Hydrogen Safety Joint With Orthogonal Flow-Path Shutoff
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe joints for emergency releasing in hydrogen fueling systems allow high-pressure hydrogen gas to escape when the filling nozzle is disconnected, posing a safety risk due to the initial open state of the shutoff valves.
Innovation Solution
A safety joint design with orthogonally arranged central axes, a protruding portion with a through hole, and a closing member held by an elastic member, which closes the flow path immediately upon disconnection to prevent gas leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the shutoff valve is kept open during normal operation to allow gas flow, then the filling efficiency is improved, but when the nozzle is disconnected, high-pressure gas escapes causing safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The closing member is pre-positioned within the socket and the elastic member is pre-loaded to maintain the closing member in a retracted position during normal operation. When disconnection occurs, the pre-loaded elastic member automatically propels the closing member to seal the flow path, eliminating the need for active detection or control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The closing member acts as an intermediary element between the socket and the protruding portion. It physically blocks the flow path when needed, serving as a mechanical mediator that prevents gas escape without requiring complex valve mechanisms or control systems.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a closing member is added to seal the flow path upon disconnection, then safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic member provides self-powered actuation for the closing member, eliminating the need for external power sources, sensors, or control systems. The system uses the inherent elastic potential energy stored in the elastic member to automatically seal the flow path upon disconnection, achieving safety without increasing operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow path is segmented into two separate components: the socket with its own flow path and the protruding portion with a separate flow path. The closing member selectively seals the socket's flow path, allowing independent control and simplifying the overall structure by avoiding the need for a single complex valve system.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the central axes of the flow paths are arranged orthogonally, then the closing member can effectively seal the flow path, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flow paths are deliberately designed with asymmetric orthogonal arrangement rather than symmetric coaxial alignment. The closing member is shaped to match this asymmetric configuration, with its sealing surface specifically designed to engage with the orthogonal flow path geometry, ensuring effective sealing while accommodating manufacturing tolerances.
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 safety joint effectively reduces the outflow of high-pressure hydrogen gas when the nozzle is pulled out, ensuring safety by maintaining the flow path closed and minimizing gas release.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member (socket side spring 9) that urges the closing member (8) in a direction that the nozzle side member (10) comes off
Data Source
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AI summary
[Problems] To provide a safety joint that can immediately shut off a hydrogen gas flow path at the initial stage when a plug, which is a nozzle side member, comes out of a socket, which is a filling apparatus side member, to prevent release of outgas. [Means of solving the problems] A safety joint including: a cylindrical nozzle side member with a flow path formed inside, a shutoff valve of the nozzle side member opens when the nozzle side member is connected to a filling apparatus side member; and the filling apparatus side member with a cylindrical shape and a flow path formed inside, the filling apparatus side member can be connected to the nozzle side member.