Hydrogen Fuel Bypass System for Rapid Temperature Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydrogen refueling station systems face limitations in temperature control, leading to inefficient fueling due to slow temperature regulation, high operational costs, and inflexibility in handling varying vehicle types and tank sizes, resulting in reduced hydrogen sales and increased maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A fluid bypass method and system that diverts a portion of the fuel stream for partial or no vaporization through a heat exchanger, mixing it with the vaporized fuel to achieve precise temperature control, eliminating the need for large cold storage and refrigeration systems, and allowing for automatic adjustment based on vehicle type and ambient conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a refrigeration system with thermal storage and heat exchanger is used to maintain fuel temperature, then the fuel temperature can be maintained below -40°C, but the system is limited in the number of vehicles that can be filled back-to-back due to limited thermal energy availability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the thermal storage function from the traditional refrigeration system by using a portion of the cryogenic fuel itself as the cooling medium. Instead of relying on a separate thermal storage system with limited capacity, the system utilizes the cold fuel directly to cool subsequent fuel loads, effectively extracting and recycling thermal energy from the fuel stream itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the thermal storage function with the fuel storage system by using the cryogenic fuel in the storage tank as both the product and the cooling medium. The fuel serves dual purposes: it is both the commodity being stored and the refrigerant that provides cooling through heat exchange, eliminating the need for separate thermal storage infrastructure.
2Temperature
If a refrigeration system is used to maintain cold block at -40°C or lower, then the fuel temperature can be controlled, but it takes up to 30 seconds to reach the desired temperature target and the system has wide temperature range fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-cooling the fuel dispenser components and piping using the cold fuel before actual dispensing begins. The system continuously circulates cold fuel through the dispenser system to pre-condition all components, ensuring that when dispensing starts, the entire system is already at the required temperature, eliminating warm-up delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuous cooling action by constantly circulating cold fuel through the heat exchanger and dispenser system. Rather than periodic or intermittent cooling, the system operates continuously to maintain optimal temperature, ensuring that cooling capacity is always available and temperature stability is maintained throughout operation.
3Temperature
If thermal heat exchangers are used to cool the fuel, then the fuel temperature can be reduced, but the system must be tuned to a narrow range of ambient temperatures, vehicle types, and tank capacities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adaptability by using a control system that continuously monitors temperature, flow rate, and dispensing conditions, then dynamically adjusts the heat exchanger operation and fuel circulation rates. The system can adapt to varying ambient temperatures, different vehicle tank sizes, and different dispensing rates by modifying operational parameters in real-time, eliminating the need for fixed tuning to narrow ranges.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by adjusting operational variables such as heat exchanger duty cycle, fuel flow rate, and circulation rate to optimize performance for different conditions. The system can change parameters like heat transfer coefficient, mass flow rate, and temperature differential to accommodate various ambient temperatures and vehicle requirements, providing versatility without sacrificing temperature control.
4Temperature
If refrigeration is used constantly to maintain the cold block at -40°C, then the fuel temperature can be maintained, but it is impossible to maintain all system piping at the desired target temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses cold fuel as an intermediary cooling medium that circulates through the piping system via heat exchangers. Instead of directly cooling all piping components, the system uses the cold fuel to indirectly cool the piping through controlled heat exchange, allowing temperature to be transferred efficiently to where it is needed while maintaining uniformity throughout the system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables rapid and precise temperature control, reducing operational costs, increasing hydrogen dispensing efficiency, and allowing for flexible filling of various vehicle tank sizes, while minimizing stress on dispenser components, thus enhancing the commercialization and scalability of hydrogen fuel applications.
Implementation Method 1
diverting a bypass stream with partial or no vaporization forming a colder stream
Implementation Method 2
mixing the remainder stream outflowed from the vaporizer with the colder stream
Implementation Method 3
the fuel being at a liquid or substantially supercritical thermodynamic state requiring further heat addition in a vaporizer
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid bypass method for controlling the temperature of a non-petroleum fuel, the fluid bypass method includes: providing a fuel at a pressure sufficient to effect a desired flow rate to a vehicle, the fuel being at a liquid or substantially supercritical thermodynamic state requiring further heat addition in a vaporizer; and diverting a bypass stream with partial or no vaporization to a heat exchanger as a cold fluid on a cold side of the heat exchanger. The method further includes providing a remainder stream of the fuel to the vaporizer; mixing the remainder stream outflowed from the vaporizer with the cold fluid outflowed from the cold side of the heat exchanger to form a combined fuel stream; and providing the combined fuel stream to the heat exchanger as a warm fluid on a warm side of the heat exchanger.