Patent Application
20200240589
The present invention relates to a gas storage container having a specific shape.
Gas cylinders having a large weight and a bottle shape have been generally used. However, such gas cylinders are not easy to handle as they have large occupied volume and are difficult to transport and install. Also, such gas cylinders are not meant to have aesthetic appearances.
[Patent Literature 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2015-178906.
An object of the present invention is to provide a gas storage container that are easy to transport and install.
Some aspects of the present invention are as described below.
[1] A gas storage container comprising a flat upper surface and a flat lower surface, and being vertically stackable.
[2] The gas storage container according to [1], having a prismatic shape.
[3] The gas storage container according to [2], having a quadrangular prism shape, a pentagonal prism shape, or a hexagonal prism shape.
[4] The gas storage container according to [3], having a rectangular parallelepiped shape or a cubic shape.
[5] The gas storage container according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein a gas outlet is provided on at least one side surface thereof.
[6] The gas storage container according to [5], wherein the at least one side surface has a recess, and the gas inlet is provided in the recess.
[7] The gas storage container according to any one of [1] to [6], further comprising a grip.
[8] The gas storage container according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein an inner surface thereof is spherical, cylindrical, or elliptical.
[9] A gas storage container according to any one of [1] to [8], comprising: a casing with a flat upper surface and a flat lower surface and are vertically stackable; and a gas container installed in the casing.
[10] The gas storage container according to any one of [1] to [9], further comprising a gas remaining amount measurement module.
[11] The gas storage container according to [9], further comprising a gas remaining amount measurement module in a space between the casing and the gas container.
[12] The gas storage container according to [10] or [11], wherein the gas remaining amount measurement module comprises a temperature sensor.
[13] The gas storage container according to any one of [10] to [12], wherein the gas remaining amount measurement module is configured to be capable of wireless communication.
[14] The gas storage container according to any one of [10] to [13], wherein the gas remaining amount measurement module is configured to perform GPS communication.
[15] The gas storage container according to any one of [1] to [14], further comprising a porous material therein.
[16] The gas storage container according to [15], wherein the porous material is a metal organic framework.
According to the present invention, it becomes possible to provide a gas storage container that is easy to transport and install.
The gas storage container according to the present invention has flat upper and lower surfaces and can be stacked vertically. Adopting such a configuration makes it possible to easily and effectively transport and install the gas storage container. Examples of such gas storage containers will be described below.
The gas storage container 1 shown in
The side surface 30 of the gas storage container 1 is typically provided with a gas outlet 32. The side surface 30 is provided with a recess 34, and the gas outlet 32 is provided in the recess 34. Adopting such a configuration makes it possible to reduce the occupied volume of the gas storage container 1, thereby facilitating its transportation and the like. The gas outlet 32 usually also serves as a gas inlet.
The gas outlet 32 is typically provided with a gas remaining amount measurement module (not shown). The gas remaining amount measurement module is preferably configured to perform wireless communication. The gas remaining amount measurement module may be configured to perform GPS communication. Adopting such a configuration makes it possible to remotely manage the gas remaining amount in the gas storage container 1.
The inner surface 70 of the gas storage container 1 has a cubic shape which are substantially the same as the outer shape. Adopting such a configuration makes it possible to maximize the amount of gas stored in the gas storage container 1.
Any material can be used for the gas storage container 1. For example, the gas storage container 1 can be made of a metal or an alloy. Alternatively, the gas storage container 1 may be made of fiber reinforced plastic, or may include both a fiber reinforced plastic and a metal or an alloy. Alternatively, the gas storage container 1 may be made of duralumin. The material used for the gas storage container 1 can be appropriately selected in consideration of formability and weight.
In the gas storage container 1 shown in
The grip 100 may be provided other than the upper surface of the gas storage container 1. In other words, the grip 100 may be provided anywhere outside the gas storage container 1. For example, the grip 100 may be provided on the outer surface of the gas storage container 1 or may be provided on the outer corner of the gas storage container 1.
The shape of the gas storage container 1 is not particularly limited as long as the upper and lower surfaces are flat and can be stacked vertically. The gas storage container 1 has, for example, a cylindrical shape or a prismatic shape, and preferably has a quadrangular prism shape, a pentagonal prism shape, or a hexagonal prism shape. When the gas storage container 1 has a prismatic shape, the gas storage container 1 preferably has a regular polygonal column shape. The gas storage container 1 is more preferably a rectangular parallelepiped or a cube, and particularly preferably a cube.
The shape of the inner surface of the gas storage container 1 is, for example, substantially the same as the shape of the outer surface, as shown in
The gas storage container according to the present invention may include a casing that has a flat upper surface and a flat lower surface and is vertically stackable, and a gas container installed in the casing. In this case, it is possible to provide a gas storage container that can be easily transported and installed regardless of the shape of the gas container. The material used for the casing and the gas container may be different from each other. Therefore, it is possible to adjust the strength, weight, pressure resistance, appearance, and the like of the entire gas storage container by optimizing the material for the casing and the material of the gas container. As the material for the gas container, for example, those exemplified above as the material of the gas storage container can be used. On the other hand, as the material for the casing, plastics, metals, alloys, and the like can be used as appropriate in addition to those exemplified as the material for the gas storage container.
When a gas storage container is provided with the casing and the gas container, the gas residual amount measurement module mentioned above can be installed in a space between the casing and the gas container. This makes it difficult to visually recognize the gas residual amount measurement module from the outside, making it less likely to impair the appearance aesthetics.
The gas storage container according to the present invention may further contain a porous material therein. The porous material may be filled so that the gas storage container satisfies the following condition at 298 K for at least one kind of gas. That is, the difference (Δ1M=G1M−G0.1M) between the gas content at 1 MPa (G1M) and the gas content at 0.1 MPa (Gum) when the porous material is contained is at least twice the difference (δ1M=g1M−g0.1M) between the gas content at 1 MPa (g1M) and the gas content at 0.1 MPa (g0.1M) when the porous material is not contained. In other words, the gas storage container according to the present invention may satisfy Δ1M/δ1M≥2 at 298 K for at least one kind of gas.
The gas content at 0.1 MPa (G0.1M) is a gas content at almost atmospheric pressure. That is, this value can be a guideline for a limit value at which the gas storage container can release the gas without decompression.
Conventional gas cylinders are usually filled with gas up to a high pressure of 14.7 MPa. This is because the pressure and the gas storage amount are directly proportional to each other in the case of a conventional gas cylinder, so that a sufficient amount of gas cannot be stored unless the pressure is increased. On the other hand, when a gas storage container that satisfies the above conditions is used, a high gas storage amount can be achieved at a relatively low pressure.
The gas storage amount Gtotal of the gas storage container according to this embodiment can be calculated by the following equation.
G
total
=G
ext
+G
pore
+G
excess [Formula 1]
Here, Gext is a gas storage amount in a region not filled with the porous material. Gpore is the storage amount of a normal density gas that has entered the pores of the porous material. Gexcess is the amount of gas excessively adsorbed by the porous material.
Gext can be calculated by the following equation.
Here, F is a filling rate (%) of the porous material. g is the gas density (mol/L) at the same pressure. The contribution due to Gext decreases as the filling factor F of the porous material increases. For example, when F=100%, Gext=0 mol/L.
Gpore can be calculated by the following equation.
Here, F is a filling rate (%) of the porous material. ε is the porosity of the porous material, and is a value determined by the product of the density ρ (g/cm3) of the porous material and the pore volume Vp (cm3/g) of the porous material.
Gexcess can be calculated by the following equation.
Here, F is a filling rate (%) of the porous material. A is the gas adsorption amount (cm3(STP)/g) of the porous material determined by the adsorption amount measurement. ρ is the density (g/cm3) of the porous material. In this formula, it is assumed that the gas is an ideal gas in STP with respect to the volume per mole (22.7 L/mol).
As can be seen from the above equation, in order to increase the gas storage quantity Gtotal, it is important to increase Gexcess. And in order to increase Gexcess, it is preferable to use a porous material having a large gas adsorption amount A while increasing the filling rate F of the porous material.
The filling rate F (%) of the porous material is not limited as long as the above conditions are satisfied. For example, F is 60% or more, preferably 65% or more, and more preferably 70% or more. In such a case, the effect of increasing the amount of gas stored by filling the porous material becomes more remarkable. The upper limit of the filling rate is 100%, but the filling rate may be slightly lowered from the viewpoint of gas filling efficiency, exhaust heat, and the like. For example, the filling rate of the porous material may be 99% or less. Further, the filling rate may be further reduced in consideration of an increase in the weight of the gas storage container due to the weight of the porous material itself.
As described above, the gas storage container according to this embodiment satisfies Δ1M/δ1M≥2 at 298 K for at least one kind of gas. Δ1M/δ1M is, for example, 4 or more, preferably 6 or more, more preferably 8 or more, and particularly preferably 10 or more.
The gas storage container according to this embodiment preferably satisfies Δ5M/δ5M≥1.5 at 298 K for at least one kind of gas. Δ5M/δ5M is, for example, 1.8 or more, preferably 2 or more, more preferably 4 or more, and particularly preferably 5 or more.
The gas storage container according to this embodiment preferably satisfies Δ10M/δ10M≥1.2 at 298 K for at least one kind of gas. Δ10M/δ10M is, for example, 1.5 or more, preferably 1.8 or more, more preferably 2 or more, and particularly preferably 3 or more.
The gas storage container according to this embodiment preferably satisfies Δ5M/δ14.7M≥0.3 at 298 K for at least one kind of gas. Δ5M/δ14.7M is, for example, 0.5 or more, preferably 0.6 or more, more preferably 0.8 or more, and particularly preferably 1 or more. When Δ5M/δ14.7M is 1 or more, the gas storage container can store an amount of gas at a low pressure of 5 MPa which is equal to or higher than the amount in an empty cylinder at 14.7 MPa
The gas storage container according to this embodiment preferably satisfies Δ1M/δ14.7M≥0.1 at 298 K for at least one kind of gas. Δ1M/δ14.7M is, for example, 0.2 or more, preferably 0.4 or more, more preferably 0.6 or more, still more preferably 0.8 or more, and particularly preferably 1 or more. When Δ1M/δ14.7M is 1 or more, the gas storage container can store an amount of gas at a low pressure of 1 MPa which is equal to or higher than the amount in an empty cylinder at 14.7 MPa.
As the porous material, for example, a metal organic framework (hereinafter also referred to as MOF), activated carbon, zeolite, mesoporous silica, or the like can be used. It is particularly preferable to use the MOF as the porous material. A plurality of types of porous materials may be used in combination.
When the MOF is employed as the porous material, any types of MOFs can be used. Appropriately combining the type and coordination number of the metal ion with the type and topology of the multidentate ligand leads to a MOF with a desired structure.
The metal elements in the MOF can be, for example, any elements belonging to alkali metals (Group 1), alkaline earth metals (Group 2), or transition metals (Groups 3 to 12). The multidentate ligand in the MOF typically is an organic ligand, examples of which include carboxylate anion and heterocyclic compound. Examples of the carboxylic acid anion include dicarboxylic acid anion and tricarboxylic acid anion. Specific examples include anions of citric acid, malic acid, terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, trimesic acid, and derivatives thereof. Examples of the heterocyclic compound include bipyridine, imidazole, adenine, and derivatives thereof. Alternatively, the ligand may be an amine compound, a sulfonate anion, or a phosphate anion. The MOF may further contain monodentate ligand(s).
The combination of the metal and the ligand forming the MOF can be appropriately determined according to the expected function and the desired pore size. The MOF may contain two or more types of metal elements, and may contain two or more types of ligands. The MOF can be surface-modified with a polymer or other modifiers.
As specific examples of the metal organic structure, for example, those listed in Table 1 of the literature (Yabing He et al. Methane Storage in Metal-Organic Frameworks, Chem Soc Rev, 2014) can be used. Alternatively, those listed in other documents (Chem. Sci., 2014, 5, 32-51) may also be used. Those shown in Tables 1 to 3 below may also be used as the MOF. These are non-limiting lists, and other MOFs can also be used.
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 15016-15021
There is no restriction in the form of the porous material. As the porous material, for example, a powdery material, a pellet material, a bead material, a film material, or a block material may be used. A plurality of forms of porous materials may be used in combination.
There is no restriction in the kind of gas stored in the gas storage container. Examples of such gases include nitrogen; oxygen; air; carbon dioxide; rare gases such as helium, neon, argon, krypton, and xenon; hydrogen; saturated hydrocarbons such as methane, ethane, and propane; acetylene; fluorocarbons such as difluoromethane; LP gas; natural gas; monosilane; theos; dichlorosilane; arsine; phosphine; diborane; boron trichloride; carbon tetrafluoride; nitrogen trifluoride; hydrogen bromide; chlorine; tungsten hexafluoride; hydrogen selenide; monogermane; ethylene oxide; nitrous oxide; and ammonia. Among these, it is particularly preferable to use a gas selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, air, carbon dioxide, methane, and hydrogen.
[Occupied Volume]
As described above, according to the present invention, a gas storage container that can be easily transported and installed is provided. Hereinafter, taking the gas storage container described with reference to
Conventional gas cylinders have the shape of bottles. Typically, its diameter is 23.2 cm, its height is 151 cm, and its volume is 47 L. In addition to this, components for fixing the gas cylinder is required. Hereinafter, it is assumed that the fixing component has a bottom shape of 25 cm×25 cm square.
On the other hand, let us assume that a gas storage container described with reference to
Further, as described above, the amount of stored gas can be further improved by introducing a porous material into the gas storage container. Hereinafter, the effect of the porous material will be additionally described.
[Preparation of Porous Material]
The porous materials used herein are summarized in Table 4 below. In the table, HKUST-1 was synthesized using a twin-screw extruder according to the literature (Chem. Sci., 2015, 6, 1645-1649). ZIF-8, MIL-53 (Al), AX-21, and 13X are commercially available. The density and pore volume in the table were extracted from the literature (Chem. Sci., 2014, 5, 32-51).
[Measurement of Adsorption Amount]
The amount of adsorption was measured using BELSORP-HP (Microtrack Bell Co., Ltd.) at 298K. The porous materials in powder form were used for the measurements.
[Nitrogen]
A comparison was made for the cases where the filling factor F was 60% and nitrogen was used as the gas. The results are summarized in Table 5 below and
A comparison was made for the cases where the filling factor F was 80% and nitrogen was used as the gas. The results are summarized in Table 6 below and
[Oxygen]
A comparison was made for the cases where the filling factor F was 60% and oxygen was used as the gas. The results are summarized in Table 7 below and
[Methane]
A comparison was made for the cases where the filling rate was F=60% and methane was used as the gas. The results are summarized in Table 8 below and
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-147901 | Jul 2017 | JP | national |
This application is a 371 application of the International Patent Application No. PCT/JP2018/028550 filed on Jul. 31, 2018, which claims priority from the Japan patent application No. JP2017-147901 filed on Jun. 31, 2017, and the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2018/028550 | 7/31/2018 | WO | 00 |
