Distribution device, tank system and energy conversion system

Abstract

The presented invention relates to a distribution device (100) for distributing fluid in a tank system (200). The presented distribution device (100) comprises a number of distribution lines (101) configured to conduct fluid from a tank (201) to a consumer (301), a number of tank interfaces (103) configured to fluidically connect the number of distribution lines (101) to a tank (201), a number of supply interfaces (107) configured to conduct fluid provided by a supply device for supplying the distribution device (100) with fluid to the number of distribution lines (101), a number of thermocouples (109) arranged in the number of distribution lines (101) and configured to temper water accumulating in the tank (201) by supplying electrical current in order to convert the water from a first state of aggregation to a second state of aggregation.

Description

[0001] The presented invention relates to a distribution device, a tank system and an energy converter according to the appended claims. State of the art

[0002] During the refueling process of an energy converter, such as a fuel cell system or an internal combustion engine, the medium to be refueled contains unwanted water, which can collect in the tank and is very difficult to remove.

[0003] Water collected in a tank can reduce the usable volume of the tanks. Disclosure of the invention

[0004] Within the scope of the invention presented, a distribution device for distributing fluid in a tank system, a tank system, and an energy conversion system are presented. Further features and details of the invention emerge from the respective subclaims, the description, and the drawings. Features and details described in connection with the distribution device according to the invention naturally also apply in connection with the tank system according to the invention or the energy conversion system according to the invention, and vice versa, so that with regard to the disclosure of the individual aspects of the invention, reference is always made to each other.

[0005] The invention presented serves in particular to provide a possibility for maintaining a useful volume of a tank over its service life.

[0006] Thus, according to a first aspect of the invention presented, a distribution device for distributing fluid in a tank system is presented.

[0007] The presented distribution device comprises a number of distribution lines configured to conduct fluid from a tank to a consumer, a number of tank interfaces configured to fluidically connect the number of distribution lines to a tank, a number of supply interfaces configured to conduct fluid provided by a supply device for supplying the distribution device with fluid to the number of distribution lines, and a number of thermocouples arranged in the number of distribution lines and configured to temper water accumulating in the tank by supplying electrical current in order to convert the water from a first state of aggregation to a second state of aggregation.

[0008] In the context of the present invention, a thermocouple is understood to be an element configured to heat or cool liquid water so that it is converted from a first state to a second state, for example, from a liquid state to a solid state, or from a solid state to a gaseous state. For this purpose, a thermocouple can be designed, for example, as a Peltier element.

[0009] In the context of the invention presented, a supply line is understood to be a line for carrying fluid.

[0010] The invention presented is based on the principle that at least one thermocouple is actively supplied with electrical current in order to control its temperature and to locally thermally influence a location where the thermocouple is arranged, e.g. to supercool it, so that water freezes at this location and adheres to the location or the thermocouple as long as the thermocouple is actively cooled or supplied with electrical current.

[0011] The distribution device presented can be connected upstream of a number of tanks in order to distribute fluid flowing from a supply device to respective tanks and, during operation of a consumer, to supply the consumer with fluid from the number of tanks.

[0012] Since fuel, especially hydrogen, has a lower freezing point than water, cooling the number of thermocouples selectively separates the water contained in a gas mixture of fuel and water. This means that water adheres to the number of thermocouples, and only pure, or essentially water-free, fuel leaves the distribution device and can be stored in a tank.

[0013] Accordingly, the tank is protected from water ingress by the distribution device presented and a usable volume of the tank for storing fuel is completely or essentially completely maintained over time.

[0014] It can further be provided that the distribution device comprises a number of mediator elements which are thermally coupled to the number of thermocouples.

[0015] A mediating element, i.e., a thermally highly conductive element, such as a metal, on the one hand causes an enlargement of the surface of an active area which is tempered by the number of thermocouples and, on the other hand, a distribution of thermal energy provided by the number of thermocouples to respective locations within the distribution device presented, for example by arranging a mediating element in a flow region in which fluid flowing in during a refueling process flows particularly quickly or particularly slowly.

[0016] It can further be provided that the distribution device comprises a number of consumer interfaces which are configured to fluidly connect the number of distribution lines to the consumer.

[0017] A number of consumer interfaces, such as lines and / or unidirectional flow guide elements, enable fluid to flow from a tank connected to the distribution device, through the distribution device, to a respective consumer.

[0018] A flow movement in the direction of the consumer can be used to discharge water collected in the distribution device into the consumer and separate it there, for example via a water separator.

[0019] For this purpose, for example, a water collection basin can be provided that is arranged in a flow path towards the consumer.

[0020] Alternatively or additionally, a fluid flow flowing to the consumer can be guided to the water collection basin by fluid guide elements, so that the water collection basin can be arranged or formed, for example, at a lowest point of the distribution device in the direction of gravity and, as a result, gravity guides liquid water into the water collection basin.

[0021] Accordingly, it can further be provided that the number of thermocouples is arranged at a lower or lowest part of the number of distribution lines in the direction of gravity, so that liquid water in the number of distribution lines migrates to the number of thermocouples by gravity.

[0022] Since liquid water is usually heavier than a fluid to be stored in respective tanks, gravity can be used to separate the liquid water from the fluid and feed it to the number of thermocouples.

[0023] It may further be provided that the number of thermocouples is arranged on an outer side of a bend in a distribution line.

[0024] By arranging the number of thermocouples on an outside of a bend in a distribution line, an acceleration experienced by a fluid flowing through the distribution line and, as a result, liquid water contained in the fluid is used to separate the liquid water, which accumulates on the outside of the bend due to the acceleration, from the fluid or to supply it to the number of thermocouples.

[0025] It can further be provided that the number of thermocouples is coupled to a number of absorber elements.

[0026] By fluid-conducting coupling of the number of thermocouples with a number of absorber elements, such as a zeolite, liquid water accumulating at the respective thermocouples can be temporarily stored in the respective absorber elements and evaporated at a predetermined time, e.g. during operation of a consumer, by heating the number of thermocouples and / or discharged by fluid supplied to the consumer.

[0027] It can further be provided that the distribution device comprises a control unit which is configured to activate a current supply to the number of thermocouples, which causes the number of thermocouples to cool down when a filling process for filling the distribution device starts.

[0028] As soon as a filling process starts, i.e., for example, a start signal provided by a consumer is received by the control unit of the distribution device or a predetermined operating condition occurs, such as a pressure drop in the area of the number of supply interfaces, the number of thermocouples can be activated in order to prepare them for a filling process and to optimally separate water contained in a fluid used for filling.

[0029] It can further be provided that the control unit is configured to deactivate the number of thermocouples after the filling process has ended or to activate a current supply to the number of thermocouples, which causes the number of thermocouples to heat up.

[0030] By heating the number of thermocouples after the filling process has been completed, especially during operation of a consumer, frozen water on the respective thermocouples is thawed and discharged from the distribution device.

[0031] Accordingly, it can be provided that the number of thermocouples comprises a number of Peltier elements.

[0032] Depending on the polarity used for power supply, Peltier elements can heat up or cool down, making them particularly well-suited as thermocouples. For this purpose, a Peltier element can, for example, protrude into a fluid-conducting area of the distribution device with only one thermally active side, so that the other thermally active side is thermally separated from the fluid-conducting area.

[0033] According to a second aspect, the presented invention relates to a tank system for supplying a consumer with an operating fluid.

[0034] The presented tank system comprises a number of tanks and a possible embodiment of the presented distribution device, wherein the number of tanks is fluidly coupled to the distribution device via the number of tank interfaces.

[0035] The distribution device presented serves in particular to protect the number of tanks of the presented tank system from the ingress of liquid water.

[0036] According to a third aspect, the presented invention relates to an energy conversion system for converting energy.

[0037] Advantages described in detail with respect to the distribution device for distributing fluid in a tank system according to the first aspect of the invention apply equally to the tank system for supplying a consumer with an operating fluid according to the second aspect of the invention and the energy conversion system for converting energy according to the third aspect of the invention.

[0038] The presented energy conversion system comprises an energy converter and a possible embodiment of the presented tank system, wherein the tank system is configured to supply the energy converter with an operating fluid, such as hydrogen.

[0039] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description, which describes exemplary embodiments of the invention in detail with reference to the drawings. The features mentioned in the claims and in the description may be essential to the invention individually or in any combination.

[0040] They show schematically: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a possible design of the distribution device presented, Fig. 2 a schematic representation of another possible embodiment of the distribution device presented, and Fig. 3 a schematic representation of a possible design of the presented energy conversion system with a possible design of the presented tank system.

[0041] In Fig. 1 shows a distribution device 100 for distributing fluid in a tank system.

[0042] The distribution device 100 comprises distribution lines 101 configured to conduct fluid from a tank to a consumer, tank interfaces 103 configured to fluidly connect the distribution lines 101 to a tank, an optional consumer interface 105 configured to fluidly connect the distribution lines 101 to the consumer, a supply interface 107 configured to conduct fluid provided by a supply device for supplying the distribution device with fluid to the distribution lines 101, and a thermocouple 109 arranged in the distribution lines 101 and configured to temper water accumulating in the tank by supplying electrical current in order to convert the water from a first state of matter to a second state of matter.

[0043] Optionally, the thermocouple 109 comprises a mediator element 111, which distributes thermal energy provided by the thermocouple 109 in the distribution device 100 and, in particular, collects liquid water 117 accumulating in the distribution device 100 and Fig. 1 into ice 119 by means of negative thermal energy provided by the thermocouple 109.

[0044] In a Fig. During the filling of respective tanks with fluid by a supply device via the supply interface 107, as shown in Figure 1, the fluid provided by the supply device is guided in a first direction, as indicated by arrow 113, via the thermocouple 109 or the mediator element 111 and then to the tank interfaces 103. In this process, the thermocouple 109 drains the fluid and, as a result, protects the tanks from the ingress of liquid water.

[0045] In a Fig. 2, dry fluid flows from the tanks through the tank interfaces 103 via the thermocouple 109 or the mediator element 111 to the consumer interface 105, as indicated by arrow 115. In Fig. 2, the thermocouple 109 provides positive thermal energy to liquefy or evaporate ice adhering to the mediating element 111. The dry fluid flowing from the tanks via the mediating element 111 entrains liquid water 117 to the consumer, thereby draining the distribution device 100.

[0046] In Fig. 3 shows an energy conversion system 300 for converting energy.

[0047] The energy conversion system 300 comprises a consumer 301, such as a fuel cell system or an internal combustion engine, in particular a hydrogen engine, and a tank system 200, which in turn comprises a tank 201 and the distribution device 100 according to Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 includes.

[0048] The tank 201 can, for example, be a hydrogen tank for storing liquid or gaseous hydrogen.

Claims

Distribution device (100) for distributing fluid in a tank system (200), the distribution device (100) comprising: - a number of distribution lines (101) configured to conduct fluid from a tank (201) to a consumer (301), - a number of tank interfaces (103) configured to fluidically connect the number of distribution lines (101) to a tank (201), - a number of supply interfaces (107) configured to conduct fluid provided by a supply device for supplying the distribution device (100) with fluid to the number of distribution lines (101), - a number of thermocouples (109) arranged in the number of distribution lines (101) and configured to temper water accumulating in the tank (201) by supplying electrical current in order to convert the water from a first state of aggregation to a second state of aggregation. Distribution device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the distribution device (100) further comprises a number of mediator elements which are thermally coupled to the number of thermocouples. Distribution device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the number of thermocouples (109) is arranged at a lower part of the number of distribution lines (101) in the direction of gravity, so that liquid water in the number of distribution lines (101) migrates to the number of thermocouples (109) by gravity. Distribution device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the number of thermocouples (109) is arranged on an outer side of a bend of a distribution line (101). Distribution device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the number of thermocouples (109) is coupled to a number of absorber elements. Distribution device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distribution device (100) comprises a control unit which is configured to activate a current supply to the number of thermocouples (109), which causes the number of thermocouples (109) to cool down when a filling process for filling the distribution device starts. Distribution device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit is configured, after the filling process has ended, to deactivate the number of thermocouples or to activate a current supply to the number of thermocouples (109), which causes the number of thermocouples (109) to heat up. Distribution device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the number of thermocouples (109) comprises a number of Peltier elements. Tank system (200) for supplying a consumer with an operating fluid, wherein the tank system (200) comprises: - a number of tanks (201), - a distribution device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the number of tanks (201) is fluidly coupled to the distribution device (100) via the number of tank interfaces (103). Energy conversion system (300) for converting energy, wherein the energy conversion system (300) comprises: - an energy converter (301), - a tank system (200) according to claim 9, wherein the tank system (200) is configured to supply the energy converter (301) with an operating fluid.

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