Liquid hydrogen vaporization system and liquid hydrogen vaporization method

A liquid hydrogen vaporization system, comprising, a blower for supercharging wet air in atmosphere;

• a moisture eliminator for removing moisture contained in the wet air supercharged through the blower and converting the wet air into dry air;
• and
• a heat exchange unit for heating the hydrogen through heat exchange between the dry air and the hydrogen so that the hydrogen in a liquid state supplied from a hydrogen tank can be vaporized into a gaseous state and supplied to a fuel cell,
• wherein the moisture eliminator includes:
• a cooling module for forming a cooling space in which the wet air can be cooled and converted into the dry air by condensing moisture contained in the wet air by using cooling energy released when the hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen tank vaporizes so as to remove moisture contained in the wet air;
• a cooling line formed in a downward spiral shape from an upper side to a lower side along an inner circumferential surface of the cooling module so as to form a cooling atmosphere in the cooling space, releasing cooling energy, which had been generated in a process that at least a portion of the hydrogen is vaporized, to the cooling space, and discharging the hydrogen mixed in a liquid state and a gaseous state toward the heat exchange unit;
• an air inlet formed on an upper side of the cooling module to be in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the cooling module and to penetrate a side portion of the cooling module so as to introduce the wet air supercharged through the blower into the cooling space of the cooling module;
• and
• an air outlet formed in a cylindrical shape having an axis coaxial with a central axis of the cooling module so as to discharge the dry air, which had been converted in the cooling space, toward the heat exchange unit, penetrating an upper portion of the cooling module and extending in a direction toward a lower side of the cooling space;
• wherein the heat exchange unit includes:
• a first heat exchanger installed on a hydrogen line connecting the moisture eliminator and the fuel cell, heating the hydrogen to a first heating temperature through heat exchange between the dry air and the hydrogen;
• a second heat exchanger installed at a rear of the first heat exchanger on the hydrogen line based on a flow direction of the hydrogen flowing through the hydrogen line toward the fuel cell, heating the hydrogen to a second heating temperature higher than the first heating temperature through heat exchange between the dry air and the hydrogen;
• a distributor for controlling and distributing an amount of the dry air supplied to at least one of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger;
• and
• a heater installed in front of the second heat exchanger based on a flow direction of the dry air, heating the dry air flowing into the second heat exchanger to room temperature or higher;
• wherein the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are plate-fin heat exchangers.

A liquid hydrogen vaporization method, comprising the following steps,

• (a) supercharging wet air in atmosphere;
• (b) removing moisture contained in the supercharged wet air and converting the wet air into dry air;
• and
• (c) heat exchanging for heating the hydrogen through heat exchange between the dry air and the hydrogen so that the hydrogen in a liquid state supplied from a hydrogen tank can be vaporized into a gaseous state and supplied to a fuel cell;
• wherein (b) includes:
• condensing moisture contained in the wet air by using cooling energy released when the hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen tank vaporizes, thereby removing moisture contained in the wet air.