THERMAL PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICE (TPRD), GAS PRESSURE TANK AND GAS PRESSURE TANK SYSTEM COMPRISING TPRD AND METHOD FOR THERMAL EXCESS PRESSURE PROTECTION

20230235830

18/001226

June 10, 2021

The present disclosure relates to a thermal pressure relief device for gas pressure tanks and/or gas pressure tank systems, comprising: a valve unit which can be fluidically connected to the gas pressure tank and/or the gas pressure tank system and comprises at least one fluid path, by means of which the gas pressure tank and/or the gas pressure tank system can be drained, in particular a gas stored under high pressure in the gas pressure tank and/or the gas pressure tank system can be discharged into an environment, wherein the valve unit comprises a locking element which can be shifted and/or moved between an open position, in which the gas can flow through the fluid path, and a closed position, in which no gas can flow through the fluid path, and a first trigger means configured to shift and/or move, due to heat impact, in particular when reaching a predetermined temperature, the locking element into the open position and/or to enable the locking element to shift and/or move into the open position, wherein the first trigger means is further configured to detect the heat impact at least at one further location of the gas pressure tank and/or the gas pressure tank system, which is not the installation location of the thermal pressure relief device, and/or to detect the heat impact at least at two spatially separated locations and/or areas, in particular of the gas pressure tank and/or the gas pressure tank system.

1. A thermal pressure relief device for gas pressure tanks and/or gas pressure tank systems, comprising: a valve unit which can be fluidically connected to a gas pressure tank and/or a gas pressure tank system and comprises at least one fluid path, by means of which the gas pressure tank and/or the gas pressure tank system can be drained, in particular a gas stored under pressure in the gas pressure tank and/or the gas pressure tank system can be discharged into an environment, wherein the valve unit comprises a locking element which can be shifted and/or moved between an open position, in which the gas can flow through the fluid path, and a closed position, in which no gas can flow through the fluid path, and a first trigger means configured to shift and/or move, due to heat impact, in particular when reaching a predetermined temperature, the locking element into the open position and/or to enable the locking element to shift and/or move into the open position, wherein the first trigger means is further configured to be able to detect heat impact at least at one further location of the gas pressure tank and/or the gas pressure tank system, which is not the installation location of the thermal pressure relief device, and/or to be able to detect heat impact at least at two spatially separated locations and/or areas, in particular of the gas pressure tank and/or the gas pressure tank system and/or a vehicle in which the thermal pressure relief device is installed.

2. The thermal pressure relief device according to claim 1, in which the thermal pressure relief device is configured in the form of an on-tank valve for being attached to the gas pressure tank, in particular a hydrogen tank, which is preferably configured to supply a fuel cell system with fuel, in particular gaseous hydrogen.

3. The thermal pressure relief device according to claim 2, further comprising a connecting piece configured such that it can be screwed into the gas pressure tank-P in particular a connecting piece of the gas pressure tank.

4. The thermal pressure relief device according to claim 1, wherein the locking element is configured as a set piston movably mounted in the valve unit transversely to the fluid path, in particular perpendicularly to the fluid path.

5. The thermal pressure relief device according to claim 4, wherein the set piston has an elongated cylindrical piston body, on the outer circumference of which three sealing members are provided spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the piston body, whereby in the installed state two chambers separated from each other in a gas-tight manner are formed in the valve unit.

6. The thermal pressure relief device according to claim 5, wherein in the closed position of the set piston the first chamber is fluidically connected to the fluid path and closes it, in the open position of the set piston the second chamber is fluidically connected to the fluid path and connects it to a relief port via a fluid pipe.

7. The thermal pressure relief device according to claim 6, wherein the size of the second chamber is increased by a groove radially circumventing on the outer circumference of the piston body.

8. The thermal pressure relief device according to claim 1, wherein the locking element is configured as a locking piston mounted in the valve unit so as to be movable in the direction of the fluid path and/or the outflow direction of the gas, in particular within the fluid path.

9. The thermal pressure relief device according to claim 8, wherein the locking piston in the closed position closes a laterally disposed fluid pipe and in the open position releases it, whereby the fluid path is fluidically connected to the fluid pipe and thus fluidically connected to a relief port.

10. The thermal pressure relief device according to claim 1, further comprising a second trigger means integrated into the valve unit and connected in parallel or in series to the first trigger means.

11. The thermal pressure relief device according to claim 1, in which the first trigger means and/or a second trigger means is configured in the form of a glass ampoule configured such that it bursts or breaks when reaching the predetermined temperature.

12. The thermal pressure relief device according to claim 1, in which the first trigger means is configured in the form of a test track which is under a predetermined pressure, so that the locking element, by application of this pressure, remains in the closed position until the pressure in the test track, due to the heat impact, in particular at the at least one further location, drops, in particular below a predetermined trigger pressure.

13. The thermal pressure relief device according to claim 11, wherein the test track is configured in the form of a hose, in particular a rubber hose, and/or a pipe, in particular a steel pipe, which is filled with a liquid and/or a gas, in particular water, that is under sufficiently high pressure, so that the locking element remains in the closed position until the pressure in the hose and/or the pipe drops due to heat impact, in particular on a detection element.

14. The thermal pressure relief device according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the test track comprises a detection element, in particular an opening element, which is configured by: the hose itself which at least partially fuses when reaching the predetermined temperature, selective weak points in the hose which fuse when reaching the predetermined temperature, sealing plugs which are inserted into the hose and/or the pipe and which fuse when reaching the predetermined temperature, and/or glass ampoules which burst or break when reaching the predetermined temperature and open an opening in the hose or in the pipe.

15. The thermal pressure relief device according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the detection element(s) at the gas pressure tank and/or at the gas pressure tank system and/or in a vehicle in which the thermal pressure relief device is installed is/are positioned at particularly vulnerable locations.

16. The thermal pressure relief device according to claim 1, in which the first trigger means is configured in the form of a test track filled with a medium, in particular with a liquid and/or a gas, the pressure of which, due to heat impact, reaches a value when reaching the predetermined temperature, which is sufficient to shift and/or move the locking element into the open position.

17. The thermal pressure relief device according to claim 16, wherein the test track is configured in the form of a hose, in particular a rubber hose, and/or a pipe, in particular a steel pipe, which is filled with a liquid which preferably has a low boiling point and which begins to boil when reaching the predetermined temperature, whereby the pressure in the hose or the pipe rises above a predetermined pressure, so that the locking element can be shifted and/or moved into the open position, in particular irreversibly.

18. The thermal pressure relief device according to claim 16, wherein the liquid accommodated in the hose and/or the pipe is water, ethanol, methanol, ethanol mixtures, methanol mixtures, and the like.

19. The thermal pressure relief device according to claim 1, wherein the locking element can additionally be actuated electrically and/or electronically, in particular by means of a heating wire and/or a microwave transmitter which can subject the first and/or the second trigger means to heat impact.

20. The thermal pressure relief device according to claim 1, further comprising a communication device, in particular a wireless communication device using infrared, radio, Bluetooth or WLAN, which is configured to receive control commands from external users, such as an external controller/main controller of a vehicle, an emergency control system that can be operated by the fire department, the police or other emergency responders, in particular for actuating the first and/or the second trigger means.

21. The thermal pressure relief device according to claim 1, further comprising an orientation detection device configured to detect in space the absolute geometric orientation of the valve unit in particular of at least one gas pressure tank connected to the valve unit, wherein the orientation detection device comprises at least one sensor selected from the group of: accelerometer, gyroscope and terrestrial magnetic field sensor.

22. The thermal pressure relief device according to claim 21, wherein the thermal pressure relief device, in particular a control device integrated into it, is configured to select, based on an orientation of the valve unit determined by the orientation detection device, a relief port, by means of which a draining of the connected gas pressure tank and/or the connected gas pressure tank system in a predetermined, in particular secured, spatial direction is possible.

23. A gas pressure tank comprising a connecting piece into which a thermal pressure relief device according to claim 1 is incorporated.

24. The gas pressure tank according to claim 23, which is a hollow body formed of a multi-layer laminate, into which the connecting piece is incorporated, and into the hollow body of which the hose and/or liquid pockets connected to the hose and/or the pipe are preferably incorporated.

25. A gas pressure tank system for storing fuel, in particular gaseous hydrogen, which is preferably configured to supply a fuel cell system with fuel, in particular gaseous hydrogen, comprising: at least one gas pressure tank, preferably the gas pressure tank according to claim 23, and the thermal pressure relief device, preferably the thermal pressure relief device according to claim 23.

26. A method for thermal excess pressure protection for gas pressure tanks and/or gas pressure tank systems by means of a thermal pressure relief device, in particular the thermal pressure relief device according to claim 1, comprising: opening of a fluid path, by means of which a gas pressure tank and/or a gas pressure tank system can be drained when reaching a predetermined temperature due to heat impact, in particular external heat impact, wherein heat impact can be detected for opening the fluid path at least at one further location of the gas pressure tank and/or the gas pressure tank system and/or a vehicle in which the thermal pressure relief device is installed, which is not an installation location of the thermal pressure relief device and/or heat impact can be detected for opening the fluid path at least at two spatially separated locations, in particular of the gas pressure tank and/or the gas pressure tank system and/or a vehicle in which the thermal pressure relief device is installed.

27. The method for thermal excess pressure protection according to claim 26, wherein the fluid path in an unactuated and/or untriggered state is closed by means of a locking element which can be actively or passively shifted and/or moved from a closed position, in which no gas can flow through the fluid path, into an open position, in which gas can flow through the fluid path.

28. The method for thermal excess pressure protection according to claim 26, wherein due to the heat impact, in particular when reaching the predetermined temperature, a first trigger means shifts and/or moves the locking element into the open position and/or enables the locking element to shift and/or move into the open position.

29. The method for thermal excess pressure protection according to claim 28, wherein the first trigger means is configured in the form of a test track which in the unactuated or untriggered state is under a predetermined pressure and exerts this pressure on the locking element such that the latter remains in the closed position until the pressure in the test track, under heat impact, in particular external heat impact, drops, in particular below a predetermined trigger pressure, whereby the first trigger means releases the locking element and the latter is shifted and/or moved into the open position.

16; 17

edspap.20230235830