Hydrogen station

• US 10,145,509 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2012
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Klaus Schmidt
• Original Assignee: Kobe Steel Limited
• Inventors: Nagura, Kenji, Takagi, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Niesz, Jason K
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAKOMAKI, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US14/118,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20140102587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,350 Days
• Field of Search: 141192, 141 94, 141105, 141 82
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/012 Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0123 gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/036 Very high pressure (>80 bar)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2225/0123 gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2225/036 Very high pressure, i.e. above 80 bars
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0164 with specified compressor type, e.g. piston or impulsive type
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0185 comprising several pumps or compressors
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0341 using another fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/04 Methods for emptying or filling
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/065 for refueling vehicle fuel tanks
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0178 Cars
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0184 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/06 for filling with compressed gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04208 Cartridges, cryogenic media or cryogenic reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

Provided is a hydrogen station that is used to charge hydrogen to a hydrogen tank mounted on a vehicle, the hydrogen station including: a compressor that compresses hydrogen; a lubricant cooling unit that cools the lubricant of the compressor while circulating the lubricant; a hydrogen cooling unit that is capable of cooling hydrogen which is not charged to the hydrogen tank mounted on the vehicle yet and is compressed by the compressor; a sensor that detects whether the vehicle approaches or reaches the hydrogen station; and a startup unit that starts up at least one of the lubricant cooling unit and the hydrogen cooling unit by a signal from the sensor.

Claims

1. A hydrogen station that is used to charge hydrogen to a hydrogen tank mounted on a vehicle, the hydrogen station comprising:

a dispenser for dispensing hydrogen to a hydrogen tank mounted on a vehicle;

a hydrogen flow passage extending from a hydrogen supply source to the dispenser;

a first compressor provided at an upstream position of the hydrogen flow passage for compressing hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen supply source at a first pressure;

a second compressor provided at a downstream of the first compressor for compressing the hydrogen at a second pressure higher than the first pressure;

a lubricant cooling unit for cooling a lubricant for use in the second compressor, the lubricant cooling unit including;

an oil circulating passage whose outflow end and inflow end are connected with the second compressor;

a lubricant pump provided at an intermediate position of the oil circulating passage for pumping lubricant to flow through the circulating passage and the second compressor; and

an oil cooler provided on the oil circulating passage at a downstream of the lubricant pump for cooling the lubricant before flowing into the second compressor;

a hydrogen cooling unit provided at a downstream of the second compressor for cooling the hydrogen contained in the dispenser;

a sensor provided at a specified position of the hydrogen station to detect whether the vehicle approaches or reaches the hydrogen station and output a detection signal indicative of the vehicle approaching or reaching;

a controller connected with the sensor for controlling respective operations of the first compressor, the second compressor, the lubricant pump, and the hydrogen cooling unit in such a way that;

the compressed hydrogen fills the hydrogen flow passage and the dispenser with the operation of the second compressor, the lubricant pump, and the hydrogen cooling unit being suspended before receiving the detection signal from the sensor; and

the lubricant pump starts the circulating of the lubricant to cool the lubricant by the oil cooler, and the hydrogen cooling unit starts the cooling of the compressed hydrogen in the dispenser when receiving the detection signal.

2. The hydrogen station according to claim 1, further comprising:

an intermediate pressure accumulator connected to the hydrogen flow passage via a branch point between the first compressor and the second compressor; and

a valve provided between the branch point and the second compressor, the valve being controlled by the controller to control the flow of hydrogen to the second compressor.

3. The hydrogen station according to claim 1, further comprising another hydrogen cooling unit between the first compressor and the second compressor.

4. The hydrogen station according to claim 1, wherein the second compressor is a single reciprocating type compressor driven by a motor.