Solid-state hydrogen storage tank, vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a solid-state hydrogen storage tank, comprising: a tank body filled with a solid-state hydrogen storage material; a gas conduit at least partially disposed within the tank body for directing hydrogen into or out of the tank body; at least one heat pipe, the heat pipe comprising a first end located within the tank body and a second end located outside the tank body; wherein, when the first end is higher than the second end, the heat pipe is capable of conducting heat from the second end to the first end; and when the second end is higher than the first end, the heat pipe is capable of conducting heat from the first end to the second end; an angle adjustment mechanism for adjusting the tilt angle of the tank body to change the relative height between the first end and the second end; a heat exchange assembly connected to the second end and coupled to a heat storage assembly, configured to direct heat conducted from the tank body to the second end for storage in the heat storage assembly during hydrogen storage, and to conduct heat stored in the heat storage assembly to heat the second end during hydrogen discharge to conduct heat into the tank body. The present disclosure also provides a vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of solid-state hydrogen storage equipment, and particularly designs a solid-state hydrogen storage tank and a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Traditional vehicles rely on fossil fuels like oil and natural gas. The increasing popularity of automobiles has led to increasing energy consumption, depleting energy reserves, and maintaining high energy prices, creating an increasingly pressing energy crisis. The exhaust emissions from traditional vehicles burning fossil fuels also contribute to environmental pollution and global warming. The development of new energy vehicles can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and play a significant role in alleviating the energy crisis and environmental governance.

[0003] As a development direction of new energy vehicle technology, hydrogen fuel cells have attracted widespread attention due to their zero emissions and renewable advantages. Hydrogen energy storage and transportation are key technical issues that restrict the development and application of hydrogen fuel cells. Commonly used hydrogen energy storage and transportation technologies include high-pressure hydrogen storage technology and liquid hydrogen tank technology. However, high-pressure hydrogen storage technology requires high pressure, high price, and low hydrogen storage energy density. It does not have obvious advantages over traditional fuels such as gasoline and natural gas. The cost of liquid hydrogen tank technology is affected by the production capacity of liquid hydrogen plants. The price and process difficulty have remained high, which limits the promotion of liquid hydrogen tank technology. Solid-state hydrogen storage has the advantages of high hydrogen storage density, low pressure, good safety, and high hydrogen purity. It has become an important development direction for future hydrogen energy storage and transportation technology.

[0004] However, solid-state hydrogen storage technology results in a large amount of energy loss in practical applications, which will reduce the density and efficiency of hydrogen storage and transportation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a solid-state hydrogen storage tank and a vehicle.

[0006] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a solid-state hydrogen storage tank, comprising:

[0007] a tank body filled with solid hydrogen storage material;

[0008] a gas guide pipe, at least partially disposed inside the tank body for introducing or removing hydrogen from the tank body;

[0009] at least one heat pipe, the heat pipe comprising a first end located inside the tank and a second end located outside the tank; wherein, when the first end is higher than the second end, the heat pipe is capable of transferring heat from the second end to the first end; and when the second end is higher than the first end, the heat pipe is capable of transferring heat from the first end to the second end;

[0010] An angle adjustment mechanism is used to adjust the tilt angle of the tank body to change the relative height between the first end and the second end; wherein, during the hydrogen storage process, the tilt angle of the tank body is adjusted so that the second end is higher than the first end; during the hydrogen discharge process, the tilt angle of the tank body is adjusted so that the first end is higher than the second end;

[0011] The heat exchange component is connected to the second end and coupled to the heat storage component. The heat exchange component is configured to transfer the heat conducted from the inside of the tank to the second end into the heat storage component for storage during hydrogen storage, and to conduct the heat stored in the heat storage component to heat the second end to conduct the heat to the inside of the tank during hydrogen discharge.

[0012] In some embodiments, at least one first fin is provided inside the tank body, and the first fin intersects with the extension direction of the heat pipe; a plurality of fixing holes are provided on the first fin, and the air duct and the heat pipe are fixed inside the tank body through the corresponding fixing holes; the at least one first fin divides the internal space of the tank body into a plurality of accommodating cavities, and the solid-state hydrogen storage material is filled in the accommodating cavities; and at least one air hole is provided on the air duct corresponding to each of the accommodating cavities.

[0013] In some embodiments, the fixing holes are evenly distributed on the first fins so as to evenly arrange the plurality of heat pipes inside the tank.

[0014] In some embodiments, the air duct includes an air outlet located outside the tank body, the air outlet is connected to the heat exchange component, and the heat exchange component is configured to collect the heat of the hydrogen discharged from the air outlet to heat the second end, and / or collect the heat of the hydrogen discharged from the air outlet and introduce it into the heat storage component for storage.

[0015] In some embodiments, the heat exchange component includes a heat exchanger and a heat pump; the second end is connected to the heat exchanger, and the heat pump is coupled to the heat storage component; the heat pump includes a compressor and an evaporation multiplexer, and the heat exchanger is coupled to the condensing end of the compressor and the evaporation multiplexer, respectively.

[0016] In some embodiments, the heat exchanger includes at least one second fin, a reflector, and a fire bar; the second fin is arranged inside the reflector, and the second end is connected to the second fin; the fire bar is used to heat the second end during the hydrogen release process.

[0017] In some embodiments, the tank body includes an inner wall and an outer wall, a vacuum insulation cavity is formed between the inner wall and the outer wall, and the vacuum insulation cavity is filled with insulation material.

[0018] In some embodiments, the solid-state hydrogen storage tank further includes a control component and a temperature sensor disposed inside the tank body;

[0019] The control component is configured as follows:

[0020] During the hydrogen storage process, when the temperature inside the tank body measured by the temperature sensor is lower than a first temperature threshold, the angle adjustment mechanism is controlled to adjust the tilt angle of the tank body so that the first end is higher than the second end, and the heat exchange component is controlled to conduct the heat stored in the heat storage component to heat the second end to conduct the heat into the tank body; when the temperature inside the tank body measured by the temperature sensor is not lower than the first temperature threshold, the heat exchange component is controlled to stop working; when the temperature inside the tank body measured by the temperature sensor is higher than a second temperature threshold, the angle adjustment mechanism is controlled to adjust the tilt angle of the tank body so that the second end is higher than the first end, and the heat exchange component is controlled to conduct the heat conducted from the tank body to the second end into the heat storage component for storage;

[0021] During the hydrogen discharge process, the angle adjustment mechanism is controlled to adjust the inclination angle of the tank body so that the first end is higher than the second end, and the heat exchange component is controlled to extract the heat stored in the heat storage component to heat the second end to transfer the heat to the inside of the tank body; when the temperature inside the tank body measured by the temperature sensor is lower than a third temperature threshold, the heat exchange component is controlled to increase the heating power to the second end; when the temperature inside the tank body measured by the temperature sensor is higher than a fourth temperature threshold, the heat exchange component is controlled to reduce the heating power to the second end.

[0022] In some embodiments, the solid-state hydrogen storage material includes magnesium hydride.

[0023] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a vehicle comprising at least one solid-state hydrogen storage tank, wherein the solid-state hydrogen storage tank is the solid-state hydrogen storage tank described in the first aspect of the embodiment of the present disclosure, and the at least one solid-state hydrogen storage tank shares the same set of angle adjustment mechanisms.

[0024] The solid-state hydrogen storage tank provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure sets the first end of the heat pipe inside the tank body and the second end outside the tank body. The relative height of the first end and the second end is controlled by an angle adjustment mechanism to control the heat conduction direction of the heat pipe. When storing hydrogen, the heat released by the reaction between the solid-state hydrogen storage material inside the tank body and hydrogen can be transferred to the outside of the tank body and stored through the heat exchange component and the heat storage component. When releasing hydrogen, the heat stored in the heat storage component can be transferred to the inside of the tank body to heat the solid-state hydrogen storage material to release hydrogen. This realizes that the heat released during hydrogen storage is used for heating during hydrogen release, avoids wasting the heat generated by the reaction during hydrogen storage, saves the energy required for heating during hydrogen release, solves the problem of energy loss in solid-state hydrogen storage, improves the energy density of solid-state hydrogen storage and the efficiency of hydrogen energy storage and transportation, and is conducive to promoting the promotion and development of hydrogen fuel cells. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the composition of a solid-state hydrogen storage tank in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of another solid-state hydrogen storage tank according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of another solid-state hydrogen storage tank in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of a means of transportation in an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present disclosure, the solid-state hydrogen storage tank and vehicle provided by the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] Example embodiments will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the example embodiments may be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of this disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0031] In the absence of conflict, the various embodiments of the present disclosure and the various features therein may be combined with each other.

[0032] As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0033] The terms used herein are used only to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are also intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "made of" are used in this specification, the presence of the features, wholes, steps, operations, elements, and / or components is specified, but the presence or addition of one or more other features, wholes, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof is not excluded.

[0034] The embodiments described herein may be described with reference to plan views and / or cross-sectional views, with the aid of idealized schematic diagrams of the present disclosure. Thus, the example illustrations may be modified based on manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances. Therefore, the embodiments are not limited to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, but include modifications of the configurations formed based on the manufacturing process. Therefore, the regions illustrated in the accompanying drawings are schematic in nature, and the shapes of the regions shown in the drawings illustrate specific shapes of the regions of the elements, but are not intended to be limiting.

[0035] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. It will also be understood that terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure, and will not be interpreted as having an idealized or overly formal meaning unless expressly defined as such herein.

[0036] First, refer to Figure 1 , an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a solid-state hydrogen storage tank, comprising:

[0037] Tank 1, filled with solid hydrogen storage material;

[0038] a gas guide pipe 2, at least partially disposed inside the tank body 1 for introducing or removing hydrogen into or out of the tank body 1;

[0039] at least one heat pipe 3, the heat pipe 3 including a first end 31 located inside the tank body 1 and a second end 32 located outside the tank body 1; wherein, when the first end 31 is higher than the second end 32, the heat pipe 3 can transfer heat from the second end 32 to the first end 31; and when the second end 32 is higher than the first end 31, the heat pipe 3 can transfer heat from the first end 31 to the second end 32;

[0040] An angle adjustment mechanism 4 is used to adjust the tilt angle of the tank body 1 to change the relative height between the first end 31 and the second end 32; wherein, during the hydrogen storage process, the tilt angle of the tank body 1 is adjusted so that the second end 32 is higher than the first end 31; during the hydrogen discharge process, the tilt angle of the tank body 1 is adjusted so that the first end 31 is higher than the second end 32;

[0041] The heat exchange component 5 is connected to the second end 32 and coupled to the heat storage component 6. It is configured to introduce the heat conducted from the inside of the tank body 1 to the second end 32 into the heat storage component 6 for storage during the hydrogen storage process, and to conduct the heat stored in the heat storage component 6 to heat the second end 32 during the hydrogen discharge process to conduct the heat to the inside of the tank body 1.

[0042] The embodiments of the present disclosure do not impose any particular limitations on the solid-state hydrogen storage material. In some embodiments, the solid-state hydrogen storage material includes a chemical hydrogen storage material, such as a metal hydride, a coordinated hydride, etc. In some embodiments, the solid-state hydrogen storage material includes magnesium hydride.

[0043] In the disclosed embodiment, the heat transfer direction of the heat pipe 3 can be changed by changing the relative heights of the two ends of the heat pipe 3. When the heat pipe 3 is tilted so that there is a height difference between the two ends of the heat pipe 3, the heat pipe 3 can transfer heat from the relatively lower end to the relatively higher end; conversely, heat from the relatively higher end of the heat pipe 3 cannot be transferred to the relatively lower end. For example, the heat pipe 3 includes a first end 31 and a second end 32. When the first end 31 is higher than the second end 32, the heat transfer direction of the heat pipe 3 is from the second end 32 to the first end 31; when the second end 32 is higher than the first end 31, the heat transfer direction of the heat pipe 3 is from the first end 31 to the second end 32. In some embodiments, the heat pipe 3 is filled with a heat-conducting liquid, which is concentrated at the relatively lower end of the heat pipe 3, while the relatively higher end is in a vacuum state; the heat-conducting liquid absorbs heat and vaporizes at the relatively lower end, and liquefies and releases heat at the relatively higher end, thereby conducting the heat from the relatively lower end to the relatively higher end, while the heat from the relatively higher end will not be conducted to the relatively lower end; by changing the inclination angle of the heat pipe 3, the relative height of the two ends of the heat pipe 3 is changed, and the heat-conducting liquid always flows or penetrates toward the relatively lower end of the heat pipe 3, thereby changing the heat conduction direction of the heat pipe 3.

[0044] In the disclosed embodiment, an angle adjustment mechanism 4 is provided to adjust the tilt angle of the tank body 1, thereby changing the relative height of the two ends of the heat pipe 3 to change the heat conduction direction of the heat pipe 3. The disclosed embodiment does not impose any special limitations on the angle adjustment mechanism 4. For example, the angle adjustment mechanism 4 can be composed of two lifting sub-mechanisms provided at both ends of the tank body 1, and the two lifting sub-mechanisms cooperate to adjust the tilt angle of the tank body 1; the angle adjustment mechanism 4 can also be a single mechanism provided in the middle of the tank body 1 and capable of adjusting the tilt angle of the tank body 1.

[0045] In the disclosed embodiments, during hydrogen storage, the solid-state hydrogen storage material reacts with hydrogen to release heat. During hydrogen release, the solid-state hydrogen storage material absorbs heat to release hydrogen. For example, if the solid-state hydrogen storage material is magnesium hydride, during hydrogen storage, hydrogen reacts with the magnesium alloy to form magnesium hydride and release heat. During hydrogen release, the magnesium hydride is heated to release hydrogen.

[0046] In the embodiment disclosed herein, the first end 31 of the heat pipe 3 is disposed inside the tank body 1 and the second end 32 is disposed outside the tank body 1. The relative height of the first end 31 and the second end 32 is controlled by the angle adjustment mechanism 4 to control the heat conduction direction of the heat pipe 3. When storing hydrogen, the heat released by the reaction between the solid hydrogen storage material inside the tank body 1 and hydrogen can be conducted to the outside of the tank body 1 and stored through the heat exchange component 5 and the heat storage component 6. When releasing hydrogen, the heat stored in the heat storage component 6 can be conducted to the inside of the tank body 1 to heat the solid hydrogen storage material to release hydrogen. Through the above process, the heat released during hydrogen storage is used for heating during hydrogen release, avoiding the waste of heat generated by the reaction during hydrogen storage, saving the energy required for heating during hydrogen release, solving the problem of energy loss in solid-state hydrogen storage, improving the energy density of solid-state hydrogen storage and the efficiency of hydrogen energy storage and transportation, and promoting the promotion and development of hydrogen fuel cells and new energy vehicles based on hydrogen fuel cells.

[0047] The embodiment of the present disclosure does not impose any particular limitation on the shape and size of the solid-state hydrogen storage tank. For example, the solid-state hydrogen storage tank can be a large hydrogen storage tank or a small hydrogen storage tank.

[0048] It should be noted that the solid-state hydrogen storage tank provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure can be used as a carrier for hydrogen energy transportation; it can also be used as a carrier for hydrogen energy storage in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, allowing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to use the hydrogen energy stored in the solid-state hydrogen storage tank as a power source. This embodiment of the present disclosure does not specifically limit this.

[0049] The embodiment of the present disclosure does not impose any special limitation on the structure of the tank body 1 .

[0050] In some embodiments, reference Figure 2 At least one first fin 12 is provided inside the tank body 1, and the first fin 12 intersects with the extension direction of the heat pipe 3; a plurality of fixing holes are provided on the first fin 12, and the air guide pipe 2 and the heat pipe 3 are fixed inside the tank body 1 through the corresponding fixing holes; at least one first fin 12 divides the internal space of the tank body 1 into a plurality of accommodating cavities, and the solid hydrogen storage material 11 is filled in the accommodating cavities; at least one air hole 21 is provided on the air guide pipe 2 corresponding to each accommodating cavity.

[0051] In the disclosed embodiment, the first fin 12 is made of metal material, which can not only fix the air duct 2 and the heat pipe 3, but also dissipate heat from the heat pipe 3 to the inside of the tank body 1 and absorb heat from the inside of the tank body 1 to the heat pipe 3.

[0052] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, air holes are provided on the air guide tube 2 corresponding to each accommodating cavity. During the hydrogen storage stage, hydrogen can be evenly introduced into each accommodating cavity to fully react with the solid hydrogen storage material. During the hydrogen release stage, the hydrogen released from each accommodating cavity can be promptly discharged.

[0053] In some embodiments, the fixing holes are evenly distributed on the first fin 12 so as to evenly arrange the plurality of heat pipes 3 inside the tank 1 .

[0054] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, when there are multiple heat pipes 3, the multiple heat pipes 3 are evenly arranged inside the tank body 1. During the hydrogen release stage, the solid hydrogen storage material can be evenly heated to fully react and release hydrogen, and during the hydrogen storage stage, the heat inside the tank body 1 can be fully discharged.

[0055] In some embodiments, the fixing hole located in the center of the first fin 12 is used to fix the air duct 2 , so that the air duct 2 extends along the center of the tank body 1 .

[0056] In some embodiments, the air duct 2 includes an air outlet located outside the tank body 1, and the air outlet is connected to the heat exchange component 5. The heat exchange component 5 is configured to collect the heat of the hydrogen discharged from the air outlet to heat the second end 32, and / or collect the heat of the hydrogen discharged from the air outlet and introduce it into the heat storage component 6 for storage.

[0057] In the disclosed embodiment, the internal temperature of tank body 1 is high during hydrogen discharge, and the hydrogen released from gas conduit 2 is also high in temperature, carrying a large amount of heat. By connecting the outlet of gas conduit 2 to heat exchange assembly 5, the waste heat of the hydrogen can be collected and stored or used for the hydrogen discharge reaction, thereby further avoiding energy loss and improving the hydrogen energy utilization efficiency of solid-state hydrogen storage.

[0058] The embodiment of the present disclosure does not impose any special limitation on the heat exchange component 5 .

[0059] In some embodiments, the heat exchange component 5 includes a heat exchanger 51 and a heat pump; the second end 32 is connected to the heat exchanger, and the heat pump is coupled to the heat storage component 6; the heat pump includes a compressor and an evaporation multiplexer, and the heat exchanger is coupled to the condensing end of the compressor and the evaporation multiplexer respectively.

[0060] During the hydrogen storage stage, the heat exchanger extracts the heat from the second end 32 of the heat pipe 3 through the evaporation multiplexer of the heat pump, and the heat storage component 6 absorbs and stores the heat through the condensation end of the compressor of the heat pump; during the hydrogen release stage, the heat storage component 6 releases the heat through the evaporation multiplexer of the heat pump, and the heat exchanger absorbs the heat through the condensation end of the compressor of the heat pump to heat the second end 32 of the heat pipe 3.

[0061] The embodiments of the present disclosure do not specifically limit the thermal storage component 6. In some embodiments, the thermal storage component 6 includes a phase change thermal storage tank, the thermal insulation material of which is a solid-liquid phase change material with high specific heat capacity, which stores or releases energy through solid-liquid phase change.

[0062] It should be noted that in the disclosed embodiment, in addition to utilizing the heat stored in the thermal storage assembly 6 to heat the second end 32 during the hydrogen release phase, the second end 32 may also be heated using an external heat source. The disclosed embodiment does not specifically limit the external heat source. For example, the external heat source may be a direct heating source from the combustion of hydrogen, an electric heat source, or a solar heat source, such as utilizing a solar vacuum tube to heat the thermal storage material, which in turn heats the heat exchanger.

[0063] In some embodiments, reference Figure 3 The heat exchanger 51 includes at least one second fin, a reflector 53, and a fire bar 52; the second fin is arranged inside the reflector, and the second end 32 is connected to the second fin; the fire bar is used to heat the second end 32 during the hydrogen release process.

[0064] In the disclosed embodiment, the fire grate is used to burn hydrogen for heating.

[0065] In the disclosed embodiment, the reflector can reflect heat loss such as airflow and infrared, thereby improving heating efficiency and saving energy required for heating during hydrogen release.

[0066] In some embodiments, reference Figure 2 The tank body 1 includes an inner wall 13 and an outer wall 14 , a vacuum insulation cavity is formed between the inner wall 14 and the outer wall 14 , and the vacuum insulation cavity is filled with insulation material.

[0067] In the disclosed embodiment, the tank body 1 adopts a structure in which a vacuum cavity is filled with insulation material, which can reduce energy loss inside the tank body 1 while ensuring the pressure resistance of the tank body 1, and is conducive to heat recovery and recycling.

[0068] In some embodiments, the solid-state hydrogen storage tank further comprises a control assembly, wherein the angle adjustment mechanism 4, the heat exchange assembly 5, the heat storage assembly 6, etc. cooperate with each other under the control of the control assembly to complete the hydrogen storage and dehydrogenation processes and realize the recycling of heat during the hydrogen storage and dehydrogenation processes. For example, during the hydrogen storage phase, the control assembly controls the angle adjustment mechanism 4 to adjust the tilt angle of the tank body 1 so that the second end 32 of the heat pipe 3 is higher than the first end 31, thereby extracting the heat from the inside of the tank body 1, and at the same time controls the heat exchange assembly 5 to import the heat from the second end 32 of the heat pipe 3 into the heat storage assembly 6 for storage; during the hydrogen dehydrogenation phase, the control assembly controls the angle adjustment mechanism 4 to adjust the tilt angle of the tank body 1 so that the first end 31 of the heat pipe 3 is higher than the second end 32, and at the same time controls the heat exchange assembly 5 to use the heat stored in the heat storage assembly 6 to heat the second end 32 of the heat pipe 3, thereby importing the heat into the tank body 1. In some embodiments, during hydrogen dehydrogenation, the solid-state hydrogen storage tank uses an external heat source to heat the second end 32 of the heat pipe 3, and the control assembly can also be used to control the external heat source. In some embodiments, the air outlet of the air duct 2 is connected to the heat exchange component 5. When releasing hydrogen, the control component can also be used to control the hydrogen discharge and the heat exchange component 5 to collect the waste heat of the hydrogen and store it in the heat storage component 6 or directly use it to heat the second end 32 of the heat pipe 3.

[0069] In some embodiments, the control component can also import or export heat into the tank body 1 according to the temperature control inside the tank body 1, so that during the hydrogen storage stage, the temperature inside the tank body 1 is maintained within a range that allows hydrogen to fully react with the solid hydrogen storage material, and at the same time, the excess heat inside the tank body 1 is promptly exported and stored; during the hydrogen release stage, the temperature inside the tank body 1 is maintained within a range that allows the solid hydrogen storage material to fully thermally decompose and release hydrogen, while avoiding excessive heating to save energy.

[0070] Accordingly, in some embodiments, the solid-state hydrogen storage tank further includes a control component and a temperature sensor disposed inside the tank body 1;

[0071] The control components are configured as:

[0072] During the hydrogen storage process, when the temperature inside the tank body 1 measured by the temperature sensor is lower than the first temperature threshold, the angle adjustment mechanism 4 is controlled to adjust the inclination angle of the tank body 1 so that the first end 31 is higher than the second end 32, and the heat exchange component 5 is controlled to extract the heat stored in the heat storage component 6 to heat the second end 32 to conduct the heat into the tank body 1; when the temperature inside the tank body 1 measured by the temperature sensor is not lower than the first temperature threshold, the heat exchange component 5 is controlled to stop working; when the temperature inside the tank body 1 measured by the temperature sensor is higher than the second temperature threshold, the angle adjustment mechanism 4 is controlled to adjust the inclination angle of the tank body 1 so that the second end 32 is higher than the first end 31, and the heat exchange component 5 is controlled to introduce the heat conducted from the tank body 1 to the second end 32 into the heat storage component 6 for storage;

[0073] During the hydrogen discharge process, the angle adjustment mechanism 4 is controlled to adjust the inclination angle of the tank body 1 so that the first end 31 is higher than the second end 32, and the heat exchange component 5 is controlled to extract the heat stored in the heat storage component 6 to heat the second end 32 to conduct the heat to the inside of the tank body 1; when the temperature inside the tank body 1 measured by the temperature sensor is lower than the third temperature threshold, the heat exchange component 5 is controlled to increase the heating power to the second end 32; when the temperature inside the tank body 1 measured by the temperature sensor is higher than the fourth temperature threshold, the heat exchange component 5 is controlled to reduce the heating power to the second end 32.

[0074] It should be noted that during the hydrogen storage process, when the temperature inside the tank body 1 is lower than the first temperature threshold, the solid-state hydrogen storage material inside the tank body 1 does not react with the hydrogen, does not generate metal hydride, and does not release heat; when heat is introduced into the tank body 1 through the heat pipe 3 to raise the temperature inside the tank body 1 to the first temperature threshold, the introduction of heat into the tank body 1 is stopped, and the hydrogen reacts with the solid-state hydrogen storage material to generate metal hydride and release heat; the temperature inside the tank body 1 will increase as the hydrogen and solid-state hydrogen storage material react and release heat, and the heat inside the tank body 1 will be extracted through the heat pipe 3, thereby collecting the excess heat released during the hydrogen storage process at the second end 32 of the heat pipe 3; when the temperature inside the tank body 1 is higher than the second temperature threshold, the introduction of heat into the tank body 1 is stopped. Hydrogen is introduced into the tank body 1, and after the temperature inside the tank body 1 drops to less than or equal to the second temperature threshold, the introduction of hydrogen into the tank body 1 is resumed, and the heat from the tank body 1 continues to be extracted through the heat pipe 3; when the temperature inside the tank body 1 drops to a certain range, the heat extraction from the tank body 1 can be stopped. If the heat inside the tank body 1 increases, the heat extraction from the tank body is started, so that the temperature inside the tank body 1 is always maintained in the range greater than or equal to the first temperature threshold and less than or equal to the second temperature threshold, so that the hydrogen and the solid-state hydrogen storage material can fully react and the energy density of the hydrogen storage can be improved; when the temperature inside the tank body 1 is less than the first temperature threshold and the flow rate of the introduced hydrogen remains unchanged, the solid-state hydrogen storage material is saturated, the hydrogen storage is completed, and the introduction of hydrogen is stopped. During the hydrogen release process, when the temperature inside the tank body 1 is lower than the third temperature threshold, heat is introduced into the tank body 1 through the heat pipe 3 to raise the temperature inside the tank body 1 to the third temperature threshold, and the solid-state hydrogen storage material begins to pyrolyze and release hydrogen; when the temperature inside the tank body 1 is higher than the fourth temperature threshold, the heating power is reduced; when the temperature inside the tank body is lower than the third temperature threshold, the heating power is increased, so that the temperature inside the tank body is maintained within a range greater than or equal to the third temperature threshold and less than or equal to the fourth threshold, so that the solid-state hydrogen storage material can fully pyrolyze and release hydrogen, while saving heating energy.

[0075] It should be noted that, during the hydrogen storage or release process, if the second end 32 of the heat pipe 3 needs to be heated, an external heat source can be used, and the external heat source is also controlled by the control component.

[0076] The embodiments of the present disclosure do not specifically limit the first temperature threshold and the second temperature threshold. In some embodiments, the first temperature threshold ranges from 250°C to 300°C, and the second temperature threshold ranges from 350°C to 400°C. For example, the first temperature threshold is 280°C, and the second temperature threshold is 380°C.

[0077] The third and fourth temperature thresholds are not particularly limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the third temperature threshold ranges from 250°C to 300°C, and the fourth temperature threshold ranges from 350°C to 400°C. For example, the third temperature threshold is 280°C, and the fourth temperature threshold is 380°C.

[0078] The disclosed embodiments do not impose any specific restrictions on the height difference between the first end 31 and the second end 32 of the heat pipe 3. In practical applications, it is sufficient that the heat pipe 3 has an angle with the horizontal, and the size of the angle is not limited. In some embodiments, the line connecting the first end 31 and the second end 32 forms an angle with the horizontal plane ranging from 5° to 30°. For example, the line connecting the first end 31 and the second end 32 forms an angle of 10° with the horizontal plane.

[0079] In some embodiments, when introducing heat into the interior of the tank body 1, the first end 31 of the heat pipe 3 is higher than the second end 32, and the heat pipe 3 forms an angle of 5° to 10° with the horizontal plane. In some embodiments, when removing heat from the interior of the tank body 1, the second end 32 of the heat pipe 3 is higher than the first end 31, and the heat pipe 3 forms an angle of 5° to 15° with the horizontal plane.

[0080] The disclosed embodiments do not specifically limit the control components. In some embodiments, the control components include a control host, a heating controller, a heat pump controller, a heat storage component 6 controller, an angle adjustment mechanism controller, a pressure and flow sensor, a control panel, a control handle, and an Internet of Things module. The solid-state hydrogen storage tank is controlled by operating the control panel and the control handle to store or release hydrogen. Taking magnesium hydride as an example of a solid-state hydrogen storage material, the control process includes:

[0081] During the hydrogen storage process, the control host starts the hydrogen storage function, and the angle adjustment mechanism 4 set at both ends of the solid hydrogen storage tank body 1 starts to work, so that the first end 31 of the heat pipe 3 is higher than the second end 32 and the axis of the tank body 1 forms an angle of 10° with the horizontal plane. The heat exchanger uses the heat stored in the phase change heat storage tank and the hydrogen burner through the heat pump to heat the fins of the heat exchanger, thereby transferring the heat to the inside of the tank body 1 through the heat pipe 3; the porous metal magnesium material filled in the tank body 1 is heated to 280°C, and hydrogen is pressurized to 0.1 to 1MP from the gas guide pipe 2 and enters the tank body 1, reacting with the metal magnesium material. The reaction generates magnesium hydride and releases heat, and the heat pump and hydrogen burner stop heating; when the temperature sensor inside the tank body 1 senses that the temperature reaches 380°C, the angle adjustment mechanism 4 starts to work, so that the second end 32 of the heat pipe 3 is higher than the first end 31 and the axis of the tank body 1 forms an angle of 5° to 10° with the horizontal plane. The heat exchanger conducts the heat inside the tank body 1 to the phase change thermal storage tank for storage through the heat pump; the temperature inside the tank body 1 is maintained between 280°C and 380°C until the reaction is saturated, the hydrogen storage process stops, the heat pump stops working, and the angle adjustment mechanism 4 adjusts the tank body 1 to a horizontal axis position.

[0082] During the hydrogen decomposition process, the control host turns on the hydrogen decomposition function, and the angle adjustment mechanism 4 starts working, so that the first end 31 of the heat pipe 3 is higher than the second end 32 and the axis of the tank body 1 forms an angle of 5° to 15° with the horizontal plane. The heat exchanger uses the heat stored in the phase change heat storage tank and the hydrogen burner through the heat pump to heat the fins of the heat exchanger, thereby transferring the heat to the inside of the tank body 1 through the heat pipe 3 to heat the magnesium hydride; when the temperature of the magnesium hydride reaches between 280°C and 380°C, it begins to decompose and release hydrogen; when the temperature sensor inside the tank body 1 senses that the temperature is higher than 380°C, the heating power is reduced; when the temperature sensor inside the tank body 1 senses that the temperature is lower than 280°C, the heating power is increased; when the pressure and flow sensors indicate that the hydrogen release is complete, the hydrogen decomposition stops, the heat pump stops working, and the angle adjustment mechanism 4 adjusts the tank body 1 to a horizontal axis position.

[0083] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a vehicle comprising at least one solid-state hydrogen storage tank, wherein the solid-state hydrogen storage tank is the solid-state hydrogen storage tank of the first aspect of the embodiment of the present disclosure, and at least one solid-state hydrogen storage tank shares the same set of angle adjustment mechanisms 4.

[0084] The embodiments of the present disclosure do not impose any particular limitations on vehicles. For example, the vehicle may be a transportation vehicle that uses the solid-state hydrogen storage tank of the first aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure as a hydrogen transport carrier, such as a tank truck for storing and transporting hydrogen; or it may be a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle that uses the solid-state hydrogen storage tank of the first aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure as a hydrogen storage carrier, so that the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle can use the hydrogen energy stored in the solid-state hydrogen storage tank as a power source, such as a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (including cars and trucks), a hydrogen fuel cell ship, a hydrogen fuel cell aircraft, etc.

[0085] In some embodiments, a transportation vehicle using the solid-state hydrogen storage tank of the first aspect of the embodiment of the present disclosure as a hydrogen energy transport carrier is as follows: Figure 4 For example, the transportation vehicle for hydrogen energy transport is a tank truck.

[0086] The means of transportation includes a trailer, and N solid-state hydrogen storage tanks are fixed on the chassis of the trailer in an array. The tank body 1 of the solid-state hydrogen storage tank includes a front end and a rear end. The first end 31 of the heat pipe 3 is located on the side of the tank body 1 close to the front end, and the second end 32 of the heat pipe 3 is located outside the tank body 1 on the rear end side. The reflector 53 is located above the heat exchanger 51 and the fire bar 52 and covers the fins of the heat exchanger 51 and the fire bar 52. The hydrogen burner is located below the heat exchanger 51. The reflector 53 can reflect and recover heat such as rising airflow and infrared radiation to heat the fins of the heat exchanger 51. A phase change heat storage tank 6 is also provided on the trailer. One-third of the heat pipe 3's space is filled with a heat-conducting liquid (e.g., potassium perchromate solution), while the remaining space is vacuum. The end of the heat pipe 3 heated with the heat-conducting liquid allows for uniform heat conduction, while the end heated with the vacuum prevents heat conduction. The heat-conducting liquid can flow or permeate through the heat pipe 3, changing its position and, consequently, the heat conduction direction of the heat pipe 3. Heat pipe 3 requires an angle with the horizontal plane to operate. The trailer also includes an angle adjustment mechanism 4, a heat pump, and a control assembly 8.

[0087] Example embodiments have been disclosed herein, and although specific terms are employed, they are used and should be interpreted only in a general illustrative sense and not for purposes of limitation. In some instances, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, unless otherwise expressly indicated, features, characteristics, and / or elements described in conjunction with a particular embodiment may be used alone or in combination with features, characteristics, and / or elements described in conjunction with other embodiments. Therefore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A solid-state hydrogen storage tank, comprising: a tank body filled with solid hydrogen storage material; a gas guide pipe, at least partially disposed inside the tank body for introducing hydrogen into or out of the tank body; at least one heat pipe, the heat pipe comprising a first end located inside the tank and a second end located outside the tank; wherein, when the first end is higher than the second end, the heat pipe is capable of transferring heat from the second end to the first end; and when the second end is higher than the first end, the heat pipe is capable of transferring heat from the first end to the second end; An angle adjustment mechanism is used to adjust the tilt angle of the tank body to change the relative height between the first end and the second end; wherein, during the hydrogen storage process, the tilt angle of the tank body is adjusted so that the second end is higher than the first end; during the hydrogen discharge process, the tilt angle of the tank body is adjusted so that the first end is higher than the second end; The heat exchange component is connected to the second end and coupled to the heat storage component. The heat exchange component is configured to transfer the heat conducted from the inside of the tank to the second end into the heat storage component for storage during hydrogen storage, and to conduct the heat stored in the heat storage component to heat the second end to conduct the heat to the inside of the tank during hydrogen discharge.

2. The solid-state hydrogen storage tank according to claim 1, wherein: At least one first fin is provided inside the tank body, and the first fin intersects with the extension direction of the heat pipe; a plurality of fixing holes are provided on the first fin, and the air guide tube and the heat pipe are fixed inside the tank body through the corresponding fixing holes; the at least one first fin divides the internal space of the tank body into a plurality of accommodating cavities, and the solid hydrogen storage material is filled in the accommodating cavities; and at least one air hole is provided on the air guide tube corresponding to each of the accommodating cavities.

3. The solid-state hydrogen storage tank according to claim 2, wherein: The fixing holes are evenly distributed on the first fins so as to evenly arrange the plurality of heat pipes inside the tank.

4. The solid-state hydrogen storage tank according to claim 1, wherein: The air duct includes an air outlet located outside the tank body, and the air outlet is connected to the heat exchange component. The heat exchange component is configured to collect heat from the hydrogen discharged from the air outlet to heat the second end, and / or collect heat from the hydrogen discharged from the air outlet and introduce it into the heat storage component for storage.

5. The solid-state hydrogen storage tank according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The heat exchange component includes a heat exchanger and a heat pump; the second end is connected to the heat exchanger, and the heat pump is coupled to the heat storage component; the heat pump includes a compressor and an evaporation multiplexer, and the heat exchanger is coupled to the condensing end of the compressor and the evaporation multiplexer respectively.

6. The solid-state hydrogen storage tank according to claim 5, wherein: The heat exchanger includes at least one second fin, a reflector, and a fire bar; the second fin is arranged inside the reflector, and the second end is connected to the second fin; the fire bar is used to heat the second end during the hydrogen release process.

7. The solid-state hydrogen storage tank according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The tank body comprises an inner wall and an outer wall, a vacuum heat preservation cavity is formed between the inner wall and the outer wall, and the vacuum heat preservation cavity is filled with heat preservation material.

8. The solid-state hydrogen storage tank according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The solid-state hydrogen storage tank further includes a control component and a temperature sensor disposed inside the tank body; The control component is configured as follows: During the hydrogen storage process, when the temperature inside the tank measured by the temperature sensor is lower than a first temperature threshold, controlling the angle adjustment mechanism to adjust the tilt angle of the tank so that the first end is higher than the second end, and controlling the heat exchange component to extract the heat stored in the heat storage component to heat the second end so as to conduct the heat into the tank; When the temperature inside the tank measured by the temperature sensor is not less than the first temperature threshold, the heat exchange component is controlled to stop working; when the temperature inside the tank measured by the temperature sensor is greater than the second temperature threshold, the angle adjustment mechanism is controlled to adjust the tilt angle of the tank so that the second end is higher than the first end, and the heat exchange component is controlled to transfer the heat conducted from the inside of the tank to the second end into the heat storage component for storage; During the hydrogen discharge process, the angle adjustment mechanism is controlled to adjust the inclination angle of the tank body so that the first end is higher than the second end, and the heat exchange component is controlled to extract the heat stored in the heat storage component to heat the second end to transfer the heat to the inside of the tank body; when the temperature inside the tank body measured by the temperature sensor is lower than a third temperature threshold, the heat exchange component is controlled to increase the heating power to the second end; when the temperature inside the tank body measured by the temperature sensor is higher than a fourth temperature threshold, the heat exchange component is controlled to reduce the heating power to the second end.

9. The solid-state hydrogen storage tank according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The solid-state hydrogen storage material includes magnesium hydride.

10. A vehicle comprising at least one solid-state hydrogen storage tank, wherein: The solid-state hydrogen storage tank is the solid-state hydrogen storage tank according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and the at least one solid-state hydrogen storage tank shares the same set of angle adjustment mechanisms.

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