Patent US5231838A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5231838A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
No loss single line fueling station for liquid natural gas vehicles
Assignee: Minnesota Valley Engineering Inc
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Filing: 1992-02-18
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Granted: 1993-08-03
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Expires: 2012-02-18
Abstract
Abstract A vacuum insulated storage vessel holds a quantity of LNG for delivery to a pressure building tank. The pressure building tank maintains a natural gas head over the LNG. The pressure in the pressure building tank is lowered using liquid nitrogen (LN 2 ) to condense the natural gas head and is raised by vaporizing the LNG. A valve system connects the supply of LNG in the pressure building tank to the fuel tank of the vehicle being supplied to allow either LNG or natural gas to be delivered to the vehicle tank and allows natural gas in the tank to be vented back to the fueling station. The fueling station of the invention includes suitable controls for controlling the pressure and temperature of the LNG delivered to the vehicle, the pressure and temperature in the fueling station itself and the pressure and temperature in the vehicle fuel tank.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert E. Cieslukowski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 08:01
CPC Classifications
F; F17; F17C; F17C7/00; F17C7/02; F17C9/00; F17C2201/00; F17C2201/01; F17C2201/0176; F17C2201/019; F17C2203/00; F17C2203/03; F17C2203/0391; F17C2221/00; F17C2221/03; F17C2221/032; F17C2221/033; F17C2223/00; F17C2223/01; F17C2223/0146; F17C2223/0153; F17C2223/0161; F17C2223/03; F17C2223/033; F17C2225/00; F17C2225/01; F17C2225/0146; F17C2225/0153; F17C2225/0161; F17C2225/03; F17C2225/033; F17C2227/00; F17C2227/03; F17C2227/0337; F17C2227/0341; F17C2250/00; F17C2250/01; F17C2250/06; F17C2250/0605; F17C2250/0626; F17C2250/0631; F17C2265/00; F17C2265/06; F17C2265/065; F17C2270/00; F17C2270/01; F17C2270/0165; F17C2270/0168; F17C2270/0171; F17C2270/0176; F17C2270/0178
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
114 words
A no loss fueling station for delivery of liquid natural gas (LNG) to a fuel tank of a use device such as a motor vehicle, comprising: a) a pressure building tank holding a quantity of LNG and a natural gas head; b) first means for selectively building the pressure and temperature in the pressure building tank; c) second means for selectively reducing the pressure and temperature in the pressure building tank; d) means for controlling the first and second means to maintain a desired pressure and temperature in the pressure building tank without venting natural gas to the atmosphere; and e) means for delivering LNG from the pressure building tank to the use device.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
114 words
A no loss fueling station for delivery of liquid natural gas (LNG) to a fuel tank of a use device such as a motor vehicle, comprising: a) a pressure building tank holding a quantity of LNG and a natural gas head; b) first means for selectively building the pressure and temperature in the pressure building tank; c) second means for selectively reducing the pressure and temperature in the pressure building tank; d) means for controlling the first and second means to maintain a desired pressure and temperature in the pressure building tank without venting natural gas to the atmosphere; and e) means for delivering LNG from the pressure building tank to the use device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The fueling station according to claim 1, wherein the first means includes means for vaporizing LNG in the pressure building tank thereby to increase the pressure therein.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The fueling station according to claim 1, wherein the second means includes means for condensing the natural gas head in the pressure building tank.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
The fueling station according to claim 1, wherein said means for condensing includes a heat sink disposed in the gas head portion of said pressure building tank and means for passing relatively cooler fluid through said heat sink thereby to condense the gas head and reduce pressure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The fueling station according to claim 1, further including means for selectively sub-cooling the LNG before delivering it to the use device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The fueling station according to claim 5, wherein the means for selectively sub-cooling includes a heat exchanger having relatively cooler fluid passing therethrough.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The fueling station according to claim 1, further including means for filling said pressure building tank with LNG.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
The fueling station according to claim 1, wherein the means for delivering further includes means for delivering natural gas to the use device fuel tank and for first delivering natural gas from the use device fuel tank to the fueling station if necessary to create a pressure differential to permit refilling.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The fueling station according to claim 8, wherein said delivering means includes an injector means having a single output port, a plurality of input ports and means for connecting the output port with one of the input ports.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The fueling station according to claim 9, further including a first means for communicating the LNG in said pressure building tank to said injector means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The fueling station according to claim 9, further including a second means for communicating the gas head in said pressure building tank to said injector means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
150 words
A no loss fueling station for delivery of liquid natural gas (LNG) to a fuel tank of a use device such as a motor vehicle, comprising: a) a pressure building tank holding a quantity of LNG and a natural gas head; b) means for delivering LNG to the pressure building tank; c) means for selectively raising the pressure and temperature in the pressure building tank; d) means for selectively reducing the pressure and temperature in the pressure building tank; e) means for controlling the means for selectively raising and the means for selectively reducing to maintain a desired pressure and temperature in the pressure building tank without venting natural gas to the atmosphere; and f) means for delivering either LNG or natural gas from said pressure building tank to the fuel tank of the use device such that both the temperature and pressure in the fuel tank can be controlled.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
150 words
A no loss fueling station for delivery of liquid natural gas (LNG) to a fuel tank of a use device such as a motor vehicle, comprising: a) a pressure building tank holding a quantity of LNG and a natural gas head; b) means for delivering LNG to the pressure building tank; c) means for selectively raising the pressure and temperature in the pressure building tank; d) means for selectively reducing the pressure and temperature in the pressure building tank; e) means for controlling the means for selectively raising and the means for selectively reducing to maintain a desired pressure and temperature in the pressure building tank without venting natural gas to the atmosphere; and f) means for delivering either LNG or natural gas from said pressure building tank to the fuel tank of the use device such that both the temperature and pressure in the fuel tank can be controlled.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
The fueling station according to claim 12, wherein said delivering means includes a storage tank holding a quantity of LNG greater than that in said pressure building tank and a gas head.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The fueling station according to claim 13, further including means for communicating the gas head in the pressure building tank with the gas head in said storage tank.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The fueling station according to claim 12, wherein the means for raising means includes means for vaporizing LNG in the pressure building tank thereby to increase the pressure therein.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
The fueling station according to claim 12, wherein the means for reducing pressure includes means for condensing the natural gas head in the pressure building tank.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
47 words
The fueling station according to claim 16 wherein said means for condensing includes a heat sink disposed in the gas head portion of said pressure building tank and means for passing relatively cooler fluid through said heat sink thereby to condense the gas head and reduce pressure.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The fueling station according to claim 12, further including means for selectively sub-cooling the LNG before delivering it to the use device.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
The fueling station according to claim 12, wherein said means for delivering includes means for delivering natural gas from the use device to the fueling station to create a pressure differential to permit refilling.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
40 words
The fueling station according to claim 19, wherein said means for delivering further includes an injector means having a single output port, a plurality of input ports and means for connecting the output port with one of the input ports.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
The fueling station according to claim 20, further including a first mean for communicating the LNG in said pressure building tank to said injector means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
The fueling station according to claim 20, further including a second means for communicating the gas head in said pressure building tank to said injector means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-08-02 | 1997-02-01 | 1997-08-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-08-02 | 2001-02-01 | 2001-08-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-08-02 | 2005-02-01 | 2005-08-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |