CRYOGENIC TANK

Abstract

A cryogenic tank comprising an inner container for holding a cryogenic medium, and an outer container surrounding the inner container to define a vacuum space. A pocket extends at least from the vacuum space into an interior space of the inner container. One or more functional components are arranged in the pocket. The one or more functional components include one or more heat exchangers, valves, control components and/or tubes.

Claims

1. A cryogenic tank, comprising: an inner container having an interior space for holding a cryogenic medium, including hydrogen; an outer container surrounding the inner container to define a vacuum space between the inner container and the outer container; a pocket extending at least from the vacuum space into the interior space of the inner container; and one or more functional components arranged in the pocket, the one or more functional components including one or more of a heat exchanger, a valve, a control component, and a tube.

2. The cryogenic tank of claim 1, further comprising a jacket tube that extends into the interior space of the inner container to define at least one or more sections of the pocket.

3. The cryogenic tank of claim 2, wherein the pocket, at least in the one or more sections, has a cylindrical shape.

4. The cryogenic tank of claim 3, further comprising a cover arranged on the jacket tube to close the pocket.

5. The cryogenic tank of claim 4, further comprising a pipe, operatively connected to the cover, to facilitate a flow of the cryogenic medium from a cryogenic medium source to enter into the inner container for supply to the one or more functional components.

6. The cryogenic tank of claim 4, further comprising at least two pipes extending from outside of the pocket to the one or more functional components arranged in the pocket.

7. The cryogenic tank of claim 6, wherein: a first pipe among the at least two pipes is operable to facilitate a supply cryogenic medium from the cryogenic medium source, and a second pipe among the at least two pipes is operable to facilitate discharge the cryogenic medium held in the inner container or a temperature control fluid.

8. The cryogenic tank of claim 4, further comprising at least four pipes extending from outside of the pocket to the one or more functional components arranged in the pocket.

9. The cryogenic tank of claim 8, wherein: at least one pipe among the at least four pipes is operable to facilitate a supply cryogenic medium from the cryogenic medium source, another pipe among the at least four pipes is operable to discharge the cryogenic medium held in the inner container, and at least one pipe among the at least four pipes is operable to facilitate discharge of a temperature control fluid.

10. The cryogenic tank of claim 9, wherein the at least four pipes extends through an opening in the cover of the pocket.

11. The cryogenic tank of claim 1, wherein the pocket is aligned parallel to a longitudinal central axis of the cryogenic tank.

12. The cryogenic tank of claim 11, wherein the pocket is aligned to be normal to the longitudinal central axis of the cryogenic tank.

13. The cryogenic tank of claim 12, wherein the pocket is arranged coaxially with the longitudinal central axis of the cryogenic tank.

14. The cryogenic tank of claim 1, wherein the pocket extends as far as the outer container.

15. The cryogenic tank of claim 14, wherein the pocket is operable to facilitate suspension of the inner container on the outer container.

16. The cryogenic tank of claim 1, further comprising an end cap arranged on the inner container.

17. The cryogenic tank of claim 16, wherein, in a direction of a central point of the inner container, the pocket extends inwardly from the end cap or from a lateral surface of the inner container.

18. The cryogenic tank of claim 2, wherein the at least one functional component is arranged in the pocket for orientation substantially parallel to a side wall of the jacket tube, including at least one substantially cylindrical heat exchanger and/or at least one tube.

19. The cryogenic tank of claim 1, further comprising thermal insulation arranged in the pocket to protect the one or more functional components arranged in the pocket.

20. The cryogenic tank of claim 1, wherein the thermal insulation comprises multi-layer insulation (MLI).

Description

DRAWINGS

[0022] Embodiments will be illustrated by way of example in the drawings and explained in the description hereinbelow.

[0023] FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of an end section of a cryogenic tank according to one or more embodiments, shown without an outer container.

[0024] FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of the cryogenic tank of FIG. 1.

[0025] FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional view of the cryogenic tank according to section A-A of FIG. 2, shown with the outer container.

DESCRIPTION

[0026] FIGS. 1-3 show a cryogenic tank according to one or more embodiments.

[0027] The cryogenic tank comprises an inner container 1 for holding a cryogenic medium, in particular hydrogen, and an outer container 2 surrounding the inner container 1, wherein a vacuum space 3 is set up between the inner container 1 and the outer container 2. In addition, container insulation 11 is applied to the outside of the inner container 1 (illustrated in FIG. 3).

[0028] The inner container 1 comprises a lateral surface 1.1 of the inner container 1 and an end cap 1.2 on the end of the inner container 1.

[0029] A pocket 4 extends from the vacuum space 3 into the interior space of the inner container 1, thus forming a hollow in the volume normally enclosed by the inner container 1, which in the example shown essentially forms a cylinder with convex ends.

[0030] At least one functional component 5, namely a heat exchanger 6, is arranged in the pocket 4. The heat exchanger 6 is arranged within a spatial region which is usually located in the interior space of the inner container but which is separated by the pocket 4 from the medium in the interior space. The pocket 4 is substantially cylindrical. The diameter of the pocket 4 is smaller than the diameter of the inner container 1, preferably smaller than half the diameter of the inner container 1.

[0031] The pocket 4 is formed in some section or sections by a cylindrical sleeve, namely a jacket tube 8, which extends into the interior space of the inner container 1. The jacket tube 8 has a bottom, which can be formed as a separate component or integrally with the jacket tube 8.

[0032] The pocket 4 is closed by a cover 9 with respect to the vacuum space 3.

[0033] The pocket 4 is aligned parallel to the longitudinal central axis of the cryogenic tank, namely coaxially with the longitudinal central axis of the cryogenic tank. The pocket 4 extends inwards from an end cap 1.2 at the end of the inner container 1 in the direction of a central point of the inner container 1.

[0034] The cryogenic medium, in particular hydrogen, held in the inner container 1 is supplied to the heat exchanger 6 in the pocket 4 through a pipe 10 from the outside of the inner container 1, namely through the pipe 10 in the vacuum space 3 and through an opening in the cover 9 of the pocket 4.

[0035] A further pipe 10 serves for discharge of the cryogenic medium held in the inner container 1. In addition, two pipes 10 from outside the pocket 4 are set up for supplying and discharging a temperature control fluid or cooling medium.

[0036] All the pipes 10 are passed through openings in the cover 9 of the pocket 4 which are assigned to the respective pipe 10.

[0037] The pocket 4, in particular the jacket tube 8, has thermal insulation for protecting the functional components 5 arranged in the pocket 4, in particular the heat exchanger 6, in particular, multi-layer insulation (MLI).

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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

[0040] 1 Inner container [0041] 1.1 Lateral surface (inner container) [0042] 1.2 End cap (inner container) [0043] 2 Outer container [0044] 3 Vacuum space [0045] 4 Pocket [0046] 5 Functional component [0047] 6 Heat exchanger [0048] 7 Tube [0049] 8 Jacket tube [0050] 9 Cover [0051] 10 Pipe [0052] 11 Container insulation