Gaseous hydrogen storage system with cryogenic supply

Abstract

A gaseous hydrogen storage and distribution system with a cryogenic supply and a method for the cryogenic conversion of liquid hydrogen into high-pressure gaseous hydrogen are provided. The gaseous hydrogen storage and distribution system includes pressuring liquid hydrogen from a cryogenic tank using a low pressure liquid pump before vaporization within a relatively small vaporizer. The resulting high pressure gaseous hydrogen is transferred to a plurality of storage tanks at ambient temperature according to a desired fill sequence. The high pressure hydrogen gas is subsequently distributed from the storage tanks through a hydrogen fueling dispenser according to a desired dispensing sequence. The present system and method provide improvements in operational safety, eliminates the use of high pressure gas compressor, and minimizes boiling off and ventilation losses at a reduced cost when compared to existing thermal compression storage systems.

1 . A system for storing and dispensing hydrogen fuel, the system comprising:
 a cryogenic storage tank containing liquid hydrogen between 1 bar and 5 bar;   a low pressure liquid pump coupled to the cryogenic storage tank;   a vaporizer coupled to the liquid pump, the vaporizer being adapted to receive a supply of pressurized liquid hydrogen and transfer heat thereto, such that the temperature of the supply of pressurized liquid hydrogen within the vaporizer increases to a saturation temperature, resulting in gaseous hydrogen that is pressurized between 200 bar and 1200 bar at ambient temperature;   a gaseous hydrogen storage system adapted to receive the gaseous hydrogen from the vaporizer without use of a compressor, the gaseous hydrogen storage system including a plurality of gas storage tanks, each of the plurality of gas storage tanks having a different pressure capacity rating, wherein the low pressure liquid pump is operable to pressurize the liquid hydrogen from the cryogenic storage tank to up to 50 bar above the lowest pressure capacity rating of the plurality of gas storage tanks; and   a hydrogen fuel dispenser adapted to dispense gaseous hydrogen from the gaseous hydrogen storage system to a vehicle fuel tank.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further including a system for cooling the vaporizer with liquid hydrogen from the cryogenic storage tank. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the system includes a thermal exchange conduit containing liquid hydrogen for pre-cooling an interior of the vaporizer. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the liquid pump is operable to pressurize the supply of liquid hydrogen within the vaporizer to up to 10 bars above the lowest pressure capacity rating of the plurality of gas storage tanks. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the vaporizer is one of a plurality of vaporizers connected in parallel between the liquid pump and the plurality of gas storage tanks. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the vaporizer includes a multi-layered sidewall having an inner layer and an outer layer, wherein the inner layer includes a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the outer layer. 
     
     
         7 . A method for storing and dispensing hydrogen fuel, the method comprising:
 providing a supply of liquid hydrogen between 1 bar and 5 bar;   pressuring the liquid hydrogen in at least one vaporizer to using a liquid pump to fill the vaporizer to between 20% and 100%, inclusive, of its full volumetric capacity;   vaporizing the liquid hydrogen to gaseous hydrogen by raising the temperature of the liquid hydrogen to ambient temperature within the at least one vaporizer, the gaseous hydrogen having a pressure of between 200 bar and 1200 bar, inclusive;   transferring the gaseous hydrogen to and storing the gaseous hydrogen in a storage system at ambient temperature, the storage system including a plurality of gas storage tanks forming a cascade system with each of the plurality of gas storage tanks having a different pressure capacity rating and adapted to be independently filled with gaseous hydrogen from the at least one vaporizer, and wherein the liquid pump is operable to pressurize the liquid hydrogen from the cryogenic storage tank to up to 50 bar above the lowest pressure capacity rating of the plurality of gas storage tanks; and   dispensing the gaseous hydrogen to a vehicle fuel tank serially from the gas storage tank of the plurality of gas storage tanks having the lowest usable pressure first followed by the gas storage tank of the plurality of gas storage tanks having the next lowest useable pressure.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further including pre-cooling the at least one vaporizer with liquid hydrogen to a temperature below ambient temperature. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the at least one vaporizer includes a multi-layered sidewall having an inner layer and an outer layer, wherein the inner layer includes a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the outer layer. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further including filling the at least one vaporizer with liquid hydrogen such that an air gap develops between the inner layer and the outer layer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein raising the temperature of the liquid hydrogen to ambient temperature is performed with a heat exchange from ambient air. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the at least one vaporizer is a plurality of vaporizers coupled in parallel between a cryogenic tank and the storage system. 
     
     
         13 . A method for storing and dispensing hydrogen fuel, the method comprising:
 providing a supply of liquid hydrogen between 1 bar and 5 bar;   pre-cooling a vaporizer to a temperature substantially below ambient temperature;   pressuring the supply of liquid hydrogen to fill the vaporizer to between 20% and 100%, inclusive, of its full volumetric capacity;   vaporizing the supply of liquid hydrogen to gaseous hydrogen by raising the temperature of the supply liquid hydrogen within the vaporizer, the gaseous hydrogen having a pressure of between 200 bar and 1200 bar;   transferring the gaseous hydrogen to and storing the gaseous hydrogen in a storage system at ambient temperature, the storage system including a plurality of gas storage tanks having a different pressure capacity rating and that are adapted to be independently filled with gaseous hydrogen from the at least one vaporizer, wherein the liquid hydrogen is pressurized to up to 50 bar above the lowest pressure capacity rating of the plurality of gas storage tanks; and   dispensing the gaseous hydrogen to a vehicle fuel tank serially from the gas storage tank of the plurality of gas storage tanks having the lowest usable pressure first followed by the gas storage tank of the plurality of gas storage tanks having the next lowest useable pressure.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the vaporizer includes a multi-layered sidewall having an inner layer and an outer layer, wherein the inner layer includes a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the outer layer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further including filling the at least one vaporizer with liquid hydrogen such that a vacuum develops between the inner layer and the outer layer. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein raising the temperature of the liquid hydrogen to ambient temperature is performed with a heat exchange from ambient air or ambient water. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein raising the temperature of the liquid hydrogen to ambient temperature is performed with a fluid having a lower freezing point than water. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the vaporizer is one of a plurality of vaporizers coupled in parallel between a cryogenic storage tank and the storage vessel. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the storage vessel is a steel concrete composite vessel including a pre-stressed concrete outer shell. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the liquid pump is adapted to pressurize the supply of liquid hydrogen in the vaporizer to fill the vaporizer to between 20% and 100%, inclusive, of its full volumetric capacity.