SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REFUELING A HYDROGEN VESSEL

• US 20030146106A1
• Filed: 01/22/2003
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Proton Energy Systems, Inc. (NEL ASA)
• Original Assignee: Proton Energy Systems, Inc. (NEL ASA)
• Inventors: Mitlitsky, Fred
• Granted Patent: US 7,360,563 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 205/637
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 15/08 Supplying or removing reactants or electrolytes; Regeneration of electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/023 having the mass as the parameter
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/025 having the pressure as the parameter
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/026 having the temperature as the parameter
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0326 electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0335 Check-valves or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/012 Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0161 cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/033 Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
• 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 2227/0341 using another fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/032 using computers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/034 using wireless transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/043 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0439 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0443 Flow or movement of content
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0631 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/023 Avoiding overheating
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/025 Reducing transfer time
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/065 : for refueling vehicle fuel tanks
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0184 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/00 : Methods or apparatus for filling containers with liquefied, solidified, or compressed gases under pressures adding propellants to aerosol containers B65B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/06 : for filling with compressed gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04201 : Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/18 : Regenerative fuel cells, e.g. redox flow batteries or secondary fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/184 : Regeneration by electrochemical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 : Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 : Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/45 : Hydrogen technologies in production processes

Abstract

Electrochemical systems and methods of operating the systems are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for operating an electrochemical system, comprises: forming hydrogen gas in an electrolysis cell, maintaining the hydrogen gas at a temperature sufficient to enable the filling of a hydrogen gas vessel at a rate that would fill a 5 kg vessel with the hydrogen gas in a period of time of less than or equal to about 10 minutes, and introducing the hydrogen gas to the hydrogen gas vessel.

Claims

1. A method for filling a hydrogen gas vessel, comprising:

passing hydrogen gas from a hydrogen gas source to a hydrogen gas vessel; and

maintaining the hydrogen gas at a temperature sufficient to enable the filling of the hydrogen gas vessel at a rate that would fill a 5 kg vessel with the hydrogen gas in a period of time of less than or equal to about 10 minutes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the period of time is less than or equal to about 5 minutes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrogen gas is maintained at a temperature of about −

10°

F. to about 40°

F.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring at least one of a temperature and a pressure of the hydrogen gas vessel, and controlling the temperature based upon at least one of the monitored temperature and the monitored pressure.

5. A method for operating an electrochemical system, comprising:

forming hydrogen gas in an electrolysis cell;

cooling the hydrogen gas to a non-cryogenic temperature; and

introducing the cooled hydrogen gas to a vessel.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the hydrogen is cooled to a temperature of about −

10°

F. to about 40°

F.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising maintaining the vessel within specification pressure while filling the vessel at a rate that would fill a 5 kg vessel with the hydrogen gas in a period of time of less than or equal to about 10 minutes.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the period of time is less than or equal to about 5 minutes.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising monitoring at least one of a temperature and a pressure of the vessel, and cooling the hydrogen gas to a cooling temperature based upon at least one of the monitored temperature and the monitored pressure.

10. An electrochemical cell system, comprising:

an electrolysis cell;

a heat exchanger downstream of the electrolysis cell; and

a sensor configured to be disposed in communication with at least one of a hydrogen gas vessel to be filled and a point both upstream of the hydrogen gas vessel and downstream of the heat exchanger, wherein the sensor is disposed in operable communication with the heat exchanger.

11. A storage medium encoded with a machine readable computer program code, the code including instructions for causing a computer to implement a method for operating an electrochemical system, the method comprising:

passing hydrogen gas from a hydrogen gas source to a hydrogen gas vessel; and

maintaining the hydrogen gas at a temperature sufficient to enable the filling of the hydrogen gas vessel at a rate that would fill a 5 kg vessel with the hydrogen gas in a period of time of less than or equal to about 10 minutes.

12. A computer data signal, the computer data signal, comprising:

instructions for causing a computer to implement a method for operating an electrochemical system, the method comprising;

passing hydrogen gas from a hydrogen gas source to a hydrogen gas vessel; and

maintaining the hydrogen gas at a temperature sufficient to enable the filling of the hydrogen gas vessel at a rate that would fill a 5 kg vessel with the hydrogen gas in a period of time of less than or equal to about 10 minutes.

13. A method for filling a hydrogen gas vessel, comprising:

passing hydrogen gas from a hydrogen gas source to the hydrogen gas vessel; and

controlling a temperature of the hydrogen gas to fill the vessel to its specification pressure and maximum volume capacity while maintaining a vessel pressure at less than or equal to the specification pressure.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising filling the vessel in less than or equal to about 10 minutes.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising filling the vessel in less than or equal to about 5 minutes.