Fluid storage and transport structure

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a fluid storage and transportation structure, comprising: an inner cylinder for storing and transporting fluid; an outer cylinder which is spacedly sleeved outside the inner cylinder, a heat insulation gap is formed between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, the outer cylinder is provided with a gas suction port which is communicated with the heat insulation gap; a storage box is installed in the heat insulation gap; a gas adsorbent is arranged in the storage box, the storage box is configured to selectively communicate the gas adsorbent with an external space of the storage box, so that the gas adsorbent can absorb the gas in the heat insulation gap. When the heat insulation gap is vacuumized, when the vacuum degree of the heat insulation gap approaches but does not reach the preset requirement, the vacuumization is stopped, the storage box is controlled to communicate the gas adsorbent with the external space of the storage box, so that the residual gas in the heat insulation gap can be adsorbed, so as to further improve the vacuum degree of the heat insulation gap to reach the preset requirement, effectively reducing the time and energy consumption of the vacuumization.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of cryogenic fluid storage and transportation technology, and more specifically, to a fluid storage and transportation structure. Background Technology

[0002] With industrial development, the demand for the storage and transportation of cryogenic fluids is constantly increasing. Thermal insulation is the most critical issue in the storage and transportation of cryogenic liquids. For example, cryogenic liquids such as liquid nitrogen, liquid oxygen, and liquid hydrogen are all below -180°C at atmospheric pressure. To ensure good thermal insulation performance, the storage and transportation containers for these cryogenic fluids all adopt a double-layer high-vacuum structure to prevent heat conduction between the cryogenic fluid and the external environment. Therefore, ensuring the high vacuum level of the structure is crucial. During the manufacturing process, the double-layer high-vacuum insulation structure requires a long period of vacuuming to achieve the required vacuum level, which wastes a significant amount of energy and time, resulting in high economic costs. Furthermore, during use, some materials inside the vacuum layer may slowly release some gas, or even a tiny leak can cause a decrease in the vacuum level, leading to vacuum insulation failure. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a fluid storage and transportation structure that at least partially solves the problems existing in the related art.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this disclosure provides a fluid storage and transportation structure, comprising:

[0005] The inner cylinder is used for storing and transporting fluids.

[0006] An outer cylinder is spaced out and fitted onto the inner cylinder, forming a heat insulation gap between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, and the outer cylinder is provided with an air extraction port communicating with the heat insulation gap;

[0007] Storage box, installed within the thermal insulation gap; and

[0008] A gas adsorbent is placed inside the storage box.

[0009] The storage box is configured to selectively connect the gas adsorbent to the external space of the storage box, so that the gas adsorbent can absorb the gas in the heat insulation gap.

[0010] Optionally, the storage box is provided with a vent hole for communicating the gas adsorbent with the external space of the storage box, and a sealing element is provided inside the vent hole.

[0011] The sealing element is configured such that when the temperature of the sealing element is greater than a preset temperature, the sealing element can block the vent hole; when the temperature of the sealing element is less than or equal to the preset temperature, the sealing element can deform to open the vent hole.

[0012] Optionally, the seal is made of tin.

[0013] Optionally, the storage box is installed in the inner cylinder.

[0014] Optionally, the storage box is constructed in a circular shape to be wound around the inner cylinder, and the number of vent holes is multiple and they are evenly distributed along the circumference of the storage box.

[0015] Optionally, the number of storage boxes is multiple, and they are distributed at equal intervals along the axial direction of the inner cylinder.

[0016] Optionally, the gas adsorbent is made from at least one of lithium, palladium, and iron materials.

[0017] Optionally, the outer wall of the inner cylinder is provided with a heat insulation layer, and the storage box is disposed between the heat insulation layer and the outer cylinder.

[0018] Optionally, the insulation layer is made of aluminum foil or polyester film.

[0019] Optionally, the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder are both made of stainless steel.

[0020] Through the above technical solution, when evacuating the insulation gap, the storage box is controlled to cut off the gas adsorbent from the external space (i.e., it cannot absorb the gas in the external space). This prevents the gas adsorbent from prematurely reaching saturation and affecting its subsequent adsorption performance, thus preventing the effective adsorption of the trace amounts of gas in the insulation gap during subsequent use. When the vacuum level of the insulation gap approaches but does not reach the preset requirement, evacuation is stopped, and the storage box is controlled to allow the gas adsorbent to conduct to the external space, enabling the adsorption of residual gas in the insulation gap. This further improves the vacuum level of the insulation gap to reach the preset requirement, effectively reducing the evacuation time and energy consumption (traditional evacuation to remove residual trace gas to reach the preset requirement takes a long time, while the gas adsorbent can achieve this quickly). Furthermore, by setting the gas adsorbent, even in the later stages of use of the fluid storage and transportation structure, it can continuously absorb the gas generated by the material in the insulation gap, and can also absorb the gas that enters the insulation gap due to minor leaks, ensuring that the vacuum level of the insulation gap always meets the preset requirement, thereby guaranteeing the insulation effect of the cryogenic fluid inside the inner cylinder.

[0021] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the present disclosure, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0023] Figure 1 This is a radial cross-sectional view of a fluid storage and transportation structure exemplarily shown in this disclosure;

[0024] Figure 2 It is along Figure 1 The cross-sectional view along the AA direction, where the axial direction is the left-right direction along the plane of the drawing.

[0025] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0026] 1-Inner cylinder; 2-Outer cylinder; 3-Insulation gap; 4-Storage box; 5-Gas adsorbent; 6-Sealing component; 7-Insulation layer. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0028] In this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, the directional terms "inner" and "outer" can refer to the orientation of the relevant components when they are used together, or they can refer to the structure of the relevant components themselves. For example, an "outer" cylinder that is spaced out from the "inner" cylinder is defined based on the positional relationship between the inner and outer cylinders. The outer cylinder is placed on the outside of the inner cylinder, that is, the two are in an inner-outer positional relationship. The storage box is configured to selectively connect the gas adsorbent to the "outer" space of the storage box. The "outer" space refers to the outside of the storage box's accommodating space, that is, the thermal insulation gap.

[0029] In this disclosure, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used to distinguish one element from another and do not indicate any order or importance. When the following description relates to the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements.

[0030] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2This disclosure exemplarily illustrates a fluid storage and transportation structure, including an inner cylinder 1 for storing and transporting fluid, an outer cylinder 2 spaced outside the inner cylinder 1, a storage box 4, and a gas adsorbent 5 disposed within the storage box 4. A heat-insulating gap 3 is formed between the inner cylinder 1 and the outer cylinder 2. The outer cylinder 2 is provided with an extraction port (not shown in the figure) communicating with the heat-insulating gap 3 to evacuate the heat-insulating gap 3, thereby isolating heat conduction. The heat-insulating gap 3 mentioned in this disclosure can be before or after evacuation; this disclosure does not limit this. The storage box 4 is installed within the heat-insulating gap 3. The storage box 4 is configured to selectively connect the gas adsorbent 5 to the external space of the storage box 4, allowing the gas adsorbent 5 to absorb the gas within the heat-insulating gap 3.

[0031] This disclosure does not limit the installation and connection relationship between the inner cylinder 1, the outer cylinder 2, and the storage box 4. For example, a support frame can be provided between the inner cylinder 1 and the outer cylinder 2 to keep them spaced apart. The storage box 4 can be installed in the inner cylinder 1, or it can be installed in the outer cylinder 2, or it can be installed between the inner cylinder 1 and the outer cylinder 2 through a frame or the like, spaced apart from both the inner cylinder 1 and the outer cylinder 2. The storage box 4 can be made of stainless steel, and its size and specific arrangement can be adapted to actual needs. The inner cylinder 1 can be filled with fluid or drained with fluid through a pipe passing through the outer cylinder 2. This disclosure does not limit the specific design method, and it can refer to the common double-layer storage tank structure.

[0032] This disclosure does not restrict how the storage box 4 selectively connects the gas adsorbent 5 to the external space of the storage box 4. This can be achieved through a mechanical structure or through special materials such as shape memory alloys, as will be described below. Similarly, this disclosure does not restrict the specific material of the gas adsorbent 5, as long as it has gas absorption properties, as will be described below.

[0033] By using the above technical solution, when evacuating the insulation gap 3, the storage box 4 is controlled to cut off the gas adsorbent 5 from the external space (i.e., it cannot absorb the gas in the external space). This prevents the gas adsorbent 5 from prematurely reaching saturation and affecting its subsequent adsorption performance, thus preventing the effective adsorption of the trace amounts of gas in the insulation gap 3 during subsequent use. When the vacuum level of the insulation gap 3 is close to but has not reached the preset requirement, the evacuation is stopped, and the storage box 4 is controlled to connect the gas adsorbent 5 to the external space, enabling the adsorption of residual gas in the insulation gap 3. This further improves the vacuum level of the insulation gap 3 to reach the preset requirement, effectively reducing the evacuation time and energy consumption (traditional evacuation to remove residual trace gases to reach the preset requirement takes a long time, while the gas adsorbent 5 can achieve this quickly). Furthermore, by setting up the gas adsorbent 5, the gas generated by the material in the insulation gap 3 can be continuously absorbed in the later stage of use of the fluid storage and transportation structure. It can also absorb the gas that enters the insulation gap 3 due to minor leakage, so that the vacuum degree of the insulation gap 3 always meets the preset requirements, thereby ensuring the insulation effect of the ultra-low temperature fluid in the inner cylinder 1.

[0034] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the embodiments of this disclosure, the storage box 4 may be provided with vent holes (not shown in the figure). These vent holes can be used to connect the gas adsorbent 5 to the external space of the storage box 4. A sealing element 6 may be provided within the vent holes. The number and distribution of the vent holes will be described below, and this disclosure does not impose any limitations on this. The sealing element 6 can be configured such that: when the temperature of the sealing element 6 is higher than a preset temperature, the sealing element 6 can close the vent holes; when the temperature of the sealing element 6 is less than or equal to the preset temperature, the sealing element 6 can deform to open the vent holes. Here, the preset temperature can be specifically designed according to the specific material properties of the sealing element 6, for example, -20℃. With this design, during the initial vacuuming stage, the sealing element 6 can close the vent holes to prevent the gas adsorbent 5 from prematurely absorbing gas and reaching saturation, thus affecting the later absorption performance. When the vacuum reaches a certain level and is lower than the preset requirement, the vacuuming is stopped. Then, the fluid storage and transportation structure is pre-cooled so that the temperature of the sealing element 6 is lower than the preset temperature. The sealing element 6 can automatically deform to open the vent, so that the gas adsorbent 5 can absorb the residual gas in the heat insulation gap 3, so that the heat insulation gap 3 reaches the required vacuum level.

[0035] It should be explained that the aforementioned "deformation of the seal 6 to open the vent" is not limited to changes in shape, but can also include pulverization, as long as it can change the vent from a blocked state to an open state.

[0036] In addition to the aforementioned sealing element 6, which can deform at different temperatures, in some other embodiments, the storage box 4 may also be equipped with a cover that is automatically opened and closed by electronic components, thereby selectively connecting the gas adsorbent 5 to the external space of the storage box 4. However, since the thermal insulation gap 3 is in a vacuum state, there is a problem of unstable signal transmission, and there are many uncontrollable factors such as the failure rate of electronic components, making it less stable and reliable than the aforementioned sealing element 6 in application.

[0037] This disclosure does not limit the aforementioned sealing element 6. For example, in embodiments of this disclosure, the sealing element 6 can be made of tin. Tin can seal the vent at room temperature, but it can pulverize at low temperatures, leading to seal failure. It is convenient and reliable to use. In addition, in some other embodiments, the sealing element 6 can also be replaced by metallic lead, which also has low-temperature pulverization properties. Alternatively, the sealing element 6 can also be a shape memory alloy, which can deform according to the temperature below a preset value, thereby opening the vent. This disclosure does not limit this.

[0038] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the embodiments of this disclosure, the storage box 4 can be installed on the inner cylinder 1. This design allows for the direct injection of cryogenic fluid into the inner cylinder 1 through the filling port of the fluid storage and transportation structure (used for injecting fluid into the inner cylinder 1) when pre-cryogenic treatment of the seal 6 is required to allow the gas adsorbent 5 to adsorb residual gas within the thermal insulation gap 3. This cools the seal 6 on the storage box 4 installed on the inner cylinder 1 (solid thermal conductivity), making operation convenient. In other words, if the storage box 4 is installed on the outer cylinder 2, since the thermal insulation gap 3 is in a vacuum state and has the function of isolating heat conduction, additional equipment is needed to cool the outer cylinder 2 from the outside, increasing production costs and complicating operation.

[0039] This disclosure does not impose any restrictions on how the storage box 4 is installed in the inner cylinder 1; it can be achieved through methods such as bundling or pasting. It should be noted that when the outer wall of the inner cylinder 1 has an insulation layer 7, which will be mentioned below, the storage box 4 can be installed on the insulation layer 7 to indirectly install it in the inner cylinder 1.

[0040] Reference Figure 1 In the embodiments of this disclosure, the storage box 4 can be constructed in a circular shape to surround the inner cylinder 1. The number of vent holes can be multiple, and they are evenly distributed along the circumference of the storage box 4. This design ensures that whenever residual gas or trace amounts of gas are present at any position along the circumferential direction of the insulation gap 3, there is a nearby vent hole and gas absorbent 5 corresponding to it, thereby enabling rapid gas absorption. The number of vent holes can be 8, 10, etc. Furthermore, in some other embodiments, the storage box 4 can also be arc-shaped, straight-lined, etc., as long as it can be installed within the inner cylinder 1.

[0041] Furthermore, referring to Figure 2 In the embodiments of this disclosure, the number of storage boxes 4 can be multiple, and they are evenly distributed along the axial direction of the inner cylinder 1. This design ensures that whenever residual gas or trace amounts of gas are present at any position along the axial direction of the heat insulation gap 3, there is a nearby vent and gas absorbent 5 corresponding to it, allowing for rapid gas absorption. The number of storage boxes 4 can be three, five, etc.

[0042] This disclosure does not limit the material of the gas adsorbent 5. In the embodiments of this disclosure, the gas adsorbent 5 can be made from at least one of lithium, palladium, and iron materials. Specifically, it can be made from only one of lithium, palladium, and iron materials, or it can be made from a mixture of two or three of them.

[0043] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the embodiments disclosed herein, an insulation layer 7 may be attached to the outer wall of the inner cylinder 1, and the storage box 4 may be disposed between the insulation layer 7 and the outer cylinder 2, for example, it may be installed on the insulation layer 7. By providing the insulation layer 7, radiative heat transfer between the inner cylinder 1 and the outside can be blocked, further improving the heat insulation capability of the fluid storage and transportation structure.

[0044] This disclosure does not limit the specific material of the insulation layer 7. For example, in embodiments of this disclosure, the insulation layer 7 may be made of aluminum foil or polyester film, both of which have low thermal conductivity. The dimensions of the insulation layer 7 may be adaptively designed according to the application conditions, and this disclosure does not limit this.

[0045] To ensure the structural strength of the inner cylinder 1 and the outer cylinder 2, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the outer cylinder 2 and the inner cylinder 1 can be made of stainless steel. Alternatively, in some other embodiments, the inner cylinder 1 can also be made of nickel steel with a low coefficient of thermal expansion. The actual dimensions of the inner cylinder 1 and the outer cylinder 2 can be adaptively designed according to actual conditions.

[0046] The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of the present disclosure, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of the present disclosure, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure.

[0047] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, this disclosure will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0048] Furthermore, various different embodiments of this disclosure can be combined in any way, as long as they do not violate the spirit of this disclosure, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed in this disclosure.

Claims

1. A fluid storage and transportation structure, characterized in that, include: Inner cylinder (1), used for storing and transporting cryogenic fluids; An outer cylinder (2) is spaced outside the inner cylinder (1), and a heat insulation gap (3) is formed between the inner cylinder (1) and the outer cylinder (2). The outer cylinder (2) is provided with an air extraction port that communicates with the heat insulation gap (3). Storage box (4), installed within the heat insulation gap (3); and A gas adsorbent (5) is disposed inside the storage box (4). The storage box (4) is configured to selectively connect the gas adsorbent (5) to the external space of the storage box (4), so that the gas adsorbent (5) can absorb the gas in the heat insulation gap (3). The storage box (4) is installed on the inner cylinder (1). The storage box (4) is provided with a vent hole. The vent hole is used to connect the gas adsorbent (5) with the external space of the storage box (4). A sealing element (6) is provided inside the vent hole. The sealing element (6) is configured such that: when the temperature of the sealing element (6) is greater than a preset temperature, the sealing element (6) can block the vent; when the temperature of the sealing element (6) is less than or equal to the preset temperature, the sealing element (6) can be pulverized at low temperature to open the vent. The storage box (4) is constructed in a circular shape and is wrapped around the inner cylinder (1), and the number of ventilation holes is multiple.

2. The fluid storage and transportation structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The seal (6) is made of tin.

3. The fluid storage and transportation structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multiple ventilation holes are distributed at equal intervals along the circumference of the storage box (4).

4. The fluid storage and transportation structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The number of storage boxes (4) is multiple, and they are distributed at equal intervals along the axial direction of the inner cylinder (1).

5. The fluid storage and transportation structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas adsorbent (5) is prepared from at least one of lithium material, palladium material, and iron material.

6. The fluid storage and transportation structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer wall of the inner cylinder (1) is covered with an insulation layer (7), and the storage box (4) is disposed between the insulation layer (7) and the outer cylinder (2).

7. The fluid storage and transportation structure according to claim 6, characterized in that, The insulation layer (7) is made of aluminum foil or polyester film.

8. The fluid storage and transportation structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer cylinder (2) and the inner cylinder (1) are made of stainless steel.

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