US 5,676,180 AGranted

Method and system for storing and hydraulically-pressurizing compressed natural gas (CNG) at an automotive re-fuel station

OwnerJames R. Teelinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A system for delivering natural gas, from a moveable transport or pipeline, is off-loaded at an automotive re-fueling station, or other end-user facility, into one or more storage vessels equipped with internal flexible bladders. The pressure of the gas, stored inside the bladders, will be increased to levels sufficient for re-filling automotive on-board storage tanks, or other end uses, by pumping a hydraulic fluid in the annulus between the bladder and the walls of the steel storage vessels, thereby collapsing the flexible bladder and squeezing gas out to an on-board storage tank. The use of a hydraulic pump, instead of a more-expensive compressor, to pressurize the gas, results in significant cost savings which reduces the overall cost of CNG at the station, making CNG (the "preferred alternative fuel") less expensive than gasoline and/or diesel, which will enable CNG to replace gasoline and/or diesel as the primary fuel for automobiles, trucks, and busses.

Claims3

Dependent claims

A system for storing and pressurizing natural gas for use at a compressed natural gas (CNG) re-fuel station, or other end-user location, comprising:

a pressure-containment means having a plurality of seamless steel pressure vessels, and
a flexible bladder means disposed within each of said plurality of seamless steel pressure vessels whereby natural gas is off-loaded into the bladder means from a moveable supply or pipeline, and
a conduit means to disburse natural gas from the said seamless steel pressure vessels which is fluidically-connected to a sequencing control apparatus which is adapted to be connected to a sales dispenser, and
a hydraulic-fluid pressure-assistance means whereby a hydraulic pump is fluidically-connected to the annulus formed between the inner walls of the said seamless steel pressure vessels and the outer walls of the flexible bladder means whereby the pressure of the natural gas inside the bladder means is increased by pumping a hydraulic fluid into the annulus which collapses the flexible bladder means and squeezes the gas to a higher pressure or out of the bladder means to said sequencing control apparatus, wherein said sequencing control apparatus is arranged to selectively supply gas from one or a plurality of said seamless steel pressure vessels.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.