JP3350964B2 - Fluid storage device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a fluid storage device.
More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus for storing liquefied natural gas.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 shows an example of a conventional fuel storage device applied to an automobile using liquefied natural gas (hereinafter referred to as LNG). The apparatus A includes a tank body B for storing LNG, and an adsorption tank C filled with carbon fibers as an LNG adsorbent in a cotton-like manner. The sensor D, a manual discharge valve E and an automatic safety valve F are connected to each other by a pipe G interposed.

In this apparatus A, vaporized LNG discharged from a tank body B is accommodated in the adsorption tank C through the discharge valve E or the safety valve F and the pipe G. Accordingly, the pollution of the atmosphere by the vaporized LNG is prevented, and the tank body B is prevented from being damaged due to an abnormal increase in the internal pressure of the tank body B.

Then, the LNG stored in the tank body B
Is vaporized by a paper riser I interposed in a pipe J and stabilized by a regulator K, and supplied to an engine (not shown). Further, the vaporized LNG contained in the adsorption tank C flows into the regulator K through the pipe N in which the solenoid valve L and the check valve M are interposed.

When the pressure detected by the pressure sensor D (the internal pressure of the tank B) indicates a predetermined height while the engine is started, the solenoid valve L is controlled by control means (not shown). It is opened.

[0006]

However, the fluid storage device A having the above structure has a drawback that the suction tank C is provided separately from the tank body B, so that the size is increased. Further, as means for conditionally opening and closing the passage of the pipe N based on the pressure in the adsorption tank C, a solenoid valve L, a pressure sensor D, and a control means for controlling the solenoid valve L based on the output of the sensor D , The configuration is complicated and expensive.

An object of the present invention is to provide a fluid storage device which can be reduced in size, reduced in cost and simplified in structure in view of the actual situation.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided a tank body for containing liquefied natural gas, a casing surrounding the tank body, and a liquefied natural gas filled in a space between the casing and the tank body. An adsorbent, a first conduit for extracting liquefied natural gas in the tank main body to the outside of the casing, and a second conduit for guiding the natural gas vaporized in the tank main body to the liquefied natural gas adsorbent in the casing.
A third pipe for taking out the natural gas adsorbed by the liquefied natural gas adsorbent to the outside of the casing; and a third pipe interposed in the middle of the third pipe and located on the inlet side. Piloting the pressure of the natural gas in the pipeline to
Valve means that is opened when the pilot pressure reaches a prescribed level.

[0009]

[Function] Liquefied natural gas stored in the tank body is the first
Is taken out to the outside through the pipe of the above. On the other hand, the natural gas vaporized in the tank body is adsorbed by the adsorbent disposed between the tank body and the casing. Then, the adsorbed natural gas is taken out to the outside via the third pipeline. The valve means provided in the third conduit is automatically opened when the pressure of the natural gas reaching the inlet reaches a predetermined value.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the fluid storage device of the present invention applied to a fuel storage means of a small car or a motorcycle.

In this embodiment, a casing 1 having one end sealed and an opening 1a at the other end, a tank holder 2 disposed in the casing 1, and a tank holder 2
A tank main body 3 is detachably fitted therein, and a diaphragm valve 4 described later is provided.

The tank holder 2 has the same diameter as the opening 1a of the casing 1, and a space 5 is formed between the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface of the casing 1. The space 5 is filled with carbon fibers 6 functioning as a gas adsorbent, and a pipe 7 extends from the space 5 so as to penetrate the casing 1.

A partition 2a is provided inside the left end of the tank holder 2, and the partition 2a is
And a left end surface of the casing 1 define a gas introduction chamber 8. And this gas introduction chamber 8
It communicates with the space 5 through a hole 2b provided in the holder 2.

The tank body 3 comprises an inner tank 3a containing liquefied natural gas (hereinafter referred to as LNG) and an outer tank 3b surrounding the inner tank 3a.
The space between the outer tub 3b and the outer tub 3b is maintained in a vacuum for heat insulation.

An opening 1a of the casing 1 is provided with a lid 9
The tank body 3 is pressed toward the partition wall 2a by a spring 10 interposed between the outer surface of the right end of the tank body 3 and the lid 9.

At the right end and the left end of the tank body 3, an LNG derivation pipe 11 and a vaporized LNG derivation pipe 12 penetrating the tank body 3 are provided, respectively.
The base ends of the pipes 11 and 12 are
It is open at the bottom and top inside.

The leading end of the leading pipe 11 is connected to a pipe 14 via a coupler 13. On the other hand, the leading end of the outlet pipe 12 is connected to a pipe 16 penetrating the partition wall 2a via a coupler 15, and a relief valve 17 disposed in the gas introduction chamber 8 is provided at the leading end of the pipe 16. Are linked.

The diaphragm valve 4 is disposed so as to cross the middle of the pipes 7 and 14, and a space 4 b located above the diaphragm 4 a passes through a pilot pipe 7 a branched from the pipe 7. It communicates with the pipe 7.

This diaphragm valve 4 always operates
The spool 4d is pushed up by the urging force of the spring 4c. In this state, the space between the upper inlet 4e and the upper outlet 4f is blocked by the spool 4d, and the lower inlet 4d is closed.
g and the lower outlet 4h communicate with each other. The pilot pipe 7a introduces the gas pressure in the pipe 7 located upstream of the upper inlet 4e of the diaphragm valve 4, that is, the gas pressure in the space 5 as the pilot pressure into the space 4b.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. When the manual on-off valve 18 provided in the middle of the pipe 14 is opened, the LNG in the tank body 3 passes through the pipe 14, the lower inlet 4g and the lower outlet 4h of the diaphragm valve 4. After being vaporized by a paper riser (not shown) provided in the middle of the pipe 14 and stabilized by a regulator (not shown), it is supplied to the engine.

On the other hand, LN vaporized in the tank body 3
When the pressure of G becomes equal to or higher than the set pressure of the relief valve 17, the vaporization L in the tank body 3 through the relief valve 17.
NG is released into the gas introduction chamber 8, and this vaporized LNG is
The gas is released into the space 5 through the holes 2 b provided in the gas introduction chamber 8 and is adsorbed by the carbon fibers 6. Thus, it is possible to prevent the internal pressure of the tank body 3 from abnormally increasing.

The vaporized LN adsorbed on the carbon fiber 6
G is introduced through the pipe 7 to the upper inlet 4e of the diaphragm valve 4 and the pilot pipe 7a
Through the space 4b of the diaphragm valve 4. When the pressure in the space 4b becomes equal to or higher than the set pressure, as shown in FIG. 2, the diaphragm 4a is moved down together with the spool 4d, and the upper inlet 4e and the upper outlet 4f are communicated with each other. Lower inlet 4g
And between the lower outlet 4h.

As a result, the vaporized LNG in the space 5 is
After passing through the diaphragm valve 4 and flowing into the regulator, it is stabilized there and then supplied to the engine.

When the pressure in the space 5 decreases,
The spool 4d of the diaphragm 4a moves up to the position shown in FIG.
G will be supplied to the engine.

According to this embodiment described above, a large amount of vaporized LNG is contained in the space 5 between the casing 1 and the tank holder 2.
Is pooled, the diaphragm valve 4 automatically opens the pipe 7 based on the pressure of the vaporized LNG, and the vaporized LNG can be supplied to the engine. That is, the supply of the vaporized LNG to the engine can be performed without using a pressure sensor, a solenoid valve, or the like.

When the pressure of the vaporized LNG in the space 5 rises to a value equal to or higher than the allowable value, the relief valve 19 opens and the pressure in the space 5 decreases.

Incidentally, the tank body 3 is provided with a storage LN.
When the amount of G falls below a certain level, it needs to be replaced.
In this case, first, the lid 9 is removed from the opening 1 a of the casing 1, whereby the pipe 14 is pulled out of the coupler 13. Then, after the spring 10 is removed, the tank body 3 is pulled toward the opening 1a, and the tank body 3 is pulled out of the casing 1 along the tank holder 2. Note that the vaporized LNG derivation pipe 12 is extracted from the coupler 15 as the tank body 3 is pulled.

After the tank body 3 is extracted, another tank body 3 filled with LNG is inserted into the tank holder 2 from the opening 1a side. Then, when the opening 1a is closed with the lid 9 while pressing the right end of the tank body 3 with the spring 10, the replacement of the tank body 3 is completed.

The tip of the pipe 12 is fitted to the coupler 15 and the tip of the pipe 11 is fitted to the coupler 13 in accordance with the operation of inserting the tank body 3.

[0030]

According to the present invention, the vaporized natural gas in the tank body storing the liquefied natural gas is adsorbed on the adsorbent disposed between the tank body and the casing via the second pipe. By doing so, the size can be reduced.

Further, the supply of the vaporized liquefied natural gas to the engine can be performed without using a pressure sensor, a solenoid valve or the like, so that the cost can be reduced and the configuration can be simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing one embodiment of a fluid storage device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing an operation state of valve means.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing a conventional fluid storage device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Casing 3 ... Tank main body 4 ... Diaphragm valve (valve means) 4a ... Diaphragm 4b ... Space 5 ... Space 6 ... Liquefied natural gas adsorbent 7 ... Pipe (third pipeline) 7a ... Pilot pipe 11, 12 ... Pipe 14: Pipe (first pipeline) 16: Pipe (second pipeline)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A tank body containing liquefied natural gas, a casing surrounding the tank body, a liquefied natural gas adsorbent filled in a space between the casing and the tank body, and inside the tank body. A first pipe for taking out the liquefied natural gas from the casing to the outside of the casing; a second pipe for guiding the natural gas vaporized in the tank body to the liquefied natural gas adsorbent in the casing; A third pipe for taking out the natural gas adsorbed by the adsorbent to the outside of the casing; and a natural gas in the pipe located on the inflow side, interposed in the middle of the third pipe. And a valve means that is opened when the pilot pressure reaches a specified level.