HYDROGEN FUELING SYSTEMS AND METHODS
According to aspects, hydrogen fueling systems and methods are provided, including vehicle-to-vehicle communication techniques, hydrogen cooling techniques and/or hydrogen dispenser control techniques that facilitate improving aspects of a hydrogen fueling station.
1 . A hydrogen cooling system comprising:
a first reservoir comprising a first tank configured to hold first coolant comprising at least one phase-change material;
a refrigeration unit coupled to the first reservoir to chill the first coolant to cause the phase-change material held by the first tank to change from a first state to a second state; and
a first heat exchanger configured to thermally couple the first coolant held by the first reservoir and hydrogen gas flowing through the heat exchanger via heat exchange with the first coolant.
2 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger comprises an annular heat exchanger having at least one coil.
3 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 2 , wherein the annular heat exchanger is positioned within the first tank of the first reservoir.
4 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 3 , wherein the annular heat exchanger is positioned within the first tank so that the at least one coil is in contact with the at least one phase-change material to transfer heat from the hydrogen gas flowing through the at least one coil to the at least one phase change material held by the first tank.
5 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the first coolant comprises a second coolant that does not transition from a first state to a second state when chilled by the refrigeration unit.
6 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 5 , wherein the first heat exchanger is configured to receive the second coolant, and wherein the hydrogen gas is chilled based at least in part via heat exchange with the second coolant.
7 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 6 , wherein the first heat exchanger includes an annular heat exchanger comprising:
a shell through which the second coolant is circulated; and
at least one coil through which the hydrogen gas flows, wherein the annular heat exchanger chills the hydrogen gas via heat exchange between the hydrogen gas flowing through the at least one coil and the second coolant circulated through the shell.
8 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the refrigeration unit is a small-capacity refrigeration unit.
9 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 8 , wherein the first reservoir is a large-volume reservoir.
10 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 8 , wherein the first reservoir is a small-volume reservoir.
11 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one phase change material held by the first tank comprises a first phase-change material that changes from the first state to the second state at less than or equal to −10° C.
12 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one phase change material held by the first tank comprises a first phase-change material that changes from the first state to the second state at less than or equal to −20° C.
13 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one phase change material held by the first tank comprises a first phase-change material that changes from the first state to the second state at less than or equal to −30° C.
14 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one phase change material held by the first tank comprises a first phase-change material that changes from the first state to the second state at less than or equal to −40° C.
15 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 7 , wherein the first reservoir is integrated in a housing of the refrigeration unit.
16 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one phase change material is held by the first tank separately but thermally coupled to the second coolant.
17 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second reservoir comprising a second tank configured to hold second coolant comprising at least one phase change material; and
a second heat exchanger configured to thermally couple the second coolant held by the second reservoir to hydrogen gas flowing through the second heat exchanger via heat exchange with the second coolant,
wherein the refrigeration unit is coupled to the second reservoir to chill the at least one phase change material held by the second tank to cause the at least one phase change material to change from a first state to a second state.
18 . A hydrogen cooling system comprising:
a first reservoir comprising a first tank configured to hold first coolant comprising at least one phase-change material;
a second reservoir comprising a second tank configured to hold second coolant;
a refrigeration unit coupled to the first reservoir to chill the at least one phase-change material to cause the at least one phase-change material to change from a first state to a second state, and coupled to the second reservoir to chill the second coolant;
a first heat exchanger configured to thermally couple the first coolant and hydrogen gas flowing through the first heat exchanger to chill the hydrogen gas to a first temperature via heat exchange with the first coolant; and
a second heat exchanger configured to thermally couple the second coolant and the hydrogen gas chilled to the first temperature to chill the hydrogen gas to a second temperature via heat exchange with the second coolant and to provide the chilled hydrogen gas to at least one first dispenser.
19 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 18 , wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a first annular heat exchanger having at least one coil, wherein the annular heat exchanger is positioned within the first tank of the first reservoir so that the at least one coil is in contact with the at least one phase change material to transfer heat from the hydrogen gas flowing through the at least one coil to the at least one phase change material.
20 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 19 , wherein the second heat exchanger includes a second annular heat exchanger comprising:
a shell configured to circulate the second coolant; and
at least one coil configured to receive the hydrogen gas at the first temperature, wherein the hydrogen gas is chilled to the second temperature via heat exchange between the hydrogen gas and the second coolant circulating through the shell.
21 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 20 , wherein the at least one phase-change material comprises a first phase-change material that changes from the first state to the second state at less than or equal to 0° and greater than or equal to −10° C. so that the first annular heat exchanger chills the hydrogen gas to between 0° and −10° C., and wherein the second annular heat exchanger chills the hydrogen gas to below −10° C.
22 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 20 , wherein the at least one phase-change material held by the first tank comprises a first phase-change material that changes from the first state to the second state at less than or equal to 0° and greater than or equal to −20° C. so that the first annular heat exchanger chills the hydrogen gas to between 0° and −20° C., and wherein the second annular heat exchanger chills the hydrogen gas to below −20° C.
23 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 22 , wherein the second annular heat exchanger chills the hydrogen gas to −30° C. or less.
24 . The hydrogen cooling system of claim 22 , wherein the second annular heat exchanger chills the hydrogen gas to −40° C. or less.