Method and apparatus for monitoring fluid pressure

A method of monitoring the pressure of a fluid within a rigid vessel, comprising monitoring the capacitance of a capacitor comprising a deformable resilient solid dielectric separating first and second conductive elements, the capacitor being exposed to said pressurised fluid such that the distance between the conductive elements and thus the capacitance of the capacitor changes with compression or relaxation of the dielectric in response to changes in fluid pressure, wherein the vessel is a container suitable for storing pressurised fluids during transport from a filling station to a point at which the fluid is to be dispensed and wherein the dielectric is a material having a Bulk Modulus (K) of 1 to 10 GPa and/or comprising a polycarbonate, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyester, and/or polytetrafluoroethylene polymer.

A rigid vessel for a pressurised fluid, the vessel including a capacitor comprising a deformable resilient solid dielectric separating first and second conductive elements, the capacitor being positioned such that it is exposed to said pressurised fluid, when the fluid is present in the vessel, such that the distance between the conductive elements and thus the capacitance of the capacitor changes with compression or relaxation of the dielectric in response to changes in fluid pressure, wherein the dielectric is a material having a Bulk Modulus (K) of 1 to 10 GPa and/or comprising a polycarbonate, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyester, and/or polytetrafluoroethylene polymer.

A rigid vessel for a pressurised fluid, the vessel including a capacitor comprising a deformable resilient solid dielectric separating first and second conductive elements, the capacitor being positioned such that it is exposed to said pressurised fluid, when the fluid is present in the vessel, such that the distance between the conductive elements and thus the capacitance of the capacitor changes with compression or relaxation of the dielectric in response to changes in fluid pressure, wherein the vessel is a container suitable for storing pressurised fluids during transport from a filling station to a point at which the fluid is to be dispensed and wherein the dielectric is a material having a Bulk Modulus (K) of 1 to 10 GPa and/or comprising a polycarbonate, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyester, and/or polytetrafluoroethylene polymer.

A method of supplying pressurised fluid, comprising:

• filling a rigid vessel with a pressurised fluid, the vessel being a container suitable for storing pressurised fluids during transport from a filling station to a point at which the fluid is to be dispensed, the vessel including a capacitor comprising a deformable resilient solid dielectric separating first and second conductive elements, the capacitor being positioned such that it is exposed to said pressurised fluid, when the fluid is present in the vessel, such that the distance between the conductive elements and thus the capacitance of the capacitor changes with compression or relaxation of the dielectric in response to changes in fluid pressure, wherein the dielectric is a material having a Bulk Modulus (K) of 1 to 10 GPa and/or comprising a polycarbonate, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyester, and/or polytetrafluoroethylene polymer;
• and supplying the filled container.