Method, apparatus, and system for refueling hydrogen vehicles

A system for refueling a fuel tank of a hydrogen-fueled vehicle, the system comprising:

• a dispenser apparatus comprising:
• a first cascade stage having:
• a first connector configured to connect to and disconnect from a first gas storage vessel;
• and
• a first conduit connected to the first connector, and having a first valve and a first pressure measuring device;
• a second cascade stage having:
• a second connector configured to connect to and disconnect from a second gas storage vessel;
• and
• a second conduit connected to the second connector, and having a second valve and a second pressure measuring device;
• and
• a common flow path fluidly connected to the first conduit and the second conduit, the common flow path having a dispensing nozzle configured to connect to a fuel tank of the hydrogen-fueled vehicle during refueling of the fuel tank;
• and
• a controller configured to control the first valve and/or the second valve to perform refueling of the fuel tank of the hydrogen-fueled vehicle using gas stored in at least one of the first gas storage vessel and the second gas storage vessel based on pressure measurements of the first pressure measuring device and/or the second pressure measuring device.

A dispenser apparatus for refueling a vehicle, the dispenser apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of cascade stages, at least two cascade stages of the plurality of cascade stages each having a connector configured to connect to and disconnect from a gas storage vessel, and a conduit connected to the connector and having a valve and a pressure measuring device, the conduits of the at least two cascade stages being fluidly connected to a common flow path, the common flow path having a dispensing nozzle configured to connect to the vehicle during refueling;
• and
• a controller configured to control the valves of the at least two cascade stages to perform refueling of the vehicle based on pressure measurements of the pressure measuring device,
• wherein the controller is configured to detect pressure of gas within the gas storage vessels of the at least two cascade stages, and
• wherein the controller is programmed to refuel the vehicle by sequencing refueling in a cascade refueling process beginning with refueling using gas from a gas storage vessel selected from the gas storage vessels of the at least two cascade stages with a lowest detected pressure and successively refueling using gas from another gas storage vessel of the gas storage vessels of the at least two cascade stages with a successively higher detected pressure.

A method of refueling a vehicle, the method comprising:

• providing a plurality of cascade stages, at least two cascade stages of the plurality of cascade stages each having a connector configured to connect to a gas storage vessel, and a conduit connected to the connector and having a valve and a pressure measuring device, the conduits of the at least two cascade stages being fluidly connected to a common flow path, the common flow path having a dispensing nozzle configured to connect to the vehicle during refueling;
• detecting pressure of gas within the gas storage vessels of the at least two cascade stages;
• and
• controlling the valves of the at least two cascade stages to perform refueling of the vehicle based on pressure measurements of the pressure measuring device,
• wherein the refueling is performed by sequencing refueling in a cascade refueling process beginning with refueling using gas from a gas storage vessel selected from the gas storage vessels of the at least two cascade stages with a lowest detected pressure and successively refueling using gas from another gas storage vessel of the gas storage vessels of the at least two cascade stages with a successively higher detected pressure.