A cryogenic fluid containment system is disclosed. The system can store a fluid such as hydrogen at a cryogenic temperature and pressure. As the fluid naturally warms, boil-off fluid is produced by the fluid and can be directed to a backup power system that is configured to consume the boil-off fluid. The boil-off fluid being extracted from the cryogenic fluid containment system causes additional boil-off fluid to be generated from the fluid and refrigerate the fluid within the cryogenic fluid containment system. Additionally, the boil-off fluid can be monitored over time such that as the boil-off fluid accumulates within the storage tank, a boil-off controller can determine whether the boil-off fluid is to be extracted from the storage tank. The boil-off controller can enable the fluid to be maintained below a pressure threshold within the storage tank.

A multi-walled storage tanks use pressure differences between walls/shells to maximize fluid mass storage for tank size by reducing or minimizing the distance between the outer most layers of a multi-layer storage device, and keeping the middle one(s), particularly the innermost space, as large as possible, while having shell walls of substantially the same material and thickness, with no wall being thicker than the inner shell wall.

A system for cryogenic gas delivery includes a cryogenic tank configured to contain a cryogenic liquid and a gas within a headspace above the cryogenic liquid. The system also includes first and second vaporizers and a use outlet. A first pipe is configured to transfer gas from the headspace through the first vaporizer to the use outlet. A second pipe is configured to transfer liquid from the tank through the first vaporizer so that a first vapor stream is directed to the use outlet. A third pipe is configured to build pressure within the tank by transferring liquid from the tank through the second vaporizer so that a second vapor stream is directed back to the headspace of the tank. A first regulator valve is in fluid communication with the second pipe and opens when a pressure on an outlet side of the first regulator drops below a first predetermined pressure level. A second regulator valve is in fluid communication with the third pipe and opens when a pressure inside the tank drops below a second predetermined pressure level. The first predetermined pressure level is higher than the second predetermined pressure level.

A tank includes a liner including an inner shell; and a reinforcing layer covering an outer surface of the liner; wherein the reinforcing layer is formed by continuously winding resin-impregnated fiber bundles around the liner, the reinforcing layer includes a hoop layer placed in a side of the liner, and a helical layer, gaps are formed between adjacent bundles of the resin-impregnated fiber bundles wound in the hoop layer, there is at least one site where the resin-impregnated fiber bundles are wound without forming a gap between adjacent bundles in the helical layer, and resin in the resin-impregnated fiber bundles has a resin toughness value of not less than 1.0 MPa.Math.m.sup.0.5.

A cryogenic dewar may include an inner tank and an outer tank. The cryogenic dewar may further include a plurality of trunnion mounts. A first four of the trunnion mounts may be coupled between a front half of the inner tank and a front half of the outer tank. A second four of the trunnion mounts may be coupled between a rear half of the inner tank and a rear half of the outer tank. The trunnion mount may be further strengthen with a plurality of pie-shaped reinforcing pads welded to each other and to an outer surface of the inner tank.

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.

This invention relates to a safety valve for a pressurised gas cylinder, the valve comprising: (a) a housing comprising a proximal end and a distal end, the housing comprising a conduit which extends through the housing from an inlet at the proximal end to one or more outlets at the distal end, the inlet being connectable to a gas cylinder so that it is capable of providing fluid communication between the conduit and the gas cylinder; (b) a closure member within the conduit which is movable from a closed position in which it substantially seals the inlet to an open position which provides fluid communication through the conduit from the inlet to the one or more outlets at the distal end of the housing; and (c) a thermal release element within the conduit in the form of a fluid-filled glass bulb comprising a first end which abuts a stop on the housing and an opposing second end which abuts a distal side of the closure member in order to hold the closure member in the closed position.

Disclosed are articles useful as the body of a container for containing gas under pressure, and containers which comprise the articles to which are affixed valves to control the flow of gas out of the container, wherein the articles comprise a hollow container body, having an external surface and having an opening through which gas can enter or leave the interior of the hollow container body; optionally but preferably a layer of fiber-reinforced polymer around the exterior of the container body, and an external layer of elastomer around and sealed to the external surface of the layer of fiber-reinforced polymer if present or else to the cylinder body.

There is provided a protection structure for a gas cylinder assembly comprising a gas cylinder body and a valve. The gas cylinder body includes a base and a neck to which a proximal end of the valve is connectable in use. The protection structure comprises first and second structural sections, the first section being connectable to the valve such that the second section is spaced from the valve by the first section. Further, in use, the second section is arranged to transfer impact forces to the first section, and the second section is arranged to deform with respect to the second section in response to said impact forces to reduce the peak impact force on the valve.

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.