EP1567398A1 - Method for handling vehicle hydrogen tanks - Google Patents

Method for handling vehicle hydrogen tanks

Info

Publication number
EP1567398A1
EP1567398A1 EP03780644A EP03780644A EP1567398A1 EP 1567398 A1 EP1567398 A1 EP 1567398A1 EP 03780644 A EP03780644 A EP 03780644A EP 03780644 A EP03780644 A EP 03780644A EP 1567398 A1 EP1567398 A1 EP 1567398A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
vehicle
tanks
hydrogen
liquid hydrogen
phase
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP03780644A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Iginio Benedetti
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
ILT Technology Srl
Original Assignee
ILT Technology Srl
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by ILT Technology Srl filed Critical ILT Technology Srl
Publication of EP1567398A1 publication Critical patent/EP1567398A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C5/00—Methods or apparatus for filling containers with liquefied, solidified, or compressed gases under pressures
    • F17C5/002—Automated filling apparatus
    • F17C5/007—Automated filling apparatus for individual gas tanks or containers, e.g. in vehicles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K15/00—Arrangement in connection with fuel supply of combustion engines or other fuel consuming energy converters, e.g. fuel cells; Mounting or construction of fuel tanks
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2201/00—Vessel construction, in particular geometry, arrangement or size
    • F17C2201/05—Size
    • F17C2201/056—Small (<1 m3)
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2221/00—Handled fluid, in particular type of fluid
    • F17C2221/01—Pure fluids
    • F17C2221/012—Hydrogen
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2223/01—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the phase
    • F17C2223/0146—Two-phase
    • F17C2223/0153—Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
    • F17C2223/0161—Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2223/03—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the pressure level
    • F17C2223/033—Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2227/00—Transfer of fluids, i.e. method or means for transferring the fluid; Heat exchange with the fluid
    • F17C2227/03—Heat exchange with the fluid
    • F17C2227/0337—Heat exchange with the fluid by cooling
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2227/00—Transfer of fluids, i.e. method or means for transferring the fluid; Heat exchange with the fluid
    • F17C2227/03—Heat exchange with the fluid
    • F17C2227/0367—Localisation of heat exchange
    • F17C2227/0388—Localisation of heat exchange separate
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2260/00—Purposes of gas storage and gas handling
    • F17C2260/04—Reducing risks and environmental impact
    • F17C2260/042—Reducing risk of explosion
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2265/00—Effects achieved by gas storage or gas handling
    • F17C2265/04—Effects achieved by gas storage or gas handling using an independent energy source, e.g. battery
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2270/00—Applications
    • F17C2270/01—Applications for fluid transport or storage
    • F17C2270/0165—Applications for fluid transport or storage on the road
    • F17C2270/0168—Applications for fluid transport or storage on the road by vehicles
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2270/00—Applications
    • F17C2270/01—Applications for fluid transport or storage
    • F17C2270/0165—Applications for fluid transport or storage on the road
    • F17C2270/0168—Applications for fluid transport or storage on the road by vehicles
    • F17C2270/0171—Trucks
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2270/00—Applications
    • F17C2270/01—Applications for fluid transport or storage
    • F17C2270/0165—Applications for fluid transport or storage on the road
    • F17C2270/0168—Applications for fluid transport or storage on the road by vehicles
    • F17C2270/0176—Buses
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2270/00—Applications
    • F17C2270/01—Applications for fluid transport or storage
    • F17C2270/0165—Applications for fluid transport or storage on the road
    • F17C2270/0184—Fuel cells
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/30—Hydrogen technology
    • Y02E60/32—Hydrogen storage

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a method for managing hydrogen tanks used to supply transportation vehicles.
  • the invention concerns the management of tanks of vehicles when left in parking areas for a long period.
  • Background of the Invention The development of technologies about alternative propulsion systems with respect to the traditional engines fed with oil-derived substances enables the realisation of zero-emissions vehicles, and, among those ones, as known, electric vehicles and vehicles fed with hydrogen have been already produced. Electric vehicles are, without any doubt, penalised by limitations regarding the cost, the overall dimensions and the difficulties in managing portable power sources (batteries), while, as regards vehicles fed with hydrogen, new interesting solutions have been recently proposed, and filed also by the same applicant, those solutions being mainly dedicated to overrun the difficulties in the distribution of said fuel and to allow the industrial production of proper engines.
  • Such engines are, that is, suitable to assure performances and range high enough to be used in a civic context where the fuel is hydrogen gas compressed up to 200-330 bar in specific tanks installed on board the vehicles, while, in outskirts contexts, traditional fuels are fed to the same engine to obtain higher performances and range.
  • the hydrogen gas produced by the continuous and unescapable vaporisation that results from the heating of the fuel tank is fed to the engine itself.
  • the hydrogen produced by the above said vaporisation is used and, exactly, it is fed to the fuel cells.
  • the method of the invention advantageously provides, in parallel with, or instead of the placement on the vehicle of auxiliary hydrogen gas tanks, the eventual placement of power batteries apt to assure power supply to said electric motor in order to allow the vehicle's motion in said areas.
  • the method of the invention may also provide connection of the liquid hydrogen tanks to specific facilities of the parking area, devices or equipment, able to keep the hydrogen inside the tanks in hquid phase, or by circulation of cryogenic fluids in heat exchangers comprised in said tanks else by direct circulation of liquid hydrogen inside the same tanks. It may take place both with tanks removed from the vehicle and with tanks in their normal working position. The possible removing of the tanks from the vehicle and their seating in the freezing cells take place by proper means which ease and the speed up the removal and transportation of the tanks.
  • An eventual phase of replenish the tanks with liquid hydrogen may be provided according to the method of the invention after than said tanks have been removed from the vehicle.
  • - Figure 2 shows a second flow chart relating to different embodiments of the method of fig.1.
  • the flow chart pointed in the whole with 100, shows the logic connection among the different phases of the method for managing main and auxiliary fuel tanks of a vehicle fed with hydrogen, according to the present invention.
  • phase 101 When a vehicle, equipped with liquid hydrogen tanks dedicated to supply or the traction engine else the fuel cells of an eventual electric motor, arrives, phase 101, to a parking area provided with facilities for loading or unloading as, for example, a port or similar, said tanks are removed, phase 102, from the vehicle.
  • the liquid hydrogen tanks are picked from the vehicle by means of fork lifters or similar machines, properly equipped to release, in automatic or semi-automatic mode, the tanks placed in the under part of the vehicle. Said tanks are then seated, phase 103, in freezing cells in which the temperature is equal to or less than -250°C, and, anyway, it is variable as a function of the hydrogen pressure, as to maintain it in liquid phase. The tanks remain in the freezing cells during all the period in which the vehicle stay in the above said parking areas.
  • phase 104 inside the parking area, said movement is allowed providing the vehicle with proper means supplying the vehicle's traction system, i particular, in case of a vehicle having an engine fed with hydrogen, hydrogen gas tanks are mounted, phase 106, on the vehicle, so that they can directly supply the injection system of the engine.
  • the hydrogen gas tanks, or the power batteries, eventually mounted on the vehicle are removed, phase 109.
  • the liquid hydrogen tanks, which have been kept in the freezing cells during the parking period are seated back on the vehicle.
  • this phase may also occur the refuelling with liquid hydrogen by seating back full tanks on the vehicle, or by replacing the previously removed ones with different full tanks, else by seating back the original tanks filled up with the help of specific devices.
  • the hquid hydrogen tanks instead of being seated inside freezing cells, are connected to devices or equipment apt to keep the inner hydrogen in liquid phase, and it can be performed both with tanks removed from the vehicle, phase 203, and with tanks in their normal working position, phase 210.
  • Said devices may indifferently operate, according to known technologies, or by circulating cryogenic fluid in heat exchangers comprise in the tanks, else by directly circulating hquid hydrogen in the same tanks and, in this last case we also have the refuelling of the tanks.
  • the connection to said equipment or cryogenic systems is interrupted, phase 212, when the vehicle has to leave the parking area containing the above said facilities.
  • the vehicle if it is required to independently move in the parking area, is provided with auxihary hydrogen gas tanks, phase 206, or with power batteries, phase 207, instead of or, in addition to said auxiliary tanks.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)

Abstract

A method for managing fuel tanks of transportation vehicles fed with liquid hydrogen provides, during parking periods in which the vehicle stays in specific parking areas for load, unload, maintenance or other operations which can take place during normal utilisation of the vehicle, execution of procedures apt to avoid vaporisation of hydrogen resulting from the heating of the fuel tank. The method also assures independent liberty of motion of the vehicles in said parking areas.

Description

METHOD FOR HANDLING HYDROGEN TANKS ON HYDROGEN
DRIVEN VEHICLES Field of the Invention This invention relates to a method for managing hydrogen tanks used to supply transportation vehicles.
In particular, the invention concerns the management of tanks of vehicles when left in parking areas for a long period. Background of the Invention The development of technologies about alternative propulsion systems with respect to the traditional engines fed with oil-derived substances enables the realisation of zero-emissions vehicles, and, among those ones, as known, electric vehicles and vehicles fed with hydrogen have been already produced. Electric vehicles are, without any doubt, penalised by limitations regarding the cost, the overall dimensions and the difficulties in managing portable power sources (batteries), while, as regards vehicles fed with hydrogen, new interesting solutions have been recently proposed, and filed also by the same applicant, those solutions being mainly dedicated to overrun the difficulties in the distribution of said fuel and to allow the industrial production of proper engines.
Such engines are, that is, suitable to assure performances and range high enough to be used in a civic context where the fuel is hydrogen gas compressed up to 200-330 bar in specific tanks installed on board the vehicles, while, in outskirts contexts, traditional fuels are fed to the same engine to obtain higher performances and range.
In addiction to vehicles equipped with the above said engines, dedicated to people or promiscuous transportation, hydrogen-feed systems are also technologically available for big vehicles such as trucks or buses.
In such cases hydrogen is stored in liquid phase in appropriate cryogenic tanks dimensioned as to store enough fuel to perform long distances, h such cases raises up a problem concerning the continuous vaporisation of the hydrogen that is stored, in liquid phase, in the vehicle's fuel tanks at a temperature of-250/255°C.
While the vehicle's engine is working, the hydrogen gas produced by the continuous and unescapable vaporisation that results from the heating of the fuel tank is fed to the engine itself. In the case the vehicle is equipped with an electric motor and with fuel cells, the hydrogen produced by the above said vaporisation is used and, exactly, it is fed to the fuel cells.
When, instead, the vehicle is left for hours or days, for example during load or unload operations, hydrogen produced by vaporisation is lost in the air, creating clear problems concerning the relating energy expenditure and the whole safety.
Summary of the Invention
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for managing hydrogen tanks used on board of vehicles fed with hydrogen, which avoids the above said problems. Further object of the invention is to provide a method for managing, in general, fuel tanks of transportation vehicles fed with liquid hydrogen which assures functionality of the vehicles during specific operating phases related to the usage of the same vehicles. Such objects and other more are obtained by a method for managing fuel tanks of transportation vehicles fed with liquid hydrogen consisting:
- in removing the liquid hydrogen tanks from the vehicle when the vehicle itself is left in specific parking areas for load, unload, maintenance or other operations which can take place during normal utilisation of the vehicle; - in seating said tanks in freezing cells at temperatures suitable to keep the hydrogen in liquid phase;
- in eventually installing on the vehicle auxiliary fuel tanks containing an amount of hydrogen gas which is enough to allow independent motion of the vehicle in said areas; - in picking the liquid hydrogen tanks up from said freezing cells at the end of the parking period of the vehicle and in installing said tanks back on the vehicle.
Provided that the vehicle is equipped with an electric motor supplied by fuel cells, the method of the invention advantageously provides, in parallel with, or instead of the placement on the vehicle of auxiliary hydrogen gas tanks, the eventual placement of power batteries apt to assure power supply to said electric motor in order to allow the vehicle's motion in said areas. The method of the invention may also provide connection of the liquid hydrogen tanks to specific facilities of the parking area, devices or equipment, able to keep the hydrogen inside the tanks in hquid phase, or by circulation of cryogenic fluids in heat exchangers comprised in said tanks else by direct circulation of liquid hydrogen inside the same tanks. It may take place both with tanks removed from the vehicle and with tanks in their normal working position. The possible removing of the tanks from the vehicle and their seating in the freezing cells take place by proper means which ease and the speed up the removal and transportation of the tanks.
An eventual phase of replenish the tanks with liquid hydrogen may be provided according to the method of the invention after than said tanks have been removed from the vehicle.
The advantages of the above said method are immediately clear considering the great rationality of the operations performed during the various phases of the method and also considering its intrinsic safety. Moreover the possibility of assuring the liberty of motion of the vehicles in the parking, loading and unloading areas, while, in the meantime, their fuel tanks are managed according to the various phases of the method, is an unquestionable and relevant advantage, collateral and parallel to the main advantages of the method of the invention. Brief Description of the Drawings
Anyway, for a better understanding of the characteristics and the advantages of the present invention, this will now be described by way of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : -Figure 1 shows a flow chart relating to the method of the invention;
-Figure 2 shows a second flow chart relating to different embodiments of the method of fig.1.
Description of Preferred Embodiments
Referring to fig.l, the flow chart, pointed in the whole with 100, shows the logic connection among the different phases of the method for managing main and auxiliary fuel tanks of a vehicle fed with hydrogen, according to the present invention.
When a vehicle, equipped with liquid hydrogen tanks dedicated to supply or the traction engine else the fuel cells of an eventual electric motor, arrives, phase 101, to a parking area provided with facilities for loading or unloading as, for example, a port or similar, said tanks are removed, phase 102, from the vehicle.
The liquid hydrogen tanks are picked from the vehicle by means of fork lifters or similar machines, properly equipped to release, in automatic or semi-automatic mode, the tanks placed in the under part of the vehicle. Said tanks are then seated, phase 103, in freezing cells in which the temperature is equal to or less than -250°C, and, anyway, it is variable as a function of the hydrogen pressure, as to maintain it in liquid phase. The tanks remain in the freezing cells during all the period in which the vehicle stay in the above said parking areas.
Provided that in said period the vehicle needs to move, phase 104, inside the parking area, said movement is allowed providing the vehicle with proper means supplying the vehicle's traction system, i particular, in case of a vehicle having an engine fed with hydrogen, hydrogen gas tanks are mounted, phase 106, on the vehicle, so that they can directly supply the injection system of the engine.
Instead, in case of an electric vehicle provided with fuel cells, on the vehicle, in parallel with, or instead of the placement of auxiliary hydrogen gas tanks, are mounted power batteries, phase 107, of the right capacity to assure the required movements in the parking area.
When the vehicle has to leave the parking area, the hydrogen gas tanks, or the power batteries, eventually mounted on the vehicle, are removed, phase 109. At the same time the liquid hydrogen tanks, which have been kept in the freezing cells during the parking period, are seated back on the vehicle. In this phase may also occur the refuelling with liquid hydrogen by seating back full tanks on the vehicle, or by replacing the previously removed ones with different full tanks, else by seating back the original tanks filled up with the help of specific devices.
According to a different embodiment of the method, 200, shown in fig.2, the hquid hydrogen tanks, instead of being seated inside freezing cells, are connected to devices or equipment apt to keep the inner hydrogen in liquid phase, and it can be performed both with tanks removed from the vehicle, phase 203, and with tanks in their normal working position, phase 210. Said devices may indifferently operate, according to known technologies, or by circulating cryogenic fluid in heat exchangers comprise in the tanks, else by directly circulating hquid hydrogen in the same tanks and, in this last case we also have the refuelling of the tanks. The connection to said equipment or cryogenic systems is interrupted, phase 212, when the vehicle has to leave the parking area containing the above said facilities. Also according to this second embodiment of the method of the invention the vehicle, if it is required to independently move in the parking area, is provided with auxihary hydrogen gas tanks, phase 206, or with power batteries, phase 207, instead of or, in addition to said auxiliary tanks. Obviously, the above said modifications to the main phases of the method can be put into effect without loosing the general advantages brought by the method of the invention and also more modifications or different embodiments can be provided to what described as an example.
For example, if the parking area does not have the proper facilities, could be dropped the phase in which power batteries are mounted on board the vehicle.
Also during the phase in which the liquid hydrogen tanks are seated back on the vehicle specific facilities, equipment and machines, could be used which automatically perform, or remarkably ease, the operations required. These and other modifications may be carried out, always within the limits of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

C L A I M S 1- Method for managing fuel tanks of transportation vehicles fed with liquid hydrogen, characterised in that it comprises phases of: - removing the liquid hydrogen tanks from the vehicle when the vehicle itself is left in specific parking areas for load, unload, maintenance or other operations which can take place during normal utilisation of the vehicle;
- seating said tanks in freezing cells at temperatures suitable to keep the hydrogen in liquid phase;
- eventually installing on the vehicle auxiliary fuel tanks containing an amount of hydrogen gas which is enough to allow independent motion of the vehicle in said areas;
- picking the liquid hydrogen tanks up from said freezing cells at the end of the parking period of the vehicle and placing said tanks back on the vehicle. 2- Method for managing fuel tanks of transportation vehicles fed with liquid hydrogen characterised in that it comprises phases of:
- eventually removing the liquid hydrogen tanks from the vehicle when the vehicle itself is left in specific parking areas for load, unload, maintenance or other operations which can take place during normal utilisation of the vehicle;
- seating said liquid hydrogen tanks in freezing cells at temperatures suitable to keep the hydrogen in liquid phase and/or connecting the liquid hydrogen tanks to devices or equipment apt to keep the inner hydrogen in liquid phase; - eventually installing on the vehicle auxiliary supplying means apt to allow independent motion of the vehicle in said parking areas;
- picking the liquid hydrogen tanks up from said freezing cells at the end of die parking period of the vehicle and placing said tanks back on the vehicle and/or disconnecting said tanks from the devices or equipment apt to keep the inner hydrogen in hquid phase.
3- Method according to claim 1 or 2 characterised in that it comprises a phase of installing on the vehicle auxiliary supplying means, said means being liquid hydrogen tanks. 4- Method according to one of the previous claims characterised in that it comprises a phase of installing on the vehicle auxiliary supplying means, said means being power batteries.
5- Method according to the previous claims characterised in that the operations of removing the liquid hydrogen tanks from the vehicle and of seating said tanks inside the freezing cells are performed by specific facilities, equipment and machines, which ease and speed up the above said operations.
6- Method according to the previous claims characterised in that it comprises a phase of refuelling the vehicle with liquid hydrogen consisting in placing back on the vehicle full tanks.
7- Method for managing fuel tanks of transportation vehicles fed with liquid hydrogen substantially as disclosed and described in the appended drawings.
EP03780644A 2002-11-26 2003-11-21 Method for handling vehicle hydrogen tanks Withdrawn EP1567398A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT000072A ITPI20020072A1 (en) 2002-11-26 2002-11-26 METHOD FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THE SUPPLY TANKS IN THE MEANS OF TRANSPORT WITH HYDROGEN TRACTION.
ITPI20020072 2002-11-26
PCT/IT2003/000760 WO2004048166A1 (en) 2002-11-26 2003-11-21 Method for handling vehicle hydrogen tanks

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1567398A1 true EP1567398A1 (en) 2005-08-31

Family

ID=32375565

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP03780644A Withdrawn EP1567398A1 (en) 2002-11-26 2003-11-21 Method for handling vehicle hydrogen tanks

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1567398A1 (en)
AU (1) AU2003288741A1 (en)
IT (1) ITPI20020072A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2004048166A1 (en)

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DE3022802C2 (en) * 1980-06-19 1982-11-11 Deutsche Forschungs- Und Versuchsanstalt Fuer Luft- Und Raumfahrt E.V., 5300 Bonn Device for storing liquid hydrogen
DE10147058A1 (en) * 2001-09-25 2003-04-10 Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag Insulated fuel tank, especially for low temperature liquid hydrogen, has an insulating layer of low temperature air with a heat exchanger to recover cold energy
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AU2003288741A1 (en) 2004-06-18
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