Hydrogen production system using wind turbine generator

Abstract

A wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system controlling a power converter system such that the wind turbine stays in its operable range for a longer time and thus the hydrogen production system produces hydrogen for a longer time. The wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system varies an amount of electrical current supplied to an electrolytic hydrogen production system according to the rotational speed of the wind turbine to reduce variations in the rotational speed. Furthermore, the pitch angle of the wind turbine varies according to the speed. Thus, variations in the speed of the wind turbine can be reduced. A permanent-magnet generator is used as the electricity generator of the wind turbine to obtain a power supply at start-up. Alternatively, a power storage system used as assistive equipment at start-up is supplementarily added or only a power supply for the controllers is supplied from a system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system according to Embodiment 1 of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of another wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system according to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a power converter system according to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of another power converter system according to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a controller according to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing the relation between voltage and current in an electrolytic hydrogen production system according to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 7 shows graphs illustrating the operation of the prior-art hydrogen production system using a wind turbine.

FIG. 8 shows graphs illustrating the operation of a wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system according to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating the manner in which a pitch angle command is created by the prior-art technique.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating the manner in which a pitch angle command is created in accordance with Embodiment 1.

FIG. 11 is a diagram of a wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system equipped with a permanent-magnet generator connected with a system according to Embodiment 2.

FIG. 12 is a diagram of a wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system equipped with a doubly-fed induction generator independent of a system according to Embodiment 3.

FIG. 13 is a diagram of a wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system equipped with a squirrel cage induction generator independent of a system according to Embodiment 3.

FIG. 14 is a diagram of a wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system according to Embodiment 4 of the invention, and in which a control power supply is supplied from a system.

FIG. 15 is a diagram of another wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system according to Embodiment 4 of the invention, and in which a control power supply is supplied from a system.

Claims

1. A wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system installed independent of a power system, the wind turbine producing an output power supplied to an electrolytic hydrogen production system, said wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system comprising: means for varying an electrical current supplied to said electrolytic hydrogen production system to suppress variations in rotational speed of said wind turbine.

2. A wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said wind turbine is a permanent-magnet generator, and wherein there is further provided means for supplying a power supply for the controller of said wind turbine and a power supply for the controller of said electrolytic hydrogen production system from said permanent-magnet generator.

3. A wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system as set forth in claim 1, wherein (A) said wind turbine includes an induction generator, a synchronous generator, or a doubly-fed induction generator,(B) said wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system further includes a power storage system and an excitor, and means for supplying a power supply for the controller of said wind turbine and a power supply for the controller of said hydrolytic hydrogen production system from said power storage system at start-up of the wind turbine and for supplying a power supply for the excitor from said power storage system at the start-up.

4. A wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising means for determining a range of the electrical current supplied to said electrolytic hydrogen production system from temperature of said hydrolytic hydrogen production system and from pressure of hydrogen.

5. A wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system installed independent of an electric power system, the wind turbine producing an output power supplied to an electrolytic hydrogen production system, said wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system comprising: modification means for modifying a maximum electric power that can be generated by said wind turbine from a nominal rated electric power of the wind turbine by changing a pitch angle command for the wind turbine.

6. A wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system as set forth in claim 5, further comprising means for causing said modification means to bring said maximum electric power into coincidence with a maximum electric power that can be consumed by the hydrogen production system.

7. A wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said wind turbine includes a permanent-magnet generator, and the system further comprising means for supplying a power supply for the controller of said wind turbine and a power supply for the controller of said electrolytic hydrogen production system from said permanent-magnet generator.

8. A wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said wind turbine includes an induction generator, a synchronous generator, or a doubly-fed induction generator,and the system further comprising a power storage system and an excitor, and means for supplying a power supply for the controller of said wind turbine and a power supply for the controller of said hydrolytic hydrogen production system from said power storage system at start-up of said wind turbine and for supplying a power supply for the excitor from said power storage system at the start-up.

9. A wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system as set forth in claim 5, further comprising means for determining a range of the electrical current supplied to said electrolytic hydrogen production system from temperature of said electrolytic hydrogen production system and from pressure of hydrogen.

10. A wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system whose output power is supplied to an electrolytic hydrogen production system to produce hydrogen, said wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system comprising: means for varying an electrical current supplied to said electrolytic hydrogen production system to suppress variations in rotational speed of said wind turbine; andmeans for supplying a power supply for the controller of said wind turbine or a power supply for the controller of said electrolytic hydrogen production system from an electric power system.

11. A wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system as set forth in claim 10, wherein there is further provided means for determining a range of the electrical current supplied to said electrolytic hydrogen production system from temperature of said electrolytic hydrogen production system and from pressure of hydrogen.

12. A wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system whose output power is supplied to an electrolytic hydrogen production system to produce hydrogen, said wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system comprising: modification means for modifying a maximum electric power that can be generated by said wind turbine from a nominal rated electric power of the wind turbine by changing a pitch angle command for the wind turbine; andmeans for supplying a power supply for the controller of said wind turbine or a power supply for the controller of said electrolytic hydrogen production system from an electric power system.

13. A wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system as set forth in claim 12, wherein there is further provided means for causing said modification means to bring said maximum electric power into coincidence with a maximum electric power that can be consumed by the hydrogen production system.

14. A wind turbine-driven hydrogen production system as set forth in claim 12, wherein there is further provided means for determining a range of the electrical current supplied to said electrolytic hydrogen production system from temperature of said hydrolytic hydrogen production system and from pressure of hydrogen.