IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,331,890
Granted Patent B2
US 12,331,890 · App. 18/527,318 · Granted Jun 17, 2025

Cryogenic storage system

Inventor: Guido Bartlok (Graz, AT)
Assignee: MAGNA STEYR Fahrzeugtechnik Gmbh & Co KG
F17C5/06F17C13/04F17C2221/012F17C2223/0161F17C2250/043
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,331,890
App. No.
18/527,318
Granted
Jun 17, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cryostorage system that includes: a cryocontainer operable to store hydrogen, the cryocontainer having an inner tank and an outer container; at least one cryopump, arranged in the inner tank, to deliver liquid hydrogen and/or gaseous hydrogen in one or more stages via an extraction line to a consumer at a pressure greater than a pressure in the inner tank; and a filling interface to facilitate filling of the inner tank at least in part via the extraction line and a spring-loaded non-return valve into the inner tank.

Claims (27)

1. A cryostorage system, comprising:

a cryocontainer operable to store hydrogen, the cryocontainer having an inner tank and an outer container;

at least one cryopump, arranged in the inner tank, to deliver liquid hydrogen and/or gaseous hydrogen in one or more stages via an extraction line to a consumer at a pressure greater than a pressure in the inner tank, wherein the at least one cryopump comprises a linear pump which facilitates a left delivery flow and a right delivery flow on both sides thereof, wherein the left delivery flow and/or the right delivery flow of the linear pump is selectively operable to deliver the gaseous hydrogen or the liquid hydrogen via a check valve, adjacent to the at least one cryopump, for switching from gaseous hydrogen to liquid hydrogen; and

a filling interface to facilitate filling of the inner tank at least in part via the extraction line and a spring-loaded non-return valve arranged in the inner tank.

2. The cryostorage system of claim 1 , wherein the spring-loaded non-return valve is arranged in an inlet line into the inner tank, which branches off from a line that is formed by a pressure line taking off the delivered liquid hydrogen and/or gaseous hydrogen by the cryopump and the extraction line.

3. The cryostorage system of claim 1 , further comprising a heat exchanger operable to heat the hydrogen.

4. The cryostorage system of claim 3 , wherein the cryocontainer is operable such that a partial flow of the heated hydrogen from the heat exchanger, is returned via a gas return line into the inner tank to increase pressure in the inner tank via a check valve for the return of gaseous hydrogen to the inner tank.

5. The cryostorage system of claim 4 , further comprising a pressure reducer with a downstream pressure safety valve, arranged in the gas return line for the return gaseous hydrogen to the inner tank.

6. The cryostorage system of claim 1 , further comprising a buffer container for heated hydrogen arranged between the cryopump and the consumer.

7. A cryostorage system, comprising:

a cryocontainer operable to store hydrogen, the cryocontainer having an inner tank and an outer container;

at least one cryopump, arranged in the inner tank, to deliver liquid hydrogen and/or gaseous hydrogen in one or more stages via an extraction line to a consumer at a pressure greater than a pressure in the inner tank, the at least one cryopump having a pressure line which takes off delivered liquid hydrogen and/or gaseous hydrogen; and

a filling interface to facilitate filling of the inner tank at least in part via the extraction line and a shuttle valve arranged in the inner tank at the pressure line, wherein the pressure line joins at the shuttle valve with an inlet line into the inner tank so that at the shuttle valve, in an operating state thereof, either access to the pressure line is opened and access to the inlet line is closed, or access to the pressure line is closed and access to the inlet line is opened.

8. The cryostorage system of claim 7 , wherein the shuttle valve has an access to the extraction line, which is opened both when access to the pressure line is opened and when access to the inlet line is opened.

9. The cryostorage system of claim 7 , wherein the shuttle valve has an integrated float, an inherent weight of the integrated float keeping the float in a lower end position so that the inlet line for filling the inner tank is uncovered.

10. The cryostorage system of claim 9 , wherein the integrated float is raised by delivery flow when the cryopump is in an operating state so that it blocks the inlet line to the inner tank and the delivery flow is pumped only to the consumer.

11. The cryostorage system of claim 7 , wherein the cryopump comprises a linear pump which facilitates a left delivery flow and a right delivery flow on both sides thereof.

12. The cryostorage system of claim 11 , wherein the left delivery flow and/or the right delivery flow of the linear pump is selectively operable to deliver the gaseous hydrogen or the liquid hydrogen via a check valve adjacent to a pump for switching from gaseous hydrogen to liquid hydrogen.

13. The cryostorage system of claim 7 , further comprising a heat exchanger operable to heat the hydrogen.

14. The cryostorage system of claim 13 , wherein the cryocontainer is operable such that a partial flow of the heated hydrogen from the heat exchanger, is returned via a gas return line into the inner tank to increase pressure in the inner tank via a check valve for the return of gaseous hydrogen to the inner tank.

15. The cryostorage system of claim 14 , further comprising a pressure reducer with a downstream pressure safety valve, arranged in the gas return line for the return gaseous hydrogen to the inner tank.

16. The cryostorage system of claim 7 , further comprising a buffer container for heated hydrogen arranged between the cryopump and the consumer.

17. A cryostorage system, comprising:

a cryocontainer having an inner tank operable to store hydrogen;

an extraction line;

a cryopump arranged in the inner tank to deliver, via the extraction line, liquid hydrogen and/or gaseous hydrogen in one or more stages at a pressure greater than a pressure in the inner tank, the cryopump operable to facilitate a left delivery flow and a right delivery flow on both sides thereof, wherein the left delivery flow and/or the right delivery flow is selectively operable to deliver the gaseous hydrogen or the liquid hydrogen via a check valve operable to switch from gaseous hydrogen to liquid hydrogen; and

a filling interface to facilitate filling of the inner tank at least in part via the extraction line and a spring-loaded non-return valve arranged in the inner tank.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 3, 2023
From: BARTLOK, GUIDO
To: MAGNA STEYR FAHRZEUGTECHNIK GMBH & CO KG
Reel/Frame 066002/0167 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 23151491 · Jan 13, 2023 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240240757A1 · Jul 18, 2024
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