Motor vehicle with at least two tanks for receiving fuel under high pressure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10744872-B2
Application number	US-201815995168-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2018
Priority date	Dec 3, 2015
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

A two-track multi-axle motor vehicle including at least two fuel tanks in which a fuel for producing driving energy for a vehicle drive unit can be stored under high pressure of the order of magnitude of 300 bar and more is provide. Each tank includes a safety valve device having a temperature-sensitive element monitoring only a partial region of the tank surface. The safety valve device allows at least a partial quantity of the stored fuel to escape from the respective tank at a higher temperature, which can occur, for example, in the case of a fire. The temperature-sensitive elements of at least two tanks are arranged here in such a manner that the distance between a left-side wheel (RL) of that vehicle axle, in the vicinity of which the at least two fuel tanks are arranged in the vehicle, and the temperature-sensitive element closest to the left-side wheel (RL) does not significantly differ from the distance of the other of the two temperature-sensitive elements from the right-side wheel (RR) of the vehicle axle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A double-track multiple-axle motor vehicle comprising:
at least two fuel tanks, in which a fuel for generating drive energy for a vehicle drive unit is storable at a high pressure in the order of magnitude of 300 bar and more, each tank including only one safety valve device having a temperature-sensitive element which monitors only a partial region of a tank surface, wherein
the safety valve device is configured to allow at least a partial quantity of the stored fuel to escape from the respective tank at a relatively high temperature which occurs in the case of an emergency, and
the temperature-sensitive elements of the two fuel tanks are arranged such that a spacing between a left-side wheel (RL) of a vehicle axle, in the vicinity of which the two fuel tanks are arranged in the vehicle, and the temperature-sensitive element which lies closest to the left-side wheel (RL) does not differ significantly from a spacing of the other one of the two temperature-sensitive elements from a right-side wheel (RR) of the vehicle axle.

2. The motor vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the two fuel tanks are approximately cylindrical fuel tanks which are installed so as to lie with their cylinder axis in a vehicle transverse direction,
the temperature-sensitive element of one fuel tank is arranged so as to lie on a left in the vehicle, and
the temperature-sensitive element of the other fuel tank is arranged so as to lie on a right in the vehicle.

3. The motor vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the tanks are arranged such that a filling and removal valve apparatus of each tank lies on the same side in relation to a floor area of the vehicle.

4. The motor vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein
the safety valve devices of the tanks including the corresponding temperature-sensitive elements are configured such that temperature-induced opening of the safety valve device of one of the tanks makes an outflow of the fuel which is situated in the tank possible at the safety valve device of the other tank or at least one other tank.

5. The motor vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein
the safety valve devices of the tanks are arranged such that a blow-off opening of a first safety valve device among the safety valve devices of the tanks, the temperature-sensitive element of which lies close to a first vehicle side, is oriented toward the temperature-sensitive element of a second safety valve device which lies close to a second vehicle side.

6. The motor vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein
the safety valve devices of the tanks are connected to one another via a pressure line which is connected to a side of the safety valve devices which faces a storage volume of the respective tank.

7. The motor vehicle according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a common filling and removal valve apparatus for at least two fuel tanks.

8. The motor vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein
the safety valve devices of the tanks including the corresponding temperature-sensitive elements are configured such that temperature-induced opening of the safety valve device of one of the tanks makes an outflow of the fuel which is situated in the tank possible at the safety valve device of the other tank or at least one other tank.

9. The motor vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the tanks are arranged such that a filling and removal valve apparatus of each tank lies on the same side in relation to a floor area of the vehicle.

10. The motor vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the safety valve devices of the tanks including the corresponding temperature-sensitive elements are configured such that temperature-induced opening of the safety valve device of one of the tanks makes an outflow of the fuel which is situated in the tank possible at the safety valve device of the other tank or at least one other tank.

11. The motor vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein regions of a vehicle body which delimit a space which surrounds the wheels of the axle which is close to the tanks are of flame retardant configuration.

12. The motor vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the emergency occurs in the case of a fire.

13. A double-track multiple-axle motor vehicle, comprising:
at least two fuel tanks, in which a fuel for generating drive energy for a vehicle drive unit is storable at a high pressure in the order of magnitude of 300 bar and more, each tank including a safety valve device having a temperature-sensitive element which monitors only a partial region of a tank surface, wherein
the safety valve device is configured to allow at least a partial quantity of the stored fuel to escape from the respective tank at a relatively high temperature which occurs in the case of an emergency,
the temperature-sensitive elements of the two fuel tanks are arranged such that a spacing between a left-side wheel (RL) of a vehicle axle, in the vicinity of which the two fuel tanks are arranged in the vehicle, and the temperature-sensitive element which lies closest to the left-side wheel (RL) does not differ significantly from a spacing of the other one of the two temperature-sensitive elements from a right-side wheel (RR) of the vehicle axle,
the safety valve devices of the tanks including the corresponding temperature-sensitive elements are configured such that temperature-induced opening of the safety valve device of one of the tanks makes an outflow of the fuel which is situated in the tank possible at the safety valve device of the other tank or at least one other tank, wherein
the safety valve devices of the tanks are arranged such that a blow-off opening of a first safety valve device among the safety valve devices of the tanks, the temperature-sensitive element of which lies close to a first vehicle side, is oriented toward the temperature-sensitive element of a second safety valve device which lies close to a second vehicle side.

14. The motor vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein
the safety valve devices of the tanks are connected to one another via a pressure line which is connected to a side of the safety valve devices which faces a storage volume of the respective tank.

15. A double-track multiple-axle motor vehicle, comprising:
at least two fuel tanks, in which a fuel for generating drive energy for a vehicle drive unit is storable at a high pressure in the order of magnitude of 300 bar and more, each tank including a safety valve device having a temperature-sensitive element which monitors only a partial region of a tank surface, wherein
the safety valve device is configured to allow at least a partial quantity of the stored fuel to escape from the respective tank at a relatively high temperature which occurs in the case of an emergency,
the temperature-sensitive elements of the two fuel tanks are arranged such that a spacing between a left-side wheel (RL) of a vehicle axle, in the vicinity of which the two fuel tanks are arranged in the vehicle, and the temperature-sensitive element which lies closest to the left-side wheel (RL) does not differ significantly from a spacing of the other one of the two temperature-sensitive elements from a right-side wheel (RR) of the vehicle axle,
the safety valve devices of the tanks including the corresponding temperature-sensitive elements are configured such that temperature-induced opening of the safety valve device of one of the tanks makes an outflow of the fuel which is situated in the tank possible at the safety valve device of the other tank or at least one other tank, wherein
the safety valve devices of the tanks are connected to one another via a pressure line which is connected

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Pelger Andreas
• Szoucsek Klaus

Classifications

• B60K2015/03375

  to improve security · CPC title

• B60K2015/0638

  the fuel tank is arranged in the rear of the vehicle · CPC title

• B60K2015/03315

  for hydrogen · CPC title

• B60K2015/03381

  for preventing explosions · CPC title

• B60K15/03006

  Gas tanks (B60K15/07 takes precedence) · CPC title