Accumulator Fatigue Life Judgment in Hydrogen Stations

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for judging the fatigue life of accumulators in hydrogen stations are inefficient, leading to premature replacement and increased management costs, as they count stress amplitude irrespective of magnitude, resulting in unnecessary accumulator replacements.

Innovation Solution

A gas supply system that classifies stress amplitude into groups based on magnitude and uses this classification to determine the fatigue degree of accumulators, allowing for more accurate life judgment and extended accumulator life by differentiating between high and low stress scenarios, and strategically using steel and composite containers for different pressure regions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the measurement number of stress amplitude is counted up for every time when stress amplitude is generated irrespective of magnitude, then the fatigue life judgment is simplified, but the accumulator is replaced before it actually comes to the end of fatigue life

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefatigue life judgment methodVSAvoidaccumulator life
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by introducing stress amplitude magnitude as a critical parameter in the fatigue life judgment. Instead of simply counting stress cycles, the system measures and evaluates the magnitude of each stress amplitude, using this parameter to weight or adjust the fatigue damage accumulation. This allows the judgment method to distinguish between significant and insignificant stress events, thereby extending the actual usable life of the accumulator while maintaining reliable fatigue assessment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the measurement number of stress amplitude is counted up for every stress amplitude generation, then the fatigue life judgment can be made, but the replacement frequency of accumulator increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefatigue life judgment accuracyVSAvoidaccumulator replacement frequency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter basis for fatigue judgment from simple cycle counting to stress amplitude magnitude-based evaluation. By measuring and comparing the actual magnitude of stress amplitudes against threshold values or reference data, the system achieves more accurate fatigue life prediction. This prevents premature replacement decisions, thereby reducing unnecessary replacement frequency while maintaining high reliability in fatigue assessment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If stress amplitude is classified into multiple groups by magnitude, then the life management of accumulator becomes more accurate, but the complexity of the judgment system increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefatigue life measurement precisionVSAvoidjudgment system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing stress amplitude measurements into multiple groups or categories based on magnitude thresholds. This segmentation allows the system to handle different stress levels with appropriate evaluation criteria, improving measurement precision. The complexity is managed by using clear threshold-based classification rather than continuous complex calculations, making the system both precise and practically implementable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3067614B1Gas supply system, hydrogen station including the same, accumulator life judgment method, and use method of gas supply system
Publication Date: 2019.12.25 KOBE STEEL LTD
  • EP3067614B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3067614B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3067614B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present invention is to properly manage life of an accumulator and extend the life of the accumulator. A gas supply system includes a control section, an acquiring section, a classifying section, and a judging section. The acquiring section acquires stress amplitude of accumulators from a pressure difference between first pressure on the gas storage side and second pressure on the gas lead-out side. The classifying section classifies the stress amplitude into a plurality of groups. The judging section divides the calculated acquirement number ni of the stress amplitude for each of the groups by the predetermined breaking cycle number Ni, and determines a fatigue degree ∑ni/Ni. In a case where this value becomes a predetermined threshold value or more, the judging section judges that the accumulator comes to the end of the life.