Hydrogen fueling systems and methods
AssigneeIvys Inc.
InventorsDarryl Edward Pollica, Christopher John O'Brien, Bryan Gordon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
According to aspects, hydrogen fueling systems and methods are provided, including vehicle-to-vehicle communication techniques, hydrogen cooling techniques and/or hydrogen dispenser control techniques that facilitate improving aspects of a hydrogen fueling station.
Claims16
A hydrogen gas dispenser configured to receive hydrogen gas from a hydrogen gas supply and provide the hydrogen gas to a fuel tank of a vehicle during a fueling event, the hydrogen gas dispenser comprising:
- at least one nozzle configured to engage with the fuel tank to dispense hydrogen gas to the fuel tank during the fueling event, the at least one nozzle comprising:
- a first nozzle configured to engage with a fuel tank of a first type of vehicle;
- and
- a second nozzle configured to engage with a fuel tank of a second type of vehicle;
- a valve bank comprising a plurality of fixed-size orifice valves arranged in parallel, the bank configured to receive hydrogen gas from the hydrogen gas supply and to deliver hydrogen gas passing through one or more of the plurality of fixed-size orifice valves that have been opened;
- a dispenser controller coupled to the bank and configured to selectively open or close the plurality of fixed-size orifice valves to provide hydrogen gas at desired flow rates based on target pressures and/or target flow rates of the fuel tank of the vehicle during the fueling event;
- a first fixed-size orifice valve positioned between the valve bank and the first nozzle to provide hydrogen gas passing through the valve bank to the first nozzle when opened;
- and
- a second fixed-size orifice valve positioned between the valve bank and the second nozzle to provide hydrogen gas passing through the valve bank to the second nozzle when opened.
A method of dispensing hydrogen gas to a fuel tank of a vehicle during a fueling event via a valve bank comprising a plurality of fixed-size orifice valves arranged in parallel, the method comprising:
- receiving hydrogen gas from a hydrogen gas supply;
- receiving as a first input:
- a supply pressure of hydrogen from the hydrogen gas supply;
- and
- a measured pressure downstream of the valve bank and/or a tank pressure of hydrogen gas in the fuel tank of the vehicle;
- selectively opening and/or closing at least one of the plurality of fixed-size orifice valves that results in a target pressure and/or target flow rate at which it is desired to provide hydrogen gas to the fuel tank based at least in part on the first input;
- and
- opening a first fixed-sized orifice valve positioned between the valve bank and a first nozzle configured to engage with a fuel tank of a first type of vehicle to allow hydrogen gas passing through the valve bank to be dispensed to the fuel tank of the vehicle via the first nozzle, or
- opening a second fixed-sized orifice valve positioned between the valve bank and a second nozzle configured to engage with a fuel tank of a second type of vehicle to allow hydrogen gas passing through the valve bank to be dispensed to the fuel tank of the vehicle via the second nozzle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.