Pressure vessel

Abstract

A pressure vessel capable of storing a fluid comprises several main body sections, each with an interior space, and a connecting section to which one end of each of the main body sections is attached, thus linking the main body sections together. A cross-section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the main body section has a substantially quadrilateral shape. The main body section includes a reinforcing element that connects a pair of opposing surfaces within the space.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the invention

[0001] The technology disclosed in the present description relates to a pressure vessel. 2. Description of the state of the art

[0002] Japanese patent application JP 2024-3069A discloses a tank system mounted on a transport vehicle. The tank system comprises several cylindrical tanks for storing fuel gas, as well as connecting sections that link the tanks together. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Since tanks are conventionally cylindrical in shape, it is difficult to say that the volume required for storing fluid is efficiently ensured.

[0004] The present description discloses a pressure vessel capable of storing fluid. A pressure vessel comprises a plurality of main body sections, each with an interior space, and a connecting section to which one end of each of the main body sections is connected, thus linking the main body sections together. A cross-section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the main body section has a substantially quadrilateral shape.

[0005] According to this configuration, the cross-section of the main body section of the pressure vessel, which runs perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, is essentially rectangular. Therefore, a larger volume can be ensured compared to the conventional case, where the cross-section is circular. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The features and advantages as well as the technical and economic significance of exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals denote the same elements, showing: Fig. 1. A sectional view of a pressure vessel; Fig. 2 a sectional view along line II-II in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a sectional view along line III-III in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 an enlarged sectional view showing the area around one end of a main body section to which a base is attached; Fig. 5 a modified pressure vessel housed in an underfloor compartment of a vehicle; and Fig. 6 a conventional pressure vessel located in the underbody space of the vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXECUTION FORMS

[0007] The present embodiment is described with reference to the drawings. Each figure is merely an example, and the present embodiment is not limited to the content shown in the figures. Since each figure is merely an example, some parts may have been omitted.

[0008] Fig. Figure 1 is a simplified sectional view of a pressure vessel 10 according to the present embodiment. The pressure vessel 10 can store a fluid. The fluid is, for example, a fuel gas such as hydrogen. In each figure, the X and Y directions are indicated accordingly for ease of explanation. The X and Y directions are orthogonal to each other. The pressure vessel 10 comprises several main body sections 20, each with an interior space, and a connecting section 30, to which one end of each of the main body sections 20 is connected and which connects the main body sections 20 to one another. The connecting section 30 is a flow path that allows the flow of fluid. The main body sections 20 are connected to one another via the connecting section 30. Furthermore, the fluid stored in each of the main body sections 20 is discharged from the pressure vessel 10 to the outside via the connecting section 30. Fig. Figure 1 shows a section of the main body section 20.

[0009] According to Fig. 1 The main body section 20 is extended in the Y-direction, and both ends in the Y-direction are provided with an opening 23. According to Fig. 1. The Y-direction corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the main body section 20. Each of the main body sections 20 has the opening 23 at one end in the Y-direction, which is connected to the connecting section 30 in the same way. According to Fig. 1. The main body sections 20 are arranged side by side along the X-direction (one direction). Furthermore, the main body sections 20 are arranged in essentially the same position in the Y-direction. However, the main body sections 20 may, for example, have non-uniform lengths in the Y-direction.

[0010] The main body section 20 comprises a body section 21, which has a substantially uniformly shaped cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and tapered sections 22, which are both ends of the body section 21 in the longitudinal direction. The tapered section 22 gradually or stepwise narrows the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the longitudinal direction from the body section 21 to the opening 23. Hereinafter, a cross-section of the main body section 20 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is referred to as the "first cross-section".

[0011] Fig. 2 is a sectional view along line II-II in Fig. 1. Fig. Figure 2 shows the shape of the first cross-sections of the main body sections 20. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the first cross-section has an essentially quadrilateral shape. The term "essentially quadrilateral" refers to a shape comprising two pairs of opposite flat surfaces (one pair of surfaces 25a, 25b and one pair of surfaces 26a, 26b) and four vertices connecting the four surfaces. In reality, the four vertices of the first cross-section are more accurately represented as curved vertices than as vertices where the flat surfaces intersect at right angles. Furthermore, the opposite flat surfaces defining the first cross-section need not be strictly parallel, and each flat surface may be slightly curved.

[0012] Fig. 3 is a sectional view along line III-III in Fig. 1. The main body section 20 includes a reinforcement element 24 that connects a pair of opposing surfaces within the space of the main body section 20. Fig. Figure 3 shows a wire 24a that connects the pair of opposing surfaces 25a, 25b of the main body section 20 in a wave-like shape. The wire 24a is made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), a composite material of carbon fibers and resin. In other words, the reinforcing element 24 comprises one or more wires 24a that extend longitudinally along the main body section 20 and connect the opposing surfaces.

[0013] In Fig. 3 Each of the black dots in the main body section 20 indicates a section of wire 24a. In Fig. In Figure 2, several lines in the form of a grid are drawn in the main body section 20, each of the lines also representing the wire 24a. That is, within the space of the main body section 20, the surfaces 25a, 25b and the surfaces 26a, 26b are "stitched" together by the wires 24a. The reinforcing element 24 comprises several such wires 24a. In Fig. In 1, the reinforcing element 24 is omitted.

[0014] An example of a process for manufacturing the pressure vessel 10 is briefly described. Several liners are prepared as hollow bodies, which serve as the base material for the main body sections 20. The liner is made, for example, of a plastic such as nylon. The liner is a hollow body with a shape corresponding to the main body section 20. A wire is wound, for example, in a net or spiral pattern onto the outer surface of such a liner using a winding machine. The winding machine is also referred to as a braiding machine, braiding device, etc. The wire wound around the liner is also made of CFRP, in which carbon fiber is impregnated with resin. By winding the wire with the winding machine, a fiber layer 27 of CFRP is provided, so that the fiber layer 27 covers the outer surface of the liner.

[0015] Simultaneously with the winding of the wire by the winding machine, the wire 24a is sewn onto the lining using a sewing machine. There are various ways to sew the wire 24a with the sewing machine, for example, using a wave stitch and the so-called sewing machine stitch, in which a top thread (wire 24a) and a bottom thread (wire 24a) are interlocked. By sewing the wire 24a with the sewing machine, the wire 24a penetrates the space within the lining, and, for example, the in Fig. 3 Reinforcement element 24 shown provided.

[0016] The lining, winding machine, and sewing machine move relative to each other along the longitudinal direction of the lining. For example, the winding machine and sewing machine are fixed in their positions while the lining moves along its longitudinal direction. As the lining moves in this way, the sewing machine sews the wire 24a, and the winding machine simultaneously winds the wire. This allows the main body section 20 to be manufactured efficiently, while the sections of wire 24a that do not extend into the space within the main body section 20 are accommodated in the fiber layer 27, as shown in Fig. 3 shown. The main body sections 20 produced in this way are then each connected at one end to the connecting section 30 in order to connect the pressure vessel 10 to the in Fig. to obtain the form shown in 1.

[0017] According to the present embodiment, the first cross-section of the pressure vessel 10 thus has a substantially rectangular shape. Therefore, compared to a conventional configuration where the cross-section is circular perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the pressure vessel, a larger volume for storing fluid can be ensured.

[0018] From the perspective of ensuring resistance to fluid pressure, the conventional circular cross-section is superior to the essentially rectangular first cross-section. However, in the present embodiment, the main body section 20 is configured to include the reinforcing element 24, in which the opposing surfaces are connected. This allows the main body section 20 to ensure resistance to fluid pressure, even though the first cross-section has an essentially rectangular shape.

[0019] In the pressure vessel 10, a base 40 is provided at one end of the main body section 20. Fig. 1 is the base 40, as indicated by the dotted line, attached to each of the two ends in the Y direction of each main body section 20. Fig. Figure 4 shows an enlarged sectional view of the area around one end of the main body section 20, to which the base 40 is attached. According to Fig. Figure 4 shows that the main body section 20 comprises a lining 50 as an inner layer and the fiber layer 27 as an outer layer. For the sake of simplicity, the lining 50 is not shown in any of the figures except Fig. Figure 4 illustrates this. At one end of the main body section 20, for example, a predetermined area (the area near the opening) near the opening 23 of the tapered section 22 is a tube with substantially the same diameter as the opening 23, and the base 40 is attached externally to the area near the opening. The base 40 is made of metal, for example, and has an annular shape.

[0020] A screw groove 41 for screwing in a fastening section 60 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the base 40. The fastening section 60 will be described later. On the other hand, several locking claws 42 are provided on the inner circumferential surface of the base 40. When the base 40 is riveted to the area near the opening of the main body section 20, the locking claws 42 engage in the outer circumferential surface of the fiber layer 27 and thus lock the base 40 to the main body section 20.

[0021] The fastening section 60 is attached to the base 40 from the outside. In other words, the fastening section 60 is attached to the base 40 by screwing an internally threaded section provided on the inside of the fastening section 60 into the screw groove 41 of the base 40. In the example of Fig. 4 A part of the fastening section 60 projects into the interior of the opening 23 and seals or closes the opening 23. The fastening section 60 can have a structure that allows a connection between the opening 23 and another flow path, for example the connecting section 30.

[0022] As described above, the reinforcing element 24 comprises the wire 24a, which extends longitudinally along the main body section 20 while being sewn between the opposing surfaces of the main body section 20. Therefore, in the present embodiment, one end of the wire 24a can be attached at a position remote from the base 40 to an end of the main body section 20 where the base 40 is provided. Fig. In Figure 4, the wires 24a are represented by solid lines in the fiber layer 27. The end of the wire 24a is embedded in the fiber layer 27 at a point where the locking claw 42 of the base 40 does not reach. In other words, if the sewing of the wire 24a with the sewing machine and the winding of the wire with the winding machine are carried out simultaneously as described above, one end of the wire 24a is embedded at an end of the main body section 20, where the base 40 will later be attached, namely at a predetermined position in the fiber layer 27 that is not reached by the locking claw 42. This configuration prevents the locking claws 42 from coming into contact with the wire 24a within the fiber layer 27. Therefore, the biting of the locking claws 42 into the fiber layer 27 is not hindered, and the base 40 is firmly locked to the main body section 20.

[0023] The pressure vessel 10 is, for example, housed in a space under the floor of a vehicle. The vehicle mentioned here is, for example, a fuel cell electric vehicle or a hydrogen engine vehicle that uses the hydrogen stored in the pressure vessel 10 as fuel to generate electricity or energy. Fig. Figure 6 shows a conventional pressure vessel 1 located in an underfloor compartment A of the vehicle. The pressure vessel 1 is a typical cylindrical hydrogen tank with a circular cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Part of the underfloor compartment A is delimited by a body element 70, which separates the space above and below the vehicle floor.

[0024] The body element 70 comprises a projecting section 71 that extends downwards at a predetermined position. The body element 70 and the projecting section 71 constitute part of the vehicle body. The projecting section 71 is, for example, a floor crossmember for improving the rigidity of the vehicle body. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 6, the presence of the preceding section 71 in conventional technology creates a space B as a dead space between the body element 70 and the pressure vessel 1. In addition, the pressure vessel 1 is designed to be compact, so that it can be accommodated in the underbody space A at a position below the preceding section 71.

[0025] Taking this situation into account, the main body section 20, as a modification of the present embodiment, can have an uneven shape that follows the shape of the vehicle body, which limits at least part of the space in which the pressure vessel 10 is housed. Fig. Figure 5 shows the pressure vessel 10 according to the modification, which is housed in the underbody compartment A of the vehicle. Fig. 5 is only the main body section 20 of the pressure vessel 10 in a section from the same perspective as in Fig. 3 shown.

[0026] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 5, a recessed section 28 is provided on the top surface of the main body section 20 to prevent contact with the protruding section 71, i.e., in a position corresponding to the protruding section 71 on the surface facing the body element 70. The recessed section 28 is provided in the body section 21. As can be seen from the description above, it is easier to provide the recessed section 28 due to the flat outer surface of the body section 21 than in the conventional pressure vessel 1 with a cylindrical shape. The area of ​​the body section 21 in which the recessed section 28 is provided is naturally narrower in the first cross-section than the area in which the recess 28 is not provided in the body section 21.

[0027] The fact that the main body section 20 includes the recessed section 28 means that the main body section 20 also includes a protruding section when viewed from the recessed section 28 as a reference. Therefore, the shape of the recessed section 28 and its surroundings corresponds to a specific example of an uneven shape that follows the shape of the vehicle body. According to such an example, by avoiding contact with the protruding section 71, the pressure vessel 10 can also be accommodated using space B of the underbody space A by utilizing the recessed section 28. In other words, the pressure vessel 10 can be manufactured larger and with a greater volume while effectively utilizing the limited underbody space A of the vehicle. Although in Fig.Since only one main body section 20 is shown in Figure 5, it can be imagined that several main body sections 20, arranged side by side in the X-direction, each have the recessed section 28 corresponding to the length of the protruding section 71 in the X-direction. Because the main body sections 20 are manufactured individually before being joined with the connecting section 30, it is possible to easily provide each main body section 20 with a non-uniform shape that corresponds to the shape of the vehicle body.

[0028] In the pressure vessel 10 of the present embodiment, the presence of a lining is not strictly necessary. For example, the configuration of the pressure vessel 10 need not include a lining, at least in the configuration after manufacture. Furthermore, the pressure vessel 10 can be manufactured using a method that does not employ a lining.

[0029] Although specific examples of the technology disclosed in this description have been described in detail above, these examples are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims comprises various modifications and variations of the specific examples illustrated above. Furthermore, the technical elements described in this description or in the drawings, individually or in various combinations, have technical utility and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. Moreover, the technology illustrated in this description or in the drawings achieves several purposes simultaneously, and the achievement of any one of these purposes is itself technically useful. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

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

[0000] JP 2024 - 3 069 A

[0002]

Images