Cryogen/water heat exchanger and the application thereof to the supply of gas to an on-board power unit in a vehicle

US7299642B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme à Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Étude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude · FR

Inventors

• Robert Moracchioli · Seyssinet-Pariset, FR
• Pierre Briend · Seyssinet-Pariset, FR
• Veronique Grabie · Voiron, FR
• Jacques Chabanne · Le Pont-de-Claix, FR

Key dates

• Filing date: May 18, 2004
• Grant date: Nov 27, 2007
• Expiry date: Sep 14, 2024

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E60/50
• WIPO field: Thermal processes and apparatus
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

The invention relates to an exchanger, advantageously a plate exchanger, comprising counter-current parallel exchange sections (8,9). According to the invention, the exchange section for the water (8) has an essentially constant cross-section, whereas the exchange section (9) for the cryogen has a reduced inlet region (9a) enabling the possible formation of ice (10) in the water passage (8) to be concentrated on a small volume, without blocking said water passage. The invention can especially be applied to the supply of gaseous hydrogen stored in a liquid form to an on-board power generating device in a vehicle.