Method for manufacturing hydrogen tank and hydrogen tank

Abstract

To manufacture a hydrogen tank more simply.SOLUTION: A ferrule comprises first ferrule components 31 and second ferrule components 32 connected to each other and disposed in a circumferential direction, where the first ferrule components have a protrusion 40 and a second ferrule components have a recess 41 and the protrusion is pressed into the recess while being deformed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a hydrogen tank and a hydrogen tank. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses that in the nozzle attachment step (S24) of manufacturing a high-pressure container, the nozzle 20 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the open end 14 by fixing a plurality of nozzle components 22 together, and that in the resin impregnation molding step (S26), the resin is impregnated into the fiber layer while flowing through grooves 36 that serve as resin flow paths provided at the contact points between the plurality of nozzle components 22 and the fiber layer. Here, rivets and bolts are cited as means for connecting the plurality of nozzle components. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-27912 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] If rivets or bolts are used as a means for fixing a plurality of nozzle components to each other, the number of steps increases because holes must be drilled after the nozzles are formed.

[0005] In view of the above problems, the present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a hydrogen tank that can be manufactured more easily, and also provides the hydrogen tank. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present application discloses a method for manufacturing a hydrogen tank having a nozzle, the method comprising a fiber winding process of winding fiber around a liner, and a nozzle attachment process of attaching the nozzle to the fiber-wrapped liner, the nozzle being formed by connecting a first nozzle component and a second nozzle component arranged circumferentially, the first nozzle component having a protrusion and the second nozzle component having a recess, and the nozzle attachment process connecting the components by deforming the protrusion and pushing it into the recess.

[0007] The present application also discloses a hydrogen tank having a liner, a reinforcing layer arranged on the outer periphery of the liner, and a nozzle arranged on the outer periphery of the reinforcing layer, wherein the nozzle is formed by connecting a first nozzle component and a second nozzle component arranged circumferentially, the first nozzle component having a protrusion and the second nozzle component having a recess, and the protrusion is arranged inside the recess, thereby connecting the components. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, when multiple nozzle components are fixed together to form a single nozzle, it is only necessary to deform a portion of the nozzle component, eliminating the need for hole drilling and making it possible to manufacture a hydrogen tank more easily. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an external view of a hydrogen tank 10. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a part of a cross section of the hydrogen tank 10. As shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross section taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the base 30. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the attachment of the base 30. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows an external view of a hydrogen tank 10 according to one embodiment manufactured by the hydrogen tank manufacturing method of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the hydrogen tank 10 taken along the axis O, focusing on the side where the sealing member 18 is located (the left side of the paper in Fig. 1). Fig. 3 is an end view taken along line AA in Fig. 2.

[0011] 1. Hydrogen tank configuration The hydrogen tank 10 is a component that holds hydrogen to be stored inside. The hydrogen tank is installed in a hydrogen consumption device that includes, for example, a fuel cell, and provides hydrogen as fuel to the fuel cell for power generation. As can be seen from Figures 1 to 3, the hydrogen tank 10 has a liner 11 as the container body inside which hydrogen is stored, a reinforcing layer 15 that covers and reinforces the outer surface of the liner 11, and nozzles 30 arranged at both ends of the liner 11 in the axial direction.

[0012] 1.1. Liner The liner 11 is a container-like member formed into a substantially cylindrical shape using a resin material such as polyamide synthetic resin. Specifically, the liner 11 has a body portion 12, a shoulder portion 13, and an open end portion 14. The body portion 12 is a cylindrical portion whose inner diameter and outer diameter are constant at the center in the direction of the axis O. The shoulders 13 constitute both sides of the body 12 in the direction of the axis O, and are dome-shaped portions that narrow in diameter as they move away from the body 13. The open end 14 is a cylindrical portion that extends from the end of the shoulder 13 opposite the body 14 side along the axis O in a direction away from the body 14. The open end 14 has an inner diameter and an outer diameter that are smaller than those of the body 12 and the shoulder 13 and are constant.

[0013] 1.2.Reinforcing layer The reinforcing layer 15 is made of fiber-reinforced resin, and fiber bundles are wound in multiple layers over the entire outer surface of the liner 11. Furthermore, in the reinforcing layer 15, the layers of the wound fiber bundles are impregnated with resin. 2, the thickness of the reinforcing layer 15 in this embodiment is configured to increase from the body portion 12 side of the liner 11 toward the open end 14 side. Furthermore, the reinforcing layer 15 arranged at the open end 14 of the liner 11 has a substantially constant outer diameter. In this embodiment, carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) is used as an example of fiber reinforced plastic (FRP).

[0014] 1.3.Socket The mouthpiece 30 is a component disposed on the outer periphery of the reinforcing layer 15 at the open end 14 of the liner 11 covered with the reinforcing layer 15. As can be seen from Figures 1 to 3, the mouthpiece 30 in this embodiment is formed from metal formed into a cylindrical (annular) shape. Figure 4 shows only the mouthpiece 30 from Figure 3, and also shows an exploded view of the mouthpiece 30. In this embodiment, the base 30 has a first base component 31 and a second base component 32 arranged in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, there are two first base components 31 and two second base components 32, and the first base components 31 and the second base components 32 are arranged alternately in the circumferential direction. The first base components 31 and the second base components 32 are combined to form a cylindrical shape (annular), and therefore the first base components 31 and the second base components 32 are curved, arc-shaped members.

[0015] 2 to 4, a plurality of locking claws 36, which are protrusions, are formed on the inner circumferential surfaces (inner surfaces) of the first nozzle component 31 and the second nozzle component 32. These locking claws 36 give the inner circumferential surfaces of the first nozzle component 31 and the second nozzle component 32 a knurled shape. Each locking claw 36 is formed in a sawtooth shape with a sharp tip (radially inward) in the protruding direction in a cross-sectional view taken along the direction of the axis O and the radial direction. The tips of the locking claws 36 bite into (lock with) the outer periphery of the reinforcing layer 15 covering the outer periphery of the open end 14, thereby firmly (non-rotatably) holding the nozzle 30 to the reinforcing layer 15 formed on the outer periphery of the open end 14.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 2, a male screw groove 38 is formed on the outer peripheral surfaces (outer surfaces) of the first base component 31 and the second base component 32 (the male screw groove 38 is omitted in Figs. 3 and 4). This male screw groove 38 is mated with a female screw groove 18a formed on the inner surface of the sealing member 18.

[0017] 3 and 4, a protrusion 40 is arranged at the circumferential end of the first base component 31 at a portion where the first base component 31 is connected to the second base component 32. Similarly, a recess 41 is arranged at the circumferential end of the second base component 32 at a portion where the second base component 32 is connected to the first base component 31. The protrusions 40 fit into the recesses 41 between the adjacent first base components 31 and second base components 32, thereby connecting the two. Such a connecting structure eliminates the need for rivets, bolts, etc., and also eliminates the need to form holes for them, thereby simplifying the structure and process.

[0018] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the first nozzle structure 31 and the second nozzle structure 32 have multiple grooves 33 formed on the inner surface (inner surface) of the nozzle 30, which will become resin flow paths in the manufacturing process described below.

[0019] More specifically, the grooves 33 are grooves that extend in a direction parallel to the axis O on the inner peripheral surface (inner surface) of the base 30, and are formed in a straight line from one end of the base 30 in the direction of the axis O to the other end. Therefore, the multiple grooves 33 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the base 30. There is no particular limitation on the number of grooves 33, but at least one, and preferably two, are provided in each of the first base component 31 and the second base component 32.

[0020] 1.4.Sealing members, on-off valves The sealing member 18 is attached to the mouthpiece 30. As a result, the open end 14 on one side of the liner 11 is closed by the sealing member 18. On the other hand, an on-off valve 20 is arranged on a mouthpiece 30 at the other open end of the liner 11, and the hydrogen tank 10 can be connected to piping via the on-off valve 20.

[0021] 2. Hydrogen tank manufacturing method Next, a method S10 for manufacturing a hydrogen tank according to one embodiment of the method for manufacturing a hydrogen tank of the present disclosure will be described, in particular, the step of attaching the mouthpiece 30 to the open end 14 of the liner 12 will be described.

[0022] The hydrogen tank manufacturing method S10 of this embodiment is a method for manufacturing a hydrogen tank 10 by RTM (Resin Transfer Molding) molding, and includes the following steps: a liner forming step (S21), a fiber winding step (S22), a nozzle placement step (S23), a nozzle attachment step (S24), a sealing member attachment step (S25), a resin impregnation molding step (S26), and a CFRP process (S27).

[0023] In the liner forming step (S21), the above-described liner 11 is formed. There are no particular limitations on the method for forming the liner 11, but one example is to prepare the body portion 12 by extrusion molding, prepare the shoulder portion 13 and the opening end portion 14 by injection molding, and then join (weld) the body portion 12 and the shoulder portion 13 together.

[0024] In the fiber winding step (S22), a strip-shaped fiber bundle is wound around the outer surface of the liner 11. An example of the fiber constituting the fiber bundle is carbon fiber (CF). By winding the fiber bundle around the liner 11, a layer of the fiber bundle is formed on the outer surface of the liner 11. At this time, the fiber bundle is wound so that the layer of the fiber bundle is thicker at the open end 14 than at the body portion 12 and the shoulder portion 13.

[0025] In the spinneret arrangement step (S23), the spinneret 30 is arranged on the outer periphery of the opening end 14 of the liner 11 (on the outer periphery of the layer of fiber bundles). That is, the first spinneret component 31 and the second spinneret component 32 are arranged in the circumferential direction of the opening end 14. As a result, the tips of the multiple locking claws 36 provided on the first spinneret component 31 and the second spinneret component 32 are arranged so as to come into contact with the layer of fiber bundles. At this stage of the process, as shown in FIG. 5, the first nozzle component 31 and the second nozzle component 32 are combined to form a circular ring, but at this stage the protrusion 40 of the first nozzle component 31 is not inside the recess 41 of the second nozzle component 32 and is not connected.

[0026] In the spinneret attachment step (S24), the first spinneret component 31 and the second spinneret component are reduced in diameter so as to be pressed against the layer of fiber bundles. That is, the first spinneret component 31 and the second spinneret component 32 are moved radially inward, and the multiple locking claws 36 on their inner circumferential surfaces are pressed against and held against the outer periphery of the layer of fiber bundles. As a result, the locking claws 36 are locked to the layer of fiber bundles. Next, the protrusion 40 is pressed toward the recess 41 and deformed (caulked) as shown by the straight arrow in Fig. 5. As a result, the protrusion 40 enters the inside of the recess 41 as shown in Fig. 3, and the first base component 31 and the second base component 32 are connected.

[0027] In the sealing member attaching step (S25), the sealing member 18 is attached to the nozzle 30. When the nozzle 30 is attached to the opening end 14, the sealing member 18 can be attached to the opening end 14 of the liner 11 by screwing the female screw groove 18a formed on the inner surface of the sealing member 18 into the male screw groove 38 formed on the outer periphery of the first nozzle component 31 and the second nozzle component 32.

[0028] In the resin impregnation molding process (S26), the liner 11 with the nozzle 30 and sealing member 18 attached to the opening end 14 is set in a mold, and resin is injected into the mold to impregnate the fiber bundle layer with the resin and form a reinforcing layer 15 made of fiber-reinforced resin.

[0029] In this embodiment, in the resin impregnation molding process (S26), the resin (matrix resin) flows into the layer of fiber bundles through the grooves 33, allowing the resin to be smoothly and approximately uniformly impregnated from the entrance side of the RTM mold to the opposite side, and multiple locking claws 36 are locked onto the reinforcing layer 15.

[0030] In the CFRP forming step (S27), the liner 11 on which the reinforcing layer 15 has been formed is removed (released) from the mold, thereby producing the hydrogen tank 10.

[0031] According to the manufacturing method of the hydrogen tank of this embodiment, as described above, the first nozzle component 31 and the second nozzle component 32 are connected by pushing the inside of the protrusion 40 into the recess 41, so rivets, bolts, etc. are not required and there is no need to form holes for them, which simplifies the process. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 10...hydrogen tank, 11...liner, 14...opening end, 15...reinforcing layer, 18...sealing member, 30...mouthpiece, 31...first mouthpiece component, 32...second mouthpiece component, 36...engaging claw, 40...protrusion, 41...recess

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a hydrogen tank having a mouthpiece, comprising: a fiber winding step of winding fibers around the liner; a nozzle attachment step of attaching a nozzle to the liner around which the fiber is wound, the nozzle is formed by connecting a first nozzle component and a second nozzle component that are arranged in a circumferential direction, the first base structure has a protrusion, and the second base structure has a recess, In the base attaching step, the protrusion is deformed and pressed into the recess to connect the protrusion. How hydrogen tanks are manufactured.

2. A hydrogen tank having a liner, a reinforcing layer disposed on an outer periphery of the liner, and a mouthpiece disposed on an outer periphery of the reinforcing layer, the nozzle is formed by connecting a first nozzle component and a second nozzle component that are arranged in a circumferential direction, the first base structure has a protrusion, and the second base structure has a recess, The protrusion is disposed inside the recess to be connected. Hydrogen tank.

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