A reciprocating cryogenic pump 2 comprises a piston reciprocable within a pumping chamber 44. The pumping chamber 44 has an inlet suction valve 48 for cryogenic liquid to be pumped and an outlet 32 for high pressure cryogenic liquid. The inlet valve 48 for the cryogenic liquid communicates with a cryogenic liquid reception chamber 46 in the cold end or head 6 of the pump 2. The pump head 6 is at least partially surrounded by a first jacket 8 retaining primary vacuum insulation. The first jacket 8 is itself at least partly surrounded by a second jacket 10. The jacket 10 defines a chamber for the reception of a coolant fluid such as liquid nitrogen and the second jacket has an inlet 20 and an outlet 22 for the liquid nitrogen. The thermal insulation can be further enhanced by a trapped gas space 73 between the first jacket 8 and an inner sleeve 52, the latter defining with an outer sleeve 50 vacuum insulation for the pumping chamber 44.

Cryogenic propellant tank (1) for a spacecraft engine, comprising an external enclosure (10) defining an internal volume, characterized in that the internal volume of the tank comprises a primary volume (V1) and a secondary volume (V2) connected to the primary volume (V1) via a valve (20) configured to selectively allow a passage of fluid from the primary volume (V1) to the secondary volume (V2), or to isolate the secondary volume (V2) from the primary volume (V1), the primary volume (V1) having a primary orifice (11) adapted to be connected to a first pressurization source (41), the secondary volume (V2) having a supply orifice (4) adapted to be connected to a supply line of a spacecraft engine (30), and a secondary orifice (12) adapted to be connected to a second pressurization source (42).

A system for dispensing a cryogenic fluid includes a bulk tank configured to contain a supply of a cryogenic liquid, a first sump and a first liquid feed valve configured to direct liquid from the bulk tank to the first sump when in an open condition and to prevent transfer of liquid from the bulk tank to the first sump when in a closed condition. A first positive displacement pump is positioned within the first sump and configured to pump and be submerged in cryogenic liquid when the first sump contains cryogenic liquid above a predetermined liquid level within the first sump. A delivery line is in fluid communication with an outlet of the first positive displacement pump and is configured to direct cryogenic fluid from the first positive displacement pump to a use device when the first positive displacement pump is activated.

To provide a hydrogen gas supply device with which pressure resistance of a filter that catches sulfur components contained in a hydrogen gas is improved. A hydrogen gas supply device for a hydrogen station includes a compression portion that compresses a hydrogen gas by reciprocating motion of a piston, in which a piston ring containing sulfur components is mounted on the piston, a filter arranged on the downstream side of the compression portion, the filter that catches sulfur components contained in the hydrogen gas, and a first pipe connecting the compression portion and the filter. The filter includes an element portion having activated carbon onto which the sulfur components contained in the hydrogen gas are absorbable, and a steel housing portion that houses the element portion, in which a gas introduction passage that communicates with the first pipe and guides the hydrogen gas to the element portion is formed.

A direct fueling station and a method of refueling are provided. The station includes an insulated tank for storing a liquefied fuel, a pump, at least a heat exchanger, a control unit, a dispenser including a flow meter, a flow control device, and at least one sensor for testing pressure and/or temperature. The heat exchanger converts liquefied fuel from pump into a gaseous fuel, which is added into an onboard fuel tank in a vehicle. The control unit includes one or more programs used to coordinate with the pump, the flow meter, the flow control device, and/or the sensor(s) so as to control a refueling method. A peak electrical power requirement is less than that determined by the product of a rated volumetric flow rate of the pump and a rated pumping pressure adequate for a fill pressure of the vehicle. A computer implemented system having the program(s) is also provided.

To manage propellant in a spacecraft, the method of this disclosure includes storing propellant in a tank as a mixture of liquid and gas; transferring the propellant out of the tank; converting the mixture of liquid and gas propellant into a single phase, where the single phase is either liquid or gaseous; and supplying the single phase of the propellant to a thruster.

A liquid petroleum gas (LPG) fuel supply system for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine includes an LPG tank, a fuel pump housing, a fuel pump inside the fuel pump housing, a fuel supply line connected between the LPG tank and the fuel pump housing, and a vapor release port located on the fuel pump housing. The vapor release port is connected to the LPG tank by a vapor return line. The fuel pump housing fills with LPG from the LPG tank under the action of gravity. Vapor forms in the fuel pump housing, separates from the liquid, gathers toward the top of the fuel pump housing, and under the action of gravity, displaces through the vapor port, rises through the vapor return conduit, and is released into the LPG tank 19, balancing pressure and preventing vapor lock.

A body structure has an inlet port that receives fluid, a first outlet port that connects to a top-fill line of a cryogenic tank, a second outlet port that connects to a bottom-fill line of a cryogenic tank and a slider tube cylinder. A cylinder housing connects to the body structure and has a pressure comparison cylinder with upper and lower volumes, with the latter in fluid communication with a cryogenic tank. A piston having a piston shaft slides within the pressure comparison cylinder. A pressure regulator is in fluid communication with the upper volume and the slider tube cylinder. A slider tube is connected to the piston shaft and slides within the slider tube cylinder. The slider tube cylinder selectively directs fluid to a top-fill line through the first outlet port or to a bottom-fill line through the second outlet port.

Method and device for transferring cryogenic fluid comprising a first tank for distributing cryogenic fluid, a second, receiving cryogenic tank accommodating a cryogenic fluid, a fluid transfer circuit connecting the first and the second tank, the transfer circuit comprising a first pipe that connects the upper parts of the first and second tanks and comprises at least one valve, the transfer circuit comprising a second pipe that connects the lower part of the first tank to the second tank, the second transfer pipe comprising a pump that comprises an inlet connected to the first tank and an outlet connected to the second tank and the pump and the at least one valve of the first pipe being configured to place the upper parts of the first and second tanks in fluidic communication by opening the at least one valve during a transfer of liquid from the first tank to the second tank by way of the pump.

A body structure includes an inlet port that receives fluid from a delivery device, a top-fill outlet port that connects to a top-fill line in communication with a cryogenic tank, a bottom-fill port that connects to a bottom-fill line in communication with a cryogenic tank and a slider tube cylinder. A cylinder housing is connected to the body structure and has a pressure comparison cylinder with an upper volume and a lower volume, with the latter in fluid communication with a cryogenic tank. A piston slides within the pressure comparison cylinder and a piston shaft is connected to the piston. A pressure regulator is in fluid communication with the upper volume of the pressure comparison cylinder and the slider tube cylinder. A slider tube is connected to the piston shaft and slides within the slider tube cylinder. The slider tube cylinder directs fluid to a top-fill line through the top-fill outlet port when a pressure in the lower volume exceeds a pressure setpoint and fluid to a bottom-fill line through the bottom-fill outlet port when the pressure in the lower volume is below a pressure setpoint. An over-pressure member is positioned in the upper volume of the pressure comparison cylinder. The piston contacts the over-pressure member as the piston slides upward in the pressure comparison cylinder.