Method of and apparatus for producing hydrogen using geothermal energy

Abstract

The present inventive subject matter is drawn to apparatus for producing hydrogen using geothermal energy comprising: heating means for heating a solution for use in electrolysis with heat from geothermal fluid and producing a heated solution; and electrolysis means for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of said heated solution. The present invention also relates to a method for producing hydrogen using geothermal energy comprising: heating a solution for use in electrolysis with heat from geothermal fluid and producing a heated solution; and producing hydrogen by electrolysis of said heated solution. In addition, in accordance with the present invention, apparatus for producing hydrogen using geothermal energy is provided comprising: heating means for heating a solution for use in electrolysis with heat from geothermal fluid and producing a heated solution; electrolysis means for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of said heated solution; and power producing means utilizing the pressure of said hydrogen for producing power.

1 . Apparatus for producing hydrogen using geothermal energy comprising: 
 a) heating means apparatus for heating a solution for use in electrolysis with heat from geothermal fluid and producing a heated solution; and    b) electrolysis means apparatus for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of said heated solution.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said heating means for heating a solution for use in electrolysis with heat from geothermal fluid and producing a heated solution comprises an indirect heat exchanger for transferring heat from said geothermal fluid to a solution for heating said solution.  
   
   
       3 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  including supply means for supplying said heated solution to said electrolysis means for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of said heated solution.  
   
   
       4 . Apparatus according to  claim 2  further including a separator for separating said geothermal fluid into geothermal steam and geothermal liquid and a pump for pumping geothermal liquid of said geothermal fluid.  
   
   
       5 . Apparatus according to  claim 4  further including power producing means that includes a vaporizer for vaporizing working fluid present in said vaporizer and producing working fluid vapor using heat present in said geothermal liquid, a vapor turbine for expanding said working fluid vapor and producing power, and a condenser for condensing the expanded working fluid exiting said vapor turbine and producing working fluid condensate and a cycle pump for supplying said working fluid condensate to said vaporizer.  
   
   
       5 . Apparatus according to  claim 4  wherein said working fluid is an organic working fluid.  
   
   
       6 . Apparatus according to  claim 4  further including supply means for supplying heat depleted geothermal liquid exiting said vaporizer to said indirect heat exchanger for heating said solution and producing said heated solution for electrolysis.  
   
   
       7 . Apparatus according to  claim 6  wherein said pump pumps further heat depleted geothermal liquid exiting said indirect heat exchanger to an injection well.  
   
   
       8 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  including further means for producing oxygen by electrolysis of said heated solution.  
   
   
       9 . Apparatus according to  claim 8  including further means for utilizing said oxygen for producing power.  
   
   
       10 . Apparatus according to  claim 8  including storage means for storing said oxygen for later use.  
   
   
       11 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  including further means for utilizing said hydrogen for producing power.  
   
   
       12 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  including storage means for storing said hydrogen for later use.  
   
   
       13 . Apparatus according to  claim 12  including apparatus for producing power using stored hydrogen stored in said storage means.  
   
   
       14 . Apparatus according to  claim 13  including apparatus for producing power using stored hydrogen stored in said storage means during period of peak electricity demand.  
   
   
       15 . Apparatus for producing hydrogen using geothermal energy comprising: 
 a) heating means for heating a solution for use in electrolysis with heat from geothermal fluid and producing a heated solution;    b) electrolysis means for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of said heated solution; and    c) power producing means utilizing the pressure of said hydrogen for producing power.    
   
   
       16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein said heating means for heating a solution for use in electrolysis with heat from geothermal fluid and producing a heated solution comprises an indirect heat exchanger for transferring heat from said geothermal fluid to a solution for heating said solution.  
   
   
       17 . Apparatus according to  claim 15  including supply means for supplying said heated solution to said electrolysis means for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of said heated solution.  
   
   
       18 . Apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein said power producing means utilizing the pressure of said hydrogen for producing power includes a separator for separating said geothermal fluid into geothermal steam and geothermal liquid and a pump using the pressure of said hydrogen in pumping geothermal liquid of said geothermal fluid.  
   
   
       19 . Apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein said power producing means utilizing the pressure of said hydrogen for producing power further includes a vaporizer for vaporizing working fluid present in said vaporizer and producing working fluid vapor using heat present in said geothermal liquid, a vapor turbine for expanding said working fluid vapor and producing power, and condenser for condensing the expanded working fluid exiting said vapor turbine and producing working fluid condensate and a cycle pump for supplying said working fluid condensate to said vaporizer.  
   
   
       20 . Apparatus according to  claim 19  wherein said working fluid is an organic working fluid.  
   
   
       21 . Apparatus according to  claim 18  further including supply means for supplying heat depleted geothermal liquid exiting said vaporizer to said indirect heat exchanger for heating said solution and producing said heated solution for electrolysis.  
   
   
       22 . Apparatus according to  claim 21  wherein said pump pumps further heat depleted geothermal liquid exiting said indirect heat exchanger to an injection well.  
   
   
       23 . Apparatus according to  claim 15  including further means for producing oxygen by electrolysis of said heated solution.  
   
   
       24 . Apparatus according to  claim 23  including further means for utilizing the pressure of said oxygen for producing power.  
   
   
       25 . Apparatus according to  claim 24  wherein said further means for utilizing the pressure of said gas for producing power includes a separator for separating said geothermal fluid into geothermal steam and geothermal liquid, power producing means using said geothermal liquid to produce power and means using the pressure of said oxygen for pumping geothermal liquid of said geothermal fluid.  
   
   
       26 . A method for producing hydrogen using geothermal energy comprising: 
 a) heating a solution for use in electrolysis with heat from geothermal fluid and producing a heated solution;    b) producing hydrogen by electrolysis of said heated solution; and    c) utilizing the pressure of said hydrogen for producing power    
   
   
       27 . The method according to  claim 26  wherein the step of heating a solution for use in electrolysis with heat from geothermal fluid and producing a heated solution is carried out by supplying said geothermal fluid to an indirect heat exchanger for transferring heat from said geothermal fluid to a solution for heating said solution.  
   
   
       28 . A method according to  claim 26  including supplying said heated solution to apparatus for use of said heated solution in electrolysis for producing hydrogen.  
   
   
       29 . A method according to  claim 26  wherein the step of utilizing the pressure of said hydrogen for producing power includes separating said geothermal fluid into geothermal steam and geothermal liquid, using geothermal liquid to produce power and using the pressure of said hydrogen in pumping geothermal liquid of said geothermal fluid.  
   
   
       30 . A method according to  claim 26  including the further step of producing oxygen by electrolysis of said heated solution.  
   
   
       31 . A method according to  claim 29  including the further step of utilizing the pressure of said oxygen for producing power.  
   
   
       32 . A method according to  claim 31  wherein the further step of utilizing the pressure of said oxygen for producing power includes separating said geothermal fluid into geothermal steam and geothermal liquid, using said geothermal liquid to produce power and using the pressure of said oxygen in pumping geothermal liquid of said geothermal fluid.  
   
   
       33 . A method according to  claim 30  including the further step of producing power using said oxygen.  
   
   
       34 . A method according to  claim 26  including the further step of producing power using said hydrogen.  
   
   
       35 . Apparatus for producing hydrogen using geothermal energy comprising: 
 (a) heating means for heating a solution for use in electrolysis with heat from geothermal fluid and producing a heated solution;    (b) electrolysis means for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of said heated solution; and    (c) storage means for storing said hydrogen for later use.    
   
   
       36 . Apparatus according to  claim 35  including apparatus for producing power using stored hydrogen stored in said storage means.  
   
   
       37 . Apparatus according to  claim 36  including apparatus for producing power using stored hydrogen stored in said storage means during period of peak electricity demand.  
   
   
       38 . A method for producing hydrogen using geothermal energy comprising: 
 a) heating a solution for use in electrolysis with heat from geothermal fluid and producing a heated solution;    b) producing hydrogen by electrolysis of said heated solution; and    c) storing said hydrogen for later use.    
   
   
       39 . A method according to  claim 38  wherein the further step of storing said hydrogen for later use is carried out by storing said hydrogen during off-peak periods of electricity demand for use during periods of peak electricity demand.  
   
   
       40 . A method according to  claim 38  including the further step of using said stored hydrogen for producing electricity.  
   
   
       41 . Apparatus for producing hydrogen using geothermal energy comprising: 
 (a) heating means for heating a solution for use in electrolysis with heat from geothermal fluid and producing a heated solution;    (b) electrolysis means for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of said heated solution; and    (c) power producing means for producing power using heat present in said geothermal fluid.    
   
   
       42 . The apparatus according to  claim 41  wherein said heating means for heating a solution for use in electrolysis with heat from geothermal fluid and producing a heated solution comprises an indirect heat exchanger for transferring heat from said geothermal fluid to a solution for heating said solution.  
   
   
       43 . Apparatus according to  claim 42  further including a separator for separating said geothermal fluid into geothermal steam and geothermal liquid and a pump for pumping geothermal liquid of said geothermal fluid.  
   
   
       44 . Apparatus according to  claim 43  wherein said power producing means includes a vaporizer for vaporizing working fluid present in said vaporizer and producing working fluid vapor using heat present in said geothermal liquid, a vapor turbine for expanding said working fluid vapor and producing power, and a condenser for condensing the expanded working fluid exiting said vapor turbine and producing working fluid condensate and a cycle pump for supplying said working fluid condensate to said vaporizer.  
   
   
       45 . Apparatus according to  claim 44  wherein said working fluid is an organic working fluid.  
   
   
       46 . Apparatus according to  claim 45  further including supply means for supplying heat depleted geothermal liquid exiting said vaporizer to said indirect heat exchanger for heating said solution and producing said heated solution for electrolysis.  
   
   
       47 . A method for producing hydrogen using geothermal energy comprising: 
 a) heating a solution for use in electrolysis with heat from geothermal fluid and producing a heated solution;    b) producing hydrogen by electrolysis of said heated solution; and    c) producing power using heat present in said geothermal fluid.    
   
   
       48 . The method according to  claim 47  wherein the step of heating a solution for use in electrolysis with heat from geothermal fluid and producing a heated solution is carried out by supplying said geothermal fluid to an indirect heat exchanger for transferring heat from said geothermal fluid to a solution for heating said solution.  
   
   
       49 . A method according to  claim 47  including the steps of separating said geothermal fluid into geothermal steam and geothermal liquid, producing power from said geothermal liquid and pumping the geothermal liquid of said geothermal fluid.  
   
   
       50 . A method according to  claim 49  wherein the step of producing power from said geothermal liquid is carried out by supplying said geothermal liquid to a vaporizer of a power producing means for vaporizing working fluid present in said vaporizer and producing working fluid vapor using heat present in said geothermal liquid, said power producing means further comprising a vapor turbine for expanding said working fluid vapor and producing power, and a condenser for condensing the expanded working fluid exiting said vapor turbine and producing working fluid condensate and a cycle pump for supplying said working fluid condensate to said vaporizer.  
   
   
       51 . A method according to  claim 50  wherein the step of vaporizing working fluid present in said vaporizer and producing working fluid vapor using heat present in said geothermal liquid for expansion in said vapor turbine of said power producing means and production of power is carried out by vaporizing an organic working fluid present in said vaporizer.  
   
   
       52 . A method according to  claim 51  further including supplying heat depleted geothermal liquid exiting said vaporizer to said indirect heat exchanger for heating said solution and producing said heated solution for electrolysis.