| JP04352698 | TANK LORRY |
| JP58191643 | TRANSPORTING VEHICLE FOR DANGEROUS PARTICULATE MATERIAL |
| JP2002053199 | TANK TRUCK |
KAM, Jae hoon (504 Na-dong, Namyang Town Apt943-8, Dadae 1-dong, Saha-gu, Busan 604-823, KR)
SHIN, Won heaop (305 Ga-dong, Namyang Town Apt943-8, Dadae 1-dong, Saha-gu, Busan 604-823, KR)
KAM, Jae hoon (504 Na-dong, Namyang Town Apt943-8, Dadae 1-dong, Saha-gu, Busan 604-823, KR)
| Claims [1] A CNG tube trailer of the type in which it is constituted of a plurality of CNG tubes 13 to be charged with Compressed Natural Gas and a skid case 12 of which the plurality of CNG tubes 13 are installed therein, the improvement comprising: a refrigeration system for maintaining an internal air of the skid case 12 at a low temperature so as to enhance a charging efficiency of the CNG tube, the refrigeration system being installed at a one side of the skid case 12. [2] The CNG tube as claimed in claim 1, wherein the refrigeration system comprises a cold wind cooling unit 110 having an air conditioner type, which supplies an interior of the skid case 12 with a cool air by using a fan after creating the cool air by circulating a refrigerant. [3] The CNG tube as claimed in claim 1, wherein the refrigeration system comprises a cool air cooling unit 210 of the type in which it is constituted of a refrigerant circulation tube 213, the refrigerant circulation tube 213 being installed around the CNG tube 13, and a cooler main body 211 for generating the cool air from the refrigerant circulation tube 213 by circulating the refrigerant there through. |
Technical Field
[1] The present invention relates generally to a CNG tube trailer capable of providing for superior charging efficiency of the CNG tube as compared to previously known CNG tube trailer of the type in which the CNG tube is filled with CNG under a relatively high pressure, by installing a refrigeration system at a one side in the skid case of which a plurality of CNG tubes are disposed therein so as to maintain an internal air of the skid case at a low temperature. Background Art
[2] Recently, the diffusion rate of Natural Gas Vehicles is low by reason of a charging station for Compressed Natural Gas is not sufficient and there has been a substantial increase in the time and expense needed for the construction of the charging station and high pressure gas pipelines must run in the vicinity of a residential area. CNG tube trailer is one of the well-known special vehicles developed to solve these problems. In the CNG tube trailer, a plurality of tubes for storing CNG are fixed in a skid case and a safety valve is mounted to a front side of the skid case. Furthermore, a manifold for charging CNG is mounted to a rear side of the skid case. This skid case is mounted onto a chassis, which is positioned above trailer wheels. Due to this structure, the conventional CNG tube trailer can function to store CNG therein, to transfer it to a position for service and to charge a Natural Gas Vehicle with CNG.
[3] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a CNG tube trailer according to the prior art.
[4] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the CNG tube trailer according to the prior art comprises a tractor 1 having a driver's seat; a chassis 11 of which a plurality of tractor wheels are mounted below, which it is commonly connected to a rear side of the tractor 1 and it is likely to be used for transportation of goods; a skid case 12 installed onto the chassis 11; a plurality of CNG tubes 13 for charging CNG therein, which is installed in the skid case 12 and is a cylindrical vessel having a total volume more than approximately l,000L; and a manifold 14 for connecting the plurality of CNG tubes 13 with each other, which can function to charge the CNG tube 13 with CNG and to discharge CNG filled in the CNG tube 13 to the outside.
[5] FIG. 3 is a front view of a skid case for the CNG tube trailer according to the prior art, with certain parts omitted and certain parts broken away for clarity; and FIGS. 4 and 5 are side views of the skid case as illustrated in FIG. 3.
[6] As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, a plurality of CNG tubes 13 are disposed in a skid case 12 of a CNG tube trailer 10 according to the prior art, which extend in a row direction. The CNG tubes 13 are connected with each other by means of the charging/ discharging means 20. The charging/discharging means 20 comprises a connecting line 21 extending between a rear end of one CNG tube 13 and a front end of another CNG tube 13 so as to connect the plurality of CNG tubes 13 together in series; a charging/ discharging port 22 to be connected with the CNG tube 13 among the CNG tubes 13, which is positioned at a starting point; and a compressor 23 to be connected with the CNG tube 13 among the CNG tubes 13, which is positioned at terminal point.
[7] The charging/discharging means 20 further comprises a condenser 24, a manifold 14, a manometer (not shown) and so on. See for example, Korean Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-2007-0037733, which discloses constitutional parts of the charging/ discharging means 20 as described above. It should be noted that, for the sake of clarity, the detailed description of the constitutional parts of the charging/discharging means 20 will be omitted.
[8] In the CNG tube trailer 10 according to the prior art, CNG may be charged into the
CNG tube 13 through the charging/discharging port 22. When the CNG tube trailer 10 is in a point in which a Natural Gas Vehicle gets ready to charge CNG therein, it can supply the Natural Gas Vehicle with CNG after connecting the charging/discharging port 22 of the CNG tube trailer 10 to a fuel port of the Natural Gas Vehicle.
[9] Because the CNG is one of the well-known gases, it may expand at a high temperature and may be constricted at a low temperature. Due to this characteristic of gas, the charging quantity of CNG to be charged into the CNG tube 13 is changeable in accordance with surrounding environment.
[10] In other words, if an internal temperature of the skid case 12 is increased due to the temperature rise of the outside, the charging quantity of CNG to be charged into the CNG tube 13 decreases. On the contrary, if the internal temperature of the skid case 12 decreases due to a reduction in ambient temperature in winter, the charging quantity of CNG to be charged into the CNG tube 13 gets high. Consequently, a drawback of such known CNG tube trailer is that it is impossible to supply a consumer with CNG at a uniform quantity, thereby resulting in the dissatisfaction of charging the CNG tube 13 with CNG.
Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem
[11] In consideration of the above-mentioned disadvantages or inconveniences of the conventional midsole, an object of the present invention is to provide a CNG tube trailer capable of uniformly maintaining a charging quantity of CNG tube regardless of weather, which is capable of highly enhancing the charging quantity of the CNG to be charged into the CNG tube so that the store and transfer quantity of CNG per tube trailer can be maximized and thereby resulting in a considerable reduction in costs with at the same time a reduction in transfer time interval, by installing a refrigeration system at a one side in the skid case. Technical Solution
[12] In order to achieve the object, the present invention provides a CNG tube trailer of the type in which it is constituted of a plurality of CNG tubes to be charged with Compressed Natural Gas and a skid case of which the plurality of CNG tubes are installed therein, the improvement comprising:
[13] a refrigeration system for maintaining an internal air of the skid case at a low temperature so as to enhance a charging efficiency of the CNG tube, the refrigeration system being installed at a one side of the skid case.
[14] The refrigeration system comprises a cold wind cooling unit having an air conditioner type, which supplies an interior of the skid case with a cool air by using a fan after creating the cool air by circulating a refrigerant.
[15] Alternatively, the refrigeration system comprises a cool air cooling unit of the type in which it is constituted of a refrigerant circulation tube, the refrigerant circulation tube being installed around the CNG tube, and a cooler main body for generating the cool air from the refrigerant circulation tube by circulating the refrigerant there through.
Advantageous Effects
[16] As described above, in the CNG tube trailer according to the present invention, a refrigeration system is installed at a one side in the skid case of which a plurality of CNG tubes are disposed therein so as to maintain an internal air of the skid case at a low temperature. Due to this structure, it is possible to uniformly maintain a charging quantity of CNG tube regardless of weather so that the charging quantity of the CNG to be charged into the CNG tube gets high. More particularly, when if the CNG tube is filled with CNG under a low pressure during operation of a refrigeration system, it can accomplish approximately 240% enhancement of the charging efficiency in comparison with operation of the CNG tube trailer according to the prior art, which is filled with CNG under the high pressure without employing any refrigeration system. Since the CNG tube trailer according to the present invention can transfer CNG under a low pressure, it is possible to accomplish a stability of transportation. Because the CNG tube trailer according to the present invention can uniformly maintain the charging quantity of CNG regardless of weather, it allows for the uniform charging of CNG in a manner far more efficient than heretofore known and thereby resulting in a considerable reduction in costs. Brief Description of Drawings
[17] The above object and other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
[18] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a CNG tube trailer according to the prior art;
[19] FIG. 3 is a front view of a skid case for the CNG tube trailer according to the prior art, with certain parts omitted and certain parts broken away for clarity;
[20] FIGS. 4 and 5 are side views of the skid case as illustrated in FIG. 3;
[21] FIG. 6 is a front view of a skid case for the CNG tube trailer according to a preferred first embodiment of the present invention, with certain parts omitted and certain parts broken away for clarity;
[22] FIGS. 7 and 8 are side views of the skid case as illustrated in FIG. 6;
[23] FIG. 9 is a front view of a skid case for the CNG tube trailer according to a preferred second embodiment of the present invention, with certain parts omitted and certain parts broken away for clarity; and
[24] FIGS. 10 and 11 are side views of the skid case as illustrated in FIG. 9.
Mode for the Invention
[25] Hereinafter, the constitution and the operation of midsoles according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings FIGS. 6 to 11.
[26] Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the preferred embodiments according to the present invention, it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity and understanding of the invention identical components which have identical functions have been identified with identical reference numerals throughout the different views which are illustrated in each of the attached drawing Figures.
[27] FIG. 6 is a front view of a skid case for the CNG tube trailer according to a preferred first embodiment of the present invention, with chassis omitted and certain parts broken away for clarity. FIG. 7 is a left side view of the skid case as illustrated in FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 is a right side view of the skid case as illustrated in FIG. 6.
[28] Referring to FIGS. 6 to 8, a plurality of CNG tubes 13 are disposed in a skid case 12 of a CNG tube trailer 10 according to the preferred first embodiment of the present invention, which extend in a row direction. The CNG tubes 13 are connected with each other by means of a charging/discharging means 20. The charging/discharging means 20 comprises a connecting line 21 extending between a rear end of one CNG tube 13 and a front end of another CNG tube 13 so as to connect the plurality of CNG tubes 13 together in series; a charging/discharging port 22 to be connected with the CNG tube 13 among the CNG tubes 13, which is positioned at a starting point; and a compressor 23 to be connected with the CNG tube 13 among the CNG tubes 13, which is positioned at terminal point. [29] In the CNG tube trailer 100 according to the preferred first embodiment of the present invention, a cold wind cooling unit 110 having an air conditioner type is mounted to an inner upper side of the side case 12, which can be used for a conventional refrigeration truck. This cold wind cooling unit 110 can make the charging efficiency of the CNG tube 13 to be increased by maintaining an internal air of the skid case 12 at a low temperature.
[30] The cold wind cooling unit 110 can be constituted in the same manner as a conventional air conditioner for supplying a fan with the cold air after creating the cold air by circulating the refrigerant. In other words, the cold wind cooling unit 110 comprises a compressor, a condenser and a refrigerant circulation tube. Because the cold wind cooling unit 110 may be operated in the same manner as the conventional air conditioner, the detailed description of the operation will be omitted.
[31] The skid case 12 comprises a skid 12a that is the structure thereof, and an adiabatic case 12b made of a certain insulating material such as Styrofoam, which is enable to seal an internal space of the skid 12a so as to provide an insulating effect.
[32] In the CNG tube trailer 100 according to the preferred first embodiment of the present invention, since the cold wind cooling unit 110 is mounted to the inner upper side thereof, it is possible to make the internal space of the skid case 12 to be maintained under at a low temperature due to operation of the cold wind cooling unit 110 so that the CNG tube 13 installed in the skid case 12 can be filled with a larger quantity of CNG.
[33] An experimental study showed that it is possible to charge 2,730scm of CNG into the
CNG tube under the pressure of 250bar in the CNG tube trailer 10 according to the prior art. On the contrary, it is possible to charge 6,600scm of CNG into the CNG tube under the pressure of 125bar and the temperature of -30 in the CNG tube trailer 100 according to the present invention, and thereby resulting in improvement for the charging efficiency of 240%.
[34] FIG. 9 is a front view of a skid case for the CNG tube trailer according to a preferred second embodiment of the present invention, with certain parts omitted and certain parts broken away for clarity. FIG. 10 is a left side view of the skid case as illustrated in FIG. 9, and FIG. 11 is a right side view of the skid case as illustrated in FIG. 9.
[35] Referring to FIGS. 9 to 11, a plurality of CNG tubes 13 are disposed in a skid case
12a of a CNG tube trailer 200 according to the preferred second embodiment of the present invention, which extend in a row direction. The CNG tubes 13 are connected with each other by means of the charging/discharging means 20 as described above. The charging/discharging means 20 comprises a connecting line 21 extending between a rear end of one CNG tube 13 and a front end of another CNG tube 13 so as to connect the plurality of CNG tubes 13 together in series; a charging/discharging port 22 to be connected with the CNG tube 13 among the CNG tubes 13, which is positioned at a starting point; and a compressor 23 to be connected with the CNG tube 13 among the CNG tubes 13, which is positioned at terminal point.
[36] In the CNG tube trailer 200 according to the preferred second embodiment of the present invention, a cold air cooling unit 210 is mounted to an inner upper side of the side case 12. This cold air cooling unit 210 can make a charging efficiency of the CNG tube 13 to be increased by maintaining an internal air of the skid case 12 at a low temperature.
[37] The cold air cooling unit 210 can be constituted in the same manner as a conventional air conditioner with except for absence of a fan. In other words, the cold air cooling unit 210 comprises a refrigerant circulation tube 213, which is installed around the CNG tube 13, and a cooler main body 211 for generating the cool air from the refrigerant circulation tube 213 by circulating the refrigerant through the refrigerant circulation tube 213.
[38] In the CNG tube trailer 200 according to the preferred second embodiment of the present invention of which the cold air cooling unit 210 is mounted to the inner upper side thereof, the cooling air can be generated from around the refrigerant circulation tube 213 by circulating the refrigerant through the refrigerant circulation tube 213. As a result, it is possible to make the internal space of the skid case 12 to be maintained under at a low temperature due to operation of the cold air cooling unit 210 so that the CNG tube 13 installed in the skid case 12 can be maintained under at the low temperature.
[39] More particularly, in the CNG tube trailer 200 according to the preferred second embodiment of the present invention, since the refrigerant circulation tube 213 is positioned between the CNG tubes 13, it is possible to always maintain the CNG tube 13 at a uniform temperature.
[40] The CNG tube 13 installed in the skid case 12 can receive the uniform cooling air due to operation of the refrigerant circulation tube 213 disposed between the CNG tubes 13 regardless of the installing position thereof.
[41] While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. Industrial Applicability
[42] The present invention is applicable to a CNG tube trailer capable of providing for superior charging efficiency of the CNG tube as compared to previously known CNG tube trailer of the type in which the CNG tube is filled with CNG under a relatively high pressure, by installing a refrigeration system at a one side in the skid case of which a plurality of CNG tubes are disposed therein so as to maintain an internal air of the skid case at a low temperature.