Annulated tubular structure intended for transporting fuel into the tank

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023313917-A1
Application number	US-202318329161-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 5, 2023
Priority date	Feb 21, 2018
Publication date	Oct 5, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A partially annulated flexible tubular structure located at least partially inside the fuel tank, of a vehicle, the structure being capable of being at least partially submerged in the tank and being intended for transporting the fuel into the tank, the tubular structure including at least one layer (1) including a composition including: a. between 39% and 100% by weight, in particular between 41% and 100% by weight, of at least one aliphatic polyamide of formula W/Z, b. between 0% and 4% by weight, and preferably between 0 and 2%, of at least one plasticizer, c. between 0% and 20% of at least one impact modifier, d. between 0% and 37% by weight of at least one additive, the sum of a.+b.+c.+d. being equal to 100% of the total weight of the composition, excluding a fuel transport structure running from the tank to the motor of the vehicle.

First claim

1 . A partially annulated flexible tubular structure located at least partially inside the fuel tank of a vehicle, said structure being at least partially submerged in said tank and for use in transporting fuel into said tank,
said tubular structure comprising at least one layer (1) having a composition comprising: a. between 39% and 100% by weight, of at least one aliphatic polyamide of formula W/Z wherein: W is an aliphatic repeating unit obtained from the polycondensation of at least one C6-C18 lactam, or at least one C6-C18 aminocarboxylic acid, or is an aliphatic repeating unit XY having an average number of carbon atoms per denoted nitrogen atom ranging from 6 to 18, obtained from the polycondensation: at least one C6-C18 diamine X, said diamine being selected from a linear or branched aliphatic diamine or a mixture thereof, and at least one C6-C18 aliphatic dicarboxylic acid Y, Z is at least one optional polyamide repeating unit, Z present at up to 30% by weight relative to the total weight W/Z, b. between 0% and 4% by weight of at least one plasticizer, c. between 0% and 20% of at least one impact modifier, d. between 0% and 37% by weight of at least one additive, the sum of a.+b.+c.+d. being equal to 100%, excluding a fuel transport structure running from the tank to the motor of the vehicle.

2 . The tubular structure according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one aliphatic polyamide is at least one polyamide denoted C obtained from the polycondensation of at least one C6-C18 lactam, or of at least one C6-C18 aminocarboxylic acid, and having an average number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom denoted CC ranging from 9 to 18.

3 . The tubular structure according to claim 2 , wherein said constituent a. of said composition further comprises another polyamide selected from the group consisting of:
at least one polyamide denoted A having an average number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom denoted CA ranging from 4 to 8.5; at least one polyamide denoted B having a melting temperature higher than or equal to 180° C. and an average number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom denoted CB ranging from 7 to 10; and a mixture thereof, the weighted average mass of the melting enthalpies of the polyamides being higher than 25 J/g (DSC), the average number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom of the polyamides A, B and C further satisfying the following strict inequation: CA<CB<CC.

4 . The tubular structure according to claim 3 , wherein the composition comprises between 34 and 84% by weight of aliphatic polyamide C relative to the total weight of the polyamides present within said composition, preferably between 50 and 80%.

5 . The tubular structure according to claim 3 , wherein polyamide A is selected from PA 6, PA 46 and PA 66, polyamide B is selected from PA 610, PA 612, and polyamide C is selected from PA 11 and PA 12.

6 . The tubular structure according to claim 1 , wherein W in said at least one aliphatic polyamide of formula W/Z is at least one aliphatic repeating unit XY, which is a polyamide denoted B′ having a melting temperature higher than or equal to 180° C., and an average number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom denoted CB′ ranging from 7 to 10, or a polyamide denoted C′ having an average number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom denoted CC′ ranging from 9 to 18.

7 . The tubular structure according to claim 6 , wherein said constituent a. of said composition consisting of at least one aliphatic polyamide denoted B′ or denoted C′ further comprises another polyamide selected from:
at least one polyamide denoted A having an average number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom denoted CA ranging from 4 to 8.5;
at least one polyamide denoted B″ having a melting temperature higher than or equal to 180° C. and an average number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom denoted CB ranging from 7 to 10, when said aliphatic polyamide is C′,
at least one polyamide denoted C″ having an average number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom denoted CC″ ranging from 9 to 18, when said aliphatic polyamide is B′;
or a mixture thereof,
the weighted average mass of the melting enthalpies of the polyamides being higher than 25 J/g (DSC),
the average number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom in polyamides A, B′, B″, C′ and C″ further satisfying the following strict inequation: CA<CB″ or CB″<CC′ or CC″.

8 . The tubular structure according to claim 6 , wherein the composition comprises between 34 and 84% by weight of aliphatic polyamide B′ or aliphatic polyamide C′ relative to the total weight of the polyamides present within said composition.

9 . The tubular structure according to claim 7 , wherein polyamide A is selected from PA 6, PA 46 and PA 66, polyamide B′ is selected from PA 610, PA 612, preferably PA 610, and polyamide C″ is selected from PA 11, PA 12, PA 1012, PA 618 and PA 1010, or polyamide A is selected from PA 6, PA 46 and PA 66, polyamide B″ is selected from PA 610, PA 612, preferably PA 610 and polyamide C′ is selected from PA 1012, PA 618 and PA 1010.

10 . The tubular structure according to claim 1 , wherein n that the additives d. is selected from the group consisting of carbon black, graphite, graphene, carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes an antioxidant, a heat stabilizer, a UV absorber, a light stabilizer, a lubricant, an inorganic filler, a fire-proofing agent, a nucleating agent, a dye, reinforcing fibers, a wax, and mixtures thereof.

11 . The tubular structure according to claim 10 , wherein said additive comprises carbon black.

12 . The tubular structure according to claim 11 , wherein said composition of said layer (1) comprises:
a. between 39% and 95% by weight of at least one aliphatic polyamide, b. between 0% and 4% by c. between 0% and 20% of at least one impact modifier, d. between 5% and 32% by weight of carbon black, and between 0 and 5% by weight of at least one additive other than carbon black, graphite, graphene, carbon fibers and carbon nanotubes, the sum a.+b.+c.+d. being equal to 100%.

13 . The tubular structure according to claim 11 , wherein said composition of said layer (1) comprises:
a. between 39% and 85% by weight of at least one aliphatic polyamide, b. between 0% and 4% by weight of a plasticizer, c. between 10% and 18% of at least one impact modifier, d. between 5% and 32%, by weight of carbon black, and
between 0 and 5% by weight of at least one additive other than carbon black, graphite, graphene, carbon fibers and carbon nanotubes,
the sum a.+b.+c.+d. being equal to 100%.

14 . The tubular structure according to claim 10 , wherein said additive is at least carbon nanotubes.

15 . The tubular structure according to claim 14 , wherein said composition of said layer (1) comprises:
a. between 70% and 99.5% by weight of at least one aliphatic polyamide, b. between 0% and 4% by weight of a plasticizer, c. between 0% and 20% of at least one impact modifier, d. between 0.5% and 10% by weight of an additive which is carbon nanotubes, and
between 0 and 19% by weight of at least one additive other than carbon black, graphite, graphene, carbon fibers and carbon nanotubes,
the sum a.+b.+c.+d. being equal to 100%.

16 . The tubular structure according to claim 14 or 15 , wherein said composition of said layer (1) comprises:
a. between 70% and 89.5% weight of at least one aliphatic polyamide,
b. between 0% and 4% by weight of a plasticizer,
c. between 10% and 18% of at least one impact modifier,
d. between 0.5% and 10% by weight of carbon nanotubes, and
between 0 and 19% by weight of at least one additive other

Assignees

• Arkema France

Inventors

• Hachet Emilie
• Montanari Thibaut
• Dufaure Nicolas

Classifications

• F16L11/15 Primary

  corrugated (F16L11/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B32B1/08

  Tubular products · CPC title

• B32B27/08

  of synthetic resin · CPC title

• B32B27/20

  using fillers, pigments, thixotroping agents · CPC title

• B32B27/22

  using plasticisers · CPC title