System and method for priority CNG filling

Abstract

A method of dispensing compressed natural gas (CNG) includes assigning a first priority to the filling of a first destination tank and assigning a second priority to the filling of a second destination tank. The second priority is lower than the first priority. The method also includes filling the first destination tank from a first CNG source while filling the second destination tank from a second CNG source. The second CNG source provides CNG at a lower pressure relative to the pressure at which the first CNG source provides CNG.

Claims

1. A method of dispensing compressed natural gas (CNG), comprising: assigning a first priority to the filling of a first destination tank; assigning a second priority to the filling of a second destination tank, wherein the second priority is lower than the first priority; and controlling valves within a first dispenser to fill the first destination tank from a first CNG source while controlling valves within a second dispenser to fill the second destination tank from a second CNG source, wherein the second CNG source provides CNG at a lower pressure relative to the pressure at which the first CNG source provides CNG; wherein each of the first dispenser and the second dispenser are selectively exclusively fed from either of the first CNG source and the second CNG source and each at a full pressure of the first CNG source and second CNG source.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: in response to the completion of filling the first destination tank, discontinuing filling the second destination tank from the second CNG source and beginning filling the second destination tank from the first CNG source.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first CNG source and the second CNG source are both storage tanks.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first CNG source and the second CNG source is a compressor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first destination tank and the second destination tank is a vehicle tank.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first destination tank and the second destination tank is a mobile trailer tank.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: assigning a third priority to the filling of a third destination tank.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the third priority is lower than the second priority.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: filling the third destination tank from a third CNG source while filling the second destination tank from the second CNG source, wherein the third CNG source provides CNG at a lower pressure relative to the pressure at which the second CNG source provides CNG, wherein the third dispenser is selectively exclusively fed at a full pressure of the third CNG source.

10. A compressed natural gas (CNG) dispensing system, comprising: a first CNG source; a second CNG source; a first dispenser; a second dispenser; and a controller, the controller configured to (1) assign a first priority to the filling of a first destination tank associated with the first dispenser, (2) assign a second priority to the filling of a second destination tank associated with the second dispenser, wherein the second priority is lower than the first priority, and (3) control the first dispenser and the second dispenser to fill the first destination tank from the first CNG source while filling the second destination tank from the second CNG source, wherein the second CNG source provides CNG at a lower pressure relative to the pressure at which the first CNG source provides CNG; wherein the controlling the first dispenser and the second dispenser comprises controlling valves within the first dispenser and valves within the second dispenser; and wherein the first dispenser and the second dispenser are configured to be exclusively fed by either of the first CNG source and the second CNG source.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein, in response to the completion of filling the first destination tank, discontinuing filling the second destination tank from the second CNG source and beginning filling the second destination tank from the first CNG source.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first CNG source and the second CNG source are both storage tanks.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first CNG source and the second CNG source is a compressor.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first destination tank and the second destination tank is a vehicle tank.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first destination tank and the second destination tank is a mobile trailer tank.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to assign a third priority to the filling of a third destination tank.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the third priority is lower than the second priority.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising: filling the third destination tank exclusively from a third CNG source while filling the second destination tank from the second CNG source, wherein the third CNG source provides CNG at a lower pressure relative to the pressure at which the second CNG source provides CNG.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following brief description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and detailed description:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a CNG dispensing system according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

(3) FIGS. 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 7A, 8A, 9A, 10A, 11A, 12A, 13A, 14A, 15A, 16A, 17A, and 18A show the status of a CNG dispensing over the course of many steps of a method of prioritized CNG dispensing according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

(4) FIGS. 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B, 6B, 7B, 8B, 9B, 10B, 11B, 12B, 13B, 14B, 15B, 16B, 17B, and 18B show the physical layout of CNG dispensing over the course of the steps of the method of prioritized CNG dispensing associated with FIGS. 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 7A, 8A, 9A, 10A, 11A, 12A, 13A, 14A, 15A, 16A, 17A, and 18A, respectively.

(5) FIG. 19 shows a portion of an alternative embodiment of a dispenser, the dispenser comprising a direct fill valve.

(6) FIG. 20 shows a flowchart of a method of dispensing CNG.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) In some cases, it may be desirable to provide a CNG dispensing system capable of speedily refueling a vehicle tank while limiting the affect that simultaneously dispensing to other vehicle tanks has on the overall time required to complete the desired filling of the vehicle tank initially being filled.

(8) Referring now to FIG. 1, a schematic of a CNG dispensing system 100 is shown according to an embodiment of the disclosure. The CNG dispensing system 100 may generally comprise one or more compressors 102, a natural gas source 104, a first storage tank 106, a second storage tank 108, and a third storage tank 110. The storage tanks 106, 108, 110, are sometimes referred to as High, Mid, and Low, respectively, when, during filling of a vehicle tank 130, the relative pressure of the first storage tank 106 has a higher pressure than the pressure of both the second storage tank 108 and the third storage tank 110, the second storage tank 108 has a pressure between the pressure of the first storage tank 106 and the third storage tank 110, and when the third storage tank 110 has a pressure lower than both the first storage tank 106 and the second storage tank 108. However, it will be appreciated that more or fewer storage tanks can be utilized and that although the storage tanks 106, 108, 110 are described as having relatively different pressures, they may each be initially pressurized to a same high pressure prior to a differential being created by using them at different rates to fill vehicle tanks. The CNG dispensing system 100 further comprises a plurality of dispensers, namely, a first dispenser 112, a second dispenser 114, a third dispenser 116, and a fourth dispenser 118.

(9) Each dispenser 112, 114, 116, 118 is in selective fluid communication with each of the storage tanks 106, 108, 110 and such fluid communication can be allowed and disallowed by actuation of a first valve 120, second valve 122, and third valve 124, to manage fluid communication with the storage tanks 106, 108, 110, respectively. Each dispenser 112, 114, 116, 118 further comprises a dispenser controller 126 configured for communication with a site controller 128. The site controller 128 is configured to communicate with the dispensers 112, 114, 116, 118 to receive and/or send indications of priority assignment and/or to effectuate control over the valves 120, 122, 124 so that vehicle tanks 130 can be filled in a predictable, preset, rules-based, and/or fair order based, in some cases, at least partially on the order in which vehicle tanks 130 begin being filled with CNG. Each dispenser 112, 114, 116, 118 further comprises a flow meter 129 configured to measure and/or communicate flow of CNG from the dispensers to the vehicle tanks 130. The site controller 128 may be configured further configured to communicate with the compressors 102 and a priority panel 132. The priority panel 132 comprises fluid circuits and valving necessary to selectively direct CNG from the compressors 102 to desired ones of the storage tanks 106, 108, 110. It will be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, a CNG dispensing system may provide a site controller configured to additionally perform the functions of the above-described dispenser controller 126. In other alternative embodiments, a CNG dispensing system may provide a dispenser controller configured to additionally perform the function of the above-described site controller 128. Still further, in alternative embodiments, the controlling of dispensers may be conducted remotely from the remainder of the system so that control decisions are made remotely and transmitted over a control network.

(10) Referring now to FIGS. 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 7A, 8A, 9A, 10A, 11A, 12A, 13A, 14A, 15A, 16A, 17A, and 18A, a display of site controller 128 is shown at various steps of a method of prioritized CNG dispensing using a CNG dispensing system 200 that is substantially similar to system 100. The site controller 128 is shown as being used with a CNG dispensing system 200 that is capable of managing priority and CNG filling of eight vehicle tanks 130, rather than four as shown in FIG. 1. For clarity, valves and vehicle tanks are not all labeled.

(11) The display of site controller 128 of FIG. 2A and the physical layout of FIG. 2B show that no vehicle tanks 130 are currently being filled with CNG or are waiting to be filled with CNG.

(12) The display of site controller 128 of FIG. 3A and the physical layout of FIG. 3B show show that a #1 vehicle tank has been acknowledged by the site controller as arriving first and is therefore assigned an integer place value of 1 and flow of CNG is allowed. The integer place value of 1 is associated with providing the #1 vehicle tank with access to CNG from any of a High pressure storage tank, a Mid pressure storage tank, and a Low pressure storage tank. In some cases, a vehicle tank will be filled from the lower pressure storage tanks first so long as a minimum desired flow rate is maintained or exceeded. In some cases, filling from lower pressure storage tanks at acceptable flow rates (rather than more quickly filling from a storage tank with higher pressure) can preserve a filling system's capability to “top off” or otherwise quickly fill a mostly full vehicle tank that may already have a high pressure.

(13) The display of site controller 128 of FIG. 4A and the physical layout of FIG. 4B show that a #2 vehicle tank has been acknowledged by the site controller as arriving after the #1 vehicle tank and is therefore assigned an integer place value of 2 and flow of CNG is allowed. The integer place value of 2 is associated with providing the #2 vehicle tank with access to CNG from either of a Mid pressure storage tank and a Low pressure storage tank. As shown in FIG. 4, #1 vehicle tank is filled from any of the High pressure storage tank, the Mid pressure storage tank, and the Low pressure storage tank while #2 vehicle tank is filled from either of the Mid pressure storage tank and the Low pressure storage tank.

(14) The display of site controller 128 of FIG. 5A and the physical layout of FIG. 5B show that a #3 vehicle tank has been acknowledged by the site controller as arriving after the #2 vehicle tank and is therefore assigned an integer place value of 3 and flow of CNG is allowed. The integer place value of 3 is associated with providing the #3 vehicle tank with access to CNG from a Low pressure storage tank. As shown in FIG. 5, #1 vehicle tank is filled from any of the High pressure storage, Mid pressure storage tank, and Low pressure storage tank, while #2 vehicle tank is filled from either of the Mid pressure storage tank and the Low pressure storage tank, and while #3 vehicle tank is filled from a Low pressure storage tank.

(15) The displays of site controller 128 of FIGS. 6A, 7A, 8A, 9A, and 10A and the respective physical layouts of FIGS. 6B, 7B, 8B, 9B, and 10B show that a #4 vehicle tank has been acknowledged by the site controller and assigned an integer place value of 4, a #5 vehicle tank has been acknowledged by the site controller and assigned an integer place value of 5, a #6 vehicle tank has been acknowledged by the site controller and assigned an integer place value of 6, a #7 vehicle tank has been acknowledged by the site controller and assigned an integer place value of 7, and a #8 vehicle tank has been acknowledged by the site controller and assigned an integer place value of 8, respectively. In the embodiment represented by FIGS. 2A-18B, integer place values of 4 and greater are associated with the vehicle tanks not being given access to any storage tanks. Instead, as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, each of #4-#8 vehicle tanks are waiting in order for access to the Low pressure storage tank.

(16) The display of site controller 128 of FIG. 11A and the physical layout of FIG. 11B show that the #1 vehicle tank has been filled with CNG or otherwise discontinued from the CNG filling process. In response, the site controller revises the integer place value of each of #2-#8 vehicle tanks by reducing the integer place values by subtracting 1. Accordingly, #2 vehicle tank is now assigned an integer place value of 1, #3 vehicle tank is now assigned an integer place value of 2, and #4 vehicle tank is now assigned an integer place value of 3. As such, #2 vehicle tank is filled from any of the High storage tank, the Mid storage tank, and the Low storage tank, #3 vehicle tank is filled from either of the Mid storage tank and the Low storage tank, and #4 vehicle tank is filled from the Low storage tank while #5-#8 vehicle tanks still have integer values of 4 and greater (so they get no CNG filling from any storage tank).

(17) The display of site controller 128 of FIG. 12A and the physical layout of FIG. 12B show that the #2 vehicle tank has been filled with CNG or otherwise discontinued from the CNG filling process. In response, the site controller revises the integer place value of each of #3-#8 vehicle tanks by reducing the integer place values by subtracting 1. Accordingly, #3 vehicle tank is now assigned an integer place value of 1, #4 vehicle tank is now assigned an integer place value of 2, and #5 vehicle tank is now assigned an integer place value of 3. As such, #3 vehicle tank is filled from any of the High storage tank, the Mid storage tank, and the Low storage tank, #4 vehicle tank is filled from the either of the Mid storage tank and the Low storage tank, and #5 vehicle tank is filled from the Low storage tank while #6-#8 vehicle tanks still have integer values of 4 and greater (so they get no CNG filling from any storage tank).

(18) The display of site controller 128 of FIG. 13A and the physical layout of FIG. 13B show that the #3 vehicle tank has been filled with CNG or otherwise discontinued from the CNG filling process. In response, the site controller revises the integer place value of each of #4-#8 vehicle tanks by reducing the integer place values by subtracting 1. Accordingly, #4 vehicle tank is now assigned an integer place value of 1, #5 vehicle tank is now assigned an integer place value of 2, and #6 vehicle tank is now assigned an integer place value of 3. As such, #4 vehicle tank is filled from any of the High storage tank, the Mid storage tank, and the Low storage tank, #5 vehicle tank is filled from either of the Mid storage tank and the Low storage tank, and #6 vehicle tank is filled from the Low storage tank while #7-#8 vehicle tanks still have integer values of 4 and greater (so they get no CNG filling from any storage tank).

(19) The display of site controller 128 of FIG. 14A and the physical layout of FIG. 14B show that the #4 vehicle tank has been filled with CNG or otherwise discontinued from the CNG filling process. In response, the site controller revises the integer place value of each of #5-#8 vehicle tanks by reducing the integer place values by subtracting 1. Accordingly, #5 vehicle tank is now assigned an integer place value of 1, #6 vehicle tank is now assigned an integer place value of 2, and #7 vehicle tank is now assigned an integer place value of 3. As such, #5 vehicle tank is filled from any of the High storage tank, the Mid storage tank, and the Low storage tank, #6 vehicle tank is filled from either of the Mid storage tank and the Low storage tank, and #7 vehicle tank is filled from the Low storage tank while the #8 vehicle tank still has an integer value of 4 (so it gets no CNG filling from any storage tank).

(20) The display of site controller 128 of FIG. 15A and the physical layout of FIG. 15B show that the #5 vehicle tank has been filled with CNG or otherwise discontinued from the CNG filling process. In response, the site controller revises the integer place value of each of #6-#8 vehicle tanks by reducing the integer place values by subtracting 1. Accordingly, #6 vehicle tank is now assigned an integer place value of 1, #7 vehicle tank is now assigned an integer place value of 2, and #8 vehicle tank is now assigned an integer place value of 3. As such, #6 vehicle tank is filled from any of the High storage tank, the Mid storage tank, and the Low storage tank, #7 vehicle tank is filled from either of the Mid storage tank and the Low storage tank, and #8 vehicle tank is filled from the Low storage tank.

(21) The display of site controller 128 of FIG. 16A and the physical layout of FIG. 16B show that the #6 vehicle tank has been filled with CNG or otherwise discontinued from the CNG filling process. In response, the site controller revises the integer place value of each of #7-#8 vehicle tanks by reducing the integer place values by subtracting 1. Accordingly, #7 vehicle tank is now assigned an integer place value of 1 and #8 vehicle tank is now assigned an integer place value of 2. As such, #7 vehicle tank is filled from any of the High storage tank, the Mid storage tank, and the Low storage tank while #8 vehicle tank is filled from either of the Mid storage tank and the Low storage tank.

(22) The display of site controller 128 of FIG. 17A and the physical layout of FIG. 17B show that the #7 vehicle tank has been filled with CNG or otherwise discontinued from the CNG filling process. In response, the site controller revises the integer place value of #8 vehicle tank by reducing the integer place value by subtracting 1. Accordingly, #8 vehicle tank is now assigned an integer place value of 1 is filled from any of the High storage tank, the Mid storage tank, and the Low storage tank. In the manner described above, completing the filling of earlier arriving vehicle tanks over later arriving vehicle tanks can be assured.

(23) The display of site controller 128 of FIG. 18A and the physical layout of FIG. 18B show that the #8 vehicle tank has been filled with CNG or otherwise discontinued from the CNG filling process, placing the system 200 in the same state as it began in at FIGS. 2A and 2B.

(24) It is contemplated that systems substantially similar to CNG dispensing system 100 can be provided with more or fewer compressors, more or fewer dispensers, dispensers, more or fewer storage tanks (having any combination of relative pressures), and more or fewer vehicle tanks connected to each dispenser. In some cases, the one or more compressors can comprise relative power ratings of less than ten horsepower to many thousands of horsepower, individually or collectively. As such, with greater compression capability and/or greater storage tank capacity, in some embodiments, multiple vehicle tanks may be assigned the same positive integer values so that, for example, multiple vehicle tanks could receive CNG from Low and/or Mid pressure storage tanks, and in some embodiment, multiple vehicle tanks can receive CNG from High pressure storage tanks. The rules for assigning priority and/or access to storage tanks can be changed to allow a vehicle storage tank to jump in line, finish simultaneously with other vehicle storage tanks, and/or otherwise deviate from the examples described above.

(25) In a first example of a different priority scheme, a dispenser, as opposed to a vehicle tank, may be assigned a higher priority than all other vehicle tanks and dispenser so that a vehicle tank being filled from the dispenser assigned the higher priority will fill first and fastest. In some cases, a user may pay a higher price to access the higher priority dispenser. The higher priority dispenser may be referred to as a preferred dispenser or a premium price dispenser.

(26) In a second example of a different priority scheme, a user may provide a code or present a card encoded to cooperate with the CNG filling system to elevate the dispenser being used by the user to a higher priority than some or all of the other destination tanks and/or dispensers. The higher priority user may be referred to as a preferred customer.

(27) In a third example of a different priority scheme, a dispenser, when active, can be assigned a lowest priority. An illustrative use of this would be to assign a large capacity tube trailer a lower or lowest priority so that the site is not essentially shut down to other users while the tube trailer receives as many as several thousand gallons of CNG. By assigning the low priority to a dispenser used by tube trailers (or other large capacity destination tanks), other smaller destination tanks can effectively jump in priority over the tube trailer, potentially temporarily discontinuing filling the tube trailer, be filled, and thereafter the system can resume filling of the tube trailer once other filling demand is satisfied.

(28) In a fourth example of a different priority scheme, dispensers can be configured to first estimate an amount of CNG that destination tanks need to be filled with at the beginning of the fill process (sometimes accomplished by measuring the information related to administering a “first shot” of CNG to the newly arrived destination tank). In some cases, the priority of a destination tank can be adjusted based on estimated amount of CNG needed. In other words, if the system is filling three vehicles with relatively large tanks (for instance, 100 gallons each), and a fourth vehicle connects and is determined to only need 10 gallons, the fourth vehicle with a lesser need of 10 gallons can be prioritized over the higher need vehicles.

(29) In a fifth example of a different priority scheme, the system could assign priority based on current destination tank pressures. For example, if three vehicles are filling at 3000 psig, 2500 psig, and 2000 psig, respectively, a fourth vehicle that is at 3500 psig could be elevated in priority over the other three vehicles because completing the filling the fourth vehicle would be a relative quick process.

(30) Referring now to FIG. 19, a simplified schematic of a CNG dispensing system 300 is shown. The system 300 is substantially similar to systems 100 and 200, but further includes a dispenser 302 additionally comprising a direct fill valve 302 that controls fluid communication between a compressor 102 and a vehicle tank 130. When dispenser comprise a direct fill valve 302, the system can select between filling a vehicle tank form a compressor 102 rather than a High storage tank or any other storage tank as needed or desired.

(31) Referring now to FIG. 20, a flowchart of a method 400 of dispensing CNG is shown. The method 400 can begin at block 402 by assigning a first priority to the filling of a first destination tank. In some cases, the first destination tank can be a vehicle tank 130. The method 400 can progress to block 404 and proceed by assigning a second priority to the filling of a second destination tank. In some embodiments, the second priority is lower than the first priority. The method 400 can progress to block 406 and proceed by filling the first destination tank from a first CNG source while filling the second destination tank from a second CNG source. In some embodiments, the second CNG source provides CNG at a lower pressure relative to the pressure at which the first CNG source provides CNG. The method 400 can progress to block 408 and proceed by, in response to the completion of the filling the first destination tank, discontinuing filling the second destination tank from the second CNG source and beginning filling the second destination tank from the first CNG source. It will be appreciated that the CNG sources can comprise storage tanks, such as tanks 106, 108, and/or 110 and destination tanks can comprise vehicle tanks 130, portable tanks, and/or mobile trailer tanks (such as large capacity tube trailer tanks).

(32) At least one embodiment is disclosed and variations, combinations, and/or modifications of the embodiment(s) and/or features of the embodiment(s) made by a person having ordinary skill in the art are within the scope of the disclosure. Alternative embodiments that result from combining, integrating, and/or omitting features of the embodiment(s) are also within the scope of the disclosure. Where numerical ranges or limitations are expressly stated, such express ranges or limitations should be understood to include iterative ranges or limitations of like magnitude falling within the expressly stated ranges or limitations (e.g., from about 1 to about 10 includes, 2, 3, 4, etc.; greater than 0.10 includes 0.11, 0.12, 0.13, etc.). For example, whenever a numerical range with a lower limit, R.sub.l, and an upper limit, R.sub.u, is disclosed, any number falling within the range is specifically disclosed. In particular, the following numbers within the range are specifically disclosed: R=Rl+k*(R.sub.u−R.sub.l), wherein k is a variable ranging from 1 percent to 100 percent with a 1 percent increment, i.e., k is 1 percent, 2 percent, 3 percent, 4 percent, 5 percent, . . . 50 percent, 51 percent, 52 percent, . . . , 95 percent, 96 percent, 97 percent, 98 percent, 99 percent, or 100 percent. Moreover, any numerical range defined by two R numbers as defined in the above is also specifically disclosed. Use of the term “optionally” with respect to any element of a claim means that the element is required, or alternatively, the element is not required, both alternatives being within the scope of the claim. Use of broader terms such as comprises, includes, and having should be understood to provide support for narrower terms such as consisting of, consisting essentially of, and comprised substantially of. Accordingly, the scope of protection is not limited by the description set out above but is defined by the claims that follow, that scope including all equivalents of the subject matter of the claims. Each and every claim is incorporated as further disclosure into the specification and the claims are embodiment(s) of the present invention.