Gas storage tank comprising a liquid sealant

• US 9,103,499 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2010
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Gehman, Bryon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Brijesh V.
• Application Number:
  US12/959,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20120138616A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• Field of Search: 220/581, 220/586, 220588-590
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 internal liner layer, and a liquid sealant disposed directly between an overlapping portion of said internal liner layer section and said flange section of said annular boss to provide a gas-tight seal, wherein said liquid sealant is adapted to flow under the gas pressure in the tank and seal small gaps between said internal liner layer and said flange section of said annular boss.

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

3. The gas storage tank as set forth in claim 2, wherein said internal liner layer comprises a high density polyethylene and said one or more fibers comprises a continuous filament of carbon or glass fiber and said resin comprises an epoxy resin.

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

5. 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 internal liner layer, and a liquid sealant disposed directly between an overlapping portion of said internal liner layer section and said flange section of said annular boss to provide a gas-tight seal, wherein said liquid sealant is adapted to flow under the gas pressure in the tank and seal small gaps between said internal liner layer and said flange section of said annular boss, 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 internal liner layer and said flange section of said annular boss when said volatile solvent evaporates due to gas leaks through said small gaps.

6. 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 internal liner layer, and a liquid sealant disposed directly between an overlapping portion of said internal liner layer section and said flange section of said annular boss to provide a gas-tight seal, wherein said liquid sealant is adapted to flow under the gas pressure in the tank and seal small gaps between said internal liner layer and said flange section of said annular boss, wherein said liquid sealant comprises at least one of fibers and particles suspended in a viscous liquid.

7. The gas storage tank as set forth in claim 6, wherein said fibers or particles have a dimension of 0.01 mm or greater.

8. The gas storage tank as set forth in claim 6, wherein said particles are inorganic particles or rubber particles.

9. 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 internal liner layer, and a liquid sealant disposed directly between an overlapping portion of said internal liner layer section and said flange section of said annular boss to provide a gas-tight seal, wherein said liquid sealant is adapted to flow under the gas pressure in the tank and seal small gaps between said internal liner layer and said flange section of said annular boss, wherein said liquid sealant comprises a liquid rubber having an ASTM D1646 Mooney viscosity of 30 to about 100 measured at 100°

C.

10. The gas storage tank as set forth in claim 9, wherein said liquid sealant comprises a diene liquid rubber or a saturated hydrocarbon rubber.

11. The gas storage tank as set forth in claim 9, 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.

12. 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 internal liner layer, and a liquid sealant disposed directly between an overlapping portion of said internal liner layer section and said flange section of said annular boss to provide a gas-tight seal, wherein the liquid sealant is adapted to flow to and fill-in gaps between the flange section of the annular boss and the internal liner layer, sealing existing or newly developed leaks.