Reservoir system for storing fluid

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tank system (100) for storing fluids, wherein the tank system (100) comprises: a plurality of tanks (101), wherein each of the plurality of tanks (101) includes a tank valve (103), and a computing unit (105), wherein the computing unit (105) is configured to place the tank system (100) in a safe operation, wherein the output of error information is prevented in the safe operation, wherein the opening of the tank valve (103) of the tank system (100) is prevented in the safe operation, and wherein the computing unit (105) is configured to deactivate the safe operation only when the computing unit (105) detects a pre-given release condition, so as to allow the opening of the tank valve (103).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a tank system for storing fluids, a method for starting the tank system, and a program product. Background Technology

[0002] In hydrogen storage tank systems, the manufacturer pre-fills the tanks with nitrogen at a maximum pressure of 2 bar upon delivery. This state is maintained until the end of the production line. Therefore, during the initial commissioning or startup of the storage tank system, the pressure in each tank is lower than the allowable pressure for normal operation. This causes the application software and functional safety software to generate error entries and may shut down the tank system's controller. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Within the scope of this invention, a tank system, a method for starting the tank system, and a program product are proposed. Further features and details of the invention are derived from the corresponding dependent claims, description, and drawings. Hereinafter, the features and details described in conjunction with the method according to the invention also apply to the tank system according to the invention or the program product according to the invention, and vice versa, so that the disclosures regarding various aspects of the invention are always mutually referential or can be mutually referenced.

[0004] The present invention is particularly intended to provide a possibility for starting up a storage tank system without errors and safely when put into operation.

[0005] Therefore, according to a first aspect of the invention, a tank system for storing fluids is provided.

[0006] The proposed tank system includes multiple tanks, each of which includes a tank valve; and includes a computing unit configured to place the tank system in a safe operation, wherein the output of error information is prevented during the safe operation, and wherein the opening of the tank valves of the tank system is prevented during the safe operation, and wherein the computing unit is further configured to deactivate the safe operation to allow the tank valves to open only when the computing unit detects a pre-given release condition.

[0007] In the context of this invention, a computing unit should be understood as a computer, processor, controller, or any other programmable circuit.

[0008] The present invention is based on a safe operation, which is activated, for example, during the manufacturing process of the storage tank system, to prevent the normal operation of the storage tank system from causing erroneous output information due to operating conditions present during the manufacturing process, or to be replaced by the safe operation.

[0009] The safe operation configured according to the present invention is activated or set in the calculation unit of the proposed tank system, causing the opening of the tank valves of the tank system to be prevented, thus rendering the tank system inoperable. For normal operation of the tank system (whereby the tank system supplies fluid to the consuming devices), the safe operation must be correspondingly deactivated.

[0010] Furthermore, safe operation prevents the output of error messages, allowing the tank system to be placed in a state not configured during normal operation or that would lead to the output of error messages, which is invisible to the end user. Accordingly, even with a pressure of 2 bar in each tank, the tank system can be started during manufacturing without outputting error messages or interrupting the startup process.

[0011] To deactivate safe operation, release conditions are set, which may include, for example, manual intervention by a user or technician, and / or specific operating conditions in the form of pressure or pressure trends in the respective tanks of the storage system.

[0012] Only when the release conditions are met can safe operation be stopped and the normal operation of the storage tank system be activated.

[0013] The computing unit can be configured to store the activation conditions for safe operation in the non-volatile memory of the tank system during the initial startup of the tank system, and to edit the activation conditions only when the computing unit detects a release condition.

[0014] The activation conditions for SafeRun can be easily and quickly edited to configure SafeRun, i.e., to activate or deactivate SafeRun.

[0015] By storing the activation conditions in non-volatile memory, the activation conditions cannot be circumvented, especially not by resetting the computing unit, making safe operation particularly tamper-proof and protecting the tank system from unauthorized or unintended use during normal operation.

[0016] For example, the activation conditions can be stored in non-volatile memory before the computing unit of the proposed tank system is first put into operation. For this purpose, an additional computing unit, which is not part of the tank system, can be used, for example.

[0017] To ensure that the activation conditions used to disable safe operation are edited, an inequality check can be performed before disabling safe operation. Accordingly, for example, if the result of the inequality check indicates that the activation conditions have been successfully edited, the diagnostic system for normal operation, especially for tank systems, can be activated.

[0018] Alternatively, the computing unit of the tank system can be used during initial commissioning to store activation conditions in non-volatile memory.

[0019] The release conditions can also be configured to include a release command, which is provided to the tank system by an authorized user through a communication interface.

[0020] By providing release commands to the tank system via a communication interface, such as a diagnostic interface, users or technicians can manually provide release conditions and thereby deactivate safe operation.

[0021] It can also be configured that the computing unit is used to verify the authorization code provided by the user, and that secure operation is only disabled if the authorization code is valid.

[0022] To prevent unauthorized release commands, an authorization code, such as a safety identifier, can be set. This authorization code must be provided by the user or a technician before safe operation can be disabled. To this end, the computing unit can read the safety identifier or a key used to verify the safety identifier from the tank system's memory to verify the user-provided safety identifier.

[0023] The release condition can also be set to include: the pressure in each of the multiple storage tanks is greater than a pre-given threshold.

[0024] If the pressure in each of the multiple storage tanks exceeds a pre-defined threshold, then normal operating conditions exist in the tank system, and the tank system can switch to normal operation without outputting any error messages.

[0025] Accordingly, when the pressure in each of the multiple storage tanks exceeds a pre-defined threshold, safe operation can be automatically shut down and normal operation can be automatically activated.

[0026] Optionally, even when the pressure in each of the multiple storage tanks exceeds a pre-defined threshold, a safety identifier for the querying user can be set to prevent unauthorized use of the storage tank system.

[0027] The release condition can also be configured to include: the pressure in each of the multiple storage tanks continuously increases until the pressure exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0028] To prevent accidental pressure increases (such as due to unusually high ambient temperatures) from being mistaken for release conditions, pressure trends can be analyzed and evaluated, and a release condition is considered to be met only when the pressure in each of the multiple tanks rises continuously until it exceeds a pre-defined threshold, so that the tank system can be considered to be filling or already filled.

[0029] It can also be configured that the storage tank system is a hydrogen storage tank system used to store hydrogen.

[0030] Because storage tank systems for storing hydrogen are particularly expensive and must meet specific safety regulations, the proposed storage tank system is particularly advantageously suited as a hydrogen storage tank system.

[0031] According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a method for starting a storage tank system. The method for starting the storage tank system has the same advantages as those described in detail for a storage tank system according to a first aspect of the invention.

[0032] The proposed method includes: setting the tank system to safe operation, wherein, during the safe operation, the output of erroneous information and the opening of the tank valves of the tank system are prevented; and the safe operation is deactivated only when a pre-given release condition is met, so as to allow the tank valves to open.

[0033] The proposed method is particularly useful for operating or protecting the proposed tank system.

[0034] The release conditions can be configured to include a release command provided by an authorized user to the tank system via a communication interface, and / or the release conditions include: the pressure in each of the plurality of tanks is greater than a pre-given threshold.

[0035] According to a third aspect, the present invention relates to a program product having program code units, wherein, when the program code units are executed on a computing unit, the computing unit is configured in a possible configuration for performing the proposed method. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Further advantages, features, and details of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, in which embodiments of the invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, the features mentioned in the claims and description may constitute the essence of the invention individually or in any combination.

[0037] The attached diagram shows: Figure 1 : A schematic diagram of a possible configuration of the proposed tank system; Figure 2 : This schematically illustrates one possible configuration of the proposed method. Detailed Implementation

[0038] Figure 1 A tank system 100 for storing fluids is shown.

[0039] The storage tank system 100 includes a storage tank 101 with a storage tank valve 103, a computing unit 105, and a non-volatile memory 107 in the form of an EEPROM.

[0040] The computing unit 105, in the form of a controller, is configured to place the tank system 100 into safe operation, wherein, in safe operation, the output of error messages and the opening of the tank valve 103 are prevented.

[0041] Furthermore, the calculation unit 105 is configured to deactivate safe operation only when the calculation unit 105 detects a pre-given release condition (e.g., the pressure rise in tank 101 exceeds a pre-given threshold and / or a release command is input by the user) to allow the release of tank valve 103.

[0042] For example, the non-volatile memory 107 can be configured to store an algorithm for the initial startup of the tank system upon delivery. This algorithm prevents the tank system 100 from fully starting up and entering normal operation, and causes the tank system 100 to start up and enter safe operation.

[0043] If a release condition is detected by the computing unit 105 during safe operation, the pressure monitor is started as an initialization process, and the algorithm in the non-volatile memory 107 is edited so that the algorithm allows the tank system 100 to fully start up and enter normal operation.

[0044] Figure 2 A method 200 for starting a storage tank system is shown.

[0045] Method 200 includes an activation step 201 in which safe operation is activated in the tank system, wherein, during safe operation, the opening of tank valves and the output of error messages are prevented.

[0046] In addition, method 200 includes a shutdown step 203, in which safe operation is disabled and the tank system is fully started up to normal operation to allow the tank valves to be opened.

[0047] Here, the deactivation step 203 is executed only when the pre-given release conditions are met.

Claims

1. A tank system (100) for storing fluids, wherein, The storage tank system (100) includes: - Multiple storage tanks (101), wherein each of the multiple storage tanks (101) includes a tank valve (103), and - A computing unit (105), wherein the computing unit (105) is configured to place the tank system (100) into a safe operating state. Specifically, during the safe operation, the output of error messages is prevented. Specifically, during safe operation, the opening of the tank valve (103) of the tank system (100) is prevented, and The computing unit (105) is further configured to disable the safe operation only when the computing unit (105) detects a pre-given release condition, so as to allow the tank valve (103) to open.

2. The storage tank system (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The computing unit (105) is configured to store the activation conditions for activating safe operation in the non-volatile memory (107) of the tank system (100) during the first startup of the tank system (100), and to edit the activation conditions only when the computing unit (105) detects the release conditions.

3. The storage tank system (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The release conditions include a release command provided by an authorized user to the tank system (100) via a communication interface.

4. The storage tank system (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The computing unit (105) is configured to verify the authorization code provided by the user and to disable the secure operation only if the authorization code is valid.

5. The storage tank system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The release condition includes: the pressure in each of the plurality of storage tanks (101) is greater than a pre-given threshold.

6. The storage tank system (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that, The release condition further includes: the pressure in each of the plurality of storage tanks (101) continuously increases until the pressure is greater than the pre-given threshold.

7. The storage tank system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The storage tank system (100) is a hydrogen storage tank system for storing hydrogen.

8. A method (200) for starting a storage tank system (100), wherein, The method (200) includes: - The storage tank system (100) is configured (201) for safe operation, wherein, during the safe operation, the output of error messages and the opening of the tank valve (103) of the storage tank system (100) are prevented, and - The safe operation described in (203) is deactivated only when the pre-given release conditions are met, so as to allow the tank valve (103) to open.

9. The method (200) according to claim 8, characterized in that, The release condition includes a release command provided by an authorized user to the tank system (100) via a communication interface, and / or the release condition includes: the pressure in each of the plurality of tanks (101) is greater than a pre-given threshold.

10. A program product having program code units, wherein, When the program code unit is executed on the computing unit (105), the computing unit (105) is configured to perform the method (200) according to claim 8 or 9.

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