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- Nachgewiesen in: USPTO Patent Grants
- Sprachen: English
- Patent Number: 10214,201
- Publication Date: February 26, 2019
- Appl. No: 15/495908
- Application Filed: April 24, 2017
- Claim: 1. A fuel system for a hybrid vehicle, comprising: a) a fuel tank having a buffer space configured to provide room for a vaporized fuel; b) insulation, wherein the insulation is disposed around the fuel tank; c) a first fuel line having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first fuel line extends into the buffer space of the fuel tank; d) a buffer tank wherein an inlet to the buffer tank is connected to the second end of the first fuel line; e) a pressure sensor measuring pressure in the fuel tank and sending digital or analog signals corresponding to pressure to a digital control unit through a signal bus, wherein the pressure sensor is connected to the fuel tank; f) a second fuel line having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the second fuel line connects to an outlet of the buffer tank; g) a solenoid valve, wherein an inlet of the solenoid valve connects to the second end of the second fuel line; h) a pressure regulator connected to an outlet of the solenoid valve wherein the pressure regulator is adapted to connect to a fuel inlet of an energy conversion device of the hybrid vehicle, wherein the energy conversion device is selected from the group consisting of internal combustion engines, fuel cells and Stirling engines, whereby the pressure regulator is configured to regulate the flow of vaporized fuel into the energy conversion device; i) a tank heating system, comprising: i. a heating element, wherein the heating element is disposed adjacent to or within the fuel tank whereby the heating element produces heat to vaporize liquefied light hydrocarbon fuel and increase the fuel tank pressure; ii. a heating power control system connected to the heating element and connected through a direct current power line to an electrical energy storage system of the hybrid vehicle whereby the heating power control system draws electrical energy from the electrical energy storage system through the direct current power line and controls the amount of heat produced by the heating element.
- Claim: 2. The fuel system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methane, natural gas, ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene, butane, isobutene, isobutene, butylene and mixtures thereof.
- Claim: 3. The fuel system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel is maintained at a cryogenic temperature between about −170° C. and about −120° C. inside the fuel tank at a pressure between about 15 psi and about 300 psi.
- Claim: 4. The fuel system of claim 1 , wherein the first fuel tank is spherical, cylindrical with hemispherical ends or toroidal shaped.
- Claim: 5. The fuel system of claim 1 , wherein the insulation comprises: a) a material of low thermal conductivity selected from the group consisting of supercritical-dried gels, fiberglass, glass wool, wood, cardboard and polystyrene foam; b) a reflective material or radiation barrier; c) an air gap or a vacuum chamber.
- Claim: 6. The fuel system of claim 1 , wherein the heating element is selected from the group consisting of resistance heaters, cartridge heaters, band heaters and induction heaters.
- Claim: 7. The fuel system of claim 1 , wherein an induction heater is disposed adjacent to an outer surface of the fuel tank and wherein the fuel tank is made of a ferrous metal.
- Claim: 8. A fuel system for a hybrid vehicle, comprising: a) a fuel tank having a buffer space configured to provide room for a vaporized fuel; b) insulation, wherein the insulation is disposed around the fuel tank; c) a first fuel line having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first fuel line extends into the buffer space of the fuel tank; d) a buffer tank wherein an inlet to the buffer tank is connected to the second end of the first fuel line; e) a pressure sensor measuring pressure in the fuel tank and sending digital or analog signals corresponding to pressure to a digital control unit through a signal bus, wherein the pressure sensor is connected to the fuel tank; f) a second fuel line having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the second fuel line connects to an outlet of the buffer tank; g) a solenoid valve, wherein an inlet of the solenoid valve connects to the second end of the second fuel line; h) a pressure regulator connected to an outlet of the solenoid valve wherein the pressure regulator is adapted to connect to a fuel inlet of an energy conversion device of the hybrid vehicle, wherein the energy conversion device is selected from the group consisting of internal combustion engines, fuel cells and Stirling engines, whereby the pressure regulator is configured to regulate the flow of vaporized fuel into the energy conversion device; i) a tank heating system, comprising: i. a chamber disposed between an outer surface of the fuel tank and the insulation, wherein the chamber is filled with a heat transfer fluid; ii. a first heat transfer line having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first heat transfer line connects to an outlet of the chamber; iii. a butterfly valve, wherein the second end of the first heat transfer line connects to an inlet of the butterfly valve; iv. a heat transfer coil having a first end and a second end, wherein the heat transfer coil is disposed within a heat exchanger and wherein an outlet of the butterfly valve connects to an inlet of the heat transfer coil and an outlet of the heat transfer coil connects to an inlet of the chamber.
- Claim: 9. The fuel system of claim 8 , wherein an outlet of a cooling system for the hybrid vehicle connects to an inlet of the heat exchanger and wherein an outlet of the heat exchanger connects to an inlet of the cooling system of the hybrid vehicle.
- Claim: 10. The fuel system of claim 1 , further comprising: a) a third fuel line having a first end and a second end; b) a fuel coil having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the third fuel line connects to the first end of the fuel coil and the second end of the fuel coil connects to an outlet of an orifice plate whereby the orifice plate limits the flow of fuel into the fuel coil, acting as a throttling mechanism and reducing the temperature of the fuel; c) a second solenoid valve, wherein the second end of the third fuel line connects to an inlet of the second solenoid valve and wherein the outlet of the second solenoid valve connects to the buffer tank.
- Claim: 11. The fuel system of claim 1 , wherein the energy conversion device is an internal combustion engine, further comprising: a) a generator having a generator shaft mechanically connected to a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine, wherein the generator shaft rotates and transmits kinetic energy from the internal combustion engine to the generator and wherein the generator converts the kinetic energy into electrical energy; b) a battery charger system connected to an output of the generator, wherein the battery charger system controls the rate of charge into an input of the electrical energy storage system; c) an inverter connected to an output of the electrical energy storage system, wherein the inverter draws electrical energy from the electrical energy storage system; and d) an electrical motor or electrical load connected to an output of the inverter, wherein the electrical motor or electrical load is powered by the inverter.
- Claim: 12. The fuel system of claim 11 , wherein the digital control unit comprises: a) computer readable media; b) a processor; c) a plurality of interfaces configured to send and receive data signals; d) a plurality of machine executable instructions; whereby the digital control unit receives digital or analog signals from the pressure sensor, the generator, the battery charger system, the electrical energy storage system, the inverter, the electrical motor, the solenoid valve, the energy conversion device, and the heating power control system through the signal bus.
- Claim: 13. A method of using the fuel system of claim 1 , comprising the steps of: a) setting an upper pressure threshold for the buffer space in the fuel tank; b) monitoring the pressure in the buffer space of the fuel tank with the pressure sensor; c) when the upper pressure threshold is achieved, opening the solenoid valve and starting the energy conversion device to consume excess vaporized fuel and to reduce pressure in the buffer space of the fuel tank.
- Claim: 14. A method of using the fuel system of claim 1 comprising the steps of: a) setting a lower pressure threshold for the buffer space in the fuel tank; b) monitoring the pressure in the buffer space of the fuel tank; c) when the lower pressure threshold is achieved, closing the solenoid valve and stopping the energy conversion device.
- Claim: 15. A method of using the fuel system of claim 1 comprising the steps of: a) setting an upper charge threshold for the electrical energy storage system; b) monitoring the charge of the electrical energy storage system; and c) when the upper charge threshold is achieved, dissipating any excess electrical energy into a resistor bank.
- Claim: 16. A method of using the fuel system of claim 1 comprising the steps of: a) setting a lower charge threshold for the electrical energy storage system; b) monitoring the charge of the electrical energy storage system; and c) when the lower charge threshold is achieved, opening the solenoid valve and starting the energy conversion device to recharge the electrical energy storage system.
- Claim: 17. A method of using the fuel system of claim 1 comprising the steps of: a) heating the fuel tank to provide additional vaporized fuel for the energy conversion device; and b) opening the solenoid valve and starting the energy conversion device to consume the vaporized fuel.
- Claim: 18. A method of using the fuel system of claim 11 comprising the step of: a) when the upper charge threshold is achieved, transferring excess electrical energy to a power grid.
- Claim: 19. The fuel system of claim 1 wherein the fuel tank is configured to be swapped whereby when the fuel within the fuel tank is depleted, the fuel tank can be swapped for a full fuel tank.
- Claim: 20. The fuel system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel tank is a first fuel tank and the solenoid valve is a first solenoid valve, the fuel system further comprising: a) a second fuel tank; b) a third fuel line having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the third fuel line extends into the second fuel tank; c) a second solenoid valve, wherein an inlet of the second solenoid valve connects to the second end of the third fuel line and wherein an outlet of the second solenoid valve is adapted to connect to the fuel inlet to the energy conversion device.
- Claim: 21. The fuel system of claim 20 , further comprising a second insulation, wherein the second insulation is disposed around the second fuel tank.
- Claim: 22. The fuel system of claim 8 , wherein the heat transfer fluid is selected from the group consisting of inert gases with a boiling point below −163° C.
- Patent References Cited: 2014/0111327 April 2014 Naidu
- Primary Examiner: King, Brian M
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