Liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank

Abstract

This utility model provides a liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank, comprising: an inner tank for storing liquid hydrogen; an intermediate tank disposed outside the inner tank; a first gap between the inner wall of the intermediate tank and the outer wall of the inner tank forming a first cold-insulating space; the first cold-insulating space being filled with a first heat-insulating material; an outer tank disposed outside the intermediate tank; a second gap between the inner wall of the outer tank and the outer wall of the intermediate tank forming a second cold-insulating space; the second cold-insulating space being filled with a second heat-insulating material; a first gas filling pipe connected to the first cold-insulating space, continuously supplying a first heat-insulating gas into the first cold-insulating space to make the pressure in the first cold-insulating space greater than the pressure in the second cold-insulating space; and a second gas filling pipe connected to the second cold-insulating space, continuously supplying a second heat-insulating gas into the second cold-insulating space to create a slight positive pressure in the second cold-insulating space relative to the external environment outside the outer tank. The liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank of this application has a short manufacturing cycle and is suitable for storing large volumes of liquid hydrogen.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of liquid hydrogen storage tank equipment, and in particular to a liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank. Background Technology

[0002] Liquid hydrogen possesses the thermodynamic properties of a low boiling point (20K) and a low latent heat of vaporization (31.5 kJ / L). To date, there are three methods for storing hydrogen: high-pressure compressed hydrogen (GH2), hydrogen adsorption using metals and porous nanomaterials, and liquid hydrogen (LH2). Liquid hydrogen is considered the most promising and feasible storage method. This is because liquid hydrogen has the highest energy density per unit volume among these three methods, and its small volume in a liquid state makes it very convenient for road and sea transportation.

[0003] Currently, domestic liquid hydrogen storage typically utilizes horizontal or vertical cylindrical pressure vessels, employing high-vacuum insulation, which involves evacuating the jacket to reduce heat leakage. However, vacuum insulation necessitates multiple evacuation and leak detection steps. This process is crucial for ensuring the container's airtightness and insulation performance, but it also significantly extends the manufacturing cycle. Furthermore, as container volume increases, maintaining a high vacuum becomes significantly more challenging, limiting the suitability of these containers to large-volume liquid hydrogen storage. Utility Model Content

[0004] One objective of this invention is to provide a liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank with a short manufacturing cycle, suitable for storing large-volume liquid hydrogen.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] A liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank, comprising:

[0007] The inner tank is used to store liquid hydrogen;

[0008] An intermediate tank is located outside the inner tank. A first gap exists between the inner wall of the intermediate tank and the outer wall of the inner tank to form a first cold-insulating space. The first cold-insulating space is filled with a first heat-insulating material.

[0009] An outer tank is located outside the intermediate tank. A second gap exists between the inner wall of the outer tank and the outer wall of the intermediate tank to form a second cold-insulating space. The second cold-insulating space is filled with a second heat-insulating material.

[0010] A first inflation pipe is connected to the first cold insulation space. The first inflation pipe is used to continuously supply the first heat-insulating gas into the first cold insulation space so that the pressure of the first cold insulation space is greater than the pressure of the second cold insulation space.

[0011] The second inflation pipe is connected to the second cold insulation space. The second inflation pipe is used to continuously supply the second insulation gas into the second cold insulation space so that the second cold insulation space forms a slight positive pressure relative to the external environment outside the outer tank.

[0012] In one exemplary embodiment, the first insulating gas is helium, and the second insulating gas is helium or nitrogen.

[0013] In one exemplary embodiment, the first spacing is smaller than the second spacing.

[0014] In one exemplary embodiment, the volume of the inner tank is greater than or equal to 300 cubic meters.

[0015] In one exemplary embodiment, the second inflation conduit is connected to the first cold-insulating space.

[0016] In an exemplary embodiment, the inner tank includes an inner bottom plate, an inner cylinder, and an inner dome structure, wherein the inner bottom plate, the inner cylinder, and the inner dome structure enclose to form a vertical cylindrical dome tank.

[0017] The outer tank includes an outer bottom plate, an outer cylinder, and an outer dome structure, which together form a vertical cylindrical dome tank.

[0018] The intermediate tank includes an intermediate bottom plate, an intermediate cylinder, and an intermediate dome structure, which together form a vertical cylindrical dome tank.

[0019] In one exemplary embodiment, the intermediate base plate, the intermediate cylinder, and the intermediate dome structure are all made of austenitic stainless steel.

[0020] In an exemplary embodiment, a first heat insulation layer is provided between the bottom wall of the inner tank and the bottom wall of the intermediate tank. The first heat insulation layer includes a first heat insulation layer and a second heat insulation layer. The first heat insulation layer has an annular structure. The outer peripheral wall of the second heat insulation layer is close to the inner peripheral wall of the first heat insulation layer, or the outer peripheral wall of the second heat insulation layer is connected to the inner peripheral wall of the first heat insulation layer.

[0021] A second heat insulation layer is provided between the bottom wall of the intermediate tank and the bottom wall of the outer tank.

[0022] In one exemplary embodiment, the liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank includes:

[0023] A support platform is provided at the bottom of the outer tank to support the outer tank, and the bottom of the support platform is provided with multiple through holes for air circulation;

[0024] Multiple anchoring structures are provided on the inner tank, the outer tank, and the intermediate tank; each anchoring structure includes a pull strap and a fixing member, the fixing member is disposed inside the support platform, one end of the pull strap is connected to the fixing member, and the other end of the pull strap is connected to the outer side wall of the inner tank, the outer side wall of the outer tank, or the outer side wall of the intermediate tank.

[0025] In an exemplary embodiment, the liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank includes an insulation layer disposed on the outer wall of the inner tank and housed within the first cold insulation space, wherein the first thermal insulation material is pressed onto the insulation layer.

[0026] As can be seen from the above technical solution, this utility model has at least the following advantages and positive effects:

[0027] This utility model discloses a liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank, comprising an outer tank, an inner tank, an intermediate tank, a first gas filling pipe, and a second gas filling pipe. The first cold-insulating space between the inner tank and the intermediate tank is filled with a first insulating material, and the space between the intermediate tank and the outer tank is filled with a second insulating material, thus forming multiple thermal resistances, significantly reducing heat conduction, and enabling the inner tank to store liquid hydrogen for extended periods. Furthermore, the arrangement of the first and second gas filling pipes ensures that the pressure in the liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank gradually decreases from the inner tank towards the outer tank, while the pressure at the outermost layer remains greater than the external environmental pressure, creating a slight positive pressure. This not only helps protect the second insulating material in the second cold-insulating space and the first insulating material in the first cold-insulating space from the effects of external moisture, air, pollutants, etc., preventing them from failing or having their insulation performance reduced, but also helps ensure the structural strength and stability of the intermediate tank and the outer tank, preventing instability and compression deformation. Furthermore, compared to the traditional method of using vacuum insulation to keep liquid hydrogen cool, the cooling method of this application does not require multiple evacuation and leak detection steps, thus effectively shortening the manufacturing cycle and making it suitable for storing large volumes of liquid hydrogen. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a half-sectional view of a liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The image shows a top view of a liquid hydrogen storage tank at atmospheric pressure.

[0030] Figure 3 for Figure 1 The image shows a partially enlarged view of the liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank.

[0031] Figure 4 This is a simplified schematic diagram of the inner tank, intermediate tank, outer tank, first gas filling pipe, and second gas filling pipe in a liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank.

[0032] Figure 5 This is a simplified schematic diagram showing the inner tank, intermediate tank, outer tank, first inflation pipe, and second inflation pipe from above.

[0033] The reference numerals in the attached drawings are explained as follows: 100, Liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank; 10, Inner tank; 11, Inner bottom plate; 12, Inner cylinder; 13, Inner dome structure; 20, Intermediate tank; 21, Intermediate bottom plate; 22, Intermediate cylinder; 23, Intermediate dome structure; 30, First cold insulation space; 31, Insulation layer; 32, Second cold insulation space; 40, First gas filling pipe; 41, Second gas filling pipe; 42, Control valve; 43, Flow meter; 50, Outer tank; 51, Outer bottom plate; 52, Outer cylinder; 53, Outer dome structure; 60, Support platform; 61, Through hole; 70, First insulation layer; 71, First insulation layer; 72, Second insulation layer; 80, Second insulation layer; 81, Leveling layer; 90, Anchoring structure; 91, Strap; 92, Fastener. Detailed Implementation

[0034] Typical embodiments embodying the features and advantages of this utility model will be described in detail in the following description. It should be understood that this utility model can have various variations in different embodiments, all of which do not depart from the scope of this utility model, and the descriptions and illustrations therein are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to limit this utility model.

[0035] In the description of this application, it should be understood that, in the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, the indications of direction or positional relationships (such as up, down, left, right, front, and back) are merely for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. These descriptions are appropriate when these elements are in the positions shown in the accompanying drawings. If the description of the positions of these elements changes, these directional indications also change accordingly.

[0036] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this application, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0037] This utility model provides a liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank 100, which is suitable for storing large-volume liquid hydrogen. Compared with pressure vessels that use vacuum storage technology to store the same volume of liquid hydrogen, the liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank 100 of this application is easier to manufacture and has a shorter manufacturing period. The specific solution is described in the following embodiments.

[0038] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 The liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank 100 includes an inner tank 10 and an intermediate tank 20.

[0039] The inner tank 10 is used to store liquid hydrogen. The inner tank 10 has a closed structure to prevent liquid hydrogen leakage. It should be noted that the inner tank 10 is equipped with an inlet or outlet for liquid hydrogen.

[0040] For example, the inner tank 10 includes an inner bottom plate 11, an inner cylinder 12, and an inner dome structure 13. The inner bottom plate 11 is disposed at the bottom of the inner cylinder 12, and the inner dome is disposed at the top of the inner cylinder 12. The inner bottom plate 11, the inner cylinder 12, and the inner dome structure 13 together form a vertical cylindrical dome tank. Compared with a spherical tank, the inner tank 10, being a vertical cylindrical dome tank, has lower installation costs and is easier to manufacture, facilitating construction.

[0041] The connection between the inner arch and the inner cylinder 12 can be achieved by using a pressure ring or a circular arc spherical plate to bear the compressive stress.

[0042] In some embodiments, a first thermometer is provided on the inner cylinder 12 to monitor the temperature of the inner tank 10, especially to control the pre-cooling rate during the pre-cooling and commissioning stage, so as to avoid structural deformation or damage caused by excessive temperature difference due to the inner tank 10 being filled with liquid hydrogen cooling down too quickly.

[0043] The intermediate tank 20 is located outside the inner tank 10. The intermediate tank 20 is also a closed structure, so even if the inner tank 10 leaks accidentally, the intermediate tank 20 can prevent liquid hydrogen from leaking out and coming into contact with air, thus preventing combustion or explosion.

[0044] For example, the intermediate tank 20 includes an intermediate bottom plate 21, an intermediate cylinder 22 and an intermediate dome structure 23, which together form a vertical cylindrical dome tank.

[0045] In some embodiments, the connection between the intermediate dome and the intermediate cylinder 22 can be achieved by using a pressure ring or an arc-shaped spherical plate to bear the compressive stress.

[0046] In some embodiments, the intermediate bottom plate 21, intermediate cylinder 22, and intermediate dome structure 23 are all welded together using austenitic stainless steel. Because austenitic stainless steel has low thermal conductivity, it can reduce heat transfer from outside the intermediate tank 20 to its interior to a certain extent. Furthermore, since liquid hydrogen is a cryogenic medium, its coldness spontaneously diffuses outwards and may be conducted to the intermediate tank 20. However, austenitic stainless steel maintains good plasticity and toughness at low temperatures, thus effectively maintaining the structural strength of the intermediate tank 20.

[0047] A first gap exists between the inner wall of the intermediate tank 20 and the outer wall of the inner tank 10, forming a first cold-insulating space 30. The first cold-insulating space 30 is filled with a first insulating material. Figure 1 It can be seen that the inner wall of the intermediate tank 20 includes the inner sidewall of the intermediate cylinder 22 and the inner sidewall of the intermediate dome structure 23. The outer wall of the inner tank 10 includes the outer sidewall of the intermediate cylinder 22 and the outer sidewall of the inner dome structure 13. Therefore, the outer perimeter of the inner tank 10, except for the bottom plate, can be effectively covered by the first insulation material to achieve cold insulation of the inner tank 10. The first insulation material can be perlite, silica aerogel, etc.

[0048] See Figure 3 In some embodiments, the liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank 100 includes an insulation layer 31, which is disposed on the outer wall of the inner tank 10 and housed within the first cold insulation space 30. A first thermal insulation material is pressed onto the insulation layer 31. The insulation layer 31 can be thermal insulation elastic cotton, which, in conjunction with the first thermal insulation material, enhances the thermal insulation performance while also resisting the compression of the inner tank 10 by the first thermal insulation material, preventing the inner tank 10 from being damaged or deformed due to excessive stress.

[0049] Please see Figure 4 The liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank 100 includes a first gas filling pipe 40, which is connected to a first cold insulation space 30. The first gas filling pipe 40 is used to continuously introduce a first insulating gas into the first cold insulation space 30, so that the pressure in the first cold insulation space 30 is greater than the pressure outside the intermediate tank 20, forming a positive pressure, thereby ensuring the structural strength of the intermediate tank 20 and preventing structural instability and compression deformation. In addition, the first gas filling pipe 40 can also resist the influence of moisture and other external factors from the intermediate tank 20, thereby ensuring the insulation performance of the first insulation material in the first cold insulation space 30.

[0050] In some embodiments, the first inflation conduit 40 is partially located inside the first cold insulation space 30 and partially located outside the first cold insulation space 30. See Figure 5 For example, the first gas filling pipe 40 within the first cold insulation space 30 can be arranged circumferentially along the inner tank 10, which helps to improve the uniformity of the distribution of the first insulating gas within the first cold insulation space 30. The first insulating gas can be helium. Helium has a lower boiling point than liquid hydrogen, so even if the coldness of liquid hydrogen is transferred to the first cold insulation space 30, the helium will not liquefy due to cooling, thus preventing liquid accumulation within the first cold insulation space 30.

[0051] See Figure 4 and Figure 5 The liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank 100 also includes an outer tank 50, which is located outside the intermediate tank 20 to form protection for the intermediate tank 20 and the inner tank 10.

[0052] Specifically, the outer tank 50 is also a closed structure. For example, the outer tank 50 includes an outer bottom plate 51, an outer cylinder 52, and an outer dome structure 53, which together form a vertical cylindrical dome tank.

[0053] In some embodiments, the connection between the outer dome structure 53 and the outer cylinder 52 can be supported by a pressure ring or a circular arc plate to bear the compressive stress.

[0054] In some embodiments, the outer base plate 51, outer cylinder 52, and outer dome structure 53 can be made of carbon steel, which can effectively save manufacturing costs compared to austenitic stainless steel. The carbon steel material can be carbon steel, low-alloy steel, etc.

[0055] The outer surfaces of the outer cylinder 52 and the outer dome structure 53 can be coated with protective paint to prevent corrosion of the outer tank 50, which helps to extend the service life of the liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank 100. The protective paint is preferably white paint to reduce solar thermal radiation to the liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank 100 and reduce the ingress of external heat.

[0056] A second gap exists between the inner wall of the outer tank 50 and the outer wall of the intermediate tank 20, forming a second cold-insulating space 32. The second cold-insulating space 32 is filled with a second insulating material. The second cold-insulating space 32 and the second insulating material prevent heat exchange between the ambient temperature outside the outer tank 50 and the first cold-insulating space 30, avoiding heat transfer to the inner tank 10 and affecting the storage of liquid hydrogen. The second insulating material can be perlite, silica aerogel, etc.

[0057] The liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank 100 includes a second gas filling pipe 41, which is connected to a second cold insulation space 32. The second gas filling pipe 41 is used to continuously introduce a second insulating gas into the second cold insulation space 32, so that the second cold insulation space 32 forms a slight positive pressure relative to the external environment inside the outer tank 50, effectively preventing the second insulation material in the second cold insulation space 32 from failing or reducing its insulation performance due to the influence of moisture, air, etc. in the external environment.

[0058] Slight positive pressure refers to the pressure within the second cold insulation space 32 being slightly higher than the pressure of the external environment. Specifically, slight positive pressure means that the pressure within the second cold insulation space 32 is higher than the external ambient pressure, but the excess pressure is less than 10% of the external ambient pressure. The pressure exceeding the external ambient pressure is defined as gauge pressure. For example, the design pressure of the outer tank 50 does not exceed 1 kPa, that is, the gauge pressure within the second cold insulation space 32 does not exceed 1 kPa.

[0059] The arrangement of the first insulating gas ensures that the pressure in the first cold-insulating space 30 is greater than the pressure in the second cold-insulating space 32. This means that the design pressure of the intermediate tank 20 must be greater than the design pressure of the outer tank 50. Furthermore, the stability of the intermediate tank 20 must be guaranteed; for example, the gauge pressure of the first cold-insulating space 30 must not exceed 25 kPa, meaning the design pressure of the intermediate tank 20 must not exceed 25 kPa.

[0060] Furthermore, due to its ultra-low temperature, the liquid hydrogen stored in the inner tank 10 easily vaporizes into a gaseous state, causing the pressure in the inner tank 10 to increase, making it greater than the pressure in the first insulation space 30. This means that the design pressure of the inner tank 10 must be greater than the design pressure of the intermediate tank 20. Additionally, the structural strength of the inner tank 10 must be guaranteed; therefore, the design pressure of the inner tank 10 can be set to not exceed 50 kPa. It should be noted that both the inner tank 10 and the intermediate tank 20 require airtightness tests to ensure the thermal insulation performance of the intermediate tank 20 and the outer tank 50, and to ensure that the inner tank 10 and the intermediate tank 20 can safely and stably maintain the design pressure conditions during actual use.

[0061] In some embodiments, the second inflation pipe 41 is partially located inside the second cold insulation space 32 and partially located outside the second cold insulation space 32. Exemplarily, the second inflation pipe 41 within the second cold insulation space 32 can be arranged circumferentially along the intermediate tank 20, which is beneficial to improving the uniformity of the distribution of the second heat-insulating gas within the second cold insulation space 32.

[0062] The second insulating gas can be helium or nitrogen. Nitrogen is preferred because it is more cost-effective than helium. In some embodiments, a second thermometer is installed on the intermediate cylinder 22 to monitor its temperature, which must not be lower than -196°C to prevent nitrogen liquefaction, which could affect the insulation performance of the second insulating material. This embodiment uses nitrogen as the second insulating gas. It should be noted that the first distance between the inner wall of the intermediate tank 20 and the outer wall of the inner tank 10 is smaller than the second distance between the inner wall of the outer tank 50 and the outer wall of the intermediate tank 20, in order to minimize the amount of helium introduced into the first cold-insulating space 30 and save operating costs.

[0063] Understandably, the liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank 100 of this application eliminates the traditional method of using vacuum insulation to keep liquid hydrogen cool. Instead, it uses a combination of a first insulation material and a first insulating gas, and a second insulation material and a second insulating gas, to keep the inner tank cool. This eliminates the need for multiple evacuation and leak detection steps, thus effectively shortening the manufacturing period and making it suitable for large-capacity liquid hydrogen storage. The liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank 100 of this application can store liquid hydrogen of 300 cubic meters or more.

[0064] Control valves 42 can be installed on the first inflation pipe 40 and the second inflation pipe 41 respectively to regulate pressure and ensure pressure stability during the first insulation gas transportation process. Flow meters 43 can be installed on the first inflation pipe 40 and the second inflation pipe 41 respectively to monitor the flow rates of the first and second insulation gases. The control valves 42 and the flow meters 43 work together to ensure stable transportation of the first and second insulation gases, thus guaranteeing the safety of the liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank 100.

[0065] See also Figure 4 In some embodiments, the second inflation pipe 41 may also be connected to the first cold insulation space 30. Before filling the first insulation material, nitrogen gas can be introduced into the first cold insulation space 30 through the second inflation pipe 41 to purge impurities such as air and moisture from the first cold insulation space 30, thereby ensuring that the first insulation material can perform its insulation performance after filling. After the first insulation material is filled, helium gas can be continuously introduced into the first cold insulation space 30 through the first inflation pipe 40. Correspondingly, before filling the first insulation material, nitrogen gas can be purged through the second cold insulation space 32 through the second inflation pipe 41. It should be noted that the intermediate tank 20 and the outer tank 50 are provided with relevant pipes or openings for the discharge of impurities such as air and humidity during purging, as well as gases such as nitrogen in the first cold insulation space 30, and for the filling of the first and second insulation materials.

[0066] See Figure 1 and Figure 3 The liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank 100 includes a support platform 60, which is located at the bottom of the outer tank 50 to support it. Essentially, the outer tank 50, the intermediate tank 20 within the outer tank 50, and the inner tank 10 within the intermediate tank 20 are all mounted on the support platform 60. The support platform 60 ensures the stability and safety of the inner tank 10, the intermediate tank 20, and the outer tank 50, preventing them from tilting or shaking due to external vibrations or impacts during use, thus avoiding structural damage. The support platform 60 can be a concrete support platform.

[0067] In some embodiments, the bottom of the support platform 60 is provided with multiple through holes 61 for air circulation. The through holes 61 allow ambient air to circulate at the bottom of the support platform 60, thereby balancing the temperature between the bottom of the support platform 60 and the top near the inner tank 10, preventing the support platform 60 from cracking due to excessive temperature difference between the inside and outside caused by the transfer of liquid hydrogen cooling energy.

[0068] See Figure 3 In some embodiments of this application, a first heat insulation layer 70 is provided between the bottom wall of the inner tank 10 and the bottom wall of the intermediate tank 20 to block the outward transfer of cold energy and prevent the support platform 60 from getting cold.

[0069] Specifically, the first insulation layer 70 includes a first insulation layer 71 and a second insulation layer 72. The first insulation layer 71 has an annular structure, with its outer ring extending towards the intermediate cylinder 22 and its inner ring extending towards the central axis of the inner tank 10. Along the radial direction of the inner tank 10, the edge of the bottom plate of the inner tank 10 lies between the inner and outer rings of the first insulation layer 71. The second insulation layer 72 is disposed in the same plane as the first insulation layer 71, and is located within the inner ring of the first insulation layer 71. The outer peripheral wall of the second insulation layer 72 is close to the inner peripheral wall of the first insulation layer 71, or the outer peripheral wall 72 of the second insulation layer is in contact with the inner peripheral wall of the first insulation layer 71.

[0070] The first insulation layer 71 can be a perlite reinforced concrete ring beam. The second insulation layer 72 can be foamed glass bricks. The second insulation layer 72 is the main cold-blocking layer, reducing the transfer of cold energy towards the support platform 60. The first insulation layer 71, on the one hand, supports the inner tank 10, dispersing stress and preventing the second insulation layer 72 from breaking due to localized pressure; on the other hand, it blocks external heat from transferring to the second insulation layer 72, thereby extending its service life.

[0071] Insulating cotton can be placed between the first insulating layer 71 and the second insulating layer 72 to fill the gap between the first insulating layer 71 and the second insulating layer 72, thereby enhancing the insulating performance of the first insulating layer 70.

[0072] In some embodiments, a second heat insulation layer 80 is provided between the bottom wall of the intermediate tank 20 and the bottom wall of the outer tank 50 to further prevent cold energy from being conducted to the support platform 60.

[0073] In some embodiments, the liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank 100 is further provided with a leveling layer 81. The leveling layer 81 can be located at the bottom of the inner tank 10, the bottom of the first insulation layer 70, and the bottom of the second insulation layer 80. This is equivalent to the following layers arranged from bottom to top along the height direction of the liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank 100: support platform 60, leveling layer 81, second insulation layer 80, leveling layer 81, first insulation layer 70, and leveling layer 81. The leveling layer 81 can be a plain concrete layer. The leveling layer 81 provides a smooth upper surface, facilitating subsequent construction and enhancing the overall stability of the liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank 100.

[0074] Continue reading Figure 3 The liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank 100 includes multiple anchoring structures 90, with the inner tank 10, intermediate tank 20, and outer tank 50 all equipped with anchoring structures 90. The anchoring structures 90 are used to enhance the stability of the inner tank 10, intermediate tank 20, and outer tank 50.

[0075] Specifically, each anchoring structure 90 includes a pull strap 91 and a fastener 92. The fastener 92 is disposed inside the support platform 60. One end of the pull strap 91 is connected to the fastener 92, and the other end of the pull strap 91 is connected to the outer wall of the inner cylinder 12, the outer wall of the outer cylinder 52, or the outer wall of the intermediate cylinder 22.

[0076] Taking the anchoring structure 90 installed on the inner tank 10 as an example, the fastener 92 is embedded inside the support platform 60 when the support platform 60 is installed. The pull strap 91 is welded to the inner cylinder 12 of the inner tank 10 during installation. During the hydrostatic test of the inner tank 10, the pull strap 91 and the fastener 92 are welded together.

[0077] The liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank 100 of this invention has a first insulation material filling the first cold-insulating space 30 between the outer tank 50, inner tank 10, and intermediate tank 20, and a second insulation material filling the second cold-insulating space 32 between the intermediate tank 20 and outer tank 50. This creates multiple thermal resistances, significantly reducing heat conduction and effectively isolating the liquid hydrogen stored in the inner tank 10 from the influence of the external ambient temperature. Furthermore, the arrangement of the first gas filling pipe 40 and the second gas filling pipe 41 ensures that the pressure in the liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank 100 gradually decreases from the inner tank 10 towards the outer tank 50, while the pressure of the outermost layer remains greater than the pressure of the external environment, maintaining a slightly positive pressure state. This not only helps protect the second insulation material in the second cold-insulating space 32 and the first insulation material in the first cold-insulating space 30 from the influence of external moisture, air, pollutants, etc., preventing them from failing or reducing their insulation performance, but also helps ensure the structural strength and stability of the intermediate tank 20 and outer tank 50, preventing the intermediate tank 20 and outer tank 50 from becoming unstable and undergoing compression deformation. Compared to the traditional method of using vacuum insulation to keep liquid hydrogen cold, the liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank 100 of this application does not need to undergo multiple evacuation and leak detection steps, thus effectively shortening the manufacturing period and making it suitable for large-volume liquid hydrogen storage.

[0078] The above embodiments are merely illustrative examples of structures. The structures in each embodiment are not fixed combinations. In the absence of structural conflicts, the structures in multiple embodiments can be arbitrarily combined and used.

[0079] Although the present invention has been described with reference to several typical embodiments, it should be understood that the terminology used is descriptive and exemplary, and not restrictive. Since the present invention can be embodied in many forms without departing from the spirit or essence of the invention, it should be understood that the above embodiments are not limited to any of the foregoing details, but should be interpreted broadly within the spirit and scope defined by the appended claims. Therefore, all variations and modifications falling within the scope of the claims or their equivalents should be covered by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank, characterized in that, include: The inner tank is used to store liquid hydrogen; An intermediate tank is located outside the inner tank. A first gap exists between the inner wall of the intermediate tank and the outer wall of the inner tank to form a first cold-insulating space. The first cold-insulating space is filled with a first heat-insulating material. An outer tank is located outside the intermediate tank. A second gap exists between the inner wall of the outer tank and the outer wall of the intermediate tank to form a second cold-insulating space. The second cold-insulating space is filled with a second heat-insulating material. A first inflation pipe is connected to the first cold insulation space. The first inflation pipe is used to continuously supply the first heat-insulating gas into the first cold insulation space so that the pressure of the first cold insulation space is greater than the pressure of the second cold insulation space. The second inflation pipe is connected to the second cold insulation space. The second inflation pipe is used to continuously supply the second insulation gas into the second cold insulation space so that the second cold insulation space forms a slight positive pressure relative to the external environment outside the outer tank.

2. The liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first insulating gas is helium, and the second insulating gas is either helium or nitrogen.

3. The liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first spacing is smaller than the second spacing.

4. The liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The volume of the inner tank is greater than or equal to 300 cubic meters.

5. The liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second inflation pipe is connected to the first cold insulation space.

6. The liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner tank includes an inner bottom plate, an inner cylinder, and an inner dome structure, which together form a vertical cylindrical dome tank. The outer tank includes an outer bottom plate, an outer cylinder, and an outer dome structure, which together form a vertical cylindrical dome tank; the intermediate tank includes an intermediate bottom plate, an intermediate cylinder, and an intermediate dome structure, which together form a vertical cylindrical dome tank.

7. The liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank according to claim 6, characterized in that, The intermediate base plate, the intermediate cylinder, and the intermediate dome structure are all made of austenitic stainless steel.

8. The liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, A first heat insulation layer is provided between the bottom wall of the inner tank and the bottom wall of the intermediate tank. The first heat insulation layer includes a first heat insulation layer and a second heat insulation layer. The first heat insulation layer has an annular structure. The outer peripheral wall of the second heat insulation layer is close to the inner peripheral wall of the first heat insulation layer, or the outer peripheral wall of the second heat insulation layer is connected to the inner peripheral wall of the first heat insulation layer. A second heat insulation layer is provided between the bottom wall of the intermediate tank and the bottom wall of the outer tank.

9. The liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The atmospheric pressure liquid hydrogen storage tank includes: A support platform is provided at the bottom of the outer tank to support the outer tank, and the bottom of the support platform is provided with multiple through holes for air circulation; Multiple anchoring structures are provided on the inner tank, the outer tank, and the intermediate tank; each anchoring structure includes a pull strap and a fixing member, the fixing member is disposed inside the support platform, one end of the pull strap is connected to the fixing member, and the other end of the pull strap is connected to the outer side wall of the inner tank, the outer side wall of the outer tank, or the outer side wall of the intermediate tank.

10. The liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid hydrogen atmospheric pressure storage tank includes an insulation layer, which is disposed on the outer wall of the inner tank and housed within the first cold insulation space. The first heat insulation material is pressed onto the insulation layer.

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