Gas accumulator

Details Gas accumulator Gas accumulator

2000-05-09

2001-10-30

Spitzer, Robert H. (Department: 1724)

Gas separation: apparatus

Solid sorbent apparatus

C095S116000, C095S901000, C096S153000, C055S527000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06309449

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gas accumulator for storing pressurized gas, which gas accumulator has a sealed vessel. The sealed vessel is provided with at least one valve-actuated feedline and outlet line for the pressurized gas and with a particulate packing of carbon nanostructures.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In particular, the storage of hydrogen in conventional pressurized vessels poses great difficulties if, with respect to the vessel volume, a packing density as high as possible is to be achieved. It is generally known that gas accumulators, in which hydride-forming metal alloys in finely divided form are packed have a particularly high storage capacity. However, these gas accumulators have considerable disadvantages, in particular because of their high overall weight.
Recently, proposals have become known to use, for storing gases, in particular hydrogen, what are termed carbon nanostructures which have chemisorbing properties. One such proposal can be taken from WO 97/26082, the disclosure of which to this extent is incorporated by reference into the description of the present invention. It is mentioned there that, depending on the temperature and pressure, up to 24 liters of hydrogen can be stored per gram of the carbon nanostructure material used. With regard to the technical form of the gas accumulator, it is merely stated that the vessel is provided with a hydrogen storage bed. No information is given on the packing density of the nanostructure material.
In many applications in which stored hydrogen is to be used, it is of importance to be able to store as large a gas quantity as possible, with the smallest possible storage volume and storage weight of the gas accumulator (highest possible specific storage capacity). This requirement applies especially to mobile applications, that is to say for instance in the case of hydrogen tanks for vehicles which are operated by fuel cells. Therefore, there is a requirement for increasing further the previously attainable storage capacity of gas accumulators for pressurized gases, in particular hydrogen.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is therefore to develop a gas accumulator of the type mentioned at the outset to the extent that its specific storage capacity is significantly increased.
This object is achieved by a gas accumulator of the type mentioned at the outset in which, according to the invention, the particles of the carbon nanostructures are compacted to form larger coherent conglomerates having an apparent density which is increased in comparison with the apparent density of the originally loose particles.
The basic concept of the present invention may be regarded as being that the storage capacity for the pressurized gas is increased in the gas accumulator by the storage mass which consists of carbon nanostructures by introducing more nanostructure material into the preset storage volume of the gas accumulator than was previously possible by simple packing of the originally prepared carbon particles having nanostructure. This is achieved by the original particles of the carbon nanostructures, as result from the production process, being compacted to give larger coherent conglomerates, so that for this conglomerate an apparent density (that is to say the weight based on the volume of the conglomerate) is produced which is significantly higher than the apparent density of the originally produced loose particles having nanostructure.
As result, the gas accumulator according to the invention is useable both for stationary and for mobile applications. In particular, the gas accumulator according to the invention is suitable for storing gaseous fuels, for example hydrogen or the like.


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