Tank device for storing gaseous media

Abstract

A tank device (1) for storing a gaseous medium, in particular hydrogen, comprises at least one tank vessel (2), the at least one tank vessel (2) having a tank housing (20) with a tank neck (3). A threaded joint (5) is arranged in the tank neck (3), the threaded joint (5) abutting against a tapered sealing seat (10) formed on the inside (8) of the tank housing (20) to seal an internal space (30) of the tank neck (3), and the threaded joint (5) can be pre-tightened by a union nut (6) attached to the outside (9) of the tank housing (20).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a tank device for a fuel cell tank, particularly for storing hydrogen, for application in a vehicle having a fuel cell drive unit, for example.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a device for storing compressed fluid for a vehicle having a drive unit using gaseous fuel, the device including at least two tubular tank modules and at least one high-pressure fuel dispenser having at least one integrated control and safety engineering technology. The at least two tubular tank modules are coupled in module form so as to form a module with at least one high-pressure fuel dispenser having at least one integrated control and safety engineering technology in a flexible geometry.

[0003] Safety devices for such tank devices are standardized. There, each tank device must have, for example, a shut-off valve. In this way, the shut-off valve closes in a non-energized state when the tank device is damaged due to an accident of a vehicle having a fuel cell drive unit or when the piping of the tank device is damaged, so that it can be ensured that the tank container is closed. In this way, gas outflow from the tank container can be avoided at any time when an accident or malfunction occurs.

[0004] Legal requirements stipulate that such safety valves must be directly attached to the surface or even inside of the tank container according to the container. Therefore, the safety valve is directly exposed to the gaseous medium and the system pressure, for example, exposed to a system pressure of up to 1000 bar. The high forces acting on such a safety valve require costly design measures to prevent damage to the safety valve and associated malfunctions. Furthermore, the safety valve must be protected against a possible "shearing" during an accident.

Prior Art Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] German Patent Application Publication No. 102017212485 Specification [Overview of the project]

[0006] In contrast, the tank device of the present invention having the constituent elements of the feature part of claim 1 has the advantage that the sealing performance of the tank device is clearly improved by assembling additional design components from the inside of the tank device, and the safety valve device integrated into the tank device is protected from damage.

[0007] To this end, a tank system for storing a gaseous medium, particularly hydrogen, has at least one tank container having a tank housing with a tank neck. In addition, a connecting screw member is positioned inside the tank neck, and the connecting screw member abuts against a tapered seal sheet configured inside the tank housing, thereby sealing the internal space of the tank neck. The connecting screw member can be pre-tightened by a union nut member mounted on the outside of the tank housing.

[0008] Furthermore, the present invention includes a method for inserting a connecting screw member into the tank neck of a tank container of a tank device. The insertion of the connecting screw member into the tank neck is performed by bending the edge under a tank container that is already closed at the rear, and the device is prepared, which presses the connecting screw member against the seal sheet from the outside inside the tank container through the tank neck.

[0009] Improved sealing is achieved by the joining threaded members within the tank neck of the tank container, as the internal pressure of the tank container strengthens the sealing action. Furthermore, it can prevent, for example, "shearing" of valve devices, because the valve devices are located inside the tank container, and the tank container withstands the pressure conditions in the event of an accident. In addition, the joining threads that are typically used inside the tank neck and are formed in the tank housing are thus eliminated, and as a result, there are no notches in the tank housing that reduce strength.

[0010] In a first preferred development, the connecting screw member has a central opening, which is intended to be a through-hole. Preferably, a valve device is housed in the opening of the connecting screw member coaxially with respect to the long axis of the tank container and fixedly coupled to the connecting screw member by screwing. In this way, the valve device as a safety valve can be integrated into the tank container in a design-simple manner, and the valve device is protected from damage caused by external factors such as shocks during operation. Furthermore, the flow of gaseous medium leaving the tank container can be controlled in a simple manner in this way.

[0011] In a preferred development, at least one tank vessel is intended to be designed for a pressure difference of 1 bar to 1000 bar relative to atmospheric pressure. In this way, the use of the gaseous medium in the tank vessel can be optimized.

[0012] In another embodiment of the present invention, the tank neck is configured in a cylindrical shape and transitions into a cylindrical tank body as a tapered expansion, and it is preferable that the diameter d of the tank neck is smaller than the diameter D of the tank body. This shape allows for a uniform pressure distribution inside the tank container.

[0013] In a preferred development, at least one tank vessel is made of plastic, carbon fiber, aluminum, titanium, magnesium, fiber material, especially glass fiber material, or steel. In this way, a design that reduces the cost of the tank vessel is achieved.

[0014] The tank devices described are particularly suitable for storing hydrogen for the operation of fuel cells in fuel cell structures. Preferably, the tank devices described can be used in vehicles having a fuel cell drive unit.

[0015] The drawings show an embodiment of a tank device according to the present invention for storing a gaseous medium, particularly hydrogen. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the tank apparatus of the present invention having a plurality of tank containers, including a tank housing having a tank neck and a tank body. [Figure 2] This is an enlarged sub-view showing the embodiment of Figure 1 in the tank neck region. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the tank apparatus 1 according to the present invention for a gaseous medium, particularly for hydrogen. The tank apparatus 1 has a number of tank containers 2 comprising a tank housing 20. The tank housing 20 includes a tank body 4 and a tank neck 3 and has a long axis 12. Here, the tank body 4 is configured as a tapered extension of the tank neck 3. Both the tank body 4 and the tank neck 3 are cylindrical in shape, and the diameter D of the tank body 4 is greater than the diameter d of the tank neck 3.

[0018] Figure 2 shows, as a cross-sectional view, an enlarged view of the tank container 2 within the region of the tank neck 3 of FIG. 1. The tank neck 3 has a tank neck internal space 30 that communicates with the tank internal space 21 of the tank body 4.

[0019] Within the tank neck 3, there is disposed a joining screw-fastening member 5 that abuts against a tapered seal sheet 10 formed on the inner side 8 of the tank housing 20. In this way, the tank neck internal space 30, and also the tank internal space 21, are sealed outwardly, thereby preventing gaseous media from flowing out of the tank container 2. Further, the joining screw-fastening member 5 is preliminarily tightened within the tank neck 3 by a union nut member 6. Here, the union nut member 6 is attached to the outer side 9 of the tank housing 20.

[0020] Furthermore, on the tank container 2, a means for preventing rotation is arranged in the form of a hexagonal hole for tightening the union nut member 6. This has the advantage that when the union nut member 6 is tightened, the joining screw-fastening member 5 does not rotate inwardly together.

[0021] As an alternative, other means for preventing rotation can also be used, such as a hole for applying a key wrench.

[0022] The joining screw-fastening member 5 has a central opening 7 configured as a through-hole. Within this opening 7, a valve device 11 is accommodated coaxially with respect to the longitudinal axis 12 of the tank container 2 and is fixedly coupled to the joining screw-fastening member 5 by screwing.

[0023] The valve device 11 is typically excited electromagnetically and controls the flow-through of gaseous media, such as hydrogen, from the tank container 2, for example, in the direction of the anode region of a fuel cell. When in a non-powered state, the valve device 11 is configured as a safety valve and thus closes. Thereby, it can be ensured that gas outflow from the tank container 2 is avoided at all times when in the closed state, as well as when a failure or malfunction occurs.

[0024] The tank container 2 is designed for a pressure difference of 1 bar to 1000 bar with respect to the atmospheric pressure. Typically, for example, the tank container 2 is used in a fuel cell structure that stores hydrogen at a maximum pressure of 700 bar. Further, the tank container is made of a plastic material, a carbon fiber material, aluminum, titanium, magnesium, a fiber material, particularly a glass fiber material, or a steel material.

[0025] The insertion of the joining screw member 5 can be performed, for example, at a time point before the tank container 2 is closed at the rear side.

[0026] In an alternative method, under the tank container 2 that is already closed at the rear side, the joining screw member 5 is inserted into the tank neck 3 by flanging. Further, a device is prepared, and the joining screw member 5 is applied to the seal sheet 10 through the tank neck 3 from the outside of the inside of the tank container 2 by the device. At this time, the microfabrication of the seal surface of the seal sheet 10 can be performed from the rear side of the tank container 2 or through the tank neck 3.

[0027] The tank device 1 can be used, for example, to store hydrogen for the operation of a fuel cell, and can also be integrated into a vehicle having a fuel cell drive unit.

Explanation of Signs

[0028] 1 Tank device 2 Tank container 3 Tank neck 4 Tank body 5 Joining screw member 6 Union nut member 7 Opening 8 Inner side 9 Outer side 10 Seal sheet 11 Valve device 12 Long axis 20 Tank housing 30 Inner space of tank neck

Claims

1. In a method of inserting a connecting screw fastening member (5) into the tank neck (3) of the tank container (2) of a tank device (1), The tank device (1) is a tank device (1) for storing a gaseous medium, and has at least one tank container (2), at least one of the tank containers (2) has a tank housing (20) having a tank neck (3), a joining screw fastening member (5) is disposed inside the tank neck (3), the joining screw fastening member (5) is a tapered seal sheet (10) configured on the inside (8) of the tank housing (20), and contacts the seal sheet (10) facing the joining screw fastening member (5) in the direction of the long axis (12) of the tank container (2), thereby sealing the internal space (30) of the tank neck (3), and the joining screw fastening member (5) can be pre-tightened by a union nut member (6) attached to the outside (9) of the tank housing (20), The tank housing (20) further comprises the tank neck (3) and a tank body (4) formed from a single component. The insertion of the connecting screw fastener (5) into the tank neck (3) is performed with the tank container (2) already closed at the rear by inserting the connecting screw fastener (5) into the opening of the tank neck (3) and deforming the edge of the opening of the tank neck (3), and the apparatus is prepared, and the apparatus is used to press the connecting screw fastener (5) against the seal sheet (10) from outside the tank container (2) through the tank neck (3).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the gaseous medium is hydrogen.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the joining screw fastening member (5) has a central opening (7), and the opening (7) is configured as a through hole.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that a valve device (11) is housed coaxially with respect to the long axis (12) of the tank container (2) in the opening (7) of the joining screw fastening member (5), and is fixedly connected to the joining screw fastening member (5) by screw fastening.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least one of the tank containers (2) is designed for a pressure difference of 1 bar to 1,000 bar with respect to atmospheric pressure.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the tank neck (3) is configured in a cylindrical shape and transitions into a cylindrical tank body (4) as a tapered expansion, and the diameter d of the tank neck (3) is smaller than the diameter D of the tank body (4).

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at least one of the tank containers (2) is made of a plastic material, a carbon fiber material, aluminum, titanium, magnesium, a fiber material, or steel.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the fiber material is a glass fiber material.

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