Filling system for compressed gas tanks
AssigneeR. M. Schultz & Associates, Inc.
InventorsRichard M. Schultz, Arthur M. Koch, Donald F. Kick, Andrew K. Miraldi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automatic filling system for a compressed gas tank includes a controller that measures the rate of fill of a tank being filled in order to provide an accurate estimate of the fill time for the tank, given available source pressure.
Claims10
In a compressed gas tank filling system of the type comprising a source conduit configured for connection to a source of compressed gas, a fill conduit configured for connectien to a tank to be filled, a flow control conduit interconnecting tile source conduit and the fill conduit;
- a flow control valve coupled to the flow control conduit to control the flow of compressed gas through the fill conduit;
- a pressure transducer in one of the conduits, downstream of the flow control valve, and a controller coupled to the flow control valve and responsive to the pressure transducer;
- the improvement comprising:
- a computer routine executed by the controller in filling the tank, said computer routine comprising;
- a) a first portion operative to measure a first value indicative of pressure at the transducer with the valve closed;
- b) a second portion operative to open the valve after measurement of the first value for a selected time period;
- c) a third portion operative to measure a second value indicative of pressure at the transducer after the selected time period with the valve closed;
- d) a fourth portion operative to determine a fill time based at least in part on the first and second values;
- and
- e) a fifth portion operative to open the valve and then to close the valve after the fill time.
In a compressed gas tank filling system of the type comprising a source conduit configured for connection to a source of compressed gas, a fill conduit configured for connection to a tank to be filled, a flow control conduit interconnecting the source conduit and the fill conduit;
- a flow control valve coupled to the flow control conduit to control the flow of compressed gas through the fill conduit;
- a pressure transducer in one of the conduits, downstream of the flow control valve, and a controller coupled to the flow control valve and responsive to the pressure transducer;
- the improvement comprising:
- a computer routine executed by the controller in filling the tank, said computer routine comprising;
- a) a first portion responsive to the pressure transducer and operative to measure a parameter related to rate of fill for the tank during an initial test period;
- b) a second portion operative to determine a fill time based at least in part on the measured parameter;
- and
- c) a third portion operative to open the valve and then to close the valve after the determined fill time.
In a compressed gas tank filling system of the type comprising a source conduit configured for connection to a source of compressed gas, a fill conduit configured for connection to a tank to be filled, a flow control conduit interconnecting the source conduit and the fill conduit;
- a flow control valve coupled to the flow control conduit to control the flow of compressed gas through the fill conduit;
- a pressure transducer in one of the conduits, downstream of the flow control valve, and a controller coupled to the flow control valve and responsive to the pressure transducer;
- the improvement comprising:
- a) means, included in the controller and responsive to the pressure transducer, for measuring a parameter related to rate of fill for the tank during an initial test period;
- b) means, included in the controller, for determining a fill time based at least in part on the measured parameter;
- and
- c) means, included in the controller, for opening the valve and then closing the valve after the determined fill time.
A method for automatically filling a compressed gas tank comprising the following steps:
- a) providing a compressed gas tank filling system comprising a source conduit connected to a source of compressed gas, a fill conduit connected to a tank to be filled, a flow control conduit interconnecting the source conduit and the fill conduit;
- a flow control valve coupled to the flow control conduit to control the flow of compressed gas through the fill conduit;
- a pressure transducer in one of the conduits, downstream of the flow control valve, and a controller coupled to the flow control valve and responsive to the pressure transducer;
- b) automatically measuring a parameter related to rate of fill of the tank during an initial test period;
- then
- c) automatically determining a fill time based at least in part on the measured parameter;
- and then
- d) automatically opening the valve and then closing the valve after the determined fill time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.