Aspects and embodiments relate to a gas flow alarm apparatus and gas flow alarm method. The apparatus comprises: a device configurable to introduce back pressure into a flow of gas, a supply sensor configured to determine whether gas flow to the device is enabled; a pressure sensor configured to determine whether a flow of gas through the device has developed back pressure; and logic circuitry in communication with the supply sensor and the pressure sensor configured to determine whether gas flow to the device is enabled and whether a flow of gas through the device has developed back pressure and, if not, to activate an alarm condition. Aspects and embodiments can provide a system which operates to warn a user against various adverse conditions in which a flow of therapeutic gas to a patient is required, yet not being provided.

A liquefied gas unloading and deep evacuation system may more quickly, more efficiently and more completely unload liquefied gases from transport tanks, such as rail cars, into stationary storage tanks or into truck tanks. The system may utilize a two stage compressor, an electric motor, a variable frequency drive, a four way valve, a three way valve, a two way valve, a programmable logic controller based control system and pressure and temperature transmitters. The valving enables deep evacuation of the transport or supply tank to more completely empty the transport tank. The programmable logic controller and variable speed drive may be used to variably control the speed of the two stage compressor so that the system may be running as fast as possible during changes in ambient temperature and/or different stages of offloading the liquefied gases without exceeding the compressor's horsepower limit.

A valve for pressurized fluid having a body housing a fluid circuit having an upstream end configured to be placed in communication with a reserve of pressurized fluid and a downstream end configured to be placed in communication with a user of fluid, the circuit having a collection of valve shutter(s) having at least one shutoff valve shutter allowing the circuit to be closed or opened, the valve having a member for manually controlling the collection of valve shutter(s), the control member being mounted with the ability to move on the body between a rest position in which the collection of valve shutter(s) is in a position in which the circuit is closed and an active position in which the control member actuates the collection of valve shutter(s) into a position in which the circuit is open with a first bore section.

Pressurized gas tanks are filled from at least one gas source using a transfer circuit, a set of buffer storage tanks and at least one compressor. The set of buffer storage tanks may be filled with pressurized gas from the at least one gas source by pressure balancing via balancing lines without going through the at least one compressor. The set of buffer storage tanks may also be filled with pressurized gas from the at least one gas source that is compressed by the at least one compressor.

Embodiments of a propane tank valve are provided. In one embodiment, the propane tank valve includes a plug with a tapered portion, the plug moveable between closed and open positions relative to a valve passageway. Upon the plug being in the closed position, the tapered portion of the plug is positioned within the valve passageway. Upon the plug being initially moved from the closed position to the open position, the tapered portion of the plug is sized and configured to initially minimize the gas flow from the valve passageway and through a flow limiting device configured to be coupled to the propane tank valve such that movement of the tapered portion from the closed plug position initially forms a gap between a tapered surface of the tapered portion and an internal surface of the valve passageway.

A regulating valve device for a fluid cylinder includes a shut off valve having a ball tappet that actuates the shut off valve. A lever has a cam surface that interacts with the ball tappet as the lever is rotated to translate the ball tappet linearly and actuate the shut off valve. The lever is rotatable from a first valve closed position through a valve open position to a second valve closed position such that the valve open position is intermediate of the first and second valve closed positions. A pressure or flow regulating valve is downstream of the shut off valve. A handwheel is operatively connected to the pressure or flow regulating valve to adjust an outlet pressure of the pressure or flow regulating valve. The handwheel has an axis of operation that is offset from a longitudinal axis of the fluid cylinder by an acute angle.

A compressed gas storage system that includes a pressure vessel. The pressure vessel includes a first vessel portion and a second vessel portion in fluid communication with the first vessel portion. The pressure vessel includes a third vessel portion in fluid communication with the second vessel portion. The compressed gas storage system includes a first valve positioned between the first vessel portion and the second vessel portion and a second valve positioned between the second vessel portion and the third vessel portion. The first valve allows and impedes fluid flow between the first and the second vessel portions. The second valve allows and impedes fluid flow between the second and the third vessel portions.

This invention relates to a method and system for improved gas delivery for regulating gas at a substantially constant delivery pressure on a consistent basis. The system includes an automated redundant pressure regulation safety feature that is specifically configured along a flow network to significantly reduce the occurrence of pressure surges due to failure of the gas to be regulated to the delivery pressure. By reducing the occurrence of pressure surges and utilizing higher pressure package gas sources, the frequency of changeouts can be lowered.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a hydrogen fuel filling system includes a first flow passage through which hydrogen fuel supplied from a pressure accumulator that accumulates hydrogen fuel under pressure passes; a second flow passage through which hydrogen fuel supplied from the pressure accumulator passes, and which is arranged in parallel with the first flow passage; a switching valve that switches flow passages selectively from one of the first and second flow passages to another, or that switches flow passages between one and both of the first and second flow passages; and a control circuit that controls opening/closing of the switching valve, wherein a fuel cell vehicle using hydrogen fuel as a power source is filled with hydrogen fuel while switching the flow passages by the switching valve during supply from the pressure accumulator.

A valve for pressurized fluid having a body housing a fluid circuit having an upstream end configured to be placed in communication with a reserve of pressurized fluid and a downstream end configured to be placed in communication with a user of fluid, the circuit including a collection of valve shutter(s) comprising at least one shutoff valve shutter allowing the circuit to be closed or opened, the valve including a mechanism for manually controlling the collection of valve shutter(s), the control mechanism being mounted with the ability to move on the body between a rest position in which the collection of valve shutter(s) is in a position in which the circuit is closed and an active position in which the control mechanism actuates the collection of valve shutter(s) into a position in which the circuit is open to a first bore section.