Method and system for tank refilling using active fueling speed control
First Claim
1. A method of filling a compressed gas tank, comprising:
- determining a fill time (tfinal) predicted to produce a gas final temperature (Tfinal);
determining a final pressure (Pfinal) calculated to produce a state of charge of 100% within the compressed gas tank;
delivering gas to the compressed gas tank at a pressure ramp rate (RR) that achieves the final pressure (Pfinal) at a conclusion of the fill time (tfinal), wherein the gas is delivered to the compressed gas tank using a dispenser;
calculating a mass average pre-cooling temperature (MAT) of the gas;
calculating an estimated end of fill mass average enthalpy of the gas dispensed to the tank based on at least the mass average pre-cooling temperature (MAT); and
calculating the fill time (tfinal) based on the estimated end of fill mass average enthalpy.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is an improved analytical method that can be utilized by hydrogen filling stations for directly and accurately calculating the end-of-fill temperature in a hydrogen tank that, in turn, allows for improvements in the fill quantity while tending to reduce refueling time. The calculations involve calculation of a composite heat capacity value, MC, from a set of thermodynamic parameters drawn from both the tank system receiving the gas and the station supplying the gas. These thermodynamic parameters are utilized in a series of simple analytical equations to define a multi-step process by which target fill times, final temperatures and final pressures can be determined. The parameters can be communicated to the station directly from the vehicle or retrieved from a database accessible by the station. Because the method is based on direct measurements of actual thermodynamic conditions and quantified thermodynamic behavior, significantly improved tank filling results can be achieved.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of filling a compressed gas tank, comprising:
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determining a fill time (tfinal) predicted to produce a gas final temperature (Tfinal); determining a final pressure (Pfinal) calculated to produce a state of charge of 100% within the compressed gas tank; delivering gas to the compressed gas tank at a pressure ramp rate (RR) that achieves the final pressure (Pfinal) at a conclusion of the fill time (tfinal), wherein the gas is delivered to the compressed gas tank using a dispenser; calculating a mass average pre-cooling temperature (MAT) of the gas; calculating an estimated end of fill mass average enthalpy of the gas dispensed to the tank based on at least the mass average pre-cooling temperature (MAT); and calculating the fill time (tfinal) based on the estimated end of fill mass average enthalpy. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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2. A method of filling a compressed gas tank, comprising:
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determining a fill time (tfinal) predicted to produce a gas final temperature (Tfinal); determining a final pressure (Pfinal) calculated to produce a state of charge of 100% within the compressed gas tank; delivering gas to compressed gas tank at a pressure ramp rate (RR) that achieves the final pressure (Pfinal) at a conclusion of the fill time (tfinal), wherein the gas is delivered to the compressed gas tank using a dispenser; continuously calculating a mass average pre-cooling temperature (MAT) of the gas; continuously calculating an estimated end of fill mass average enthalpy of the gas dispensed to the tank based on at least the mass average pre-cooling temperature (MAT); and continuously calculating the fill time (tfinal) based on the estimated end of fill mass average enthalpy of the gas dispensed to the tank. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 19, 20)
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12. A controller configured to control a hydrogen filling station, the controller comprising:
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an input receiver configured to continuously receive measured values of a pressure (P), a temperature, and a flow rate of hydrogen dispensed to a gas tank from a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, and a mass flow meter provided in a dispenser of the hydrogen gas filling station; and a fueling speed controller configured to; calculate a mass average pre-cooling temperature (MAT) of the hydrogen gas; calculate an estimated end of fill mass average enthalpy of the gas dispensed to the tank based on at least the mass average pre-cooling temperature (MAT) while the hydrogen is being dispensed to the gas tank by the dispenser of the hydrogen filling station; calculate a fill time (tfinal) based on the estimated end of fill mass average enthalpy while the hydrogen is being dispensed to the gas tank by the dispenser of the hydrogen filling station; calculate a pressure ramp rate (RR) that achieves a final pressure (Pfinal) based on the fill time (tfinal) while the hydrogen is being dispensed to the gas tank by the dispenser of the hydrogen filling station; determine a fueling speed based on the pressure ramp rate (RR) while the hydrogen is being dispensed to the gas tank by the dispenser of the hydrogen filling station; and control the dispenser of the hydrogen filling station to adjust the fueling speed while the hydrogen is being dispensed to the gas tank by the dispenser of the hydrogen filling station. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification