Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Rainer Immel

Jader Matos Da Silva

Martin Stadie

Markus Lindner

Harald Schlag

Axel Junge

Marcus Jung

A cryogenic fluid storage tank having a first conduit adapted for filling and extracting a cryogenic liquid from the tank and a second conduit adapted for filling and extracting a gas from the tank is disclosed, wherein heat originating from inlet and outlet conduits transferred to the tank is minimized.

Liquid tank with combined liquid filling and liquid extraction conduit

A shut-off valve for opening and closing a cryogenic tank that has particular application for a hydrogen consuming system, such as a fuel cell system or an internal combustion engine. The shut-off valve is positioned in a supply line coupled to the cryogenic tank, and is opened by a control valve. When the control valve is actuated, hydrogen pressure from the supply line is used to open the shut-off valve. The control valve is coupled to the output line either upstream or downstream of the shut-off valve. An output of the control valve can be vented to a cathode input, an anode input or a cathode exhaust of a fuel cell stack, to an air input of an internal combustion engine or to ambient, depending on the particular application.

Pressure activated shut-off valve

A storage tank having an inner vessel disposed within an outer vessel. A common-access tube or conduit is used to route the various fluid flow lines into the interior of the inner vessel. The common-access tube facilitates modular construction and assembly of the storage tank.

Modular construction of a liquid hydrogen storage tank with a common-access tube and method of assembling same

A cryogenic fluid storage tank having an inlet conduit, an outlet conduit, and a thermal shield in thermal contact with the inner vessel is disclosed, wherein the thermal shield is adapted to militate against heat transfer from the atmosphere to a cryogenic fluid by the inlet conduit and the outlet conduit.

Cryogenic storage tank with thermal shield

A cryogenic storage tank having an inner vessel disposed within an outer vessel. The fluid flow lines that extend from the interior of the inner vessel to the exterior of the outer vessel have both corrugated- and non-corrugated portions. The corrugated portions advantageously facilitate the bending of the fluid flow lines into a desired orientation while the non-corrugated portions provide rigidity and stiffness for the fluid flow lines.

Liquid hydrogen storage tank with partially-corrugated piping and method of manufacturing same

An apparatus and method for suspending an inner tank within an outer tank to form a cryogenic storage tank. Opposing ends of the inner tank are suspended from the outer tank by suspension members. A preloading device facilitates the preloading of the suspension members to suspend the inner tank within the outer tank. The suspension members constrain the inner tank in a statically determinable manner so that a desired preloading and loading can be imparted upon the suspension members. The suspension members advantageously limit the parasitic heat leaks between the inner and outer tanks.

Suspended liquid hydrogen storage tank

A construction for a multi-layered vacuum super insulated cryogenic tank and a method for making the same is disclosed. The cryogenic tank uses an inner tank that is wrapped with multiple layers of radiation shielding and is suspended within a frame by one or more suspension members. The frame is enclosed within a fluid tight outer tank that fits snuggly against the frame. An ultra-high vacuum is created between the inner and outer tanks.

Construction for multi-layered vacuum super insulated cryogenic tank

A storage tank having an inner vessel suspended within the outer vessel. One or more stiffening members support portions of the outer vessel. The use of the stiffening members limits deformation of the outer vessel due to the suspension of the inner vessel therein.

Liquid hydrogen storage tank with radial stiffening

A liquid hydrogen storage tank is provided with a boil-off release pressure above the critical pressure. The super critical pressure hydrogen storage tank has less hydrogen losses than a conventional tank even when used in vehicular applications and can be operated so as to provide zero hydrogen loss with reduced mandatory driving distances.

Liquid hydrogen tank with a release pressure above the critical pressure

A cryogenic storage tank having an insulated inner vessel disposed within an outer vessel. A common-access tube or conduit is used to route the various fluid flow lines into the interior of the inner vessel. The use of a common-access tube reduces the number of obstructions that the insulation must accommodate and facilitates the production of the storage tank.

Liquid hydrogen storage tank with common-access tube as port for pipes into the inner vessel

A pressure maintaining system for a hydrogen storage system includes a hydrogen supply feed that enables a hydrogen flow from the hydrogen storage system. A liquid phase hydrogen feed enables a liquid phase hydrogen flow to the hydrogen supply feed. A gas phase hydrogen feed enables a gas phase hydrogen flow to the hydrogen supply feed. A check valve enables fluid communication from the hydrogen supply feed to the liquid phase hydrogen feed when a pressure within the hydrogen supply feed is greater than a threshold pressure.

Closed pressure-keeping system for liquid hydrogen storage

The present invention teaches methods of operating a pressurized cryogenic liquid gas storage tank that has a vent cooling shield around which fuel vented from a storage tank flows to cool the storage tank by reducing the influence of heat influx into the storage tank. The method of the present invention provides for reduction in the quantity of fuel loss during the venting operation and allows a greater volume of liquid fuel to be stored in the storage tank. The method includes allowing fuel in a storage tank to transition between a two-phase state of liquid and gas into a single-phase state of liquid and back into a two-phase state of liquid and gas. Additionally, the present invention allows filling a storage tank to a liquid level greater than about 95% of the capacity of the storage tank.

Method of operating a cryogenic liquid gas storage tank

The present invention provides a probe having a resistance that varies with temperature and is operable to determine the quantity of a fluid, such as hydrogen, in a storage tank, such as a cryogenic storage tank. The probe relies upon differing heat transfer rates for the gaseous and liquid phases of the fluid and a change in resistance due to a change in temperature of the probe to ascertain the quantity of fluid within the storage tank. The probe can be configured to account for the geometry of the storage tank thereby providing a linearized signal indicative of the quantity of fluid in the storage tank.

Resistive level sensor for cryo-liquid gas tanks

A pressure container ( ) for storing hydrogen gas ( ) under pressure for a fuel cell engine. The container ( ) includes an outer support layer ( ) and a thermoplastic liner ( ). An adapter ( ) is provided in the outer layer ( ) and the liner ( ) to allow fill gas ( ) to fill the container ( ) under pressure. A fill vessel ( ) is provided within the liner ( ) and is sealed and thermally coupled to the adapter ( ). The fill gas ( ) is confined within a gap ( ) between an outer surface of the fill vessel ( ) and the liner ( ) so that the temperature of the liner ( ) is not significantly increased during the fill process. An opening ( ) is provided in the fill vessel ( ) so that the fill gas ( ) forces the contained gas ( ) within the container ( ) into the fill vessel ( ) through the opening ( ).

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Dexheim, Germany

Rainer Immel