A hydraulic compressed air energy storage system includes air and liquid tanks, each of which includes interdependent volumes of liquid and air. Each tank includes dedicated passages through which incoming air may be fed, forcing outflow of liquid, or incoming liquid may be fed, forcing outflow of air. Compressed air tanks are connected to a first group of the air and liquid tanks. The system further includes a pump and a liquid turbine, the liquid turbine being electrically connected to a generator for generating electric power. During charging of the system, liquid is pumped through the first group of air and liquid tanks, and air is expelled from the first group of air and liquid tanks and compressed in the compressed air tanks. During discharging of the system, compressed air is released from the compressed air tanks, and said compressed air pumps liquid through the liquid turbine, thereby generating electricity.

According to aspects, hydrogen fueling systems and methods are provided, including vehicle-to-vehicle communication techniques, hydrogen cooling techniques and/or hydrogen dispenser control techniques that facilitate improving aspects of a hydrogen fueling station.

A fuel tank comprises a circular column-shaped fuel tank body, a handle, and a first connector. The circular column-shaped fuel tank body is provided so as to be detachably attachable to a fuel-powered device. The handle is formed on one end side in a length direction of the fuel tank body. The first connector is formed on another end side in the length direction of the fuel tank body and configured such that, by installing the fuel tank body to the fuel-powered device, the first connector is connected to a second connector provided at the fuel-powered device so as to enable fuel to be supplied to the fuel-powered device.

A hydrogen filling system includes a hydrogen filling enable-disable determining device. The hydrogen filling enable-disable determining device is configured to acquire detection information detected by a vehicle and determine whether to enable or disable hydrogen filling to the vehicle at a hydrogen filling device provided in a hydrogen filling area of a hydrogen station, based on the detection information.

Device for filling tanks with pressurized gas, in particular hydrogen gas tanks of motor vehicles, the device comprising at least one gas source, a transfer circuit comprising at least one upstream end connected to the source and at least one downstream end intended to be connected in removable fashion to a tank to be filled, the transfer circuit additionally comprising, between its upstream and downstream ends, a set of buffer storage container(s) which is (are) connected in parallel to the transfer circuit via a set of respective connecting valve(s), the transfer circuit comprising a portion of pipe(s) forming a loop, a plurality of the buffer storage container(s) being connected in parallel to the said loop, characterized in that the transfer circuit comprises a plurality of separate downstream ends each intended to be connected in removable fashion to a respective tank to be filled, the said downstream ends being connected in parallel to the said loop and comprising a set of respective linking valves, so that control of the connecting valves and of the linking valves makes it possible to bring at least one first buffer storage container into fluidic communication, via the loop, with a first downstream end and, simultaneously, to bring at least one second buffer storage container into fluidic communication, via the loop, with a second downstream end and/or to bring two separate buffer storage containers into fluidic communication.

Station for filling one or more tank(s) with pressurized gas, in particular pressurized hydrogen, comprising at least two pressurized gas source stores, a transfer pipe having an upstream end connected parallel to the source stores and a downstream end intended to be connected to a tank to be filled, the station comprising a valve assembly for controlling the transfer of gas between the sources and the tank to be filled and an electronic controller connected to the valve assembly and configured to control the valve assembly, the electronic controller being configured to implement successive transfers of gas between the source stores and the tank to be filled via successive pressure balancing sequences, the electronic controller being configured to determine the temperature attained by the gas in the source stores or by the source stores during transfers of gas and, when said attained temperature is below a determined threshold, to prevent or to interrupt this transfer of gas or to reduce the flow of gas transferred during said transfer.

A hydrogen supply system is configured to supply hydrogen to a fuel-cell vehicle by using a curdle for hydrogen transport, and includes: a filling unit provided at a hydrogen filling facility and configured to fill the curdle with hydrogen; a management unit configured to calculate a transport timing at which the hydrogen-filled curdle is transported to a business facility that operates the fuel-cell vehicle; a transport unit configured to transport the hydrogen-filled curdle to the business facility in accordance with the transport timing; and a disposition unit configured to dispose the hydrogen-filled curdle transported to the business facility at a place to which the fuel-cell vehicle is capable of accessing to have a refill of the hydrogen in the business facility.

A multiply-redundant system that prevents a driver from starting and/or moving a vehicle if a compressed natural gas fill system is not correctly and completely disconnected from the vehicle. One or more sensors in combination with one or more optional microswitches combine to lock-out the vehicle's ignition or otherwise prevent it from starting and/or moving. For different levels of safety, different combinations of sensors can be used with the lowest level having a single proximity sensor sensing the presence or absence of a high-pressure fill hose. The highest level of safety being achieved by having separate proximity sensors on the fuel fill hose fitting, the gas cap cover and a manual safety valve along with a redundant microswitch. An optional override that may be restricted as to the number of times it can be used can allow starting with a faulty sensor in order to allow maintenance.

A dual-wall, vacuum-insulated container (30, 40) has an external wall (1), an internal wall (3) and there in-between a vacuum chamber (5), in which there is arranged a heat insulation device (2, 20). At least three temperature sensors (13, 13a, 13b, 14, 15) that are spaced apart from another recurringly register instantaneous temperatures (T.sub.1, T.sub.2, T.sub.2A, T.sub.2B, T.sub.3) of the container (30, 40). At least in some points there is calculated a temperature course using a heat insulation model on the basis of the construction and material characteristics of the container and the heat radiation resulting therefrom, which temperature course contains at least two of the temperatures (T.sub.1, T.sub.2, T.sub.2A, T.sub.2B, T.sub.3) registered. From the temperature course there is calculated a desired temperature value for the position of at least one further of the temperature sensors and compared with the actual temperature value actually registered by this temperature sensor. From the deviation between the desired temperature value and the actual temperature value there is detected a change of the heat insulation quality of the container.

Method for filling a storage vessel with liquefied gas by means of a tank of liquefied gas, the method comprising a step of transferring liquefied gas from the tank into the storage vessel by means of a pressure differential, wherein the storage vessel prior to the transfer step has an internal pressure higher than the internal pressure of the tank, the method comprising, prior to the transfer step, a step of placing the tank and the storage vessel in fluidic communication in order to ensure a drop in the pressure in the storage vessel to the benefit of the tank and a step of increasing the pressure in the tank using a pressurizing device.