Internal Heating Device for Fuel Cell Gas Storage Canister
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel cell containers face challenges in releasing fuel at low temperatures, leading to unsuccessful cold starts and inefficiencies due to indirect heating methods that increase power loss and fail to directly heat the gas storage material.
Innovation Solution
A container equipped with a heating device, such as an electric heating bar or positive temperature coefficient thermistor, that directly provides heat energy to the gas storage material, combined with a safety device that releases gas when internal temperature or pressure exceeds predetermined values to protect the canister.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If indirect heating method using water tank and circulated piping system is used, then the container can be heated to release fuel, but the efficacy of thermal conduction is deteriorated and power loss is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the heating element from the external water tank system and places it directly inside the container. The heating bar is positioned within the container to directly heat the gas storage material, eliminating the need for water tank, piping system, and intermediate heat transfer processes, thereby reducing energy loss and simplifying the system structure
Solution Approach 2:
The invention removes the water and piping intermediary components from the heating process. By using a heating bar that directly contacts or is positioned near the gas storage material, the patent eliminates multiple heat transfer interfaces (water tank walls, piping, container walls) that cause thermal conduction deterioration and energy loss
2Temperature
If indirect heating method through water tank is used, then the container can be heated, but the container or gas storage material cannot be directly heated
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is extracted from the external water tank system and integrated directly into the container interior. The heating bar is positioned inside the container to provide direct heating to the gas storage material, improving thermal efficiency while maintaining a compact structure
Solution Approach 2:
The heating device is merged with the container structure by placing the heating bar inside the container. This integration allows the heating function to be combined with the storage function in a single compact unit, achieving direct heating without requiring separate water tank and piping systems
3Reliability
If conventional heating system without internal heating device is used, then the structure is simple, but the cold start of fuel cell system is unsuccessful in low temperature environment
Solution Approach 1:
The heating bar is pre-installed inside the container to enable preliminary heating action before the fuel cell system operates. In low temperature environments, the heating bar can be activated first to warm the gas storage material and raise the internal temperature, ensuring the fuel cell system can successfully cold start without relying on external heat sources
Solution Approach 2:
The container becomes self-heating by incorporating the heating bar internally. The system can independently generate and apply heat to its own contents without requiring external water tanks or complex piping systems, improving reliability in cold environments while maintaining structural simplicity
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 solution effectively minimizes power loss, ensures efficient fuel release, and protects the container by directly heating the gas storage material and safely managing pressure and temperature conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one heating device is accommodated within an inner space of the canister body for heating the gas storage material
Implementation Method 2
When a temperature of the inner space is higher than a predetermined temperature value or a pressure of the inner space is higher than a predetermined pressure value, a portion of the gas is released through the safety device
Data Source
AI summary
A container is disclosed. The container includes a canister body, at least one heating device and at least one safety device. The canister body includes an inner space for storing a gas storage material. The at least one heating device is accommodated within an inner space of the canister body for heating the gas storage material, so that the gas storage material releases a gas. The at least one safety device is connected with the corresponding heating device and installed on an end part of the canister body. When a temperature of the inner space is higher than a predetermined temperature value or a pressure of the inner space is higher than a predetermined pressure value, a portion of the gas is released through the safety device.