JP2011064328A - Gas supply apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve charging efficiency into a large-capacity tank to be charged. <P>SOLUTION: A controller 16 controls respective apparatuses arranged on a dispenser unit 15, based on a control law previously stored in a memory 48 (a control program for low-speed charging control or high-speed charging control). The controller 16, when a charging start switch 50 is turned on, controls the valve opening of a control valve 24 for high-speed charging control so that a flow rate measurement value measured by a first flow meter 26 is a target flow rate. In addition, the controller 16, when a large-capacity charging switch 54 is turned on or immediately after the charging start switch 50 is turned on, performs arithmetic processing for estimating the capacity of a fuel tank 12 and, when the capacity of the fuel tank 12 is determined to be a size equal to that of a large-sized motor vehicle, opens a second gas supply opening/closing valve 40 to perform switching so that gas is also supplied from a bypass route 36. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a gas supply device, and more particularly to a gas supply device that fills a tank to be filled having different capacities (volumes).

  In recent years, development of automobiles (CNG cars) that run on compressed natural gas (CNG) obtained by compressing natural gas and fuel cell cars that use hydrogen as fuel have been promoted. Along with this, a gas supply device for supplying compressed natural gas to a fuel tank of an automobile and a gas supply device for supplying hydrogen compressed to a high pressure to a fuel tank of an automobile are being put into practical use.

  In this type of gas supply device, the compressed gas is stored in a gas pressure accumulator, and the connecting part of the filling nozzle provided at the tip of the gas filling hose is connected to the connecting part of the fuel tank on the automobile side, The fuel tank (filled tank) of the automobile is filled with the gas stored in the gas pressure accumulator by switching the three-way valve communicated with the tip of the hose.

  And in a gas supply device, while controlling filling pressure so that it may become the preset target pressure with respect to the fuel tank mounted in each vehicle, the flow volume supplied is also controlled (for example, patent document 1). reference).

JP-A-8-291897

  However, conventionally, the gas filling pressure and flow rate are controlled by a predetermined control law. For example, the volume (or chargeable amount) of the fuel tank differs depending on whether the vehicle is a normal vehicle or a large vehicle. When gas filling is performed according to the same control law, there is a problem that it takes a long time to fill a large automobile.

  In addition, when the flow rate is increased in order to shorten the gas filling time to the tank capacity of a large automobile, the temperature of the fuel tank rapidly rises when filling the fuel tank of an ordinary automobile.

Therefore, in the gas supply device, it is necessary to control the flow rate according to the size of the fuel tank volume (or the amount that can be filled), but the flow meter has a predetermined flow measurable range. If the measurement range is exceeded, highly accurate flow rate measurement cannot be performed. Therefore, for example, when using a flow meter that can measure a small flow rate when filling a fuel tank with a small refillable amount such as a normal car, a tank with a large refillable amount such as a large car is filled with gas. In doing so, the gas must be filled within the flow rate measurable range of the flow meter, and the time required for filling becomes longer. On the other hand, if a flow meter that can measure a large flow rate when filling a fuel tank, such as a large vehicle, with a large amount of gas that can be filled, is able to accurately measure the flow rate that fills an ordinary vehicle. It becomes difficult to do.
Then, an object of this invention is to provide the gas supply apparatus which solved the said subject.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has the following means.
The present invention provides a flow meter in a gas supply path for supplying gas from a pressure source for storing compressed gas to a tank to be filled, and is based on a flow rate measurement value measured by the flow meter and a preset control law. In the gas supply device for controlling the flow rate,
A bypass path for bypassing between the upstream and downstream of the flow meter;
A valve provided in the bypass path;
A flow meter provided in the bypass path;
High-speed filling setting means for setting whether to fill the tank to be filled with the gas supply path and the bypass path;
When filling by the gas supply path and the bypass path is set by the high-speed filling setting means, the valve is opened to supply gas to the tank to be filled from the gas supply path and the bypass path. And a high-speed filling control means for closing the valve when the flow rate measured by the flow meter is equal to or less than a predetermined amount, and thereafter terminating the supply of gas to the tank to be filled. It is characterized by this.

  According to the present invention, when filling by the gas supply path and the bypass path is set by the high-speed filling setting means, the gas filling time is reduced by opening the valve so that the gas is also filled from the bypass path. It can be shortened, and when the gas is supplied to the tank to be filled from the gas supply path and the bypass path, and the flow rate measured by the flow meter falls below a predetermined amount, the valve is closed to pass through the flow meter. By increasing the flow rate, it becomes possible to accurately measure the flow rate of the gas regardless of the amount of filling possible.

It is a schematic block diagram which shows one Example of the gas supply apparatus which becomes this invention. 3 is a front view of the dispenser unit 15. FIG. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the gas filling control process 1 which the control apparatus 16 performs. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the gas filling control process 2 which the control apparatus 16 performs. It is a systematic diagram which shows the structure of the gas supply apparatus of Example 3. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the gas filling control process 3 which the control apparatus 16 performs.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a gas supply apparatus according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the gas supply device 10 is installed, for example, in a gas supply station that supplies compressed gas (for example, hydrogen gas) to a fuel tank (filled tank) 12 of an automobile. The supplied gas is not limited to hydrogen, and includes other gases that are compressed to high pressure such as compressed natural gas.

  The gas supply device 10 is roughly composed of a gas accumulator (gas supply source) 14 for storing gas compressed to a high pressure, a dispenser unit 15 for supplying gas from the gas accumulator 14 to the fuel tank 12, and these The controller 16 controls each device of the dispenser unit 15.

  The dispenser unit 15 is provided with a gas supply path 18 communicated with the gas accumulator 14, and the gas supply path 18 includes a primary pressure gauge 20, a first gas supply on / off valve 22, a control valve 24, a first valve. A flow meter 26, a temperature sensor 28, a pressure sensor 30, a secondary pressure gauge 32, and a safety valve 34 are provided. Further, a bypass path 36 for bypassing between the upstream and downstream of the first flow meter 26 is provided, and the bypass path 36 includes a second flow meter 38 and a second gas supply on / off valve (described in claim 1). 40 corresponding to the above valve).

  Furthermore, a filling hose 44 is connected downstream of the gas supply path 18 via an emergency disconnection coupling 42. A filling nozzle 46 coupled to the filling port 12 a of the fuel tank 12 is provided at the tip of the filling hose 44. A check valve 13 is provided between the fuel tank 12 and the filling port 12a to prevent backflow.

  The dispenser unit 15 is also operated when a large vehicle arrives, a filling start switch 50 that is operated with the filling nozzle 46 coupled to the filling port 12a of the fuel tank 12, a filling stop switch 52 that stops filling. The large-capacity filling switch 54 (high-speed filling setting means) is provided. A gas supply path 56 that communicates between the gas accumulator 14 and the gas supply path 18 is provided with a main valve 57 and a check valve 58 that prevents backflow.

  As the first flow meter 26, a gas flow rate of the first flow meter 26 that falls within a measurable range when the gas is filled in a small container such as a small container of an ordinary automobile is used. Yes.

  The second gas supply on / off valve 40 is opened when gas is charged into a container having a large filling capacity such as a large container of a large automobile or the like so that gas can be supplied also from the bypass passage 36. To do. The second flow meter 38 provided in the bypass path 36 has a measurable flow rate range substantially the same as the first flow meter 26 provided in the gas supply path 18.

  As described above, since the first flow meter 26 and the second flow meter 38 are provided, the ordinary vehicle having a small tank volume (the refillable amount is smaller than the predetermined refillable amount) is filled with gas at a small flow rate. In this case, measurement is performed using only the first flow meter 26 by performing gas supply using the gas supply route 18 provided with the first flow meter 26 without supplying gas from the bypass route 36, and the tank When filling a large vehicle with a volume larger than the standard (fillable amount is larger than the predetermined fillable amount) at a flow rate higher than the low flow rate (a flow rate exceeding the measurable flow rate range of the first flow meter 26). In this embodiment, gas supply is performed using both the gas supply path 18 and the bypass path 36, whereby the flow rates of the gas in the gas supply path 18 and the bypass path 36 are the first flow meter 26 and the second flow meter 38, respectively. Of it will end up in the measurable flow range of each, thereby allowing the flow rate of gas is accurately measure the flow rate of the gas supplied to regardless tank or a low flow rate or a large flow rate.

  In the present embodiment, the flow rate measurable ranges of the first flow meter 26 and the second flow meter 38 are matched, but it is needless to say that the flow rate measurable ranges may be different.

  The control device 16 uses a control law stored in the memory 48 in advance (a control program for low-speed filling control for filling a gas at a predetermined flow rate or a high-speed filling control program for filling a gas at a predetermined large flow rate exceeding a predetermined flow rate). Based on this, each device arranged in the dispenser unit 15 is controlled. When the filling start switch 50 is turned on, the flow rate measurement value measured by the first flow meter 26 is obtained in the case of the low-speed filling control. The valve opening degree of the control valve 24 is controlled so as to become a target flow rate (predetermined flow rate). In the case of high-speed filling control, the flow rate measurement value measured by the first flow meter 26 and the second flow meter 38 are used. The valve opening degree of the control valve 24 is controlled so that the total value with the measured flow rate value becomes the target flow rate (predetermined large flow rate). Further, the control device 16 determines the fuel tank 12 volume as a result of estimation of the volume of the fuel tank 12 performed when the large-capacity filling switch 54 is turned on as described later or immediately after the filling start switch 50 is turned on. When it is determined that the volume of the tank 12 is the size of a large automobile (larger than a predetermined size), the second gas supply on / off valve 40 is opened to bypass the gas by high-speed filling control. It switches so that gas may be supplied also from the path | route 36. FIG.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing each device connected to the control device 16. As shown in FIG. 2, the control device 16 includes a first gas supply opening / closing valve 22, a control valve 24, a first flow meter 26, a temperature sensor 28, a pressure sensor 30, a second flow meter 38, and a second gas supply opening / closing. The valve 40, the memory 48, the filling start switch 50, the filling stop switch 52, and the large-capacity filling switch 54 are connected.

  The first flow meter 26 and the second flow meter 38 are Coriolis mass flow meters, and output a signal corresponding to the flow rate of the supplied gas to the control device 16.

  The first gas supply on / off valve 22 and the second gas supply on / off valve 40 are composed of electromagnetic valves or the like, and are opened or closed by turning on or off a valve opening signal from the control device 16.

  The control valve 24 is adjusted to an arbitrary valve opening degree according to a command from the control device 16 and operates to control the flow rate of the gas based on a preset control law.

  The large-capacity filling switch 54 visually identifies the type of vehicle (ordinary or large) that the worker has arrived, and when the vehicle is a large vehicle having a large-capacity fuel tank, The switch is used by the worker to turn on when the amount of the refillable amount is determined from the information such as the fuel gauge of the vehicle and the refillable amount is large. In the present embodiment, when the large-capacity filling switch 54 is turned on, the control device 16 determines that the fuel tank having a large fillable amount is filled.

  Here, the gas filling control process 1 executed by the control device 16 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the vehicle to be filled with gas arrives, the operator connects the filling nozzle 46 to the filling port 12a of the fuel tank 12, and then turns on the filling start switch 50.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the control device 16 checks whether or not the filling start switch 50 is turned on in S11. In S11, when the filling start switch 50 is not turned on, the process proceeds to S12, and it is checked whether or not the large-capacity filling switch 54 is turned on. If the large-capacity filling switch 54 is turned on in S12, the process proceeds to S13, and the fact that the large-capacity filling mode corresponding to the large capacity is set is stored in the memory 48.

  If the large-capacity filling switch 54 is not turned on in S12, the process returns to S11 and the processes of S11 and S12 are repeated. In S11, when the filling start switch 50 is turned on, the process proceeds to S14, where the main valve 57, the first gas supply opening / closing valve 22, and the control valve 24 of the gas accumulator 14 are opened.

  In next S15, it is checked whether or not the large-capacity filling mode is set. In S15, when the large-capacity filling mode is set, the process proceeds to S16, and the second gas supply opening / closing valve 40 provided in the bypass path 36 is opened (valve opening means). As a result, the gas is filled into the fuel tank 12 at a flow rate obtained by adding the flow rates measured by the first flow meter 26 and the second flow meter 38, respectively. In S15, when the large-capacity filling mode is not set, since the vehicle is a normal automobile having a small-capacity fuel tank, the second gas supply opening / closing valve 40 is not opened and the first flow rate is set. Only the flow rate measured by the total 26 is filled in the fuel tank 12.

  Since the filling in the large-capacity filling mode is performed at the flow rate measured by both the first flow meter 26 and the second flow meter 38, it is possible to efficiently fill at the large flow rate. It is possible to shorten the filling time in the case of a large vehicle having a large capacity. Since the flow rate supplied from the bypass path 36 is directly measured by the second flow meter 38, the fuel tank is obtained by adding the measured value of the first flow meter 26 and the measured value of the second flow meter 38. It is possible to accurately determine the total flow rate charged to the 12.

  In next S17, it is checked whether or not the current filling pressure detected by the pressure sensor 30 has reached a target pressure (target pressure) to be filled in the fuel tank 12. In S17, when the current filling pressure has not reached the target pressure, the filling is still in progress. Therefore, the process proceeds to S18, and the flow rate of the gas currently supplied to the fuel tank 12 is within the measurable range of the first flow meter 26. (Or whether the current filling pressure has reached a predetermined pressure slightly lower than the target pressure). In S18, it is determined that the flow rate of the gas currently supplied to the fuel tank 12 has not decreased to the measurable range of the first flow meter 26 (or the filling pressure has not reached a pressure slightly lower than the target pressure). When there is a sufficient flow rate of the gas supplied from the gas pressure accumulator 14, the process returns to S17, and the processes after S17 are performed.

  In S17, when the current filling pressure reaches the target pressure, the filling is completed. Therefore, the process proceeds to S19, where the main valve 57, the first gas supply opening / closing valve 22, and the control valve 24 of the gas accumulator 14 are turned on. Close the valve. This completes the current gas filling process.

  In S18, the flow rate of the gas currently supplied to the fuel tank 12 (the total flow rate of the flow rate measured by the first flow meter 26 and the flow rate measured by the second flow meter 38) is the first flow meter. When it is determined that the fuel pressure has fallen to 26 measurable ranges (or when the filling pressure has reached the target pressure to be filled in the fuel tank) (or when the filling pressure has reached a pressure slightly lower than the target pressure). Since it has been detected that the current flow rate has fallen within the flow rate measurable range in the first flow meter 26, the process proceeds to S20, and the second gas supply on / off valve 40 provided in the bypass path 36 is closed. To do. As a result, only the flow rate of gas measured by the first flow meter 26 via the gas supply path 18 is filled in the fuel tank 12.

  In the next S21, it is checked again whether or not the current filling pressure detected by the pressure sensor 30 has reached the target pressure. In S21, when the current filling pressure has not reached the target pressure, since the filling is still in progress, a standby state is entered. When the current charging pressure reaches the target pressure, the process proceeds to S22, and the main valve 57, the first gas supply opening / closing valve 22, and the control valve 24 of the gas accumulator 14 are closed. Subsequently, in S23, the fact that the large-capacity filling mode is set is deleted from the memory 48. This completes the current gas filling process.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the gas filling control process 2 executed by the control device 16. Since the system diagram of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted. As shown in FIG. 4, the control device 16 checks whether or not the filling start switch 50 is turned on in S31. If the filling start switch 50 is not turned on in S31, the process proceeds to S32, and it is checked whether vehicle information (ordinary car or large car) has been input. When vehicle information is not input in S32, the process returns to S31 and the processes of S31 and S32 are repeated.

  The vehicle information is information for identifying the size (or chargeable amount) of the fuel tank of the vehicle that is filled with gas, and there are various configurations for inputting the vehicle information to the dispenser unit 15. However, there are the following three typical ones.

  As a first example, the dispenser unit 15 is provided with reading means such as a card reader, and the reading means is made to read an information storage medium such as a card that is provided for each vehicle and stores vehicle information including the volume of the fuel tank. That is.

  As a second example, the volume of the fuel tank in the vehicle or the fillable amount (this fillable amount is based on the fuel tank capacity (fillable amount in the fuel tank when the fuel is empty) and the fuel meter of the vehicle. An information storage medium for storing vehicle information including the difference between the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank that can be grasped and a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the vehicle information stored in the information storage medium And a receiver for inputting the vehicle information transmitted from the transmitter is provided in the dispenser unit 15 to read the vehicle information into the dispenser unit 15 from the vehicle.

  As a third example, an information storage medium for storing vehicle information including the volume of the fuel tank of the vehicle is provided in the dispenser unit 15 in association with the vehicle number, and the vehicle number including a numeric keypad is input. An input means is provided, and vehicle information corresponding to the vehicle number input from the input means is read.

  Further, as the contents of the vehicle information, in addition to information indicating the size of the fuel tank of the vehicle and the refillable amount of the fuel tank of the vehicle as it is, for example, information for specifying the vehicle itself input into the dispenser unit 15 ( In this case, a storage means for storing the size of the fuel tank of the vehicle is provided in the dispenser unit 15 in association with information for specifying the vehicle itself, and the vehicle itself is specified. Of course, when the information for doing so is input, the size of the fuel tank may be read based on the stored contents of the storage means.

  Next, when vehicle information is input in S32, the process proceeds to S33, and it is checked whether or not the fuel tank 12 of the vehicle has a large volume (or a large chargeable amount). In addition, as a vehicle information input means, for example, a method of causing a card reader to read and input vehicle information together with customer information stored in an IC card or magnetic card possessed by the driver, or a barcode printed on the vehicle card , A method in which an operator operates a numeric keypad to input vehicle information, a method in which voice is input through a microphone, and the like are used.

  In S33, if the fuel tank 12 of the vehicle has a large volume (or a large fillable amount), the process proceeds to S34, and a large volume filling mode corresponding to the large volume (or a large fillable amount) is set. Is stored in the memory 48. In S33, if the fuel tank 12 of the vehicle is not of a large volume (or a large chargeable amount), the process returns to S31.

  In S31, when the filling start switch 50 is turned on, the process proceeds to S35, and the processes of S35 to S44 are executed. Note that the processes in S35 to S44 are the same as the processes in S14 to S23 in FIG.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, whether or not gas filling is performed automatically in the large-capacity filling mode is automatically performed based on the input vehicle information (the size of the fuel tank or the amount of the refillable amount). Therefore, the operation of the large-capacity filling switch 54 as in the first embodiment can be made unnecessary. Therefore, for example, when vehicle information corresponding to a large automobile is input or when a large chargeable amount is input, the second gas supply opening / closing valve 40 provided in the bypass path 36 is automatically opened, It becomes possible to fill the gas at a high speed with the flow rate measured by both the first flow meter 26 and the second flow meter 38.

  FIG. 5 is a system diagram showing the configuration of the gas supply apparatus of the third embodiment. In FIG. 5, the same parts as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted. As shown in FIG. 5, the gas supply device 60 includes a variable gas pressure accumulator 62 and a high pressure gas pressure accumulator 64 as a pressure supply source. The variable gas accumulator 62 stores gas having a pressure lower than the target filling pressure of the fuel tank 12, and the high-pressure gas accumulator 64 stores gas having a pressure higher than the target filling pressure of the fuel tank 12. ing.

At the beginning of filling, the main valve 66 of the variable gas pressure accumulator 62 is opened to fill the fuel tank 12 with gas. Then, immediately before the filling pressure of the fuel tank 12 reaches the target pressure, the main valve 68 of the high pressure gas accumulator 64 is opened to fill the filling pressure of the fuel tank 12 to the target pressure.
Thereby, the filling time when the target pressure is high can be shortened. The gas supply path 67 of the variable gas accumulator 62 having a pressure lower than that of the high pressure gas accumulator 64 is provided with a check valve 69 that prevents the main valve 66 and the back flow.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the gas filling control process 3 executed by the control device 16. As shown in FIG. 6, the control device 16 checks whether or not the filling start switch 50 is turned on in S51. In S51, when the filling start switch 50 is turned on, the process proceeds to S52, and the main valve 66, the first gas supply opening / closing valve 22, and the control valve 24 of the variable gas accumulator 62 are opened.

  In the next S53, the valve opening of the control valve 24 is reduced to perform filling control at a minute flow rate, and gas is supplied to the fuel tank 12 at a low speed (minute flow rate). Subsequently, the process proceeds to S54, and the pressure at the time of the minute flow rate filling control is read from the pressure sensor 30 and stored as the initial pressure in the memory 48.

  In the next S55, it is checked whether or not the integrated flow measured by the first flow meter 26 has reached a predetermined integrated flow set in advance. In S55, when the integrated flow measured by the first flow meter 26 reaches a predetermined integrated flow set in advance, the process proceeds to S56, and the current filling pressure (current pressure) detected by the pressure sensor 30 is stored in the memory 48. To do. Subsequently, in S57, the capacity (volume) of the fuel tank 12 is calculated based on the relationship between the pressure difference between the initial pressure and the current pressure and the integrated flow rate required to raise the initial pressure to the current pressure. The volume of the fuel tank 12 is obtained by dividing the integrated flow rate value of gas to the fuel tank 12 required to reach the pressure increase value by the pressure increase value by supplying gas to the fuel tank 12, and multiplying by a coefficient. It is determined by

  Subsequently, in S58, it is checked whether or not the calculated volume of the fuel tank 12 is equal to or greater than a preset specified volume. In S58, when the calculated volume of the fuel tank 12 is equal to or larger than a preset specified volume, it is determined that the refillable amount of the fuel tank 12 that is currently filled with gas is large, and the process proceeds to S59, and the bypass path The 36 second gas supply on / off valve 40 is opened. Thereby, it becomes possible to perform high-speed gas filling with a large flow rate measured by both the first flow meter 26 and the second flow meter 38.

  In S58, when the calculated volume of the fuel tank 12 is less than the preset specified volume, it is determined that the refillable amount of the fuel tank 12 is small, and the process of S59 is omitted. In this case, since the second gas supply opening / closing valve of the bypass path 36 remains closed, the gas is filled at the flow rate measured by the first flow meter 26.

  In S60, similarly to the filling control described in the first embodiment, the filling control is performed while controlling the valve opening degree of the control valve 24. That is, low-speed filling control is performed in the case of gas filling into a small fuel tank, and high-speed filling control is performed in the case of a large fuel tank.

  In the next S61, it is checked whether or not the current filling pressure detected by the pressure sensor 30 has reached the target pressure. When it is determined in S61 that the current charging pressure has reached the target pressure, it is determined that the current gas charging is completed, and in S64, the main valve 66, the first gas supply on / off valve 22, the control valve 24, and The second gas supply opening / closing valve 40 is closed, and the current filling control is terminated.

  When the current filling pressure does not reach the target pressure in S61, it is still in the middle of filling. Therefore, the process proceeds to S62, and the remaining filling amount (fillable amount) of the fuel tank 12 is calculated. In addition, the remaining filling amount (fillable amount) of the fuel tank 12 can be calculated by an arithmetic expression of remaining filling amount = (integrated flow rate × {target filling pressure− (initial pressure + rising pressure)} / rising pressure) .

  Subsequently, in S63, it is checked whether or not the remaining filling amount in the fuel tank 12 is less than a preset remaining filling amount. In S63, when the remaining filling amount of the fuel tank 12 is not less than the predetermined remaining filling amount set in advance, the process returns to S61, and the processes after S61 are repeated.

  In S61, when the current filling pressure detected by the pressure sensor 30 reaches the target pressure, the filling is completed, and thus the process proceeds to S64, where the main valve 66 of the variable gas accumulator 62, the first gas supply opening / closing operation are performed. The valve 22, the control valve 24, and the second gas supply opening / closing valve 40 of the bypass path 36 are closed. This completes the current gas filling process.

  In S63, when the remaining filling amount of the fuel tank 12 is less than the predetermined remaining filling amount set in advance, the process proceeds to S65, the main valve 68 of the high-pressure gas accumulator 64 is opened, and the high-pressure gas accumulator is opened. The high-pressure gas stored in 64 is supplied to the fuel tank 12. In S66, the main valve 66 of the variable gas pressure accumulator 62 is closed.

  Subsequently, in S67, it is checked whether or not the current filling pressure detected by the pressure sensor 30 has reached the target pressure. In S67, when the current filling pressure reaches the target pressure, the main valve 68 of the high pressure gas accumulator 64, the first gas supply on / off valve 22, the control valve 24, and the second gas supply on / off valve 40 of the bypass path 36 are turned on. Close the valve. This completes the current gas filling process.

  In this way, by calculating the volume of the fuel tank 12, if the volume of the fuel tank 12 is equal to or greater than the specified volume and is determined to be that of a large automobile, the second gas supply provided in the bypass passage 36 is determined. The on-off valve 40 is automatically opened, and the gas can be filled at a high speed with the flow rate measured by both the first flow meter 26 and the second flow meter 38.

  As described above, according to the third embodiment, if a gas accumulator that stores a pressure larger than the target pressure for gas filling of the fuel tank to which gas is supplied is provided, the gas is supplied to the large fuel tank. High-speed filling control can be performed until the end of filling, and the filling time can be further shortened.

  In this embodiment, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6, the volume of the fuel tank obtained in S57 is obtained, and filling is performed when the volume of the fuel tank obtained in S57 is larger than a predetermined volume in S58. Although it is determined that the possible amount is large and the second gas supply opening / closing valve 40 is opened to fill the fuel tank 12 with a large flow rate, the amount of the fillable amount is obtained based on the tank volume. Instead, for example, instead of the processing of S57 and S58, the processing of S62 and S63 in the flowchart of FIG. 6 is performed to directly determine the refillable amount, and it is determined that this refillable amount is larger than the predetermined refillable amount. Of course, the second gas supply opening / closing valve 40 may be opened to fill the fuel tank 12 with a large flow rate.

  In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which one bypass path is provided has been described as an example. However, of course, a configuration in which a plurality of bypass paths are provided may be used.

  In the above embodiment, the case where hydrogen gas consumed in a fuel cell vehicle is supplied is taken as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, butane, propane, etc. Of course, the present invention can also be applied to supply (CNG).

  Moreover, in the above embodiment, the case where the compressed gas is filled in the fuel tank of the automobile is given as an example. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and can be applied to an apparatus for supplying the compressed gas to other containers, Of course, the present invention can also be applied to an apparatus configured to be installed in the middle of a pipeline for feeding compressed gas to another place.

10, 60 Gas supply device 12 Fuel tank 14 Gas accumulator 15 Dispenser unit 16 Control device 18 Gas supply path 22 First gas supply on / off valve 24 Control valve 26 First flow meter 30 Pressure sensor 36 Bypass path 38 Second flow meter 40 Second gas supply opening / closing valve 46 Filling nozzle 50 Filling start switch 54 Large capacity filling switch 62 Variable gas pressure accumulator 64 High pressure gas pressure accumulator 66, 68 Original valve

Claims (1)

A flow meter is provided in a gas supply path for supplying gas from a pressure source for storing compressed gas to a tank to be filled, and flow control is performed based on a flow rate measurement value measured by the flow meter and a preset control law. In the gas supply device to perform,
A bypass path for bypassing between the upstream and downstream of the flow meter;
A valve provided in the bypass path;
A flow meter provided in the bypass path;
High-speed filling setting means for setting whether to fill the tank to be filled with the gas supply path and the bypass path;
When filling by the gas supply path and the bypass path is set by the high-speed filling setting means, the valve is opened to supply gas to the tank to be filled from the gas supply path and the bypass path. And a high-speed filling control means for closing the valve when the flow rate measured by the flow meter is equal to or less than a predetermined amount, and thereafter terminating the supply of gas to the tank to be filled;
A gas supply device comprising:

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