Apparatus for and method of filling hydrogen tank with hydrogen

• US 20070257043A1
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kanoya, Izuru, Hosoe, Mitsuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,637,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/581
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/026 having the temperature as the parameter
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0376 Dispensing pistols
• 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 2227/0341 using another fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0353 using cryocooler
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0388 separate
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/047 by repeating a process cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/032 using computers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0439 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0626 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/025 Reducing transfer time
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/022 identical fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0184 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0763 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/06 for filling with compressed gases
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 7/00 Methods or apparatus for discharging liquefied, solidified, or compressed gases from pressure vessels, not covered by another subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 : Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/45 : Hydrogen technologies in production processes

Abstract

An hydrogen tank filling apparatus includes a first hydrogen supply pipe for supplying hydrogen substantially at an atmospheric temperature from a high-pressure hydrogen storage tank to a hydrogen tank, a second hydrogen supply pipe for supplying cooled hydrogen from the high-pressure hydrogen storage tank to the hydrogen tank, and an internal tank temperature measuring unit for measuring the temperature inside the hydrogen tank. The first hydrogen supply pipe and the second hydrogen supply pipe are selectively switched by a control unit, depending on changes in the temperature inside the hydrogen tank.

Claims

1. An apparatus for filling a hydrogen tank with hydrogen, comprising:

switching means for selectively supplying hydrogen to said hydrogen tank at a first temperature from a first hydrogen storage unit, and supplying hydrogen to said hydrogen tank at a second temperature lower than said first temperature from a second hydrogen storage unit;

temperature measuring means for measuring a temperature inside said hydrogen tank; and

control means for controlling said switching means depending on the temperature inside said hydrogen tank as measured by said temperature measuring means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

cooling means for cooling the hydrogen inside said second hydrogen storage unit.

3. An apparatus for filling a hydrogen tank with hydrogen, comprising:

a high-pressure hydrogen storage unit;

a first hydrogen supply pipe for supplying hydrogen at a first temperature from said high-pressure hydrogen storage unit to said hydrogen tank;

a second hydrogen supply pipe for supplying hydrogen at a second temperature lower than said first temperature from said high-pressure hydrogen storage unit to said hydrogen tank;

temperature measuring means for measuring a temperature inside said hydrogen tank;

switching means for selectively switching between said first hydrogen supply pipe and said second hydrogen supply pipe; and

control means for controlling said switching means depending on the temperature inside said hydrogen tank as measured by said temperature measuring means.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

cooling means, which is connected to said second hydrogen supply pipe, for cooling the hydrogen inside said second hydrogen supply pipe.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

thermal insulating means for thermally insulating a portion of said second hydrogen supply pipe, which extends from said cooling means to said hydrogen tank.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said switching means comprises:

a first valve connected to said first hydrogen supply pipe; and

a second valve connected to said second hydrogen supply pipe at an outlet of said cooling means,

wherein said control means opens and closes said first valve and said second valve.

7. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said first hydrogen supply pipe and said second hydrogen supply pipe are connected to each other at ends thereof that are connected to said hydrogen tank, such that said first hydrogen supply pipe and said second hydrogen supply pipe have a common outlet at said ends thereof.

8. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said first hydrogen supply pipe and said second hydrogen supply pipe are combined with each other by a covering sleeve.

9. A method of filling a hydrogen tank with hydrogen, comprising the steps of:

supplying hydrogen at a first temperature to said hydrogen tank;

supplying hydrogen at a second temperature lower than said first temperature to said hydrogen tank;

measuring a temperature inside said hydrogen tank with a temperature measuring means as said hydrogen tank is being filled with hydrogen; and

selectively supplying the hydrogen at said first temperature and the hydrogen at said second temperature depending on the measured temperature, to fill said hydrogen tank.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said step of selectively supplying the hydrogen comprises the steps of:

supplying the hydrogen at said first temperature to fill said hydrogen tank if the temperature inside said hydrogen tank is lower than a predetermined temperature; and

supplying the hydrogen at said second temperature to fill said hydrogen tank if the temperature inside said hydrogen tank is higher than said predetermined temperature.

11. A method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of:

measuring an atmospheric temperature with an atmospheric temperature measuring means;

wherein said step of selectively supplying the hydrogen comprises the steps of;

supplying the hydrogen at said first temperature to fill said hydrogen tank if the difference between the temperature inside said hydrogen tank and said atmospheric temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature range; and

supplying the hydrogen at said second temperature to fill said hydrogen tank if the difference between the temperature inside said hydrogen tank and said atmospheric temperature is higher than a predetermined temperature range.

12. A method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of:

supplying the hydrogen at said second temperature to fill said hydrogen tank upon beginning to fill said hydrogen tank.