JP6988656B2 - Manufacturing method of hydrogen storage tank - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a hydrogen storage tank.

As a material capable of storing hydrogen, a hydrogen storage material such as TiVCr is known.

Non-Patent Document 1 discloses a graphite interlayer compound (Li-GIC) having a structure in which lithium is inserted between graphite layers as a material having better hydrogen storage performance than TiVCr or the like.

Physical Review Letters VOLUME 92, Number 16, New Alkali Doped Pillared Carbon Material Designed to Achieve Special Reversation

As described above, as a hydrogen storage material, a material such as Li-GIC whose hydrogen storage performance deteriorates by reacting with water or oxygen is known. The work of putting these materials in the hydrogen storage tank is preferably carried out in an atmosphere inert to these materials.

However, it is not easy to manage a large inert atmosphere room that can accommodate a hydrogen storage tank. Therefore, mass production of hydrogen storage tanks using such materials has low productivity.

Further, such a hydrogen storage material can be placed in a hydrogen storage tank in the atmosphere by sealing with a packaging material that allows only hydrogen to permeate. However, when the hydrogen permeability of the packaging material is low, it is difficult for the hydrogen storage tank thus produced to be rapidly filled with hydrogen at a hydrogen station or the like.

Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to manufacture a hydrogen storage tank capable of rapidly filling hydrogen at a hydrogen station or the like without the need for a large inert atmosphere room for the hydrogen storage tank. It is to provide a method for manufacturing a hydrogen storage tank that can be used.

The present inventor has found that the above object can be achieved by the following method.

The hydrogen storage material is sealed with a packaging material under an inert atmosphere, wherein the packaging material is impermeable to oxygen and water, and is permeable to hydrogen, and is opened by a thermoplastic resin. Has a welded portion, which is welded
The hydrogen storage material sealed with the packaging material is placed in a tank having a heat exchanger, and the tank is filled with hydrogen to store hydrogen in the hydrogen storage material, and the tank. The hydrogen storage material in the packaging material arranged inside is heated by the heat exchanger to soften the thermoplastic resin in the welded portion and release hydrogen from the hydrogen storage material to release hydrogen from the packaging material. A method for manufacturing a hydrogen storage tank, comprising increasing the internal pressure and thereby opening the welded portion of the packaging material by the internal pressure.

According to the present disclosure, a hydrogen storage tank capable of rapidly filling hydrogen at a hydrogen station or the like can be manufactured without the need for a large inert atmosphere room for the hydrogen storage tank. A method of manufacturing a tank can be provided.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a hydrogen storage material. FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a hydrogen storage material sealed with a packaging material. FIG. 3 is a schematic view in which a hydrogen storage material sealed with a packaging material is arranged in a tank having a heat exchanger. FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a state in which the tank is filled with hydrogen and hydrogen is stored in the hydrogen storage material. FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a state in which the packaging material is opened by heating the hydrogen storage material with a heat exchanger.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail. It should be noted that the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments, but can be variously modified and implemented within the scope of the main purpose of the disclosure.

The method for manufacturing a hydrogen storage tank of the present disclosure includes the following steps (A) to (C). (A) The hydrogen storage material is sealed with a packaging material in an inert atmosphere. Here, the packaging material has a welded portion which is impermeable to oxygen and water and permeable to hydrogen, and whose opening is welded by a thermoplastic resin. (B) A hydrogen storage material sealed with a packaging material is placed in a tank having a heat exchanger, and the tank is filled with hydrogen to store hydrogen in the hydrogen storage material. (C) The hydrogen storage material in the packaging material placed in the tank is heated by a heat exchanger to soften the thermoplastic resin in the welded portion and release hydrogen from the hydrogen storage material to reduce the internal pressure of the packaging material. Increase, thereby opening the welded portion of the packaging material by internal pressure.

<< (A) Process of sealing hydrogen storage material with packaging material >>
The method of the present disclosure comprises sealing the hydrogen storage material with a packaging material in an inert atmosphere.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the hydrogen storage material 10. Further, FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a hydrogen storage material sealed with a packaging material. In FIG. 2, the upper and lower openings of the packaging material 20 are welded with a thermoplastic resin to form a welded portion 22, whereby the hydrogen storage material 10 is sealed with the packaging material 20. The method of sealing the hydrogen storage material 10 with the packaging material 20 is not limited to welding the opening of the packaging material 20 with a thermoplastic resin, and any other means may be used.

<Hydrogen storage material>
In the method of the present disclosure, the type of the hydrogen storage material is not particularly limited, but it is particularly effective when a material that reacts with water and oxygen to deteriorate the hydrogen storage performance is used. Examples of such a hydrogen storage material include Li-GIC.

<Packaging material>
In the method of the present disclosure, the packaging material has a welded portion that is impermeable to oxygen and water and permeable to hydrogen, and whose opening is welded by a thermoplastic resin.

Since the packaging material is impermeable to oxygen and water, it is not necessary to place the packaging material in which the hydrogen storage material is sealed in the tank in an inert atmosphere. Further, since the packaging material has permeability to hydrogen, hydrogen can be permeated through the packaging material and stored in the hydrogen storage material after the hydrogen storage material sealed with the packaging material is placed in the tank. ..

The packaging material has a welded portion in which the opening is welded with a thermoplastic resin in a state where the hydrogen storage material is sealed. This welded portion can be formed, for example, by arranging the hydrogen storage material from the opening to the inside of the packaging material when sealing the hydrogen storage material, and then welding the thermoplastic resin in the opening.

Further, the packaging material may have a portion in which the opening is welded in advance with a thermoplastic resin. In this case, for example, the hydrogen storage material may be placed inside the packaging material from another unwelded opening of the packaging material, and this opening may be welded. Further, the opening may be made of metal, and the opening may be welded or plastically deformed.

The material of the packaging material is not particularly limited as long as it is impermeable to oxygen and water and permeable to hydrogen. Specifically, a resin such as an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin, nylon, or low-density polyethylene can be used.

Further, as the thermoplastic resin, for example, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin (EVA) can be used.

<Under the inert atmosphere>
Sealing is performed in an atmosphere that is inert to the hydrogen storage material. The atmosphere that is inert to the hydrogen storage material is an atmosphere that tends to deteriorate the hydrogen storage material. For example, sealing can be performed in a glove box in an atmosphere of a rare gas such as helium, neon, or argon. When using a hydrogen storage material that can react with nitrogen other than hydrogen, sealing should not be performed in a nitrogen atmosphere.

<< (B) The process of arranging the hydrogen storage material in the tank and storing hydrogen >>
The method of the present disclosure comprises a step of placing a packaging material in which a hydrogen storage material is sealed in a tank having a heat exchanger, and filling the tank with hydrogen to store hydrogen in the hydrogen storage material.

<Place hydrogen storage material in the tank>
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a state in which a hydrogen storage material sealed with a packaging material is arranged in a tank having a heat exchanger. In FIG. 3, a plurality of hydrogen storage materials 10 sealed with the packaging material 20 are arranged inside the tank 32. Further, the hydrogen storage material 10 sealed with the packaging material 20 is in contact with the heat exchanger 40.

The hydrogen storage material sealed with the packaging material may be placed in one or more tanks. When a plurality of hydrogen storage materials sealed with a packaging material are arranged in the tank, they may be arranged in a state where the hydrogen storage materials are burdened with each other.

<To store hydrogen in a hydrogen storage material>
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a state in which the tank is filled with hydrogen and hydrogen is stored in the hydrogen storage material. In FIG. 4, the hydrogen filled in the tank interior 32 permeates the highly permeable portion of the packaging material 20 and is stored in the hydrogen storage material 10. At this time, the heat exchanger 40 can discharge the heat generated when the hydrogen storage material 10 stores hydrogen to the outside of the tank. Further, it is preferable that the hydrogen is stored while the inside 32 of the tank and / or the hydrogen storage material 10 is cooled by the heat exchanger 40. Cooling by the heat exchanger 40 can be performed, for example, by flowing cold water through the heat exchanger 40.

<tank>
The tank is not particularly limited as long as it is possible to arrange a hydrogen storage material sealed with a heat exchanger and a packaging material inside and to fill the inside with hydrogen. A known tank can be used.

<Heat exchanger>
As the heat exchanger, one capable of heating the hydrogen storage material is used. As the heat exchanger, one capable of heating and cooling the inside of the tank and the hydrogen storage material may be used. As the heat exchanger, a known one can be used. As the heat exchanger, for example, a heat pipe can be used.

<< (C) Process of opening the packaging material >>
In the method of the present disclosure, the hydrogen storage material in the packaging material arranged in the tank is heated by a heat exchanger to soften the thermoplastic resin in the welded portion, and hydrogen is released from the hydrogen storage material to release the packaging material. It involves increasing the internal pressure of the packaging material, thereby opening the welded portion of the packaging material by internal pressure.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view in which the packaging material is opened by heating the hydrogen storage material with a heat exchanger. In FIG. 5, the heat exchanger 40 arranged inside the tank 32 heats the hydrogen storage material 10 in the packaging material 20. Since the hydrogen storage material 10 releases hydrogen when heated, the pressure inside the packaging material 20 increases. At the same time, the heat applied to the hydrogen storage material 10 by the heat exchanger also heats the packaging material 20 to soften the thermoplastic resin in the welded portion 22 of the packaging material 20. Since the thermoplastic resin is softened, the welded portion 22 of the packaging material 20 is opened by the internal pressure of the packaging material. As a result, the packaging material 20 is opened.

The heating by the heat exchanger is performed at a temperature sufficient to allow the hydrogen storage material to release hydrogen and to soften the thermoplastic resin in the welded portion of the packaging material. Heating by the heat exchanger can be performed, for example, by flowing hot water or the like into the heat exchanger.

10 Hydrogen storage material 20 Packaging material 22 Welding part 30 Tank 32 Inside the tank 40 Heat exchanger

Claims (1)

The hydrogen storage material is sealed with a packaging material in an atmosphere inert to the hydrogen storage material , wherein the packaging material is impermeable to oxygen and water, and is permeable to hydrogen. And has a welded portion whose opening is welded by a thermoplastic resin.
The hydrogen storage material sealed with the packaging material is placed in a tank having a heat exchanger, and the tank is filled with hydrogen to store hydrogen in the hydrogen storage material, and the tank. The hydrogen storage material in the packaging material arranged inside is heated by the heat exchanger to soften the thermoplastic resin in the welded portion and release hydrogen from the hydrogen storage material to release hydrogen from the packaging material. A method for manufacturing a hydrogen storage tank, comprising increasing the internal pressure and thereby opening the welded portion of the packaging material by the internal pressure.

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