gas bottle

Abstract

To stably hold a housing member without complicating a structure in a container body.SOLUTION: A gas container is equipped with a cylindrical container body 10 that has an inner space for collecting gas, a mouth piece 30 that is attached to an axial end portion of the container body 10, a storage material 60 that occludes and discharges gas, and a cylindrical storage member 50 that is disposed in the inner space and has a storage space storing the housing material 60. The mouth piece 30 and the storage member 60 has recessed / projection structures fitted with each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a gas container capable of absorbing and releasing gas. [Background technology]

[0002] There is known a gas container (for example, Patent Document 1) that is mounted on a vehicle or the like to store and release gases such as hydrogen gas and natural gas. The gas container described in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a storage material such as a hydrogen storage alloy. The storage material physically or chemically stores and releases the gas to be stored. The storage material is contained and held in a storage member that is placed in the internal space of a cylindrical container body. This storage material can increase the amount of gas that can be stored in the internal space of the container body.

[0003] The storage material generates heat when it absorbs gas and absorbs heat when it releases gas. This temperature change in the storage material affects the gas storage performance. Therefore, if temperature imbalance occurs throughout the storage material, the storage material will not be able to maximize its performance. Therefore, in the gas container described in Patent Document 1 above, piping is provided for flowing a heat exchange medium to exchange heat with the storage material in order to control the temperature of the storage material. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-177536 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the gas container described in Patent Document 1, the storage member that stores the storage material is held on the inner surface of the container body via a support member in the internal space of the container body. However, the container body, particularly if made of resin, may expand depending on the amount of gas stored, which may cause the storage member to become unstable in the internal space of the container body. Furthermore, if a support member is interposed between the inner surface of the container body and the storage member, it is necessary to adopt a structure in which the support member is attached to the inner surface of the container body and to the storage member, which may complicate the structure within the container body.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of these points, and aims to provide a gas container that can stably hold a storage member without complicating the structure within the container body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a gas container comprising a cylindrical container body having an internal space for storing gas, a nozzle attached to the axial end of the container body, a storage material that absorbs and releases gas, and a cylindrical storage member that is placed in the internal space and has a storage space for storing the storage material, wherein the nozzle and the storage member have a concave-convex structure that fits into each other.

[0008] According to this configuration, the containing member can be stably held without complicating the structure inside the container body. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a gas container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a gas container according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the gas container according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a nozzle provided on the gas container according to the embodiment. [Figure 5]4. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the gas container according to the embodiment taken along line IV-IV in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Specific embodiments of the gas container according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0011] A gas container 1 according to one embodiment is a container that stores gas and releases the stored gas. The gas container 1 is mounted on a vehicle or the like that uses the stored gas as fuel. The gas stored in the gas container 1 may be any type of gas, but is preferably a fuel gas such as hydrogen gas or natural gas. The pressure of the gas that can be stored in the gas container 1 may be any pressure, but may also be high pressure (for example, 100 MPa). In other words, the gas container 1 may be a pressure container or a pressure-resistant container.

[0012] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the gas container 1 includes a container body 10, mouthpieces 20 and 30, a reinforcing member 40, a containing member 50, and a storage material 60.

[0013] The container body 10 is a liner for storing gas. The container body 10 has an internal space 11. The internal space 11 has a capacity for storing a predetermined amount of gas. The container body 10 is made of a material with gas barrier properties that does not or hardly allows the gas stored in the internal space 11 to pass through. The material of the container body 10 may be selected depending on the environment in which the gas container 1 is used, etc.

[0014] For example, when the gas is hydrogen, the material of the container body 10 is polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin, or the like. The inside of the container body 10 may be coated with a material with excellent gas barrier properties, such as ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH). Furthermore, when the mass of the gas container 1 can be large, such as when the gas container 1 is used in a house, the material of the container body 10 may be a metal material, such as aluminum or stainless steel.

[0015] The container body 10 is formed in a cylindrical shape so as to contain the internal space 11. The container body 10 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical or regular polygonal cylindrical shape so that the gas pressure is uniformly dispersed within the internal space 11. The container body 10 extends in the axial direction. The container body 10 is formed so that the diameter of both axial end portions decreases from the axial center toward the axial end portions.

[0016] The container body 10 may be formed by connecting and integrating a plurality of segments by welding, adhesion, etc. For example, as shown in Fig. 3, the container body 10 may be configured with two cylindrical segments 10a and 10b and two dome-shaped segments 10c and 10d, with the segments lined up in the order of dome segment 10c → cylindrical segment 10a → cylindrical segment 10b → dome segment 10d from one axial end to the other axial end.

[0017] The container body 10 has openings 12 and 13. The opening 12 is a portion that opens at one axial end of the container body 10. The opening 13 is a portion that opens at the other axial end of the container body 10. The openings 12 and 13 are provided at both axial ends of the container body 10 and are formed, for example, in a circular shape. A nozzle 20 is inserted into the opening 12. Furthermore, a nozzle 30 is inserted into the opening 13.

[0018] The nozzles 20, 30 are members that allow gas to pass between the internal space 11 of the container body 10 and the outside. That is, the nozzles 20, 30 are used to introduce gas from the outside of the container body 10 into the internal space 11 and to release gas from the internal space 11 to the outside of the container body 10. The nozzles 20, 30 are attached to the axial ends of the container body 10. A sealing member such as an O-ring is interposed between the nozzles 20, 30 and the container body 10 to prevent gas from leaking from the internal space 11 of the container body 10 to the outside.

[0019] The nozzles 20, 30 have communication passages 21, 31. The communication passages 21, 31 are passages that connect the internal space 11 of the container body 10 to the outside. The communication passages 21, 31 extend in the axial direction and are formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape. The communication passages 21, 31 are connected to a gas pipe and a valve (not shown).

[0020] The gas container 1 may allow gas to flow in and out through both the communicating passages 21, 31 of the nozzles 20, 30, or may allow gas to flow in and out through only one of the communicating passages (specifically, the communicating passage 31) and have a stopper attached to the other (specifically, the communicating passage 21) as shown in FIG. 2. The gas container 1 may also have the nozzle 20 or nozzle 30 for allowing gas to flow in and out attached to either one of the axial ends of the container body 10. The container body 10 may be formed separately from the nozzles 20, 30 and then integrated with the nozzles 20, 30 by inserting the nozzles 20, 30 after the formation. The container body 10 may also be molded integrally with the nozzles 20, 30 by, for example, insert molding.

[0021] The nozzles 20 and 30 function as heat exchangers through which a heat exchange medium circulates to adjust the temperature of the gas container 1. While it is preferable that both nozzles 20 and 30 function as heat exchangers, it is also possible for either one of the nozzles 20 and 30 to function as a heat exchanger. For example, when gas flows in and out through one nozzle (e.g., nozzle 30), the other nozzle (e.g., nozzle 20) on the axially opposite side of the nozzle may function as a heat exchanger. Hereinafter, in this embodiment, it is assumed that gas flows in and out through nozzle 30 and that nozzle 20 functions as a heat exchanger.

[0022] As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5, the base 20 has an inlet 22, an outlet 23, and a passage 24. The inlet 22 is an opening through which the heat exchange medium flows in from the outside. An external storage tank, piping, and a valve (none of which are shown) are connected to the inlet 22. The outlet 23 is an opening through which the heat exchange medium flows out to the outside. An external storage tank and piping (none of which are shown) are connected to the outlet 23. The passage 24 is a piping portion through which the heat exchange medium flows, with one end connected to the inlet 22 and the other end connected to the outlet 23.

[0023] The heat exchange medium is a medium that exchanges heat with the internal space 11 of the container body 10 and, in turn, with the storage material 60, and may be a liquid such as cooling water. The heat exchange medium flows into the inlet 22 from the outside, flows through the passage 24, and then flows out from the outlet 23 to the outside.

[0024] The base 20 has a base main body 26 and a lid body 27. Note that the base 20 only needs to be configured with at least the base main body 26 and the lid body 27, and may also be configured to include a separate wall body 28. Hereinafter, in this embodiment, the base 20 is assumed to be configured to include the wall body 28.

[0025] The nozzle body 26 is the main body member of the nozzle 20. To ensure rigidity, the nozzle body 26 is made of metal such as aluminum or stainless steel. The nozzle body 26 has a shaft portion 26a and a flange portion 26b. The shaft portion 26a is a portion that extends in the axial direction. The shaft portion 26a is formed in a shape (for example, a cylindrical shape) that fits into the opening 12 of the container body 10. The above-mentioned communicating passage 21 is provided in the axial center of the shaft portion 26a. The flange portion 26b is a portion that expands in the radial direction. The flange portion 26b is integrated with the shaft portion 26a. The flange portion 26b is formed in a shape that extends radially outward from the outer surface of the shaft portion 26a to fit along the outer surface of the dome segment 10c of the container body 10.

[0026] A groove 26c is formed in the base body 26. Specifically, the groove 26c is formed on the axial end surface of the shaft portion 26a of the base body 26 so as to open axially outward. The axial depth of the groove 26c is set so that the groove 26c is as close as possible to the axial end surface on the opposite side of the shaft portion 26a. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the groove 26c is formed in an annular shape so as to extend continuously in the circumferential direction around the axial center of the shaft portion 26a. The cross section of the groove 26c may be, for example, a square shape consisting of a bottom surface and a side surface, or a curved semicircular shape.

[0027] The lid 27 is a member that closes the groove 26c of the base body 26. The lid 27 is made of a resin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyvinyl chloride, which has lower thermal conductivity than the base body 26. The lid 27 is formed in an annular shape to fit the groove 26c, and is also formed in a tubular (e.g., cylindrical) shape. The axial length of the lid 27 is shorter than the axial depth of the groove 26c so that a space is formed between the base body 26 and the lid 27 in the groove 26c.

[0028] The inlet 22, the outlet 23, and the passage 24 each have a size (e.g., area, cross-sectional area, length, etc.) necessary and sufficient for heat exchange between the heat exchange medium and the storage material 60. The inlet 22 and the outlet 23 are formed in the lid 27 (specifically, on its axial end surface). The inlet 22 and the outlet 23 are not arranged symmetrically about the axial center of the lid 27, but are arranged asymmetrically so as to be close to each other in the circumferential direction. In order to prevent pressure loss of the heat exchange medium due to a sudden diameter expansion or contraction of the flow path, it is desirable that the flow path near the inlet 22 or the outlet 23 be configured to gradually expand or contract in diameter.

[0029] The inlet 22 and the outlet 23 each communicate with a passage 24. The passage 24 is formed in a base body 26 and a lid body 27. The passage 24 is formed to include a space between the base body 26 and the lid body 27 in the groove 26c. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the passage 24 has a first passage portion 24a, a second passage portion 24b, and a third passage portion 24c.

[0030] The first passage portion 24a is a portion formed in the lid body 27 and connected to the inlet 22. The first passage portion 24a extends in the axial direction as a through-hole penetrating the lid body 27. The second passage portion 24b is a portion formed between the nozzle body 26 and the lid body 27 in the groove portion 26c. The second passage portion 24b is interposed between the first passage portion 24a and the third passage portion 24c. The second passage portion 24b is a space surrounded by the nozzle body 26 and the lid body 27, which remains axially at the back side of the groove portion 26c when the lid body 27 closes the axial opening side of the groove portion 26c of the nozzle body 26. The passage portion 24 extends annularly around the axial center. The third passage portion 24c is a portion formed in the lid body 27 and connected to the outlet 23. The third passage portion 24c extends in the axial direction as a through-hole penetrating the lid body 27.

[0031] The wall body 28 is a partition member that divides a portion of the annular groove portion 26c into an inlet 22 side and an outlet 23 side. The wall body 28 is disposed in the groove portion 26c at an intermediate position between the inlet 22 and the outlet 23, which are circumferentially adjacent to each other. The wall body 28 has a partition portion 28a. The partition portion 28a blocks a portion of the groove portion 26c to form a C-shaped passage portion 24 around the axial center. The wall body 28 blocks the shorter path of two paths (e.g., a clockwise path and a counterclockwise path as viewed from the inlet 22) that connect the inlet 22 and the outlet 23 in the annular groove portion 26c, and allows the longer path to function as the passage portion 24.

[0032] Wall body 28 is formed from a resin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyvinyl chloride, which has lower thermal conductivity than base body 26. Wall body 28 is configured as a separate body from base body 26 and lid body 27. Wall body 28 is attached to at least one of base body 26 and lid body 27 and fixed to base body 26 and lid body 27 so that movement within groove portion 26c is restricted.

[0033] The reinforcing member 40 is a member that covers the radial outer surface of the container body 10 to reinforce the container body 10. The reinforcing member 40 is particularly suitable for use when the gas container 1 is a pressure-resistant container. The reinforcing member 40 is made of, for example, high-strength fiber impregnated with resin (i.e., FRP). The high-strength fiber is carbon fiber, glass fiber, aramid fiber, or the like. The resin impregnated into the high-strength fiber is a thermosetting resin such as epoxy resin, unsaturated polyester resin, or vinyl ester resin.

[0034] The reinforcing member 40 may be formed, for example, as a helical layer or a hoop layer by winding high-strength fibers impregnated with resin around the outer surface of the container body 10, or may be formed by attaching a helical layer or a hoop layer formed in a sheet shape using resin and high-strength fibers to the outer surface of the container body 10. Furthermore, the reinforcing member 40 may be formed by heat-curing the resin after forming the helical layer or the hoop layer.

[0035] The storage member 50 is a member that stores the storage material 60, which will be described in detail later. The storage member 50 is arranged in the internal space 11 of the container body 10. The storage member 50 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the axial direction of the gas container 1. The storage member 50 is formed in a honeycomb shape. The storage member 50 has a partition wall 51 and a storage space 52.

[0036] The partition wall 51 is a plate-shaped wall portion that partitions the storage space 52. The storage space 52 is a space that stores the storage material 60. The storage material 60 is stored in the storage space 52 and held by the partition wall 51. A plurality of storage spaces 52 are provided. The plurality of storage spaces 52 are arranged side by side in the radial direction from the axial center and side by side in the radial direction around the axial center so as to form the honeycomb shape of the storage member 50.

[0037] Each storage space 52 extends in a columnar shape in the axial direction. A cross section of each storage space 52 cut along a plane perpendicular to the axial direction may be a regular polygonal shape such as a regular hexagon. When the cross section of the storage space 52 is a regular hexagon, the storage space 52 is partitioned by six partition walls 51. Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape of each storage space 52 may be constant regardless of the axial position. All storage spaces 52 may be formed in the same shape, or may be formed in shapes different from each other. Two adjacent storage spaces 52 may be partitioned by the partition walls 51 abutting each other, or may be partitioned by a single common partition wall 51.

[0038] The partition walls 51 are formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the storage spaces 52. The partition walls 51 are arranged in the internal space 11 of the container body 10 in correspondence with the plurality of storage spaces 52. The partition walls 51 are formed of a thermally conductive material and function as a heat exchanger. The thermally conductive material constituting the partition walls 51 is a material whose thermal conductivity at room temperature (e.g., 25°C) is higher than that of air, and specific examples of the thermally conductive material include metals, alloys, ceramics, etc., such as stainless steel, aluminum, alumina, and silicon carbide.

[0039] The partition wall 51 may be formed by integrating plate materials together by welding or bonding, or by extruding and firing ceramic raw materials, etc. The thickness of the partition wall 51 is preferably not excessively large in order to reduce the weight of the gas container 1 and increase the gas storage capacity, and is preferably less than 1 mm, for example.

[0040] Furthermore, the partition wall 51 may have a communication path that connects adjacent storage spaces 52. This communication path is provided in order to spread the gas evenly throughout the entire internal space 11 and make the gas concentration and heat in the internal space 11 uniform or approximately uniform, thereby improving the gas absorption and release performance. One or more communication paths may be provided for each partition wall 51, and when two or more communication paths are provided for one partition wall 51, they may be provided continuously or intermittently and spaced apart in the axial direction.

[0041] The center of the accommodating member 50 is hollow. A connecting portion 53 is integrated with the center of the accommodating member 50. The connecting portion 53 is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape and extends axially toward the nozzle 20 side and the nozzle 30 side. One axial end of the connecting portion 53, which is on the nozzle 20 side, protrudes axially outward from one axial end of the accommodating member 50 (specifically, the partition wall 51). The other axial end of the connecting portion 53, which is on the nozzle 30 side, protrudes axially outward from the other axial end of the accommodating member 50 (specifically, the partition wall 51). The connecting portion 53 is made of the same material as the partition wall 51.

[0042] The nozzles 20, 30 and the accommodating member 50 have a recessed and protruding structure that fits into each other. Specifically, one axial end of the connecting portion 53 of the accommodating member 50 fits into the nozzle body 26 of the nozzle 20. One axial end of the connecting portion 53 contacts and is assembled to the nozzle body 26. The nozzle body 26 has a fitting groove 26d. The connecting portion 53 has a fitting protrusion 53a.

[0043] The fitting groove 26d is a groove into which the fitting protrusion 53a fits. The fitting groove 26d opens on the axially inner end surface of the shaft portion 26a of the base body 26 and extends axially outward from the opening. The fitting groove 26d and the communicating passage 21 communicate with each other. The diameter of the fitting groove 26d is larger than the diameter of the communicating passage 21.

[0044] The fitting protrusion 53a is a portion that fits into the fitting groove 26d. The fitting protrusion 53a is provided on one axial end side of the connecting portion 53. The fitting protrusion 53a protrudes axially outward in a shaft-like shape from one axial end of the accommodating member 50 (specifically, the partition wall 51). Note that, to ensure contact between the fitting protrusion 53a of the connecting portion 53 and the fitting groove 26d of the base body 26, the fitting protrusion 53a and the fitting groove 26d may be formed in a tapered shape so as to gradually increase or decrease in diameter. Furthermore, to increase the contact area between the accommodating member 50 and the base body 26, a heat transfer fin may be attached to one axial end of the connecting portion 53 or the accommodating member 50.

[0045] Note that various methods can be used to fix the mouthpiece 20 and the housing member 50, which fit together with a concave-convex structure. This fixation can be performed by any method that can prevent relative movement between the mouthpiece 20 and the housing member 50, such as press fitting, bolting, screwing, welding, or melt-adhesion.

[0046] In this embodiment, the gas container 1 includes a fixing member 70, as shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4. The fixing member 70 is a member that fixes the nozzle 20 and the accommodating member 50. Specifically, the fixing member 70 is a shaft member on which a male thread is formed. The fixing member 70 is configured as a separate body from the nozzle 20 and the accommodating member 50. The fitting protrusion 53a of the connecting portion 53 of the accommodating member 50 has a hole 54. The hole 54 is a portion on which a female thread corresponding to the male thread of the fixing member 70 is formed. The hole 54 is provided so as to penetrate through an axial end surface portion on one axial end side of the fitting protrusion 53a.

[0047] The nozzle body 26 of the nozzle 20 has a communication passage 21 provided in the shaft portion 26a. As described above, the communication passage 21 is a passage that connects the internal space 11 of the container body 10 to the outside. The communication passage 21 is a through-hole that penetrates the nozzle body 26 and through which the fixing member 70 is inserted. The fixing member 70 is inserted into the communication passage 21 from the outside of the nozzle 20 and is screwed into the connecting portion 53. The nozzle 20 and the accommodating member 50 are fastened to each other by screwing the male thread of the fixing member 70 into the female thread of the accommodating member 50 (specifically, the hole 54 of the fitting protrusion 53a of the connecting portion 53) with the fixing member 70 inserted into the communication passage 21 of the nozzle body 26.

[0048] The other axial end side of the connecting portion 53 is fitted into the base 30 and is assembled in contact with the base 30. The connecting portion 53 has a fitting protrusion 53b. The communicating passage 31 of the base 30 forms a fitting groove into which the fitting protrusion 53b fits. The fitting protrusion 53b is provided on the other axial end side of the connecting portion 53. The fitting protrusion 53b protrudes axially outward in a shaft-like shape from the other axial end of the accommodating member 50 (specifically, the partition wall 51).

[0049] Various methods can be used to fasten the mouthpiece 30 and the housing member 50, which fit together with a concave-convex structure. This fastening can be performed by any method that prevents relative movement between the mouthpiece 30 and the housing member 50, such as press-fitting, bolting, screwing, welding, or fusing. In this embodiment, the mouthpiece 30 and the housing member 50 are screwed together.

[0050] A male thread is formed on the radial outer surface of the fitting protrusion 53b of the connecting portion 53. A female thread is formed on the radial inner surface that forms the communication passage 31 of the base 30. The base 30 and the accommodating member 50 are fastened to each other by threading the female thread of the base 30 into the male thread of the fitting protrusion 53b of the connecting portion 53.

[0051] As shown in Fig. 4, the gas container 1 also includes a seal member 80. The seal member 80 seals the internal space 11 of the container body 10 from the outside. The seal member 80 is interposed between the fixing member 70 and the nozzle body 26, and seals the internal space 11 when the fixing member 70 is inserted into the communication passage 21 of the nozzle body 26 of the nozzle 20. The seal member 80 is formed, for example, in an annular shape, and is disposed between the outer surface of the shaft portion of the fixing member 70 and the inner surface that forms the communication passage 21 of the nozzle body 26. The seal member 80 is an O-ring or the like.

[0052] The gas container 1 may include a seal member interposed between the nozzles 20, 30 and the accommodating member 50 to seal the internal space 11. For example, the seal member applied to the nozzle 20 side may be disposed between the radial inner surface of the fitting groove 26d of the nozzle body 26 and the radial outer surface of the fitting protrusion 53a of the connecting portion 53, or may be disposed between the axial inner end surface of the shaft portion 26a of the nozzle body 26 and the axial outer end surface of the general portion of the connecting portion 53. The general portion of the connecting portion 53 refers to a portion whose diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the fitting protrusion 53a, and specifically refers to a portion that is sandwiched between the fitting protrusions 53a and 53b, is positioned axially intermediate, and fits into the hollow portion of the accommodating member 50.

[0053] The storage material 60 is a member that absorbs and releases gas. The storage material 60 is contained in the storage space 52 and is held by the partition wall 51. The storage material 60 may be contained in all of the storage spaces 52 of the storage member 50, or may be contained in only a portion of all of the storage spaces. The reason why the storage spaces 52 in which the storage material 60 is contained are limited to a portion is to make the storage spaces 52 that do not contain the storage material 60 function as gas flow paths and to homogenize the gas concentration in the internal space 11.

[0054] The storage material 60 is formed in a columnar shape following the shape of the storage space 52. The storage material 60 extends in the axial direction. A cross section of the storage material 60 cut along a plane perpendicular to the axial direction corresponds to the cross section of the storage space 52 and may be a regular polygonal shape such as a regular hexagon. The storage material 60 is made of a material that corresponds to the type of gas to be stored. Examples of materials for the storage material 60 include porous carbon materials such as carbon nanotubes, porous metal complexes (i.e., MOFs), zeolites, hydrogen storage alloys, and metal hydrides.

[0055] The storage material 60 is formed in a pellet-like state, that is, by solidifying powders such as primary particles and secondary particles. The pellet-like storage material 60 can ensure a large contact area between the storage material 60 and the gas, thereby improving the gas absorption and desorption performance. In order to ensure a sufficient gas storage capacity, the volume of the storage material 60 is preferably close to 100% of the volume of the storage space 52, but it may be 90% or more. The storage material 60 is formed by cross-linking powder of the storage material with a cross-linking agent or binding it with a binder. The cross-linking agent or binder is formed from, for example, a silicon-based, epoxy-based, or amine-based material.

[0056] The storage material 60 has performance that changes depending on the axial position. Specifically, the storage material 60 may be configured so that the breakage resistance is higher at the axial end portions than at the axial center portion. This breakage resistance is an index that indicates the resistance of the storage material 60, which is solidified with powder, to being pulverized. This breakage resistance can be expressed in terms of strength, rigidity, abrasion resistance, viscosity, elasticity, etc.

[0057] Furthermore, if the amount of cross-linking agent or the like that cross-links the material powder of the storage material 60 increases, the amount of storage material 60 that can be accommodated in the accommodation space 52 decreases accordingly, and the amount of gas that the storage material 60 can store decreases, resulting in a decrease in the occlusion / release performance of the storage material 60. Therefore, in the storage material 60, having higher breakage resistance at the axial end portions compared to the axial center portion is synonymous with having lower occlusion / release performance at the axial end portions compared to the axial center portion.

[0058] An example of a method for manufacturing the gas container 1 will now be described. First, the two cylindrical segments 10a, 10b and the two dome segments 10c, 10d that make up the container body 10 are each prepared by injection molding or the like. Then, a nozzle 20 is attached to the opening 12 of one of the dome segments 10c together with a sealing member, and a nozzle 30 is attached to the opening 13 of the other dome segment 10d together with a sealing member. Also, a honeycomb-shaped storage member 50 is prepared, and pellet-shaped storage material 60 is prepared for each. The storage material 60 is then inserted into the storage space 52 of the storage member 50.

[0059] Next, the fitting protrusion 53b of the connecting portion 53 of the accommodating member 50 is screwed into the base 30 and brought into contact with the base 30, thereby assembling and fixing the accommodating member 50 to the base 30. Then, the cylindrical segments 10b, 10a are connected (for example, by welding) to the other dome segment 10d to which the base 30 is attached. Also, the fitting protrusion 53a of the connecting portion 53 is fitted into the fitting groove 26d of the base body 26 and brought into contact with the base 20, thereby temporarily assembling the accommodating member 50 to the base 20. Next, the one dome segment 10c to which the base 20 is attached and the cylindrical segment 10a are connected (for example, by welding) to each other. Then, the fixing member 70 is screwed into the accommodating member 50, thereby assembling and fixing the accommodating member 50 to the base 20.

[0060] Finally, the reinforcing member 40 is coated on the outer surface of the container body 10 by a filament winding (FW) method. In this manner, the gas container 1 is manufactured.

[0061] The operation and function of the gas container 1 will now be described. In the manufactured gas container 1, when gas is supplied to the internal space 11 of the container body 10 through the nozzle 30, the gas flows from the axial end face of the container member 50 located in the internal space 11 on the nozzle 30 side through the hollow of the connecting portion 53 into each storage space 52 of the container member 50. The gas that has flowed into the storage space 52 flows from the nozzle 30 side to the nozzle 20 side of the storage space 52 and is gradually occluded in the storage material 60 stored and held in the storage space 52.

[0062] In addition, the gas that flows into a storage space 52 in which no storage material 60 is placed among all the storage spaces 52 flows through that storage space 52 from the nozzle 30 side to the nozzle 20 side. At this time, in a structure in which the partition wall 51 has a communication path that connects adjacent storage spaces 52, part of the gas that has flowed through the storage space 52 flows into the adjacent storage space 52 through the communication path.

[0063] In this way, the gas can be filled uniformly throughout the internal space 11 of the gas container 1, resulting in a uniform gas concentration. In particular, with a structure in which the storage material 60 is not disposed in some of the storage spaces 52 or a structure in which the above-mentioned communication path is provided in the partition wall 51, the gas flow path can be laid out throughout the internal space 11, allowing the gas to be distributed throughout the entire internal space 11.

[0064] In the gas container 1 described above, a storage member 50 that stores and holds a storage material 60 is disposed in the internal space 11 of the container body 10. The storage member 50 has partition walls 51 that divide the storage spaces 52, and is formed in a honeycomb shape with the partition walls 51 extending around the storage spaces 52 so that the multiple storage spaces 52 are regularly arranged in the internal space 11. The storage material 60 is stored in the storage spaces 52 and held by the partition walls 51. The partition walls 51 are formed of a thermally conductive material. Therefore, the internal space 11 is thermally uniform throughout, and the temperature of the storage material 60 in the internal space 11 is uniform.

[0065] The partition wall 51 is in contact with the nozzles 20, 30 via the connecting portion 53, and is thermally connected to the nozzles 20, 30. In this case, the partition wall 51 indirectly exchanges heat with the nozzles 20, 30, so that the temperature of the internal space 11 and the storage material 60 is efficiently and quickly adjusted. Therefore, the gas container 1 allows gas to be smoothly absorbed into the storage material 60 in the internal space 11 and released from the storage material 60.

[0066] Furthermore, in the gas container 1, the nozzle 20 functions as a heat exchanger through which a heat exchange medium circulates in order to adjust the temperature of the gas container 1. The nozzle body 26 of the nozzle 20 is formed from metal and is in contact with a connecting portion 53 of the storage member 50 that stores and holds the storage material 60. The nozzle 20 has an inlet 22 through which the heat exchange medium flows in, an outlet 23 through which the heat exchange medium flows out, and a passage portion 24 having one end connected to the inlet 22 and the other end connected to the outlet 23 and through which the heat exchange medium flows.

[0067] In this nozzle 20, the heat exchange medium flows into the inlet 22 from the outside of the nozzle 20, flows through the passage 24, and then flows out of the nozzle 20 from the outlet 23. When the heat exchange medium circulates through the inside and outside of the nozzle 20 in this way, heat is exchanged between the heat exchange medium and the containing member 50 and ultimately the storage material 60 in the internal space 11 of the container body 10. In particular, because the nozzle 20 and the containing member 50 are in contact with each other, heat generated by the storage material 60 is easily transferred to the nozzle 20 via the containing member 50, and this heat is easily discharged to the outside via the heat exchange medium.

[0068] Therefore, according to the gas container 1, the storage material 60 can be cooled by circulating the heat exchange medium through the inside and outside of the nozzle 20, and the temperature of the storage material 60 can be appropriately controlled. In order to control the temperature of the storage material 60, it is not necessary to arrange a pipe in the internal space 11 of the container body 10 for circulating the heat exchange medium that exchanges heat with the storage material 60.

[0069] Therefore, the gas container 1 can simplify the structure for controlling the temperature of the storage material. Furthermore, since the amount of storage material 60 can be increased by eliminating the piping space in the internal space 11, the amount of gas stored can be increased, thereby improving the gas storage and release performance using the storage material 60. Furthermore, the piping for circulating the heat exchange medium that exchanges heat with the storage material 60 in the gas container 1 is limited to the nozzle 20. Therefore, even if the shape or size of the container body 10 (excluding the portion where the nozzle 20 is attached) changes, heat exchange can be performed using the same nozzle 20. In other words, the nozzle 20 can be shared when performing heat exchange with many types of container bodies 10, and the manufacturing cost of the gas container 1 can be reduced.

[0070] In the gas container 1, the nozzle 20 has a nozzle body 26 in which a groove 26c is formed, and a lid 27 that closes the groove 26c. The inlet 22 and the outlet 23 are formed in the lid 27, and the passage 24 is formed to include a space between the nozzle body 26 and the lid 27 in the groove 26c. Specifically, a part of the passage 24 (specifically, the second passage 24b) is a space that remains behind the groove 26c of the nozzle body 26 when the lid 27 closes the groove 26c.

[0071] In this configuration, the lid body 27, in which the inlet 22 and the outlet 23 as well as the first passage portion 24a and the third passage portion 24c are formed, is attached to the nozzle body 26 to block the groove portion 26c of the nozzle body 26, thereby forming the passage portion 24 (specifically, the second passage portion 24b).Therefore, the structure for making the nozzle 20 function as a heat exchanger can be simplified, and the manufacture of the gas container 1 can be facilitated.

[0072] In the gas container 1, the groove 26c formed in the nozzle body 26 is formed in an annular shape around the axial center on the axial end surface of the shaft portion 26a of the nozzle body 26. The nozzle 20 has a wall 28 that divides the groove 26c into an inlet 22 side and an outlet 23 side to form a passage 24. In this case, a part of the groove 26c is blocked by the partition portion 28a of the wall 28, thereby forming a C-shaped passage 24 around the axial center of the nozzle 20. This makes it possible to suppress temperature deviation around the axial center of the nozzle 20, thereby enabling efficient and rapid temperature adjustment of the storage material 60 and smooth absorption and release of gas in the storage material 60.

[0073] Furthermore, in the gas container 1, the wall 28 is provided separately from the mouthpiece body 26 and the lid 27 and is made of resin. With this configuration, compared to a configuration in which the wall 28 is made of metal, heat exchange via the partition 28a between the relatively cold heat exchange medium flowing from the inlet 22 to the passage portion 24 (specifically, flowing from the first passage portion 24a to the second passage portion 24b) and the relatively warm heat exchange medium flowing from the passage portion 24 to the outlet 23 (specifically, flowing from the second passage portion 24b to the third passage portion 24c) is less likely to occur. This can promote heat exchange between the heat exchange medium in the passage portion 24 and the accommodating member 50, and therefore the storage material 60. This allows the storage material 60 to be cooled appropriately and quickly by circulating the heat exchange medium, improving the accuracy of temperature control of the storage material 60.

[0074] The lid 27 is also made of resin, similar to the wall 28. The lid 27 closes the groove 26c of the nozzle body 26 to form the passage 24. This configuration prevents the lid 27 from becoming too hot, and facilitates heat transfer from the accommodation member 50 and thus the storage material 60 to the heat exchange medium in the passage 24, compared to a configuration in which the lid 27 is made of metal. This promotes heat exchange between the heat exchange medium and the accommodation member 50 and thus the storage material 60, thereby enabling the storage material 60 to be cooled appropriately and quickly by circulating the heat exchange medium, and improving the accuracy of temperature control of the storage material 60.

[0075] As described above, the gas container 1 can fully utilize the gas occlusion and release performance of the storage material 60, thereby improving the storage and release performance.

[0076] Furthermore, in the gas container 1, the nozzle 20 and the accommodating member 50 have a concave-convex structure that fits together, and the nozzle 30 and the accommodating member 50 also have a concave-convex structure that fits together. With such a concave-convex structure, the nozzles 20, 30 and the accommodating member 50 fit together, so that the accommodating member 50 can be held in the internal space 11 of the container body 10. Furthermore, there is no need to use a dedicated support member or the like to hold the accommodating member 50 in the internal space 11. Therefore, the accommodating member 50 can be stably held without complicating the structure inside the container body 10.

[0077] Furthermore, the base 20 and the accommodating member 50 are fixed in a fitted state by a fixing member 70. Specifically, the base 20 and the accommodating member 50 are fastened to each other by inserting the fixing member 70 into the communicating passage 21 of the base body 26 and screwing the male thread of the fixing member 70 into the female thread of the hole 54 of the connecting portion 53 of the accommodating member 50. In this structure, the base 20 and the accommodating member 50 are fixed using the fixing member 70, so that the accommodating member 50 can be prevented from coming off the base 20.

[0078] Furthermore, in the gas container 1, a seal member 80 that seals the internal space 11 is provided between the fixing member 70 and the nozzle body 26 of the nozzle 20. Therefore, even in a configuration in which the fixing member 70 is inserted into the communication passage 21 of the nozzle body 26 and is screwed into the accommodating member 50, thereby fastening the nozzle 20 and the accommodating member 50 together, it is possible to prevent gas in the internal space 11 of the container body 10 from leaking to the outside through a gap between the fixing member 70 and the nozzle body 26, and the internal space 11 can be kept airtight.

[0079] In the above embodiment, the nozzle 20 has a wall 28 that divides the groove 26c into an inlet 22 side and an outlet 23 side, and the wall 28 is configured as a separate body from the nozzle body 26 and the lid body 27. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the wall that divides the groove 26c into an inlet 22 side and an outlet 23 side may be formed integrally with the nozzle body 26 or the lid body 27, rather than being a separate body from the nozzle body 26 and the lid body 27.

[0080] In the above-described modified embodiment, in order to make it difficult for heat exchange to occur via partition portion 28a between the relatively cold heat exchange medium flowing from inlet 22 to passage portion 24 and the relatively warm heat exchange medium flowing from passage portion 24 to outlet 23, the wall is preferably formed integrally with resin lid body 27 rather than metal base body 26. Furthermore, the wall that divides groove portion 26c into the inlet 22 side and the outlet 23 side is preferably a member formed from resin, but may be formed from metal instead of resin, or may be formed integrally with base body 26.

[0081] In the above embodiment, the heat exchange medium flows through the nozzle 20 on the opposite side of the nozzle 30 through which gas flows in and out. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the heat exchange medium may flow through the nozzle 30 through which gas flows in and out.

[0082] In the above embodiment, of the nozzles 20 and 30, the nozzle through which the heat exchange medium flows is limited to the nozzle 20. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the heat exchange medium may flow through both the nozzles 20 and 30.

[0083] In the above embodiment, the inlet 22 and the outlet 23 of the nozzle 20 are formed in the lid 27. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the inlet 22 and the outlet 23 of the nozzle 20 may be formed in the nozzle body 26, or may be formed between the nozzle body 26 and the lid 27.

[0084] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the base body 26 of the base 20 has the fitting groove 26d, and the connecting portion 53 of the accommodating member 50 has the fitting protrusion 53a that fits into the fitting groove 26d. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and conversely, the base body 26 of the base 20 may have the fitting protrusion, and the connecting portion 53 of the accommodating member 50 may have the fitting groove into which the fitting protrusion fits.

[0085] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 1: gas container, 10: container body, 11: internal space, 20, 30: nozzle, 21: connecting passage, 22: inlet, 23: outlet, 24: passage portion, 26: nozzle body, 26c: groove portion, 26d: fitting groove, 27: lid body, 28: wall body, 28a: partition portion, 31: connecting passage, 50: storage member, 51: partition wall, 52: storage space, 53: connecting portion, 53a: fitting protrusion portion, 54: hole portion, 60: storage material, 70: fixing member, 80: sealing member.

Claims

1. a cylindrical container body having an internal space for storing gas; a mouthpiece attached to an axial end of the container body; a storage material that absorbs and releases gas; a cylindrical storage member disposed in the internal space and having a storage space for storing the storage material; Equipped with the base and the housing member have concave-convex structures that fit together, a fixing member that fixes the base and the containing member that fit together using the concave-convex structure, the fixing member is a shaft member having a male thread formed thereon, the housing member has a hole portion in which a female screw corresponding to the male screw is formed, the base has a through hole through which the fixing member is inserted, The gas container, wherein the nozzle and the accommodating member are fastened to each other by threading the male thread of the fixing member into the female thread of the accommodating member.

2. 2. The gas container according to claim 1, further comprising a seal member interposed between the fixing member and the mouthpiece for sealing the internal space.

3. A cylindrical container body having an internal space for storing gas; a mouthpiece attached to an axial end of the container body; a storage material that absorbs and releases gas; a cylindrical storage member disposed in the internal space and having a storage space for storing the storage material; Equipped with the base and the housing member have concave-convex structures that fit together, a fixing member that fixes the base and the housing member that fit together using the concave-convex structure; a sealing member interposed between the fixing member and the base and sealing the internal space; The gas container further comprises:

4. 4. The gas container according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle has a passage through which a heat exchange medium flows to exchange heat with the storage material.

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