Hydrogen gas tank system

Abstract

To provide a hydrogen gas tank system that allows discharge ports of fusible valves at both ends of a hydrogen tank to be easily connected to the vent line, even when the discharge ports of the fusible valves installed at both ends have a phase difference.SOLUTION: A hydrogen gas tank system 10 mounted on a vehicle 1 comprises: a plurality of cylindrical hydrogen gas tanks 11 which is arranged in parallel; fusible valves 16 which are installed at both ends of each hydrogen gas tank 11; a vent line 20 which exhausts hydrogen gas, discharged through the discharge port 17 of each fusible valve 16, upwards from the vehicle 1; and phase adjustment piping 18 which is installed for each discharge port 17 on a one-on-one basis and communicates the discharge port 17 with the vent line 20. One end of the phase adjustment piping 18 is connected to the discharge port 17 and the other end of the phase adjustment piping 18 extends to a center of the hydrogen gas tank 11 so as to be connected to the vent line 20 when viewed along an axial direction of the hydrogen gas tank 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a hydrogen gas tank system, and more particularly to a hydrogen gas tank system mounted on a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] An example of such a conventional technical field is that described in Patent Document 1. In the hydrogen gas tank system described in Patent Document 1, a fusible plug valve is provided at one end of each of a plurality of hydrogen gas tanks (for example, the valve end or the end end), and the orientation (i.e., phase) of the release ports of each fusible plug valve is aligned in the same direction, thereby discharging hydrogen gas released from the release ports to the outside via a vent line. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-127784 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] On the other hand, when a fusible plug valve is provided at each end of a hydrogen gas tank (for example, at the valve end and the end end), a phase difference is likely to occur between the outlets of the fusible plug valves at each end. Furthermore, when attempting to align the phases of the outlets for multiple hydrogen gas tanks, even if the phase of the outlet on one side is aligned, the phase of the outlet on the other side will be shifted. This makes the connection between the outlet on the other side and the vent line complicated.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve these technical problems, and aims to provide a hydrogen gas tank system that, when a fusible plug valve is provided at each end of a hydrogen gas tank, can easily connect the outlet of the fusible plug valve to a vent line even if there is a phase shift between the outlets of the fusible plug valves at both ends. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The hydrogen gas tank system of the present invention is a hydrogen gas tank system mounted on a vehicle, comprising: a plurality of cylindrical hydrogen gas tanks arranged in parallel; fusible plug valves provided at both ends of each hydrogen gas tank; a vent line that discharges hydrogen gas released from the outlet of each fusible plug valve above the vehicle; and phase adjustment piping that is provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the outlets and that connects the outlets to the vent line, wherein one end of the phase adjustment piping is connected to the outlet, and when viewed in the axial direction of the hydrogen gas tank, the other end of the phase adjustment piping reaches the center of the hydrogen gas tank so as to be connected to the vent line.

[0007] In the hydrogen gas tank system according to the present invention, one end of the phase adjustment pipe is connected to the outlet of the fusible plug valve, and when viewed in the axial direction of the hydrogen gas tank, the other end of the phase adjustment pipe reaches the center of the hydrogen gas tank so as to be connected to the vent line. By doing so, even if there is a phase shift between the outlets of the fusible plug valves at both ends of the hydrogen gas tank, the phase shift can be adjusted using the phase adjustment pipe, and the hydrogen gas tank can be reliably connected to the vent line at its center. As a result, when fusible plug valves are provided at both ends of the hydrogen gas tank, the outlets of the fusible plug valves can be easily connected to the vent line, even if there is a phase shift between the outlets of the fusible plug valves at both ends. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, when a fusible plug valve is provided at each end of a hydrogen gas tank, even if there is a phase shift between the outlets of the fusible plug valves at both ends, the outlets of the fusible plug valves can be easily connected to a vent line. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a hydrogen gas tank system according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of part A shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining a hydrogen gas tank system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a hydrogen gas tank system 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 duplicated explanations will be omitted. In the following description, the directions and positions of up / down, left / right, front / rear, and rear are based on the vehicle on which the hydrogen gas tank system is mounted.

[0011] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a hydrogen gas tank system according to an embodiment, Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of part A shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining the hydrogen gas tank system. The hydrogen gas tank system 10 of this embodiment is a system that is mounted on a vehicle 1 and used as a power source for the vehicle 1, and includes multiple cylindrical hydrogen gas tanks 11 that store hydrogen gas to be supplied to a fuel cell, and a vent line 20 having multiple branch pipes 21.

[0012] As shown in Figure 2, the hydrogen gas tank 11 is a cylindrical high-pressure gas storage container with rounded dome-shaped ends, and has a cylindrical body 12 and a pair of dome sections 13 provided at both ends of the axial direction of the body 12 (i.e., the direction of the axis L of the hydrogen gas tank 11). The body 12 extends a predetermined length along the direction of the axis L of the hydrogen gas tank 11. The pair of dome sections 13 are located on both the left and right sides of the body 12. Each dome section 13 is hemispherical in shape so that its diameter decreases as it gets further away from the body 12.

[0013] The hydrogen gas tank 11 is composed of a hollow liner having a storage space for storing hydrogen gas, and a reinforcing layer formed to cover the outer peripheral surface of the liner. The liner is formed, for example, from a resin material that has gas barrier properties against hydrogen gas. The reinforcing layer has the function of reinforcing the liner and improving the mechanical strength, such as rigidity and pressure resistance, of the hydrogen gas tank 11, and is formed, for example, from a fiber-reinforced resin in which reinforcing fibers are impregnated with resin.

[0014] A nozzle 14 is attached to each of the left and right ends of the hydrogen gas tank 11 in the axial L direction. A valve member 15 is attached to each nozzle 14. The valve member 15 is a component for filling and discharging hydrogen gas into and from the storage space within the hydrogen gas tank 11, and is made of a metal material such as stainless steel or an aluminum alloy. Although not shown, the valve member 15 has a cylindrical insertion portion that is inserted into the nozzle 14, and a protrusion that protrudes from the nozzle 14. The valve member 15 is attached to the nozzle 14 by threading the insertion portion into the nozzle 14. The protrusion has an L-shaped cross section when viewed from the axial L direction of the hydrogen gas tank 11 (see Figure 2).

[0015] A fusible plug valve 16 is also attached to the valve member 15. The fusible plug valve 16 is a safety valve that opens when a predetermined temperature or pressure is reached to release the high-pressure hydrogen gas inside the hydrogen gas tank 11, and is, for example, a thermal pressure relief device (TPRD). A release port 17 of the fusible plug valve 16 is formed in the outer wall of the valve member 15 and is capable of communicating with the storage space of the hydrogen gas tank 11. As shown in FIG. 2, this release port 17 is provided so as to be located, for example, at an inner corner of a protrusion having an L-shaped cross section. The arrow in FIG. 2 indicates the direction of the hydrogen gas released from the release port 17.

[0016] Fusible plug valve 16 is attached, for example, to the side of valve member 15, and closes discharge port 17 when the valve is closed, and opens discharge port 17 when the valve is open. A known fusible plug valve can be used as fusible plug valve 16, and may, for example, have a valve body that closes discharge port 17, a pressing member that presses the valve body in the valve closing direction, a fusible member arranged alongside the pressing member, a coil spring that urges the pressing member towards the fusible member, and a valve housing that contains the valve body, pressing member, fusible member, and coil spring.

[0017] There are, for example, three hydrogen gas tanks 11 having this structure, and the direction of their axes L is parallel to the left-right direction of the vehicle 1 and they are arranged in parallel in the vertical direction. The three hydrogen gas tanks 11 are fixed to the body of the vehicle 1 via members such as fixing jigs.

[0018] On the other hand, the vent line 20 is formed by piping, and discharges hydrogen gas released from the outlet 17 of each fusible plug valve 16 above the vehicle 1. As shown in FIG. 1 , the vent line 20 is disposed behind the hydrogen gas tank 11 and extends in the vertical direction. This vent line 20 has a plurality of branch pipes 21 (three in this embodiment) branched off from the main body of the vent line 20. The three branch pipes 21 are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the three hydrogen gas tanks 11. One end of each branch pipe 21 is connected to the main body of the vent line 20, and the other end extends to the center of the axis L of the corresponding hydrogen gas tank 11.

[0019] The hydrogen gas tank system 10 of this embodiment also includes a phase adjustment pipe 18 that is provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the discharge port 17 of the fusible plug valve 16 and that connects the discharge port 17 to the vent line 20. The phase adjustment pipe 18 connects the discharge port 17 of the fusible plug valve 16 to a branch pipe 21 that branches off from the main body of the vent line 20, and is made of a material that has a certain level of pressure resistance. The diameter of the phase adjustment pipe 18 is designed to match the specifications of the pressure of the hydrogen gas stored in the hydrogen gas tank 11, etc.

[0020] This phase adjustment pipe 18 is formed in a bent line shape so that one end is connected to the discharge port 17 of the fusible plug valve 16 and the other end reaches the center of the end of the hydrogen gas tank 11. In other words, one end of the phase adjustment pipe 18 is connected to the discharge port 17. When viewed from the direction of the axis L of the hydrogen gas tank 11, the other end of the phase adjustment pipe 18 reaches the center of the hydrogen gas tank 11 (in other words, the axis L of the hydrogen gas tank 11) so as to connect to the branch pipe 21 of the vent line 20.

[0021] One end of the phase adjustment pipe 18 is connected to the discharge port 17 via a connecting member such as a union joint 19. The other end of the phase adjustment pipe 18 is connected to a branch pipe 21 via a connecting member such as a union joint 19.

[0022] 3, in this embodiment, of the fusible plug valves 16 provided at both the left and right ends of the hydrogen gas tank 11, the hydrogen gas released through a vent line (not shown) is discharged above the vehicle 1 with the phases of the three discharge ports 17 aligned in the same direction for the fusible plug valve 16 at the left end, while the phase adjustment pipe 18 that connects the discharge port 17 to the branch pipe 21 is used for the fusible plug valve 16 at the right end. That is, in this embodiment, a connection structure using the phase adjustment pipe 18 is used only for the fusible plug valve 16 at one end. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a connection structure using the phase adjustment pipe 18 may also be used for the fusible plug valves 16 at both the left and right ends of the hydrogen gas tank 11.

[0023] In the hydrogen gas tank system 10 configured as described above, one end of the phase adjustment pipe 18 is connected to the discharge port 17 of the fusible plug valve 16, and when viewed from the axial L direction of the hydrogen gas tank 11, the other end of the phase adjustment pipe 18 reaches the center of the hydrogen gas tank 11 so as to be connected to the vent line 20. By doing so, even if there is a phase shift between the discharge ports 17 of the fusible plug valves 16 at both the left and right ends of the hydrogen gas tank 11, the phase shift can be adjusted using the phase adjustment pipe 18, and the hydrogen gas tank 11 can be reliably connected to the vent line 20 at the center position of the hydrogen gas tank 11. As a result, when the fusible plug valves 16 are provided at both the left and right ends of the hydrogen gas tank 11, the discharge ports 17 can be easily connected to the vent line 20 even if there is a phase shift between the discharge ports 17 of the fusible plug valves 16 at both the left and right ends.

[0024] 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]

[0025] 1: vehicle, 10: hydrogen gas tank system, 11: hydrogen gas tank, 12: body, 13: dome, 14: nozzle, 15: valve member, 16: fusible plug valve, 17: discharge port, 18: phase adjustment pipe, 19: union joint, 20: vent line, 21: branch pipe

Claims

[Claim 1] A hydrogen gas tank system mounted on a vehicle, A plurality of cylindrical hydrogen gas tanks arranged in parallel; a fusible plug valve provided at each end of each hydrogen gas tank; a vent line that discharges hydrogen gas released from the outlet of each fusible plug valve above the vehicle; a phase adjustment pipe provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the discharge port and communicating the discharge port with the vent line; Equipped with a hydrogen gas tank system, characterized in that one end of the phase adjustment pipe is connected to the discharge port, and the other end of the phase adjustment pipe reaches the center of the hydrogen gas tank so as to be connected to the vent line when viewed in the axial direction of the hydrogen gas tank.

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