Marine fuel filling device and marine fuel filling method

Abstract

The invention provides a ship fuel filling device and a ship fuel filling method, the filling device comprises a vehicle body, a filling system and an inerting system, and a sealing cavity is formed in the vehicle body. And the filling system is arranged in the sealing cavity. The filling system comprises a liquid-state filling pipeline, a gas-state circulating pipeline and a release valve. The first end of the liquid filling pipeline forms a liquid inlet connector, and the second end of the liquid filling pipeline forms a liquid outlet connector. The first end of the gas-state circulating pipeline forms a gas inlet connector, and the second end of the gas-state circulating pipeline forms a gas outlet connector. And the release valve is arranged on the liquid filling pipeline. The inerting system is arranged in the vehicle body and comprises a nitrogen inlet, and the nitrogen inlet is formed in the vehicle body. According to the ship fuel filling device, the filling system and the inerting system are both integrated on the vehicle body, the filling device can be conveniently moved to the filling position to conduct ship fuel filling operation, and the deployment efficiency is high.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates generally to the technical field of ship fueling, and more specifically to a ship fueling apparatus and a ship fueling method. Background Technology

[0002] With the International Maritime Organization's upgrading of ship emission standards, methanol has become an important choice for clean fuels for ships due to its low sulfur oxide and nitrogen oxide emission characteristics. However, methanol's volatility, flammability, and differences in physical properties compared to traditional fuels necessitate consideration of issues such as methanol leakage risk and pressure control during the refueling process.

[0003] Existing methanol refueling devices are generally fixed, which means they are in a fixed position and cannot be moved, resulting in low deployment efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The summary section introduces a series of simplified concepts, which will be further explained in detail in the detailed description section. This summary section is not intended to limit the key and essential technical features of the claimed technical solution, nor is it intended to determine the scope of protection of the claimed technical solution.

[0005] To at least partially solve the above problems, a first aspect of this application provides a ship fuel refueling device, the refueling device comprising:

[0006] The vehicle body, wherein the internal structure of the vehicle body forms a sealed cavity;

[0007] A filling system, wherein the filling system is disposed within the sealed cavity, the filling system comprising:

[0008] A liquid filling pipe, wherein a first end of the liquid filling pipe extends to the side of the vehicle body and is configured to form a liquid inlet, and a second end of the liquid filling pipe extends to the side of the vehicle body and is configured to form a liquid outlet;

[0009] A gas recirculation duct, wherein a first end of the gas recirculation duct extends to the side of the vehicle body and is configured to form an air intake interface, and a second end of the gas recirculation duct extends to the side of the vehicle body and is configured to form an air outlet interface; and

[0010] A relief valve, wherein the relief valve is disposed in the liquid filling pipeline, and is used to control the connection and disconnection of the liquid filling pipeline; and

[0011] An inerting system is provided inside the vehicle body. The inerting system includes a nitrogen inlet for introducing nitrogen into the filling system and the sealed cavity. The nitrogen inlet is located on the vehicle body.

[0012] According to the first aspect of this application, the refueling device for ships integrates both the refueling system and the inerting system within a sealed cavity of the vehicle body. This facilitates the refueling device's movement to the refueling position for connection and refueling operations, resulting in high deployment efficiency. Furthermore, the inerting system can introduce nitrogen gas into the refueling system and the sealed cavity, thereby replacing oxygen within the refueling system and the sealed cavity, and also removing residual ship fuel from the refueling system and the sealed cavity, thus enhancing safety.

[0013] Optionally, the inertization system includes:

[0014] A purge main pipe extends to the side of the vehicle body and is configured to form the nitrogen inlet, and the purge main pipe is connected to the liquid filling pipe and the gas circulation pipe;

[0015] A first air valve is disposed between the purge main pipe and the liquid injection pipe; and

[0016] The second air valve is located between the purge main pipe and the gas circulation pipe.

[0017] Optionally, the inerting system further includes a third air valve, which is disposed in the purge main pipe and connected to the sealed cavity.

[0018] Optionally, the refueling device further includes a monitoring system, the monitoring system comprising:

[0019] A sensing component, disposed within the vehicle body and at least partially within the refueling system, for sensing whether the refueling system is operating normally; and

[0020] The controller is electrically connected to the sensing component, the vent valve, and the third gas valve, respectively.

[0021] in,

[0022] The controller is configured to: control the relief valve to close the liquid filling pipeline and control the third gas valve to open based on the abnormal sensing signal detected by the sensing component; and / or

[0023] The controller is configured to control the opening degree of the relief valve based on the sensing signal sensed by the sensing component.

[0024] Optionally, the sensing component includes at least one of a flow meter, a pressure sensor, and a temperature sensor.

[0025] Optionally, the sensing components include an oxygen content sensor and a methanol content sensor.

[0026] Optionally, the sensing component further includes a camera, which is electrically connected to the controller and remotely connected to a remote terminal.

[0027] Optionally, the refueling device further includes a fire extinguisher, which is connected to the sealed cavity and electrically connected to the controller. The controller is configured to determine whether there is a fire source inside the vehicle body based on the image signal transmitted by the camera and control the fire extinguisher to activate and extinguish the fire.

[0028] Optionally, the filling device further includes an explosion-proof fan, which is disposed on the vehicle body and connected to the sealed cavity. The explosion-proof fan is electrically connected to the controller, which is configured to control the explosion-proof fan to turn on based on the abnormal signal sensed by the sensing component.

[0029] Optionally, the bottom of the vehicle body is configured to form a liquid accumulation tank. The filling device further includes a liquid level sensor and a drain valve. The liquid level sensor is disposed in the liquid accumulation tank and is used to sense the liquid level in the liquid accumulation tank. The drain valve is disposed at the bottom of the vehicle body and connected to the liquid accumulation tank. The drain valve is used to connect to a venting tank. The liquid level sensor and the drain valve are both electrically connected to the controller. The controller is configured to control the drain valve to open according to the liquid level signal from the liquid level sensor.

[0030] Optionally, the filling system further includes an explosion-proof pipe, a first end of which is connected to the gas circulation pipe, and a second end of which is connected to the relief valve. The gas circulation pipe is provided with a first check valve, which is located between the air inlet and the second end of the explosion-proof pipe. The controller is configured to control the relief valve to connect the liquid filling pipe and the explosion-proof pipe based on an abnormal sensing signal detected by the sensing component.

[0031] A second aspect of this application provides a method for refueling marine fuel, used according to the aforementioned marine fuel refueling device. The refueling device includes a vehicle body, a refueling system, and an inerting system. A sealed cavity is formed within the vehicle body. The refueling system is disposed within the sealed cavity and includes a liquid refueling pipe, a gas circulation pipe, and a vent valve. The vent valve is disposed within the liquid refueling pipe and is used to control the connection and disconnection of the liquid refueling pipe. The inerting system is disposed within the vehicle body and is connected to both the refueling system and the sealed cavity. The inerting system includes a nitrogen inlet disposed on the vehicle body.

[0032] The refueling method includes:

[0033] S1. Preparation stage: Move the filling device to the filling position and connect the filling device to the connector;

[0034] S2, Inertization stage: Nitrogen gas is introduced into the inertization system through the nitrogen inlet to inertize the liquid injection pipeline and the gas circulation pipeline.

[0035] S3. During the refueling stage, the refueling device is connected to the refueling station and the ship's fuel storage tank, and ship fuel is refueled through the liquid refueling pipeline;

[0036] S4. End of refueling phase: When the ship's fuel refueling amount reaches the set value, close the vent valve, and then introduce nitrogen into the inerting system through the nitrogen inlet to inertate the liquid refueling pipeline and the gas circulation pipeline again.

[0037] The ship fueling method according to the second aspect of this application uses a vehicle-mounted fueling device, which offers high deployment efficiency and high safety.

[0038] Optionally, the dispensing device further includes a monitoring system for the dispensing method, the monitoring system being used to sense the dispensing system;

[0039] The refueling method also includes:

[0040] S3.1 Process monitoring: The monitoring system monitors whether the filling system is abnormal. If the filling system is abnormal, the liquid filling pipeline is closed through the relief valve. Attached Figure Description

[0041] The following drawings, illustrating embodiments of this application, are incorporated herein by reference and are used to understand this application. The drawings illustrate embodiments of this application and their descriptions, serving to explain the principles of this application. In the drawings,

[0042] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a ship fuel filling device according to a preferred embodiment of this application.

[0043] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0044] 100: Refueling device; 101: Vehicle body

[0045] 102: Sealed cavity; 103: Liquid collection tank

[0046] 104: Wheel 105: Lifting lug

[0047] 110: Refilling System 111: Liquid Refilling Pipeline

[0048] 112: Gas circulation pipeline; 113: Relief valve

[0049] 114: Liquid inlet port; 115: Liquid outlet port

[0050] 116: Exhaust port; 117: Intake port

[0051] 118: Explosion-proof pipeline; 119: First check valve

[0052] 120: First emergency stop valve; 121: Second emergency stop valve

[0053] 122: Third emergency stop valve; 123: Fourth emergency stop valve

[0054] 124: First detection interface; 125: Second detection interface

[0055] 126: First detection tube; 127: Second detection tube

[0056] 130: Inerting system; 131: Nitrogen inlet.

[0057] 132: Main purge valve; 133: First air valve

[0058] 134: Second air valve 135: Third air valve

[0059] 136: Second check valve; 140: Monitoring system

[0060] 141: Sensing component 142: Controller

[0061] 143: Flow meter; 144: First pressure sensor

[0062] 145: First temperature sensor; 146: Second pressure sensor

[0063] 147: Second temperature sensor; 148: Oxygen content sensor

[0064] 149: Methanol content sensor 150: Camera

[0065] 151: Fire extinguisher; 152: Explosion-proof fan

[0066] 153: Buzzer 154: Liquid Level Sensor

[0067] 155: Discharge valve Detailed Implementation

[0068] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a more thorough understanding of this application. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that embodiments of this application may be practiced without one or more of these details. In other instances, certain technical features well-known in the art have not been described to avoid confusion with embodiments of this application.

[0069] In this document, ordinal numbers such as “first” and “second” used in this application are merely identifiers and do not have any other meaning, such as a specific order. Moreover, for example, the term “first component” does not imply the existence of a “second component”, and the term “second component” does not imply the existence of a “first component”.

[0070] In this article, terms such as "up," "down," "front," "back," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate the relative positional relationship between related parts, rather than to define the absolute position of these related parts.

[0071] In this document, terms such as “equal” and “same” are not strict mathematical and / or geometric limitations, but also include errors that are understandable to those skilled in the art and permissible in manufacturing or use.

[0072] Unless otherwise stated, the numerical ranges in this document include not only the entire range within its two endpoints, but also the subranges contained therein.

[0073] Figure 1 A ship fuel filling device 100 according to the present application is shown. The filling device 100 includes a vehicle body 101, a filling system 110 and an inerting system 130. The vehicle body 101 is configured to form a sealed cavity 102.

[0074] The refueling system 110 is disposed within the sealed cavity 102. The refueling system 110 includes a liquid refueling pipe 111, a gas circulation pipe 112, and a relief valve 113. The first end of the liquid refueling pipe 111 extends to the side of the vehicle body 101 and forms a liquid inlet 114, while the second end extends to the side of the vehicle body 101 and forms a liquid outlet 115. The first end of the gas circulation pipe 112 extends to the side of the vehicle body 101 and forms an air inlet 117, while the second end extends to the side of the vehicle body 101 and forms an air outlet 116. The relief valve 113 is disposed within the liquid refueling pipe 111 and is used to control the connection and disconnection of the liquid refueling pipe 111.

[0075] The inerting system 130 is disposed inside the vehicle body 101. The inerting system 130 includes a nitrogen inlet 131 for introducing nitrogen into the filling system 110 and the sealed cavity 102. The nitrogen inlet 131 is disposed on the vehicle body 101.

[0076] According to the marine fuel refueling device 100 of this application, both the refueling system 110 and the inerting system 130 are integrated within the sealed cavity 102 of the vehicle body 101. This facilitates the refueling device 100's movement to the refueling position for connection and refueling operations, resulting in high deployment efficiency. Furthermore, the inerting system 130 can introduce nitrogen gas into the refueling system 110 and the sealed cavity 102, thereby replacing oxygen within these components and removing residual marine fuel, thus enhancing safety.

[0077] The ship fuel refueling device 100 according to this application is used for refueling ship fuel (e.g., methanol). The refueling device 100 can be deployed on a ship and can be used for refueling the ship's own ship fuel or for refueling other ships' ship fuel (the following example is the refueling of other ships' ship fuel).

[0078] Optionally, refer to Figure 1 The vehicle body 101 is equipped with wheels 104 at the bottom to facilitate the movement of the refueling device 100 to the refueling position for refueling operations. Optionally, the top of the vehicle body 101 is also equipped with lifting lugs 105 to facilitate the hoisting and lowering of the refueling device 100 to the refueling position, further improving the deployment efficiency of the refueling device 100.

[0079] Reference Figure 1 The liquid inlet 114 and the gas outlet 116 are located on one side of the vehicle body 101, while the liquid outlet 115 and the gas inlet 117 are located on the other side of the vehicle body 101, facilitating the connection between the refueling device 100 and the two ships (or between the ship itself and the ship's fuel storage tank). During the refueling process of the refueling device 100, the ship's fuel is transported to the other ship through the liquid inlet 114 via the liquid refueling pipe 111 and the liquid outlet 115. After the other ship inputs its fuel, the gas mixed with the volatile ship fuel enters the ship itself through the gas inlet 117 via the gas circulation pipe 112 and the gas outlet 116, or is collected in other storage tanks.

[0080] Optionally, the liquid inlet 114, liquid outlet 115, air inlet 117, and air outlet 116 can all be dry quick connectors, which can reduce the risk of leakage, enhance safety, and facilitate installation, thereby improving the working efficiency of the filling device 100.

[0081] Optionally, refer to Figure 1The inerting system 130 includes a purge main pipe 132, a first valve 133, and a second valve 134. The purge main pipe 132 extends to the side of the vehicle body 101 (preferably the side of the vehicle body 101 near the liquid inlet 114) and forms a nitrogen inlet 131. The purge main pipe 132 connects to a liquid filling pipe 111 and a gas circulation pipe 112. The first valve 133 is located between the purge main pipe 132 and the liquid filling pipe 111. The second valve 134 is located between the purge main pipe 132 and the gas circulation pipe 112. The first valve 133 allows nitrogen to be delivered to the liquid filling pipe 111, thereby removing oxygen and residual marine fuel from the liquid filling pipe 111. Furthermore, the second valve 134 allows nitrogen to be delivered to the gas circulation pipe 112, thereby removing oxygen and residual gaseous marine fuel from the gas circulation pipe 112.

[0082] Optionally, the inerting system 130 also includes a third valve 135, which is located in the purge main pipe 132 and connected to the sealed cavity 102, thereby allowing nitrogen to be delivered to the sealed cavity 102 of the vehicle body 101, thereby removing oxygen from the sealed cavity 102, inerting the sealed cavity 102, preventing fire caused by leakage of marine fuel in the refueling system 110, and improving the safety of the refueling device 100.

[0083] In addition, the inerting system 130 also includes a second check valve 136, which is located in the purge main pipe 132. The second check valve 136 is configured to be supplied from the nitrogen inlet 131 to the first gas valve 133, the second gas valve 134 and the third gas valve 135, thereby preventing marine fuel in the refueling system 110 or the vehicle body 101 from leaking to the outside of the vehicle body 101 through the nitrogen inlet 131, thus ensuring high safety.

[0084] Optionally, the refueling system 110 further includes a first detection tube 126 and a second detection tube 127, both of which are disposed within the sealed cavity 102. The first end of the first detection tube 126 is connected to the liquid refueling pipe 111, and the second end of the first detection tube 126 is configured as a first detection interface 124 and extends outside the vehicle body 101. The first end of the second detection tube 127 is connected to the gas circulation pipe 112, and the second end of the second detection tube 127 is configured as a second detection interface 125 and extends outside the vehicle body 101. When the inerting system 130 is activated, nitrogen gas is introduced into the liquid refueling pipe 111 and the gas circulation pipe 112 through the purging main pipe 132, thereby displacing the oxygen in the refueling system 110. The operator can determine whether the inerting treatment in the refueling system 110 is complete by using a portable gas detector at the first detection interface 124 and the second detection interface 125, making the operation convenient.

[0085] Optionally, refer to Figure 1 The refueling device 100 also includes a monitoring system 140, which includes a sensing component 141 and a controller 142. The sensing component 141 is disposed within the vehicle body 101 and at least partially disposed within the refueling system 110, and is used to sense whether the refueling system 110 is operating normally. The controller 142 is electrically connected to the sensing component 141, the vent valve 113, and the third air valve 135, respectively.

[0086] Optionally, the controller 142 is configured to control the opening of the relief valve 113 according to the sensing signal sensed by the sensing component 141, thereby preventing excessive pressure in the liquid filling pipeline 111 and the gas circulation pipeline 112, and making the filling process of the filling device 100 more stable.

[0087] Optionally, the controller 142 is configured to: control the relief valve 113 to close the liquid filling pipeline 111 based on the abnormal sensing signal sensed by the sensing component 141, thereby interrupting the filling of marine fuel, and control the third gas valve 135 to open, thereby introducing nitrogen gas into the sealed cavity 102 of the vehicle body 101 to prevent marine fuel from igniting in the sealed cavity 102 of the vehicle body 101.

[0088] Reference Figure 1 Furthermore, the sensing component 141 includes a flow meter 143, a first pressure sensor 144, a second pressure sensor 146, a first temperature sensor 145, and a second temperature sensor 147.

[0089] A flow meter 143 is installed in the liquid filling pipeline 111 to detect the flow rate of the marine fuel within the pipeline. A first pressure sensor 144 is installed in the liquid filling pipeline 111 to detect the pressure of the marine fuel within the pipeline. A first temperature sensor 145 is installed in the liquid filling pipeline 111 to detect the temperature of the marine fuel within the pipeline. Through the flow meter 143, the first pressure sensor 144, and the first temperature sensor 145, the flow rate, pressure, and temperature data of the liquid filling pipeline 111 can be effectively monitored, allowing the controller 142 to determine whether the liquid filling pipeline 111 is malfunctioning.

[0090] The second pressure sensor 146 is disposed in the gas circulation pipe 112 to detect the gas pressure in the gas circulation pipe 112. The second temperature sensor 147 is disposed in the gas circulation pipe 112 to detect the temperature in the gas circulation pipe 112. Through the second pressure sensor 146 and the second temperature sensor 147, the gas pressure and temperature of the gas circulation pipe 112 can be effectively monitored, thereby allowing the controller 142 to determine whether the gas circulation pipe 112 is abnormal.

[0091] The aforementioned sensing component 141 is disposed in the refueling system 110 and is mainly used to detect the refueling process of the ship fuel in the refueling system 110, and also to assist the controller 142 in controlling the refueling process to proceed stably.

[0092] In addition, the sensing component 141 may optionally include an oxygen content sensor 148 and a methanol content sensor 149 (for example, when the ship fuel is methanol), which are used to sense the oxygen content and methanol content in the sealed cavity 102 of the vehicle body 101, respectively, thereby assisting the controller 142 in determining whether the refueling system 110 is leaking methanol, and can also assist the controller 142 in controlling the inerting system 130 to inertrate the sealed cavity 102 of the vehicle body 101.

[0093] In detail, when methanol leaks from the refueling system 110 into the sealed cavity 102 of the vehicle body 101, the methanol content sensor 149 detects that the methanol content exceeds the standard and sends a signal to the controller 142. The controller 142 then controls the relief valve 113 to close the liquid refueling pipeline 111, thereby interrupting the refueling of marine fuel, and controls the third gas valve 135 to open, thereby introducing nitrogen into the sealed cavity 102 of the vehicle body 101 to prevent marine fuel from igniting in the sealed cavity 102 of the vehicle body 101. When the inerting system 130 inertes the sealed cavity 102 of the vehicle body 101, the third gas valve 135 opens, and nitrogen is introduced into the sealed cavity 102 of the vehicle body 101 through the purging main pipe 132 and the third gas valve 135, thereby reducing the methanol and oxygen content in the sealed cavity 102, preventing deflagration in the sealed cavity 102 of the vehicle body 101, and ensuring high safety.

[0094] Optionally, the sensing component 141 also includes a camera 150, which is electrically connected to the controller 142 and remotely connected to a remote terminal, so as to remotely monitor the situation inside the sealed cavity 102 of the vehicle body 101 and remotely determine whether a leak or a source of fire has occurred inside the sealed cavity 102.

[0095] Furthermore, the refueling device 100 also includes a fire extinguisher 151, which is located on the side of the vehicle body 101 and connected to the sealed cavity 102. The fire extinguisher 151 is electrically controlled and connected to the controller 142. The controller 142 is configured to determine whether there is a fire source inside the vehicle body 101 based on the image signal transmitted by the camera 150 and control the fire extinguisher 151 to activate and extinguish the fire, thereby enabling timely control of the fire inside the vehicle body 101 and improving the fire resistance and safety of the refueling device 100.

[0096] Optionally, the dispensing device 100 also includes a buzzer 153 electrically connected to a controller 142, which is configured to activate the buzzer 153 based on an abnormal sensing signal detected by the sensing component 141, thereby triggering an alarm when an abnormality occurs in the dispensing device 100, prompting staff to intervene in a timely manner, and improving safety.

[0097] Furthermore, the refueling device 100 also includes an explosion-proof fan 152, which is located on the side of the vehicle body 101 and connected to the sealed cavity 102. The explosion-proof fan 152 is electrically connected to the controller 142. The controller 142 is configured to control the explosion-proof fan 152 to open based on abnormal signals sensed by the sensing components 141 (e.g., methanol content sensor 149, second pressure sensor 146, etc.), thereby expelling flammable gases (e.g., marine fuel mixture gas leaked from the refueling system 110) from the sealed cavity 102 of the vehicle body 101 and preventing a fire from occurring in the sealed cavity 102 of the vehicle body 101.

[0098] Alternatively, the controller 142 may be located in an electrical control cabinet, which is installed on the side of the vehicle body 101, thereby protecting the controller 142 and facilitating wiring.

[0099] Optionally, the bottom of the vehicle body 101 is configured to form a sump 103 for containing and recovering marine fuel leaked from the refueling system 110 into the sealed cavity 102 of the vehicle body 101. The refueling device 100 also includes a level sensor 154 and a drain valve 155. The level sensor 154 is disposed in the sump 103 for sensing the level of marine fuel in the sump 103. The drain valve 155 is disposed at the bottom of the vehicle body 101 and connected to the sump 103, and is connected to a venting tank. Both the level sensor 154 and the drain valve 155 are electrically connected to a controller 142, which is configured to control the drain valve 155 to open based on the level signal from the level sensor 154, thereby recovering the leaked marine fuel and preventing fires within the vehicle body 101.

[0100] Optionally, refer to Figure 1The refueling system 110 also includes an explosion-proof pipe 118. The first end of the explosion-proof pipe 118 is connected to a gas circulation pipe 112, and the second end of the explosion-proof pipe 118 is connected to a relief valve 113. The gas circulation pipe 112 is equipped with a first check valve 119, which is located between the air inlet 117 and the second end of the explosion-proof pipe 118. The controller 142 is configured to control the relief valve 113 to connect the liquid refueling pipe 111 and the explosion-proof pipe 118 based on an abnormal sensing signal detected by the sensing component 141. This allows the ship fuel in the liquid refueling pipe 111 to return to the ship through the explosion-proof pipe 118 and the gas circulation pipe 112, preventing excessive pressure in the liquid refueling pipe 111 and resulting in fuel leakage.

[0101] Optionally, the relief valve 113 is configured as a three-way valve with high-speed relief function.

[0102] Optionally, the refueling system 110 further includes a first emergency stop valve 120, a second emergency stop valve 121, a third emergency stop valve 122, and a fourth emergency stop valve 123. The first and second emergency stop valves 120 and 121 are both located on the liquid refueling pipeline 111 and are respectively positioned on both sides of the relief valve 113. The third and fourth emergency stop valves 122 and 123 are both located on the gas circulation pipeline 112 and are respectively positioned on both sides of the connection between the gas circulation pipeline 112 and the explosion-proof pipeline 118. The first, second, and third emergency stop valves 120, 121, 122, and 123 all have emergency shutdown functions, enabling timely shutdown of the liquid refueling pipeline 111 and the gas circulation pipeline 112 in case of abnormal conditions in the refueling system 110, further enhancing the safety of the refueling device 100.

[0103] This application also provides a method for refueling marine fuel, for use with the aforementioned marine fuel refueling device 100, the refueling method comprising:

[0104] S1. Preparation stage: Move the refueling device 100 to the refueling position and connect the refueling device 100 to the connector;

[0105] S2, Inertization stage: Nitrogen gas is introduced into the inertization system 130 through nitrogen inlet 131 to inertize the liquid injection pipeline 111 and the gas circulation pipeline 112.

[0106] S3. During the refueling stage, the refueling device 100 is connected to the refueling station and the ship's fuel storage tank, and ship fuel is refueled through the liquid refueling pipeline 111.

[0107] S4. End of refueling phase: When the ship's fuel refueling amount reaches the set value, close the vent valve 113, and then introduce nitrogen into the inerting system 130 through the nitrogen inlet 131 to inertify the liquid refueling pipeline 111 and the gas circulation pipeline 112 again.

[0108] The ship fueling method according to this application uses a fueling device 100 in the form of a vehicle 101 for ship fueling, which has high deployment efficiency and high safety.

[0109] Specifically, in S1, the filling device 100 is pushed to the filling position, and after the filling device 100 is fixed, the connectors of the filling device 100 (such as nitrogen interface, liquid inlet interface 114, liquid outlet interface 115, air inlet interface 117 and air outlet interface 116) are installed, the power is turned on and the self-test is completed.

[0110] In step S2, the first gas valve 133 and the second gas valve 134 are opened, allowing nitrogen gas to enter the gas circulation pipe 112 and the liquid filling pipe 111 through the purging main pipe 132. The oxygen concentration can be detected by a portable gas analyzer at the first detection port 124 and the second detection port 125. When the oxygen concentration falls below a certain value (e.g., below 0.5%), the first gas valve 133, the second gas valve 134, the first detection port 124, and the second detection port 125 are closed. Furthermore, during inerting, the third gas valve 135 can be opened to introduce nitrogen gas into the sealed cavity 102 of the vehicle body 101, reducing the oxygen content within the sealed cavity 102 and preventing fire from occurring within it.

[0111] In S3, the ship's fuel is supplied from the ship to another vessel via a liquid fueling pipe 111. The liquid fueling pipe 111 is equipped with a flow meter 143, and the fueling rate can be controlled by a controller 142. Simultaneously, the gas from the other vessel is returned to the ship's storage tank or subjected to other treatments via a gas recirculation pipe 112. The sensing component 141 monitors the flow rate, temperature, and pressure of the ship's fuel in real time to ensure that the fueling process meets the set requirements.

[0112] The refueling method also includes S3.1, process monitoring, which monitors whether the refueling system 110 is abnormal through the monitoring system 140. If the refueling system 110 is abnormal, the liquid refueling pipeline 111 is closed through the relief valve 113. In detail, when the sensing component 141 senses an abnormality in the refueling system 110 or the sealed cavity 102 of the vehicle body 101, the controller 142 controls the relief valve 113 to close the liquid refueling pipeline 111 and connect the liquid refueling pipeline 111 to the explosion-proof pipeline 118 based on the abnormal signal sensed by the sensing component 141 (e.g., the first pressure sensor 144, the second pressure sensor 146, the first temperature sensor 145, the second temperature sensor 147, and the flow meter 143), thereby preventing leakage of the refueling system 110. Furthermore, if the refueling system 110 leaks, the sensing components 141 (such as the methanol content sensor 149 and the camera 150) will detect a leak in the sealed cavity 102 of the vehicle body 101. The controller 142 will then activate the buzzer 153 and shut down the refueling system 110 based on the detected abnormal signal. Simultaneously, the controller 142 will also control the third gas valve 135 to open, thereby isolating oxygen within the sealed cavity 102. Additionally, the controller 142 will activate the fire extinguisher 151 to extinguish the fire.

[0113] In S4, when the amount of ship fuel added reaches the set value, the controller 142 receives a stop adding signal and starts the inerting system 130 (opens the first air valve 133 and the second air valve 134) to blow the remaining ship fuel in the liquid adding pipeline 111 and the gas circulating pipeline 112 back to the ship's storage tank or another ship. Finally, the staff confirms that all safety measures are in place and shuts down the adding device 100.

[0114] Unless otherwise defined, the technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The terminology used herein is for descriptive purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. Terms such as “setup” appearing herein can refer to either a component being directly attached to another component or a component being attached to another component via an intermediary. A feature described in one embodiment herein may be applied, alone or in combination with other features, to another embodiment, unless that feature is not applicable in that other embodiment or is otherwise stated.

[0115] This application has been described through the above embodiments; however, it should be understood that the above embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit this application to the described embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that many more variations and modifications can be made based on the teachings of this application, and all such variations and modifications fall within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

Claims

1. A filling device for a marine fuel, characterized in that The filling device comprises: a vehicle body, a sealed cavity being formed in the vehicle body; a filling system arranged in the sealed cavity, the filling system comprising: a liquid filling pipeline, a first end of the liquid filling pipeline extending to a side of the vehicle body and configured to form a liquid inlet interface, a second end of the liquid filling pipeline extending to the side of the vehicle body and configured to form a liquid outlet interface; a gaseous circulation pipeline, a first end of the gaseous circulation pipeline extending to the side of the vehicle body and configured to form a gas inlet interface, a second end of the gaseous circulation pipeline extending to the side of the vehicle body and configured to form a gas outlet interface; and a relief valve arranged in the liquid filling pipeline for controlling the connection and disconnection of the liquid filling pipeline; and an inerting system arranged in the vehicle body, the inerting system comprising a nitrogen inlet for introducing nitrogen into the filling system and the sealed cavity, the nitrogen inlet being arranged on the vehicle body.

2. A vessel fuel filling arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inerting system comprises: a purge main pipeline extending to the side of the vehicle body and configured to form the nitrogen inlet, the purge main pipeline being connected to the liquid filling pipeline and the gaseous circulation pipeline; a first gas valve arranged between the purge main pipeline and the liquid filling pipeline; and a second gas valve arranged between the purge main pipeline and the gaseous circulation pipeline.

3. A vessel fuel filling arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that The inerting system further comprises a third gas valve arranged in the purge main pipeline and connected to the sealed cavity.

4. A vessel fuel filling arrangement according to claim 3, characterised in that, The filling device further comprises a monitoring system, the monitoring system comprising: a sensing assembly arranged in the vehicle body and at least partially arranged in the filling system for sensing whether the filling system is operating normally; and a controller electrically connected to the sensing assembly, the relief valve and the third gas valve, respectively; wherein the controller is configured to control the relief valve to close the liquid filling pipeline and control the third gas valve to open according to an abnormal sensing signal sensed by the sensing assembly; and / or the controller is configured to control the opening degree of the relief valve according to a sensing signal sensed by the sensing assembly.

5. A vessel fuel filling arrangement according to claim 4, characterised in that, The sensing assembly comprises at least one of a flow meter, a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor.

6. A vessel fuel filling arrangement according to claim 4, characterised in that, The sensing assembly comprises an oxygen content sensor and a methanol content sensor.

7. A vessel fuel filling arrangement according to claim 4, characterised in that, The sensing assembly further comprises a camera electrically connected to the controller and remotely connected to a remote terminal.

8. A vessel fuel filling arrangement according to claim 7, characterised in that, The filling device further comprises a fire extinguisher connected to the sealed cavity and electrically connected to the controller, the controller being configured to determine whether there is a fire source in the vehicle body according to a picture signal transmitted by the camera and control the fire extinguisher to open.

9. A vessel fuel filling arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that, The filling device further comprises an explosion-proof fan arranged in the vehicle body and connected to the sealed cavity, the explosion-proof fan being electrically connected to the controller, the controller being configured to control the explosion-proof fan to open according to an abnormal signal sensed by the sensing assembly.

10. A vessel fuel filling apparatus according to claim 4, characterised in that, The bottom of the vehicle body is configured to form a sump, the filling device further comprises a liquid level sensor and a discharge valve, the liquid level sensor is arranged in the sump and is used to sense the liquid level in the sump, the discharge valve is arranged at the bottom of the vehicle body and is connected to the sump, and the discharge valve is used to be connected to a relief tank; the liquid level sensor and the discharge valve are both electrically connected to the controller, and the controller is configured to control the discharge valve to open according to the liquid level signal of the liquid level sensor.

11. A vessel fuel filling apparatus according to claim 4, characterised in that, The filling system further comprises an explosion-proof pipeline, a first end of the explosion-proof pipeline is connected to the gaseous circulation pipeline, a second end of the explosion-proof pipeline is connected to the relief valve, the gaseous circulation pipeline is provided with a first check valve, and the first check valve is arranged between the gas inlet interface and the second end of the explosion-proof pipeline; the controller is configured to control the relief valve to connect the liquid filling pipeline and the explosion-proof pipeline according to the sensing signal of the abnormality sensed by the sensing assembly.

12. A method of refuelling a marine vessel characterised in that, The filling device for the ship fuel according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the filling device comprises a vehicle body, a filling system and an inerting system, and a sealed cavity is formed in the vehicle body; the filling system is arranged in the sealed cavity, and the filling system comprises a liquid filling pipeline, a gaseous circulation pipeline and a relief valve, the relief valve is arranged in the liquid filling pipeline and is used to control the connection and disconnection of the liquid filling pipeline; the inerting system is arranged in the vehicle body and is connected to the filling system and the sealed cavity respectively, and the inerting system comprises a nitrogen inlet arranged on the vehicle body; The filling method comprises: S1, a preparation stage, moving the filling device to a filling position and connecting the filling device to a joint; S2, an inerting stage, introducing nitrogen into the inerting system through the nitrogen inlet to inert the liquid filling pipeline and the gaseous circulation pipeline; S3, a filling stage, connecting the filling device to a filling station and a ship fuel storage tank, and filling the ship fuel through the liquid filling pipeline; S4, an end filling stage, when the amount of ship fuel filled reaches a set value, closing the relief valve, and then introducing nitrogen into the inerting system through the nitrogen inlet to inert the liquid filling pipeline and the gaseous circulation pipeline again.

13. A method of refuelling a marine vessel as claimed in claim 12, characterised in that, The filling device further comprises the filling method comprising a monitoring system, and the monitoring system is used to sense the filling system; The filling method further comprises: S3.1, process monitoring, monitoring whether the filling system is abnormal through the monitoring system, and closing the liquid filling pipeline through the relief valve if the filling system is abnormal.

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