JPH07133893A - Natural gas charging device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the occurrence of ignition and subsequent explosion due to leakage gas and a spark from a control function section, even if natural gas should leak at a natural gas flow passage, by providing a division between the control function section and the natural gas flow passage. CONSTITUTION:A gas introduction pipeline 17 led from a source tank or the like storing natural gas is connected to a gas introduction port 2. At the same time, a gas supply line 18 laid so as to be capable of communication with a cylinder on board a vehicle or the like is connected to a gas supply port 8. Also, a division of high airtightness is provided between a natural gas leak position and a group of a function control section 10, a display board 11, a switch 12 or the like, against an unexpected natural gas leak at a natural gas flow passage, at the time of compressing the natural gas approximately to 20MPa for charge. According to this construction, a concern is eliminated, regarding the ignition and explosion of leak gas, due to the section 10, the board 11, the switch 12 or the like acting as the origin of a fire.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a compact filling device for compressing and filling natural gas supplied from an original tank or the like into a gas cylinder or the like mounted on an automobile or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, natural gas, whose consumption has been growing as clean energy, has been attracting attention as a fuel for automobiles. Therefore, it has become an urgent task to develop a device capable of compressing and filling natural gas stored in a former tank or the like into a gas cylinder or the like mounted on an automobile or the like.

[0003]

However, the conventional natural gas filling device can emit sparks with the compressor, the suction snubber tank, the solenoid valve, the check valve, etc., which form the path through which the flammable natural gas flows. Since the control function unit with good performance was installed in the same space, it is necessary to store all of these electric parts in a flameproof box, and there is a problem that the device becomes large and heavy. The problem was to solve the problem.

[0004]

As a concrete means for solving the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, the present invention relates to a natural gas filling device comprising a compressor, a suction snubber tank, a solenoid valve, a check valve, and the like. A natural gas filling device having a first configuration in which an isolation wall is provided between the control function unit and the natural gas passage,

By providing a natural gas filling device having a second structure in which ventilation holes are provided in the lower and upper parts of the space accommodating the control function part, the above-mentioned problems of the prior art can be solved. is there.

[0006]

In the case of claim 1, even if flammable natural gas leaks from the natural gas path composed of the compressor, the suction snubber tank, the solenoid valve, the check valve, etc., the natural gas path and sparks are generated. Since the isolation wall is provided between the control function unit and the control function unit that may be emitted, there is no concern that the sparks emitted from the control function unit will ignite the leaked natural gas and cause an explosion.

In the case of claim 2, since convection of air occurs through ventilation holes provided in the lower part and the upper part of the space accommodating the control function part, much more than the air containing methane as a main component leaked from the natural gas path. Even if the light natural gas may flow to the control function part, it will be quickly discharged to the outside by convection. Less.

[0008]

The first embodiment of the natural gas filling apparatus according to the present invention will be described below.
The embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a box made of a non-combustible rigid body such as an iron plate, and a gas inlet 2, a strainer 3,
A check valve 4, a compressor 5, a snubber tank 6, a high pressure solenoid valve 7, a gas supply port 8, a ventilation fan 9, a control function unit 10 including a board / relay, a display board 11, an operation switch 12 and the like are mounted. , Or is stored.

Of the above equipment, the portion from the gas inlet 2 to the gas supply port 8 via the strainer 3, the check valve 4, the compressor 5, the snubber tank 6 and the high pressure solenoid valve 7 is methane in this device. Is a path through which flammable natural gas mainly contains, and the natural gas path and the control function unit 10, the display substrate 11, and the switch 12, which may spark and emit sparks, are highly airtight such as an iron plate. It is isolated by a non-combustible rigid isolation wall 13.

The lower part of the isolation wall 13 bent into a substantially L-shape and the upper end part of the inner bottom plate 14 bent to form a blower port 15 in which the ventilation fan 9 is installed. By activating the ventilation fan 9, air can be blown upward from below.

Further, ventilation holes 1a are provided on four sides on the lower side of the box body 1, and ventilation holes 1b are provided on the four sides on the upper side. Therefore, when the ventilation fan 9 is started, the outside air flows in through the lower ventilation hole 1a and is discharged through the upper ventilation hole 1b.

In particular, a part of the air that has flowed into the apparatus through the ventilation holes 1a on the front side is controlled by the control function section 10 and the display substrate 11.
Since the air is discharged from the ventilation hole 1b on the front side through the space 16 that houses the switch 12 and the wiring side, the forced convection of air occurs in this space 16 when the ventilation fan 9 is activated. Therefore, since flammable natural gas does not stay in the space 16 where the control function unit 10 and the like are provided,
Explosive limit concentration is never reached.

When the ventilation fan 9 is stopped,
Although only natural convection occurs, the specific gravity of natural gas, which is mainly composed of methane, with respect to air is extremely low at a little less than 0.6. There is almost no concern that natural gas will be rapidly discharged from the pores 1b and that the natural gas will remain in the space 16.

In the natural gas filling apparatus of the present invention having the above structure, the gas introduction port 17 is connected to the gas introduction port 17 connected from the original tank (not shown) which stores the natural gas, and the gas supply port 8 is provided. Gas supply pipe that is connected to a cylinder (not shown) mounted on an automobile, etc.
8 is connected and natural gas is compressed by the compressor 5 to, for example, 20M.
Even if natural gas leaks from the natural gas path when compressed to about Pa and filled,

Natural gas leakage part and control function part 10
Since a highly airtight isolation wall 13 is provided between the display substrate 11 and the switch 12, the control function unit 10
-There is no concern that the leaked natural gas may ignite or explode when the display board 11 or switch 12 etc. are the source of the fire.

Therefore, in the natural gas filling device of the present invention, the control function unit 10, the display substrate 11, and the switch 12 are provided.
There is no need to enclose items in a flameproof box.

Since the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the claims.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the isolation wall 13
It is also possible to use a natural gas filling device having a structure in which is extended to the bottom plate 19. When the isolation wall 13 is provided in this way, the control function unit 10, the display substrate 11, the switch 1
The air in the space 16 accommodating 2 will be ventilated only by natural convection.

[0020]

As described above, the present invention provides a compressor /
In a natural gas filling device consisting of an intake snubber tank, solenoid valve, check valve, etc., an isolation wall is provided between the control function part and the natural gas passage, so that natural gas is not discharged from the natural gas passage. Even if there is a single leak, there is no concern that the leaked gas will be ignited by the sparks emitted from the control function unit and explode.

Further, in the second invention in which the ventilation holes are provided in the lower and upper portions of the space accommodating the control function portion, air convection occurs between the upper and lower ventilation holes, so that natural gas leaking from the natural gas path is generated. Even if gas should flow to the control function side, natural gas, which is much lighter than air, is quickly discharged to the outside by convection. Therefore, there is less concern that the leaked natural gas will reach the explosion limit concentration.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an appearance of the first embodiment as viewed from the front.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an outer appearance of the first embodiment as viewed from the side.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Box 2 Gas inlet 3 Strainer 4 Check valve 5 Compressor 6 Snubber tank 7 High-pressure solenoid valve 8 Gas supply port 9 Ventilation fan 10 Control function section 11 Display board 12 Switch 13 Isolation wall 14 Inner bottom plate 15 Air blower 16 Space 17 Gas introduction pipe 18 Gas supply pipe 19 Bottom plate 1a ・ 1b Vent hole

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (71) Applicant 000196680 Seibu Gas Co., Ltd. 1-17-1 Chiyo, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka (72) Inventor Hiroshi Nishikawa 2-5-5 Keihan-hondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tomio Tasaki 2-5-5 Keihan Hondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kazuo Kanai 6-9-6 Sodegaura, Narashino-shi, Chiba ( 72) Inventor Hiroshi Kawamoto 4-1-2, Hirano-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. Tokio 1-17-1 Chiyo, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture Seibu Gas Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A compressor, a suction snubber tank, a solenoid valve,
A natural gas filling device including a check valve,
A natural gas filling device, characterized in that an isolation wall is provided between the control function part and the natural gas passage. 2. The natural gas filling device according to claim 1, wherein ventilation holes are provided in a lower part and an upper part of a space accommodating the control function part.