US2016131308A1PendingUtilityA1

Train propellant management systems and methods

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Assignee: ELWHA LLCPriority: Sep 24, 2012Filed: Jan 15, 2016Published: May 12, 2016
Est. expirySep 24, 2032(~6.2 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Roderick A. HydeWilliam GatesJordin T. KareNathan P. MyhrvoldTony S. PanNels R. PetersonClarence T. TegreeneLowell L. Wood, Jr.
F17C 2221/033F17C 13/083F17C 2223/033G06Q 10/06316F17C 2265/06F17C 2225/033F17C 13/005F17C 1/00F17C 2265/061F17C 2270/0173F17C 2223/0161F25J 1/0022F17C 2225/0161F17C 2221/013
56
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Claims

Abstract

A thermal ballasting method includes providing a train having LNG, routing the train to scheduled stops along a train route, forming a ballast cryogen by condensing an atmospheric gas within the train, producing a latent heat, evaporating the LNG by transferring the latent heat to the LNG, forming a natural gas, fueling the train by consuming the natural gas, and delivering the ballast cryogen to an LNG storage site positioned along the train route.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermal ballasting method, comprising:
 providing a train having LNG;   routing the train to scheduled stops along a train route;   forming a ballast cryogen by condensing an atmospheric gas within the train, producing a latent heat;   evaporating the LNG by transferring the latent heat to the LNG, forming a natural gas;   fueling the train by consuming the natural gas; and   delivering the ballast cryogen to an LNG storage site positioned along the train route.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 routing the train to a natural gas fuel source positioned on the train route;   transferring a second natural gas from the natural gas fuel source to the train;   forming a second LNG by condensing the second natural gas within the train, producing a second latent heat;   evaporating the ballast cryogen by transferring the second latent heat to the ballast cryogen, forming a second atmospheric gas; and   venting the second atmospheric gas.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the LNG storage site is positioned along a second train route, the method further comprising:
 routing a second train along the second train route, including routing the second train to the LNG storage site.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 liquefying a second natural gas at the LNG storage site using the ballast cryogen as a heat sink, forming a second LNG; and   fueling the second train using the second LNG.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the second train is fueled using the second LNG when a fuel level of the second train is below a specified LNG level. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 transferring the ballast cryogen from the LNG storage site to the second train; and   liquefying a second natural gas located within the second train using the ballast cryogen as a heat sink.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 routing at least one of the train and the second train based on a cryogen supply of the LNG storage site.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 routing the second train based on at least one of a cryogen supply of the second train and an LNG supply of the second train.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ballast cryogen is delivered to the LNG storage site by:
 transporting the ballast cryogen to the LNG storage site by a first storage tank coupled to the train;   de-coupling the first storage tank from the train and positioning the first storage tank within the LNG storage site; and   coupling a second storage tank filled with a second LNG from the LNG storage site to the train.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the LNG is liquefied by thermal ballasting. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the atmospheric gas includes at least one of nitrogen and oxygen. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ballast cryogen includes at least one of nitrogen and oxygen. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ballast cryogen is delivered to the LNG storage site based on a cryogen level of the train. 
     
     
         14 . A fuel management system for a train, comprising:
 a train having a train route, the train comprising:
 an LNG; and 
 a ballast cryogen formed by condensing an atmospheric gas, the ballast cryogen forming a natural gas by evaporating the LNG using a latent heat; and 
   an LNG storage site positioned along the train route;   wherein the train is fueled by the natural gas; and   wherein the train is configured to deliver the ballast cryogen to the LNG storage site.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a fuel source positioned on the train route and comprising a second natural gas, the fuel source configured to transfer the second natural gas to the train;   wherein the train forms a second LNG by condensing the second natural gas within the train, producing a second latent heat; and   wherein the train evaporates the ballast cryogen by transferring the second latent heat to the ballast cryogen, forming a second atmospheric gas.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a second train having a second train route, the second train route including the LNG storage site.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a second LNG formed by liquefying a second natural gas at the LNG storage site using the first ballast cryogen as a heat sink;   wherein the second train is fueled by the second LNG.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the second train is configured to use the second LNG when a fuel level of the second train is below a specified LNG level. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the second train is configured to form a second LNG by:
 transferring the ballast cryogen from the LNG storage site to the second train; and   liquefying a second natural gas within the second train using the ballast cryogen as a heat sink.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the train route and the second train route is based on a cryogen supply at the LNG storage site. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the second train route is based on at least one of a cryogen supply of the second train and an LNG supply of the second train. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a cryogen tank car configured to couple to the second train, the cryogen tank car comprising the ballast cryogen.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a first storage tank comprising the ballast cryogen, wherein the ballast cryogen is delivered to the LNG storage site using the first storage tank; and   a second storage tank comprising a second LNG, the second storage tank configured to provide an LNG supply to the train.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the train is configured to deliver the ballast cryogen to the LNG storage site based on a cryogen level of the train. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the LNG is liquefied by thermal ballasting. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the atmospheric gas includes at least one of nitrogen and oxygen. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the ballast cryogen includes at least one of nitrogen and oxygen. 
     
     
         28 . A thermal ballasting method, comprising:
 routing a first train to scheduled stops along a first train route, the first train having a first amount of LNG;   fueling the first train using the first amount of LNG, producing a ballast cryogen:   transporting the ballast cryogen to an LNG storage site positioned along both the first train route and a second train route;   forming a second amount of LNG by liquefying a second natural gas at the LNG storage site using the ballast cryogen as a heat sink, wherein the second amount of LNG is determined based on fuel requirements of a second train;   routing the second train to scheduled stops along the second train route, including the LNG storage site; and   fueling the second train from the second amount of LNG at the LNG storage site.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein fueling the first train comprises:
 condensing an atmospheric gas within the first train, generating the ballast cryogen and producing a latent heat;   transferring the latent heat to the first amount of LNG, evaporating the first amount of LNG and forming a natural gas; and   consuming the natural gas.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein forming the second amount of LNG comprises:
 routing the first train to a natural gas fuel source positioned on the first train route;   transferring a second natural gas from the natural gas fuel source to the first train;   forming the second amount of LNG by condensing the second natural gas within the first train, producing a latent heat;   evaporating the ballast cryogen by transferring the latent heat to the ballast cryogen, forming an atmospheric gas; and   venting the atmospheric gas.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the second train is routed to the LNG storage site based on an LNG supply of the second train. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the second train is fueled using the second amount of LNG when a fuel level of the second train is below a specified LNG level. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the second amount of LNG is determined based solely on the fuel requirements of the second train. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the ballast cryogen includes at least one of nitrogen and oxygen. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the first train is routed to the LNG storage site based on a cryogen supply of the LNG storage site.

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