Compressed gas tank and method for producing same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9683699-B2
Application number	US-201214352422-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2012
Priority date	Oct 21, 2011
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

A compressed gas tank ( 1 ) made from carbon fibre materials, which has a filling and removal neck, and a method for the production thereof, with the following steps:
providing a meltable core, which forms an interior of the compressed gas tank ( 1 ), wrapping the core with at least one carbon fibre bandage and impregnating the carbon fibres with a curable polymer matrix material, thereby providing a preform of the compressed gas tank ( 1 ), consolidating the polymer matrix material of the preform and obtaining the carbon fibre composite compressed gas tank ( 1 ), and liquefying the core material by melting, and removing the liquid core material from the filling and removal neck.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gas tank ( 1 ) for compressed hydrogen, the tank made from carbon fibre materials, the tank having a filling and removal neck, the tank produced by a method comprising:
providing a meltable core, which forms an inner shape of the compressed gas tank ( 1 ), wherein when providing the meltable core, providing a support structure made from struts or spokes ( 3 ) made from carbon fibre material in the core, wherein free ends of the struts or spokes ( 3 ) protrude beyond a surface of the core that is to be wrapped,
wrapping the core including enwrapping the protruding free ends of the struts or spokes ( 3 ) with carbon fibres thereby generating at least one carbon fibre bandage, and impregnating the carbon fibres of the bandage with a curable polymer matrix material, thereby providing a preform of the compressed gas tank ( 1 ), then
consolidating the polymer matrix material of the preform and obtaining the carbon fibre composite compressed gas tank ( 1 ), and during the consolidation, fixing the free ends in the carbon fibre composite bandage,
liquefying the core material by melting, and removing the liquid core material from the filling and removal neck, and
leaving the support structure ( 3 ) behind after the liquefaction and removal of the liquid core material in the compressed gas tank ( 1 ),
wherein a wall ( 2 ) of the compressed gas tank ( 1 ) consists of a carbon fibre composite material layer and has an inner surface free from a liner layer, wherein the carbon fibre composite material layer is formed by the carbon fibre bandage made from wrapped carbon fibres and wherein the support structure made from struts or spokes ( 3 ) made from carbon fibre material is arranged inside the compressed gas tank ( 1 ), wherein the protruding strut or spoke ends are enwrapped into the carbon fibre bandage and are received in a polymer matrix of the carbon fibre composite material layer that forms the wall ( 2 ) of the compressed gas tank ( 1 ).

2. A gas tank ( 1 ) for compressed hydrogen, the tank made from carbon fibre materials, the tank having a filling and removal neck, the tank produced by a method comprising:
providing a meltable core, which forms an inner shape of the compressed gas tank ( 1 ), wherein when providing the meltable core, providing a support structure made from struts or spokes ( 3 ) made from carbon fibre material in the core, wherein free ends of the struts or spokes ( 3 ) protrude beyond a surface of the core that is to be wrapped,
wrapping the core including enwrapping the protruding free ends of the struts or spokes ( 3 ) with carbon fibres thereby generating at least one carbon fibre bandage, and impregnating the carbon fibres of the bandage with a curable polymer matrix material, thereby providing a preform of the compressed gas tank ( 1 ), then
consolidating the polymer matrix material of the preform and obtaining the carbon fibre composite compressed gas tank ( 1 ), and during the consolidation, fixing the free ends in the carbon fibre composite bandage,
liquefying the core material by melting, and removing the liquid core material from the filling and removal neck, and
leaving the support structure ( 3 ) behind after the liquefaction and removal of the liquid core material in the compressed gas tank ( 1 ),

wherein a wall ( 2 ) of the compressed gas tank ( 1 ) consists of a carbon fibre composite material layer and has an inner surface free from a liner layer, wherein the carbon fibre composite material layer is formed by the carbon fibre bandage made from wrapped carbon fibres and wherein the support structure made from struts or spokes ( 3 ) made from carbon fibre material is arranged inside the compressed gas tank ( 1 ), wherein the protruding strut or spoke ends are enwrapped into the carbon fibre bandage and are received in a polymer matrix of the carbon fibre composite material layer that forms the wall ( 2 ) of the compressed gas tank ( 1 ), wherein the compressed gas tank ( 1 ) is a tank ( 1 ) for compressed hydrogen.

3. A gas tank ( 1 ) for compressed hydrogen, the tank made from carbon fibre materials, the tank having a filling and removal neck, the tank produced by a method comprising:
providing a meltable core, which forms an inner shape of the compressed gas tank ( 1 ), wherein when providing the meltable core, providing a support structure made from struts or spokes ( 3 ) made from carbon fibre material in the core, wherein free ends of the struts or spokes ( 3 ) protrude beyond a surface of the core that is to be wrapped,
wrapping the core including enwrapping the protruding free ends of the struts or spokes ( 3 ) with carbon fibres thereby generating at least one carbon fibre bandage, and impregnating the carbon fibres of the bandage with a curable polymer matrix material, thereby providing a preform of the compressed gas tank ( 1 ), then
consolidating the polymer matrix material of the preform and obtaining the carbon fibre composite compressed gas tank ( 1 ), and during the consolidation, fixing the free ends in the carbon fibre composite bandage,
liquefying the core material by melting, and removing the liquid core material from the filling and removal neck, and
leaving the support structure ( 3 ) behind after the liquefaction and removal of the liquid core material in the compressed gas tank ( 1 ),

wherein a wall ( 2 ) of the compressed gas tank ( 1 ) consists of a carbon fibre composite material layer and has an inner surface free from a liner layer, wherein the carbon fibre composite material layer is formed by the carbon fibre bandage made from wrapped carbon fibres and wherein the support structure made from struts or spokes ( 3 ) made from carbon fibre material is arranged inside the compressed gas tank ( 1 ), wherein the protruding strut or spoke ends are enwrapped into the carbon fibre bandage and are received in a polymer matrix of the carbon fibre composite material layer that forms the wall ( 2 ) of the compressed gas tank ( 1 ),
wherein the support structure ( 3 ) is a spoke support structure with spokes extending radially away from a central axis of the compressed gas tank ( 1 ).

4. The gas tank ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein the compressed gas tank ( 1 ) has a round or oval cross-sectional shape.

Assignees

• Daimler Ag

Inventors

• Knoop Andreas

Classifications

• Y02E60/32

  Hydrogen storage · CPC title

• B29C70/54

  Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations {, e.g. feeding or storage of prepregs or SMC after impregnation or during ageing} · CPC title

• F17C1/08

  Integral reinforcements, e.g. ribs · CPC title

• F17C2209/227

  by adhesive means · CPC title

• F17C2203/0673

  Polymers · CPC title