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.

The invention relates to a method for refuelling a vehicle (60) or an autonomous vehicle (60). At least one hydrogen tank (10) accommodating gaseous hydrogen is fitted in the vehicle (60). The method comprises the following method steps: The vehicle (60) drives into a refuelling area (24). A refuelling operation (28; 78, 80, 82) is performed on the vehicle (60). Then, the temperature of the contents of the at least hydrogen tank (10) is checked (30). If a temperature (74) of the tank contents of the at least one hydrogen tank (10) exceeds a temperature limit value (32), the vehicle (60) is transferred to a cooling down area (36). There, the tank temperature (44) is checked a second time following a cooling down phase. The tank pressure is checked (48) if the tank temperature (74) lies below a temperature limit value. If the tank pressure (76) in the at least one hydrogen tank (10) is below a tank pressure limit value, the vehicle (60) is transferred to the refuelling area (24) to continue refuelling; if the tank pressure (76) is in the tank pressure limit range, refuelling is halted (52).

A control conduit for liquid hydrogen offloading is configured to couple a controller of a liquid hydrogen offload system to a liquid hydrogen tanker. The control conduit includes a control line and a gas detector. The control line is configured to transmit a control signal from the controller to the liquid hydrogen tanker. The gas detector is configured to detect hydrogen gas and provide a gas detector signal to the controller. The gas detector is secured to the control line at a predetermined distance from a tanker connection end of the control line.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for a low-emission nozzle and receptacle coupling for cryogenic fluid. An example nozzle includes a body defining a chamber through which cryogenic fluid is to flow. The body includes an outer shell that includes an outer shell surface. The nozzle includes a locking assembly configured to securely couple the nozzle to a receptacle. The locking assembly includes an inner sleeve fixedly coupled to the outer shell surface and an outer sleeve extending over and rotatably coupled to the inner sleeve. One or more locking teeth are fixedly coupled to the outer sleeve and configured to be slidably received by respective one or more coupling slots of the receptacle. The one or more locking teeth are configured to rotatably slide within the respective one or more coupling slots to couple the nozzle to the receptacle as the outer sleeve rotates relative to the inner sleeve.

The present disclosure generally relates to a multiple receptacle fuel filling and storage system in a vehicle and/or powertrain, and a method of using the same.

The invention relates to a tank for storing a cryogenic mixture of liquid and gas, comprising a first casing, a draw-off pipe for drawing off fluid, which has an upstream end connected to said first casing, a filling circuit comprising a first filling pipe with an upstream end to be connected to a fluid source and a downstream end connected to the lower portion of the first casing, said filling circuit comprising a second filling pipe connected to the fluid source and a downstream end connected to the upper portion of the first casing, wherein the upstream ends of said first and second filling pipes are designed to be connected to the same fluid source simultaneously, and a distribution valve assembly which is configured to allow distribution of the fluid in said filling pipes, wherein the tank comprises a sensor assembly which measures the pressure in the first casing, said distribution valve assembly being configured to automatically adjust the pressure in the first casing, during filling, to a predetermined pressure setpoint (Pc) by means of the automatic distribution of the flow rate of fluid from the source in the filling pipes, depending on the pressure setpoint (Pc) and the pressure measured by the sensor assembly.

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.

Gaseous fueling systems and methods are provided for dispensing fuel to a vehicle or container. The distribution systems speed up the filling process and may eliminate the use of expensive cooling systems required in the art. The methods utilize sequences of filling and emptying the vehicle gas storage tank to control the temperature of the gas inside the tank. These filling and emptying sequences may overlap. The methods repeatedly dispense fuel to the vehicle fuel tank at a first flow rate and for a first period of time and remove fuel from the fuel tank at a second flow rate for a second period of time, which periods may overlap, to maintain fuel temperature within a desired temperature range and until the vehicle fuel tank is filled to a desired level. In addition, the fill-up mass flowrate can be maximized to system capabilities so a fill-up can be completed in about one minute.

Gaseous fueling systems and methods are provided for dispensing fuel to a vehicle or container. The distribution systems speed up the filling process and may eliminate the use of expensive cooling systems required in the art. The methods utilize sequences of filling and emptying the vehicle gas storage tank to control the temperature of the gas inside the tank. The methods repeatedly dispense fuel to the vehicle fuel tank at a first flow rate and for a first period of time and remove fuel from the fuel tank at a second flow rate for a second period to maintain fuel temperature within a desired temperature range and until the vehicle fuel tank is filled to a desired level. In addition, the fill-up mass flowrate can be maximized to system capabilities so a fill-up can be can be completed in about one minute.

A computer-controlled method of automatically purging and precooling a hydrogen fuel line prior to transferring hydrogen fuel from a source to a storage tank includes purging moisture from a hydrogen fuel line. The hydrogen fuel line is configured to fluidically couple a hydrogen tanker storage tank and a fueling station storage tank, the hydrogen storage tanker storage tank and the fueling station storage tank configured to store liquid hydrogen. The method also includes pre-cooling the hydrogen fuel line, causing hydrogen fuel to flow through the hydrogen fuel line to re-fill the fueling station storage tank, and expelling residual hydrogen fuel from the hydrogen fuel line when the fueling station storage tank re-filling is complete.