RU2762810C1 - Method for refueling vehicles with compressed natural gas and a small-sized measuring and docking device for its implementation - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: gas industry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the gas industry, specifically to the technology of fuel supply to motor vehicles (hereinafter referred to as MV) using compressed natural gas (hereinafter referred to as CNG) as motor fuel. To refuel NG, it is taken from the gas pipeline, drained, compressed to the required pressure, sent to pressure accumulators, from which CNG is fed into the high-pressure pipeline (hereinafter referred to as HPP). CNG is fed directly from the HPP pipeline through a flexible HPP sleeve into a small-sized measuring and docking device (hereinafter referred to as an automated gas nozzle). Operations for opening and closing the main tap in the automated gas nozzle, as well as operations for opening the drainage valve at the end of refueling before disconnecting the refueling path are carried out automatically. The measurement of the amount of CNG supplied is carried out in the section of the refueling path, which is part of the automated gas nozzle, after the main valve.

EFFECT: increase in the safety of technological equipment for filling MV and the accuracy of measuring the amount of CNG.

16 cl, 2 dwg

Description

The proposed group of inventions relates to the gas industry, specifically to the technology of fuel supply to vehicles (hereinafter referred to as ATC) using compressed natural gas (hereinafter referred to as CNG) as a motor fuel, and can be used to refuel gas engine technology and equipment running on CNG ...

Known basic devices and methods for filling vehicles with compressed natural gas.

For example, a method for refueling vehicles with compressed natural gas (RF patent for invention No. 2185974, publ. 27.07.2002), which includes the arrival of a mobile gas refueling station (hereinafter referred to as PAGZ) with a refueling station at the place of collection and refueling of vehicles operating on compressed natural gas, and filling vehicles with compressed natural gas through a dispenser using a booster compressor. The booster compressor is mounted on an individual frame equipped with a wheeled chassis and retractable pivot supports, on which a receiver, an additional filling station and an internal combustion engine running on compressed natural gas and driving the booster compressor are also mounted. The compressor has at least two inlet and two outlet manifolds with PAGZ connection units with a compressorless extraction of compressed natural gas. The inlet and outlet manifolds and nodes for connecting CAGPs with a compressor-less extraction of compressed natural gas to the booster compressor are equipped with shut-off valves that allow to regulate the inflow of compressed natural gas to the filling stations and to the receiver of the booster compressor and to ensure the pumping of compressed natural gas from any section of cylinders for storing compressed natural gas into any other section of cylinders for storing compressed natural gas of one CNGP with a compressorless extraction of compressed natural gas, as well as from sections of cylinders for storing compressed natural gas of one CNGP with a compressorless extraction of compressed natural gas into any section of cylinders for storing compressed natural gas of another CAGP with a compressorless extraction of compressed natural gas.

However, the disadvantage of the method for refueling vehicles with compressed natural gas according to the above RF patent No. 2185974 is that with significant consumption of compressed natural gas as a motor fuel, there is a need for frequent refueling with compressed natural gas of the PAGZ receiver with compressor extraction of compressed natural gas at an automobile gas filling compressor station (hereinafter referred to as CNG filling station), which, as a rule, is located at a considerable distance from the place where the vehicle is refueled. In addition, in addition to the CNG payload, the PAGZ constantly transports the booster compressor and the actual cylinders that make up the CNG receiver and those used for the CNG transportation, and given that the weight of the booster compressor with an internal combustion engine is comparable to the weight of the receiver, the total weight PAGZ with compressor extraction of compressed natural gas, which consists of the weight of: a frame equipped with a wheeled chassis and retractable swivel supports, a receiver, an additional filling station and an internal combustion engine with a booster compressor; becomes a significant obstacle to its movement on roads that have restrictions on the mass of the vehicle. The ratio of the payload mass to the total mass of the CNG station is deteriorating, as a result of which the economic efficiency of this refueling method is reduced in comparison with stationary CNG stations. All of the above determines the applicability of this method only in cases of inaccessibility of the gas pipeline infrastructure (trunk pipelines and gas distribution networks) at the place where the ATC is refueled with gas as a vehicle fuel.

A gas filling pistol is known from the prior art (RF patent for utility model No. 42280, publ. 11/27/2004), consisting of a body with a spring-loaded rod installed in it, interacting on one side with a control lever, and on the other hand with a needle , abutting against the plug of a spring-loaded valve installed on a guide with O-rings in the assembled valve body, an inlet connection, a filter, an outlet connection with a tip and two O-rings, decorative body parts, a safety bracket fixed with screw fasteners, a control lever retainer with a spring. The filter is made in the form of a cylindrical surface on a glass with side windows and is installed and sealed between the valve body and the inlet fitting.

However, the disadvantage of the gas filling pistol according to the above RF patent No. 42280 is the presence of a mechanism for locking the lever that controls the opening of the main filling valve (normally closed valve), which forces the operator to release the pistol lever every time the pistol is closed. Another disadvantage is the large volume of manual preparatory operations, which increases the forced technological breaks between refueling, which leads to a deterioration in the equipment utilization factor.

The closest to the claimed technical solution is a method of filling CNG at an automobile gas filling compressor station of modular design (hereinafter referred to as CNG filling station BI-40) (Operation manual for CNG filling station BI-40 "Methane". Refueling of cars), in which natural gas (hereinafter referred to as NG) taken from the gas pipeline, dried, compressed in a known manner and sent to the pressure accumulators. From the pressure accumulator, CNG is fed into a high-pressure pipeline to a gas filling station (hereinafter referred to as KGZ), or dispensers (if there are several dispensers, then the terminal section of the process pipeline to which they are connected is made in the form of a high-pressure manifold). Columns (column) are connected to the process pipeline or collector by means of detachable connections through shut-off valves. CNG is fed into the KGZ process pipeline and brought to a normally closed controlled valve (hereinafter referred to as NZUK), which starts and stops supplying to the subsequent part of the KGZ process pipelines, equipped with means for measuring pressure, temperature and flow rate supplied to the CNG filling station. To supply CNG to the ATS cylinder ramp, preparatory operations are carried out, during which the consumer manually connects the process pipelines system of the gas cylinder unit - the ATS fuel system with the KGZ process pipelines into a single sealed system that forms the filling path. The connection of the two piping systems is accomplished by means of a specialized docking device, commonly referred to as a refueling gun. The filling pistol is connected to the KGZ by a flexible high pressure hose, through which CNG is supplied from the KGZ pipeline to the filling pistol.

The filling gun is equipped with at least two shut-off valves, usually manually operated: main and drain. The main valve is opened after the completion of the formation of the filling path. The drainage remains closed at the same time. At the end of the preparatory operation, the buyer selects the criterion for the end of refueling. As a rule, the following options are offered: up to a predetermined pressure, up to a predetermined amount, by a predetermined amount, up to a permitted pressure. If the allowed pressure is reached earlier than the specified amount or the specified value, the filling process is stopped automatically at the maximum (allowed) pressure, since in all cases the allowed pressure is a limiting value. At the operator's command from the operator's console, the NZUK is remotely opened in the KGZ and the CNG enters the refueling path, where its flow rate, temperature and pressure are measured, then the CNG enters the ATS cylinder ramp. When the selected setpoint or pressure in the filling path reaches the permitted value, the NZUK closes and the filling stops. The consumer closes the valve of the ATC cylinder ramp, then closes the main valve of the filling gun and opens the drain valve of the filling gun, releasing gas in the section of the filling path between the main valve and the ATC cylinder valve for safe separation of the pipeline systems.

The disadvantages of the method taken as a prototype are: a large volume and duration of manual operations, which reduces the efficiency of the technological equipment and increases the likelihood of erroneous actions of the user that can provoke an emergency or dangerous situation, as well as the presence of a significant volume of ballast gas concluded between the NZUK KGZ and the main valve of a hand-operated refueling nozzle, which impairs the accuracy of measuring the amount of CNG dispensed in the vehicle, and leads to an increase in GHG losses during leaks and drainage. Another drawback caused by this method is the need to locate the KGZ on the territory of the CNG station, which requires the construction of filling islands, the installation of enclosing structures from the collision of the ATS with the KGZ, and leads to an increase in the building area and higher construction costs.

The task to be solved by the claimed group of inventions is to improve the safety of equipment, to increase the accuracy of measuring the amount of CNG dispensed in the vehicle, to reduce the number of equipment and structures involved in the process of refueling the vehicle.

The technical result to be achieved by the claimed group of inventions is a decrease in the amount of ballast gas, a decrease in the volume of gas discharge per plug and the cost of technological equipment for refueling an automatic telephone exchange, the elimination of a large amount of manual preparatory operations, as well as minimization of possible gas leaks.

The technical result is achieved by the fact that in the proposed method of refueling the NG is taken from the gas pipeline, dried, compressed to the required pressure, sent to the pressure accumulators, from which CNG is supplied to the high pressure pipeline. From the high-pressure pipeline through a flexible high-pressure hose, CNG is fed directly into a small-sized measuring and docking device (hereinafter referred to as an automated filling gun). Operations for opening and closing in the automated filling nozzle of the main valve, as well as operations for opening the drain valve at the end of filling before disconnecting the filling path, are carried out automatically. Measurement of the amount of CNG dispensed is carried out in the section of the filling path, which is part of the automated filling nozzle, after the main valve.

The automated filling nozzle for filling ATS with CNG contains a robust body, a docking tip, a main valve, a drain and control valve, and a connecting device. Inside the decorative case, which unites the components of the automated refueling gun, there are: a robust case with a connecting device and a docking tip attached to it, a docking tip controller, a drain-control valve controller and a central control board. The gas flow meter, main valve and drain / control valve are housed inside the robust casing of the automated nozzle. The robust housing is sealed to the environment. The connecting device is made in the form of a fitting and is connected in a known manner with a strong body and a coaxial high-pressure hose, through the inter-wall space of which gas is discharged onto the spark plug.

The application relates to a group of inventions that are interconnected to such an extent that they form a single inventive concept. The unity of the invention is observed on the following grounds:

- one technical solution is intended for the implementation of another (a device for the implementation of the method as a whole or one of its actions). The object according to claim 1 of the formula relates to the method as a whole, and the object according to claim 6 of the formula relates to a device that is designed to implement the method according to claim 1 as a whole.

Thus, the claimed technical solutions (2 objects) are interconnected so much that they form a single inventive concept and meet all the criteria for an invention and provide a new technical result.

The claimed group of inventions is illustrated by graphic materials, where in Fig. 1 shows a flow diagram of the implementation of the method for filling the vehicle with CNG, FIG. 2 shows a diagram of an automated filling nozzle for implementing the method of filling a vehicle with CNG.

In the above figures, the numbers indicate the elements:

1 - main gas pipeline;

2 - steam generator dryer;

3 - compressor;

4 - pressure accumulator;

5 - balloon section of higher pressure;

6 - locking device (tap);

7 - balloon section of lower pressure;

8 - locking device (tap);

9 - high pressure pipeline;

10 - bursting clutch;

11 - flexible coaxial high pressure hose;

12 - connecting device (rotating union);

13 - robust body of an automated filling nozzle;

14 - drainage control valve;

15 - main valve;

16 - block with pressure sensors;

17 - temperature sensor;

18 - docking tip;

19 - sealing elements;

20 - constricting device;

21 - central control board;

22 - ATC balloon ramp;

23 - ATC filling neck;

24 - ATC balloon ramp valve;

25 - gas flow meter (measuring device);

26 - priority panel;

27 - battery;

28 - wireless charger;

29 - power supply.

The proposed method of filling the vehicle with CNG using an automated filling nozzle is carried out as follows. To supply CNG directly to the ATC 22 cylinder rail, the gas consumer connects the ATC fuel system with an automated refueling nozzle into a single sealed complex, forming a refueling path for which it performs only two manual operations: inserts the docking tip 18 of the automatic refueling pistol into the ATC 23 refueling neck and opens the tap balloon ramp ATC 24. During the operation, when the consumer inserts the docking tip 18 into the filler neck of ATC 23, the docking tip controller (not shown in the figure) transmits information about the deformation of the sealing elements 19 (the condition of tightness of the connection is ensured if the deformation of the sealing elements 19 is within the established limits) to the central control board 21, which gives a signal about serviceability and about the correct mutual position of the devices (docking tip 18 and the ATC 23 filling neck), on the basis of which an enable signal is generated to start lo refueling. If the central control board 21 issues a signal about a malfunction and / or an incorrect mutual position of the devices, then it is necessary to undock the docking tip 18 and the ATC 23 filler neck and re-insert the docking tip 18 into the ATC 23 filler neck and / or replace the sealing elements 19 with serviceable ones. At the end of the preparatory operation, the consumer chooses the criterion for the completion of refueling: up to a given pressure, to a given amount, by a given amount, to a permitted pressure (to "full"). But in all cases, refueling stops when the maximum allowable pressure is reached, if it is reached earlier than the selected setpoint.

Then the button is pressed, for example, "start", if the control board issued a permitting signal, the steam generator is taken from the gas pipeline 1, dried in a known way in the steam generator 2 to the required moisture content, which ensures the trouble-free operation of the gas-cylinder equipment of the automatic telephone exchange, is directed through the gas supply pipeline to the suction of the compressor 3, where it is compressed to the required pressure, for example, 25 MPa. The gas compressed by the compressor 3 under pressure, for example, 25 MPa, is directed to the pressure accumulator 4, the volume of which is determined either from the condition of smoothing the pulsations, or from the condition of ensuring the continuous operation of the compressor 3 for the duration of technological breaks between adjacent fillings. For optimal use of the compressor power, CNG is supplied alternately from several sections of different pressures that are part of the pressure accumulator 4. The choice of the pressure accumulator section for the primary supply of CNG to the vehicle depends on the residual pressure in the vehicle's cylinder rail.

Refueling operations and stopping the refueling process are carried out using an automated refueling control system (hereinafter - ACS). At the beginning of the ATC refueling, the lower pressure balloon section 7 is turned on; for this, the valve 8 is opened remotely at the command of the automated control system, and the valve 6 is left in the "closed" position. CNG is fed into a high-pressure pipeline 9, from which it is fed into a flexible high-pressure coaxial hose 11 through a burst coupling 10, and then sent to an automated filling nozzle. The drain and control valve 14 of the automated filling pistol opens and supplies control pressure to the main valve 15, which serves to start and stop the gas supply to the subsequent part of the automated filling pistol, while the main valve 15 opens, CNG is passed through a gas flow meter 25, which measures the amount of CNG passed through it, and enters the tank ramp of the vehicle - the refueling process is carried out.

ACS provides a control function of the priority panel 26 for staged gas filling. When the pressure difference between the cylinder section 7 and the ATC 22 cylinder ramp decreases to the minimum permissible value, at which the required filling rate and the accuracy of accounting for the released CNG are ensured, the filling continues from the higher pressure section 5 according to the above method, for this valve 8 remotely at the command of the ACS closed, and the valve 6 is brought to the "open" position. If the consumer's ATC has not been refueled from the sections of different pressure to the specified or allowed pressure, then the refueling process can be continued directly from the compressor according to the above method, bypassing the pressure accumulator 4, while valves 6 and 8 will be closed.

The measurement of the amount of released CNG is carried out in the section of the filling path, which is part of the automated filling nozzle, after the main valve 15 in real time. As the amount of gas charged, declared by the consumer, is reached, the voltage is removed from the drain-control valve 14, it goes into the closed position, drains the pressure from the control cavity of the main valve 15, which closes and stops the supply of CNG to the car's filling line. After closing the main valve 15, the pressure (gas) from the cavity of the docking tip 18 and the internal cavity of the ATC 23 filling neck communicating with it through the drainage control valve 14 is discharged through the inter-wall space of the high-pressure coaxial hose 11 onto the candle - preparation for undocking the filling path is taking place.

The automated filling nozzle, with which the method of filling the vehicle with CNG is carried out, is a technical device located inside a decorative body that unites the components of the automated filling nozzle. Inside the decorative case there are: a robust case 13, which has the property of sealing against the environment, with a connecting device and a docking tip attached to it, a docking tip controller, a drain-control valve controller and a central control board 21. A gas flow meter 25 is located inside a robust case 13. , consisting of a block with pressure sensors 16, which includes at least two pressure sensors, a temperature sensor 17 and a restriction device 20; drain control valve 14 and main valve 15. Connecting device 12 can be made in the form of a union and connected in a known manner with a durable body and a high pressure coaxial hose to enable the automated filling nozzle to rotate 360 ° relative to the longitudinal axis of the high pressure coaxial hose fitting. The drain and control valve controller (not shown in the figure), the docking tip controller, the central control board 21, including the battery 27 and the wireless charger 28, are fixed on the surface of the robust housing 13. Additionally, the automated filling nozzle may contain a non-removable identification means devices for preventing the use of an unverified device for taking and accounting for CNG, for example, an RFTD tag (not shown in the figure) or an ID that is stitched into the controller of the control board.

To ensure continuous operation of the automated filling nozzle, the set includes a power supply 29 with a wireless charging function, which charges the battery 27 of the automated filling nozzle and is fixed in a convenient place, for example, on a wall in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle refueling point.

To provide control over the refueling process (initiation of refueling and emergency stop), selection of refueling criterion through an intuitive human-machine interface, a monitor is provided that communicates with an automated refueling nozzle via a wireless channel and can also be fixed at the place of direct refueling of the automatic telephone exchange, for example, on the wall. It calculates in real time on a cumulative basis the amount of CNG supplied to the consumer based on the data received from the gas flow meter 25 and displays the calculated value on the screen, as well as the current values of the CNG pressure and information about the cost of the supplied CNG. A reader is located on the body of the wireless charger 28, which recognizes the RFID tag of the automated refueling nozzle (if provided), as well as buttons, for example, "Start" and "Stop". The "Start" button can be virtual - on the touch screen. The "Stop" button is only a physical device designed for emergency or emergency stop of the refueling process.

If the pressure accumulator 4 is organized from several, for example, from two balloon sections of different pressures, then its (pressure accumulator 4) composition additionally includes a priority panel 26 for supplying compressed gas to the pipeline from a certain section 5 or 7 and by remote opening and closing of taps 6 and 8 at the command of the ACS.

The filling process begins after the docking tip 18 is correctly installed in the ATC 23 filler neck. The docking tip 18 is a hollow tube plugged at one end, on the outer surface of which grooves are made, in which the sealing elements 19 are located, and in the area between the grooves there are radial holes (not shown) for the exit of CNG into the filler neck of the ATC 23. Under each sealing element 19, there is a sensor that serves to diagnose the serviceability of the seals and the correct position of the docking tip 18 in the filler neck 23 of the ATC 22 cylinder ramp based on the assessment of the degree and the sequence of deformation of the sealing elements 19. Diagnostics is carried out using the docking tip controller.

The refueling is controlled automatically by the central control board 21, which issues an enable signal and opens the drain-control valve 14. The CNG is brought to the closed main valve 15, to which the drain-control valve 14 supplies the control pressure to open it. The main valve 15 starts the gas supply to the subsequent part of the automated filling nozzle, equipped with a gas flow meter 25, and carries out the process of filling the vehicle with CNG.

The gas flow meter 25 in real time determines the amount of released CNG and transmits the data to the monitor. At the end of the filling process, the central control board 21 removes voltage from the drain-control valve 14, which relieves pressure from the cavity of the main valve 15 to close it. Drain-control valve 14 releases gas at the section of the filling path through the coaxial high pressure hose 11, which is an external (low pressure) and internal (high pressure) hose located concentrically and combined into a single device using terminal connecting devices (fittings). The internal high-pressure hose is used to supply CNG to the ATC tank ramp. After the completion of the filling process, the drained gas flows out into the inter-wall space between the outer and inner sleeves and is discharged onto the candle in the safe direction, which excludes the creation of explosive and fire hazardous gas concentrations in the area where the vehicle is refueling.

Thus, the consumer does not need to manually close the main valve 15 of the automated filling nozzle and open the drain control valve 14, releasing gas in the section of the filling path between the main valve 15 of the automated filling nozzle and the valve of the ATC 24 cylinder ramp, these operations are performed under the control of the control board according to a rigid algorithm and are blocked in the event of a malfunction and / or leakage of the automated filling nozzle, as well as in case of erroneous actions of the person refueling the vehicle.

Claims (16)

1. A method of filling vehicles with compressed natural gas, in which natural gas is taken from a gas pipeline, dried, compressed to the required pressure, sent to pressure accumulators, from which compressed natural gas is supplied to a high-pressure pipeline, characterized in that from the high-pressure pipeline through flexible high-pressure hose compressed natural gas is fed directly into a small-sized measuring and docking device, while the operations to open and close the main valve in it, as well as to open the drain valve at the end of filling, before disconnecting the filling path, are carried out automatically, and the quantity is measured of the released compressed natural gas is produced in the section of the filling path, which is part of the small-sized measuring and docking device, after the main valve. 2. The method of refueling vehicles with compressed natural gas according to claim 1, characterized in that the refueling operations and stopping the refueling process are carried out using an automated refueling control system. 3. A method for refueling vehicles with compressed natural gas according to claim 1, characterized in that compressed natural gas from a high-pressure pipeline is fed into a flexible high-pressure hose through a burst coupling. 4. The method of filling vehicles with compressed natural gas according to claim 1, characterized in that the compressed natural gas is supplied alternately from several sections of different pressures that are part of the pressure accumulator. 5. The method for refueling vehicles with compressed natural gas according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the automated control system of the small-sized measuring-docking device contains the function of controlling the priority panel for staged gas refueling. 6. A small-sized measuring and docking device for refueling vehicles with compressed natural gas, containing a durable body, a docking tip, a main valve, a drain and control valve, a connecting device, characterized in that inside the decorative body that unites the component parts of the device, there are: a durable body with a connecting device and a docking tip attached to it, a docking tip controller, a drain-control valve controller and a central control board, while the gas flow meter, the main valve and the drain-control valve are located inside the robust housing of the device, which has the property of sealing against the environment. 7. The small-sized measuring-docking device for refueling vehicles with compressed natural gas according to claim 6, characterized in that the docking tip controller, the drain-control valve controller and the central control board are fixed on the surface of the rugged case of the small-sized measuring-docking device. 8. A small-sized measuring-docking device for refueling vehicles with compressed natural gas according to claim 6, characterized in that it additionally contains a non-removable means of identifying the device. 9. A small-sized measuring and docking device for refueling vehicles with compressed natural gas according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the central control board includes a battery and a wireless charger. 10. A small-sized measuring and docking device for refueling vehicles with compressed natural gas according to claim 6, characterized in that the set includes a power source with wireless charging function and a monitor. 11. Small-sized measuring and docking device for refueling vehicles with compressed natural gas according to claim 6 or 10, characterized in that communication with the monitor is provided via a wireless channel. 12. A small-sized measuring and docking device for refueling vehicles with compressed natural gas according to claim 6, characterized in that the gas flow meter consists of at least two pressure sensors, a temperature sensor and a restriction device. 13. A small-sized measuring and docking device for refueling vehicles with compressed natural gas according to claim 6, characterized in that the connecting device is made in the form of a fitting and is connected in a known manner with a strong body and a high-pressure coaxial hose to enable the small-sized measuring and docking device to rotate 360 ° relative to the longitudinal axis of the high pressure coaxial hose fitting. 14. A small-sized measuring and docking device for refueling vehicles with compressed natural gas according to claim 6, characterized in that the gas is discharged onto the spark plug through the inter-wall space of the high-pressure coaxial hose. 15. Small-sized measuring and docking device for refueling vehicles with compressed natural gas according to claim 6, characterized in that the docking tip is made in the form of a hollow tube, plugged at one end, on the outer surface of which grooves are made for sealing elements, and in the area between grooves made radial openings for the outlet of compressed natural gas into the filler neck of the vehicle. 16. A small-sized measuring and docking device for refueling vehicles with compressed natural gas according to claim 6 or 15, characterized in that the grooves of the docking tip are sealing elements, under each of which there is a sensor for diagnosing the serviceability of the seals.

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