Multi-stage home refueling appliance and method for supplying compressed natural gas
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsSteven J. Kuehl, Nihat O. Cur
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multi-stage home refueling appliance and method supplying compressed natural gas from a utility natural gas supply. The multi-stage home refueling appliance includes a first compressing stage having a first stage inlet fluidly coupled to the supply of natural gas and a first stage outlet, a second compressing stage having a second stage inlet fluidly coupled to the first stage outlet and a second stage outlet and a vehicle refueling dispenser fluidly coupled to the second stage outlet and configured to be selectively fluidly coupled to a storage tank of a vehicle.
Claims38
A multi-stage home refueling appliance for supplying compressed natural gas (CNG), comprising:
- a first compressing stage comprising a mechanical pre-compressor having a first stage inlet fluidly coupled to a home utility natural gas supply and a first stage outlet;
- a second compressing stage comprising a hydraulic compressor having a second stage inlet fluidly coupled to the first stage outlet and a second stage outlet;
- and
- a vehicle refueling dispenser fluidly coupled to the second stage outlet and configured to be selectively fluidly coupled to a storage tank of a vehicle;
- and
- wherein the first compressing stage is configured to mechanically compress the supplied natural gas to a first pressure, and the second compressing stage is configured to hydraulically compress the natural gas from the first compressing stage to a second pressure, greater than the first pressure.
A method of providing compressed natural gas suitable for use in a vehicle by a multi-stage home refueling appliance, the method comprising:
- mechanically pre-compressing a supply of natural gas from a home utility natural gas supply to a first pressure by a mechanical compressor in the multi-stage home refueling appliance;
- and
- hydraulically compressing the pre-compressed natural gas to a second pressure, greater than the first pressure, by a hydraulic compressor in the multi-stage home refueling appliance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.