Coiled Natural Gas Storage System and Method
A system for storing natural gas comprises a plurality of straight sections of tube. The plurality of straight sections of tube are dense packed. The plurality of straight sections of tube are configured to fill a designated volume.
1 . A system for storing natural gas, comprising:
a tube that defines a planar and rounded-rectangular body that coils from an edge portion of the body to a central portion of the body, the body including:
a first tube-end disposed at the edge portion of the body;
a plurality of straight tube sections;
a plurality of bend sections coupled to and between the bend sections; and
a second tube-end disposed at the central portion of the body.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the bend sections define a 90-degree bend between respective straight tube sections.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the bend sections and straight tube sections are defined is by a tube having the same diameter.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the rounded-rectangular body defines a square rounded-rectangular body.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each straight tube section is disposed parallel to another straight tube section.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each straight tube section is disposed parallel to and contacting another straight tube section along a respective length.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the bend sections are nested within a curve of another bend section.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the body defines a central-orifice disposed at the central portion.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the straight tube portions comprise an inner liner with an outer braided layer.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the straight tube portions and bend portions are defined by a continuous unitary tube.
11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the straight portions and bend portions are defined by physically separable units that are coupled together to define a contiguous body.
12 . An assembly for storing natural gas, comprising a plurality of the systems for storing natural gas of claim 1 .
13 . The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of systems are stacked in a layered configuration.
14 . The assembly of claim 13 , wherein a portion of the plurality of systems are coiled in a clockwise configuration and wherein a portion of the systems are coiled in a counter-clockwise configuration.
15 . The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of systems are stacked in a layered configuration having hexagonal packing.
16 . A vehicle comprising a natural gas fuel-tank comprising the system for storing natural gas of claim 1 .
17 . The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the system is disposed in a chassis of the vehicle.
18 . The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the vehicle comprises a truck and the system is disposed in a bed of the truck.