Spherical Container Support Assembly for Hydrogen Tank Expansion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage container support assemblies for hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) face challenges in stabilizing the storage containers due to high-pressure hydrogen gas expansion and contraction, leading to potential safety hazards and manufacturing tolerances issues.
Innovation Solution
A storage container support assembly featuring a spherical inner ring coupled to the nozzle of the storage container and a spherical outer ring with an inner ring hole, where a guide groove facilitates the insertion and rotation of the spherical inner ring, providing stable support and reducing manufacturing tolerances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a conventional support assembly is used for the storage container, then the structure is simple, but the storage container cannot be stably supported against expansion and contraction caused by high-pressure hydrogen gas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs spherical inner and outer rings instead of conventional cylindrical or flat support structures. The spherical geometry allows the support assembly to accommodate radial expansion and axial contraction of the storage container uniformly in all directions, providing stable support while maintaining structural simplicity. The curved surfaces enable smooth movement and reduce stress concentration points.
Solution Approach 2:
The support assembly is divided into multiple functional components: an inner ring that contacts the storage container, an outer ring that provides structural support, and guide grooves that control movement. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally while collectively providing stable support against pressure-induced deformation.
2Manufacturing precision
If tight tolerances are applied during manufacturing of the support assembly, then the nozzle is more stably supported, but manufacturing cost and difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical geometry of the rings provides self-aligning characteristics that reduce sensitivity to manufacturing tolerances. The curved surfaces naturally guide the components into proper alignment during assembly, reducing the need for extremely tight tolerances while still achieving stable nozzle positioning and support.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide grooves act as intermediary elements that control and guide the relative movement between the inner and outer rings. These grooves provide a predetermined path that ensures proper positioning without requiring high-precision manufacturing of the ring interfaces, thereby reducing overall manufacturing difficulty while maintaining positioning accuracy.
3Quantity of substance
If the storage container is designed to accommodate high-pressure hydrogen, then the hydrogen storage capacity increases, but the container expands and contracts causing instability
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical support rings are designed to accommodate the radial expansion of the storage container when filled with high-pressure hydrogen. The curved geometry allows uniform distribution of stress and enables the support structure to flex with the container's dimensional changes while maintaining stable support and preventing instability.
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 proposed support assembly effectively stabilizes the storage container and nozzle, preventing axial displacement and ensuring safety against vibrations and deformations, while also simplifying manufacturing by reducing tolerance issues.
Implementation Method 1
a sliding surface configured to slide while in contact with the inner surface
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment storage container support assembly includes a spherical inner ring coupled to a nozzle disposed at a first end of a storage container and a spherical outer ring including an inner ring hole configured to receive and support the spherical inner ring, wherein a guide groove is disposed on a first side of an inner surface of the inner ring hole in a first direction that is a direction of a central axis of the inner ring hole such that the spherical inner ring is insertable into the inner ring hole, and wherein the guide groove communicates with the inner ring hole.