US 12,031,686 B2
Device and method for storing and supplying fluid fuel
Emmanuel Bensadoun, Sassenage (FR); Patrick Bravais, Sassenage (FR); and Patrick Sanglan, Sassenage (FR)
Assigned to L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude, Paris (FR)
Appl. No. 17/441,641
Filed by L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude, Paris (FR)
PCT Filed Mar. 12, 2020, PCT No. PCT/FR2020/050519
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 21, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/188193, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 24, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 1902922 (FR), filed on Mar. 21, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0146047 A1, May 12, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F17C 7/04 (2006.01); F17C 5/00 (2006.01); F17C 13/02 (2006.01); F17C 13/04 (2006.01)
CPC F17C 7/04 (2013.01) [F17C 5/007 (2013.01); F17C 13/025 (2013.01); F17C 13/04 (2013.01); F17C 2201/0109 (2013.01); F17C 2201/035 (2013.01); F17C 2201/056 (2013.01); F17C 2203/0391 (2013.01); F17C 2203/0629 (2013.01); F17C 2205/0126 (2013.01); F17C 2205/0326 (2013.01); F17C 2205/0338 (2013.01); F17C 2205/0352 (2013.01); F17C 2205/0388 (2013.01); F17C 2205/0394 (2013.01); F17C 2221/012 (2013.01); F17C 2223/0161 (2013.01); F17C 2227/0107 (2013.01); F17C 2227/0306 (2013.01); F17C 2227/044 (2013.01); F17C 2250/032 (2013.01); F17C 2250/043 (2013.01); F17C 2260/015 (2013.01); F17C 2265/031 (2013.01); F17C 2265/061 (2013.01); F17C 2265/066 (2013.01); F17C 2270/0168 (2013.01); F17C 2270/0184 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for storing and for supplying fluid fuel, comprising:
a reservoir of liquefied hydrogen in equilibrium with gaseous phase of hydrogen;
a filling circuit configured to fill the reservoir;
at least one tapping circuit configured to tap fluid from the reservoir;
at least one pressure regulating circuit configured to regulate a pressure in the reservoir; and
a housing, wherein:
the filling, tapping and pressure regulating circuits comprise a set of valves arranged in the housing separate from the reservoir;
the housing is removably connected to the reservoir via a demountable mechanical coupling system;
the tapping, pressure regulating, and filling circuits comprise a set of demountable fluidic connectors located at a junction between the reservoir and the housing and which are configured to allow separation, during demounting of the housing with respect to the reservoir, between portions of said circuits located in the reservoir and portions of said circuits located in the housing; and
when the housing is connected to the reservoir, the housing defines a closed volume filled with an atmosphere predominantly comprising an inert gas.