Hydrogen Reservoir Connector With Hybrid Metal Sealing Threads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel cell systems require connections between high-pressure hydrogen reservoirs and the fuel cell system that maintain tightness and pressure resistance after repeated loosening and reconnection, while minimizing weight and manufacturing complexity.
Innovation Solution
A connector device is designed with a lightweight aluminum main part and high-strength steel connector elements, allowing for easy manufacturing and secure, gas-tight connections using threaded attachments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high-strength steel is used for the connector element to ensure tightness after repeated loosening and reconnection, then reliability is improved, but weight and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connector device applies local quality by using high-strength steel only for the connector element that requires wear resistance and tightness, while the main body is made of lightweight aluminum. This localized material selection optimizes the weight-strength trade-off by concentrating high-strength material only where mechanically necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector device employs composite materials by combining aluminum (lightweight) and high-strength steel (durable) in a hybrid construction. The aluminum main body provides weight reduction while the steel connector element ensures connection reliability, creating a composite structure that leverages the advantages of both materials.
2Reliability
If high-strength steel is used for the connector element to ensure pressure resistance, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The solution applies local quality by restricting high-strength steel to the connector element portion that requires pressure resistance and wear tolerance, while the main body remains aluminum. This localized approach reduces overall manufacturing complexity compared to fabricating the entire connector from high-strength steel.
Solution Approach 2:
The hybrid aluminum-steel construction simplifies manufacturing by allowing each material to be processed according to its optimal characteristics - aluminum for casting the main body and steel for precision-machined connector elements - rather than requiring the entire assembly to be manufactured from the more difficult high-strength steel.
3Weight of moving object
If lightweight aluminum is used for the main part, then weight is reduced, but strength and pressure resistance decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The connector device applies local quality by using aluminum for the main body where weight reduction is prioritized, and high-strength steel for the connector element where strength and pressure resistance are critical. This spatial differentiation of material properties optimizes the weight-strength balance.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite aluminum-steel structure compensates for aluminum's lower strength by strategically positioning steel components at the connection points that bear the highest mechanical loads, while maintaining overall weight reduction through the lightweight aluminum main body.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a connector device for connecting one or more hydrogen storage means to a fuel cell. For this purpose, a connector device is proposed which has a main part made of a light metal, such as aluminum, and connector elements made of a high-strength material, such as high-grade steel.