초록 ▼

A system for reducing the energy and for reducing the time required to refill on board tanks on a vehicle from a high pressure fuel depot refilling line operatively interconnected to the tank wherein the refuel gas itself is circulated within the on board tank to absorb the compression heat of refue

A system for reducing the energy and for reducing the time required to refill on board tanks on a vehicle from a high pressure fuel depot refilling line operatively interconnected to the tank wherein the refuel gas itself is circulated within the on board tank to absorb the compression heat of refueling, and the heat thereby absorbed is radiated from the refueling circuit to an external environment such that a close to optimum refill of the tank is achieved without the need for a slow fill, precooling or pressure overfill.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. Apparatus in a vehicle having an on board tank for the storage of fuel gas under high pressure wherein 1) refuel gas is received within the on board tank; 2) the compression heat of refueling is absorbed by a heat exchanger within the interior of the on board tank; 3) t

The invention claimed is: 1. Apparatus in a vehicle having an on board tank for the storage of fuel gas under high pressure wherein 1) refuel gas is received within the on board tank; 2) the compression heat of refueling is absorbed by a heat exchanger within the interior of the on board tank; 3) the refuel gas circulates through the interior heat exchanger and absorbs the heat of compression; 4) the refuel gas having absorbed the heat, circulates to an exterior heat exchanger where the heat absorbed is radiated to an exterior environment through the heat exchanger exterior to the tank. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the gas flows within a conduit extending from a fuel depot to the internal heat exchanger to the external heat exchanger, and is therefrom returned to the inside of the tank through an inlet into the tank. 3. The apparatus of claim 2 comprising an inline turbine and a coolant fan in cooperative relationship with the external heat exchanger, wherein the gas flowing in the conduit is directed through the turbine and the turbine provides energy to power the fan. 4. In a vehicle having a bank of on board tanks connected in series for storage of gas under high pressure, an apparatus wherein refuel gas is received within a first on board tank and compression heat of refueling is absorbed by a heat exchanger within an interior of the first tank and heat thereby absorbed is radiated to an external environment through an external heat exchanger exterior to the tank, whereupon, after the first tank is filled with gas, an inlet to the first tank is closed, an inlet to a second tank is opened and the sequence of fuel gas receipt, heat absorption, heat radiation, and the return of fuel gas with respect to the second tank is repeated, and the inlet to the second tank is closed, and the circulation sequence of the gas is repeated for the remaining tanks in the bank, wherein each tank includes a continuous conduit extending in the tank interior from the tank gas inlet, through the internal heat exchanger, into the heat exchanger exterior to the tank, and therefrom back into the tank interior, whereupon, with regard to a first tank in the series, a conduit extends in the tank interior from the gas inlet of the first tank, through the internal heat exchanger of the first tank, into the heat exchanger exterior to the tank, and therefrom back to the interior of the first tank whereupon, after the first tank is filled with gas, the inlet to the first tank is closed, the inlet to the second tank is opened and a conduit extending in the interior of the second tank from the gas inlet of the second tank, directs gas flow through the internal heat exchanger of the second tank into the heat exchanger exterior to the tank, and therefrom back to the interior of the second tank, and the sequence of closing the inlet, opening the inlet to a next tank and directing gas flow in the conduit through the internal heat exchanger of the next tank, into the heat exchanger exterior to the next tank, and therefrom back to the interior of the next tank is repeated for the remaining tanks in the bank. 5. A vehicle having a bank of on board tanks connected in parallel for storage of gas under high pressure wherein each tank is connected in parallel to a gas inlet and an external heat exchanger and each tank includes a continuous conduit extending in an interior of the tank from the tank gas inlet, through a heat exchanger inside the tank, into the heat exchanger exterior to the tank, and therefrom back to the tank interior, wherein refuel gas is received within each on board tank and the compression heat of refueling is absorbed by the heat exchanger within each tank and heat thereby absorbed is radiated to an external environment through the heat exchanger exterior to the tank, whereupon, after all tanks are filled with gas, the gas inlet to the tanks is closed. 6. A vehicle having a bank of on board tanks connected in parallel for storage of gas under high pressure wherein each tank includes a continuous conduit extending in a tank interior from a tank inlet through an internal heat exchanger, into a heat exchanger exterior to the tank, and therefrom back to the tank interior, and wherein the conduit directs refuel gas to be received within each on board tank and flow through the heat exchanger within each tank to the heat exchanger exterior to the tank, and thereafter back to the tank interior. 7. Apparatus in a vehicle having an on board tank for the storage of fuel gas under high pressure wherein refuel gas flows within a conduit connectable to a fuel depot, the conduit comprising: an internal heat exchanger inside the tank; an external heat exchanger outside of the tank; a volume for the storage of gas inside of the tank; and an inlet for directing gas into the inside volume of the tank; wherein: 1) refuel gas introduced into the conduit from the fuel depot flows through the internal heat exchanger to the external heat exchanger and then into the inside of the tank via the inlet, 2) as the gas in the tank is compressed, heat from the compressed gas is absorbed by the refuel gas flowing through the internal heat exchanger, and 3) heat absorbed by the gas in the internal heat exchanger is transferred to and radiated to an exterior environment through the external heat exchanger. 8. Apparatus of claim 7 wherein the conduit comprises: a refill check valve disposed in advance of the internal heat exchanger; a second check value disposed after the external heat exchanger; an outlet from the inside of the tank connected to a gas flow system directing fuel gas to an engine in the vehicle; and a solenoid valve disposed between the outlet and the gas flow system directing fuel gas to the engine; wherein 1) during refueling, the refill check valve, the second check value and the solenoid valve are open to allow gas to flow through the internal and external heat exchangers and into the tank; and 2) after refueling, the solenoid valve and refill check valve are closed and the second check valve is opened, such that residual gas in the heat exchangers is directed to the gas flow system directing fuel gas to the engine. 9. Apparatus of claim 8 wherein, after the residual gas in the heat exchangers is consumed, the second check valve is closed and the solenoid valve is opened. 10. Apparatus of claim 7 comprising a sensor and a pressure control valve, the sensor monitoring pressure and the pressure control valve regulating gas flow to an engine in the vehicle.