Hydrogen Tank Valve Pilot Plunger for Fast Pressure Equalization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional valves for hydrogen tanks in fuel cell vehicles take a long time to eliminate pressure differences between tank-side and pipe-side flow passages, leading to insufficient hydrogen supply and delayed power output in hydrogen electric trucks.
Innovation Solution
A solenoid-type valve with a pilot plunger and main plunger connected via a flexible connection bar, featuring a first open hole for communication, a blocking body to block the tank-side flow passage, and a second open hole to allow communication between the tank-side and pipe-side flow passages, which rapidly eliminates pressure differences and facilitates the ascent of the main plunger.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a conventional solenoid-type valve with pilot plunger and main plunger is used, then the valve structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the pressure difference between tank-side and pipe-side flow passages takes a long time to eliminate, resulting in delayed hydrogen supply
Solution Approach 1:
The valve is divided into a pilot valve portion and a main valve portion that operate independently at different stages. The pilot valve portion (with pilot plunger) first opens to equalize pressure, then the main valve portion (with main plunger) opens to provide full hydrogen flow. This segmentation allows the system to overcome the pressure difference barrier in two stages rather than one, reducing the total time to eliminate pressure difference while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The pilot valve portion performs a preliminary action by opening first to equalize the pressure difference between tank-side and pipe-side flow passages. This preliminary pressure equalization creates favorable conditions for the subsequent opening of the main valve portion, enabling faster overall hydrogen supply without increasing the complexity of the main valve structure.
2Reliability
If the pressure difference between tank-side and pipe-side flow passages is large, then the valve maintains stable closed state, but the main plunger cannot ascend even when pilot plunger is moved upwards, preventing hydrogen flow
Solution Approach 1:
The valve is segmented into pilot and main portions with different pressure thresholds. The pilot valve portion is designed to open at lower pressure differences, while the main valve portion requires larger pressure differences to open. This segmentation allows the system to maintain stable closed state under high pressure difference while still enabling hydrogen flow when pressure conditions are favorable, resolving the contradiction between reliability and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The pilot valve portion performs a preliminary opening action to equalize pressure before the main valve portion opens. This preliminary action reduces the pressure difference acting on the main plunger, enabling it to ascend and open the main flow passage without compromising the stability of the closed state when pressure difference is large.
3Speed
If the main plunger is moved upwards rapidly to open the flow passage, then hydrogen supply speed increases, but the pressure difference cannot be eliminated quickly enough, causing the main plunger to remain stuck
Solution Approach 1:
The pilot valve portion performs a preliminary pressure equalization action before the main valve portion opens. By first reducing the pressure difference through the pilot opening, the system creates favorable conditions for rapid main plunger ascent, enabling fast hydrogen supply without the main plunger getting stuck due to excessive pressure difference.
Solution Approach 2:
The two-stage valve structure segments the pressure equalization process into pilot stage and main stage. The pilot stage rapidly equalizes pressure through its smaller opening, then the main stage opens to provide high-speed hydrogen flow. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both rapid pressure equalization and high hydrogen supply speed without contradiction.
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 design reduces the time to eliminate pressure differences, ensuring a stable and rapid hydrogen supply to the fuel cell stack, thereby achieving the target power output of hydrogen electric trucks.
Implementation Method 1
a coil unit 110, which generates magnetic force when power is applied thereto
Data Source
AI summary
A valve for a hydrogen tank of a fuel cell vehicle includes a first open hole for communicating with a tank-side flow passage, a blocking body for blocking the tank-side flow passage, and a second open hole that allows the tank-side flow passage to communicate with a pipe-side flow passage formed at a pilot plunger. As the pilot plunger ascends in the state in which the first open hole communicates with the tank-side flow passage, the tank-side flow passage is blocked by the blocking body and subsequently communicates with the pipe-side flow passage via the second open hole, thereby reducing the size of a section in which a pressure difference occurs between the flow passages and reducing the time taken to eliminate the pressure difference, thus securing stable supply of hydrogen from a hydrogen tank to a fuel cell.