GAS STORAGE TANK COMPRISING A LIQUID SEALANT

• US 20120138616A1
• Filed: 12/03/2010
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Lindner, Markus, Podorashi, Dimitri A., Junge, Axel
• Granted Patent: US 9,103,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/590
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 1/06 built-up from wound-on bands or filamentary material, e.g. wires
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 1/16 constructed of plastics materials shaping of plastics B29C
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0128 spherical or elliptical
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/056 Small (<1 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0604 Liners
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0619 with two layers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0621 with three layers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0646 Aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0648 Alloys or compositions of metals
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/066 Plastics
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0663 in form of fibers or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0675 with details of composition
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0682 with liquid or gas layer
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0196 with shock absorbing means
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0305 Bosses, e.g. boss collars
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0338 Pressure regulators
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0394 in direct contact with the pressure vessel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2209/2118 by injection
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2209/2127 by blowing
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2209/2145 : by rotation
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2209/2154 : Winding
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2209/219 : Working processes for non metal materials, e.g. extruding
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2209/221 : Welding
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2209/234 : of closing end pieces, e.g. caps
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/012 : Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/018 : Acetylene
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/033 : Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0123 : gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/036 : Very high pressure (>80 bar)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/043 : Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0439 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0491 : Parameters measured at or inside the vessel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/011 : Improving strength
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/036 : Avoiding leaks
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0168 : by vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0184 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 : Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 : Assembling or joining

Abstract

One exemplary embodiment includes a gas storage tank comprising a structural outer layer, an internal liner layer, an annular boss, and a liquid sealant disposed between the overlapped section of the liner layer and the boss to provide a gas-tight seal.

Claims

1. A gas storage tank comprising a structural outer layer, an internal liner layer, an annular boss having a flange section extended inside said tank and partially overlapped with a section of said liner layer, and a liquid sealant disposed between the overlapped liner section and said boss flange section to provide a gas-tight seal.

2. A gas storage tank as set forth in claim 1, wherein said liner layer comprises polyethylene or aluminum, and said structural outer layer comprises a fiber reinforcing resin composite.

3. A gas storage tank as set forth in claim 2, wherein said liner comprises a high density polyethylene and said fiber comprises a continuous filament of carbon and/or glass fiber and said resin comprises an epoxy resin.

4. A gas storage tank as set forth in claim 1, wherein said liner has a young'"'"'s modulus between 0.2 and 2 giga-Pascal and said boss comprises aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

5. A gas storage tank as set forth in claim 1, wherein said liquid sealant is adapted to flow under the gas pressure in the tank and seal small gaps between said liner and said boss flange section.

6. A gas storage tank as set forth in claim 5, wherein said liquid sealant comprises a polymer resin and a volatile solvent, and said polymer resin is capable of thickening, hardening and sealing small gaps between said liner and said boss flange section when said solvent evaporates due to gas leaks through said small gaps.

7. A gas storage tank as set forth in claim 5, wherein said liquid sealant comprises at least one of fibers and particles suspended in a viscous liquid.

8. A gas storage tank as set forth in claim 7, wherein said fiber or particle has a dimension of 0.01 mm or greater.

9. A gas storage tank as set forth in claim 7, wherein said particle is an inorganic particle or a rubber particle.

10. A gas storage tank as set forth in claim 5, wherein said liquid sealant comprises a liquid rubber having an ASTM D1646 Mooney viscosity of 30 to about 100 measured at 100°

C.

11. A gas storage tank as set forth in claim 10, wherein said liquid sealant comprises a diene liquid rubber or a saturated hydrocarbon rubber.

12. A gas storage tank as set forth in claim 10, wherein said liquid rubber comprises at least one of polyisoprene, polybutadiene, styrene/isoprene/butadiene terpolymers, hydrogenated polybutadiene, styrene-butadiene copolymer, polychloroprene (neoprene), acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer, ethylene-propylene-diene ter polymer (EPDM), ethylene-propylene copolymers, isobutylene based elastomers, halogenated butyle rubbers, brominated isobutylene-co-para-methylstyrene polymer and their derivatives.

13. A method of manufacturing a gas tank comprising:

providing a liner material having low permeability to hydrogen gas and an annular boss resistant to hydrogen embrittlement having at least one flange section;

forming a gas tight bladder fitted with said annular boss using said liner material such that a flange section of said boss overlaps with the liner material;

disposing a liquid sealant between said flange section of the boss and the liner section that overlaps with said flange section; and

forming a structural outer layer over said bladder.

14. A method as set forth in claim 13 further comprises disposing a rubber shear ply over the exterior surface of said flange section of said boss.

15. A method as set forth in claim 13, wherein said liner material comprises polyethylene or aluminum, and said boss comprises aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

16. A method as set forth in claim 13, wherein said structural outer layer comprises a fiber reinforced resin composite.

17. A method as set forth in claim 16, wherein said fiber reinforced resin composite is formed by a filament winding process and said fiber comprises carbon and/or glass.

18. A method as set forth in claim 13, wherein said liquid sealant is disposed by a spraying, brushing, injection, extrusion, dipping, spreading, or coating process.

19. A method as set forth in claim 13, wherein said sealant is adapted to flow and seal the gap between said liner and said flange section of said boss under gas pressure within the tank.

20. A method as set forth in claim 19, wherein said sealant comprises at least one of a liquid rubber, a fiber and/or particle suspended in a viscous fluid, and a solution comprising a polymer resin in a volatile solvent.