JPS639547Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed explanation of the idea]

The present invention relates to a container containing a metal hydride for storing hydrogen. Various powdered alloys are used as the metal hydride. When a metal hydride absorbs hydrogen, it generates heat, so a heat medium such as water is used to remove the heat, and when it releases hydrogen, it absorbs heat, so it is necessary to supply heat with a heat medium. Since metal hydrides are in powder form and have poor thermal conductivity, it is necessary to increase the effective heat transfer area as much as possible in order to effectively absorb and release hydrogen. Conventional examples are shown in Fig. 3 A, B, and C. Figure 3A shows a water-cooled metal hydride container.
Water, which is a heat medium, enters the container 100 from a water inlet 101, passes through a number of spiral tubes 103 from an upper water chamber 102, and is discharged from a water outlet 105 of a lower water chamber 104. A space 106 of the container 100 is filled with powdered metal hydride, and hydrogen gas is supplied and discharged from a gas supply and discharge port 107. FIG. 3B shows a water-cooled double-tube metal hydride container. 108 is an outer tube, which contains a hydrogen tube 109 and a larger number of water tubes 109' than the hydrogen tube 109;
These gaps are filled with metal hydride. FIG. 3C shows an air-cooled metal hydride container.
A large number of heat exchange fins 11 are provided on the outer periphery of the container 110.
1 is provided, and the central space 112 of the container 110 is filled with powdered metal hydride. Conventional metal hydride containers for storing hydrogen are
Due to the above configuration, there is a tendency towards larger size.
Also, the structure was becoming more complex. The present invention provides a compact metal hydride container with a simple structure by providing petal-shaped holes in a columnar material made of aluminum or aluminum alloy, and providing a hydrogen pipe in the center and a water passage on the outer periphery. is intended to provide. An embodiment of the metal hydride container according to the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 and 2. 1 is a prismatic container body made of aluminum or aluminum alloy, and 2 is a longitudinal through hole with a petal-shaped cross section. In the figure, six petals are provided, but the number of petals is six. It is not limited to. A hydrogen pipe 3 made of a porous pipe is inserted into the center of the petal-shaped through hole 2. Petal-shaped hole 2
The space other than the hydrogen tube 3 is filled with metal hydride 10, which is in partial contact with the outer periphery of the hydrogen tube 3.
4 is a through hole provided in parallel to the petal-shaped through hole 2, and is a water passage serving as a heat medium. Reference numeral 5 designates a first front lid, which has a concave rear surface and is combined with a second front lid 6 to form a water chamber A. A second front lid 6, which also has a concave rear surface, connects to the container body 1. and forms a hydrogen chamber B. A through hole is provided in the first front lid 5 to form a hydrogen gas supply/discharge port 3a, and a pipe 3b provided in the second front lid 6 is connected to the supply/discharge port 3a to form a hydrogen gas supply/discharge port 3a on the front surface of the container body 1. hydrogen gas is supplied and discharged from the hydrogen chamber B to each hydrogen pipe 3. 4a
is a water outlet provided in the first front lid 5, which opens into the water chamber A. Reference numeral 4b is a connecting pipe provided on the second front lid, and the second front lid 6 is connected to the container body 1 and connected to the water passage 4. 7 is a second rear lid having a concave front surface, which is connected to the container body 1 and serves as a hydrogen chamber.
Form B′. Each 4'b is a connecting pipe, and connects a water chamber A', which will be described later, to each water passage 4. A first rear lid 8 has a concave front surface and is connected to the second rear lid 7 to form a water chamber A'. 4'a is a water inlet provided in the second rear cover 8. Note that the maximum distance from the outer peripheral surface of the hydrogen tube 3 to the inner surface of the petal-shaped through hole 2 is preferably about 20 mm at most. Insert the hydrogen pipe 3 into the container body 1, and open the petal-shaped through hole 2.
is filled with metal hydride 10, and both front lids 5, 6 and both rear lids 7, 8 are joined to the container body 1. When storing hydrogen, if hydrogen gas is supplied from the hydrogen gas supply/discharge port 3a, the hydrogen gas reaches each porous hydrogen pipe 3 having air permeability from the hydrogen chamber B, and the petal-shaped through hole 2 It is absorbed by the metal hydride 10 filled inside. At this time, water as a heat medium enters the water chamber A' from the water inlet 4'a, and each connecting pipe 4'b,
It reaches the water chamber A through each water passage 4 and each connecting pipe 4b,
The water is discharged to the outside from the water outlet 4a. At this time, the metal hydride 10 is effectively cooled using cold water as a heat medium. In addition, when releasing hydrogen, water inlet 4'a
When hotter water is supplied, the metal hydride 10 absorbs heat and generates hydrogen gas, which is supplied to the outside from the hydrogen gas supply/discharge port 3a. In the examples, the outer shape of the container body 1 is described as being prismatic. However, although a prismatic shape is convenient for loading and transporting on a vehicle, the outer shape may be a cylinder or any polygonal column. good. Here, the metal hydride container according to the present invention and the double pipe metal hydride container shown in FIG.

[Table] The metal hydride container of the present invention has a columnar body made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy with a petal-shaped through hole in the longitudinal direction, and a porous hydrogen pipe is inserted into the center of the through hole. Powdered metal hydride is filled in a petal-shaped hole on the outer periphery of the hydrogen tube and brought into contact with the hydrogen tube, and a water passage parallel to the petal-shaped hole is formed outside the petal-shaped hole. Therefore, compared to conventional metal hydride containers, it has the following effects. (a) Since the metal hydride is housed in the compartmented petal-shaped holes, the absorption of hydrogen gas is equalized. (b) Since heat is transferred into and out of the metal hydride from the outer peripheral surface of the petal-shaped through hole, the heat transfer area on the alloy powder side is large and the heat transfer effect is large. (c) A water passage is formed in the main body, so there is no need for a water pipe, and the heat transfer effect is excellent. (d) It is compact and requires no effort to assemble.
If the main body is selected to have a prismatic shape, it will be easy to load it on a vehicle and transport it.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a metal hydride container according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view thereof, and FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3 are schematic views showing conventional metal hydride containers, respectively. 1: (prismatic) container body, 2: petal-shaped hole,
3: (porous) hydrogen pipe, 3a: hydrogen gas supply and discharge port,
3b: Pipe, 4: Water passage, 4a: Water outlet, 4'
a: water inlet, 4b: connecting pipe, 4'b: connecting pipe,
5: first front lid, 6: second front lid, 7: second rear lid,
8: First rear lid, 10: Metal hydride, A, A':
Water chamber, B, B': Hydrogen chamber.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A columnar body made of aluminum or aluminum alloy is provided with a petal-shaped through hole in the longitudinal direction, a porous hydrogen pipe is inserted into the center of the through hole, and a powdered metal is inserted into the petal-like hole on the outer periphery of the hydrogen tube. A metal hydride container characterized in that a hydride is filled and brought into contact with a hydrogen pipe, and a water passage parallel to the petal-shaped hole is formed outside the petal-shaped hole.