JP2007146875A - Pressure regulator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pressure regulator usable in the reduction of the pressure of high pressure gas and capable of preventing secondary pressure from being affected by the fluctuation of primary pressure. <P>SOLUTION: In this pressure regulator 1 connected with a high pressure tank to reduce the pressure of high pressure gas from the high pressure tank to low pressure, a back pressure chamber 361 in which primary pressure is supplied from a primary pressure chamber 214 is provided in a pressure reducing member 3, an external force by which the primary pressure acts on the pressure reducing member 3 is offset by a third piston 241 in the back pressure chamber 361, and a secondary pressure value can be set by biasing the force of a spring 4 and setting the outside diameter of a first piston 31 and a second piston 34. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a pressure regulator, and more particularly to a pressure regulator in which a secondary pressure is not affected by fluctuations in the primary pressure.

Conventionally, there is a pressure regulator as a device for adjusting the gas pressure of a high-pressure gas and reducing the pressure to a desired pressure. The pressure reducing structure in this pressure regulator is roughly divided into two types, a piston type and a diaphragm type.
For example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a piston type pressure regulator adjusts the balance between the primary pressure applied to the piston and the secondary pressure against the primary pressure, and sets the desired secondary pressure. It is. In addition, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, the diaphragm type pressure regulator opens and closes the valve body through the diaphragm, and the primary pressure applied to the diaphragm and the biasing member (spring or the like) acting on the diaphragm. With this balance, the valve body is opened to obtain a desired secondary pressure.
JP200397796. JP-A-11-39042.

The piston type pressure regulator has a problem that the secondary pressure also fluctuates due to the fluctuation of the primary pressure. Further, the diaphragm type pressure regulator has a problem that the secondary pressure is not affected by the fluctuation of the primary pressure, but when the primary pressure is high, a diaphragm having a strength that can withstand the pressure cannot be obtained. was there. Further, when the gas to be regulated is hydrogen gas, the conventional diaphragm type has a problem that it is difficult to seal hydrogen gas because hydrogen permeates through the diaphragm.
In particular, in a fuel cell vehicle using hydrogen gas as a fuel and a hydrogen gas vehicle burning using hydrogen gas as a fuel, a high-pressure hydrogen gas container is used to increase the amount of hydrogen gas to be mounted. When such a high-pressure hydrogen gas container for vehicles is used, it is necessary to reduce the high-pressure primary pressure (for example, 35 megapascals) to the low-pressure secondary pressure (for example, 1.5 megapascals or less). As described above, when the difference between the primary pressure and the secondary pressure is excessive, a piston type must be used. In this case, the change in the secondary pressure due to the change in the primary pressure is particularly large. There's a problem.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a pressure regulator that can be used for depressurization of high-pressure gas and the secondary pressure is not affected by fluctuations in the primary pressure.

The present invention for solving the above problems has the following configuration.
(1) the main body,
A primary pressure chamber communicating with the primary pressure side in the main body;
A valve chamber communicating with the primary pressure chamber via a valve seat;
A secondary pressure chamber communicating with the valve chamber and having a larger inner diameter than the valve chamber;
A pressure reducing member provided with a valve body portion inserted into the valve chamber and pressed against the valve seat;
A first piston provided in the pressure reducing member and inserted into the valve chamber;
A second piston provided in the pressure reducing member and having a larger diameter than the first piston and inserted into the secondary pressure chamber;
A biasing member that biases the pressure-reducing member in a direction to separate the valve body portion from the valve seat opening;
A back pressure chamber that is provided in the decompression member and communicates with the primary pressure chamber in a state where the valve seat is closed by the valve body;
A pressure regulator comprising a third piston inserted into the back pressure chamber and provided on the main body side.

  (2) The pressure regulator according to (1), wherein a diameter of the third piston is the same as a diameter of the valve seat port.

(3) The valve body portion is a seal member pressed against the valve seat opening;
A communication path formed in the seal member and communicating the back pressure chamber and the primary pressure chamber;
A communication hole communicating the opening facing the side of the back pressure chamber of the seal member and the secondary pressure chamber side;
(4) The pressure regulator according to (1) or (2), further including a blocking portion that disables ventilation from the back pressure chamber side to the communication hole. (4) The blocking portion is a back pressure of the seal member. The pressure regulator according to the above (3), which is an annular ridge formed on any one of the chamber side surface or the peripheral surface of the back pressure chamber opening in the storage unit that stores the seal member facing the chamber side surface.

(5)
The diameter of the said protruding item | line part is a pressure regulator as described in said (4) smaller than the diameter of a valve seat opening.

(6) The valve body portion is a seal member pressed against the valve seat opening;
A communication path communicating the back pressure chamber and the primary pressure chamber;
A storage portion that is provided in the valve body portion and stores the seal member;
In the storage part, as described in the above (2), one end opens at a position facing the side surface of the back pressure chamber of the stored seal member, and the other end has a communication hole that opens downstream from the primary pressure chamber. Pressure regulator.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the primary pressure supplied to the back pressure chamber causes a force to push the decompression member toward the valve seat opening against the decompression member, and the primary pressure causes the valve seat to Force applied in the direction away from the mouth is reduced. The secondary pressure is mainly determined by the difference between the second piston diameter and the first piston diameter and the urging force of the urging member, and the influence of the fluctuation of the primary pressure on the value of the secondary pressure. Can be suppressed.
According to the second aspect of the invention, in particular, by making the third piston diameter and the valve seat opening diameter the same, the force caused by the primary pressure acting on the pressure reducing member is offset. Therefore, the fluctuation of the secondary pressure due to the fluctuation of the primary pressure can be prevented.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the pressure in the space is a secondary pressure that is lower than the primary pressure, a force that pushes the seal member toward the pressure reducing member by the primary pressure works. Thereby, the inconvenience that the sealing member is detached from the decompression member is suppressed.
According to the invention described in claim 4, the space includes a convex portion formed in the decompression member on the back pressure chamber side of the seal member, and a back pressure chamber of the seal member in contact with the convex portion. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the detachment of the seal member with a simple configuration in which a convex portion is provided in the accommodating portion of the seal member.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the pushing force is larger than the pushing force of the seal member from the storage portion due to the action of the primary pressure, so that the separation of the seal member can be further suppressed.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the sealing member has the back pressure chamber side surface opposite to the sealing surface communicating with the downstream side having a pressure lower than the primary pressure through the communication hole. The primary pressure causes a pressure to push the seal member into the storage portion, and the problem that the seal member is detached from the storage portion is solved.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The pressure adjusting device of the present invention is used to reduce the internal pressure (primary pressure) to a desired pressure (secondary pressure) when extracting high-pressure hydrogen gas from the high-pressure hydrogen gas container. The attachment position may be, for example, the outlet of the high-pressure hydrogen gas container or in the middle of the piping.
FIG. 1 is an overall cross-sectional side view of a pressure regulator 1 of the present invention. The pressure regulator 1 includes a main body 2 which is a housing, a decompression member 3 housed in the main body 2, a spring 4 which is an urging member interposed between the decompression member 3 and the bottom of the main body 2, And a seal member 5 held by the decompression member 3.

  The main body 2 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and is configured by integrating the two cylindrical bodies 2a and 2b by screwing the respective openings, and has a storage space 20 for storing the decompression member 3 inside. It is defined. On the cylindrical body 2a side, a primary side connection portion 21 connected to a hydrogen gas container or a gas supply pipe is provided, and a supply port 211 is opened at a tip of the connection portion 21. The primary pressure chamber 213 communicates with the supply path 212. A supply port 211, a supply path 212, a primary pressure chamber 213, and a valve seat port 214 described later are disposed on the axis of the cylindrical body 2a.

A spring accommodating portion 201 for accommodating the spring 4 is formed in an annular shape around the central axis of the cylindrical body 2a inside the cylindrical body 2a, and the coiled spring 4 is accommodated along the annular ring. Furthermore, a valve chamber 202 into which the decompression member 3 is inserted is formed inside the spring storage portion 201. The valve chamber 202 functions as a cylinder in which the first piston 31 provided in the decompression member 3 slides in an airtight manner.
The axis of the valve chamber 202 is located on the same axis as the cylinder 2a. The valve chamber 202 communicates with the primary pressure chamber 213 described above via the valve seat port 214, and an annular shape that protrudes from the concave bottom surface of the valve chamber 202 at the peripheral end portion of the valve seat port 213. There is provided a valve seat 203 composed of convex ridges.

As shown in FIG. 2, a decompression chamber 204 is defined in the valve chamber 202 by a gap formed at the tip of the decompression member 3.
The decompression member 3 includes an insertion portion 32 formed in a cylindrical shape at the distal end, a cylindrical main body portion 33 provided on the proximal end side of the insertion portion 32, and a first end connected to the proximal end side of the main body portion 33. 2 pistons 34. The insertion portion 32 is inserted into the valve chamber 202, and a first piston 31 in which an annular seal material is embedded is provided on the outer periphery. The outer diameter of the second piston 34 is configured to be larger than the outer diameter of the first piston 31. The second piston 34 is provided with a spring receiving portion 341, and the compression spring 4 is interposed between the spring receiving portion 341 and the main body 2. The decompression member 3 is urged by the compression spring 4 in a direction away from the valve seat port 214. A flow path 321 is formed between the distal end surface of the insertion portion 32 and the inner space 331 of the main body portion 33, and the decompression chamber 204 and the secondary pressure chamber communicate with each other.

  Furthermore, a valve body portion 35 is formed on the distal end surface of the insertion portion 32 so as to protrude from the distal end surface. The valve body portion 35 protrudes toward the valve seat opening 214 and has a housing portion 351 that is recessed in a cylindrical shape. The seal member 5 is housed in the housing portion 351. The accommodating portion 351 is configured to have a shape in which the inner diameter gradually decreases toward the tip, and is configured so that the seal member 5 does not come off toward the tip. A back pressure chamber 361 communicates with the central portion of the accommodating portion 351, and an insertion hole 362 communicates with the back pressure chamber 361. A cylinder chamber 363 into which a later-described third piston 241 is inserted communicates with the fitting hole 362.

The accommodating portion 351, the back pressure chamber 361, the fitting hole 362, and the cylinder chamber 363 are each disposed on the axis of the decompression member 3. The back pressure chamber 361, the fitting hole 362, and the cylinder chamber 363 function as a back pressure chamber.
In the accommodating part 351, a protruding line part 371 is formed on the peripheral surface 352 of the opening of the back pressure chamber 361. A space 372 is formed between the inner wall of the accommodating portion 351 and the back surface 52 of the seal member 5 on the outer side of the protruding portion 371. One end of a communication hole 373 having an opening 374 desired on the back surface of the seal member 5 is connected to the space 372, and the other end communicates with the flow path 321. The protruding portion 371 functions as a blocking portion that prevents gas from flowing in from the back pressure chamber 361 side by contacting the back surface 52 of the seal member 5. The protruding portion 371 may be formed on the back surface 52 of the seal member 5.

In the center of the seal member 5, a communication path 53 that connects the seal surface 51 that faces the valve seat 214 and the back surface 52 is formed. The communication passage 53 communicates with the primary pressure chamber 213 in a state where the seal member 5 is pressed by the valve seat 203. The primary pressure is supplied to the back pressure chamber 361 through the communication path 53.
On the other hand, the 2nd piston 34 provided in the base end part of decompression member 3 is stored in cylinder part 23 formed inside cylinder 2b, and is constituted so that sliding in an airtight state is possible. The cylinder portion 23 constitutes a secondary pressure chamber.

An outlet side connecting portion 22 is provided on the axis of the cylindrical body 2b at the outer center of the cylindrical body 2b. A discharge port 221 is formed at the tip of the connecting portion 22, and the discharge port 221 has an axis on the axis. The formed discharge path 222 is connected. A plurality of discharge passages 223 communicating with the cylinder portion 23 are formed in the discharge passage 222.
A column 24 is provided along the axis at the center of the cylinder portion 23 of the cylindrical body 2b, and a third piston 241 having a smaller diameter than the column 24 is erected at the tip, and further fitted with a smaller diameter at the tip. A portion 242 is formed. The support column 24, the third piston 241, and the fitting portion 242 are located on the axis of the cylindrical body 2b. The insertion portion 242 is inserted into the insertion hole 362 of the decompression member 3, and the third piston 241 is inserted into the cylinder chamber 363 so as to be slidable in an airtight state with an annular seal material embedded in the outer periphery thereof.

The operation of the pressure regulator 1 of the present invention configured as described above will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the decompression member 3 is fixed in a state in which the valve body portion 35 is separated from the valve seat 203 by the urging force of the spring 4 in the standby state in which no gas flows.
When high pressure gas is supplied to the primary pressure chamber 213, gas flows in the order of the decompression chamber 204, the flow path 321, the main body inner space 331, and the cylinder portion 23, and the gas in the secondary pressure chamber configured by the cylinder portion 23. When the pressure rises and the gas pressure reaches a preset secondary pressure, the secondary pressure moves the decompression member 3 toward the valve seat 203 against the urging force of the spring 4. When the seal member 5 is pressed against the valve seat 203, the flow of the primary pressure gas into the decompression chamber 204 is blocked, so that the supply of gas to the secondary pressure chamber is stopped and the gas in the secondary pressure chamber is stopped. Pressure decreases. When the biasing force of the spring 4 becomes stronger than the pressure for moving the decompression member 3 in the direction of the valve seat 203 due to the decrease in the gas pressure, the decompression member 3 is returned to the original position and the valve seat port 214 is opened. The By repeating the above operation, the primary pressure is reduced to the secondary pressure.

Further, the secondary pressure is determined by the biasing force of the spring 4. For example, the secondary pressure increases as the elastic modulus of the spring increases, and the secondary pressure decreases as it decreases.
Here, in the state where the valve body portion 35 is pressed against the valve seat 203, the inside of the back pressure chamber 361 is at the primary pressure by the communication passage 53. The gas pressure in the back pressure chamber 361 generates pressure that pushes the decompression member 3 toward the valve seat 203 by the action of the cylinder portion 363 and the third piston 241. Further, pressure is applied to the seal surface 51 of the seal member 5 in a direction in which the decompression member 3 is separated from the valve seat 203. That is, they act in opposite directions to cancel the forces acting on the decompression member 3. The external force generated by this primary pressure is determined by the outer diameter of the third piston 241 (the inner diameter of the cylinder chamber 363) and the diameter of the valve seat 203. If the diameter of the valve seat 203 is larger than the outer diameter of the third piston 241, the primary pressure increases the force acting in the direction of separating the decompression member 3 from the valve seat 203. If the diameter of the valve seat 203 is smaller than the outer diameter of the third piston 241, the force that pushes the decompression member 3 toward the valve seat 203 is increased by the primary pressure. And if the diameter of the valve seat 203 and the outer diameter of the 3rd piston 241 are the same, the force which acts on the pressure reduction member 3 by primary pressure will be canceled, and will become substantially zero. In the present embodiment, the diameter of the valve seat 203 and the outer diameter of the third piston 241 are set to be the same.

Accordingly, the force acting on the pressure reducing member 3 is only the force generated by the secondary pressure and the urging force of the spring 4, and the force generated by the secondary pressure is determined by the outer diameter of the second piston 34 and the first piston 31. Determined by outer diameter and difference. That is, regardless of the primary pressure value, the secondary pressure value can be set by determining the elastic coefficient of the spring 4 and the diameters of the first piston and the second piston.
By adopting such a configuration, even when the gas without the high-pressure hydrogen gas container is consumed, the gas pressure in the container is reduced, and the primary pressure is reduced, the secondary pressure reduced by the pressure regulator 1 is obtained. The pressure value can be kept constant.

  Further, the communication hole 373 formed in the valve body portion 35 communicates the downstream side of the decompression chamber 204 and the back side of the seal member 5, so that the downstream side of the decompression chamber 204 and the decompression chamber 204 Due to the pressure difference between the primary pressure chamber 213 and the back pressure chamber 361 on the upstream side, the effect of pressing the seal member 5 into the accommodating portion 351 is exhibited. Here, the protrusion 371 prevents the gas in the back pressure chamber 361 from flowing directly into the communication hole 373, and the communication hole 373 functions reliably by the protrusion 371.

The protruding portion 371 is formed in an annular shape, and the diameter of the ring is preferably smaller than the diameter of the valve seat 203. A primary pressure is applied to the seal member 5 from two directions. That is, the primary pressure applied from the valve seat 203 side and the primary pressure applied from the back pressure chamber 361 side. The force applied by this pressure is determined by the diameter of the valve seat 203 and the diameter of the ridges 371, so the area to which the pressure is applied becomes smaller. By making the diameter of the protrusion 371 smaller than the diameter of the valve seat 203, the pushing force becomes larger than the force for releasing the seal member 5, which is more preferable.
In the center of the seal member 5, a communication path 53 that connects the seal surface 51 that faces the valve seat 214 and the back surface 52 is formed. The communication passage 53 communicates with the primary pressure chamber 213 in a state where the seal member 5 is pressed by the valve seat 203. The primary pressure is supplied to the back pressure chamber 361 through the communication path 53.

  FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional side view showing another configuration example of the valve body portion 35. In the valve body 35, a passage 361a communicating with the back pressure chamber 361 is opened at the distal end portion of the valve body 35, and an annular groove is formed around the passage 361a to store the annular seal member 5a. A portion 351a is provided. The storage portion 351a has a configuration in which the inner wall on the opening side (side facing the valve seat 203) is inclined inward, and the opening width gradually decreases, and the stored sealing member 5a moves toward the valve seat 203 side. It is configured not to leave easily. In the seal member 5a, the surface exposed to the outside is a seal surface 51 that presses against the valve seat 203, and the other surface is covered with the storage portion 351a.

  In the storage part 351 a, one end opening 374 of the communication hole 373 is provided at a position facing the surface 52 on the back pressure chamber 361 side (opposite side of the seal surface 51) of the seal member 5 a, and the other end of the communication hole 373. Is an opening 375 of the flow path 321. The opening 375 of the communication hole 373 may be provided at any position as long as the space has a pressure lower than the primary pressure. By providing the opening 375 at such a position, a force that pushes the seal member 5a toward the communication hole 373 due to a pressure difference from the primary pressure acts on the seal member 5a, and the seal member 5a has a force from the housing portion 351a. Withdrawal is suppressed. Note that the opening 374 may be provided at a position facing the outer surface of the seal member 5 a, but is desirably a position further away from the seal surface 51.

It is a whole section side view of the pressure regulator of the present invention. It is an expanded sectional side view of a valve body part. It is an expanded sectional side view of the valve body part in other embodiments.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Pressure regulator 2 Main body 213 Primary pressure chamber 214 Valve seat port 202 Valve chamber 241 3rd piston 3 Pressure reducing member 31 1st piston 34 2nd piston 361 Back pressure chamber 4 Spring (biasing member)
5 Seal members

Claims (6)

The body,
A primary pressure chamber communicating with the primary pressure side in the main body;
A valve chamber communicating with the primary pressure chamber via a valve seat;
A secondary pressure chamber communicating with the valve chamber and having a larger inner diameter than the valve chamber;
A pressure reducing member provided with a valve body portion inserted into the valve chamber and pressed against the valve seat;
A first piston provided in the pressure reducing member and inserted into the valve chamber;
A second piston provided in the pressure reducing member and having a larger diameter than the first piston and inserted into the secondary pressure chamber;
A biasing member that biases the pressure-reducing member in a direction in which the valve body portion is separated from the valve seat opening;
A back pressure chamber provided in the pressure reducing member and communicating with the primary pressure chamber in a state where the valve seat is closed by the valve body portion;
A pressure regulator comprising a third piston inserted into the back pressure chamber and provided on the main body side.   The pressure regulator according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of the third piston is the same as a diameter of the valve seat opening. The valve body part is a seal member pressed against the valve seat opening,
A communication path formed in the seal member and communicating the back pressure chamber and the primary pressure chamber;
A communication hole communicating the opening facing the side of the back pressure chamber of the seal member and the secondary pressure chamber side;
The pressure regulator according to claim 1, further comprising a blocking portion that disables ventilation from the back pressure chamber side to the communication hole.   The blocking portion is an annular ridge formed on either the side surface of the back pressure chamber of the seal member or the peripheral surface of the back pressure chamber opening in the storage portion for storing the seal member facing the seal member. Item 4. The pressure regulator according to Item 3.   The diameter of the said protruding item | line part is a pressure regulator of Claim 4 smaller than the diameter of a valve seat opening. The valve body part is a seal member pressed against the valve seat opening,
A communication path communicating the back pressure chamber and the primary pressure chamber;
A storage portion that is provided in the valve body portion and stores the seal member;
3. The pressure according to claim 2, wherein in the storage portion, one end opens at a position facing a side surface of the back pressure chamber of the stored seal member, and the other end has a communication hole that opens downstream from the primary pressure chamber. Adjuster.

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