Cryogenic Fuel Supply Layout With Shared Heating and Pressurization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for supplying cryogenic fuel like hydrogen to engines face challenges in optimizing safety, cost, and mass constraints, particularly in flying vehicles, where integration with fuel cells requires efficient pressurization and heating systems that are compact, reliable, and adaptable to mobility conditions.
Innovation Solution
The device integrates a common portion for pressurization and withdrawal pipes with a single heat exchanger for both functions, allowing for efficient heating and pressurization using a compact power unit, and simplifies the system by eliminating unnecessary valves, using a single heat exchanger for both fuel line and pressurization, and incorporating a degassing pipe for excess pressure management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate heating and pressurization systems are used, then each function can be optimized independently, but the overall device complexity and mass increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the heating element and pressurization system into a single integrated unit. The heating element serves dual purposes: heating the withdrawn fluid and pressurizing the tank by heating the cryogenic liquid. This merging eliminates the need for separate heating and pressurization systems, reducing device complexity and mass while maintaining functional reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The heating element is designed as a multi-functional component that performs both heating and pressurization functions. By making the heating element universal, the system achieves the same objectives with fewer components, directly addressing the contradiction between functional optimization and system complexity
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple valves are installed for isolation and control, then operational flexibility is improved, but manufacturing cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes unnecessary valves from the system by relying on the inherent functionality of the integrated heating element and pressurization system. The system operates without requiring multiple isolation and control valves, simplifying the design and reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining adequate operational flexibility through the common portion design
3Reliability
If separate heating elements and pressurization systems are used, then each component can be optimized, but the overall mass of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heating element and pressurization system into a single integrated unit, eliminating duplicate components. This consolidation reduces the overall mass of the device while maintaining the ability to optimize heating and pressurization functions through the common portion design and integrated control
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables efficient and safe operation under arbitrary mobility conditions, reduces manufacturing costs, and enhances reliability by using a single heat exchanger for both heating and pressurization, while maintaining effective pressure management and fuel delivery to the engine.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element (7) comprising a first end connected to the tank and a second end connected to the user device (3)... the withdrawal line (4) comprising a heater (7) for the withdrawn fluid
Implementation Method 2
the pressurization line (5) comprises a fluid circulation element (6) and a heating element (7). This allows gaseous fluid to be drawn from the tank, heated in the heating element (7), and then reinjected into the lower part of the liquid phase to increase the pressure in the tank
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
Device for supplying fluid to a user device, in particular a cryogenic fuel such as hydrogen to an engine (3), the device (1) comprising a cryogenic liquefied fluid reservoir (2) comprising a liquid phase and a gaseous phase, a user device (3), a heating element (7) comprising a first end connected to the reservoir (2) and a second end connected to the user device (3), the withdrawal line (4) comprising a heater (7) for the withdrawn fluid, the device (1) comprising a system for pressurizing the reservoir (2) comprising a pressurizing line (5) comprising a first end connected to an upper end of the reservoir (2), a second end connected to a lower end of the reservoir (2), the pressurizing line comprising a fluid pumping element (6) and a heating element (7) and being configured to withdraw gaseous fluid from the reservoir,to heat it in the heating element (7) and to reinject this heated fluid in the lower part into the liquid phase, characterized in that the pressurization line (5) and the withdrawal line (4) have a common section and in that the heating element and the heater are made up of the same single heat exchanger (7).