Fuel cartridge

Abstract

In a fuel cartridge, it is possible to stably supply gaseous fuel even when the liquid fuel level decreases. [Solution] A fuel cartridge comprising: a liquid fuel chamber for containing liquid fuel; a gaseous fuel chamber having a gaseous fuel outlet; a gas-liquid separation membrane disposed between the liquid fuel chamber and the gaseous fuel chamber; a movable wall disposed such that the liquid fuel chamber is positioned between the movable wall and the gas-liquid separation membrane; and an elastic member that biases the movable wall toward the liquid fuel chamber.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in the present specification relates to a fuel cartridge.

Background Art

[0002] The fuel cartridge disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a liquid fuel chamber and a gaseous fuel chamber separated by a gas-liquid separation membrane. Liquid fuel is stored in the liquid fuel chamber. Gaseous fuel obtained by vaporizing the liquid fuel is supplied from the liquid fuel chamber to the gaseous fuel chamber. The gaseous fuel in the gaseous fuel chamber is supplied to an external fuel utilization facility.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the fuel cartridge of Patent Document 1, when the liquid fuel in the liquid fuel chamber decreases, the pressure inside the fuel cartridge decreases. When the pressure inside the fuel cartridge decreases, the supply amount of the gaseous fuel supplied from the fuel cartridge to the fuel utilization facility decreases. Accordingly, the present specification provides a structure of a fuel cartridge that can stably supply gaseous fuel even when the liquid fuel is reduced.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] In a first aspect of the present technology, a fuel cartridge includes a liquid fuel chamber that stores liquid fuel, a gaseous fuel chamber having a gaseous fuel discharge port, a gas-liquid separation membrane disposed between the liquid fuel chamber and the gaseous fuel chamber, a movable wall disposed such that the liquid fuel chamber is positioned between the movable wall and the gas-liquid separation membrane, and an elastic member that biases the movable wall toward the liquid fuel chamber.

[0006] In this configuration, when the liquid fuel in the liquid fuel chamber decreases, the elastic member moves the movable wall toward the liquid fuel chamber. This suppresses the decrease in pressure within the fuel cartridge. Therefore, this fuel cartridge can stably supply gaseous fuel even when the liquid fuel level decreases.

[0007] In a second embodiment, in the first embodiment, the gas-liquid separation membrane may allow the movement of the gaseous fuel, which is the liquid fuel that has vaporized, from the liquid fuel chamber to the gaseous fuel chamber.

[0008] In this configuration, when the gaseous fuel in the gaseous fuel chamber decreases, fuel moves from the liquid fuel chamber to the gaseous fuel chamber via the gas-liquid separation membrane, suppressing a pressure drop in the gaseous fuel chamber. Also, as fuel moves from the liquid fuel chamber to the gaseous fuel chamber, the liquid fuel in the liquid fuel chamber decreases. Then, the elastic member moves the movable wall toward the liquid fuel chamber, suppressing a pressure drop in the liquid fuel chamber. In this way, pressure drops are suppressed in both the gaseous and liquid fuel chambers, allowing the fuel cartridge to stably supply gaseous fuel.

[0009] In a third embodiment, in the first embodiment, when the remaining amount of liquid fuel decreases, the movable wall may move in a direction that reduces the volume of the liquid fuel chamber.

[0010] This configuration effectively suppresses the decrease in pressure within the fuel cartridge. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] Cross-sectional view of the fuel cartridge of Example 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] The fuel cartridge 10 of the embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figure 1, the fuel cartridge 10 has a case 20. The case 20 has a vertically elongated shape. The case 20 has an outer peripheral wall 20a, an end wall 20b, and an end wall 20c. The outer peripheral wall 20a has a cylindrical shape that extends along the vertical direction. The end wall 20b closes the lower end of the outer peripheral wall 20a. The end wall 20c closes the upper end of the outer peripheral wall 20a.

[0013] A movable wall 40 and a gas-liquid separation membrane 60 are provided inside the case 20. The movable wall 40 extends horizontally in a planar manner. The movable wall 40 is in close contact with the outer peripheral wall 20a. The movable wall 40 can move up and down inside the case 20 while sliding against the outer peripheral wall 20a. The gas-liquid separation membrane 60 is located below the movable wall 40. The gas-liquid separation membrane 60 extends horizontally in a planar manner. The gas-liquid separation membrane 60 is fixed to the outer peripheral wall 20a. The gas-liquid separation membrane 60 separates the internal space of the case 20 vertically. The space between the movable wall 40 and the gas-liquid separation membrane 60 is the liquid fuel chamber 50. Liquid fuel is contained in the liquid fuel chamber 50. For example, liquid fuel containing ammonia (NH3) (more specifically, an aqueous solution of NH3, liquefied NH3, etc.) is contained in the liquid fuel chamber 50 as liquid fuel. The space below the gas-liquid separation membrane 60 is the gaseous fuel chamber 70, which contains the gaseous fuel. In other words, the gas-liquid separation membrane 60 is positioned between the liquid fuel chamber 50 and the gaseous fuel chamber 70. The gas-liquid separation membrane 60 is a membrane that does not permeate liquids but does permeate gases. For example, a hydrophobic membrane such as Gore-Tex® can be used as the gas-liquid separation membrane 60. In this embodiment, the volume of the liquid fuel chamber 50 and the volume of the gaseous fuel chamber 70 are approximately the same, but they may be different.

[0014] A spring 30 is provided inside the case 20. The spring 30 is positioned between the movable wall 40 and the end wall 20c in a compressed state. The upper end of the spring 30 is in contact with the end wall 20c, and the lower end of the spring 30 is in contact with the movable wall 40. The spring 30 biases the movable wall 40 toward the liquid fuel chamber 50.

[0015] A gaseous fuel discharge pipe 80 is connected to the end wall 20b. The gaseous fuel discharge pipe 80 connects the gaseous fuel chamber 70 to external fuel-using equipment 90 (for example, a fuel cell). The fuel-using equipment 90 may be a system that recovers energy by burning gaseous fuel.

[0016] As described above, liquid fuel is stored in the liquid fuel chamber 50. The fuel in the liquid fuel chamber 50 vaporizes on the surface of the gas-liquid separation membrane 60 and moves through the gas-liquid separation membrane 60 to the gas fuel chamber 70, as indicated by arrow 100. The gaseous fuel in the gas fuel chamber 70 is supplied to the fuel-using equipment 90 via the gaseous fuel discharge pipe 80, as indicated by arrow 100.

[0017] When gaseous fuel is consumed by the fuel-using equipment 90, the pressure in the gaseous fuel chamber 70 decreases. As a result, the liquid fuel in the liquid fuel chamber 50 vaporizes, and the vaporized fuel permeates the gas-liquid separation membrane 60 and is supplied to the gaseous fuel chamber 70. Also, as fuel moves from the liquid fuel chamber 50 to the gaseous fuel chamber 70, the amount of liquid fuel remaining in the liquid fuel chamber 50 decreases. As a result, the movable wall 40 moves downward due to the force of the spring 30, and the volume of the liquid fuel chamber 50 decreases. This prevents a pressure drop in the liquid fuel chamber 50. Therefore, gaseous fuel can be stably supplied from the liquid fuel chamber 50 to the gaseous fuel chamber 70. Consequently, extreme pressure drops in the gaseous fuel chamber 70 are prevented, and gaseous fuel can be stably supplied from the gaseous fuel chamber 70 to the fuel-using equipment 90.

[0018] Furthermore, as described above, according to the structure of the embodiment, the pressure drop inside the fuel cartridge 10 can be suppressed by a relatively simple configuration consisting of a movable wall 40 and a spring 30. In addition, in this structure, when the gaseous fuel in the gaseous fuel chamber 70 decreases, the liquid fuel in the liquid fuel chamber 50 vaporizes easily, so a vaporizer is not required. For this reason, according to the structure of the embodiment, the fuel cartridge 10 can be made smaller.

[0019] In the above embodiment, the fuel cartridge 10 was positioned so that the fuel flowed from top to bottom, but the fuel cartridge 10 may be positioned in other orientations, such as sideways.

[0020] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the movable wall 40 was biased by the spring 30, but the movable wall 40 may be biased by other elastic members.

[0021] Although specific examples of the present invention have been described in detail above, these are merely illustrative and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technologies described in the claims include various modifications and changes to the specific examples illustrated above. The technical elements described in this specification or drawings exhibit 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 in this specification or drawings can achieve multiple objectives simultaneously, and achieving even one of these objectives itself constitutes technical usefulness. [Explanation of symbols]

[0022] 10: Fuel cartridge, 20: Case, 30: Spring, 40: Movable wall, 50: Liquid fuel chamber, 60: Gas-liquid separation membrane, 70: Gas fuel chamber

Claims

1. A liquid fuel chamber for storing liquid fuel, A gaseous fuel chamber having a gaseous fuel discharge port, A gas-liquid separation membrane is disposed between the liquid fuel chamber and the gaseous fuel chamber, A movable wall is positioned such that the liquid fuel chamber is located between the movable wall and the gas-liquid separation membrane, An elastic member that biases the movable wall toward the liquid fuel chamber, A fuel cartridge containing [something].

2. A fuel cartridge according to claim 1, A fuel cartridge in which the gas-liquid separation membrane allows the movement of gaseous fuel, which is the liquid fuel vaporized from the liquid fuel chamber to the gaseous fuel chamber.

3. A fuel cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, A fuel cartridge in which, when the remaining amount of the liquid fuel decreases, the movable wall moves in a direction that reduces the volume of the liquid fuel chamber.

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