarbon-based fuel; wherein the gas engine comprises a fuel reforming device that reforms fuel by using engine exhaust heat to cause an endothermic reaction (CmHn+mH2O→mCO+(n/2+m)H 2) between water vapor and the fuel; wherein a fuel reformed by the fuel reforming device is supplied to a combustion chamber; and wherein at least two of the following operations are performed: a temperature-raising operation in which the temperature inside the transformer is raised by combusting a portion of pre-transformation fuel or post-transformation fuel in the gas engine; a temperature-raising operation in which the temperature inside the transformer is raised by combusting a portion of pre-reforming fuel or post-reforming fuel in the gas engine; a temperature-raising operation in which the temperature inside the fuel reforming device is raised by combusting a portion of pre-reforming fuel or post-reforming fuel in the gas engine; a temperature-raising operation in which the temperature inside the fuel reforming device is raised by combusting a portion of pre-transformation fuel or post-transformation fuel in the gas engine; a temperature-raising operation in which the temperature inside the transformer is raised by the combustion of non-combusted components by an oxidation catalyst device in the gas engine with the oxidation catalyst device causing non-combusted components in exhaust gas to be combusted, wherein the temperature inside the transformer is raised above the temperature of the exhaust by the combustion of non-combusted components with the oxidation catalyst device; a temperature-raising operation in which the temperature inside the fuel reforming device is raised by the combustion of non-combusted components by the oxidation catalyst device in the gas engine, the oxidation catalyst device causing non-combusted components in exhaust gas to be combusted, wherein the temperature inside the fuel reforming device is raised above the temperature of the exhaust by the combustion of non-combusted components with the oxidation catalyst device; a temperature-raising operation in which the temperature inside the transformer is raised by the heat generated by hydride formation when the hydrogen absorbing material absorbs hydrogen in the gas engine that includes a hydrogen absorbing device that contains the hydrogen absorbing material and is capable of absorbing hydrogen, wherein the temperature inside the transformer is raised above the temperature of the exhaust by the heat generated by hydride formation when the hydrogen absorbing material absorbs hydrogen; a temperature-raising operation in which the temperature inside the fuel reforming device is raised by the heat generated by hydride formation when the hydrogen absorbing material absorbs hydrogen in hydrogen absorbing device of the gas engine, wherein the temperature inside the fuel reforming device is raised above the temperature of the exhaust by the heat generated by hydride formation when the hydrogen absorbing material absorbs hydrogen, or; a pressure-reducing operation in which the pressure inside the fuel reforming device is reduced in the gas engine when the pressure inside the fuel reforming device can be reduced when a hydrocarbon-based fuel is reformed. 28. The gas engine according to claim 27, comprising: a mixer that mixes hydrogen and post-transformation fuel; and an adjustment means capable of freely adjusting the mixing proportions in the mixer of hydrogen and post-transformation fuel. 29. The gas engine according to claim 27, comprising: a mixer that mixes hydrogen and hydrogen-separated reformed fuel; and an adjustment means capable of freely adjusting the mixing proportions in the mixer of hydrogen and hydrogen-separated reformed fuel.