Valve structure of hydrogen tank

Abstract

To provide a valve structure of a hydrogen tank capable of changing a position of a discharge port while suppressing complication of the structure.SOLUTION: A valve structure 1 of a hydrogen tank includes a valve body 2 attached to a mouthpiece 100 of the hydrogen tank and having a first communication passage 20 communicating with an inside of the hydrogen tank, and a fusible plug valve 4 attached to the valve body 2 through a spacer 3. The spacer 3 includes a second communication passage 30 communicating with the first communication passage 20, and a discharge port 31 provided on an outer wall of the spacer 3. The second communication passage 30 and the discharge port 31 are shut off by a valve element 42 when the fusible plug valve 4 is closed, and communicate with each other when the fusible plug valve 4 is opened. The discharge port 31 is provided on the outer wall of the spacer 3 other than the outer wall in contact with the valve body 2 and the outer wall in contact with the fusible plug valve 4.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a valve structure for a hydrogen tank. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a fuel cell vehicle equipped with a hydrogen tank and hydrogen piping that connects the hydrogen tank to a fuel cell and is equipped with a release port for releasing hydrogen to the outside. In this fuel cell vehicle, the hydrogen piping is equipped with a thermally actuated overpressure prevention device and a pressure actuated overpressure prevention device, respectively, so that when the internal temperature of the hydrogen tank reaches or exceeds a predetermined temperature or the internal pressure of the hydrogen tank reaches or exceeds a predetermined pressure, the hydrogen flowing through the hydrogen piping is released from the release port, maintaining the safety of the hydrogen tank. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-88966 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the fuel cell vehicle described in Patent Document 1 requires the use of hydrogen piping, which results in a complex valve structure. In addition, the outlet is located in the hydrogen piping that connects the hydrogen tank and the fuel cell, which means that the position of the outlet cannot be freely changed.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve these technical problems, and aims to provide a valve structure for a hydrogen tank that allows the position of the release port to be changed while minimizing structural complexity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The valve structure for a hydrogen tank according to the present invention comprises a valve body that is attached to a nozzle of the hydrogen tank and has a first communication passage that communicates with the interior of the hydrogen tank, and a fusible plug valve that is attached to the valve body via a spacer, wherein the spacer has a second communication passage that communicates with the first communication passage and a discharge port provided in the outer wall of the spacer, the second communication passage and the discharge port are blocked by the valve body of the fusible plug valve when the fusible plug valve is closed, and communicate with each other when the fusible plug valve is open, and the discharge port is provided on an outer wall of the spacer other than the outer wall that contacts the valve body and the outer wall that contacts the fusible plug valve.

[0007] In the hydrogen tank valve structure of the present invention, the fusible plug valve is attached to the valve body via a spacer, resulting in a simpler structure compared to conventional structures with hydrogen piping. Furthermore, by attaching the fusible plug valve to the valve body via a spacer rather than directly, the hydrogen gas release port can be installed on the spacer rather than on the valve body, thereby increasing the number of locations where the release port can be located. Furthermore, since the release port is located on an outer wall of the spacer other than the outer wall that contacts the valve body and the outer wall that contacts the fusible plug valve, the position of the release port can be freely changed on any outer wall of the spacer other than the outer wall that contacts the valve body and the outer wall that contacts the fusible plug valve. Therefore, the position of the release port can be adjusted depending on the arrangement of peripheral components of the valve structure so as not to interfere with the peripheral components. As a result, a hydrogen tank valve structure that allows the release port position to be changed while suppressing structural complexity can be realized.

[0008] In the hydrogen tank valve structure according to the present invention, it is preferable that the fusible plug valve has a pressing member that presses the valve body in the valve closing direction and a fusible member arranged in parallel with the pressing member, and that the release port is arranged on the opposite side of the fusible member when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the pressing member and the fusible member are arranged in parallel. This prevents the fusible plug valve from being affected by hydrogen release. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a valve structure for a hydrogen tank that allows the position of the release port to be changed while suppressing the complexity of the structure. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the valve structure of the hydrogen tank according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the valve structure of the hydrogen tank according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the fusible plug valve in an open state. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the fusible plug valve in an open state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a hydrogen tank valve structure according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, identical elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, to make the hydrogen tank valve structure easier to understand, the hydrogen tank nozzle is also depicted in the drawings, but it should be noted that the hydrogen tank valve structure does not necessarily include the nozzle.

[0012] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the valve structure of a hydrogen tank according to an embodiment, and Fig. 2 is a side view showing the valve structure of a hydrogen tank according to an embodiment. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in Fig. 2. The valve structure 1 of a hydrogen tank according to this embodiment (hereinafter abbreviated as "valve structure 1") is used by being attached to a nozzle 100 of a hydrogen tank (not shown).

[0013] Here, we will briefly explain the structure of a hydrogen tank. A hydrogen tank is a hollow container that stores high-pressure hydrogen and includes, for example, a substantially cylindrical liner with rounded dome-shaped ends, a fiber-reinforced resin layer (also called a reinforcing layer) formed to cover the outer surface of the liner, and a mouthpiece 100 attached to one end of the hydrogen tank.

[0014] The nozzle 100 is made by processing a metal material such as stainless steel or aluminum alloy into a predetermined shape. The nozzle 100 has a substantially cylindrical nozzle body 101 that extends along the axial direction of the hydrogen tank, and a flange 102 that is formed integrally with the nozzle body 101 and protrudes radially from the hydrogen tank. The nozzle 100 having this structure is fixed to the end of the hydrogen tank by sandwiching the flange 102 between the liner and the reinforcing layer. In addition, a female thread portion for threadably engaging with the valve structure 1 is formed on the inner peripheral wall of the nozzle body 101.

[0015] The valve structure 1 mainly comprises a valve body 2 that is attached to a nozzle 100 of a hydrogen tank and has a first communication passage 20 that communicates with the interior of the hydrogen tank, and a fusible plug valve 4 that is attached to the valve body 2 via a spacer 3. The valve body 2 is made of a metal material such as stainless steel or aluminum alloy, and has an inserted portion 21 that is inserted into the nozzle 100, and a protruding portion 22 that is formed integrally with the inserted portion 21 and protrudes from the nozzle 100.

[0016] The inserted portion 21 has a cylindrical shape extending along the axial direction of the hydrogen tank, and its outer peripheral wall is formed with a male thread that screws into a female thread formed on the inner peripheral wall of the mouthpiece 100. The protruding portion 22 has a generally rectangular shape, and extends in the radial direction of the inserted portion 21 (i.e., the radial direction of the hydrogen tank) so as to have a T-shaped cross section relative to the inserted portion 21.

[0017] 3 and 4, the first communication passage 20 is provided inside the inserted portion 21 and the protruding portion 22. This first communication passage 20 has an axial portion 201 formed along the axial direction of the inserted portion 21 (i.e., the axial direction of the hydrogen tank) over the entire length of the inserted portion 21 and over part of the protruding portion 22, and a radial portion 202 that communicates with the axial portion 201 and extends in the radial direction of the inserted portion 21 toward the spacer 3 side.

[0018] The spacer 3 is formed in a generally block shape from a metal material such as stainless steel or aluminum alloy, and is fixed to the side wall of the protruding portion 22 by bolts 5. The side wall here refers to the outer wall extending along the axial direction of the inserted portion 21. The spacer 3 has a second communication passage 30 communicating with the first communication passage 20, and a discharge port 31 provided in the outer wall of the spacer 3.

[0019] 3 and 4, the second communication passage 30 has a first portion 301 that communicates with the radial portion 202 of the first communication passage 20 and extends in the radial direction of the inserted portion 21, and a second portion 302 that extends in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the first portion 301 so as to communicate between the first portion 301 and the discharge port 31. The first portion 301 is formed so that its diameter is slightly smaller than the diameter of the radial portion 202 of the first communication passage 20, and the second portion 302 is formed so that its diameter increases toward the discharge port 31 (see FIG. 4).

[0020] The second communication passage 30 and the discharge port 31 are blocked by the valve body 42 of the fusible plug valve 4 when the fusible plug valve 4 is closed, and are formed to communicate with each other when the fusible plug valve 4 is open.

[0021] The fusible plug valve 4 is located on the opposite side of the valve body 2 across the spacer 3, and is fixed with bolts to the side wall of the spacer 3. This fusible plug valve 4 is a safety valve that opens when a predetermined temperature or pressure is reached to release the high-pressure hydrogen gas inside the hydrogen tank, and is, for example, a thermal pressure relief device (TPRD).

[0022] The fusible plug valve 4 has a valve housing 41, a valve body 42 that blocks communication between the second communication passage 30 and the discharge port 31, a pressing member 43 that presses the valve body 42 in the valve closing direction, a fusible member 44 arranged alongside the pressing member 43, and a coil spring 45 that urges the pressing member 43 toward the fusible member 44.

[0023] The valve element 42 has a generally cylindrical shape and is formed so as to be movable within the first portion 301 of the second communication passage 30 by the opening and closing operation of the fusible plug valve 4. Specifically, one end of the valve element 42 enters the first portion 301 of the second communication passage 30 to block the first portion 301, and the other end abuts against the pressing member 43 via a spherical bearing 46.

[0024] The pressing member 43 is formed in a cylindrical shape and is housed inside the valve housing 41 with its axial direction aligned with the longitudinal direction of the valve housing 41. The coil spring 45 is housed in the valve housing 41 in a state compressed in the axial direction of the pressing member 43, and urges the pressing member 43 toward the fusible member 44.

[0025] The fusible member 44 is formed in a disk shape from a material that melts when the ambient temperature reaches a predetermined temperature, for example, a low-melting-point metal material such as lead or tin. The fusible member 44 is arranged alongside the pressing member 43 along the longitudinal direction of the valve housing 41 (i.e., the axial direction of the pressing member 43). The fusible member 44 is housed in the valve housing 41 so as to close the open end 411 of the valve housing 41 (see FIG. 4).

[0026] 4, when the fusible plug valve 4 is in a closed state, the pressing member 43 presses the valve element 42 toward the second communication passage 30 via the bearing 46 that abuts against it. As a result, the valve element 42 is pressed into the first portion 301 of the second communication passage 30. Therefore, the second communication passage 30 and the discharge port 31 are blocked by the valve element 42.

[0027] On the other hand, when the ambient temperature of the fusible plug valve 4 reaches a predetermined temperature, the fusible member 44 melts, and the open end 411 of the valve housing 41 opens, as shown in Figures 5 and 6. Accordingly, the pressing member 43 is moved by the biasing force of the coil spring 45 to the space containing the fusible member 44. The valve body 42 is then pressed toward the fusible plug valve 4 by the pressure of the high-pressure hydrogen. As a result, the fusible plug valve 4 opens, and the second communication passage 30 and the discharge port 31 communicate with each other. At this time, the hydrogen gas stored in the hydrogen tank is released into the atmosphere via the first communication passage 20, the second communication passage 30, and the discharge port 31 (see the arrows in Figures 5 and 6).

[0028] In this embodiment, the release port 31 is provided on the outer walls of the spacer 3 other than the outer wall that contacts the valve body 2 and the outer wall that contacts the fusible plug valve 4. For example, in FIG. 1 , if the top and bottom of the paper are defined as the up-down direction, the left and right of the paper are defined as the front-rear direction, and the direction perpendicular to the up-down and left-right directions is defined as the left-right direction, then of the top, bottom, front-rear, and left outer walls of the spacer 3, the left outer wall contacts the valve body 2 and the right outer wall contacts the fusible plug valve 4, respectively. Therefore, the release port 31 can be provided on any of the outer walls excluding these outer walls, i.e., the upper outer wall, lower outer wall, front outer wall, and rear outer wall. In this way, the location of the release port 31 can be selected. In other words, the orientation of the release port 31 can be adjusted. Therefore, by changing the position of the release port 31 depending on the arrangement of peripheral components of the valve structure 1, particularly the arrangement of components around the spacer 3, it is possible to prevent the released hydrogen gas from interfering with the peripheral components.

[0029] Furthermore, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the juxtaposition direction of the pressing member 43 and the fusible member 44 (i.e., the longitudinal direction of the valve housing 41), the release port 31 is preferably located on the opposite side to the fusible member 44. Specifically, for example, if the left-to-right direction of the paper in FIG. 4 is defined as the front-to-rear direction, the pressing member 43 and the fusible member 44 are located side by side along the front-to-rear direction (i.e., the longitudinal direction of the valve housing 41). Since the fusible member 44 is located behind the pressing member 43, the release port 31 is located on the front side opposite to the fusible member 44, i.e., on the front outer wall of the spacer 3. By locating the release port 31 on the opposite side to the fusible member 44 in this way, it is possible to prevent the fusible plug valve 4 from being affected by hydrogen release.

[0030] In the valve structure 1 configured as described above, the fusible plug valve 4 is attached to the valve body 2 via the spacer 3, making the structure simpler than conventional structures that have hydrogen piping. Furthermore, because the fusible plug valve 4 is not attached directly to the valve body 2 but is attached to the valve body 2 via the spacer 3, it is possible to provide the hydrogen gas release port 31 in the spacer 3 rather than in the valve body 2, increasing the number of locations where the release port 31 can be located.

[0031] In addition, the release port 31 is provided on an outer wall of the spacer 3 other than the outer wall in contact with the valve body 2 and the outer wall in contact with the fusible plug valve 4. For this reason, the position of the release port 31 can be adjusted as desired on any outer wall of the spacer 3 other than the outer wall in contact with the valve body 2 and the outer wall in contact with the fusible plug valve 4. Therefore, the position of the release port 31 can be changed depending on the arrangement of the peripheral components of the valve structure 1 so as not to interfere with the peripheral components. As a result, a hydrogen tank valve structure can be realized in which the position of the release port 31 can be changed while suppressing structural complexity.

[0032] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various design modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention as set forth in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 1: Hydrogen tank valve structure, 2: Valve body, 3: Spacer, 4: Fusible plug valve, 20: First communication passage, 21: Inserted portion, 22: Protrusion, 30: Second communication passage, 31: Discharge port, 41: Valve housing, 42: Valve element, 43: Pressing member, 44: Fusible member, 45: Coil spring, 46: Bearing, 100: Cap, 101: Cap body, 102: Flange, 201: Axial portion, 202: Radial portion, 301: First portion, 302: Second portion, 411: Open end

Claims

1. A valve structure of a hydrogen tank, a valve body that is attached to a nozzle of the hydrogen tank and has a first communication passage that communicates with the interior of the hydrogen tank; a fusible plug valve attached to the valve body via a spacer; Equipped with the spacer has a second communication passage communicating with the first communication passage and a discharge port provided in an outer wall of the spacer, the second communication passage and the discharge port are blocked by a valve body of the fusible plug valve when the fusible plug valve is closed, and are connected to each other when the fusible plug valve is open; A valve structure for a hydrogen tank, characterized in that the release port is provided on an outer wall of the spacer other than the outer wall that contacts the valve body and the outer wall that contacts the fusible plug valve.

2. The fusible plug valve has a pressing member that presses the valve body in a valve closing direction, and a fusible member that is juxtaposed to the pressing member, 2. The valve structure for a hydrogen tank according to claim 1, wherein the release port is disposed on the opposite side to the meltable member when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the pressing member and the meltable member are arranged side by side.

Images