Modular compressed natural gas system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9377164-B2
Application number	US-201213645109-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2012
Priority date	Mar 6, 2012
Publication date	Jun 28, 2016
Grant date	Jun 28, 2016

Abstract

A compression system is disposed in a container and shipped to a location having a supply of natural gas. The compression system connects to the natural gas supply, compresses gas from the supply, and provides compressed gas to a consumer. The container, which can be a standardized ISO shipping container, is fitted with removable vents at designated locations. Strategic positioning of compression system components in combination with the removable vents allows for ready access to the compression system for repair and maintenance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of supplying compressed hydrocarbon gas from a standardized shipping container having an interior and a roof, comprising:
disposing a compressor package in the interior of the container to define a modular compression system;
mounting at least one storage tank on the roof of the container;
mounting a louvered vent in an opening on the roof of the container, wherein the louvered vent is directly adjacent to the tank and positioned such that the tank does not substantially overlap the louvered vent;
transporting the modular compression system to a location having a supply of hydrocarbon gas;
compressing hydrocarbon gas from the supply of hydrocarbon gas to form compressed hydrocarbon gas; and
delivering the compressed hydrocarbon gas to the storage tank for subsequent dispensing to a vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the roof has a first portion extending from a first end of the container toward a second end of the container and a second portion extending from a junction with the first portion to the second end of the container, each of the portions extending across a full width of the container; wherein
mounting the storage tank on the roof comprises mounting the storage tank entirely on the first portion of the roof; and wherein:
mounting the louvered vent in an opening on the roof comprises mounting the louvered vent entirely in the second portion of the roof.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising panels, doors, and vents that are selectively removable from the shipping container or openable to provide access to the compressor package.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compressor package further comprises a fan cooler disposed in the shipping container and that is in fluid communication with the louvered vent, wherein the louvered vent comprises a series of louvers that are moveable for selectively opening and closing the louvered vent.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein mounting at least one storage tank on the roof comprises mounting three storage tanks on the roof of the container.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the supply of hydrocarbon gas comprises a natural gas utility line having hydrocarbon gas at a pressure that ranges from around 0.5 psig to around 200 psig, and wherein the compressed hydrocarbon gas is at a pressure of at least around 3000 psig.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a controller for controlling the compressor package is provided in the shipping container and is accessible by a door hingedly mounted on the shipping container.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shipping container is an International Standards Organization (ISO) shipping container.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
mounting at least one storage tank on the roof comprises providing three storage tanks, each of the storage tanks having a cylindrical side wall with an axis, and mounting the storage tanks side-by-side on a first portion of the roof with the axes parallel with each other; and wherein the method further comprises placing a fan cooler in the shipping container that is in fluid communication with the louvered vent in the opening, the opening being in a second portion of the roof adjacent the first portion of the roof, wherein the louvered vent comprises a series of louvers that are moveable for selectively opening and closing the louvered vent.

10. A method of generating a supply of compressed natural gas using an International Standards Organization (ISO) shipping container having an interior, a roof and a length greater than a width, the method comprising:
a. installing a natural gas compressor package in the interior of the ISO shipping container to define a modular compressed natural gas unit;
b. mounting a plurality of storage tanks on the roof in a first portion of the roof;
c. providing a louvered vent in an opening of a second portion of the roof directly adjacent the storage tanks and positioned such that the tanks do not substantially overlap the louvered vent, the louvered vent comprising selectively movable louvers to open and close the vent, and moving the louvers in a direction to open the vent when the compressor package is operating, and moving the louvers in an opposite direction to close the vent when the compressor package is at rest;
d. directing a supply of natural gas to the compressor package; and
e. compressing the natural gas in the compressor package to generate compressed gas and delivering the compressed natural gas to the storage tanks on the roof for subsequent dispensing to vehicles.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising providing a dryer in the ISO shipping container, attaching an end of a regeneration line to the dryer and locating another end of the regeneration line outside of the ISO shipping container, flowing the natural gas through the dryer, removing the dryer from communication with the natural gas, and removing moisture from the dryer by flowing a regeneration gas through the dryer.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising providing a control unit in the ISO shipping container, wherein the control unit comprises a touch screen for communication with the compressor package and for manually controlling the compressor package and a controller for automated control of the compressor package.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
mounting a plurality of storage tanks on the roof comprises providing each of the storage tanks with a cylindrical portion having a longitudinal axis:
mounting two spaced apart supports on the roof, each extending across the roof of the container perpendicular to the length of the container, each of the supports having a plurality of semi-cylindrical upward facing recesses;
placing each of the storage tanks in one of the recesses of both of the supports with the axes parallel with each other and parallel with the length of the container; and
strapping the storage tanks to the supports.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the modular compressed natural gas unit is mounted on top of a structure that houses a business.

15. A system for compressing and dispensing compressed natural gas comprising:
a container having an interior and a roof;
a compressor package disposed in the interior of the container to define a modular compression system, and that comprises an inlet line connected to a supply of natural gas and an outlet;
at least one storage tank mounted on the roof of the container in selective communication with the outlet for storing the natural gas compressed by the compressor package;
the storage tank being in selective communication with a dispenser for dispensing the compressed natural gas from the storage tank into a vessel of a vehicle; and
mounting a louvered vent in an opening in the roof, wherein the louvered vent is directly adjacent to the tank and positioned such that the tank does not overlap the louvered vent.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the container has a length greater than a width, and
the at least one storage tank comprises a plurality of elongated storage tanks mounted side-by-side parallel with the length of the container.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein:
the container has a length greater than a width;
the roof has a first portion extending from a first end of the container along the length of the container;
the roof has a second portion extending from a junction with the first portion along the length of the container to a second end of the container;
the at least one storage tank is located entirely in the first portion of the roof; and
the louvered vent is locat

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Utal Dalbir Singh
• Mcreynolds Ryan

Classifications

• F17C5/00

  Methods or apparatus for filling containers with liquefied, solidified, or compressed gases under pressures (adding propellants to aerosol containers B65B31/00) · CPC title

• F17C2260/015

  Facilitating maintenance · CPC title

• Y10T137/0318

  Processes · CPC title

• F17C2265/015

  by separating · CPC title

• F17C5/06

  for filling with compressed gases · CPC title