RU2382268C2 - Fuel tank and gas storage and supply plant - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: heating systems, fuel.

SUBSTANCE: invention refers to devices supplying gaseous fuel to motors of transport vehicles. Fuel tank includes housing with nozzles. In housing there installed is solid sorbing agent and collector system providing the surface of sorbing agent contacting the gas and connected with gas supply and discharge nozzles. Heat exchanger is located between housing and sorbing agent and connected to working medium supply and discharge nozzles. Collector system is arranged inside sorbing agent and made in the form of porous layers which are installed so that pneumatic connection can be provided between them. Gas storage and supply plant includes sections in which solid sorbing agent is located, gas supply and extraction system, heat exchangers and working medium supply and discharge system. Sections are made in the form of replaceable fuel tanks arranged on erection truss. Heat exchanger is installed in each tank, and working medium supply and discharge system is connected to each heat exchanger. Erection truss includes beam, and fuel tanks are arranged on four sides of the beam. Tanks are attached to beam by means of thin-walled spherical segments with flanges provided on edges. Segments are located from below and from above of tanks. Pole part of lower segments is fixed on beam. Flanged parts of segments are rigidly connected to neighbouring ones located both on the same side of truss and on the sides perpendicular to it.

EFFECT: increase in ratio of stored gas weight to weight of the whole device, reliability, safety and life time.

11 cl, 5 dwg

Description

The invention relates to devices for providing gaseous fuel or its components to primary and secondary engines, for example, vehicles, including cars with internal combustion engines, electric vehicles with fuel cells, etc.

When studying reference and information and patent funds, analogues of the proposed devices were identified in the form of:

- integral autonomously functioning vessels, inside of which there is directly a gas or gas-absorbing sorbent. Devices of this type are classified as fuel tanks for storing and supplying gas;

- gas-containing composite units that perform a number of unified functions as part of complex systems. Devices of this type are assigned to gas storage and supply units.

From analogues of a fuel tank for storing and supplying gas:

- the most famous is the balloon cited in the "New Polytechnical Dictionary", editor-in-chief A.Yu. Ishlinsky, scientific publishing house "Big Russian Encyclopedia", Moscow, 2000, p. 40. The cylinder is a gas-tight shell, made depending on the purpose of metals, polymers, etc. In such devices, almost any gas can be stored under excess pressure;

- a known gas storage tank is given in patent No. 2222749 RU, F17C 5/04, 1/12, publication January 27, 2004, BI No. 3. This tank is designed to store liquefied gases and contains a sealed casing, an inner vessel, a filling-emptying pipe with a shut-off valve, a gas discharge pipe with a shut-off valve. A screen with a pipeline is installed around the inner vessel, and holes are made in the upper part of the inner vessel and the screen, communicating their cavities with the cavity of the sealed casing. In addition, one end of the screen pipeline is connected to the gas discharge pipe, and the other end is inserted into the cavity of the inner vessel. In this case, a certain ratio of the volume of the inner vessel to the volume of the sealed casing is established;

- the known capacity for storing cryogenic fuels is given in patent No. 2270788 RU, B64D 37/02, B64G 1/40, publication 02.27.2006, BI No. 6. This tank contains a sealed protective casing, an inner vessel with thermal insulation, refueling pipelines, boost drainage and fuel supply, as well as an intake mechanism. The inner vessel is attached to the protective casing on two supports containing thin-walled bodies of revolution, for example, conical in shape, equipped with heat-shielding ring spacers and screen-vacuum thermal insulation. In one of the supports, said thin-walled rotation body mounted on the casing is connected to a sleeve telescopically connected to a cylinder attached to the inner vessel, providing relative movement of the inner vessel and the protective casing. The container catch mechanism may contain shut-off valves rigidly connected to each other, communicating with their respective cavities near the bottoms of the inner vessel and controlled by an electro-pneumatic system.

An analogue of the installation for storing and supplying gas is the fuel supply system for fuel cells of electric vehicles, as described in patent No. 2233511 RU, Н01М 8/04, В60L 11/18, publication July 27, 2004, BI No. 21. This system has a fuel (hydrogen) tank. To ensure the functional purpose through the nozzles, the tank is connected to other components and modules of the fuel supply system by pipelines of gas supply and selection, as well as supply and removal of the working medium of the heat exchanger, providing the given operating modes of the installation. In addition, the installation is equipped with switching elements in the form of shut-off valves by means of measurement and parameter control.

Common disadvantages of these analogues are the low level of their safety during storage of gases and the low value of the ratio of the mass of the stored gas to the mass of the device.

Of the known fuel tanks for storing and supplying gas, the closest to the claimed technical solution is the fuel tank of the fuel supply system for electric vehicle fuel cells according to RU patent No. 2233511, Н01М 8/04, B60L 11/18, publication July 27, 2004, BI No. 21. According to the description given in the patent, this fuel tank is designed for sorption storage of gas and contains a housing with nozzles, a solid metal hydride or a hydrogen absorbing alloy (solid sorbent) is installed in the housing, a collector system providing a contact surface between the sorbent and gas and connected to the supply nozzles and gas sampling, as well as a heat exchanger with a cavity connected to the nozzles for supplying and discharging the working medium. The sorbent installed in the device case is characterized by a large continuous length measured between opposite walls of the body both in the longitudinal and transverse directions. The collector system is formed by internal channels connecting the sorbent to the gas inlet and outlet pipes. The heat exchanger is located inside the sorbent, and the pipes for supplying and discharging the working medium of the heat exchanger are displayed on one side of the housing.

This source is selected as a prototype fuel tank for storing and supplying gas.

The specified prototype of the device is characterized, in comparison with analogues, higher levels of safety during storage of gas, and the ratio of the mass of stored gas to the mass of the device. However, this fuel tank has several disadvantages:

- due to the fact that the geometric body of the sorbent is characterized by large dimensions in the longitudinal and transverse directions, and the collector system formed by internal channels connecting the sorbent to the gas supply and extraction nozzles does not have a developed character and does not provide a sufficient contact area when using the sorbent with low porosity, either a loss of working capacity or an unacceptably long time can be realized during which the tank can be filled with fuel. Since during refueling the gas will not be able to access and flow over the entire volume of the sorbent, the operation of a vehicle with such a fuel tank will either be impossible or not effective enough;

- It is known that the sorption process of most gases is exothermic. To remove heat, a heat exchanger with a working medium is installed inside the tank. The working fluid is most often used fluid, which in the event of a malfunction of the heat exchanger or supply piping can leak. The absence of a working medium in the cavity of the heat exchanger can lead to an unauthorized increase in the temperature of the housing with a corresponding increase in overpressure to such values that the housing can break. Therefore, the safety level of this tank is insufficient;

- the heat exchanger located in the body of the sorbent does not remove heat from the housing, since all known solid sorbents have low thermal conductivity. Due to the low efficiency of the heat exchanger installed in this way, the case may overheat.

Of the known installations for storing and supplying gas, the closest to the claimed technical solution is the installation for sorption storage of gas given in the collection of works carried out as part of the State Hydrometeorological Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus "Hydrogen", the article "Temperature-controlled hydrogen storage system using carbon materials". Authors Kanonchik L.E., Babenko V.A., Vasiliev L.L. GNU, "A.V. Lykov Institute of Heat and Mass Transfer", pp. 1068-1069. From the materials presented in this article, it follows that this installation contains sections in which a solid sorbent is placed, a system that provides gas supply and selection, as well as heat exchangers and a system for supplying and discharging a working medium. Heat exchangers with cavities for the working medium in the form of heat pipes are made between every four adjacent sections in the internal longitudinal ribs (partitions). The collector systems of each section, which provide the contact surface of the sorbent with gas, are interconnected via gas supply and selection channels, and the heat pipe cavities are connected through the supply and exhaust channels of the working medium.

This source is selected as a prototype installation for storing and supplying gas.

The specified prototype of the device has several disadvantages:

- the impossibility of replacing damaged sections;

- a heat exchanger with cavities for the working medium in the form of heat pipes installed in the internal longitudinal ribs (partitions) between each four adjacent sections, naturally, removes heat from parts of these ribs (partitions) in the area of their contact with the heat pipes. At the same time, the outer walls of the housing are removed from the heat pipes and therefore may overheat. For the same reason, due to the low thermal conductivity of the sorbent, heat can be removed efficiently directly from its volume. An installation for storing and supplying gas with such heat exchangers will require a noticeably longer time for refueling. Operation of a vehicle with such a device will either be impossible or not effective enough.

It should be noted that not only the indicated analogues, but also the prototypes of both the fuel tank and the gas storage and supply unit have low specific characteristics, in particular, the ratio of the mass of stored gas to the mass of the entire device is not more than 0.8%.

The objective of the present invention is to increase the ratio of the mass of stored gas to the mass of the entire device, as well as the operability of the device, its safety, levels of reliability and ease of use.

When using the invention, the following technical result is achieved:

- the ratio of the mass of the stored gas to the mass of the entire device increases by 1.5-2 times and amounts to 1.5-1.6%;

- the operability of the device is ensured in all modes, including in emergency situations, while the installation for storing and supplying gas, containing two or more sections, remains operable even in cases when only one section from the number provided by the design of the device remains intact;

- the proposed technical solutions make it possible to guarantee the safety of the device both in case of unauthorized increase in the ambient temperature, and in the case of through mechanical penetration of the walls of the case;

- the reliability level of the device increases with a simultaneous increase in the guaranteed number of cycles "Refueling-gas selection";

- the device provides ease of use to both consumers of objects, for example, vehicles equipped with these devices, and to enterprises conducting their service.

The solution of this problem and the achievement of a technical result is ensured by the fact that in a known fuel tank for storing and supplying gas, comprising a housing with nozzles, in which a solid sorbent capable of absorbing gas is installed, a collector system providing a contact surface of the sorbent with gas and connected to the supply nozzles and gas extraction, a heat exchanger with a cavity connected to the nozzles for supplying and discharging a working medium according to the invention:

- a heat exchanger is placed between the housing and the sorbent;

- the collector system is placed inside the sorbent;

- the collector system is made in the form of porous layers;

- porous interlayers are installed with pneumatic connection between themselves.

Wherein:

- porous interlayers are made of a material with high thermal conductivity and are installed to ensure mechanical contact with each other and at least one of them is in contact with the heat exchanger;

- a corrugated element is installed in the cavity of the heat exchanger;

- the housing is made by multilayer by winding on the sealing layer of a material resistant to the effects of the used gas, fibers or tapes with high heat resistance and elastic modulus;

- local thickenings are made on opposite sides of the housing, and the nozzles are installed in the places of the thickenings, and the gas supply and exhaust pipes connected to the collector system are placed on different sides of the housing and, regardless of their installation, the working supply and exhaust pipes are placed on different sides of the housing heat exchanger media;

- the gas supply pipe with the half of the collector system closest to it and the gas pipe with the rest of it are symmetrical;

- at least one safety valve is installed on the body, pneumatically connected to the internal volume of the fuel tank.

The set of features of the proposed fuel tank for storing and supplying gas contribute to solving the problem and achieving a technical result:

- placement of a heat exchanger with a cavity for the working medium between the casing and the sorbent allows you to remove heat directly from the casing, which eliminates the possibility of overheating and helps to increase the efficiency of the heat exchanger, as well as the safety and reliability of the device;

- placement of the collector system inside the sorbent and in the channels in front of the gas supply and extraction nozzles provides the possibility of obtaining a developed character and a sufficient surface area of contact with the gas when using the sorbent with any, including low porosity. This leads to a decrease in the time during which the tank can be filled with fuel, and increase levels of ease of use and reliability of the device;

- the implementation of the collector system in the form of porous interlayers of a material with high thermal conductivity, which are placed to provide pneumatic connection between each other, as well as mechanical contact with each other and at least one of the porous interlayers - with a heat exchanger, which makes it possible to obtain an additional radiator, in where the function of the working medium is performed by the gas used. In addition, due to the presence of a thermal bridge (a continuous chain of mechanically contacting heat-conducting layers between each other and at least one of them with a heat exchanger), the operation of the heat exchanger becomes more efficient. This eliminates the possibility of destruction of the housing from overheating and helps to increase the levels of safety and reliability of the device;

- due to the placement of a corrugated element in the cavity of the heat exchanger, the operation of the heat exchanger becomes more efficient. This also eliminates the possibility of destruction of the housing from overheating and helps to increase the levels of safety and reliability of the device;

- the implementation of the housing in a multilayer way by winding on a sealing layer of material resistant to the used gas, fibers or tapes with high heat resistance and elastic modulus allows to reduce the mass of the device, increase the level of ease of use and by eliminating the possibility of destruction with the formation of flying fragments to guarantee safety even in case of through mechanical penetration of the body wall;

- execution of local thickenings on opposite sides of the housing and placement of nozzles in the places of thickenings so that the gas supply and exhaust nozzles are placed on different sides of the housing and, independently of their installation, the nozzles for supplying and discharging the working medium of the heat exchanger are also placed on different sides of the housing first, it allows you to get a body with a geometric shape, the mechanical hardening of which can be performed by the simplest known methods, and secondly, helps to reduce the time during orogo tank can be filled with fuel and raising easy operation of the vehicle with the fuel tank, and, thirdly, increases the efficiency of the heat exchanger performance. Together, this helps to increase the levels of safety and reliability of the device;

- the implementation of the gas supply pipe with the nearest half of the collector system and the gas pipe with the rest symmetrical allows you to increase the guaranteed number of cycles "Refueling - gas selection", which helps to maintain a high level of reliability of the device for a longer operating time. Moreover, in the area of each half of the collector system, the sorbent can be made in the form of a set of pressed briquettes, which can be installed to provide mechanical contact on the outer surfaces with porous layers. In this case, the operation of the heat exchanger becomes more efficient;

- the placement on the device’s body of at least one safety valve, pneumatically connected to the internal volume of the fuel tank through additional nozzles, allows you to guarantee the safety of the device in case of unauthorized increase in ambient temperature.

It should be noted that shutoff valves can be installed in the pipes for gas supply and selection, as well as for supplying and discharging the working medium of the heat exchanger, which will expand the manufacturer’s technological capabilities, activate the sorbent and refuel with gas using simpler equipment and with less time, which increases the level of ease of use of the fuel tank.

The solution of the problem and the achievement of the technical result is also provided by the installation for storing and supplying gas, containing sections in which the solid sorbent is placed, a system for supplying and selecting gas, heat exchangers and a system for supplying and discharging a working medium, in which according to the invention:

- sections are made in the form of replaceable fuel tanks;

- fuel tanks are placed on the mounting farm;

- a heat exchanger is installed in each tank;

- a system for supplying and discharging a working medium is connected to a heat exchanger of each fuel tank. Wherein:

- the mounting truss contains a beam, fuel tanks are placed on four sides of the beam over its length, the fuel tanks are attached to the beam using thin-walled sphere-shaped segments with flanges at the ends, while the segments are located on the bottom and top of the tanks, the lower segments are fixed to the pole part on beam, and the flanged parts of the segments are rigidly connected to neighboring ones located both on the same side of the truss and on the sides perpendicular to it, the flanges of the upper and lower segments are pulled together to obtain a fur anic contact with tank surfaces;

- mounting truss is made with the possibility of rotation together with fuel tanks around the axis of the installation;

- fuel tanks are pneumatically connected to the gas supply and selection system through elements with one-sided conductivity;

- fuel tanks are installed on the farm with the ability to change the direction of gas flow through their internal channels during sorption and desorption.

The set of features of the proposed installation for storing and supplying gas also contribute to solving the problem and achieving a technical result:

- the implementation of sections in the form of replaceable fuel tanks, the placement of these fuel tanks on the mounting farm, the presence of a heat exchanger in each tank and the connection of the supply and exhaust system of the working medium to the heat exchangers of each fuel tank contribute to increased levels of ease of use, heat exchanger efficiency, operability and reliability of the entire device ;

- the presence of the beam as part of the mounting truss, the placement of fuel tanks on four sides of the beam over its length, the fastening of the fuel tanks to the beam using thin-walled sphere-shaped segments with flanges at the ends, the location of the segments below and above the tanks, fixing the lower segments for the pole part on the beam rigid connection of the flanged parts of the segments with neighboring ones located both on the same side of the truss and on the sides perpendicular to it, and pulling the flanges of the upper and lower segments to each other until mechanically contact with the surface of the tank serves to enhance ease of use, safety and reliability of the device;

- the implementation of the mounting truss with the possibility of rotation together with fuel tanks, at least around one axis of the device, also helps to increase levels of ease of use, safety and reliability;

- pneumatic connection of fuel tanks with a gas supply and selection system through elements with one-sided conductivity allows the device to operate in all modes, including in emergency situations. For example, in the case of a through penetration of the body of one of the fuel tanks, its internal volume communicates with the environment and the pressure in this tank immediately drops. However, due to excess pressure in other tanks, the one-sided conductivity element coming from the gas outlet pipe from the damaged tank is blocked, and the working pressure in the connecting pipelines of the device is maintained. Moreover, the installation for storing and supplying gas, containing two or more sections, remains operational even in those cases when only one section from the number provided by the device design remains intact directly in the accident (or for some other reasons);

- placement, fastening and connection of fuel tanks on the mounting farm with the possibility of changing the direction of the gas flow through their internal channels during sorption and desorption allow you to increase the guaranteed number of cycles "Refueling - gas selection" in the presence of any number of fuel tanks in the range from one to the maximum number, provided by the design of the device. This helps to maintain a high level of reliability of the device for a longer operating time.

It should be noted that the proposed version of the device has a number of additional advantages, since in order to increase the levels of safety, reliability and ease of use, fuel tanks on the mounting farm can be interconnected to provide the possibility of:

- carrying out processes of sorption and desorption of gas and controlling the operation of the installation for storing and supplying gas in the presence of any number of fuel tanks installed on the farm in the range from one to the maximum number provided for by the design of the device;

- connecting the installation for storing and supplying gas to the control microcomputer with pre-installed programs;

- monitoring the operability of each fuel tank and installation for storing and supplying gas as a whole using the readings of pressure sensors installed on the fuel tanks.

In addition, in the case of using hydrogen, the safety valve terminals of each fuel tank can be interconnected by an additional pipeline with a common outlet to the outside, which can be placed on the mounting truss in an area that excludes the formation of an explosive mixture of hydrogen and oxygen from ambient air. These measures help to ensure the safety of the device in case of unauthorized increase in ambient temperature.

Simplified schemes to clarify the technical essence of the invention are presented in figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

Figures 1 and 2 show structural diagrams of options for a fuel tank for storing and supplying gas (gas used, working medium of heat exchangers, pressure sensors, safety valves and shut-off valves are not shown).

Figure 3 presents a structural diagram of a variant of the installation for storing and supplying gas (pressure sensors, safety valves and shut-off valves of the fuel tanks, as well as bundles, pipelines, shut-off valves and other connecting fittings of the installation are not shown).

Figures 4 and 5 show options for connecting fuel tanks as part of a gas storage and supply unit (heat exchangers are shown without designations).

The fuel tank variant shown in FIG. 1 comprises a housing 1 with nozzles A ₁ , A ₂ , B ₁ , B ₂ and B. Inside the housing 1, a sorbent 2 is installed, the body of which consists of components G, G ₁ , D and D ₁ . Depending on the dimensions of the fuel tank and the type of sorbent used, these components can be, for example, samples of powdered or granular material, compartments with bulk pressed tablets, etc.

The collector system 3, which provides a contact surface with gas, is made of pneumatically connected and mechanically contacting porous interlayers: E and E ₁ in the form of cylinders, G, Zh ₁ , K in the form of plates, I, I ₁ in the form of thin-walled bushings.

A heat exchanger 4 with interconnected cavities L and L ₁ for pumping a working medium is installed between the housing 1 and the body of the sorbent 2 (the connection point of the cavities is not shown).

The porous interlayers of the collector system 3 are mechanically in contact with the heat exchanger 4: plates Ж, Ж ₁ - on one side, sleeves I, I ₁ - on one of the ends, and plate K - on the contour.

The collector system 3 is connected to the nozzles A ₁ and A ₂ - respectively, the supply and selection of gas. The cavity L and L _{1 of the} heat exchanger 4 are connected to the nozzles B ₁ and B ₂ - respectively, the supply and removal of the working medium. The internal volume of the tank is connected to the pipe B, designed to install a pressure sensor.

Porous interlayers E, E ₁ , G, G _{1 are} installed in the channels on the way to the nozzles A ₁ and A ₂ , interlayers I, I ₁ , K - in the body of the sorbent 2.

To accommodate the nozzles on the housing 1, local thickenings P and P were made. In the nozzles A ₁ and A ₂ , switching elements are installed, which can be used as shut-off valves with manual or electro-pneumatic-hydraulic control.

The same valves can be installed in the nozzles B ₁ and B ₂ .

The fuel tank embodiment of FIG. 2 differs from the embodiment of FIG. 1 in that:

- the housing 1 is multilayer, while the inner sealing layer C is made in the form of a thin-walled liner, on top of which the power shell T is made;

- between the heat exchanger 4 and the body of the sorbent 2 additionally installed porous layers U and U ₁ in the form of thin-walled hemispheres;

- in the cavities L and L _{1 of the} heat exchanger 4, corrugated elements F and F _1, respectively, are installed in the form of thin-walled hemispheres with ribs;

- the components G, G ₁ , D, D _{1 of the} sorbent 2 are made in the form of solid pressed briquettes to obtain a high density, installed with mechanical contact on the outer surfaces with porous interlayers Ж, Ж ₁ , И, И ₁ , К;

- local bulges P and P on opposite sides of the housing 1 are symmetrical, while the nozzles A ₁ and A _{2 are} installed on different sides of the housing. Also, pipes B and B _{2 are} installed on different sides of the body;

- briquettes of sorbent 2, the collector system 3, the cavity L and L _{1 of the} heat exchanger 4, the internal channels connecting the collector system 3 with the nozzles A ₁ and A ₂ , as well as the internal channels connecting the cavities L and L _{1 of the} heat exchanger 4 with the pipes B ₁ and B ₂ are made symmetrical;

- at the local thickening P of the housing 1, an additional nozzle B ₁ , connected to the internal volume of the fuel tank, is designed for installing a safety valve.

A variant of the device shown in figure 3, contains fuel tanks 5, which are installed on the mounting farm 6 with the possibility of dismantling for reinstallation or replacement. Mounting truss 6 contains a beam 7. Fuel tanks 5 are placed on four sides of the beam 7 throughout its length. The fuel tanks 5 are fixed to the beam 7 using thin-walled sphere-shaped segments 8 and 9 with flanges C and Ch, respectively. Both flanges can be round, square, intermittent (in the form of local flanges), etc. On the outer surfaces of the segments 8 and 9, stiffening ribs can be made. Through holes can be made in the body of the segments, reducing the mass of parts. Additionally, in the body of segments 8, fixators of the spatial position of tanks 5 can be made. Segments 8 are located below, and segments 9 are located on top of tanks 5. Segments 8 are fixed to the beam 7 at points “a” and “b” for the lower pole part. Flanges C of segments 8 along the length of the ribs I, II, III, IV using couplers 10, 11, 12 and 13 are mechanically rigidly connected to the neighboring ones located both on the same side of the truss 6 and on the sides perpendicular to it.

For example, along the length of rib III, see view A, the flanges C of adjacent segments 8 are connected by four separate couplers, each of which connects the flanges at two or four points (not shown in view A):

- "VK";

- "g", "l", "d", "m";

- "e", "n", "f", "p";

- "and", "p".

Along the length of the ribs I, II, IV, the connection of the flanges C of the adjacent segments 8 is carried out in a similar way.

After installing the fuel tanks 5, the flanges C and H of the segments 8 and 9, respectively, with the help of pins 14 with nuts 15 are pulled together to obtain mechanical contact with the surfaces of the tank.

Mounting truss 6 is made to rotate together with fuel tanks 5 around the longitudinal axis of the device.

Mounted in the nozzles of each fuel tank, see Figs. 4 and 5 (the first tank is shown for example): in the gas supply pipe, the shut-off valve Kr1-B1, in the gas pipe, the shut-off valve Kr2-B1, in one of the pipes connected with the internal cavity of the tank - the safety valve K _pr -B1, and in the other - the pressure sensor DD-B1. In the nozzles for supplying and discharging the working medium, the same shut-off valves can be installed as in the nozzles for supplying and taking off gas.

The installation also contains (not shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5): connecting pipelines Tp1 and Tr2 - for supplying and withdrawing gas, respectively, Tr3 and Tr4 - for supplying and discharging the working medium, and a connecting harness Zhg1.

To connect to the fuel tanks from the indicated connecting pipelines, supply lines are made, see Figs. 4 and 5 (the first tank is shown as an example): the output of the gas supply channel B1-B1 - trunk Tr1-B1, the output of the gas withdrawal channel B2-B1 - highway Tr2-B1, the output of the channel for supplying the working medium V3-B1 - Tr3-B1 highway, the output of the channel for withdrawing the working medium V4-B1 - trunk Tr4-B1.

To connect to the fuel tanks from the specified connecting harness Zhg1, lead-in branches are made, see Figs. 4 and 5 (the first tank is shown for example) - there is a branch Zhg1-B1 under the output Ш1-Б1 from DD-B1.

Fuel tanks 5 are made in accordance with figure 1 or 2.

All components and elements of the installation for storing and supplying gas can be closed with a decorative protective cover (not shown).

When using the installation for storage and supply of gas running on hydrogen, it is recommended that the connection diagram of the fuel tanks according to the variant shown in Fig.5. At the same time, the conclusions of all the safety valves of the installation are connected by an additional pipeline Tr5 (not shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5), the outlet of which is located in the zone that excludes the formation of an explosive mixture of hydrogen and oxygen from the ambient air. Figure 5 shows, for example, the first tank, in which the output B5-B1, coming from the safety valve K _PR- B1, is connected to the pipeline Tr5 through an additional line Tr5-B1.

In the case of connecting the fuel tanks according to the scheme shown in figure 4, their internal cavities form a single volume. Without additional equipment, replacement of fuel tanks or their rearrangement is impossible, as this will lead to a violation of the integrity of a single volume. However, this scheme is the easiest to implement.

When using the installation for storing and supplying gas according to the options for connecting fuel tanks shown in Figs. 4 and 5, it is possible to monitor the operability of each fuel tank and installation for storing and supplying gas in general using the readings of pressure sensors of the DD-B1 type, installed on fuel tanks, connecting fuel tanks to each other, connecting them to a control microcomputer with pre-installed programs, and controlling the operation of the installation. The embodiment of the fuel tank connection diagram shown in FIG. 5 further differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 in that in the supply lines Tr1-B1 and Tr2-B1 (the first tank is shown for example):

a) elements with one-sided conductivity are installed at the inlet and outlet of each fuel tank - check valves OK1-MB1 and OK2-MB1, respectively;

b) switching valves in the form of shut-off valves Kr1-MB1 and Kr2-MB1, respectively, are installed in front of the check valves.

Despite minor differences, this scheme allows the use of internal cavities of fuel tanks of type B1 not only as a single volume, but also as the volume formed by any number from the number of fuel tanks installed on the farm in the range from one to twelve.

This scheme provides the ability to:

- safer use of hydrogen;

- rearrangement or connection of fuel tanks (such as shown in figure 2) so that during sorption and desorption there is a change in direction of gas flow.

The order of operation of the fuel tank for storing and supplying gas depends on its design. The fuel tank shown in figure 1, comes into operation with shut-off valves installed in the nozzles A ₁ and A ₂ , and with a pressure sensor installed in the nozzle B. The tank shown in figure 2 - has an additional safety valve in the nozzle B ₁ . Examples of schemes for installing and connecting shut-off valves, a pressure sensor, a safety valve, and pipelines for supplying and selecting gas, as well as for supplying and discharging a working medium of a heat exchanger, are presented in Figs. 4 and 5, see fuel tank B1.

In the process of manufacturing a fuel tank of any option, with open shut-off valves, the sorbent used in them is activated (degassed), and the temperature and duration of this operation are determined by the type of sorbent used. Depending on this, the operating mode of the heat exchanger and the type of its working medium are set. After activation, the valves are closed, and the tank in this form can be transferred to the consumer. However, it is more preferable for the consumer to transfer the tank already filled with gas. Refueling a fuel tank with gas (sorption process) is carried out after connecting pipelines to it for supplying and withdrawing gas, as well as for supplying and discharging the working medium of the heat exchanger according to a scheme similar to that shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The temperature and duration of the gas filling process are determined type of sorbent used.

During the sorption process, gas is supplied, see FIGS. 1 and 2, first, for example, through pipe A ₁ . Then it enters the internal channels, the porous interlayers E, G (Y), I, K, I ₁ , G ₁ (Y ₁ ), E ₁ . During the desorption process, gas can be removed from the fuel tank through the internal channels and pipe A ₂ . After a number of cycles "Refueling-sampling gas" of the fuel tank shown in figure 2, it is advisable to supply gas through the pipe A ₂ , and discharge through the pipe A ₁ . This is due to the fact that during the process of gas sorption, the sorbent body swells. The solid porous body cracks, collapses and turns almost into the initial powdery product from which the constituent parts (briquettes) of the sorbent were obtained. Subsequently, during both sorption and desorption processes, moving with the flow of the gas used, small particles of the powdery product into which the body of the sorbent 2 turns can clog the porous interlayers and block the gas access paths to its inner layers. Due to the fact that the sorbent 2 (components or briquettes G, G ₁ , D and D ₁ ), the collector system 3, the heat exchanger 4, internal channels connecting the collector system 3 to the gas supply and exhaust pipes, as well as internal channels connecting the cavities L and L _{1 of the} heat exchanger 4 with nozzles for supplying and discharging the working medium, are symmetrical in this tank, it is possible to change the direction of the gas flow inside the fuel tanks. When changing the direction of the flow, the access of gas to the inner layers of the components (or briquettes) G, G ₁ , D and D ₁ can be more free and, as a result, the time of the sorption and desorption processes can be reduced.

The selection of gas (desorption process) from the fuel tank is carried out by the consumer as needed. The amount of gas remaining in the tank at a particular point in time is determined using the readings of the pressure sensor installed in the pipe B. Moreover, the temperature regime of the desorption process is also determined by the type of sorbent used.

The procedure for working with the installation for storing and supplying gas depends on the options used as fuel tanks and their connection diagrams, examples of which are presented in Figs. 4 and 5.

Using any scheme, the gas storage and supply unit can be equipped with fuel tanks, in which the sorbent can be in one of the following states:

- "Not activated";

- "Activated but not fueled by gas";

- "Activated and fueled by gas."

When using the installation according to the scheme shown in figure 4, all equipped fuel tanks must be in the same condition. After completing the installation with fuel tanks in the “Not activated” option - activation of the sorbent and gas refueling are performed for all tanks simultaneously, in the “Activated but not refueling” option — all tanks are refueled at the same time, in the “Activated and filled with gas "- activation of the sorbent and refueling of tanks with gas are not required, since in this form the installation is in full readiness for work. When using this scheme, activating the sorbent and gasing simultaneously all the tanks that are in the “Not activated” version, from a practical point of view, may not always be convenient, since in this case a large flow rate of the working medium for heat exchangers is required.

When using the installation according to the scheme shown in figure 5, it is possible to complete with fuel tanks and operate in the same way, and in the case of operation of the fuel tanks shown in figure 2, additionally:

- dismantle any number of fuel tanks from the installation;

- rearrange fuel tanks in places;

- refuel each fuel tank individually;

- operate the installation in the presence of any number of fuel tanks ranging from one to twelve.

It should be noted that when performing individual gas refueling of one fuel tank for its heat exchanger does not require a large amount of working medium.

The operability of both the fuel tank and the installation for storing and supplying gas is ensured with almost any type of sorbent in the manufacture of components:

- for the fuel tank shown in figure 1:

- housing 1 (including thickenings P, P and heat exchanger 4) - from corrosion-resistant steel alloys with sufficient resistance to the effects of the gas used;

- porous interlayers - from copper or alloys with high thermal conductivity;

- for the fuel tank shown in figure 2:

- housing 1 (including thickenings П, Р, thin-walled sealing layer C and heat exchanger 4) - from corrosion-resistant aluminum alloys with maximum resistance to the effects of most gases for a long time in the range of operating temperatures from minus 50 to plus 350 ° С , and for the case of using hydrogen - the minimum coefficient of diffusion through the wall.

Moreover, for the manufacture of parts of the housing 1, including local thickenings P and P, are used - durable, and for the liner C and heat exchanger 4 - plastic easily deformable aluminum alloys;

- porous interlayers - as for the fuel tank shown in figure 1, of copper or alloys with high thermal conductivity;

- corrugated elements Ф and Ф ₁ - from copper or alloys with high thermal conductivity;

- power sheath T - using high-strength synthetic filament, which is resistant for a long time to the effects of operating temperatures.

Solid metal hydrides, for example, palladium, vanadium, etc. can be used as sorbent. The use of hydrogen-absorbing alloys containing, for example, titanium, zirconium, chromium, manganese, etc., is equally possible.

The device with a multilayer case and local thickenings on opposite sides was tested experimentally. At the same time, in the field of local thickenings, the case was made of aluminum alloy D20, and the sealing layer (liner part) was made of aluminum alloy АМЦ GOST 4784-97.

The power shell was made by winding a synthetic viscose rayon-77 thread with a linear density of 29.4 tex according to TU6-06-845-79. This thread remains operational up to 400 ° C.

Practical results obtained when testing a device with a multilayer case, show that when using the invention:

- the ratio of the mass of the stored gas to the mass of the entire device increases by 1.5-2 times and amounts to 1.5-1.6%;

- the destruction of the body occurs without the formation of flying fragments under the influence of excess pressure of at least 120 MPa (1200 kgf / cm ² );

- in the presence of a safety valve, this device allows to guarantee safe operation both in case of unauthorized increase in the ambient temperature above 350 ° C, and in the case of through mechanical penetration of the walls of the housing.

When connecting the fuel tanks as part of the installation for storing and supplying gas according to the schemes described in the description, the operability of the device is ensured in all modes, including in emergency situations. The level of reliability of the device increases with a simultaneous increase in the guaranteed number of cycles "Refueling-gas selection". The device provides an increase in the level of ease of use for both consumers of objects, such as vehicles equipped with these devices, and for enterprises that carry out their service.

Installation for storing and supplying gas, containing two or more sections, when used according to the scheme shown in figure 5, remains operational in emergency situations even when only one section from the number provided by the device design remains intact.

Claims (11)

1. A fuel tank for storing and supplying gas, comprising a housing with nozzles; a solid sorbent capable of absorbing gas is installed in the housing; a collector system that provides a contact surface between the sorbent and gas and is connected to the gas supply and exhaust nozzles; and a heat exchanger with a cavity connected with nozzles for supplying and discharging the working medium, characterized in that the heat exchanger is placed between the housing and the sorbent, and the collector system is inside the sorbent and is made in the form of porous layers that are installed with HAND pneumatic connections between themselves. 2. The fuel tank according to claim 1, characterized in that the porous interlayers are made of copper and installed with mechanical contact with each other and at least one of them with a heat exchanger. 3. The fuel tank according to claim 1, characterized in that a corrugated element is installed in the cavity of the heat exchanger. 4. The fuel tank according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing is multilayer by winding on a sealing layer of fibers or tapes. 5. The fuel tank according to claim 1, characterized in that local thickenings are made on opposite sides of the housing, and the nozzles are installed in the places of the bulges, and the gas supply and exhaust pipes connected to the collector system are placed on different sides of the housing and regardless of their installation from different sides of the housing there are pipes for supplying and discharging the working medium of the heat exchanger. 6. The fuel tank according to claim 5, characterized in that the gas supply pipe with the nearest half of the collector system and the gas pipe with the rest of it are made symmetrical. 7. The fuel tank according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one safety valve is installed on the housing pneumatically connected to the internal volume of the fuel tank. 8. Installation for storing and supplying gas, containing sections made in the form of fuel tanks in which a solid sorbent is placed, a system providing gas supply and selection, as well as heat exchangers and a system for supplying and discharging a working medium, a heat exchanger is installed in each tank, and a system for supplying and discharging a working medium is connected to heat exchangers of each fuel tank, characterized in that it is equipped with an assembly truss containing a beam, fuel tanks are replaceable and placed on four sides of the beam over its length, Fuel tanks were connected to the beam using thin-walled sphere-shaped segments with flanges at the ends, while the segments are located below and above the tanks, the lower segments are mounted on the beam at the pole part, and the flanged parts of the segments are rigidly connected to neighboring ones located on the same side of the truss and on the sides perpendicular to it, the flanges of the upper and lower segments are pulled together to obtain mechanical contact with the surfaces of the tank. 9. Installation according to claim 8, characterized in that the mounting truss is rotatable together with fuel tanks around the axis of the installation. 10. Installation according to claim 8, characterized in that the fuel tanks are pneumatically connected to a gas supply and extraction system through elements with one-sided conductivity. 11. Installation according to claim 8, characterized in that the fuel tanks are installed on the mounting farm with the ability to change the direction of gas flow through their internal channels during sorption and desorption.

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