BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a length-wise view of a pressure tank system including a heat conducting mesh wrapped around the tank, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a length-wise cross-sectional view of a pressure tank system including an outer heat conducting layer, according to another embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 3 is a length-wise view of a pressure tank system including heat conducting strips positioned along the pressure tank, according to another embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
The following discussion of the embodiments of the invention directed to a pressure tank system including a heat conducting device is merely exemplary in nature, and is in no way intended to limit the invention or its applications or uses.
FIG. 1 is a length-wise view of a pressure tank system 10 including a pressure tank 12 and a pressure release valve 14, according to one embodiment of the present invention. In one non-limiting embodiment, the pressure tank system 10 stores compressed hydrogen gas and has particular application for providing hydrogen fuel to a fuel cell system 16. The tank 12 can be any suitable tank for this purpose, such as a tank including an inner plastic gas-tight liner and an outer composite layer that provides structural integrity. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the tank system of the invention can have many different configurations within the scope of the present invention. The pressure release valve 14 can be any pressure release valve suitable for the purpose discussed herein, such as a pressure release valve that includes a meltable trigger mechanism of the type discussed above.
As discussed above, the material of the tank 12 may be a poor conductor of heat. Therefore, if the tank system 10 is exposed to fire or high heat at a location far enough away from the pressure release valve 14 that causes the pressure in the tank 12 to increase, the pressure release valve 14 may not open before the pressure tank 12 is compromised. According to this embodiment of the invention, a heat conducting mesh layer 20 is wrapped around the outer surface of the pressure tank 12 so that the mesh layer 20 contacts all portions of the outer surface of the pressure tank 12, and is in thermal contact with the pressure release valve 14. The heat conducting mesh layer 20 is made of a high heat conducting material, such as steel, copper, aluminum, etc. The diameter of the wires in the mesh layer 20 and the hole size of the mesh layer 20 can be any one suitable for the purposes described herein. Therefore, if any portion of the tank system 10 is exposed to high heat or fire, that heat is quickly transferred to the pressure release valve 14 by the heat conducting mesh layer 20, so that the pressure relief valve 14 can reliably regulate the pressure within the tank 12 as was intended. The mesh layer 20 can be attached to the tank 12 in any suitable manner.
FIG. 2 is a length-wise cross-sectional view of a tank system 26 also including a pressure tank 30 and a pressure release valve 28, according to another embodiment of the present invention. The pressure tank 30 includes any inner gas tight liner 32, typically plastic, and an outer carbon fiber composite layer 34 that provides structural integrity. In this embodiment, a heat conducting sheet, foil or layer 36 is wrapped all around an outside of the composite layer 34 for the same purpose as the heat conducting mesh layer 20. The thickness of the layer 34 can be any suitable thickness for the purposes described herein. Therefore, if any area of the pressure tank system 26 is exposed to high heat or fire that heat is quickly transferred to the pressure relief valve 28. Further, the layer 36 acts as a heat shield to reject heat from the tank 30. In one embodiment, the heat conducting material of the layer 34 is aluminum, although other materials may be equally applicable. Also, the heat conducting layer 36 can be attached to the composite layer 34 by any suitable technique.
FIG. 3 is a length-wise view of a tank system 40, according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, heat conducting strips 42 are positioned in contact with a pressure tank 44 and in thermal contact with a pressure release valve 46. The heat conducting strips 42 are used for the same purpose as discussed above to transfer heat from any location in the tank system 40 to the pressure relief valve 46. The number of the strips 42, the thickness of the strips 42 and the width of the strips 42 can be designed for a particular tank system to be the most effective as possible. Also, the strips 42 can be aluminum strips, however, any suitable heat conducting material can be used. Further, the strips 42 can be adhered to the pressure tank 44 by any technique, such a gluing or paste.
The foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion and from the accompanying drawings and claims that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
Patent Application
20080066805
