Reducing Pressure Spikes During Hydrogen Dispensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016091143-A1
Application number	US-201414501169-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 30, 2014
Priority date	Sep 30, 2014
Publication date	Mar 31, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for lessening an initial pressure spike in a receiving tank caused by high pressure residual H 2 -containing gas contained between a control valve and a block valve when dispensing the residual H 2 -containing gas into the receiving tank. The block valve is briefly closed before the pressure in the transfer line decreases below a set pressure, thereby lessening the pressure spike in the receiving tank.

First claim

1 . A method for lessening an initial pressure spike in a receiving tank caused by residual H 2 -containing gas contained between a control valve and a block valve when dispensing the residual H 2 -containing gas into the receiving tank, the residual H 2 -containing gas having an initial pressure, P 1 , and the receiving tank having an initial pressure, P 2 , therein, the method comprising, in sequence:
(a) opening the block valve thereby allowing a first portion of the residual H 2 -containing gas to flow through the block valve into the receiving tank; (b) closing the block valve before the pressure of the residual H 2 -containing gas that remains between the control valve and the block valve decreases below an intermediate pressure, P 3 , wherein

P
1

-

P
3

P
1

-

P
2

<
0.2

;

and
(c) opening the block valve thereby allowing a second portion of the residual H 2 -containing gas to flow through the block valve into the receiving tank;
wherein the control valve is kept closed throughout the sequence from (a) to (c).

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein

P
1

-

P
3

P
1

-

P
2

<

0.15
.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein

P
1

-

P
3

P
1

-

P
2

<

0.1
.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein subsequent to step (c) the method further comprises:
(d) closing the block valve before the pressure of the residual H 2 -containing gas that remains between the control valve and the block valve decreases below a second intermediate pressure, P 4 , wherein

P
1

-

P
4

P
1

-

P
2

<
0.3

;

and
(e) opening the block valve thereby allowing a third portion of the residual H 2 -containing gas to flow through the block valve into the receiving tank;
wherein the control valve ( 104 ) is kept closed throughout the sequence from (a) to (e).

5 . The method of claim 4 wherein

P
1

-

P
3

P
1

-

P
2

<

0.1



and




P
1

-

P
4

P
1

-

P
2

<

0.2
.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the block valve is closed in step (b) for at least 0.1 seconds prior to opening the block valve in step (c).

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein P 1 >60 MPa.

8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
sensing pressure representative of a pressure in the receiving tank with a pressure sensor;
wherein the block valve is closed in step (b) responsive to a signal from the pressure sensor.

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the control valve is a pressure control valve.

10 . The method of claim 1 wherein P 1 >3 P 2 or wherein P 1 >5 P 2 .

11 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
sensing pressure representative of a pressure of the residual H 2 -containing gas contained between the control valve and the block valve with a pressure sensor subsequent to opening the block valve in step (a);
wherein the block valve is closed in step (b) responsive to a signal from the pressure sensor sensing the pressure representative of the pressure of the residual H 2 -containing gas.

12 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
providing a controller operatively connected to the block valve;
wherein opening and closing of the block valve is controlled by the controller.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein
the controller is operatively disposed to receive signals from a pressure sensor sensing pressure representative of a pressure in the receiving tank;
and wherein the controller controls the opening and closing of the block valve responsive to the signals from the pressure sensor sensing the pressure representative of the pressure in the receiving tank.

14 . The method of claim 12 wherein:
the controller is

Assignees

• Air Prod & Chem

Inventors

• Cohen Joseph Perry

Classifications

• F17C13/002 Primary

  for vessels under pressure (F17C13/008 and F17C13/02 - F17C13/12 take precedence) · CPC title

• G05D7/0635

  by action on throttling means (G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence) · CPC title

• F17C5/06 Primary

  for filling with compressed gases · CPC title

• F17C2270/0168

  by vehicles · CPC title

• G05D16/2026

  with a plurality of throttling means · CPC title