JP2015200348A - Tank opening valve device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance responsiveness of discharge of gas inside a tank according to temperature rise around the tank.SOLUTION: A tank mechanism 150 includes a tank valve 160 mounted on a high pressure gas tank 152. The tank valve 160 functions as a pressure detection type open valve for discharging gas in a tank, when rise of a tank outer pressure is detected by a gas pressure detection part 162. Piping 170 for gas discharge detection communicates with the gas pressure detection part 162, extends from the tank valve 160 to the outside of the tank, and includes a first inflator 171, a second inflator 172 and a third inflator 173 capable of discharging the gas at hight pressure to the gas pressure detection part 162 via a pipeline of the piping 170 for gas discharge detection.

Description

  The present invention relates to a tank valve opening device.

  The high-pressure gas tank supplies the stored high-pressure gas to gas consuming equipment. For example, a tank that stores hydrogen gas as a fuel gas at a high pressure supplies the hydrogen gas to a fuel cell that is a hydrogen gas consuming device. Although the tank may be placed in a constant temperature environment, for example, a vehicle equipped with a fuel cell is used in various temperature environments, so that the tank internal pressure increases due to the reason such as being placed in a high temperature environment. It is also possible. In such a case, a technique has been proposed in which the gas in the tank is released using the vapor pressure increased by the evaporation of water sealed in the heat sensitive tube (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP2011-149545A

  In the above-described release method, gas is not released unless the vapor pressure of the water enclosed in the heat sensitive tube is increased and the vapor pressure is increased. For these reasons, a method of causing gas release with high responsiveness has been demanded.

  In order to achieve the above-described problems, the present invention can be implemented as the following modes.

  (1) According to one aspect of the present invention, a tank valve opening device is provided. This tank valve opening device is a tank valve opening device for a tank that stores high-pressure gas, and includes a detection unit that detects an increase in tank external pressure, and is mounted on the tank. A pressure detection type open valve that discharges gas in the tank when detecting, and a detection unit conducting pipe that is connected to the pressure detection type open valve in conduction with the detection unit, and extends from the pressure detection type open valve to the outside of the tank, A gas discharge unit disposed in the detection unit conduction pipe and capable of releasing gas at a high pressure is provided in the detection unit through a pipe line of the detection unit conduction pipe. Since the gas released by the operation of the gas discharge unit is high pressure, it quickly reaches the detection unit via the conduit of the detection unit conduction pipe. And high responsiveness. Therefore, according to the tank opening device of the said form, the gas in a tank can be discharge | released with high responsiveness. In this case, the high pressure gas discharge by the gas discharge unit can be performed by ignition by a flame around the gas discharge unit or by an impact applied to the gas discharge unit. The gas in the tank can be released with high responsiveness to the generation of a flame or the application of an impact. In addition, the high-pressure gas tank equipped with the tank opening device of the above-described form releases the gas in the tank with high responsiveness to the generation of a flame or the application of an impact. In a fuel cell system including such a high-pressure gas tank and a fuel cell, or in a fuel cell vehicle or power plant using the fuel cell system, the configuration of equipment related to gas release with high responsiveness due to temperature rise is simplified. And cost reduction.

  (2) In the tank valve opening device of the above-described form, a plurality of the gas discharge portions can be arranged in the conduit of the detection portion conducting pipe. This increases the chance of high pressure gas reaching the detection section, so that it is possible to secure an opportunity to release gas in the tank with high responsiveness to flame generation or impact application.

  (3) In the tank valve opening device of the above-described form, the tank valve opening device includes a check valve for blocking gas passage from the detection unit side in a pipe line of the detection unit conduction pipe, and the check valve includes the gas discharge unit. Can be arranged downstream of the gas discharge location for discharging the high-pressure gas in the conduit of the detection section conducting pipe. In this way, since the high-pressure gas released from the gas discharge part is brought only to the detection part side, the responsiveness of gas release is further improved.

  (4) In the tank valve opening device according to any one of the above-described forms, a plurality of the detection unit conducting pipes having the gas discharge unit are provided, and the plurality of the detection unit conducting pipes are differently routed from the pressure detection type opening valve. It can extend outside the tank. By doing so, the range of flame generation and impact application that causes the operation of the gas release unit is expanded, so that the detection area for gas release is also expanded, and the reliability of gas release for flame generation and impact application is improved.

  The present invention can be realized in various forms, for example, a fuel cell system including a tank and a fuel cell in addition to a form as a high-pressure gas tank equipped with the tank opening device of the above form, It can also be set as the form as a fuel cell mounting vehicle which mounts the said system, and the form as a power plant including the fuel cell and tank which were installed in the factory, the store, or the residence.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the fuel cell mounting vehicle 20 as embodiment of this invention in planar view roughly. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a peripheral configuration when a high-pressure gas tank 152 is viewed from a direction A in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the configuration of a first inflator 171 as viewed in cross section along line 3-3 in FIG. 2. It is explanatory drawing which shows roughly the generation | occurrence | production condition of a fire, and the mode of a fire detection. It is explanatory drawing which shows roughly the state of fire occurrence, and the state of a fire detection in the condition where the failure | damage occurred in the piping 170 for gas discharge | release detection. It is explanatory drawing which shows roughly a periphery structure seeing 150 A of tank mechanisms of other embodiment from the B direction in FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a fuel cell vehicle 20 as an embodiment of the present invention in plan view, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a peripheral configuration when the high-pressure gas tank 152 is viewed from the direction A in FIG. FIG.

  As shown in the drawing, the fuel cell vehicle 20 has a fuel cell system 100 mounted below the vehicle body 22. The fuel cell system 100 includes a fuel cell 110, a hydrogen gas supply system 120, an air supply system 130, and a tank mechanism 150. The fuel cell 110 has a stack structure in which battery cell units (not shown) that are power generation units are stacked, and is located below the vehicle floor between the front wheel FW and the rear wheel RW. The fuel cell 110 receives the hydrogen gas supply from the high-pressure gas tank 152 of the tank mechanism 150 in the hydrogen gas supply system 120 and the air supply from the compressor 132 in the air supply system 130 to perform an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. Wake up to generate electricity. This generated power is used for the driving force of the fuel cell vehicle 20. The exhaust gas after the electrochemical reaction is discharged out of the vehicle from an exhaust system (not shown).

  The hydrogen gas supply system 120 includes a high pressure gas tank 152 mounted horizontally below the vehicle body 22, and supplies hydrogen gas stored in the tank to the fuel cell 110 through a supply line 126 extending from the tank valve 160 under reduced pressure. To do. The high pressure gas tank 152 is filled with a gas through a filling line 128 extending from the tank valve 160 to the receptacle 127.

  In addition to the high-pressure gas tank 152 and the tank valve 160, the tank mechanism 150 includes a first inflator 171, a second inflator 172, and a third inflator 173, as shown in FIG. In FIG. 1, each inflator is not shown. The high-pressure gas tank 152 has a hollow cylindrical long resin container (not shown) as a liner, and high-strength carbon fibers or glass fibers are wound around the outer peripheral surface of the liner by a filament winding method or the like, so that the fibers are thermosetting resin. The hydrogen gas is stored at a high pressure of up to 70 MPa. The high pressure gas tank 152 is provided with a tank valve 160 attached to one end in the longitudinal direction of the tank. A supply pipe 126 and a filling pipe 128 are connected to the tank valve 160, and gas is supplied via the tank valve 160. Gas filling is performed.

  The tank valve 160 includes a pressure detection type open valve mechanism in addition to gas supply / filling. As shown in FIG. 2, a gas discharge detection pipe 170 is connected to the gas pressure detection unit 162. The tank valve 160 constantly receives the pressure in the pipeline in the gas release detection pipe 170 by the gas pressure detection unit 162, and when the increase in the pipeline pressure is detected by the gas pressure detection unit 162, the tank valve 160 Release the gas out of the tank (release to the atmosphere). The internal pressure of the gas discharge detection pipe 170 is the same as the tank external pressure, that is, the atmospheric pressure at the time when the tank mechanism 150 is mounted on the vehicle body 22. Therefore, the tank valve 160 indicates that the tank external pressure, which is the pipe internal pressure of the gas release detection pipe 170, has increased by a predetermined amount or more compared to the atmospheric pressure, for example, that the pressure has increased to about 1.5 times the atmospheric pressure. When detected by the pressure detector 162, the gas in the tank is released to the atmosphere.

  The gas release detection pipe 170 is electrically connected to the gas pressure detection unit 162 and connected to the tank valve 160, and extends from the tank valve 160 to the outside of the tank along the longitudinal direction of the tank, vertically below the high-pressure gas tank 152. The first inflator 171 is disposed on the first branching member 174 branched on the upstream side of the gas release detecting pipe 170, and the second inflator 172 is disposed on the downstream side of the first branching member 174 from the gas release detecting pipe 170. The third inflator 173 is disposed at the branch end of the gas release detection pipe 170 and is disposed at the branched second branching officer 175. That is, the first to third inflators are arranged in the pipeline of the gas release detection pipe 170. The first to third inflators described above have the same configuration, and discharge gas at a high pressure to the gas pressure detection unit 162 through the pipeline of the gas release detection pipe 170. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the configuration of the first inflator 171 as viewed in section along line 3-3 in FIG.

  As shown in the figure, the first inflator 171 closes the casing 180 with an end plate 181 and projects a fuze 182 that is ignited by a flame to the outside of the casing. The end opening of the first branching member 174 is closed by the closure disk 183, and the gas generating agent 184 is sealed between the closure disk 183 and the end plate 181. The gas generating agent 184 encloses a gas such as carbon dioxide gas at high pressure, and expands the encapsulated gas when it receives heat to generate it at high pressure. Therefore, the first inflator 171 generates a high-pressure expanded gas from the gas generating agent 184 by the heat when the fuze 182 is ignited by a flame, and the expanded gas passes through the first branch 174 and the gas emission detection pipe 170. The gas is discharged to the gas pressure detector 162 of the tank valve 160. The same applies to the second inflator 172 and the third inflator 173. An inflator for a vehicle airbag can be used as the first to third inflators. By doing so, each of the inflators of the first inflator 171, the second inflator 172, and the third inflator 173 is equipped with a fuel cell. Also by the impact applied to the vehicle 20, the inflation gas is released at a high pressure to the gas pressure detection unit 162 of the tank valve 160 through the first branch officer 174 and the gas release detection pipe 170.

  The gas discharge detection pipe 170 has a first check valve 176 between the branching point of the first branching officer 174 and the branching point of the second branching officer 175, and the second reverse valve downstream of the branching point of the second branching officer 175. A stop valve 177 is provided. These check valves block the passage of gas from the gas pressure detector 162 side of the tank valve 160 in the pipeline of the gas release detection pipe 170, and the first check valve 176 releases the gas from the first inflator 171. The detection pipe 170 is disposed downstream of the gas discharge point where the expansion gas is discharged, that is, the branch point of the first branching member 174. The second check valve 177 is disposed downstream of the gas discharge point (the branch point of the second branching member 175) where the second inflator 172 discharges the expansion gas into the pipe of the gas discharge detection pipe 170. Yes.

  Next, the release of gas in the tank when a fire occurs in the fuel cell vehicle 20 equipped with the fuel cell system 100 described above will be described. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the state of fire occurrence and the state of fire detection.

  There is a possibility that a fire may occur at any location around the high-pressure gas tank 152, and the fire flame F radiates the heat to the nearest inflator in the gas emission detection pipe 170. For example, if a fire occurs in the tank front region Fp1, the first inflator 171 that receives the heat of the flame F, as shown in FIG. In addition, the gas is discharged to the gas discharge detection pipe 170 at a high pressure. Since the first check valve 176 is disposed downstream of the branch point of the first branching officer 174, the expansion gas released from the first inflator 171 flows downstream from the first check valve 176. There is no. Therefore, the expansion gas released from the first inflator 171 reaches the gas pressure detection unit 162 of the tank valve 160 through the gas release detection pipe 170 at a high pressure, and the tank valve 160 releases the gas in the tank to the atmosphere. If a fire occurs in the tank center region Fp2, the expanded gas released from the second inflator 172 that has received the heat of the flame F reaches the gas pressure detector 162 at a high pressure, and the tank valve 160 releases the gas in the tank to the atmosphere. Bring. If a fire occurs in the tank rear region Fp3, the expansion gas released from the third inflator 173 receiving the heat of the flame F reaches the gas pressure detection unit 162 at a high pressure, and the tank valve 160 releases the gas in the tank to the atmosphere. Bring. If a fire occurs at a plurality of locations in the tank front region Fp1, the tank center region Fp2, and the tank rear region Fp3, the tank valve 160 releases the gas in the atmosphere to the atmosphere as described above by the inflator in which the fuze 182 is ignited first. Is made.

  When the tank valve 160 having the gas pressure detection unit 162 releases the gas in the tank to the atmosphere, the tank mechanism 150 according to the present embodiment conducts the gas pressure detection unit 162 and extends the gas from the tank valve 160 to the outside of the tank. A first inflator 171, a second inflator 172, and a third inflator 173 disposed in the pipe 170 for use are used. Since the inflation gas released from these inflators is at a high pressure, it quickly reaches the gas pressure detection unit 162 through the pipe of the gas release detection pipe 170, and the arrival of the gas to the gas pressure detection unit 162 is caused by the operation of the inflator. With high responsiveness. Therefore, according to the tank mechanism 150 of the present embodiment, the gas in the tank of the high-pressure gas tank 152 can be released to the atmosphere with high responsiveness when a fire occurs. Further, since the airbag inflator is diverted to each of the inflators, even when an impact caused by a vehicle collision or the like is applied to any of the inflators, the gas in the tank of the high-pressure gas tank 152 can be released to the atmosphere with high responsiveness.

  The tank mechanism 150 of the present embodiment includes a first inflator 171 in the tank front area, a second inflator 172 in the tank center area, and a third in the tank rear area at the end of the pipe in the gas discharge detection pipe 170. An inflator 173 was provided. Therefore, according to the tank mechanism 150 of the present embodiment, by increasing the chances of the expansion gas reaching the gas pressure detection unit 162 at a high pressure (see FIG. 4), the response to the flame or impact is high. The opportunity to release gas in the tank can be secured. In other words, the gas in the tank of the high-pressure gas tank 152 can be released to the atmosphere with high responsiveness, regardless of whether the fire occurs in the front, center, or rear of the high-pressure gas tank 152.

  The tank mechanism 150 of the present embodiment includes a first check valve 176 and a second check valve 177 that block the passage of gas from the gas pressure detection unit 162 side in the pipeline of the gas release detection pipe 170. The first check valve 176 is disposed downstream of the gas discharge point (the branch point of the first branching officer 174) where the first inflator 171 discharges the expansion gas into the pipe of the gas discharge detection pipe 170, The second check valve 177 is disposed downstream of the gas discharge point (the branch point of the second branching member 175) where the second inflator 172 discharges the expansion gas into the pipe of the gas discharge detection pipe 170. Therefore, according to the tank mechanism 150 of the present embodiment, the expansion gas released from the first inflator 171 or the second inflator 172 is brought only to the gas pressure detection unit 162 side, so that the high-pressure gas tank 152 has higher responsiveness. The gas in the tank can be released to the atmosphere. In addition, there are the following advantages.

  In the gas discharge method using the heat-sensitive tube in which water is enclosed as in Patent Document 1, if the heat-sensitive tube is damaged due to some cause, for example, a pebbles or the like while the vehicle is running, the enclosed water is discharged and the gas is discharged. It is impossible to detect pressure increase for release. Therefore, it is necessary to deal with damage such as making the heat sensitive tube a multi-layer structure over its entire length or providing a protective cover or the like. On the other hand, in the tank mechanism 150 according to the present embodiment, as described below, it is unnecessary to reduce or reduce damage handling. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a fire occurrence situation and a state of fire detection under a situation where the gas emission detection pipe 170 is damaged.

  As shown in the drawing, if the pipe line is damaged on the terminal side of the gas discharge detection pipe 170, the pipe line of the gas discharge detection pipe 170 downstream from the second check valve 177 is opened to the atmosphere. The pipeline of the gas release detection pipe 170 from the tank valve 160 to the second check valve 177 remains closed. Therefore, for the fire that occurred in the tank front area Fp1 or the tank center area Fp2, the first inflator 171 or the second inflator 172 evacuates the gas in the tank of the high-pressure gas tank 152 to the atmosphere without taking any special measures. Can be released. Even if the gas release detection pipe 170 is damaged in the downstream line from the first check valve 176, the first inflator 171 does not take any special measures for the fire that has occurred in the tank front region Fp1. The gas in the tank of the high-pressure gas tank 152 can be released to the atmosphere with high responsiveness. Therefore, even if a protective cover or the like is provided, it is not necessary to provide the entire area of the gas release detection pipe 170, and this is simple.

  Next, a tank mechanism 150 according to another embodiment will be described. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view schematically showing a peripheral configuration when a tank mechanism 150A of another embodiment is viewed from the direction B in FIG. As shown in the figure, the tank mechanism 150A includes gas release detection pipes 170 on the left and right sides of the high-pressure gas tank 152 in addition to the vertically lower side of the high-pressure gas tank 152, and the gas release detection pipes 170 are respectively connected to the tank valve 160. Is extended to the outside of the tank along the longitudinal direction of the tank toward the back side of the sheet. That is, the tank mechanism 150A extends the gas release detection pipe 170 to the outside of the tank along the longitudinal direction of the tank through a plurality of paths. Each of the gas emission detection pipes 170 includes the first inflator 171, the second inflator 172, the third inflator 173, the first check valve 176, and the second check valve 177 described above. According to the tank mechanism 150A of this embodiment, the detection area for releasing gas from the high-pressure gas tank 152 is expanded through the expansion of the range of flame generation and impact application that cause the operation of each inflator described above, and the generation and impact of flame. The reliability of the gas release with respect to the application is increased.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be realized with various configurations without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the technical features of the embodiments corresponding to the technical features in each embodiment described in the summary section of the invention are intended to solve part or all of the above-described problems, or part of the above-described effects. Or, in order to achieve the whole, it is possible to replace or combine as appropriate. Further, if the technical feature is not described as essential in the present specification, it can be deleted as appropriate.

  In the above-described embodiment, the first inflator 171, the second inflator 172, and the third inflator 173 are disposed in the gas release detection pipe 170. However, one or two of these inflators are disposed. You may do it. In FIG. 6, the gas discharge detection pipe 170 and the above inflators may also be provided vertically above the high-pressure gas tank 152. In addition, although the high-pressure gas tank 152 has been described as a tank that stores hydrogen gas, it may be a tank that stores other fuel gas such as natural gas under high pressure. Further, the tank valve 160 is configured to include a pressure detection type open valve mechanism in addition to gas supply / filling, but a valve related to gas supply / filling may be provided on the other end side of the tank. . In the above-described embodiment, the gas release detection pipe 170 is disposed along the tank longitudinal direction. However, in FIG. 1, the gas release detection pipe 170 is disposed so as to extend from the tank valve 160 to the fuel cell 110 side. May be. At this time, the gas release detection pipe 170 may be arranged in a plurality of paths.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 ... Vehicle equipped with a fuel cell 22 ... Car body 100 ... Fuel cell system 110 ... Fuel cell 120 ... Hydrogen gas supply system 126 ... Supply line 127 ... Receptacle 128 ... Filling line 130 ... Air supply system 132 ... Compressor 150 ... Tank mechanism 150A DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Tank mechanism 152 ... High pressure gas tank 160 ... Tank valve 162 ... Gas pressure detection part 170 ... Gas discharge detection piping 171 ... 1st inflator 172 ... 2nd inflator 173 ... 3rd inflator 174 ... 1st branch officer 175 ... 2nd branch 176 ... First check valve 177 ... Second check valve 180 ... Housing 181 ... End plate 182 ... Fuze 183 ... Closure disc 184 ... Gas generating agent F ... Flame FW ... Front wheel RW ... Rear wheel Fp1 ... Tank front area Fp2 ... tank center area Fp3 ... tank rear Pass

Claims (4)

A tank opening device for a tank storing high-pressure gas,
A pressure detection type release valve that is equipped with a detection unit that detects an increase in tank external pressure, and that releases a gas in the tank when the detection unit detects an increase in the tank external pressure above a predetermined level;
A detection portion conducting pipe that is connected to the pressure detection type open valve in conduction with the detection unit and extends from the pressure detection type open valve to the outside of the tank;
A gas discharge unit disposed in the detection unit conduction pipe and capable of releasing gas at a high pressure to the detection unit through a pipe line of the detection unit conduction pipe;
Tank valve opening device.   A tank valve opening device in which a plurality of the gas discharge parts are arranged in a pipe line of the detection part conducting pipe. The tank valve opening device according to claim 2,
A check valve that shuts off gas passage from the detection unit side in the conduit of the detection unit conduction pipe;
The check valve is a tank valve opening device in which the gas discharge part is disposed downstream of a gas discharge part that discharges the high-pressure gas into a pipe line of the detection part conducting pipe.   The said detection part conduction | electrical_connection pipe | tube which has the said gas discharge | release part is provided with two or more, These said several detection part conduction | electrical_connection pipe | tube extends to the exterior of a tank in a different path | route from the said pressure detection type | formula release valve. The tank opening device as described.

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