Hydrogen refueling system and method of hydrogen refueling

A hydrogen refueling system comprising:

• at least one H2 supply source that stores H2 which has a first pressure;
• compressor that is able to increase H2 pressure and which can transfer H2 from one container or the H2 supply source to another at least one container;
• one or several high pressure buffer bank(s) that store H2 under pressures higher than a pressure of the H2 supply source;
• optionally, one or more medium pressure buffer(s) that store H2 under a pressure higher than the pressure of the H2 supply source and lower than the pressure of said one or several high pressure buffer bank(s);
• at least one dispenser, which can transfer H2 to a tank of a vehicle, from at least one container that is selected from one or more of the H2 supply source, the optional one or more medium pressure buffer(s), said one or several high buffer bank(s), and a discharge of the compressor;
• optionally, one heat exchanger which can cool down H2 before being transferred to the tank of the vehicle, said optional one heat exchanger being fed with a cooling fluid;
• a first controller that controls the compressor and one or more valve(s) placed on pipe(s) in such a way that, when said hydrogen refueling system is idle, H2 is transferred from one or more of the H2 supply source, the optional one or more MP buffer(s), and said one or several high pressure buffer tank(s) to one or more of the optional one or more medium pressure buffer(s) and said one or more several buffer tank(s) up to a pre-determined target pressure value or values (Pset);
• a data processor that, when one vehicle is connected to said at least one dispenser to be re-fueled, reads a residual pressure in the tank of the vehicle using a nozzle IR communication device or pressure sensor and calculates a target pressure value or values in at least one of the H2 supply source, the optional one or more medium pressure buffer(s), and said one or several high pressure buffer tank(s) which are sufficient to achieve complete refueling of connected vehicle, wherein said target pressure value or values is/are calculated by said data processor depending on:
• a) the residual pressure in vehicle tank, b) a pressure in one or more of the H2 supply source, the optional one or more medium pressure buffer(s), and said one or several high pressure buffer tank(s), and/or c) the ambient temperature of said system;
• a second controller that, when one vehicle is connected to said at least one dispenser be re-fueled, uses said target pressure value or values to decide and execute a sequence that controls the compressor and valve(s) to reach said target pressure value or values;
• a third controller that, when the target pressure value or values calculated by the data processor are met through control of the compressor and valve(s) via execution of said sequence by the second controller, controls the compressor and valve(s) according to a pre-determined filling protocol in such a way that H2 is transferred, to the tank of the vehicle, from one or more of the H2 supply source, the optional one or more medium pressure buffer(s), and said one or several high pressure buffer tank(s).

A method for using only one H2 dispenser having first and second refueling nozzles for connection to respective first and second FCV tanks of respective first and second vehicles to perform a first refueling process which refuels the first FCV tank with H2 and a second refueling process which refuels the second FCV tank, each of the first and second vehicles being stopped in a refueling range of said only one H2 dispenser, said method comprising the steps of:

• for said first refueling process:
• acquiring a first residual pressure of the first FCV tank which is connected to the first refueling nozzle and calculating conditions with a data processor that are sufficient to achieve complete refueling of first FCV tank,
• using the calculated conditions to decide and execute a sequence that controls a compressor and valves to reach a target pressure value or values in at least one of a H2 supply source, one or more medium pressure buffers, and one or more high pressure buffer tanks, and
• proceeding with the refueling of the first vehicle when the calculated conditions are met, provided that H2 transfer to the second FCV tank with the second nozzle is already finished;
• in case of the second refueling process,
• acquiring a second residual pressure of the second FCV tank which is connected to the second refueling nozzle and calculating conditions sufficient to achieve complete refueling of the second FCV tank;
• using the calculated conditions to decide and execute a sequence that controls the compressor and valves to reach the target pressure value or values in at least one of the H2 supply source, the one or more medium pressure buffers, and the one or more high pressure buffer tanks;
• proceeding with the refueling of the second vehicle when transfer of H2 with the first refueling nozzle is finished and when the conditions calculated by data processor are met.