Borgwarner Inc.

Gas Research Institute

Gas Technology Institute

Institute of Gas Technology

Kenneth J Kountz

Christopher F Blazek

William E Liss

Richard A Erth

Dean K Norbeck

Frederic H Abendschein

Kenneth W Cooper

Marek Czachorski

Bruce K Bauman

Lee E Sumner, Jr

Kenneth Robert Kriha

Patrick M Bishop

A method for quick filling a vehicle hydrogen storage vessel with hydrogen, the key component of which is an algorithm used to control the fill process, which interacts with the hydrogen dispensing apparatus to determine the vehicle hydrogen storage vessel capacity.

Control method for high-pressure hydrogen vehicle fueling station dispensers

In a natural gas liquefaction system having a refrigerant storage circuit, a refrigerant circulation circuit in fluid communication with the refrigerant storage circuit, and a natural gas liquefaction circuit in thermal communication with the refrigerant circulation circuit, a method for liquefaction of natural gas in which pressure in the refrigerant circulation circuit is adjusted to below about 175 psig by exchange of refrigerant with the refrigerant storage circuit. A variable speed motor is started whereby operation of a compressor is initiated. The compressor is operated at full discharge capacity. Operation of an expansion valve is initiated whereby suction pressure at the suction pressure port of the compressor is maintained below about 30 psig and discharge pressure at the discharge pressure port of the compressor is maintained below about 350 psig. Refrigerant vapor is introduced from the refrigerant holding tank into the refrigerant circulation circuit until the suction pressure is reduced to below about 15 psig, after which flow of the refrigerant vapor from the refrigerant holding tank is terminated. Natural gas is then introduced into a natural gas liquefier, resulting in liquefaction of the natural gas.

Control method for mixed refrigerant based natural gas liquefier

A method and apparatus for dispensing compressed natural gas and for maximizing the mass of compressed gas dispensed into a gas storage cylinder is disclosed. Pressure and temperature transducers are provided as a part of the apparatus to emit data signals to a control processor of the pressure and temperature of a supply of compressed gas delivered to a gas dispenser, as well as the ambient temperature at the dispenser and the pressure of the compressed gas within the cylinder, respectively. A mass flow meter is also provided for emitting a data signal to the control processor of the mass of compressed gas injected into the storage cylinder. The control processor includes a dispenser control program which processes the emitted data signals to automatically maximize the mass of compressed gas injected into the cylinder by performing at least a two-stage fill process for computing at least two dynamic estimates of the storage cylinder volume during the gas dispensing process, and for determining the maximum mass of compressed gas that can be safely injected into the gas storage cylinder in response thereto. Additional fill stages may be performed in order to calculate additional estimates of the storage cylinder volume in the control processor, if so desired, for even more accurately determining the mass of compressed gas that may be injected into the cylinder for maximizing the gas injection into the gas storage cylinder.

Computer readable medium containing software for controlling an

Automated process and system for dispensing compressed natural gas

A method and apparatus for dispensing natural gas into the natural gas vehicle cylinder of a motor vehicle is disclosed. The natural gas dispensing system includes a pressure transducer and a temperature transducer for measuring the pressure and temperature, respectively, of the supply gas as it is passed toward a dispenser, a second pressure transducer for measuring the pressure within the natural gas vehicle cylinder, an ambient air temperature transducer for measuring ambient air temperatures at the dispensing site, and a mass flow meter for measuring the gas mass injected into the vehicle cylinder. Each transducer and the mass flow meter emits a data signal to a control processor which automatically dispenses compressed gas to the vehicle cylinder, as well as maximizing the amount of gas mass injected into the cylinder. The control processor maximizes the mass of compressed gas injected into the vehicle cylinder by injecting a first mass of compressed gas into the cylinder and calculating a first volume estimate in response thereto, estimating a second mass of compressed gas required to fill the cylinder to a first predetermined fill state, and then estimating a third mass of compressed gas required to fill a reference gas cylinder to the first predetermined fill state in response thereto. Thereafter, the second mass of compressed gas is injected into the cylinder, the gas mass being injected into the cylinder from the initial state being measured, as well as the pressure of the compressed gas within the container resulting from the injection of the second gas mass being measured, whereupon the control processor estimates a second volume of the gas container in response thereto. Thereafter, the control process may be used to either perform a final fill step to complete the gas mass injection into the cylinder, or may perform a second intermediate fill step prior to the final fill step for greater accuracy in determining tank volume during the fill process.

Automated process for dispensing compressed natural gas

Computer readable medium having a computer program for dispensing

Method and apparatus for dispensing compressed natural gas

A method and system for charging a container with a pressurized gaseous fuel. The gaseous fuel is transferred from a gas supply through a heat exchanger to a fueling dispenser. The gaseous fuel is cooled as a function of one or both of a fueling station pressure availability or a container pressure rating. This method and system ensure that a pressurized gas cylinder can be completely charged regardless of the ambient temperature.

System and method for charging a container with pressurized gas

An apparatus and system for the fast-filling of cylinders for natural gas powered vehicles, employing a simplified physical arrangement and an improved control method to obtain maximum safe filling of the cylinders, which takes into account the presence of residual gas in the cylinders.

Apparatus and method for controlling the charging of NGV cylinders from

An apparatus and method for the fast-filling of cylinders for natural gas powered vehicles, employing a simplified physical arrangement and an improved control method to obtain maximum safe filling of the cylinders, which takes into account the presence of residual gas in the cylinders.

A heat pump system using a non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture comprising a main refrigeration circuit, an engine coolant circuit, and a refrigerant rectifier circuit interfacing with main refrigeration circuit, and the engine coolant circuit. The refrigerant rectifier circuit comprises in order of decreasing relative elevation a condenser, a storage vessel in communication with a condenser, a rectifier in communication with a storage tank and a condenser, a receiver vessel in communication with a rectifier, and a boiler in communication with the rectifier and the receiver vessel. The refrigerant rectifier circuit is used to adjust the relative concentrations of lower boiling point refrigerant, and higher boiling point refrigerant in the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture thereby changing the cooling or heating capacity of the heat pump system.

Refrigerant composition control system for use in heat pumps using

A heat exchange system for a heat pump in which the cooled fluid and the cooling fluid are maintained in a counterflow heat exchange relationship in a heat exchanger in both the heating and cooling modes of operation of the heat pump. The heat exchange system comprises a refrigeration coil, a liquid distributor, a vapor distributor, an outlet manifold, expansion means, vapor refrigerant/inlet distributor valve means, vapor refrigerant/outlet manifold valve means, liquid refrigerant/inlet distributor valve means and liquid refrigerant/outlet manifold valve means.

Counterflow air-to-refrigerant heat exchange system

A self-optimizing, capacity control system for a refrigeration system including a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator, all connected in a closed refrigeration circuit is provided. The compressor includes a plurality of adjustable inlet guide vanes, a motor connected to regulate the inlet guide vanes position and an electrical speed motor connected to drive the compressor. The self-optimizing capacity control system includes a microprocessor responsive to continual measurements of a PRV signal, a compressor head signal, a motor current signal and a motor speed signal for determining both the compressor speed and the position of the inlet guide vanes to define a current operating point in an initial surge surface array stored in a random-access memory. The microprocessor will initiate a 'learning' mode in which the compressor motor speed will continually be decreased incrementally and the PRV will be moved to a more open position until an operating point is found where the compressor is surging. The microprocessor will update the initial surge surface array stored in the random-access memory with the latest surge conditions. Then, the microprocessor will initiate an 'operating' mode in which the PRV are moved to a position responsive to a temperature error signal related to the difference between the chilled water temperature and the temperature set point and the compressor speed is set a safety margin away from the surge speed.

Self-optimizing, capacity control system for inverter-driven centrifugal

A capacity control system for a refrigeration system including a compressor, a condensor, and an evaporator, all connected in a closed refrigeration circuit is provided. The compressor includes a plurality of adjustable inlet guide vanes, a motor connected to regulate the inlet guide vanes position, and an electrical speed motor connected to drive the compressor. The capacity control system includes a microprocessor responsive to continual measurements of a PRV signal, a compressor head signal and a suction flow signal for calculating a current operating point. The microprocessor determines whether the operating point is sufficiently away from a surge surface. The microprocessor will cause the operating point to move to a new operating point of a lower compressor speed and a more open PRV position if the operating point is sufficiently away from surge. In order to accomplish this, the microprocessor generates control signals to adjust both the speed of the compressor drive motor and the position of the inlet guide vanes. In an alternate embodiment, the microprocessor is responsive to continual measurements of a PRV signal, a motor speed signal, and a suction flow signal for generating such control signals.

Capacity control systems for inverter-driven centrifugal compressor

An adjustable surge and capacity control system for matching a capacity control system to an inverter-driven centrifugal compressor based liquid chiller having unknown surge characteristics. The necessary adaptation of the capacity control circuit to a particular chiller is attained by the provision of two potentiometers which are adjustable to develop a functional which avoids surge and operates the system in an efficient manner at all feasible operating point loads and heads. The use of a circuit employing a pair of potentiometers permits the formation of the appropriate functional with two degrees of shaping flexibility.

Growing community of inventors

Palatine, IL, United States of America

Kenneth J Kountz