Hydrogen dispenser with user-selectable hydrogen dispensing rate algorithms

• US 7,921,883 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2006
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals Incorporated (Linde Plc)
• Original Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals Incorporated (Linde Plc)
• Inventors: Gourley, Keith David, Cohen, Joseph Perry, Farese, David John
• Primary Examiner(s): Neckel; Alexa D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith; Nicholas A.
• Application Number:
  US11/448,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20080000542A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,770 Days
• Field of Search: 141/4, 141/49, 141/95, 141/97, 700/83
• US Class Current: 141/49
• 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 2205/0142 bundled in parallel
• 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 2250/032 using computers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/043 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0439 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/021 Avoiding over pressurising
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/023 Avoiding overheating
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0139 Fuel stations
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0168 by vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/007 for individual gas tanks or containers, e.g. in vehicles filling with liquid fuel not under pressure, B60S5/02, B67D7/00
• 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

A hydrogen dispenser comprises a programmable controller and a user interface operably connected to the programmable controller. The programmable controller has a plurality of user-selectable hydrogen dispensing rate algorithms. The user interface offers the plurality of user-selectable hydrogen dispensing rate algorithms and is used for setting a user-selected dispensing rate algorithm from among the plurality of user-selectable hydrogen dispensing rate algorithms.

Claims

1. A hydrogen dispenser comprising:

a programmable controller having a plurality of user-selectable hydrogen dispensing rate algorithms for dispensing the hydrogen, the plurality of user-selectable hydrogen dispensing rate algorithms used by the programmable controller for effecting instantaneous hydrogen dispensing rate during dispensing; and

a user interface offering the plurality of user-selectable hydrogen dispensing rate algorithms, the user interface operably connected to the programmable controller for setting a user-selected dispensing rate algorithm from among the plurality of user-selectable hydrogen dispensing rate algorithms;

wherein the plurality of user-selectable hydrogen dispensing rate algorithms are user-selectable wherein a user enters information into the user interface to select from preset alternative hydrogen dispensing rate algorithms or enters a value for the hydrogen dispensing rate algorithm; and

wherein the plurality of user-selectable hydrogen dispensing rate algorithms comprises a first dispensing rate algorithm programmed to dispense a first quantity of hydrogen at a first time-averaged dispensing rate for a first time period and a second dispensing rate algorithm programmed to dispense a second quantity of hydrogen at a second time-averaged dispensing rate for a second time period, wherein the first time period is less than the second time period, the first time-averaged dispensing rate is greater than the second time-averaged dispensing rate, and the first quantity of hydrogen is less than the second quantity of hydrogen.

2. The hydrogen dispenser of claim 1 wherein the first quantity of hydrogen is intended to effect a first density value in a receiving vessel that is 70% to 90% of the maximum rated density value of the receiving vessel and the second quantity of hydrogen is intended to effect a second density value in the receiving vessel that is 90% to 100% of the maximum rated density value of the receiving vessel.

3. The hydrogen dispenser of claim 1 wherein the programmable controller has a time algorithm for calculating an estimated amount of time to complete dispensing for at least one of the plurality of user-selectable hydrogen dispensing rate algorithms and sending a signal for displaying the estimated amount of time on a display for the at least one of the plurality of user-selectable hydrogen dispensing rate algorithms.

4. The hydrogen dispenser of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of user-selectable hydrogen dispensing rate algorithms dispenses for a fixed time.

5. The hydrogen dispenser of claim 4 wherein the programmable controller has a quantity algorithm for calculating an estimated amount of hydrogen to be dispensed for the fixed time and sending a signal for displaying the estimated amount of hydrogen to be dispensed on a display.

6. The hydrogen dispenser of claim 4 wherein the programmable controller has a cost algorithm for calculating an estimated cost of hydrogen to be dispensed for the fixed time and sending a signal for displaying the estimated cost of hydrogen to be dispensed on a display.

7. The hydrogen dispenser of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one flow regulator operably connected to the programmable controller responsive to at least one of the plurality of user-selectable hydrogen dispensing rate algorithms.

8. The hydrogen dispenser of claim 1 wherein the programmable controller further comprises a means for receiving a temperature sensor signal from a temperature sensor measuring temperature in a receiving vessel and wherein at least one of the plurality of user-selectable hydrogen dispensing rate algorithms is responsive to the temperature sensor signal.

9. The hydrogen dispenser of claim 1 wherein the programmable controller further comprises a means for receiving a pressure sensor signal from a pressure sensor measuring pressure in a receiving vessel and wherein at least one of the plurality of user-selectable hydrogen dispensing rate algorithms is responsive to the pressure sensor signal.

10. The hydrogen dispenser of claim 1 wherein the programmable controller further comprises a means for receiving a densitometer signal from a densitometer measuring density in a receiving vessel and wherein at least one of the plurality of user-selectable hydrogen dispensing rate algorithms is responsive to the densitometer signal.