Pressure regulator for hydrogen storage system

• US 9,074,703 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2008
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Pechtold, Rainer, Podorashi, Dimitri A., Weidner, Hans, Markard, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Tyson, Melanie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Chee-Chong
• Application Number:
  US12/259,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20100101666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,443 Days
• Field of Search: 137/505.25, 277/618, 277650-651
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 17/30 spring-loaded
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/1221 one side of the piston being spring-loaded
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/1223 one side of the piston being acted upon by the circulating fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/1226 the fluid circulating through the piston
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 16/103 the sensing element placed between the inlet and outlet multiple-way valve G05D16/101
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7793 With opening bias [e.g., pressure regulator]

Abstract

A pressure regulator for a hydrogen storage system, wherein the pressure regulator is adapted to operate at temperatures below −50° C., while minimizing the need for separate sealing elements and O-rings. The pressure regulator includes a main body including an inner cavity bounded by an interior wall, a piston disposed in the inner cavity, the piston including a first channel disposed adjacent a first portion, wherein the first portion is adapted to cooperate with the interior wall to form a seal between the piston and the interior wall, a first biasing device disposed in the first channel, wherein the first biasing device is adapted to exert a force on the first portion of the piston to form a seal between the first portion and the interior wall, and an end cap coupled to the main body thereby enclosing the piston to form an outlet pressure chamber.

Claims

1. A pressure regulator comprising:

a main body;

a piston having an outlet face and a longitudinal axis and a first channel integrally formed within the piston, a wall of the first channel forming a first portion of the piston and adapted to cooperate with the main body to form a seal between the piston and the main body;

a first biasing device disposed within the first channel, the first portion of the piston disposed radially outward of the first biasing device with respect to the longitudinal axis, the first biasing device exerting a radial outward force from the longitudinal axis to secure the first biasing device in the first channel while simultaneously exerting a force on the first portion of the piston to abut an interior wall of the main body to form the seal between the first portion of the piston and the main body, wherein the first biasing device does not contact the interior wall of the main body; and

an end cap coupled to the main body to enclose the piston, the end cap having an inner surface in contact with a first portion of the outlet face of the piston in an open position of the pressure regulator, the end cap further including a recess defining an outlet pressure chamber disposed radially inward of the inner surface, the first channel and the first biasing device both positioned radially outward of the recess in the open position of the pressure regulator such that in the open position of the pressure regulator the first channel and the first portion of the outlet face of the piston are not exposed to a first pressure in the recess;

wherein a force caused by a second pressure in the outlet pressure chamber exceeding a loading force of a loading element causes the piston to move away from the end cap further exposing the inner surface of the end cap in addition to the first portion of the outlet face and the first channel of the piston to the second pressure in the outlet pressure chamber thereby adding a surface area of each of the first portion of the outlet face of the piston and the first channel to a surface area of the piston exposed to the pressure in the outlet pressure chamber.

2. The pressure regulator according to claim 1, wherein the piston is formed from at least one of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene and polytetrafluoroethylene.

3. The pressure regulator according to claim 1, wherein the piston includes at least one of a cross bore and an axial bore for directing fluid through the piston.

4. The pressure regulator according to claim 1, wherein the piston is adapted to receive a second biasing device for biasing a second portion of the piston to form a seal between the second portion and the main body.

5. The pressure regulator according to claim 4, wherein the piston includes a second channel integrated with the second portion, the second channel adapted to receive the second biasing device.

6. The pressure regulator according to claim 5, wherein the second portion of the piston is disposed radially outward of the second biasing device with respect to the longitudinal axis, and the second biasing device exerts a radial outward force on the second portion to form a seal between the second portion and the interior wall.

7. A pressure regulator comprising:

a main body including an inner cavity bounded by an interior wall;

a piston disposed in the inner cavity, the piston including an outlet face, a longitudinal axis and a first channel integral with the piston and having a channel wall forming a first portion, the first portion abutting the interior wall of the inner cavity of the main body, wherein the first portion is adapted to cooperate with the interior wall to form a seal between the piston and the interior wall;

a first biasing device disposed in the first channel, the first portion of the piston disposed radially outward of the first biasing device with respect to the longitudinal axis, wherein the first biasing device exerts a radial outward force from the longitudinal axis to secure the first biasing device in the first channel while simultaneously exerting a force on the first portion of the piston to form the seal between the first portion and the interior wall and the first biasing device does not contact the interior wall; and

an end cap coupled to the main body thereby enclosing the piston to form an outlet pressure chamber, the end cap having an inner surface in contact with a first portion of the outlet face of the piston in an open position of the pressure regulator, the end cap further including a recess defining the outlet pressure chamber disposed radially inward of the inner surface, the first channel and the first biasing device both positioned radially outward of the recess in the open position of the pressure regulator such that in the open position of the pressure regulator the first channel and the first portion of the outlet face of the piston are not exposed to a first pressure in the recess;

wherein a force caused by a second pressure in the outlet pressure chamber exceeding a loading force of a loading element causes the piston to move away from the end cap further exposing the inner surface of the end cap in addition to the first portion of the outlet face and the first channel of the piston to the second pressure in the outlet pressure chamber thereby adding a surface area of each of the first portion of the outlet face of the piston and the first channel to a surface area of the piston exposed to the pressure in the outlet pressure chamber.

8. The pressure regulator according to claim 7, wherein the piston is formed from at least one of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene and polytetrafluoroethylene.

9. The pressure regulator according to claim 7, wherein the piston includes at least one of a cross bore and an axial bore for directing fluid through the piston.

10. The pressure regulator according to claim 7, wherein the main body includes an inlet port adapted to provide fluid communication between a pressurized fluid source and the piston.

11. The pressure regulator according to claim 7, wherein the piston is adapted to receive a second biasing device for biasing a second portion of the piston to abut the interior wall of the main body to form a seal between the second portion and the main body.

12. The pressure regulator according to claim 11, wherein the piston includes a second channel integral with the piston and having a channel wall forming the second portion, the second channel adapted to receive the second biasing device.

13. The pressure regulator according to claim 7, further comprising a radial seal disposed between the end cap and the main body for providing a seal between the main body and the end cap.