The invention relates to a method for operating a tank system (10) comprising a number of at least two tanks (21, 22, 23, 24, 25), which are connected in parallel and which contain a gaseous substance, and in which an interior pressure (PX) prevails, for supplying a consumer unit (12), which requires a full load volume of the gaseous substance, wherein each tank (21, 22, 23, 24, 25) has a safety valve (31, 32, 33, 34, 35), which shuts down the tank if a flow volume of the gaseous material through the safety valve (31, 32, 33, 34, 35) exceeds a shut-off volume. If the interior pressure (PX) in at least one tank (21, 22, 23, 24, 25) falls below a first threshold, at least one other tank (21, 22, 23, 24, 25) that was previously shut down is connected.

An automatic multi-air bag pneumatic inflation system for a trailer is also disclosed. The inflation system includes a system control unit coupleable to an air supply for controlling the flow of pressurized air in the pneumatic inflation system. The system control unit comprises an inlet for coupling to the air supply with an on/off valve for providing a flow of air, a primary regulator in communication with the flow of air and the on/off valve, an inflation pressure tank in communication with the flow of air and the primary regulator, a control valve in communication with the inflation pressure tank and/or primary regulator, and used to control the air flow, a function selection valve for selecting between inflation and deflation, and an outlet. A plurality of fill stations are fluidly coupled to the system control unit. One or more fill stations of said plurality of fill stations are fluidly coupled to an air bag for inflation and deflation thereof. The fill stations may include a manifold block, including a first inlet/outlet for fluidly coupling to the system control unit for transmission of the air supply, a safety relief valve joined to the manifold in fluid communication with the air supply, a shut-off valve for manually opening and closing the fluid connection between the manifold and the air bag, and a hose in fluid communication with the manifold and the air bag for transfer of the air supply to the air bag. The plurality of air bags which are spaced about the trailer, and a plurality of fill stations are spaced throughout the trailer, and one or more of the valves in the system control unit and the fill station operate to maintain a predetermined pressure in the air bag(s).

The present invention is embodied in a carbon dioxide compression and delivery device that uses a plurality of reversible thermoelectric devices and to a method to operate such carbon dioxide compression and delivery device.

A method and apparatus for compressing gases and supplying fuel to a gaseous fuel consuming device, such as a gaseous fueled vehicle or the like. One embodiment includes a gas compressor for compressing the gaseous fuel to an array of tanks having predetermined initial set points which are increasing for tanks in the array. One embodiment provides a selecting valve having first and second families of ports wherein the valve can be operated to select a plurality of ports from the first family to be fluidly connected with a plurality of ports with the second family, and such fluid connections can be changed by operation of the valve.

An automatic multi-air bag pneumatic inflation system for a trailer is also disclosed. The inflation system includes a system control unit coupleable to an air supply for controlling the flow of pressurized air in the pneumatic inflation system. The system control unit comprises an inlet for coupling to the air supply with an on/off valve for providing a flow of air, a primary regulator in communication with the flow of air and the on/off valve, an inflation pressure tank in communication with the flow of air and the primary regulator, a control valve in communication with the inflation pressure tank and/or primary regulator, and used to control the air flow, a function selection valve for selecting between inflation and deflation, and an outlet. A plurality of fill stations are fluidly coupled to the system control unit. One or more fill stations of said plurality of fill stations are fluidly coupled to an air bag for inflation and deflation thereof. The fill stations may include a manifold block, including a first inlet/outlet for fluidly coupling to the system control unit for transmission of the air supply, a safety relief valve joined to the manifold in fluid communication with the air supply, a shut-off valve for manually opening and closing the fluid connection between the manifold and the air bag, and a hose in fluid communication with the manifold and the air bag for transfer of the air supply to the air bag. The plurality of air bags which are spaced about the trailer, and a plurality of fill stations are spaced throughout the trailer, and one or more of the valves in the system control unit and the fill station operate to maintain a predetermined pressure in the air bag(s).

The present invention is embodied in a carbon dioxide compression and delivery device that uses a plurality of reversible thermoelectric devices and to a method to operate such carbon dioxide compression and delivery device.

A method and apparatus for compressing gases and supplying fuel to a gaseous fuel consuming device, such as a gaseous fueled vehicle or the like. One embodiment includes a gas compressor for compressing the gaseous fuel to an array of tanks having predetermined initial set points which are increasing for tanks in the array. One embodiment provides a selecting valve having first and second families of ports wherein the valve can be operated to select a plurality of ports from the first family to be fluidly connected with a plurality of ports with the second family, and such fluid connections can be changed by operation of the valve.

A method and apparatus for compressing gases and supplying fuel to a gaseous fuel consuming device, such as a gaseous fueled vehicle or the like. One embodiment includes a gas compressor for compressing the gaseous fuel to an array of tanks having predetermined initial set points which are increasing for tanks in the array. One embodiment provides a selecting valve having first and second families of ports wherein the valve can be operated to select a plurality of ports from the first family to be fluidly connected with a plurality of ports with the second family, and such fluid connections can be changed by operation of the valve.

A hydrogen gas filling method includes: a step for acquiring a pre-supply upstream pressure that is a pressure in a station side of a piping at time t0, a step for starting the supply of hydrogen gas from the station at time t1 that is after the pre-supply upstream pressure is acquired, a step for acquiring a post-supply upstream pressure at time t2 that is immediate after the supply of hydrogen gas starts, a step for acquiring a start-time flowrate that is a flowrate of hydrogen gas at the same period as the step for starting, a step for estimating the pressure loss generated in the piping at the time of the supply by using the pre-supply upstream pressure, post-supply upstream pressure, and the start-time flowrate, and a step for stopping the supply of hydrogen gas so that a tank pressure conforms with a predetermined target pressure.

A hydrogen fueling system and method comprises a container, a first tank, second tank, and third tank disposed within the container, and a nozzle coupled to the second tank and the third tank. One or more computer-readable storage media storing instructions executable by one or more processors may control flow of liquid hydrogen and hydrogen gas in the system, adjust temperature of the tanks, control pressure in the tanks, and transfer hydrogen gas from the second tank, the third tank, or a combination thereof to one or more target vessels. The system may also comprise flow control assemblies and flow control valves to manage the transfer of liquid hydrogen and hydrogen gas in the system.