Gas container and container section with cooling mechanism

Abstract

To provide a gas container with improved cooling performance. [Solution] A gas container comprising: a container portion 2 having an internal space 29; a cooling element including a plurality of cooling portions 4 arranged in the internal space 29; and a storage material 8 arranged between adjacent cooling portions 4 in the internal space 29 for absorbing and releasing a filling gas, wherein the cooling portion 4 has a tubular portion 5 extending in the axial direction of the container portion 2 through which a heat exchange medium flows, and a cooling fin portion 6 protruding radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the tubular portion 5, and the internal space 29 has a first region FA and a second region SA located radially outward from the first region FA in the container portion 2 and having a larger radial cross-sectional area than the first region FA, wherein the number of cooling portions 4 in the second region SA is greater than the number of cooling portions 4 in the first region FA.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a gas container for storing and releasing gases such as hydrogen gas.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, technologies using hydrogen gas, natural gas, etc. as fuels for vehicles and various devices have been proposed. Regarding gas containers for storing and releasing these gases, active studies have also been conducted (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). <​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Patent Document 2 describes a technique for providing a cooling section within the internal space of a gas container. Within the internal space of the gas container, heat exchange occurs between the storage material and a heat exchange medium flowing through the cooling section, making it possible to cool the heat-generating storage material. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-100926 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-75697 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0009] Incidentally, when the amount of stored material in a gas container is large, or when the heat generated by the stored material is high, the gas container is required to have high cooling performance. For example, a gas container that is simply equipped with heat-exchanging metal fins, as described in Patent Document 1 above, cannot be said to have sufficient cooling performance, and it may be difficult to cool the stored material quickly and sufficiently with such a gas container.

[0010] When a heat exchange medium is used to cool a gas container, as in Patent Document 2, it is thought that the gas container can be cooled more efficiently compared to when only heat exchange metal fins are used. However, even with this type of gas container, there was still a problem in that it was difficult to say that the stored material could be cooled quickly and sufficiently.

[0011] This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to solve the problem of providing a gas container with improved cooling performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] The gas container of the present invention, which solves the above problems, A container section having an internal space, A cooling element including a plurality of cooling units arranged side by side in the aforementioned internal space, The system comprises a storage material disposed between adjacent cooling units in the internal space, which absorbs and releases the filling gas, The cooling section comprises a tubular section extending in the axial direction of the container section through which a heat exchange medium flows, and a cooling fin section protruding radially outward from the outer surface of the tubular section. The internal space comprises a first region and a second region located radially outward from the first region in the container portion and having a larger radial cross-sectional area than the first region. The gas container is such that the number of cooling units in the second region is greater than the number of cooling units in the first region.

[0013] Furthermore, the container section with a cooling mechanism of the present invention, which solves the above problems, A container section having an internal space, A cooling element comprising a plurality of cooling units arranged side by side in the aforementioned internal space, The cooling section comprises a tubular section extending in the axial direction of the container section through which a heat exchange medium flows, and a cooling fin section protruding radially outward from the outer surface of the tubular section. The internal space comprises a first region and a second region located radially outward from the first region in the container portion and having a larger radial cross-sectional area than the first region. The number of cooling units in the second region is greater than the number of cooling units in the first region, and this is a container section with a cooling mechanism. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The gas container of the present invention is a gas container with improved cooling performance. Furthermore, the container section with a cooling mechanism of the present invention makes it possible to improve the cooling performance of the gas container. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the gas container in the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the axial cross-section of the gas container in the embodiment. [Figure 3] It is an explanatory drawing schematically showing the state where the gas container of the embodiment is disassembled. [Figure 4] It is an explanatory drawing schematically showing the axial cross-section of the gas container of the embodiment. [Figure 5] It is an explanatory drawing schematically explaining the cooling part and the storage material in the gas container of the embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] The gas container of the present invention includes a container part, a cooling element, and a storage material. The container part with a cooling mechanism of the present invention includes only the container part and the cooling element among these and does not include a storage material. That is, the container part with a cooling mechanism of the present invention can be said to be the part other than the storage material in the gas container of the present invention. Therefore, in this specification, the description of the part other than the storage material in the gas container of the present invention shall also serve as the description of the corresponding part in the container part with a cooling mechanism of the present invention, unless otherwise specified.

[0017] The gas container of the present invention includes a container part having an internal space, a cooling element disposed in the internal space, and a storage material. The cooling element includes a plurality of cooling parts. The cooling part has a tubular shape extending in the axial direction and a pipe part through which a heat exchange medium flows inside, and a cooling fin part protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the pipe part to the radially outer side of the pipe part.

[0018] In such a gas container of the present invention, the heat exchange medium flowing through the pipe part and the storage material exchange heat through the cooling part in the internal space. Thereby, in the gas container of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently cool the heat-generating storage material.

[0019] Also, as described above, the cooling part is provided with a cooling fin part protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the pipe part to the radially outer side thereof. Therefore, in the gas container of the present invention, the surface area of the cooling part is large. The gas container of the present invention, having such a cooling section, can efficiently exchange heat between the fluid such as gas or the storage material in the internal space and the heat exchange medium flowing through the pipes in the cooling section or the cooling section itself. As a result, the gas container of the present invention makes it possible to cool the heat-generating storage material even more efficiently.

[0020] Incidentally, the inventor of this invention diligently conducted research to improve the cooling performance of gas containers and conceived the idea that one of the reasons why conventional gas containers have inferior cooling performance lies in the structure and arrangement of the cooling section. Further consideration by the inventor of this invention led to the realization that the position and number of cooling sections in the internal space greatly influence the cooling performance of the gas container.

[0021] For example, simply providing a cooling section consisting of a single, straight pipe extending along the axial direction of the container (in other words, a single pipe) makes it difficult to adequately cool areas far from the cooling section, even if the area close to the cooling section is cooled within the internal space. Therefore, it is also difficult to efficiently cool the entire internal space with such a single, straight pipe cooling section.

[0022] Even when using a cooling unit with a single-pipe section, if the shape of the pipe section is curved, for example, as shown in Figure 1 of Patent Document 2, by folding it back at multiple points or by arranging it spirally within the internal space, the flow path length of the pipe section in the cooling unit becomes longer, and the surface area of ​​the cooling unit itself also increases. For this reason, it is considered that using a cooling unit with a curved shape and a single-pipe section will improve the cooling performance of the gas container compared to using a cooling unit with a straight and single-pipe section.

[0023] However, even when using a cooling unit with this type of curved shape and single-tube section, there are still many areas in the internal space that are far from the cooling unit. When a gas container has this type of curved shape and single-tube section, there are many areas in the internal space that are separated from the cooling unit, especially in the radial direction of the container. Therefore, it is difficult to say that this type of cooling unit can efficiently cool the entire internal space. Furthermore, cooling sections with curved pipes have the drawbacks of being expensive to manufacture and prone to high pressure loss.

[0024] The inventor aimed to arrange multiple cooling units, i.e., straight cooling units, that extend axially within the container, in the internal space of the gas container in order to evenly cool the internal space and the storage materials contained within that internal space.

[0025] In this case, simply arranging multiple cooling units within the internal space does not effectively reduce the area separated from the cooling unit within the internal space, nor does it mean that the entire internal space can be efficiently cooled by the cooling unit. However, by arranging multiple cooling units in a radial inward-outward direction within the container, and also along the circumferential direction of the container, the area separated from the cooling units in the radial direction of the container can be effectively reduced, making it possible to efficiently cool the entire internal space with these cooling units.

[0026] Specifically, in the gas container of the present invention, the internal space is divided into a first region and a second region located radially outward from the first region, and cooling units are arranged in each. As a result, in the gas container of the present invention, multiple cooling units are arranged radially inward-outward from the container portion.

[0027] Furthermore, in the gas container of the present invention, the number of cooling units in the second region is greater than the number of cooling units in the first region. In other words, in the gas container of the present invention, multiple cooling units are arranged in at least the second region. The second region is a region located radially outward from the first region and can be described as a region extending in the circumferential direction of the gas container. For this reason, in at least the second region of the gas container of the present invention, multiple cooling units are arranged along the circumferential direction.

[0028] Therefore, the gas container of the present invention can be described as having multiple cooling units arranged in the radially inward-outward direction of the container portion, and also arranged along the circumferential direction of the container portion. With such a gas container of the present invention, the area separated from the cooling units can be effectively reduced even in the radial direction of the container portion, and the entire internal space can be efficiently cooled by the cooling units.

[0029] Incidentally, because the second region of the internal space has a larger radial cross-sectional area than the first region, regions separated from the cooling section within the internal space are more likely to occur in the second region than in the first region. In the gas container of the present invention, by increasing the number of cooling units arranged in the second region compared to the number of cooling units arranged in the first region, the area separated from the cooling units in the internal space can be further effectively reduced, and it can be said that the entire internal space can be cooled more efficiently by the cooling units.

[0030] Through the above collaboration, the present invention can provide gas containers with excellent cooling performance. Furthermore, the container section with a cooling mechanism of the present invention can improve the cooling performance of gas containers.

[0031] The gas container of the present invention will be described below for each of its components. Unless otherwise specified, the numerical range "x~y" described herein includes the lower limit x and the upper limit y. Furthermore, new numerical ranges can be constructed by arbitrarily combining these upper and lower limits, as well as the numerical values ​​listed in the examples. Additionally, any numerical values ​​selected from any of the above numerical ranges can be used as the upper and lower limits of a new numerical range. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the terms axial direction, radial direction, and circumferential direction refer to the axial direction, radial direction, and circumferential direction of the container portion.

[0032] The type of filling gas contained in the gas container of the present invention is not particularly limited, nor is the pressure of the filling gas inside the gas container particularly limited. However, the gas container of the present invention is particularly preferably embodied as a so-called pressure-resistant container that is filled with a combustible gas such as hydrogen gas or natural gas at high pressure.

[0033] The gas container of the present invention comprises a container section, a cooling element, and a storage material.

[0034] The container portion has an internal space in which the filling gas is contained, and its material and shape are not particularly limited. For example, the container portion may be made of resin in at least part, or it may be made of metal.

[0035] For example, a resin container can be exemplified by one having a container liner and a reinforcing part.

[0036] The container liner, in particular, has an internal space for containing the target filling gas. In other words, the internal space within the container is defined by the inner surface of the container liner. Since such a container liner is in direct contact with the filling gas, it is preferable to select a material for the container liner that has so-called gas barrier properties, meaning it is difficult for the filling gas to permeate through it.

[0037] Specifically, the material of the container liner should be appropriately selected according to the type of gas being filled and the environment in which the gas container is installed.

[0038] For example, if the filling gas is hydrogen gas, polyethylene resin or polypropylene resin is preferable as the material for the container liner. It is also preferable to coat the inside of the container liner with a material that has excellent gas barrier properties, such as ethylene vinyl alcohol high polymer (EVOH).

[0039] A typical gas container liner is made up of several liner sections joined together. In this case, each liner section is cylindrical and arranged axially. If the container liner consists of, for example, two liner sections, the two liner sections may be the same shape and arranged symmetrically with respect to the joint, or they may be different shapes. Considering manufacturing costs, it is preferable that the two liner sections are the same shape.

[0040] The method of joining the liner sections is not particularly limited; for example, any common joining method such as adhesive bonding or welding can be appropriately selected depending on the intended use of the gas container.

[0041] The shape of the container liner is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that it be a cylindrical shape with or without a bottom that can form an internal space.

[0042] The internal space of the container has a first region, which is the axial region of the container, and a second region, which is the radially outer region of the first region. The first region and the second region are the regions in the internal space where the cooling section, described later, is located. The radial cross-sectional area of ​​the second region is larger than that of the first region, and therefore, more cooling components are located in the second region compared to the first region.

[0043] The shapes of the first and second regions are not particularly limited, as long as they satisfy the above requirements. For example, the radial lengths of the first region and the second region may be the same or different.

[0044] Furthermore, because the second region is located radially outside the first region, the circumference of the outer edge of the second region is longer than the circumference of the outer edge of the first region. Therefore, for example, if the radial length of the second region is greater than or equal to the radial length of the first region, the radial cross-section of the second region will be larger than the radial cross-section of the first region. Furthermore, if the radial length of the first region is longer than the radial length of the second region, the radial cross-section of the second region may also be larger than the radial cross-section of the first region.

[0045] In addition to the first and second regions described above, the internal space may also have one or more regions, such as a third region, a fourth region, etc., located radially outside the second region. The third region, fourth region, etc., are also regions within the internal space where cooling units are located. Even when the internal space includes a third region in addition to the first and second regions, if the radial cross-sectional area of ​​the third region is larger than that of the second region, it is preferable to place more cooling components in the third region than in the second region. The same applies to the fourth region and beyond.

[0046] When the internal space is divided into a first region, a second region, and a third region, the relationship between the radial cross-sectional area S1 of the first region, the radial cross-sectional area S2 of the second region, and the radial cross-sectional area S3 of the third region is preferably S1 ≤ S2 ≤ S3, considering the efficient cooling of the internal space by the cooling unit. Furthermore, it is preferable that the relationship between S1 and S2 satisfies S1 ≤ S2 ≤ 5 × S1, and that the relationship between S2 and S3 satisfies S2 ≤ S3 ≤ 2.5 × S3.

[0047] For reference, if the radial length of the third region is significantly shorter than that of the second region, or if the radial cross-sectional area of ​​the third region is smaller than that of the second region, the number of cooling units placed in the third region may be the same as the number of cooling units placed in the second region, or it may be fewer than the number of cooling units placed in the second region.

[0048] Each region within the internal space may be virtually partitioned, or it may be substantially partitioned by partitions or the like. When each region is partitioned by partitions, it is preferable that the partitions allow the passage of fluid so as not to obstruct the flow of the filling gas within the internal space as much as possible. An example of a partition that allows the passage of fluid is a partition with ventilation holes.

[0049] The container portion may have a nozzle as an inlet or outlet for the filling gas. The nozzle is preferably located at one or both ends of the container portion in the axial direction. The container liner in the container portion having a nozzle is preferably symmetrical on both ends in the axial direction, due to the need to attach the nozzle to both ends. Furthermore, the container liner is preferably shaped such as a cylindrical or regular polygonal tube, which allows for uniform distribution of the internal pressure caused by the filling gas.

[0050] The two nozzles are attached to both ends of the container liner, or in other words, to one end of each liner section.

[0051] The liner component may be molded integrally with the nozzle, or it may be formed separately from the nozzle. For example, a pre-formed nozzle may be used as an insert to form the liner section. Alternatively, the nozzle may be attached to the liner section by inserting it into the pre-formed liner section. To suppress leakage of the filling gas to the outside of the container liner, it is preferable to interpose a sealing member such as an O-ring between the nozzle and the container liner.

[0052] While there are no particular limitations on the material of the nozzle, since the nozzle requires higher rigidity than the container liner, it is particularly preferable to select a metal material such as aluminum, aluminum alloy, or stainless steel for the nozzle.

[0053] The nozzle connects the outside of the container liner to the internal space provided within the container liner and functions as an inlet and outlet for the filling gas. In the gas container of the present invention, both of the two nozzles may be used as inlets and outlets for the filled gas, or one of the nozzles may be sealed.

[0054] When the gas container of the present invention includes a container liner, it is preferable that the gas container has a reinforcing portion. The reinforcing portion covers the container liner from the outside and serves to reinforce the gas container. A gas container having a reinforcing portion is suitably used as a pressure-resistant container. The reinforcing portion is preferably more rigid than the container liner, as it serves to reinforce the container liner, and the thickness of the reinforcing portion is preferably greater than the thickness of the container liner, at least at the axial ends.

[0055] The reinforced sections can be constructed from high-strength fibers (so-called FRP) impregnated with resin, similar to general pressure vessels. Suitable high-strength fibers include carbon fibers, glass fibers, and aramid fibers, while thermosetting resins such as epoxy resins, unsaturated polyester resins, and vinyl ester resins can be used to impregnate these fibers.

[0056] A general method can be used to form the reinforcement. For example, a method can be employed in which high-strength fibers impregnated with resin material are wound around the container liner to form a helical layer or hoop layer, and then the resin material is heat-cured. Alternatively, a method can be employed in which the helical layer or hoop layer, made of resin and high-strength fibers, is formed into a sheet, attached to the container liner, and then the resin material is heat-cured.

[0057] The storage material, along with the cooling element described later, is housed in the containment space and absorbs and releases the filling gas. The storage material plays a role in stably and in large capacity holding the filling gas in the containment space. The storage material only needs to be capable of absorbing and releasing the filling gas, and the storage material should be appropriately selected according to the type of filling gas to be stored in the gas container of the present invention.

[0058] For example, when the filling gas is hydrogen, porous carbon materials such as zeolite-templated carbon (ZTC), gas-phase carbon fibers (so-called carbon nanotubes), carbon black, and activated carbon are preferred as storage materials. Alternatively, these porous carbon materials may be activated in an inert gas atmosphere with alkali salts such as KOH, NaOH, or LiOH, and then used as storage materials. In addition, porous metal complexes (so-called MOFs), zeolites, hydrogen storage alloys, metal hydrides, etc., are also suitable as storage materials.

[0059] The storage material can take on various shapes. To fully utilize the storage material's gas absorption and release performance, it is preferable to increase the contact area of ​​the storage material with the gas, and it is preferable to use a storage material with primary and / or secondary particles that have a large specific surface area. Note that the shape of the primary and secondary particles is not limited, and the storage material may be in the form of short fibers or long fibers.

[0060] Considering the handling of the storage material and, consequently, the gas container of the present invention, it is preferable to crosslink the primary and / or secondary particles of the storage material with a crosslinking agent or bind them with a binder to form pellets.

[0061] The pellet shape is preferably one that conforms to the storage space in which the pellet is contained, and is particularly preferably one that avoids the cooling elements, especially the cooling parts, that are contained in the storage space together with the storage material. In order to further improve the handling of the storage material and, by extension, the gas container of the present invention, the storage material is particularly preferably in the form of a solid or bulk material that is molded to avoid the cooling parts. In other words, the outer shape of the storage material is particularly preferably one that matches or substantially matches the outer shape of the void formed between adjacent cooling parts.

[0062] The cooling element includes multiple cooling units. The cooling units are arranged in the internal space of the container together with the storage material described above. The cooling element is the part of the gas container of the present invention that plays the role of cooling the internal space.

[0063] The cooling section comprises a tubular section extending in the axial direction through which a heat exchange medium flows, and a cooling fin section that protrudes radially outward from the outer surface of the tubular section. The heat exchange medium circulating inside the pipe section of the cooling unit can be any fluid, including liquids and gases, but it is particularly preferable to select a liquid such as water.

[0064] In addition to the cooling section described above, the cooling element preferably includes a heat exchange medium flow mechanism for supplying a low-temperature heat exchange medium to the pipe section by circulating the heat exchange medium through the pipe section. The heat exchange medium flow mechanism may include, for example, a storage tank provided outside the gas container, piping connecting the storage tank and the pipe section, various valves and pumps, etc. Furthermore, the piping of the heat exchange medium flow mechanism may be integrated with the nozzle or provided separately from the nozzle. The cooling section including the pipe section may also be integrated with the nozzle or be separate from the nozzle.

[0065] The cooling section's tubular portion is tubular in shape and extends axially. The direction of extension of the tubular portion may be strictly parallel to the axial direction, or it may be approximately parallel. Approximately parallel here includes directions where the angle of intersection with the axial direction is 5° or less. Furthermore, the entire tubular portion may extend axially, but it may also have portions that do not extend axially, such as curved portions.

[0066] A cooling element can be defined as a component that interposes between a fluid such as gas or a storage material in the internal space and a heat exchange medium, thereby providing thermal communication between the two. Such a cooling element is preferably made of a material with excellent thermal conductivity, and as the material for the cooling element, a material with high thermal conductivity, specifically a metallic material such as aluminum, aluminum alloy, or stainless steel, is particularly preferred.

[0067] The cooling fin portion of the cooling section is the part that protrudes radially outward from the outer surface of the tube portion as described above. The cooling fin portion may be molded integrally with the tube portion, or it may be molded separately from the tube portion and then joined together to form a single unit.

[0068] Furthermore, the cooling fins may be provided along the entire length of the tube, or only along a portion of its length. The term "length of the tube" here refers to the direction in which the tube extends, and can also be expressed as the axial direction of the tube. To improve the cooling performance of a gas container, it is preferable that the cooling fins be provided on many parts of the tube in the longitudinal direction, and at least on parts that extend parallel or substantially parallel to the axial direction in the longitudinal direction of the tube.

[0069] The number of cooling fins provided on a single pipe section is not particularly limited, but it is believed that the more cooling fins there are, the larger the surface area and specific surface area of ​​the cooling section will be, and the better the cooling performance of the gas container will be. Considering this, it can be said that the number of cooling fins provided on a single pipe section, in other words, the number of cooling fins on a single cooling section, is preferably 4 or more, 6 or more, or 8 or more.

[0070] Furthermore, if the number of cooling fins on a single cooling unit is excessive, the shape of the space formed between adjacent cooling units becomes complex, making it difficult to place storage materials in that space. Considering this, it can be said that the number of cooling fins on a single cooling unit is preferably 12 or less, 10 or less, or 8 or less.

[0071] When a single cooling section has multiple cooling fin sections, it is preferable that each cooling fin section is arranged in the circumferential direction of the pipe section and extends radially.

[0072] As described above, the cooling units are located in the first and second regions of the internal space, respectively. The number of cooling units in the second region is greater than the number of cooling units in the first region.

[0073] In the gas container of the present invention, it is sufficient that the number of cooling units in the second region is greater than the number of cooling units in the first region, and the number of cooling units in the first region and the number of cooling units in the second region are not particularly limited.

[0074] However, considering the cooling performance of the gas container, it is preferable to have a larger number of cooling units in both the first and second regions. On the other hand, considering the gas storage performance of the gas container, it is preferable that the number of cooling units in the first region and the number of cooling units in the second region are not excessive. Considering the above, it is preferable that the number of cooling units in the first region be 4 to 8, the number of cooling units in the second region be 10 to 14, and the number of cooling units in the third region be 16 to 20.

[0075] The number of cooling units also depends on the size of the cooling units, such as the outer and inner diameters of the tube sections within the cooling units. It is particularly preferable to set the number of cooling units within the above range when the outer diameter of the tube section is within the range of 2% to 5% of the inner diameter of the container section, or when the inner diameter of the tube section is within the range of 1% to 4% of the inner diameter of the container section.

[0076] In order to effectively cool the internal space with the cooling units, it is preferable that the cooling units in each region be arranged at equal or approximately equal intervals in the circumferential direction. In other words, it is preferable that the cooling units in each region be arranged at equal or approximately equal angles with respect to the axis of the container. The angle is determined appropriately according to the number of cooling units.

[0077] The gas container of the present invention will be explained below with specific examples.

[0078] (Examples) The gas container in this embodiment is a pressure-resistant container mounted on a vehicle for storing and releasing hydrogen gas, which is a type of filler gas. Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram illustrating the gas container of the embodiment. Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram illustrating the axial cross-section of the gas container of the embodiment. Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram illustrating the disassembled state of the gas container of the embodiment. Note that the reinforcing part is omitted in Figure 3. Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram illustrating the axial cross-section of the gas container of the embodiment. Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram illustrating the cooling part and storage material in the gas container of the embodiment.

[0079] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the gas container 1 of the embodiment has a container section 2, a cooling element 7, and a storage material 8.

[0080] The container section 2 comprises a container liner 20, two nozzles 21, two spacers 22, and a reinforcing section 23. The cooling element 7 includes a plurality of cooling units 4, two connecting members 75 that connect the cooling units 4, and a heat exchange medium flow mechanism (not shown).

[0081] The container liner 20 is made of polyethylene resin and is a so-called resin liner that has a roughly cylindrical shape with a reduced diameter at both ends in the axial direction.

[0082] As shown in Figure 3, the container liner 20 is formed by welding and joining together two liner sections 20b of the same shape. The two liner sections 20b are arranged in the axial direction. The joint between the two liner sections 20b is located approximately in the axial center of the container liner 20 and extends around the entire circumference of the container liner 20.

[0083] Each liner section 20b is a roughly short cylindrical shape with a bottom, and the container liner 20 is also a roughly cylindrical shape with a bottom. An internal space 29 is formed inside the container liner 20.

[0084] Each liner section 20b has a dome-shaped axial end with an open center. A metal nozzle 21 is fitted to each opening via an O-ring 39.

[0085] Each of the two nozzles 21 is connected to one connecting member 75. Each connecting member 75 is made of the same metal as the nozzles 21. Each connecting member 75 has the same number of fixing parts 75f as the cooling section 4, which will be described later, and connects the cooling sections 4 by fixing the corresponding cooling section 4 with the fixing parts 75f. As shown in Figure 2, a connecting pipe 76 is provided inside the connecting member 75 that connects to the pipe section 5 of each cooling section 4. Although not shown, this connecting pipe 76 is connected to the nozzle 21. A heat exchange medium flow mechanism, not shown, is connected to the nozzle 21. The heat exchange medium flow mechanism includes piping, a pump, a valve, and a storage tank, not shown. The piping connected to the nozzle 21 is connected to the storage tank located outside the gas container 1 via the pump and valve. This allows the heat exchange medium to flow between the pipe section 5 of the cooling section 4 and the storage tank.

[0086] As shown in Figure 3, the two spacers 22 are each ring-shaped. Each spacer 22 is positioned inside the liner section 20b, between the axial end of the liner section 20b and the connecting member 75. The spacers 22 are also made of the same metal as the nozzle 21 and the connecting member 75.

[0087] The reinforcing section 23 is made of FRP and is wrapped around the surface of the container liner 20.

[0088] Each cooling unit 4 is located in the internal space 29 of the container 2. Each cooling unit 4 has a tubular section 5 and a plurality of cooling fin sections 6.

[0089] Each tube section 5 is a straight tube of approximately the same diameter and extends axially parallel to each other. The tube sections 5 are made of the same metal as the mouthpiece 21, with an inner diameter of approximately 2 mm and an outer diameter of approximately 3 mm.

[0090] Multiple cooling fins 6 are integrally molded into each tube section 5. Each cooling fin 6 is roughly plate-shaped, protrudes radially outward from the outer surface of the tube section 5, and extends along the entire length of the tube section 5 in the longitudinal direction. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the cooling fins 6 are arranged circumferentially around the tube 5 and extend radially.

[0091] The internal space 29 is virtually divided into three regions from the radial inside to the radial outside. These three regions are referred to as the first region FA, the second region SA, and the third region TA, from the radial inside to the radial outside. The radial cross-section of the internal space 29 is approximately a perfect circle, and the radial cross-sections of the first region FA, the second region SA, and the third region TA are all ring-shaped.

[0092] The relationship between the radial cross-sectional area S1 of the first region FA, the radial cross-sectional area S2 of the second region SA, and the radial cross-sectional area S3 of the third region TA is S1 ≤ S2 ≤ S3, and more specifically, S1:S2 = 1:4 and S2:S3 = 1:2.

[0093] Furthermore, the relationship between the radial length L1 of the first region FA, the radial length L2 of the second region SA, and the radial length L3 of the second region SA is L1 ≤ L2 ≤ L3, and more specifically, L1:L2:L3 = 3.1:3:2.9.

[0094] The primary region FA is virtually divided into six primary subregions CFA arranged at 60° intervals around the axis. Each primary subregion CFA forms a fan shape with respect to the others. The second region SA is ring-shaped with a larger diameter than the first region FA. The inner diameter of the second region SA is the same as the outer diameter of the first region FA. The second region SA is virtually divided into 12 second sub-regions CSA arranged at 30° intervals around its axis. Each second sub-region CSA is a fan-shaped plane with the same form as the others. The third region TA is ring-shaped with a larger diameter than the second region SA. The inner diameter of the third region TA is the same as the outer diameter of the second region SA. The third region TA is virtually divided into 18 third sub-regions CTA arranged at 20° intervals around the axis. Each third sub-region CTA is a fan-shaped area of ​​the same form. The above angles can also be described as the angles made by the straight lines passing through the axis O of the container section 2 and the center of each region.

[0095] In the first region FA, six cooling units 4 are arranged at 60° intervals around the axis O of the container section 2. In the second region SA, twelve cooling units 4 are arranged at 30° intervals around the same axis. In the third region TA, eighteen cooling units 4 are arranged at 20° intervals around the axis. The above angles can also be described as the angles made by the straight lines passing through the axis O of the container section 2 and the axis of the tube section 5 in each cooling unit 4.

[0096] More specifically, a cooling section 4 is located in the center of each first sub-region CFA. This cooling section 4 is referred to as the first cooling section 41. Each first cooling section 41 is identical in shape and has seven cooling fin sections 6. Four of the cooling fin sections 6 of the first cooling section 41 extend toward the four ends of the fan-shaped first sub-region CFA. The other cooling fin section 6 of the first cooling section 41 extends toward the central part of the outer periphery of the fan-shaped first sub-region CFA. The other two cooling fin sections 6 of the first cooling section 41 extend toward the central part of the linearly extending edge of the fan-shaped first sub-region CFA.

[0097] A cooling section 4 is also located in the center of each second sub-region CSA. These cooling sections 4 are referred to as second cooling sections 42. Each second cooling section 42 is the same shape and has eight cooling fin sections 6. Four of the cooling fin sections 6 of the second cooling section 42 extend toward the four ends of the fan-shaped second sub-region CSA. The other cooling fin section 6 of the second cooling section 42 extends toward the central part of the outer periphery of the fan-shaped second sub-region CSA. The other cooling fin section 6 of the second cooling section 42 extends toward the central part of the inner periphery of the fan-shaped second sub-region CSA. The other two cooling fin sections 6 of the second cooling section 42 extend toward the central part of the linearly extending side of the fan-shaped second sub-region CSA.

[0098] A cooling section 4 is also located in the center of each third sub-region CTA. This cooling section 4 is referred to as the third cooling section 43. Each third cooling section 43 is the same shape and has eight cooling fin sections 6. Four of the cooling fin sections 6 of the third cooling section 43 extend toward the four ends of the fan-shaped third sub-region CTA. The other cooling fin section 6 of the third cooling section 43 extends toward the central part of the outer periphery of the fan-shaped third sub-region CTA. The other cooling fin section 6 of the third cooling section 43 extends toward the central part of the inner periphery of the fan-shaped third sub-region CTA. The other two cooling fin sections 6 of the third cooling section 43 extend toward the central part of the linearly extending side of the fan-shaped third sub-region CTA.

[0099] The storage material 8 is placed between adjacent cooling units 4 in the internal space 29. The storage material 8 is ZTC molded into pellets.

[0100] More specifically, the storage material 8 is partitioned by the outer edge of one of the corresponding first sub-regions CFA, second sub-region CSA, or third sub-region CTA, and by the surface of the tube portion 5 and the surface of the cooling fin portion 6 located in that region, and has an elongated shape that extends in the axial direction. Each storage material 8 is bonded and integrated with its corresponding cooling section 4 using a conductive adhesive. By fixing each cooling section 4 to the fixing section 75f of the connecting member 75, each storage material 8 is also fixed to the connecting member 75.

[0101] In the gas container 1 of the embodiment, the internal space 29 of the container liner 20 houses the storage material 8 and the cooling section 4. As shown in Figure 4, the number of cooling sections 4 is greater in the second region SA than in the first region FA, and greater in the third region TA than in the second region SA. Therefore, the cooling sections 4 are distributed almost evenly throughout the internal space 29, and the internal space 29 and the storage material 8 contained within it are cooled evenly and effectively by the heat exchange medium flowing through the pipe section 5 of the cooling section 4. Therefore, the gas container 1 of the embodiment exhibits excellent cooling performance. Furthermore, the cooling mechanism-equipped container section 2 of the embodiment, which is the part of the gas container 1 other than the storage material 8, can improve the cooling performance of the gas container 1.

[0102] Although the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and it is possible to implement the invention by appropriately extracting and combining the elements described in the embodiments, and to make various modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the specification of this invention discloses not only the reference relationships of each claim as initially filed, but also a technical concept that appropriately combines the matters described in each claim. [Explanation of symbols]

[0103] 1: Gas container 2: Container part 4: Cooling section 5: Pipe part 6: Cooling fin section 7: Cooling element 8: Storage materials 29: Interior space FA: 1st area SA:Second area TA: Third area O: Axis of the container part

Claims

1. A container section having an internal space, A cooling element including a plurality of cooling units arranged side by side in the aforementioned internal space, The system comprises a storage material disposed between adjacent cooling units in the internal space, which absorbs and releases the filling gas, The cooling section comprises a tubular section extending in the axial direction of the container section through which a heat exchange medium flows, and a cooling fin section protruding radially outward from the outer surface of the tubular section. The internal space comprises a first region and a second region located radially outward from the first region in the container portion and having a larger radial cross-sectional area than the first region. A gas container in which the number of cooling units in the second region is greater than the number of cooling units in the first region.

2. The internal space has a third region that is radially outward from the second region and has a larger radial cross-sectional area than the second region. The first region has six cooling units arranged at 60° intervals with respect to the axis of the container portion. The second region has twelve cooling units arranged at 30° intervals around the axis, The gas container according to claim 1, wherein the third region has 18 cooling units arranged at 20° intervals with respect to the axis.

3. The gas container according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each of the cooling sections has six or more cooling fin sections arranged in the circumferential direction of the pipe section and extending in the radial direction.

4. A container section having an internal space, A cooling element comprising a plurality of cooling units arranged side by side in the aforementioned internal space, The cooling section comprises a tubular section extending in the axial direction of the container section through which a heat exchange medium flows, and a cooling fin section protruding radially outward from the outer surface of the tubular section. The internal space comprises a first region and a second region located radially outward from the first region in the container portion and having a larger radial cross-sectional area than the first region. A container section with a cooling mechanism, wherein the number of cooling units in the second region is greater than the number of cooling units in the first region.

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