JP2004360893A - Pressure reducing valve for high-pressure gas tank - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a compact two-stage pressure reducing valve durable for long-time use. <P>SOLUTION: A first valve chamber 241 integrally formed with a lid body 2 of the high-pressure gas tank, a first valve element 5, a spring 6, a second valve chamber 32, a second valve element 7, a spring 8 and a main body B are respectively formed into a rotating body shape, and axes thereof are respectively arranged on the same axis, and flow passages 56, 35 and 76 wherein gas flows are arranged on the axis. Each of parts is formed into a rotating body shape, and swinging direction of the valve elements 5 and 7 are formed in the same direction to restrict a load to be generated by vibration, and miniaturization is thereby realized. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a pressure reducing valve for a high-pressure gas container used when extracting gas from a high-pressure gas container.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when storing a gas such as a hydrogen gas used in a fuel cell system, a high-pressure gas container containing a gas compressed to a high pressure is used. When removing gas from the high-pressure gas container, the pressure is reduced to a desired pressure via a pressure reducing valve, and the filled gas is removed.

Here, the gas in the container is filled to an extremely high pressure (for example, about 70 MPa) in order to increase the gas loading amount, and the pressure is reduced to a desired secondary pressure value with high accuracy by one pressure reduction. I can't. For this reason, the pressure is reduced twice, and the gas pressure value can be set to the secondary pressure value with high accuracy by the second-stage pressure reducing mechanism.
As described above, as a mechanism for reducing pressure twice, for example, there are the following documents.
JP-A-2000-257797.

  However, the conventional pressure reducing mechanism needs to provide a supply path for supplying gas from the high-pressure gas container to the pressure reducing mechanism. If the gas is a fuel gas, the shorter the path of such a high-pressure gas is, the higher the safety is, assuming that the path is broken by an external impact such as an accident. Patent Document 1 describes a mechanism in which two pressure reducing valves are integrated in a container valve. As described above, when the two-stage pressure reducing mechanism is integrated and used for reducing the pressure of the high-pressure gas, the following problem occurs.

Since the pressure of the high-pressure gas is reduced, the frequency of the valve body increases, and the load applied to each component due to the vibration increases. Further, since the pressure is reduced in two stages, the number of valve elements becomes two, and the vibration generated from the two vibration sources increases the load applied to the entire pressure reducing mechanism. For this reason, the component parts are likely to be damaged, and the frequency of failures has been increased.
An object of the present invention is to provide a two-stage pressure reducing valve for a high-pressure gas, which can be used for a longer period of time.

The above objects are achieved by the present invention described below.
(1) A pressure reducing valve attached to a lid of a high-pressure gas container,
A first valve chamber formed in the lid;
A first valve seat formed in the first valve chamber;
A first flow path that communicates the opening of the first valve seat with the inside of the container;
A first valve body that can reciprocate between a closed position that blocks the first valve seat and an open position that is separated from the first valve seat while maintaining airtightness in the first valve chamber;
A first urging member for urging the first valve body in the direction of the open position;
A first decompression chamber, which communicates with the first valve chamber and is located downstream of the first valve chamber;
A second flow path communicating with the second valve chamber of the first decompression chamber;
A second valve seat formed in the second valve chamber and having an opening of the second flow path;
A second valve body that can reciprocate between a closed position that closes the second valve seat and an open position that is separated from the second valve seat while maintaining airtightness in the second valve chamber;
A second biasing member for biasing the second valve body toward the open position;
A second decompression chamber that communicates with the second valve chamber and is located downstream of the second valve chamber;
A first valve element, a first urging member, a second valve element, and a main body that houses the second urging member;
The first valve body and the second valve body are pressure reducing valves for a high-pressure gas container that reciprocate on the same axis.

  (2) The pressure reducing valve for a high-pressure gas container according to the above (1), wherein the first valve body, the second valve body, and the main body are formed in a rotary body shape, and their respective central axes are located on the same axis. .

  (3) The first valve body has a flow passage communicating the first valve chamber and the first decompression chamber, and the second valve body has a flow passage communicating the second valve chamber and the second decompression chamber. The pressure reducing valve for a high-pressure gas container according to (1) or (2) above.

  (4) The pressure reducing valve for a high-pressure gas container according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the lid, the first valve, the second valve, and the main body have different natural frequencies.

  (5) a discharge port communicating with the second decompression chamber, wherein the discharge port is located on an axis where the first valve body and the second valve body are arranged, and is connected to a pipe connected to the discharge port; The pressure reducing valve for a high-pressure gas container according to any one of the above (1) to (4), wherein an axis is parallel to the axis.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the two valve bodies vibrate on the same axis, an increase in load applied to the entire mechanism due to the use of two vibration sources can be suppressed. In particular, when the high-pressure gas is depressurized, the shock due to the generated vibration becomes excessive. However, it is possible to sufficiently suppress the increase in the load applied to the entire mechanism with respect to the vibration of the valve body. Further, since the lid of the high-pressure gas container is a constituent element, the installation space can be further reduced.

According to the invention described in claim 2, each member is formed in the shape of a rotating body, and the direction of vibration is the axial direction of the rotating body, so that the vibration is directed outward from the center of the rotating body. The stress is transmitted uniformly, and the partial concentration of stress can be reduced.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, by providing the flow passage in the valve body, the size of the pressure reducing valve can be reduced.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the natural frequencies of the respective members are different, resonance is suppressed, and breakage of each member due to resonance can be prevented.
According to the invention as set forth in claim 5, the outlet is located on the axis of the first valve body and the second valve body, and the axis of the pipe connected to the outlet is the first valve body and the second valve. Since it matches the axis of the body, the direction of vibration transmitted to the pipe becomes the axial direction, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of bending of the pipe due to the vibration.

  Hereinafter, a pressure reducing valve according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional side view of a pressure reducing valve 1 of the present invention. The pressure reducing valve 1 is loaded in a high-pressure gas container, and a lid 2 of the high-pressure gas container, a main body B, a first valve body 5 housed in the main body B, a spring 6, a second valve body 7, , A spring 8. The lid 2 has a screw portion 21 on the outer surface for screwing to the high-pressure gas container. Further, one end opens to the high-pressure gas container and the other end opens to the outside of the high-pressure gas container. 22. A female screw portion 231 for connecting an in-tank device or the like and a female screw portion 232 for screwing a shutoff valve are formed at both end openings of the discharge passage 22.

  A connecting portion 24 to which the main body 3 of the pressure reducing valve is connected protrudes from a side surface of the lid 2, and a male screw portion 243 for connecting the main body B is formed on a peripheral surface. A first valve chamber 241 is formed at the center of the connection part 24, and a spring storage part 242 for storing a spring is formed concentrically with the first valve chamber 241 around the first valve chamber 241. A first valve seat 244 is formed at the bottom of the first valve chamber 241, and an opening 251 at one end of the first flow path 25 is formed at the center of the first valve seat 244. The other end of the first flow path 25 opens into the discharge passage 22, and the high-pressure gas (primary pressure gas) in the high-pressure gas container flows into the first valve chamber 241 through the first flow path 25. It has a configuration.

  The main body B includes a first member 3 connected to the lid 2 and housing the first valve body 5, and a second member 4 connected to the first member 3 and housing the second valve body 7. . The first member 3 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a rotating body shape, and a female screw portion 31 is formed on an inner peripheral surface at a distal end. A second valve chamber 32 is formed in the center of the rear end of the first member 3, and a spring storage portion 33 for storing a spring around the second valve chamber 32 is formed concentrically with the second valve chamber 32. Is formed. A male screw portion 37 for screwing the second member 4 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rear end of the first member 3.

  A second valve seat 34 is formed at the bottom of the second valve chamber 32, and an opening 351 is formed at the center of the second valve seat 34. On the opposite side of the second valve chamber 32, a valve body storage part 36 for storing the rear end of the first valve body 5 is formed, and between the valve body storage part 36 and the second valve chamber 32. The second flow path 35 is formed. The opening of the second flow passage 35 on the second valve chamber 32 side is an opening 351.

  A first valve body 5 and a first spring 6 as a first urging member are housed in an internal space formed by the connecting portion 241 and the first member 3. The first valve body 5 is formed in a rotating body shape, the front end 51 is inserted into the first valve chamber 241, and the rear end 52 is housed in the valve housing 36. An O-ring 53 is interposed between the inner wall of the first valve chamber 241 and the outer peripheral surface of the first valve body 5, and the first valve body 241 is kept airtight while the first valve body 241 is kept airtight. 5 is configured to be able to reciprocate in the axial direction. A first decompression chamber is constituted by the rear end face 521 of the first valve element 5 and the valve element storage section 36. Further, an O-ring 54 is interposed between the inner wall of the valve element housing 36 and the outer peripheral surface of the first valve element 5, and the first valve element 5 is pivoted while maintaining the first decompression chamber airtight. It is configured to be able to reciprocate in the direction. A flange 55 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the first valve body 5, and the compressed spring 6 is interposed between the flange 55 and the spring housing portion 242.

The first valve body 5 reciprocates between a closed position in which the distal end surface 511 is pressed against the first valve seat 244 to stop the outflow of gas and an open position in which the distal end surface 511 is separated from the first valve seat 244. It is configured to be movable. The spring 6 urges the first valve body toward the open position. Since the volume in which the spring 6 is accommodated changes due to the movement of the first valve body 5, the ventilation hole 37 is provided with the first vent hole 37 so that the pressure in the space is kept constant and the movement of the first valve body 5 is not hindered. It is formed on the side surface of the member 3.
A flow passage 56 is formed at the center of the first valve body 5 along the axis O. The front end of the flow passage 56 opens at the side surface of the front end portion 51, and the rear end opens at the center of the rear end surface 521. . The first valve chamber 241 communicates with the first decompression chamber via the flow passage 56.

  The second member 4 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a rotating body shape, and a female screw portion 41 is formed on an inner peripheral surface at a distal end. A discharge port 42 is formed in the center of the rear end of the second member 4, and a valve element housing 43 is formed inside the discharge port 42. A female screw portion 421 is formed on the inner periphery of the outlet 42, and the axis of the female screw portion 421 is the same as the axis O common to the first valve body 5 and the second valve body 7. With such a configuration, the pipe 9 screwed to the female screw portion 421 has the same axis as the axis O common to the first valve body 5 and the second valve body 7. Thereby, the vibration generated by the operation of the first valve body 5 and the second valve body 7 becomes the vibration reciprocating in the axial direction with respect to the pipe. If the pipe is subjected to a vibration that returns in the direction perpendicular to its axis, the vibration will cause significant bending and cause loosening or detachment of the connection part. The occurrence of any inconvenience is suppressed.

  A second valve body 7 and a second spring 8 as a second urging member are housed in an internal space formed by the first member 3 and the second member 4. The second valve body 7 is formed in the shape of a rotating body, the front end 71 is inserted into the second valve chamber 32, and the rear end 72 is housed in the valve housing 43. An O-ring 73 is interposed between the inner wall of the second valve chamber 32 and the outer peripheral surface of the second valve body 7 to maintain the airtight state of the second valve chamber 32 while keeping the second valve body 32 airtight. 7 is configured to be able to reciprocate in the axial direction. The rear end face 721 of the second valve element 7 and the valve element housing 43 constitute a second decompression chamber. A flange 75 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rear end of the second valve body 7, and the compressed spring 8 is interposed between the flange 75 and the spring housing 33. Also, an O-ring 74 is interposed between the inner wall of the valve element housing 43 and the peripheral end face of the flange 75, and the second valve element 7 reciprocates in the axial direction while maintaining the second decompression chamber airtight. It is configured to be possible.

The second valve body 7 reciprocates between a closed position in which the distal end surface 711 is pressed against the second valve seat 34 to stop the outflow of gas and an open position in which the distal end surface 711 is separated from the second valve seat 34. It is configured to be movable. The spring 8 urges the second valve body 7 toward the open position. Since the volume of the space in which the spring 8 is housed changes due to the movement of the second valve body 7, the ventilation hole 44 is provided with the second vent hole 44 so that the pressure in the space is kept constant and the movement of the second valve body 7 is not hindered. It is formed on the side surface of the member 4.
A flow passage 76 is formed at the center of the second valve body 7 along the axis O. The front end of the flow passage 76 opens at the side surface of the front end portion 71, and the rear end opens at the center of the rear end surface 721. . The second valve chamber 32 communicates with the second decompression chamber via the flow passage 76.

The pressure reducing valve 1 of the present invention configured as described above allows the valve body to be moved between the closed position and the open position by balancing the urging force of the spring and the force applied to the valve body by the gas pressure in the pressure reducing chamber. It reciprocates (vibrates) at high speed, and by the movement of the first valve body 5, the pressure (primary pressure) in the high-pressure gas container is reduced to the secondary pressure in the first pressure reducing chamber. By the same movement of 7, the pressure is reduced to the tertiary pressure in the second decompression chamber. Such a pressure reducing valve for a high-pressure gas container of the present invention has a higher accuracy in the tertiary pressure even if the gas pressure in the high-pressure gas container is a high pressure value such as a range of 30 MPa to 80 MPa. (A pressure value when gas is finally used).
In addition, a flow passage 56 that connects the first valve chamber 241 and the first decompression chamber is formed in the first valve body 5, and similarly, a flow passage 76 is also formed in the second valve body 7. Therefore, the entire size of the pressure reducing valve 1 can be reduced.

  Here, since the first valve element 5 and the second valve element 7 are arranged on the same axis O, the directions of vibration are the same. Therefore, the vibration applied to the entire pressure reducing valve mechanism including the valve element has the same direction. In addition, each member has a rotating body shape, and a configuration in which these are combined in series in the axial direction. Further, since the vibration direction is along the axial direction, stress due to vibration applied to each member is evenly distributed. And the partial stress concentration is reduced. In other words, the valve elements 5, 7 and the main body B have a rotating body shape, and a vibration load is applied in the axial direction where the strength against the load is highest. The durability against load is further improved. In addition, although there are two vibration sources (valve elements), the vibration directions match, so that the durability against the load can be sufficiently obtained as compared with a case where two vibrations are simultaneously applied from different directions.

  The first flow path 25, the first valve chamber 241, the flow path 56 of the first valve element 5, the flow path 76 of the second valve element 7, and the outlet 42 are all the first valve element 5, the second valve The axis of the body 7 is located on the same axis O, and each part has a rotating body shape, and the axis of each part is located on the same axis O. As described above, by arranging the components on the same axis O, and by further matching the gas flow path with the axis O, miniaturization is achieved while improving durability against vibration.

In particular, the external appearance of the main body B formed in a small size is a rotating body shape, and the first flow path 25 and the discharge port 42 are provided at both ends located on the axis O of the main body B. As a part, it can be provided integrally with the piping, and there is an advantage that no installation space is required.
Further, the first and second members 3, 4 and the lid 2, which constitute the two valve bodies, the main body B, have different natural frequencies, so that damage to the members due to resonance can be suppressed.

It is a sectional side view of the pressure reducing valve of the present invention.

Explanation of reference numerals

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 1 pressure reducing valve 2 lid 24 connecting portion 241 first valve chamber 32 second valve chamber 5 first valve 6 first spring 7 second valve 8 second spring

Claims (5)

A pressure reducing valve attached to the lid of the high-pressure gas container,
A first valve chamber formed in the lid;
A first valve seat formed in the first valve chamber;
A first flow path that communicates the opening of the first valve seat with the inside of the container;
A first valve body that can reciprocate between a closed position that blocks the first valve seat and an open position that is separated from the first valve seat while maintaining airtightness in the first valve chamber;
A first urging member for urging the first valve body in the direction of the open position;
A first decompression chamber, which communicates with the first valve chamber and is located downstream of the first valve chamber;
A second flow path communicating with the second valve chamber of the first decompression chamber;
A second valve seat formed in the second valve chamber and having an opening of the second flow path;
A second valve body that can reciprocate between a closed position that closes the second valve seat and an open position that is separated from the second valve seat while maintaining airtightness in the second valve chamber;
A second biasing member for biasing the second valve body toward the open position;
A second decompression chamber that communicates with the second valve chamber and is located downstream of the second valve chamber;
A first valve element, a first urging member, a second valve element, and a main body that houses the second urging member;
The first valve body and the second valve body are pressure reducing valves for a high-pressure gas container that reciprocate on the same axis. 2. The pressure reducing valve for a high-pressure gas container according to claim 1, wherein the first valve body, the second valve body, and the main body are formed in a shape of a rotating body, and respective central axes are located on the same axis. The first valve body has a flow passage communicating the first valve chamber and the first pressure reducing chamber, and the second valve body has a flow passage communicating the second valve chamber and the second pressure reducing chamber. The pressure reducing valve for a high-pressure gas container according to claim 1. The pressure reducing valve for a high-pressure gas container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lid, the first valve, the second valve, and the main body have different natural frequencies. It has a discharge port communicating with the second decompression chamber, and the discharge port is located on an axis where the first valve body and the second valve body are arranged, and an axis of a pipe connected to the discharge port is The pressure reducing valve for a high-pressure gas container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pressure reducing valve is parallel to the axis.

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