SYSTEM FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF LIQUIDS

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a fluid distribution system.

[0002] This system is also known as a fluid refueling station. The fluid, for example hydrogen, is typically used as fuel by the vehicle. The vehicle could be, for example, a car, a freight or passenger rail vehicle, or another type of vehicle.

[0003] We are familiar with such fixed charging stations. They are generally distributed across a territory to form a network that facilitates vehicle charging and allows vehicles to have sufficient range to travel throughout the territory.

[0004] For certain applications, particularly for rail freight, the distances traveled by rail vehicles are considerable. Furthermore, the need to refuel rail vehicles varies over time depending on the routes they travel.

[0005] These constraints make it difficult and costly to establish a network of fixed charging stations across the entire territory. Furthermore, US 2019 / 041004 A1 discloses a mobile fluid distribution system configured to distribute the fluid to a rail vehicle.

[0006] One objective of the invention is to overcome the above disadvantages by facilitating the refueling of vehicles with fluid over an entire territory.

[0007] For this purpose, the invention relates to a fluid distribution system according to claim 1.

[0008] Thus, the system according to the invention can easily be moved along the rails and deployed across the territory according to the anticipated needs of freight rail vehicles. The modular design of the system, with its first and second containers, facilitates its use, since the first container, which houses the first fluid reservoir, can be easily replaced when empty.

[0009] In different embodiments, the fluid distribution system further comprises one or more of the following features, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations: the fluid is dihydrogen; the first tank is removably mounted in the first container; the first tank is refillable with fluid; the second container includes an electrical power supply unit for supplying the conditioning unit and the distribution unit and for being connected to an electrical power source preferably external to the system; the conditioning unit includes an earthing plug for being electrically connected to the ground; the first container and the second container are aligned in the longitudinal direction; and the system includes a third container comprising at least a second tank for holding a fluid under storage pressure, said second tank being fluidly connected to the conditioning unit.

[0010] Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, given by way of example and with reference to the attached drawings, among which: There figure 1 is a schematic representation of a fluid distribution system according to a first embodiment of the invention, and The figure 2 is a schematic representation of a fluid distribution system according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0011] There figure 1 is a schematic representation of a vehicle fluid distribution system 10 (not shown) according to a first embodiment of the invention.

[0012] The vehicle is, for example, a freight rail vehicle or a passenger rail vehicle.

[0013] Alternatively, the vehicle can be of any type, such as a motor vehicle or other.

[0014] The fluid is preferably dihydrogen. Alternatively, the fluid is methane or a mixture of propane and butane such as LPG, for liquefied petroleum gas.

[0015] The system 10 according to the invention comprises at least one rail car 12, at least one first container 14 and at least one second container 16. The first container 14 comprises at least one first tank 18. The second container 16 comprises a conditioning unit 20, a distribution unit 22 and, preferably, a power supply unit 24.

[0016] The distribution system 10 is configured to distribute said fluid to a railway vehicle, for example, located on a track parallel to the track on which the railway car 12 is located, or on the same track as the railway car 12 is located.

[0017] The railway car 12 is typically intended to be connected to a locomotive for movement on a railway network.

[0018] Alternatively, railway car 12 is self-propelled, meaning that it is capable of moving autonomously.

[0019] In the description, the expression "railway car 12" invariably refers to a car intended for the transport of passengers or the transport of goods.

[0020] The railway car 12 extends mainly along a longitudinal direction which corresponds to the direction of movement of the car 12.

[0021] The railway car 12 includes a chassis 26 for example mounted on bogies 28.

[0022] The first container 14 and the second container 16 are mounted on the chassis 26, preferably in a removable manner, i.e. that the first container 14 and the second container 16 can be detached from the chassis 26 without substantially affecting the structure of the chassis 26 and be reattached to the chassis 26 without also substantially affecting the structure of the chassis 26. For example, the first container 14 and the second container 16 are mounted on the chassis 26 using a fastening system (not shown) of the "twist-lock" type in English or "rotating lock" in French, known from the prior art.

[0023] The first 14-foot container and the second 16-foot container are preferably identical. Preferably, the first 14-foot container and the second 16-foot container are 20 feet long, that is, approximately 6.058 m. This type of container is standardized for road, rail, or sea freight transport.

[0024] The first container 14 and the second container 16 are preferably aligned one behind the other in the longitudinal direction.

[0025] The first tank 18 is intended to contain the fluid. The fluid is stored in the first tank 18 in gaseous or liquid form at a storage pressure.

[0026] The first tank 18 is for example mounted in a removable manner in the first container 14, that is to say that the first tank 18 can be extracted from the first container 14 without separating the first container 14 from the chassis 26 of the railway car 12.

[0027] Alternatively or in addition, the first reservoir 18 is refillable with fluid, meaning that the first empty reservoir can be filled with fluid. Refilling is carried out, for example, without detaching the first reservoir 18 from the first container 14, or after detaching the first reservoir 18.

[0028] The first tank 18 is fluidly connected to the conditioning unit 20 of the second container 16. For example, the system 10 includes a valve for controlling the passage of fluid from the first tank 18 to the conditioning unit 20.

[0029] The conditioning unit 20 is configured to reduce the pressure of the fluid stored in the first tank 18 from storage pressure to distribution pressure. The distribution pressure is lower than the storage pressure. Preferably, the distribution pressure is between 5 bar and 10 bar.

[0030] Preferably, the conditioning unit 20 includes an earthing plug 30 intended to be electrically connected to the ground.

[0031] The dispensing unit 22 is configured to dispense the fluid at the required dispensing pressure for the vehicle. Preferably, the dispensing unit 22 includes a dispensing nozzle 32 for dispensing the fluid. The dispensing nozzle 32 includes, in a known manner, a gripping portion 34 suitable for being grasped by a user's hand and a trigger 36 actuable by the user to operate the fluid dispensing. For example, the dispensing nozzle 32 is mounted on a transverse wall of the second container 16 extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. This protects the dispensing nozzle 32 from being torn off, particularly during the movement of the railcar 12.

[0032] Preferably, the system 10 includes an access device (not shown) for the dispensing nozzle 32, comprising a step fixed to the second container and / or to the vehicle chassis to facilitate access to the dispensing nozzle 32. The step is, for example, removable or retractable. The step includes, for example, at least one step.

[0033] The distribution unit 22 also preferably includes a control interface (not shown) for example fixed on the second container 16 and intended to control the distribution of the fluid.

[0034] The power supply unit 24 is intended to power the conditioning unit 20 and the distribution unit 22 and is to be connected to an electrical power source preferably external to the system. Alternatively, the system 10 includes an electrical power source mounted on the chassis 26 and connected to the distribution unit 22 and the conditioning unit 20.

[0035] The operation of the fluid distribution system 10 according to the invention will now be described.

[0036] The distribution system 10, for example, is connected to a locomotive and then moved along the railway network according to fluid requirements. For example, the distribution system 10 is moved along a rail parallel to the rail on which the railway vehicle to be refilled is located.

[0037] The user grasps the nozzle 32 of the fluid dispensing unit 22 and pulls the trigger 36. This action draws fluid from the first reservoir 18 to the conditioning unit 20. The fluid changes from storage pressure to dispensing pressure. The user can then fill the first tank of a vehicle.

[0038] There figure 2is a schematic representation of a vehicle fluid distribution system 10 according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0039] This embodiment will be described by differences compared to the first embodiment.

[0040] The fluid distribution system 10 includes a third container 38 mounted on the chassis 26. The third container 38 includes at least a second fluid reservoir 40 for holding fluid at storage pressure. The second reservoir 40 is similar to the first reservoir 18 of the first container 14. The second reservoir 40 is fluidly connected to the conditioning unit 20. Thus, in this embodiment, the capacity of the system 10 is greater than in the first embodiment.

[0041] Thus, the vehicle fluid distribution system 10 according to the invention is particularly advantageous because it can easily be moved along rails and deployed across the territory according to the anticipated needs of freight rail vehicles. The modular design of the system 10, with the first container 14 and the second container 16, facilitates the use of the system 10 since the first container 14, containing the first fluid reservoir 18, can be easily replaced when empty.

Claims

1. A fluid distribution system (10) configured to distribute said fluid to a railway vehicle, said system (10) comprising: - at least one railway carriage (12) extending along a longitudinal direction, said carriage (12) comprising a chassis (26), - at least one first container (14) mounted to the chassis (26), the first container (14) comprising at least one first reservoir (18) for containing a fluid at a storage pressure, - at least one second container (16) mounted to the chassis (26), the second container (16) comprising a conditioning unit (20) fluidly connected to the first reservoir (18), and a distribution unit (22) fluidly connected to the conditioning unit (20), characterised in that the distribution unit (22) is configured to distribute the fluid at a distribution pressure lower than the storage pressure, the conditioning unit (20) being configured to depressurise the fluid from the storage pressure to the distribution pressure, the distribution unit (22) comprising a distribution gun (32) to distribute the fluid at the distribution pressure, the distribution gun (32) being mounted to a transverse wall of the second container (16), said wall extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

2. The system (10) according to claim 1, wherein the fluid is dihydrogen.

3. The system (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first reservoir (18) is removably mounted in the first container (14).

4. The system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first reservoir (18) is refillable with fluid.

5. The system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second container (16) comprises an electric power supply unit (24) for supplying power to the conditioning unit (20) and the distribution unit (22), and to be connected to an electric energy source, preferably external to the system (10).

6. The system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the conditioning unit (20) comprises an earth electrode (30) to be electrically connected to the ground.

7. The system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first container (14) and the second container (16) are aligned along the longitudinal direction.

8. The system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising a third container (38) comprising at least one second reservoir (40) for containing a fluid under a storage pressure, with the second reservoir (40) being fluidly connected to the conditioning unit (20).