Method for sealing hydrogen storage glass tube based on alloy

Abstract

The invention provides a method for melting and sealing a hydrogen storage glass tube based on an alloy. The method comprises the following steps: cleaning the hydrogen storage glass tube; the open end of the hydrogen storage glass tube is connected with a micro-pressure source through a connecting tube; putting the alloy into a test tube with a branch, and heating until the alloy is molten; and inserting the to-be-sealed end of the hydrogen storage glass tube into the molten alloy, and starting the micro-pressure source, so that the molten alloy is dragged to a preset height along the to-be-sealed end of the hydrogen storage glass tube. According to the embodiment, the molten alloy is led to the preset height of the to-be-sealed end of the hydrogen storage glass tube, so that a firm sealing plug can be formed, and leakage of the hydrogen storage glass tube is avoided. Specifically, the molten alloy and the inner wall of the hydrogen storage glass tube can form chemical bonding to form a firm sealing surface, so that the sealing degree is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of hydrogen storage, and in particular to a method for sealing a hydrogen storage glass tube based on alloy fusion. Background Art

[0002] The hydrogen required for hydrogen fuel cells must be stored in a suitable storage system that can withstand the high pressures generated by the compressed hydrogen. To transport the hydrogen to different locations, the storage system should be mobile. Currently, most storage systems that meet these requirements are made of metals, alloys, and / or composite materials. The use of these materials makes the storage systems relatively heavy, thus limiting their portability and range of use.

[0003] The invention patent entitled "High-Pressure Hydrogen Storage System" with publication number US20150236362A1 mentions a glass capillary array hydrogen storage system that can reduce the weight of the storage system.

[0004] However, the tail end sealing method of the above-mentioned glass capillary array is to place a sealing cap on the tail end, which may cause cracks in the glass capillary array due to stress, thereby causing leakage. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The content of this disclosure is intended to briefly introduce concepts that will be described in detail in the detailed description below. The content of this disclosure is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed technical solution, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed technical solution.

[0006] Some embodiments of the present invention provide a method for sealing a hydrogen storage glass tube based on alloy fusion to solve the technical problems mentioned in the above background technology section.

[0007] The method comprises cleaning a hydrogen storage glass tube; connecting an open end of the hydrogen storage glass tube and a micro-pressure source with a connecting tube; placing an alloy into a supported test tube and heating it until it is molten; inserting the end to be sealed of the hydrogen storage glass tube into the molten alloy, and turning on the micro-pressure source so that the molten alloy is drawn to a preset height along the end to be sealed of the hydrogen storage glass tube.

[0008] The above-mentioned embodiments of the present invention have the following beneficial effects: through the method of sealing a hydrogen storage glass tube based on alloy melting of the present invention, a firm sealing plug can be formed by drawing the molten alloy to a preset height of the end to be sealed of the hydrogen storage glass tube, thereby preventing the hydrogen storage glass tube from leaking.

[0009] Specifically, the molten alloy can form a chemical bond with the inner wall of the hydrogen storage glass tube, forming a strong sealing surface, thereby improving the sealing degree. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the specific embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0011] Figure 1 Flowcharts of some embodiments of the method for sealing a hydrogen storage glass tube based on alloy melting according to the present disclosure;

[0012] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the connection state of the connecting tube and the hydrogen storage glass tube;

[0013] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an alloy-sealed hydrogen storage glass tube;

[0014] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the bonding of indium atoms to the surface of the hydrogen storage glass tube.

[0015] Description of reference numerals:

[0016] 1: Hydrogen storage glass tube; 11: Second test tube holder; 12: Common symmetry atom; 2: Connecting tube; 3: Adhesive material; 4: Supported test tube; 41: First test tube holder; 5: Alloy; 51: Indium atom; 6: Branch tube; 7: Heating platform. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions of the present invention in conjunction with the embodiments. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0018] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" and the like to indicate directions or positional relationships based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operate in a specific direction, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0019] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the said features. In the description of the present invention, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined. In addition, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be a communication between the two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0020] The present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and in conjunction with embodiments.

[0021] First see Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a process 100 of some embodiments of the method for sealing a hydrogen storage glass tube based on alloy melting according to the present disclosure. The method includes the following steps:

[0022] Step 101: Clean the hydrogen storage glass tube.

[0023] In some embodiments, the hydrogen storage glass tube may be cleaned to prevent impurities from affecting the sealing effect. Specifically, various solutions can be used to clean the hydrogen storage glass tube. For example, a bleach solution can remove dirt and bacteria. Another example is a nitric acid solution, which can remove metal ion contamination within the hydrogen storage glass tube. Furthermore, those skilled in the art may also use deionized water or alcohol to clean the hydrogen storage glass tube.

[0024] It should be noted that the above-mentioned hydrogen storage glass tube can be a glass capillary tube or a glass capillary tube array.

[0025] Step 102: Use a connecting tube to connect the open end of the hydrogen storage glass tube and the micro-pressure source.

[0026] In some embodiments, as Figure 2 As shown, Figure 2 The connecting tube 2 is connected to the open end of the hydrogen storage glass tube 1 ( Figure 2 The connecting tube 2 can be a rubber tube or a silicone tube with elastic deformation. The open end of the hydrogen storage glass tube 1 can be inserted into the connecting tube 2, and under the elastic deformation of the connecting tube 2, it can be tightly connected with the outer wall of the hydrogen storage glass tube 1. The other end of the connecting tube 2 ( Figure 2The left end shown in the figure is connected to the pressure output port of the micro-pressure source.

[0027] In some optional implementations of the embodiments, the open end of the hydrogen storage glass tube 1 can be inserted into the connecting tube 2 to a preset length. The preset length can be determined by those skilled in the art through repeated experiments, for example, 3-5 cm.

[0028] Furthermore, in order to improve the sealing degree between the connecting tube 2 and the outer wall of the hydrogen storage glass tube 1, an adhesive material 3 can be provided at the joint of the connecting tube 2 and the hydrogen storage glass tube 1 for sealing. The adhesive material 3 can be glue such as epoxy resin, and those skilled in the art can select it according to actual conditions.

[0029] Step 103: Place the alloy into a supported test tube and heat it until it is molten.

[0030] In some embodiments, as Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an alloy-sealed hydrogen storage glass tube. After the alloy 5 is placed into a supported test tube 4, the supported test tube 4 is secured to a first test tube holder 41. This first test tube holder 41 can be positioned to one side of a heating platform 7 for providing temperature. When heated, the supported test tube 4 is positioned above the heating platform 7.

[0031] In some optional implementations of some embodiments, after the support tube 4 is fixed, nitrogen gas can be introduced into the support tube 4 for a preset time so that the air in the support tube 4 is removed. In this way, the alloy 5 can be prevented from being oxidized during the heating process.

[0032] Specifically, a branch tube 6 can be connected to one side of the branch tube 4. The left end of the branch tube 6 ( Figure 3 In actual operation, the nitrogen source introduces nitrogen into the test tube 4 at a preset pressure for a preset time. The time for introducing nitrogen can be determined by those skilled in the art through repeated experiments.

[0033] After the nitrogen source injects nitrogen into the support tube 4 for a preset time, the air in the support tube 4 is removed. Next, the heating stage 7 is turned on to heat the alloy 5 to a molten state.

[0034] Step 104 : insert the end of the hydrogen storage glass tube to be sealed into the molten alloy, and start a micro-pressure source to draw the molten alloy along the end of the hydrogen storage glass tube to be sealed to a preset height.

[0035] In some embodiments, continue to refer to Figure 3 The hydrogen storage glass tube 1 can be clamped by the second test tube holder 11, and the end to be sealed of the hydrogen storage glass tube 1 can be adjusted by adjusting the height of the second test tube holder 11. Figure 3 After the micro-pressure source is turned on, the negative pressure generated by the micro-pressure source can pull the molten alloy 5 up to a preset height, thereby sealing the end of the hydrogen storage glass tube 1 to be sealed.

[0036] Furthermore, in order to prevent surface oxidation of the molten alloy 5 , flux may be added to the molten alloy 5 before the micro-pressure source is turned on.

[0037] The negative pressure P1 of the micro-pressure source can be determined by the preset height. Specifically, the negative pressure P1 of the micro-pressure source represents the negative pressure intensity required to draw the molten alloy to the preset height h in the hydrogen storage glass tube.

[0038] According to the liquid pressure formula: P1 = ρgh; where,

[0039] P1 is the negative pressure of the above-mentioned micro-pressure source;

[0040] ρ is the density of the molten alloy, which can be determined according to the selected alloy;

[0041] g is the acceleration due to gravity;

[0042] h is the above-mentioned preset height.

[0043] The above-mentioned preset height h can be determined by the following formula:

[0044] h≥P2*r / 2k, where

[0045] r is the radius of the above-mentioned hydrogen storage glass tube; when the hydrogen storage glass tube is a glass capillary, r is the radius of the glass capillary; when the hydrogen storage glass tube is a glass capillary array, r is the radius of the glass capillary in the above-mentioned glass capillary array.

[0046] k is the adhesion per unit area between the alloy and the surface of the hydrogen storage glass tube. The adhesion can be measured by a tensile shear test. The test method refers to "Determination of tensile shear strength of adhesives (rigid material to rigid material) GB / T7124-2008".

[0047] P2 is the maximum hydrogen storage pressure of the hydrogen storage glass tube, that is, the pressure that the alloy withstands after sealing. Those skilled in the art can determine it based on the relevant parameters of hydrogen storage in the hydrogen storage glass tube.

[0048] Optionally, a sensor for detecting the actual height of the molten alloy rising can be installed on one side of the hydrogen storage glass tube. For example, the sensor can be an optical sensor. If the detected actual height exceeds or falls below the preset height, indicating that the negative pressure of the micro-pressure source is too high or too low, a buzzer or warning light can be used to alert personnel to adjust the pressure.

[0049] In addition, the negative pressure value P1 of the micro-pressure source can also be determined by the following technical solution.

[0050] The micro-pressure source can be communicatively connected to a controller. The controller can include a human-computer interface and an artificial intelligence chip. A staff member can input a numerical value for the preset height through the human-computer interface. Similarly, the numerical value for the preset height can be determined using the above formula.

[0051] The negative pressure value of the micro-pressure source can be obtained by analyzing a preset height by the artificial intelligence chip, wherein the machine learning model hosted by the artificial intelligence chip is trained using a training sample set. The training sample set includes sample preset heights and sample negative pressure values, and the machine learning model is trained using the sample preset heights as input and the sample negative pressure values as the desired output.

[0052] As an example, a machine learning model can be obtained by performing the following training steps based on a training sample set: inputting the sample preset heights of at least one training sample in the training sample set into the initial machine learning model to obtain the corresponding negative pressure value; comparing the negative pressure value corresponding to each sample preset height in the at least one training sample with the corresponding sample negative pressure value; determining the prediction accuracy of the initial machine learning model based on the comparison result; determining whether the prediction accuracy is greater than a preset accuracy threshold; in response to determining that the accuracy is greater than the preset accuracy threshold, the initial machine learning model is used as a trained machine learning model; in response to determining that the accuracy is not greater than the preset accuracy threshold, adjusting the parameters of the initial machine learning model, and using unused training samples to form a training sample set, using the adjusted initial machine learning model as the initial machine learning model, and performing the above training steps again. It can be understood that after the above training, the machine learning model can be used to preset the correspondence between the height and the negative pressure value. The above-mentioned machine learning model can be a convolutional neural network model.

[0053] As an example, the machine learning model may include a table of preset heights and correspondences. The correspondence table may be a table developed by a person skilled in the art based on a large number of correspondences between preset heights and negative pressure values. Thus, the preset height is sequentially compared with the multiple preset heights in the correspondence table. If a preset height in the correspondence table is the same as or similar to the preset height, the negative pressure value corresponding to the preset height in the correspondence table is used as the negative pressure value indicated by the preset height.

[0054] As another example, the above-mentioned initial machine learning model can be an untrained deep learning model or an untrained deep learning model. Each layer of the initial deep learning model can be set with initial parameters, and the parameters can be continuously adjusted during the training process of the deep learning model. The initial deep learning model can be various types of untrained or untrained artificial neural networks or a model obtained by combining multiple untrained or untrained artificial neural networks. For example, the initial deep learning model can be an untrained convolutional neural network, an untrained recurrent neural network, or a model obtained by combining an untrained convolutional neural network, an untrained recurrent neural network, and an untrained fully connected layer. In this way, the preset height can be input from the input side of the deep learning model, processed by the parameters of each layer in the deep learning model in sequence, and output from the output side of the deep learning model. The information output by the output side is the negative pressure value.

[0055] In this way, for different preset heights, the AI chip can quickly determine the negative pressure value. This negative pressure value can also be displayed through the human-computer interaction interface, making it easier for staff to adjust the actual negative pressure value of the micro-pressure source. This makes the negative pressure determination process more intelligent, eliminating the need for manual calculations, reducing errors, and improving calculation accuracy.

[0056] Finally, it should be noted that the alloy may be an indium alloy. In addition, in order to reduce the sealing temperature, the alloy may also include but is not limited to one of the following: indium tin alloy, indium lead alloy, indium bismuth alloy.

[0057] The above alloy can form a chemical bond with the hydrogen storage glass tube on the sealing surface. This chemical bond is achieved by a rapid oxidation reaction between the fresh non-oxidized surface layer atoms of the metal indium and the oxides of the glass surface layer. Specifically, the hydrogen storage glass tube has a tendency to maintain the most stable low-energy state, so when it comes into contact with other substances, the surface layer is bound to have a state that is very different from the interior. The "subsurface hypothesis" believes that the glass surface is very thin and has no symmetry at all, that is, all the ions therein are in an incompletely coordinated state with a defective structure. Figure 4 As shown, Figure 4 Schematic diagram of indium atoms bonding to the surface of a hydrogen storage glass tube. The circles represent the normally symmetrical atoms within the glass. As they get closer to the surface, the entropy change increases, and the circles gradually deform, becoming asymmetric ellipses. Consequently, countless interatomic gaps exist within the subsurface layer. Under external force, indium atoms can penetrate the glass surface and undergo an oxidation reaction with the oxygen atoms within, forming a strong seal.

[0058] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the above embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for sealing a hydrogen storage glass tube based on alloy fusion, characterized in that: The method comprises: Clean the hydrogen storage glass tube; Connecting the open end of the hydrogen storage glass tube and the micro-pressure source with a connecting pipe; Put the alloy into a test tube and heat it until it is molten; The end of the hydrogen storage glass tube to be sealed is inserted into the molten alloy, and the micro-pressure source is turned on to cause the molten alloy to be drawn to a preset height along the end of the hydrogen storage glass tube to be sealed.

2. The method for sealing a hydrogen storage glass tube by alloy fusion according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hydrogen storage glass tube includes one of the following: a glass capillary tube and a glass capillary tube array.

3. The method for sealing a hydrogen storage glass tube by alloy fusion according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cleaning process of the hydrogen storage glass tube includes: Deionized water and alcohol are used to clean the hydrogen storage glass tube respectively.

4. The method for sealing a hydrogen storage glass tube based on alloy fusion according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connecting pipe is used to connect the open end of the hydrogen storage glass tube and the micro-pressure source, including: Inserting the open end of the hydrogen storage glass tube into the connecting tube to a preset length; Adhesive material is used to seal the joint between the connecting tube and the open end of the hydrogen storage glass tube.

5. The method for sealing a hydrogen storage glass tube based on alloy fusion according to claim 1, characterized in that: The alloy is placed in a supported test tube and heated to a molten state, comprising: placing the alloy into a supported test tube, and securing the supported test tube to a heating stage; Passing nitrogen gas into the supported test tube for a preset time period so that the air in the supported test tube is expelled; Turn on the heating stage to heat the alloy to a molten state; A flux is added to the molten alloy.

6. The method for sealing a hydrogen storage glass tube by alloy fusion according to claim 5, characterized in that: The bottom of the branched test tube is connected with a branch pipe, and the branch pipe is connected with a nitrogen source.

7. The method for sealing a hydrogen storage glass tube by alloy fusion according to claim 1, characterized in that: The preset height h is determined by the following formula: h≥P2*r / 2k, where r is the radius of the hydrogen storage glass tube; k is the adhesion force per unit area between the alloy and the surface of the hydrogen storage glass tube; P2 is the maximum hydrogen storage pressure of the hydrogen storage glass tube.

8. The method for sealing a hydrogen storage glass tube by alloy fusion according to claim 1, wherein: The negative pressure value generated by the micro-pressure source is determined by the preset height L of the molten alloy.

9. The method for sealing a hydrogen storage glass tube by alloy fusion according to claim 1, characterized in that: The alloy includes at least one of the following: indium tin alloy, indium lead alloy, indium bismuth alloy.

10. The method for sealing a hydrogen storage glass tube by alloy fusion according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connecting tube is a rubber tube.

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