DE102021207319A1 - Check valve and control method for controlling a flow of pressurized gas from a pressure tank - Google Patents

Abstract

Check valve (100) for controlling a compressed gas flow from a compressed gas tank (109) into a system-side space (111), the check valve (100) having a main valve (101), a servo valve (103), a coil (105) and a driver (107 ) includes. The invention also includes a control method (200) for controlling a compressed gas flow from a pressure tank (300) by means of a check valve (100), a pressure tank system (300) with a check valve and a vehicle (200) with a pressure tank system (300).

Description

State of the art

Hydrogen is often used as a fuel to operate fuel cells but also internal combustion engines. Since hydrogen is highly explosive, it must be stored safely in a pressure tank. Check valves are used to control a flow of hydrogen from a pressure tank.

Disclosure of Invention

As part of the presented invention, a check valve, a control method, a pressure tank and a vehicle with the features of the respective independent patent claims are presented. Further features and details of the invention result from the respective dependent claims, the description and the drawings. Features and details that are described in connection with the check valve according to the invention also apply, of course, in connection with the control method according to the invention or the pressure tank according to the invention and the vehicle according to the invention, and vice versa, so that with regard to the disclosure of the individual aspects of the invention, reference is always made to one another will or can become.

The invention presented serves in particular to enable a robust and reliable control of a flow of compressed gas, in particular hydrogen, from a pressure tank.

In a first aspect of the presented invention, a shut-off valve for controlling a compressed gas flow from a compressed gas tank into a system-side space is thus presented. The check valve includes a main valve, a servo valve, a spool, and a follower. The coil is configured to move the servo valve from a first servo valve position to a second servo valve position when the coil is energized with electric current, so that the servo valve releases a control channel in the main valve between a control chamber of the check valve and a system-side chamber, and an in pressurized gas in the control room flows into the system-side room.

In the first servo valve position, the servo valve closes the control channel in a gas-tight manner, in particular in a hydrogen-tight manner. Furthermore, in the second servo valve position, the servo valve unblocks the control channel and is retracted into a valve chamber above the servo valve.

The driver is arranged on a driver receptacle of the servo valve and on a main valve receptacle of the main valve, the driver receptacle having a larger cross section than the driver so that the servo valve can be moved between the first servo valve position and a servo valve auxiliary position without moving the driver.

In the servo valve auxiliary position, the servo valve releases the control channel, but has not yet moved into the valve chamber.

The servo valve is configured to move the driver in the direction of the valve chamber when moving from the auxiliary servo valve position to the second servo valve position.

The follower is configured to transfer a force provided by movement of the servo valve to the second servo valve position to the main valve and to move the main valve from a first main valve position to a second main valve position.

In the first main valve position, the main valve closes a main channel, which connects the pressurized gas tank with the system-side space, gas-tight, and opens the main channel in the second main valve position.

In the context of the present invention, a shut-off valve is to be understood as a shut-off valve for shutting off and releasing a compressed-gas-conducting path.

In the context of the presented invention, a pressurized gas container is to be understood as meaning a space in which a gas, in particular hydrogen, is stored at high pressure, in particular at a pressure of up to 1100 bar.

In the context of the presented invention, a system-side space is to be understood as a space that is arranged on the outflow side from the check valve and can usually assume pressures between atmospheric pressure and storage pressure in the compressed gas tank.

In the context of the presented invention, a driver is to be understood as meaning a mechanical coupling element for transmitting a force from a first movable component to a second movable component.

The presented invention is based on two moveable valves, namely a servo valve, which adjusts a compressed gas flow and, as a result, a pressure profile in the check valve, and a main valve that adjusts a flow of pressurized gas out of or through the check valve.

According to the invention, the servo valve and the main valve cooperate to enable robust and reliable movement of the main valve between a first main valve position, e.g. a blocking position, and a second main valve position, e.g. a release position.

The shut-off valve presented connects a compressed gas container, usually a pressure tank, via a main channel to a system-side space, which can usually supply a fuel cell system or an internal combustion engine with fuel, in particular e.g. hydrogen, via a fluidically conductive connection. To adjust the pressure level, e.g. in the fuel cell system or an internal combustion engine, these are usually connected indirectly to the system-side space via pressure reducers. The main valve of the check valve is movably arranged in the main duct, so that the main valve prevents or blocks the flow of compressed gas from the compressed gas tank into the system-side space when the main valve is in the first main valve position and, for example, protrudes into the main duct or the Main channel sealed gas-tight. In the second main valve position, the main valve releases a flow of pressurized gas from the pressurized gas tank into the system-side space, which takes place, for example, via a spaced position from the main channel.

In order to enable the main valve to be moved from the first main valve position to the second main valve position, the shut-off valve presented comprises a driver which mechanically couples the servo valve and the main valve, so that a force for moving the servo valve is at least partially transmitted to the main valve when the Servo valve moves. Accordingly, the driver causes additive forces to be applied to the main valve, namely a force provided by a movement of the servo valve into the second servo valve position and a pneumatic force which results from a pressure difference between a control chamber of the check valve and a pressure acting on the main valve from the compressed gas tank results.

Due to the additive loading of the main valve with different forces, a safe and rapid movement of the main valve from the first main valve position into the second main valve position is ensured.

Provision can be made for the driver receptacle to include a movement space for moving the servo valve independently of the driver, the movement space having a height that enables movement of the servo valve from the first servo valve position into the servo valve auxiliary position.

The driver receptacle provided according to the invention can, for example, be a bore in the servo valve or through the servo valve. In a further embodiment variant, the driver receptacle can be designed, for example, as a bore in or through the main valve. Optionally, the driver receptacle can include a stop for contacting the driver. The stop can have a shape that is selected to correspond to a predefined transfer function for transferring a force from the servo valve to the main valve, so that the transfer function specifies a characteristic curve for a movement of the main valve from the first main valve position into the second main valve position.

In order to allow the servo valve to move independently of the driver in some areas, and, for example, to move the servo valve from the first servo valve position to the servo valve auxiliary position without the main valve being moved, the driver receptacle can include a movement space for moving the servo valve independently of the driver. The movement space can, for example, be what is known as a “play” between the driver and the driver receptacle, within which the servo valve can move independently of the driver or without contact with the driver.

In a first embodiment, the driver is firmly connected to the servo valve. Accordingly, the movement space causes a gradual opening of the check valve presented, since first the servo valve is moved from the first servo valve position to the servo valve auxiliary position until the driver comes into contact with the driver receptacle and then, after a pressure in the control chamber of the check valve has been minimized in the servo valve auxiliary position, moving the servo valve to the second servo valve position, thereby pulling or pushing the main valve from the first main valve position to the second main valve position.

In a further embodiment variant it can be provided that the driver is firmly connected to the main valve.

A fixed connection, ie a connection without so-called "play" or without a movement space for independent movement of the main valve and driver causes a direct transmission of a force provided or transmitted by the driver to the main valve, so that a movement of the driver leads directly or directly to a movement of the main valve.

Provision can also be made for the driver to be a bolt.

A bolt, in particular a metal bolt, has proven to be robust and reliable and therefore contributes to a long service life of the check valve presented.

Alternatively, it can be provided that the driver consists of a flexible or elastic material in order to enable a region-wise independent movement of the servo valve from the main valve.

Provision can furthermore be made for the shut-off valve to include a control chamber which is fluidically connected to the control channel when the servo valve is in the servo valve auxiliary position.

A control chamber for receiving pressurized gas from the pressurized gas tank, which is connected to the control channel, can be used to reduce a pressure present in the control chamber by releasing pressurized gas into the control channel and, as a result, to enable movement of the main valve. For this purpose, the control chamber can be arranged, for example, between the servo valve and the main valve. Correspondingly, the servo valve can be used to set a pressure in the control chamber and, as a result, to control a movement of the main valve by the servo valve closing or opening the control channel.

Provision can be made for the main valve to have a stroke limiter on the housing such that the main valve stroke is smaller than the servo valve stroke and when the servo valve and the main valve are fully open the servo valve seat remains open and pressure can be equalized between the control chamber and the system-side chamber.

Provision can also be made for the pneumatic separation of the control chamber from the compressed gas tank to take place via a guide between the servo valve and the housing.

In a further advantageous embodiment, however, the pneumatic separation of the control chamber can also take place using standard sealing elements such as O-rings or sealing lips in the guide of the main valve, which enables a particularly strong pressure drop in the control chamber and thus also a particularly large opening force on the main valve. In order to still ensure safe closing during the closing process after switching off the magnetic force, there must be an alternative pneumatically throttling connection between the control chamber and the compressed gas tank, but in contrast to a guide, this can be particularly simple in terms of production technology, e.g. through throttle bores between the high-pressure area 109 and the control chamber take place, e.g. in the main valve, in the servo valve or in the housing.

It may further be provided that the check valve comprises a compression spring configured to urge the servo valve to the first servo valve position and the main valve to the first main valve position when the coil is de-energized.

A compression spring enables the shut-off valve to be shut off safely and reliably even in the event of a fault in an electrical supply to the shut-off valve.

In a second aspect, the presented invention relates to a control method for controlling a compressed gas flow from a pressure tank by means of a check valve. The check valve includes a main valve, a servo valve, a spool, and a follower. The control method includes an opening step for opening the blocking valve, in which the coil is energized with electric current to move the servo valve from a first servo valve position to a second servo valve position, so that the servo valve has a control channel in the main valve between a control chamber of the blocking valve and a system-side Space releases, and a pressurized gas in the control space flows into the system-side space, with a driver, which is arranged between the servo valve and on the main valve, transmits a force provided for moving the servo valve to the main valve when the servo valve moves from the first servo valve position is moved to the second servo valve position such that the main valve is moved from a first main valve position to a second main valve position and a main passage connecting a pressurized gas tank to the system side space is released. Furthermore, the control method includes a shut-off step for shutting off the shut-off valve, in which the coil is de-energized so that a compression spring moves the servo valve from the second servo valve position to the first servo valve position, and the servo valve closes the control channel in the main valve in a gas-tight manner, and the main valve closes the main channel sealed gas-tight.

The control method presented serves in particular to operate the check valve presented.

In a third aspect, the presented invention relates to a pressure tank system with a possible embodiment of the presented shut-off valve.

In a fourth aspect, the presented invention relates to a vehicle with a possible embodiment of the presented pressure tank system.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention result from the following description, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in detail with reference to the drawings. The features mentioned in the claims and in the description can each be essential to the invention individually or in any combination.

• 1a bis 1f einen Ablauf einer möglichen Ausgestaltung des vorgestellten Steuerungsverfahrens mit einer möglichen Ausgestaltung des vorgestellten Sperrventils,
• 2 eine mögliche Ausgestaltung des vorgestellten Fahrzeugs mit einer möglichen Ausgestaltung des vorgestellten Drucktanksystems.

Show it:

• 1a until 1f a sequence of a possible embodiment of the presented control method with a possible embodiment of the presented shut-off valve,
• 2 a possible embodiment of the presented vehicle with a possible embodiment of the presented pressure tank system.

In 1a a check valve 100 is shown. The check valve 100 comprises a main valve 101, a servo valve 103, a spool 105 and a driver 107, as in FIG 1a shown.

The main valve 101 controls a hydrogen flow between a high-pressure area 109, such as a compressed gas tank, and a system-side area 111, which in a common embodiment variant is connected, for example, to a fuel cell system or an internal combustion engine, with a pressure reducer being provided in the connection for easy adjustment of the pressure level can be.

To open the main valve 101 or to enable a flow of hydrogen from the high-pressure area 109 into the system-side area 111, the coil 105 is energized so that it provides an electromagnetic force and the servo valve 103 upwards, away from a control channel 113 in the main valve 101 , to an auxiliary servo valve position, as in 1b shown.

In the servo valve auxiliary position, driver 107 rests against a driver mount 115 of servo valve 103, since driver mount 115 of servo valve 103 has pushed itself onto driver 107 in the servo valve auxiliary position, or driver 107 is arranged on a driver mount 115 of main valve 101 in such a way that the driver 107 contacts the driver receptacle 115 in the servo valve auxiliary position and the driver 107 does not contact the driver receptacle 115 in the first servo valve position or the driver 107 is spaced apart from the driver receptacle 115 in the first servo valve position. For this purpose, the driver receptacle 115 can be designed as an undercut and connect an upper part 117 of the servo valve 103 to a lower part 119 of the servo valve 103 without contacting the driver 107 in the first servo valve position.

The electromagnetic force provided by the coil 105 initially pulls the servo valve 103 into an auxiliary servo valve position, as shown in FIG 1b shown, in which the servo valve 103 releases the control channel 113 so that hydrogen can flow from a control chamber 121 of the check valve 100 through the control channel 113 into the area 111 on the system side. Due to the hydrogen flowing out of the control chamber 121, a pressure present in the control chamber 121 decreases, as shown in FIG 1c indicated, and the servo valve 103 can be further moved to the second servo valve position, as in FIG 1d shown. Accordingly, the control channel 113 acts as a throttle and, in conjunction with the control chamber 121, controls a movement of the servo valve 103 and, as a result, a movement of the main valve 101. In the second servo valve position, the servo valve 103 is retracted into a valve chamber 129.

As soon as the servo valve 103 moves the driver 107 and, as a result, the main valve 101, hydrogen flows via a main channel 127 from the high-pressure area 109 into the system-side area 111, as a result of which pneumatic pressure acts on the main valve 101, so that the main valve 101 is activated by additive forces , namely an electromagnetic tensile force provided by the coil 105, and a pneumatic compressive force of the hydrogen flowing out of the high-pressure region 109, is moved. It can be provided that the main valve 101 is moved only in a first range on its way from the first main valve position to the second main valve position by the electromagnetic force of the coil 105 in combination with the pneumatic pressure force of the hydrogen, and in a second range of the way of the main valve 101 from the first main valve position to the second main valve position, only the pneumatic pressure force of the hydrogen moves the main valve 101. It can also be provided that the main valve 103, for example in the case of the same or similar pressure levels in the high-pressure area 109 and in the system-side area 111, i.e. an operating state in which there are no or only small supporting pneumatic opening forces on the main valve due to the control room principle, also over purely electromagnetic Forces can be opened, which are transferred here from the servo valve via the driver to the main valve.

In particular, the servo valve 103 can be arranged in the second servo valve position in such a way that a lower edge 123 of the driver receptacle 115 contacts the driver 107, as in FIG 1d shown. For this purpose, for example, a path of movement of the driver 107 can be limited or fixed, so that the driver 107 limits or fixed a path of movement of the servo valve 103 from the first servo valve position or the auxiliary servo valve position to the second servo valve position.

In order to block the flow of hydrogen from the high-pressure area 109 into the system-side area 111, the energization of the coil 105 is interrupted, so that the servo valve 103, as in 1e shown, performs a closing movement in the direction of the main valve 101 due to a pressure force provided by a compression spring 131 from the second servo valve position. As soon as the servo valve 103 touches the main valve 101, the control channel 113 is closed and a mechanical force is applied to the main valve 101 via a servo valve seat. In addition, the pressure in the control chamber increases again due to the filling via a throttle gap 133 . The combination of compression spring 131, which mechanically exerts a closing force on main valve 101 via the servo valve seat, and simultaneous filling of the control chamber leads to a joint closing movement of the assembly consisting of servo valve 103 and main valve 101, so that main valve 101 blocks main channel 127 and, as a result, blocks an escape of hydrogen from the high-pressure area 109, as in 1f shown.

In 2 a vehicle 200 is shown. The vehicle 200 includes a pressure tank system with a check valve 100 according to FIG 1 .

Claims (14)

Check valve (100) for controlling a flow of pressurized gas from a pressurized gas tank (109) into a system-side space (111), the check valve (100) comprising: - a main valve (101), - a servo valve (103), - a coil (105), - a carrier (107), wherein the coil (105) is configured to move the servo valve (103) from a first servo valve position to a second servo valve position when the coil (105) is energized with electric current, so that the servo valve (103) has a control channel (113) in releases the main valve (101) between a control chamber (121) of the check valve (100) and the system-side chamber (111), and compressed gas in the control chamber (121) flows into the system-side chamber (111), wherein the servo valve (103) in the first servo valve position closes the control channel (113) in a gas-tight manner, and the servo valve (103) releases the control channel (113) in the second servo valve position and is moved into a valve chamber (129) above the servo valve (103), wherein the driver (107) and a driver receptacle (115) are arranged in such a way that the servo valve (103) can be moved between the first servo valve position and an auxiliary servo valve position without moving the main valve (101), wherein the servo valve (103) releases the control channel (113) in the servo valve auxiliary position, but has not yet moved into the valve chamber (129), wherein the servo valve (103) is configured to move the driver (107) in the direction of the valve chamber when moving from the servo valve auxiliary position into the second servo valve position, wherein the driver (107) is configured to transmit a force provided by movement of the servo valve (103) to the second servo valve position to the main valve (101) and to move the main valve (101) from a first main valve position to a second main valve position, wherein the main valve (101) in the first main valve position closes a main channel (127), which connects the compressed gas tank (109) to the system-side space (111), in a gas-tight manner, and the main valve (101) releases the main channel (127) in the second main valve position . Check valve (100) after claim 1 , characterized in that the driver receptacle (115) comprises a movement space for moving the servo valve independently of the driver (107), the movement space having a height that allows movement of the servo valve (103) from the first servo valve position to the servo valve auxiliary position. Check valve (100) after claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the driver (107) is firmly connected to the main valve (101). Check valve (100) after claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the driver (107) is firmly connected to the servo valve (103). Check valve (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the driver (107) is a bolt. Blocking valve (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the blocking valve (100) comprises a control chamber (121) which is fluidically connected to the control channel (113) when the servo valve (103) is in the servo valve auxiliary position. Check valve (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the main valve (101) has a stroke limiter on the housing such that a main valve stroke is smaller than a servo valve stroke and when the servo valve (103) and the main valve (101) are fully open Servo valve seat remains open and pressure equalization can take place between the control room and the system-side room. Check valve (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control chamber is pneumatically separated from the compressed gas tank via a guide between the servo valve and the housing. Check valve (100) according to one of Claims 1 - 7 , characterized in that a pneumatic separation of the control chamber in a guide area of the main valve by a sealing element, in particular. O-rings, sealing lips or membranes. Check valve (100) after claim 9 , characterized in that the shut-off valve comprises a pneumatically throttling connection between the control chamber and the compressed gas tank. Blocking valve (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the blocking valve (100) comprises a compression spring (131) which is configured to move the servo valve (103) to the first servo valve position and the main valve (101) to the first main valve position to press when the coil (105) is de-energized. Control method (200) for controlling a flow of compressed gas from a pressure tank (300) by means of a check valve (100), the check valve (100) comprising: - a main valve (101), - a servo valve (103), - a coil (105), - a driver (107), the control method (200) comprising: - an opening step (201) for opening the check valve (100), in which the coil (105) is energized with electric current in order to move the servo valve (103) from a first servo valve position to a second servo valve position, so that the servo valve (103) releases a control channel (113) in the main valve (101) between a control chamber (115) of the check valve (100) and a system-side chamber (111), and compressed gas in the control chamber (115) flows into the system-side chamber (111), wherein a driver (107), which is arranged on the servo valve (103) and on the main valve (101), transmits a force provided to move the servo valve (103) to the main valve (101) when the servo valve (103) is driven by the first Servo valve position is moved to the second servo valve position, so that the main valve (101) is moved from a first main valve position to a second main valve position and a main channel (127) that connects the compressed gas tank (109) to the sy stem-side space (111) connects, is released, - a shut-off step (203) for shutting off the shut-off valve (100), in which the coil (105) is de-energized so that a compression spring (131) moves the servo valve (103) from the second servo valve position to the first servo valve position, and the servo valve ( 103) closes the control channel (113) in the main valve (101) in a gas-tight manner, and the main valve (101) closes the main channel (127) in a gas-tight manner. Pressure tank system (300) with a check valve (100) according to one of Claims 1 until 11 . Vehicle (200) with a pressure tank system (300). Claim 13 .

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