A rapid-connect coupler having an anti-rotation feature is disclosed. A coupler includes a housing, a probe configured to translate longitudinally within the housing, a ball cage, a plurality of balls disposed in the ball cage, and a slidable sleeve coupled to the probe and configured to translate longitudinally with the probe. The slidable sleeve includes a collar that defines a plurality of channels positioned radially about and extending axially along an outer surface. The plurality of channels of the collar are configured to receive bearings of the receptacle to prevent rotation of the coupler relative to the receptacle. To couple the coupler to the receptacle, the slidable sleeve is configured to slide in a longitudinal direction into the receptacle to cause the plurality of channels to receive the bearings of the receptacle and subsequently cause the plurality of balls to lock the coupler to the receptacle.

A fuel dispenser is provided with a nozzle drying function that prevents the refreezing of melted ice buildup upon subsequent uses of the nozzle. The fuel dispenser comprises a housing including a holster. A fuel dispensing nozzle is configured to mate with a holster. A port is configured to direct air into the holster and onto the nozzle. A controller is configured to control flow of the air through the port. The port may be attached to a blower located inside or outside of the dispenser using tubing. Alternatively, the port may be attached to a compressed air assembly. The compressed air assembly may include a pressure regulator configured to control the amount of air produced. A heater may heat the air flowing to the port. A pressure cap including a plurality of openings may be configured to seal the nozzle when the nozzle is mated with the holster.

A vehicle including: a tank configured to be filled with fuel gas; a receptacle configured to be connected to a nozzle included in a fuel gas filling apparatus; a filling passage configured to provide communication between the receptacle and the tank; a heating unit configured to heat the receptacle; a determination unit configured to determine whether or not a parameter value, correlated with a filling speed of the fuel gas filled into the tank from the fuel gas filling apparatus, indicates decrease in the filling speed during filling of the fuel gas into the tank; and a control unit configured to, when the determination unit determines that the parameter value indicates decrease in the filling speed during filling of the fuel gas into the tank, to cause the heating unit to start heating of the receptacle during filling of the fuel gas into the tank.

In a method for reheating an atmospheric vaporizer, a cryogenic liquid is vaporized by heat exchange with ambient air in the atmospheric vaporizer and to reheat the vaporizer, a gas is sent thereto at a temperature of at least 0 C., this gas originating from a cryogenic distillation air separation unit.

A cryogenic vaporization system and method are provided. A first heat exchanger heats a liquid cryogen via indirect heat exchange to output a cryogenic vapor at a first temperature. A second heat exchanger receives the cryogenic vapor at the first temperature. The second heat exchanger heats the cryogenic vapor via indirect heat exchange to a second temperature. The cryogenic vapor at the second temperature is recirculated to the first heat exchanger to heat the liquid cryogen and cool the recirculated cryogenic vapor to a third temperature. A third heat exchanger receives the cryogenic vapor at the third temperature. The third heat exchanger heats the cryogenic vapor to a fourth temperature. The third heat exchanger outputs the cryogenic vapor at the fourth temperature.

A device for filling a small portable pressure vessel from a larger pressure vessel with a compressed fluid such as carbon dioxide. The device comprises an inlet adapted to receive fluid from a pressurized source, and an outlet adapted to connect to a pressure vessel. Between the inlet and the outlet there is a fill valve and a vent valve and at least one cam shaft configured to rotate and operate the valves.

A vaporizer system includes a defrosting function along with the ability to convert liquefied gas to a use gas. The vaporizer system includes first and second vaporizers and piping that transfers fluid from an inlet port to an outlet port with a portion of the piping being between the first and second vaporizer. The system also includes a trim heater and a number of valves for regulating flow of the fluid through the transfer piping. The valves may be placed in a first configuration where vapor from the first vaporizer is heated and directed to the second vaporizer so that the second vaporizer is defrosted and a second configuration where vapor from the second vaporizer is heated and directed to the first vaporizer so that the first vaporizer is defrosted.

A device and a method for keeping a liquefied gas store cold having a cryogenic refrigerator, a subcooling circuit having an aspiration end intended to be seated in a liquefied gas store, a heat exchanger exchanging heat between the aspirated subcooling circuit and the refrigerator, the subcooling circuit having at least one injection end configured to inject the fluid cooled in the heat exchanger into the store, the device further including a boil-off gas recovery pipe having an upstream end intended to be connected to the store to recover the boil-off gas, the recovery pipe comprising a downstream end intended to be connected to a consumer, the device having a bypass pipe and a set of valves configured to enable boil-off gas to be transferred from the recovery pipe to the subcooling circuit.

Methods and systems for reducing a pressure of compressed natural gas and for delivering natural gas are disclosed. A regulator comprising a vortex tube may be used to reduce the pressure of compressed natural gas while a temperature thereof is also reduced. The temperature reduction associated with a pressure drop in the compressed natural gas is achieved by throttling the gas at constant enthalpy from 3,000 psig to 150 psig through the regulator. At least one heat exchanger may be utilized to increase the temperature of the compressed natural gas to a temperature suitable for injection delivery. A pressure-reducing regulator may be used to further reduce a pressure of the gas to about 45 psig for delivery to an end-user.

The invention relates to a receptacle for receiving a cryogenic coupling for filling between two uses, the receptacle comprising a tubular sleeve which has an inlet and a bottom and delimits a tubular housing configured to accommodate a coupling of cylindrical overall shape, characterized in that the tubular sleeve is thermally insulated, and in that the bottom is situated above the inlet thereof in a use configuration such that the terminal end of the coupling is held there oriented upwards in a position stowed in the receptacle.