Hydrogen Tank Protective Structure for Side-Impact Fire Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) face challenges with miniaturized hydrogen storage tanks that are vulnerable to side impacts and have increased risk of temperature-sensitive safety valve inefficiencies due to their elongated, small-diameter design, which can lead to potential fire hazards and safety issues.
Innovation Solution
A fluid storage apparatus with impact-absorbing parts that expand upon collision, incorporating reaction capsules and fire extinguishing agents to mitigate side impacts and extinguish fires, while maintaining safety through thermally activated pressure relief devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a plurality of small-diameter, long-axis hydrogen storage tanks are disposed to reduce space dependence, then space utilization is improved, but the tanks become vulnerable to side impacts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by providing a protective part that surrounds the hydrogen storage tanks before impact occurs. This protective part includes an impact absorbing member that can deform to absorb impact energy, and a fire extinguishing member that is positioned to extinguish fires before they spread. The protective part acts as a pre-positioned safety barrier that mitigates both impact damage and fire risks before they affect the storage tanks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary approach by introducing a protective part as a mediator between external hazards (impact, fire) and the hydrogen storage tanks. This protective part includes impact absorbing members that deform to absorb impact energy, and fire extinguishing members that release extinguishing agents. The intermediary protective structure transfers and dissipates harmful energies before they reach the storage tanks, resolving the contradiction between compact tank design and safety.
2Volume of moving object
If a plurality of small-diameter, long-axis hydrogen storage tanks are disposed, then space utilization is improved, but the area for temperature-sensitive safety valve response increases, creating fire hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning fire extinguishing members within the protective part that surrounds the hydrogen storage tanks. These fire extinguishing members are positioned in advance to detect and extinguish fires before they can spread or compromise the storage tanks. The system performs preliminary fire suppression actions rather than waiting for fires to develop, thereby maintaining safety valve effectiveness even in compact multi-tank configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The fire extinguishing members act as intermediaries between the potential fire hazards and the temperature-sensitive safety valves. By positioning these extinguishing members within the protective part surrounding the tanks, the system creates an intermediate safety layer that can detect and suppress fires before they affect the storage tanks or interfere with safety valve operations, thus maintaining reliability in compact designs.
3Strength
If impact absorbing parts expand upon collision, then impact protection is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible shells by using impact absorbing members that are configured to deform upon impact. These members can be made of flexible materials that naturally expand or deform when subjected to collision forces, providing impact protection without requiring complex mechanical expansion mechanisms. The flexibility of the shell structure allows it to absorb impact energy through controlled deformation, simplifying the overall device complexity while maintaining effective impact protection.
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 apparatus effectively absorbs side impacts and extinguishes fires, enhancing safety and reducing vulnerability of hydrogen storage tanks in FCEVs by using expandable impact-absorbing parts and fire-resistant components.
Implementation Method 1
a first reaction capsule disposed in an interior of the expanded portion, and in which a first reactant is disposed in an interior of the first reaction capsule, and a second reactant that generates a reference gas while reacting with the first reactant
Implementation Method 2
a thermally activated pressure relief device (TPRD) is installed in the hydrogen storage tank of the FCEV for safety in the event of a fire
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a fluid storage apparatus including a storage part that stores a fluid in an interior thereof, extending along a first direction, and including one or more storage tanks arranged along a second direction being one direction crossing the first direction, and an impact absorbing part that covers at least some of the storage tanks, the impact absorbing part may be configured such that a volume thereof becomes larger in a specific reference condition.