IP Library Granted Patent US 12,646,594
Granted Patent B2
US 12,646,594 · App. 18/072,340 · Granted Jun 2, 2026

Methods and apparatus for managing a hydrogen storage and distribution system

Inventors: Constantinos Minas (Slingerlands, NY); Lisa Tang (Niskayuna, NY)
Assignee: General Electric Company
G16C20/70F17C13/00F17C13/02F17C13/023F17C13/12G01M3/186G01M3/226G01M3/26G01M3/3254F17C2221/012F17C2250/032F17C2250/0443F17C2250/0452F17C2250/0694F17C2260/044F17C2265/06
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,646,594
App. No.
18/072,340
Granted
Jun 2, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed for managing a hydrogen storage and distribution system. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes an apparatus comprising memory and one or more processors to execute instructions to detect, via hydrogen concentration data, an elevated hydrogen concentration at a hydrogen storage system, determine a mass flow rate of a leak associated with the elevated hydrogen concentration based on the hydrogen concentration data and a location of a sensor associated with the hydrogen concentration data, and mitigate the leak by sending a signal to one or more controllable features of the hydrogen storage system based on the determined mass flow rate.

Claims (55)

1 . An apparatus comprising:

memory; and

one or more processors to execute instructions to:

detect, via hydrogen concentration data, an elevated hydrogen concentration at a hydrogen storage system;

determine a mass flow rate of a leak associated with the elevated hydrogen concentration based on the hydrogen concentration data and a location of a sensor associated with the hydrogen concentration data, the one or more processors further execute instructions to determine the mass flow rate by executing instructions to:

identify a first model data set of a plurality of model data sets based on a similarity of the first model data set with the hydrogen concentration data, each of the plurality of model data sets associated with a corresponding simulated leak in the hydrogen storage system; and

determine the mass flow rate based on a simulated mass flow rate of the first model data set; and

mitigate the leak by sending a signal to one or more controllable features of the hydrogen storage system based on the determined mass flow rate.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of model data sets is a first plurality of model data sets, the hydrogen concentration data is collected via a grid of hydrogen concentration sensors, and the one or more processors further execute instructions to:

access ambient environment data from the hydrogen storage system; and

filter a second plurality of model data sets based on the ambient environment data to generate the first plurality of model data sets.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors further execute instructions to identify a leak location of the leak based on the first model data set.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen concentration data is first hydrogen concentration data, and the one or more processors further executes instructions to:

identify a region of the hydrogen storage system including the leak;

deploy a mobile sensor to the region to collect second hydrogen concentration data; and

determine a leak source within the region based the second hydrogen concentration data.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the mobile sensor is a flying drone.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors further executes instructions to:

determine a boundary surface of the hydrogen storage system; and

determine the mass flow rate by integrating the hydrogen concentration data over the boundary surface.

7 . A method comprising:

detecting, via hydrogen concentration data, an elevated hydrogen concentration at a hydrogen storage system;

determining a mass flow rate of a leak associated with the elevated hydrogen concentration based on the hydrogen concentration data and a location of a sensor associated with the hydrogen concentration data, the determining the mass flow rate including:

identifying a first model data set of a plurality of model data sets based on a similarity of the first model data set with the hydrogen concentration data, each of the plurality of model data sets associated with a corresponding simulated leak in the hydrogen storage system; and

determining the mass flow rate based on a simulated mass flow rate of the first model data set; and

mitigating the leak by sending a signal to one or more controllable features of the hydrogen storage system based on the determined mass flow rate.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of model data sets is a first plurality of model data sets, the hydrogen concentration data is collected via a grid of hydrogen concentration sensors, and further including:

accessing ambient environment data from the hydrogen storage system; and

filtering a second plurality of model data sets based on the ambient environment data to generate the first plurality of model data sets.

9 . The method of claim 7 , further including identifying a leak location of the leak based on the first model data set.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the hydrogen concentration data is first hydrogen concentration data, and further including:

identifying a region of the hydrogen storage system including the leak;

deploying a mobile sensor to the region to collect second hydrogen concentration data; and

determining a leak source within the region based the second hydrogen concentration data.

11 . The method of claim 7 , further including:

determining a boundary surface of the hydrogen storage system; and

determining the mass flow rate by integrating the hydrogen concentration data over the boundary surface.

12 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed, cause one or more processors to:

detect, via hydrogen concentration data, an elevated hydrogen concentration at a hydrogen storage system;

determine a mass flow rate of a leak associated with the elevated hydrogen concentration based on the hydrogen concentration data and a location of a sensor associated with the hydrogen concentration data, the determination of the mass flow rate to include:

identify a first model data set of a plurality of model data sets based on a similarity of the first model data set with the hydrogen concentration data, each of the plurality of model data sets associated with a corresponding simulated leak in the hydrogen storage system; and

determine the mass flow rate based on a simulated mass flow rate of the first model data set; and

mitigate the leak by sending a signal to one or more controllable features of the hydrogen storage system based on the determined mass flow rate.

13 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of model data sets is a first plurality of model data sets, the hydrogen concentration data is collected via a grid of hydrogen concentration sensors, and the instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:

access ambient environment data from the hydrogen storage system; and

filter a second plurality of model data sets based on the ambient environment data to generate the first plurality of model data sets.

14 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to identify a leak location of the leak based on the first model data set.

15 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the hydrogen concentration data is first hydrogen concentration data, and the instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:

identify a region of the hydrogen storage system including the leak;

deploy a mobile sensor to the region to collect second hydrogen concentration data; and

determine a leak source within the region based the second hydrogen concentration data.

16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the mobile sensor is a flying drone.

17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:

determine a boundary surface of the hydrogen storage system; and

determine the mass flow rate by integrating the hydrogen concentration data over the boundary surface.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2022
From: MINAS, CONSTANTINOS; TANG, LISA
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 061927/0873 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240177810A1 · May 30, 2024
References Cited (35)
US 5517537A · Greene · 1996 [cited by examiner]
US 6519041B1 · Berthold · 2003 [cited by examiner]
US 7345590B2 · Nakano et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 8950195B2 · Watts · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9932124B2 · Kamath et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10753677B2 · Suraganda Narayana et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10948471B1 · MacMullin · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20020125131A1 · Babes-Dornea · 2002 [cited by examiner]
US 20030063702A1 · Kruger · 2003 [cited by examiner]
US 20030164202A1 · Graham · 2003 [cited by examiner]
US 20070277593A1 · Salem · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20090308489A1 · Hirakata · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 20130213479A1 · Oates · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20140026597A1 · Epstein et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140123624A1 · Minto · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20140174105A1 · Gerstler et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20160334353A1 · Potyrailo · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20170097274A1 · Thorpe · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170130902A1 · Oates · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20180058972A1 · Zhang · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20200355552A1 · Kreitinger · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20220009648A1 · Clarke et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220292895A1 · Ren · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20230029650A1 · Tayebi · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230335990A1 · Aghatehrani · 2023 [cited by examiner]
CA 2714125 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
CN 209085657U · 2019 [cited by examiner]
CN 113720537A · 2021 [cited by examiner]
CN 113720537B · 2022 [cited by examiner]
WO 2004027369 · 2004 [cited by applicant]
WO 2019099567A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO 2022093289 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
Translation of CN113720537. [cited by examiner]
European Patent Office, “Extended European Search Report,” issued in connection with European Patent Application No. 23212135.0, dated May 3, 2024, 10 pages. [cited by applicant]
European Patent Office, “Communication pursuant to Article 94(3) PC,” issued in connection with European Patent Application No. 23212135.0, dated Mar. 25, 2026, 9 pages. [cited by applicant]