A subterranean tank can consist of at least a casing string that has a containment section disposed between first and second end regions. The containment section may have a first width while each of the first and second end regions have a second width. The first width can be greater than the second width of the respective first or second end regions. The entire casing string may be sealed to maintain a gas at 5,000 psi or more until a gas delivery assembly attached to the first end region releases gas stored in the casing string.

A membrane anchor mechanism which fixes a membrane provided on an inner wall surface side of a concrete wall via a heating insulating material to the concrete wall, includes a rod-shaped leg portion which is erected on the concrete wall, an anchor which is supported by the leg portion in a state of being separated from the concrete wall and is inserted into a through-hole passing through the heat insulating material and the membrane, and a pressing part which is fixed to the anchor through the through-hole and presses the membrane.

The invention relates to a container for holding and storing liquids and viscous materials, in particular cryogenic fluids, comprising a jacket (12), which defines the interior (14) of the container (10) having a chamber (16), said container (10) being constituted of at least two container structures (20, 20′, 20″) and each of said at least two container structures (20, 20′, 20″) being formed as one piece from a blank (32) and having a dome portion (22), a branching portion (24), which is contiguous to the dome portion (22), and two cylinder portions (26, 28; 26′, 28′), which are contiguous to the branching portion (24), and the mutually facing container structures (20, 20; 20′, 20″) which are adjacent to each other being joined together.

A pressure vessel refueling system enables fast refueling of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fuel tanks. The system includes a pressure vessel having a gas inlet/outlet port and a liquid inlet/outlet port; a first liquid at least partially filling the pressure vessel; a liquid layer of a second liquid floating on top of the first liquid, wherein the second liquid is immiscible with the first liquid; a gas at least partially filling the pressure vessel above the liquid layer of the second liquid, the gas in fluid communication with the gas inlet/outlet; and a pump in fluid communication with the liquid inlet/outlet of the pressure vessel, whereby the first liquid can be pumped or returned to/from storage into or out of the pressure vessel.

A method of manufacturing a high pressure tank includes: preparing a liner; forming a fiber reinforced resin layer which is a layer of a fiber reinforced resin on an outer side of the liner, and forming a resin layer which is a layer formed of a portion of a thermosetting resin on an outer surface of the fiber reinforced resin layer; increasing a temperature of the fiber reinforced resin layer and the resin layer to a predetermined temperature which is a temperature at which the thermosetting resin is cured; causing a pressure in the liner to be regulated to be a second pressure higher than a first pressure which is a pressure in the liner in the forming of the fiber reinforced resin layer and the resin layer; and maintaining the temperature of the fiber reinforced resin layer and the resin layer at the predetermined temperature.

An assembly for storing and transporting compressed fluid, such as compressed natural gas, that includes a plurality of hexagonally stacked pipe stored in a cargo hold in or on a vessel, that includes a lower support, side supports and a forcing mechanism that presses strongly down on the pipes so that they cannot move relative to themselves or the vessel on which they are placed. The friction between the pipes causes the plurality of pipes to act as part of the vessel in terms of its structure. The stacked pipe is supported by a plurality of spacers, such as convex side up pipe segments for maintaining a gap between adjacent ones of said plurality of pipes in a same row in said stacked pipe. A load equalizer may be located above the plurality of pipes for distributing the compressive force from the forcing mechanism.

A container-type compressed air storage power generation device (2) comprises compressors (5a-5c); a tank (8); power generators (9a-9c); a control device (12); and a container (4). The compressors (5a-5c) compress air. The tank (8) is driven by air supplied from the compressors (5a-5c). The power generators (9a-9c) are driven by air supplied from the tank (8). The control device drives and controls the compressors (5a-5c) and the power generators (9a-9c). The container (4) houses the compressors (5a-5c) and the power generators (9a-9c), and the tank (8) is disposed outside the container (4). Therefore, the container-type compressed air storage power generation device (2) is easy to transport and construct on-site.

A novel tank cryogenic-compatible composite pressure vessel that beneficially utilizes Vapor Cooled Shielding (VCS) is introduced to minimize thermal gradients along support structures and reduces heat loads on cryogenic systems. In particular, the configurations and mechanisms to be utilized herein include: providing for a desired number of passageways and a given thickness of the VCS, reducing the thermal conductivity of the VCS material, and increasing the cooling capacitance of the hydrogen vapors.

A catalytic tank heater includes a catalytic heating element supported on an LPG tank by a support structure that holds the element in a position facing the tank. Vapor from the tank is provided as fuel to the heating element, and is regulated to increase heat output as tank pressure drops. The heating element is internally separated into a pilot heater and a main heater, with respective separate fuel inlets. The pilot heater remains in continual operation, but the main heater is operated only while tank pressure is below a threshold. Operation of the pilot heater keeps a portion of the catalyst hot, so that, when tank pressure drops below the threshold, and fuel is supplied to the main heater, catalytic combustion quickly expands from the area surrounding the pilot heater to the remainder of the catalyst.

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.