Gas Storage Element with Elastic Deformation Zones
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas storage systems face challenges in managing the volume expansion of sorbents during gas adsorption, leading to reduced thermal conductivity, increased thermal resistance, and decreased gas discharge rates, as well as difficulties in maintaining structural integrity and efficient gas access due to the use of deformable housings or porous materials.
Innovation Solution
A storage element with a rigid hollow housing containing a sorbent and elastically deformable areas that compensate for volume expansion, allowing for even expansion and improved heat transfer, with the sorbent and deformable material arranged alternately to maintain homogeneous density and prevent pore closure during gas sorption and desorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a sorbent is used for gas storage, then gas storage capacity is improved, but volume expansion of the sorbent reduces thermal conductivity and decreases gas discharge rate
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into multiple regions: sorbent-containing regions and elastically deformable body-containing regions. This segmentation allows the system to accommodate volume expansion locally without compromising the thermal conductivity of the entire sorbent bed, thereby maintaining gas discharge rate while preserving storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
An elastically deformable body is introduced as an intermediary between the sorbent and the rigid housing. This intermediary compensates for volume expansion of the sorbent during gas sorption, preventing compression of the sorbent bed and maintaining its thermal conductivity and porosity, thus preserving both storage capacity and discharge rate.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a deformable housing is used to accommodate sorbent volume expansion, then structural integrity is improved, but external geometries become undefined and problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The housing contains both rigid sections (providing defined external geometry and structural integrity) and sections with elastically deformable bodies (accommodating volume expansion). This segmentation allows the housing to maintain a defined shape while internally adapting to sorbent volume changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing has different properties in different regions: rigid walls for structural integrity and defined geometry, and regions with elastically deformable bodies for volume compensation. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between maintaining shape and accommodating expansion.
3Volume of stationary object
If cavities are provided in the housing to accommodate volume expansion, then sorbent expansion space is improved, but material fixation becomes difficult and requires special elements
Solution Approach 1:
The elastically deformable body automatically adjusts its volume to compensate for sorbent expansion without requiring external fixation elements. The material's elasticity provides self-contained volume management, eliminating the need for special fixation mechanisms and reducing device complexity.
4Strength
If foam structure is used to incorporate sorbent particles, then structural support is improved, but thermal conductivity is reduced and gas access is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The elastically deformable body is extracted from the sorbent-containing regions, creating distinct zones. This allows the sorbent regions to maintain high porosity and thermal conductivity for rapid gas access, while the deformable body regions provide the necessary structural support and volume compensation separately.
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 design enhances the discharge rate and usable storage capacity by ensuring even heat transfer and maintaining structural integrity, potentially increasing hydrogen storage capacity by up to 50% and maintaining performance across multiple sorption and desorption cycles.
Implementation Method 1
an elastically deformable body or an elastically deformable material is accommodated and no sorbent is present there. The body(s) or the material is/are elastically deformable and/or its volume is/are dimensioned such that a volume expansion of the sorbent during the sorption of the respective gas can be compensated
Implementation Method 2
When a gas is adsorbed or absorbed for temporary storage on or in a solid as a sorbent
Implementation Method 3
When a gas is adsorbed or absorbed for temporary storage on or in a solid as a sorbent
Implementation Method 4
By introducing energy, in particular heating, desorption is also possible, with which the respective temporarily stored gas can be released from the storage element again
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a storage element for gases, in which a sorbent for storing a particular gas is contained in at least one region within a rigid, internally hollow housing that has at least one inlet, one outlet, or both an inlet and outlet for a gas. The housing contains at least one further region in which an elastically deformable body or material is contained and no sorbent is present. The body or material is sufficiently elastically deformable and/or its volume is dimensioned such that any volume expansion of the sorbent during the sorption of the respective gas can be compensated for.