Liquid hydrogen bottle with heat insulation gas chamber

Abstract

The liquid hydrogen bottle comprises an outer shell and an inner tank body which are coaxially and separately arranged together in a sleeved mode, an inner cavity of the inner tank body is a liquid storage cavity, the heat insulation gas chamber is arranged on the circumferential side wall of the inner tank body in a circle surrounding mode, and a gas phase balance pipe is arranged between the liquid storage cavity and the heat insulation gas chamber. One end of the gas-phase balance pipe is communicated with the gas-phase space, close to the top, of the liquid storage chamber, the other end of the gas-phase balance pipe is communicated with the interior of the heat-insulating gas chamber, and the gas-phase balance pipe enables gas in the heat-insulating gas chamber and gas in the liquid storage chamber to circulate, so that the gas pressure in the heat-insulating gas chamber and the gas pressure in the liquid storage chamber tend to be consistent. The gasified low-temperature hydrogen or helium can enter the heat insulation gas chamber, a low-temperature hydrogen or low-temperature helium gas layer is formed on the circumferential side wall of the inner tank body, a low-temperature gas barrier is formed, the gas layer effectively isolates low-temperature liquid hydrogen or liquid helium from directly transferring cold energy to the inner side wall of the inner tank body, and low-temperature loss is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of hydrogen energy technology, and specifically to a liquid hydrogen cylinder with an insulated gas chamber. Background Technology

[0002] In the storage and operation of cryogenic liquids such as liquid hydrogen and liquid helium, various insulation methods are required. These include using a vacuum layer inside the storage container as insulation, wrapping multiple layers of insulation material around the outside of the inner tank, and adding a liquid nitrogen cold shield to the outside of the inner tank to create a cryogenic environment. These three methods can be combined in any way to achieve insulation and maintain the cryogenic environment of the liquid. However, these traditional solutions also have many shortcomings. For example, the liquid nitrogen cold shield structure requires a cryogenic cylinder separated from the outer tank of the inner tank, filled with cryogenic liquid nitrogen to form a cryogenic protective shield. This method of insulation to maintain cryogenic temperatures is costly to manufacture, structurally complex, and difficult to maintain. It also increases the overall volume of the container. Especially when liquid nitrogen is heated and vaporized, a high-pressure environment is created inside the cold shield structure, which can be dangerous, requiring high strength from the cold shield structure. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a liquid hydrogen cylinder with an insulated gas chamber, which solves the problems of large volume, complex structure, high strength requirements, and high pressure when heated, which are relatively dangerous.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: A liquid hydrogen cylinder with an insulated gas chamber includes an outer shell and an inner tank that are separately fitted together. The inner tank has an internal cavity that serves as a liquid storage chamber. An insulated gas chamber is arranged around the circumferential side wall of the inner tank. A gas phase balance pipe is installed between the liquid storage chamber and the insulated gas chamber. One end of the gas phase balance pipe is connected to the gas phase space near the top of the liquid storage chamber, and the other end is connected to the inside of the insulated gas chamber. The gas phase balance pipe allows the gas inside the insulated gas chamber to flow with the gas in the liquid storage chamber, so that the gas pressure inside the insulated gas chamber and the liquid storage chamber tends to be consistent.

[0005] In a preferred embodiment, the cavity between the outer shell and the outer side of the inner tank is a vacuum chamber, and the outer side wall of the inner tank is covered with a layer of heat-insulating material.

[0006] In a preferred embodiment, the gas phase balance pipe is installed in the liquid storage chamber of the inner tank. The lower end of the gas phase balance pipe is close to the bottom surface of the inner tank and connected to one side of the circumferential bottom surface of the heat insulation chamber. The upper end face opening of the gas phase balance pipe is suspended close to and lower than the top surface of the inner tank. An isolation cover to prevent liquid from entering is provided on the outside of the upper end of the gas phase balance pipe.

[0007] As a preferred embodiment, an isolation cylinder plate is provided in the inner cavity of the inner tank near the inner circumferential side wall. The two ends of the isolation cylinder plate along the axial direction are sealed and welded to the inner circumferential inner wall of the inner tank through annular support plates. The cavity between the isolation cylinder plate and the inner tank is a heat insulation air chamber.

[0008] As a preferred embodiment, two gas phase balance tubes are symmetrically arranged at both ends along the axial direction, and each gas phase balance tube is fitted with an isolation cover at its top end.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment, a reinforcing support plate is provided between the middle of the isolation cylinder and the inner tank.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment, the axial length of the isolation plate is less than the axial length of the cylindrical sidewall in the middle of the inner tank, so that the two circumferential end faces of the middle of the inner tank extend beyond the two ends of the isolation plate. The upper ends of the two gas phase balance pipes and the sleeved isolation cover are respectively set on the top of the inner tank that extends beyond and is close to the two ends of the isolation plate.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment, the radial dimension of the cylindrical insulated air chamber is 10mm-30mm, and the two ends of the cylindrical sidewall in the middle of the inner tank extend beyond the two ends of the isolation plate by 20mm-100mm.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the isolation cover consists of a first baffle, a second baffle, and a third baffle that are nested together from the outermost layer to the innermost layer. The outermost first baffle and the innermost third baffle are wrapped around the upper end of the gas phase balance tube. The tops of the first and third baffles are fixed to the top surface of the inner tank, and the bottom openings of the first and third baffles are suspended. The top opening of the middle second baffle is suspended close to and below the top surface of the inner tank, and the bottom of the second baffle is lower than the bottoms of the first and third baffles. A ring plate is provided at the bottom of the second baffle, and the middle through hole of the ring plate is fitted and fixed to the outer wall of the gas phase balance tube.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment, the ring plate is provided with a leakage hole.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: To reduce the temperature loss of cryogenic liquids, such as liquid hydrogen or liquid helium, in the storage container and improve thermal insulation performance, an insulating cylinder plate is provided on the inner wall of the inner tank to form a ring of insulating gas chambers. These insulating gas chambers are connected to the gas space inside the liquid storage chamber. The vaporized cryogenic hydrogen or helium enters the insulating gas chambers, forming a cryogenic hydrogen or helium gas layer on the circumferential side wall of the inner tank, thus creating a cryogenic gas thermal insulation barrier. This gas layer effectively... This design isolates the cryogenic liquid hydrogen or helium from directly transferring cooling energy to the inner wall of the inner tank, reducing cryogenic loss. A vapor phase balance pipe connects the liquid storage chamber and the insulating gas chamber. An isolation cover is fitted over the upper opening of the vapor phase balance pipe inside the liquid storage chamber, preventing liquid from entering the vapor phase balance pipe. The insulating gas chamber is flush against the inner wall of the inner tank, occupying minimal space. It also provides gas space within the inner tank, effectively preventing the risk of tank expansion due to excessive vaporization of liquid hydrogen or helium. By nesting the outer shell and inner tank together, and placing the vacuum chamber and insulation layer within the same sandwiched chamber, the overall structure is simple, compact, and significantly improves insulation performance while reducing manufacturing costs. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A magnified view of part A in the middle; Figures 1-2 Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram: 1. Outer shell; 2. Insulation material layer; 3. Liquid storage chamber; 4. Isolation cylinder plate; 5. Inner tank; 6. Isolation cover; 7. Gas phase balance pipe; 8. Support plate; 9. Insulating gas chamber; 10. Reinforcing support plate; 11. Vacuum chamber; 61. First baffle pipe; 62. Second baffle pipe; 63. Leakage hole; 64. Third baffle pipe; 65. Ring plate. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0017] The liquid hydrogen cylinder with an insulated gas chamber described in this invention is shown in the following figure. Figures 1-2As shown, the device includes an outer shell 1 and an inner tank 5 coaxially separated and fitted together. The inner chamber of the inner tank 5 is a liquid storage chamber 3. A heat insulation chamber 9 is arranged around the circumferential side wall of the inner tank 5. A gas phase balance pipe 7 is arranged between the liquid storage chamber 3 and the heat insulation chamber 9. One end of the gas phase balance pipe 7 is connected to the gas phase space near the top of the liquid storage chamber 3, and the other end of the gas phase balance pipe 7 is connected to the inside of the heat insulation chamber 9. The gas phase balance pipe 7 allows the gas inside the heat insulation chamber 9 to flow with the gas in the liquid storage chamber 3, so that the gas pressure inside the heat insulation chamber 9 and the liquid storage chamber 3 tends to be consistent.

[0018] Specifically, an insulated air chamber 9 is provided on the circumference inside the inner tank 5. The insulated air chamber 9 is connected to the gas phase space at the top of the liquid storage chamber 3, so that the insulated air chamber 9 is filled with vaporized low-temperature gas, forming a low-temperature insulation barrier to protect the low-temperature environment inside the liquid storage chamber 3. The air pressure of the insulated air chamber 9 is the same as the air pressure at the top of the liquid storage chamber 3, so that the pressure of the isolation plate 4 between the insulated air chamber 9 and the liquid storage chamber 3 is balanced, making the overall structure more stable and durable.

[0019] In this embodiment, the cavity between the outer shell 1 and the outer side of the inner tank 5 is a vacuum chamber 11, and the outer wall of the inner tank 5 is covered with a heat-insulating material layer 2. The heat-insulating material layer 2 prevents the low temperature of the inner tank 5 from being conducted to the outside.

[0020] In this embodiment, the gas phase balance pipe 7 is installed in the liquid storage chamber 3 of the inner tank 5. The lower end of the gas phase balance pipe 7 is close to the bottom surface of the inner tank 5 and connected to one side of the circumferential bottom surface of the heat insulation chamber 9. The upper end face opening of the gas phase balance pipe 7 is suspended close to and lower than the top surface of the inner tank 5. An isolation cover 6 to prevent liquid from entering is provided on the outside of the upper end of the gas phase balance pipe 7. The liquid storage chamber 3 and the heat insulation chamber 9 are connected by a gas phase balance pipe 7. One end of the gas phase balance pipe 7 is located near the top of the liquid storage chamber 3, and the gas phase balance pipe 7 is connected to the bottom side of the inner wall of the heat insulation chamber 9. This not only allows the gas phase of the liquid storage chamber 3 to communicate with the heat insulation chamber 9, but also stabilizes the gas flow process between the two. This prevents the gas at the top of the liquid storage chamber 3 from entering or leaving the heat insulation chamber 9 too quickly through the gas phase balance pipe 7 due to the sloshing of the liquid inside the liquid storage chamber 3. This would cause a pressure difference between the liquid storage chamber 3 and the heat insulation chamber 9, resulting in damage to the side wall of the heat insulation chamber 9 and affecting the overall strength and heat insulation effect.

[0021] In this embodiment, an isolation cylinder plate 4 is coaxially arranged in the inner cavity of the inner tank 5 near the inner circumferential side wall. The two ends of the isolation cylinder plate 4 along the axial direction are sealed and welded to the inner circumferential inner wall of the inner tank 5 through annular support plates 8. The cavity between the isolation cylinder plate 4 and the inner tank 5 is a heat insulation chamber 9. The isolation cylinder plate 4 is arranged in the inner cavity of the inner side wall of the inner tank 5, which retains the original outer contour of the inner tank 5 and does not increase the overall volume. The heat insulation chamber 9 is filled with low-temperature gas from the liquid storage chamber 3, forming a low-temperature heat insulation barrier. Moreover, the gas pressure of the heat insulation chamber 9 and the liquid storage chamber 3 is the same, so the pressure on the inner and outer sides of the isolation cylinder plate 4 is the same. This reduces the strength requirement of the isolation cylinder plate 4, allowing for the use of a thinner isolation cylinder plate 4 and reducing the overall weight.

[0022] In this embodiment, two gas phase balance pipes 7 are symmetrically arranged at both ends along the axial direction, and each gas phase balance pipe 7 is fitted with an isolation cover 6 at its top end. The two sets of symmetrical gas phase balance pipes 7 enable the gas in the heat insulation chamber 9 to communicate with the gas in the liquid storage chamber 3, so that the gas pressure is the same.

[0023] In this embodiment, a reinforcing support plate 10 is provided between the middle of the isolation cylinder plate 4 and the inner tank 5. The reinforcing support plate 10 supports the isolation cylinder plate 4, increases its strength, and resists the compression of liquid in the liquid storage chamber 3.

[0024] In this embodiment, the axial length of the isolation plate 4 is less than the axial length of the cylindrical sidewall in the middle of the inner tank 5, so that the two circumferential end faces of the middle of the inner tank 5 extend beyond the two ends of the isolation plate 4. The upper ends of the two gas phase balance pipes 7 and the fitted isolation cover 6 are respectively set at the top of the inner tank 5 that extend beyond and are close to the two ends of the isolation plate 4. This allows for the provision of installation space for the upper end of the gas phase balance pipes 7, so that the upper end of the gas phase balance pipes 7 is located at the highest point inside the liquid storage chamber 3, which facilitates gas exchange and can also effectively reduce the entry of liquid.

[0025] In this embodiment, the radial dimension of the cylindrical heat insulation chamber 9 is 10mm-30mm, and the two ends of the cylindrical sidewall in the middle of the inner tank 5 extend beyond the two ends of the isolation plate 4 by 20-100mm. The relatively thin thickness of the heat insulation chamber 9 is sufficient to achieve good heat insulation and maintain a low-temperature environment; a suitable size can be customized according to requirements.

[0026] In this embodiment, the isolation cover 6 consists of a first baffle 61, a second baffle 62, and a third baffle 64, which are sequentially arranged together from the outermost layer to the innermost layer. The outermost first baffle 61 and the innermost third baffle 64 are coaxially arranged around the upper end of the gas phase balance tube 7. The tops of the first baffle 61 and the third baffle 64 are fixed to the top surface of the inner tank 5. The bottom openings of the first baffle 61 and the third baffle 64 are suspended. The top opening of the second baffle 62 is suspended close to and lower than the top surface of the inner tank 5. The bottom of the second baffle 62 is lower than the bottoms of the first baffle 61 and the third baffle 64. A ring plate 65 is provided at the bottom of the second baffle 62. The middle through hole of the ring plate 65 is sleeved and fixed on the outer side wall of the gas phase balance tube 7. The isolation cover 6 consists of a first baffle 61, a second baffle 62, and a third baffle 64 that are interlocked and spaced apart, to prevent liquid from entering the heat insulation chamber 9 from the upper opening of the gas phase balance pipe 7, thereby reducing the amount of liquid in the liquid storage chamber 3.

[0027] In this embodiment, the annular plate 65 is provided with a leakage hole 63. A small amount of liquid that has entered the second baffle tube 62 can flow back into the liquid storage chamber 3 through the leakage hole 63.

[0028] The working process of this invention is as follows: First, as shown in Figure 1-2, liquid hydrogen or liquid helium is injected into the liquid storage chamber 3. Some of the liquid hydrogen or liquid helium will vaporize into gas. Due to the increase in gas concentration inside the liquid storage chamber 3, the gas will enter the interior of the heat insulation chamber 9 from the upper opening of the gas phase balance pipes 7 on both sides, so that the interior of the heat insulation chamber 9 is filled with low-temperature gas. The gas has a good heat insulation effect, forming a low-temperature heat insulation barrier. The gas pressure inside the heat insulation chamber 9 is the same as the gas pressure in the liquid storage chamber 3, making the overall structure stable and relatively safe.

[0029] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention, as well as some examples of its application, and are not intended to limit the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the inventive concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A liquid hydrogen cylinder with an insulated gas chamber, characterized in that, The device includes an outer shell (1) and an inner tank (5) that are fitted together. The inner chamber of the inner tank (5) is a liquid storage chamber (3). A heat insulation chamber (9) is arranged around the circumferential side wall of the inner tank (5). A gas phase balance pipe (7) is arranged between the liquid storage chamber (3) and the heat insulation chamber (9). One end of the gas phase balance pipe (7) is connected to the gas phase space near the top of the liquid storage chamber (3), and the other end of the gas phase balance pipe (7) is connected to the inside of the heat insulation chamber (9). The gas phase balance pipe (7) allows the gas inside the heat insulation chamber (9) to flow with the gas in the liquid storage chamber (3), so that the gas pressure inside the heat insulation chamber (9) and the liquid storage chamber (3) tends to be consistent.

2. A liquid hydrogen cylinder with an insulated gas chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cavity between the outer shell (1) and the outer side of the inner tank (5) is a vacuum chamber (11), and the outer side wall of the inner tank (5) is covered with a heat-insulating material layer (2).

3. A liquid hydrogen cylinder with an insulated gas chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas phase balance pipe (7) is installed in the liquid storage chamber (3) of the inner tank (5). The lower end of the gas phase balance pipe (7) is close to the bottom surface of the inner tank (5) and connected to one side of the circumferential bottom surface of the heat insulation chamber (9). The upper end face opening of the gas phase balance pipe (7) is suspended close to and lower than the top surface of the inner tank (5). The upper end of the gas phase balance pipe (7) is covered with an isolation cover (6) to prevent liquid from entering.

4. A liquid hydrogen cylinder with an insulated gas chamber according to claim 3, characterized in that, An isolation cylinder plate (4) is provided in the inner cavity of the inner tank (5) near the inner circumferential side wall. The two ends of the isolation cylinder plate (4) along the axial direction are sealed and welded to the inner circumferential inner wall of the inner tank (5) by an annular support plate (8). The cavity between the isolation cylinder plate (4) and the inner tank (5) is a heat insulation air chamber (9).

5. A liquid hydrogen cylinder with an insulated gas chamber according to claim 4, characterized in that, Two gas phase balance tubes (7) are symmetrically arranged at both ends along the axial direction, and each gas phase balance tube (7) is fitted with an isolation cover (6) at its top end.

6. A liquid hydrogen cylinder with an insulated gas chamber according to claim 4, characterized in that, A reinforcing support plate (10) is provided between the middle of the isolation cylinder plate (4) and the inner tank (5).

7. A liquid hydrogen cylinder with an insulated gas chamber according to claim 5, characterized in that, The length of the isolation plate (4) along the axial direction is less than the length of the cylindrical side wall in the middle of the inner tank (5) along the axial direction, so that the two circumferential end faces of the middle of the inner tank (5) extend beyond the two ends of the isolation plate (4). The upper ends of the two gas phase balance pipes (7) and the sleeved isolation cover (6) are respectively set on the top of the inner tank (5) that extends beyond and is close to the two ends of the isolation plate (4).

8. A liquid hydrogen cylinder with an insulated gas chamber according to claim 7, characterized in that, The radial dimension of the cylindrical heat insulation chamber (9) is 10mm-30mm, and the two ends of the cylindrical sidewall in the middle of the inner tank (5) extend beyond the two ends of the isolation plate (4) by 20-100mm.

9. A liquid hydrogen cylinder with an insulated gas chamber according to claim 3, 5, or 7, characterized in that, The isolation cover (6) consists of a first baffle (61), a second baffle (62), and a third baffle (64) that are nested together from the outermost layer to the innermost layer. The outermost first baffle (61) and the innermost third baffle (64) are wrapped around the upper part of the gas phase balance tube (7). The tops of the first baffle (61) and the third baffle (64) are fixed to the top surface of the inner tank (5). The bottom openings of the first baffle (61) and the third baffle (64) are suspended. The top opening of the second baffle (62) is suspended close to and lower than the top surface of the inner tank (5). The bottom of the second baffle (62) is lower than the bottoms of the first baffle (61) and the third baffle (64). The bottom of the second baffle (62) is provided with a ring plate (65). The middle through hole of the ring plate (65) is fitted and fixed on the outer side wall of the gas phase balance tube (7).

10. A liquid hydrogen cylinder with an insulated gas chamber according to claim 9, characterized in that, The ring plate (65) is provided with a leakage hole (63).

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