Hybrid vehicle with a refueling device

Abstract

A hybrid vehicle having an electric drive with an energy storage device for the electric drive, and an internal combustion engine, and a tank device having a tank for storing fuel for the internal combustion engine. The hybrid vehicle further includes a cooling circuit, extending through the tank, having a circulating cooling medium to cool the energy storage device and also cool the fuel in the tank.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle comprising: an electric drive having an energy storage device; an internal combustion engine; a tank device having a tank for storing fuel for the internal combustion engine; and a cooling circuit, extending through the tank, having a circulating cooling medium to cool the energy storage device and the fuel in the tank.

2. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a control unit to control the cooling circuit by controlling flow of the cooling medium therethrough in a manner which selectively cools the fuel in the tank.

3. The hybrid vehicle of claim 2, further comprising a temperature sensor arranged in the tank to detect a temperature of the fuel in the tank.

4. The hybrid vehicle of claim 3, wherein the control unit is to control the cooling circuit by permitting controlling flow of the cooling medium therethrough when the detected temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold temperature value.

5. The hybrid vehicle of claim 2, further comprising a pressure sensor arranged in the tank to detect a pressure inside of the tank.

6. The hybrid vehicle of claim 5, wherein the control unit is to control the cooling circuit by permitting controlling flow of the cooling medium therethrough when the detected pressure exceeds a predetermined threshold pressure value.

7. The hybrid vehicle of claim 2, further comprising: a temperature sensor arranged in the tank to detect a temperature of the fuel in the tank; and a pressure sensor arranged in the tank to detect a pressure inside of the tank.

8. The hybrid vehicle of claim 7, wherein the control unit is to control the cooling circuit by permitting controlling flow of the cooling medium therethrough when: the detected temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold temperature value, and the detected pressure exceeds a predetermined threshold pressure value.

9. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a refrigerant circuit to cool the cooling medium in the cooling circuit.

10. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein the refrigerant circuit comprises a refrigerant-cooling medium heat exchanger.

11. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a cooling coil arranged in the tank.

12. The hybrid vehicle of claim 11, wherein the cooling circuit runs through the cooling coil through the tank.

13. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a pressure compensation vessel fluidically connected to the tank.

14. The hybrid vehicle of claim 13, further comprising a diaphragm to divide the pressure compensation vessel into a first pressure compensation vessel region facing the tank and a second pressure compensation vessel region facing away from the tank.

15. The hybrid vehicle of claim 14, wherein the pressure compensation vessel is subjected to pressure on the side of the diaphragm facing away from the tank by a gas.

16. The hybrid vehicle of claim 15, wherein the pressure corresponds at least to a hydrostatic pressure in a filling tube operatively connected to the tank.

17. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an insulation layer surrounding the tank to serve as a jacket which prevents heating of contents in the tank by ambient heat.

18. A hybrid vehicle comprising: an energy storage device for an electric drive of the hybrid vehicle; a tank device having a tank for storing fuel for an internal combustion engine of the hybrid vehicle; and a cooling circuit, extending through the tank, having a circulating cooling medium to cool the energy storage device and the fuel in the tank.

Description

DRAWING

[0017] One or more embodiments will be illustrated by way of example in the drawings and explained in the description below.

[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic sectional view of a tank device of a hybrid vehicle, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

DESCRIPTION

[0019] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates components of a hybrid vehicle, such as, in particular, a tank device for the hybrid vehicle. The hybrid vehicle comprises an internal combustion engine 1, which can be supplied with fuel via a tank 2. The internal combustion engine 1 is connected to an activated carbon filter 11 via a scavenging valve 10. A low-pressure valve 12 is furthermore arranged between the activated carbon filter 11 and the tank 2.

[0020] A cooling coil 6 is arranged in the tank 2, and therefore, the cooling medium of a cooling circuit 3, shown schematically as arrows in FIG. 1, for cooling the energy storage device of the electric drive, also runs through the cooling coil 6, and thus, through the tank 2 in order to cool the tank 2. The tank 2 is filled via a filling tube 13, at the lower end of which an inlet non-return valve 14 is arranged.

[0021] The hybrid vehicle comprises a control unit (not illustrated) to selectively control the cooling circuit 3 by controlling flow of the cooling medium through the cooling circuit 3 in the tank 2 (including preventing flow of the cooling medium), with the result that the fuel in the tank 2 is cooled (or not cooled) by the cooling medium in the cooling circuit 3. The control unit is to facilitate selectively flow of the cooling medium through the cooling coil 6 in the tank 2 (or not), with the result that the fuel in the tank 2 is cooled (or not cooled) by the cooling medium in the cooling circuit 3. The control unit controls a suitable shut-off valve for this purpose.

[0022] A temperature sensor 4 is arranged in the tank 2 to detect or measure a temperature of the fuel in the tank 2. A pressure sensor 5 is also arranged in the tank 2 to detect or measure a pressure of inside of the tank 2 are arranged in the tank 2. The control unit is configured to pass the cooling medium through the cooling coil 6 in the tank 2 when the detected or measured temperature at the temperature sensor 4 and/or the detected or measured pressure at the pressure sensor 5 in each case exceed/s predetermined limit values.

[0023] The cooling medium in the cooling circuit 3 can be cooled by a refrigerant circuit, in particular, by a refrigerant-cooling medium heat exchanger, i.e., a so-called “chiller.”

[0024] The tank 2 has a pressure compensation vessel 7 which is divided horizontally by a diaphragm 8, in particular by a bag diaphragm, into a first pressure compensation vessel region facing the tank 2 and a second pressure compensation vessel region facing away from the tank 2. On the side of the diaphragm 8 facing away from the tank 2, there is gaseous nitrogen (N.sub.2), in the pressure compensation vessel 7, at a pressure of, for example, at least 40 mbar, depending on the height of the filling tube 13.

[0025] In addition, the tank 2 has insulation 9 as a jacket in order to prevent heating of the tank contents by ambient heat.

[0026] As a result of these measures, the tank is protected against the formation of an excess pressure by the release of gas from the fuel. Expensive reinforcement measures of the tank are therefore not necessary.

[0027] The terms “coupled,” “attached,” or “connected” may be used herein to refer to any type of relationship, direct or indirect, between the components in question, and may apply to electrical, mechanical, fluid, optical, electromagnetic, electromechanical or other connections. In addition, the terms “first,” “second,” etc. are used herein only to facilitate discussion, and carry no particular temporal or chronological significance unless otherwise indicated.

[0028] Those skilled in the art will appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad techniques of the embodiments can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while the embodiments have been described in connection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of the embodiments should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, specification, and following claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0029] 1 internal combustion engine

[0030] 2 tank

[0031] 3 cooling circuit

[0032] 4 temperature sensor

[0033] 5 pressure sensor

[0034] 6 cooling coil

[0035] 7 pressure compensation vessel

[0036] 8 diaphragm

[0037] 9 insulation

[0038] 10 scavenging valve

[0039] 11 activated carbon filter

[0040] 12 low-pressure valve

[0041] 13 filling tube

[0042] 14 inlet non-return valve