Protector for high-pressure tank and high-pressure tank

Abstract

To provide a high pressure tank capable of improving a protective function of a tank main body without degrading vehicle mountability and increasing costs.SOLUTION: A protector for a high pressure tank includes a plurality of partitioning protectors extending in a pole direction as a direction from a top of a dome portion toward a cylinder portion along an outer surface of the dome portion and partitioning the outer surface in a circumferential direction. When observing the outer surface in an axial direction of the cylinder portion, a linear clearance continued in the pole direction is formed between the partitioning protectors adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction, and when observing the outer surface of the dome portion in the axial direction of the cylinder portion, a relation of COSθ≥(1-h) / (2×R) is satisfied, where θ is an angle between the partitioning protectors adjacent in the circumferential direction, R is a radius of the high pressure tank, and h is crushing margin in application of predetermined load to the partitioning protector.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a protector for a high-pressure tank and a high-pressure tank.

Background Art

[0002] The high-pressure tank described in Patent Document 1 includes a tank body and a protector. The tank body has hemispherical dome portions at both ends of a cylindrical cylinder portion, and an internal space for sealing a fluid is formed. The protector is provided on the outer surface of the dome portion. The protector is for protecting the tank body against external impacts in order to ensure impact resistance when the tank drops during tank handling. The protector has resin ribs formed in a lattice pattern. By deforming these resin ribs, the impact on the tank body is absorbed, and protection is provided so that cracks or the like do not occur in the tank body.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the high-pressure tank as described above, in order to further enhance the protection function of the tank body, when the thickness or volume of the protector is increased, problems such as a decrease in vehicle mountability and an increase in cost have occurred.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The present disclosure can be realized in the following forms. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a protector for a high-pressure tank used in a high-pressure tank including a tank body having dome portions at both ends of a cylindrical cylinder portion and forming an internal space for sealing a fluid. This protector for a high-pressure tank is arranged to extend in a polar direction, which is a direction from the top of the dome portion toward the cylinder portion, along the outer surface of the dome portion, and includes a plurality of partition protectors that partition the outer surface in the circumferential direction. When the outer surface is viewed in the axial direction of the cylinder portion, a linear gap that is continuous in the polar direction is formed between the adjacent partition protectors in the circumferential direction. When the outer surface of the dome portion is viewed in the axial direction of the cylinder portion, if the angle formed between the adjacent partition protectors in the circumferential direction is θ, the radius of the high-pressure tank is R, and the collapse allowance when a predetermined load is applied to the partition protector is h, the relationship COSθ≧(1 - h) / (2×R) is satisfied. The minimum value in the polar direction of the width of the partition protector when the outer surface of the dome portion is viewed in the axial direction of the cylinder portion is 1 / 20 or more of the radius of the high-pressure tank, and the adjacent partition protectors in the circumferential direction do not overlap with each other.

[0006] (1) According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a protector for a high-pressure tank is provided. This protector for a high-pressure tank is used for a high-pressure tank including a tank body having dome portions at both ends of a cylindrical cylinder portion and forming an internal space for sealing a fluid. The protector for a high-pressure tank includes a plurality of partition protectors arranged to extend in a polar direction, which is a direction from the top of the dome portion toward the cylinder portion along the outer surface of the dome portion, and partitioning the outer surface in the circumferential direction. When the outer surface is viewed in the axial direction of the cylinder portion, a linear gap continuous in the polar direction is formed between the adjacent partition protectors in the circumferential direction. When the outer surface of the dome portion is viewed in the axial direction of the cylinder portion, if the angle formed by the adjacent partition protectors in the circumferential direction is θ, the radius of the high-pressure tank is R, and the crushing allowance when a predetermined load is applied to the partition protector is h, the relationship of COSθ≧(1 - h) / (2×R) is satisfied. According to this embodiment, the outer surface of the dome portion is covered by a plurality of partition protectors provided by partitioning in the circumferential direction of the dome portion at intervals of θ that satisfy the relationship of COSθ≧(1 - h) / (2×R). And a linear gap is formed between the adjacent partition protectors in the circumferential direction. In this way, the protector covering the outer surface of the dome portion is not continuously provided over the entire circumference but is provided by being partitioned in the circumferential direction by the partition protectors. Therefore, compared with a configuration in which the entire outer surface of the dome portion is covered by a single annularly continuous protector corresponding to the entire circumference, by grounding with a plurality of partition protectors, the input of impact to the tank body can be dispersed. Also, by providing a plurality of gaps, the high-pressure tank can be lightened compared with a single annularly continuous protector having no gaps and the same thickness. Furthermore, by providing gaps, it is possible to easily suppress interference with peripheral components when the high-pressure tank is mounted on a vehicle, and the mountability of the high-pressure tank can be improved. (2) In the above embodiment, the plurality of partition protectors may have the same shape and may be arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. According to this embodiment, the manufacture of the partition protectors is easy. (3) In the above-described embodiment, when the outer surface of the dome portion is viewed in the axial direction of the cylinder portion, the minimum value in the pole direction of the width of the partition protector may be 1 / 20 or more of the radius of the high-pressure tank. According to this embodiment, the width of the partition protector does not become excessively narrow with respect to the radius of the high-pressure tank, and a certain amount of the area of the outer surface of the dome portion covered by the partition protector can be ensured. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a decrease in shock absorption performance due to an excessively narrow width of the partition protector. (4) In the above-described embodiment, between the partition protectors adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction, a thin portion protruding from the outer surface with a protrusion amount smaller than that of the partition protector and connecting the partition protectors to each other may be further provided. According to this embodiment, since the partition protectors are connected to each other by the thin portion, the strength is increased and the attachment to the tank body can be facilitated. The present disclosure can also be realized in the form of a high-pressure tank in addition to the form of the protector for a high-pressure tank.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] A. First Embodiment: A1. Overall Configuration of High-Pressure Tank 1: Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. FIG. 1 is a side view showing the entirety of the high-pressure tank 1 in the first embodiment of the present disclosure. In FIG. 1, the central axis C of the high-pressure tank 1 is indicated by a dashed-dotted line. The high-pressure tank 1 of the present embodiment is used, for example, to store a gas such as hydrogen gas at a high pressure of about 70 to 80 MPa.

[0009] As shown in FIG. 1, the high-pressure tank 1 includes a tank body 2 and high-pressure tank protectors 3 and 4 (hereinafter simply referred to as "protectors 3 and 4"). As shown in FIG. 1, the tank body 2 can be divided into a cylindrical portion 21 having a hollow cylindrical shape and two dome portions 22 and 23 continuing on both sides of the cylindrical portion 21. The dome portions 22 and 23 have a base portion with a circular shape the same as the diameter of the cylindrical portion 21, and form a shape of a part of a substantially hemispherical surface that bulges upward in a dome shape from the base portion to the side.

[0010] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the high-pressure tank 1, and is a cross-sectional view when the high-pressure tank 1 is cut by a horizontal plane passing through the central axis C. As shown in FIG. 2, the tank body 2 includes a liner 24, a reinforcing layer 25, a valve-side base 26, and an end-side base 27 (see FIG. 1). The liner 24 forms an internal space 28 for sealing the fluid inside. The liner 24 is formed, for example, by joining two liner parts having a shape divided in the center in the longitudinal direction of the high-pressure tank 1. The liner 24 can be formed of, for example, a synthetic resin such as a nylon-based resin (polyamide-based resin) or a polyethylene-based resin, or a metal such as an aluminum alloy, and is formed of nylon in the present embodiment.

[0011] The reinforcing layer 25 covers the outer peripheral surface of the liner 24. The reinforcing layer 25 is a layer formed of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) and covers the entire outer surface of the liner 24. Specifically, it is a layer formed by winding a fiber bundle impregnated with resin around the surface of the liner 24 by the filament winding method (hereinafter referred to as the "FW method") and then curing the resin. In a typical FW method, hoop winding for covering the outer periphery of the cylinder portion 21 of the liner 24 and helical winding for covering the outer peripheries of the dome portions 22, 23 are used.

[0012] As the resin of the reinforcing layer 25, a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin, a polyester resin, or a polyamide resin can be used. Examples of the fibers constituting the reinforcing layer 25 include carbon fibers, glass fibers, and aramid fibers. The reinforcing layer 25 can also be formed by sequentially laminating layers with different fibers by performing winding by the FW method using a plurality of types of fibers (for example, glass fibers and carbon fibers). In the present embodiment, the reinforcing layer 25 is formed by sequentially laminating a layer made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) and a layer made of glass fiber-reinforced plastic (GFRP).

[0013] The valve-side base 26 is disposed at the position of the apex of the dome portion 22 on one end side (the left side in FIG. 1) of the liner 24. The valve-side base 26 has a through hole 29 that communicates with the internal space 28 of the high-pressure tank 1. The valve-side base 26 is provided with a valve (not shown) for opening and closing the opening of the valve-side base 26. The end-side base 27 is disposed at the position of the apex of the dome portion 23 on the other end side (the right side in FIG. 1) of the liner 24. The end-side base 27 has a bottomed hole (not shown). These valve-side base 26 and end-side base 27 are joined to the liner part by insert molding, for example, when the liner part is molded.

[0014] A2. Configuration of Protectors 3 and 4: Next, the configuration of the protectors 3 and 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. The protectors 3 and 4 are for protecting the tank body 2 against external impacts in order to ensure impact resistance when the high-pressure tank 1 is dropped during handling of the high-pressure tank 1. The protectors 3 and 4 can be formed of a resin such as foamed polyurethane having elasticity, for example. The protectors 3 and 4 are provided at both ends of the high-pressure tank 1 with substantially the same configuration. Therefore, here, the protector 3 on the valve-side base 26 side will be mainly described as an example.

[0015] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a part of the high-pressure tank 1 and shows a view seen from the valve-side base 26 side. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a part of the high-pressure tank 1 and shows a view seen from the dome portion 22 side. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the protector 3 is composed of a plurality (eight in this embodiment) of sectional protectors 31 provided by being divided in the circumferential direction of the dome portion 22. The sectional protector 31 is arranged to extend in the polar direction, which is the direction from the top of the dome portion 22 toward the cylinder portion 21, along the outer surface of the dome portion 22 and partitions the outer surface in the circumferential direction.

[0016] In this embodiment, eight sectional protectors 31 having the same shape are evenly arranged at equal intervals radially in the circumferential direction with respect to each of the dome portions 22 and 23. In FIGS. 3 and 4, a part of the eight sectional protectors 31 is omitted from the illustration. Most of the outer surfaces of the dome portions 22 and 23, except for the vicinity of the vertices of the dome portions 22 and 23 where the bases 26 and 27 are formed, are covered from above by the reinforcing layer 25 by these eight sectional protectors 31. Most means approximately 75% or more, that is, 270 degrees or more, of the entire outer circumference.

[0017] The entire protector 3 composed of eight sectional protectors 31 has a shape that removes the vicinity of the apex from a substantially hemispherical shape along the shape of the outer surface of the dome portion 22. The sectional protector 31 has a shape corresponding to a portion of the outer surface of the dome portion 22 excluding the vicinity of the apex, which corresponds to a sector shape in a range where the central angle is, for example, about 30 to 40 degrees in a plan view. The sectional protector 31 gradually widens toward the outer side in the radial direction, and the width d on the outer diameter side is larger than the width b on the inner diameter side. This width b on the inner diameter side is the minimum value in the polar direction of the width of the sectional protector 31. Chamfered portions 34 are formed on the outer surfaces of the circumferential ends of the sectional protector 31.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 2, the inner surface 32 in contact with the outer surface of the dome portion 22 in the sectional protector 31 has a smooth curved surface shape so as to generally follow the outer surface of the dome portion 22. The sectional protector 31 is assembled and fixed to a predetermined position on the outer surface of the reinforcing layer 25 of the dome portion 22 via an adhesive. Since the sectional protector 31 has elasticity, it is assembled so that its overall shape is slightly stretched during assembly.

[0019] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 again, a gap 33 is formed between the sectional protectors 31. The gap 33 is linearly continuous along the radial direction of the dome portion 22 when the outer surface of the dome portion 22 is viewed in the direction of the central axis C. The gap 33 gradually widens toward the outer side in the radial direction, and the width w2 on the outer diameter side of the gap 33 is larger than the width w1 on the inner diameter side. The gap 33 has a shape that is a part of an annular shape with a central angle of, for example, about 10 to 15 degrees in a plan view. In the first embodiment, each sectional protector 31 is completely separated by the gap 33 and is subdivided.

[0020] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining the installation form of the partition protector 31, and shows a view of the outer surface of the dome portion 22 in the axial direction of the cylinder portion 21. As shown in FIG. 5, when the angle formed between adjacent partition protectors 31 in the circumferential direction is defined as the partition angle θ, the radius of the high-pressure tank 1 is defined as the radius R, and the crush allowance of the partition protector 31 is defined as the crush allowance h, the following relational expression of formula (1) holds. COSθ≧(1 - h) / (2×R) ···(1)

[0021] Note that the "partition angle θ" is, as shown in FIG. 5, the angle formed between the center lines C1 in the width direction of the partition protector 31 between adjacent partition protectors 31 when viewed in the axial direction of the cylinder portion 21. The center line C1 passes through the center S of the high-pressure tank 1. The radius R is the length from the center S to the outer diameter side end of the partition protector 31, and is the length of the outermost diameter of the high-pressure tank 1.

[0022] The crush allowance h of the partition protector 31 is the crush allowance when a predetermined established load is applied to the partition protector 31. The established load is the load applied when assuming the drop test of the high-pressure tank 1. As the drop test, the 45-degree diagonal drop test (Japan Automobile Research Institute, Inc., Technical Standard JARIS001 (2004) for Containers for Compressed Hydrogen Automobile Fuel Devices), which is the most severe condition for the high-pressure tank 1, is assumed. FIG. 6 is a side view showing the partition protector 31 during the 45-degree diagonal drop test. The 45-degree diagonal drop test is a test in which the angle formed between the central axis C of the high-pressure tank 1 and the ground is 45 degrees, and the high-pressure tank 1 is dropped onto the ground 41 from a specified height appropriately determined by the center of gravity of the high-pressure tank 1.

[0023] With respect to the crush allowance h of the partition protector 311 located in the center in FIG. 5, if the crush allowance of the partition protector 312 adjacent to the left in FIG. 5 is at least about h / 2, impact absorption can be performed by both the central partition protector 311 and the adjacent partition protector 312. The above formula (1) is a relational expression for enabling impact absorption by a plurality of partition protectors 31 when the high-pressure tank 1 drops. By making θ somewhat smaller and increasing the number of partition protectors 31, the possibility of more effectively absorbing the impact by grounding with a plurality of partition protectors 31 increases. The width b of the partition protector 31 is set to be, for example, generally 1 / 20 or more of the radius R of the high-pressure tank 1 and to a size such that adjacent partition protectors 31 do not overlap. This is because if the width b of the partition protector 31 becomes too narrow, there is a concern that the impact absorption performance will decrease. The specific numerical value of the partition angle θ is generally 15 degrees or less.

[0024] (1) In the high-pressure tank 1 of the first embodiment, instead of covering the entire outer surface of the dome portions 22, 23 with a single continuous annular protector, it is covered by a plurality of partition protectors 31 that are approximately evenly divided at predetermined angles in the circumferential direction. When the high-pressure tank 1 drops and touches the ground near the gap 33, for example, the impact can be absorbed by two adjacent partition protectors 31. Therefore, compared with the case of grounding with a single protector, the input of the impact to the tank body 2 can be dispersed. Thus, the distortion of the tank body 2 during dropping can be suppressed.

[0025] The high-pressure tank 1 satisfies the above formula (1). As a test example, a drop test was conducted using the high-pressure tank 1 of the first embodiment with a total length L = 2000 mm, a radius R = 340 mm, a thickness t of the protector 3 = 78 mm, a width b of the protector = 30 mm, a partition angle θ = 12 degrees, and a tank weight of 235 kg. According to the analysis test results during tank dropping by the applicant, it was confirmed that in the high-pressure tank 1 of the first embodiment, the compressive strain acting on the tank body 2 due to the impact during dropping is reduced by about 1 / 2 compared with a tank having an integrally structured protector.

[0026] (2) Further, by providing a plurality of gaps 33, it is possible to form a configuration in which interference with peripheral components during vehicle mounting of the high-pressure tank 1 is more easily suppressed as compared with a single continuous annular protector. Also, the high-pressure tank 1 can be lightened, and the mountability of the high-pressure tank 1 can be improved. Furthermore, the material cost of the protector 3 and the adhesive used when assembling to the high-pressure tank 1 can be reduced. That is, according to the high-pressure tank 1 of the first embodiment, while ensuring sufficient strength against impact, an increase in the volume of the protectors 3 and 4 can be suppressed, and effects such as improvement in vehicle mountability and cost reduction can be achieved.

[0027] (3) In the high-pressure tank 1 of the first embodiment, since the plurality of partition protectors 31 have the same configuration, the manufacture of the partition protectors 31 is easy. Also, the plurality of partition protectors 31 can be easily assembled to the tank body 2.

[0028] B. Second Embodiment: Next, the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 7. In the second embodiment, components substantially the same as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a part of the high-pressure tank 1 of the second embodiment, and shows a view seen from the valve-side base 26 side.

[0029] The high-pressure tank 1 of the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that in the protector 3, a thin portion 35 is formed and the depth of the gap 33 is small. In the first embodiment, each partition protector 31 was completely separated by the gap 33, but in the second embodiment, each partition protector 31 is formed continuously in a circumferential shape with the thin portion 35 intervening while being partitioned by the thin portion 35.

[0030] The protruding amount of the thin-walled portion 35 from the outer surfaces of the dome portions 22 and 23 is smaller than the protruding amount of the partition protector 31. Due to this step difference between the thin-walled portion 35 and the partition protector 31, a gap 33 is formed. As an example of the protruding amount of the partition protector 31, for example, it is the thickness t (see FIG. 6) of the thickest portion where the chamfered portion 34 is formed. The thickness t corresponds to the distance from the grounding point when the high-pressure tank 1 touches the ground to the tank body 2 in the 45-degree diagonal drop test.

[0031] Also in the second embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be achieved. Furthermore, since the partition protectors 31 are connected by the thin-walled portion 35, the strength of the protector 3 is increased and the attachment of the partition protector 31 to the tank body 2 can be facilitated.

[0032] C. Other Embodiments: (C1) Although the protectors 3 and 4 provided in the high-pressure tank 1 of the first embodiment are configured by eight partition protectors 31, the number of partition protectors 31 does not have to be eight. The number of partition protectors 31 may be any integer of two or more, for example, two to eight, or nine or more.

[0033] (C2) Also, the shapes of the partition protector 31 and the gap 33 are not limited to the above form. For example, the plurality of partition protectors 31 do not have to have the same shape. Also, the widths of the partition protector 31 and the gap 33 may be constant in the radial direction.

[0034] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be realized in various configurations without departing from the gist thereof. For example, the technical features in each embodiment corresponding to the technical features in each form described in the summary of the invention can be appropriately replaced or combined in order to solve some or all of the above-described problems, or to achieve some or all of the above-described effects. Also, if the technical feature is not described as essential in this specification, it can be appropriately deleted.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0035] 1... High-pressure tank, 2... Tank body, 3, 4... Protectors, 21... Cylinder part, 22, 23... Dome parts, 24... Liner, 25... Reinforcement layer, 26... Valve-side base, 27... End-side base, 28... Internal space, 29... Through-hole, 31, 311, 312... Partition protectors, 32... Inner surface, 33... Gap, 34... Chamfered part, 35... Thin-walled part, 41... Ground

Claims

1. A high-pressure tank protector used for a high-pressure tank including a tank body having dome portions at both ends of a cylindrical cylinder portion and forming an internal space for sealing a fluid, comprising: a plurality of partition protectors arranged to extend in a polar direction, which is a direction from the top of the dome portion toward the cylinder portion along the outer surface of the dome portion, and partitioning the outer surface in a circumferential direction; when the outer surface is viewed in the axial direction of the cylinder portion, a linear gap continuous in the polar direction is formed between the partition protectors adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction; when the angle formed between the partition protectors adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction when the outer surface of the dome portion is viewed in the axial direction of the cylinder portion is θ, the radius of the high-pressure tank is R, and the crush allowance when a predetermined load is applied to the partition protector is h, COSθ≧(1 - h) / (2×R) satisfies the relationship; when the outer surface of the dome portion is viewed in the axial direction of the cylinder portion, the minimum value in the polar direction of the width of the partition protector is not less than 1 / 20 of the radius of the high-pressure tank and is sized such that the partition protectors adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction do not overlap, A high-pressure tank protector.

2. The high-pressure tank protector according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of partition protectors have the same shape and are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

3. The high-pressure tank protector according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a thin portion protruding from the outer surface with a protrusion amount smaller than that of the partition protector and connecting the partition protectors between the partition protectors adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction.

4. A high-pressure tank, comprising: a tank body having dome portions at both ends of a cylindrical cylinder portion and forming an internal space for sealing a fluid; and a plurality of partition protectors arranged to extend in a polar direction, which is a direction from the top of the dome portion toward the cylinder portion along the outer surface of the dome portion, and partitioning the outer surface in a circumferential direction; wherein when the outer surface is viewed in the axial direction of the cylinder portion, a linear gap continuous in the polar direction is formed between the partition protectors adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction; when the angle formed between the partition protectors adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction when the outer surface of the dome portion is viewed in the axial direction of the cylinder portion is θ, the radius of the high-pressure tank is R, and the crush allowance when a predetermined load is applied to the partition protector is h, COSθ ≥ (1 - h) / (2 × R) satisfies the relationship of when the outer surface of the dome part is viewed in the axial direction of the cylinder part, the minimum value in the polar direction of the width of the partition protector is not less than 1 / 20 of the radius of the high-pressure tank, and the partition protectors adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction do not overlap with each other high-pressure tank

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