Device for degassing flowable fluids

Abstract

The invention relates to a device ( 10 ) for degassing flowable fluids, in particular liquids used for hydrogen storage, comprising: a desorber ( 12 ) which can be filled with fluid to be degassed and through which said fluid can flow; a circulation pump ( 48 ) for circulating the fluid during a degassing process in the desorber ( 12 ); a vacuum pump ( 38 ) for generating a vacuum in the desorber ( 12 ) during a filling process with fluid and for discharging the gas from the desorber ( 12 ) during the degassing process; at least one sensor ( 44 a, 44 b ) for measuring the pressure in the desorber ( 12 ) and/or for time measurement; and a control unit which ends the degassing process when a predefined pressure is measured by the respective sensor ( 44 a, 44 b ) and/or when a predefined dwell time of the fluid in the desorber ( 12 ) is measured.

1 . A device ( 10 ) for degassing flowable fluids, in particular of liquids used to store hydrogen, comprising:
 a desorber ( 12 ) which can be filled with fluid to be degassed and which flows therethrough,   a circulation pump ( 48 ) for circulating the fluid during a degassing operation in the desorber ( 12 ),   a vacuum pump ( 38 ) for generating a negative pressure in the desorber ( 12 ) while it is filled with fluid and for the discharge of the gas from the desorber ( 12 ) during the degassing process,   at least one sensor ( 44   a,    44   b ) for measuring the pressure in the desorber ( 12 ) and/or for time measurements, and   and a control unit, which terminates the degassing process when the respective sensors ( 44   a,    44   b ) measure a predetermined pressure and/or a predetermined residence time of the fluid in the desorber ( 12 ) has been reached.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that means are introduced into the desorber ( 12 ) for increasing the effective separating surface, preferably cylindrical, spherical or conical filling material of stainless steel, which at least partially fill the interior of the desorber ( 12 ). 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a pre-separator ( 14 ) is installed between a fluid reservoir ( 16 ) and the desorber ( 12 ) and can be filled with fluid from the fluid reservoir ( 16 ). 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a level sensor ( 26 ,  36 ) is provided in the pre-separator ( 14 ) and/or in the desorber ( 12 ), having at least one switching point (L 3 , L 4 ; L 1 , L 2 , L 6 ) assigned to the filling, emptying and/or degassing operation corresponding to the respective fill level of the fluid. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a gas port ( 54 ) connected to the pre-separator ( 14 ) and/or the desorber ( 12 ) is provided to equalize the pressure during emptying. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a gas outlet ( 40 ), which adjoins a valve device ( 42 ) and the vacuum pump ( 38 ), and a fluid outlet ( 52 ), which adjoins the circulation pump ( 48 ) and a valve device ( 50 ), are arranged at the desorber ( 12 ). 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a valve device ( 24 ) and a further valve device ( 64 ) assigned to a further fluid supply line ( 66 ), preferably a stop-cock, are arranged between the pre-separator ( 14 ) assigned to one fluid supply line ( 18 ) and the desorber ( 12 ), and that the desorber ( 12 ), depending on the position of the further valve device ( 64 ), can be filled with fluid to be degassed via the fluid supply line ( 18 ) and the pre-separator or via the further fluid supply line ( 18 ). 
     
     
         8 . Usage of the device ( 10 ) according to  claim 1  for degassing flowable fluids, wherein fluid to be degassed is circulated in the desorber ( 12 ) by means of the circulation pump ( 48 ) during the degassing process and the gas is routed from the desorber ( 12 ) to the gas outlet ( 40 ) by the vacuum pump ( 38 ), and wherein the degassing process is terminated when a predetermined pressure is measured and/or at the end of a predetermined residence time of the fluid in the desorber ( 12 ). 
     
     
         9 . The usage according to  claim 8 , characterized in that a further gas, preferably nitrogen, is routed for pressure equalization into the desorber ( 12 ) for an emptying process via a feed line ( 58 ), and then the degassed fluid is routed from the desorber ( 12 ) to the fluid outlet ( 52 ) by means of the circulation pump ( 48 ). 
     
     
         10 . The usage according to  claim 8 , characterized in that a negative pressure in the desorber ( 12 ) is generated during the filling process by means of the vacuum pump ( 38 ) and then degassing fluid is routed from a fluid reservoir ( 16 ) into the desorber ( 12 ) via the fluid supply line ( 18 ) and the pre-separator ( 14 ) or via the further fluid supply line ( 66 ). 
     
     
         11 . The usage according to  claim 8 , characterized in that in a first operating mode of the device ( 10 ) during the filling process
 a valve device ( 20 ) assigned to the fluid supply line ( 18 ) is opened and fluid to be degassed is routed from the fluid reservoir ( 16 ) into the pre-separator ( 14 ) until a first switching point (L 4 ) of the assigned level sensor ( 26 ) is reached,   the valve device ( 24 ) arranged between the pre-separator ( 14 ) and the desorber ( 12 ) is opened and the at least partially degassed fluid from the pre-separator ( 14 ) is routed into the desorber ( 12 ) until a second switching point (L 6 ) of the assigned further level sensor ( 36 ) is reached, and   that the valve device ( 20 ) upstream of the pre-separator ( 14 ) and the valve device ( 24 ) installed between the pre-separator ( 14 ) and the desorber ( 12 ) are closed.   
     
     
         12 . The usage according to  claim 8 , characterized in that in a second operating mode of the device ( 10 ) during the filling process
 the valve device ( 24 ) upstream of the desorber ( 12 ) and assigned to the further fluid supply line ( 66 ) is opened and fluid to be degassed is routed from the fluid reservoir ( 16 ) into the desorber ( 12 ) until a second switching point (L 6 ) of the assigned further level sensor ( 36 ) is reached, and   the assigned valve device ( 24 ) is closed.   
     
     
         13 . The usage according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the volume of fluid discharged (AVd 3 ) from the desorber ( 12 ) during the emptying process matches the volume of fluid supplied (AVv) during the filling process. 
     
     
         14 . The usage according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the fluid is a medium used for storing hydrogen, preferably dibenzyltoluene, from which hydrogen is separated by means of the device ( 10 ).