The invention relates to a method for filling a hydrogen tank (2) of a motor vehicle (1) comprising a fuel cell drive, wherein the method comprises the steps: (a) determining a first operating time at which the motor vehicle (1) is to be started up and an expected first operating location at which the motor vehicle (1) is to be started up, (b) ascertaining a predicted maximum ambient temperature (T.sub.U,max) at the first operating location at the first operating time, and (c) filling the hydrogen tank with hydrogen (3) until a tank pressure (p) in the hydrogen tank (2) reaches a maximum permissible tank pressure (p.sub.max) at a tank temperature (T), wherein the following applies for the tank temperature (T): tank temperature (T)=[maximum ambient temperature (T.sub.U,max); maximum ambient temperature (T.sub.U,max)+10 K]. The invention relates further to a motor vehicle (1) comprising a hydrogen tank (2), a fuel cell drive and a control system (5) for controlling filling of the hydrogen tank (2), wherein the control system (5) to carry out the method.

A method for calculating the autonomy of a gas distribution system assembly including a container containing gas and equipped with at least one gas filling indicator device and a gas flow rate indicator device at the output of the container. The method includes recovering at least one item of identification information on the container and/or the gas used. The method also includes acquiring at least one image to recover a first datum on a value indicated by the gas filling indicator device and a second datum on a value indicated by the flow rate indicator device. The method also includes communicating the at least one acquired image and the at least one recovered item of identification to a computation module configured to deduce therefrom a corresponding value of autonomy of the gas distribution assembly, the computation module including at least the ability to process images.

A hydrogen filling system includes a first tank and a second tank that are configured to be filled with hydrogen and communicate with each other, a first hydrogen feeder and a second hydrogen feeder configured to feed hydrogen to the first tank and the second tank, and a controller configured to control the first hydrogen feeder and the second hydrogen feeder. The controller estimates a hydrogen fill factor of the first tank and the second tank, based on a first internal temperature of the first tank and a second internal temperature of the second tank, and a first pressure of hydrogen gas fed from the first hydrogen feeder and a second pressure of hydrogen gas fed from the second hydrogen feeder. The controller is configured to stop the first hydrogen feeder and the second hydrogen feeder when the hydrogen fill factor reaches a predetermined threshold fill factor.

An apparatus, system and method for measuring quantity of a material are disclosed. One or more sensors are used to measure the quantity of the material are measured and error causing parameters are also measured. Error causing parameters are processed by executing one or more correction methodologies to determine a correction output. The quantity of the material is measured by using the correction output. One or values associated with the quantity of the material are measured and displayed. The one or more values are transmitted to a server and informative messages are received from the server.

An integrated cryogenic fluid delivery system includes a cryogenic liquid tank having an interior, a wall and a geometry. The interior of the cryogenic liquid tank contains a supply of cryogenic liquid. A fuel pickup line is positioned within the interior of the tank and is in fluid communication with a vaporizer so that the vaporizer receives and vaporizes cryogenic liquid from the tank. The vaporizer is positioned outside of the tank and is secured to the wall. The vaporizer also has a shape that conforms with the geometry of the tank.

A valve arrangement (10) adapted to be coupled to, and to provide a gas flow from, a gas cylinder (20) containing a pressurized gas (21), the valve arrangement (10) comprising a blocking valve (1) with an obturator (11) movable by an actuator (12) from an opening position permitting a flow of the pressurized gas (21) through the blocking valve (1) into a closing position blocking the flow of the pressurized gas (21) through the blocking valve (1) is provided. Temperature sensing means (4) are provided which are adapted to provide at least one signal, the at least one signal being indicative of one or more temperatures of, in, and/or in vicinity to, the valve arrangement (10), and the actuator (12) is adapted to move the obturator (11) from the opening position into the closing position if the one or more temperatures indicated by the at least one signal are above a predetermined threshold value. A gas supply system (100) and a corresponding method of gas supply is also part of the invention.

The invention relates to a method for detection of a leak from a tank for liquid gas, said tank comprising a membrane surrounding the liquid gas, the membrane being surrounded by an insulation space which separates the membrane from a wall, the insulation space being filled an inert gas which is injected and extracted by at least one duct. The detection method comprises the following steps: determining 921 a first variation of mass of inert gas ΔM1 between two moments by measuring the gas added and removed by the duct; calculating 922 a second variation of mass of inert gas ΔM2 corresponding to a difference between two masses of inert gas measured in the insulation space; and comparing 931 the first variation with the second variation, and triggering an alarm if a difference E1 between the first variation and the second variation of mass of inert gas is greater than a first threshold S1.

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 valve integrated pressure regulator (VIPR) device that can be attached to the outlet of a gas cylinder, which can monitor the amount of gas in the cylinder is provided. Features of the disclosed device include an electronic control, electronic alarm and the electronic display that are powered by rechargeable battery that may be disposed within the VIPR shroud or within a removable cylinder base affixed to a bottom of the gas cylinder. Additional functionality and security features may be provided via additional internally disposed sensors and/or wireless or hard-wired communications with one or more auxiliary devices.

To provide a gas filling method in which it is possible to estimate a volume of a tank with high accuracy even when the tank has a small volume. A hydrogen filling system includes a hydrogen station having a pressure accumulator of compressed hydrogen gas, a vehicle having a hydrogen tank, a connection tube system that connects the accumulator and the tank, and a flow rate sensor and a station pressure sensor provided on the connection tube system. A hydrogen gas filling method is a method of filling the tank with the hydrogen gas from the pressure accumulator and includes estimating a volume of the hydrogen tank based on detection values of the flow rate sensor and the station pressure sensor and a volume value of the connection tube system, after a start of filling of the hydrogen tank with the hydrogen gas from the pressure accumulator.