U.S. patent application number 11/247566 was filed with the patent office on 2007-04-12 for cascade bank selection based on ambient temperature.
Invention is credited to Joseph Perry Cohen, David John Farese.
Application Number | 20070079891 11/247566 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37692565 |
Filed Date | 2007-04-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070079891 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Farese; David John ; et
al. |
April 12, 2007 |
Cascade bank selection based on ambient temperature
Abstract
A system for controlling the temperature of compressed gas being
transferred from one or more high-pressure storage vessels to a
receiving vessel includes a plurality of high-pressure storage
vessels with compressed gas therein, a conduit for receiving the
compressed gas from one or more of the storage vessels and being
adapted to communicate with a receiving vessel to transfer the
compressed gas thereto. A plurality of flow-control devices control
the flow of compressed gas from one or more of the storage vessels
to the receiving vessel and a controller regulates the flow-control
devices in response to the ambient temperature measured by a
temperature-measuring device of the system to thereby control the
temperature of the compressed gas being transferred to the
receiving vessel. The method in which the system of this invention
operates also constitutes a part of the present invention.
Inventors: |
Farese; David John;
(Riegelsville, PA) ; Cohen; Joseph Perry;
(Bethlehem, PA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.;PATENT DEPARTMENT
7201 HAMILTON BOULEVARD
ALLENTOWN
PA
181951501
US
|
Family ID: |
37692565 |
Appl. No.: |
11/247566 |
Filed: |
October 10, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
141/94 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02E 60/32 20130101;
F17C 2221/012 20130101; F17C 2270/0139 20130101; F17C 2223/036
20130101; F17C 2270/0168 20130101; F17C 13/026 20130101; F17C
2221/033 20130101; F17C 5/007 20130101; F17C 2250/0439 20130101;
F17C 2225/036 20130101; F17C 2260/023 20130101; F17C 2223/0123
20130101; F17C 5/06 20130101; F17C 2227/043 20130101; F17C 7/00
20130101; F17C 2225/0123 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
141/094 |
International
Class: |
B65B 31/00 20060101
B65B031/00 |
Claims
1. A system for controlling the temperature of compressed gas being
transferred from one or more high pressure storage vessels to a
receiving vessel, said system including: A. a plurality of high
pressure storage vessels including compressed gas therein; B. a
conduit for receiving compressed gas from one or more of the
plurality of high pressure storage vessels and being adapted to
communicate with a receiving vessel for transferring compressed gas
from said one or more of the plurality of high pressure storage
vessels to said receiving vessel; C. a plurality of flow control
devices for controlling the flow of compressed gas from one or more
of said storage vessels to said receiving vessel; D. a temperature
measuring device for measuring the ambient temperature; and E. a
controller for regulating the flow control devices in response to
the ambient temperature measured by the measuring device to control
the storage vessel volume communicating with the receiving vessel
from said one or more storage vessels, to thereby control the
temperature of the compressed gas being transferred to said
receiving vessel.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller sequentially
controls separate flow control devices to selectively control the
storage vessel volume communicating with the receiving vessel as
compressed gas is being transferred to said receiving vessel.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of
flow control devices controls the flow of compressed gas from a
storage vessel volume to said receiving vessel that is different
from the storage vessel volume from which compressed gas is
transferred to said receiving vessel under the control of at least
one other of said plurality of flow control devices.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of flow
control devices controls the flow of compressed gas to said
receiving vessel from a different storage vessel volume.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of high pressure
storage vessels are arranged in two or more groups of storage
vessels, each group of storage vessels communicating with said
receiving vessel through a separate flow control device.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the storage vessel volume of each
group is different from the storage vessel volume of every other
group.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the volume of each of the storage
vessels is approximately the same, and the number of storage
vessels in each group is different from the number of storage
vessel in every other group.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein each storage vessel communicates
with the receiving vessel through a separate flow control
device.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the flow control devices are
valves.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein said receiving vessel is a tank
in a vehicle to be operated by gas transferred from said one or
more high pressure storage vessels.
11. The system of claim 1, said controller including a preset
temperature and said controller regulating the flow control devices
in response to the difference between the ambient temperature and
the preset temperature.
12. A method for controlling the temperature of compressed gas
being transferred from one or more high pressure storage vessels to
a receiving vessel, said method including the steps of: A.
providing a plurality of high pressure storage vessels including
compressed gas therein; B. connecting the plurality of high
pressure storage vessels to a receiving vessel so that the
compressed gas in one or more of the high pressure storage vessels
can be transferred to the receiving vessel; C. measuring the
ambient temperature; and D. controlling the storage vessel volume
in flow communication with the receiving vessel in response to the
ambient temperature to thereby control the temperature of the
compressed gas being transferred to said receiving vessel.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of controlling the
storage vessel volume in flow communication with the receiving
vessel is provided by a controller responsive to the difference
between the ambient temperature and a second, preset
temperature.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of controlling the
volume of gas being transferred to the receiving vessel is carried
out by controlling the number of storage vessels in communication
with the receiving vessel as gas is being transferred from said
storage vessels to said receiving vessel.
15. The method of claim 14, including the step of changing the
number of storage vessels in communication with the receiving
vessel during the step of transferring gas to said receiving
vessel, whereby different gas storage volumes are in flow
communication with the receiving vessel during different portions
of the gas transferring operation.
16. The method of claim 14, including the step of controlling the
volume of gas being transferred to the receiving vessel by
communicating only one storage vessel at a time with the receiving
vessel during the entire filling operation.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a system and method for
transferring compressed gas from high-pressure storage vessels to a
receiving vessel and more particularly to a system and method of
controlling the temperature of compressed gas being transferred
from one or more high-pressure storage vessels to a receiving
vessel.
[0002] Cascade filling processes that employ multiple high-pressure
storage vessels to charge a lower pressure-receiving vessel are
known in the prior art, as exemplified in Borck U.S. Pat. No.
6,779,568. The '568 patent discloses that, for a constant filling
time, the peak temperature of the gas in the receiving tank will be
lower when a lower pressure storage vessel is used first during the
cascade filling process. Thus, the '568 patent teaches controlling
the order in which the storage vessels are utilized based on the
difference in pressure within those storage banks.
[0003] The prior art also teaches that the temperature rise in a
receiving tank can be limited by adjusting the filling rate from
the high-pressure storage vessels, especially at the start of the
filling process when the rate of temperature increases the
greatest, as exemplified in Hwang, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,748
and Togasawa, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,598,624.
[0004] A further prior art approach for limiting or controlling the
temperature rise in a receiving tank is to utilize additional
hardware, such as a heat exchanger to cool the flowing gas stream
from the high-pressure storage vessels, upstream of the receiving
tank. The use of such additional hardware is disclosed in Sugano,
et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,793 and Cohen, et al. U.S. Pat. No.
6,619,336.
[0005] Although the above prior art disclosures focus on the impact
that the filling process has on the receiving tank; none of those
disclosures takes into account, or even recognizes the need to take
into account, the impact of ambient temperature on the compressed
gas within and leaving the compressed gas storage system during the
process of filling a receiving tank. For example, at low ambient
temperatures (e.g.,0.degree. F.) the impact of isentropic expansion
cooling due to the reduction in pressure within the storage system
can be significant, as temperature within the gas storage and
delivery system can approach the minimum safe operating limit
(typically -40.degree. F.).
[0006] Based on the limitations of the prior art approaches for
storing and transferring compressed gas from high-pressure storage
vessels to a lower pressure-receiving vessel a need is believed to
exist for an improved system for controlling (e.g., increasing or
decreasing) the amount of cooling of the compressed gas to be
transferred to a receiving vessel based on ambient temperature
conditions. It is to such a system and method that the present
invention relates.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In accordance with the system and process of this invention,
the operation of a compressed gas storage and delivery system is
adjusted based on changes in ambient temperature conditions in
order to minimize the impact of isentropic expansion cooling on the
storage and delivery system. In particular, this invention has its
greatest applicability in a system where compressed gas is being
transferred from a series of high-pressure vessels into one or more
low-pressure vessels and there is a desire to cool or warm the gas
being transferred. More specifically, the invention has its most
preferred applicability in the fueling of compressed gas vehicles,
such as hydrogen or natural gas vehicles, where it is desirable to
supply the vehicles with gas within a certain range of ambient
temperature, such as above -20.degree. F. and below 60.degree.
F.
[0008] A system for controlling the temperature of compressed gas
being transferred from one or more high-pressure storage vessels to
a receiving vessel in accordance with this invention includes a
plurality of high-pressure storage vessels with compressed gas
therein and a conduit for receiving the compressed gas from one or
more of the plurality of high -pressure storage vessels and being
adapted to communicate with a receiving vessel for transferring the
compressed gas from said one or more of the plurality of
high-pressure storage vessels to said receiving vessel. A plurality
of flow-control devices is included in the system for controlling
the flow of compressed gas from one or more of the storage vessels
to the receiving vessel. A temperature-measuring device is employed
for measuring the ambient temperature and a controller regulates
the flow-control devices based on the measured ambient temperature
to thereby control the storage vessel volume communicating with the
receiving vessel from the one or more storage vessels, to thereby
control the temperature of the compressed gas being transferred to
the receiving vessel.
[0009] In the preferred embodiment of this invention a controller
regulates the flow -control devices based on the measured ambient
temperature by comparing the measured ambient temperature with a
preset temperature to thereby control the storage vessel volume
communicating with the receiving vessel from one or more
high-pressure storage vessels.
[0010] In accordance with this invention the parameter being
controlled directly in response to the ambient temperature is the
storage vessel volume that is placed in flow communication with the
receiving vessel to be filled; not the mass or pressure of the gas.
However, the mass and pressure of gas transferred to the receiving
vessel is effected by the storage volume placed in communication
with the receiving vessel during the transfer or filling
operation.
[0011] In accordance with the broadest aspects of this invention,
different arrangements of storage vessels can be employed to
establish the desired storage volume in flow communication with the
receiving vessel at any given time during the filling operation.
For example, a plurality of storage vessels having substantially
the same volume can be employed to store the compressed gas, and
different numbers of storage vessels can be grouped together under
the control of an individual flow-control device. Thus, when it is
desired to employ the smallest storage volume to fill the receiving
vessel, the flow-control device communicating with the smallest
number of storage vessels will be operated. When it is desired to
communicate a larger storage volume with a receiving vessel, then
the flow -control device that communicates a greater number of the
high-pressure storage vessels will be opened to increase the
storage vessel volume in communication with the receiving vessel to
be filled.
[0012] Another approach to regulating the storage vessel volume in
communication with a receiving vessel during any desired portion of
the filling cycle is to actually employ storage vessels of
different volumes and then communicate a desired storage vessel
with a receiving vessel through actuation of a corresponding
flow-control device, depending upon the storage vessel volume that
is to be communicated with the receiving vessel.
[0013] Yet another approach permitting the communication of either
the same or different storage vessel volumes in communication with
a receiving vessel at any desired time during the filling cycle is
to provide a plurality of high-pressure storage vessels, each
having substantially the same volume, and placing each of those
storage vessels in communication with a separate flow-control
device upstream of a single, common conduit in flow communication
with a receiving vessel to be filled. Thus, when a single
flow-control device is opened only one of the high-pressure storage
vessels will be in communication with the receiving vessel through
the common conduit; when two flow-control devices are opened, two
of such high-pressure vessels will be in flow communication with
the receiving vessel thereby doubling the storage vessel volume in
flow communication with the receiving vessel, etc. This latter
arrangement provides substantial versatility in the storage and
delivery system by permitting the storage vessel volumes in
communication with a receiving vessel to be varied over a wide
range during the filling of the receiving vessel. In particular, by
selectively maintaining only one high-pressure storage vessel in
communication with the receiving vessel at any given time during
the filling cycle, the same storage vessel volume will always be
communicating with the receiving vessel throughout the entire
filling cycle. Alternatively, during different phases of the
filling cycle two or more flow-control devices can be opened to
thereby communicate two or more of the high-pressure storage
vessels with the receiving vessel at any given time, thereby
providing a greater storage vessel volume in communication with the
receiving vessel at any desired time in the filling cycle.
[0014] A method for controlling the temperature of compressed gas
being transferred from one or more high-pressure storage vessels to
a receiving vessel includes the steps of providing a plurality of
high-pressure storage vessels including compressed gas therein;
connecting the plurality of high-pressure storage vessels to a
receiving vessel so that the compressed gas in one or more of the
high-pressure storage vessels can be transferred to the receiving
vessel; measuring the ambient temperature and controlling the
storage vessel volume in flow communication with the receiving
vessel in response to the ambient temperature to thereby control
the temperature of the compressed gas being transferred to the
receiving vessel.
[0015] In a preferred method of this invention the step of
controlling the storage vessel volume in flow communication with
the receiving vessel in response to the ambient temperature is
provided by a controller responsive to the difference between the
ambient temperature and a preset temperature.
[0016] In one preferred method of this invention the step of
controlling the volume of gas being transferred to the receiving
vessel is carried out by controlling the number of storage vessels
in communication with the receiving vessel as gas is being
transferred from the storage vessels to said receiving vessels.
[0017] In accordance with another aspect of this invention, the
step of controlling the volume of gas being transferred to the
receiving vessel during a filling cycle includes the step of
changing the number of storage vessels in communication with the
receiving vessel during the step of transferring gas to the
receiving vessel, whereby different gas storage volumes are in flow
communication with the receiving vessel during different portions
of the gas transferring operation.
[0018] In accordance with another aspect of this invention the step
of controlling the volume of gas being transferred to the receiving
vessel is carried out by communicating only one storage vessel at a
time with the receiving vessel during the entire filling
operation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The invention will be described by way of example with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a system for controlling
the temperature of compressed gas being transferred from one or
more high-pressure storage vessels to a receiving vessel in
accordance with one embodiment of this invention; and
[0021] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a system for controlling the
temperature of compressed gas being transferred from one or more of
high-pressure storage vessels to a receiving vessel in accordance
with a second embodiment of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0022] Referring to FIG. 1, a storage and delivery system for
compressed gas in accordance with one embodiment of this invention
is illustrated at 10. Storage and delivery system 10 includes a
storage section 12 including plurality of compressed gas storage
vessels 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24. It should be understood that the
number of storage vessels in the storage and delivery system can be
varied; the exact number not constituting a limitation on the
broadest aspects of this invention.
[0023] As can be seen in FIG. 1, the six (6) storage vessels are
arranged in three (3), unequal size (volume) storage banks 26,28
and 30. The storage bank 26 includes three (3) storage vessels
14,16 and 18; the second storage bank 28 includes storage vessels
20 and 22 and the third storage bank 30 includes the single storage
vessel 24. Thus, each of the storage banks 26, 28 and 30 has a
different compressed gas storage volume.
[0024] Still referring to FIG. 1, each bank of storage vessels has
its flow controlled by a separate flow-control device. Preferably
the flow-control devices are on-off supply valves 32, 34 and 36,
respectively, each operable either in a fully opened or fully
closed position. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the flow-control valve
32 controls the flow of compressed gas from the three storage
vessels 14,16 and 18 in bank 26, as a unit, and directs that flow
into a supply line 38 for delivery to a receiving tank 40. In a
similar manner, the flow-control valve 34 controls the flow of
compressed gas from the storage vessels 20 and 22, which constitute
the second bank 28 of storage vessels. When this second valve 34 is
opened, it communicates the second bank of storage vessels with the
supply line 38 for delivery of compressed gas to the receiving tank
40. Control valve 36 controls the flow of compressed gas from the
single storage vessel 24, which constitutes the third bank 30. When
the valve 36 is opened it directs the flow of compressed gas
through supply line 38 to the receiving tank.
[0025] It should be understood that when each of the banks 28, 30
and 32 of storage vessels is placed in flow communication with
receiving vessel 40, the pressure in the storage vessels
communicating with the receiving vessel drops as gas flows into the
receiving vessel until the pressure in the storage vessels
communicating with the receiving vessel equalize with the internal
pressure of the receiving vessel. At that point in time the gas
flow from the bank(s) of storage vessels communicating with the
receiving vessel ends.
[0026] As can be seen in FIG. 1, the group of two storage vessels
20, 22 constituting the second bank 28 has twice the gas storage
volume as the single storage vessel 24 constituting the third bank
30, and the three storage vessels 14,16 and 18 constituting the
first bank 28 has three times the storage volume as the single
storage vessel 24 constituting the third bank 30. Thus, the gas
storage volume that communicates with the receiving vessel 40
through the supply line 38 can be varied by selectively opening one
or more of the flow-control valves 32, 34 and 36.
[0027] Still referring to FIG. 1, a temperature measuring device 42
is provided and is in communication with programmable logic
controller 44. The programmable logic controller 44 operates the
flow control valves 32, 34 and/or 36 in a programmed sequence based
upon the ambient temperature measured by the temperature measuring
device 42. In particular, in the preferred embodiment of this
invention the programmable logic controller includes a preset
temperature that is compared to the measured, ambient temperature
and the relationship between these latter-two temperatures
determines the manner in which the programmable logic controller 44
functions to open, or sequence, one or more of the control valves
32, 34 and 36, as described in the following example.
[0028] Assuming that the ambient temperature measured by the device
42 is greater than, or higher than the preset temperature in the
programmable logic controller (i.e., 10.degree. F.), thereby
establishing that the cooling of the gas should be maximized as it
is being transferred to the receiving vessel 40, the programmable
controller 44 will first open valve 36 to only communicate the
storage volume of storage vessel 24 with the receiving vessel
40.
[0029] The pressure in the storage vessel 24, by virtue of this
vessel constituting the smallest storage volume for delivering
compressed gas to the receiving vessel 40, drops to the greatest
degree possible in equalizing with the pressure in the receiving
vessel, thereby delivering the coldest gas possible by taking
maximum advantage of the heat of expansion cooling. Next, the
programmable logic controller 44 will open the valve 34 to
communicate storage vessels 20, 22 of bank 28 with the receiving
vessel 40, and thereafter will open control valve 32 for
communicating the three storage vessels 14,16 and 18 of bank 26
with the receiving vessel 40, thereby delivering a lower proportion
of the compressed gas to the storage vessel 40 at warmer
temperatures.
[0030] Alternatively, when the ambient temperature is less than the
set point of the programmable logic controller (when it is
generally cold), cooling of the gas during the transfer operation
is not desirable. Under these conditions, the programmable logic
controller 44 is programmed to first open valve 32 to communicate
supply vessels 14,16 and 18 of bank 26 with the receiving tank 40.
Since the pressure in these latter three cylinders 14,16 and 18
does not drop as much as the pressure did in storage vessel 24 on a
warmer day (when the ambient temperature was greater than the
preset temperature of the programmable logic controller) to
equalize the pressure with that in the receiving vessel, the
cooling of the compressed gas due to heat of expansion is
minimized.
[0031] It should be understood that the programmable logic
controller 44 can be programmed to vary the number of valves that
are opened at any given time, as well as the order in which those
valves are opened, depending upon the desired amount of cooling of
the compressed gas being transferred to the receiving tank 40. In
particular, the storage and delivery system 10 is designed to be
capable of delivering the coldest gas possible to the receiving
vessel 40 when the ambient temperature measured by the device 42 is
higher than a preset temperature in the programmable logic
controller 44, and the cooling of the compressed gas transferred to
the receiving tank 40 is desirably minimized when the ambient
temperature measured by the device 42 is less than the preset
temperature in the programmable logic controller 44.
[0032] In particular, the greater the pressure drop that takes
place in the supply vessel to equalize with the pressure in the
receiving vessel, the greater the cooling affect that is obtained.
The greatest pressure drop is achieved by initially delivering
compressed gas to the receiving vessel 40 from the smallest
available volume storage vessel (i.e., 24) in the storage section
12 of the system.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 2, a second embodiment of a storage and
delivery system in accordance with this invention is illustrated at
100. This storage and delivery system includes a storage section
102 including a plurality of storage vessels or cylinders 104,106,
108,110,112 and 114. Although the storage section 102 is
illustrated as including six (6) separate storage vessels, the
number of vessels can be varied in accordance with the broadest
aspects of this invention.
[0034] Still referring to FIG. 2, each of the storage vessels is
controlled by a separate flow control device, in the form of an
on-off supply valve 104A, 106A, 108A, 110A, 112A and 114A,
respectively.
[0035] Each of the conduits in which the flow-control valves are
included communicates downstream of those flow-control valves with
a common feed line 116, and this latter feed line communicates with
a supply line 118 for directing the flow of compressed gas from one
or more of the storage vessels 104,106,108,110,112 and 114 to a
receiving tank or vessel 120.
[0036] Still referring to FIG. 2, a temperature measuring device
122 measures the ambient temperature in the same manner as the
temperature measuring device 42 employed in the storage and
delivery system 10. Also, the storage and delivery system 100
includes a programmable logic controller 124 including a preset
temperature therein. This programmable logic controller 124 can be
the same as the programmable logic controller 44 of storage and
delivery system 10.
[0037] In accordance with the operation of the storage and delivery
system 100, the ambient temperature measured by the temperature
measuring device 122 is compared to the preset temperature in the
programmable logic controller, and based upon that comparison, the
programmable logic controller operates the various control valves
104A, 106A, 108A, 110A, 112A, and 114A in a programmed manner to
aid in controlling the temperature of compressed gas being
transferred from one or more of the high-pressure storage vessels,
104,106,108,110,112 and 114 to the receiving tank or vessel
120.
[0038] For example, assuming that the ambient temperature measured
by the device 122 is more than or higher than a preset temperature
in the programmed logic controller 124 (10.degree. F for example),
indicating that the ambient temperature is warm and that the
compressed gas being transferred to the receiving tank or vessel
120 should be cool to its maximum extent, the programmable logic
controller is programmed to selectively open each of the valves
104A, 106A, 108A, 110A, 112A and 114A, one valve at a time. In this
manner, at any specific time in the gas transferring operation only
one of the storage tanks 104,106,108, 110, 112 and 114 will be
directing the flow of compressed gas into the receiving tank or
vessel 120 to allow the pressure, in a single tank at a time, to
equalize with the pressure in the receiving tank or vessel 120. In
this mode of operation, the order in which the individual
flow-control valves are opened is not important, but it is
desirable that only one valve at a time be opened. This provides
for the greatest degree of pressure drop in the storage vessels
until pressure equalization takes place with the receiving vessel
120, thereby delivering the coldest gas possible by taking maximum
advantage of heat of expansion cooling.
[0039] It should be understood that the programmable logic
controller 124 can be programmed to override the above operating
sequence (or any other sequence being carried out), as desired.
[0040] However, when the ambient temperature is colder than the set
temperature, generally indicating that the ambient temperature is
cold and that the compressed gas being transferred from the storage
section 102 to the receiving tank or vessel 120 does not require
significant cooling, the programmable logic controller 124 can be
programmed to open more than one control valve at a time. For
example, control valves 104A and 106A can be opened first when the
temperature is less than 10.degree. F. but more than 10.degree. F.
Another valve (for example, control valve 108A) could be opened if
the temperature falls to 0.degree. F. Ultimately, all of the valves
can be opened at the same time to minimize heat of expansion
cooling at the coldest temperature, e.g., -30.degree. F., for
example.
[0041] It should be understood that the above disclosed operation
of the storage and delivery systems 10 and 100, including the
sequence of their operation, can be varied within wide limits. The
most important feature in this invention is that the system is
designed to control the temperature of compressed gas being
transferred from one or more high -pressure storage vessels to a
receiving vessel based upon ambient temperature conditions.
[0042] A number of modifications can be made within the scope of
this invention.
[0043] For example, the storage and delivery system 10, rather than
employing three separate groups of storage vessels, with each
storage vessel having essentially the same volume, can be designed
so that each of the groups 26, 28 and 30 is replaced by a single
storage vessel, with the storage volume of each vessel differing
from the storage volume in every other vessel. For example, the
bank 26 vessels 14,16 and 18 could be replaced by a single storage
vessel having a storage volume corresponding to the total storage
volume provided by the storage vessels 14,16 and 18. Likewise, the
storage vessels 20 and 22, constituting the second bank 28 of
storage vessels can be replaced by a single storage vessel having a
storage volume equivalent to the total storage volume of the
vessels 20 and 22. In this embodiment the storage vessel 24 will
remain, presenting the desired storage vessel volume to be
controlled by the supply valve 36.
[0044] The storage and delivery systems of this invention can be
employed in a wide variety of applications. In one preferred
application the systems can be employed in fueling of compressed
gas vehicles such as hydrogen or natural gas vehicles, wherein it
is desirable to supply the vehicles with gas within a certain
temperature, such as above -20.degree. F. and below 60.degree.
F.
[0045] Although illustrated and described herein with reference to
certain specific embodiments, the present invention is nevertheless
not intended to be limited to the details shown. Rather, various
modifications may be made in the details within the scope and range
of equivalents of the claims and without departing from the spirit
of the invention.
* * * * *