Multipurpose fixed or mobile device for diagnosing and securing a hydrogen-powered vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fully authoritative, multi-purpose, fixed or mobile device, external to the tank and the engine, enabling the diagnosis and securing of a gaseous and / or liquid hydrogen engine under optimal safety conditions, adapted to all types of breakdowns, accidents, or failures. The device comprises at least one inerting fluid tank and a hydrogen receptacle. It is characterized by the fact that the hydrogen is expelled from the engine's tank and replaced in situ by an inerting fluid adapted to the observed failure mode. Numerous options allow for responding to virtually all failures in a more or less automated manner, depending on the diagnosis. Figure for the abstract: [Fig 2]

Description

Title of the invention: Multipurpose fixed or mobile device for diagnosing and securing a hydrogen-powered vehicle

[0001] When using gaseous and / or liquid hydrogen to power engines or fuel cells, or more generally a heating system, it is essential to define the procedures for action and reaction in the event of malfunctions, incidents, or accidents. If a securing and / or recovery operation is required, the presence of a certain quantity of hydrogen in the distressed vehicle poses additional risks to the vehicle's occupant(s), emergency personnel, and, more generally, to people and infrastructure in the area.

[0002] The hazards associated with hydrogen are known and consist of a high risk of explosiveness due to its high flammability. Hydrogen can easily ignite upon contact with a heat source or a spark, even at relatively low concentrations in air. This risk is increased by the high energy density of cryogenic hydrogen.

[0003] Cryogenic hydrogen tanks generally consist of at least two tanks: an inner tank containing cryogenic hydrogen (liquid and / or gaseous at very low temperature) and an outer shell. The two tanks are insulated from each other by a high-performance insulating system, most often comprising an insulating material that limits conduction and radiation, combined with a vacuum to limit convection. In normal operation, these high-performance systems delay, limit, and control the boil-off (a small amount of liquefied gas that evaporates from a tank during storage) of hydrogen due to residual heat inputs.However, in the event of an incident or accident that damages this super-insulation, even slightly, the dormancy time (i.e., the period during which it is not necessary to vent the boil-off hydrogen) could be drastically reduced, from several hours in normal operation to just a few minutes. A large quantity of hydrogen could then be released into the surrounding area. More significant damage to the integrity of the internal tank and / or the outer casing (leaks, broken supports, damaged pipes) or a fire near the cryogenic tank could further exacerbate this phenomenon.

[0004] French patent FR3116238 - 20 / 05 / 2022 "Fuel storage tank, equipped with a temperature and pressure protection and maintenance system" provided for equipping the tank itself with a safety device, consisting of a internal fuel tank, enclosed by a tank containing an inerting fluid, itself contained in an external casing, including (or not) an internal or external inerting fluid reserve.

[0005] Patents FR3120419 - 09 / 09 / 2022 "Full Authority Control, Management and Piloting Device for an On-Board Cryogenic Fuel or Fluid Storage System" and FR3134164 - 06 / 10 / 2023 "Full Authority Control, Management and Piloting Device for an On-Board Cryogenic Fuel or Fluid Storage and Distribution System" define on-board control, management, regulation, and monitoring devices for an on-board cryogenic fuel or fluid storage and distribution system, and in particular the operation of the FADHyCC (Full Authority Digital Hydrogen Cryogenic Control). These on-board devices partially provide for securing the cryogenic tank(s) of a vehicle. However, in the event of a serious malfunction or accident, their effectiveness is quickly limited by the lack of available on-board resources.Furthermore, being themselves embedded, they can be the cause of a malfunction or be subject to more or less severe damage during an accident.

[0006] Cryogenic tanks can experience multiple failure modes in the event of an incident and / or accident. The resulting consequences depend on the failure modes and the tank functions that have been damaged (insulation failure, leaks from the tank and / or internal piping, leaks from the outer casing, rupture of an external pipe, etc.). Therefore, securing the equipment requires a rapid and preliminary diagnosis, which leads to very different, sometimes even contradictory, actions depending on this diagnosis. In the event of a failure or accident on a cryogenic installation, the speed and accuracy of the intervention are therefore fundamental elements that leave little room for error.

[0007] The present invention therefore relates to a fully authority, versatile, fixed or mobile device, external to the tank and the machine, allowing the diagnosis and securing of a gaseous and / or liquid hydrogen machine under optimum safety conditions and adapted to all kinds of breakdowns, accidents or failures.

[0008] By diagnosis, we mean a manual, semi-automatic, or automatic analysis which consists of retrieving information (pressure, temperature, leak detector, level, flow rates, etc.) integrated into the machine and / or internal to the device, quickly determining the state of the system and the type of failure, and proposing or initiating safety measures. The process of making the machine safe by the device will be more or less automated depending on the configuration.

[0009] Upon connecting to the damaged or distressed vehicle, the device retrieves the information available and transmitted by the vehicle. Autonomously and independently, it manages the safety intervention by performing its own measurements, using commands and operating with its own energy supply. This management takes priority over all other means and therefore grants the device, once connected, full authority over all the vehicle's control and regulation systems. It can thus operate completely independently, regardless of any damage sustained by the vehicle.

[0010] To anticipate the exchange of information before connection to the machine, the device and the machine may have a wireless information exchange system, for example of the Bluetooth or Wi-Fi type.

[0011] The independent, fully authorized, multi-purpose, fixed or mobile diagnostic and safety device for a gaseous and / or cryogenic hydrogen-powered vehicle comprises at least one inerting fluid reservoir and a hydrogen receptacle. It is characterized in that the hydrogen is expelled from the vehicle's reservoir and replaced in situ with an inerting fluid suitable for the observed failure mode. During the vehicle's safety shutdown, the device's inerting fluid transfer hose is connected to the gas vent port during vehicle refilling, and the drain hose is connected to the vehicle's liquid hydrogen refill port. In certain configurations, the flow paths may be reversed.The inerting fluid transfer pipe supplies the vehicle's tank with a controlled pressure in accordance with the tank design, which allows the hydrogen to be evacuated through the vehicle's filling line and simultaneously replaces the emptied volume with inert gas.

[0012] At the end of the operation, the hydrogen tank is emptied, either completely or partially, of its hydrogen and contains an inerting gas to prevent any risk of fire or explosion. This scenario is preferred for the standard safety procedures of a hydrogen-powered vehicle that has sustained minor damage and / or for a prolonged shutdown. A prolonged shutdown is understood here to mean a shutdown during which the cryogenic hydrogen would have time to evaporate completely and / or warm up to ambient temperature. The hydrogen can be extracted to the device's receptacle either pneumatically using the pressure generated by the inerting fluid or with the aid of a transfer pump.

[0013] A variant allows for accelerating the conventional method described above. It is characterized by the fact that the inerting fluid is injected hot in order to evaporate and / or heat the hydrogen to facilitate its extraction. By hot, we mean a temperature equal to or higher than ambient temperature. This solution may require a heater between the inerting gas storage and the connection pipe to The device. The temperature, while remaining within reasonable limits given the device's design, could be higher initially to initiate and boost the evaporation process, then decrease towards the end. Throughout this phase, the system is controlled and regulated by pressure measurements specific to the device and monitored by the device's own sensors, provided they are functioning correctly.

[0014] Conversely, in the case of a more delicate operation, for example with a pilot or passengers requiring significant intervention in the aircraft, and if substantial damage is observed to the internal hydrogen tank or piping, it may be advisable to limit the boil-off by attempting to cool the hydrogen. This alternative variant is characterized by the fact that the injected inerting fluid is composed of liquid helium from a specific cryogenic reservoir, which, by evaporating during its injection, helps to stabilize the liquid hydrogen tank(s) in terms of pressure and temperature.

[0015] Storing hydrogen extracted from the distressed vehicle, whether pure or not, and potentially mixed with air, can prove problematic and difficult to reintroduce into the traditional hydrogen supply chain. Furthermore, the limited quantity of hydrogen in a tank can be problematic in the event of multiple interventions, for example, in the event of a secondary accident. One solution is to neutralize the hydrogen by burning it safely on-site. This variant is characterized by the fact that the extracted hydrogen is then burned using a combustion process. The combustion chamber (burner) must be safe and sufficiently sized to process the contents of the vehicle in a maximum of a few minutes. To accelerate this combustion, the combustion chamber can be supplied with air by a compressor, a motor-driven fan, or simply by a cylinder of compressed air or oxygen.Another variant involves neutralizing the extracted hydrogen through a catalytic process. In this case, a suitably sized catalyst replaces the combustion chamber. For both variants, maintaining hydrogen storage between the pumping or extraction pipe on the machine and the combustion chamber or catalyst may be necessary. For safety reasons and to manage the generated energy, combustion and / or hydrogen neutralization can be carried out in a medium containing water or a water mist. This configuration requires the device to have a water reservoir.

[0016] Regardless of the connections and treatments required for the tank and internal piping described above, it is advantageous to connect another hose to the outer casing of the engine's hydrogen tank. This connection will allow, via a hydrogen detector and a pressure sensor, the identification of any hydrogen leaks and / or the level of deterioration of the super insulation. and in particular the vacuum level. For small air leaks through the outer casing, this connection is linked to a vacuum pump that will attempt to restore a vacuum level satisfactory for insulation. If the leak level is such that, despite the vacuum pump, an acceptable vacuum level cannot be achieved, the vacuum pumping is stopped and an inerting gas is injected into the outer casing.

[0017] Similarly, if the detector has detected the presence of hydrogen in the outer casing, the vacuum pump is not activated and an inerting fluid is injected into the outer casing. This inerting fluid may be the same as or different from that used for the inner tank. It will be selected based on criteria of liquefaction and solidification temperature, inerting properties, thermal conductivity, and molecule size. If the tank is damaged to such an extent that it is not possible to contain an inert gas inside the outer casing, or if a significant hydrogen leak has occurred, the last resort is to spray water directly into the outer casing. This procedure has two advantages: it reduces the risk of fire, and by creating frost and ice in contact with the tank and internal piping, it isolates them and temporarily limits the hydrogen leak.

[0018] The device can also be equipped with a system that allows water to be sprayed simultaneously onto the outer casing. Indeed, in the event of a hydrogen leak outside the vehicle caused either by a double leak on the tank or one of the internal circuits and the outer casing, or by a pressure rise in the tank or internal circuits leading to the opening of a relief valve or a rupture disc, the fact that water is simultaneously sprayed onto the outer casing helps to prevent and limit the risk of fire in the vehicle.

[0019] It should be noted that the fully authorized, multi-purpose, fixed or mobile device external to the tank and the equipment for diagnosing and securing a gaseous and / or liquid hydrogen-powered vehicle may be standardized and give rise to vehicle design standards, and in particular standards and requirements concerning vehicle connections and their positions. Specifically regarding the connection to the outer casing, the device may include a single connection for the different types of intervention mentioned above via a multi-port valve, capable of alternatively generating vacuum pumping from the outer casing, injecting an inerting fluid, or spraying water. It should be noted that the pressure and hydrogen presence detection sensors are mounted on the pumping line, which then allows for the diagnosis of a vacuum loss or a leak in the internal systems of the vehicle's tank.

[0020] Similarly, the notion of "full authority" given to the safety device requires the disconnection of the other control and regulation systems specific to the machine, either directly when connecting the different pipes of the device, or by a specific intervention on the machine itself.

[0021] In the extreme case where the device's connection(s) are not directly accessible or are no longer operational, the device may incorporate a perforator. This perforator is capable, either with an operator on site or remotely, of perforating the outer casing and, if necessary, the inner tank, and then, using a suction cup, extracting either the contents of the interwall between the outer casing and the inner tank, or the contents of the inner tank itself. The perforation system may be of several types, for example, by projectile, percussion, punching, drilling, or machining of all types. However, the high-pressure water jet perforation process is particularly suitable in this case.

[0022] Indeed, it has the advantage of eliminating and preventing the risk of fire. Once the hole(s) are drilled, one or more suction cups are attached to the surface of the outer casing or the surface of the inner tank, and the extraction of hydrogen from the vehicle's hydrogen tank can begin and / or its inerting can be initiated. The hydrogen extraction will then be carried out either by pumping or pneumatically using the inerting fluid. In some cases, the drill may need to pre-drill the vehicle's body.

[0023] The multipurpose safety device as defined above can be positioned in a specific and secure area in which the end has previously been placed.

[0024] The multi-purpose safety device can also be integrated into an emergency vehicle. This solution allows for on-site intervention in the event that the vehicle is immobilized. It is a mandatory element for rapid intervention and safety, particularly for road, rail, airport, and port applications. In the context of motor racing, where accidents are frequent, it is an essential means of reducing their severity and consequences.

[0025] Figure 1 shows a pickup-type intervention vehicle (1) comprising a mobile, multi-purpose diagnostic and safety device for a hydrogen-powered vehicle, during intervention on a racing vehicle (2). The intervention vehicle (1) is connected to the racing vehicle (2) via a harness (3) of hoses and cables and a connector (4). When at rest, the harness (3) is wound on a reel (5). The inerting fluid is stored either in gaseous form in cylinders (6) or as a liquid in a cryogenic tank (7). The hydrogen extracted from the vehicle is stored in a hydrogen receptacle (8). If the pressure in The hydrogen receptacle (8) is too large; it is possible to discharge this tank via an exhaust (9) and a network of valves (10). The safety sequence(s) can be initiated and controlled automatically or manually via the control panel (11).

[0026] Figure 2 shows an intervention vehicle (1) comprising a mobile, multi-purpose device for diagnosing and securing a hydrogen-powered vehicle during intervention on a racing vehicle (2). The harness (3) is wound on the reel (5). The inerting fluid is stored either in gaseous form in cylinders (6) or as a liquid in a cryogenic tank (7). The hydrogen extracted from the vehicle is stored in a hydrogen receptacle (8). However, in this configuration, the hydrogen from the hydrogen receptacle (8) is directly burned in a burner (12) supplied with air by a motor-driven fan (13). The combustion products are expelled through the chimney (14). To ensure better aerodynamic stability of the chimney during rapid interventions, the chimney is equipped with an aerodynamic fin (15).

Claims

Demands

1. Independent, fully authority, multipurpose, fixed or mobile diagnostic and safety device for a gaseous and / or cryogenic hydrogen craft, comprising at least one inerting fluid reservoir (6,7), a hydrogen receptacle (8), and means of connection (3,4) with the tank of the racing craft (1) characterized in that the device includes means for evacuating hydrogen from the tank of the craft (2) to the receptacle (8), and its replacement by an inerting fluid from the tank (6, 7) by means of a pressure differential or by pumping.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the inerting fluid (6,7) is injected hot in order to evaporate and / or heat the hydrogen in order to facilitate its extraction.

3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the injected inerting fluid (6,7) is composed of liquid helium from a specific cryogenic reservoir, which by evaporating during its injection contributes to stabilizing the liquid hydrogen reservoir of the craft (1) in pressure and temperature.

4. Device according to claims 1a 3, characterized in that the hydrogen extracted to the receptacle (8) is burned by a combustion process via a burner (12).

5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the extracted hydrogen is neutralized by a catalysis process.

6. Device according to any one of claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the combustion and / or neutralization of hydrogen are carried out in a medium containing water.

7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises a connection (4) allowing access to the outer casing of the hydrogen tank of the vehicle, said casing being intended to receive safety or diagnostic means.

8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that pressure and hydrogen presence detection sensors, as well as a pumping line (50), are associated with the outer casing in order to detect a loss of vacuum or a leak from the internal networks of the tank of the engine.

9. Device according to any one of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that an inerting fluid (6,7) is injected into the outer casing (3) of the tank of the engine.

10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the fluid injected into the outer casing is water.

11. Device according to claims 7 to 10, characterized in that a connection (4) allows different types of intervention on the outer casing, said connection being associated with a multi-way valve.

12. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that water is sprayed onto the outer casing of the hydrogen tank.

13. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the device and the machine have a wireless information exchange system, for example of the Bluetooth or Wi-Fi type.

14. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that there is at least one perforator capable of perforating at least the bodywork and / or the outer casing of the hydrogen tank of the vehicle.

15. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the multipurpose safety device is positioned in a specific and secure area in which the device has previously been placed.

16. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 14 characterized in that the multipurpose safety device is integrated into an intervention vehicle (1).

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