# US 2019/0170299 A1 · Method for Setting the Temperature and/or the Pressure of Fuel, in Particular of Hydrogen, in Multiple Pressure Vessels of a Vehicle to in Each Case One Temperature Setpoint Value and/or in Each Case One Pressure Setpoint Value Before a Filling Process of the Pressure Vessels > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0170299 A1 - Document ID: US20190170299A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/270,361 - Filed: 2019-02-07 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-08 - Assignees: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Simon HETTENKOFER; Andreas PELGER; Stefan SCHOTT; Andreas SCHAEFER; Klaus SZOUCSEK - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190170299A1 ## CPC - F17C 5/06: for filling with compressed gases - F17C 13/00: Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels - F17C 2201/0109: with exteriorly curved end-piece - F17C 2221/012: Hydrogen - F17C 2223/0123: gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC - F17C 2225/0123: gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC - F17C 2227/04: Methods for emptying or filling - F17C 2227/041: vessel by vessel - F17C 2227/043: by pressure cascade - F17C 2227/046: by even emptying or filling - F17C 2227/047: by repeating a process cycle - F17C 2265/065: for refuelling vehicle fuel tanks - F17C 2265/066: for feeding engines for propulsion - F17C 2270/0168: by vehicles - Y02E 60/32: Hydrogen storage - F17C: VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES (storing fluids in natural or artificial cavities or chambers in the earth B65G5/00; construction or assembling of bulk storage containers employing civil-engineering techniques E04H7/00; variable-capacity gas-holders F17B; liquefaction or refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A method for adjusting temperature and/or pressure of fuel in a pressured container system of a vehicle to a respective temperature setpoint and/or a respective pressure setpoint before a process of filling the pressurized containers includes extracting fuel from a first pressurized container having a first temperature and a first pressure, to bring the first temperature and/or the first pressure of the fuel closer to the temperature setpoint and/or to the pressure setpoint of the first pressurized container. The method also includes supplying the extracted fuel to either a fuel conversion device to power the vehicle or into a second pressurized container, where fuel in the second pressurized container has a second temperature and a second pressure, to bring the second temperature and/or the second pressure of the fuel closer to the temperature setpoint and/or to the pressure setpoint of the second pressurized container. The temperature setpoints and/or the pressure setpoints are determined such that, without exceeding the respective maximum operating pressure and the respective maximum operating temperature of the respective pressurized container, the amount of fuel introduced from a single filling source by a process of filling the pressurized containers which is carried out at the same time and for the same length of time is maximized. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for adjusting the temperature and/or the pressure of fuel in a pressured container system of a vehicle having a plurality of pressurized containers to a respective temperature setpoint and/or a respective pressure setpoint before a process of filling the pressurized containers, the method comprising the acts of: extracting fuel from a first pressurized container, wherein the fuel in the first pressurized container has a first temperature and a first pressure, to bring the first temperature and/or the first pressure of the fuel closer to the temperature setpoint and/or to the pressure setpoint of the first pressurized container; supplying, based on a determination from a control unit of the pressured container system, the fuel extracted from the first pressurized container to either: a fuel conversion device to power the vehicle, or into a second pressurized container, wherein the fuel in the second pressurized container has a second temperature and a second pressure, to bring the second temperature and/or the second pressure of the fuel closer to the temperature setpoint and/or to the pressure setpoint of the second pressurized container; and determining the temperature setpoints and/or the pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers such that, without exceeding the respective maximum operating pressure and the respective maximum operating temperature of the respective pressurized container, the amount of fuel introduced from a single filling source by a process of filling the pressurized containers which is carried out at the same time and for the same length of time is maximized. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method is carried out in response to detecting that a process of filling the pressurized containers is imminent. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein determining the temperature setpoints and/or the pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers comprises determining the temperature setpoints and/or the pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers based on characteristic curve families for the pressurized containers, wherein the characteristic curve families each have a plurality of characteristic curves for the temperature of the fuel according to the pressure of the fuel for different initial conditions of the fuel in the respective pressurized containers at the start of the process of filling the pressurized containers with fuel from a single filling source. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein determining the temperature setpoints and/or the pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers comprises determining the temperature setpoints and/or the pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers based on characteristic curve families for the pressurized containers, wherein the characteristic curve families each have a plurality of characteristic curves for the temperature of the fuel according to the pressure of the fuel for different initial conditions of the fuel in the respective pressurized containers at the start of the process of filling the pressurized containers with fuel from a single filling source. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein determining the temperature setpoints and/or the pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers comprises determining the temperature setpoints and/or the pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers based on a plurality of characteristic curve family groups for different temperatures of the fuel to be filled and/or different temperatures of the respective pressurized container, wherein each characteristic curve family group includes a plurality of characteristic curve families for the temperature of the fuel according to the pressure of the fuel for the different pressurized containers during the process of filling the pressurized containers with fuel from a single filling source. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein determining the temperature setpoints and/or the pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers comprises determining the temperature setpoints and/or the pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers based on a plurality of characteristic curve family groups for different temperatures of the fuel to be filled and/or different temperatures of the respective pressurized container, wherein each characteristic curve family group includes a plurality of characteristic curve families for the temperature of the fuel according to the pressure of the fuel for the different pressurized containers during the process of filling the pressurized containers with fuel from a single filling source. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising, taking into consideration, when determining the temperature setpoints and/or the pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers, pressure losses during transport from the refueling coupling of the vehicle, for connecting the pressurized containers to the filling source, to the respective pressurized containers. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising, taking into consideration, when determining the temperature setpoints and/or the pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers, pressure losses during transport from the refueling coupling of the vehicle, for connecting the pressurized containers to the filling source, to the respective pressurized containers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising, taking into consideration, when determining the temperature setpoints and/or the pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers, pressure losses during transport from the refueling coupling of the vehicle, for connecting the pressurized containers to the filling source, to the respective pressurized containers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising, taking into consideration, when determining the temperature setpoints and/or the pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers, pressure losses during transport from the refueling coupling of the vehicle, for connecting the pressurized containers to the filling source, to the respective pressurized containers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein determining the temperature setpoints and/or the pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers comprises determining the temperature setpoints and/or the pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers based according to the temperature of the fuel in a filling system and/or the maximum final refueling pressure of the filling system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit makes the determination as to whether the fuel extracted from the first pressurized container is supplied to the fuel conversion device or to the second pressurized container depending on whether enough time remains until the planned process of filling the pressurized containers to match the temperatures and/or the pressures of the pressurized containers to the respective temperature setpoints and/or pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers solely by a selective extraction of fuel from the pressurized container(s) of which the temperatures and/or pressures do not already correspond to the respective temperature setpoints and/or pressure setpoints, and supplying the fuel to the fuel conversion device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control unit makes the determination as to whether the fuel extracted from the first pressurized container is supplied to the fuel conversion device or to the second pressurized container depending on whether enough time remains until the planned process of filling the pressurized containers to match the temperatures and/or the pressures of the pressurized containers to the respective temperature setpoints and/or pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers solely by a selective extraction of fuel from the pressurized container(s) of which the temperatures and/or pressures do not already correspond to the respective temperature setpoints and/or pressure setpoints, and supplying the fuel to the fuel conversion device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 3) The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control unit makes the determination as to whether the fuel extracted from the first pressurized container is supplied to the fuel conversion device or to the second pressurized container depending on whether enough time remains until the planned process of filling the pressurized containers to match the temperatures and/or the pressures of the pressurized containers to the respective temperature setpoints and/or pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers solely by a selective extraction of fuel from the pressurized container(s) of which the temperatures and/or pressures do not already correspond to the respective temperature setpoints and/or pressure setpoints, and supplying the fuel to the fuel conversion device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 5) The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the control unit makes the determination as to whether the fuel extracted from the first pressurized container is supplied to the fuel conversion device or to the second pressurized container depending on whether enough time remains until the planned process of filling the pressurized containers to match the temperatures and/or the pressures of the pressurized containers to the respective temperature setpoints and/or pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers solely by a selective extraction of fuel from the pressurized container(s) of which the temperatures and/or pressures do not already correspond to the respective temperature setpoints and/or pressure setpoints, and supplying the fuel to the fuel conversion device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the control unit makes the determination as to whether the fuel extracted from the first pressurized container is supplied to the fuel conversion device or to the second pressurized container depending on whether enough time remains until the planned process of filling the pressurized containers to match the temperatures and/or the pressures of the pressurized containers to the respective temperature setpoints and/or pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers solely by a selective extraction of fuel from the pressurized container(s) of which the temperatures and/or pressures do not already correspond to the respective temperature setpoints and/or pressure setpoints, and supplying the fuel to the fuel conversion device. ### Claim 17 A pressurized container system in a vehicle, comprising: a plurality of pressurized containers; and a control unit, wherein the pressurized containers are configured to store a fuel and are fluidically connected to one another and to a fuel conversion device by valves, wherein the control unit is configured to open and/or close the valves such that fuel can be extracted from a first pressurized container of the plurality of pressurized containers, wherein the fuel in the first pressurized container has a first temperature and a first pressure, wherein the fuel extracted from the first pressurized container is supplied to either a fuel conversion device or into a second pressurized container, wherein the fuel in the second pressurized container has a second temperature and a second pressure, and wherein the control unit is configured such that the temperatures and/or the pressures of the fuel in the plurality of pressurized containers can be adjusted by the control unit to a respective temperature setpoint and/or a respective pressure setpoint before a process of filling the pressurized containers such that, in the plurality of pressurized containers, the amount of fuel introduced by a process of filling the pressurized containers from a single filling source, which is carried out at the same time and for the same length of time, is maximized without exceeding the respective maximum operating pressure and the respective maximum operating temperature of the respective pressurized container. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The pressurized container system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the control unit is configured such that the control unit determines whether the fuel extracted from the first pressurized container is supplied to the fuel conversion device or to the second pressurized container depending on whether enough time remains until the planned process of filling the pressurized containers to match the temperatures and/or the pressures of the pressurized containers to the respective temperature setpoints and/or pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers solely by a selective extraction of fuel from the pressurized container(s) of which the temperatures and/or pressures do not already correspond to the respective temperature setpoints and/or pressure setpoints, and supplying the fuel to the fuel conversion device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The pressurized container system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the control unit is configured such that the control unit determines the temperature setpoints and/or the pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers based on characteristic curve families, wherein the characteristic curve families each have a plurality of characteristic curves for the temperature of the fuel according to the pressure of the fuel for different initial conditions of the fuel in the respective pressurized containers at the start of the process of filling the pressurized containers with fuel from a single filling source. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The pressurized container system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the control unit is configured such that the control unit determines the temperature setpoints and/or the pressure setpoints of the pressurized containers based on characteristic curve families, wherein the characteristic curve families each have a plurality of characteristic curves for the temperature of the fuel according to the pressure of the fuel for different initial conditions of the fuel in the respective pressurized containers at the start of the process of filling the pressurized containers with fuel from a single filling source.