Container for gas storage tanks in a vehicle
View Patent ↗A container for gas storage tanks in a vehicle is disclosed as part of a fuel storage system. The container is dimensioned to include one or more storage tanks along with a flow control device, such as a pressure regulator or automatic valve. The container does not form a fluid-tight containment around the storage tank and includes one or more ventilation openings to allow a gas within the container to be vented therefrom. There is also one or more drain openings in the container to allow liquid within the container to be drained therefrom.
1. A fuel storage system for a vehicle, the fuel storage system comprising:
a case formed by at least two components, said components defining an interior of said case, said interior including at least one cavity;
at least one pressurized storage tank positioned in a major cavity of said interior of said case;
a flow control device in said major cavity of said interior of said case along with said at least one storage tank with said flow control device adjacent said at least one storage tank without an intervening wall or structural member therebetween, said flow control device including at least one of a pressure regulator attached to said at least one storage tank and operable to regulate a pressure of fuel supplied by said at least one storage tank and an automatically controlled valve operable to selectively allow a fuel flow from said at least one storage tank to an exterior of said case; and
a fuel line attached to said flow control device and operable to supply fuel from said at least one storage tank, said fuel line extending from said flow control device to an exterior of said case.
2. The fuel storage system of claim 1 , wherein a portion of said interior of said case is filled with a foam material.
3. The fuel storage system of claim 2 , wherein said foam material is configured to be complementary to an exterior of said at least one storage tank and said at least one storage tank is at least partially supported in said case by said foam material.
4. The fuel storage system of claim 2 , wherein said foam material is a closed cell foam.
5. The fuel storage system of claim 1 , wherein said case is adapted to be attached to an undercarriage of a vehicle.
6. The fuel storage system of claim 1 , wherein said at least one storage tank comprises at least two storage tanks.
7. The fuel storage system of claim 1 , wherein said at least one storage tank is cylindrical in shape.
8. The fuel storage system of claim 1 , wherein said case has at least one ventilation opening.
9. The fuel storage system of claim 1 , wherein said case has at least one drain opening that communicates with said interior and with an exterior of said case to allow fluid in said interior to drain from said case.
10. The fuel storage system of claim 8 , wherein said at least one ventilation opening is located on a top portion of said case directly above said at least one storage tank.
11. The fuel storage system of claim 8 , wherein said at least one ventilation opening comprises a plurality of ventilation openings in said case.
12. The fuel storage system of claim 8 , wherein said at least one ventilation opening is always open.
13. The fuel storage system of claim 9 , wherein a drain opening is disposed beneath each storage tank in said case.
14. The fuel storage system of claim 2 , wherein said foam material surrounds a majority portion of said at least one tank.
15. The fuel storage system of claim 1 , wherein an exterior of said case is formed entirely by two components releasably attached together.
16. A vehicle including the fuel storage system according to claim 1 .
17. The vehicle of claim 16 , further comprising a fuel storage system operable to store and supply said fuel from said fuel storage system according to claim 1 .
18. A fuel storage system for a vehicle, the fuel storage system comprising:
a case having an exterior entirely formed by two components releasably attached together and defining an interior;
at least one pressurized storage tank positioned in said interior of said case;
a fuel line communicating with said storage tank and extending to an exterior of said case;
at least one ventilation opening in a top of said case directly above said at least one storage tank, said opening operable to vent a fluid from said interior of said case; and
a flow control device in said interior attached to said at least one storage tank, said flow control device adjacent said at least one storage tank without an intervening wall or structural member therebetween, said flow control device including at least one of a pressure regulator attached to said at least one storage tank and operable to regulate a pressure of fuel supplied by said at least one storage tank and an automatically controlled valve operable to selectively allow a fuel flow from said at least one storage tank to an exterior of case.
19. The fuel storage system of claim 18 , wherein said at least one ventilation opening comprises a plurality of ventilation openings in said case.
20. The fuel storage system of claim 18 , wherein said ventilation opening is always open.
21. The fuel storage system of claim 18 , further comprising at least one drain opening in said case communicating with said interior and with an exterior of said case, said at least one drain opening operable to allow a fluid to drain from said interior of said case.
22. The fuel storage system of claim 21 , wherein said drain opening is always open.
23. The fuel storage system of claim 21 , wherein a drain opening is disposed beneath each storage tank in said case.
24. The fuel storage system of claim 18 , wherein said interior is a single cavity within which said at least storage tank and said flow control device are located.
25. The fuel storage system of claim 24 , wherein said flow control device is adjacent said at least one storage tank in said cavity without a wall or other intervening partition therebetween.
26. A fuel storage system for a vehicle, the fuel storage system comprising:
a case having a single interior cavity formed entirely by two components releasably attached together, said two components substantially defining an entire exterior of said case;
at least one pressurized storage tank positioned in said interior cavity;
a flow control device in said interior cavity and attached to said at least one storage tank, said flow control device including at least one of a pressure regulator attached to said at least one storage tank and operable to regulate a pressure of fuel supplied by said at least one storage tank and an automatically controlled valve operable to selectively allow a fuel flow from said at least one storage tank to an exterior of said case; and
a fuel line attached to said flow control device and operable to supply fuel from said at least one storage tank, said fuel line extending from said flow control device to an exterior of said case.
27. The fuel storage system of claim 26 , wherein said flow control device is adjacent said at least one storage tank in said interior cavity without any structural member therebetween.