An apparatus and a method for fueling. The apparatus 10 comprising a plurality of vessels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 for containing a fuel gas, each vessel of the plurality of vessels being selectively fluidly connectable to at least one receiving vessel 6 and a control means configured to selectively divide the plurality of vessels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 into a plurality of banks each comprising one or more of the plurality of vessels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. The control means is further configured to sequentially fluidly connect the plurality of banks to the at least one receiving vessel 6 such that when one of the plurality of banks is fluidly connected to the at least one receiving vessel 6 the one or more of the plurality of vessels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 within that bank are fluidly connected to the at least one receiving vessel 6 but are fluidly isolated from the one or more of the plurality of vessels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 of the remaining ones of the plurality of banks.

A process for filling a gas tank made from a gas tank material with gas is provided, which process comprises the following steps: a) setting (S10) a nominal gas filling rate such that the tank is substantially completely filled within a predetermined filling time from a predetermined initial gas pressure value, b) determining (S20), assuming hot case tank conditions, a maximum mass-averaged gas filling temperature that will be reached at the end of the filling process, when filling the gas tank for the predetermined filling time with the nominal gas filling rate, c) selecting (S30) a target gas filling temperature not greater than the maximum mass-averaged gas filling temperature, d) cooling (S40) the gas to be supplied to the gas tank to the target gas filling temperature, e) starting the supply of gas to the gas tank, f) determining (S50) the actual mass-averaged gas filling temperature of the gas supplied to the tank, g) estimating (S60) an end-of-fill gas pressure from the actual mass-averaged gas filling temperature assuming cold case tank conditions, and h) terminating (S70) the supply of gas to the gas tank when the actual pressure of the gas tank is equal to the lower of the end-of-fill gas pressure and a maximum final fill pressure.

The invention relates to a method for filling a hydrogen tank (2) of a motor vehicle (1) comprising a fuel cell drive, wherein the method comprises the steps: (a) determining a first operating time at which the motor vehicle (1) is to be started up and an expected first operating location at which the motor vehicle (1) is to be started up, (b) ascertaining a predicted maximum ambient temperature (T.sub.U,max) at the first operating location at the first operating time, and (c) filling the hydrogen tank with hydrogen (3) until a tank pressure (p) in the hydrogen tank (2) reaches a maximum permissible tank pressure (p.sub.max) at a tank temperature (T), wherein the following applies for the tank temperature (T): tank temperature (T)=[maximum ambient temperature (T.sub.U,max); maximum ambient temperature (T.sub.U,max)+10 K]. The invention relates further to a motor vehicle (1) comprising a hydrogen tank (2), a fuel cell drive and a control system (5) for controlling filling of the hydrogen tank (2), wherein the control system (5) to carry out the method.

A cryogen storage vessel at an installation is filled with liquid cryogen from a liquid cryogen storage tank that has a pressure lower than that of the vessel. After headspaces of the vessel and tank are placed in fluid communication with another via a gas transfer vessel and are pressure-balanced, a pump in a liquid transfer line connected between the tank and the vessel is operated to transfer amounts of liquid cryogen from the tank to the vessel via the liquid transfer line and pump as amounts of gaseous cryogen are transferred, through displacement by the pumped cryogenic liquid, from the vessel to the tank.

A compressed natural gas storage and dispensing system having descending pressure bulk storage banks in fluid communication with a supply source for CNG and dispensing storage banks in fluid communication with the descending pressure bulk storage bank, both banks being in fluid communication with fuel dispensers, wherein the delivery pressure of the CNG during, simultaneous refueling of CNG powered vehicles is equalized.

A pressure vessel refueling system enables consistent mass flow rates and reduces the in-tank temperature rise caused by the heat of compression as gas is added to a vessel. The system includes a pressure vessel having a first gas inlet/outlet port and an interior cavity, and a nozzle is in fluid communication with the first gas inlet/outlet port. The nozzle and the pressure vessel are thermally coupled such that Joule-Thomson expansion of a gas flowing through the nozzle cools the interior cavity and contents of the pressure vessel.

According to one or more aspects, a hydrogen fueling station is provided and includes one or more hydrogen fuel storage tanks, a pressure control device positioned downstream from the hydrogen fuel storage tanks, a dispenser positioned downstream from the pressure control device, and a heat load reduction line which forms a circulation loops from a first point downstream of the pressure control device to one or more of the hydrogen fuel storage tanks.

A method of filling a storage vessel with a fuel gas at a fuel dispenser. In various embodiments, the method includes providing a fuel dispenser comprising a housing defining a fluid flow path therein, the fluid flow path operatively connected with a source of the fuel gas. The fuel dispenser includes a control valve disposed along the fluid flow path and a controller in operative electronic communication therewith. The method also includes actuating the control valve to provide a predetermined difference between the pressure of the fuel gas upstream of the control valve and the pressure of the fuel gas downstream of the control valve. The predetermined difference is selected such that the temperature of the fuel gas is reduced to a predetermined temperature after passing through the control valve. The method also includes dispensing the fuel gas into the storage vessel, the fuel gas having first mass flow rate.

A cryogenic fluid transfer device comprising a first tank, a second tank, and a fluid transfer circuit, wherein the first tank comprises a cryogenic fluid distribution tank configured to store a cryogenic fluid in a liquid phase in a lower part thereof and in a gaseous phase in an upper part thereof, wherein the second tank comprises a cryogenic receiving tank configured to house the cryogenic fluid in liquid phase in a lower part thereof and in gaseous phase in an upper part thereof, wherein the fluid transfer circuit is configured to connect the first and second tanks, the fluid transfer circuit comprising a first pipe connecting the upper parts of the first and second tanks and comprising at least one valve, and a second pipe connecting the lower part of the first tank to the second tank that comprises a pump that has an inlet connected to the first tank and an outlet connected to the second tank, wherein: the pump and the at least one valve of the first line are configured so as to ensure a fluidic connection of the upper parts of the first and second tanks by opening the at least one valve during a transfer of the cryogenic fluid in liquid phase from the first tank to the second tank with the pump.

A hydrogen fueling control device and method comprising step S100, obtaining initial parameters of a vehicle-mounted hydrogen reservoir, wherein the initial parameters comprise volume, initial hydrogen pressure, and initial ambient temperature of the vehicle-mounted hydrogen reservoir; step S200, computing a fueling rate and a target pressure for hydrogen fueling according to the initial parameters, wherein the computed fueling rate and target pressure cause the temperature of hydrogen during a hydrogen fueling process to be within a preset safe range; and step S300, controlling a hydrogen fueling station to fuel hydrogen to the vehicle-mounted hydrogen reservoir at the computed fueling rate to the computed target pressure. The control method controls a fueling process by obtaining a fueling rate and a target pressure by means of initial parameters of a vehicle-mounted hydrogen reservoir measured by a hydrogen fueling station, without requiring the real-time communication between the hydrogen fueling station and a vehicle.