US 12,228,253 B2
Liquid methane storage system and method
Christopher Mann, Cornwall (GB); and Michael Bennett, Cornwall (GB)
Assigned to BENNAMANN SERVICES LTD, Newquay (GB)
Filed by BENNAMANN SERVICES LTD, Newquay (GB)
Filed on Jan. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/587,881.
Application 15/896,973 is a division of application No. 14/367,740, granted, now 9,927,067, issued on Mar. 27, 2018, previously published as PCT/IB2012/002760, filed on Dec. 20, 2012.
Application 17/587,881 is a continuation of application No. 15/896,973, filed on Feb. 14, 2018, granted, now 11,268,654.
Claims priority of application No. 1121931 (GB), filed on Dec. 20, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2022/0154886 A1, May 19, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F17C 7/04 (2006.01); F17C 13/02 (2006.01)
CPC F17C 7/04 (2013.01) [F17C 13/025 (2013.01); F17C 13/026 (2013.01); F17C 2203/0391 (2013.01); F17C 2221/033 (2013.01); F17C 2223/0161 (2013.01); F17C 2223/033 (2013.01); F17C 2227/0369 (2013.01); F17C 2227/0397 (2013.01); F17C 2250/0626 (2013.01); F17C 2250/0631 (2013.01); F17C 2260/037 (2013.01); F17C 2265/033 (2013.01); F17C 2265/04 (2013.01); F17C 2265/07 (2013.01); Y02E 50/30 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for controlling a temperature and pressure of liquid or gaseous methane in a cryogenic methane storage unit, comprising:
venting methane gas from a storage vessel;
generating electric power by a combustion engine using the vented methane gas;
initiating a cooling cycle for the storage vessel using the generated electric power; and
generating the methane gas from a reservoir of liquid methane stored within the methane storage vessel, wherein the generating comprises heating the reservoir of liquid methane, and
wherein heating the reservoir of liquid methane comprises activating a heater coupled to the methane storage vessel.