Storage tank for hydrogen and methods for its production

Abstract

A storage tank (10) for hydrogen under high pressure is described, wherein an inlay (18) shaped to fit the inner surface (14) of the storage tank (10) is provided, which is spaced apart from the inner surface (14) of the storage tank (10) by a gap (20) which is filled with a hydride-forming material, wherein the hydride-forming material is formed of a paste-like material.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a storage tank for hydrogen under high pressure, wherein an inlay is provided in the storage tank which is shaped to the inner surface of the storage tank and is spaced from the inner surface of the storage tank by a gap filled with a hydride-forming material, and to a method for its production.

[0002] Such a storage tank is described in the older patent application DE 10 2023 003 139.9. In this storage tank, the hydride-forming material is a powder. The powder can be, for example, a magnesium powder, a magnesium-based material, a titanium powder, or a titanium-based material. It is understood that the powder can also be another known hydride-forming material.

[0003] Since the gap width of the gap space between the inner surface of the storage tank and the inlay is on the order of magnitude, for example, 0.5 to 1 mm, it can be problematic or costly to reliably fill the gap space of the storage tank, which has a relatively long length of, for example, 1 m, completely with the powder of the hydride-forming material. The older patent application 10 2023 003 458.4 describes a method for filling the gap space in a storage tank for high-pressure hydrogen, wherein the storage tank and / or the inlay arranged therein is / are subjected to vibration during the filling process. A special device is required for the vibration application. In order to achieve reliable complete filling of the gap space, it is proposed, for example, to carry out zone-by-zone vibration application depending on the respective temporal fill level of the hydride-forming powder material.This requires an appropriate control device for the vibration device.

[0004] The invention is based on the object of creating a storage tank of the type mentioned above, wherein the reliable, complete filling of the gap with hydride-forming material can be easily realized.

[0005] This object is achieved by the features of claim 1, i.e. in that the hydride-forming material is formed by a pasty material.

[0006] The paste-like material can be a mixture of a hydride-forming powder and a synthetic resin. The synthetic resin can be, for example, a polyurethane / epoxy resin, although other synthetic resins can also be used.

[0007] In the storage tank according to the invention, the mixing ratio of hydride-forming powder to synthetic resin can be 90:10 to 50:50.

[0008] The object underlying the invention is achieved according to the method by the features of claim 4, i.e. in that a hydride-forming material formed from a pasty material is applied to the inner surface of the storage tank in the form of spaced-apart paste strips, that the inlay is then introduced into the storage tank, and that the interior of the storage tank is then subjected to high pressure, by means of which the inlay is forced against the inner surface of the storage tank and the paste strips are deformed in such a way that the pasty hydride-forming material of the paste strips completely fills the gap between the inner surface of the storage tank and the deformed inlay.

[0009] According to the invention, it is therefore advantageously not necessary to carry out a vibration application, preferably in a zone-wise manner, but only a pressure application of the inlay, which is carried out by means of a fluid pressure source, in order to force the inlay against the inner surface of the storage tank with high pressure and in the process to reshape the paste strips of the hydride-forming pasty material in such a way that it completely fills the gap.

[0010] In the method according to the invention, it has proven advantageous if the paste strips are applied to the inner surface of the storage tank in the axial direction.

[0011] Further details, features and advantages will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the attached drawings.

[0012] They show: Fig. 1 in a perspective view, half-sectioned, of the front area of ​​a storage tank for high-pressure hydrogen, Fig. 2 in one of the Fig. 1 shows the front area of ​​the storage tank, wherein hydride-forming pasty material is applied in strips to its inner surface in a first process step, Fig. 3 one the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 similar illustration to illustrate the next process step, in which a thin-walled deformable inlay is inserted into the storage tank, Fig. 4 the procedure step according to Fig. 3 following process step, in which the interior of the storage tank is subjected to high pressure in order to force the inlay against the inner surface of the storage tank so that the paste strips of the hydride-forming material completely fill the gap, Fig. 5 a section along the section line VV in Fig. 2, Fig. 6 a section along the section line VI-VI in Fig. 3, and Fig. 7 a section along the section line VII-VII in Fig. 4.

[0013] Fig. 1 shows a half-side longitudinal section of the front area of ​​a storage tank 10, the front end 12 of which has a smaller inner diameter than the inner surface 14 of the storage tank 10.

[0014] Fig. Figure 2 shows the front region 12 of the storage tank 10, with a pasty hydride-forming material applied to the inner surface 14 of the storage tank 10 in the form of spaced-apart paste strips 16. The paste strips extend in the axial direction of the storage tank 10.

[0015] Fig. 3 shows the process step according to the Fig. 2 following process step, wherein an inlay 18 is introduced into the storage tank 10. The inlay 16 has a diameter that is adapted to the diameter of the front end 12 of the storage tank 10. The inlay 18 introduced into the storage tank 10 is then subjected to high pressure on the inside, by means of which the inlay 18 is forced against the inner surface 14 of the storage tank 10. In the process, the paste strips 16 provided on the inner surface 14 of the storage tank 10 are deformed in such a way that the pasty hydride-forming material completely fills the gap 20 between the inner surface 14 of the storage tank 10 and the deformed inlay 18. This is shown in Fig. 4, in which the same details are indicated with the same reference numbers as in the Fig. 1 to 3 are designated.

[0016] Fig. 5 illustrates, on a larger scale, the storage tank 10 with the paste strips 16 provided on its inner surface 14.

[0017] Fig. 6 shows on a larger scale the storage tank 10 with the paste strips 16 on the inner surface 14 of the storage tank 10 as well as the thin-walled, formable inlay 18 introduced into the storage tank 10

[0018] Fig. 7 illustrates on an enlarged scale the storage tank 10 with the inlay 18 forced against its inner surface 14, and the pasty hydride-forming material filling the gap 20 between the inner surface 14 of the storage tank 10 and the formed inlay 18. List of reference numbers: 10 storage tank 12 front end (of 10) 14 interior surface (out of 10) 16 paste strips 18 inlays (in 10) 20 gap space (between 14 and 18) QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2023 003 139.9

[0002]

Claims

[1] Storage tank for hydrogen under high pressure, wherein in the storage tank (10) there is provided an inlay (18) which is shaped to the inner surface (14) of the storage tank (10) and which is spaced from the inner surface (14) of the storage tank (10) by a gap (20) which is filled with a hydride-forming material, characterized by that the hydride-forming material is formed by a pasty material. [2] Storage tank according to claim 1, characterized by that the pasty material is a mixture of a hydride-forming powder and a synthetic resin. [3] Storage tank according to claim 2, characterized by that the mixing ratio of hydride-forming powder to synthetic resin is 90:10 to 50:

50. [4] Method for producing a storage tank (10) for hydrogen under high pressure, wherein an inlay (18) is arranged in the storage tank (10) which is adapted to the shape of the inner surface (14) of the storage tank (10) and is spaced from the inner surface (14) of the storage tank (10) by a gap (20) which is filled with a hydride-forming material, characterized bythat a pasty, hydride-forming material in the form of spaced-apart paste strips (16) is applied to the inner surface (14) of the storage tank (10), that the inlay (18) is then introduced into the storage tank (10), and that the interior of the storage tank (10) is then subjected to a high pressure, by means of which the inlay (18) is forced against the inner surface (14) of the storage tank (10) and the paste strips (16) are deformed in such a way that the pasty, hydride-forming material of the paste strips (16) fills the gap (20) between the inner surface (14) of the storage tank (10) and the deformed inlay (18). [5] Method according to claim 4, characterized by that the paste strips (16) are applied in the axial direction to the inner surface (14) of the storage tank (10).

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