TANK FOR FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS AND GASES

Abstract

A tank for flammable liquids and gases for use as a fuel reservoir of a vehicle, contains a tank container, which is equipped with a plurality of thermal pressure relief valves in the event of potential fire. The tank container is equipped on its outer side with a fire protection lining which is adapted in terms of its contour to an enveloping surface of the tank container.

Claims

1-9. (canceled)

10. A tank for flammable liquids and gases for use as a fuel reservoir of a vehicle, the tank comprising: a tank container equipped with a plurality of thermal pressure relief valves for a possible case of fire, said tank container having an outer side equipped with fire protection cladding being adapted in terms of its contour to an enveloping surface of said tank container.

11. The tank according to claim 10, wherein said fire protection cladding is formed from steel or aluminum plates which are equipped with a fire protection coating or temperature-resistant thermal insulation materials and have a predefined fire resistance.

12. The tank according to claim 10, wherein said fire protection cladding is formed from glass-fiber-reinforced plastics plates which have a predefined fire resistance.

13. The tank according to claim 10, further comprising a tank outlet valve, at least one of said thermal pressure relief valves is integrated into said tank outlet valve.

14. The tank according to claim 10, wherein said tank container has a rectangular base, two mutually opposite end sides, and a middle part, disposed between said end sides, said middle part is free from said thermal pressure relief valves and said middle part of said tank container is occupied exclusively by said fire protection cladding.

15. The tank according to claim 10, wherein said fire protection cladding has a cutout formed therein at at least one predetermined position, and one of said thermal pressure relief valves is disposed at the at least one predetermined position.

16. The tank according to claim 15, wherein: said tank container has a rectangular base and two mutually opposite end sides, wherein one of said mutually opposite end sides of said tank container is free from said thermal pressure relief valves and occupied by said fire protection cladding, said tank container further having a middle part, disposed between said end sides, and is occupied by said fire protection cladding; and in said middle part, one of said thermal pressure relief valves is disposed in said cutout in said fire protection cladding.

17. The tank according to claim 15, wherein the at least one predetermined position of said cutout is determined by fire simulation calculations.

18. The tank according to claim 10, wherein said tank container is of multipart construction and has a plurality of tank cylinders of identical length which are disposed parallel to one another and said tank cylinders having end sides which are disposed in a common plane.

Description

[0022] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a schematic, perspective view of a tank container without cladding,

[0024] FIG. 2 shows a schematic plan view of a tank for flammable liquids or gases in a first embodiment, and

[0025] FIG. 3 shows a schematic plan view of a tank for flammable liquids or gases in a second embodiment.

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a tank container 1 which, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, is constructed from four tank cylinders 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D arranged parallel to one another.

[0027] In this case, the two inner tank cylinders 2B, 2C have a greater diameter than the outer tank cylinders 2A, 2D.

[0028] The tank cylinders 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D are mounted in a tank rack 3, such that the tank rack 3 serves as a carrying frame for the tank cylinders 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D.

[0029] The tank container 1 has a rectangular base. At respective corners of this base, the tank rack 3 is equipped with retaining tabs 4 which allow the tank rack 3 to be, for example, screw-fastened to a roof of a vehicle, in particular rail vehicle.

[0030] The tank container 1 has two mutually opposite end sides 5 which are each defined by the end sides, lying in a common plane, of the tank cylinders 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D. At one end side 5 of the tank container 1, the end sides of the tank cylinders 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D are equipped with outlet valves 6.

[0031] Thermal relief valves (TPRD) are integrated into the tank outlet valves 6.

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a tank for flammable liquids and/or gases which is equipped with the tank container 1 for use as a fuel reservoir of a vehicle. It is apparent that that part of the tank container 1 which is located between the end sides 5 is equipped from the outside with a fire protection cladding 7. The fire protection cladding 7 may be fastened to the tank rack 3 for example by means of screw, rivet or welded connections. The fire protection cladding 7 may be formed from steel or aluminum plates which are equipped with a fire protection coating or temperature-resistant thermal materials and have a predefined fire resistance. As an alternative thereto, it is possible for the fire protection cladding to be formed from glass-fiber-reinforced plastics plates which have a predefined fire resistance. The manner in which a respective fire resistance and the used thermal insulation materials should be provided is dependent on for example the period of time for which, and in which fire scenario, they are intended to prevent bursting of the tank 1.

[0033] A bottom side of the tank 1 facing a vehicle roof is also equipped with the fire protection cladding 7. This measure can be adopted merely as required, in order to ensure fire protection properties to be achieved.

[0034] In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, both end sides 5 are equipped with tank outlet valves 6, into which thermal pressure development valves are integrated. In this exemplary embodiment, it is possible to dispense with any thermal pressure relief valves in the region of the tank 1 between the end sides 5, these valves being required in the prior art. In the example, a total of eight thermal pressure development valves are required.

[0035] FIG. 3 shows a further exemplary embodiment for a tank for flammable liquids and gases for use as a fuel reservoir of a vehicle, said tank differing from the one in FIG. 2 solely by the positioning of the fire protection cladding 7 and of some of the thermal pressure relief valves. The tank container 1 corresponds to the one which has been explained on the basis of FIG. 1. In the embodiment according to FIG. 3, only one of the two end sides 5 is equipped with thermal pressure relief valves, i.e. there are four thermal pressure relief valves on this end side 5, one for each of the tank cylinders 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D. In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 3, the fire protection cladding 7 also covers the end side 5 which is not equipped with thermal pressure relief valves.

[0036] In addition, the fire protection cladding 7 has a respective cutout 8 at two predetermined positions, such that the fire protection cladding 7 is pierced in the region of the cutouts 8. The cutouts 8 are arranged mirror-symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal central plane of the tank container 1 in each case at the lateral edge of the tank container 1, specifically at that end of the tank container 1 which lies opposite the end face 5 equipped with the thermal pressure relief valves.

[0037] In the embodiment in FIG. 3, a bottom side of the tank 1 is also provided with the fire protection cladding 7.

[0038] It should be emphasized that the fire protection cladding 7 can readily be of multipart design, i.e. is composed from multiple individual plate-like elements.