pressure vessel

Abstract

This method can increase the strength of the pressure vessel and also facilitate the formation of bent sections within the pressure vessel. [Solution] The pressure vessel for fluid comprises a plurality of main body sections, each having a cylindrical shape extending along a first direction and arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; one or more bent sections, each having a cylindrical shape and extending between two adjacent ends of the plurality of main body sections, connecting the plurality of main body sections in series; and a reinforcing layer containing carbon fibers covering the outer circumferential walls of the plurality of main body sections and the outer circumferential walls of the one or more bent sections. The carbon fiber content per unit length in the extending direction of the reinforcing layer in the bent sections is less than the carbon fiber content per unit length in the extending direction of the reinforcing layer in the main body sections.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to pressure vessels.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a pressure vessel for a fluid. This pressure vessel has a cylindrical shape that extends along a first direction, and a plurality of main body portions arranged along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and each has a cylindrical shape, and extends between two adjacent ends of the plurality of main body portions, and one or more bent portions connecting the plurality of main body portions in series.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the pressure vessel of Patent Document 1, a bent portion is formed by bending a linear cylindrical portion. And in order to increase the strength of the pressure vessel filled with fluid, a configuration that covers the outer peripheral walls of the plurality of main body portions and the outer peripheral walls of one or more bent portions with a reinforcing layer is conceivable. However, the reinforcing layer covering the outer peripheral wall of the portion corresponding to the bent portion among the linear cylindrical portions makes it difficult to bend that portion.

[0005] This specification provides a technology that can increase the strength of a pressure vessel and can easily form a bent portion of the pressure vessel.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] In a first aspect disclosed herein, a pressure vessel for a fluid is realized. The pressure vessel may comprise: a plurality of main bodies, each having a cylindrical shape extending along a first direction and arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; one or more bends, each having a cylindrical shape and extending between two adjacent ends of the plurality of main bodies, connecting the plurality of main bodies in series; and a reinforcing layer containing carbon fibers, covering the outer circumferential walls of the plurality of main bodies and the outer circumferential walls of the one or more bends. The carbon fiber content per unit length in the extending direction of the reinforcing layer in the bends may be less than the carbon fiber content per unit length in the extending direction of the reinforcing layer in the main bodies.

[0007] With the above configuration, the carbon fiber content per unit length in the extending direction of the reinforcing layer in the bent portion is easier to bend in the portion of the straight cylindrical section corresponding to the bent portion, compared to a configuration where the carbon fiber content per unit length in the extending direction of the reinforcing layer in the main body is the same. Therefore, the strength of the pressure vessel can be increased, and the bent portion of the pressure vessel can be easily formed.

[0008] In a second embodiment, in the first embodiment, the carbon fiber content per unit volume of the reinforcing layer in the bent portion may be equal to the carbon fiber content per unit volume of the reinforcing layer in the main body. The thickness of the reinforcing layer in the bent portion may be thinner than the thickness of the reinforcing layer in the main body.

[0009] With the above configuration, the reinforcing layer can be easily formed compared to a configuration in which the carbon fiber content per unit volume of the reinforcing layer in the bent portion differs from the carbon fiber content per unit volume of the reinforcing layer in the main body portion.

[0010] In a third embodiment, in the second embodiment, the reinforcing layer has a laminated structure of carbon fiber layers in at least the plurality of main body portions, and the number of carbon fiber layers in the bent portion may be less than the number of carbon fiber layers in the main body portion.

[0011] According to the above configuration, the strength of the pressure vessel can be increased, and the bent portion of the pressure vessel can be easily formed.

[0012] In a fourth embodiment, in the first embodiment, the carbon fiber content per unit volume of the reinforcing layer in the bent portion may be less than the carbon fiber content per unit volume of the reinforcing layer in the main body portion.

[0013] According to the above configuration, the strength of the pressure vessel can be increased, and the bent portion of the pressure vessel can be easily formed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a cross-sectional view of the pressure vessel 2. [Figure 2] This is an enlarged view of part II of Figure 1. [Figure 3] This figure shows the cylindrical member 102 before the carbon fibers are wrapped around it. [Figure 4] This figure shows a method for winding carbon fibers around a cylindrical member 102. [Figure 5] This is an enlarged view of the pressure vessel 202 according to the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] (First embodiment) Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the pressure vessel 2 for fluids will be described. For example, the pressure vessel 2 is installed in a fuel cell vehicle (not shown). The pressure vessel 2 is filled with high-pressure hydrogen gas used for power generation in the fuel cell vehicle.

[0016] As shown in Figure 1, the pressure vessel 2 comprises a plurality of main body sections 10, a plurality of bent sections 12, and a reinforcing layer 14. For convenience, in the following, the direction in which the plurality of main body sections 10 are arranged will be referred to as the "left-right direction," and the longitudinal direction of the main body sections 10, i.e., the direction perpendicular to the left-right direction, will be referred to as the "front-back direction."

[0017] Multiple main body sections 10 each extend along the front-rear direction. Each of the multiple main body sections 10 has a cylindrical shape. The main body section 10 comprises a first cylindrical section 20, a first frustoconical section 22, and a second frustoconical section 24. The first cylindrical section 20 extends parallel to the front-rear direction. The first cylindrical section 20 has a cylindrical shape. The first frustoconical section 22 is connected to the front end of the first cylindrical section 20. The first frustoconical section 22 has a frustoconical shape. The first frustoconical section 22 is inclined such that its outer and inner diameters decrease towards the front. The second frustoconical section 24 is connected to the rear end of the first cylindrical section 20. The second frustoconical section 24 has a frustoconical shape. The second frustoconical section 24 is inclined such that its outer and inner diameters decrease towards the rear.

[0018] The multiple bent sections 12 have a cylindrical shape. The multiple bent sections 12 have a circular cross-sectional shape in the direction of their extension. Of the multiple bent sections 12, the multiple bent sections 12 located on the front side of the pressure vessel 2 extend between the front ends of two adjacent main body sections 10. For example, the rightmost bent section 12 on the front side of the pressure vessel 2 extends forward from the front end of the rightmost main body section 10, then bends to the left and extends, and then bends further to the front end of the adjacent main body section 10.

[0019] Among the plurality of bent portions 12, the plurality of bent portions 12 arranged on the rear side of the pressure vessel 2 extend between the rear end portions of two adjacent main body portions 10 among the plurality of main body portions 10. For example, on the rear side of the pressure vessel 2 and the rightmost bent portion 12 extends rearward from the rear end portion of the second main body portion 10 from the right, then bends to the left and extends, and further bends to extend to the rear end portion of the adjacent main body portion 10. Note that the flow path axis of the bent portion 12 in FIG. 1 has a semi-arc shape.

[0020] The bent portion 12 is connected to the front end portion of the main body portion 10 arranged on the rightmost side and the front end portion of the main body portion 10 arranged on the leftmost side, and the bent portion 12 is connected to both the front and rear end portions of the other main body portions 10. Thus, the plurality of main body portions 10 are connected in series by the plurality of bent portions 12.

[0021] The reinforcing layer 14 includes a main body portion reinforcing layer 30 that covers the outer peripheral wall of the main body portion 10 and a bent portion reinforcing layer 32 that covers the outer peripheral wall of the bent portion 12. The main body portion reinforcing layer 30 and the bent portion reinforcing layer 32 are made of a resin containing carbon fibers. As an example, the main body portion reinforcing layer 30 and the bent portion reinforcing layer 32 are made of CFRP. The content of carbon fibers per unit volume in the extending direction of the bent portion reinforcing layer 32 is equal to the content of carbon fibers per unit volume in the extending direction of the main body portion reinforcing layer 30. That is, the first density of carbon fibers in the bent portion reinforcing layer 32 is equal to the second density of carbon fibers in the main body portion reinforcing layer 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the main body portion reinforcing layer 30 has a laminated structure of carbon fiber layers. In the main body portion reinforcing layer 30, three layers of carbon fiber layers are laminated. The bent portion reinforcing layer 32 has a single-layer structure of carbon fiber layers. Therefore, the content of carbon fibers per unit length in the extending direction of the bent portion reinforcing layer 32 is less than the content of carbon fibers per unit length in the extending direction of the main body portion reinforcing layer 30. Also, the thickness of the bent portion reinforcing layer 32 is thinner than the thickness of the main body portion reinforcing layer 30. Furthermore, the weight of carbon fibers per unit length in the extending direction of the bent portion reinforcing layer 32 is lighter than the weight of carbon fibers per unit length in the extending direction of the main body portion reinforcing layer 30.

[0022] (Method for manufacturing the pressure vessel 2) Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a method for manufacturing a pressure vessel 2 will be described.

[0023] First, as shown in FIG. 3, a cylindrical member 102 along the axial direction A is formed. Although it is an example, the cylindrical member 102 is integrally formed by extrusion molding. The cylindrical member 102 includes a plurality of main body portions 10 and a plurality of second cylindrical portions 112.

[0024] Next, as shown in FIG. 4, filamentous carbon fibers are wound around the outer peripheral walls of the plurality of main body portions 10 and the outer peripheral walls of the plurality of second cylindrical portions 112. Although it is an example, the winding method of the carbon fibers is a helical winding. First, carbon fibers are wound from the left end portion to the right end portion of the left main body portion 10 in FIG. 4 ((A) in FIG. 4). Next, carbon fibers are wound from the right end portion to the left end portion of the main body portion 10 ((B) in FIG. 4). Next, carbon fibers are wound from the left end portion to the right end portion of the main body portion 10 ((C) in FIG. 4). Thereby, a three-layer carbon fiber layer is formed on the outer peripheral wall of the first main body portion 10A. Next, carbon fibers are wound from the left end portion to the right end portion of the second cylindrical portion 112 ((D) in FIG. 4). Thereby, a single-layer carbon fiber layer is formed on the outer peripheral wall of the second cylindrical portion 112. Thereafter, by repeating (A) to (D) in FIG. 4, a three-layer carbon fiber layer is formed on the outer peripheral walls of the plurality of main body portions 10, and a single-layer carbon fiber layer is formed on the outer peripheral walls of the plurality of second cylindrical portions 112.

[0025] Next, by bending the second cylindrical portion 112, a plurality of bent portions 12 (see FIG. 1) are formed. In this way, the pressure vessel 2 shown in FIG. 1 is manufactured.

[0026] As described above, the second cylindrical portion 112 is bent to form the bent portion 12 (see Figure 1). However, if the outer circumferential wall of the second cylindrical portion 112 were to have the same three layers of carbon fiber as the outer circumferential wall of the main body portion 10, a relatively large force would be required to bend the second cylindrical portion 112. For this reason, it is desirable that the second cylindrical portion 112 has a structure that makes it easy to bend. Therefore, the second cylindrical portion 112 has a single layer of carbon fiber formed on its outer circumferential wall. This makes it easier to bend the second cylindrical portion 112 compared to a configuration in which the outer circumferential wall of the second cylindrical portion 112 has the same three layers of carbon fiber as the outer circumferential wall of the main body portion 10.

[0027] (Effects of this embodiment) As described above, the pressure vessel 2 comprises a plurality of main body sections 10, each having a cylindrical shape extending along the front-to-back direction (an example of the "first direction") and arranged along the left-to-right direction (an example of the "second direction"), a plurality of bent sections 12, each having a cylindrical shape and extending between two adjacent ends of the plurality of main body sections 10, connecting the plurality of main body sections 10 in series, and a reinforcing layer 14 containing carbon fibers that covers the outer circumferential walls of the plurality of main body sections 10 and the outer circumferential walls of the plurality of bent sections 12. The carbon fiber content per unit length in the extending direction of the reinforcing layer 14 in the bent sections 12 is less than the carbon fiber content per unit length in the extending direction of the reinforcing layer 14 in the main body sections 10.

[0028] With the above configuration, the carbon fiber content per unit length in the extending direction of the reinforcing layer 14 in the bent portion 12 is the same as the carbon fiber content per unit length in the extending direction of the reinforcing layer 14 in the main body portion 10. Compared to this configuration, the portion of the straight cylindrical section corresponding to the bent portion 12 can be easily bent. Therefore, the strength of the pressure vessel 2 can be increased, and the bent portion 12 of the pressure vessel 2 can be easily formed.

[0029] Furthermore, the carbon fiber content per unit volume of the reinforcing layer 14 in the bent portion 12 is equal to the carbon fiber content per unit volume of the reinforcing layer 14 in the main body portion 10. The thickness of the reinforcing layer 14 in the bent portion 12 is thinner than the thickness of the reinforcing layer 14 in the main body portion 10.

[0030] With the above configuration, the reinforcing layer 14 can be easily formed compared to configurations where the carbon fiber content per unit volume of the reinforcing layer 14 in the bent portion 12 and the carbon fiber content per unit volume of the reinforcing layer 14 in the main body portion 10 are different.

[0031] Furthermore, the reinforcing layer 14 has a laminated structure of carbon fiber layers in at least several main body portions 10, and the number of carbon fiber layers in the bending portion 12 is less than the number of carbon fiber layers in the main body portion 10.

[0032] According to the above configuration, the strength of the pressure vessel 2 can be increased, and the bent portion 12 of the pressure vessel 2 can be easily formed.

[0033] (Second example) Referring to Figure 5, the pressure vessel 202 of the second embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the configuration of the reinforcing layer 214 of the pressure vessel 202 differs from the configuration of the reinforcing layer 14 of the pressure vessel 2 of the first embodiment.

[0034] The reinforcing layer 214 comprises a main body reinforcing layer 230 covering the outer periphery wall of the main body 10 and a bend portion reinforcing layer 232 covering the outer periphery wall of the bend portion 12. The carbon fiber content per unit volume in the extending direction of the bend portion reinforcing layer 232 is less than the carbon fiber content per unit volume in the extending direction of the main body reinforcing layer 230. That is, the carbon fiber density in the bend portion reinforcing layer 232 is less than the carbon fiber density in the main body reinforcing layer 230. The main body reinforcing layer 230 has a laminated structure of carbon fiber layers. The bend portion reinforcing layer 232 has a single-layer structure of carbon fiber layers. The thickness of the bend portion reinforcing layer 232 is equal to the thickness of the main body reinforcing layer 230. Furthermore, the carbon fiber content per unit length in the extending direction of the bend portion reinforcing layer 232 is less than the carbon fiber content per unit length in the extending direction of the main body reinforcing layer 230. Furthermore, the carbon fiber content per unit length in the extending direction of the bending section reinforcement layer 232 is less than the carbon fiber content per unit length in the extending direction of the main body reinforcement layer 230. In addition, the weight of carbon fibers per unit length in the extending direction of the bending section reinforcement layer 232 is lighter than the weight of carbon fibers per unit length in the extending direction of the main body reinforcement layer 230. In the modified example, if the carbon fiber content per unit length in the extending direction of the bending section reinforcement layer 232 is less than the carbon fiber content per unit length in the extending direction of the main body reinforcement layer 230, the thickness of the bending section reinforcement layer 232 may be greater than the thickness of the main body reinforcement layer 230.

[0035] As described above, the carbon fiber content per unit volume of the reinforcing layer 214 in the bent portion 12 is less than the carbon fiber content per unit volume of the reinforcing layer 214 in the main body portion 10.

[0036] According to the above configuration, the strength of the pressure vessel 2 can be increased, and the bent portion 12 of the pressure vessel 2 can be easily formed.

[0037] Although embodiments have been described in detail above, these are merely illustrative and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes to the specific examples illustrated above.

[0038] (First modified example) The number of main body parts 10 arranged in the left-right direction may be 2 to 5, or 7 or more.

[0039] (Second Modification) The cross-sectional shape of the main body portion 10 perpendicular to the extending direction and the cross-sectional shape of the bent portion 12 perpendicular to the extending direction are not limited to a circular shape, but may be an elliptical shape, an oblong shape, a square shape, etc.

[0040] (Third Modification) In the first and second embodiments, the bending portion reinforcing layers 32 and 232 may have a laminated structure of carbon fiber layers.

[0041] (Fourth Modification) In the first and second embodiments, the method of winding the carbon fiber may be braiding.

[0042] (Fifth Modification) In the first and second embodiments, the reinforcing layers 32 and 232 at the ends of the bent portion 12 in the extending direction may have the same configuration as the reinforcing layers 30 and 230 of the main body portion.

[0043] The technical elements described herein or in the drawings demonstrate technical usefulness individually or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. Furthermore, the technologies illustrated herein or in the drawings can achieve multiple objectives simultaneously, and achieving even one of these objectives constitutes technical usefulness in itself. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 2: Pressure vessel, 10: Main body, 10A: First main body, 12: Bent section, 14: Reinforcement layer, 20: First cylindrical section, 22: First frustum of a cone, 24: Second frustum of a cone, 30: Main body reinforcement layer, 32: Bent section reinforcement layer, 102: Cylindrical member, 112: Second cylindrical section, 202: Pressure vessel, 214: Reinforcement layer, 230: Main body reinforcement layer, 232: Bent section reinforcement layer

Claims

1. A pressure vessel for fluids, Each has a cylindrical shape extending along a first direction, and a plurality of main body parts are arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, Each has a cylindrical shape and extends between two adjacent ends of the plurality of main body parts, and has one or more bent parts that connect the plurality of main body parts in series, The system comprises a reinforcing layer containing carbon fibers that covers the outer periphery walls of the multiple main body portions and the outer periphery walls of the one or more bent portions, A pressure vessel in which the carbon fiber content per unit length in the extending direction of the reinforcing layer in the bent portion is less than the carbon fiber content per unit length in the extending direction of the reinforcing layer in the main body portion.

2. The carbon fiber content per unit volume of the reinforcing layer in the bent portion is equal to the carbon fiber content per unit volume of the reinforcing layer in the main body portion. The pressure vessel according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the reinforcing layer in the bent portion is thinner than the thickness of the reinforcing layer in the main body portion.

3. The reinforcing layer has a laminated structure of carbon fiber layers in at least the plurality of main body portions, The pressure vessel according to claim 2, wherein the number of carbon fiber layers in the bent portion is less than the number of carbon fiber layers in the main body portion.

4. The pressure vessel according to claim 1, wherein the carbon fiber content per unit volume of the reinforcing layer in the bent portion is less than the carbon fiber content per unit volume of the reinforcing layer in the main body portion.

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