A cryogenic liquid dispensing system having a tank that holds cryogenic liquid and a basin configured to hold cryogenic liquid at a height above a bottom portion of the tank. The system is configured to pump cryogenic liquid for dispensing from the bottom portion of the tank when the cryogenic liquid in the tank is of a sufficient level to provide an adequate liquid head to permit pump operation, and is configured to pump cryogenic liquid for dispensing from the basin when the liquid in the tank is of an insufficient level to provide an adequate liquid head to permit pump operation to dispense cryogenic liquid.

A low temperature fluid dual structure pipe includes: an inner pipe through which a low temperature fluid flows; and an outer pipe externally fitted to the inner pipe with a sealed tubular space therebetween. An inactive gas having a melting point and a boiling point each of which is equal to or higher than a temperature of the low temperature fluid is filled in the tubular space between the inner pipe and the outer pipe. When the low temperature fluid flows through the inner pipe, the inactive gas is liquefied or solidified, and therefore, at least one of a liquefied inactive gas layer and a solidified inactive gas layer is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the inner pipe. As a result, a pseudo vacuum layer that is in a substantially vacuum state is formed in the tubular space.

An operating method is provided for a cryopressure tank in which cryogenic hydrogen for supplying a motor vehicle fuel cell can be stored under supercritical pressure at 13 bar or more. In order to compensate the pressure drop resulting from removal of hydrogen from the cryopressure tank, either a heat transfer medium is supplied to a heat exchanger provided in the cryopressure tank via a control valve over a period of time which significantly exceeds the cycle times of a conventional cycle valve or the heat transfer medium is not supplied to the heat exchanger. Depending on the fill level of the cryopressure tank, the control valve is actuated with respect to a desired temperature or a desired pressure of the hydrogen in the cryopressure tank. As long as there is a risk of liquefaction of the residual hydrogen in the cryopressure tank, as is the case when the temperature falls below the critical temperature of 33 K if the pressure drops below the critical pressure of approximately 13 bar, during the removal of cryogenic hydrogen from the cryopressure tank, the temperature is adjusted such that it does not drop below the critical temperature of 33 Kelvin. If the fill state in the cryopressure tank drops further, the pressure in the cryopressure tank is adjusted when there is no longer a risk of liquefaction such that the pressure does not drop below a minimum pressure value which the hydrogen that is removed from the cryopressure tank must have in order to be usable in the consumer without restricting the function thereof.

A heat-insulating container being used under an environment where exposure to water of liquid is possible, includes a container main body having a substance holding portion which holds a substance at a temperature which is lower than a normal temperature on the inside of the substance holding portion; and a heat-insulating structure body which is provided in the container main body and includes at least a vacuum heat-insulating material. In addition, the vacuum heat-insulating material includes an outer cover material and an inner member sealed in a tightly closed and decompressed state on an inside of the outer cover material. In addition, the inner member is configured of a material which does not generate hydrogen in a case of coming into contact with the moisture of the liquid.

A vacuum heat-insulating material includes: an outer cover material; and a core material which is sealed in a tightly closed and decompressed state on the inside of the outer cover material. Outer cover material has gas barrier properties and satisfies at least one of a condition that a linear expansion coefficient is 80×10.sup.−5/° C. or lower when a static load is 0.05 N within a temperature range of −130° C. to 80° C., inclusive, a condition that an average value of a linear expansion coefficient is 65×10.sup.−5/° C. or higher when a static load is 0.4 N within a temperature range of −140° C. to −130° C., inclusive, a condition that an average value of a linear expansion coefficient is 20×10.sup.−5/° C. or higher when a static load is 0.4 N within a temperature range of −140° C. to −110° C., inclusive, and a condition that an average value of a linear expansion coefficient is 13×10.sup.−5/° C. or higher when a static load is 0.4 N within a temperature range of +50° C. to +65° C., inclusive.

A thermal interface between a removable cryogenic refrigerator (4) and an article (10) to be cooled by the cryogenic refrigerator. The thermal interface consists of a recondensing chamber filled with a gas (12), the recondensing chamber being in thermal contact with a cooling surface (9) of the refrigerator and the article (10) to be cooled.

A method is provided for refueling a cryogenic pressure vessel of a motor vehicle. The motor vehicle has: a) a cryogenic pressure vessel having an internal vessel which stores a fluid, an external vessel and heat insulation which is arranged between the internal vessel and the external vessel, at least in certain areas; and b) a controller, wherein the controller is designed to interrupt refueling of the motor vehicle if, in the case of damaged thermal insulation, a lower fluid density limiting value for the fluid in the internal vessel is exceeded. The lower fluid density limiting value is lower than an upper fluid density limiting value for the fluid in the internal vessel in the case of refueling of the internal vessel with intact thermal insulation.

An improved system and method for the automated refilling of cryogenic helium is provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a dewar in fluid communication with a liquid helium cryostat through a cryogen transfer line. A controller regulates operation of a three-way valve to pre-cool the transfer line and to cause gaseous helium to flow to the dewar and force liquid helium through the transfer line into the cryostat. The controller is coupled to the output of a cryogenic level sensor, such that the controller regulates the helium liquid level within the cryostat. During filling cycles, the dewar liquid level is also monitored by the cryogenic level sensor and an alarm sounds if the dewar liquid level is undesirably low. Between filling cycles, the controller is operable to ventilate the dewar through a solenoid vent valve in fixed time intervals to ensure the dewar pressure is sufficiently low so as to not bleed liquid helium into the cryostat.

A cryogenic fluid delivery system includes a main tank system with a main tank adapted to contain a first supply of cryogenic liquid, and reserve tank system with reserve tank adapted to contain a second supply of cryogenic liquid. A pressure building circuit is adapted to delivery vapor to the head space of the main tank to build pressure in the main tank and a fuel delivery line supplies cryogenic fuel from either the main tank or the reserve tank to a use device. The reserve tank stores saturated cryogenic fuel that is delivered to the use device via the fuel delivery line while the cryogenic liquid in the main tank is being saturated. The fluid delivery system automatically switches to delivering cryogenic fuel from the main tank to the use device via the fuel delivery line upon saturation of the cryogenic liquid in the main tank.

A double-shell tank includes: an inner shell storing liquefied gas; an outer shell surrounding the inner shell, the outer shell forming a vacuum space between the inner shell and the outer shell; at least one metal sheet mounted to the inner shell, such that the metal sheet faces at least a bottom surface of the inner shell; an adsorbent placed on the metal sheet, the adsorbent adsorbing gas molecules by physisorption; and a thermal insulator covering the inner shell over the metal sheet.