Some embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter relate to a method and system for the real-time calculation of the amount of residual chemical energy in a non-refrigerated, pressurised tank containing liquefied natural gas, without a composition of the liquefied natural gas having to be determined.

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed for managing a hydrogen storage and distribution system. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes an apparatus comprising memory and one or more processors to execute instructions to detect, via hydrogen concentration data, an elevated hydrogen concentration at a hydrogen storage system, determine a mass flow rate of a leak associated with the elevated hydrogen concentration based on the hydrogen concentration data and a location of a sensor associated with the hydrogen concentration data, and mitigate the leak by sending a signal to one or more controllable features of the hydrogen storage system based on the determined mass flow rate.

This application relates to a liquefied natural gas storage apparatus. The apparatus includes a heat insulated tank and liquefied natural gas contained in the tank. The tank has heat insulation sufficient to maintain liquefied natural gas therein such that most of the liquefied natural gas stays in liquid. The contained liquefied natural gas has a vapor pressure from about 0.3 bar to about 2 bar. The apparatus further includes a safety valve configured to release a part of liquefied natural gas contained in the tank when a vapor pressure of liquefied natural gas within the tank becomes higher than a cut-off pressure. The cut-off pressure is from about 0.3 bar to about 2 bar.

The present invention provides a control device that includes a first temperature detection unit that detects a partition wall temperature of a tank main body in which liquefied gas is contained, and a second temperature detection unit that detects a temperature of a skirt that supports the tank main body. The control device further includes a temperature difference acquisition unit that acquires a temperature difference between the partition wall temperature detected by the first temperature detection unit and the temperature of the skirt which is detected by the second temperature detection unit, and a determination unit that determines whether or not a joint between the tank main body and the skirt is rapidly cooled by the liquefied gas on the basis of the partition wall temperature and the temperature difference.

A method for ascertaining the re-starting capability of a vehicle, in particular when parking the vehicle, includes detecting the pressure and the temperature of fuel in a pressurized container, determining a final pressure value of the fuel in the pressurized container, where the final pressure value is an expected pressure of the fuel in the pressurized container after a period of parking of the vehicle, comparing the final pressure value with a minimum pressure value in order to ascertain whether the vehicle is capable of re-starting after the parking period, and generating a warning signal when the final pressure value is lower than the minimum pressure value.

A method of refueling a vehicle tank with hydrogen, the refueling is controlled by a refueling station controller, the method including: connecting the tank to the station, initiating the refueling process, during the refueling monitoring the temperature of the gas inside the tank, establishing a pressure stop criterion for the refueling, based on a pressure category of the tank and the monitored temperature of the gas, the establishing of the pressure stop criterion being based on a lookup in a predefined table of a plurality of pressure stop criteria, during the refueling monitoring the pressure of the gas inside the tank, by the controller comparing the pressure of the gas with the pressure stop criterion and terminating the refueling when the pressure of the gas inside the tank has reached the pressure stop criterion, and disconnecting the vehicle and the refueling station.

The invention relates to a pressurized fluid cylinder, a member for acquiring, storing and processing data, and at least one data display device. The valve comprises a sensor which detects the position of a manual control member, and a pressure sensor for measuring the pressure inside the storage space of a fluid cylinder. The data acquisition, storage and processing member is designed to: calculate an actual value for the amount of fluid remaining and/or drawn off; calculate a theoretical value for the amount of fluid remaining and/or drawn of on the basis of the regulation performed by the regulating member and measured by the position of the control member compare the actual value based on the measurement of the pressure sensor with the theoretical value; and generate a warning signal if the difference between these actual and theoretical values is greater than a specific safety threshold.

The invention relates to a valve for a pressurized fluid cylinder comprising a member for manually controlling a flow-regulating member, a sensor for detecting the position of the member for manually controlling the regulating member, a data acquisition, storage, and processing member, and a display for information relating to the fluid flow and/or pressure imposed by the regulating member and/or the valve use mode, wherein when the manual control member is disposed in an intermediate position between two respective adjacent values of the flow and/or pressure of the fluid allowed to pass from the upstream end to the downstream end, the data acquisition, storage and process member is designed to suppress the display information.

The invention concerns a pressurized fluid cylinder equipped with a valve accommodating a first draw-off circuit, the valve comprising a member for regulating the flow and/or the pressure of the fluid drawn off via a member for manually controlling the regulating member, the valve comprising an electronic device for displaying data concerning the amount of fluid contained in a cylinder which is connected to the valve, the electronic display device comprising a member for acquiring, storing, and processing data, and at least one data display connected to the data acquisition, storage and processing member.

The present invention provides a monitoring apparatus for an outlet of a vessel storing gas under pressure. The monitoring apparatus comprises a flow control valve movable to a position between a fully open position and a fully closed position to adjust a flow of gas from the outlet of the vessel, a valve position detector connected to the flow control valve to detect the position of the flow control valve, an internal pressure sensor to sense an internal pressure P.sub.int(t) of the gas in the vessel at different times, a processor, a memory and an alarm. The processor calculates an actual rate of change in pressure dP.sub.int/dt of the gas in the vessel over time, and compares dP.sub.int/dt with an expected rate of change.