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US 10,502,649 B1Granted
Apparatus and method for testing compressed gas dispensing stations
AssigneeAir Products and Chemicals, Inc.
InventorJoseph Perry Cohen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Testing apparatus and method for testing compressed gas dispensing stations where a back pressure regulator is used to imitate filling of receiving vessels without the need for receiving vessels. A mass flow sensor measures the mass of compressed gas dispensed to the testing apparatus, and a controller calculates the pressure for the back pressure regulator to imitate filling of a receiving vessel.
Claims15
A testing apparatus for a compressed gas dispensing station, the testing apparatus comprising:
- a receptacle for providing a sealing connection with a dispensing nozzle of a compressed gas dispensing station;
- a fluid transfer line having an upstream end and a downstream end, the upstream end attached to the receptacle;
- a back pressure regulator in the fluid transfer line, the back pressure regulator operatively disposed to control the pressure of a gas in the fluid transfer line upstream of the back pressure regulator, the back pressure regulator operatively configured to be responsive to a control signal corresponding to a representative fill pressure from a controller;
- a mass flow sensor in the fluid transfer line, the mass flow sensor operatively disposed to measure a value relatable to a quantity of gas transferred in the fluid transfer line and provide a signal in response thereto;
- and
- the controller, the controller operatively connected to the mass flow sensor, the controller configured to calculate the representative fill pressure using the signal from the mass flow sensor, the controller operatively configured to provide the control signal corresponding to the representative fill pressure.
3 more elements
A method for testing a compressed gas dispensing station, the method comprising:
- connecting a dispensing nozzle of the compressed gas dispensing station to a receptacle of a testing apparatus, the testing apparatus comprising a fluid transfer line with a back pressure regulator operatively disposed in the fluid transfer line, the back pressure regulator having a pressure setting that is adjustable;
- passing a quantity of compressed gas from the dispensing nozzle through the fluid transfer line;
- measuring a value relatable to the mass of the quantity of compressed gas passed through the fluid transfer line;
- calculating a representative fill pressure from the value relatable to the mass of the quantity of compressed gas passed through the fluid transfer line;
- and
- adjusting the pressure setting of the back pressure regulator in the fluid transfer line responsive to the calculated representative fill pressure.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.