Methods for managing a product carrier

• US 20060259319A1
• Filed: 05/18/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals Incorporated (Linde Plc)
• Original Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals Incorporated (Linde Plc)
• Inventors: Campbell, Karen Marie, Gershtein, Vladimir Yliy, Mattiola, Paul Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 9,783,754 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/400
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 3/00 Gaseous fuels; Natural gas; Synthetic natural gas obtained by processes not covered by subclass C10G, C10K; Liquefied petroleum gas
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/001 for gas
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0609 by fluid containers, e.g. bottles, cups, gas containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

Methods are provide for dispensing a product to a user, the product releasably incorporated within a carrier. In one embodiment, the method comprises the step of providing a first user comprising at least one storage vessel for receiving and storing fresh and at least one vessel for receiving and storing spent. The method further includes the steps of: collecting spent from a storage vessel of the first user; detecting a chemical or physical property of the collected spent; and comparing the detected chemical or physical property of the collected spent with a predetermined criteria. In a second embodiment, the method comprises the step of providing the first user, and further includes the steps of: determining an estimated amount of product to be transferred to the first user; optionally, collecting and validating information concerning the purchaser; transferring fresh to the storage vessel of the first user; collecting measurement data concerning fresh transferred from the first user; removing spent from a storage vessel of the first user; collecting measurement data concerning spent collected from the first user; optionally, calculating the net amount of product transferred; and determining whether the transfer of fresh and removal of spent has been performed on a substantially equal exchange basis. In a third embodiment, the method comprises providing a first user and a seller, the seller transferring fresh to the first user, collecting measurement data, and assigning a monetary price to be charged to the user.

Claims

1. A method for dispensing a product to a user, the method comprising the steps of:

providing fresh, fresh being a carrier releasably incorporating a product, fresh further becoming spent upon release of product from fresh;

providing a first user, the first user comprising;

at least one storage vessel adapted for receiving and storing fresh; and

at least one storage vessel adapted for receiving and storing spent collected from the first user;

collecting spent from at least one storage vessel;

detecting at least one chemical or physical property of the collected spent; and

comparing the at least one detected chemical or physical property of the collected spent with at least one predetermined criteria.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the additional step of dispensing fresh to at least one storage vessel of the first user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the additional step of assigning a monetary value to the collected spent based upon the step of comparing the at least one detected chemical or physical property to the at least one predetermined criteria.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of assigning a monetary value to the collected spent comprises evaluating at least one of:

the amount of product remaining in the collected spent;

the purity of the spent;

any contamination of the spent;

any dilution of the spent;

degradation of the spent;

expected rehabilitation costs for the spent;

economic value of the spent as returned;

expected economic value of the spent upon rehabilitation; and

expected product capacity of the spent upon rehabilitation.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of dispensing fresh further comprises the step of assigning a monetary value to the dispensed fresh.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the steps of dispensing fresh and collecting spent are performed on a substantially equal basis.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the additional step of assigning a monetary price to be charged to the first user.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising the additional step of determining that special circumstances exist before permitting dispensing of fresh and collecting of spent on other than a substantially equal basis.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the additional step of collecting user identification information.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the additional step of associating user identification information with the collected spent to permit at least one of:

future identification of the first user as the source of the spent;

historical review of the first user'"'"'s fresh and/or spent transactions;

user type;

user carrier type;

user vehicle type; and

user storage capacity.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the at least one chemical or physical property is performed using instrumentation selected from the group consisting of:

viscosimeters, conductivity measuring devices, density measuring devices, chemical analyzers, gas analyzers, gas chromatographs, liquid chromatographs, ultraviolet detectors, infrared detectors, optical sensors, and combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of dispensing fresh and the step of collecting spent are controlled so as to operate substantially simultaneously.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the product comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, oxygen, arsine, stibine, phosgine, methane, hydrogen fluoride, natural gas, methanol, and combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the product comprises hydrogen, wherein the carrier comprises at least one organic chemical, wherein fresh comprises at least one hydrogenated derivative of the organic chemical, and wherein spent comprises at least one at least partially dehydrogenated derivative of the fresh.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the carrier comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

organic chemicals, ionic liquids, and chemical hydrides.

16. A method for dispensing a product to a user, the method comprising the steps of:

providing fresh, fresh being a carrier releasably incorporating a product, fresh further becoming spent upon release of product from fresh;

providing a first user, the first user comprising;

at least one storage vessel adapted for receiving and storing fresh; and

at least one storage vessel adapted for receiving and storing spent collected from the first user;

collecting spent from at least one storage vessel;

detecting at least one chemical or physical property of the collected spent;

comparing the at least one detected chemical or physical property of the collected spent with at least one predetermined criteria;

optionally, determining an estimated amount of product to be transferred to the first user;

optionally, collecting and validating information concerning the user;

transferring fresh to at least one storage vessel of the first user;

collecting measurement data concerning fresh transferred to the first user;

transferring spent from at least one storage vessel of the first user;

collecting measurement data concerning spent transferred from the first user;

optionally, calculating the net amount of product transferred; and

determining whether the transfer of fresh and transfer of spent has been performed on a substantially equal exchange basis.

17. The method of claim 16;

further comprising the additional step of adjusting at least one of the amount of fresh transferred or the amount of spent transferred to effect an exchange on a substantially equal basis.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the additional step of calculating the amount of product transferred, and assigning a monetary price to be charged to the first user.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising the additional step of determining that special circumstances exist if the transfer of fresh and transfer of spent has been performed on other than a substantially equal basis.

20. A method for dispensing a product to a user, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first user, the first user comprising at least one storage vessel adapted for receiving and storing fresh;

providing a seller, the seller comprising at least one storage vessel adapted for transferring fresh to the first user, the storage vessel further including fresh, fresh being a carrier releasably incorporating a product, fresh further becoming spent upon release of product from fresh;

transferring fresh from the seller to at least one storage vessel of the first user;

collecting measurement data concerning fresh transferred to the first user;

optionally, calculating the net amount of product transferred; and

assigning a monetary price to be charged to the user.