Dual-Structure Fluid Tank with Rotary Injection Pipe for Fuel Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid tanks for fuel cells struggle to effectively collect unreacted methanol and discharge carbon dioxide when inclined or turned upside down, leading to inefficient fuel supply and gas discharge.
Innovation Solution
A dual-structured fluid tank with gas and liquid separation membranes and a rotary injection pipe system that ensures unreacted methanol vapor is absorbed into water, preventing its discharge and allowing normal operation even when tilted, and the gas-phase components are discharged through a water-filled space between inner and outer cases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional fluid tank structure is used, then the tank can store and supply fuel, but it cannot effectively discharge carbon dioxide and absorb methanol vapor when inclined or turned upside down
Solution Approach 1:
The injection pipe is designed with a rotary structure that can rotate to always point towards the lowest point of the tank, dynamically adapting to any tank orientation. This ensures the pipe inlet remains in contact with the liquid fuel regardless of how the tank is positioned, maintaining reliable fuel supply while adapting to various orientations.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid tank employs a nested structure with an inner case containing the fuel and an outer case, creating a water-filled space between them. This nested configuration allows the inner case to move independently within the outer case, enabling the injection pipe to reach the lowest point of the inner case in any orientation while the water layer absorbs vapor and facilitates gas discharge.
2Device complexity
If the tank is designed with fixed pipes for fuel supply and gas discharge, then the structure is simple, but the tank cannot operate normally when inclined or upside down
Solution Approach 1:
The injection pipe incorporates a rotary mechanism that allows it to dynamically reposition its inlet towards the lowest point of the tank. This dynamic adjustment ensures continuous contact with liquid fuel during inclination or inversion, maintaining operation reliability while adding only moderate structural complexity through the rotary joint and positioning components.
3Productivity
If carbon dioxide and methanol vapor are discharged together, then the discharge process is simple, but methanol vapor is lost and harmful emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
Water is introduced as an intermediary substance between the fuel mixture and the discharge environment. The water layer selectively absorbs methanol vapor through dissolution while allowing carbon dioxide to pass through and be discharged. This intermediary mechanism maintains efficient gas discharge while preventing methanol vapor loss and harmful emissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes phase transition principles where methanol vapor in the gas phase transitions to liquid phase through dissolution in the water layer. This phase change occurs as methanol vapor contacts the water, transferring from the gas phase in the discharge space to the liquid phase in the water layer, effectively separating it from the carbon dioxide discharge stream.
4Device complexity
If the injection pipe inlet is positioned at a fixed location, then the structure is simple, but fuel supply becomes inefficient when the tank orientation changes
Solution Approach 1:
The injection pipe features a rotary structure with an inlet that can rotate to always face the lowest point of the tank. This dynamic positioning ensures the inlet remains in contact with liquid fuel regardless of tank orientation, maintaining high fuel supply efficiency. The rotary mechanism adds moderate structural complexity but ensures continuous efficient fuel delivery in all orientations.
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
The solution maximally reduces methanol vapor discharge and ensures continuous, efficient fuel supply and carbon dioxide removal, maintaining normal operation regardless of the tank's orientation.
Implementation Method 1
unreacted methanol vapor is absorbed into water, preventing its discharge
Implementation Method 2
the housing is provided on the outer case and the inner case at one side surface thereof with one or more gas and liquid separation membranes
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are a fluid tank used as a water controller system for fuel cells, wherein the fluid tank includes a housing defining an inner space for receiving a liquid-phase component and a gas-phase component, discharging carbon dioxide and air of the gas-phase component, and supplying the liquid-phase component into a fuel cell stack, and wherein the housing is constructed in a dual structure in which a hermetically-sealed type inner case is disposed inside a hermetically-sealed type outer case such that a space defined between the hermetically-sealed type cases is filled with water, the housing is provided on the outer case and the inner case at one side surface thereof with one or more gas and liquid separation membranes, respectively, and the housing is provided on the outer case and the inner case at the other side surface thereof with one or more gas and liquid separation membranes, respectively, whereby the gas-phase component passes through the water filled in the space defined between the inner and outer cases when the gas-phase component is discharged to the outside from the inner space of the housing, and a fuel cell including the fluid tank.