Dehydrogenation reaction device and control method thereof

1 . A dehydrogenation reaction device comprising:

a chemical hydride storage unit including a chemical hydride storage tank;

a reaction unit including an acid aqueous solution storage tank configured to store an acid aqueous solution, and a dehydrogenation reactor configured to generate hydrogen by reacting a chemical hydride with the acid aqueous solution;

a hydrogen storage unit including a hydrogen storage tank configured to store the hydrogen produced in the dehydrogenation reactor; and

a recovery unit for recovering a product produced in the dehydrogenation reactor,

wherein the chemical hydride storage unit further includes a water storage tank configured to store water, and a mixer configured to prepare a chemical hydride aqueous solution by mixing the chemical hydride and the water,

wherein the chemical hydride storage unit is configured to supply the chemical hydride aqueous solution to the dehydrogenation reactor,

wherein the chemical hydride aqueous solution and the acid aqueous solution are configured to be in contact with each other within three seconds after injection into the dehydrogenation reactor,

wherein the dehydrogenation reactor includes a first nozzle configured to spray the chemical hydride aqueous solution and a second nozzle configured to spray the acid aqueous solution, and

wherein the first nozzle or the second nozzle includes a radial injector for atomizing the chemical hydride aqueous solution or the acid aqueous solution.

2 . The dehydrogenation reaction device of claim 1 , wherein the chemical hydride storage tank includes the chemical hydride and a stabilizer comprising sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH), lithium hydroxide (LiOH), cesium hydroxide (CsOH), or a combination thereof.

3 . The dehydrogenation reaction device of claim 1 , wherein the chemical hydride storage unit is configured to inject the chemical hydride directly from the chemical hydride storage tank into the dehydrogenation reactor.

4 . The dehydrogenation reaction device of claim 1 , wherein the chemical hydride aqueous solution comprises:

20 wt. % to 80 wt. % of the chemical hydride;

1 wt. % to 10 wt. % of the stabilizer; and

a balance amount of the water.

5 . The dehydrogenation reaction device of claim 1 , wherein the chemical hydride aqueous solution is configured to be injected into the dehydrogenation reactor simultaneously with the acid aqueous solution or is configured to be injected into the dehydrogenation reactor after the acid aqueous solution is injected first.

6 . The dehydrogenation reaction device of claim 1 , wherein the chemical hydride aqueous solution is configured to be heated to a temperature in a range of 30° C. to 80° C. and injected into the dehydrogenation reactor.

7 . The dehydrogenation reaction device of claim 1 , wherein the reaction unit further includes a cooling water storage tank for maintaining a temperature of the dehydrogenation reactor in a range of 100° C. to 400° C.

8 . The dehydrogenation reaction device of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen storage unit further includes a moisture trap, a methanator, a filter, or a combination thereof for separating the hydrogen from a mixed gas produced in the dehydrogenation reactor at a front end of the hydrogen storage tank.

9 . The dehydrogenation reaction device of claim 1 , wherein the recovery unit is configured to recover the product from the dehydrogenation reactor in a liquid state when a temperature of the product is greater than or equal to 40° C.

10 . The dehydrogenation reaction device of claim 1 , wherein the recovery unit includes a product storage tank configured to receive a mixed gas and the product produced in the dehydrogenation reactor, and to transfer the mixed gas to a front end of the hydrogen storage unit.

11 . The dehydrogenation reaction device of claim 10 , wherein the product storage tank is configured to be discharged by evaporating moisture contained in the product.

12 . The dehydrogenation reaction device of claim 1 , wherein the recovery unit is configured to dissolve and discharge the product by injecting a solvent of greater than or equal to 40° C. into a product storage tank.

13 . A control method of a dehydrogenation reaction device of claim 1 , the method comprising:

(a) determining whether a hydrogen supply is required to a fuel cell;

(b) determining whether a pressure in the hydrogen storage tank is less than a reference pressure when the hydrogen supply is required to the fuel cell;

(c) mixing the chemical hydride and water to prepare the chemical hydride aqueous solution when the pressure in the hydrogen storage tank is less than the reference pressure;

(d) determining whether an internal pressure of the dehydrogenation reactor is less than a predetermined limit pressure;

(e) injecting the chemical hydride and the acid aqueous solution into the dehydrogenation reactor to perform a dehydrogenation reaction when the internal pressure of the dehydrogenation reactor is less than the predetermined limit pressure;

(f) determining whether the internal pressure of the dehydrogenation reactor is greater than the pressure of the hydrogen storage tank;

(g) supplying hydrogen produced in the dehydrogenation reactor to the hydrogen storage tank when the internal pressure of the dehydrogenation reactor is greater than the pressure of the hydrogen storage tank and returning to step (f);

(h) stopping the injection of the chemical hydride aqueous solution and the acid aqueous solution into the dehydrogenation reactor and transferring the hydrogen in the hydrogen storage tank to the fuel cell when the internal pressure of the dehydrogenation reactor is not greater than the pressure of the hydrogen storage tank;

(i) determining whether the internal pressure of the dehydrogenation reactor is less than a product discharge pressure;

(j) returning to step (g) when the internal pressure of the dehydrogenation reactor is not less than the product discharge pressure;

(k) transferring a mixed gas and the product in the dehydrogenation reactor to a product storage tank, transferring the mixed gas in the product storage tank to the hydrogen storage unit, and then returning to step (a) when the internal pressure of the dehydrogenation reactor is less than the product discharge pressure; and

(l) terminating operation when hydrogen supply to the fuel cell is not required.

14 . The control method of claim 13 , wherein, in step (b), the reference pressure is a pressure configured to be supplied to the fuel cell above atmospheric pressure,

wherein, in step (d), the predetermined limit pressure is a maximum allowable pressure at which the dehydrogenation reactor is pressurized by hydrogen,

wherein, in step (f), the pressure of the hydrogen storage tank is a normal pressure to a predetermined limit pressure, and

wherein, in step (i), the product discharge pressure is a minimum pressure at which the product is configured to be automatically discharged from the dehydrogenation reactor using the mixed gas.

15 . The control method of claim 14 , wherein the reference pressure is in a range of 10 bar to 20 bar, and

wherein the product discharge pressure is in a range of 1 bar to 10 bar.

16 . The control method of claim 13 , wherein, in step (b), when the pressure of the hydrogen storage tank is not less than the reference pressure, the method moves to step (h) of supplying hydrogen from the hydrogen storage tank to the fuel cell.

17 . The control method of claim 13 , wherein, in step (d), when the internal pressure of the dehydrogenation reactor is not less than a set limit pressure, the method moves to step (f) of determining whether the internal pressure of the dehydrogenation reactor is greater than the internal pressure of the hydrogen storage tank.