Gastight Nozzle Structure for High-Pressure Composite Containers

Solution Overview

Problem

High-pressure composite containers with plastic liner layers and metal nozzles face challenges in maintaining gastightness, especially when internal pressure is low, leading to potential gas leaks and deformation of the plastic liner, which can cause accidents and reduce hydrogen storage density due to increased weight and reduced internal volume.

Innovation Solution

A high-pressure composite container design featuring a metal nozzle with a nozzle insert and multiple sealing elements, including a lower flat plate portion, first, second, third, and fourth sealing elements, and an elastic member to ensure gastightness by guiding gas leaks to a measurable interface and reducing the container's weight and complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a metal nozzle with multiple sealing elements and complex structure is used to ensure gastightness, then gastightness is improved, but device complexity and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovegastightnessVSAvoidnozzle structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing structure is divided into multiple independent sealing elements (first sealing element, second sealing element, third sealing element) positioned at different locations and orientations. Each sealing element independently seals a specific interface (metal nozzle-plastic liner, metal nozzle-sealing pad, sealing pad-plastic liner), allowing the complex sealing function to be achieved through modular, segmented components rather than a single complex structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A sealing pad is introduced as an intermediary component between the metal nozzle and the plastic liner layer. The sealing pad mediates the sealing function by creating multiple sealing interfaces: one with the metal nozzle and another with the plastic liner layer. This intermediary approach distributes the sealing stress and provides redundant sealing paths, improving gastightness without requiring the metal nozzle itself to be overly complex

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a metal nozzle with multiple sealing elements and complex structure is used to ensure gastightness, then gastightness is improved, but weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovegastightnessVSAvoidcontainer weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing structure is divided into multiple independent sealing elements (first sealing element, second sealing element, third sealing element) positioned at different locations and orientations. Each sealing element independently seals a specific interface (metal nozzle-plastic liner, metal nozzle-sealing pad, sealing pad-plastic liner), allowing the complex sealing function to be achieved through modular, segmented components rather than a single complex structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A sealing pad is introduced as an intermediary component between the metal nozzle and the plastic liner layer. The sealing pad mediates the sealing function by creating multiple sealing interfaces: one with the metal nozzle and another with the plastic liner layer. This intermediary approach distributes the sealing stress and provides redundant sealing paths, improving gastightness without requiring the metal nozzle itself to be overly complex

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If internal pressure is low, then gas may leak through joint portion, but increasing pressure to maintain sealing causes deformation and damage to plastic liner

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegastightness at low pressureVSAvoidplastic liner integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple sealing elements are pre-positioned at different interfaces (metal nozzle-plastic liner, metal nozzle-sealing pad, sealing pad-plastic liner) to provide beforehand cushioning against gas leakage. The elastic member is pre-installed to provide continuous elastic force that maintains sealing pressure without requiring high internal pressure, thus preventing gas leaks at low pressure conditions while avoiding deformation and damage to the plastic liner

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

A sealing pad is introduced as an intermediary component between the metal nozzle and the plastic liner layer. The sealing pad mediates the sealing function by creating multiple sealing interfaces: one with the metal nozzle and another with the plastic liner layer. This intermediary approach distributes the sealing stress and provides redundant sealing paths, improving gastightness without requiring the metal nozzle itself to be overly complex

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Quantity of substance

If a simpler nozzle structure is used to reduce weight and increase internal volume, then hydrogen storage density is improved, but gastightness cannot be ensured

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehydrogen storage densityVSAvoidgastightness

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing structure is divided into multiple independent sealing elements (first sealing element, second sealing element, third sealing element) positioned at different locations and orientations. Each sealing element independently seals a specific interface (metal nozzle-plastic liner, metal nozzle-sealing pad, sealing pad-plastic liner), allowing the complex sealing function to be achieved through modular, segmented components rather than a single complex structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A sealing pad is introduced as an intermediary component between the metal nozzle and the plastic liner layer. The sealing pad mediates the sealing function by creating multiple sealing interfaces: one with the metal nozzle and another with the plastic liner layer. This intermediary approach distributes the sealing stress and provides redundant sealing paths, improving gastightness without requiring the metal nozzle itself to be overly complex

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 design effectively maintains gastightness between the metal nozzle and plastic liner, prevents damage to the plastic liner, and enhances hydrogen storage density by reducing weight and increasing internal volume through a simpler nozzle structure.

Implementation Method 1

an elastic member, which elastically supports the metal nozzle toward the plastic liner layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic support: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS11085584B2High-pressure composite container having gastight nozzle structure

Publication Date: 2021.08.10 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A high-pressure composite container having a gastight nozzle structure includes a metal nozzle formed at a side of an inlet of a plastic liner layer that defines an inner layer of the high-pressure composite container; a nozzle insert which is inserted into and attached to the metal nozzle in a direction from an inner side of the plastic liner layer to an outer side of the plastic liner layer; and a nut member fixed to an upper end portion of the nozzle insert.