Method and device for liquefying hydrogen
AssigneeLinde Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsMichael Bracha, Rolf Trill, Joachim Wolf
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described is a process and a device for liquefying hydrogen, whereby the hydrogen to be liquefied is liquefied against one or more refrigerant (mixture) circuits and/or by means of expansion and is guided over at least one ortho-para conversion catalyst. According to the invention, the ortho-para conversion catalyst or at least one of the ortho-para conversion catalysts (K) can be bypassed. Furthermore, during the liquefaction process an exchange (7, 8) can take place between the hydrogen fraction (3), flowing (2, 4) through the ortho-para conversion catalyst(s) (K), and the hydrogen fraction (3), not flowing through the ortho-para conversion catalyst(s) (K).
Claims12
A process for liquefying hydrogen, comprising:
- a) liquefying hydrogen against one or more refrigerant circuits or means of expansion to form liquefied hydrogen;
- b) guiding at least a portion of the liquefied hydrogen over at least one ortho-para conversion catalyst;
- and
- c) by-passing at least a portion of the liquefied hydrogen around at least one of the ortho-para conversion catalysts;
- wherein at least a portion of the liquefied hydrogen guided over the ortho-para conversion catalyst is mixed with at least a portion of the liquefied hydrogen that is by-passed around the ortho-para conversion catalyst.
A device for liquefying hydrogen, comprising
- a) at least one heat exchanger, in which the hydrogen to be liquefied is cooled and liquefied against itself or one or more refrigerant circuits;
- b) at least one expansion unit, in which the hydrogen is expanded;
- c) at least one ortho-para conversion catalyst;
- d) at least one heat exchanger area, in which an ortho-para conversion catalyst is disposed;
- e) means to by-pass the ortho-para conversion catalyst or the heat exchanger area in which the ortho-para conversion catalyst is disposed;
- and
- f) means to mix at least a portion of the liquefied hydrogen guided over the ortho-para conversion catalyst with at least a portion of the liquefied hydrogen that is by-passed around the ortho-para conversion catalyst.
A process for liquefying hydrogen, comprising:
- a) passing hydrogen through a heat exchanger along with a cooling medium;
- b) contacting at least a portion of the hydrogen being passed through the heat exchanger with a hydrogen conversion catalyst to convert the hydrogen from a first rotation state to second rotation state;
- c) by-passing at least a portion of the hydrogen in the first rotation state around the hydrogen conversion catalyst to maintain at least a portion of the hydrogen in the first rotation state;
- and
- d) combining at least a portion of the hydrogen converted to the second rotation state with at least a portion of the hydrogen by-passed around the hydrogen conversion catalyst to obtain a mix of hydrogen in the first and second rotation states.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.