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US-12618522-B2 - Feedthrough for a pressure vessel

US12618522B2US 12618522 B2US12618522 B2US 12618522B2US-12618522-B2

Abstract

A feedthrough for use with a pressure vessel is presented. In some embodiments, the feedthrough is formed with an insulator portion with insulator threads that mate with threads of a body portion. In some embodiments, the threads can be rounded or square threads. In some embodiments, the insulator portion includes a through hole and a fill structure. The fill structure can include a fill-tube that can be used to communicate with the pressure vessel where the body portion is attached. In some embodiments, the insulator portion can include additional through-holes to receive one or more conductors.

Inventors

  • Nelson Dichter

Assignees

  • EnerVenue Holdings, Ltd.

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20220324

Claims (7)

  1. 1 . A feedthrough, comprising: a body, the body including a base portion configured to be attached to a pressure vessel, a body barrel portion coupled to the base portion, a body through-hole formed through the base portion and the barrel portion, and body threads formed on the inner portion of the body through-hole, the body threads having a rounded or a square thread; and an insulator, the insulator including a top portion, an insulator barrel portion coupled to the top portion, one or more through-holes formed through the top portion and the insulator barrel portion to receive one or more components, and insulator threads formed on an outer portion of the insulator barrel portion; and wherein the insulator is screwed into the body to form the feedthrough such that the insulator threads engage the body threads, wherein the pressure vessel is configured to seal to the base portion when the base portion is attached to the pressure vessel, wherein the insulator is sealed to the body through engagement of the body threads with the insulator threads and further sealed through crushing the body barrel portion and the insulator barrel portion, and wherein the insulator is sealed to the one or more components through crushing the body barrel portion and the insulator barrel portion, wherein the insulator further includes a fill structure separate from the one or more through holes, the fill structure allowing for addition and removal of gasses or liquid in the pressure vessel, and further is configured such that the fill structure is sealed against pressure from the pressure vessel after crushing the body barrel portion and the insulator barrel portion, wherein the fill structure includes a fill through-hole formed through the insulator top portion and the insulator barrel portion of the insulator, a first pipe with an inner diameter aligned with the fill through-hole that extends from the top portion of the insulator, the first pipe including a breakable barrier, a second pipe with an inner diameter, the second pipe angled from the first pipe such that the inner diameter of the second pipe intersects the fill through-hole in the first pipe below the barrier but above the top portion of the insulator, wherein the fill structure can be used through the second pipe to exchange liquids or gasses with the pressure vessel while the first pipe is blocked by the barrier, prior to crushing the body barrel portion and the insulator barrel portion.
  2. 2 . The feedthrough of claim 1 , wherein bottom threads of the body threads are tapered by having decreasing pitch diameter.
  3. 3 . The feedthrough of claim 1 , wherein a bottom thread of the insulator is angled upward.
  4. 4 . The feedthrough of claim 1 , further including a plug designed to push through the breakable barrier in the first pipe and into the fill through-hole in the barrel portion of the insulator prior to crushing the body barrel portion and the insulator barrel portion to seal the fill structure.
  5. 5 . The feedthrough of claim 1 , wherein the body threads and insulator threads are each DIN 405 rounded threads.
  6. 6 . The feedthrough of claim 1 , wherein the one or more components includes an electrical terminal.
  7. 7 . The feedthrough of claim 1 , wherein the one or more through-holes includes a plurality of through-holes to accommodate a plurality of electrical conductors.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD Embodiments of the present invention are related to a feedthrough for use in a pressure vessel. DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART Pressure vessels are used in a variety of application, including metal hydrogen batteries, hydrogen storage vessels, and other applications. For renewable energy resources such as wind and solar to be competitive with traditional fossil fuels, large-scale energy storage systems are needed to mitigate their intrinsic intermittency. Metal hydrogen batteries can be used in such applications. Additionally, storage of high-pressure gas or fuel gasses such as hydrogen can be used to store energy. Feedthroughs that allow for gas or liquid flow as well as electrical communications with the contents of a pressure vessel are important. However, feedthroughs that provide sufficient access and sealing properties are difficult to provide. Consequently, there is a need for better feedthroughs for pressure vessel applications. SUMMARY In accordance with embodiments a feedthrough that can be used in pressure vessels is presented. A feedthrough according to some embodiments includes a body that includes a base portion configured to be attached to a pressure vessel, a barrel portion coupled to the base portion, a through-hole formed through the base portion and the barrel portion, and threads formed on the inner portion of the through-hole, the threads having a rounded or a square thread; and an insulator that includes a top portion, a barrel portion coupled to the top portion, a through-hole formed through the top portion and the barrel portion, and threads formed on the outer portion of the barrel portion; and wherein the insulator is screwed into the body to form the feedthrough. In some embodiments, a method of operating a feedthrough attached to a pressure vessel includes screwing an insulator into a body, the body being attached to the pressure vessel, wherein the insulator and the body both include threads that are rounded or square to form a seal between the threads of the body and the threads of the insulator; inserting a component through a through-hole in the insulator; compressing the body to form seals between the component and the through-hole in the insulator and the threads of the insulator and the body; and removing the first pipe and the second pipe. In some embodiments, a method of operating a feedthrough attached to a pressure vessel includes screwing an insulator into a body, the body being attached to the pressure vessel, wherein the insulator and the body both include threads; inserting a component through a through-hole in the insulator such that an interference seal is formed between the component and the insulator; using a fill structure formed in the insulator, the fill structure including a first pipe extending from the insulator and communicating with a fill through-hole in the insulator and a second pipe angularly extending from the insulator and communicating with the fill through-hole in the insulator, wherein the first pipe includes a barrier; inserting a plug through the barrier in the first pipe and into the fill through-hole; compressing the body to form seals between the component and the through-hole in the insulator, the plug and the fill through-hole in the insulator, and the threads of the insulator and the body; and removing the first pipe and the second pipe. In some embodiments, a feedthrough includes a body, the body including a base portion configured to be attached to a pressure vessel, a barrel portion coupled to the base portion, a through-hole formed through the base portion and the barrel portion, and threads formed on the inner portion of the through-hole; and an insulator, the insulator including a top portion, a barrel portion coupled to the top portion, a through-hole formed through the top portion and the barrel portion, threads formed on the outer portion of the barrel portion, a bottom thread of the threads being tapered, and one or more additional through-holes formed in the top portion and the barrel portion of the insulator; and wherein the insulator is screwed into the body to form the feedthrough. These and other embodiments are discussed below with respect to the following figures. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES An understanding of the features and advantages of the technology described in this disclosure will be obtained by reference to the following detailed description that sets forth illustrative aspects with reference to the following figures. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a pressure vessel with a feedthrough according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C illustrate a conventional feedthrough that can be used with a pressure vessel such as that shown in FIG. 1. FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a body portion of a feedthrough according to some embodiments. FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate an embodiment of an insulator portion of a feedthrough according to some embodiments. FIGS. 4C and 4D illustrate