Fuel Cell Vehicle Pressure-Reducing Valve Collision Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In fuel cell vehicles, the pressure-reducing valve is prone to damage during collisions due to increased surface pressure and potential sandwiching between the motor and tanks, leading to increased pipe length and costs.
Innovation Solution
The pressure-reducing valve is strategically positioned rearward of the rear tank and secured to side members, allowing it to deform and avoid direct impact, while maintaining a short pipe length by routing the gas passage efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the pressure-reducing valve is disposed between tanks to reduce pipe length, then the pipe length is reduced, but the valve is more likely to be damaged during collision
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure-reducing valve is positioned in the transverse direction between side members rather than being placed between tanks in the longitudinal direction. This spatial repositioning in a different dimension allows the valve to be protected from longitudinal collision forces while maintaining reasonable pipe connection lengths to the tanks.
Solution Approach 2:
The side members are positioned to create a protective space around the pressure-reducing valve before collision occurs. This pre-established protective structure absorbs and redirects collision forces away from the valve, preventing direct impact damage while allowing the valve to remain in an optimal position for pipe connections.
2Volume of moving object
If tanks are disposed with longitudinal direction coinciding with vehicle front-rear direction, then space utilization is improved, but surface pressure on valve increases during collision
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure-reducing valve is repositioned from the longitudinal axis between tanks to the transverse direction between side members. This dimensional change allows tanks to maintain their longitudinal orientation for optimal space utilization while the valve is protected from the longitudinal compression forces generated during frontal or rear-end collisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The side members act as intermediary protective structures between the collision force and the pressure-reducing valve. These side members absorb and distribute the collision forces, preventing direct transmission of high surface pressure to the valve while allowing the tanks to maintain their space-optimized longitudinal positioning.
3Strength
If high-pressure pipe is made large in volume for high strength, then strength is improved, but cost and volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure-reducing valve is positioned upstream near the tanks before the gas flows to the fuel cell. This preliminary positioning allows pressure reduction to occur early in the flow path, enabling the use of smaller-diameter, lower-cost pipes for the majority of the pipeline length while only the critical high-pressure section near the tanks requires robust construction.
Solution Approach 2:
By positioning the pressure-reducing valve near the tanks, the pressure parameter changes from high to low at the source rather than at the destination. This allows the pipeline to transition from requiring high-strength, large-volume construction to allowing smaller, more cost-effective piping materials for the extended run to the fuel cell.
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 configuration reduces the likelihood of pressure-reducing valve damage during collisions, optimizes space usage, and minimizes pipe length, enhancing safety and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
The pressure-reducing valve is configured to decompress the gas
Implementation Method 2
The first valve is configured to release the gas from the first tank, and the first tank is provided with the first valve
Implementation Method 3
The second valve is configured to release the gas from the second tank, and the second tank is provided with the second valve
Implementation Method 4
The gas is supplied through the gas passage to a fuel cell via the first valve and the second valve
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel cell vehicle includes a first tank, a second tank, first and second valves for releasing gas, a gas passage for supplying gas to a fuel cell via the first and second valves, a pressure-reducing valve for decompressing the gas, side members disposed on the respective sides of the vehicle, and a motor disposed rearward of the second tank and configured to drive wheels. The first tank is not disposed downstream of the second tank, on the gas passage. The pressure-reducing valve is disposed in a region located rearward of a rear end of the second tank in a vehicle front-rear direction, forward of a rear end of the motor in the vehicle front-rear direction, and between one of the side members and an extended line extended in the vehicle front-rear direction from a side wall of the motor. The pressure-reducing valve is disposed on the second valve side.