Method and apparatus for dispensing compressed gas into a vehicle

A method of transferring compressed gas from n storage vessels to a container, comprising the steps of:

• (a) sequentially transferring compressed gas from respective ones of storage vessels 1 to n to the container until predetermined delivery conditions are reached for the respective storage vessels;
• (b) detecting the pressure of the gas transferred to the container from storage vessel n;
• (c) boosting the pressure of the compressed gas transferred to the container from storage vessel n if the pressure detected in said step (b) is less than a predetermined container pressure;
• (d) repeating said steps (a), (b) and (c) until the gas in storage vessel n reaches a predetermined delivery condition;
• (e) backfilling storage vessel n with compressed gas from storage vessels 1 to n-1;
• (f) repeating said steps (a), (b) and (c) after said step (e).

An apparatus for dispensing compressed gas, comprising:

• n storage vessels;
• a booster pump having an inlet and outlet;
• a manifold system connected to said n storage vessels and said booster pump inlet and outlet, said manifold system having an outlet, said manifold system being arranged to selectively transfer compressed gas between respective ones of said n storage vessels and said manifold outlet, to transfer gas between storage vessels 1 to n-1 and storage vessel n, to transfer gas between respective ones of said n storage vessels and said booster pump inlet, to transfer gas between said booster pump outlet and said manifold outlet, and to transfer gas between said booster pump outlet and said storage vessel n;
• a control system to operate said manifold system to sequentially dispense gas at said manifold outlet from respective ones of said n storage vessels, and to backfill storage vessel n using said booster pump to transfer gas to storage vessel n from said storage vessels 1 to n-1.

An apparatus for dispensing compressed gas, comprising:

• n storage vessels;
• a booster pump having an inlet and outlet;
• n control valves associated with respective ones of said n storage vessels;
• a check valve having an inlet and outlet;
• a first manifold interconnecting said n control valves and said inlet of said booster pump and said inlet of said check valve for gas flow;
• a second manifold interconnecting said outlet of said booster pump and said outlet of said check valve for gas flow, said second manifold having a manifold gas outlet;
• a third manifold interconnecting said second manifold and said control valve associated with said storage vessel n for gas flow;
• a control system to operate said n control valves and said booster pump to (a) sequentially connect storage vessels 1 to n to said manifold gas outlet, (b) to selectively connect storage vessel n to said booster pump inlet, and (c) to connect said outlet of said booster pump to storage vessel n.

An apparatus for dispensing compressed gas, comprising:

• n storage vessels;
• a booster pump having an inlet and outlet;
• a manifold system adapted to transfer compressed gas between respective ones of said n storage vessels, and to transfer compressed gas between said n storage vessels and said booster pump, said manifold system having an outlet;
• first means for connecting said n storage vessels, said booster pump inlet, and said booster pump outlet to said manifold system;
• second means for monitoring gas flow at said outlet of said manifold;
• third means responsive to said second means, for controlling said first means to sequentially dispense compressed gas from storage vessels 1 to n until predetermined delivery conditions are reached for each storage vessel, and to backfill storage vessel n using compressed gas from storage vessels 1 to n-1.