Compact fluid storage system

• US 6,503,584 B1
• Filed: 08/09/1999
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advanced Green Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: Roy E. Mcalister
• Inventors: McAlister, Roy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pyon, Harold
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miggins, Michael C.
• Application Number:
  US09/370,431
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 220/586, 220/506, 220/560.08, 220/590, 220/560.04, 220/577, 220/581, 220/582, 220/584, 220/588, 220/589, 220/592, 428/34.1, 428/34.6, 428/36.9, 428/36.92, 428/457, 626/07, 62/481, 62/482, 626/11, 62/461
• US Class Current: 428/34.1
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 1/02 involving reinforcing arrangements F17C1/14, F17C1/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 11/00 Use of gas-solvents or gas-sorbents in vessels absorbing compositions for acetylene C10L3/04; absorbing compositions for hydrogen C01B3/0005
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 11/007 for hydrocarbon gases, such as methane or natural gas, propane, butane or mixtures thereof [LPG]
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0128 spherical or elliptical
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/035 with substantially horizontal main axis
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0329 Foam
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0604 Liners
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0639 Steels
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0646 Aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/066 Plastics
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0665 radially wound
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/00 Vessel construction, in particular mounting arrangements, attachments or identifications means
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0335 Check-valves or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0338 Pressure regulators
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0397 on both sides of the pressure vessel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/011 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/012 Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/014 Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/017 Helium
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/018 : Acetylene
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/033 : Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0161 : cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/05 : Improving chemical properties
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 : Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/13 : Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]

Abstract

A densification and storage system for fluids is provided by multitudes of closely spaced parallel planes of adsorptive material (88) that is contained within a substantially impervious barrier layer (2). In normal pressure-containing embodiments, reinforcement (4) is wrapped upon the impervious barrier layer (2) to increase the burst strength of the assembly that results. In higher pressure containing embodiments, material (88) provides reinforcement of barrier layer (2).

Claims

1. A gas storage system comprising:

a container containing parallel layers of exfoliated laminar material and a gas, wherein an electric charge is produced on particles of said gas and/or on said laminar material and wherein said gas is densified and adsorbed on said laminar material for compact storage of said gas.

2. A gas storage system as in claim 1 wherein said laminar material is selected from the group comprised of a hexagonal crystalline structure of the same atoms, a hexagonal crystalline structure of two or more kinds of atoms in stoichiometric proportions, a hexagonal crystalline structure of two or more kinds of atoms in non-stoichiometric proportions.

3. A gas storage system as in claim 1 wherein said laminar material comprises graphite or boron nitride.

4. A gas storage system as in claim 1 wherein said laminar material comprises a graphite selected from the group comprised of pyrolytic graphite, graphite precipitated from molten metal, graphite precipitated from saturated solution, and graphite agglomerated from smaller particles.

5. A gas storage system as in claim 1 wherein substantial proportions of said material are separated by substantially the same separation distance.

6. A gas storage system as in claim 1 wherein proportions of said material are separated by assorted separation distances.

7. A gas storage system as in claim 1 wherein said charge is applied at the time of adding said particles to said storage system.

8. A gas storage system as in claim 1 wherein said charge is selected from the group comprised of a positive charge on particles of said gas, a negative charge on particles of said gas, a positive charge on layers of said material, and a negative charge-on layers of said material.

9. A gas storage system as in claim 1 wherein said laminar material is contained within a container comprising a substantially impermeable barrier membrane.

10. A gas storage system as in claim 1 wherein said laminar material is contained within a container comprising a substantially impermeable barrier membrane and said impermeable barrier membranes is coated with reinforcing material.

11. A gas storage system as in claim 1 wherein said laminar material is contained within a container comprising a substantially impermeable barrier membrane and said impermeable barrier membrane is built upon with material systems selected from the group comprised of reinforcing material, alternate layers of high reflectivity material and layers of transparent material having low thermal conductivity in a direction perpendicular to said layers, material incorporating channels for circulation of heat exchange fluid, and insulative foam.

12. A gas storage system as in claim 1 wherein said laminar material is positioned to include a central support.

13. A gas storage system as in claim 1 wherein said laminar material is positioned around a central support and said laminar material is contained within a container comprising a substantially impermeable barrier membrane and wherein said laminate extend radially between said central support and said impermeable barrier membrane.

14. A gas storage system as in claim 1 wherein said laminar material is positioned around a central support and said laminar material is contained within a container comprising a substantially impermeable barrier membrane and wherein said laminate extend radially between said central support and said impermeable barrier membrane and wherein said laminate are affixed to said impermeable barrier membrane.

15. A gas storage system as in claim 1 wherein said laminar material is positioned around a central support and said laminar material is contained within a container comprising a substantially impermeable barrier membrane and wherein said laminate extend radially between said central support and said impermeable barrier membrane and wherein said laminate are affixed to said impermeable barrier membrane and wherein said central support imparts containment strength to said impermeable barrier membrane.

16. A gas storage system as in claim 1 in which a heat transfer means is provided by selection from the group comprised of heat supplied to said laminate, heat removed from said laminate, heat intermittently supplied to said laminate, and heat intermittently removed from said laminate.

17. A gas storage system as in claim 1 in which said electric charge is applied according to the group comprised of continuous application of said charge, intermittent application of said charge, application of reversed charge, and neutralization of said charge.

18. A gas storage system as in claim 1 in which an energy exchange means is provided from the group comprised of addition of vibrational energy to said laminate, removal of vibrational energy from said laminate, intermittent application of vibrational energy, addition of radiant energy, removal of radiant energy and intermittent application of radiant energy.

19. A gas storage system as in claim 18 in which said energy exchange means is utilized for controlling the rate of gas release from said storage system.

20. A gas storage system as in claim 18 in which said energy exchange means is utilized for controlling the rate of gas loading to said. storage system.