Solenoid assembly for fluid control of gas storage vessels

Abstract

The present invention relates to a solenoid assembly coupled to a storage container for storing gas and controlling fluid flow during the gas filling and supply process, comprising: a first port formed externally to allow connection of lines for filling and supply; a first flow path extending internally from the first port; a second flow path branching from the first flow path and equipped with a manual valve and a check valve; a third flow path branching from the first flow path and equipped with a solenoid valve; a fourth flow path formed by the second flow path and the third flow path rejoining through a rejoining point; and a second port formed facing the interior of the storage container and connected to the fourth flow path to allow gas to be stored and discharged, wherein the first, third, and fourth flow paths allow gas to move into the storage container for filling and gas to move outside for supply, and the second flow path allows gas to move only into the storage container for filling. The present invention has the effect of securing the gas flow rate during charging while preventing problems caused by charging differential pressure and condensation of the solenoid valve during high-speed charging, and preventing the reduction of durability of the relatively thin lower part and interference between the flow paths by reducing the total space of the flow path formed in the solenoid assembly.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a solenoid assembly for fluid control of a gas storage container, and more specifically, to a solenoid assembly coupled to a gas storage container for storing hydrogen gas and supplying it to a fuel cell such as a vehicle to control the fluid. Background Technology

[0002] Recently, the importance of developing next-generation clean energy is increasing due to serious environmental pollution problems and the depletion of fossil fuels. Among these, there is growing interest in fuel cell vehicles as a technology that can replace existing internal combustion engine vehicles, along with electric vehicles using secondary batteries. In particular, a lot of research is being conducted on hydrogen cars, in which a motor is driven by electrical energy generated from the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen.

[0003] In a hydrogen car, hydrogen, which is the fuel, is stored in a storage container at a high pressure of about 700 bar and supplied to a fuel cell module after being depressurized to a pressure of about 16 bar.

[0004] The hydrogen storage container is equipped with a fluid control solenoid assembly including a solenoid valve for controlling the flow of hydrogen transferred when filling the hydrogen storage container and when supplying it to the fuel cell module.

[0005] Generally, a solenoid assembly for fluid control may be structured to provide separate paths by separating the filling path and the supply path, or structured to provide a single path by unifying the filling path and the supply path.

[0006] In a structure equipped with separate flow paths, a check valve must be installed in each flow path to form the directionality of the flow paths, which narrows the gap between the flow paths formed through the interior of the assembly, making it difficult to ensure the durability of the assembly body. Additionally, the complex shape of the valve hinders machinability, and there is a problem of increased manufacturing costs due to the increase in the number of parts.

[0007] A structure equipped with a single flow path faces difficulties in actual application because condensation caused by the rapid charging of ultra-low temperature gas during charging continues to affect the solenoid even after charging, thereby hindering its initial operability and limiting its ability to secure the charging flow rate. Prior art literature

[0008] Republic of Korea Registered Patent No. 10-2582401 The problem to be solved

[0009] The present invention aims to solve the problems of the aforementioned prior art by providing a solenoid assembly for fluid control of a gas storage container that secures a sufficient flow rate during the hydrogen charging process to prevent condensation problems while also preventing the problem of reduced durability caused by an excessive flow path. means of solving the problem

[0010] A solenoid assembly for fluid control of a gas storage container according to the present invention for achieving the above objective is a solenoid assembly coupled to a storage container for storing gas and controlling fluid flow during the gas filling and supply process, comprising: a first port formed externally so that a line for filling and supply can be connected; a first flow path extending internally from the first port; a second flow path branching from the first flow path and equipped with a manual valve and a check valve; a third flow path branching from the first flow path and equipped with a solenoid valve; a fourth flow path formed by the second flow path and the third flow path rejoining through a rejoining point; and a second port formed facing the inside of the storage container and connected to the fourth flow path so as to store and discharge gas, wherein the first, third, and fourth flow paths allow gas to move into the inside of the storage container for filling and gas to move outside for supply, and the second flow path allows gas to move only into the inside of the storage container for filling.

[0011] The solenoid assembly is composed of an upper part that is exposed to the outside when coupled to a gas storage container and a lower part that is inserted into the storage container, and the rejoining point may be formed by a connecting channel formed by penetrating the side of the lower part and connecting the second channel and the third channel.

[0012] At this time, a part of the above-mentioned connecting passage may be blocked by a sealing member so that gas does not leak through the lower side.

[0013] It includes a third port formed toward the inside of a storage container to discharge gas, and a bleed device is installed in a flow path connected to the third port to artificially discharge gas inside the storage container to the outside by manual operation, and the bleed device is connected to an extended part of the first flow path, so that when the bleed device is operated, gas introduced into the third port can be discharged through the first port.

[0014] At this time, the third port is connected to a fifth Euro connected to a temperature-sensitive pressure safety device, and the bleed device may be installed in a sixth Euro branched from the fifth Euro. Effects of the invention

[0015] The present invention, configured as described above, branches a first flow path connected to a first port connected to an external line for charging and supply into a second flow path and a third flow path, thereby securing the gas flow rate during charging while preventing problems caused by charging differential pressure and condensation of the solenoid valve during high-speed charging.

[0016] In addition, since the second and third euros are merged back into one in the fourth euro leading into the storage container, the total space of the euros formed in the solenoid assembly is reduced, thereby effectively preventing the degradation of durability of the relatively thin lower section and interference between the euros.

[0017] Furthermore, by configuring the structure of the flow path so that the sixth flow path connected to the bleed device is connected to the first flow path, the flow path structure can be provided such that each assembly device is arranged horizontally around the solenoid valve, thereby improving the simplicity of the shape and machinability. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0018] FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining the structure of a solenoid assembly for fluid control of a gas storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a flow path that operates during the filling and supply process in a solenoid assembly for fluid control of a gas storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration for forming a rejoining structure in a solenoid assembly for fluid control of a gas storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0019] An embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0020] However, embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various other forms, and the scope of the present invention is not limited only to the embodiments described below. The shapes and sizes of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clearer explanation, and elements indicated by the same reference numerals in the drawings are the same elements.

[0021] Furthermore, throughout the specification, when a part is described as being "connected" to another part, this includes not only cases where they are "directly connected" but also cases where they are "electrically connected" with other components interposed between them. Additionally, when a part is described as "including" or "equipped" with a certain component, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but rather allows for the inclusion or equipping of additional components.

[0022] Furthermore, terms such as "first," "second," etc., are intended to distinguish one component from another, and the scope of rights shall not be limited by these terms. For example, the first component may be named the second component, and similarly, the second component may be named the first component.

[0023] FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining the structure of a solenoid assembly for fluid control of a gas storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] The fluid control solenoid assembly (1000) of the present embodiment is composed of an upper part (1100) and a lower part (1200). The upper part (1100) is a portion exposed to the outside when coupled to a gas storage container, and the lower part (1200) is a portion inserted into the gas storage container and positioned therein, with screw threads (1210) formed on the outer surface for fastening.

[0025] First, the structure of the flow path that operates during the process of filling gas into a gas storage container or supplying stored gas is explained.

[0026] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a flow path that operates during the filling and supply process in a solenoid assembly for fluid control of a gas storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] The first port (110) is a port formed externally so that a line for charging and supply can be connected.

[0028] The first Euro (120) extends inward from the first port (110), and it is possible for the gas to move into the storage container for filling and for the gas to move outward for supply.

[0029] A first filter (122) is installed in the first euro (120), and it branches into the second euro (130) and the third euro (140).

[0030] The first filter (122) removes foreign substances, such as moisture, contained in the gas flowing into or out of the storage container.

[0031] The second Euro (130) branches off from the first Euro (120), and a manual valve (132) and a check valve (134) are installed.

[0032] The check valve (134) controls the directionality so that the gas moves only into the storage container, and due to the check valve (134), the second flow path (130) allows the gas to move into the storage container for filling, but it is impossible for the gas to move out for supply.

[0033] The manual valve (132) is a valve that is opened and closed by manual control, and when the manual valve (132) is opened during the process of filling the gas into the storage container, the gas can move through the second path (130).

[0034] The third Euro (140) branches off from the first Euro (120), and a solenoid valve (142) is installed.

[0035] Since the third Euro (140) is not given a directionality of gas flow, it is possible for the gas to move into the storage container for filling and for the gas to move out for supply.

[0036] Ultimately, the charging process can be performed using two euros for the second euro (130) and the third euro (140) (2-way charging), and the supply process can be performed using only one euro for the third euro (140) (1-way supply), thereby providing a solenoid assembly (1000) for fluid control of a gas storage container of a new structure.

[0037] The solenoid valve (142) is a valve controlled by a solenoid that operates by an electrical signal, and general technologies used in solenoid assemblies for controlling fluid in a storage container that stores hydrogen gas, etc., can be applied without limitation within a range that does not impair the features of the present invention.

[0038] The second euro (130) and the third euro (140), which branch off from the first euro (120), are connected again as one at the fourth euro (160) through the rejoining point (150).

[0039] The fourth euro (160) is joined by the second euro (130) and the third euro (140) and is connected to the second port (170) which is connected to the inside of the storage container.

[0040] Since the fourth euro (160) is connected to both the second euro (130) and the third euro (140), it is possible for the gas to move into the storage container for filling and for the gas to move out for supply.

[0041] In the conventional 2-euro structure, the two euros were each individually connected to ports facing the inside of the storage container, which caused a problem of reduced durability in the thin lower section, but

[0042] The second port (170) is a port formed facing the inside of a storage container to store and discharge gas. A second filter (162) is installed in the second port (170), and an Excess Flow Valve (EFV) device may be installed.

[0043] The second filter (162) removes foreign substances, such as moisture, contained in the gas flowing into or out of the storage container.

[0044] The EFV device prevents an abnormally excessive outflow of gas moving from the storage container through the second port (170) to the fourth flow path (160) for gas supply. An abnormally excessive outflow may be a case where a larger amount of gas is outflowed than the flow rate to be controlled, or a case where it is outflowed at a pressure sufficient to cause damage to the solenoid valve (142).

[0045] The present invention branches a first flow path connected to a first port connected to an external line for charging and supply into a second flow path and a third flow path, thereby securing the gas flow rate during charging while preventing problems caused by charging differential pressure and condensation of the solenoid valve during high-speed charging.

[0046] In addition, since the second and third euros are merged back into one in the fourth euro leading into the storage container, the total space of the euros formed in the solenoid assembly (1000) is reduced, thereby preventing the reduction of durability of the relatively thin lower part (1200) and interference between the euros.

[0047] By configuring only one second port (170) for the gas movement path inside the storage container during the charging and supply process, only one EFV device is installed, so the problem of insufficient space resulting from the installation of multiple EFV devices does not occur.

[0048] However, compared to the general method in which a solenoid assembly (1000) forms a flow path in a metal body through a milling process, the manufacturing method of the configuration in which the second flow path (130) and the third flow path (140) rejoin into the fourth flow path (160) through a rejoining point (150) in the present invention may be problematic.

[0049] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration for forming a rejoining structure in a solenoid assembly for fluid control of a gas storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] In this embodiment, a connecting channel (152) connecting the second channel (130) and the third channel (140) was formed by a milling process to form a rejoining point (150) through a milling process. In the illustrated embodiment, milling was performed in a transverse direction so that the connecting channel (152), connected to the end of the third channel (140), extends to the second channel (130), but this is not limited thereto, and the connecting channel (152) can be formed in various ways to connect the second channel (130) and the third channel (140) to form a rejoining point (150).

[0051] In the process of forming the connecting channel (152), the hole formed on the body surface of the solenoid assembly (1000) is sealed using a sealing bolt (154) to prevent gas leakage. At this time, since the part sealed by the sealing bolt (154) may be relatively vulnerable, in this embodiment, the sealing bolt (154) is configured to be located at the lower part (1200) of the solenoid assembly (1000). Through this structure, even if gas leaks through the sealing bolt (154), leakage is prevented by the fastening structure between the storage container and the solenoid assembly (1000), or the leaked gas can be allowed to flow into the storage container.

[0052] The third port (210) is a port formed toward the inside of the storage container to allow gas to be discharged, and is connected to the fifth Euro (220).

[0053] The fifth Euro (220) is connected to a safety valve (230). The safety valve (230) utilizes a thermally-activated pressure relief device (TPRD) and operates when the ambient temperature rises above a set value to rapidly release the stored gas, thereby preventing the storage container from rupturing.

[0054] The safety valve (230) is initially configured in a closed state, and when an emergency situation occurs such as a vehicle accident or fire, the temperature of the surrounding environment exceeds a set temperature, for example, 110°C, the part supporting the gas pressure is melted or destroyed by heat, and the valve is configured to open so that the pressure of the storage container can be released.

[0055] In addition to the path leading to the safety valve (230), the 5th Euro (220) branches off in the middle and also leads to the 6th Euro (310).

[0056] The 6th Euro (310) branches off from the 5th Euro (220) and is connected to the 1st Euro (120) via a bleed device (312).

[0057] The bleed device (312) is a device for artificially discharging gas stored in a storage container. The bleed device (312), which is basically closed, is opened by manual operation when a situation arises where gas inside the storage container needs to be artificially discharged to the outside. When the bleed device (312) is opened, gas that has moved sequentially starting from the third port (210) and along the fifth path (220) and the sixth path (310) can move to the first path (120), and is finally discharged through the first port (110).

[0058] By configuring the structure of the flow path so that the sixth flow path (310) connected to the bleed device (312) is connected to the first flow path (120), each assembly device can be arranged on a horizontal line centered on the solenoid valve (142), thereby providing a flow path structure that improves the simplicity of the shape and machinability.

[0059] The temperature sensor (420) is connected to the solenoid valve (142) and the through hole (410) via a cable, and performs the function of controlling the rise in the gas temperature inside the storage container by controlling the charging speed according to the gas temperature inside the storage container during gas charging.

[0060] The present invention has been described above through preferred embodiments. However, the aforementioned embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical concept of the present invention, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications are possible within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted by the matters described in the claims rather than by specific embodiments, and all technical concepts within an equivalent scope should also be interpreted as being included within the scope of rights of the present invention. Explanation of the symbols

[0061] 110: 1st Port 120: 1st Euro 122: 1st Filter 130: 2nd Euro 132: Manual valve 134: Check valve 140: 3rd Euro 142: Solenoid valve 150: Rejoining point 152: Connecting Euro 154: Stop bolt 160: 4th Euro 170: Port 2 210: Port 3 220: 5th Euro 230: Safety valve 310: Euro 6 312: Bleed device 410: Through hole 420: Temperature sensor 1000: Solenoid assembly 1100: Upper 1200: Lower 1210: Thread

Claims

Claim 1 A solenoid assembly coupled to a storage container for storing gas and controlling fluid flow during the gas filling and supply process, comprising: a first port formed externally to allow connection of lines for filling and supply; a first flow path extending internally from the first port; a second flow path branching from the first flow path and equipped with a manual valve and a check valve; a third flow path branching from the first flow path and equipped with a solenoid valve; and a fourth flow path formed by the second flow path and the third flow path rejoining through a rejoining point. A solenoid assembly for fluid control of a gas storage container, comprising a second port formed facing the interior of the storage container to be connected to the fourth channel and to store and discharge gas, wherein the gas movement directions of the first, third, and fourth channels are capable of both moving gas into the storage container for filling and moving gas out for supply, and the gas movement direction of the second channel is configured such that only the direction in which gas moves into the storage container for filling is possible by the check valve, and when gas is filled from the first port, filling is possible through one or more of the second channel and the third channel depending on the operation of the manual valve and the solenoid valve, and when gas is discharged and supplied through the first port, gas cannot move through the second channel, and only movement through the third channel is possible depending on the operation of the solenoid valve. Claim 2 A solenoid assembly for fluid control of a gas storage container according to claim 1, wherein the solenoid assembly comprises an upper portion which is exposed to the outside when coupled to a gas storage container and a lower portion which is inserted into and positioned within the storage container, and wherein the rejoining point is formed by a connecting passage formed by penetrating the side of the lower portion and connecting a second passage and a third passage. Claim 3 A solenoid assembly for fluid control of a gas storage container according to claim 2, characterized in that a portion of the connecting passage is blocked by a sealing member so that gas does not leak through the lower side. Claim 4 A solenoid assembly for fluid control of a gas storage container according to claim 1, comprising a third port formed toward the inside of the storage container to discharge gas, wherein a bleed device is installed in a flow path connected to the third port to artificially discharge gas inside the storage container to the outside by manual operation, and wherein the bleed device is connected to a pipe further branched from the first flow path, so that when the bleed device is activated, gas introduced into the third port is discharged through the first port. Claim 5 A solenoid assembly for fluid control of a gas storage container according to claim 4, wherein the third port is connected to a fifth flow path connected to a temperature-sensitive pressure safety device, and the bleed device is installed in a sixth flow path branched from the fifth flow path.

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