METHOD AND FILLING DEVICE FOR FILLING A TRANSPORT TANK

Abstract

The present invention pertains to a method for filling a transport tank with a product medium in a liquid state in a gas liquefaction plant, comprising a step of supplying the product medium in the liquid state from a storage tank (18) of the gas liquefaction plant to the transport tank. The method is characterized in that it further comprises a step of discharging the product medium in a gaseous state from the transport tank into the storage tank (18).

Claims

1. Method for filling a transport tank with a product medium in a liquid state in a gas liquefaction plant, comprising a step of supplying the product medium in the liquid state from a storage tank of the gas liquefaction plant to the transport tank, wherein the method further comprises a step of discharging the product medium in a gaseous state from the transport tank to the storage tank.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the product medium in the gaseous state stored in the transport tank is fed into the storage tank downstream of a cooling and liquefying unit of the gas liquefaction plant which generates a liquid product medium stream to be supplied to the storage tank.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the product medium in the gaseous state stored in the transport tank is fed into the storage tank in its gaseous state.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the storage tank stores the product medium in both a liquid and a gaseous phase, and the product medium in the gaseous state is discharged from the transport tank into the storage tank such that the product medium in the gaseous state is fed into the liquid phase.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the product medium in the gaseous state supplied to the storage tank from the transport tank is fed into a static mixer provided in or upstream of the storage tank.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the product medium in its gaseous state discharged from the transport tank is fed into a feed gas stream which, upon flowing through the cooling and liquefying unit, is to be liquefied and supplied to the storage tank, wherein the product medium in the gaseous state is fed into the feed gas stream downstream of a heat exchanger through which the feed gas stream is guided within the cooling and liquefying unit.

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein the product medium in its gaseous state stored in the transport tank is fed into a cooling cycle of the gas liquefaction plant for providing cooling energy for cooling and liquefying the feed gas stream flowing through the cooling and liquefying unit via an ejector arranged in the cooling cycle.

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the cooling cycle is connected to the feed gas stream via a branch line so as to supply a refrigerant circulating in the cooling cycle and comprising the product medium to the feed gas stream.

9. Filling device for use in a gas liquefaction plant and for filling a transport tank with a product medium in a liquid state, having a supply line for supplying the product medium in the liquid state from a storage tank of the gas liquefaction plant to the transport tank, wherein the filling device further comprises a feed line for discharging the product medium in a gaseous state from the transport tank to the storage tank.

10. Filling device according to claim 9, wherein the feed line is configured to feed the product medium in the gaseous state provided by the transport tank into the storage tank downstream of a cooling and liquefying unit of the gas liquefaction plant which is configured to generate a liquid product medium stream to be supplied to the storage tank, and/or the feed line is configured to feed the product medium in the gaseous state provided by the transport tank into the storage tank in its gaseous state.

11. Filling device according to claim 9, wherein the storage tank is configured to store the product medium in both a liquid and a gaseous phase, and the feed line is configured to open into the storage tank such that the product medium in the gaseous state is fed into the liquid phase.

12. Filling device according to claim 9, wherein a static mixer is provided which is configured to receive the product medium in the gaseous state discharged from the transport tank via the feed line and to mix it with the product medium in the liquid state stored in the storage tank, and wherein particularly the static mixer is accommodated at least partially in the storage tank and/or upstream of the storage tank in the feed line.

13. Filling device according to claim 12, wherein the static mixer is provided with a mixer structure accommodated in a housing provided with: a first feed opening for feeding the product medium in the gaseous state discharged from the transport tank into the static mixer, and/or a second feed opening for feeding the product medium in the liquid state supplied to the storage tank from the cooling and liquefying unit into the static mixer, and/or at least one outflow opening, in particular for discharging a mixed stream formed by the product medium in the liquid state and the gaseous state upon flowing through the mixer structure.

14. Filling device according to claim 13, wherein the housing of the static mixer has a tubular shape in which opposing end faces thereof form the first feed opening and the second feed opening and the at least one outflow opening is provided in its shell surface, wherein in particular the static mixer is arranged in a upright position, in particular within or outside the storage tank, such that the first feed opening is arranged underneath the second feed opening.

15. Filling device according to claim 9, wherein the feed line is configured to feed the product medium in the gaseous state discharged from the transport tank into a feed gas stream which, upon flowing through the cooling and liquefying unit, is to be liquefied and supplied to the storage tank, and/or the feed line is configured to feed the product medium in the gaseous state discharged from storage tank into a cooling cycle of the gas liquefaction plant for providing cooling energy for cooling and liquefying the feed gas stream flowing through the cooling and liquefying unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] The present disclosure will be more readily appreciated by reference to the following detailed description when being considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0053] FIG. 1 is a schematic thermodynamic process diagram illustrating an industrial hydrogen liquefaction plant with a filling device for carrying out a method of filling a transport tank according to the present invention.

[0054] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view on a storage tank of the hydrogen liquefaction plant as depicted in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0055] In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, like elements are denoted by identical reference numerals and repeated description thereof may be omitted in order to avoid redundancies.

[0056] FIG. 1 depicts a process design for an industrial hydrogen liquefaction plant for hydrogen liquefaction on a large-scale. The hydrogen liquefaction plant comprises a hydrogen cooling and liquefying unit 10, to which a feed gas stream 12 comprising hydrogen is supplied via a feed gas line 14. Upon flowing through the cooling and liquefying unit 10, the hydrogen feed gas stream 12 is cooled and thereby liquefied so as to generate a liquid product stream 15 which is supplied via a liquid product line 16 to a storage tank 18 for collecting and storing liquefied hydrogen. In this context, the feed gas stream 12 comprises a product medium in a gaseous state in the form of gaseous hydrogen and the liquid product stream 15 comprises a product medium in a liquid state in the form of liquid hydrogen.

[0057] In order to provide cooling energy for cooling and liquefying the feed gas stream 12, the industrial hydrogen liquefaction plant is thermally coupled to a cooling system 20 comprising a precooling cycle 22 and a main cooling cycle 24 in form of closed-loop refrigeration cycles.

[0058] Further, for distributing liquefied hydrogen stored in the storage tank 18, the hydrogen liquefaction plant further comprises a filling device 26 for filling transport tanks 28 with liquid hydrogen stored in the storage tank 18. Specifically, the filling device 26 comprises a docking station 30 for releasably coupling at least one transport tank 28 to the filling device 26. The transport tank 28 may be provided in form of a tank trailer for use with trucks or trains.

[0059] The filling device 26 comprises a supply line 32 for supplying liquid hydrogen from the storage tank 18 to the transport tank 28. In the supply line 32, a throttle valve 34 is disposed for regulating a flow rate of a liquid hydrogen supply stream 36 flowing in direction of the transport tank 28.

[0060] Further, a first feed line 38 is provided in the filling device 26 for discharging gaseous hydrogen from the transport tank 28 to the storage tank 18. In the first feed line 38, a throttle valve 40 is disposed for regulating a flow rate of a first gaseous hydrogen feed stream 42 flowing in direction of the storage tank 18.

[0061] The storage tank 18 is configured to store hydrogen in its liquid and gaseous phase at a storage pressure in the range of 1 to 3.5 bar. A storage volume of the storage tank 18 is typically 10 times greater than a storage volume of the transport tank 28. The gaseous hydrogen discharged from the transport tank 28 may have a temperature of 31 K and a pressure up to 10 bar.

[0062] In case a pressure prevailing in the transport tank 28 is higher compared to a storage pressure prevailing in the storage tank 18, the filling device 26 may be operated in a first operational state, in which the throttle valve 34 disposed in the supply line 32 is in a closed position and the throttle valve 40 disposed in the first feed line 38 is in an open position. Thus, in this operational state, gaseous hydrogen is discharged from the transport tank 28 to the storage tank 18, wherein a supply of liquid hydrogen from the storage tank 18 to the transport tank 28 is suppressed. In this way, pressure equalization is provided such that the pressure prevailing in the transport tank 28 decreases, whereas the storage pressure prevailing in the storage tank 18 increases. When a desired adjustment between the pressure prevailing in the transport tank 28 and the storage pressure prevailing in the storage tank 18 is achieved, the throttle valve 34 is switched into an open position and liquid hydrogen stored in the storage tank 18 is supplied to the transport tank 28 either gravimetrically or supported by means of a feed pump 44 as depicted in FIG. 1. During the supply of liquid hydrogen into the transport tank 28, the throttle valve 40 in the first feed line 38 may remain in its open state.

[0063] Specifically, the first feed line 38 is configured to feed the gaseous hydrogen discharged from the transport tank 28 into the storage tank 18 downstream of the cooling and liquefying unit 10. More specifically, the first feed line 38 is configured to feed the gaseous hydrogen into the storage tank 18 in its gaseous state. In other words, the product medium discharged from the transport tank 28 via the first feed line 38 enters the storage tank 18 in its gaseous state.

[0064] The process of discharging gaseous hydrogen from the transport tank 28 to the storage tank 18 is further specified with reference to FIG. 2.

[0065] In FIG. 2, an enlarged cross-sectional view on the first feed line 38 and the storage tank 18 is depicted. The storage tank 18 is configured to store hydrogen in a liquid phase 46 and a gaseous phase 48. The first feed line 38 is configured to open into the storage tank 18 such that the gaseous hydrogen discharged from the transport tank 28 is fed into the liquid phase of hydrogen 46 stored in the storage tank 18. More specifically, this is achieved by feeding the gaseous hydrogen discharged from the transport tank 28 into the storage tank 18 through a bottom 50 thereof. In other words, the first feed line 38 opens into the bottom 50 of the storage tank 18. At the bottom area of the storage tank 18, the storage tank 18 is provided with a downward reaching pipe 51 having a tubular shape with a cross-sectional area that is smaller compared to a portion of the storage tank arranged above and adjacent to the downward reaching pipe 51. Specifically, the first feed line 38 opens into the downward reaching pipe 51. The gaseous hydrogen discharged from the transport tank 28 and feed into the storage tank 18 interfuses or pervades the liquid phase of hydrogen 46. In this way, the gaseous hydrogen discharged into the storage tank 18 forms a stream 52 of gas bubbles rising within the storage tank 18. In order to generate a stream 52 of fine and distributed gas bubbles rising within the storage tank 18, the first feed line 38 is provided with a perforated outlet area 53 having a plurality of orifices, via which the gaseous hydrogen is fed into the storage tank 18.

[0066] The storage tank 18 further comprises a ceiling 54, into which the liquid product line 16 opens so as to supply liquid hydrogen generated by the cooling and liquefying unit 10 into the storage tank 18. Upon supplying liquid hydrogen into the storage tank 18 via the liquid product line 16, a stream 56 of falling or dripping liquid hydrogen within the storage tank 18 is formed. Optionally, for this stream 56, a liquid distributor 57 is installed, e. g. VKG type distributor from Sulzer, for distributing the stream 56 within the storage tank 18.

[0067] For distributively mixing the stream 52 of gaseous hydrogen with liquid hydrogen present in the storage tank 18, a static mixer 58 is disposed within the storage tank 18, i.e. in a storage space thereof accommodating the liquid phase 46 and the gaseous phase 48 of hydrogen. Specifically, the static mixer 58 is partially received within the downward reaching pipe 51 and configured to receive the stream 52 of gaseous hydrogen and to mix it with liquid hydrogen forming the liquid phase 46 and/or the stream 54 of liquid hydrogen supplied to the storage tank 18. In this configuration, the storage tank 18 comprises a connecting line 59 designed to fluid-communicatively connect a bottom portion of the downward reaching pipe 51 to a portion of the storage tank 18 above the downward reaching pipe 51.

[0068] Alternatively to the configuration depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, the static mixer 58 may be arranged or accommodated outside of the storage tank 18, e.g. in the first feed line 38 upstream of and/or adjacent to the storage tank 18. This may have the effect, that the storage tank 18, which may be a vacuum tank, needs no manhole for maintenance, which would facilitate heat leakage.

[0069] The static mixer 58 comprises a housing 60 having a tubular shape which accommodates a mixer or corrugated structure 62, in particular in form of a plurality of grids and/or fins and/or a plurality of crossing channels. The mixer or corrugated structure 62 forms a mass transfer area for mixing the stream 52 of gaseous hydrogen with liquid hydrogen present in the storage tank 18, i.e. the stream 54 of liquid hydrogen within the storage tank 18. In other words, upon flowing through the mixer or corrugated structure 62, gaseous hydrogen fed into the storage tank 18 via the first feed line 38 is mixed with liquid hydrogen present in the storage tank 18.

[0070] The housing 60, at a first end face site thereof, is provided with a first feed opening 64 for feeding or guiding the stream 52 of gaseous hydrogen into the static mixer 58. Opposed to the first feed opening 64, the housing 60 is provided with a second feed opening 66 for feeding the stream 56 of liquid hydrogen into the static mixer 58.

[0071] Upon rising within the liquid phase 46, the gaseous hydrogen stream 52 enters the static mixer 58 and passes the mixer or corrugated structure 62, thereby being subjected to shear forces which eliminate coalescence. In this way, a distributively mixing of the gaseous hydrogen and the liquid hydrogen present in the storage tank 18 is achieved which supports the adjustment of a thermodynamic equilibrium within the storage tank 18.

[0072] Further, the housing 60 has a plurality of outflow openings 68 in form of through holes provided in a shell surface of the housing 60 between the first and the second feed opening 64, 66. The outflow openings 68 are configured for discharging a mixed stream 70 formed by mixing the stream 52 of gaseous hydrogen and the stream 56 of liquid hydrogen upon being guided through the mixer or corrugated structure 62. The outflow openings 68 are designed such that the liquid stream 70 induces convections within the liquid and gaseous phase 46, 48 in the storage tank 18 as indicated by arrows A in FIG. 2. Further, the outflow openings 68 are provided such that liquid hydrogen entering the static mixer 58 via the second feed opening 66 can be discharged via the outflow opening 68 above a liquid level 72 as indicated by arrows B in FIG. 2.

[0073] The storage tank 18 is arranged within the hydrogen liquefaction plant in an upright position. Accordingly, also the static mixer 58 is positioned within the storage tank 18 in an upright position such that the first feed opening 64 is positioned underneath the second feed opening 66.

[0074] In the following, the configuration of the hydrogen cooling and liquefying unit 10 is further specified under reference of FIG. 1. After entering the hydrogen cooling and liquefying unit 10, the feed gas stream 12 is guided through a first heat exchanger 74 so as to be precooled to a precooling temperature, e.g. 100 K, particularly by the precooling cycle 22. At the outlet of the first heat exchanger 74, residual impurities are removed from the precooled hydrogen feed gas 12 by means of adsorber vessels 76. Thereafter, the precooled feed gas stream 12 is routed back to the first heat exchanger 74 through a passage 78 filled with a catalyst. In this way, the precooled feed gas stream 12 is brought into contact with the catalyst being able to catalyze a conversion of ortho hydrogen to para hydrogen. In case of deuterium liquefaction, the para “isomer” is converted to ortho. Thereafter, the feed gas stream 12 successively passes a second heat exchangers 80, a third exchanger 82 and a fourth heat exchanger 84, i.e. through respective catalyst passages, prior to being supplied to an expansion device comprising a throttle valve 86 and an ejector 88.

[0075] After passing the ejector 88, the feed gas stream 12 is guided through a fifth heat exchanger 92 and a second expansion device with a throttle valve 94 so as to generate the liquid product stream 15 supplied to the storage tank 18.

[0076] The storage tank 18 is connected to the ejector 88 via a discharge line 102 for discharging and/or venting gaseous hydrogen from the storage tank 18 into the feed gas stream 12. In this configuration, the discharge line 102 is connected to a suction inlet of the ejector 88 so as to feed gaseous hydrogen into the feed gas stream 12.

[0077] In the following the cooling system 20 comprising the precooling cycle 22 and a main cooling cycle 24 in form of closed-loop refrigeration cycles are further specified.

[0078] It will be obvious to the skilled person that the present invention is not limited to this particular cooling system 20. Rather, the invention may be implemented in connection with various different cooling systems, for example, having a different number of compressor units and/or expansion devices in dependence on their capacity.

[0079] At first, the main cooling cycle 24 is described in more detail. In the main cooling cycle 20, a refrigerant circulates which comprises hydrogen as a cryogenic suitable gas, thereby successively passing a compressor unit 104, a precooling cold-box 106 and the main cooling cold-box 108.

[0080] Prior to entering the precooling cold-box 106, the refrigerant, upon flowing through a compressor system 110 within the compressor unit 104, is compressed to high pressure, thereby providing a refrigerant stream 112 flowing through a refrigerant line 114. For example, the refrigerant stream entering the precooling cold-box 106 may have a pressure smaller than 30 bar, in particular 25 bar, and an ambient temperature of 303 K. The pressure of the refrigerant stream entering the precooling cold-box 106 may be limited by the stability of the heat exchangers. For enabling a higher pressure level, the structural stability of the heat exchangers may be increased, i.e. by increasing the thickness of its walls which, however, may affect the heat conductivity thereof.

[0081] Thereafter, the refrigerant stream 112 is guided through the precooling cold-box 106, where it is precooled to a lower precooling temperature of, e.g., 80 K.

[0082] Upon entering the main cooling cold-box 108, the refrigerant stream 110 is divided, at different temperature levels, into a first partial stream 116 flowing through a first junction line 118 and a second partial stream 120 flowing through a second junction line 122. In the first and second junction line 118, 120, respectively, expansion devices 124, 126 are arranged configured to expand the first and the second partial stream 116, 120 so as to generate an expanded first and second partial stream 128, 130.

[0083] Downstream of the second junction line 122, the refrigerant stream 112 is further divided into a third partial stream 132 flowing through a third junction line 134 and a fourth partial stream 136 flowing through a fourth junction line 138. In the third junction line 134, the third partial stream 132 is expanded in expansion device 140 and thereby cooled. In this way, the high pressure third partial stream 132 is processed so as to generate a low pressure expanded third partial stream 142 with a pressure particularly between 1.1 bar to 8 bar and a temperature sufficiently low to ensure a proper cooling of the feed gas stream 12, e.g. between 20K and 24 K. Thereafter, the expanded third partial stream 132 is supplied to a gas liquid separator 144 arranged downstream of the expansion device 140 and configured to store the refrigerant in a liquid and gaseous phase. From the separator 144, the expanded third partial stream 142 comprising hydrogen in a liquid phase is guided through the fifth heat exchanger 92. Further, the gas phase from the separator 144 is taken directly to the suction part of ejector 146 via a further pipeline (not shown).

[0084] In this way, the fifth heat exchanger 92 is configured to transfer cooling energy from the expanded third partial stream 142 to the feed gas stream 12 to be cooled. More specifically, cooling energy is transferred from the expanded third partial stream 142 to the feed gas stream 12 such that the feed gas stream 12 is cooled to a temperature below the critical temperature of hydrogen, particularly below 24 K, thereby ensuring that the liquid product stream 15 is output from the hydrogen cooling and liquefying unit 10. At the same time, heat of reaction from the ortho para conversion is removed in every heat exchanger passage of the cooling and liquefying unit 10 following the absorber 76.

[0085] In the main cooling cycle 24, the cooling system 20 comprises a further ejector 146 having a propellant inlet and a suction inlet. After passing the fifth heat exchanger 92, the expanded third partial stream 142 is guided to the suction inlet of the further ejector 146. Further, the fourth partial stream 136, after being partially expanded in an expansion device 148 comprising a throttle valve and an expansion turbine, is guided to the propellant inlet of the further ejector 146. Accordingly, the suction inlet of the further ejector 146 is connected to the third junction line 134 for receiving the expanded third partial stream 142 and the propellant inlet of the further ejector 146 is connected to the fourth junction line 138 for receiving a partially expanded fourth partial stream 150. Compared to the expanded third partial stream 142, the partially expanded fourth partial stream 150 has an intermediate pressure level that is higher than the low pressure level of the expanded third partial stream 142.

[0086] Further, the filling device 26 comprises a third feed line 152 which is configured to feed the gaseous hydrogen discharged from the storage tank 18 into the main cooling cycle 24. Specifically, the third feed line 152 is configured to feed the gaseous hydrogen discharged from the storage tank 18 into the further ejector 146 via the suction inlet thereof. In the third feed line 152, a throttle valve 154 is disposed for regulating a flow rate of a third gaseous hydrogen feed stream 156 flowing in direction of the further ejector 146 through the third feed line 152.

[0087] In this configuration, the further ejector 146 functions as a pumping device which is driven by the partially expanded fourth partial stream 150 and configured to compress the expanded third partial stream 142 and/or the gaseous hydrogen supplied via the third feed line 152. More specifically, the partially expanded fourth partial stream 150 constitutes a propellant medium which, upon flowing through the further ejector 146 and due to a momentum transfer induced by the geometric configuration of the further ejector 146, suctions and thereafter compresses the expanded first partial stream 142 and/or the gaseous hydrogen supplied via the third feed line 152 which constitute a suction medium.

[0088] Upon expanding the partially expanded fourth partial stream 150 in the further ejector 146, the expanded third partial stream 142 and/or the gaseous hydrogen supplied via the third feed line 152 are/is compressed and merged with the partially expanded fourth partial stream 150, thereby generating an expanded refrigerant stream 158 output by the further ejector 146 into a recirculation line 160. Further, the expanded refrigerant stream 158 is then guided through the first to fourth heat exchanger 74, 80, 82, 84, thereby transferring cooling energy from the expanded refrigerant stream 158 to the feed gas stream 12.

[0089] The main cooling cycle 24 is connected to the feed gas stream 12 via a here not shown branch line so as to supply a refrigerant circulating in the main cooling cycle 24 and comprising hydrogen to the feed gas stream 12. Specifically, the branch line is designed such that it branches off from the third junction line 134 between the expansion device 140 and the separator 144 and opens into the discharge line 102. Further, the branch line has a throttle valve for regulating a flow rate therethrough. In this way, at least a part of the expanded third partial stream 142 can be feed into the suction inlet of the ejector 88 via the discharge line 102.

[0090] Furthermore, downstream of the adsorber vessels 76, a further branch line 162 is provided having a throttle valve 164, via which at least a part of the feed gas stream 12 can be branched off and supplied to the recirculating line 160 of the main cooling cycle 24.

[0091] Upon flowing through the recirculation line 160, the expanded refrigerant stream 158 together with the expanded first and second partial streams 128, 130 is guided successively through the compressor system 110 and a sixth heat exchanger 166. In this way, a closed cooling cycle is provided.

[0092] The sixth heat exchanger 166 is fed with a cooling water stream 168 and configured to transfer cooling energy from the cooling water stream 168 to the refrigerant stream 112.

[0093] Upon flowing through the precooling cold-box 106, the refrigerant stream 112 is precooled by means of the closed precooling cycle 22 which has a further refrigerant stream 170 comprising or consisting of nitrogen, i.e. in a liquid state. Specifically, the further refrigerant stream 170 is expanded in a expansion device 172 provided in form of a throttle valve prior to being successively supplied through a further gas liquid separator 174 and the first heat exchanger 74. Specifically, the first heat exchanger 74 is configured to transfer cooling energy from the further refrigerant stream 170 and the fluid flowing through the recirculation line 160 to the refrigerant stream 112 and the feed gas stream 12. By means of the further separator 174, the further refrigerant stream 170 is separated into a mainly gaseous phase and a mainly liquid phase, which are separately guided through the first heat exchanger 74.

[0094] It will be obvious for the person skilled in the art that these embodiments and items only depict examples of a plurality of possibilities. Hence, the embodiments shown here should not be understood to form a limitation of these features and configurations. Any possible combination and configuration of the described features can be chosen according to the scope of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0095] 10 cooling and liquefying unit [0096] 12 feed gas stream [0097] 14 feed gas line [0098] 15 liquid product stream [0099] 16 liquid product line [0100] 18 storage tank [0101] 20 cooling system [0102] 22 pre-cooling cycle [0103] 24 main cooling cycle [0104] 26 filling device [0105] 28 transport tank [0106] 30 docking station [0107] 32 supply line [0108] 34 throttle valve [0109] 36 liquid hydrogen supply stream [0110] 38 first feed line [0111] 40 throttle valve [0112] 42 first gaseous hydrogen feed stream [0113] 44 feed pump [0114] 46 liquid phase of hydrogen stored in the storage tank [0115] 48 gaseous phase of hydrogen stored in the storage tank [0116] 50 bottom of the storage tank [0117] 51 downward reaching pipe of the storage tank [0118] 52 stream of rising hydrogen gas bubbles within the storage tank [0119] 53 perforated outlet area of the first feed line [0120] 54 ceiling of the storage tank [0121] 56 stream of falling liquid hydrogen within the storage tank [0122] 57 liquid distributer [0123] 58 static mixer [0124] 59 connecting line [0125] 60 housing [0126] 62 mixer or corrugated structure [0127] 64 first feed opening [0128] 66 second feed opening [0129] 68 outflow openings [0130] 70 liquid mixed stream discharged from the static mixer [0131] 72 liquid level [0132] 74 first heat exchanger [0133] 76 adsorber vessels [0134] 78 catalyst passage [0135] 80 second heat exchanger [0136] 82 third heat exchanger [0137] 84 fourth heat exchanger [0138] 86 first expansion device with throttle valve [0139] 88 ejector [0140] 92 fifth heat exchanger [0141] 94 second expansion device with throttle valve [0142] 102 discharge line [0143] 104 compressor unit [0144] 106 precooling cold-box [0145] 108 main cooling cold-box [0146] 110 compressor system [0147] 112 refrigerant stream [0148] 114 refrigerant line [0149] 116 first partial stream [0150] 118 first junction line [0151] 120 second partial stream [0152] 122 second junction line [0153] 124 expansion device [0154] 126 expansion device [0155] 128 expanded first partial stream [0156] 130 expanded second partial stream [0157] 132 third partial stream [0158] 134 third junction line [0159] 136 fourth partial stream [0160] 138 fourth junction line [0161] 140 expansion device [0162] 142 expanded third partial stream [0163] 144 separator [0164] 146 further ejector [0165] 148 expansion device [0166] 150 partially expanded fourth partial stream [0167] 152 third feed line [0168] 154 throttle valve [0169] 156 third gaseous hydrogen feed gas stream [0170] 158 expanded refrigerant stream [0171] 160 recirculation line [0172] 162 further branch line [0173] 164 throttle valve [0174] 166 sixth heat exchanger [0175] 168 cooling water stream [0176] 170 further [0177] 172 further refrigerant stream [0178] 174 further separator