Method for filling up a storage tank with a gaseous pressurized medium, in particular hydrogen

Abstract

A method for filling up a storage tank (e.g., a vehicle tank) with a gaseous, pressurized medium, in particular in the form of hydrogen, in which a supply tank system for storing the hydrogen is connected with the storage tank to be filled by way of a tank feed line and a fueling valve, wherein, prior to filling up the storage tank with aforesaid medium with the fueling valve closed, a flow of the medium for cooling the tank feed line is guided through the tank feed line at a predefinable target temperature, and removed from the tank feed line through a line that branches away upstream from the fueling valve. The disclosure further provides for a fueling facility for filling up a storage tank.

Claims

1. A method for filling up a storage tank with a gaseous, pressurized medium in which a supply tank system for storing the hydrogen is connected with the storage tank to be filled by way of a tank feed line , wherein, prior to filling up the storage tank with aforesaid medium, a flow of the medium for cooling the tank feed line is guided through the tank feed line, and removed from the tank feed line through a line that branches away from the tank feed line (upstream from the storage tank.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the tank feed line exhibits a fueling valve for blocking the tank feed line, which is designed in particular as the inlet valve of a gas pump, wherein aforesaid line branches way from the tank feed line upstream from the fueling valve, and wherein the aforesaid flow is guided through the tank feed line and removed from the tank feed line via the aforesaid line with the fueling valve closed.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the medium used to cool the tank feed line is returned into the supply tank system via aforesaid line.

4. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that the actual temperature of the tank feed line is measured while cooling the tank feed line upstream from the branch of aforesaid line.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the storage tank is filled with the medium when the actual temperature is less than or equal to a predefined target temperature.

6. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, in order to fill up the storage tank, the fueling valve is opened, and the aforesaid line is blocked by means of a valve.

7. A fueling facility for filling up a storage tank with a gaseous, pressurized medium comprising: a supply tank system for storing the medium, and a tank feed line set up and provided to connect the supply tank system with the storage tank, characterized in that the fueling facility is designed to guide a flow of medium for cooling the tank feed line through the tank feed line prior to filling up the storage tank, and remove it from the tank feed line by way of a line of the fueling facility that branches away from the tank feed line.

8. The fueling facility according to claim 7, characterized in that the tank feed line exhibits a fueling valve, which in particular is designed as an inlet valve of a gas pump, wherein aforesaid line branches away from the tank feed line upstream from the fueling valve.

9. The fueling facility according to claim 7, characterized in that the line is designed to return the flow of medium used to cool the tank feed line into the supply tank system.

10. The fueling facility according to claim 7, characterized in that the line exhibits a valve for blocking the line for filling the storage tank with the medium.

11. The fueling facility according to claim 7, characterized in that a cooling device designed to cool the medium is provided on the tank feed line between the supply tank system and the branch of aforesaid line.

12. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the storage tank is a vehicle tank.

13. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the gaseous, pressurized medium is hydrogen.

14. The fueling facility according to claim 7, characterized in that the storage tank is a vehicle tank.

15. The fueling facility according to claim 7, characterized in that the gaseous, pressurized medium is hydrogen.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Additional details and advantages of the invention are to be explained by the following description of figures for an exemplary embodiment based on the FIGURE. The latter shows a schematic view of a fueling facility for implementing the method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(2) The FIGURE shows a fueling facility 1 for hydrogen-operated vehicles used to fill gaseous hydrogen into a storage tank 1 that can be hooked up to the fueling facility 1 by means of a storage tank valve 16. The fueling facility 1 exhibits a tank feed line 3, which draws the hydrogen from a supply tank system 2 and relays it to the storage tank 1. Provided at the entry to the tank feed line 3 is a valve 9 with a ramp regulator, which can be used to traverse a pressure ramp, followed by a cooling device 7. The cooling device 7 preferably exhibits a thermoblock made out of aluminum (also referred to as “Alu Cold Fill”), which envelops or comprises sections of the tank feed line 3, and cools the hydrogen flowing through the tank feed line 3 to a predefined temperature. The cooling device 7 exhibits a cooling circuit for cooling the thermoblock. Provided downstream from the cooling device 7 is a preferably pneumatic fueling valve 4, which can be an inlet valve of a gas pump of the fueling facility 1, as well as an ensuing hand valve 10 for interrupting the tank feed line 3.

(3) A line 5 (also referred to as return line) designed to remove hydrogen from the tank feed line branches away from the tank feed line 3 between the cooling device 7 and fueling valve 4, preferably immediately upstream from the fueling valve 4. Aforesaid line 5 here connects the tank feed line 3 with the supply tank system 2 and preferably serves to return hydrogen used for cooling the tank feed line 3 into the supply tank system 2. Provided upstream from the branch of the line 5 is a temperature transmitter 8 for acquiring the temperature of the tank feed line 3 or the hydrogen flowing through the tank feed line 3.

(4) Further situated downstream from the hand valve 10 is a flowmeter 11, which detects the mass flow of the hydrogen flowing through the tank feed line 3. A chimney line 13 further branches away from the tank feed line 3 downstream from the flowmeter 11, so that hydrogen can be controllably released into the environment through a vent valve 12 arranged on the chimney line 13. Also provided downstream from the flowmeter 11 is a breakaway coupling 15, which joins the tank feed line 3 with the storage tank or vehicle tank 20 to be filled by way of a fueling hose 14, a fueling nozzle at a free end of the fueling hose 14 and the storage tank valve 16 (e.g., check valve). The breakaway coupling 15 makes it possible to controllably detach the fueling hose 14 from the tank feed line 13 under tension, for example when a vehicle drives away with the fueling hose 14 engaged.

(5) In the method according to the invention, the actual fueling process is preceded by guiding a flow of hydrogen through the tank feed line 3 with the fueling valve 4 closed and returning it to the storage tank system 2 via the line 5 in order to cool the tank feed line 3. The temperature of the hydrogen or temperature of the tank feed line 3 is here measured with the temperature transmitter 8 or some other temperature measuring equipment 8 upstream from the branch of the line 5. If a desired target temperature for the tank feed line 3 is present, the process of filling up the storage tank 20 is begun. To this end, the valve 6 is closed, and the hydrogen is pressed into the storage tank 20 with the fueling valve 4 open by means of a pressure ramp, which is operated with the help of the ramp valve 9. A pressure and tightness check is preferably also performed before filling up the storage tank 20.

REFERENCE LIST

(6) TABLE-US-00001 1 Fueling facility 2 Supply tank system 3 Tank feed line 4 Fueling valve 5 Return line 6 Valve 7 Cooling device (e.g., “Alu Cold Fill”) 8 Temperature transmitter 9 Ramp valve 10 Hand valve 11 Mass flowmeter 12 Safety valve (vent) 13 Chimney line 14 Fueling hose with tank nozzle 15 Breakaway coupling 16 Fueling nozzle 17 Storage tank valve 20 Storage tank