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.
Claims20
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;
- a variable-size valve comprising a valve stem that when rotated changes a size of the valve opening, the variable-size valve coupled to receive hydrogen gas from the hydrogen gas supply such that changing the size of the valve opening results in a change in a flow rate of hydrogen gas passing through the valve opening;
- a direct drive servo motor coupled to the valve stem of the variable-size valve, the direct drive servo motor configured to rotate the valve stem to change the size of the valve opening, wherein one rotation of the direct drive servo motor results in one rotation of the valve stem;
- and
- a dispenser controller coupled to the direct drive servo motor and configured to cause the direct drive servo motor to rotate to change the size of the valve opening to provide hydrogen gas at desired flow rates based on target pressures and/or target flow rates during the fueling event.
A method of dispensing hydrogen gas to a fuel tank of a vehicle during a fueling event via a variable-size valve comprising a valve stem that when rotated changes a size of the valve opening to change a flow rate of hydrogen gas passing through the valve opening, the valve stem coupled to a direct drive servo motor configured to rotate the valve stem to change the size of the valve opening, wherein one rotation of the direct drive servo motor results in one rotation of the valve stem, 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 variable size valve and/or a tank pressure of hydrogen gas in the fuel tank;
- receiving a first value indicative of a current size of the valve opening;
- determining a target size of the valve opening 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 the first value;
- and
- rotating the valve stem to change the current size of the valve opening to the target size.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.