Hydrogen Tank Semipermeable Membrane Pressure Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hydrogen tanks used in hydrogen-powered vehicles cannot be fully emptied due to the need for a residual hydrogen amount to maintain pressure, leading to hydrogen loss and limited driving range, and some refueling stations refuse to refill if minimum pressure is not detected.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a semipermeable membrane in the tank port that allows hydrogen to enter and leave while keeping carbon dioxide inside, using carbon dioxide to maintain pressure by transitioning between solid, liquid, and gaseous states to compensate for hydrogen depletion, ensuring the tank can be fully discharged without pressure drop.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a minimal pressure threshold is maintained in the hydrogen tank, then structural integrity and proper hydrogen distribution are ensured, but hydrogen loss occurs and driving range is limited
Solution Approach 1:
A semipermeable membrane is introduced as an intermediary component in the tank port assembly. This membrane selectively allows hydrogen to pass through while blocking carbon dioxide, enabling the tank to maintain minimal pressure for structural integrity while allowing complete hydrogen discharge for maximizing driving range. The membrane acts as a mediator between the conflicting requirements of pressure maintenance and hydrogen utilization.
2Loss of substance
If a semipermeable membrane is used to separate hydrogen and carbon dioxide, then hydrogen can be fully discharged, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The semipermeable membrane is strategically positioned only at the tank port assembly where gas exchange occurs, rather than throughout the entire tank structure. This localized application of the membrane provides the necessary separation function while minimizing added complexity and cost. The membrane is integrated into the existing tank port design, requiring minimal modification to the overall system architecture.
3Productivity
If carbon dioxide is used to maintain pressure, then the tank can be fully emptied, but the tank port structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The semipermeable membrane serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a pressure regulation mechanism, a gas separation barrier, and a structural component of the tank port assembly. By integrating these functions into a single component, the design maximizes driving range through complete hydrogen discharge while minimizing the increase in device complexity. The membrane's selective permeability property enables it to perform multiple roles without requiring additional separate systems.
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
This solution enables hydrogen tanks to be fully emptied, increasing the driving range and allowing for complete utilization of hydrogen, while maintaining pressure above a minimum level, thus overcoming the limitations of conventional systems.
Implementation Method 1
a semipermeable membrane configured substantially permeable for hydrogen and substantially impermeable for carbon dioxide
Implementation Method 2
A gaseous mixture present under elevated pressure may be fed to one side of the membrane, one component of the gaseous mixture then preferentially diffuses through the membrane
Implementation Method 3
using carbon dioxide to maintain pressure by transitioning between solid, liquid, and gaseous states to compensate for hydrogen depletion
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are a hydrogen tank and a method of operating the same. The hydrogen tank includes a tank vessel configured with an enclosed interior space for storing an admixture of carbon dioxide and gaseous hydrogen; and a tank port configured to fluidly contact the interior space of the tank vessel and including a semipermeable membrane, which is configured substantially permeable for the gaseous hydrogen and substantially impermeable for the carbon dioxide and is arranged to seal the tank vessel against the outside. The gaseous hydrogen can enter and leave the tank vessel through the tank port via the semipermeable membrane but carbon dioxide is kept in the tank vessel.