The filling station according to the invention enables an automated refilling of a gas bottle by an end-user. This comprises an insertion device, which enables an end-user to insert an emptied gas bottle into the filling station. The filling station comprises a closing device for closing the filling station after the insertion of the gas bottle such that a removal of the gas bottle subsequent to the closing is not possible. The end-user may not remove the gas bottle in a closed state. Furthermore, the filling station comprises a filling device for an automated filling of an into the filling station inserted emptied gas bottle subsequent to the closing. A filling may thus only take place, if the filling station is closed and in consequence the gas bottle cannot be removed. There is a gas testing device for an automated gas leakage test after a refilling of an inserted gas bottle. With it, the tightness of a once again filled gas bottle is tested. There is a release device that releases an afore filled or full gas bottle only after a successful gas leakage test and thus enables a removal of a once again filled gas bottle. A removal of a gas bottled filled with gas respectively liquid gas is thus only possible, if the gas leakage test revealed that no gas escapes from the filled bottle. The invention further concerns a method for refilling.

An apparatus includes a high-pressure tank, a controller, a valve, controlled by the controller, and a compressor.

A method of dispensing compressed natural gas (CNG) includes assigning a first priority to the filling of a first destination tank and assigning a second priority to the filling of a second destination tank. The second priority is lower than the first priority. The method also includes filling the first destination tank from a first CNG source while filling the second destination tank from a second CNG source. The second CNG source provides CNG at a lower pressure relative to the pressure at which the first CNG source provides CNG.

The invention relates to a method for detection of a leak from a tank for liquid gas, said tank comprising a membrane surrounding the liquid gas, the membrane being surrounded by an insulation space which separates the membrane from a wall, the insulation space being filled an inert gas which is injected and extracted by at least one duct. The detection method comprises the following steps: determining 921 a first variation of mass of inert gas ΔM1 between two moments by measuring the gas added and removed by the duct; calculating 922 a second variation of mass of inert gas ΔM2 corresponding to a difference between two masses of inert gas measured in the insulation space; and comparing 931 the first variation with the second variation, and triggering an alarm if a difference E1 between the first variation and the second variation of mass of inert gas is greater than a first threshold S1.

The invention relates to a HRS for filling a vessel of a vehicle with hydrogen, the HRS 1 comprising: a basic process control system comprising a process controller, a plurality of process measuring devices, a plurality of final process elements and a plurality of associated basic process control functions facilitating monitoring and controlling the operation of the HRS, wherein the HRS further comprises a safety instrumented system comprising a safety controller, a plurality of safety measuring devices, a plurality of final safety elements a plurality of associated safety instrumented functions, wherein at least one of the final process elements and the final safety elements facilitates tripping the operation of the HRS under the control of the associated process controller or the associated safety controller respectively.

A HRS comprising at least a HRS center module, a HRS dispenser module and a first hydrogen supply line facilitating flow of hydrogen between the HRS center module and the HRS dispenser module, the HRS center module comprises a safety controller and a process controller, wherein data is communicated between the safety controller and safety components of the HRS dispenser module via a safety communication channel, and wherein data is communicated between the process controller and process components of the HRS dispenser module via a process communication channel.

A method and system(s) are disclosed for integrating a new fuel into an operating transportation system in a continuous, seamless manner, such as diesel fuel being gradually replaced by compressed natural gas (“CNG”) in long haul trucks. Integration can be implemented using two enabling technologies. The first is an engine system capable of operating seamlessly on two or more fuels without regard to the ignition characteristics of the fuels. The second is a communications and computing system for implementing a fueling strategy that optimizes fuel consumption, guides the selection of fuel based upon location, cost and emissions and allows the transition from one fuel to another to appear substantially seamless to the truck driver.

A method for checking the sealing of a sealed tank for storing a liquefied gas at low temperature, the tank having an inner hull and a secondary sealing membrane, a secondary space that is arranged between the inner hull and the secondary sealing membrane, a primary sealing membrane and a primary space that is arranged between the primary sealing membrane and the secondary sealing membrane is disclosed. The method has the following main steps: generating a pressure lower than the pressure of the primary space in the secondary space using a suction device, measuring the temperature of an outer surface of the inner hull, and detecting the location of a sealing defect of the secondary sealing membrane in the form of a cold spot on the outer surface of the inner hull.

A fuel cell vehicle includes a fuel cell, a storage device, a receptacle, a housing, and a vehicle side communication device. The housing has a bottom wall recessed from a surface of a body of the fuel cell vehicle by a predetermined depth. The receptacle protrudes from a bottom face of the bottom wall to an inner space of the housing. The vehicle side communication device is provided to the housing on an outer circumferential side of the receptacle. The vehicle side communication device is configured to wirelessly communicate with a nozzle side communication device provided to a nozzle. The vehicle side communication device is disposed on a deeper side than the bottom face of the bottom wall and/or is disposed via a partition wall configured to shield the vehicle side communication device from fuel gas in the inner space.

A valve integrated pressure regulator (VIPR) device that can be attached to the outlet of a gas cylinder, which can monitor the amount of gas in the cylinder is provided. Features of the disclosed device include an electronic control, electronic alarm and the electronic display that are powered by rechargeable battery that may be disposed within the VIPR shroud or within a removable cylinder base affixed to a bottom of the gas cylinder. Additional functionality and security features may be provided via additional internally disposed sensors and/or wireless or hard-wired communications with one or more auxiliary devices.