Hydrogen production system and method for controlling hydrogen production system

Abstract

A hydrogen production system includes: an electrolysis module that supplies steam to a hydrogen electrode including a metal component and produces hydrogen through steam electrolysis; a hydrogen storage facility that stores generated hydrogen; a steam supply unit that supplies steam to the hydrogen electrode; a regulation unit that regulates a supply amount of the hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen storage facility to the hydrogen electrode and a supply amount of the steam supplied from the steam supply unit to the hydrogen electrode; and a control device for controlling the regulation unit to switch a heating medium supply state in which a heating medium is supplied from a heating medium supply unit to the hydrogen electrode to a steam supply state in which steam is supplied from the steam supply unit to the hydrogen electrode, in response to the electrolysis module exceeding a first switching temperature when activating the electrolysis module.

1 . A hydrogen production system comprising:
 an electrolysis module being an assembly of electrolysis cells comprising a hydrogen electrode, an oxygen electrode, and an electrolyte layer arranged between the hydrogen electrode and the oxygen electrode, the electrolysis module being configured to supply steam to the hydrogen electrode and produce hydrogen through steam electrolysis;   a steam supply unit configured to supply the steam to the hydrogen electrode;   a hydrogen supply unit configured to supply the hydrogen to the hydrogen electrode;   a heating medium supply unit configured to supply a heating medium to the oxygen electrode;   a heating medium system configured to supply the heating medium from the heating medium supply unit to the hydrogen electrode; and   a hydrogen system configured to supply the hydrogen from the hydrogen supply unit to the oxygen electrode.   
     
     
         2 . The hydrogen production system according to  claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen supply unit stores the hydrogen produced by the electrolysis module and supplies the hydrogen to the hydrogen electrode and the oxygen electrode. 
     
     
         3 . The hydrogen production system according to  claim 1 , comprising a regulation unit configured to regulate a supply amount of the hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen supply unit to the hydrogen electrode, a supply amount of the hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen supply unit to the oxygen electrode, a supply amount of the steam supplied from the steam supply unit to the hydrogen electrode, a supply amount of the heating medium supplied from the heating medium supply unit to the oxygen electrode, and a supply amount of the heating medium supplied from the heating medium supply unit to the hydrogen electrode. 
     
     
         4 . The hydrogen production system according to  claim 3 , wherein when activating the electrolysis module, the regulation unit, in response to the electrolysis module exceeding a first switching temperature, a state in which the heating medium is supplied from the heating medium supply unit to the hydrogen electrode and the steam is not supplied from the steam supply unit to the hydrogen electrode to a state in which the heating medium is not supplied from the heating medium supply unit to the hydrogen electrode and the steam is supplied from the steam supply unit to the hydrogen electrode. 
     
     
         5 . The hydrogen production system according to  claim 4 , wherein when activating the electrolysis module, the regulation unit, in response to the electrolysis module exceeding a second switching temperature higher than the first switching temperature, switches a state in which the hydrogen is not supplied from the hydrogen supply unit to the hydrogen electrode to a state in which the hydrogen is supplied from the hydrogen supply unit to the hydrogen electrode. 
     
     
         6 . The hydrogen production system according to  claim 5 , wherein when activating the electrolysis module, the regulation unit, in response to the electrolysis module exceeding a third switching temperature, switches a state in which the hydrogen is not supplied to the oxygen electrode via the hydrogen system to a state in which the hydrogen is supplied to the oxygen electrode via the hydrogen system. 
     
     
         7 . The hydrogen production system according to  claim 6 , wherein when activating the electrolysis module, the regulation unit, in response to the electrolysis module exceeding a fourth switching temperature higher than the third switching temperature, increases the supply amount of the steam supplied from the steam supply unit to the hydrogen electrode. 
     
     
         8 . The hydrogen production system according to  claim 5 , wherein when stopping the electrolysis module, the regulation unit, in response to the electrolysis module falling below a fifth switching temperature, switches a state in which the hydrogen is supplied from the hydrogen supply unit to the hydrogen electrode to a state in which the hydrogen is not supplied from the hydrogen supply unit to the hydrogen electrode. 
     
     
         9 . The hydrogen production system according to  claim 8 , wherein when stopping the electrolysis module, the regulation unit, in response to the electrolysis module falling below a sixth switching temperature lower than the fifth switching temperature, switches a state in which the heating medium is not supplied from the heating medium supply unit to the hydrogen electrode and the steam is supplied from the steam supply unit to the hydrogen electrode to a state in which the heating medium is supplied from the heating medium supply unit to the hydrogen electrode and the steam is not supplied from the steam supply unit to the hydrogen electrode. 
     
     
         10 . The hydrogen production system according to  claim 4 , wherein the first switching temperature is a temperature higher than a dew point of the steam in the hydrogen electrode. 
     
     
         11 . The hydrogen production system according to  claim 9 , wherein the sixth switching temperature is a temperature higher than a dew point of the steam in the hydrogen electrode. 
     
     
         12 . The hydrogen production system according to  claim 5 , wherein the second switching temperature is a temperature lower than a temperature at which a metal component included in the hydrogen electrode is oxidized. 
     
     
         13 . The hydrogen production system according to  claim 8 , wherein the fifth switching temperature is a temperature lower than a temperature at which a metal component included in the hydrogen electrode is oxidized. 
     
     
         14 . The hydrogen production system according to  claim 7 , wherein the fourth switching temperature is a temperature higher than a temperature at which the electrolysis module can produce the hydrogen through the steam electrolysis. 
     
     
         15 . The hydrogen production system according to  claim 1 , comprising a hydrogen concentration meter and a hydrogen treatment facility arranged in a heating medium discharge system of the electrolysis module. 
     
     
         16 . A method for controlling a hydrogen production system, the hydrogen production system comprising:
 an electrolysis module comprising a hydrogen electrode, an oxygen electrode, and an electrolyte layer arranged between the hydrogen electrode and the oxygen electrode, the electrolysis module being configured to supply steam to the hydrogen electrode and produce hydrogen through steam electrolysis;   a steam supply unit configured to supply the steam to the hydrogen electrode;   a hydrogen supply unit configured to supply the hydrogen to the hydrogen electrode;   a heating medium supply unit configured to supply a heating medium to the oxygen electrode;   a heating medium system configured to supply the heating medium from the heating medium supply unit to the hydrogen electrode;   a hydrogen system configured to supply the hydrogen from the hydrogen supply unit to the oxygen electrode; and   a regulation unit configured to regulate a supply amount of the hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen supply unit to the hydrogen electrode, a supply amount of the hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen supply unit to the oxygen electrode, a supply amount of the steam supplied from the steam supply unit to the hydrogen electrode, a supply amount of the heating medium supplied from the heating medium supply unit to the oxygen electrode, and a supply amount of the heating medium supplied from the heating medium supply unit to the hydrogen electrode,   the method comprising a first control step of, in response to the electrolysis module exceeding a first switching temperature when activating the electrolysis module, controlling the regulation unit to switch a state in which the heating medium is supplied from the heating medium supply unit to the hydrogen electrode and the steam is not supplied from the steam supply unit to the hydrogen electrode to a state in which the heating medium is not supplied from the heating medium supply unit to the hydrogen electrode and the steam is supplied from the steam supply unit to the hydrogen electrode.   
     
     
         17 . The method for controlling the hydrogen production system according to  claim 16 , comprising a second control step of, in response to the electrolysis module exceeding a second switching temperature higher than the first switching temperature when activating the electrolysis module, controlling the regulation unit to switch a state in which the hydrogen is not supplied from the hydrogen supply unit to the hydrogen electrode to a state in which the hydrogen is supplied from the hydrogen supply unit to the hydrogen electrode. 
     
     
         18 . The method for controlling the hydrogen production system according to  claim 17 , comprising a third control step of, in response to the electrolysis module exceeding a third switching temperature when activating the electrolysis module, controlling the regulation unit to switch a state in which the hydrogen is not supplied to the oxygen electrode via the hydrogen system to a state in which the hydrogen is supplied to the oxygen electrode via the hydrogen system. 
     
     
         19 . The method for controlling the hydrogen production system according to  claim 18 , comprising a fourth control step of, in response to the electrolysis module exceeding a fourth switching temperature higher than the third switching temperature when activating the electrolysis module, controlling the regulation unit to increase the supply amount of the steam supplied from the steam supply unit to the hydrogen electrode. 
     
     
         20 . The method for controlling the hydrogen production system according to  claim 17 , comprising a fifth control step of, in response to the electrolysis module falling below the fifth switching temperature when stopping the electrolysis module, controlling the regulation unit to switch a state in which the hydrogen is supplied from the hydrogen supply unit to the hydrogen electrode to a state in which the hydrogen is not supplied from the hydrogen supply unit to the hydrogen electrode. 
     
     
         21 . The method for controlling the hydrogen production system according to  claim 20 , comprising a sixth control step of, in response to the electrolysis module falling below a sixth switching temperature lower than the fifth switching temperature when stopping the electrolysis module, controlling the regulation unit to switch a state in which the heating medium is not supplied from the heating medium supply unit to the hydrogen electrode and the steam is supplied from the steam supply unit to the hydrogen electrode to a state in which the heating medium is supplied from the heating medium supply unit to the hydrogen electrode and the steam is not supplied from the steam supply unit to the hydrogen electrode. 
     
     
         22 . The method for controlling the hydrogen production system according to  claim 16 , comprising subjecting the hydrogen included in a heating medium discharge system of the electrolysis module to a combustion treatment by a hydrogen treatment facility arranged in the heating medium discharge system, in response to a measured value of a hydrogen concentration meter arranged in the heating medium discharge system exceeding a preset threshold concentration. 
     
     
         23 . The method for controlling the hydrogen production system according to  claim 16 , comprising reducing an amount of current supplied to the electrolysis module or stopping the current, in response to a measured value of a hydrogen concentration meter arranged in a heating medium discharge system of the electrolysis module exceeding a preset threshold concentration. 
     
     
         24 . The method for controlling the hydrogen production system according to  claim 16 , comprising increasing a supply amount of the heating medium supplied to the electrolysis module, in response to a measured value of a hydrogen concentration meter arranged in a heating medium discharge system of the electrolysis module exceeding a preset threshold concentration. 
     
     
         25 . The method for controlling the hydrogen production system according to  claim 22 , comprising setting the threshold concentration to one-fourth of a lower explosive limit concentration of the hydrogen in the atmosphere.