Method and apparatus for the rapid tanking of a pressure container with a gaseous medium

A method for rapidly filling a pressure container with a pressurized gas to about a rated pressure for the container comprising the steps of:

• determining a prevailing pressure in the container;
• adding an initial mass of the pressurized gas into the container;
• measuring a pressure prevailing in the container after the adding step;
• determining a remaining mass of the pressurized gas which must be added to the container to raise its internal pressure to about the rated pressure on the basis of only the initial mass and a pressure differential in the container before and after the adding step and without calculating a volume of the container;
• thereafter adding the remaining mass of pressurized gas to the container in a plurality of flowing steps each comprising flowing a predetermined quantity of the mass of pressurized gas which is less than the remaining mass into the container;
• after each flowing step measuring a pressure in the container;
• with the last-mentioned measured pressure and the quantity of pressurized gas flowed to the pressure container during the preceding flowing step, determining a further mass of pressurized gas still to be added to the container to raise its pressure to about the rated pressure;
• and
• adjusting the quantity of the mass of pressurized gas flowed into the tank during subsequent flowing steps so that it corresponds to the further mass.

A method for rapidly filling a pressure container of an unknown volume with pressurized gas to about a rated pressure for the container, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) measuring an initial pressure prevailing in the container;
• (b) supplying an initial mass of gas to the pressure container;
• (c) measuring a pressure prevailing in the container following the supplying step;
• (d) determining an initial pressure differential in the container before and after the supplying step;
• (e) with the initial pressure differential and the initial mass of pressurized gas, determining a first additional mass of pressurized gas so that a plurality of the first additional masses must be added to the container to reach its rated pressure;
• (f) adding the first additional mass of pressurized gas to the container;
• (g) determining a second pressure differential in the container before and after the step of adding the first additional mass;
• (h) with the second pressure differential and the previously added first additional mass, determining a second additional mass which, when added to the container, raises its pressure to about the rated pressure;
• and
• (i) thereafter directing the second additional mass into the container.

A container tanking device for rapidly filling a pressure container having a rated maximum pressure with pressurized gas comprising:

• a source of pressurized gas;
• a delivery unit adapted to be placed in pressure-tight fluid communication with the source and the container for flowing pressurized gas from the source into the container;
• a flow control and measurement device comprising a controllable regulating valve, a mass throughflow measuring device, and a pressure transducer operatively placed in a fluid flow between the source and the container, the pressure transducer being arranged between the regulating valve and the container;
• a computer coupled with the pressure transducer and the mass throughflow measuring device and capable of calculating a mass of pressurized gas that is to be flowed into the container without calculating a volume of the container to bring its pressure to the rated pressure;
• means operatively coupling the computer with the regulating valve for actuating the regulating valve so that the calculated mass is delivered to the container in a plurality of portions to thereby raise the pressure in the container to the rated pressure.