HYDROGEN FUEL DISPENSER WITH PRE-COOLING CIRCUIT

• US 20140263419A1
• Filed: 03/11/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Mathison, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 9,586,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/3
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/80 Arrangements of heating or cooling devices for liquids to be transferred
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0335 Check-valves or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0352 Pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/037 Quick connecting means, e.g. couplings
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/012 Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0123 gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2225/036 Very high pressure, i.e. above 80 bars
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0157 Compressors
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0337 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/039 on the pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/01 Intermediate tanks
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0439 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0443 Flow or movement of content
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/065 for refueling vehicle fuel tanks
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0168 by vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0184 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/06 for filling with compressed gases
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/45 Hydrogen technologies in production processes

Abstract

A hydrogen fuel dispenser includes a pre-cooling circuit, a hydrogen fuel storage for storing hydrogen fuel, a nozzle for dispensing hydrogen fuel to a receptacle, and a fueling line connecting the hydrogen fuel storage to the nozzle for communicating hydrogen fuel from the hydrogen fuel storage to the nozzle. The pre-cooling circuit is provided to cool hydrogen fuel in the fueling line, and includes a pre-cooling line connected to the fueling line downstream from the hydrogen fuel storage, and a flow-path selector provided at a connection between the fueling line and the pre-cooling line. The flow-path selector selectively: blocks hydrogen fuel flow between the fueling line and the pre-cooling line while opening hydrogen fuel flow between the fueling line and a nozzle line of the nozzle; and opens hydrogen fuel flow between the fueling line and the pre-cooling line.

Claims

1. A hydrogen fuel dispenser, comprising:

a nozzle dispensing hydrogen fuel to a receptacle, the nozzle including a nozzle line through which hydrogen fuel is dispensed to the receptacle;

a fueling line connecting the nozzle line to a hydrogen fuel storage communicating hydrogen fuel from the hydrogen fuel storage to the nozzle line;

a pre-cooling line connected to the fueling line downstream from the hydrogen fuel storage to pre-cool hydrogen fuel; and

a flow-path selector provided at a connection between the fueling line and the pre-cooling line, the flow-path selector selectively;

blocking hydrogen fuel flow between the fueling line and the pre-cooling line while opening hydrogen fuel flow between the fueling line and the nozzle line; and

opening hydrogen fuel flow between the fueling line and the pre-cooling line.

2. The hydrogen fuel dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the pre-cooling line is connected to the fueling line at a position upstream from the nozzle.

3. The hydrogen fuel dispenser according to claim 2, wherein a breakaway is provided along the fueling line, and the pre-cooling line is connected to the fueling line at a position upstream from the nozzle and the breakaway.

4. The hydrogen fuel dispenser according to claim 1, comprising:

a pre-cooling controller detecting a predetermined hydrogen fuel dispenser condition, and controlling the flow-path selector to;

open hydrogen fuel flow between the fueling line and the pre-cooling line when the predetermined hydrogen fuel dispenser condition is detected, otherwise block hydrogen fuel flow between the fueling line and the pre-cooling line while opening hydrogen fuel flow between the fueling line and the nozzle line.

5. The hydrogen fuel dispenser according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined hydrogen fuel dispenser condition is at least one of a temperature of hydrogen fuel in the fueling line exceeding a predetermined temperature, a discontinuation of a fueling operation of dispensing hydrogen fuel to the receptacle, a passage of a predetermined time following discontinuation of the fueling operation prior to resumption of the fueling operation, and an impending fueling event.

6. The hydrogen fuel dispenser according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined hydrogen fuel dispenser condition is an impending fueling event.

7. The hydrogen fuel dispenser according to claim 6, wherein the impending fueling event is detected based upon at least one of:

a detection of payment at the hydrogen fuel dispenser and a detection of a vehicle in a vicinity of the hydrogen fuel dispenser.

8. The hydrogen fuel dispenser according to claim 3, comprising:

a catch tank provided in the pre-cooling line, the catch tank holding hydrogen fuel at a low pressure.

9. The hydrogen fuel dispenser according to claim 8, comprising:

a compressor provided in the pre-cooling line at a position downstream from the catch tank, the compressor compressing hydrogen fuel from the catch tank for high pressure storage.

10. The hydrogen fuel dispenser according to claim 9, wherein the pre-cooling line connects the fueling line to the hydrogen fuel storage with the catch tank and the compressor disposed between the fueling line and the hydrogen fuel storage, the catch tank holding hydrogen fuel at low pressure, and the compressor compressing hydrogen fuel from the catch tank for high pressure storage in the hydrogen fuel storage.

11. The hydrogen fuel dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the pre-cooling line connects the fueling line with the hydrogen fuel storage such that hydrogen fuel flows through the pre-cooling line from the fueling line to the hydrogen fuel storage.

12. The hydrogen fuel dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the pre-cooling line communicates hydrogen fuel back into the fueling line at a position upstream from the connection between the fueling line and the pre-cooling line.

13. A pre-cooling controller for a hydrogen fuel dispenser having a fueling line connecting a hydrogen fuel storage and a nozzle line of a nozzle for dispensing hydrogen fuel to a receptacle, a pre-cooling circuit including a pre-cooling line connected to the fueling line at a position downstream from the hydrogen fuel storage, and a flow-path selector provided at a connection between the fueling line and the pre-cooling line, the flow-path selector selectively:

blocking hydrogen fuel flow between the fueling line and the pre-cooling line while opening hydrogen fuel flow between the fueling line and the nozzle line; and

opening hydrogen fuel flow between the fueling line and the pre-cooling line, the pre-cooling controller comprising;

a condition detector detecting a predetermined hydrogen fuel dispenser condition; and

a flow-path selector controller controlling the flow-path selector to;

open hydrogen fuel flow between the fueling line and the pre-cooling line when the predetermined hydrogen fuel dispenser condition is detected by the condition detector; and

otherwise block hydrogen fuel flow between the fueling line and the pre-cooling line while opening hydrogen fuel flow between the fueling line and the nozzle line.

14. The pre-cooling controller according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined hydrogen fuel dispenser condition is at least one of:

a temperature of hydrogen fuel in the fueling line exceeding a predetermined temperature;

a discontinuation of a fueling operation of dispensing hydrogen fuel to the receptacle;

a passage of a predetermined time following discontinuation of the fueling operation prior to resumption of the fueling operation; and

an impending fueling event.

15. The pre-cooling controller according to claim 14, wherein the impending fueling event is detected based upon at least one of:

a detection of payment at the hydrogen fuel dispenser and a detection of a vehicle in a vicinity of the hydrogen fuel dispenser.

16. The pre-cooling controller according to claim 15, comprising:

a temperature detector detecting a temperature of hydrogen fuel in the fueling line at a position between the hydrogen fuel storage and the nozzle line,

wherein the condition detector detects the predetermined hydrogen fuel dispenser condition when the impending fueling operation is detected and the temperature of hydrogen fuel detected by the temperature detector exceeds a predetermined temperature.

17. The pre-cooling controller according to claim 15, comprising:

a fueling operation detector detecting discontinuation of a fueling operation of dispensing hydrogen fuel to the receptacle,

wherein the condition detector detects the predetermined hydrogen fuel dispenser condition when the impending fueling operation is detected and discontinuation of the fueling operation is detected by the fueling operation detector.

18. The pre-cooling controller according to claim 15, comprising:

a fueling operation detector detecting discontinuation of a fueling operation of dispensing hydrogen fuel to the receptacle; and

a timer detecting passage of a predetermined time following discontinuation of the fueling operation prior to resumption of the fueling operation,

wherein the condition detector detects the predetermined hydrogen fuel dispenser condition when the impending fueling operation is detected and passage of the predetermined time is detected by the timer.

19. The pre-cooling controller according to claim 13, wherein condition detector detects the predetermined hydrogen fuel dispenser condition when an impending fueling operation is detected.

20. A hydrogen fuel dispenser, comprising:

a nozzle dispensing hydrogen fuel to a receptacle, the nozzle including a nozzle line through which hydrogen fuel is dispensed to the receptacle;

a fueling line connecting the nozzle line to a hydrogen fuel storage communicating hydrogen fuel from the hydrogen fuel storage to the nozzle line;

a pre-cooling circuit having a pre-cooling line; and

a holster stowing the nozzle, the holster including a downstream pre-cooling line connected to the pre-cooling line,

wherein the nozzle line engages and communicates with the downstream pre-cooling line when the nozzle is stowed in the holster so that hydrogen fuel flows from the fueling line into the pre-cooling line through the nozzle line and the downstream pre-cooling line.