Mobile hydrogen storage, transportation and filling system and method of using same

Abstract

An apparatus for liquid hydrogen filling at a mining site includes a mobile platform coupleable to a vehicle. The storage module is removably coupled to the mobile platform. The storage module stores a hydrogen tank configured to store liquid hydrogen. A transfer module may be coupled to the mobile platform, the transfer module configured to receive a first stream of liquid hydrogen from the hydrogen tank, and to deliver a first portion of the first stream to the mining vehicle, and to deliver a second portion of the first stream back to the hydrogen tank. The fill interface is configured to engage a fill interface of a liquid hydrogen tank of a mining vehicle and selectively transfer a flow of liquid hydrogen from the transfer module to the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle.

Description

Cross-reference to related applications

[0001] This application claims priority and benefit to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 583,539, filed September 18, 2023, entitled “Mobile Hydrogen Storage, Transportation, and Refueling System and Method of Using the Same,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. background

[0002] The embodiments described herein relate to hydrogen refueling systems, and more specifically to systems and methods for mobile hydrogen storage, transportation and refueling, such as those suitable for large-scale industrial applications.

[0003] Despite causing harmful anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, the energy for most transportation still comes from burning fossil fuels in internal combustion engines. In efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, considerable attention has been directed towards using alternative and / or renewable energy sources in certain passenger and / or commercial vehicles. One such alternative energy source is hydrogen fuel cells. In some cases, hydrogen power may be particularly attractive, at least in part based on its near-infinite energy source, the ability to produce hydrogen using renewable energy sources (e.g., “green” hydrogen), and the fact that the main byproduct of hydrogen use is water, among other things.

[0004] Certain challenges continue to hinder the widespread adoption of hydrogen as an alternative energy source. One such challenge is the provision of hydrogen infrastructure that allows for storage and / or distribution with a level of convenience comparable to current fossil fuel infrastructure. Several known systems and / or methods attempt to address the challenges associated with storing, transporting, and distributing hydrogen. For example, some known solutions involve using dedicated tankers and / or trailers to transport pressurized hydrogen cylinders / pipelines.

[0005] When scaling up to large-scale industrial applications, other challenges arise in providing hydrogen infrastructure. One such large-scale application is in the mining industry. In some cases, hydrogen fuel cells can replace the large diesel engines typically used in very large mining vehicles. In such applications, known road-going hydrogen tankers and / or trailers may be unsuitable due to physical size limitations associated with highway driving. For example, some known high-capacity trailers can transport up to 1,100 kg of hydrogen, the amount consumed by just two mining vehicles in a short 24-hour period—a capacity too small for large-scale mining operations using many vehicles and increasing safety risks associated with collisions and / or interactions. Road-going hydrogen tankers and / or trailers are also unsuitable for navigating the rugged terrain, undeveloped surfaces, and / or steep slopes typical of mining sites, requiring paved roads with shallower gradients for movement around the site. In addition, the use of permanent and / or fixed storage and distribution facilities, pipelines and / or other large-capacity hydrogen supply equipment may limit mine development and / or operational flexibility, or, by their very nature, installation and / or relocation may be costly.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need for systems and methods suitable for large-scale industrial applications for the storage, transportation, and refueling of mobile hydrogen. Overview

[0007] The embodiments described herein relate to mobile hydrogen refueling systems and methods for use, for example, in large-scale industrial applications. In some embodiments, an apparatus for liquid hydrogen refueling at a mining site includes a mobile platform connectable to a vehicle. A storage module is removably connected to the mobile platform. The storage module stores a hydrogen tank configured to store liquid hydrogen. A transfer module is connectable to the mobile platform and configured to receive a first stream of liquid hydrogen from the hydrogen tank, transfer a first portion of the first stream to the mining vehicle, and transfer a second portion of the first stream back to the hydrogen tank. A refueling interface is configured to engage with the refueling interface of the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle and selectively transfer a stream of liquid hydrogen from the transfer module to the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle. In some embodiments, the transfer module further includes a quick-connect / disconnect connector configured to releasably connect the hydrogen tank to the mobile platform. In some implementations, the transport module also includes one or more pumps configured to pressurize liquid hydrogen received from the hydrogen tanks of the storage module and deliver the pressurized liquid hydrogen to the liquid hydrogen tanks of the mining vehicle.

[0008] In some embodiments, an apparatus for refueling liquid hydrogen at a mining site includes a mobile platform connectable to a vehicle. A storage module is removably connected to the mobile platform. The storage module stores a hydrogen tank configured to store liquid hydrogen at a first pressure. A transfer module connectable to the mobile platform and includes a pump configured to receive a flow of liquid hydrogen from the hydrogen tank, pressurize the liquid hydrogen to a second pressure greater than the first pressure, and deliver the liquid hydrogen at the second pressure to a liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle. A refueling interface is configured to engage with a refueling interface of the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle and selectively deliver a flow of liquid hydrogen at the second pressure from the transfer module to the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle.

[0009] In some embodiments, a method includes loading a storage module onto a mobile platform connectable to a vehicle, the storage module including one or more hydrogen tanks for storing liquid hydrogen. A releasable interface of the one or more hydrogen tanks, fluidly connected via a transfer module, is connected to a liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle. The method further includes, in response to a pressure differential between the one or more hydrogen tanks of the storage module and the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle, delivering a first portion of a stream of liquid hydrogen from the one or more hydrogen tanks of the storage module to the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle via the transfer module, delivering a second portion of the stream of liquid hydrogen to a first vaporizer to generate hydrogen gas, and delivering the hydrogen gas to one or more hydrogen tanks. Brief description of the attached diagram

[0010] Figure 1A This is a schematic diagram of a mobile hydrogen refueling system according to an embodiment and shown in the first embodiment.

[0011] Figure 1B This is a schematic diagram of a transferable hydrogen refueling system for storing liquid hydrogen according to an embodiment.

[0012] Figure 1C It is shown in the second embodiment. Figure 1A A schematic diagram of a mobile hydrogen refueling system.

[0013] Figure 1D yes Figure 1A A schematic diagram of a mobile hydrogen refueling system and a second mobile hydrogen refueling system configured to refuel the mobile hydrogen refueling system.

[0014] Figure 1E This is a schematic diagram of a portable hydrogen refueling system in a first configuration according to an embodiment, the portable hydrogen refueling system storing liquid hydrogen and supplying liquid hydrogen to a mining vehicle, which also stores liquid hydrogen and uses liquid hydrogen as its fuel source.

[0015] Figure 1F It is in the second configuration Figure 1EA schematic diagram of a transferable hydrogen refueling system.

[0016] Figure 2 It is a perspective view of a known heavy equipment vehicle, such as a mining truck.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of a mobile hydrogen refueling system according to an embodiment.

[0018] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of a mobile hydrogen refueling system according to an embodiment.

[0019] Figure 5 This is a side view illustration of a mobile hydrogen refueling system according to an embodiment.

[0020] Figure 6A This is a side view illustration of a mobile hydrogen refueling system according to an embodiment.

[0021] Figure 6B This is a side view illustration of a mobile hydrogen refueling system according to an embodiment.

[0022] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of a mobile hydrogen refueling system according to an embodiment.

[0023] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of an industrial worksite implementing a mobile hydrogen refueling system according to an embodiment.

[0024] Figure 9 Is included Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the filling location in an industrial operation site.

[0025] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating a method of using a mobile hydrogen refueling system according to an embodiment.

[0026] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating a method of using a mobile hydrogen refueling system that stores liquid hydrogen according to an embodiment. Detailed description

[0027] In some embodiments, an apparatus for refueling liquid hydrogen at a mining site includes a mobile platform connectable to a vehicle. A storage module is removably connected to the mobile platform. The storage module stores a hydrogen tank configured to store liquid hydrogen. A transfer module is connectable to the mobile platform and configured to receive a first stream of liquid hydrogen from the hydrogen tank, transfer a first portion of the first stream to the mining vehicle, and transfer a second portion of the first stream back to the hydrogen tank. A refueling interface is configured to engage with the refueling interface of the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle and selectively transfer a stream of liquid hydrogen from the transfer module to the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle.

[0028] In some embodiments, an apparatus for refueling liquid hydrogen at a mining site includes a mobile platform connectable to a vehicle. A storage module is removably connected to the mobile platform. The storage module stores a hydrogen tank configured to store liquid hydrogen at a first pressure. A transfer module connectable to the mobile platform and includes a pump configured to receive a flow of liquid hydrogen from the hydrogen tank and pressurize the liquid hydrogen via the pump to a second pressure greater than the first pressure, and transfer the liquid hydrogen at the second pressure to a liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle. A refueling interface is configured to engage with a refueling interface of the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle and selectively deliver a flow of liquid hydrogen at the second pressure from the transfer module to the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle.

[0029] In some embodiments, a method includes loading a storage module onto a mobile platform connectable to a vehicle, the storage module including one or more hydrogen tanks for storing liquid hydrogen. A releasable interface of the one or more hydrogen tanks, fluidly connected via a transfer module, is connected to a liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle. The method further includes, in response to a pressure differential between the one or more hydrogen tanks of the storage module and the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle, delivering a first portion of a stream of liquid hydrogen from the one or more hydrogen tanks of the storage module to the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle via the transfer module, delivering a second portion of the stream of liquid hydrogen to a first vaporizer to generate hydrogen gas, and delivering the hydrogen gas to one or more hydrogen tanks.

[0030] In some embodiments, an apparatus for mobile hydrogen refueling includes a heavy equipment vehicle and a platform coupled to the vehicle, the heavy equipment vehicle having dimensions exceeding road size limits. A hydrogen storage module and a compression module are removably coupled to the mobile platform. The storage module is configured to store any number of hydrogen tanks. The compression module is configured to receive a hydrogen flow from the hydrogen tanks in the storage module via a manifold and compress the hydrogen flow to produce a high-pressure hydrogen flow. A refueling port is configured to engage with the refueling port of a hydrogen-powered device and selectively deliver the high-pressure hydrogen flow from the compression module. In some embodiments, the compression module may include a cooler fluidly coupled between the compressor and the refueling port and may be configured to cool the high-pressure hydrogen supplied to the refueling port. In some embodiments, a power module is configured to provide power to at least the compression module. In some embodiments, the power module may also provide power to one or more parts of the vehicle.

[0031] In some embodiments, a system includes multiple refueling locations at a mining site, multiple mining vehicles, and a mobile hydrogen refueling platform. The mining site includes multiple work locations, at which one or more mining vehicles can perform operations, and on-cycle, one or more mining vehicles can travel between these work locations. Such work locations may include in-pit loading areas, overburden dumping areas, ore processing areas, and stockpiles, etc. Each refueling location is within a predetermined distance from one of the effective work locations at the mining site. The mining vehicles include hydrogen power units and operate partly at the effective work locations at the mine. The mobile hydrogen refueling platform can move to or from at least one hydrogen refueling location. The refueling platform includes at least a storage module and a refueling interface. The storage module is configured to store multiple hydrogen tanks with a combined capacity greater than the hydrogen fuel consumption of two mining vehicles over a 24-hour period, for example, greater than 1,000 kg or more (e.g., 1,500 kg, 2,000 kg, 2,500 kg, 3,000 kg, 3,500 kg, 4,000 kg, 4,500 kg, 5,000 kg, 5,500 kg, 6,000 kg, 6,500 kg, 7,000 kg, 7,500 kg, 8,000 kg, 8,500 kg, 9,000 kg, 9,500 kg, or 10,000 kg, including end values, or higher). Each hydrogen tank stores hydrogen at a first pressure. A refueling interface is configured to engage a refueling infrastructure to transfer a hydrogen flow from the hydrogen tanks in the storage module to the refueling infrastructure when a mining vehicle is coupled to the infrastructure. The hydrogen flow selectively has a second pressure greater than the first pressure.

[0032] In some embodiments, a method includes mounting a storage module comprising multiple hydrogen tanks on a mobile hydrogen refueling platform. The size of the mobile hydrogen refueling platform exceeds at least one limitation associated with operation on a highway. A first hydrogen stream is delivered from the hydrogen tanks in the storage module via a manifold. The first hydrogen stream is compressed and cooled to produce cooled, high-pressure hydrogen. The cooled, high-pressure hydrogen is delivered to a refueling port on the mobile hydrogen refueling platform, and a second hydrogen stream is delivered from the refueling port to a refueling port for a hydrogen-powered unit in a heavy equipment vehicle. In some embodiments, the second hydrogen stream may have a mass flow rate of at least 4 kg / min.

[0033] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the full scope of any embodiments and / or the full scope of the claims. Unless otherwise defined, all technical, industrial, and / or scientific terms used herein are intended to have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0034] As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Regarding the use of singular and / or plural terms herein, those skilled in the art may appropriately convert from singular to plural and / or vice versa, depending on the context and / or application. Furthermore, unless otherwise expressly stated, any reference herein to singular parts, features, aspects, etc., is not intended to imply the exclusion of more than one such part, feature, aspect, etc. (and / or vice versa).

[0035] Generally, unless otherwise expressly stated, the terms used herein and in the appended claims are intended to be “open” terms. For example, the term “comprising” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” and the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” etc. Similarly, the term “comprising” may specify the presence of said features, elements, parts, integrals (or parts thereof), steps, operations, and / or analogues, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, parts, integrals (or parts thereof), steps, operations, and / or analogues, unless such combinations are mutually exclusive.

[0036] As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It should be understood that any suitable disjunctive words and / or phrases presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the written description or in the claims, contemplate the possibility of including one, any, or both of the terms. For example, the phrase “A and / or B” would be understood to include the possibility of including a single “A,” a single “B,” or a combination of “A and B.”

[0037] As used herein, the terms “about,” “approximately,” and / or “substantially,” when used in conjunction with the stated value and / or geometry or relationship, are intended to convey that the value or feature so defined is nominally the stated value or feature. For example, when structures are nominally parallel, a first structure or feature may be described as substantially parallel to a second structure or feature. In some cases, the terms “about,” “approximately,” and / or “substantially” may generally indicate and / or generally be considered to be a value or feature stated within a desired tolerance (e.g., plus or minus 10% of the stated value or feature). For example, a value of about 0.01 may include 0.009 and 0.011, a value of about 0.5 may include 0.45 and 0.55, a value of about 10 may include 9 to 11, and a value of about 100 may include 90 to 110. While the stated values, structures, and / or relationships may be desirable, it should be understood that some variations may occur due to, for example, manufacturing tolerances or other practical considerations (such as, for example, applied pressure or force, temperature variations, etc.). Therefore, the terms “about,” “approximately,” and / or “basically” may be used herein to cover such tolerances and / or considerations.

[0038] Unless otherwise expressly stated, all scopes described herein include each individual member or value and are intended to cover any and all possible subscopes and combinations thereof. Unless otherwise expressly stated, any listed scope should be considered adequately descriptive and capable of being broken down into at least equal subparts.

[0039] The embodiments described herein generally relate to refueling hydrogen-powered devices (e.g., their fuel cells) in large-scale industrial applications. As will be understood, scaling up from some known high-capacity hydrogen refueling solutions to sizes suitable for large-scale industrial applications presents numerous challenges and requires, for example, more than just selecting components with larger sizes, capacities, etc. For example, the embodiments described herein can be used to supply hydrogen fuel to hydrogen-powered devices included in heavy industrial equipment and / or vehicles (e.g., mining trucks, bulldozers, etc.). Typically, the size of such equipment and / or vehicles far exceeds the size limitations associated with driving on roads. Furthermore, each hydrogen-powered device included in such equipment and / or vehicles can generate approximately 1-3 megawatts (MW) or more of electrical energy, requiring very large hydrogen storage. In this context, there is a need for hydrogen refueling systems and methods capable of supplying large quantities of hydrogen to such large-scale applications.

[0040] The embodiments and methods described herein can provide hydrogen refueling for any suitable large-scale industry. For example, one such industry is the mining industry. In some embodiments, any systems and / or methods described herein can be configured to operate on a mining site, including the ability to move around rough, unfinished, and / or steep surfaces typically found on mining sites. While the embodiments and / or methods herein may be described as being implemented in and / or for the mining industry, it should be understood that such implementations are provided as examples only and not as limitations. Any embodiments and / or methods described herein can be used in any suitable industry, including but not limited to the railroad industry, shipping / freight industry, aerospace industry, large-scale construction / manufacturing industry (e.g., large ocean-going vessels, etc.) and / or any other suitable industry.

[0041] In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein can be configured to have hydrogen storage (e.g., liquid or gaseous hydrogen storage) and / or delivery capabilities, enabling the utilization of hydrogen-powered equipment (such as mining tractor trucks) to a greater extent than otherwise possible using known hydrogen storage and / or delivery systems. In some embodiments, for example, the systems and methods described herein can support continuous or substantially continuous use of the hydrogen-powered equipment, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein can support a utilization rate of the hydrogen-powered equipment greater than about 80% during 24 hours of continuous or substantially continuous use (e.g., total available capacity minus inactive or non-value-adding use, such as time associated with refueling, crew changes, and / or other inefficiencies). In some embodiments, any systems and methods described herein can enable the storage of hydrogen (e.g., in the gaseous phase) at pressures higher than the hydrogen storage pressure of the refueled hydrogen-powered unit, allowing hydrogen refueling to be performed via cascaded refueling, which allows for faster refueling and reduces safety risks. In some embodiments, any systems and methods described herein can enable the storage of hydrogen at very cold temperatures (e.g., in the liquid phase) regardless of pressure. In some such embodiments, the storage and / or transport of liquid hydrogen may be desirable, at least in part, based on its high volumetric energy density. In some embodiments, any systems and methods described herein may be configured to store and / or transport liquid hydrogen to mining vehicles or any hydrogen-powered device also configured to receive and store liquid hydrogen.

[0042] Now refer to the attached diagram, Figure 1AThis is a schematic diagram of a mobile hydrogen refueling system 100 according to an embodiment. The mobile hydrogen refueling system 100 (“the System”) can be any suitable system configured to store and dispense a quantity of hydrogen fuel to meet the needs of large-scale industries such as mining, railroads, shipping / freight, aerospace, large-scale manufacturing, etc. Additionally, the System 100 is mobile, allowing it to move between locations (e.g., mining sites) and / or work areas within a given location (e.g., different work areas within a mining site). In some embodiments, the System 100 may be designed to operate in rough, uneven, unpaved, and / or steep environments, such as those encountered at mining sites or other heavy industrial work sites (e.g., the System 100 may be “hardened”). In some embodiments, the System 100 may be modular and / or may include modular components, allowing for the loading, unloading, repair, replacement, etc., of components as needed or desired. In some embodiments, the System 100 and / or one or more of its components may be configured for autonomous or at least semi-autonomous operation.

[0043] like Figure 1A As shown and further described in detail herein, system 100 is configured to store, transport, and / or distribute a stream of hydrogen gas to one or more refueling infrastructures 105 and / or one or more hydrogen power units 106. For example, refueling infrastructure 105 may be and / or may be included in refueling locations at industrial sites (e.g., mining sites, railway yards, shipyards, and / or other sites where large hydrogen-powered equipment can be operated). In some embodiments, refueling infrastructure 105 may include one or more storage tanks configured to receive a stream of hydrogen gas from system 100. In other embodiments, refueling infrastructure 105 may be one or more components that allow engagement between a refueling interface of system 100 and a refueling interface of one or more hydrogen power units 106. Hydrogen power unit 106 may be, for example, a hydrogen power unit for heavy industrial equipment and / or vehicles. In some embodiments, hydrogen power unit 106 may be included in and / or power large industrial vehicles (e.g., mining trucks, bulldozers, etc.). In some embodiments, the hydrogen power unit 106 is capable of generating approximately 1-3 MW or more of electrical energy, which may require very large hydrogen storage tanks, etc. Therefore, the system 100 is configured to store, transport, and / or distribute large quantities of hydrogen / fuel suitable for such large-scale applications.

[0044] As shown in the figure, system 100 includes a mobile platform 110 connectable to a heavy equipment vehicle 102 via a vehicle interface 160. The mobile platform 110 includes, supports, and / or connects to at least one storage module 120, at least one manifold 132, at least one compression module 133, a refueling interface 140, and at least one power module 150. Storage module 120 can be configured to store any number of hydrogen tanks 122 (e.g., cans, pipes, barrels, etc.). One or more manifolds 132 allow compression modules 133 to interface with storage module 120. In some embodiments, in addition to or as an alternative to compression module 133, system 100 may include a transfer module, which may include any suitable components configured to transfer and / or deliver gaseous or liquid hydrogen from storage module 120 to at least refueling interface 140, and in some embodiments, to a hydrogen power unit also configured to receive and store liquid hydrogen. In some embodiments, where the stored hydrogen is gaseous hydrogen, system 100 may include a compression module 133, which in turn may include at least one compressor 134 configured to produce a high-pressure hydrogen stream. In such embodiments, compression module 133 may also include at least one cooler 136 capable of cooling the high-pressure hydrogen stream from compressor 134. Thus, mobile platform 110 can selectively provide the cooled high-pressure hydrogen stream for distribution via refill interface 140. In other embodiments, storage module 120 may be configured to store liquid hydrogen, and system 100 may include a transfer module instead of compression module 133, which may include any suitable components configured to transfer and / or deliver liquid hydrogen from storage module 120 to refill interface 140. For example, such components may include pumps, coolers, heaters, pressure regulators, expanders, vaporizers, valves, filters, etc. Figure 1B as well as Figure 1E and Figure 1F Exemplary implementations of such a storage module and a portable hydrogen refueling system are described. In some embodiments, the refueling interface 140 may be configured to engage a refueling infrastructure 105, for example, found at an operational site (e.g., a mining site). Alternatively, the refueling interface 140 may be configured to engage a refueling interface corresponding to a hydrogen power unit 106 (e.g., a hydrogen fuel cell included in a hydrogen power unit in a mining truck or other equipment).

[0045] The mobile platform 110 can be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. For example, the mobile platform 110 can have a size exceeding one or more limitations associated with road travel. Therefore, the mobile platform 110 is suitable for large-scale applications where such size limitations are not encountered. In some embodiments, the mobile platform 110 can be a trailer, etc., which can be coupled to the vehicle 102 via the vehicle interface 160. For example, although... Figure 1A Although not shown, the mobile platform 110 may include a set of wheels coupled to a platform, chassis, etc., which in turn support modules, components, etc., connected thereto. In some embodiments, instead of being mobile (i.e., interfaced with a vehicle), the mobile platform 110 may include a mobile platform capable of being moved to a desired location (e.g., along a route of a vehicle including a hydrogen-powered device). Such a mobile platform may be placed at the desired location for an extended period after being disconnected from the vehicle or other mechanism used to move the transferable platform to the desired location, until it needs to be moved to another location.

[0046] The vehicle interface 160 can be, for example, a gooseneck hitch and / or other heavy-duty connectors. This vehicle interface 160 allows the mobile platform 110 to connect to and disconnect from the vehicle 102. In some embodiments, the vehicle 102 can be, for example, an industrial heavy-duty vehicle (e.g., also referred to as a "heavy equipment vehicle"), such as a mining truck. Therefore, the vehicle 102 can be significantly larger than conventional vehicles (e.g., semi-trailer trucks or other vehicles capable of highway travel) used with some known mobile hydrogen refueling systems. For example, Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a known heavy equipment vehicle 202 that can be used as a vehicle 102. More specifically, Figure 2The vehicle 202 shown is a known mining tractor truck (e.g., CAT 797F) manufactured by Caterpillar Inc., Deerfield, Illinois, USA. In other embodiments, vehicle 102 may be any other suitable heavy equipment vehicle (e.g., any suitable known or modified mining tractor truck and / or the like). In some embodiments, vehicle 102 may be rated for more than about 2,000 horsepower (HP) (e.g., about 2,500 HP, 3,000 HP, 3,500 HP, 4,000 HP, 4,500 HP, 5,000 HP, 5,500 HP, or 6,000 HP, including end values, or greater) and a towing capacity of more than about 135 metric tons (e.g., 150 tons, 200 tons, 250 tons, 300 tons, 400 tons, 450 tons, including end values, or greater).

[0047] Thus, the vehicle interface 160 may include any suitable components and / or may have any suitable configuration allowing the mobile platform 110 to interface with and / or connect to the vehicle 102. In some embodiments, the vehicle interface 160 may be a physical interface as well as any other suitable interface, such as an electrical and / or electronic interface. For example, such a vehicle interface 160 may provide an electrical interface that allows the transfer of electricity between the vehicle 102 and the mobile platform 110. In other embodiments, the vehicle interface 160 may be a platform, chassis, and / or structure mounted to the chassis or other part of the vehicle 102 (e.g., the mobile platform 110 is integrated with the vehicle 102), as referenced herein. Figure 1C Further detailed description.

[0048] Although not in Figure 1A As shown, however, the mobile platform 110 may include one or more features and / or structures that allow for modular arrangement and / or connection between the mobile platform 110 and the storage module 120, compression module 133, power module 150, and / or any other suitable component or sub-component. For example, in some embodiments, the mobile platform 110 may include rails, tracks, connectors, interfaces, etc., designed to removably engage one or more components and / or modules. In some embodiments, the modular arrangement of the mobile platform 110 may allow for loading, unloading, servicing, replacement, etc., of any module and / or component as needed or desired. In some embodiments, the modular arrangement of the mobile platform 110 may allow for "hot swapping" of any module and / or component (e.g., replacing a module without interrupting the operation of other modules).

[0049] In some embodiments, a modular arrangement may allow the mobile platform 110 to be configured with specific components and / or modules, at least in part, based on the conditions of the deployment / operation site. For example, a mobile platform 110 configured for deployment in a hot desert environment may include components and / or modules that might not be desirable for a mobile platform 110 configured for deployment in a cold Arctic or tundra environment, such as additional coolers. In some embodiments, the mobile platform 110 may be configured with specific components and / or modules, at least in part, based on its intended use. For example, in some embodiments, the mobile platform 110 may be configured to provide maximum hydrogen storage and may therefore include a large storage module capable of storing a large number of hydrogen tanks (e.g., gaseous or liquid hydrogen) and / or may include multiple storage modules (which may replace other components, such as the compressor 134 of the compression module 133, the cooler 136, etc., the heater and / or pressure regulator of the transfer module, which includes a vaporizer, valves and / or pressure regulator for handling liquid hydrogen). In some cases, such a configuration can be applied to mobile platforms designed to be integrated with other mobile platforms, as referenced in this article. Figure 1D Further detailed description.

[0050] Optionally, the mobile platform 110 may also include a housing 115. The housing 115 can be any suitable structure configured to enclose, contain, cover, etc., one or more components and / or modules of the mobile platform 110. For example, such as... Figure 1A As shown, manifold 132, compression module 133 (e.g., its compressor 134 and / or cooler 136), and power module 150 may be at least partially arranged within housing 115. In this embodiment, it may be unnecessary or undesirable to include storage module 120 within housing 115. In other embodiments, each module and / or component of mobile platform 110 may be housed within housing 115. Thus, housing 115 may, for example, enclose and / or protect one or more modules and / or components of mobile platform 110 from the external environment. In some embodiments, housing 115 may be thermally insulated or at least partially thermally insulated, which in turn insulates one or more modules and / or components of mobile platform 110 operating in hot or cold environments.

[0051] Mobile platform 110 may include any number of storage modules 120. Storage modules 120 may be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. For example, in some embodiments, storage module 120 may be a single integrated frame structure configured to store any number of hydrogen tanks 122, etc. In other embodiments, storage module 120 may include any number of frame structures and / or may be formed from any number of frame structures. In other words, mobile platform 110 may be coupled to and / or may include a single storage module 120 configured to store any number of hydrogen tanks 122, or may be coupled to and / or may include multiple storage modules 120, each storing any number of hydrogen tanks 122. In embodiments with multiple storage modules 120, the frame, structure, etc., of each storage module 120 may be similar or different. In some embodiments, storage module 120 may include an open frame structure designed to accommodate and / or secure hydrogen tanks 122, etc. In other embodiments, storage module 120 may include a closed structure similar to and / or substantially the same as, for example, a transshipment container. In such an embodiment, the storage module 120 may surround the hydrogen tank 122 to, for example, protect the hydrogen tank 122 from conditions outside the intermodal container (e.g., weather, sunlight, potential debris, etc.).

[0052] Storage module 120 can be configured to store and / or contain any number of hydrogen tanks 122. Hydrogen tanks 122 can be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. In some embodiments, hydrogen tanks 122 can be large pressure vessels configured to contain compressed gas or liquid (i.e., hydrogen). In some embodiments, hydrogen tanks 122 can be similar to known tanks configured to store compressed hydrogen for typical or conventional use. In other embodiments, hydrogen tanks 122 can be specialized tanks that are larger in size than known tanks and / or configured to store a larger volume of hydrogen or a volume of hydrogen at a greater pressure. In some embodiments, the amount of hydrogen stored by hydrogen tanks 122 in the storage module can be significantly greater than the amount of hydrogen stored by some known high-capacity hydrogen tank (or “tube”) trailers. For example, some known high-capacity tube trailers are capable of transporting up to 1100 kg of hydrogen, which is the amount of hydrogen fuel consumed by just two mining vehicles in a short 24-hour period. In contrast, the hydrogen tank 122 stored by storage module 120 may collectively contain, for example, at least about 2,000 kg of hydrogen. In some embodiments, storage module 120 may collectively contain at least about 3,000 kg of hydrogen, at least about 5,000 kg of hydrogen, at least about 10,000 kg of hydrogen, at least about 15,000 kg of hydrogen, or more (including any amount or range therein).

[0053] In some embodiments, this storage capacity may be based at least in part on, for example, the number of hydrogen tanks 122 stored, the size of the hydrogen tanks 122, or their storage capacity, and / or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the storage module 120 may include a single module (e.g., a single high-capacity tubular trailer) that contains, houses, or stores each hydrogen tank 122. In some embodiments, the storage module 120 may include multiple sub-modules that are coupled, linked, and / or stacked together. For example, sub-modules may include and / or may resemble some known high-capacity tubular trailers having dimensions (e.g., length) of approximately 20 feet (ft), 40 ft, etc. In some embodiments, the storage module 120 may include any combination of smaller or larger storage sub-modules. In some embodiments, sub-modules may include and / or may resemble some known 20 ft or 40 ft trailers that may include smaller sub-assemblies (e.g., racks, shelves, housings, etc.), each storing a group of one or more hydrogen tanks 122.

[0054] As described above, in some embodiments, the storage module 120 (and / or its sub-modules) may be and / or may have a modular configuration, allowing the storage module 120 (and / or its sub-modules) to be removably coupled to the mobile platform 110. In some cases, this arrangement may allow replacement of the storage module 120 (and / or one or more of its sub-modules), for example, when the hydrogen tank 122 is low or has dropped below a threshold amount, pressure, etc. In some embodiments, the mobile platform 110 may provide indications of the amount, pressure, and / or fill level of the hydrogen tank 122 in the storage module 120. In some embodiments, replacement of the storage module 120 (e.g., replacing an empty or nearly empty module with a full module) may be performed autonomously or at least semi-autonomously.

[0055] Manifold 132 can be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. For example, manifold 132 can be and / or may include any suitable structure configured to define one or more flow paths for hydrogen to flow between storage module 120 and any suitable component of mobile platform 110. While generally described as a flow of compressed gaseous hydrogen, in some embodiments, the flow through the manifold can be a flow of liquid hydrogen, as per [reference to...]. Figure 1B Further detailed description. In some embodiments, for example, manifold 132 may include at least an inlet or inlet interface that is in fluid communication with storage module 120 (or at least one hydrogen tank 122 included therein), an outlet or outlet interface that is in fluid communication with one or more components of mobile platform 110, and one or more fluid flow paths between the inlet and the outlet. In some embodiments, for example Figure 1AIn the illustrated embodiment, manifold 132 is configured to interface with storage module 120 and / or one or more hydrogen tanks 122 stored therein, to allow hydrogen flow to be selectively transferred from storage module 120 to, for example, compressor 134. In some embodiments, manifold 132 is configured to allow hydrogen to flow between storage module 120 and, for example, filling interface 140 (e.g., bypassing compressor 134 and / or cooler 136).

[0056] The mobile platform 110 may include a single manifold 132 or multiple manifolds 132. For example, in some embodiments, the mobile platform 110 may include a single manifold 132 (or multiple manifolds 132 that collectively form a single flow path), which may engage the storage module 120 and / or one or more hydrogen tanks 122 to provide a single hydrogen jet or flow from the storage module 120 to one of the compressor 134, the refueling interface 140, or the power module 150, for example, in an embodiment where gaseous hydrogen is stored in the hydrogen tank 122. In other embodiments, the mobile platform 110 may include multiple manifolds 132 (or a single manifold 132 having multiple flow paths), which may engage the storage module 120 and / or one or more hydrogen tanks 122 to provide multiple parallel hydrogen jets or flows from the storage module 120 to the compressor 134, the refueling interface 140, the power module 150, etc.

[0057] In some embodiments, manifold 132 may include one or more components configured to control or manage the flow of hydrogen between storage module 120 and any suitable component of mobile platform 110. For example, manifold 132 may include a mechanical nozzle interface for receiving hydrogen from storage module 120 and / or delivering hydrogen to any suitable module of mobile platform 110. In some embodiments, manifold 132 may include a controller (e.g., a digital controller such as a programmable logic unit) configured to control one or more operations of manifold 132. In some embodiments, manifold 132 may include one or more safety valves, pressure sensors, and any other safety devices configured to selectively activate or deactivate, for example, in response to detecting pressure above a threshold pressure or an activation signal received from the controller, to suppress damage or prevent malfunction. In some embodiments, the controller may be manually operated (e.g., input is provided to the controller by a human operator) or at least semi-autonomous (e.g., configured to perform any suitable process based on input from any suitable source such as sensors, interfaces, valves, etc., substantially with or without human intervention).

[0058] In some embodiments where the stored fuel is gaseous hydrogen, system 100 includes a compression module 133. The compression module 133 of the mobile platform 110 can be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration, and / or can include any suitable components, sub-components, etc. For example, the compression module 133 can be any suitable structure that can include, house, contain, and / or connect (functionally and / or physically) any number of components. For example, in some embodiments, the compression module 133 can be a modular storage structure (e.g., similar to storage module 120) comprising multiple components and can be handled as an integrated or single component (e.g., loading, unloading, replacing, repairing, etc.). In other embodiments, the compression module 133 can be an assembly of various components, each having a modular arrangement that allows the component to be handled independently relative to other components of the compression module 133 and / or relative to the mobile platform 110. In this way, if a component of the compression module 133 requires maintenance, repair, and / or replacement, this arrangement allows the component to be replaced without substantially affecting the operation of other components included in the compression module 133.

[0059] like Figure 1A As shown, the compression module 133 may include at least one compressor 134. In some embodiments, the compression module 133 may further include at least one cooler 136, which is in communication with or configured to be placed in communication with the compressor 134. Although in Figure 1A While shown as a separate component, in some embodiments, the compression module 133 may also include a manifold 132 and / or a filling interface 140.

[0060] Compressor 134 can be of any suitable shape, size, and / or construction. In some embodiments, compressor 134 can be similar to and / or substantially the same as some known compressors configured to compress gases. For example, in some embodiments, compressor 134 can be and / or may include a diaphragm compressor, rotary compressor, etc., configured to compress and pressurize hydrogen received from hydrogen tank 122. In some embodiments, compressor 134 can be, for example, a high-pressure compressor configured to receive an input stream of pressurized gas and provide an output compressed / high-pressure gas stream at a pressure higher than the input gas stream. In some embodiments, for example, compressor 134 can receive a hydrogen stream at a pressure between about 200 bar and 400 bar and can output a high-pressure hydrogen stream at a pressure between about 400 bar and 1000 bar. Figure 1AAs shown, compressor 134 can be configured to provide a high-pressure hydrogen output stream to one or more coolers 136. Alternatively, compression module 133 (or its compressor 134) can be configured to provide a high-pressure hydrogen output stream to one or more other components, modules, interfaces, etc., of the mobile platform 110. In some cases, a high-pressure hydrogen stream may be desirable because it can be used to generate a hydrogen stream with a relatively high mass flow rate (e.g., approximately 4 kg / min of compressed hydrogen), which in turn reduces refueling time and improves the utilization of the equipment with hydrogen power unit 106.

[0061] In embodiments including multiple compressors 134, each of the compressors 134 is configured to receive a hydrogen stream and output a high-pressure hydrogen stream. In some such embodiments, the compressors 134 can operate in any number of parallel processes, and each compressor 134 can be configured to provide a high-pressure hydrogen output stream to different components, sub-components, or portions thereof (e.g., different coolers 136, different filling ports 140 or different portions of filling ports, one or more power modules 150, etc.). Furthermore, each of the compressors 134 can be configured to pressurize the hydrogen to the same or different pressures. In some cases, different compressors 134 can be configured to compress the hydrogen to different pressures, for example, corresponding to different desired inlet hydrogen pressures for various hydrogen power units 106 (e.g., the desired inlet hydrogen pressure for a hydrogen power unit 106 of a relatively small vehicle may differ from the desired inlet hydrogen pressure for a hydrogen power unit 106 of a relatively large vehicle (such as a large mining tractor truck). In other embodiments, compressor 134 can operate in any number of parallel processes, and each compressor 134 can be configured to provide a high-pressure hydrogen output stream to a single component (e.g., a single cooler 136 or filling port 140). For example, although not in Figure 1A As shown, however, in some such embodiments, the manifold, etc., can receive multiple high-pressure hydrogen input streams and can output a single high-pressure hydrogen stream, which is then provided to the refueling port 140 or to a single cooler 136 before being delivered to the refueling port. In such embodiments, the manifold can be substantially similar to manifold 132.

[0062] In some embodiments, the compression module 133 of the mobile platform 110 may also include any number of coolers 136. Coolers 136 may be of any suitable shape, size, and / or construction. In some embodiments, coolers 136 may be similar to and / or substantially the same as some known coolers configured to cool a flow or volume of fluid or gas. For example, in some embodiments, cooler 136 may include a pump configured to deliver a heat transfer fluid, such as a refrigerant (e.g., R-22, R-290, R-134a, R-450A, etc.), between the location where the heat transfer fluid is in thermal contact with hydrogen received from the compressor 134 and a heat sink (e.g., a radiator), in order to remove heat from the hydrogen.

[0063] like Figure 1A As shown, cooler 136 can be configured to receive a high-pressure hydrogen stream having a first temperature from compressor 134 (or a manifold therebetween) and deliver a high-pressure hydrogen stream having a second temperature lower than the first temperature to refueling port 140. In some cases, cooler 136 can provide a cooled high-pressure hydrogen stream to, for example, refueling port 140 and / or power module 150. For example, power module 150 may include a hydrogen power unit similar to or substantially the same as the hydrogen power unit 106. Thus, cooler 136 can provide a hydrogen stream that can refuel power module 150 (e.g., a stand-alone self-powered system) that provides power to mobile platform 110. In some embodiments, cooler 136 may be, for example, a gas cooler configured to receive an input stream of pressurized gas to cool the high-pressure gas (e.g., an isobaric process) without substantially changing its pressure and to provide a cold high-pressure gas output stream at a temperature lower than the temperature of the gas input stream.

[0064] For example, the ideal gas law is used to describe the relationship between the pressure, volume, and temperature of a gas, as shown in Equation 1 below: PV=nRT Equation 1 in P It's pressure. V It is volume. T It's temperature. n It is the amount of gas (in moles). R This is the ideal gas constant. Equation 2 below expresses the ideal gas law when comparing the same gas under two conditions: Equation 2 Therefore, cooling hydrogen without substantially changing its pressure results in a reduction in gas volume. In other embodiments, cooling hydrogen can reduce both its pressure and volume. In such embodiments, the pressure of the cooled hydrogen output from cooler 136 can be greater than the pressure of the hydrogen supplied to compressor 134.

[0065] For example, cooler 136 may receive a hydrogen gas stream from compressor 134, the hydrogen gas stream having a pressure between approximately 200 bar and 400 bar, inclusive, and a temperature between approximately 0 degrees Celsius (°C) and -80°C, inclusive, and a temperature ...

[0066] While the compression module 133 is described above as compressing hydrogen received from the storage module 120 and supplying high-pressure, possibly cooled hydrogen to the refueling interface 140, power module 150, and / or any other suitable component of the mobile platform 110, in some cases, the compression module 133 may provide a hydrogen flow with substantially no compression and / or substantially no cooling of the hydrogen. For example, in some embodiments, it may be desirable to provide a hydrogen flow with relatively low pressure. In cases where the mobile platform 110 is used to refuel relatively small vehicles with relatively low hydrogen storage volumes, the high volumetric flow rate that would normally be associated with a high-pressure output may be unnecessary. Thus, the compression module 133 may provide a hydrogen flow that is uncompressed or compressed to a lower pressure. In some other cases, the manifold 132 may be configured to bypass the compression module 133 and direct a lower-pressure hydrogen flow directly to the desired component.

[0067] Mobile platform 110 may include one or more refueling interfaces 140. Refueling interfaces 140 may be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. In some embodiments, refueling interfaces 140 may include one or more connectors, manifolds, hoses, nozzles, regulators, etc., configured to allow refueling interfaces 140 to engage with at least one of the refueling interfaces of refueling infrastructure 105 or hydrogen power unit 106 and to deliver a flow of hydrogen (e.g., hydrogen gas) thereto.

[0068] In some embodiments, the refueling interface 140 may include any suitable component configured to allow a high flow rate of hydrogen, suitable for transferring a relatively large amount of hydrogen to a storage tank, etc., associated with at least one of the refueling infrastructure 105 and / or the hydrogen power unit 106. Although not explicitly stated... Figure 1A As shown in the figure, however, in some embodiments, the filling interface 140 may be configured to provide a hydrogen flow to the power module 150.

[0069] In some embodiments, it may be desirable to deliver hydrogen at a minimum flow rate of at least about 4 kg / min. Further extending this, some known high-capacity / high-flow-rate hydrogen refueling systems can be configured to output a hydrogen flow with a relatively limited volumetric flow rate. However, in the large-scale embodiments described herein, such a flow rate may be insufficient and / or impractical. Therefore, in some embodiments, the refueling interface 140 may be configured to provide a hydrogen flow at a rate greater than that of known hydrogen refueling systems (e.g., about 4 kg / min, 5 kg / min, 6 kg / min, 7 kg / min, 8 kg / min, 9 kg / min, 10 kg / min, 15 kg / min, 20 kg / min, 25 kg / min, 30 kg / min or more) to allow for rapid filling and / or refueling of the hydrogen power unit 106.

[0070] The mobile platform 110 may include any number of power modules 150. The power modules 150 may be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. In some embodiments, the power modules 150 may have a modular configuration, allowing one or more power modules 150 to be handled independently relative to the mobile platform 110. For example, in embodiments including multiple power modules, if a power module 150 requires maintenance, repair, and / or replacement, such an arrangement allows for the replacement of that power module 150 without substantially affecting the operation of other power modules 150 or other modules of the mobile platform 110.

[0071] In some embodiments, power module 150 may be and / or may include one or more hydrogen power units, such as those similar to or substantially identical to hydrogen power unit 106. In such embodiments, for example, power module 150 may be configured to receive hydrogen flow directly from cooler 136 (or via a manifold or interface therebetween). In some embodiments, power module 150 may include one or more hydrogen tanks similar to and / or substantially identical to one of the hydrogen tanks 122 included in storage module 120. Thus, the hydrogen tanks may receive hydrogen flow from cooler 136, filling interface 140, etc., and consequently supply hydrogen to power module 150. In some embodiments, power module 150 may receive hydrogen flow directly from one or more hydrogen tanks 122 in storage module (or via a manifold or interface therebetween). The hydrogen flow supplied to power module 150 may include liquid or gaseous hydrogen. In other embodiments, power module 150 may be any suitable generator other than a hydrogen power unit.

[0072] Power module 150 is configured to provide power to at least compressor 134 and cooler 136. In some embodiments, power module 150 may provide power to storage module 120, refueling interface 140, and / or vehicle interface 160. In other embodiments, power module 150 may be configured to provide power to any other component, module, system, etc. For example, in some embodiments, mobile platform 110 may operate at a refueling location in an industrial work site such as a mine. In some such embodiments, power module 150 may provide a power flow operable to power one or more components at the refueling location (e.g., lighting system, refueling infrastructure 105, and / or any other components).

[0073] like Figure 1A As shown, power module 150 can supply or receive power flow to / from vehicle interface 160. For example, in some embodiments, power module 150 can output a power flow operable to power one or more electrical and / or electronic components of vehicle interface 160. Alternatively, power module 150 can supply a power flow (via vehicle interface 160) to vehicle 102, which is operable to power vehicle 102. That is, in some embodiments, vehicle 102 coupled to mobile platform 110 can be powered by power module 150 of mobile platform 110.

[0074] Although the power module 150 is described as being included in and / or coupled to the mobile platform 110, in some embodiments, the power module 150 may be and / or may include a power module 150 included in and / or otherwise powering the vehicle 102, such as... Figure 1A As shown. In such embodiments, the power module 150 of vehicle 102 may be a hydrogen-powered device, such as hydrogen-powered device 106. In other embodiments, the power module 150 of vehicle 102 may be any suitable generator. In some embodiments, the power module 150 of vehicle 102 may (via vehicle interface 160) provide a power flow to mobile platform 110 to power any of its modules and / or components. In some embodiments, the power module 150 of mobile platform 110 may be, for example, an energy storage device, such as one or more batteries, capacitors, etc., which may receive power from the power module 150 of vehicle 102. In such embodiments, the energy storage device may in turn provide power to storage module 120, compressor 134, cooler 136, refueling interface 140, vehicle interface 160 and / or any other suitable components and / or modules.

[0075] Figure 1BThis is a schematic diagram of a mobile hydrogen refueling system 100b, according to an embodiment, for storing liquid hydrogen and supplying gaseous hydrogen to a hydrogen-powered device. The mobile hydrogen refueling system 100b (“the System”) can be any suitable system configured to store and dispense a quantity of liquid hydrogen fuel to meet the needs of a large-scale industry as described with respect to System 100. Additionally, System 100b is mobile, i.e., it can be moved along the route of mining vehicles to a refueling location, such as a hydrogen refueling station, and remain stationed at that location for an extended period of time. In some embodiments, System 100b can be a mobile system similar to System 100, allowing it to move between locations (e.g., mining sites) and / or work areas of a given location (e.g., different work areas of a mining site). In some embodiments, System 100b can be modular and / or may include modular components, allowing for loading, unloading, servicing, replacement, etc., of components as needed or desired. In some embodiments, System 100b and / or one or more of its components can be configured for autonomous or at least semi-autonomous operation.

[0076] like Figure 1B As shown and further described in detail herein, system 100b is configured to store and, in some embodiments, transport liquid hydrogen and / or distribute hydrogen streams generated from the stored liquid hydrogen to one or more refueling infrastructures 105 and / or one or more hydrogen power units 106, as described with respect to system 100. Thus, system 100b is configured to store, transport, and / or distribute large quantities of liquid hydrogen suitable for such large-scale applications. In some embodiments, system 100b may be located at a location where refueling infrastructure is established for a long period (e.g., at least semi-permanently). For example, system 100b may be transported to the refueling location by vehicle 102 or any other vehicle or transport vehicle and remain at the refueling location for a predetermined period of time (e.g., until refueling is no longer desired or required at the refueling location).

[0077] As shown in the figure, system 100b includes a mobile platform 110b, which can be coupled to, for example, a heavy equipment vehicle 102 via a vehicle interface 160. In some embodiments, the vehicle 102 can be used to tow the mobile platform 110b to the refueling location and disconnect the mobile platform 110b after it has been deployed to the refueling location. This can provide the following benefits: reduced transportation and maintenance costs of the mobile platform 110b and the equipment mounted thereon, and reduced space occupation by disconnecting the vehicle 102 from the mobile platform 110b once deployed. In some embodiments, the mobile platform 110b can be a mobile platform similar to mobile platform 110 and is configured to remain coupled to the vehicle 102 (e.g., via the vehicle interface 160) and move between refueling infrastructures 105.

[0078] The mobile platform 110b may include, support, and / or be coupled to at least one storage module 120b, at least one manifold 132b, at least one transfer module 133b, a refueling interface 140, and at least one power module 150. The storage module 120b may be configured to store any number of hydrogen tanks 122 (e.g., cans, pipes, barrels, etc.), which are designed or configured to store liquid hydrogen, for example, at or below -253°C. One or more manifolds 132b allow the transfer module 133b to interface with and receive liquid hydrogen from the storage module 120b. In some embodiments, the transfer module 133b may include at least one heater 134b, a heat exchanger, an expander configured to generate gaseous hydrogen from the liquid hydrogen, and a pressure regulator 136b configured to control the pressure and / or flow rate of the gaseous hydrogen generated by the heater 134b or the expander to the refueling interface 140. Thus, the mobile platform 110b can selectively provide a cooled, relatively high-pressure hydrogen flow generated from the stored liquid hydrogen for distribution via the refueling interface 140. In other embodiments, the storage module 120b may be configured to store liquid hydrogen, and the system 100b may include a transfer module (e.g., instead of transfer module 133b) that may include any suitable components configured to transfer and / or deliver liquid hydrogen from the storage module 120b to the refueling interface 140. Such components may include, for example, pumps, valves, connectors, conduits, pressure gauges, etc.

[0079] Mobile platform 110b can be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. For example, mobile platform 110b can have a size exceeding one or more limitations associated with road travel. Therefore, mobile platform 110b is suitable for large-scale applications where such size limitations are not encountered. In some embodiments, mobile platform 110b may include a mobile platform, such as a trailer, which can be coupled to vehicle 102 via vehicle interface 160, similar to mobile platform 110. For example, although not explicitly stated... Figure 1B As shown, however, the mobile platform 110b may include a set of wheels connected to a platform, chassis, etc., which in turn support modules, components, etc., connected thereto. In some embodiments, instead of being mobile (i.e., interfaced with a vehicle), the mobile platform 110b may be configured to move to a desired location (e.g., along a route of a vehicle including a hydrogen-powered device) and remain at that location for an extended period of time. In such embodiments, the mobile platform 110b may include containers (e.g., shipping containers, cargo containers, flat rack containers, open-top containers, etc.), skid-mounted equipment, trailers, modular buildings, etc., that can be transported to and positioned at a refueling site. The mobile platform 110b may not be mounted on wheels, but can still be easily deployed at and from the refueling location. In some embodiments, the mobile platform 110b may be integrated with vehicle 102, as described with respect to system 100 and referenced herein. Figure 1C Further detailed description.

[0080] Although not in Figure 1B As shown, however, mobile platform 110b may include one or more features and / or structures that allow for modular arrangement and / or connection between mobile platform 110b and storage module 120b, transmission module 133b, power module 150 and / or any other suitable component or sub-component. For example, in some embodiments, mobile platform 110b may include rails, tracks, connectors, interfaces, etc., designed to removably engage one or more components and / or modules. In some embodiments, the modular arrangement of mobile platform 110b may allow for loading, unloading, servicing, replacement, etc., of any module and / or component as needed or desired. In some embodiments, the modular arrangement of mobile platform 110b may allow for “hot-swapping” of any module and / or component (e.g., replacing a module without interrupting the operation of other modules), as described with respect to mobile platform 110.

[0081] In some embodiments, the mobile platform 110b can be configured to provide maximum hydrogen storage and therefore may include a large storage module capable of storing a large number of hydrogen tanks (e.g., gaseous or liquid hydrogen) and / or may include multiple storage modules (which may replace other components such as the heater 134b and / or pressure regulator 136b of the transfer module 133b, etc.). In some cases, such a configuration may be suitable for mobile platforms designed to refuel other mobile or portable platforms, as referenced herein. Figure 1D Further detailed description.

[0082] Optionally, the mobile platform 110b may also include a housing 115, as described with respect to system 100. In some embodiments, the housing 115 may be thermally insulated or at least partially thermally insulated, which in turn may insulate one or more modules and / or components of the mobile platform 110b operating in a hot or cold environment, and / or provide additional thermal insulation for liquid hydrogen stored in the hydrogen tank 122b.

[0083] The mobile platform 110b may include any number of storage modules 120b. Storage modules 120b may be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. For example, in some embodiments, a storage module 120b may be a single integrated frame structure configured to store any number of hydrogen tanks 122b, etc. In other embodiments, a storage module 120b may include any number of frame structures and / or may be formed from any number of frame structures. In other words, the mobile platform 110b may be coupled to and / or may include a single storage module 120b configured to store any number of hydrogen tanks 122b, or may be coupled to and / or may include multiple storage modules 120b, each of which stores any number of hydrogen tanks 122b. In embodiments with multiple storage modules 120b, the frame, structure, etc., of each storage module 120b may be similar or different. In some embodiments, a storage module 120b may include an open frame structure, etc., designed to accommodate and / or secure the hydrogen tanks 122b. In other embodiments, storage module 120b may include a closed structure similar to and / or substantially the same as that of a through container, for example. In such an embodiment, storage module 120b may surround hydrogen tank 122b to, for example, protect hydrogen tank 122b from external conditions of the through container (e.g., weather, sunlight, potential debris, etc.).

[0084] Storage module 120b can be configured to store and / or contain any number of hydrogen tanks 122b. Hydrogen tanks 122b can be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. In some embodiments, hydrogen tanks 122b can be large pressure vessels configured to contain liquid hydrogen. In some embodiments, hydrogen tanks 122b can be similar to known tanks configured to store liquid hydrogen for typical or conventional use, and in some implementations can be large enough to store thousands of liters of liquid hydrogen, e.g., 20 ft or 40 ft ISO liquid hydrogen tanks. In other embodiments, hydrogen tanks 122b can be dedicated tanks that are larger in size than known tanks and / or configured to store a larger volume of hydrogen or a volume of hydrogen at a higher pressure. In some implementations, the amount of hydrogen stored by hydrogen tanks 122b in storage module 120b can be significantly greater than the amount of liquid hydrogen stored by some known high-capacity liquid hydrogen tank (or “pipe”) trailers. Hydrogen tank 122b can be cylindrical, spherical, or any other suitable shape, and can be configured to operate at pressures up to, for example, 1,035 kPa. Insulation 123b can be disposed around each hydrogen tank 122b or incorporated therein. Any suitable insulation can be used, such as fiberglass, foam, vacuum panels, etc. In some embodiments, hydrogen tank 122b may include an inner container in which liquid hydrogen is disposed; an outer container (e.g., a steel or carbon container) disposed around the inner container such that a space is formed between the inner and outer containers; and insulation 123b disposed in this space. In some embodiments, this space may be substantially evacuated, such that it is at approximately a vacuum pressure, and serves as insulation 123b. In some embodiments, the hydrogen tanks 122b stored by storage module 120b may collectively contain, for example, at least about 2,000 kg of hydrogen. In some embodiments, the storage module 120b may contain a total of at least about 3,000 kg of hydrogen, at least about 5,000 kg of hydrogen, at least about 10,000 kg of hydrogen, at least about 15,000 kg of hydrogen or more (including any amount or range therein).

[0085] In some embodiments, such storage capacity may be based at least in part on, for example, the number of hydrogen tanks 122b stored, the size or storage capacity of the hydrogen tanks 122b, and / or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, storage module 120b may include a single module (e.g., a single high-capacity tubular trailer, container, or skid-mounted unit) that contains, houses, or stores each hydrogen tank 122b. In some embodiments, storage module 120b may include multiple sub-modules that are coupled, linked, and / or stacked together. For example, sub-modules may include and / or may resemble some known high-capacity tubular trailers having dimensions (e.g., length) of about 20 feet (ft), 40 ft, etc. In some embodiments, storage module 12bc may include any combination of smaller or larger storage sub-modules. In some embodiments, sub-modules may include and / or may resemble some known 20 ft or 40 ft trailers that may include smaller sub-assemblies (e.g., racks, shelves, housings, etc.), each sub-assembly storing a group of one or more hydrogen tanks 122b.

[0086] As described above, in some embodiments, the storage module 120b (and / or its sub-modules) may be and / or may have a modular configuration, allowing the storage module 120b (and / or its sub-modules) to be removably coupled to the mobile platform 110b. In some cases, this arrangement may allow replacement of the storage module 120b (and / or one or more of its sub-modules), for example, when the hydrogen tank 122b is low or has dropped below a threshold amount, pressure, etc. In some embodiments, the mobile platform 110b may provide indications of the amount, pressure, and / or fill level of the hydrogen tank 122b in the storage module 120b. In some embodiments, replacement of the storage module 120b (e.g., replacing an empty or nearly empty module with a full module) may be performed autonomously or at least semi-autonomously.

[0087] Manifold 132b can be of any suitable shape, size, and / or construction. For example, manifold 132b can be and / or may include any suitable structure configured to define one or more flow paths for the flow of liquid hydrogen between any suitable components of storage module 120b and moving platform 110b. In some embodiments, insulation (e.g., fiberglass, foam, vacuum plate, etc.) may be provided around the manifold to substantially maintain the temperature of the liquid hydrogen as it is transferred from hydrogen tank 122b to transfer module 133b. Manifold 132b may include at least an inlet or inlet interface that is in fluid communication with storage module 120b (or at least one hydrogen tank 122b included therein), an outlet or outlet interface that is in fluid communication with one or more components of moving platform 110b, and one or more fluid flow paths between the inlet and outlet. In some embodiments, such as Figure 1BIn the illustrated embodiment, manifold 132b is configured to connect to one or more interfaces of storage module 120b and / or hydrogen tank 122b stored therein, to allow hydrogen flow to be selectively transferred from storage module 120b to, for example, heater 134b (or expander).

[0088] The mobile platform 110b may include a single manifold 132b or multiple manifolds 132b. For example, in some embodiments, the mobile platform 110b may include a single manifold 132b (or multiple manifolds 132b that together form a single flow path), which may engage with the storage module 120b and / or one or more hydrogen tanks 122b to provide a single hydrogen jet or flow from the storage module 120b to one of the heater 134b or pressure regulator 136b, refueling port 140, or power module 150. In other embodiments, the mobile platform 110b may include multiple manifolds 132b (or a single manifold 132b having multiple flow paths), which may engage with the storage module 120b and / or one or more hydrogen tanks 122b to provide multiple parallel hydrogen jets or flows from the storage module 120b to the heater 134b, pressure regulator 136b, refueling port 140, power module 150, etc.

[0089] In some embodiments, manifold 132b may include one or more components configured to control or manage the flow of liquid hydrogen between storage module 120b and any suitable component of mobile platform 110b. For example, manifold 132b may include a mechanical nozzle interface for receiving hydrogen from storage module 120b and / or transferring liquid hydrogen to any suitable module of mobile platform 110b. In some embodiments, manifold 132b may include a controller (e.g., a digital controller such as a programmable logic unit) configured to control one or more operations of manifold 132b. In some embodiments, manifold 132b may include one or more safety valves, pressure sensors, vapor (evaporation) collectors, and any other safety and / or efficiency devices configured to selectively activate or deactivate, for example, in response to detecting pressure above a threshold pressure or an activation signal received from a controller, to suppress damage or prevent malfunction. In some implementations, the controller may be manually operated (e.g., a human operator provides input to the controller) or may be at least semi-autonomous (e.g., configured to perform any suitable process based on input from any suitable source such as sensors, interfaces, valves, etc., with or without human intervention).

[0090] The transmission module 133b of the mobile platform 110b can be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration, and / or may include any suitable components, sub-components, etc. For example, the transmission module 133b can be any suitable structure that may include, house, contain, and / or connect (functionally and / or physically) any number of components. For example, in some embodiments, the transmission module 133b can be a modular storage structure (e.g., similar to storage module 120b) that includes multiple components and can be handled as an integrated or single component (e.g., loading, unloading, replacing, repairing, etc.). In other embodiments, the transmission module 133b can be a component of various components, each having a modular arrangement that allows the component to be handled independently relative to other components of the transmission module 133b and / or relative to the mobile platform 110b. In this way, if a component of the transmission module 133b requires maintenance, repair, and / or replacement, this arrangement allows the component to be replaced without substantially affecting the operation of other components included in the transmission module 133b.

[0091] like Figure 1B As shown, the transmission module 133b may include at least one heater 134b and / or pressure regulator 136b. The heater 134b may be in communication with or configured to be in communication with the pressure regulator 136b. Although in Figure 1B While shown as a separate component, in some embodiments, the transmission module 133b may also include a manifold 132b and / or a filling interface 140.

[0092] Heater 134b can be of any suitable shape, size, and / or construction. For example, in some embodiments, heater 134b may include an electric heater, a radiator, a heat exchanger, a fuel cell heater, any other suitable heater, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, heater 134b may be configured to evaporate liquid hydrogen to produce low-pressure hydrogen, for example, in the range of 200 bar to 400 bar, including extreme values. In other embodiments, heater 134b may be configured to evaporate liquid hydrogen to produce high-pressure hydrogen, for example, in the range of 400 bar to 1,000 bar.

[0093] like Figure 1BAs shown, heater 134b can be configured to provide a relatively high-pressure hydrogen output flow to one or more pressure regulators 136b. Alternatively, transfer module 133b (or its heater 134b) can be configured to provide a relatively high-pressure hydrogen output flow to one or more other components, modules, interfaces, etc., of the mobile platform 110b. In some cases, a relatively high-pressure hydrogen flow may be desirable because it can be used to generate a hydrogen flow with a relatively high mass flow rate (e.g., approximately 4 kg / min of compressed hydrogen), which in turn can reduce refueling time and improve the utilization of the equipment with hydrogen power unit 106.

[0094] In some embodiments, pressure regulator 136b may be configured to receive gaseous hydrogen from heater 134b and regulate the pressure of the gaseous hydrogen to deliver it to refueling port 140 at a desired pressure, for example, at a high pressure in the range of 400 bar to 1,000 bar (inclusive). Furthermore, pressure regulator 136b may be configured to deliver gaseous hydrogen to refueling port 140 at a relatively high mass flow rate (e.g., approximately 4 kg / min of compressed hydrogen).

[0095] In some embodiments, pressure regulator 136b may be configured to receive gaseous hydrogen from heater 134b (or expander) at a relatively high pressure and to regulate the pressure to an acceptable range for hydrogen power unit 106. In other embodiments, pressure regulator 136b may be configured to receive gaseous hydrogen at a relatively low pressure (e.g., below 400 bar) from heater 134b. In such embodiments, pressure regulator 136b may include one or more pumps or compressors to pressurize the gaseous hydrogen to a suitable pressure (e.g., in the range of 400 bar to 1000 bar) for delivery to hydrogen power unit 106 via refueling infrastructure 105.

[0096] In some embodiments, heaters 134b and / or pressure regulators 136b can operate in any number of parallel processes, and each heater 134b can be configured to provide a relatively high-pressure hydrogen output flow to different components, sub-components, or portions thereof (e.g., different pressure regulators 136b, different filling ports 140 or different portions of filling ports, one or more power modules 150 and / or the like). Furthermore, each heater 134b can be configured to heat hydrogen to the same temperature / pressure or different temperatures / pressures. In some embodiments, multiple heaters 134b can operate in any number of parallel processes, and each heater 134b can be configured to provide a hydrogen output flow to a single component (e.g., a single pressure regulator 136b or filling port 140). For example, although not in Figure 1BAs shown, however, in some such embodiments, the manifold, etc., can receive multiple liquid hydrogen gas input streams and can output a single hydrogen gas stream, which is then provided to the filling port 140 or to the pressure regulator 136b before being delivered to the filling port. In such embodiments, the manifold can be substantially similar to manifold 132b.

[0097] In some embodiments, pressure regulator 136b may be configured to receive hydrogen gas at a temperature, for example, between 0°C and -80°C (inclusive of any value and / or range therebetween) from heater 134b, and is configured to regulate the pressure of the gaseous hydrogen (e.g., between 200 bar and 1,000 bar) to supply it to refueling port 140.

[0098] In some implementations, it may be desirable to provide a hydrogen flow at a relatively low pressure. For example, in the case of mobile platform 110b used to refuel relatively small vehicles with relatively low hydrogen storage volumes, the high volumetric flow rate that would normally be associated with a high-pressure output may be unnecessary. Thus, transfer module 133b can provide an unpressurized hydrogen flow, for example, without pressurizing the gaseous hydrogen produced by evaporating liquid hydrogen. In some other cases, manifold 132b can be configured to bypass transfer module 133b and direct the lower-pressure hydrogen flow directly to the desired component.

[0099] Mobile platform 110b may include one or more refueling interfaces 140, as described in detail with respect to system 100, and therefore will not be described in detail here. Mobile platform 110 may include any number of power modules 150, as described in... Figure 1ADetailed description. In some embodiments, the power module 150 may be and / or may include one or more hydrogen power units, such as those similar to or substantially identical to the hydrogen power unit 106. In such embodiments, for example, the power module 150 may be configured to receive hydrogen flow directly from the pressure regulator 136b or the heater 134b (or via a manifold or interface therebetween). In some embodiments, the power module 150 may include one or more hydrogen tanks similar to and / or substantially identical to one of the hydrogen tanks 122b included in the storage module 120b. Thus, the hydrogen tanks 122b may receive hydrogen flow from the pressure regulator 136b, the filling interface 140, etc., and thereby supply hydrogen to the power module 150. In some embodiments, the power module 150 may receive liquid hydrogen flow directly from one or more of the hydrogen tanks 122b in the storage module (or via a manifold or interface therebetween). In some embodiments, when liquid hydrogen is transferred from hydrogen tank 122b to, for example, heater 134b and / or pressure regulator 136b (or as part of a process of heating or regulating the pressure of hydrogen flowing through transfer module 133b or filling port 140), power module 150 may receive a flow of hydrogen associated with and / or caused by the vaporization or accidental evaporation of liquid hydrogen. In other embodiments, power module 150 may be any suitable generator other than a hydrogen-powered device.

[0100] Power module 150 is configured to supply power to at least heater 134b and pressure regulator 136b. In some embodiments, power module 150 may supply power to storage module 120b, refueling interface 140, and / or vehicle interface 160. Various embodiments of power module 150 have been described in detail with respect to system 100, and therefore will not be described in further detail here.

[0101] Figure 1C It is shown in the second embodiment. Figure 1A A schematic diagram of a mobile hydrogen refueling system 100. Figure 1C The implementation shown is basically similar to Figure 1A The embodiments shown are illustrated, wherein similar reference numerals are depicted as shown with respect to... Figure 1A Similar components are described in detail in the embodiments shown. Further extending, system 100 includes a vehicle 102 and a mobile platform 110, for example, the mobile platform 110 is integrated with the vehicle 102, or optionally, is coupled to the mobile platform 110 via a vehicle interface 160. Figure 1CAs shown, the mobile platform 110 includes a storage module 120 that houses, contains, or includes multiple hydrogen tanks 122 for storing hydrogen. The mobile platform 110 also includes a compression module 133 having a compressor 134 and a cooler 136 (e.g., in an embodiment where gaseous hydrogen is stored in hydrogen tanks 122), and is configured to supply pressurized and cooled hydrogen to the hydrogen power unit 106 via a refueling infrastructure 105, as previously described herein. In some implementations where the storage module 120 is configured to store liquid hydrogen (e.g., including storage module 120b), Figure 1C The system 100 shown may include a heater 134b and / or a pressure regulator 136b in place of the compressor 134 and the cooler 136.

[0102] and Figure 1A Depending on the implementation, the power module 150 (e.g., a hydrogen power unit) may be included in the vehicle 102 and configured to provide power to the vehicle system 103 (e.g., electronics, motors, displays, meters, sensors, etc.) and the compression module 133 of the vehicle 102. In some embodiments, the power module 150 may additionally or alternatively be included in and / or connected to the mobile platform 110 and configured to provide power to the compression module 133 and / or the vehicle system 103. For example, the power module 150 included in the vehicle 102 may serve as a main power module to provide power to the vehicle system 103 and the compression module 133, and the power module 150 included in the mobile platform 110 may serve as an auxiliary power module (e.g., a backup or reserved power source) to provide backup power to the vehicle system 103 and / or the compression module 133 (e.g., when the power module 150's power and / or hydrogen is insufficient), or to provide backup power to the transmission module 133b in embodiments where liquid hydrogen is used as fuel.

[0103] Figure 1D yes Figure 1AA schematic diagram of a mobile hydrogen refueling system 100 is shown, illustrating a mobile platform 110 (e.g., a first mobile platform) and a second mobile platform 110A, which can be configured to refuel the first mobile platform 110. The second mobile platform 110A is coupled to a vehicle 102A via a vehicle interface 160A. A power module 150A (e.g., a hydrogen power unit) may be included in the vehicle 102A and is configured to provide power to the vehicle system (not shown), the vehicle interface 160A (e.g., for disconnecting or connecting the vehicle interface 160A to the second mobile platform 110A), and optionally to a refueling interface 140A included in the second mobile platform 110A. The vehicle 102A, power module 150A, and vehicle interface 160A may be substantially similar to the vehicle 102, power module 150, and vehicle interface 160 as described above.

[0104] The second mobile platform 110A is configured to provide a significantly larger hydrogen storage capacity than the first mobile platform 110, and can therefore be configured to supply hydrogen to the mobile platform 110 on-site (e.g., at a mining or other operational site). Thus, whenever the hydrogen stored on the mobile platform 110 is insufficient, the second mobile platform 110A can deliver hydrogen to the mobile platform 110, instead of the mobile platform 110 returning to the hydrogen production or storage location. In this way, continuous hydrogen delivery is possible, saving time and fuel, as only the second mobile platform 110A might have to travel to the hydrogen production or storage location. In some embodiments, the storage module 120A can be configured to store gaseous hydrogen. In some embodiments, the storage module 120A can be configured to store liquid hydrogen.

[0105] like Figure 1DAs shown, the second mobile platform 110A may include any number of storage modules 120A. Storage modules 120A may be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. For example, in some embodiments, a storage module 120A may be a single integrated frame structure configured to store any number of hydrogen tanks 122A (e.g., configured to store hydrogen gas or liquid hydrogen). In other embodiments, a storage module 120A may include multiple frame structures and / or may be formed from multiple frame structures. In other words, the second mobile platform 110A may be coupled to and / or may include a single storage module 120A configured to store multiple hydrogen tanks 122A, or may be coupled to and / or may include multiple storage modules 120A, each storing multiple hydrogen tanks 122A. In embodiments with multiple storage modules 120A, the frame, structure, etc., of each storage module 120 may be similar or different. In some embodiments, a storage module 120A may include an open frame structure designed to accommodate and / or secure the hydrogen tanks 122A. In other embodiments, storage module 120A may include a closed structure similar to and / or substantially the same as that of a transshipment container, for example. In such embodiments, storage module 120A may surround hydrogen tank 122A to, for example, protect hydrogen tank 122A from external conditions (e.g., weather, sunlight, potential debris, etc.) of the transshipment container. In embodiments where hydrogen tank 122A is configured to store liquid hydrogen, hydrogen tank 122A may include or be provided with insulation (e.g., insulation 123b) to maintain the liquid hydrogen contained therein at a temperature at which the liquid hydrogen is substantially maintained in its liquid state.

[0106] Storage module 120A can be configured to store and / or contain any number of hydrogen tanks 122A. However, unlike the first mobile platform 110, the storage module 120A of the second mobile platform 110A occupies a considerably larger area of ​​the second mobile platform 110A and includes a much larger number of hydrogen tanks 122A than the number of hydrogen tanks 122 included in the storage module 120 of the first mobile platform 110. For example, relative to the hydrogen tanks 122 included in the storage module 120 of the first mobile platform 110, storage module 120A can include 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or higher numbers of hydrogen tanks 122A. In this way, storage module 120A can provide 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or higher hydrogen storage capacity relative to storage module 120.

[0107] Hydrogen tank 122A can be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. In some embodiments, hydrogen tank 122A can be a large pressure vessel configured to contain compressed gas or liquid (i.e., hydrogen). In some embodiments, hydrogen tank 122A can be similar to a known tank configured to store compressed hydrogen for typical or conventional use. In some embodiments, hydrogen tank 122A can be similar to a known tank configured to store liquid hydrogen for typical or conventional use. In other embodiments, hydrogen tank 122A can be a dedicated tank that has a larger size than known tanks and / or is configured to store a larger volume of liquid or gaseous hydrogen, or to store a volume of hydrogen at a greater pressure. In some embodiments, hydrogen tank 122A can be substantially similar to hydrogen tank 122 included in the first mobile platform 110, or similar to hydrogen tank 122b included in mobile platform 110b. In some embodiments, at least a portion of hydrogen tank 122A included in mobile platform 110A can have a larger storage volume than each of the hydrogen tanks 122 included in mobile platform 110. For example, the amount of hydrogen stored by hydrogen tank 122A can be much greater than the amount of hydrogen stored by some known high-capacity hydrogen tank (or “pipe”) trailers, for example, at least about 2,000 kg of hydrogen. In some embodiments, the storage module 120A of mobile platform 110A can contain at least about 10,000 kg of hydrogen (e.g., 12,000 kg, 14,000 kg, 16,000 kg, 18,000 kg, 20,000 kg, 25,000 kg (inclusive) or more).

[0108] In some embodiments, such storage capacity may be based at least in part on, for example, the number of hydrogen tanks 122A stored, the size or storage capacity of the hydrogen tanks 122A, and / or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, storage module 120A may include a single module (e.g., a single high-capacity tubular trailer) that contains, houses, or stores each hydrogen tank 122A. In some embodiments, storage module 120A may include multiple sub-modules coupled, linked, or stacked together. For example, a sub-module may include a high-capacity tubular trailer (e.g., a 20 ft trailer or a 40 ft trailer, etc.). In some embodiments, storage module 120A may include any combination of smaller or larger storage sub-modules. In some embodiments, a sub-module may include a 20 ft or 40 ft trailer that may include smaller sub-assemblies (e.g., shelves, racks, housings, etc.), each sub-assembly storing a set of hydrogen tanks 122A.

[0109] As described above, in some embodiments, the storage module 120A may be and / or may have a modular configuration, allowing the storage module 120A to be removably coupled to the second mobile platform 110A. In some cases, this arrangement may allow replacement of the storage module 120A, for example, when the hydrogen tank 122A is low or has dropped below a threshold amount, pressure, etc. In some embodiments, the second mobile platform 110A may provide an indication of the amount, pressure, and / or fill level of the hydrogen tank 122A in the storage module 120A. In some embodiments, replacement of the storage module 120A (e.g., replacing an empty or nearly empty module with a full module) may be performed autonomously or at least semi-autonomously.

[0110] The second mobile platform 110A also includes a refueling interface 140A configured to selectively transfer hydrogen stored in storage module 120A to storage module 120. In some embodiments, the pressure of hydrogen stored in storage tank 122A of storage module 120A may be higher than the pressure of hydrogen tank 122 of storage module 120, such that when refueling interface 140A is connected to storage module 120 and refueling interface 140A is activated (e.g., a valve included in refueling interface 140A is opened), the higher pressure in hydrogen tank 122A causes hydrogen to be transferred from hydrogen tank 122A to hydrogen tank 122 along a pressure gradient through refueling interface 140A. In some embodiments, refueling interface 140A may include a pump, compressor, or electrically activated sensors, actuators, etc., which may be powered by electricity provided, for example, by power module 150A. In some embodiments using liquid hydrogen, the second mobile platform 110A may include a heater 134b and / or a pressure regulator 136b to generate gaseous hydrogen from liquid hydrogen and supply gaseous hydrogen to the filling port 140A at a desired pressure.

[0111] Although not in Figure 1D As shown, however, in embodiments using liquid hydrogen, any other / additional parts of the storage module 120A, hydrogen tank 122A, and / or the second mobile platform 110A, as well as any other / additional parts of the storage module 120, hydrogen tank 122, manifold 132, compression module 133, and / or mobile platform 110, may include a vaporization or vapor management system configured to capture vaporized or evaporated hydrogen. In some embodiments, mobile platform 110 and / or 110A may include Figure 1DAdditional components, not shown, such as compressors, reliquefaction units, etc., are configured to process vaporized or evaporated hydrogen, thereby allowing the processed hydrogen (e.g., gaseous or liquid) to be returned to hydrogen tanks 122 and / or 122A, power modules 150 and / or 150A and / or any other suitable components. Additionally or alternatively, any other / additional portion of hydrogen tank 122A and / or the second mobile platform 110A, as well as storage module 120, hydrogen tank 122, manifold 132, compression module 133 and / or any other / additional portion of mobile platform 110, may include a pumping system configured to pressurize liquid hydrogen to a pressure higher than that of the liquid hydrogen tanks in mining vehicle 102, and may be used to transfer the pressurized liquid hydrogen to the liquid hydrogen tanks in mining vehicle 102.

[0112] In some embodiments, any mining vehicle or hydrogen-powered device described herein can be configured to store and operate with liquid hydrogen (LH2). To accommodate such a mining vehicle or hydrogen-powered device, the mobile or portable hydrogen refueling system described herein can be configured to store liquid hydrogen and deliver it to such a mining vehicle or hydrogen-powered device as needed. For example, Figure 1E This is a schematic diagram of a mobile hydrogen refueling system 100e, which stores liquid hydrogen and supplies it to a mining vehicle 106e in a first configuration according to an embodiment (in this embodiment for illustrative purposes, but as noted, instead of a mining vehicle, the mobile hydrogen refueling system 100e can supply liquid hydrogen to any hydrogen-powered device). The mining vehicle also stores liquid hydrogen and uses liquid hydrogen as its fuel source. Figure 1F This is a schematic diagram of the mobile hydrogen refueling system 100e in the second configuration, as described in further detail herein.

[0113] The mobile hydrogen refueling system 100e (“System”) can be any suitable system configured to store and distribute a quantity of liquid hydrogen fuel to meet the needs of a large-scale industry as described with respect to System 100. Additionally, System 100e is mobile, i.e., it can be moved along the route of mining vehicles to a refueling location, such as a hydrogen refueling station, and remain stationed at the refueling location for an extended period of time. In some embodiments, System 100e can be a mobile system similar to System 100, allowing it to move between locations (e.g., mining sites) and / or work areas of a given location (e.g., different work areas of a mining site). In some embodiments, System 100e can be modular and / or may include modular components, thereby allowing components to be loaded, unloaded, repaired, replaced, etc., as needed or desired. In some embodiments, System 100e and / or one or more of its components may be configured for autonomous or at least semi-autonomous operation.

[0114] Unlike systems 100 and 100b, system 100e is configured to supply liquid hydrogen to a mining vehicle 106e, which includes a mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e also configured to store liquid hydrogen. The mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e can be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. In some embodiments, the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e can be a large pressure vessel configured to contain liquid hydrogen. In some embodiments, the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e can be similar to known tanks configured to store liquid hydrogen for typical or conventional use, and in some embodiments, can be large enough to store thousands of liters of liquid hydrogen. The mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e can be cylindrical, spherical, or any other suitable shape and can be configured for use at any suitable pressure (e.g., atmospheric pressure or any suitable pressure above atmospheric pressure, such as about 1345 kPa). In some embodiments, the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e may include an inner container in which liquid hydrogen is disposed, and an outer container (e.g., a steel or carbon container) disposed around the inner container, such that a space is formed between the inner and outer containers. In some embodiments, the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e may include a 20 ft ISO LH2 tank or a 40 ft ISO LH2 tank configured to hold approximately 1,000 kg of LH2.

[0115] like Figure 1E As shown and further described in detail herein, system 100e is configured to store and, in some embodiments, transport liquid hydrogen and / or distribute liquid hydrogen streams to one or more refueling infrastructures 105e and / or one or more mining vehicle LH2 tanks 107e, which may be included in mining vehicle 106e or other hydrogen-powered units (e.g., hydrogen-powered unit 106 or any other hydrogen-powered unit described herein). Thus, system 100e is configured to store, transport, and / or distribute large quantities of liquid hydrogen suitable for such large-scale applications. In some embodiments, system 100e may be located at a location where refueling infrastructure is established for a long period (e.g., at least semi-permanently). For example, system 100e may be transported to the refueling location by vehicle 102 or any other vehicle or transport agency and remain at the refueling location for a predetermined period of time (e.g., until refueling is no longer desired or required at the refueling location).

[0116] As shown in the figure, system 100e includes a mobile platform 110e that can be coupled to, for example, a heavy equipment vehicle 102 via a vehicle interface 160. In some embodiments, the vehicle 102 can be used to tow the mobile platform 110e to the refueling location and disconnect the mobile platform 110e after it has been deployed at the refueling location. This can provide the following benefits: reduced transportation and maintenance costs of the mobile platform 110e and the equipment mounted thereon, and reduced space occupation by disconnecting the vehicle 102 from the mobile platform 110e once deployed. In some embodiments, the mobile platform 110e may be a mobile platform similar to mobile platform 110b and is configured to remain coupled to the vehicle 102 (e.g., via the vehicle interface) and move between refueling infrastructures 105e.

[0117] The mobile platform 110e may include, support, and / or be coupled to at least one storage module 120e, at least one transfer module 133e, a refueling interface 140e, and at least one power module 150e. The storage module 120e may be configured to store any number of hydrogen tanks 122e (e.g., cans, pipes, barrels, etc.) designed or configured to store liquid hydrogen, for example, at or below -253°C. Although not shown, the mobile platform 110e may also include one or more manifolds (e.g., one or more manifolds 132b) configured to allow the transfer module 133e to interface with and receive liquid hydrogen from the storage module 120e or to transfer liquid or gaseous hydrogen back to the hydrogen tanks 122e. Furthermore, the mobile platform 110e and / or the storage module 120e may also include any suitable vaporization or vapor management system configured to capture and optionally compress or reliquefy evaporated hydrogen.

[0118] In such Figure 1E In the first configuration shown, the transfer module 133e is configured to receive liquid hydrogen from the storage module 120e (e.g., via one or more manifolds) and supply liquid hydrogen to the refueling infrastructure 105e or the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e at a desired pressure and / or temperature. In some cases, the transfer of liquid hydrogen may be based on the relative pressure difference between the hydrogen tank 122e and the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e and / or may be responsive to any other power source (e.g., pump, gravity supply, etc.). In some embodiments, the transfer module 133e may also be configured to supply liquid hydrogen based on the relative pressure difference between the hydrogen tank 122e and the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e, such as... Figure 1F The second configuration shown provides a reverse flow of liquid hydrogen from LH2 tank 107e to hydrogen tank 122e.

[0119] The mobile platform 110e can be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. For example, the mobile platform 110e can have a size exceeding one or more limitations associated with road travel. Therefore, the mobile platform 110e is suitable for large-scale applications where such size limitations are not encountered. In some embodiments, the mobile platform 110e may include a mobile platform, such as a trailer, which can be coupled to a vehicle 102 via a vehicle interface 160, similar to the mobile platform 110. For example, although not explicitly stated... Figure 1E As shown, however, the mobile platform 110e may include a set of wheels attached to a platform, chassis, etc., which in turn support modules, components, etc., connected thereto. In some embodiments, instead of being mobile (i.e., interfaced with a vehicle), the mobile platform 110e may be configured to move to a desired location (e.g., along a route of a vehicle including a hydrogen-powered device) and remain at that location for an extended period of time. In such embodiments, the mobile platform 110e may include containers (e.g., shipping containers, cargo containers, flat rack containers, open-top containers, etc.), skid-mounted equipment, trailers, modular buildings, etc., that can be transported to and located at a refueling site. The mobile platform 110e may not be mounted on wheels, but can still be easily deployed at and moved from the refueling location. In some embodiments, the mobile platform 110e may be integrated with vehicle 102, as described with respect to system 100.

[0120] Although not in Figure 1E As shown, however, mobile platform 110b may include one or more features and / or structures that allow for modular arrangement and / or connection between mobile platform 110e and storage module 120e, transmission module 133e, power module 150e and / or any other suitable component or sub-component. For example, in some embodiments, mobile platform 110e may include rails, tracks, connectors, interfaces, etc., designed to removably engage one or more components and / or modules. In some embodiments, the modular arrangement of mobile platform 110e may allow for loading, unloading, servicing, replacement, etc., of any module and / or component as needed or desired. In some embodiments, the modular arrangement of mobile platform 110e may allow for “hot-swapping” of any module and / or component (e.g., replacing a module without interrupting the operation of other modules), as described with respect to mobile platform 110.

[0121] In some embodiments, the mobile platform 110e can be configured to provide maximum hydrogen storage and therefore may include a large storage module capable of storing one or more liquid hydrogen tanks 122e and / or may include multiple storage modules. In some instances, such a configuration may be suitable for mobile platforms designed to refuel other mobile or mobile platforms, as referenced herein. Figure 1D Further detailed description. In some embodiments, the storage module 120e of the mobile platform 110e is configured to include, hold, or carry a single liquid hydrogen tank 122e.

[0122] Optionally, the mobile platform 110e may also include a housing 115e (e.g., housing 115 as described with respect to system 100). In some embodiments, housing 115e may be thermally insulated or at least partially thermally insulated, which in turn insulates one or more modules and / or components of the mobile platform 110e operating in a hot or cold environment, and / or provides additional insulation for liquid hydrogen stored in hydrogen tank 122e.

[0123] The mobile platform 110e may include any number of storage modules 120e. Storage modules 120e may be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. For example, in some embodiments, a storage module 120e may be a single integrated frame structure configured to store any number of hydrogen tanks 122e (e.g., one or more). In other embodiments, a storage module 120e may include any number of frame structures and / or may be formed from any number of frame structures. In other words, the mobile platform 110e may be coupled to and / or may include a single storage module 120e configured to store any number of hydrogen tanks 122e (e.g., one or more), or may be coupled to and / or may include multiple storage modules 120e, each storing any number of hydrogen tanks 122e. In embodiments with multiple storage modules 120e, the frame, structure, etc., of each storage module 120e may be similar or different. In some embodiments, a storage module 120e may include an open frame structure designed to accommodate and / or secure the hydrogen tanks 122e. In other embodiments, the storage module 120e may include a closed structure similar to and / or substantially the same as that of a intermodal container. In such embodiments, the storage module 120e may surround the hydrogen tanks 122e to, for example, protect them from external conditions of the intermodal container (e.g., weather, sunlight, potential debris, etc.).

[0124] Storage module 120e can be configured to store and / or contain any number of hydrogen tanks 122e (e.g., one or more). Hydrogen tanks 122e can be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. In some embodiments, hydrogen tanks 122e can be large pressure vessels configured to contain liquid hydrogen. In some embodiments, hydrogen tanks 122e can be similar to known tanks configured to store liquid hydrogen for typical or conventional use, and in some embodiments, can be large enough to store thousands of liters of liquid hydrogen. In other embodiments, hydrogen tanks 122e can be dedicated tanks that are larger in size than known tanks and / or configured to store a larger volume of hydrogen or a volume of hydrogen at a higher pressure. In some embodiments, the amount of hydrogen stored by hydrogen tanks 122e in storage module 120e can be significantly greater than the amount of liquid hydrogen stored by some known high-capacity liquid hydrogen tank (or “pipe”) trailers. Hydrogen tanks 122e can be cylindrical, spherical, or any other suitable shape and can be configured to operate at pressures up to, for example, 1,035 kPa. The insulation 123e may be disposed around or incorporated as part of the hydrogen tank 122e. Any suitable insulation can be used, such as fiberglass, foam, vacuum panels, etc. In some embodiments, the hydrogen tank 122e may include an inner container in which liquid hydrogen is disposed; an outer container (e.g., a steel or carbon container) disposed around the inner container such that a space is formed between the inner and outer containers; and the insulation 123e disposed in the space. In some embodiments, the space may be substantially evacuated, such that the space is at approximately a vacuum pressure, and serves as the insulation 123e. In some embodiments, the storage module 120e may include a plurality of hydrogen tanks 122e stored by the storage module 120e, which may collectively contain, for example, at least about 1,000 kg of hydrogen. In some embodiments, the storage module 120e may collectively contain at least about 2,000 kg of hydrogen, at least about 5,000 kg of hydrogen, at least about 10,000 kg of hydrogen, at least about 15,000 kg of hydrogen, or more (inclusive of any amount or range therein). In some embodiments, one or more hydrogen tanks 122e may include 20 ft ISO or 40 ft ISO liquid hydrogen tanks configured to hold approximately 1,000 kg of liquid hydrogen.

[0125] In some embodiments, such storage capacity may be based at least in part on, for example, the number of hydrogen tanks 122e stored, the size or storage capacity of the hydrogen tanks 122e, and / or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, storage module 120e may include a single module (e.g., a single high-capacity tubular trailer, container, or skid-mounted unit) that contains, houses, or stores hydrogen tanks 122e. In some embodiments, storage module 120e may include multiple sub-modules that are coupled, linked, and / or stacked together. For example, sub-modules may include and / or may resemble some known high-capacity tubular trailers having dimensions (e.g., length) of approximately 20 feet (ft), 40 ft, etc. In some embodiments, storage module 120e may include any combination of smaller or larger storage sub-modules. In some embodiments, sub-modules may include and / or may resemble some known 20 ft or 40 ft trailers that may include smaller sub-assemblies (e.g., racks, shelves, housings, etc.), each storing a group of one or more hydrogen tanks 122e.

[0126] As described above, in some embodiments, the storage module 120e (and / or its sub-modules) may be and / or may have a modular configuration, allowing the storage module 120e (and / or its sub-modules) to be removably coupled to the mobile platform 110e. In some cases, this arrangement may allow replacement of the storage module 120e (and / or one or more of its sub-modules), for example, when the hydrogen tank 122e is low or has dropped below a threshold amount, pressure, etc. In some embodiments, the mobile platform 110e may provide indication of the amount, pressure, and / or fill level of the hydrogen tank 122e in the storage module 120e. In some embodiments, replacement of the storage module 120e (e.g., replacing an empty or nearly empty module with a full module) may be performed autonomously or at least semi-autonomously.

[0127] In some embodiments, hydrogen tank 122e can be releasably coupled to storage module 120e via connector 125e (e.g., coupled to a manifold included in storage module 120e). In some embodiments, connector 125e may include a bayonet connector. Such a connector may include a male connector at one end (e.g., at one end of hydrogen tank 122e or a fluid conduit or hose coupled thereto), which may include guide pins and slots configured to allow for easy alignment and secure connection. In some embodiments, the coupling of hydrogen tank 122e to storage module 120e may include an inerting cycle using gaseous nitrogen to remove oxygen from the connection volume between hydrogen tank 122e and storage module 120e, a purging cycle using gaseous hydrogen to remove any residual nitrogen remaining from the inerting cycle, and a cooling cycle to cool the volume to an LH2 temperature, after which liquid hydrogen can be transferred from the hydrogen tank to other components of storage module 120e and transfer module 133e. In some embodiments, storage module 120e may include a quick-connect / disconnect coupling for quickly connecting hydrogen tank 122e to storage module 120e, thereby eliminating the need for inerting, purging, and / or cooling cycles. Examples of quick-connect / disconnect couplings include, but are not limited to: breakaway couplings configured to automatically disconnect when a force is applied to prevent damage to the system and reduce the risk of leakage; cryogenic quick-disconnect devices constructed of refrigerant materials configured to withstand low temperatures and including self-sealing valves to prevent leakage upon disconnection; latch connectors configured to withstand vibration and movement and including positive locking mechanisms to ensure the connector remains attached until intentionally released; threaded connectors; quick-release clamps including clamps that hold the connectors together; and / or dry disconnect couplings configured to minimize spillage and reduce the risk of contamination during disconnection.

[0128] In some embodiments, system 100e may include a high-pressure system, wherein hydrogen tank 122e is at a first pressure including high pressure, for example, a pressure higher than that of mining transport LH2 tank 107e. In some embodiments, the high pressure may be in the range of about 7 bar to about 12 bar, including end values ​​(e.g., 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 bar, including end values). In such embodiments, system 100e (e.g., transfer module 133e) may include one or more evaporators configured to evaporate a portion of the liquid hydrogen delivered from hydrogen tank 122e and produce gaseous hydrogen, which is returned to hydrogen tank 122e. The gaseous hydrogen is configured to maintain a pressure head on the liquid hydrogen in hydrogen tank 122e to keep the liquid hydrogen at high pressure.

[0129] For example, such as Figures 1E to 1FAs shown, system 100e may include a first vaporizer 134e1 configured to be fluidly coupled to hydrogen tank 122e and configured to receive a portion of liquid hydrogen therefrom. The first vaporizer 134e1 may include an electric heater, radiator, heat exchanger, fuel cell heater, ambient heater, ambient heat exchanger, coil heat exchanger, shell-and-tube heat exchanger, radiator, heater, any other suitable heat exchanger, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the first vaporizer 134e1 includes an ambient heat exchanger, i.e., any heat exchanger exposed to ambient temperature (e.g., a shell-and-tube heat exchanger), for exchanging heat with the liquid hydrogen flowing therethrough to vaporize the liquid hydrogen. The first vaporizer 134e1 is configured to receive a portion of liquid hydrogen from hydrogen tank 122e and vaporize the liquid hydrogen to produce hydrogen gas. Hydrogen is recirculated back to hydrogen tank 122e to provide a hydrogen pressure head on the liquid hydrogen contained in hydrogen tank 122e, for example, to maintain or increase the pressure of the liquid hydrogen in the hydrogen tank to a high pressure. Although Figure 1E and Figure 1F A first vaporizer 134e1 is shown disposed within the housing 115e, but in some embodiments, the first vaporizer 134e1 may be integrated with and / or included in the hydrogen tank 122e and the storage module 120e. The pressure of the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e is lower than that of the hydrogen tank 122e; therefore, when the refueling port 140e is fluidly connected to the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e (e.g., via refueling infrastructure 105e), liquid hydrogen flows along the pressure gradient from the hydrogen tank 122e to the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e. By venting any gaseous hydrogen that may be present in the mining vehicle LH2 tank to the atmosphere, the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e can be maintained at a pressure lower than that of the hydrogen tank 122e.

[0130] In some embodiments, a flare stack may be coupled to the gaseous hydrogen vent of the mining vehicle's LH2 tank to combust the emitted gaseous hydrogen in a controlled manner. In other embodiments, the emitted gaseous hydrogen may be recycled back to hydrogen tank 122e. For example, in some embodiments, system 100e may include a return line configured to selectively return at least a portion of the gaseous hydrogen generated from liquid hydrogen transferred from hydrogen tank 122e to mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e, or gaseous hydrogen released from mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e, back to hydrogen tank 122e. For example, system 100e may include a vaporization or vapor management and / or recapture system configured to collect gaseous and / or evaporated hydrogen at any suitable point along the flow path between hydrogen tank 122e and LH2 tank 107e.

[0131] In some embodiments, the refueling interface 140e may be releasably coupled to the refueling infrastructure 105e via a bayonet connector or otherwise coupled to the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e. In such embodiments, inerting, purging, and / or cooling cycles may be performed after the refueling interface 140e is coupled to the refueling infrastructure or the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e (e.g., via the refueling infrastructure 105e), after coupling, but before LH2 is transferred from the hydrogen tank 122e to the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e, as previously described herein. In some embodiments, the refueling interface 140e may be releasably coupled to the refueling infrastructure 105e or otherwise coupled to the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e via a quick-connect / disconnect coupling (e.g., any quick-connect / disconnect coupling previously described herein), which may avoid the use of inerting, purging, and / or cooling cycles.

[0132] In some embodiments, system 100e may be a low-pressure system, i.e., a system in which hydrogen tank 122e has a first pressure, which is a low pressure, for example, a pressure approximately equal to or less than the pressure of mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e. In some embodiments, the low pressure may be in the range of 3 bar to about 7 bar, including end values ​​(e.g., about 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 bar, including end values). In such embodiments, transfer module 133e (e.g., pressure regulator 136e or any other suitable location of transfer module 133e) may include one or more pumps (e.g., centrifugal pumps, vacuum pumps, positive displacement pumps, etc.) configured to pressurize liquid hydrogen received from hydrogen tank 122e of storage module 120e from the first pressure to a second pressure greater than the first pressure, and to transfer the pressurized liquid hydrogen to mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e. The second pressure may be in the range of about 7 bar to about 12 bar, including end values ​​(e.g., about 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 bar, including end values). In this implementation, the first vaporizer 134e1 can be omitted.

[0133] In some embodiments, system 100e may include one or more manifolds (e.g., regarding...). Figure 1B The described manifold 132b allows liquid hydrogen to be transferred from storage module 120e to transfer module 133e. In some embodiments, storage module 120e may be releasably coupled to transfer module 133e via a bayonet connector. In some embodiments, storage module 120e may be releasably coupled to transfer module 133e via a quick-connect / disconnect coupling. The manifold can be of any suitable shape, size, and / or construction. For example, the manifold can be and / or may include any suitable structure configured to define one or more flow paths for the flow of liquid hydrogen between any suitable component of storage module 120e and mobile platform 110e.

[0134] In some implementations, insulation (e.g., fiberglass, foam, vacuum panels, etc.) may be provided around the manifold to substantially maintain the temperature of the liquid hydrogen as it is transferred from the hydrogen tank 122e to the transfer module 133e. The manifold may include at least an inlet or inlet port that is in fluid communication with the storage module 120e (or at least one of the hydrogen tanks 122e included therein), an outlet or outlet port that is in fluid communication with one or more components of the mobile platform 110e, and one or more fluid flow paths between the inlet and outlet. The mobile platform 110e may include a single manifold or multiple manifolds. For example, in some embodiments, the mobile platform 110e may include a single manifold or multiple manifolds that collectively form a single flow path that may engage the storage module 120e and / or one or more hydrogen tanks 122e to provide a single hydrogen stream or flow from the storage module 120e to one of the transfer module 133e, the refueling port 140e, or the power module 150e. In other embodiments, the mobile platform 110e may include multiple manifolds (or a single manifold with multiple flow paths) that may engage the storage module 120e and / or one or more hydrogen tanks 122e to provide multiple parallel hydrogen jets or flows from the storage module 120e to the transfer module 133e, the refueling interface 140e, the power module 150e, etc. In some implementations, the manifold may include one or more components configured to control or manage the flow of liquid hydrogen between the storage module 120e and any suitable component of the mobile platform 110e, for example, as per [reference to...]. Figure 1B The manifold 132b is described in detail and therefore will not be described in further detail.

[0135] The transmission module 133e of the mobile platform 110b can be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration, and / or may include any suitable components, sub-components, etc. For example, the transmission module 133e can be any suitable structure that may include, house, contain, and / or connect (functionally and / or physically) any number of components. For example, in some embodiments, the transmission module 133e can be a modular storage structure (e.g., similar to storage module 120e) that includes multiple components and can be handled as an integrated or single component (e.g., loading, unloading, replacing, repairing, etc.). In other embodiments, the transmission module 133e can be a component of various components, each having a modular arrangement that allows the component to be handled independently relative to other components of the transmission module 133e and / or relative to the mobile platform 110e. In this way, if a component of the transmission module 133e requires maintenance, repair, and / or replacement, this arrangement allows the component to be replaced without substantially affecting the operation of other components included in the transmission module 133b.

[0136] like Figure 1E As shown, the transfer module 133e may include a pressure regulator 136e configured to supply liquid hydrogen from hydrogen tank 122e to refueling port 140e. The pressure regulator 136e may include any suitable components to enable the transfer of liquid hydrogen from or to hydrogen tank 122e at any desired pressure or flow rate. Suitable components may include, but are not limited to, pumps (e.g., piston pumps or centrifugal pumps), blowers, pressure controllers (e.g., front or back pressure controllers, pneumatic actuators, electric actuators, etc.), valves (e.g., gate valves, ball valves, shut-off valves, check valves, butterfly valves, three-way valves, etc.), temperature sensors, pressure sensors, etc., to enable control of the pressure, flow rate, or direction of the flow between hydrogen tank 122e and mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e. In some embodiments, pressure regulator 136e may include one or more pumps to pressurize liquid hydrogen to a pressure higher than that of mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e, for example, when hydrogen tank 122e is at a low pressure, as previously described herein.

[0137] In some embodiments, in a first configuration, the transfer module 133e may be configured to receive a first stream of liquid hydrogen from the hydrogen tank 122e, transfer a first portion of the first stream to the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e, and transfer a second portion of the first stream back to the hydrogen tank 122e. In a second configuration, the transfer module 133e may be configured to receive a second stream of liquid or gaseous hydrogen from the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e, transfer a second portion of the second stream to the hydrogen tank 122e, and transfer a second portion of the second stream back to the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e. In some embodiments, the transfer module 133e may be configured to support a flow rate of liquid hydrogen in the range of about 30 kg / min to about 70 kg / min (including endpoints) (e.g., about 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65 or 70 kg / min, including endpoints) and a pressure in the range of about 7 bar to about 12 bar (including endpoints) (e.g., about 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 bar, including endpoints), for example, receiving high-pressure liquid hydrogen from hydrogen tank 122e, or pressurizing low-pressure hydrogen received by hydrogen tank 122e to high pressure via a pump, as previously described.

[0138] The transmission module 133e may include a second vaporizer 134e2, which may be structurally and functionally similar to the first vaporizer 134e1. Although in Figure 1E and Figure 1FWhile shown as a separate component, in some embodiments, the transfer module 133e may also include a manifold (not shown) and / or a filling port 140e. The second vaporizer 134e2 can be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. For example, in some embodiments, the second vaporizer 134e2 may include an electric heater, a radiator, a heat exchanger, a fuel cell heater, an ambient heater, an ambient heat exchanger, a coil heat exchanger, a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, a radiator, a heater, any other suitable heat exchanger, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the second vaporizer 134e2 includes an ambient heat exchanger. In some embodiments, the second vaporizer 134e2 may be configured to evaporate liquid hydrogen to produce low-pressure hydrogen, for example, in the range of 200 bar to 400 bar. In other embodiments, the second vaporizer 134e2 may be configured to evaporate liquid hydrogen to produce high-pressure hydrogen, for example, in the range of 400 bar to 1,000 bar, including extreme values.

[0139] like Figure 1E and Figure 1F As shown, the second vaporizer 134e2 is configured to receive a portion of liquid hydrogen supplied from hydrogen tank 122e to pressure regulator 136b, for example, when the pressure in tank 107e of the mining vehicle LH2 exceeds a predetermined pressure, and to vaporize the liquid hydrogen to produce gaseous hydrogen. The gaseous hydrogen is then returned to hydrogen tank 122e. In some embodiments, transfer module 133e may include one or more valves to control the direction or flow path of liquid or gaseous hydrogen between various components of system 100e. For example, transfer module 133e may include at least a first valve 141e in a pipeline downstream of the second vaporizer 134e2, which fluidly connects the second vaporizer 134e2 to hydrogen tank 122e. The transfer module 133e may also include a second valve 143e located in a pipeline fluidly connecting the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e to the atmosphere (e.g., an atmospheric vent in a safe location) downstream of the second gasifier 134e2 but upstream of the first valve 141e, and a third valve 145e located in a pipeline fluidly connecting the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e to the atmosphere (e.g., an atmospheric vent in a safe location). Furthermore, the transfer module 133e may also include a fourth valve 147e located in a pipeline fluidly connecting a location downstream of the first valve 141e to the atmosphere (e.g., an atmospheric vent in a safe location). Although shown as included in the transfer module 133e, one or more of valves 141e, 143e, 145e, and 147e may be located in the filling port 140e. The transfer module 133e may also include additional valves, bypass lines, filters (e.g., for filtering particles from liquid hydrogen), temperature sensors, or any other components for supplying liquid hydrogen to the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e at the desired pressure, temperature, and / or flow rate.

[0140] exist Figure 1E In the first configuration shown, liquid hydrogen is transferred from hydrogen tank 122e to mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e, for example, via pressure regulator 136b, refueling interface 140e, and / or refueling infrastructure 105e. In some embodiments, system 100e in the first configuration may be associated with and / or based at least partially on the pressure in liquid hydrogen tank 122e being higher than that in mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e. In other embodiments, the configuration of system 100e is independent of and / or at least partially based on the pressure difference (positive or negative) between liquid hydrogen tank 122e and mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e.

[0141] In this configuration, the transfer module 133e can be configured to open the first valve 141e and the third valve 145e, and close the second valve 143e and the fourth valve 147e. In this configuration, the hydrogen produced by the second vaporizer 134e2 flows to the hydrogen tank 122e through the first valve 141e; while hydrogen that may be released from the mining vehicle's LH2 tank 107e, for example, due to the pressure in the mining vehicle's LH2 tank 107e exceeding a threshold, and / or due to poor vaporization or evaporation of some of the liquid hydrogen in the LH2 tank 107e or hydrogen being transferred to the LHS tank 107e, is directed to the atmospheric emission port through the third valve 145e.

[0142] exist Figure 1F In the second configuration shown, liquid hydrogen can be transferred from the mining vehicle's LH2 tank 107e to the hydrogen tank 122e, for example, via refueling infrastructure 105e, refueling interface 140e, and / or pressure regulator 136e. In some embodiments, system 100e in the second configuration may be associated with and / or based at least partially on a pressure in the mining vehicle's LH2 tank 107e that is higher than the pressure in the hydrogen tank 122e. In other embodiments, the configuration of system 100e is independent of and / or at least partially based on the pressure difference (positive or negative) between the liquid hydrogen tank 122e and the mining vehicle's LH2 tank 107e.

[0143] In this configuration, the transfer module 133e can be configured to close the first valve 141e and the third valve 145e and open the second valve 143e and the fourth valve 147e. This prevents the hydrogen generated in the second vaporizer 134e2 from flowing back to the hydrogen tank 122e through the closed first valve 141e, and instead flows back to the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e through the open second valve 143e. Furthermore, at least a portion of the hydrogen pressure head in the hydrogen tank 122e can be directed to the atmospheric vent through the open fourth valve 147e. In this way, the transfer module 133e can be configured to maintain the relative pressure in the hydrogen tank 122e and the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e, for example, to prevent overpressurization of the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e, the hydrogen tank 122e, and / or various components of the system 100e.

[0144] In some embodiments, the first vaporizer 134e1, the second vaporizer 134e2, and / or the pressure regulator 136e can operate in any number of parallel processes, and each of the first vaporizer 134e1 and the second vaporizer 134e2 can be configured to provide a high-pressure hydrogen output flow to different components, sub-components, or portions thereof (e.g., different pressure regulators 136e, different filling ports 140e or different portions of filling ports, one or more power modules 150e, etc.). Furthermore, each of the first vaporizer 134e1 and the second vaporizer 134e2 can be configured to heat hydrogen to the same or different pressures. In some embodiments, the first vaporizer 134e1 and / or the second vaporizer 134e2 can operate in any number of parallel processes and can be configured to provide a hydrogen output flow to a single component (e.g., a single pressure regulator 136e or filling port 140e). For example, although not in Figure 1E and Figure 1F As shown, however, in some such embodiments, the manifold, etc., can receive multiple liquid hydrogen input streams and can output a single liquid hydrogen stream, which is then provided to the filling port 140e or to the pressure regulator 136e before being delivered to the filling port 140e.

[0145] Although the third valve 145e is in Figure 1E and Figure 1F The third valve 145e is shown and described above as providing vaporized or gaseous hydrogen to be emitted into the atmosphere; however, in other embodiments, the third valve 145e may provide vaporized or gaseous hydrogen to any suitable vaporization or vapor management or recapture system. In some such embodiments, the mobile platform 110e may include... Figure 1E and Figure 1FAdditional components, such as compressors, reliquefiers, and / or the like, not shown, are configured to process the emitted / captured hydrogen, allowing the processed hydrogen (e.g., in gaseous or liquid form) to be returned to any other suitable component of the hydrogen tank 122e, power module 150, mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e, transmission module 133e, and / or system 100e.

[0146] The mobile platform 110e may include one or more refueling ports 140e, which may be configured to transfer liquid hydrogen from the pressure regulator 136e or hydrogen tank 122e to the refueling infrastructure 105e and vice versa. In some embodiments, the refueling port 140e may include a bayonet connector for releasably coupling the refueling port 140e to the refueling infrastructure 105e or the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e. In such embodiments, the refueling port may include connectors for inerting, purging, and / or cooling the connection volume, as previously described herein. In some embodiments, the refueling port 140e may include a quick-connect / disconnect coupling for releasably coupling the refueling port 140e to the refueling infrastructure 105e or the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e. In such embodiments, the inerting, purging, and / or cooling connectors may be omitted.

[0147] Mobile platform 110e may include any number of power modules 150e, as per [reference needed] Figure 1A Detailed description. In some embodiments, power module 150e may be and / or may include one or more hydrogen power units, such as those similar to or substantially identical to hydrogen power unit 106. In such embodiments, for example, power module 150e may be configured to receive hydrogen flow directly from pressure regulator 136e or hydrogen tank 122e (or via a manifold or interface therebetween). In some embodiments, power module 150e may include one or more hydrogen tanks similar to and / or substantially identical to one of the hydrogen tanks 122e included in storage module 120e. Thus, hydrogen tank 122e may receive liquid hydrogen flow from pressure regulator 136e, filling interface 140e, etc., and may further supply hydrogen to power module 150e. In some embodiments, power module 150e may receive liquid hydrogen flow directly from one or more hydrogen tanks 122e in storage module (or via a manifold or interface therebetween). In other embodiments, power module 150e may be any suitable generator other than a hydrogen power unit.

[0148] Power module 150e is configured to supply power to transmission module 133e and pressure regulator 136e. In some embodiments, power module 150e may supply power to storage module 120e, refueling interface 140e, and / or vehicle interface 160. Various embodiments of power module 150e have been described in detail with respect to system 100, and therefore will not be described further here. In some embodiments, power module 150e or storage module 120e may have a ground connection to ground any short circuit or stray charge. In some embodiments, mobile platform 110e may be configured to communicate with power module 150 of vehicle 102 or with controller of mining vehicle 106e via low-voltage communication. In some implementations, the mobile platform 110e may be configured to receive telemetry data indicating the status (e.g., status, health condition, LH2 level, pressure, temperature, etc.) of the mining vehicle LH2 tank 107e, and adjust the parameters (e.g., pressure, flow rate, temperature, etc.) of the LH2 transmitted to the mining vehicle LH2 tank based on the telemetry data.

[0149] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of a mobile hydrogen refueling system 300 according to an embodiment. The mobile hydrogen refueling system 300 (“System”) can be any suitable system configured to store and dispense a quantity of hydrogen fuel (e.g., hydrogen gas or liquid hydrogen) to meet the needs of a large-scale industry, such as mining, railroads, shipping / freight, aerospace, large-scale manufacturing, etc. Additionally, System 300 is mobile, allowing it to move between locations (e.g., mining sites) and / or work areas within a given location (e.g., different work areas within a mining site). In some embodiments, System 300 may be designed to operate in rough, uneven, unpaved, and / or steep environments, such as those encountered at mining sites or other heavy industrial work sites (e.g., System 100 may be “rugged”). In some embodiments, System 300 may be modular and / or may include modular components, allowing for the loading, unloading, repair, replacement, etc., of components as needed or desired. In some embodiments, System 100 and / or one or more of its components may be configured for autonomous or at least semi-autonomous operation.

[0150] like Figure 3 As shown and further described in detail herein, system 300 is configured to store, transport, and / or distribute a stream of hydrogen gas to one or more refueling infrastructures and / or one or more hydrogen-powered devices, such as refueling infrastructure 105 and hydrogen-powered device 106, as described herein. Figure 1A As described in detail, System 300 is therefore configured to store, transport, and / or distribute large quantities of hydrogen / fuel suitable for large-scale applications, as previously described herein.

[0151] As shown in the figure, system 300 includes a mobile platform 310 connectable to a heavy equipment vehicle 302 via a vehicle interface 360. Vehicle 302 and vehicle interface 360 ​​may be substantially similar to vehicle 102 and / or vehicle 202 and vehicle interface 160, as previously described herein. Mobile platform 310 includes, supports, and / or is connected to at least one storage module 320, a refueling interface 340, and one or more compressors 334 (e.g., in embodiments where hydrogen is stored in a storage module). In embodiments using liquid hydrogen, mobile platform 310 may include, supports, and / or is connected to a heater 134b and / or a pressure regulator 136b instead of compressors 334. Storage module 320 may be configured to store any number of hydrogen tanks 322 (e.g., cans, pipes, barrels, etc.). Storage module 320 is configured to supply pressurized hydrogen to refueling interface 340, or to the heater and / or pressure regulator, to produce hydrogen at a desired pressure for distribution via refueling interface 340. In some implementations, refueling interface 340 may be configured to engage refueling infrastructure (e.g., refueling infrastructure 105) located at an operating site such as a mining site. Alternatively, refueling interface 340 may be configured to engage a refueling interface corresponding to a hydrogen-powered device, such as a hydrogen fuel cell included in a mining truck or other equipment (e.g., hydrogen-powered device 106).

[0152] Mobile platform 310 may have dimensions exceeding one or more limitations associated with road travel. For example, the length, width, weight, and / or power of the mobile platform may exceed limitations or thresholds associated with road travel. Therefore, mobile platform 310 is suitable for large-scale applications (e.g., mining or excavation operations) where such size limitations are not encountered. Figure 3 As shown, the mobile platform 310 can be a trailer connected to the vehicle 302 via a vehicle interface 360. The mobile platform 310 includes a set of wheels connected to a platform, chassis, etc., which in turn support modules, components, etc., connected thereto. The chassis of the mobile platform 310 can be substantially flat to allow for stable positioning of the various modules of the mobile platform 310 thereon.

[0153] In some embodiments, the modular arrangement of the mobile platform 310 allows for the loading, unloading, repair, replacement, etc., of any module and / or component as needed or desired. In some embodiments, the modular arrangement of the mobile platform 310 allows for "hot-swapping" of any module and / or component (e.g., replacing a module without interrupting the operation of other modules). The mobile platform 310 does not include a housing, making each of the storage module 320, compressor 334, and filling interface 340 open and visible. Thus, the mobile platform 310 can be configured for deployment in suitable geographical environments where environmental damage or corrosion of the outer surfaces or components, including those in the components, modules, and / or interfaces, may not be a problem (e.g., mild environments). In some embodiments, various components, modules, interfaces, etc., may be formed of or coated with weather-resistant materials (e.g., weather-resistant coatings), enabling the mobile platform 310 to be used in any geographical environment (e.g., mild, hot or cold, desert, dry, or humid environments), even without a housing.

[0154] The mobile platform 310 includes a storage module 320 for storing, accommodating, or holding a set of hydrogen tanks 322. The hydrogen tanks 322 can be substantially similar to those described above. Figure 1A Hydrogen tank 122 is described in detail. (e.g.) Figure 3 As shown, storage module 320 may include a single integrated frame structure, etc., configured to store the group of hydrogen tanks 322 in a horizontal and vertical array. In other embodiments, storage module 320 may include multiple frame structures and / or may be formed from multiple frame structures. In other words, mobile platform 310 may be coupled to and / or may include a single storage module 320 configured to store multiple hydrogen tanks 322, or may be coupled to and / or may include multiple storage modules 320, each storing multiple hydrogen tanks 322. Although Figure 3 Storage module 320 is shown as including an open frame structure; however, in other embodiments, storage module 320 may include a closed structure similar to and / or substantially the same as that of, for example, intermodal containers and / or the like. In such embodiments, storage module 320 may surround hydrogen tank 322 to, for example, protect hydrogen tank 322 from conditions outside the intermodal container (e.g., weather, sunlight, potential debris, etc.).

[0155] Although not in Figure 3As shown, however, the mobile platform 310 may include a manifold (e.g., similar to or substantially the same as manifold 132) to transfer hydrogen stored in the storage module 320 to one or more compressors 334 and / or refueling ports 340. For example, the manifold may route from the storage module 320 to the compressors 334 and / or from the underside of the mobile platform 310 to the refueling ports 340, for example, extending along or near the ground-facing surface of the mobile platform 310. In other embodiments, the manifold may be located on the upper side of the mobile platform 310, for example, on the side facing away from the ground. The manifold may include an inlet or inlet port that is in fluid communication with the storage module 320 (or at least one hydrogen tank 322 included therein), an outlet or outlet port that is in fluid communication with one or more components of the mobile platform 310, and one or more fluid flow paths between the inlet and outlet. In some embodiments, the manifold may be thermally insulated, for example, in embodiments where liquid hydrogen is stored in the storage module 320. In some embodiments, the storage module 320 and / or manifold may include one or more components for controlling or managing the flow of hydrogen between the storage module 320 and any suitable component of the mobile platform 310. In some embodiments, the manifold may include a mechanical nozzle interface for receiving hydrogen from the storage module 320 and / or delivering hydrogen to any suitable module of the mobile platform 310. In some embodiments, the storage module 320 and / or manifold may include one or more safety valves, pressure sensors, and any other safety devices configured to be selectively activated or deactivated, for example, in response to detecting pressure above a threshold pressure or an activation signal received from a controller, to suppress damage or prevent malfunction.

[0156] In embodiments where gaseous hydrogen is stored in storage module 320, mobile platform 310 may include compressor 334. Compressor 334 may be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration, and / or may include any suitable components, sub-components, etc., as referenced above. Figure 1AAs shown in the mobile platform 110, in some embodiments, compressor 334 may be included in a compression module (e.g., compression module 133) or a similar module or component. In some embodiments, compressor 334 may be similar to and / or substantially the same as some known compressors configured to compress gases. For example, in some embodiments, compressor 334 may be and / or may include a diaphragm compressor, rotary compressor, etc., configured to compress and pressurize hydrogen received from hydrogen tank 322 (e.g., via a manifold, etc.). In some embodiments, compressor 334 may be, for example, a high-pressure compressor configured to receive an input stream of pressurized gas and provide an output stream of compressed / high-pressure gas at a pressure higher than the input gas stream. In some embodiments, for example, compressor 334 may receive a hydrogen stream at a pressure between about 200 bar and 400 bar and may output a high-pressure hydrogen stream at a pressure between about 400 bar and 1000 bar. In some embodiments, the hydrogen may be liquid hydrogen having a pressure in the range of 7 bar to 12 bar. In some cases, compressor 334 can be configured to provide a high-pressure hydrogen (or liquid hydrogen) output stream to one or more components, modules, interfaces, etc. (e.g., refueling interface 340) of the mobile platform 310. In some cases, a high-pressure hydrogen stream may be desirable because it can be used to generate a hydrogen stream with a relatively high mass flow rate (e.g., approximately 4 kg / min or compressed hydrogen), which in turn reduces refueling time and improves the utilization of equipment with a hydrogen power unit (e.g., hydrogen power unit 106 described above). Therefore, compressor 334 can be substantially similar to the above reference. Figure 1A Compressor 134 described in detail.

[0157] In some embodiments, the refueling interface 340 may include any suitable component configured to allow a high-flow-rate hydrogen gas stream suitable for transferring a relatively large volume of hydrogen to a storage tank or the like associated with at least one of the refueling infrastructure and / or hydrogen power units (e.g., associated with a mining vehicle). In some embodiments, the refueling interface 340 may be configured to supply a hydrogen gas stream to a power module. In some embodiments, the storage module 320 may be configured to store hydrogen at pressures ranging from 200 bar to 1,000 bar (inclusive) to supply high-pressure hydrogen to the refueling interface 340 for use with the refueling infrastructure and / or hydrogen power unit, as previously described. In some implementations, the refueling interface can be configured to provide a hydrogen flow at a rate of at least about 4 kg / min (e.g., about 4 kg / min, 5 kg / min, 6 kg / min, 7 kg / min, 8 kg / min, 9 kg / min, 10 kg / min, 15 kg / min, 20 kg / min, 25 kg / min, 30 kg / min or more) to allow for rapid filling and / or refueling of hydrogen-powered units, such as mining tractor trucks or other hydrogen-powered equipment. Although not in Figure 3 As shown, however, the refueling interface 340 may include any suitable hose, tube, conduit, pipe, etc., configured to deliver compressed hydrogen to the outlet of the refueling interface 340.

[0158] System 300 also includes one or more power modules (not included in...) Figure 3 (As shown in the diagram). In some embodiments, the power module is included in the mobile platform 310 and has a modular configuration, etc., thereby allowing one or more power modules to be handled or operated independently relative to the mobile platform 310. Therefore, if a power module requires maintenance, repair, and / or replacement, this arrangement allows for the replacement of that power module without substantially affecting the operation of other power modules or other modules of the mobile platform 310. In other embodiments, the power module may be included in the vehicle 302 and / or may itself be the power module of that vehicle. For example, in... Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the power module may be a hydrogen-powered device for vehicle 302. Thus, the power module can be configured to supply power to each of vehicle 302 and mobile platform 310 (or its components) via vehicle interface 360.

[0159] When the power module is a hydrogen-powered device for vehicle 302, the power module can be configured to receive a flow or supply of hydrogen from the mobile platform 310 (e.g., directly from the storage module 320 (or via a manifold or interface therebetween) or via the refueling interface 340). In some embodiments, the power module may include one or more hydrogen tanks similar to and / or substantially identical to one or more hydrogen tanks 322 included in the storage module 320. Thus, the hydrogen tanks can receive hydrogen flows from the storage module 320, the refueling interface 340, and / or the like, and consequently supply hydrogen to the power module. In some embodiments, the power module may receive hydrogen flows directly from one or more hydrogen tanks 322 in the storage module (or via a manifold or interface therebetween).

[0160] The power module is configured to supply power to at least the vehicle 302 and the mobile platform 310 (e.g., compressor 334 and / or refueling interface 340) via the vehicle interface 360. In some embodiments, the power module may also supply power to the storage module 320 and / or any other components, modules, systems, etc. For example, in some embodiments, the mobile platform 310 may operate at a refueling location in an industrial work site such as a mining site. In some such embodiments, the power module may provide a power flow operable to power one or more components at the refueling location (e.g., lighting system, refueling infrastructure, and / or any other components).

[0161] In some implementations, the power module may be configured to output a power flow operable to power one or more electrical and / or electronic components of the vehicle interface 360.

[0162] While a power module has been described above, it should be understood that this description is provided by way of example only. In some embodiments, system 300 may include any other or additional power modules, generators, storage devices, etc. For example, in some embodiments, mobile platform 310 may include energy storage devices, such as one or more batteries, capacitors, flywheels, etc., that can receive power from the power module of vehicle 302. In such embodiments, the energy storage device may in turn supply power to storage module 320, compressor 334, refueling interface 340, and / or any other suitable components and / or modules.

[0163] Figure 4This is a perspective view of a mobile hydrogen refueling system 400 according to an embodiment. The mobile hydrogen refueling system 400 (“System”) can be any suitable system configured to store and dispense a quantity of hydrogen fuel to meet the needs of large-scale industries such as mining, railroads, shipping / freight, aerospace, large-scale manufacturing, etc. Additionally, System 400 is mobile, allowing it to move between a site (e.g., a mining site) and / or work areas at a given site (e.g., different work areas at a mining site). In some embodiments, System 400 may be designed to operate in rough, uneven, unpaved, and / or steep environments, such as those encountered at mining sites or other heavy industrial work sites (e.g., System 400 may be “hardened”). In some embodiments, System 400 may be modular and / or may include modular components, allowing for loading, unloading, repair, replacement, etc., of components as needed or desired. In some embodiments, System 400 and / or one or more of its components may be configured for autonomous or at least semi-autonomous operation.

[0164] like Figure 4 As shown and further described in detail herein, system 400 is configured to store, transport, and / or distribute a stream of hydrogen gas to one or more refueling infrastructures and / or one or more hydrogen-powered devices, such as refueling infrastructure 105 and hydrogen-powered device 106, as described herein. Figure 1A As described in detail, system 400 is therefore configured to store, transport, and / or distribute large quantities of hydrogen / fuel suitable for large-scale applications, as previously described herein. While generally shown and described as configured to store gaseous hydrogen, in some embodiments, system 400 may be configured to store liquid hydrogen.

[0165] As shown in the figure, system 400 is substantially similar to system 300 and includes a mobile platform 410 connectable to heavy equipment vehicle 402 via vehicle interface 460. Vehicle 402 and vehicle interface 460 may be substantially similar to vehicles 102, 202, 302 and vehicle interfaces 160, 360, respectively, as previously described herein. Mobile platform 410 includes, supports, and / or connects to at least one storage module 420, which includes a plurality of hydrogen tanks 422, one or more compressors 434, and a refueling interface 440. Storage module 420, compressor 434, and refueling interface 440 may be substantially similar to storage module 320, compressor 434, and refueling interface 340 described with respect to system 300, and therefore will not be described in further detail here. Furthermore, although not described in Figure 4As shown, however, vehicle 402 may include a power module similar to or substantially the same as the power module described above for reference system 300. In some embodiments, system 400 may be configured to include liquid hydrogen. In such embodiments, system 400 may include heater 134b and / or pressure regulator 136b instead of compressor 434.

[0166] Unlike system 300, mobile platform 410 includes housing 415. Housing 415 can be any suitable structure configured to surround, accommodate, cover, etc., one or more components and / or modules of mobile platform 410. For example, such as Figure 4 As shown, the compressor 434 and refueling interface 440 may be at least partially housed within the housing 415, while the storage module 420 is substantially located outside the housing 415. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the refueling interface 440 may be accessible through the housing 415 to allow the refueling interface 440 to interface with refueling infrastructure and / or hydrogen power units, as previously described. In some embodiments, the housing 415 may include one or more openings (e.g., doors, windows, holes, etc.) through which fluid connectors, fluid or gas delivery lines, pipes, nozzles, etc., may enter to allow interface connection with refueling infrastructure and / or hydrogen power units.

[0167] Thus, the housing 415 can, for example, enclose and / or protect one or more modules and / or components of the mobile platform 410 from the influence of the environment outside the housing 415. In some embodiments, the housing 415 may be thermally insulated or at least partially thermally insulated, which in turn insulates the compressor 434 (or heater and / or pressure regulator) and the filling interface 440 disposed therein, thereby allowing the mobile platform 410 to operate in any geographical environment (e.g., temperate, hot or cold, desert, tundra, dry or humid).

[0168] Figure 5This is a side view of a mobile hydrogen refueling system 500 according to an embodiment. The mobile hydrogen refueling system 500 (“System”) can be any suitable system configured to store and dispense a quantity of hydrogen fuel to meet the needs of large-scale industries such as mining, railroads, shipping / freight, aerospace, large-scale manufacturing, etc. Additionally, System 500 is mobile, allowing it to move between locations (e.g., mining sites) and / or work areas within a given location (e.g., different work areas within a mining site). In some embodiments, System 500 may be designed to operate in rough, uneven, unpaved, and / or steep environments, such as those encountered at mining sites or other heavy industrial work sites (e.g., System 500 may be “hardened”). In some embodiments, System 500 may be modular and / or may include modular components, allowing for the loading, unloading, repair, replacement, etc., of components as needed or desired. In some embodiments, System 500 and / or one or more of its components may be configured for autonomous or at least semi-autonomous operation.

[0169] like Figure 5 As shown, system 500 is configured to store, transport, and / or distribute a stream of hydrogen gas to one or more refueling infrastructures and / or one or more hydrogen power units, such as refueling infrastructure 105 and hydrogen power unit 106, as described herein. Figure 1A As described in detail, System 500 is therefore configured to store, transport, and / or distribute large quantities of hydrogen / fuel or liquid hydrogen / fuel suitable for large-scale applications, as previously described herein.

[0170] As shown in the figure, system 500 is substantially similar to systems 300 and 400, and includes a mobile platform 510 connectable to a heavy equipment vehicle 502 via a vehicle interface 560. Vehicle 502 and vehicle interface 560 may be substantially similar to vehicles 102, 202, 302, 402 and vehicle interfaces 160, 360, 460, respectively, as previously described herein. The mobile platform 510 includes, supports, and / or connects to at least one storage module 520, which includes multiple hydrogen tanks 522, one or more compressors 534 (or, in embodiments using liquid hydrogen, heaters and / or pressure regulators), and a refueling interface 540. Storage modules 520, compressors 534, and refueling interfaces 540 may be substantially similar to storage modules 320, 420, compressors 334, 434, and refueling interfaces 340, 440, as described with respect to systems 300 and 400, and therefore will not be described further in detail herein. Furthermore, although not described in detail... Figure 5 As shown, however, vehicle 502 may include a power module similar to or substantially the same as the power module described in reference system 300 above.

[0171] Mobile platform 510 includes housing 515. Similar to housing 415, housing 515 can be any suitable structure configured to enclose, house, cover, etc., one or more components, modules, and / or interfaces of mobile platform 510. However, unlike mobile platform 410, each of storage module 520, compressor 434, and filling interface 540 is disposed within housing 515. Therefore, housing 515 can, for example, enclose and / or protect each of storage module 520, compressor 534, and filling interface 540 from the environmental influences outside housing 515. In some embodiments, housing 515 can be thermally insulated or at least partially thermally insulated, which in turn insulates compressor 534 and filling interface 540 disposed therein, thereby allowing mobile platform 510 to operate in any geographical environment (e.g., temperate, hot or cold, desert, tundra, dry, or humid).

[0172] For example, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the refueling interface 540 may be accessible through the housing 515 to allow the refueling interface 540 to interface with the refueling infrastructure and / or hydrogen power unit, as previously described. In some embodiments, the housing 515 may include one or more openings (e.g., doors, windows, holes, etc.) through which fluid connectors, fluid or gas delivery lines, pipes, nozzles, etc., may be accessed to allow interface with the refueling infrastructure and / or hydrogen power unit.

[0173] Figure 6A This is a side view illustration of a mobile hydrogen refueling system 600 (“System”) according to an embodiment. System 600 is configured to store hydrogen to the maximum extent possible, for example, to provide on-site refueling to other mobile hydrogen refueling systems in the field (e.g., Systems 100, 300, 400, 500). Figure 6A As shown, system 600 includes a vehicle 602 connected (e.g., removably connected) to mobile platform 610 via a vehicle interface 660. Vehicle 602 and vehicle interface 660 may be substantially similar to vehicles 102, 202, 302, 402 or 502 and vehicle interfaces 160, 360, 460, 560, respectively, as previously described herein.

[0174] Mobile platform 610 includes a storage module 620 comprising a set of hydrogen tanks 622, which can be configured to store gaseous or liquid hydrogen. However, unlike mobile platforms 310, 410, and 510, mobile platform 610 is configured primarily for hydrogen storage, such that a considerable area of ​​mobile platform 610 is occupied by the storage module 620, as referenced above. Figure 1DThe second mobile platform 110A shown is described. Storage module 620 may include any number of storage modules 620. Storage module 620 may be any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration, for example, having a substantially rectangular shape. In some embodiments, storage module 620 may include multiple frame structures and / or may be formed from multiple frame structures, such as... Figure 6A As shown. In other embodiments, the storage module 620 may be a single integrated frame structure, etc., configured to store any number of hydrogen tanks 622. In other words, the mobile platform 610 may be coupled to and / or may include a single storage module 620 configured to store multiple hydrogen tanks 622, or may be coupled to and / or may include multiple storage modules 620, each storing multiple hydrogen tanks 622. In embodiments with multiple storage modules 620, the frame, structure, etc., of each module 620 may be similar or different. In some embodiments, the storage module 620 may include an open frame structure, etc., designed to accommodate and / or fix the hydrogen tanks 622, such as... Figure 6A As shown. In other embodiments, storage module 620 may include a closed structure similar to and / or substantially the same as that of, for example, a transshipment container. In such embodiments, storage module 620 may surround hydrogen tank 622 to, for example, protect hydrogen tank 622 from conditions outside the transshipment container (e.g., weather, sunlight, potential debris, etc.). Such embodiments are, for example, in... Figure 6B It is shown in the figure and described below.

[0175] As described herein, the storage module 620 of mobile platform 610 occupies a significant portion of the area of ​​mobile platform 610 and includes a much larger number of hydrogen tanks 622 than the number of hydrogen tanks 522 included in storage module 520 of mobile platform 510. For example, relative to hydrogen tanks 322, 422, 522 included in storage modules 320, 420, 520 of mobile platforms 310, 410, 510, respectively, storage module 620 may include 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more times the number of hydrogen tanks 622. In this way, storage module 620 can provide 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more times the hydrogen storage capacity relative to storage modules 320, 420, and / or 520. For example, the amount of hydrogen stored by hydrogen tank 622 can be significantly greater than the amount of hydrogen stored by some known high-capacity hydrogen tank (or "pipe") trailers, for example, at least about 2,000 kg of hydrogen. In some embodiments, the storage module 620 of the mobile platform 610 can hold at least about 10,000 kg of hydrogen (e.g., 12,000 kg, 14,000 kg, 16,000 kg, 18,000 kg, 20,000 kg, 25,000 kg, including the end values, or more), as described above with reference to storage module 120A. Hydrogen can be stored in gaseous or liquid form, as previously described herein.

[0176] In some embodiments, such storage capacity may be based at least in part on, for example, the number of hydrogen tanks 622 stored in storage module 620, the size or storage capacity of the hydrogen tanks 622, and / or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, storage module 620 may include a single module (e.g., a single high-capacity tubular trailer) that contains, houses, or stores at least one hydrogen tank (e.g., a high-capacity liquid hydrogen tank). For example, while storage module 620 is shown as storing multiple hydrogen tanks 622 (e.g., relatively small gaseous or liquid hydrogen tanks), in some embodiments, storage module 620 may store, protect, at least partially enclose, and / or otherwise provide a structure supporting a single relatively large or high-capacity hydrogen tank (e.g., such as a high-capacity liquid hydrogen tank). In some embodiments, storage module 620 may include multiple sub-modules that are coupled, linked, or stacked together. For example, sub-modules may include high-capacity tubular trailers (e.g., 20 ft trailers or 40 ft trailers, etc.). In some embodiments, storage module 620 may include any combination of smaller or larger storage sub-modules.

[0177] As described above, in some embodiments, the storage module 620 may be and / or may have a modular configuration, allowing the storage module 620 to be removably coupled to the mobile platform 610. In some cases, this arrangement may allow replacement of the storage module 620, for example, when the hydrogen tank 622 is low or has dropped below a threshold amount, pressure, etc. In some embodiments, the mobile platform 610 may provide indications of the amount, pressure, and / or fill level of the hydrogen tank 622 in the storage module 620. In some embodiments, replacement of the storage module 620 (e.g., replacing an empty or nearly empty module with a full module) may be performed autonomously or at least semi-autonomously.

[0178] Although not shown, the mobile platform 610 may also include a refueling interface (e.g., refueling interfaces 140, 340, 440, 540) configured to selectively transfer hydrogen stored in storage module 620 to storage modules of other mobile hydrogen refueling systems (e.g., systems 100, 300, 400, 500). In some embodiments, the pressure of hydrogen stored in hydrogen tank 622 of storage module 620 may be higher than the pressure of hydrogen tanks in the storage modules of the systems to which hydrogen is being delivered. In such embodiments, when the refueling interface is coupled to the storage module of the system being refueled and the refueling interface is activated, the higher pressure in hydrogen tank 622 may cause hydrogen to be transferred along a pressure gradient through the refueling interface from hydrogen tank 622 to the hydrogen tank of the system being refueled. In some embodiments, the refueling interface may include a pump, compressor, or electrically activated sensors, actuators, etc., which may be powered by electricity provided by a power module (e.g., a power module included in vehicle 602). In some embodiments using liquid hydrogen, the mobile platform 610 may include a heater (e.g., heater 134b) and / or a pressure regulator (e.g., pressure regulator 136b) to generate gaseous hydrogen from the liquid hydrogen and supply gaseous hydrogen to the filling interface at a desired pressure.

[0179] Although described as including a refueling interface comprising a storage module configured to selectively transfer hydrogen (gaseous or liquid) from hydrogen tank 622 to other mobile hydrogen refueling systems, in some embodiments, system 600 can be used to transfer hydrogen (gaseous or liquid) to any permanent, semi-permanent, and / or mobile hydrogen refueling infrastructure. In some embodiments, such infrastructure may be, for example, a fluid mobility component configured to move, transfer, deliver, and / or transfer hydrogen from mobile platform 610 to any equipment, vehicle, storage facility, etc. In some embodiments, such a fluid mobility component may provide any suitable infrastructure, equipment, modules, etc., to allow the fluid mobility component to receive hydrogen (gaseous or liquid) from hydrogen tank 622 of mobile platform 610 and to allow the fluid mobility component to deliver hydrogen (gaseous or liquid) to any equipment, vehicle, asset, storage structure, etc., configured to receive hydrogen. For example, the mobile platform 610 can move around a mining site, etc., and can be parked, docked, or positioned at a desired refueling location, including permanent, semi-permanent, and / or mobile refueling infrastructure, at least temporarily; a fluid connection can be established between the hydrogen tank 622 of the mobile platform 610 and the refueling infrastructure; and hydrogen can be transferred from the hydrogen tank 622 of the mobile platform 610 to the hydrogen tank or storage of a mining vehicle or asset (e.g., a mining tractor truck) seeking refueling (e.g., a vehicle or asset traveling to a refueling location, etc., for at least the purpose of receiving fuel).

[0180] Figure 6B This is a side view illustration of a mobile hydrogen refueling system 600' (“System”) according to an embodiment. System 600' may be substantially similar to the above reference. Figure 6A The system 600 is described. For example, system 600' may include a vehicle 602' connected (e.g., detachably connected) to mobile platform 610' via a vehicle interface 660'. Vehicle 602' and vehicle interface 660' may be substantially similar to vehicle 602 and vehicle interface 660, respectively, as referenced above. Figure 6A The mobile platform 610' may include a storage module 620' configured to store any suitable number of hydrogen tanks (not shown), such as gaseous or liquid hydrogen tanks. In this embodiment, the storage module 620' surrounds the hydrogen tanks, for example, protecting them from external conditions (e.g., weather, sunlight, potential debris, etc.).

[0181] Figure 7This is a perspective view of a mobile hydrogen refueling system 700 according to an embodiment. The mobile hydrogen refueling system 700 (“System”) can be any suitable system configured to store and dispense a quantity of hydrogen fuel to meet the needs of large-scale industries such as mining, railroads, shipping / freight, aerospace, large-scale manufacturing, etc. Additionally, System 700 is mobile, allowing it to move between locations (e.g., mining sites) and / or work areas within a given location (e.g., different work areas within a mining site). In some embodiments, System 700 may be designed to operate in rough, uneven, unpaved, and / or steep environments, such as those encountered at mining sites or other heavy industrial work sites (e.g., System 100 may be “rugged”). In some embodiments, System 700 may be modular and / or may include modular components, allowing for the loading, unloading, repair, replacement, etc., of components as needed or desired. In some embodiments, System 100 and / or one or more of its components may be configured for autonomous or at least semi-autonomous operation.

[0182] As previously described, system 700 is configured to store, transport, and / or distribute hydrogen gas streams to one or more refueling infrastructures and / or one or more hydrogen-powered units. As shown, system 700 includes a mobile platform 710 that can be coupled via a vehicle interface 760 to heavy equipment vehicles (e.g., vehicles 102, 202, 302, 402, 502, 602). Vehicle interface 760 may be substantially similar to vehicle interfaces 160, 360, 460, 560, 660, as previously described herein.

[0183] Mobile platform 710 includes, supports, and / or is coupled to storage module 720, a set of compressors 734, a set of coolers 736, a filling interface 740, and at least one power module 750. In other embodiments using liquid hydrogen, mobile platform 710 may include, supports, and / or be coupled to heaters and / or pressure regulators instead of the set of compressors 734 and the set of coolers 736. Storage module 720 may be configured to store any number of hydrogen tanks 722 (e.g., cans, pipes, barrels, etc.). Although not shown, mobile platform 710 may also include one or more manifolds coupling storage module 720 to compressors 734 and / or coolers 736. One or more manifolds may allow compressors 734 to interface with storage module 720. One or more manifolds may be substantially similar to manifolds 132 or 132b described with respect to mobile platforms 110 or 110b respectively, and will not be described in further detail here.

[0184] Compressor 734 is configured to generate a high-pressure hydrogen stream, which can then be cooled by cooler 736. Thus, mobile platform 710 can selectively provide the cooled high-pressure hydrogen stream for distribution via refueling interface 740. In some embodiments, refueling interface 740 may be configured to engage refueling infrastructure (e.g., refueling infrastructure 105) located at a work site such as a mining site. Alternatively, refueling interface 740 may be configured to engage a refueling interface corresponding to a hydrogen power unit (e.g., hydrogen power unit 106), such as a hydrogen fuel cell included in a mining truck or other equipment.

[0185] like Figure 7 As shown, the mobile platform 710 has a shape, size, and / or configuration that exceeds one or more limitations associated with road travel. Therefore, the mobile platform 710 is suitable for large-scale applications where such size limitations are not encountered. In some embodiments, the mobile platform 710 includes a trailer that can be coupled to a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 102, 202, 302, 402, 502, or 602) via a vehicle interface 760. For example, as... Figure 7 As shown, the mobile platform 710 includes a set of wheels 711 connected to the platform, the base frame, etc., and the platform, the base frame, etc., in turn support the modules, components, etc. connected to them.

[0186] The vehicle interface 760 may be and / or may include, for example, a gooseneck hook or connector (such as...). Figure 7 (as shown) and / or other heavy-duty connectors. The vehicle interface 760 may be substantially similar to vehicle interfaces 160, 360, 460, 560, 660, or any other vehicle interface described herein. Thus, the vehicle interface 760 may include any suitable components and / or may have any suitable configuration allowing the mobile platform 710 to connect to and / or couple with the vehicle interface. In some embodiments, the vehicle interface 760 may be a physical interface as well as any other suitable interface, such as an electrical and / or electronic interface. For example, such a vehicle interface 760 may provide an electrical interface that allows the transfer of electricity between the vehicle and the mobile platform 710. In other embodiments, the vehicle interface 760 may be a platform, underframe, and / or structure mounted to the chassis or other part of the vehicle (e.g., the mobile platform 710 is integrated with the vehicle), as previously described herein.

[0187] Although not in Figure 7As shown, however, the mobile platform 710 may include one or more features and / or structures that allow for modular arrangement and / or connection between the mobile platform 710 and the storage module 720, compressor 734, cooler 736 (or alternatively, in embodiments where the mobile platform 710 stores liquid hydrogen in the storage module 720, heaters and / or pressure regulators instead of compressor 734 and cooler 736), power module 750, and / or any other suitable components. For example, the mobile platform 710 may include rails, tracks, couplings, connectors, interfaces, etc., designed to removably engage one or more of the components and / or modules. In some embodiments, the modular arrangement of the mobile platform 710 may allow for loading, unloading, servicing, replacement, etc., of any module and / or component as needed or desired. In some embodiments, the modular arrangement of the mobile platform 710 may allow for “hot-swapping” of any module and / or component (e.g., replacing a module without interrupting the operation of other modules).

[0188] Mobile platform 710 may have a modular arrangement, allowing it to be configured with specific components and / or modules, at least in part, based on the conditions of the deployment / operation site. For example, mobile platform 710 may be configured for deployment in hot desert environments and may include components and / or modules that might not be desirable for mobile platform 710 configured for deployment in cold Arctic or tundra environments, such as additional coolers. Although not shown, in some embodiments, mobile platform 710 may also include a housing (e.g., similar to housings 115, 415, and / or 515) that may cover or enclose at least some of the modules included in mobile platform 710, as previously described.

[0189] The mobile platform 710 may include any number of storage modules 720, which can be configured to store hydrogen or liquid hydrogen. Although Figure 7The storage module 720 is shown as rectangular and includes a single integrated frame structure configured to store multiple hydrogen tanks; however, in other embodiments, the storage module 720 can be any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. In other embodiments, the storage module 720 may include multiple frame structures and / or may be formed from multiple frame structures. In other words, the mobile platform 710 may be coupled to and / or may include a single storage module 720 configured to store multiple hydrogen tanks 722, or may be coupled to and / or may include multiple storage modules 720, each storing multiple hydrogen tanks 722. In embodiments with multiple storage modules 720, the frame, structure, etc., of each module 720 may be similar or different. Although shown as including an open frame structure, in other embodiments, the storage module 720 may include a closed structure similar to and / or substantially the same as, for example, a transshipment container and / or the like. In such embodiments, the storage module 720 may surround the hydrogen tanks 722 to, for example, protect the hydrogen tanks 722 from external conditions (e.g., weather, sunlight, potential debris, etc.) of the transshipment container.

[0190] Storage module 720 can be configured to store and / or contain any number of hydrogen tanks 722. Hydrogen tanks 722 can be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. Hydrogen tanks 722 can be substantially similar to hydrogen tanks 122, 322, 422, 522, or 622, and therefore will not be described in further detail herein. The storage capacity of storage module 720 can be based at least in part on, for example, the number of hydrogen tanks 722 stored, the size of the hydrogen tanks 722, or their storage capacity, and / or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, storage module 720 may include a single module (e.g., a single high-capacity tubular trailer) that contains, accommodates, or stores each hydrogen tank 722. In some embodiments, storage module 720 may include multiple sub-modules that are coupled, linked, or stacked together. For example, a sub-module may include a high-capacity tubular trailer (e.g., a 20 ft trailer or a 40 ft trailer). In some embodiments, storage module 720 may include any combination of smaller or larger storage sub-modules. In some implementations, the submodule may include a 20 ft or 40 ft trailer, which may include smaller sub-components (e.g., shelves, racks, housings, etc.), each sub-component storing a set of hydrogen tanks 722.

[0191] As described above, in some embodiments, the storage module 720 may be and / or may have a modular configuration, allowing the storage module 720 to be removably coupled to the mobile platform 710. In some cases, this arrangement may allow replacement of the storage module 720, for example, when the hydrogen tank 722 is low or has dropped below a threshold amount, pressure, etc. In some embodiments, the mobile platform 710 may provide indications of the amount, pressure, and / or fill level of the hydrogen tank 722 in the storage module 720. In some embodiments, replacement of the storage module 720 (e.g., replacing an empty or nearly empty module with a full module) may be performed autonomously or at least semi-autonomously.

[0192] The mobile platform 710 may include any number of compressors 734. The compressors 734 may be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. (See reference above.) Figure 1A As shown in the mobile platform 110, in some embodiments, compressor 734 may be included in a compression module (e.g., compression module 133) or a similar module or component. In some embodiments, compressor 734 may be similar to and / or substantially the same as some known compressors (e.g., diaphragm compressors, rotary compressors, etc.) configured to compress or pressurize hydrogen received from hydrogen tank 722. In some embodiments, each of compressors 734 may be configured to pressurize hydrogen to the same pressure. In some embodiments, one or more compressors 734 may be configured to pressurize hydrogen to different pressures, for example, corresponding to the various inlet hydrogen pressure requirements of various hydrogen power units, as described above with reference to compressor 134.

[0193] In some embodiments, compressor 734 may be, for example, a high-pressure compressor, configured to receive an input stream of pressurized gas and provide an output stream of compressed / high-pressure gas at a pressure higher than the gas input stream pressure. In some embodiments, for example, compressor 734 may receive a stream of hydrogen gas at a pressure between about 200 bar and 400 bar and may output a stream of high-pressure hydrogen gas (or liquid hydrogen) at a pressure between about 400 bar and 1000 bar.

[0194] Compressor 734 can be configured to provide a high-pressure hydrogen output stream to one or more components, modules, interfaces, etc. of the mobile platform 710 (such as, for example, one or more coolers 736 and / or refueling interfaces 740). In some cases, a high-pressure hydrogen stream may be desirable because it can be used to generate a hydrogen stream with a relatively high quality flow rate (e.g., approximately 4 kg / min or compressed hydrogen), which in turn reduces refueling time and improves the utilization of equipment with a hydrogen power unit (e.g., the hydrogen power unit 106 described above). Therefore, compressor 734 can be substantially similar to compressors 134 and / or 334 described in detail above. In some embodiments, hydrogen tank 722 can be configured to store liquid hydrogen. In such an implementation, the mobile platform 710 may include heaters and / or pressure regulators (e.g., heater 134b and pressure regulator 136b) instead of compressor 734 and / or one or more coolers 736, and may be configured to generate gaseous hydrogen from liquid hydrogen and produce a hydrogen flow with relatively high volumetric or mass flow rate and / or pressure, as described herein.

[0195] The mobile platform 710 may include any number of coolers 736. Coolers 736 may be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. In some embodiments, coolers 736 may be similar to and / or substantially the same as some known coolers configured to cool fluid or gas flows. For example, in some embodiments, cooler 736 may include a pump configured to deliver a heat transfer fluid, such as a refrigerant (e.g., R-22, R-290, R-134a, R-450A, etc.), between the location where the heat transfer fluid is in thermal contact with hydrogen received from compressor 734 and a heat sink (e.g., a radiator), to remove heat from the hydrogen.

[0196] Cooler 736 can be configured to receive a high-pressure hydrogen stream having a first temperature from compressor 734 (or a manifold therebetween) and deliver a high-pressure hydrogen stream having a second temperature lower than the first temperature to refueling port 740. In some cases, cooler 736 can provide a cooled high-pressure hydrogen stream to, for example, refueling port 740 and / or power module 750. For example, power module 750 may include a hydrogen-powered device, and cooler 736 can provide a hydrogen stream that can refuel power module 750, thereby providing power to mobile platform 710 (e.g., a stand-alone self-powered system). In some embodiments, cooler 736 can be, for example, a gas cooler configured to receive an input stream of pressurized gas, cool the high-pressure gas without substantially changing its pressure (e.g., an isobaric process), and provide a cold high-pressure gas output stream at a temperature lower than the temperature of the gas input stream.

[0197] For example, cooler 736 can receive a hydrogen gas stream from compressor 734 having a pressure between about 200 bar and 400 bar and a temperature between about 0°C and -80°C. Cooler 736 can cool the hydrogen gas stream and can provide a cooled, high-pressure hydrogen output stream to refueling port 740 having a pressure between about 400 bar and 1,000 bar and a temperature between about 0°C and -80°C. In some embodiments, cooler 736 can be selected, designed, adjusted, and / or configured to provide a hydrogen gas stream with any suitable pressure and / or temperature to refueling port 740 (or power module 750).

[0198] The mobile platform 710 may include one or more refueling interfaces 740. The refueling interfaces 740 may be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. In some embodiments, the refueling interface 740 may include one or more connectors, manifolds, hoses, nozzles, regulators, etc., configured to allow the refueling interface 740 to engage at least one of the refueling interfaces of the refueling infrastructure or hydrogen power unit and to deliver a flow of hydrogen gas thereto. In some embodiments, the refueling interface 740 may include any suitable component configured to allow a flow of hydrogen gas with a high volumetric and / or mass flow rate, suitable for transferring a relatively large amount of hydrogen to a storage tank, etc., associated with at least one of the refueling infrastructure and / or the hydrogen power unit being refueled. In some embodiments, the refueling interface 740 may be configured to supply a flow of hydrogen gas to the power module 750.

[0199] The mobile platform 710 may include any number of power modules 750. The power modules 750 may be of any suitable shape, size, and / or configuration. In some embodiments, the power modules 750 may have a modular configuration, allowing one or more power modules 750 to be handled independently relative to the mobile platform 710. For example, in embodiments including multiple power modules, this arrangement allows for the replacement of a power module 750 if it requires maintenance, repair, and / or replacement, without substantially affecting the operation of other power modules 750 or other modules of the mobile platform 710. Figure 7 As shown, the power module 750 is disposed on the raised platform 752, which is axially displaced from the moving platform 710. In other embodiments, the power module 750 may be disposed at any suitable location on the moving platform 710, for example, adjacent to the storage module 720, compressor 734, cooler 736 and / or filling interface 740.

[0200] In some embodiments, the power module 750 may be and / or may include, for example, one or more hydrogen power units, and may be configured to receive hydrogen / fuel flow directly from the cooler 736 (or via a manifold or interface therebetween). In some embodiments, the power module 750 may include one or more hydrogen tanks similar to and / or substantially identical to one of the hydrogen tanks 722 included in the storage module 720. Thus, the hydrogen tanks may receive hydrogen / fuel flow from the cooler 736, the filling interface 740, etc., and subsequently supply hydrogen / fuel to the power module 750. In some embodiments, the power module 750 may receive hydrogen flow directly from one or more hydrogen tanks 722 in the storage module (or via a manifold or interface therebetween). In other embodiments, the power module 750 may be any suitable generator other than a hydrogen power unit.

[0201] Power module 750 is configured to provide power to at least compressor 734 and cooler 736 (or alternatively, heater and / or pressure regulator). In some embodiments, power module 750 may also provide power to storage module 720, filling interface 740, vehicle interface 760, and / or any other components, modules, systems, etc. For example, in some embodiments, mobile platform 710 may operate at a filling location in an industrial work site such as a mining site. In some such embodiments, power module 750 may provide a power flow operable to power one or more components at the filling location (e.g., lighting system, filling infrastructure, and / or any other components).

[0202] In some embodiments, the power module 750 may provide a power flow to a vehicle via the vehicle interface 760. For example, in some embodiments, the power module 750 may output a power flow operable to power one or more electrical and / or electronic components of the vehicle interface 760. Additionally or alternatively, the power module 750 may provide a power flow operable to power a vehicle that may be (e.g., via the vehicle interface 760) coupled to the mobile platform 710. That is, in some embodiments, a vehicle coupled to the mobile platform 710 may be powered by the power module 750 of the mobile platform 710.

[0203] Figure 8 and Figure 9These are schematic diagrams of an industrial work site 801 (“Work Site”) and a refueling location 803 at the Work Site, according to an embodiment. In this example, the Work Site 801 includes, operates, and / or implements a first mobile hydrogen refueling platform (“First Platform”) 810A and an optional second mobile hydrogen refueling platform 810B (“Second Platform”). In some embodiments, the Work Site 801 may be and / or may include a mining site, such as a quartz, gravel, mica, gold, silver, uranium, copper, iron ore, coal, or any other suitable mining site. The mining work site 801 includes multiple active work locations and multiple refueling locations. Numerous hydrogen-powered mining vehicles may be present at or on the mining work site 801, with each mining vehicle operating partially at one or more work locations.

[0204] For example, such as Figure 8 As shown, the industrial operation site 801 includes a first mining vehicle 806A operating at a first active operation location 802A, a second mining vehicle 806B operating at a second active operation location 802B, and a third mining vehicle 806C operating at a third active operation location 802C (collectively referred to as "mining vehicle 806" and "active operation location 802," respectively). The active operation location 802 may correspond to a specific location within the industrial operation site 801 where operations (e.g., mining, excavation, loading / unloading, hauling, etc.) are actively being performed. Such locations may include, for example, in-pit loading areas, overburden dumping areas, ore processing areas, and / or stockpiles, etc. Although in Figure 8 Three active work locations 802 are shown, but it should be understood that the work site 801 may include any number of active work locations 802 (e.g., four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, fifteen, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty or more).

[0205] Each of the mining vehicles 806 may participate in performing mining operations at a corresponding work location 802. For example, in some embodiments, the mining vehicle 806 may be, for instance, a mining tractor truck configured to load / unload materials at work locations 802 and to transport materials between one or more active work locations 802 and / or any other locations within or outside the work site 801. In some embodiments, one or more of the mining vehicles 806 may be a mining tractor truck, a hydraulic mining shovel, a large bulldozer, an electric rope shovel, a rotary drilling rig, a rock drilling rig, a motorized grader, a large wheel loader, one or more dragline excavators, a wheeled tractor-loader, an underground or above-ground mining loader, or any other suitable mining vehicle described herein, including those with hydrogen power.

[0206] like Figure 8 As shown, the mining operation site 801 includes a first refueling location (“Refueling Location 1”) 803A, a second refueling location (“Refueling Location 2”) 803B, and a third refueling location 803C (“Refueling Location 3”), which are collectively referred to herein as “Refueling Location 803”. Each of the refueling locations 803A, 803B, and 803C includes refueling infrastructure 805A, 805B, and 805C (collectively referred to as “805”), which is configured to work with a hydrogen-powered device (e.g., referenced above) that may be included in the mining vehicle 806. Figure 1A The described hydrogen power unit 106) is engaged and / or interfaced. In some embodiments, the refueling infrastructure 805 may include one or more storage tanks configured to receive, at least store, and supply hydrogen. In other embodiments, the refueling infrastructure 805 may be one or more components that allow engagement between refueling interfaces between hydrogen sources (e.g., mobile platform 810A, etc.) and refueling interfaces between one or more hydrogen power units included in the mining vehicle 806. Additionally, each of the refueling locations 803 may optionally include lighting systems 804A, 804B, 804C (collectively, “804”) for providing illumination to the refueling location 803. The lighting system 804 may include LED lights, fluorescent lights, halogen lights, incandescent lights, or any other suitable lights to illuminate the refueling location 803 and / or the surrounding area to allow worker visibility and / or to allow 24-hour operation by illuminating the refueling location 803 during nighttime or when the refueling location 803 is underground or otherwise poorly lit.

[0207] In some implementations, each dispensing location 803 can be located within a predetermined distance from the corresponding active operating location 802. For example, such as Figure 8 As shown, the first refueling position 803A is located near the first active working position 802A, the second refueling position 803B is located near the second active working position 802B, and the third refueling position 803C is located near the third active working position 802C. In some embodiments, the position of the refueling position 803 relative to the active working position 802 is selected and / or configured to increase or substantially maximize the utilization of the mining vehicle 806. In some embodiments, the refueling position 803 may be, for example, at least a semi-permanent structure, which can remain in the desired position as long as work is performed at the corresponding active working position 802. In other embodiments, the refueling position 803 may be a mobile and / or movable structure that can be easily moved to the desired position at the work site 801.

[0208] like Figure 8 and Figure 9As shown, the work site 801 includes, uses, and / or implements a first mobile hydrogen refueling platform 810A and an optional second mobile hydrogen refueling platform 810B. As described above with reference to mobile platforms 110, 310, 410, 510, 610, and / or 710, mobile refueling platforms 810A and / or 810B may be designed and / or configured for use at the mining work site 801. For example, mobile platforms 810A and / or 810B may have dimensions exceeding at least one limitation associated with travel on a highway. Additionally, mobile platforms 810A and / or 810B may be designed to operate in rough, uneven, unpaved, and / or steep environments, such as those encountered at mining sites or other heavy industrial work sites (e.g., mobile platforms 810A and / or 810B may be "rugged"). For example, mobile platforms 810A and / or 810B may be integrated into and / or at least temporarily coupled to mining haul trucks (e.g., corresponding to any of vehicles 102, 202, 302, 402, 502, and / or 602, and / or any other vehicle described herein). In certain circumstances, the mining haul truck is operable to move at least mobile platform 810A above, at, or along the work site 801, such as, for example, to, from, and between refueling locations 803A, 803B, and 803C. Figure 8 As indicated by the thick arrow shown. In some cases, the second mobile platform 810B may also move around the work site 801, for example, to refuel the first mobile platform 810A, as described in further detail herein.

[0209] Figure 9 This is a schematic block diagram of a refueling location 803 (e.g., a first refueling location 803A, a second refueling location 803B, or a third refueling location 803C). A first mobile platform 810A is shown at and / or engaged with refueling location 803 to provide a hydrogen flow to a mining vehicle 806 (e.g., a first mining vehicle 806A, a second mining vehicle 806B, or a third mining vehicle 806C), which is also at and at least temporarily connected to and / or engaged with its refueling infrastructure 805. As shown, mobile platform 810A may include any number of components, modules, interfaces, etc., such as any of those previously described herein. For example, mobile platform 810A may include at least a storage module 820A, a compression / transmission module 833A, a refueling interface 840A, and a power module 850A.

[0210] The power module 850A of the mobile platform 810A may include a hydrogen power unit configured to supply power to mining tractor trucks (e.g., vehicles 102, 202, 302, 402, 502, and / or 602) coupled to the mobile platform 810A. In some embodiments, the power module 850A may include one or more hydrogen tanks and may be configured to receive hydrogen flow from a refueling interface 840A or directly from a compression / transfer module 833A and / or a storage module 820A. As described in detail above, the power module 850A may be included in and / or disposed on the mobile platform 810A (e.g., a trailer or other support structure of the mobile platform 810A), or alternatively, may be a power module included in the mining tractor truck to which the mobile platform 810A is coupled (e.g., the power module 850A may be a hydrogen power unit similar to and / or substantially the same as the hydrogen power unit included in the mining vehicle 806). In some embodiments, power module 850A may be similar to and / or substantially the same as power modules 150, 150A and / or 750 and / or any other power module described herein. Thus, power module 850A can generate power operable to power mobile platform 810A and / or mining tractor trucks used to move mobile platform 810A.

[0211] Storage module 820A is configured to store, contain, or accommodate multiple hydrogen tanks (e.g., configured to store gaseous or liquid hydrogen) with a combined capacity greater than, for example, the hydrogen consumption of at least two mining vehicles 806 over 24 hours (e.g., up to 10,000 kg or more of hydrogen, including the extreme values, at pressures between approximately 200 and approximately 400 bar). For example, in some embodiments, storage module 820A may be similar to or substantially the same as storage modules 120, 320, 420, 520, 620, and / or 720 described in detail above.

[0212] Compression / transfer module 833A may be configured to receive hydrogen streams from one or more hydrogen tanks included in storage module 820A, for example, via a manifold (e.g., manifold 132), and supply hydrogen streams to refill interface 840A. In some embodiments where storage module 820A stores gaseous hydrogen, compression / transfer module 833A may be and / or may include a compression module similar to or substantially the same as, for example, compression module 133. In such embodiments, the compression module may deliver a high-pressure hydrogen stream having a pressure, for example, between about 400 bar and about 1,000 bar (inclusive). In some embodiments, the compression module may include at least a compressor (e.g., compressors 134, 734) and a cooler (e.g., coolers 136, 736) fluidly connected between the compressor and refill interface 840A. The compressor may be configured to compress the hydrogen stream and supply the high-pressure hydrogen stream to refill interface 840A after the high-pressure hydrogen stream has been cooled by the cooler. Each of the compressor and the cooler may be powered by power module 850A. In some implementations, the high-pressure hydrogen stream supplied from the compression module to the refueling interface 840A is a first high-pressure hydrogen stream, and the power module 850A can be configured to receive the second high-pressure hydrogen stream after it has been cooled by a cooler. Therefore, the compression module can be configured to supply, for example, high-pressure, cooled hydrogen to the refueling interface 840A and / or the power module 850A.

[0213] In some embodiments where storage module 820A stores liquid hydrogen, compression / transfer module 833A may be and / or may include transfer modules similar to or substantially the same as, for example, transfer modules 133b and / or 133e. For example, such a transfer module may include one or more heaters, vaporizers, pumps, and / or pressure regulators (e.g., heater 134b, vaporizers 134e1 and 134e2, pressure regulator 136b or 136e).

[0214] like Figure 9As shown, the refueling interface 840A may include any suitable components, connectors, valves, hoses, pipes, conduits, pumps, etc., to allow the refueling interface 840A to engage, connect, and / or interface with the refueling infrastructure 805. In some embodiments, the refueling interface 840A may be similar to or substantially identical to refueling interfaces 140, 340, 440, 540, and / or 740 and / or any other suitable refueling interface described herein. Therefore, when the mining vehicle 806 is located at the refueling position and coupled to and / or otherwise engaged with the refueling infrastructure 805, the refueling interface 840A may be configured to deliver a hydrogen flow from the mobile platform 810A (e.g., the storage module 820A of the mobile platform 810A) to the refueling infrastructure 805 at the refueling position 803. As previously described, the hydrogen flow may optionally have a second pressure greater than the first pressure. In some embodiments, the second pressure may be between 400 bar and 1,000 bar, including extreme values. In some implementations, the refueling interface 840A may be configured to deliver a second hydrogen stream from the compression / transfer module 833A to the refueling infrastructure 805 at a mass flow rate of at least 4 kg / min.

[0215] Return to reference Figure 8 The second mobile platform 810B may be coupled to a mining tractor truck (e.g., vehicles 102, 202, 302, 402, 502, and / or 602) operable to move the second mobile platform 810B on, along, and / or around the work site 801. The second mobile platform 810B includes at least a storage module 820B configured to maximize storage. For example, the second mobile platform 810B may be similar to the first mobile platform 810A but configured to maximize hydrogen storage. In some embodiments, for example, the storage module 820B may be configured to store 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more times the amount of hydrogen stored by or that can be stored by the storage module 820A of the first mobile platform 810A. In some embodiments, the mobile platform 810B may be substantially similar to mobile platforms 110A or 610 as previously described in detail herein.

[0216] like Figure 8As shown, the second mobile platform 810B can move to or from at least one refueling location 803 (e.g., first refueling location 803A, second refueling location 803B, and / or third refueling location 803C) to supply hydrogen to the first mobile platform 810A. Although not shown, the second mobile platform 810B may also include a refueling interface (e.g., refueling interfaces 140, 340, 440, 540, and / or 740) configured to engage and / or interface with a portion of the first mobile platform 810A to allow hydrogen to be transferred from the storage module 820B of the second mobile platform 810B to at least one hydrogen tank in the storage module 820A of the first mobile platform 810A. In this way, when the first mobile platform 810A is used to refuel the mining vehicle 806 at the corresponding refueling location 803, the second mobile platform 810B can be used to refuel the hydrogen tanks in the storage module 820A of the first mobile platform 810A. In some embodiments, the filling of the storage module 820A of the first mobile platform 810A by the second mobile platform 810B can also be performed at one of the filling locations 803. In other embodiments, the filling of the storage module 820A of the first mobile platform 810A can be performed at any suitable location in the work site 801, or at a location outside or outside the work site 801.

[0217] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating method 10 using a mobile hydrogen refueling system according to an embodiment. The mobile hydrogen refueling system may be similar to or substantially the same as, for example, systems 100, 100b, 100e, 300, 400, 500, 600, and / or 700 described in detail above. Although systems 100 and 100b have been described, it should be understood that operation of method 10 can be performed using any mobile hydrogen refueling system described herein or any other suitable mobile hydrogen refueling system.

[0218] Method 10 includes, at point 11, loading a storage module comprising any number of hydrogen tanks onto a mobile hydrogen refueling system. The size of the mobile hydrogen refueling platform exceeds at least one limitation associated with travel on a highway. For example, a storage module 120 storing, containing, or accommodating the group of hydrogen tanks 122 is loaded onto a mobile platform 110. The mobile platform 110 is coupled to a heavy equipment vehicle 102 (e.g., a mining truck) operable to move the mobile platform to or from at least one refueling location (e.g., refueling location 803) at a mining site (e.g., industrial operation site 801). In some embodiments, the storage module 120 may be loaded with a plurality of hydrogen tanks 122, which together contain 1,000 kg, 2,000 kg, 3,000 kg, 4,000 kg, 5,000 kg, 6,000 kg, 7,000 kg, 8,000 kg, 9,000 kg, 10,000 kg, 15,000 kg (inclusive) or more of hydrogen (e.g., gaseous or liquid hydrogen).

[0219] At point 12, a first hydrogen stream is delivered from hydrogen tank 122, which is part of the group of hydrogen tanks 122 included in the storage module 120, via manifold 132. For example, the first hydrogen stream may be delivered to one or more compressors 134 included in the mobile platform 110. In some embodiments, the first hydrogen stream is at a first pressure between 200 bar and 400 bar, including any value or range therebetween.

[0220] At point 13, the first hydrogen stream is compressed and cooled to produce cooled, high-pressure hydrogen. For example, compressor 134 may receive the first hydrogen stream from manifold 132 and compress the hydrogen to pressurize it. The pressurized hydrogen can then be delivered to cooler 136 to cool the hydrogen, thereby producing cooled, high-pressure hydrogen. In embodiments where the fuel source is liquid hydrogen, heater 134b (or expander) may heat or expand the liquid hydrogen to produce gaseous hydrogen, and pressure regulator 136b may regulate the pressure of the produced hydrogen to produce high-pressure hydrogen.

[0221] At point 14, cooled or otherwise cryogenically cooled high-pressure hydrogen is supplied to the refueling port 140 of the mobile platform 110. For example, a first hydrogen stream, compressed by compressor 134 and cooled by cooler 136, is supplied to the refueling port 140 of the mobile platform. At point 15, a second hydrogen stream is supplied from the refueling port 140 of the mobile platform 110 to the refueling port of a hydrogen-powered unit included in a heavy equipment vehicle. In some embodiments, the heavy equipment truck may include a mining truck, such as mining vehicle 806. In some embodiments, the second hydrogen stream may be at a second pressure between 400 bar and 1,000 bar, including any value or range therebetween. In some cases, the relatively high pressure of the second hydrogen stream may allow and / or may result in a mass flow rate of at least 4 kg / min for the second hydrogen stream.

[0222] In some embodiments, the mobile platform 110 may include a power module 150 configured to provide power to at least the compressor 134 and cooler 136 of the mobile platform 110. The power module 150 may include a hydrogen power unit. In such embodiments, method 10 may further include supplying a third hydrogen stream from the cooler 136 to the hydrogen power unit contained in the power module 150, the third hydrogen stream being used by the power module 150 to generate electricity.

[0223] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating a method 20 using a mobile hydrogen refueling system for storing and delivering liquid hydrogen according to an embodiment. The mobile hydrogen refueling system may be similar to or substantially the same as, for example, systems 100, 100b, 100e, 300, 400, 500, 600, and / or 700 described in detail above. While system 100e has been described, it should be understood that the operation of method 20 can be performed using any hydrogen refueling system described herein or any other suitable mobile hydrogen refueling system.

[0224] Method 20 includes loading a storage module, comprising any number of hydrogen tanks for storing liquid hydrogen, onto a mobile hydrogen refueling system at point 21. The size of the mobile hydrogen refueling platform exceeds at least one limitation associated with travel on a highway. For example, a storage module 120e for storing, containing, or accommodating a set of hydrogen tanks 122e is loaded onto a mobile platform 110e. The mobile platform 110e may be coupled to a mining vehicle 102 (e.g., a trailer truck, etc.) operable to move the mobile platform to or from at least one refueling location (e.g., refueling location 803) at or from a mining site (e.g., industrial operation site 801). In some embodiments, the storage module 120e may be loaded with multiple hydrogen tanks 122e, which together contain 1,000 kg, 2,000 kg, 3,000 kg, 4,000 kg, 5,000 kg, 6,000 kg, 7,000 kg, 8,000 kg, 9,000 kg, 10,000 kg, 15,000 kg (inclusive) or more of liquid hydrogen.

[0225] At point 22, a refueling interface, fluidly connected via a transfer module to one or more hydrogen tanks, is releasably engaged with the liquid hydrogen tanks of the mining vehicle. The refueling interface may include refueling interface 140e or any other refueling interface described in detail herein. For example, the refueling interface may be releasably engaged, coupled, or connected to the liquid hydrogen tanks of the mining vehicle 106e using a quick-connect / disconnect coupling.

[0226] At point 23, it is determined whether the pressure in the hydrogen tank 122e is greater than the pressure in the mining truck LH2 tank 107e, which can be connected to the refueling interface 140e of the refueling infrastructure 105e or the mobile hydrogen refueling system 100e. If a positive pressure difference exists between the hydrogen tank 122e and the mining truck LH2 tank 107e (i.e., the pressure in the hydrogen tank 122e is greater than the pressure in the mining truck LH2 tank 107e (23: yes)), then at point 24, a portion (e.g., a first portion) of the liquid hydrogen stream is transferred from the hydrogen tank 122e to the mining truck LH2 tank 107e via the transfer module 133e, as previously discussed herein. Figure 1E As described. At 25, a second portion of the hydrogen stream is delivered via transfer module 133e to a vaporizer (e.g., a second vaporizer 134e2) to generate hydrogen. For example, at 26, the generated hydrogen is delivered via transfer module 133e to the group of hydrogen tanks 122e to maintain the pressure of the liquid hydrogen in the group of hydrogen tanks 122e and reduce hydrogen loss.

[0227] If a negative pressure differential or substantially no pressure differential is determined at operation 23 (i.e., a non-positive pressure differential, where the pressure in the hydrogen tank 122e is less than or substantially equal to the pressure in the mining truck LH2 tank 107e (23: No)), then at 27, a portion (e.g., a first portion) of the liquid hydrogen stream is transferred from the mining truck LH2 tank 107e to the hydrogen tank 122e via the transfer module 133e, as previously discussed herein. Figure 1F As described. At point 28, a second portion of the hydrogen stream from the mining truck LH2 tank 107e is conveyed via transfer module 133e to a vaporizer (e.g., a second vaporizer 134e2) to produce hydrogen. At point 29, the produced hydrogen is conveyed via transfer module 133e to the mining truck LH2 tank 107e, for example, to maintain the pressure of the liquid hydrogen in the mining truck LH2 tank 107e and reduce hydrogen loss.

[0228] In some embodiments, method 20 may further include: returning at least a portion of the gaseous hydrogen—which is generated from liquid hydrogen supplied from the storage module's hydrogen tank to the mining vehicle's liquid hydrogen tank, or released from the mining vehicle's liquid hydrogen tank—to the storage module's hydrogen tank via a return line. This can suppress the loss of gaseous hydrogen released from the mining vehicle's liquid hydrogen tank (e.g., release due to vaporization and / or evaporation of liquid hydrogen or other forms of loss). For example, in response to the pressure within the liquid hydrogen tank exceeding a pressure threshold, gaseous hydrogen may be released from a safety valve or return valve (or via any other suitable vaporization or steam management system) of the mining vehicle's liquid hydrogen tank in a manner that recirculates the gaseous hydrogen back to the storage module's hydrogen tank. In some embodiments, the storage module's hydrogen tank comprises a 20 ft ISO tank or a 40 ft ISO tank, or any other tank as previously described herein. In some embodiments, the pressure of the liquid hydrogen in the storage module's hydrogen tank is in the range of about 7 bar to about 12 bar, or any other pressure as previously described herein.

[0229] In some embodiments, the mobile platform 110e may include a power module 150e configured to provide power to at least the transmission module 133e. The power module 150e may include a hydrogen power unit. In such embodiments, method 20 may further include delivering a third hydrogen stream from a set of hydrogen tanks 122e to the hydrogen power unit included in the power module 150e, which uses the third hydrogen stream to generate electricity. In some embodiments, the mobile platform 110e or storage module 120e may include a vaporizer (e.g., a first vaporizer 134e1) that receives a fourth liquid hydrogen stream from the set of hydrogen tanks 122e and generates hydrogen gas, which is then returned to the set of hydrogen tanks 122e to maintain the pressure therein at a desired pressure. In some embodiments, the vaporizer includes an ambient heat exchanger. In some embodiments, method 20 may include pressurizing liquid hydrogen received from the hydrogen tanks of the storage module via one or more pumps and delivering the pressurized liquid hydrogen to the liquid hydrogen tanks of a mining vehicle.

[0230] The specific terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and / or features or components thereof, and is not intended to be limiting. While various schematic diagrams, embodiments, and / or implementations have been described above, it should be understood that they are presented by way of example only and not limitation. Various modifications, alterations, and / or variations in form and / or detail may be made without departing from the scope and / or spirit of this disclosure and / or without altering its function and / or advantages, unless expressly stated otherwise. Similarly, while embodiments (and / or their features, components, configurations, aspects, etc.) may be described above in the context of certain implementations, it should be understood that such implementations are presented as examples only and not as limitations. Unless expressly stated otherwise, any embodiment (and / or its features, components, configurations, aspects, etc.) may be used and / or adapted to other implementations. Functionally equivalent embodiments, implementations, and / or methods, other than those described herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description and are intended to fall within the scope and / or spirit of this disclosure.

[0231] Where certain components are arranged in certain orientations, configurations, or locations as indicated in the above schematic diagrams, embodiments, and / or implementations, the arrangement of components may be modified. Although various embodiments have been described as combinations having specific features, configurations, and / or components, other embodiments may have any combination of features, configurations, and / or components from any embodiment described herein, in addition to mutually exclusive combinations. The embodiments described herein may include various combinations and / or sub-combinations of the functions, components, configurations, and / or features of the different embodiments described.

[0232] The specific configuration of the various components can also vary. For example, the size and specific shape of the various components may differ from the illustrated embodiment, while still providing the functionality described herein. More specifically, the size and shape of the various components can be specifically selected for the desired or intended use. Therefore, it should be understood that unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the size, shape, and / or arrangement of the embodiments and / or their components can be adapted to specific applications.

[0233] Where the methods described above indicate that certain events, steps, and / or procedures occur in a certain order, the order of certain events, steps, and / or procedures may be modified. Furthermore, certain events, steps, and / or procedures may be executed simultaneously in parallel processes where possible, or they may be executed sequentially as described above. Although methods have been described as having specific steps and / or combinations of steps, other methods are also possible, in addition to mutually exclusive combinations and / or combinations of any steps from any method described herein, unless the context explicitly states otherwise.

Claims

1. An apparatus for injecting liquid hydrogen at a mining site, the apparatus comprising: A mobile platform capable of connecting to a vehicle; A storage module, which can be removably connected to the mobile platform, stores a hydrogen tank configured to store liquid hydrogen; A transmission module, which can be connected to the mobile platform; and A refueling interface configured to engage with the refueling interface of a liquid hydrogen tank on a mining vehicle. The transmission module is configured to receive a stream of liquid hydrogen from the hydrogen tank, deliver a first portion of the stream to the filling port, and deliver a second portion of the stream back to the hydrogen tank. The filling port is configured to transfer the first portion of the liquid hydrogen stream from the transmission module to the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The liquid hydrogen stream from the hydrogen tank of the storage module is a first stream. The transmission module, in a first configuration, is configured to receive the first stream and deliver a first portion of the first stream to the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle and deliver a second portion of the first stream back to the hydrogen tank of the storage module. The transmission module in the second configuration is configured to receive a second stream of liquid or gaseous hydrogen from the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle, deliver a first portion of the second stream to the hydrogen tank of the storage module, and deliver a second portion of the second stream back to the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: A first vaporizer is configured to (i) receive a portion of liquid hydrogen from the hydrogen tank of the storage module, (ii) vaporize the portion of liquid hydrogen to produce gaseous hydrogen, and (iii) in each of the first and second configurations, deliver the gaseous hydrogen back to the hydrogen tank of the storage module.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: A second vaporizer is configured to receive a second portion of the first stream of liquid hydrogen and vaporize the second portion of the first stream to produce gaseous hydrogen, and the transfer module is configured to deliver the gaseous hydrogen back to the hydrogen tank of the storage module in the first configuration.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, The second vaporizer is configured to receive a second portion of a second stream of liquid hydrogen from the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle, and to vaporize the second portion of the second stream to produce gaseous hydrogen, the transfer module being configured to, in the second configuration, deliver the gaseous hydrogen back to the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, The first vaporizer and the second vaporizer include an ambient heat exchanger.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The transmission module also includes a quick-connect / disconnect connector configured to releasably connect the hydrogen tank to the mobile platform.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The transfer module also includes one or more pumps configured to pressurize liquid hydrogen received from the hydrogen tank of the storage module and to deliver the pressurized liquid hydrogen to the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: A return pipeline configured to selectively return at least a portion of the gaseous hydrogen generated from liquid hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen tank of the storage module to the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle, or released from the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle, back to the hydrogen tank of the storage module.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The hydrogen tanks in the storage module include 20 ft ISO tanks or 40 ft ISO tanks.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The pressure of the liquid hydrogen in the hydrogen tank of the storage module is in the range of about 7 bar to about 12 bar.

12. An apparatus for injecting liquid hydrogen at a mining site, the apparatus comprising: A mobile platform capable of connecting to a vehicle; A storage module, removably connectable to the mobile platform, the storage module storing a hydrogen tank configured to store liquid hydrogen at a first pressure; A transmission module, connectable to the mobile platform and including a pump, is configured to receive a flow of liquid hydrogen from the hydrogen tank, pressurize the liquid hydrogen to a second pressure greater than the first pressure, and deliver the liquid hydrogen at the second pressure to a liquid hydrogen tank of a mining vehicle; and A refueling interface is configured to engage with the refueling interface of the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle and selectively transfer a flow of liquid hydrogen at the second pressure from the transmission module to the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein, The first pressure is in the range of about 3 bar to about 7 bar, and the second pressure is in the range of about 7 bar to about 12 bar.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein, The hydrogen tanks in the storage module include 20 ft ISO tanks or 40 ft ISO tanks.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein, The transmission module includes a quick-connect / disconnect connector configured to releasably connect the filling interface to the mining vehicle.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: A return pipeline configured to selectively return at least a portion of the gaseous hydrogen generated from liquid hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen tank of the storage module to the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle, or released from the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle, back to the hydrogen tank of the storage module.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: A first vaporizer is configured to receive a portion of liquid hydrogen from the hydrogen tank of the storage module, vaporize the portion of liquid hydrogen to produce gaseous hydrogen, and deliver at least a portion of the gaseous hydrogen back to the hydrogen tank of the storage module.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising: A second gasifier is configured to receive a portion of the hydrogen stream from the hydrogen tank of the storage module to the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle, and to vaporize a portion of the liquid hydrogen to produce gaseous hydrogen. The transfer module is configured to transport a portion of the gaseous hydrogen back to the hydrogen tank of the storage module.

19. A method comprising: The storage module, which includes a hydrogen tank for storing liquid hydrogen, is mounted on a mobile platform that can be connected to a vehicle. The refueling port is releasably coupled to a liquid hydrogen tank of a mining vehicle, the refueling port being fluidly connected to the hydrogen tank via a transfer module; and In response to the pressure difference between the hydrogen tank of the storage module and the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle, and via the transfer module: The first portion of the liquid hydrogen stream is transferred from the hydrogen tank of the storage module to the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle. The second portion of the stream is fed to a vaporizer to produce hydrogen, and Hydrogen is transferred to the hydrogen tank of the storage module.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein, The pressure difference is a positive pressure difference, wherein the pressure of the hydrogen tank in the storage module is greater than the pressure of the liquid hydrogen tank in the mining vehicle, and the method further includes: In response to a non-positive pressure difference between the hydrogen tank of the storage module and the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle, and via the transfer module: The first portion of the liquid hydrogen stream is transferred from the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle to the hydrogen tank of the storage module. The second portion of the stream is fed to the gasifier to produce hydrogen, and Hydrogen is transferred to the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising: At least a portion of the gaseous hydrogen generated due to evaporation during at least one of the following situations will be transferred via a return pipeline to at least one of the hydrogen tanks in the storage module or the liquid hydrogen tanks in the mining vehicle: The first portion of the liquid hydrogen stream is transferred from the hydrogen tank of the storage module to the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle, or The first portion of the liquid hydrogen stream is transferred from the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle to the hydrogen tank of the storage module.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein, The transmission module includes a first vaporizer and a second vaporizer, wherein the vaporizer is the second vaporizer, and the method further includes: A portion of liquid hydrogen is transferred from the hydrogen tank of the storage module to the first vaporizer via the transmission module to generate hydrogen gas; and Hydrogen is transferred to the hydrogen tank of the storage module via the transmission module.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein, The first vaporizer and the second vaporizer include an ambient heat exchanger.

24. The method according to claim 19, wherein, The filling interface is releasably connected to the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle using a quick-connect / disconnect coupling.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising: Liquid hydrogen received from the hydrogen tank of the storage module is pressurized via one or more pumps; and Pressurized liquid hydrogen is delivered to the liquid hydrogen tank of the mining vehicle.

26. The method according to claim 19, wherein, The hydrogen tanks in the storage module include 20 ft ISO tanks or 40 ft ISO tanks.

27. The method according to claim 19, wherein, The pressure of the liquid hydrogen in the hydrogen tank of the storage module is in the range of about 7 bar to about 12 bar.

28. The method according to claim 19, wherein, The hydrogen tanks include multiple hydrogen tanks loaded in the storage module, each of the multiple hydrogen tanks being configured to store liquid hydrogen.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein, Each of the plurality of hydrogen tanks is fluidly connected to the transfer module via a manifold.

30. The method according to claim 19, wherein, The mining vehicle is a first mining vehicle, and the method further includes: Connect the mobile platform to a second mining vehicle; and The mobile platform is moved from a first location at the mining site to a second location at the mining site via the second mining vehicle.

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