High-pressure tank

Abstract

To provide a high-pressure tank where gas permeating between a reinforcement layer and a protective layer is less likely to accumulate.SOLUTION: A high-pressure tank 10 comprises a protective layer 13 made of a thermoplastic resin on an outer surface of a reinforcing layer 12, and a portion of the protective layer is welded to the reinforcing layer. One welded portion 13a is formed linearly so as to extend along an axial direction of the high-pressure tank 10 from one end to the other end, and such welded portions 13a are provided at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction of the high-pressure tank 10. Therefore, in this embodiment, the welded portions 13a and unwelded portions are alternately formed in the circumferential direction of the high-pressure tank 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to high-pressure tanks. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a high-pressure tank in which a protective layer of thermoplastic resin is formed on the surface of a reinforcing layer made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic by injection molding and heating (see, for example, FIG. 1, paragraph 0030). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-156451 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when a protective layer made of a thermoplastic resin is formed by injection molding, there is a problem in that hydrogen that has permeated between the reinforcing layer and the protective layer is likely to accumulate.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of these circumstances, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a high-pressure tank in which gas that has permeated between the reinforcing layer and the protective layer is less likely to accumulate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present application discloses a high-pressure tank having a protective layer made of a thermoplastic resin on the outer surface of a reinforcing layer, with a portion of the protective layer being welded to the reinforcing layer. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present disclosure, by arranging a protective layer so as to be laminated on a reinforcing layer and welding a portion of the protective layer to the reinforcing layer, it is possible to maintain adhesion between the protective layer and the reinforcing layer while making it easier to create an escape route for gas (e.g., hydrogen) that has permeated between the protective layer and the reinforcing layer, thereby suppressing gas retention. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows the appearance of a high-pressure tank 10. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a cross section of the high-pressure tank 10. As shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an external view of the high-pressure tank 10 illustrating the state of the welded portion 13a. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the high-pressure tank 10 illustrating the state of the welded portion 13a. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] 1. High-pressure tank structure Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of the appearance of a high-pressure tank 10 according to one embodiment, and Fig. 2 shows a schematic cross section along the axis of the high-pressure tank 10. As can be seen from these figures, in this embodiment, the high-pressure tank 10 has a liner 11, a reinforcing layer 12, a protective layer 13, and a nozzle 14. Each component will be described below.

[0010] 1.1. Liner The liner 11 is a hollow member that defines the internal space of the high-pressure tank 10 and is cylindrical in this embodiment. The liner 11 has a body portion 11a with a generally constant diameter, and openings at both ends of the body portion 11a are narrowed by dome-shaped side end portions 11b, and a nozzle 14 is disposed in the narrowed opening 11c. The liner 11 may be made of any known material as long as it is capable of retaining the contents (e.g., hydrogen) contained in its internal space, such as nylon resin, polyethylene-based synthetic resin, or metal such as stainless steel or aluminum. The thickness of the liner 11 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm. Among these, from the viewpoint of reducing the weight of the high-pressure tank, it is preferable that the material constituting the liner be synthetic resin.

[0011] 1.2.Reinforcing layer The reinforcing layer 12 is made up of multiple layers of laminated fibers, and the fibers are impregnated with hardened resin. The fiber layers are formed by wrapping fiber bundles around the outer periphery of the liner 11 in multiple layers to a predetermined thickness. The thickness of the reinforcing layer 12 and the number of turns of the fiber bundles are determined by the required strength and are not particularly limited, but the thickness is approximately 10 mm to 30 mm.

[0012] <Fiber bundle> The fiber bundles of the reinforcing layer 12 are made of, for example, carbon fibers, and the fiber bundles are band-shaped bundles of carbon fibers with a predetermined cross-sectional shape (for example, a rectangular cross-section). Specific examples include, but are not limited to, a rectangular cross-sectional shape with a width of about 6 mm to 20 mm and a thickness of about 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm. The amount of carbon fibers contained in the fiber bundle is also not particularly limited, but may be, for example, about 36,000 carbon fibers.

[0013] <Impregnating resin> The resin impregnated into and cured in the fibers (fiber bundles) in the reinforcing layer 12 is not particularly limited as long as it can increase the strength of the fibers. Examples of such resins include thermosetting resins that are cured by heat, such as epoxy resins and unsaturated polyester resins that contain amine- or anhydride-based curing accelerators and rubber-based toughening agents. Other examples include resin compositions that use epoxy resin as the base agent and are cured by mixing a curing agent into it. In this case, the resin composition, which is a mixture of the base agent and the curing agent, reaches and penetrates the fiber layer between the time of mixing and the time of curing, and then automatically hardens.

[0014] 1.3.Protective layer The protective layer 13 is a layer disposed on the outer periphery of the reinforcing layer 12, and is a layer wrapped with a thermoplastic resin sheet such as polypropylene, thereby imparting impact resistance to the high-pressure tank 10. The thickness of the protective layer 13 is not particularly limited, but can be about 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm.

[0015] The protective layer 13 is fixed to the reinforcing layer 12 by welding a portion thereof to the reinforcing layer 12. This allows adhesion between the reinforcing layer 12 and the protective layer 13, while allowing gas that has reached therebetween (e.g., hydrogen inside the high-pressure tank 10) to escape through the non-welded portion. The specific welded portion is not particularly limited, but examples include the following. Figures 3 and 4 show explanatory views. Figure 3 is a view from the same perspective as Figure 1. Figure 4 is a cross section taken along the line AA in Figure 3. Figures 3 and 4 also show the welded portion 13a, which is the portion where the protective layer 13 is welded to the reinforcing layer 12.

[0016] In this embodiment, the welded portions 13a are formed linearly so that each welded portion 13a extends from one end to the other along the axial direction of the high-pressure tank 10, and such welded portions 13a are provided at predetermined intervals around the circumferential direction of the high-pressure tank 10. Therefore, in this embodiment, welded portions 13a and unwelded portions are formed alternately around the circumferential direction of the high-pressure tank 10. This makes it easier to create an escape route (straight arrow in Figure 4) for gas (e.g., hydrogen) that has permeated between the protective layer 13 and the reinforcing layer 12 while maintaining adhesion between the protective layer 13 and the reinforcing layer 12, thereby preventing gas from accumulating.

[0017] Such welded portions 13a can be formed by rotating and wrapping the sheet that will become protective layer 13 around the axis of reinforcing layer 12, and sequentially forming welded portions 13a at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction. The welding method is not particularly limited, but examples include laser welding and vibration welding.

[0018] 1.4.Socket The nozzles 14 are components attached to each of the two openings 11c of the liner 11, one of which functions as an opening that connects the inside and outside of the high-pressure tank 10, and also functions as an attachment part for attaching piping and valves to the high-pressure tank 10. [Explanation of symbols]

[0019] 10...High-pressure tank, 11...liner, 12...reinforcing layer, 13...protective layer, 13a...welded portion, 14...mouthpiece

Claims

[Claim 1] A high-pressure tank having a protective layer made of a thermoplastic resin on an outer surface of a reinforcing layer, A portion of the protective layer is welded to the reinforcing layer. High pressure tank.

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