초록
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An integrated adsorbed gaseous fuel storage and delivery system comprising an adsorbent in a tank wherein the adsorbent has (a) an initial Working Storage capacity of at least about 140 v/v % at a storage tank pressure of 900 psig, (b) a residual loss of storage capacity that is no more than 10%, and (c) it releases adsorbed gaseous fuel via a pressure differential between the tank pressure the pressure out of the tank without the application of a vacuum to the tank or heat to the adsorbent. The system also comprises a filter capable of passing through t...
An integrated adsorbed gaseous fuel storage and delivery system comprising an adsorbent in a tank wherein the adsorbent has (a) an initial Working Storage capacity of at least about 140 v/v % at a storage tank pressure of 900 psig, (b) a residual loss of storage capacity that is no more than 10%, and (c) it releases adsorbed gaseous fuel via a pressure differential between the tank pressure the pressure out of the tank without the application of a vacuum to the tank or heat to the adsorbent. The system also comprises a filter capable of passing through the filter at a rate of at least 50 cubic feet of gaseous fuel per minute at 50 psi, a pressure regulator for adjusting the pressure of the filtered gaseous fuel to an operating pressure for a fuel injection system, and an electronic control module capable of operating the fuel injection system.
대표
청구항
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1. An integrated low-pressure adsorbed gaseous fuel storage and delivery system for an internal combustion engine, said integrated system comprising: a) a fuel storage system that comprises: i) a storage tank having an interior;ii) an adsorbent within the interior of the storage tank to which gaseous fuel in the tank adsorbs, wherein the gaseous fuel, when in the storage tank, is at a tank pressure in a tank pressure range of about 1000 psi (6.9 MPa) to about 30 psi (0.21 MPa), wherein: (a) the adsorbent has an initial working storage capacity of at leas...
1. An integrated low-pressure adsorbed gaseous fuel storage and delivery system for an internal combustion engine, said integrated system comprising: a) a fuel storage system that comprises: i) a storage tank having an interior;ii) an adsorbent within the interior of the storage tank to which gaseous fuel in the tank adsorbs, wherein the gaseous fuel, when in the storage tank, is at a tank pressure in a tank pressure range of about 1000 psi (6.9 MPa) to about 30 psi (0.21 MPa), wherein: (a) the adsorbent has an initial working storage capacity of at least about 140 v/v % at a storage tank pressure of 900 psig (6.2 MPa);(b) the adsorbent has a residual loss of storage capacity that is no more than 10%; and(c) the adsorbent releases adsorbed gaseous fuel and any detectable odorant included in or with the gaseous fuel via a pressure differential between the tank pressure and a pressure out of the storage tank without the application of a vacuum to the tank or heat to the adsorbent;b) a filter in fluid connection with the fuel storage system through which desorbed gaseous fuel from the storage tank is capable of being passed, wherein the filter comprises opening sizes that prevent particulate from the adsorbent or introduced into the storage tank with the gaseous fuel from leaving the storage tank, and wherein the desorbed gaseous fuel from the storage tank is capable of passing through the filter at a rate of at least 50 cubic feet of gaseous fuel per minute at 50 psi (0.34 MPa);c) a pressure regulator capable of matching the flow of filtered gaseous fuel to a demand for the gaseous fuel by the internal combustion engine and of adjusting the pressure of the filtered gaseous fuel to an operating pressure that is in a range of about 30 psi (0.21 MPa) to 150 psi (1.03 MPa);d) a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine, wherein the fuel injection system comprises one or more fuel injectors for delivering the regulated gaseous fuel from the storage tank to one or more combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine at or about the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio for the gaseous fuel; ande) an electronic control module capable of operating the fuel injection system of the internal combustion engine so the one or more fuel injectors deliver the regulated gaseous fuel to the one or more combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine at or about the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio for the gaseous fuel. 2. The integrated system of claim 1, wherein the adsorbent is selected from the group consisting of activated carbon, metal-organic frameworks, and combinations thereof. 3. The integrated system of claim 1, wherein the adsorbent is activated carbon in the form of a monolith. 4. The integrated system of claim 3, wherein the activated carbon monolith also comprises a binder. 5. The integrated system of claim 4, wherein the monolith comprises at least about 90% volume of the activated carbon adsorbent and no more than about 10% volume of binder. 6. The integrated system of claim 5, wherein the adsorbed carbon monolith has a theoretical volume of at least about 90% of the internal volume of the storage tank. 7. The integrated system of claim 1, wherein the gaseous fuel comprises one or more of the following methane, ethane, propane, N-butane, I-pentane, N-pentane, N-hexane, nitrogen, and combinations thereof. 8. The integrated system of claim 1, wherein the gaseous fuel is natural gas. 9. The integrated system of claim 1, wherein the opening sizes of the filter are about 100 mesh (150 micrometers). 10. The integrated system of claim 1, wherein the filter is a stacked filter and is located within a portal boss of the storage tank. 11. A vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine and an integrated low-pressure adsorbed gaseous fuel storage and delivery system for an internal combustion engine, said integrated system comprising: a) a fuel storage system that comprises: i) a storage tank having an interior;ii) an adsorbent within the interior of the storage tank to which gaseous fuel in the tank adsorbs, wherein the gaseous fuel, when in the storage tank, is at a tank pressure in a tank pressure range of about 1000 psi (6.9 MPa) to about 30 psi (0.21 MPa), wherein: (a) the adsorbent has an initial working storage capacity of at least about 140 v/v % at a storage tank pressure of 900 psig (6.2 MPa);(b) the adsorbent has a residual loss of storage capacity that is no more than 10%; and(c) the adsorbent releases adsorbed gaseous fuel and any detectable odorant included in or with the gaseous fuel via a pressure differential between the tank pressure and a pressure out of the storage tank without the application of a vacuum to the tank or heat to the adsorbent;b) a filter in fluid connection with the fuel storage system through which desorbed gaseous fuel from the storage tank is capable of being passed, wherein the filter comprises opening sizes that prevent particulate from the adsorbent or introduced into the storage tank with the gaseous fuel from leaving the storage tank, and wherein the desorbed gaseous fuel from the storage tank is capable of passing through the filter at a rate of at least 50 cubic feet of gaseous fuel per minute at 50 psi (0.34 MPa);c) a pressure regulator capable of matching the flow of filtered gaseous fuel to a demand for the gaseous fuel by the internal combustion engine and of adjusting the pressure of the filtered gaseous fuel to an operating pressure that is in a range of about 30 psi (0.21 MPa) to 150 psi (1.03 MPa);d) a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine, wherein the fuel injection system comprises one or more fuel injectors for delivering the regulated gaseous fuel from the storage tank to one or more combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine at or about the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio for the gaseous fuel; ande) an electronic control module capable of operating the fuel injection system of the internal combustion engine so the one or more fuel injectors deliver the regulated gaseous fuel to the one or more combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine at or about the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio for the gaseous fuel. 12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the adsorbent is selected from the group consisting of activated carbon, metal-organic frameworks, and combinations thereof. 13. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the adsorbent is activated carbon in the form of a monolith. 14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the activated carbon monolith also comprises a binder. 15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the monolith comprises at least about 90% volume of the activated carbon adsorbent and no more than about 10% volume of binder. 16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the adsorbed carbon monolith has a theoretical volume of at least about 90% of the internal volume of the storage tank. 17. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the gaseous fuel comprises one or more of the following methane, ethane, propane, N-butane, I-pentane, N-pentane, N-hexane, nitrogen, and combinations thereof. 18. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the gaseous fuel is natural gas. 19. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the opening sizes of the filter are about 100 mesh (150 micrometers). 20. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the filter is a stacked filter and is located within a portal boss of the storage tank. 21. A process of delivering a gaseous fuel to an internal combustion engine, the process comprising: a) desorbing the gaseous fuel adsorbed to an adsorbent within a storage tank of a fuel storage system, wherein the gaseous fuel, when in the storage tank, is at a tank pressure in a tank pressure range of about 1000 psi (6.9 MPa) to about 30 psi (0.21 MPa), and wherein: i) the adsorbent has an initial working storage capacity of at least about 140 v/v % at a storage tank pressure of 900 psig (6.2 MPa);ii) the adsorbent has a residual loss of storage capacity that is no more than 10%; andiii) the adsorbent releases adsorbed gaseous fuel and any detectable odorant included in or with the gaseous fuel via a pressure differential between the tank pressure and a pressure out of the storage tank without the application of a vacuum to the tank or heat to the adsorbent;b) filtering the desorbed gaseous fuel by passing the desorbed gaseous fuel through a filter, wherein the filter is in fluid connection with the fuel storage system, and wherein the filter comprises opening sizes that prevent particulate from the adsorbent or introduced into the storage tank with the gaseous fuel from leaving the storage tank, and wherein the desorbed gaseous fuel from the storage tank is capable of passing through the filter at a rate of at least 50 cubic feet of gaseous fuel per minute at 50 psi (0.34 MPa);c) regulating the flow of the filtered gaseous fuel by passing the filtered gaseous fuel through a pressure regulator, wherein the pressure regulator is capable of matching the flow of filtered gaseous fuel to a demand for the gaseous fuel by the internal combustion engine and of adjusting the pressure of the filtered gaseous fuel to an operating pressure that is in a range of about 30 psi (0.21 MPa) to 150 psi (1.03 MPa); andd) delivering the regulated gaseous fuel into the one or more combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine at or about the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio for the gaseous fuel with a fuel injection system and an electronic control module, wherein: i) the fuel injection system comprises one or more fuel injectors for delivering the regulated gaseous fuel from the storage tank to one or more combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine at or about the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio for the gaseous fuel; andii) the electronic control module is capable of operating the fuel injection system so the one or more fuel injectors deliver the regulated gaseous fuel to the one or more combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine at or about the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio for the gaseous fuel; thereby delivering the gaseous fuel to the internal combustion engine for its operation at any selected throttle position regardless of the tank pressure within the tank pressure range. 22. The process of claim 21, wherein the adsorbent is selected from the group consisting of activated carbon, metal-organic frameworks, and combinations thereof. 23. The process of claim 21, wherein the adsorbent is activated carbon in the form of a monolith. 24. The process of claim 23, wherein the activated carbon monolith also comprises a binder. 25. The process of claim 24, wherein the monolith comprises at least about 90% volume of the activated carbon adsorbent and no more than about 10% volume of binder. 26. The process of claim 25, wherein the adsorbed carbon monolith has a theoretical volume of at least about 90% of the internal volume of the storage tank. 27. The process of claim 21, wherein the gaseous fuel comprises one or more of the following methane, ethane, propane, N-butane, I-pentane, N-pentane, N-hexane, nitrogen, and combinations thereof. 28. The process of claim 21, wherein the gaseous fuel is natural gas. 29. The process of claim 21, wherein the opening sizes of the filter are about 100 mesh (150 micrometers). 30. The process of claim 21, wherein the filter is a stacked filter and is located within a portal boss of the storage tank.