Storage system for storing a gaseous medium, preferably hydrogen, fuel cell system, hydrogen combustion engine system, fuel cell-powered vehicle, hydrogen-powered vehicle

Abstract

Storage system (1) for storing a gaseous medium, preferably hydrogen, comprising a plurality of tank containers (41) and a medium collector block (40). The tank containers (41) are designed in the form of ellipsoids with extension axes x, y, z and each comprise a base body (42) wound from high-strength plastic fibers and a first end face (43) wound from high-strength plastic fibers, and a second end face (44) wound from high-strength plastic fibers. The first end face (43) and the second end face (44) have a hemispherical geometry, with the base body (42) having a short cylindrical geometry. Furthermore, the tank containers are attached to the medium collector block (40) and firmly connected to this medium collector block (40).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a storage system for storing a gaseous medium, for example, hydrogen. This system is used, for example, in vehicles powered by fuel cells or hydrogen combustion engines. State of the art

[0002] Today's hydrogen tank systems for mobile applications typically consist of several tank containers, made of carbon fiber-reinforced material, for example. These are typically pressurized with a nominal hydrogen pressure of, for example, 350 bar or 900 bar. During filling, storage, or withdrawal of hydrogen during operation, temperatures below the freezing point of water (down to -40°C during withdrawal, 700 bar system) can occur in the tank.

[0003] The tank containers can also contain metallic materials, for example.

[0004] DE 10 2021 207 190 A1, for example, describes such a hydrogen tank system for mobile applications with multiple tank containers.

[0005] Due to the typical bottleneck shape of the tank containers, the mechanical design leads to complex manufacturing and high costs. This poses potential challenges, especially for the installation of the tank system in the underbody of a vehicle's chassis. Advantages of the invention

[0006] The device according to the invention with the characterizing features of claim 1 has the advantage, in contrast, of achieving optimal use of the available installation space through the structural design of the tank containers and of enabling installation in the underbody of the chassis of a vehicle.

[0007] For this purpose, the storage system for storing a gaseous medium, preferably hydrogen, comprises a plurality of tank containers and a medium collector block. Furthermore, the tank containers are designed in the shape of ellipsoids with extension axes x, y, z and each comprise a base body wound from high-strength plastic fibers and a first end face wound from high-strength plastic fibers, and a second end face wound from high-strength plastic fibers. The first end face and the second end face each have a hemispherical geometry, with the base body having a short cylindrical geometry. Furthermore, the tank containers are attached to the medium collector block and firmly connected to this medium collector block.

[0008] This allows for easy installation of the entire storage system in the underbody of a vehicle's chassis, while simultaneously minimizing the complexity of the storage system's structural design. A further advantage is the optimal utilization of the material properties of the hemispherical or ellipsoidal shape, minimizing wall thickness and material usage for the containers themselves. Furthermore, the chassis of a battery-powered vehicle, for example, can also be used for a vehicle for hydrogen applications.

[0009] In a first advantageous further development, it is provided that the tank containers designed in the form of ellipsoids together with the medium collector block have a rectangular shape in cross section.

[0010] In an advantageous development, the second end face of the tank container opens into the medium collector block and is fixed and sealed within this medium collector block. This allows the ellipsoid-shaped tank containers to freely undergo the deformations and movements caused by temperature and pressure, thus eliminating any additional constraints.

[0011] In a further embodiment of the invention, it is advantageously provided that the medium collector block is cuboid-shaped, wherein the medium collector block has a height h, a width b and a depth t, which width b runs almost parallel to the extension axis x, which height h runs almost parallel to the extension axis z and which depth t runs almost parallel to the extension axis y.

[0012] In a further embodiment of the invention, it is advantageously provided that the ellipsoid-shaped tank containers are arranged within the width b and depth t of the medium collector block. This allows the rectangular cross-sectional shape of the entire storage system to be achieved in a structurally simple manner. This allows, for example, the use of a battery-powered vehicle chassis for a hydrogen vehicle.

[0013] In an advantageous development, the medium collector block is designed in a grid-like manner, on which the ellipsoid-shaped tank containers are arranged in rows next to one another. Advantageously, each row contains the same or a different number of ellipsoid-shaped tank containers. This allows the tank containers to be optimally adapted to the space requirements and the respective individual installation space.

[0014] In an advantageous development, the ellipsoid-shaped tanks are designed in a multi-layer configuration. This different design achieves a corresponding reduction in the load on the material used. Likewise, any locally occurring stress peaks can be avoided by reducing the pipe cross-section.

[0015] The storage system described is preferably suitable in a fuel cell system for storing hydrogen for the operation of a fuel cell.

[0016] The storage system described is preferably suitable for the provision of hydrogen in a hydrogen combustion engine system.

[0017] The storage system described is preferably suitable for a fuel cell-powered vehicle for storing hydrogen for the operation of a fuel cell.

[0018] The storage system described is preferably suitable for the provision of hydrogen in a hydrogen-powered vehicle. Drawings

[0019] The drawing shows exemplary embodiments of a storage system according to the invention for storing a gaseous medium, in particular hydrogen. Fig. 1a shows a possible embodiment of a storage system according to the invention for storing a gaseous medium in a schematic view, Fig. 1b shows a possible further embodiment of a storage system according to the invention for storing a gaseous medium in a schematic view, Fig. 1c shows a possible further embodiment of a storage system according to the invention for storing a gaseous medium in a schematic view, Fig. 1d shows a possible further embodiment of a storage system according to the invention for storing a gaseous medium in a schematic view, Fig. 2 a hydrogen-powered vehicle with a storage system according to the invention in a simplified schematic view, Fig. 3 a hydrogen-powered vehicle with a fuel cell system or a hydrogen combustion engine system with a storage system according to the invention in a simplified schematic view. Description of the embodiments

[0020] Fig. 1a shows a possible embodiment of a storage system 1 according to the invention for storing a gaseous medium, in particular hydrogen, for a consumer system 31, such as a fuel cell system 70 or a hydrogen combustion engine system 71 (see Fig. 3), in a schematic view. The storage system 1 has several tank containers 41 and a medium collector block 40. The tank containers 41 are designed here in the shape of ellipsoids and have extension axes x, y, z. Furthermore, the tank containers 41 each comprise a base body 42 wound from high-strength plastic fibers and a first end face 43 wound from high-strength plastic fibers and a second end face 44 wound from high-strength plastic fibers. The first end face 43 and the second end face 44 have a hemispherical geometry, with the base body 42 having a short cylindrical geometry. In this embodiment, the base body 42, the first end face 43, and the second end face 44 are made from a component wound from high-strength plastic fibers.

[0021] The medium collector block 40 is cuboid-shaped and has a height h, a width b, and a depth t. The width b runs almost parallel to the extension axis x, whereas the height h runs almost parallel to the extension axis z. The depth t runs almost parallel to the extension axis y.

[0022] Furthermore, the tank containers 41 are attached to the medium collector block 40 and firmly connected thereto. At the second end face 44, the tank container 41 opens into the medium collector block 40 and is fixed and sealed therein. The ellipsoid-shaped tank containers 41 are arranged within the width b and depth t of the medium collector block 40.

[0023] Fig. 1b shows a schematic view of a possible further embodiment of a storage system according to the invention for storing a gaseous medium. It essentially corresponds to the embodiment from Fig. 1a, with the difference that in this embodiment, the medium collector block 40 is designed in a grid-like manner, on which the ellipsoid-shaped tank containers 41 are arranged in rows next to one another. Here, the number of tank containers 41 arranged in rows next to one another is the same. In an alternative embodiment, as in Fig. As shown in Figure 1c, the ellipsoid-shaped tank containers 41 have a multi-layered shape. Thus, several layers of tank containers 41 are arranged on the grid-shaped medium collector block 40. The grid shape comprises at least two struts 400 and two cross struts 401, which extend at least nearly at right angles to each other. The struts 400 and cross struts 401 are tubular.

[0024] In another alternative embodiment, as in Fig. 1d, the number of tank containers 41 arranged in rows next to each other is different.

[0025] Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 show, by way of example, a hydrogen-powered vehicle 73 with a fuel cell system 70, a fuel cell-powered vehicle 72, or a hydrogen combustion engine system 71 as a consumer system 31 with a storage system 1 according to the invention in a simplified schematic view. In Fig. 2, the storage system 1 is integrated into the underbody of the chassis of a vehicle. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2021 207 190 A1

[0004]

Claims

[1] Storage system (1) for storing a gaseous medium, preferably hydrogen, with several tank containers (41) and a medium collector block (40), characterized by in that the tank containers (41) are designed in the form of ellipsoids with extension axes x, y, z, wherein the tank containers (41) each comprise a base body (42) wound from high-strength plastic fibers and a first end face (43) wound from high-strength plastic fibers and a second end face (44) wound from high-strength plastic fibers, which first end face (43) and which second end face (44) each have a hemispherical geometry, wherein the base body (42) has a short cylinder geometry and wherein the tank containers (41) are attached to the medium collector block (40) and are firmly connected to this medium collector block (40). [2] Storage system (1) according to claim 1, characterized bythat the tank containers (41) designed in the form of ellipsoids together with the medium collector block (40) have a rectangular shape in cross section. [3] Storage system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the second end face (44) of the tank container (41) opens into the medium collector block (40) and is fixed and sealed in this medium collector block (40). [4] Storage system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the medium collector block (40) is cuboid-shaped, wherein the medium collector block (40) has a height h, a width b and a depth t, which width b runs almost parallel to the extension axis x, which height h runs almost parallel to the extension axis z and which depth t runs almost parallel to the extension axis y. [5] Storage system (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized bythat the tank containers (41) designed in the form of ellipsoids are arranged within the width b and the depth t of the medium collector block (40). [6] Storage system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the medium collector block (40) is designed in the shape of a grid, on which the tank containers (41) designed in the shape of ellipsoids are arranged in rows next to one another. [7] Storage system (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized by that in each row an equal number of tank containers (41) formed in the form of ellipsoids are arranged. [8] Storage system (1) according to claim 6, characterized by that in each row a different number of tank containers (41) formed in the form of ellipsoids is arranged. [9] Storage system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the tank containers (41) formed in the form of ellipsoids have a multi-layer shape. [10] Fuel cell system (70) with a storage system (1) for storing hydrogen for the operation of a fuel cell according to one of claims 1 to 9. [11] Hydrogen combustion engine system (71) with a storage system (1) for providing hydrogen according to one of claims 1 to 9. [12] Fuel cell-powered vehicle (72) having a storage system (1) for storing hydrogen for operating a fuel cell according to one of claims 1 to 9. [13] Hydrogen-powered vehicle (73) with a storage system (1) for providing hydrogen according to one of claims 1 to 9.

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