FR2813378A1 - PRESSURE FLUID STORAGE DEVICE AND / OR REACTORS GENERATING PRESSURE FLUIDS, IN PARTICULAR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a device for storing pressurised fluid and/or reactors generating pressurised fluids, in particular for motor vehicles, comprising a tank having one or several storage and/or reactor compartments, further including an outer casing (14) which encloses at a distance said tank (1), and spacers forming supports (18, 28), placed in the gap separating the tank from the outer casing and whereof the inner end parts are respectively supported in hollow parts (3, 5) provided in the two opposite surfaces (2a, 2b) of the tank and the outer ends are supported against the inner surface of the outer casing.

Description

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The present invention relates to the field of storage devices comprising tanks for pressurized fluids, in particular cryogenic fluids and / or reactors. generating fluids under pressure, in particular gases, containing catalytic reactive materials capable of operating at high temperatures, plasma discharge generators, heat exchangers, microwave generators, designed to supply the gaseous fuel mixture traction system and may contain, in the case of reactors, a significant amount of hydrogen, used in particular on motor vehicles.

The storage of pressurized fluids and / or pressurized gas generated in reactors, when it comes to transporting them on a motor vehicle and using them on the latter, poses complex problems that can be linked in particular to the pressures possible variations in temperature, the kinetics of the various chemical reactions, the mechanical strengths necessary in the event of possible shocks or accidents, and the space requirement, which is desired as much as possible adapted to the volumes available in the vehicle.

The currently known storage devices comprise a cylindrical tank surrounded by a cylindrical envelope, interconnected by welded tabs, the space between them being able to be evacuated. Such storage devices are however not adapted to be integrated on motor vehicles. Current pressurized chemical reactors for steam reforming, cracking or partial oxidation reactions from hydrocarbons, alcohols or ethers require several reactors placed in series with catalysts, different reagents and heat inputs. to produce a gaseous mixture rich in hydrogen. These types of reactors are not very compact and have a high thermal inertia. They are weakly isolated

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 thermally and require a significant start-up time. Other devices, more particularly in direct connection with the present invention, are described in the patent application FR-A-97 09732.

The subject of the present invention is a device for storing pressurized fluids and / or reactors generating pressurized gases containing reactive materials making it possible to bring about significant compactness, a high degree of vehicle integration, a reduction in heat losses and a conservation. of the internal temperature for a long time.

The storage device and / or reactors according to the invention further comprises an outer casing which remotely surrounds said tank and / or the reactors, as well as spacers forming supports, placed in the space separating the tank and / or the reactors and the outer casing and whose inner end portions respectively bear in recessed portions formed in two opposite faces of the reservoir and the outer ends abut against the inner face of the outer casing.

According to the invention, said spacers are preferably at least partly made of a thermally insulating material.

According to the invention, said spacers are preferably glued or welded to said inner tank and / or to the reactors and / or to said outer casing.

According to the invention, the spacers preferably have a portion of reduced section between their aforementioned ends.

According to the invention, said spacers may be provided at least partly tubular.

According to the invention, the outer end of said struts and the envelope may advantageously have complementary shapes engaged one in the other.

According to the invention, the device may further comprise complementary spacers placed between the reservoir and / or the reactors and the outer envelope, in the lateral part of said space

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 lateral. According to the invention, at least one sheet made of a thermally insulating material and / or materials reflecting thermal radiation can advantageously be placed in the space separating the reservoir and / or the reactors and the outer envelope.

According to the invention, the space separating the reservoir and / or the reactors and the outer envelope is preferably under vacuum.

According to a variant of the invention, the reservoir and / or the reactors comprise partitions connecting said opposite faces and connected to the latter in the zones of said recessed portions.

According to another variant of the invention, the internal tank and / or the reactors comprise partitions connecting said opposite faces and determining through-holes, said spacers bearing in the inlet and / or inside these wells.

According to the invention, the opposite struts placed in a well may advantageously be connected by a tie rod.

According to the invention, at least two spacers may advantageously be connected by at least one connecting piece which extends in the space between the reservoir and the outer casing.

According to the invention, said outer envelope preferably carries fasteners fixed on its outer face, on areas corresponding to said spacers.

According to the invention, the device may further comprise complementary spacer spacers, placed in the space between the reservoir and / or the reactors and the outer casing, at locations located laterally to the reservoir and / or the reactors.

According to the invention, each compartment may be a chemical reactor, a heat exchanger, a plasma generator, a microwave generator, a burner. The compartments are preferably separated by vertical partitions pierced or arranged to circulate gas from one compartment to another.

According to the invention, the internal tank and / or the reactors are equipped with accessories such as valves, tubes, sensors,

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 valves and / or valves, to manage the fluids in the different compartments.

According to the invention, said reservoir and / or the reactors have a generally rectangular shape.

According to the invention, the wall of said reservoir and / or reactors may carry one or more eutectic thermal fuses to protect them from abnormally high temperatures.

According to the invention, the reservoir or reactor is preferably thermally insulated (quasi-adiabatic) with respect to the outer envelope by means of insulating spacers, thermal insulation sheets or screens or radiation and / or vacuum.

According to the invention, the wall provided with an orifice placed in the lower part preferably makes it possible to produce a static filling limiter for a storage tank.

According to the invention, the device preferably makes it possible to carry out different types of chemical reactions in compartments separated by partitions to produce hydrogen-rich gases.

The present invention will be better understood in the study of devices adapted to be installed on a motor vehicle, described by way of non-limiting examples and illustrated by the drawing in which - Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a reservoir and or reactors of a device according to the present invention; FIG. 2 represents a perspective view of another reservoir and / or other reactors of a device according to the present invention; FIG. 3 represents a partial section of a device according to the present invention including the reservoir and / or the reactors of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 represents a partial section of a device according to the present invention including the reservoir and / or the reactors of FIG. 2; and FIG. 5 represents an example of application of the

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 present invention.

In the present description, the term "reservoir" is used generically to designate an envelope delimiting a volume with one or more compartments, to receive one or more fluids and / or to constitute reactors.

Referring to Figures 1 and 3, there is shown a tank 1 of generally mattress type, whose edges and corners are rounded, which comprises two opposite faces 2a and 2b generally curved. These two faces 2a and 2b, preferably placed horizontally, are connected by a multiplicity of cylindrical walls 3 which determine a multiplicity of through-holes 4, the walls 3 joining the walls 2a and 2b by flared mouths 5 so that these mouths 5 do not have edges.

In the example shown, the reservoir 1 comprises two parallel rows of three aligned wells 4. In the case of reactors, the reservoir 1 may have, for example, three reaction compartments 101, 102 and 103 separated by internal partitions 104 and 105 arranged between and in alignment with two adjacent wells of the rows of wells.

Referring to Figures 2 and 4, there is shown a reservoir 6, of different structure, which comprises a plurality of longitudinal compartments 7 extending next to each other so as to form a profile.

This reservoir 6 comprises an upper wall 8a and a lower wall 8b which have protruding corrugations defining longitudinal recessed portions, as well as vertical internal partitions 10 separating the compartments 7, joining the corresponding recessed portions 9 of the walls 8a and 8b. These partitions may optionally have communication passages between said compartments. The reservoir 6 further comprises end walls 11a and 11b closing the compartments 7 and having curved portions at the ends of each of the compartments.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, it can be seen that storage devices and / or reactors generating pressurized gases 12 and 13 which respectively comprise the reservoir and / or

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 reactors 1 of FIG. 1 and the reservoir and / or reactors 6 of FIG. 2 and which respectively comprise an envelope 14 which remotely surrounds the reservoir 1, leaving a space 15 and a casing 16 which remotely surrounds the reservoir 6, a space 17.

In general, the tanks 1 and 6 and the shells 14 and 16 are connected by spacers forming supports, placed in the spaces 15 and 17.

In the example of FIG. 3, said struts extend perpendicular to the faces 2a and 2b of the tank 1 and bear on the one hand in the wells 4 or in the mouths 5 of this reservoir 1 and on the other hand against the inner face of the outer shell 14.

In the example of FIG. 4, said spacers extend perpendicular to the faces 8a and 8b of the reservoir 6 and bear on the one hand in the longitudinal hollow portions 9 of this reservoir 6 and on the other hand against the inner face outer casing 16.

Various examples of spacers that can be used will now be described.

Referring to Figure 3, there is shown a spacer 18 which is in the form of a truncated cone partially engaged in a mouth 5 of the reservoir 1 and bearing on the latter by a circular zone 19 This spacer 18 has an outer face 20 which bears on a flat surface 21 of the casing 14. For its maintenance, the spacer 18 can be glued on the reservoir 1 and on the casing 14.

FIG. 3 also shows a spacer 22 which comprises a cylindrical part 23 slightly engaged in a well 3 and fixed for example by gluing, a cylindrical part 24 which bears against the inner face of a flat zone 25 of the casing 14 and fixed for example by gluing, and a cylindrical connecting portion 26 which connects these cylindrical portions 23 and 24 and which is of reduced section.

The spacers 18 and 22 being disposed at both ends

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 of a well 3, we see that we can connect them by a tie rod 27 axially crossing the well 3 and reduced section.

FIG. 3 shows another hollow spacer 28 comprising a cylindrical wall 29 engaged in a well 3 of the tank 1 and fixed thereto by gluing, this spacer 28 having a radial end wall 30 provided at the inner end of its cylindrical wall 28 and a radial end wall 31 provided at the outer end of its cylindrical wall 29 and bearing against the inner face of a zone 32 of the envelope 14 against which it can to be fixed by gluing.

FIG. 3 also shows that a spacer 33 is proposed which comprises a cylindrical wall 34 of smaller section than that of the well 3, the inner end of which has a peripheral annular flange 35 which bears against abutments 36 that are attached. by sticking against the wall of the well 3, the outer end of the cylindrical wall 34 carrying a radial end wall 37 which bears against the inner face of a zone 38 of the envelope 14 against which it can be fixed by bonding.

It follows from the above that the struts 18, 22, 28 and 33 take advantage of the existence of the wells 3 of the tank 1 and / or its mouths 5 so as to place and maintain in a suitable position these spacers with respect to the structure of the reservoir 1 so that the latter is suitably supported by the envelope 14, in its zones of greater resistance related to the existence of the walls 3 delimiting the wells 3.

Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown a spacer 39 constituted by a bar whose inner end abuts in a recessed portion 9 of the tank 6 and whose outer end comes against the face inside a zone 40 of the envelope 16 against which it can be fixed by gluing.

FIG. 4 also shows a spacer 41 which comprises an inner end portion 42 of frustoconical shape, which bears in a recessed portion 9 of the reservoir 6, a cylindrical outer portion 43 which bears

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 against the inner face of a zone 44 of the envelope 16, and a cylindrical portion 45 of reduced section which connects the inner portion 42 and the outer portion 43. The inner portion 42 may be fixed to the reservoir 6 by gluing and the part 43 can be attached to the envelope 16 by gluing.

Figure 4 also shows that the spacer 41 can be connected to at least one other spacer by a connecting rod 46 which extends in the space 17, parallel to its faces 8a and 8b.

As in the example described with reference to Figure 3, the arrangement of the spacers 39 and 41 takes advantage of the existence of the recesses 9 of the reservoir 6 so as to ensure their positioning. In addition, these spacers 39 and 41 are supported on zones of the reservoir 3 resistant since these areas are formed at the ends of its internal partitions 10.

In the example of Figure 3, it is necessary to provide a number of spacers, selected from those just described, adapted so that the tank 1 is securely connected to the casing 14, for example by providing a spacer at each end of each of the wells 3 of the tank 1 or by providing a reduced number of spacers associated with wells 3 chosen appropriately.

In the example of Figure 4, it is necessary to provide a number of spacers, selected from those just described, adapted so that the reservoir 6 is securely connected to the casing 16, for example by providing spacers suitably distributed along at least some of the longitudinal recessed portions 9 of the faces 8a and 8b of the reservoir 6.

The spacers described above have the advantage of having limited areas of contact either with the tanks 1 and 6 or with the envelopes 14 and 16 and / or have reduced sections between their ends in contact with the tanks 1 and 6 and the envelopes 14 and 16, while having a high mechanical strength, so that heat flows between the tanks 1 and 6 and the envelopes 14 and 16 are limited.

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 In addition, said spacers may comprise a portion of a non-conductive thermal material. Especially in the case of spacers 22 and 41, their connecting portions 26 and 45 could be of non-heat conducting material.

As can be seen in particular in FIG. 4, in the event that the envelope 16 is likely to slide relative to the reservoir 6 or in the event of side impacts, it is also possible to add spacer spacers 47 placed in the 17 between the flanks of the tank 6 and the sides of the envelope 16.

 In order to further isolate the reservoirs 6 and 7 from the space surrounding the envelopes 14 and 16, it is possible to put the spaces 15 and 17 separating them under vacuum and to provide in these spaces 15 and 17 sheets or screens 48 and 49 of a thermal insulating material and / or insulating radiation, completely enveloping the tanks 1 and 6, these sheets being traversed by the spacers described above.

For fixing the storage devices 12 and 13 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 for example to the structure of a motor vehicle, it is particularly advantageous to provide fixing blocks 50 fixed against the outer face of the abovementioned zones of the envelopes 14 and 16, corresponding to said spacers. Thus, the weight of the tanks 1 and 6 can be directly taken up by the structure of the vehicle via the spacers.

In another example, the outer faces of said spacers and the outer shells could advantageously have complementary shapes engaged one into the other, for example ribs engaged in grooves.

Furthermore, for safety reasons, it may be desired to provide, for example in channels of the tank wall 6 communicating with some of its compartments, thermal fuses 51, for example eutectic thermal fuses having a low melting point. relative to that of the material constituting the wall of this tank 6, so that in particular in the event of fire or shocks and vacuum breaking in the space 17 by

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 deterioration of the casing 16, the possible overpressure generated in the reservoir 6 can escape.

As can be seen in Figures 3 and 4, the envelopes 14 and 16 have shapes that correspond to the shapes of the tanks 1 and 6. Thus, the envelopes 14 and 16 have curved portions corresponding to the curved portions of the tanks 1 and 6 , giving them great mechanical strength. Of course, they could include parts if the pressures are relatively small.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, in the case of reactors, each compartment 101, 102, 103, 106, 107, 108, 109 makes it possible to carry out different chemical reactions with different catalysts or generators. plasma, combustion, heat exchangers with the adjacent compartments or through heat exchangers through separating partitions 104, 105 or 10. Gas separators and purifiers can be made by means of metal membranes based on palladium or organic polymer integrated in the last compartment.

Each reactor compartment may contain catalysts or integrate a plasma generation system produced by electric discharges making it possible to carry out the following reactions in order to advantageously produce hydrogen at the end from a hydrocarbon-type liquid or gaseous fuel. , ethers, ammonia.

An example is given in FIG. 5 for steam reforming. The steam reforming reaction is carried out in compartments 101 and 103. The Water Gas Shift reaction is carried out in compartment 106. The selective oxidation is carried out in compartment 108 and membrane purification (optional) is carried out in compartment 109. The hydrogen-poor gases are burned in compartment 102 to provide heat to both stages of the steam reformer. The vaporizer is made in the compartment 107, it reduces the temperature before the selective oxidation. Other exchangers, pipes may be in contact with the outside the

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needs of the reaction.

<tb> Vapororeforming <SEP> of hydrocarbons, <SEP> alcohols, <SEP> ethers
<tb> CnHmOp <SEP> + <SEP> H20 <SEP> ---- P <SEP> xCO <SEP> + <SEP> H2 <SEP> - <SEP> Endothermic reaction <SEP>
<tb> Cracking <SEP> Thermal
<tb> CnHm <SEP> --- m. <SEP> nC <SEP> + <SEP> m / 2 <SEP> H2
<tb> NH2 <SEP>.----:><SEP> 0.5 <SEP> N2 <SEP> + <SEP> 3/2 <SEP> H2
<tb> Water <SEP> Gas <SEP> Shift
<tb> CO <SEP> + <SEP> H20 <SEP> C02 <SEP> + <SEP> H2 <SEP> - <SEP> reaction <SEP> exothermic
<tb> Partial <SEP> Oxidation <SEP> of Hydrocarbons
<tb> CnHm <SEP> + <SEP> n / 2 <SEP> 02 <SEP> nC0 <SEP> + <SEP> mH2 <SEP> - <SEP> reaction <SEP> exothermic
<tb> Oxidation <SEP> preferential
<tb> CO <SEP> + <SEP> 0.5 <SEP> 02 <SEP>:><SEP> C02 <SEP> - <SEP> reaction <SEP> exothermic
<tb> H2 <SEP> + <SEP> 0.5 <SEP> 02 <SEP> --- I20 <SEP> - <SEP> reaction <SEP> exothermic
<tb> Combustion
<tb> CnHm <SEP> + <SEP> (n + m / 2) 02 <SEP> nC02 <SEP> + <SEP> m / 2 <SEP> H20 <SEP> - <SEP> exothermic reaction <SEP>.
Regarding fluid storage, one can see an example in Figure 4 of a static filling limiter, limiting the amount of liquid present in the compartment 54 by making a communication with the liquid at the bottom by means of the orifice 52. A safety valve can be made at the top of the compartment 54 and allows to release only gas.

The orifices 53 made in the upper part allow the circulation of the gas phase from one compartment to the other 55 and 56.

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Claims (19)

1. Device for storing pressurized fluid and / or reactors generating fluids under pressure, in particular for motor vehicles, comprising a reservoir with one or more storage compartments and / or reactors, characterized in that it comprises in in addition to an outer casing (14, 16) which remotely surrounds said reservoir (1, 6), as well as spacers forming supports (18, 28, 33, 39, 41), placed in the space between the reservoir and the outer casing and whose inner end portions bear respectively in recessed portions (3, 5; 9) formed in two opposite faces (2a, 2b; 8a, 8b) of the reservoir and the outer ends take support against the inner side of the outer shell. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said spacers are at least in basket of a thermally insulating material. 3. Device according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said spacers are bonded to said inner tank and / or said outer casing. 4. Device according to oneelelconque of the preceding claims, characterized in that between their aforementioned ends, the spacers have a reduced section portion (26; 45). 5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said spacers (29; 34) are tubular. 6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer end of said spacers and the casing has complementary shapes engaged one into the other. 7. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises complementary spacers (47) placed between the reservoir and the outer casing, in the lateral portion of said lateral space. <Desc / Clms Page number 13>  8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one sheet or screen (48) of a thermally insulating material and / or reflective thermal radiation extends in the space (15) separating the tank and the outer shell. 9. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the space (15) separating the reservoir and the outer casing is under vacuum. 10. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reservoir comprises partitions (10) connecting said opposite faces and connected thereto in the zones of said recessed portions. 11. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inner reservoir comprises walls (3) connecting said opposite faces and defining through-holes (4), said spacers bearing in the input and / or inside these wells. 12. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the opposite spacers placed in a well are connected by a tie rod (27). 13. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least two spacers are connected by at least one connecting piece (46) which extends in the space between the reservoir and the outer casing . 14. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said outer casing carries fixing members (50) fixed on its outer face, on areas corresponding to said spacers. 15. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said tank has a general shape of mattress type (1) or profiled type (6) forming a parallelepiped. 16. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wall of said tank carries a eutectic thermal fuse (51). <Desc / Clms Page number 14>  17. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the reservoir or reactor is thermally isolated (quasi-adiabatic) relative to the outer casing (16, 14) by means of insulating spacers, thermal insulation sheets or screens. or radiation (48, 49) and / or vacuum. 18. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wall (10) provided with an orifice (52) placed at the bottom allows for a static filling limiter for a storage tank. 19. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it allows for different types of chemical reactions in compartments (101, 102, 103, 106, 107, 108, 109) separated by partitions (10 or 104, 105) to produce hydrogen-rich gases.