Pressure filling method and apparatus for liquid

A pressure filling method for liquid in which a filling of liquid into a vessel is commenced under a condition that a pressure is applied to the liquid, a predicted time for completion of filling when a given quantity of liquid to be filled will have filled a vessel is calculated on the basis of a predetermined function of a liquid pressure and a filling time, and the filling of liquid into the vessel is stopped when the time passed since the commencement of filling reaches the predicted time for completion of filling, comprising the steps of

• measuring a liquid pressure at successive points after the commencement of filling the liquid into the vessel;
• calculating and recalculating a predicted time for completion of filling when a given quantity of liquid to be filled will have filled a vessel on the basis of the pressures measured;
• averaging the predicted times for completion of filling which are calculated or recalculated at the end of each measurement to provide a corrected predicted time for completion of filling;
• and stopping the filling of liquid into the vessel when the time passed since the commencement of filling reaches the corrected predicted time for completion of filling.

A pressure filling method for liquid in which a filling of liquid into a vessel is commenced under a condition that a pressure is applied to the liquid, a predicted time for completion of filling when a given quantity of liquid to be filled will have filled a vessel is calculated on the basis of a predetermined function of a liquid pressure and a filling time, and the filling of liquid into the vessel is stopped when the time passed since the commencement of filling reaches the predicted time for completion of filling, comprising the steps of

• measuring a liquid pressure at successive points after the commencement of filling the liquid into the vessel;
• determining, at the end of each measurement, a mean value of liquid pressures which have been previously measured;
• determining a predicted time for completion of filling when a given quantity of liquid to be filled will have filled the vessel on the basis of the mean value;
• and stopping the filling of liquid into the vessel when the time passed since the commencement of filling reaches the predicted time for completion of filling.

A filling apparatus including a pressure tank serving as a reservoir of liquid, means for pressurizing the liquid in the pressure tank, a plurality of filling mechanisms each in communication with the pressure tank and each having an open/close valve, a controller for controlling the operation of the filling mechanisms, and a liquid pressure sensor for detecting the liquid pressure and feeding it to the controller, the controller opening the open/close valves of the plurality of filling mechanisms to commence a filling of liquid into vessels, calculating a predicted time for completion of filling when a given quantity of liquid to be filled will have filled a vessel on the basis of a predetermined function of a liquid pressure and a filling time and stopping the filling of liquid into the vessel by closing the open/close valve of the associated filling mechanism when the time passed since the commencement of filling reaches the predicted time for completion of filling,

• characterized in that the controller measures the liquid pressure at successive points after the commencement of filling the liquid into the vessel, determines a mean value of liquid pressures from the measurements, calculates and recalculates a plurality of times a predicted time for completion of filling when a given quantity of liquid to be filled will have filled a vessel on the basis of the mean value, averages the predicted times for completion of filling thus calculated to provide a corrected predicted time for completion of filling, and stops the filling of liquid into the vessel when the time passed since the commencement of filling reaches the corrected predicted time for completion of filling.

A filling apparatus including a pressure tank serving as a reservoir of liquid, means for pressurizing the liquid in the pressure tank, a plurality of filling mechanisms each in communication with the pressure tank and each having an open/close valve, a controller for controlling the operation of the filling mechanisms, and a liquid pressure sensor for detecting the liquid pressure and feeding it to the controller, the controller opening the open/close valves of the plurality of filling mechanisms to commence a filling of liquid into vessels, calculating a predicted time for completion of filling when a given quantity of liquid to be filled will have filled a vessel on the basis of a predetermined function of a liquid pressure and a filling time, and stopping the filling of liquid into the vessel by closing the open/close valve of the associated filling mechanism when the time passed since the commencement of filling reaches the predicted time for completion of filling;

• characterized in that the controller measures the liquid pressure at successive points after the commencement of the filling of liquid into the vessel, calculates and recalculates a predicted time for completion of filling when a given quantity of liquid to be filled will have filled a vessel on the basis of the pressures measured, averages the predicted times for completion of filling which are calculated or recalculated at the end of each measurement to provide a corrected predicted time for completion of filling, and stops the filling of liquid into the vessel when the time passed since the commencement of filling reaches the corrected predicted time for completion of filling.

A filling apparatus including a pressure tank serving as a reservoir of liquid, means for pressurizing the liquid in the pressure tank, a plurality of filling mechanisms each in communication with the pressure tank and each having an open/close valve, a controller for controlling the operation of the filling mechanisms, and a liquid pressure sensor for detecting the liquid pressure and feeding it to the controller, the controller opening the open/close valves of the plurality of filling mechanisms to commence a filling of liquid into vessels, calculating a predicted time for completion of filling when a given quantity of liquid to be filled will have filled a vessel on the basis of a predetermined function of a liquid pressure and a filling time, and stopping the filling of liquid into the vessel by closing the open/close valve of the associated filling mechanism when the time passed since the commencement of filling reaches the predicted time for completion of filling;

• characterized in that the controller measures the liquid pressure at successive points after the commencement of filling liquid into the vessel, determines, at the end of each measurement, a mean value of liquid pressures which have been previously measured, determines a predicted time for completion of filling when a given quantity of liquid to be filled will have filled a vessel on the basis of the mean value, and stops the filling of the liquid into the vessel when the time passed since the commencement of filling reaches the predicted time for completion of filling.