COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS FUELING SYSTEM WITH INTEGRATED FILL RECEPTACLE

• US 20190047412A1
• Filed: 10/09/2018
• Published: 02/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Worthington Industries Incorporated (Kellogg Company)
• Original Assignee: Worthington Industries Incorporated (Kellogg Company)
• Inventors: MILTON, TREVOR, MACKELPRANG, MORGAN, HILTON, RALPH, SLOAN, ISAAC
• Granted Patent: US 10,449,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/03006 Gas tanks B60K15/07 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/063 Arrangement of tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/07 of gas tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03019 Filling of gas tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0638 the fuel tank is arranged in the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 9/06 at vehicle front or rear rear luggage compartments within vehicle extensible externally of the vehicle body B60R5/041
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/148 Semi-trailers, articulated vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 1/005 Storage of gas or gaseous mixture at high pressure and at high density condition, e.g. in the single state phase
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/084 for small-sized storage vessels, e.g. compressed gas cylinders or bottles, disposable gas vessels, vessels adapted for automotive use
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/035 with substantially horizontal main axis
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/054 medium (>1 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0107 Frames
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0111 Boxes
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0142 bundled in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0146 with details of the manifold
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/033 Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
• 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 2250/043 : Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0171 : Trucks
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/06 : for filling with compressed gases

Abstract

A compressed natural gas fueling system includes a frame arrangement with at least one tank disposed therein and an inlet that can receive a compressed natural gas fueling nozzle to fill the at least one tank. The fueling system can be attached with and supported by frame rails behind a cabin of a vehicle such that the inlet is positioned above the frame rails.

Claims

1. A fuel system, comprising:

a frame that is configured to be attached to a frame rail of a vehicle such that the frame is positioned above the frame rail of the vehicle and behind a cabin of the vehicle, the frame includes a driver side pair of vertical brackets, a passenger side pair of vertical brackets, a first driver side tank support attached between the driver side pair of vertical brackets, a first passenger side tank support attached between the passenger side pair of vertical brackets;

a cylindrical tank that includes a first end and an opposing second end;

the cylindrical tank is housed within the frame that such that axis of the cylindrical tank is oriented generally perpendicular to the frame rail of the vehicle; and

the cylindrical tank is supported by a portion of the first driver side tank support and a portion of the first passenger side tank support.

2. The fuel system of claim 1, further comprising a manifold that is in fluid communication with the cylindrical tank.

3. The fuel system of claim 2, further comprising the manifold assembly is configured to be attached to a portion of the frame.

4. The fuel system of claim 2, the manifold assembly includes at least one of a fill receptacle, a high pressure gauge, a low pressure gauge, or an outlet port.

5. The fuel system of claim 4, wherein the fill receptacle is in fluid communication with a valve assembly in which the valve assembly is in fluid communication with the cylindrical tank.

6. The fuel system of claim 4, wherein the outlet port is in fluid communication with an engine of the vehicle.

7. The fuel system of claim 1, further comprising a filter that filters a content of the cylindrical tank prior to delivery to an engine of the vehicle.

8. The fuel system of claim 1, further comprising a regulator that controls a portion of flow of the content delivered to an engine of the vehicle.

9. The fuel system of claim 1, further comprising:

a portion of the first end of the cylindrical tank is supported by the driver side tank support; and

a portion of the second end of the cylindrical tank is supported by the passenger side tank support.

10. The fuel system of claim 1, further comprising one or more panels to cover the frame.

11. The fuel system of claim 10, further comprising an access panel that provides access to a manifold assembly and the manifold assembly is located inside the one or more panels.

12. A vehicle, comprising:

a first frame rail and a second frame rail parallel to the first frame rail;

a frame that is configured to be attached to the frame rail of a vehicle such that the frame is positioned above the frame rail of the vehicle and behind a cabin of the vehicle, the frame includes one or more vertical brackets and one or more supports coupled to the one or more vertical brackets;

a cylindrical tank that includes a first end and an opposing second end;

a manifold assembly in fluid communication with the cylindrical tank; and

the cylindrical tank is housed within the frame and supported by the one or more supports such that axis of the cylindrical tank is oriented generally perpendicular to the frame rail of the vehicle.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the vehicle is a truck.

14. The vehicle of claim 12, further comprising one or more cross members that structurally support the first frame rail and the second frame rail.

15. The vehicle of claim 12, further comprising:

a manifold that is in fluid communication with the cylindrical tank; and

the manifold assembly is configured to be at least one of attached to a portion of the frame or within the frame.

16. A fuel system, comprising:

a frame that is configured to be attached to a first frame rail and a second frame rail of a vehicle such that the frame is positioned above the first frame rail and the second frame rail of the vehicle and behind a cabin of the vehicle, the frame includes a driver side pair of vertical brackets, a passenger side pair of vertical brackets, a first driver side tank support attached between the driver side pair of vertical brackets, a first passenger side tank support attached between the passenger side pair of vertical brackets;

two or more cylindrical tanks, wherein the two or more cylindrical tanks each include a first end and an opposing second end;

a manifold assembly in fluid communication with at least one of the two or more cylindrical tanks;

the two or more cylindrical tanks are housed within the frame that such that axis of the two or more cylindrical tanks are oriented generally perpendicular to the frame rail of the vehicle; and

the two or more cylindrical tanks are supported by a portion of the first driver side tank support and a portion of the first passenger side tank support.

17. The fuel system of claim 16, further comprising a filter and a regulator that are each mounted on or within the frame, wherein the filter is configured to filter gas from the plurality of tanks, the regulator is configured to be in fluid communication with the filter.

18. The fuel system of claim 17, further comprising an inlet configured to receive a fueling nozzle and be in fluid communication with the plurality of tanks.

19. The fuel system of claim 16, further comprising one or more cross members that structurally support the first frame rail and the second frame rail.

20. The fuel system of claim 16, further comprising the manifold assembly includes at least one of a fill receptacle, a high pressure gauge, a low pressure gauge, or an outlet port.