OVOID SHAPED FUEL STORAGE TANK
A fuel cell powered vehicle is disclosed having a fuel storage tank, wherein the fuel tank is disposed on an undercarriage of the vehicle and has a substantially ovoid shape to militate against interference with a function of a suspension system of the vehicle.
1 . A fuel tank comprising:
an outer wall forming a cavity for housing a compressed fuel;
a first portion having a first volume;
a second portion having a second volume substantially equal to the first volume; and
a third portion disposed between said first portion and said second portion and having a volume greater than the volume of each of said first portion and said second portion, the fuel tank adapted to be disposed on an undercarriage of a fuel cell powered vehicle and minimize an interference with a suspension system of the vehicle.
2 . The fuel tank of claim 1 , wherein said outer wall has a substantially ovoid shape.
3 . The fuel tank of claim 2 , wherein said outer wall has one of pointed ends and rounded ends.
4 . The fuel tank of claim 1 , wherein the fuel is a liquid.
5 . The fuel tank of claim 1 , wherein the compressed fuel is a compressed gas.
6 . The fuel tank of claim 1 , wherein the compressed fuel is hydrogen.
7 . The fuel tank of claim 1 , wherein the outer wall is formed from one of a plastic, a composite, and a metal.
8 . A fuel tank comprising:
a substantially ovoid shaped outer wall, said outer wall forming a cavity for housing a compressed fuel, the fuel tank adapted to be disposed on a fuel cell powered vehicle and minimize an interference with a suspension system of the vehicle.
9 . The fuel tank of claim 8 , wherein the outer wall has a substantially ovoid cross-sectional shape with one of a rounded and a pointed end.
10 . The fuel tank of claim 9 , wherein said outer wall has one of pointed ends and rounded ends.
11 . The fuel tank of claim 8 , wherein the fuel is a liquid.
12 . The fuel tank of claim 8 , wherein the compressed fuel is a compressed gas.
13 . The fuel tank of claim 8 , wherein the compressed fuel is hydrogen.
14 . The fuel tank of claim 8 , wherein the outer wall is formed from one of a plastic, a composite, and a metal.
15 . A fuel cell propulsion system comprising:
Fuel cell system, including a stack which includes a plurality of fuel cell plates; and
a fuel tank having an outer wall forming a cavity for housing a compressed fuel, the outer wall having a first portion having a first volume, a second portion having a second volume substantially equal to the first volume, and a third portion disposed between said first portion and said second portion and having a volume greater than the volume of each of said first portion and said second portion, the fuel tank adapted to be disposed on an undercarriage of a fuel cell powered vehicle and minimize an interference with a suspension system of the vehicle.
16 . The fuel cell propulsion system of claim 15 , wherein the outer wall has a substantially ovoid cross-sectional shape having rounded ends.
17 . The fuel cell propulsion system of claim 16 , wherein said outer wall has one of pointed ends and rounded ends.
18 . The fuel cell propulsion system of claim 15 , wherein the outer wall has a substantially ovoid cross-sectional shape having pointed ends.
19 . The fuel cell propulsion system of claim 15 , wherein the fuel is a liquid.
20 . The fuel cell propulsion system of claim 15 , wherein the outer wall is formed from one of a plastic, a composite, and a metal.