Concentric Bladder Hydrogen Storage for Pressure Distribution
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Hydrogen-powered vehicles face challenges in achieving sufficient storage energy density and safety due to the need for high-pressure hydrogen storage, which existing tanks struggle to accommodate without risking explosion, and current solutions are expensive and inflexible in design.
Innovation Solution
A storage system comprising an outer shell with concentric bladders that create primary and secondary chambers, allowing for differential pressure storage, increasing storage efficiency and safety by distributing pressure stress and enabling the use of lighter materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If high pressure is used to store hydrogen to increase energy density, then storage efficiency is improved, but safety deteriorates because existing tanks may explode
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system divides the hydrogen storage into multiple independent pressure zones using concentric bladders. The inner bladder stores hydrogen at high pressure (e.g., 700-1000 psi) while the outer bladder stores hydrogen at lower pressure (e.g., 200-400 psi), segmenting the high-pressure storage risk into isolated compartments that cannot cause system-wide failure if one fails
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements pressure differential cushioning by maintaining a pressure gradient between nested bladders. The outer bladder acts as a cushioning layer that absorbs and distributes stress, preventing the inner high-pressure bladder from directly contacting the tank wall and reducing the risk of catastrophic failure
2Reliability
If multi-layer tanks are used to store high-pressure hydrogen safely, then safety is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses flexible bladder materials (such as reinforced polymers or elastomers) instead of rigid multi-layer composite structures. These flexible membranes can be manufactured more simply and at lower cost while still providing the necessary pressure containment and safety features through their ability to deform and absorb stress
Solution Approach 2:
The concentric bladder design nests multiple storage chambers within each other, allowing the system to achieve complex multi-pressure functionality using a series of simpler, nested components rather than requiring a single complex multi-layer structure, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and cost
3Strength
If conventional cylindrical tanks are used for hydrogen storage, then structural integrity is improved, but adaptability to vehicle structures deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible bladder design allows the storage system to dynamically adapt its shape and orientation to fit various vehicle mounting positions and space constraints. The bladders can be inflated or deflated to different shapes as needed, providing structural adaptability while maintaining pressure containment integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible membrane bladders can be molded into non-cylindrical shapes that conform to the available space in vehicle floors, trunks, or other mounting locations, eliminating the need for rigid cylindrical containers and enabling integration into diverse vehicle architectures
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a system and method for improving the efficiency of fuel cells. The storage system includes an outer shell and at least one bladder positioned inside the outer shell. A primary chamber is defined between the outer shell and the bladder, and a secondary chamber is defined interior to the bladder.