FUSIBLE LINK, GAS TANK, AND METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING A FUSIBLE LINK AND FOR INSTALLING SAME IN A GAS TANK

Abstract

The invention relates to a fusible link (100) for installation in a through-opening (4) in a gas tank (1000), having a tension rod (1), a guide sleeve (2) with at least one fluid-guiding duct (2a) for guiding gas out of the gas tank (1000) into the environment of the gas tank (1000), and a fusible sheath (3), wherein the guide sleeve (2) is formed in a ring around the tension rod (1) at least in some sections, and the fusible sheath (3) surrounds the guide sleeve (2) in a sheath-like manner at least in some sections, wherein the tension rod (10) has a tapered section (1a) which tapers in a direction away from the gas tank (1000) when installed in the gas tank (1000), the guide sleeve (2) has at least one predetermined breaking section (2b) which, when the fusible link (100) is installed into the through-opening (4), breaks to introduce fusible material (3a) into the at least one fluid-guiding duct (2a), as a result of which fused material (3a) from the fusible sheath (3) can pass into at least some sections of the at least one fluid-guiding duct (2a) to block a gas flow through the at least one fluid-guiding duct (2a), and the tension rod (1) and the guide sleeve (2) have a higher strength and/or temperature resistance than the fused material (3a). The invention also relates to a method for assembling a fusible link (100) and for installing same in a gas tank (1000).

Claims

1. A fusible link (100) for installation in a through opening (4) of a gas tank (1000), the fusible link (100) having a tension rod (1), a guide sleeve (2) with at least one fluid guide duct (2a) for guiding gas out of the gas tank (1000) into the surroundings of the gas tank (1000), and a fusible sheath (3), wherein the guide sleeve (2) is configured around the tension rod (1) in an at least partially annular fashion and the fusible sheath (3) encloses the guide sleeve (2) at least partially, wherein the tension rod (1) has a tapered section (1a) which, in a state in which the tapered section (1a) is installed in the gas tank (1000), tapers away from the gas tank (1000), the guide sleeve (2) has at least one predetermined breaking section (2b) configured to break when the fusible link (100) is installed in the through opening (4) in order to introduce fusible material (3a) into the at least one fluid guide duct (2a), as a result of which fusible material (3a) of the fusible sheath (3) can penetrate at least partially into the at least one fluid guide duct (2a) for the purpose of blocking the flow of gas through the at least one fluid guide duct (2a), and the tension rod (1) and the guide sleeve (2) have a greater strength and/or temperature resistance than the fusible material (3a).

2. The fusible link (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the fusible material (3a) has a melting point between 100° C. and 160° C.

3. The fusible link (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the fusible material (3a) comprises at least substantially metal.

4. The fusible link (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, in a state when the fusible link (100) is installed in the gas tank (1000), the fusible link (100) forms a sealing plug in the through opening (4) of the gas tank (1000).

5. The fusible link (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that that the tension rod (1) and/or the guide sleeve (2) are made from metal or substantially from metal.

6. The fusible link (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that that the tension rod (1), for installation of the fusible link (100) in the through opening (4) of the gas tank (1000), is positioned in the guide sleeve (2) so that the tension rod (1) can be displaced relative to the guide sleeve (2) non-destructively.

7. A gas tank (1000) comprising a through opening (4) for the emergency discharge of gas from the gas tank (1000), and a fusible link (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fusible link (100) is arranged in the through opening (4) for a controlled discharge of gas from the gas tank (1000).

8. The gas tank as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the guide sleeve (2) is pressed into the through opening (4) at least partially in a region of the tapered section (1a), sandwiched between the tension rod (1) and the fusible sheath (3).

9. The gas tank as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that a maximum diameter of the tension rod (1) is smaller than an internal diameter of the through opening (4).

10. A method for assembling a fusible link (100) as claimed in claim 1 and installing the same in a through opening (4) of a gas tank (1000) having a through opening (4) for the emergency discharge of gas from the gas tank (1000), the method having the steps: providing the guide sleeve (2), sheathing the guide sleeve (2) with the fusible sheath (3), introducing the tension rod (1) at least partially into the guide sleeve (2), introducing combined components including the tension rod (1), the guide sleeve (2), and the fusible sheath (3) into the through opening (4) and, when the combined components are situated in the through opening (4), pressing the tension rod into the guide sleeve (2) in order to break the at least one predetermined breaking section (2b) by displacing the tension rod (1) in a direction in which the tapered section (1a) tapers.

11. The fusible link (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the fusible material (3a) has a melting point between 200° C. and 300° C.

12. The fusible link (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the fusible material (3a) comprises indium, tin, bismuth, and/or an alloy thereof

13. The fusible link (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the tension rod (1) is made substantially from metal.

14. The fusible link (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the guide sleeve (2) is made substantially from metal.

15. The fusible link (100) as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that the tension rod (1) is made substantially from metal.

16. The fusible link (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that that the tension rod (1) and the guide sleeve (2) are made from metal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] In the drawings:

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view in section of a fusible link according to the invention in a first installed state,

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a further view in section of the fusible link along line A-A in FIG. 1, and

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view in section of the fusible link shown in FIG. 1 in a second installed state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Elements with the same function and operating principle have in each case been provided with the same reference numerals in FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0034] A gas tank 1000 in the form of a high-pressure hydrogen tank with a through opening 4 for the emergency discharge of gas from the gas tank 1000 is shown schematically in FIG. 1. A fusible link 100 for the controlled discharge of gas from the gas tank 1000 is positioned in the through opening. The fusible link 100 forms according to FIG. 1 a sealing plug in the through opening 4 of the gas tank 1000.

[0035] The fusible link 100 has a tension rod 1, a guide sleeve 2 with multiple fluid guide ducts 2a for guiding gas from the gas tank 1000 into the surroundings of the gas tank 1000, and a fusible sheath 3. The guide sleeve 2 is configured annularly around the tension rod 1, and the fusible sheath 3 surrounds the guide sleeve in the manner of a sheath. The tension rod 1 has a tapered section 1a which tapers away from the gas tank 1000 and toward the surroundings 6 of the gas tank 1000. The guide sleeve 2 has a predetermined breaking section 2b, shown in particular in FIG. 2, which breaks when the fusible link 100 is installed in the through opening 4 in order to introduce fusible material 3a of the fusible sheath 3 into the fluid guide ducts 2a, as a result of which malted material 3a of the fusible sheath 3 can penetrate into the fluid guide ducts 2a in order to block the flow of gas through the fluid guide ducts 2a. The tension rod 1 and the guide sleeve 2 each have a greater strength and temperature resistance than the fusible material 3a or the component section of the fusible link 100 with the fusible material 3a.

[0036] The fusible material 3a essentially takes the form of an indium/tin compound with a melting point of approximately 120° C. The tension rod 1 and the guide sleeve 2 are each made from metal. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the tension rod 1, for installation of the fusible link 100 in the through opening 4 of the gas tank 1000, is positioned in the guide sleeve 2 so that it can be displaced relative to the guide 2 sleeve non-destructively. It is moreover shown in FIG. 1 that the guide sleeve 2 is pressed into the through opening 4 in the region of the tapered section 1a, sandwiched between the tension rod 1 and the fusible sheath 3. The maximum diameter of the tension rod 1 is smaller than the internal diameter of the through opening 4.

[0037] In the case of a gas tank 1000 shown in FIG. 3, forces which occur owing to the pressure of the gas in the gas tank 1000 can be transmitted in the region of the fusible link 1000 from the latter to the wall of the gas tank 1000. This results in the abovedescribed and desired separation of strength and sealing effect. Relatively high tensile or shear stresses in the fusible material, which could cause the fusible link to lose its sealing effect or to fall out owing to long-term plastic deformation, can consequently be prevented.

[0038] A method for assembling and installing the fusible link 1000 in the through opening 4 of the gas tank 1000 is now explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3. Within the scope of the method, the guide sleeve 2 is first provided. Then the fusible material 3a is applied to the guide sleeve 2 in order to produce the fusible sheath 3. The thin end of the tension rod 1 is then introduced into the guide sleeve 2. After this, the combined components consisting of the tension rod 1, the guide sleeve 2, and the fusible sheath 3, as shown in FIG. 1, is introduced into the through opening 4 from the surroundings 6 of the gas tank 1000 toward the internal volume 5 of the gas tank 1000. As soon as these combined components are situated in the through opening 4, the tension rod 1 is displaced or pulled toward the surroundings 6, or in the direction in which the tapered section 1a tapers, i.e. to the right in the drawings, and consequently pressed into the guide sleeve 2. As a result, the predetermined breaking sections 2b break and the fusible material 3a in the fusible sheath 3 and/or in the guide sleeve 2 can penetrate into the fluid guide ducts 2a such that the latter are closed fluid-tightly. In other words, by virtue of this step, the gas tank 1000 is sealed with respect to the surroundings 6 in the region of the through opening 4. A counter-pressure is hereby applied from outside, i.e. the surroundings 6, to the guide sleeve 2 and the fusible sheath 3 such that they remain positioned in the through opening 4 at the desired position. Finally, the protruding tip of the tension rod 1 can be cut off.

[0039] The invention permits further design principles in addition to the embodiments shown. The invention should therefore not be considered to be limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings.