LNG buffer tank with gas-liquid separation function

Abstract

The utility model is applicable to the technical field of LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) buffer tanks, in particular to an LNG buffer tank with a gas-liquid separation function, which comprises an upper buffer tank shell and a lower buffer tank shell, and the end surfaces of the upper buffer tank shell and the lower buffer tank shell are fixed together in a welding connection manner. And a plurality of mounting support legs are arranged on the outer sides of the upper buffer tank shell and the lower buffer tank shell. According to the utility model, the gas-liquid separation chamber, the gas outlet pipeline, the gas inlet pipeline, the embedded nut and the gas inlet hot plug nut are arranged in the LNG buffer tank made of the composite plastic material, so that when the liquefied natural gas (LNG) is not fully gasified and is directly fed into the buffer tank, the gas-liquid separation treatment can be efficiently carried out on the LNG; and then the separated liquefied natural gas is subjected to secondary gasification treatment, so that the natural gas entering the buffer tank is ensured to have an extremely high gasification rate. The ultralow-temperature liquefied natural gas is prevented from directly entering the buffer tank, and the buffer tank body is prevented from being damaged due to the too low temperature.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of LNG buffer tanks, in particular to an LNG buffer tank with a gas-liquid separation function. Background Art

[0002] In the vehicle liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply system, the buffer tank plays a vital role. The buffer tank not only stabilizes the engine intake pressure and ensures the smooth operation of the engine, but also stores a certain amount of gas when the vehicle is parked to provide the necessary gas source for the next start. These buffer tanks usually need to work stably in an environment of -40 degrees Celsius to 90 degrees Celsius, and in extreme cases, withstand low temperatures of -100 to 130 degrees Celsius and a maximum pressure of 2.86 MPa.

[0003] In the prior art, in order to achieve lightweight design, LNG buffer tanks made of composite plastic materials have been launched on the market. This buffer tank has the advantages of light weight and advanced manufacturing process. However, when a small amount of LNG that is not fully vaporized by the water bath vaporizer directly enters the buffer tank made of composite plastic material, it may cause damage to the buffer tank or even the engine. In this regard, the utility model provides an LNG buffer tank with gas-liquid separation function to solve the above technical problems. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of the embodiment of the utility model is to provide an LNG buffer tank with a gas-liquid separation function, aiming to solve the technical problems mentioned in the background technology.

[0005] In order to achieve the above purpose, the utility model provides the following technical solutions:

[0006] An LNG buffer tank with a gas-liquid separation function comprises a buffer tank upper shell and a buffer tank lower shell, the end surfaces of the buffer tank upper shell and the buffer tank lower shell are fixed together by welding, and the outer sides of the buffer tank upper shell and the buffer tank lower shell are both provided with a plurality of mounting feet;

[0007] The ends of the upper shell of the buffer tank and the lower shell of the buffer tank that are away from each other are respectively provided with a first spherical head and a second spherical head, the surface of the first spherical head is provided with a first boss, and the surface of the first boss is provided with an air inlet hole, the surface of the second spherical head is provided with a second boss, and the surface of the second boss is provided with an air outlet hole and a mounting hole;

[0008] An embedded nut is provided inside the air inlet hole, and an air inlet hot-plug nut is connected inside the embedded nut, an air inlet pipeline is provided inside the air inlet hot-plug nut, and an air-liquid separation chamber is connected to the outside of the air inlet pipeline, an air outlet pipeline is provided on the end face of the air-liquid separation chamber away from the air inlet pipeline, and a liquid storage cavity is formed at the inner bottom of the air-liquid separation chamber.

[0009] Furthermore, the air inlet pipeline and the air outlet pipeline are both L-shaped structural components, and the area where the air inlet pipeline and the air outlet pipeline are placed inside the gas-liquid separation chamber is in a vertically upward shape, and the ports of the air inlet pipeline and the air outlet pipeline outside the gas-liquid separation chamber are on the same axis as the air inlet hole of the first boss.

[0010] Furthermore, a plurality of support ribs are commonly provided inside the upper shell of the buffer tank and the first spherical head. The support ribs are sheet-like structures and are components made of copper or aluminum. The side of the support ribs away from the inner wall of the upper shell of the buffer tank is in contact with the outer side of the gas-liquid separation chamber.

[0011] Furthermore, an O-ring is provided between the air intake hot-plug nut and the upper shell of the buffer tank and between the air intake hot-plug nut and the embedded nut, and a reinforcing protrusion is provided on the outer side of the embedded nut.

[0012] Furthermore, an annular groove is provided on the surface of the area of ​​the air inlet pipeline located outside the gas-liquid separation chamber, and a rectangular sealing ring is sleeved inside the annular groove.

[0013] Furthermore, a connecting screw sleeve is sleeved on one side of the surface of the area where the air intake pipeline is located outside the gas-liquid separation chamber, and the air intake pipeline is connected to the air intake hot plug nut through the connecting screw sleeve.

[0014] Furthermore, the volume of the liquid storage chamber is 0.5L-5L.

[0015] Furthermore, the gas-liquid separation chamber, the gas outlet pipeline and the gas inlet pipeline are all made of stainless steel.

[0016] Furthermore, a plurality of circumferentially distributed head reinforcement ribs are provided inside the upper shell and the first spherical head of the buffer tank, and inside the lower shell and the second spherical head of the buffer tank.

[0017] Furthermore, the outer sides of the buffer tank upper shell, the buffer tank lower shell, the first spherical head and the second spherical head are collectively sleeved with an outer protective cover shell, and the outer protective cover shell is made of glass fiber, carbon fiber or basalt fiber.

[0018] The utility model provides an LNG buffer tank with gas-liquid separation function, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0019] By building a gas-liquid separation chamber, an outlet pipe, an inlet pipe, a pre-buried nut and an inlet hot-plug nut into the LNG buffer tank made of composite plastic material, when the liquefied natural gas LNG is not fully gasified and directly sent into the buffer tank, the gas-liquid separation of the liquefied natural gas can be efficiently carried out, and then the separated liquefied natural gas is subjected to secondary gasification treatment to ensure that the natural gas entering the buffer tank has an extremely high gasification rate. This not only prevents the ultra-low temperature liquefied natural gas from directly entering the buffer tank and prevents damage to the buffer tank body due to excessively low temperature, but also significantly improves the operational safety and service life of the buffer tank. Through this structure, the quality and safety of the gas in the buffer tank can be ensured, while optimizing the efficiency and stability of the entire system. In addition, by integrating the gas-liquid separation structure inside the buffer tank, the overall integration of the automotive LNG gas supply system can be significantly improved. This design not only optimizes space utilization and enhances the compactness of the system, but also improves the efficiency and reliability of the gas supply system, ensuring a more stable fuel supply. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an LNG buffer tank with gas-liquid separation function.

[0021] Figure 2 It is a front structural schematic diagram of a buffer tank upper shell and a buffer tank lower shell in a LNG buffer tank with gas-liquid separation function in a disassembled state.

[0022] Figure 3 It is a side structural schematic diagram of a buffer tank upper shell and a buffer tank lower shell in a LNG buffer tank with gas-liquid separation function in a disassembled state.

[0023] Figure 4 The present invention is a schematic structural diagram of a buffer tank upper shell and various components mounted on the buffer tank upper shell in an LNG buffer tank with gas-liquid separation function.

[0024] Figure 5 It is a front cross-sectional view of a buffer tank upper shell in an LNG buffer tank with a gas-liquid separation function and various components mounted on the buffer tank upper shell.

[0025] Figure 6 The present invention is a schematic structural diagram of a gas-liquid separation chamber in an LNG buffer tank having a gas-liquid separation function and various components mounted on the gas-liquid separation chamber.

[0026] Figure 7 It is a schematic structural diagram of a buffer tank upper shell, a buffer tank lower shell, a first spherical head and a second spherical head in an LNG buffer tank with a gas-liquid separation function when they are covered with an outer protective cover.

[0027] Figure 8This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an outer protective cover shell in an LNG buffer tank with gas-liquid separation function.

[0028] In the figure: 1. upper shell of buffer tank; 2. lower shell of buffer tank; 3. first spherical head; 4. first boss; 5. mounting foot; 6. second spherical head; 7. second boss; 8. air outlet; 9. mounting hole; 10. head reinforcement rib; 11. support rib; 12. air outlet pipeline; 13. gas-liquid separation chamber; 14. air inlet pipeline; 15. air inlet hot plug nut; 16. O-ring; 17. embedded nut; 18. reinforcement protrusion; 19. rectangular sealing ring; 20. connecting screw sleeve; 21. annular groove; 22. outer protective cover. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the utility model more clear, the utility model is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described here are only used to explain the utility model and are not used to limit the utility model.

[0030] The specific implementation of the present utility model is described in detail below in conjunction with specific embodiments.

[0031] like Figure 1-Figure 8 As shown, an LNG buffer tank with a gas-liquid separation function provided by an embodiment of the utility model comprises an upper shell 1 of a buffer tank and a lower shell 2 of a buffer tank. The end faces of the upper shell 1 of the buffer tank and the lower shell 2 of the buffer tank are fixed together by welding. The outer sides of the upper shell 1 of the buffer tank and the lower shell 2 of the buffer tank are provided with a plurality of mounting feet 5. The ends of the upper shell 1 of the buffer tank and the lower shell 2 of the buffer tank that are away from each other are respectively provided with a first spherical head 3 and a second spherical head 6. The upper shell 1 of the buffer tank, the lower shell 2 of the buffer tank, the first spherical head 3 and the second spherical head 6 of the buffer tank together constitute the LNG buffer tank. Since the upper shell 1 of the buffer tank and the first spherical head 3 as well as the lower shell 2 of the buffer tank and the second spherical head 6 of the buffer tank are all integrally formed structures, when preparing the LNG buffer tank, it is only necessary to weld the end faces of the upper shell 1 of the buffer tank and the lower shell 2 of the buffer tank together. Compared with the prior art, this preparation method reduces the number of welded end faces, thereby improving the cleanliness of the interior of the buffer tank, reducing the workload, and improving the production efficiency of the LNG buffer tank.

[0032] Several head reinforcement ribs 10 distributed in a circumferential shape are arranged inside the buffer tank upper shell 1 and the first spherical head 3, as well as inside the buffer tank lower shell 2 and the second spherical head 6. The outer sides of the buffer tank upper shell 1, the buffer tank lower shell 2, the first spherical head 3 and the second spherical head 6 are jointly sleeved with an outer protective cover shell 22, and the outer protective cover shell 22 is made of glass fiber, carbon fiber or basalt fiber. By arranging several head reinforcement ribs 10 inside the first spherical head 3 and the second spherical head 6, the structural strength of the first spherical head 3 and the second spherical head 6 can be improved, and the outer protective cover shell 22 is formed by winding glass fiber, carbon fiber or basalt fiber around the outer sides of the buffer tank upper shell 1, the buffer tank lower shell 2, the first spherical head 3 and the second spherical head 6, so that the entire LNG buffer tank can withstand a pressure of more than 2.86 MPa.

[0033] A first boss 4 is provided on the surface of the first spherical head 3, and an air inlet hole is opened on the surface of the first boss 4. A second boss 7 is provided on the surface of the second spherical head 6, and an air outlet hole 8 and a mounting hole 9 are opened on the surface of the second boss 7. The mounting hole 9 is used to install a pressure sensor.

[0034] An embedded nut 17 is provided inside the air inlet hole, and an air inlet hot plug nut 15 is connected inside the embedded nut 17, an air inlet pipeline 14 is provided inside the air inlet hot plug nut 15, and an air inlet pipeline 14 is connected to the outside of the air inlet pipeline 14, an air outlet pipeline 12 is provided on the end surface of the air-liquid separation chamber 13 away from the air inlet pipeline 14, a liquid storage cavity is formed at the inner bottom of the air-liquid separation chamber 13, and the volume of the liquid storage cavity can be set to 0.5L-5L according to demand;

[0035] The air inlet pipe 14 and the air outlet pipe 12 are both L-shaped components, and the areas where the air inlet pipe 14 and the air outlet pipe 12 are located inside the gas-liquid separation chamber 13 are in a vertically upward shape, and the ports of the air inlet pipe 14 and the air outlet pipe 12 outside the gas-liquid separation chamber 13 are on the same axis as the air inlet hole of the first boss 4.

[0036] In one embodiment of the utility model, the mixture obtained by mixing liquid natural gas and gaseous natural gas (hereinafter referred to as "gas-liquid mixture") enters the interior of the air intake pipe 14 through the air intake hot plug nut 15. Since the area where the air intake pipe 14 and the air outlet pipe 12 are placed inside the gas-liquid separation chamber 13 is in a vertically upward state, and the ports of the air intake pipe 14 and the air outlet pipe 12 placed inside the gas-liquid separation chamber 13 are close to the inner top of the gas-liquid separation chamber 13, after the gas-liquid mixture enters the gas-liquid separation chamber 13, the liquid part of the gas-liquid mixture will fall into the liquid storage cavity under the action of gravity, and the gas part will enter the air outlet pipe 12 and be discharged into the interior of the buffer tank upper shell 1;

[0037] It can be understood that since the gas-liquid separation chamber 13 can absorb ambient heat, part of the liquid natural gas stored in the liquid storage cavity will absorb the heat of the gas-liquid separation chamber 13 and vaporize, and these vaporized natural gases will also enter the gas outlet pipeline 12 and be discharged into the buffer tank upper shell 1.

[0038] Through the above technical solution, when liquefied natural gas (LNG) is directly sent to the buffer tank without being fully gasified, the liquefied natural gas can be efficiently separated from the gas and liquid, and then the separated liquefied natural gas can be subjected to secondary gasification treatment to ensure that the natural gas entering the buffer tank has an extremely high gasification rate. This not only prevents ultra-low temperature liquefied natural gas from directly entering the buffer tank and prevents damage to the buffer tank body due to excessively low temperature, but also significantly improves the operational safety and service life of the buffer tank. Through this structure, the quality and safety of the gas in the buffer tank can be ensured, while optimizing the efficiency and stability of the entire system. In addition, by integrating the gas-liquid separation structure inside the buffer tank, the overall integration of the automotive LNG gas supply system can be significantly improved. This design not only optimizes space utilization and enhances the compactness of the system, but also improves the efficiency and reliability of the gas supply system, ensuring a more stable fuel supply.

[0039] In this embodiment, a plurality of support ribs 11 are commonly provided inside the buffer tank upper shell 1 and the first spherical head 3. The support ribs 11 are sheet-like structures, and are components made of copper or aluminum. The side of the support ribs 11 away from the inner wall of the buffer tank upper shell 1 is in contact with the outer side of the gas-liquid separation chamber 13. The support ribs 11 not only provide strong support for the gas-liquid separation chamber 13, but also can transfer external heat to the gas-liquid separation chamber 13 with higher efficiency, so that part of the liquid natural gas collected at the bottom of the gas-liquid separation chamber 13 can be gasified more quickly.

[0040] In the present embodiment, O-rings 16 are provided between the air intake hot-plug nut 15 and the buffer tank upper shell 1 and between the air intake hot-plug nut 15 and the embedded nut 17, and a reinforcing protrusion 18 is provided on the outer side of the embedded nut 17, thereby improving the sealing performance between the air intake hot-plug nut 15 and the buffer tank upper shell 1 and the embedded nut 17. By providing a reinforcing protrusion 18 on the outer side of the embedded nut 17, the reliability of the connection between the embedded nut 17 and the buffer tank upper shell 1 can be improved.

[0041] In this embodiment, an annular groove 21 is formed on the surface of the air intake pipe 14 outside the gas-liquid separation chamber 13, and a rectangular sealing ring 19 is sleeved inside the annular groove 21. The rectangular sealing ring 19 has a good heat insulation effect.

[0042] In this embodiment, a connecting screw sleeve 20 is provided on one side of the surface of the area where the air intake pipe 14 is placed outside the gas-liquid separation chamber 13, and the air intake pipe 14 is connected to the air intake hot plug nut 15 through the connecting screw sleeve 20, so that the air intake hot plug nut 15 can be conveniently fixed on the air intake pipe 14, thereby improving the convenience of overall assembly.

[0043] In this embodiment, the gas-liquid separation chamber 13, the gas outlet pipeline 12 and the gas inlet pipeline 14 are all made of stainless steel, thereby improving the strength of the entire gas-liquid separation structure.

[0044] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An LNG buffer tank with gas-liquid separation function, comprising a buffer tank upper shell (1) and a buffer tank lower shell (2), characterized in that: The end surfaces of the buffer tank upper shell (1) and the buffer tank lower shell (2) are fixed together by welding, and the outer sides of the buffer tank upper shell (1) and the buffer tank lower shell (2) are both provided with a plurality of mounting legs (5); A first spherical head (3) and a second spherical head (6) are respectively provided at ends of the buffer tank upper shell (1) and the buffer tank lower shell (2) that are away from each other, the first spherical head (3) is provided with a first boss (4) on its surface, and an air inlet hole is provided on the surface of the first boss (4), the second spherical head (6) is provided with a second boss (7) on its surface, and an air outlet hole (8) and a mounting hole (9) are provided on the surface of the second boss (7); An embedded nut (17) is arranged inside the air inlet hole, and an air inlet hot-plug nut (15) is connected inside the embedded nut (17), an air inlet pipeline (14) is arranged inside the air inlet hot-plug nut (15), and an air-liquid separation chamber (13) is connected to the outside of the air inlet pipeline (14), an air outlet pipeline (12) is arranged on the end surface of the air-liquid separation chamber (13) away from the air inlet pipeline (14), and a liquid storage cavity is formed at the inner bottom of the air-liquid separation chamber (13).

2. The LNG buffer tank with gas-liquid separation function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air inlet pipeline (14) and the air outlet pipeline (12) are both L-shaped structural components, and the areas where the air inlet pipeline (14) and the air outlet pipeline (12) are located inside the gas-liquid separation chamber (13) are in a vertically upward shape, and the ports of the air inlet pipeline (14) and the air outlet pipeline (12) outside the gas-liquid separation chamber (13) are on the same axis as the air inlet hole of the first boss (4).

3. The LNG buffer tank with gas-liquid separation function according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of support ribs (11) are provided inside the buffer tank upper shell (1) and the first spherical head (3), wherein the support ribs (11) are sheet-like structures and are components made of copper or aluminum. The side of the support ribs (11) away from the inner wall of the buffer tank upper shell (1) contacts the outer side of the gas-liquid separation chamber (13).

4. The LNG buffer tank with gas-liquid separation function according to claim 1, characterized in that: An O-type sealing ring (16) is provided between the air intake hot plug nut (15) and the upper shell (1) of the buffer tank, and between the air intake hot plug nut (15) and the embedded nut (17), and a reinforcing protrusion (18) is provided on the outer side of the embedded nut (17).

5. The LNG buffer tank with gas-liquid separation function according to claim 1, characterized in that: An annular groove (21) is provided on the surface of the air intake pipeline (14) in the area outside the gas-liquid separation chamber (13), and a rectangular sealing ring (19) is sleeved inside the annular groove (21).

6. The LNG buffer tank with gas-liquid separation function according to claim 1, characterized in that: A connecting screw sleeve (20) is sleeved on one side of the surface of the area of ​​the air intake pipeline (14) located outside the gas-liquid separation chamber (13), and the air intake pipeline (14) is connected to the air intake hot plug nut (15) through the connecting screw sleeve (20).

7. The LNG buffer tank with gas-liquid separation function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The volume of the liquid storage chamber is 0.5L-5L.

8. The LNG buffer tank with gas-liquid separation function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gas-liquid separation chamber (13), the gas outlet pipeline (12) and the gas inlet pipeline (14) are all made of stainless steel.

9. The LNG buffer tank with gas-liquid separation function according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of circumferentially distributed head reinforcement ribs (10) are provided inside the buffer tank upper shell (1) and the first spherical head (3) as well as inside the buffer tank lower shell (2) and the second spherical head (6).

10. The LNG buffer tank with gas-liquid separation function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer sides of the buffer tank upper shell (1), the buffer tank lower shell (2), the first spherical head (3) and the second spherical head (6) are collectively sleeved with an outer protective cover shell (22), and the outer protective cover shell (22) is made of glass fiber, carbon fiber or basalt fiber.

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