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US 8,899,278 B2Granted
Pressure cycle management in compressed gas dispensing systems
AssigneeAir Products and Chemicals, Inc.
InventorsJoseph Perry Cohen, David John Farese, Ravi Subramanian
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for dispensing compressed gas from two or more compressed gas storage volumes to receiving vessel such as vehicle fuel tanks. Control instructions are provided to cycle the compressed gas storage volumes through pressure cycles in a rolling rotating cascading manner such that each of the compressed gas storage volumes cycle from an upper pressure limit to a lower pressure limit.
Claims13
A method for dispensing a compressed gas from a plurality of more than two compressed gas storage volumes, wherein the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes are operated each in a pressure range ranging from a lower gas storage pressure, PLOWER, to an upper gas storage pressure, PUPPER, inclusive, the method comprising:
- (a) dispensing from a first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes into a first receiving vessel, the first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes initially at a first pressure, P1, where PLOWER<P1≦PUPPER;
- (b) terminating dispensing from the first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes when the pressure in the first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes is within 7.5 MPa of PLOWER wherein the dispensing is terminated without regard to the pressure difference between the first compressed gas storage volume and the first receiving vessel;
- (c) subsequent to step (b), dispensing from a second of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes into the first receiving vessel, the second of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes initially at a second pressure, P2, where PLOWER<P2≦PUPPER;
- (d) terminating dispensing from the second of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes when the first receiving vessel is filled to a desired level for the first receiving vessel;
- and
- introducing compressed gas into the first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes at least until the pressure in the first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes is within 7.5 MPa of PUPPER;
- whereby the pressure in each of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes is cycled through pressure cycles during which compressed gas is withdrawn from each of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes and compressed gas is introduced into each of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes, the pressure cycles for each of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes independent from one another, the pressure cycles for each of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes having a pressure decrease portion and a pressure increase portion subsequent to the pressure decrease portion, wherein the pressure during the pressure decrease portion progresses from within 7.5 MPa of PUPPER to within 7.5 MPa of PLOWER and the pressure increase portion progresses from within 7.5 MPa of PLOWER to within 7.5 MPa of PUPPER, wherein the pressure in each of the compressed gas storage volumes is not increased at any time during the pressure decrease portion of the pressure cycles and the pressure in each of the compressed gas storage volumes is not decreased at any time during the pressure increase portion of the pressure cycles.
4 more elements
A method for dispensing a compressed gas from a plurality of more than two compressed gas storage volumes, wherein the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes are operated each in a pressure range ranging from a lower gas storage pressure, PLOWER, to an upper gas storage pressure, PUPPER, inclusive, the method comprising:
- (a) dispensing from a first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes into a first receiving vessel, the first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes initially at a first pressure, P1, where PLOWER<P1≦PUPPER;
- (b) terminating dispensing from the first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes when the pressure in the first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes is within 7.5 MPa of PLOWER wherein the dispensing is terminated without regard to the pressure difference between the first compressed gas storage volume and the first receiving vessel;
- (c) subsequent to step (b), dispensing from a second of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes into the first receiving vessel, the second of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes initially at a second pressure, P2, where PLOWER<P2≦PUPPER;
- (d) terminating dispensing from the second of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes when the first receiving vessel is filled to a desired level for the first receiving vessel;
- and
- introducing compressed gas into the first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes at least until the pressure in the first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes is within 7.5 MPa of PUPPER;
- whereby the pressure in each of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes is cycled through pressure cycles during which compressed gas is withdrawn from each of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes and compressed gas is introduced into each of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes, the pressure cycles for each of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes independent from one another, the pressure cycles for each of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes having a pressure decrease portion and a pressure increase portion subsequent to the pressure decrease portion, wherein the pressure during the pressure decrease portion progresses from within 7.5 MPa of PUPPER to within 7.5 MPa of PLOWER and the pressure increase portion progresses from within 7.5 MPa of PLOWER to within 7.5 MPa of PUPPER,wherein the pressure in each of the compressed gas storage volumes is not increased at any time during the pressure decrease portion of the pressure cycles and the pressure in each of the compressed gas storage volumes is not decreased at any time during the pressure increase portion of the pressure cycles;
- wherein compressed gas is introduced into the first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes from a compressed gas source during step (a), and/or compressed gas is introduced into the second of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes from a compressed gas source during step (c).
5 more elements
A method for dispensing a compressed gas from a plurality of more than two compressed gas storage volumes, wherein the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes are operated each in a pressure range ranging from a lower gas storage pressure, PLOWER, to an upper gas storage pressure, PUPPER, inclusive, the method comprising:
- (a) dispensing from a first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes into a first receiving vessel, the first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes initially at a first pressure, P1, where PLOWER<P1≦PUPPER;
- (b) terminating dispensing from the first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes when the pressure in the first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes is within 7.5 MPa of PLOWER wherein the dispensing is terminated without regard to the pressure difference between the first compressed gas storage volume and the first receiving vessel;
- (c) subsequent to step (b), dispensing from a second of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes into the first receiving vessel, the second of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes initially at a second pressure, P2, where PLOWER<P2≦PUPPER;
- (d) terminating dispensing from the second of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes when the first receiving vessel is filled to a desired level for the first receiving vessel;
- and
- introducing compressed gas into the first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes at least until the pressure in the first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes is within 7.5 MPa of PUPPER;
- whereby the pressure in each of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes is cycled through pressure cycles during which compressed gas is withdrawn from each of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes and compressed gas is introduced into each of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes, the pressure cycles for each of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes independent from one another, the pressure cycles for each of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes having a pressure decrease portion and a pressure increase portion subsequent to the pressure decrease portion, wherein the pressure during the pressure decrease portion progresses from within 7.5 MPa of PUPPER to within 7.5 MPa of PLOWER and the pressure increase portion progresses from within 7.5 MPa of PLOWER to within 7.5 MPa of PUPPER, wherein the pressure in each of the compressed gas storage volumes is not increased at any time during the pressure decrease portion of the pressure cycles and the pressure in each of the compressed gas storage volumes is not decreased at any time during the pressure increase portion of the pressure cycles;
- wherein during step (a) and/or during step (c), compressed gas is also introduced into the first receiving vessel from a compressor.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.