Parallel Gas Filling Circuit for High-Flow Tank Refueling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for filling pressurized gas tanks, particularly high-pressure hydrogen tanks, are unable to handle high transfer flow rates due to equipment limitations, which restrict the provision of compatible circuits.
Innovation Solution
The device connects multiple pressurized fluid sources in parallel subgroups to dedicated transfer lines, with each subgroup and transfer line having respective valves, allowing for simultaneous gas flow from multiple sources to a dispenser, and an electronic element for data storage and processing controls valve operations to achieve pressure balancing and maximize gas flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple pressurized gas sources are connected in parallel to a single dispenser using conventional equipment, then the gas flow rate increases, but the equipment complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides multiple gas sources into separate subgroups (first subgroup, second subgroup, etc.), with each subgroup connected to the dispenser through dedicated transfer lines and control valves. This segmentation allows independent control of each source while maintaining the ability to operate at high aggregate flow rates, resolving the contradiction between productivity and device complexity.
2Productivity
If conventional valves and circuits are used to control gas transfer from multiple sources, then the equipment can handle high flow rates, but the equipment size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamically controllable valves (first control valves, second control valves) that can adjust their opening degrees to regulate gas flow from different sources. This dynamic control allows the system to achieve high transfer flow rates only when needed, while maintaining a compact equipment size by using standard-valve dimensions rather than permanently oversized components.
3Loss of time
If gas is transferred rapidly from multiple pressurized sources to fill a vehicle tank, then the filling time decreases, but cold generation during the process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs periodic pressure balancing adjustments between the gas sources and the vehicle tank by sequentially or simultaneously opening and closing control valves in different subgroups. This periodic regulation of gas flow prevents excessive rapid expansion that would cause temperature drops, thereby reducing cold generation while still achieving fast filling times through coordinated multi-source operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for filling pressurized gas tanks, including a fluid transfer circuit having an upstream end connected to a plurality of sources of pressurized fluid and a downstream end having at least one dispenser intended to be connected to a tank to be filled, the sources being connected in parallel, each source has a fluid outlet connected to a respective outlet valve, the transfer lines being connected in parallel to the at least one dispenser and each having a respective transfer valve, the transfer lines and the transfer valves being dimensioned so as to transfer a maximum transfer gas flow which is smaller than the maximum filling gas flow, the sum of a plurality of maximum transfer gas flows provided by a plurality of outlet valves and a plurality of transfer lines being greater than or equal to the maximum filling gas flow.