Method of manufacturing a pressure vessel

Abstract

This technology provides a way to reduce the time required to discharge heat sources from inside a pressure vessel. [Solution] A method for manufacturing a pressure vessel for fluids is disclosed. The pressure vessel comprises a plurality of main bodies and one or more bends connecting the plurality of main bodies in series. The manufacturing method comprises the steps of: preparing a cylindrical member extending along a third direction, which alternately includes a plurality of first cylindrical parts corresponding to each of the plurality of main bodies and one or more second cylindrical parts corresponding to each of the one or more bends; introducing a liquid heat source into the interior of the cylindrical member; bending one or more second cylindrical parts to form one or more bends after introducing the liquid heat source; and forming a drain hole in the outer peripheral wall on the protruding side of at least one of the one or more bends.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a method for manufacturing a pressure vessel.

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. Each of the main body portions has a cylindrical shape, and one or more bent portions that extend between two adjacent ends of the plurality of main body portions and connect 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 member. For this reason, in order to facilitate the formation of the bent portion, there is a configuration in which a liquid heat source is introduced into the cylindrical member. In such a configuration, after forming the bent portion, it is necessary to discharge the liquid heat source from the inside of the pressure vessel. However, when a plurality of main body portions are connected in series by one or more bent portions, it is necessary to discharge all the liquid heat sources from the openings of the main body portions arranged at both ends in the second direction. In this case, it takes a long time to discharge the heat source in the pressure vessel.

[0005] This specification provides a technology that can shorten the time required to discharge the heat source in the pressure vessel.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A first aspect disclosed herein provides a method for manufacturing a pressure vessel for a fluid. The pressure vessel may comprise a plurality of main body portions, each having a cylindrical shape extending along a first direction and arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and one or more bent portions, each having a cylindrical shape and extending between two adjacent ends of the plurality of main body portions, connecting the plurality of main body portions in series. The manufacturing method may comprise the steps of: preparing a cylindrical member that extends along a third direction, and which alternately comprises a plurality of first cylindrical portions corresponding to each of the plurality of main body portions and one or more second cylindrical portions corresponding to each of the one or more bent portions; introducing a heat source into the interior of the cylindrical member; bending the one or more second cylindrical portions to form the one or more bent portions after introducing the heat source; and forming a drain hole in the outer peripheral wall on the protruding side of at least one of the one or more bent portions.

[0007] According to the above configuration, by orienting the drain holes provided in the bent sections downwards, the liquid heat source can be discharged not only from the openings in the main body located at both ends in the second direction, but also from the drain holes. Therefore, the time required to discharge the liquid heat source from the pressure vessel can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a top view of pressure vessel 2. [Figure 2] This figure (1) shows the method for manufacturing the pressure vessel 2. [Figure 3] Figure (2) shows the method for manufacturing the pressure vessel 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] (Examples) Referring to Figure 1, the pressure vessel 2 for the fluid 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.

[0010] 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."

[0011] Each of the multiple main body sections 10 extends along the front-to-back direction. Each of the multiple main body sections 10 has a cylindrical shape. The main body sections 10 may have tapered sections at both the front and rear ends.

[0012] Each of the multiple bent portions 12 has a cylindrical shape. The cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the extension direction of the bent portion 12 is circular. The multiple bent portions 12 include multiple front bent portions 20 extending between the front ends of two adjacent main body portions 10, and multiple rear bent portions 22 extending between the rear ends of two adjacent main body portions 10. For example, the rightmost front bent portion 20 extends forward from the front end of the rightmost main body portion 10, then bends to the left and extends, and then bends further to extend to the front end of the adjacent main body portion 10. That is, the front bent portion 20 protrudes in the forward direction. Also, for example, the rightmost rear bent portion 22 extends rearward from the rear end of the second main body portion 10 from the right, then bends to the left and extends, and then bends further to extend to the rear end of the adjacent main body portion 10. In other words, the rear bent portion 22 protrudes in the rearward direction. Note that the flow path axis of the bent portion 12 in Figure 1 has a semi-circular shape.

[0013] The main body section 10 located on the far right and the main body section 10 located on the far left are connected to a front bend section 20, while the other main body sections 10 are connected to both a front bend section 20 and a rear bend section 22. In this way, multiple main body sections 10 are connected in series by multiple bend sections 12.

[0014] The reinforcing layer 14 covers the outer periphery walls of multiple main body sections 10 and the outer periphery walls of multiple bent sections 12. The reinforcing layer 14 is made of a resin containing carbon fibers. For example, the reinforcing layer 14 is made of CFRP.

[0015] (Method of manufacturing pressure vessel 2) The manufacturing method of the pressure vessel 2 shown in Figure 1 will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

[0016] First, as shown in Figure 2, a cylindrical member 102 is formed along axis A. For example, the cylindrical member 102 is integrally formed by corrugated molding. The cylindrical member 102 comprises a plurality of first cylindrical portions 110 corresponding to each of the plurality of main body portions 10, and a plurality of second cylindrical portions 112 corresponding to each of the plurality of bent portions 12. The first cylindrical portions 110 and the second cylindrical portions 112 are arranged alternately in the direction of axis A. The second cylindrical portions 112 comprises a front cylindrical portion 120 corresponding to the front bent portion 20, and a rear cylindrical portion 122 corresponding to the rear bent portion 22.

[0017] Next, a reinforcing layer 130 is formed on the outer circumferential wall of the cylindrical member 102. The reinforcing layer 130 is formed such that a first drain hole 130A is formed on the outer circumferential wall of the rear cylindrical portion 122, at a position corresponding to the outer circumferential wall on the protruding side of the rear bent portion 22 (i.e., the rear side in Figure 1). The first drain hole 130A is formed in the central part of the rear cylindrical portion 122 in the direction of axis A. For example, the reinforcing layer 130 is formed on the outer circumferential wall of the cylindrical member 102 by spiral winding or braiding winding.

[0018] Next, a liquid heat source is introduced into the cylindrical member 102. The heat source warms the cylindrical member 102, causing it to soften. This makes it possible to easily bend the second cylindrical portion 112.

[0019] Next, as shown in Figure 3, the second cylindrical portion 112 is bent. This forms the front bent portion 20 and the rear bent portion 22.

[0020] Next, a second drain hole 22A penetrating the rear-side bent portion 22 is formed at a position corresponding to the first drain hole 130A. The second drain hole 22A is formed at the central portion of the rear-side bent portion 22 in the left-right direction. Thereby, the inside and the outside of the cylindrical member 102 communicate with each other through the first drain hole 130A and the second drain hole 22A.

[0021] Next, the angle of the cylindrical member 102 is adjusted so that the first drain hole 130A and the second drain hole 22A face downward. In this embodiment, by adjusting the angle of the cylindrical member 102 so that the first drain hole 130A and the second drain hole 22A face downward, the openings of the rightmost main body portion 10 and the leftmost main body portion 10 face downward. Thereby, the liquid heat source in the cylindrical member 102 is discharged to the outside through the openings of the rightmost main body portion 10 and the leftmost main body portion 10, the first drain hole 130A, and the second drain hole 22A.

[0022] Next, the second drain hole 22A is closed by welding or the like, and the first drain hole 130A is closed with an additional reinforcing layer. Thereby, the pressure vessel 2 of FIG. 1 is completed.

[0023] (Effects of this embodiment) As described above, the pressure vessel 2 comprises a plurality of main body sections 10, each having a cylindrical shape that extends along the front-rear direction (an example of the "first direction") and arranged along the left-right direction (an example of the "second direction"), and a plurality of bent sections 12, each having a cylindrical shape that protrudes in the front-rear direction and extends between the ends of two adjacent main body sections 10, connecting the plurality of main body sections 10 in series. A method for manufacturing a pressure vessel 2 comprises the steps of: preparing a cylindrical member 102 that extends along axis A (an example of a "third direction"), and which alternately includes a plurality of first cylindrical parts 110 (an example of a "first cylindrical part") corresponding to each of a plurality of main body parts 10, and a plurality of second cylindrical parts 112 (an example of a "second cylindrical part") corresponding to each of a plurality of bent parts 12; introducing a liquid heat source into the interior of the cylindrical member 102; bending one or more second cylindrical parts 112 after introducing the liquid heat source to form a plurality of bent parts 12; and forming a second drain hole 22A on the outer peripheral wall on the protruding side of at least one bent part 12.

[0024] According to the above configuration, by orienting the second drain hole 22A provided in the rear bent portion 22 downwards, the liquid heat source can be discharged not only from the openings of the main body portion 10 located at both ends in the left-right direction, but also from the second drain hole 22A. Therefore, the time required to discharge the liquid heat source from the pressure vessel 2 can be shortened. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0025] 2: Pressure vessel, 10: Main body, 12: Bent section, 14: Reinforcement layer, 20: Front bent section, 22: Rear bent section, 22A: Second drain hole, 102: Cylindrical member, 110: First cylindrical section, 112: Second cylindrical section, 120: Front cylindrical section, 122: Rear cylindrical section, 130: Reinforcement layer, 130A: First drain hole

Claims

[Claim 1] A method for manufacturing a pressure vessel for a fluid, The aforementioned pressure vessel is 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 in the first direction between the ends of two adjacent main body parts among the plurality of main body parts, comprising one or more bent parts that connect the plurality of main body parts in series, The aforementioned manufacturing method is A step of preparing a cylindrical member that extends along a third direction, which alternately includes a plurality of first cylindrical portions corresponding to each of the plurality of main body portions and one or more second cylindrical portions corresponding to each of the one or more bent portions, The process involves introducing a liquid heat source into the interior of the cylindrical member, After introducing the liquid heat source, the process involves bending the one or more second cylindrical portions to form the one or more bent portions. A step of forming a drain hole in the outer peripheral wall on the protruding side of at least one of the one or more bent portions, A manufacturing method that includes the following features.

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