Glass Capillary Hydrogen Storage System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hydrogen storage systems using metal materials are heavy and cumbersome, limiting their portability and range of applications due to the need for high-pressure containment, and existing solutions like metal alloy micro-cylinders with heating coils are complex and impractical for industrial use.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising glass capillary tubes with sealed ends, sheathed in an external tubular cover and connected to an adaptor, allowing for the storage and extraction of compressed hydrogen gas, utilizing materials with high tensile strength and low mass density, such as borosilicate glass, and employing epoxy resin for sealing and a stainless steel adaptor for secure gas handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If metal materials and alloys are used for hydrogen storage containers, then high pressure containment is achieved, but the system becomes heavy and portability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system is divided into multiple separate glass capillary tubes instead of a single metal container. Each capillary tube is a small, lightweight segment that can be individually handled and replaced, collectively providing the required storage capacity while maintaining low weight
Solution Approach 2:
The material composition is changed from metal to glass, fundamentally altering the density parameter. Glass has lower density than metal materials, directly reducing the weight of the storage system while maintaining structural integrity through the capillary geometry and bundling configuration
2Stress or pressure
If metal alloys and composites are used for storage tanks, then high pressure resistance is improved, but device complexity and portability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses simple, inexpensive glass capillary tubes that can be easily manufactured and replaced if needed. Rather than using complex metal alloys and composites, the invention employs simple glass structures that are lightweight and sufficient for the application, reducing both material complexity and system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple glass capillary tubes are bundled together and housed within a protective external cover, creating a nested structure. The capillary tubes are inserted into the bundle, which is then placed inside the protective cover, providing a compact and organized assembly that simplifies handling while maintaining pressure resistance
3Ease of operation
If heating coils and meltable alloy plugs are used for hydrogen release, then gas liberation is achieved, but system complexity and practicality are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The complex heating coil and meltable plug mechanism is completely removed from the system. Instead, the invention uses simple glass capillary tubes with open ends that allow direct gas flow, eliminating the need for thermal actuation mechanisms and significantly simplifying the overall system design
Solution Approach 2:
The glass capillary tubes are designed to be self-contained storage units that require no external heating or actuation mechanisms. The tubes can be directly filled and sealed, and gas can be released by simple mechanical operations at the open ends, making the system inherently simple and practical
Data Source
AI summary
A device for the storage of compressed hydrogen gas comprises a plurality of glass capillary tubes each having a sealed extremity and an open extremity, wherein said plurality of glass capillary tubes is sheathed in an external tubular cover, and wherein the open end of a bundle of said tubular covers is housed in an adaptor, and wherein said adaptor is suitable to allow compressed hydrogen gas to be added to, and to prevent said hydrogen gas from escaping from, said glass capillary tubes.