Methods for liquefied natural gas fueling

摘要

A method and apparatus for fueling the onboard storage tank of a vehicle with liquefied natural gas. A liquid cryogen such as liquid nitrogen is fed to a condensing unit to condense natural gas present in a fueling system. Liquefied natural gas is fed into the fueling system and natural gas vapor is recovered from the onboard storage tank of the vehicle and fed to the condensing unit. When the pressure of the onboard storage tanks is sufficient, the liquefied natural gas is fed from the fueling system to the onboard storage tanks.

主权项

1. A method for fueling a vehicle comprising the steps:
a) Feeding a liquid cryogen into a condensing unit, thereby condensing natural gas present in the condensing unit wherein the condensing unit is in fluid communication with an onboard storage tank of the vehicle; b) Creating a pressure differential between the onboard storage tank and a bulk liquefied natural gas storage tank of the fueling system; c) Recovering natural gas vapor from an onboard storage tank of said vehicle and feeding said natural gas vapor to the condensing unit; and d) Feeding liquefied natural gas from the bulk liquefied natural gas storage tank of the fueling system to said onboard storage tank after a predetermined pressure is reached in the onboard storage tank.