Pressure vessel with an integrated control unit for the control of compressed fluid

• US 6,834,674 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2003
• Issued: 12/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arthur E. Koschany, Göbelsmann, Jan
• Original Assignee: Arthur E. Koschany, Göbelsmann, Jan
• Inventors: Koschany, Arthur E, Göbelsmann, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, KEVIN L
• Application Number:
  US10/465,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20040065371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 137/613, 137/505.25
• US Class Current: 137/613
• 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 13/02 Special adaptations of indicating, measuring, or monitoring equipment measuring in general G01
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/04 Arrangement or mounting of valves valves per se F16K ; snap-coupling of nipples F16L37/00
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• 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 2203/066 Plastics
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0663 in form of fibers or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0317 fusing or melting
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0323 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0326 electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0329 manually actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0332 Safety valves or pressure relief valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0335 Check-valves or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0338 Pressure regulators
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0341 Filters
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0391 : inside the pressure vessel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0394 : in direct contact with the pressure vessel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2209/221 : Welding
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/011 : Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/012 : Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/033 : Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/035 : Propane butane, e.g. LPG, GPL
• 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 2225/0123 : gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2225/033 : Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/048 : by maintaining residual pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0626 : Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0636 : Flow or movement of content
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/012 : Reducing weight
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/042 : Reducing risk of explosion
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0168 : by vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0184 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/025 : Breathing
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0763 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0781 : Diving equipments
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 : Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7808 : Apertured reactor surface surrounds flow line
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87917 : Flow path with serial valves and/or closures

Abstract

A pressure vessel for storing a compressed gas comprises a closed pressure vessel housing which consists of an essentially cylindrical main part and of closing caps located on both sides. The pressure vessel also comprises an integrated control device for delivering the gas including a pressure reducer with a high-pressure part and a low-pressure part and including a controlled gas outlet. At least one of the closing caps is a part that is assembled with the cylindrical main part and the majority of the components of the control device are mounted on this part and are directed inside the vessels housing.

Claims

1. A pressure vessel for storage of a compressed gas, comprising a closed pressure vessel housing having an essentially cylindrical main part and end-caps on both ends, and an integrated control means (2) for the release of the gas, including a shut-off valve (17) and a pressure reducer with a high-pressure part (8) and a low-pressure part (13) wherein at least one of the end-caps (1) is an element mounted together with the cylindrical main part and at least the high-pressure part (18) of the pressure-reducer and the shut-off valve (17) are mounted to one of the end-caps and are directed into the interior of the vessel housing.

2. Pressure vessel according to claim 1, wherein all components of the high-pressure unit (8) of the pressure reducer are mounted to the end-cap element (1) and project into the interior of the vessel housing.

3. Pressure vessel according to claim 2, wherein the lateral expansion of the components projecting into the interior of the vessel altogether does not exceed the lateral extension of the end-cap to which they are connected.

4. Pressure vessel according to claim 3, manufactured as a composite pressure vessel with a liner (4), wherein at least one end-cap (1) is a pole-cap which holds the components required for the control of compressed gas and is wrapped, together with the liner, by a fibre reinforcement layer (5).

5. Pressure vessel according to claim 4, wherein at least one pole-cap (1) of the pressure vessel is designed in such a way that there are, after adding the fibre reinforcement layer (5), no components of the control means (2) which extend beyond the vessel surface besides some elements (3, 3′

) generating a bias tension for the pressure reducer.

6. Pressure vessel according to claim 3, that is made as a metallic pressure vessel and wherein at least one end-cap (1) of the pressure vessel encloses the components of the control means (2) and is welded to the cylindrical main part (4) of the vessel.

7. Pressure vessel according to claim 6, wherein at least one end-cap (1) of the metal pressure vessel is shaped in such a way that there are no components of the control means (2) which project beyond the vessel surface, with the exception of some elements (3, 3′

) which generate a bias tension for the pressure reducer.

8. Pressure vessel according to claim 7, wherein the control means (2) includes a pressure reducer, a shut-off valve (17), a through-flow valve, a fusable cut-out, and either a residual-pressure valve (15) or a check-valve for filling the pressure vessel, or any combination thereof.

9. Pressure vessel according to claim 5, wherein the at least one pole-cap (1) of the pressure vessel is split into an inner high-pressure part (8) which is surrounded by a fibre reinforcement layer (11), and a low-pressure part (13) mounted on said first layer and surrounded by a second fibre reinforcement layer (14).

10. Pressure vessel according to claim 9, wherein the high-pressure part (8) comprises a residual-pressure valve (15), a shut-off valve (17), the components of a pressure reducer up to the valve seat (9) and a through-flow limiting valve, and wherein further the low-pressure part (13) comprises a pressure reducer diaphragm (12) and the gas outlet (7).

11. Pressure vessel according to claim 10, having two pole-caps opposite each other, wherein a filing-valve and a fusable cut-out are integrated into the pole-cap of the pressure vessel opposite the pole-cap (1) with the pressure reducer.

12. Pressure vessel according to claim 11, wherein the pressure reducer is controlled either by variations in pressure of a compressed pneumatic auxiliary fluid contained in the housing or by force exerted by a spring.

13. Pressure vessel according to any of claim 12, further including a shut-off valve (17) which is operated manually, pneumatically or by a solenoid.

14. Pressure vessel according to claim 13, wherein in the case of operating the shut-off valve (17) pneumatically or by solenoid, an additional device (16) for its manual actuation is provided.

15. Pressure vessel according to claim 4, wherein the control means (2) includes a pressure reducer, a shut-off valve (17), a through-flow control valve, a fusable cut-out, and either a residual-pressure valve (15) or a check-valve for filling the pressure vessel, or any combination thereof.

16. Pressure vessel according to claim 6, wherein the pressure reducer is controlled either by variations in pressure of a compressed pneumatic auxiliary fluid contained in the housing or by force exerted by a spring.

17. Pressure vessel according to claim 6, further including a shut-off valve (17) which is operated manually, pneumatically or by a solenoid.

18. Pressure valve according to claim 17, wherein in the case of operating the shut-off valve (17) pneumatically or by solenoid, an additional device (16) for its manual actuation is provided.

19. Pressure vessel according to claim 1, wherein the lateral expansion of the components projecting into the interior of the vessel altogether does not exceed the lateral extension of the end-cap to which they are connected.

20. Pressure vessel according to claim 1, manufactured as a composite pressure vessel with a liner (4), wherein at least one end-cap (1) is a pole-cap which holds the components (2) required for the control of compressed gas (2) and is wrapped, together with the liner, by a fibre reinforcement layer (5) and, further, wherein at least one pole-cap (1) of the pressure vessel is designed in such a way that there are, after adding the fibre reinforcement layer (5), no components of the control means (2) which extend beyond the vessel surface besides elements (3, 3′

) generating a bias tension for the pressure reducer.

21. Pressure vessel according to claim 19, wherein the at least one pole cap (1) of the pressure vessel is split into an inner high-pressure part (8) which is surrounded by a first fibre reinforcement layer (11), and a low pressure part (13) comprising a pressure reducer diaphragm (12) and the gas outlet (7) mounted on said first layer and surrounded by a second fibre reinforcement layer (14) and, further, wherein the high pressure part (8) comprises a residual-pressure valve (15), a shut-off valve (17), the components of a pressure reducer up to the valve seat (9) and a through-flow limiting valve.

22. Pressure vessel according to claim 1, that is made as a metallic pressure vessel and wherein at least one end-cap (1) of the pressure vessel encloses the components of the control means (2) and is welded to the cylindrical main part (4) of the vessel and, further, wherein at least one end-cap (1) of the metal pressure vessel is shaped in such a way that there are not components of the control means (2) which project beyond the vessel surface, with the exception of elements (3, 3′

) which generate a bias tension for the pressure reducer.