Hydrogen is produced by electrolysis of water using electricity generated from a renewable energy source such as wind and/or solar radiation, compressed in a multistage compression system and consumed in at least one downstream process. Supply of hydrogen to the downstream process(es) fluctuates with demand and/or the availability of the renewable energy source. In order to accommodate such fluctuations, excess hydrogen is stored during periods when production of hydrogen exceeds that required by the downstream process(es) so that, during periods when demand exceeds production, hydrogen is removed from storage and, after suitable pressure reduction, fed to the downstream process(es) via a stage of the multistage compression system.

A liquid hydrogen reservoir and a method for operating a liquid hydrogen reservoir. The liquid hydrogen reservoir includes a cryostatic container operable to hold liquid hydrogen; a discharge line operable to discharge gaseous hydrogen in the cryostatic container; a boil-off management system (BMS), a return line, and a boil-off valve (BOV). The BMS that includes a mixing chamber operable to mix the gaseous hydrogen with ambient air, a catalyst arranged downstream of the mixing chamber and operable for a catalytic conversion of the gaseous hydrogen with the ambient air, and an exhaust gas line arranged downstream of the catalyst and operable to discharge the gas stream to the environment. The return line is operable to connect the exhaust gas line to the mixing chamber to facilitate a return flow of at least a partial stream of the exhaust gas line into the mixing chamber. The BOV is arranged in the discharge line and operable to selectively open and close a flow connection of the discharge line to the BMS.

A method is provided for refueling a cryogenic pressure vessel of a motor vehicle. The motor vehicle has: a) a cryogenic pressure vessel having an internal vessel which stores a fluid, an external vessel and heat insulation which is arranged between the internal vessel and the external vessel, at least in certain areas; and b) a controller, wherein the controller is designed to interrupt refueling of the motor vehicle if, in the case of damaged thermal insulation, a lower fluid density limiting value for the fluid in the internal vessel is exceeded. The lower fluid density limiting value is lower than an upper fluid density limiting value for the fluid in the internal vessel in the case of refueling of the internal vessel with intact thermal insulation.

A hydrogen refueling station evaluation device includes a socket that is supplied with hydrogen, a hydrogen tank that stores the hydrogen supplied through the socket, and a discharge pipeline that discharges hydrogen from the hydrogen tank to the atmosphere. A discharge valve adjusts open and closed states of the discharge pipeline. A tank protection valve achieves a state in which the socket and the hydrogen tank are connected to each other, a state in which the socket and the discharge pipeline are connected to each other and the hydrogen tank is closed, and a state in which all of the socket, the hydrogen tank, and the discharge pipe are connected to one another. A gas supplier supplies an inert gas to the socket and a controller operates the tank protection valve, the discharge valve, and the gas supplier.

A valve recovery control apparatus for a hydrogen tank, may recover an excess flow valve to an original state upon operation of the excess flow valve mounted on the hydrogen tank, securing stability of hydrogen supply to the fuel cell.

The present invention relates to liquefied gas treatment system and method, and the liquefied gas treatment system includes: a liquefied gas supply line connected from a liquefied gas storing tank to a source of demand; a heat exchanger provided on the liquefied gas supply line between the source of demand and the liquefied gas storing tank, and configured to heat exchange liquefied gas supplied from the liquefied gas storing tank with heat transfer media; a media heater configured to heat the heat transfer media; a media circulation line connected from the media heater to the heat exchanger; a media state detecting sensor provided on the media circulation line, and configured to measure a state of the heat transfer media; and a controller configured to set a coagulation prevention reference value for preventing the heat transfer media from being coagulated, and change a flow rate of the heat transfer media flowing into the media heater or calories supplied to the heat transfer media by the media heater on the basis of a state value of the heat transfer media by the media state detecting sensor and the coagulation prevention reference value.

An improved system and method for the automated refilling of cryogenic helium is provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a dewar in fluid communication with a liquid helium cryostat through a cryogen transfer line. A controller regulates operation of a three-way valve to pre-cool the transfer line and to cause gaseous helium to flow to the dewar and force liquid helium through the transfer line into the cryostat. The controller is coupled to the output of a cryogenic level sensor, such that the controller regulates the helium liquid level within the cryostat. During filling cycles, the dewar liquid level is also monitored by the cryogenic level sensor and an alarm sounds if the dewar liquid level is undesirably low. Between filling cycles, the controller is operable to ventilate the dewar through a solenoid vent valve in fixed time intervals to ensure the dewar pressure is sufficiently low so as to not bleed liquid helium into the cryostat.

A sampling apparatus includes a pressure-reducing safety unit, which includes a device accommodation chamber that accommodates safety devices and a cylinder connection chamber, and a cylinder unit. The cylinder unit removably accommodates a cylinder, excluding an exposed portion where a front end portion of the cylinder, a mouthpiece, and a cylinder on-off valve are exposed, in an openable/closable casing. The exposed portion of the cylinder is formed so as to be insertable from the open surface portion of the cylinder connection chamber into the cylinder connection chamber, the mouthpiece of the cylinder and a hydrogen outlet of a supply pipe of the device accommodation chamber are connected by using a flexible hose, and thereby a sample of hydrogen gas is taken into the cylinder.

A method for filling a tank (1) with liquefied gas, in particular a tank with cryogenic liquid, from a liquefied gas container (2), in particular a cryogenic liquid container (2), wherein, following a predetermined time after filling has started, the method comprises the step of comparing the first instantaneous pressure (PT3) in the filling pipe (3) or an average of said first instantaneous pressure (PT3) with a predetermined maximum threshold (Pmax), and, when said first instantaneous pressure (PT3) in the filling pipe (3) or the average of said first instantaneous pressure (PT3), respectively, exceeds the maximum threshold (Pmax), the step of interrupting (AR) the filling (R).

A method for filling a tank (1) with liquefied gas, in particular a tank with cryogenic liquid, from a liquefied gas container (2), in particular a cryogenic liquid container (2), which container (2) is in fluid communication with the tank (1) via a filling pipe (3), wherein the method uses a pressure differential generation member (4) for transferring liquid from the container (2) to the tank (1) at a predetermined pressure, characterized in that, at or following the switching on time (M) of the pressure differential generation member (4), the method comprises a step of determining the pressure (PT4) in the tank (1) via a measurement of a first pressure in the filling pipe (3), and, following the determination of the pressure (PT4) in the tank, a step of limiting the first instantaneous pressure (PT3) to a level below a maximum pressure threshold (PT3sup), said maximum pressure threshold being defined on the basis of the determined value of the pressure (PT4) in the tank (1) and exceeding said determined value of the pressure (PT4) in the tank by two to twenty bars and preferably by two to nine bars.