초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for conditioning cryogenic fuel includes providing a primary storage tank for liquefied cryogenic fuel, a vapor storage tank communicating with the primary storage tank for storing vapor withdrawn from the primary storage tank at a higher pressure than the pressure in the prim

A method and apparatus for conditioning cryogenic fuel includes providing a primary storage tank for liquefied cryogenic fuel, a vapor storage tank communicating with the primary storage tank for storing vapor withdrawn from the primary storage tank at a higher pressure than the pressure in the primary storage tank, and a conditioning system wherein heat is transferred to the colder, lower equilibrium pressure liquefied cryogenic fuel withdrawn from the primary storage tank. The conditioning system includes a heat exchanger system for transferring heat to the liquefied cryogenic fuel from vapor withdrawn from the vapor storage tank. The vapor is cooled to near saturation temperature in the heat exchanger and is then sparged into liquefied cryogenic fuel flowing through a sparger or mixer chamber disposed downstream of the heat exchanger. A temperature sensor disposed in a conduit downstream of the sparger or mixer chamber measures the temperature (and thus the equilibrium pressure) of the warmed cryogenic fuel in the conduit. A temperature controller in communication with the temperature sensor regulates the flow rate of vapor from the vapor storage tank to the cryogenic fuel conditioning system in response to a signal from the temperature sensor.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of conditioning cryogenic fuel comprising the steps of: (a) withdrawing liquefied cryogenic fuel from a primary storage tank at a low pressure and at a temperature close to the boiling point of the liquefied cryogenic fuel; (b) warming the liquefied cryogenic fuel by feeding the fuel throug

A method of conditioning cryogenic fuel comprising the steps of: (a) withdrawing liquefied cryogenic fuel from a primary storage tank at a low pressure and at a temperature close to the boiling point of the liquefied cryogenic fuel; (b) warming the liquefied cryogenic fuel by feeding the fuel through means for warming the fuel; (c) withdrawing vapor from a vapor space in the primary storage tank and feeding the vapor to a vapor storage tank at a selected pressure higher than the pressure in the primary storage tank; (d) feeding the vapor from the vapor storage tank to the means for warming the liquefied cryogenic fuel wherein heat is indirectly transferred from the vapor to the liquefied cryogenic fuel and the vapor is subsequently condensed; (e) subsequently feeding the liquefied cryogenic fuel through means for dispensing the liquefied cryogenic fuel into a vehicle fuel tank; (f) measuring a temperature of the cryogenic fuel in the dispensing means; and (g) providing the cryogenic fuel to the vehicle fuel tank at a selected equilibrium pressure by varying a flow rate of the vapor withdrawn from the vapor storage tank and fed into the means for warming the liquefied cryogenic fuel in response to the temperature of the liquefied cryogenic fuel in the dispensing means.