A pressure vessel mounting structure (10) includes a plurality of bands (11) made of a composite material cured about the exterior surface (35) of the pressure vessel (30) to form an integral part of the vessel. The bands (11) may be spaced apart from one another to form a crisscrossing helical grid pattern with opposing ends (21) of the bands extending past a respective end (31) of the pressure vessel (30) and toward a longitudinal centerline (33) of the pressure vessel (30) to form a skirt (17). The skirt (17) provides mounting points (15) as well as a vertical standing mount for the vessel.

The invention provides a device for protecting a high-pressure gas tank of a motor vehicle. The device includes at least one heat-conducting plate and a thermal triggering unit. The heat-conducting plate has a distal region and a proximal region. The proximal region is arranged immediately adjacent to the thermal triggering unit and the distal region is arranged at a distance from the thermal triggering unit. The heat-conducting plate may be shaped so that it tapers from the distal region to the proximal region. The proximal region itself may be shaped in a tapering fashion. The heat-conducting plate may include heat-conducting fibers.

A pressure vessel mounting structure (10) includes a plurality of bands (11) made of a composite material cured about the exterior surface (35) of the pressure vessel (30) to form an integral part of the vessel. The bands (11) may be spaced apart from one another to form a crisscrossing helical grid pattern with opposing ends (21) of the bands extending past a respective end (31) of the pressure vessel (30) and toward a longitudinal centreline (33) of the pressure vessel (30) to form a skirt (17). The skirt (17) provides mounting mounts (15) as well as a vertical standing mount for the vessel.

A high pressure tank structure includes a high pressure tank, a pressure relief device, and a heat-resistant plate. The high pressure tank is capable of storing a fluid on an inside of a resin-made liner covered with a reinforced layer. The pressure relief device, when heated to a certain activating temperature, reduces an internal pressure of the high pressure tank. The heat-resistant plate is integrally attached to the high pressure tank, so as to be disposed facing the reinforced layer which is positioned at least on a bottom surface side when mounted in a mounting body.

The filling station according to the invention enables an automated refilling of a gas bottle by an end-user. This comprises an insertion device, which enables an end-user to insert an emptied gas bottle into the filling station. The filling station comprises a closing device for closing the filling station after the insertion of the gas bottle such that a removal of the gas bottle subsequent to the closing is not possible. The end-user may not remove the gas bottle in a closed state. Furthermore, the filling station comprises a filling device for an automated filling of an into the filling station inserted emptied gas bottle subsequent to the closing. A filling may thus only take place, if the filling station is closed and in consequence the gas bottle cannot be removed. There is a gas testing device for an automated gas leakage test after a refilling of an inserted gas bottle. With it, the tightness of a once again filled gas bottle is tested. There is a release device that releases an afore filled or full gas bottle only after a successful gas leakage test and thus enables a removal of a once again filled gas bottle. A removal of a gas bottled filled with gas respectively liquid gas is thus only possible, if the gas leakage test revealed that no gas escapes from the filled bottle. The invention further concerns a method for refilling.

A sealed and thermally insulating tank whose wall is fixed to a carrier wall. The tank wall includes a secondary thermal insulation barrier which is retained on the carrier wall and a secondary sealing barrier which is supported by the thermal insulation barrier. There is also a primary insulation barrier which is fixed to the secondary element of the tank by a fastener which is connected to the secondary insulation barrier.

A valve assembly comprising a housing and a valve, the valve being disposed within the housing, a first indexed member integral to the housing, the first indexed member adapted to be complementary to a second indexed member, and a radio frequency identification device adapted to communicate with a radio frequency receiver, the valve being configured to align with a canister, seal the canister and open in a single movement. A drug containment device having said valve assembly is also disclosed.

An inflatable structure for gas storage (such as carbon dioxide) includes an inner bladder containing a gas for storage and an outer wall spaced from the inner bladder. An intermediate space between the bladder and the outer wall is pressurized with a gas other than the storage gas (such as air) so that the structure is protected from environmental conditions such as wind and snow loading. A method of using the inflatable structure for storage of a storage gas includes using a blower to inflate the inner bladder with storage gas, and pressurizing the intermediate space with air to have a higher pressure than the inner bladder.

The invention relates to an arrangement of one or more cryogenic tank containers for storing liquefied natural gas (LNG) or compressed natural gas (CNG) on an open deck of a tugboat. The one or more cryogenic tank containers are removably mounted on and at an aft deck area of the tugboat and are provided with means for supplying LNG or CNG to the engine of the tugboat.

An inflatable structure for gas storage includes an inner bladder containing a gas for storage and an outer wall spaced from the inner bladder. An intermediate space between the bladder and the outer wall is pressurized with a gas (such as air) other than the storage gas so that the structure is protected from environmental conditions such as wind and snow loading. The bladder and outer wall may be flexible fabric membranes and may be provided with lightweight support frames. The structures may be combined in a network of like structures for large scale storage.