In-vehicle liquid hydrogen tank and a method for manufacturing the same
AssigneeToyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorNaoaki Ito
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An in-vehicle liquid hydrogen tank includes: an inner tank that stores liquid hydrogen; an outer tank that accommodates the inner tank; and a heat-insulation material that is arranged in a heat-insulation clearance as a clearance between the inner tank and the outer tank and holds the inner tank to be separated from an inner surface of the outer tank. The heat-insulation clearance has: a vacuum area that is not filled with the heat-insulation material; and an area that is filled with the heat-insulation material and thus allows the inner tank to be surface-supported by the heat-insulation material.
Claims14
An in-vehicle liquid hydrogen tank, comprising:
- an inner tank configured to store liquid hydrogen;
- an outer tank that accommodates the inner tank;
- a heat-insulation material that is disposed in a heat-insulation clearance as a clearance between the inner tank and the outer tank and holds the inner tank to be separated from an inner surface of the outer tank;
- and
- a spacer that is partially arranged in the heat-insulation clearance, the spacer being configured to maintain a constant thickness of the heat-insulation clearance, wherein
- the heat-insulation clearance has:
- a vacuum area that is not filled with the heat-insulation material;
- and
- an area that is filled with the heat-insulation material and thus allows the inner tank to be surface-supported by the heat-insulation material,
- the heat-insulation material is accommodated in a sealed bag, and
- both inside of the sealed bag and the heat-insulation clearance are vacuum-suctioned.
A method for manufacturing an in-vehicle liquid hydrogen tank, the method comprising:
- accommodating a heat-insulation material, which includes a fiber material, in a sealed bag and then vacuum-suctioning inside of the sealed bag;
- and
- arranging, in an outer tank, an inner tank configured to store liquid hydrogen, arranging the sealed bag in a heat-insulation clearance as a clearance between the inner tank and the outer tank, and thereafter vacuum-suctioning the heat-insulation clearance, wherein the method further comprises:
- prior to the arranging of the sealed bag in the heat-insulation clearance, partially arranging a spacer in the heat-insulation clearance, the spacer being configured to maintain a constant thickness of the heat-insulation clearance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.