Vehicle frame with integrated high pressure fuel tank

a fuel tank and vehicle frame technology, applied in the field of vehicles, can solve the problems of reducing gaseous fuel volume, requiring a relatively large tank, and limiting the use of gaseous fuel in larger vehicles

Inactive Publication Date: 2005-07-28
DAIMLER CHRYSLER CORP
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] Still another object of the present invention is an integrated gaseous fuel tank that provides adequate storage for gaseous hydrogen in a hydrogen hybrid vehicle.

Problems solved by technology

In general, however, a major problem with gaseous fuels has always been how and where to store such fuel in a vehicle.
Unfortunately, even very high compression does not drastically reduce gaseous fuel volume and a relatively large tank is required if the average vehicle is to have a reasonable driving range between fuel fills.
In the past, the use of gaseous fuels has typically been limited to larger vehicles, such as trucks, due in part to the relatively large size of the fuel tanks necessary to provide fuel to power the vehicle over an acceptable range.
For example, gaseous fuel tanks are almost too large to be used in compact vehicles.
The problem of accommodating a compressed gas tank is exacerbated in a hybrid vehicle where available storage space is frequently limited by the other systems present.

Method used

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  • Vehicle frame with integrated high pressure fuel tank
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  • Vehicle frame with integrated high pressure fuel tank

Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0023] A vehicle frame having an integrated high pressure fuel tank or tanks of the present invention can be accomplished with either a production floor pan or a second floor pan that has a large central tunnel. This tunnel is packaged around a high pressure hydrogen gas or compressed natural gas tank longitudinally mounted the length of the frame. The precise sizing and configuration of the tunnel is based on the shape and configuration of the high pressure tank because the tank has the least package flexibility. Additionally, the design and configuration of the tunnel must accommodate the expansion and contraction of the contained tank. (As used herein, the term “tank” is intended to refer to the use of a single or multiple tanks.)

[0024] A vehicle employing the present invention may be fueled with hydrogen gas, natural gas, propane, or other gaseous fuel. Such a vehicle may be configured with an internal combustion engine or other type of fueled engine that burns gaseous fuel. Al...

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Abstract

A frame for a gaseous fueled vehicle, said frame comprising: a floor pan, a tunnel positioned centrally and longitudinally in said floor pan extending the full length of said frame, and a tank integrated into said tunnel. The tunnel may also integrate two or more tanks.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates generally to vehicles that employ a gaseous fuel such as hydrogen, natural gas, or propane. More particularly, the present invention relates to a vehicle frame having an integrated high pressure fuel tank to accommodate hydrogen, natural gas, propane, etc. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The use of hydrogen and other gaseous fuels for vehicles is not new. For example, compressed natural gas (CNG) has occasionally been used as the fuel for internal combustion powered fleet vehicles in markets where CNG represented a low cost, low emission, and relatively high octane fuel source. [0003] The allure of hydrogen as a fuel flows from the most basic of chemical formulae: hydrogen plus oxygen equals water. This formula suggests that many of our vehicle related air quality problems could be eliminated simply by fueling future vehicles with hydrogen gas whether they are powered by conventional internal combustion engines, fuel cel...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): B60K15/03B60K15/063B60K15/07B62D21/16
CPCB60K15/03006B62D21/16B60K15/07B60K15/063
Inventor RIFE, ISAAC E.EDMUNDS, TIMOTHYANDERSON, DONALD D.KONSTANTAKOPOULOS, GEORGE
Owner DAIMLER CHRYSLER CORP
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