Integrated refueling station

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12288904-B2
Application number	US-202117543318-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2021
Priority date	Feb 22, 2016
Publication date	Apr 29, 2025
Grant date	Apr 29, 2025

Abstract

A system that includes: (a) a liquid natural gas storage tank fluidly coupled to a first compressor, (b) a fuel cell having an inlet fluidly coupled to the first compressor and an H 2 gas outlet fluidly coupled to a heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger receives compressed liquid natural gas from the first compressor; (c) an active magnetic regenerative refrigerator H 2 liquefier that comprises at least one layer of a magnetic refrigerant material, wherein the active magnetic regenerative refrigerator H 2 liquefier receives cooled H 2 gas from the heat exchanger.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
(a) a liquid natural gas storage tank fluidly coupled to a first compressor;
(b) a fuel cell having an inlet fluidly coupled to the first compressor and an H 2 gas outlet fluidly coupled to a heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger receives compressed liquid natural gas from the first compressor; and
(c) an active magnetic regenerative refrigerator H 2 liquefier that comprises at least one layer of a magnetic refrigerant material, wherein the active magnetic regenerative refrigerator H 2 liquefier receives cooled H 2 gas from the heat exchanger.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
(d) a liquid natural gas vehicle dispenser fluidly coupled to the liquid natural gas storage tank;
(e) a compressed liquid natural gas vehicle dispenser fluidly coupled to the first compressor;
(f) a liquid H 2 vehicle dispenser fluidly coupled to the active magnetic regenerative refrigerator H 2 liquefier; and
(g) a compressed H 2 vehicle dispenser fluidly coupled to the active magnetic regenerative refrigerator H 2 liquefier module.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a second compressor fluidly coupled between the active magnetic regenerative refrigerator H 2 liquefier and the compressed H 2 vehicle dispenser.

4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising a second heat exchanger fluidly coupled between the active magnetic regenerative refrigerator H 2 liquefier and the compressed H 2 vehicle dispenser.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the system is a vehicle fueling station.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the active magnetic regenerative refrigerator H 2 liquefier module comprises (i) a high magnetic field section in which a heat transfer fluid flows from a cold side to a hot side through at least one magnetized bed of at least one magnetic refrigerant, (ii) a first no heat transfer fluid flow section in which the bed is demagnetized, (iii) a low magnetic or demagnetized field section in which the heat transfer fluid flows from a hot side to a cold side through the demagnetized bed, and (iv) a second no heat transfer fluid flow section in which the bed is magnetized.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the system is a vehicle fueling station.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is a vehicle fueling station.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second compressor fluidly coupled to a liquid hydrogen outlet of the active magnetic regenerative refrigerator H 2 liquefier.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell is a solid oxide fuel cell.

Assignees

• Battelle Memorial Institute
• Emerald Energy Nw Llc

Inventors

• Holladay Jamie D
• Barclay John

Classifications

• H01M2250/20

  Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• F25J1/001

  Hydrogen · CPC title

• F25J1/0022

  Hydrocarbons, e.g. natural gas · CPC title

• F25B21/00 Primary

  Machines, plants or systems, using electric or magnetic effects · CPC title

• Y02T90/40

  Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells · CPC title