Apparatus and method for indicating status of hydrogen tank based on vehicle fire

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10210732-B2
Application number	US-201715729423-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2017
Priority date	Jun 27, 2014
Publication date	Feb 19, 2019
Grant date	Feb 19, 2019

Abstract

An apparatus and a method of indicating safety of a hydrogen tank when a vehicle fire occurs are provided. The apparatus includes a hydrogen storing tank and a thermal pressure relief device (TPRD) mounted within a valve of the hydrogen storing tank. In addition, a controller is configured to detect a flow rate of hydrogen discharged from the hydrogen storing tank, using a sensor to determine whether the detected flow rate of discharged hydrogen is within a predetermined reference flow rate range. The controller is also configured to transmit a warning signal when the detected flow rate of discharged hydrogen is included within the predetermined reference flow rate range.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for warning safety of a hydrogen tank when a vehicle fire occurs, comprising:
a hydrogen storing tank;
a thermal pressure relief device (TPRD) mounted within a valve of the hydrogen storing tank; and
a controller configured to:
detect an occurrence of the vehicle fire;
determine an expansion of the TPRD when a detected flow rate of discharged hydrogen from the hydrogen storing tank is within a predetermined reference flow rate range; and
transmit a warning signal as a notification to a user in response to determining the expansion of the TPRD when the vehicle fire occurs,
wherein the reference flow rate range is a range of about 30 grams per second (g/sec) to about 70 g/sec, and
wherein the TPRD includes fuse metal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
transmit a warning signal; and
operate an alarm device.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the alarm device is one or more devices selected from the group consisting of: a horn, an antitheft warning device, an emergency light, and a headlight.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein when the detected flow rate of discharged hydrogen exceeds the predetermined reference flow rate range, the controller is configured to transmit an access prohibition signal.

5. The apparatus claim 3 , wherein a sensor used to detect the flow rate of hydrogen discharged from the hydrogen storing tank is a flow rate sensor or a pressure sensor mounted at an outlet side of the hydrogen storing tank.

6. A method of warning safety of a hydrogen tank when a vehicle fire occurs, comprising:
detecting, by a controller, an occurrence of the vehicle fire;
determining, by the controller, an expansion of the TPRD when a detected flow rate of hydrogen discharged from the hydrogen storing tank is within a predetermined reference flow rate range; and
transmitting, by the controller, a warning signal as a notification to a user in response to determining the expansion of the TPRD when the vehicle fire occurs,
wherein the reference flow rate range is a range of about 30 grams per second (g/sec) to about 70 g/sec, and
wherein the TPRD includes fuse metal.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising operating, by the controller, an alarm device when the detected flow rate of discharged hydrogen is within the predetermined reference flow rate range.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the alarm device includes one or more devices selected from the group consisting of: a horn, an antitheft warning device, an emergency light, and a headlight of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
transmitting, by the controller, an access prohibition signal when the detected flow rate of discharged hydrogen exceeds the reference flow rate range.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein a sensor used to detect the flow rate of hydrogen discharged from the hydrogen storage tank includes a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure within the hydrogen storing tank, and the detection of the flow rate of hydrogen includes detecting, by the controller, the flow rate of discharged hydrogen using a pressure value within the tank detected by the pressure sensor.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions executed by a controller, the computer readable medium comprising:
program instructions that detect an occurrence of a vehicle fire;
program instructions that determine an expansion of the TPRD when a detected flow rate of hydrogen discharged from the hydrogen storage tank is within a predetermined reference flow rate range; and
program instructions that transmit a warning signal as a notification to a user in response to determining the expansion of the TPRD when the vehicle fire occurs,
wherein the reference flow rate range is a range of about 30 grams per second (g/sec) to about 70 g/sec, and
wherein the TPRD includes fuse metal.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising program instructions that operate an alarm device when the detected flow rate of discharged hydrogen is within the predetermined reference flow rate range.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the alarm device includes one or more devices selected from the group consisting of: a horn, an antitheft warning device, an emergency light, and a headlight of the vehicle.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , further comprising:
program instructions that transmit an access prohibition signal when the detected flow rate of discharged hydrogen exceeds the reference flow rate range.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein a sensor used to detect the flow rate of hydrogen discharged from the hydrogen storing tank includes a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure within the hydrogen storing tank, and the program instructions that detect the flow rate of hydrogen includes program instructions that detect the flow rate of discharged hydrogen using a pressure value within the tank detected by the pressure sensor.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Kim Chang Ho
• Kim Sang Hyun
• Shim Ji Hyun

Classifications

• G08B17/00 Primary

  Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion · CPC title

• B60Q11/00

  Arrangement of monitoring devices for devices provided for in groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q9/00 · CPC title

• G08B21/187

  Machine fault alarms · CPC title

• B60K1/04

  of the electric storage means for propulsion · CPC title

• B60Q1/52

  for indicating emergencies · CPC title