Intelligent temperature and pressure gauge assemblies (52) for use with vessels (24) having pressurized hazard suppression materials therein include temperature and pressure sensors (136, 138) coupled with a digital processor (72) with associated memory for storing empirical temperature and pressure data. The data includes normalized linear temperature-pressure curves consistent with static or slowly changing temperature conditions experienced by the vessels (24), as well as nonlinear temperature-pressure curves consistent with rapidly changing temperature conditions. In use, the assemblies (52) repeatedly sense the temperature and pressure conditions of the hazard suppression material and compare these sensed values with the stored values, and generate an output in conformance with the comparison. In this fashion, the assemblies (52) compensate for rapidly changing temperatures without generating false failure signals.

A valve arrangement (10) adapted to be coupled to, and to provide a gas flow from, a gas cylinder (20) containing a pressurized gas (21), the valve arrangement (10) comprising a blocking valve (1) with an obturator (11) movable by an actuator (12) from an opening position permitting a flow of the pressurized gas (21) through the blocking valve (1) into a closing position blocking the flow of the pressurized gas (21) through the blocking valve (1) is provided. Temperature sensing means (4) are provided which are adapted to provide at least one signal, the at least one signal being indicative of one or more temperatures of, in, and/or in vicinity to, the valve arrangement (10), and the actuator (12) is adapted to move the obturator (11) from the opening position into the closing position if the one or more temperatures indicated by the at least one signal are above a predetermined threshold value. A gas supply system (100) and a corresponding method of gas supply is also part of the invention.

Provided is a high-pressure tank that includes a tank main body including a mouthpiece, a valve fitted to the mouthpiece, and a pipe extending from the valve in an axially inward direction of the tank main body and for ejecting a gas into the tank main body. The pipe includes an ejection nozzle provided at an end of the pipe and for ejecting the gas, a first bent portion located between the ejection nozzle and the valve and extending in a direction inclined relative to an axial direction of the tank main body, and a second bent portion having the ejection nozzle and extending in a direction inclined relative to the axial direction. One of an inclination angle of the first bent portion relative to the axial direction and an inclination angle of the second bent portion relative to the axial direction is larger than 0° and not larger than 90°, and the other is not smaller than −0° and smaller than 0°, when the pipe is viewed in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

A method for subcooling liquid cryogen that is used by a cutting tool uses the steps of dividing liquid phase cryogen between a subcooler feed line and tool feed line. The cryogen in the subcooler feed line is expanded to lower the pressure and decrease the temperature of the cryogen, and the expanded liquid cryogen from the subcooler feed line is added to the interior of a subcooler. A heat exchanger is positioned in the subcooler in contact with the expanded liquid cryogen. The cryogen in the tool feed line is subcooled below its saturation temperature by passing the cryogen through the heat exchanger, and the subcooled cryogen from the heat exchanger is supplied to the cutting tool. As a result, the subcooled cryogen supplied to the cutting tool is substantially 100% liquid cryogen without any vapor content.

A nozzle device includes: a charging nozzle configured to supply a charging fluid and provided to be connected to a receptacle provided in a subject; a cover member to surround the charging nozzle and the receptacle; and a fluid supply unit to supply an interior of the cover member with an anti-freezing fluid for inhibiting freezing between the charging nozzle and the receptacle, thereby obtaining an advantageous effect of preventing freezing of the receptacle and improving safety and reliability. In addition, the nozzle device may include a hydrophobic coating layer for inhibiting freezing.

The invention relates to a HRS for filling a vessel of a vehicle with hydrogen, the HRS 1 comprising: a basic process control system comprising a process controller, a plurality of process measuring devices, a plurality of final process elements and a plurality of associated basic process control functions facilitating monitoring and controlling the operation of the HRS, wherein the HRS further comprises a safety instrumented system comprising a safety controller, a plurality of safety measuring devices, a plurality of final safety elements a plurality of associated safety instrumented functions, wherein at least one of the final process elements and the final safety elements facilitates tripping the operation of the HRS under the control of the associated process controller or the associated safety controller respectively.

A HRS comprising at least a HRS center module, a HRS dispenser module and a first hydrogen supply line facilitating flow of hydrogen between the HRS center module and the HRS dispenser module, the HRS center module comprises a safety controller and a process controller, wherein data is communicated between the safety controller and safety components of the HRS dispenser module via a safety communication channel, and wherein data is communicated between the process controller and process components of the HRS dispenser module via a process communication channel.

A mobile compressed natural gas (CNG) vessel and unloader are used to supply CNG to a compressor during regulatory emissions testing of the compressor (e.g., U.S. EPA's Quad J testing). CNG output by the compressor is recirculated to an inlet of the unloader so that it is reused during the emissions testing. Lean CNG from the vessel may be used to power the compressor during the testing. The unloader ensures that the compressor is run at at least a predetermined load factor during the emissions testing.

A pressure vessel refuelling system enables fast fill refuelling of CNG fuel tanks by inducing a stratification of gas temperatures inside a tank during refuelling, then re-cycling a portion of the relatively warmer gas out of the tank during refuelling and back to a gas chiller. The system includes a pressure vessel having a lower end, a first gas port and a second gas port, wherein the second gas port is positioned above the lower end of the pressure vessel; and a cooling circuit connecting the first gas port with the second gas port; whereby gas flowing from an interior cavity of the pressure vessel through the second gas port is cooled in the cooling circuit before returning to the pressure vessel through the first gas port; and whereby a temperature of gas inside the pressure vessel varies from a first temperature at a level of the lower end of the pressure vessel to a second temperature, which is higher than the first temperature, at a level of the second gas port.

A method for checking the sealing of a sealed tank for storing a liquefied gas at low temperature, the tank having an inner hull and a secondary sealing membrane, a secondary space that is arranged between the inner hull and the secondary sealing membrane, a primary sealing membrane and a primary space that is arranged between the primary sealing membrane and the secondary sealing membrane is disclosed. The method has the following main steps: generating a pressure lower than the pressure of the primary space in the secondary space using a suction device, measuring the temperature of an outer surface of the inner hull, and detecting the location of a sealing defect of the secondary sealing membrane in the form of a cold spot on the outer surface of the inner hull.