JP2000146353A - Container for hydrogen occlusion alloy - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance durability by fixing a bellows member for absorbing considerable thermal expansion/contraction of a tube member in such a use mode as a relatively high temperature difference is imparted. SOLUTION: A tubular member 15 for conducting heat carrier comprises a plurality of first tubes 5 having one end being coupled with the first wall 2, a floating container 6 for coupling the other end of the first tube 5 with the internal space 64, second tubes 7 of smaller number than the first tube 5 having one end coupled with the internal space 64 of the floating container 6 and the other end coupled with the second wall 3, and a bellows member fixed to the second tubes 7 and absorbing thermal expansion/contraction of the first tube 5 relative to the container body 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hydrogen storage alloy container.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional hydrogen storage alloy storage container, there is known a container used in a cold storage device utilizing a hydrogen storage alloy described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-243200. This hydrogen storage alloy utilizing cold heat generator is provided with a tube member through which a heat medium flows,
A pair of hydrogen storage alloy storage containers for storing the hydrogen storage alloy are connected by a hydrogen pipe to form a hydrogen storage / release section, and the tube member of one of the hydrogen storage alloy storage containers is connected via a high-temperature heat medium. The high temperature side can be selectively connected to a heating source or a cooling source, and the tube member of the other hydrogen storage alloy storage container is connected to a cooling source, a first heat storage tank or a cold storage tank via a low temperature heat medium. The low temperature side is set as selectively connectable. Then, one of the hydrogen storage alloy storage containers has a high temperature state (140 ° C.) heated by a heating source.
And a low temperature state (40 ° C.) cooled by the cooling source are alternately given.

[0003] However, in such a conventional hydrogen storage alloy container, in a use mode in which a relatively large temperature difference is given, the tube member has a large thermal expansion and thermal expansion.
Since shrinkage occurs repeatedly, there is a technical problem that durability is poor. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, there is known a hydrogen storage alloy storage container in which tube members 100 are linearly arranged. This includes a shell-shaped container body 104 having one end closed by a first wall 101 and the other end closed by a second wall 102, and defining a housing space 103;
A tube member 100 disposed between the first wall 101 and the second wall 102 and through which a heat medium flows, and a hydrogen storage alloy M stored in a storage space 103 of the container body 104 are provided. The first wall 101 is fixed to the container body 104 and the second wall 10
2 is slidable on the container body 104 via the O-ring 105. Reference numeral 106 denotes a hydrogen gas inlet / outlet.

[0004] In the tube member 100, a high-temperature (140 ° C) heat medium heated by a heating source and a low-temperature (40 ° C) heat medium cooled by a cooling source alternately. In the flowing use mode, the function of the O-ring 105 allows the second wall 102 to move while maintaining the airtightness with respect to the container main body 104. Therefore, in a state where the tube member 100 is linearly arranged, Container body 1
Although the difference in thermal expansion between the tube member 100 and the tube member 100 is absorbed, the O-ring 105 is worn out early, and hydrogen gas in the container body 104 leaks. Further, when a U-shaped tube member is disposed in the container body of the hydrogen storage alloy storage container, a high temperature state (140 ° C.) and a low temperature state (40 ° C.)
° C), both ends of the tube member serving as a heat medium inlet / outlet are partially deformed, and are damaged such as buckling.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such conventional technical problems, and has the following configuration. The invention according to claim 1 is characterized in that one end is closed by a first wall 2, the other end is closed by a second wall 3, A tube member 15 disposed between the wall 2 and the second wall 3 and through which a heat medium flows, and a hydrogen storage alloy M stored in the storage space 4 of the container body 1, wherein the tube member 15 is ,
A plurality of first tubes 5 whose one ends are connected to the first wall 2
A floating container 6 for connecting the other end of the first tube 5 to an internal space 64;
One end is connected to the internal space 64 of the second wall 3 and the other end is connected to the second wall 3.
And a bellows member 8 attached to the second tube 7 and absorbing thermal expansion and contraction of the first tube 5 with respect to the container body 1. It is a hydrogen storage alloy storage container characterized by comprising: According to the invention of claim 2, one end is closed by the first wall 2 and the other end is closed by the second wall 3,
A shell-shaped container main body 1 defining the housing space 4, a tube member 15 disposed between the first wall 2 and the second wall 3, and through which a heat medium flows, The other end of the tube member 15 is loosely inserted into the through hole 3a of the second wall 3 and is disposed between the tube member 15 and the second wall 3. Bellows member 8
Thereby, the space between the tube member 15 and the through hole 3a of the second wall 3 is air-tightly covered, and the movement of the tube member 15 with respect to the second wall 3 is allowed. Container. According to a third aspect of the present invention, the bellows member 8 has a first inward flange portion 83 at one end portion, a second inward flange portion 81 at the other end portion, and a second inward flange portion 81. An outer cylinder 82 having a peripheral portion fixed to the outer periphery of the tube member 15, an inner cylinder 85 having one end fixed to the peripheral edge of the through hole 3 a of the second wall 3 and having an outward flange 86 at the other end. One end is fixed to the first inward flange portion 83 and the other end is fixed to the outward flange portion 86, between the outer periphery of the inner cylinder 85 and the inner periphery of the outer cylinder 82. The hydrogen storage alloy container according to claim 2, further comprising a bellows 87.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show one embodiment of the present invention.
1 shows a hydrogen storage alloy storage container according to an embodiment,
Indicates a container body. The container body 1 has a shell-like shape with one end closed by a first wall 2 and the other end closed by a second wall 3, and a hydrogen inlet / outlet 1a formed at an appropriate location.
Defines a housing space 4 communicating with the outside. A tube member 15 is provided between the first wall 2 and the second wall 3 so that the heat medium flowing into the tube member 15 from the first wall 2 side flows out from the second wall 3 side. .

[0007] One end of the tube member 15 is the container body 1.
Are connected to the first wall 2 fixed to the floating container 6 and the other end is connected to one end of the floating container 6 (18 in the figure).
) And a smaller number (one in FIG. 1) of second tubes than the first tube 5 having one end connected to the floating container 6 and the other end connected to the second wall 3. 7
Consists of The second tube 7 is connected to the second wall 3 via a bellows member 8. A mirror member 9 for partitioning the internal space 9a is fixed to the outer surface of the first wall 2, and an inlet pipe 10 is connected to the mirror member 9. Thus, the other end of the inlet pipe 10 is connected to the plurality of first tubes 5 via the internal space 9a.
Communicates with one end of the

As shown in FIG. 3, the floating container 6 has a floating wall 61, a cylindrical member 62 having one end fixed to the floating wall 61 in a liquid-tight manner, and the other end of the cylindrical member 62 closed in a liquid-tight manner. And an internal space 64 is defined. The other ends of all the first tubes 5 are connected to the floating wall 61, respectively, and one ends of the second tubes 7 are connected to the openings 63a of the closing plate 63. Thus, the other end of the first tube 5 communicates with one end of the second tube 7 via the internal space 64.

The first tube 5 is mounted in a state of being inserted into support plates 50 arranged at appropriate intervals.
Numeral 0 is movable on a bottom plate 1c disposed on the inner bottom of the container body 1. Actually, the wheels 51 are provided below the support plate 50.
Is mounted, and the wheel 51 is moved over the bottom plate 1c by the first tube 5
Rolls in the direction of the center axis of. The second tube 7 is loosely inserted into the through hole 3a of the second wall 3 fixed to the container main body 1, and relative movement with respect to the container main body 1 is allowed.

The bellows member 8 is provided outside the container body 1 as shown in FIG.
A second support member 81 fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the other end of the tube 7 to form a second inward flange portion, and a second support member 8
An outer cylinder 82 having the other end fixed to the outer periphery of the outer cylinder 82;
A first support member 83 fixed to one end of the second wall 3 to form a first inward flange portion, and an inner cylinder 85 fixed to one end of the second wall 3 at the peripheral edge of the through hole 3a via the annular member 31. And a third support member 86 fixed to the other end of the inner cylinder 85 to form an outward flange portion, and a third support member 86 positioned between the inner cylinder 85 and the outer cylinder 82 to be connected to the first support member 83 at one end. Is fixed and the third
Metal bellows 8 whose other end is fixed to support member 86
And 7. Thus, the other end of the inner cylinder 85 is
The bellows 87 is located between the outer circumference of the inner cylinder 85 and the inner circumference of the outer cylinder 82, and the other end of the second tube 7 is connected to the bellows member 8. Through the second
Connected to wall 3. The outer cylinder 82 and the bellows 87
Between the inner space 85 and the outer peripheral surface of the second tube 7 through the annular space between the inner tube 85 and the outer peripheral surface of the second tube 7.
Only communicates with

The second support member 81 and the first support member 83 are formed integrally by bending each end of the outer cylinder 82 in the inner diameter direction, and the third support member 86 is provided at the end of the inner cylinder 85. It is also possible to bend the part in the outer diameter direction and to form the same body. The central axes of the first tube 5 and the second tube 7 between the first wall 2 and the second support member 81 are linear, and coincide with the central axis direction of the container body 1.

Next, the operation will be described. A heating medium heated by a heating device (not shown) and a heating medium cooled by a cooling device are alternately supplied to the tube member 15 of the hydrogen storage alloy storage container, and the hydrogen storage stored in the storage space 4 of the container body 1 is performed. A temperature change is given to the alloy M. When releasing hydrogen from the hydrogen storage alloy M, a heat medium (for example, 140 ° C.) heated by the heating device is guided from the inlet pipe 10 to the first tube 5 via the internal space 9a, and the hydrogen storage alloy M Is heated. When hydrogen is stored in the hydrogen storage alloy M,
The heat medium (for example, 40 ° C.) cooled by the cooling device is similarly guided to the first tube 5 to cool the hydrogen storage alloy M. The heat medium passing through each first tube 5 is supplied to the internal space 6.
The fluid flows into the second tube 7 through 4 and flows out.
The hydrogen gas stored or released in the hydrogen storage alloy M is exchanged with a hydrogen device (not shown) connected to the hydrogen port 1a.

By alternately flowing such a high-temperature and low-temperature heat medium, the tube member 15 thermally expands and contracts, and expands and contracts with respect to the container body 1. When the tube member 15 extends and the second tube 7 projects outward from the through hole 3a of the second wall 3, the second support member 81 and the outer cylinder 82
Since the first support member 83 moves rightward in FIG. 3 together with the second tube 7, the bellows 87 moves to the first support member 83.
And the third support member 86 is compressed. As the tube member 15 extends, the support plate 50 moves while the wheels 51 roll on the bottom plate 1c. On the other hand, the tube member 1
When the second tube 7 contracts and the second tube 7 enters the inside from the through hole 3 a of the second wall 3, the second support member 81, the outer cylinder 82 and the first support member 83 move together with the second tube 7. FIG.
The bellows 87 extends between the first support member 83 and the third support member 86 because the bellows 87 moves leftward. With the contraction of the tube member 15, the wheels 51 roll on the bottom plate 1c. Thereby, the thermal expansion and contraction of the tube member 15 (mainly the first tube 5) is absorbed.

As described above, when the tube member 15 thermally expands and contracts, hydrogen gas is released from the hydrogen storage alloy M.
Due to the occlusion, the pressure on the outer peripheral side of the bellows 87 increases and decreases. This is because the space between the outer peripheral surface of the bellows 87 and the outer cylinder 82 communicates with the housing space 4 of the container body 1. Thus, when a relatively high pressure acts on the outer peripheral surface of the bellows 87, the bellows 87 is reduced in diameter.
This diameter reduction deformation is prevented by the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylinder 85.

Further, since the bellows member 8 is disposed outside the accommodation space 4 of the container body 1, the bellows 8 can be expanded and contracted.
It is possible to prevent the presence of the hydrogen storage alloy M around 7 from hindering the expansion and contraction of the bellows 87. In addition,
As shown in FIG. 3, between the through hole 3a of the second wall 3 and the second tube 7, it is possible to interpose a gas permeable filter 32 that allows the second tube 7 to slide.

By the way, in the first embodiment,
Although the bellows member 8 is provided outside the container main body 1, the bellows member 8 can be arranged in the accommodation space 4 of the container main body 1.

[0017]

As will be understood from the above description,
According to the hydrogen storage alloy storage container according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. (1) According to the first aspect, the other ends of the plurality of first tubes whose one ends are connected to the first wall are connected to the internal space of the floating container, and the other ends are connected to the second wall. Second
Since one end of the tube is connected to the internal space of the floating container, the number of bellows members that absorb thermal expansion and contraction of the first tube is smaller than that of the first tube.
Can be mounted on tubes. Thereby, the number of bellows members is reduced in accordance with the second tube, and the simplification of the structure and the improvement of the durability by absorbing the thermal expansion and contraction of the first tube are well compatible. (2) According to the second aspect, the other end of the tube member is freely inserted into the through hole of the second wall so as to be freely movable, and the bellows member is disposed between the tube member and the second wall. Thereby, the space between the tube member and the through hole of the second wall is air-tightly covered, and the thermal expansion / contraction of the tube member with respect to the container body is absorbed. As a result, the durability of the hydrogen storage alloy storage container is improved in the usage mode in which the heating state and the cooling state are alternately given. (3) According to the third aspect, since the outer periphery of the bellows is covered by the outer cylinder, the bellows can be prevented from being damaged satisfactorily.
Further, when the pressure on the outer peripheral side of the bellows rises, the inner peripheral portion of the bellows is supported by the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylinder, thereby preventing the bellows from being damaged due to excessive deformation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view partially showing a hydrogen storage alloy storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a main part of the same.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional hydrogen storage alloy storage container.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: container body, 2: first wall, 3: second wall, 3a: through hole,
4: accommodation space, 5: first tube, 6: floating container, 7: second tube, 8: bellows member, 15: tube member, 64: internal space, 81: second support member (second inward flange portion) ), 82: outer cylinder, 83: first support member (first inward flange), 85: inner cylinder, 86: third
Supporting member (outward flange), 87: bellows, M:
Hydrogen storage alloy.

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Shoji Kimura 4 Chazu-cho, Muroran-shi, Hokkaido F-term in Japan Steel Works, Ltd. (Reference) 3L093 NN05 PP01 PP11 PP19 RR01 RR02 4G040 AA17 AA24 AA43

Claims (3)

[Claims] A shell-like container body (1) having one end closed by a first wall (2) and the other end closed by a second wall (3), and defining a housing space (4). 1), a tube member (15) disposed between the first wall (2) and the second wall (3), through which the heat medium flows, and housed in the housing space (4) of the container body (1). A plurality of first tubes (5), one end of which is connected to the first wall (2), and the first tube (5). 5) a floating container (6) for connecting the other end to the internal space (64), and one end connected to the internal space (64) of the floating container (6), and the other end connected to the second wall (3). ), The number of second tubes (7) smaller than the number of first tubes (5) connected to the second tube (7), and the container body (1). And a bellows member (8) for absorbing thermal expansion and contraction of the first tube (5). 2. A shell-shaped container body (1), one end of which is closed by a first wall (2) and the other end of which is closed by a second wall (3). 1), a tube member (15) disposed between the first wall (2) and the second wall (3), through which the heat medium flows, and housed in the housing space (4) of the container body (1). The other end of the tube member (15) is loosely inserted into the through hole (3a) of the second wall (3), and the tube member (15)
A bellows member (8) disposed between the tube member (15) and the second wall (3) hermetically covers the space between the tube member (15) and the through hole (3a) of the second wall (3), and The hydrogen storage alloy storage container, wherein the tube member (15) is allowed to move with respect to the second wall (3). 3. The bellows member (8) has a first inward flange portion (83) at one end and a second inward flange portion (81) at the other end, and a second inward flange. Department (8
An outer cylinder (82) whose inner peripheral portion is fixed to the outer periphery of the tube member (15), and one end is fixed to the peripheral portion of the through hole (3a) of the second wall (3), and the other end is To the outward flange (8
6), and one end is fixed to the first inward flange portion (83) by being located between the outer circumference of the inner cylinder (85) and the inner circumference of the outer cylinder (82). The hydrogen storage alloy container according to claim 2, further comprising a bellows (87) having the other end fixed to the outward flange (86).