Hydrogen Cylinder Common Rail Layout for Compact Vehicle Storage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing new energy vehicles with multiple hydrogen cylinders face issues of low integration and inefficient space utilization due to individual cylinder valve control, leading to complex pipelines and increased costs.

Innovation Solution

A medium storage system with a mounting frame, storage containers, connectors, a common rail device, and a control valve, allowing centralized control and communication between multiple storage containers, reducing the need for individual cylinder valves and complex pipelines.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If multiple gas cylinders are used to increase hydrogen storage capacity, then storage capacity is improved, but system complexity and cost increase due to individual cylinder valves and pipelines for each cylinder

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehydrogen storage capacityVSAvoidpipeline complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple individual cylinder valves and pipelines into a single common rail device that serves all gas cylinders. The common rail device includes a single control valve and shared pipeline network, eliminating the need for separate valves and pipelines for each cylinder, thus reducing system complexity while maintaining the ability to store hydrogen from multiple cylinders

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The common rail device is designed as a universal component that can control and distribute hydrogen from multiple different gas cylinders through a single interface. This multi-functional device replaces multiple specialized individual valve-pipeline assemblies, allowing one system to serve multiple storage containers efficiently

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Quantity of substance

If multiple gas cylinders with individual cylinder valves are used, then storage capacity is improved, but cost significantly increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehydrogen storage capacityVSAvoidsystem cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple expensive individual cylinder valve assemblies into a single common rail device with one control valve. This merging approach reduces the total number of expensive components needed, thereby lowering the overall system cost while still providing the capability to manage multiple gas cylinders for increased hydrogen storage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Quantity of substance

If multiple gas cylinders are arranged in the storage system, then storage capacity is improved, but space utilization decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehydrogen storage capacityVSAvoidspace utilization
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The common rail device consolidates the control and distribution function for multiple gas cylinders into a compact centralized unit. This merging eliminates the need for extensive individual pipeline routing between each cylinder and control point, reducing the space required for pipeline installation and improving overall space utilization in the vehicle

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4700273A1Medium storage system and vehicle
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 DONGFENG MOTOR GRP
  • EP4700273A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4700273A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4700273A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A medium storage system and a vehicle. A medium storage system comprises a mounting frame (100), storage containers (200), a connector (300), a common rail device (400) and a control valve (500). The mounting frame (100) is provided with a mounting cavity (110). Two or more storage containers (200) are provided, which are sequentially arranged in a direction which is disposed at an angle to an axial direction of the storage container (200), and are disposed in the mounting cavity (110). The connectors (300) are connected to the corresponding storage container (200) and are each connected to the mounting frame (100). The connector (300) is provided with a communication channel. The common rail device (400) is connected to the mounting frame (100) and/or a vehicle, and is disposed at an angle to the axial direction of the storage container (200). The common rail device (400) each is provided with a medium channel (411). Inner cavities of various storage containers (200) are each in communication with the medium channel (411) by the communication channel of a corresponding connector (300).