A system for dispensing a cryogenic fluid includes a bulk storage tank configured to contain a supply of the cryogenic fluid. A heat exchanger coil is positioned in the headspace of at least one intermediate fluid tank, which contains an intermediate fluid, and is configured to receive and warm a cryogenic fluid from the bulk storage tank via heat exchange with intermediate fluid vapor in the headspace. A buffer tank receives fluid from the heat exchanger coil. A chiller coil is positioned within the intermediate fluid tank and is submerged within intermediate fluid liquid contained within the at least one intermediate fluid tank. The chiller coil receives fluid from the buffer tank and cools it via heat exchange with intermediate fluid liquid within which the chiller coil is submerged for dispensing.

A cryogenic liquid dispensing device may include a cryogenic cylinder for containing a cryogenic liquid. A dispensing pipe may be in fluid communication with the cryogenic cylinder. A dispensing valve may be configured to govern the fluid communication between the dispensing pipe and the cryogenic cylinder. A heating element may be disposed within the cryogenic cylinder, and the heating element may be configured to generate heat within the cryogenic cylinder to increase the pressure within the cryogenic cylinder. By generating heat within the cryogenic cylinder, the pressure within the cylinder may be increased and used to motivate a cryogenic fluid within the cylinder to the dispensing valve and out of the dispensing pipe. Preferably, the device may include a processing unit that may be configured to cause the heating element to generate heat within the cryogenic cylinder when a pressure reader detects a minimum pressure within the cryogenic cylinder.

A super-cooled liquid medium, preferably super-cooled liquid nitrogen, is pumped through a sub-cooler and cooled by the same medium that evaporates in the vacuum. This super-cooled nitrogen is used as coolant for a consumer. If a small amount of heat is emitted by the consumer to the nitrogen, the liquid medium can be guided in the circuit wherein the sub-cooler is arranged. For compensating volume fluctuations, such a circuit requires a compensation vessel, which is very expensive and can only be operated in the presence of a super-cooled medium when either a part of the medium is heated using external energy, or an inert gas which boils at very low temperatures is used as a pressure compensation medium. According to the disclosure, when a supply container for the liquid medium is integrated into the cooling circuit and used as a compensation vessel, a separate compensation vessel is not required.

Example integrated cryogenic hydrogen tank systems and methods for operating the same are disclosed herein. An example system comprises a first cryogenic tank coupled to a second cryogenic tank via a liquid hydrogen (LH2) transfer flowline and a gaseous hydrogen (GH2) transfer flowline, the LH2 transfer flowline and the GH2 transfer flowline to maintain a fuel level and a vapor pressure across the system, the fuel level corresponding to a cryogenic liquid; an inlet port connected to one of the first cryogenic tank or the second cryogenic tank; an LH2 extraction flowline connected to at least one of the first or second cryogenic tanks to supply the cryogenic liquid to a fuel management system; and a pressure safety system coupled to at least one of the first or second cryogenic tanks via a GH2 extraction flowline.

A fluid storage and supply device comprising a cryogenic reservoir for storing liquefied fluid, a withdrawing circuit comprising a first withdrawing pipe having a first upstream end connected to the upper part of the reservoir and a second downstream end intended to be connected to a user member, the first withdrawing pipe comprising a first heating heat exchanger situated outside the reservoir and a second heating heat exchanger situated inside the reservoir, the withdrawing circuit comprising a set of valve(s) configured to ensure the passage of a flow of fluid circulating from the first end towards the second end by passing through the first heat exchanger and then through the second heat exchanger or by passing solely through the first heat exchanger without passing through the second heat exchanger, characterized in that the device further comprises a system for pressurizing the reservoir comprising a pressurizing pipe separate from the withdrawing circuit and comprising two ends respectively connected to the upper and lower parts of the reservoir, a vaporizing heat exchanger and a set of valve(s) configured to allow the withdrawal of liquid from the reservoir, the heating thereof in the vaporizing heat exchanger and the reintroduction thereof into the reservoir.

A method of generating a pressurized, sub-cooled mixed-phase cryogen is disclosed, including providing a cryogenic system including a reservoir containing a liquid cryogen; and a heat exchange coil immersed in the liquid cryogen, the heat exchange coil having an input end and an output end not immersed in the liquid cryogen; introducing a pressurized gas cryogen to the input end of the heat exchange coil; cooling the pressurized gas cryogen within the heat exchange coil; and collecting the pressurized gas cryogen at an output end of the heat exchange coil.

A cryotank that includes an inner tank for receiving a medium stored in the cryotank; an outer container enclosing the inner tank; an insulation space arranged between the inner tank and the outer container; a first heat exchanger arranged outside the inner tank and the outer container; an extraction device for the medium, the extraction device having at least one extraction line arranged in the insulation space to facilitate conveying of the medium out of the inner tank to the first heat exchanger; and a recirculation line back arranged in the insulation space in thermal contact with the at least one extraction line to facilitate conveying a recirculation partial flow back into the inner tank and an extraction partial flow downstream of the first heat exchanger to a consumer.

A device a device for storing and supplying fluid fuel is provided, in which the device may include: a tank for liquefied fuel gas balanced with a gaseous phase, in particular a hydrogen gaseous phase, a circuit for filling the tank, at least one circuit for extracting fluid from the tank, at least one circuit for controlling the pressure in the tank, the circuits for filling, extracting and controlling the pressure comprising a valve assembly arranged in a housing which is separate from the tank, the housing being detachably connected to the tank via a removable mechanical coupling system, the extraction circuit, the pressure control circuit and the filling circuit comprising an assembly of removable fluid connections which are located at the junction between the tank and the housing and configured to enable separation between the portions of circuits located in the tank and in the housing when removing the housing from the tank.

A hybrid vehicle comprising a liquefied light hydrocarbon or hydrogen (LLH) fuel system is disclosed. The fuel system comprises an insulated fuel tank having a buffer space containing vaporized fuel, an orifice plate and a fuel coil conveying a first fuel vapor to a buffer tank through a first solenoid valve; a fuel line conveying a second fuel vapor through a second solenoid valve to the buffer tank and a pressure regulator, wherein an outlet to the buffer tank connects to the pressure regulator and wherein an outlet of the pressure regulator is adapted to connect to a fuel inlet to an energy conversion device selected from the group of fuel cells, Stirling engines and internal combustion engines. Methods of using the hybrid vehicle are also disclosed.

A liquefied light hydrocarbon (LLH) fuel system for a hybrid electric vehicle is disclosed. The fuel system uses a stable supply of vaporized (LLH) fuel to meet the highly variable power demand from the vehicle's power train by 1) adjusting the evaporation rate inside an insulated fuel tank through a heat delivery system, 2) managing the amount of compressed fuel vapor stored inside a buffer tank and 3) using an electric energy storage means to provide for rapid fluctuations in demand. In an embodiment the apparatus comprises an insulated fuel tank, a buffer tank, a heat delivery system, an energy conversion means to convert the vaporized fuel into electricity and an electric energy storage means that can provide for rapid variations of power demand from the vehicle. Methods of using the fuel system under various operational scenarios are also disclosed.