Shielding Device, Passenger Compartment, Motor Vehicle, and Shielding Method

Abstract

A shielding device of a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle for shielding an interior of the passenger compartment from a hydrogen tank in the motor vehicle includes a basic body. The basic body has a fiber-reinforced composite material with a hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating. The basic body is constructed as a wall or wall segment of the passenger compartment.

Claims

1. A shielding device of a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle for shielding an interior of the passenger compartment from a hydrogen tank in the motor vehicle, comprising: a basic body, wherein the basic body has a fiber-reinforced composite material with a hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating and is constructed as a wall or wall segment of the passenger compartment.

2. The shielding device according to claim 1, wherein the hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating has metallic pigments.

3. The shielding device according to claim 2, wherein the hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating has Cu and/or Al pigments.

4. The shielding device according to claim 3, wherein the metallic pigments have a plate-shaped or small-plate-shaped design.

5. The shielding device according to claim 4, wherein the hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating has a lacquer that binds metallic pigments.

6. The shielding device according to claim 5, wherein the shielding device is constructed as a floor wall or a floor wall segment of the passenger compartment.

7. The shielding device according to claim 6, wherein a protective coating is arranged on the hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating, the protective coating having a higher chemical and/or physical resistance than the hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating.

8. A passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, comprising: at least one exterior wall that separates the passenger compartment from an environment of the passenger compartment, wherein an exterior wall is constructed at least partly as a shielding device according to claim 7.

9. A motor vehicle having a hydrogen tank and a passenger compartment, wherein the passenger compartment is constructed like the passenger compartment according to claim 8.

10. A method of shielding an interior of a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle from a hydrogen tank in the motor vehicle, the method comprising the acts of: providing a passenger compartment having at least one exterior wall, the at least one exterior wall having a basic body, the basic body having a fiber-reinforced composite material, and being arranged between the interior and a receiving device for a hydrogen tank; and applying a hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating to the basic body.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the hydrogen permeation-inhibiting coating has metallic pigments.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein a protecting coating is applied to the hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating, the protecting coating having a higher chemical and/or physical resistance than the hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] FIG. 1 is a schematic lateral view of a passenger compartment having the inventive shielding device;

[0039] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an enlarged detail of the inventive shielding device of FIG. 2; and

[0040] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a flow chart of the inventive method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] FIG. 1 is a lateral view of a passenger compartment 2 having hydrogen tank 11 arranged below the latter on receiving device 12, which hydrogen tank 11 in this example extends essentially along an entire length of the passenger compartment 2.

[0042] The passenger compartment 2 has an interior 3 which is surrounded by exterior walls 10 and is therefore protected from outside influences, for example, rain and wind. A bottom exterior wall 10 is constructed as a floor wall 8, in this embodiment, the entire floor wall 8 being constructed as a shielding device 1. This is advantageous because the hydrogen tank 11 extends at least essentially along the entire length of the floor wall 8.

[0043] The shielding device 1 has a basic body 4 having a hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating 5, which is arranged between the hydrogen tank 11 and the basic body. Hydrogen escaping from the hydrogen tank 11 is thereby prevented by the hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating 5 of the shielding device 1 from penetrating into the interior 3 of the passenger compartment 2 by way of the floor wall 8.

[0044] The shielding device 1 may have an optional protective coating 9, in which case the hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating 5 is arranged between the protective coating 9 and the basic body 4. The protective coating 9 protects the hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating 5, for example, from erosion.

[0045] FIG. 2 illustrates an enlarged detail of the shielding device 1 as well as of the hydrogen tank 11 from FIG. 1. FIG. 2 particularly illustrates that, in this embodiment, the hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating 5 has a lacquer 7, in which plate-shaped metallic pigments 6 are arranged. Such pigments 6 are particularly suitable for the inhibition of hydrogen permeation. The pigments 6 preferably form a continuous or essentially continuous layer, because spaces between the pigments 6 cause a poorer inhibition of the hydrogen permeation than the pigments 6. Such an arrangement therefore promotes an efficient shielding of the basic body 4 from hydrogen. A protective coating 9 is applied to the hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating 5.

[0046] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of as flow chart of the inventive method. In a first process step 100, a passenger compartment 2 having at least one exterior wall 10 is provided, the at least one exterior wall 10 having a basic body 4. In an arrangement of the passenger compartment 2 and the hydrogen tank 11 according to FIG. 1, the at least one exterior wall 10 is constructed as a floor wall 8. The basic body 4 has a fiber-reinforced composite material and is arranged between the interior 3 and a receiving device 12 for the hydrogen tank 11.

[0047] In a second process step 200, a hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating 5 is applied to the basic body 4. In this case, it is advantageous for the hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating 5 to also be applied to corners, edges and/or undercuts of the basic body 4, in order to achieve a shielding of the basic body 4 from hydrogen, that is as effective as possible.

[0048] In a third process step 300, a protective coating 9 is applied to the hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating 5. The protective coating 9 has a higher chemical and/or physical resistance than the hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating 5. As a result, the hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating 5 is protected from outside influences. This protective coating 9 is optional.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0049] 1 Shielding device [0050] 2 Passenger compartment [0051] 3 Interior [0052] 4 Basic body [0053] 5 Hydrogen-permeation-inhibiting coating [0054] 6 Pigment [0055] 7 Lacquer [0056] 8 Floor wall [0057] 9 Protective coating [0058] 10 Exterior wall [0059] 11 Hydrogen tank [0060] 12 Receiving device [0061] U Environment [0062] 100 First process step [0063] 200 Second process step [0064] 300 Third process step

[0065] The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the embodiments of the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the embodiments of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the embodiments of the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.