A quality control method for the preparation of dry compressed gas cylinder including passivating and/or preparing the compressed gas cylinder with the technique to be validated, filling the passivated/prepared compressed gas cylinder with gaseous carbon dioxide to a normal working pressure, wherein the gaseous carbon dioxide has a known .sup.18O isotope ratio, maintaining the pressurized gas cylinder at ambient temperature for a first predetermined period of time, and gradually emptying the pressurized gas cylinder, while simultaneously measuring the .sup.18O isotopic ratio, wherein a predetermined variation in the measured isotopic ratio of .sup.18O indicates a properly prepared cylinder.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for refilling fluid containers. A fluid container may include a bottle and a valve assembly. The valve assembly may include two valves and be configured to engage with the bottle and a filling head or dispensing head. A system is configured to provide pressurized fluid to the refillable container, monitor filling, determine when to stop filling, and determine how much fluid was provided. The valve assembly may include a float mechanism coupled to one of the valves of the valve assembly to ensure fluid flow is stopped when the fluid container is full. The fluid, which can include carbon dioxide, is stored in a storage tank. A flow system provides the fluid to a filling head, which engages with the fluid container. The flow system includes a transfer pump, valves, and sensors configured to provide the fluid to the filling head.

A gas supply system for providing high pressure (HP) gas to a low pressure (LP) gas destination, having a primary HP gas unit and a reserve HP gas unit, which provide regulated lower-pressure gas to a supply manifold, and an LP destination regulator that provides an LP regulated gas supply to a consumption subsystem. A one-way flow valve in fluid communication from the primary HP gas unit to the reserve HP gas unit, ensures that the reserve HP gas unit remains substantially full, even after numerous cycles of depletion and replacement of the primary HP gas unit, during which the HP supply is provided by the reserve HP gas unit, which helps to avoid the risk that the reserve tank pressure and supply might mistakenly, unexpectedly or unintentionally be depleted.

Provided is a pressure vessel having an outer layer with an improved gas barrier property, a lightweight liner with an excellent gas barrier property, and a novel method for manufacturing a pressure vessel. The pressure vessel contains a liner and an outer layer of the liner, wherein the outer layer is configured by a composite material that contains a continuous fiber and a polyamide resin impregnated into the continuous fiber; the polyamide resin contains a structural unit derived from diamine and a structural unit derived from dicarboxylic acid; and 50 mol % or more of the structural unit derived from diamine is derived from xylylenediamine.

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 cartridge loader includes a lever arm, a hinge axle and a cam centered on the hinge axle, and a housing for receiving a cartridge, the housing having a first end and a second end, the first end adapted to connect to an appliance, and the second end adapted to allow the lever arm to open and close, the housing having an aperture exposing an interior of the housing, the aperture shaped to receive the cartridge and the lever arm, wherein the cam is adapted to assist in seating the cartridge in the housing when the lever arm is closed, and ejecting the cartridge when the lever arm is opened.

A mobile CO2 filling system selectively fills onsite CO2 storage and dispensing systems with CO2. The system includes a mobile platform; a tank holding liquid CO2 mounted on the mobile platform; a flexible dispensing hose couple to the tank and configured to be selectively coupled to the filling inlet of an onsite CO2 storage and dispensing system; a pump selectively coupled to the tank; and a controller for controlling the filling of an onsite CO2 storage and dispensing systems with CO2 from the tank, wherein the controller is selectively designated by the user to operate in at least one pump assisted filling state and at least one gravity feed filling state.

The disclosure includes a compressed gas tank locking device that can include an elongate housing. The elongate housing may include a closed end and an open end located opposite the closed end. The elongate housing may further include a sidewall extending between the closed end and the open end, a first aperture extending through the sidewall, and a second aperture extending through the sidewall. The second aperture may be located opposite the first aperture.

Disclosed is a pneumatic inflation valve assembly, having: a valve housing defining a valve cavity and including an axial proximate end and an axial distal end, the proximate end including an outlet from the valve cavity and the distal end including an inlet into the valve cavity, the proximate end includes a motion hole, the distal end includes a receiving volume; and a poppet is disposed in the valve cavity that includes an axial proximate stem extending through the motion hole, an axial distal stem is disposed in the receiving volume and is moveable within the valve cavity between an opened position and a closed position, when the poppet is at the opened position the distal stem extends further into the receiving volume than at the closed position, and the center body is axially spaced from the proximate end and the distal end of the valve housing.

A system and method for protecting a lightweight pressure vessel capable of airborne and underwater use. The system includes an enclosure and a gas container that is capable of holding pressurized or liquefied gas in sufficient quantity to increase internal pressure of the pressure vessel, so that the internal pressure of the pressure vessel equals an external pressure of the pressure vessel. The system also includes a pressure relief device coupled to the enclosure. The pressure relief device is configured to release the pressurized or liquefied gas from the pressure vessel when the internal pressure exceeds the external pressure by a predetermined amount. The system also includes a gas supply mechanism coupled to the gas container, the gas supply mechanism being configured to allow gas from the gas container into order to increase the internal pressure of the pressure vessel until the internal pressure equals the external pressure.