1. A gas liquefaction system for liquefying gas, comprising:
a gas intake module adapted to be connected to a gas source and configured to provide gas to the system;
a thermally isolated container;
at least one interior tank in the container having at least one neck extending therefrom;
at least one refrigeration coldhead having a cold finger portion located inside the neck and extending toward the interior tank;
a gas compressor configured to provide compressed gas to the refrigeration coldhead for the operation of the cryocooler;
at least one gas pressure control mechanism configured to dynamically adjust pressure and flow of the gas between the gas intake module and the interior tank; and
at least one control device for controlling liquefaction performance of the system, said at least one gas pressure control mechanism and said at least one control device being configured to control pressure within the interior tank to achieve up to an optimal liquefaction performance by maintaining pressure inside the interior tank near a critical pressure of the gas being liquefied for providing liquefaction conditions capable of utilizing maximum cooling power of the refrigeration coldhead.
2. The gas liquefaction system of claim 1, wherein the gas pressure control mechanism comprises:
one or more pressure regulators adapted to regulate the pressure of the gas flowing from the gas intake module;
one or more mass flow meters configured to measure a volume of the gas from the pressure regulators;
one or more electronically controlled valves;
one or more pressure sensors;
means for coupling said pressure regulators, mass flow meters, valves, and pressure sensors to said control device; and
means for coupling signals from said at least one control device to dynamically configure said pressure regulators, mass flow meters, valves, and pressure sensors to enable said gas pressure control mechanism to adjust pressure of the gas entering the interior tank.
3. The gas liquefaction system of claim 1, further comprising one or more mechanical valves configured to control the passage of gas through the gas pressure control mechanism.
4. The gas liquefaction system of claim 1, wherein the gas is helium.
5. The gas liquefaction system of claim 4, wherein the critical pressure of the gas being liquefied is greater than 1.0 bar and no more than about 2.27 bar.
6. A gas liquefaction method that makes use of a gas liquefaction system according to claim 1, the method comprising:
supplying gas to the gas liquefaction system through the gas intake module;
regulating the power of the refrigeration coldhead by means of the control devices to achieve a desired rate of liquefaction;
adjusting the flow of gas entering the interior tank by means of the gas pressure control mechanism and the control devices for achieving a constant pressure within the interior tank;
for a period of time during which liquefaction is performed, maintaining the pressure within the interior tank at a liquefaction pressure above atmospheric pressure and up to the critical pressure of the gas being liquefied by means of the gas pressure control mechanism and the control devices; and
dynamically modulating the power of the refrigeration coldhead, the flow of gas entering the interior tank and the pressure within the interior tank by the control device to achieve desired liquefaction performance.
7. The gas liquefaction method according to claim 9, and further comprising the determination of the level of liquefied gas inside the interior tank from the total mass of the gas in the interior tank andor the determination of the gas and liquid densities by measuring the pressure or temperature at thermodynamic equilibrium.
8. The gas liquefaction method according to claim 6, and further comprising:
triggering an input valve to close, preventing the flow of gas into the system;
determining and maintaining the pressure in the interior tank; and
performing onoff cycles of the refrigeration coldhead, forcing the temperatures of refrigeration coldhead stages to exceed temperatures of fusion and sublimation of impurities present in the interior of the interior tank, making such impurities precipitate and fall into the bottom of the interior tank and thus cleansing the zone where the gas is pre-cooled and liquefied.
9. The gas liquefaction method according to claim 6, and further comprising:
a stand-by mode in which the volume of liquefied gas is indefinitely conserved in equilibrium with an amount of vapor in the interior tank, the standby mode being initiated by:
closing the gas intake into the gas liquefaction system by the control devices triggering of the input valve by means of the gas pressure control mechanism.
10. The gas liquefaction method according to claim 6, including direct liquefaction of recovered gas above atmospheric pressure, comprising:
storing gas in a buffer storage tank prior to its passage through the gas intake module above atmospheric pressure; and
maintaining the gas liquefaction system at a pressure above atmospheric pressure by means of the gas pressure control mechanism.
11. The gas liquefaction method according to claim 6, wherein the gas pressure control mechanism, the gas intake module, and the control devices are governed by means of a software program in at least one data storage means.
12. The gas liquefaction method according to claim 11, wherein the data storage means is connected to a programmable device in charge of executing said software program.
13. The gas liquefaction method according to claim 6, wherein said gas is selected from the group consisting of: helium, nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, and neon.
14. A method for achieving high-performance liquefaction of cryogen gas within a liquefier, the method comprising:
using a computer control device coupled to one or more pressure regulators, electronically controlled valves, one or more mass flow meters and one or more pressure sensors:
monitoring pressure within a liquefaction region of the liquefier; and
dynamically adjusting a flow of gas entering the liquefaction region of the liquefier to achieve a constant liquefaction pressure therein;
wherein said constant liquefaction pressure is greater than 1.00 bar.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein said gas is helium and said constant liquefaction pressure is greater than 1.00 bar and no more than about 2.27 bar.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein said gas is selected from the group consisting of helium, nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, and neon.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein said constant liquefaction pressure is greater than 1.00 bar and up to a critical pressure of said gas.
18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:
using said computer control device to control power of a cryocooler being at least partially disposed within said liquefaction region for achieving a desired liquefaction rate.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the power of the cryocooler, the flow of gas entering the liquefaction region, and the pressure within the liquefaction region are each dynamically modulated by the computer control device to achieve desired liquefaction performance.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for controlling internal reserve energy usage in an energy system, said method comprising:
determining the amount of said internal reserve energy in said energy system by a Reserve Energy Estimation Engine;
selecting at least an energy distribution mode by the Reserve Energy Estimation Engine, wherein said energy distribution mode comprises energy estimation for at least one of a propulsion requirement and an auxiliary load requirement;
verifying said energy distribution mode by a mission priority and decision making engine; and
distributing said internal reserve energy based on said energy distribution mode by a control strategy engine.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said selection of said energy distribution mode comprises generating said energy distribution mode based on at least one of a pre-configured user input and a real time input.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said propulsion requirement and said auxiliary load requirement are configured to be arranged in an order of priority in said energy distribution mode.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said verification of said energy distribution mode comprises,
conducting a safety analysis of said energy distribution mode, wherein said selected energy distribution mode is configured to be overridden by at least a default energy distribution mode, if said safety analysis yields a negative result; and
verifying if the energy distribution module is in line with at least a user preference.
5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said safety analysis comprises at least one of possibility of the system reaching a destination, and reaching nearest charging station.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said distribution of said internal reserve energy based on said energy distribution mode comprises,
calculating a value of at least one parameter associated with said selected energy distribution mode;
creating a distribution optimization profile, wherein said distribution optimization profile possesses said calculated value of said at least one parameter associated with said selected energy distribution mode; and
controlling said energy distribution to at least one component based on said at least one calculated value of said parameter.
7. An energy usage optimization module for controlling internal reserve energy usage in an energy system, said energy usage optimization module configured for:
determining the amount of said internal reserve energy in said energy system using a Reserve Energy Estimation Engine;
selecting at least an energy distribution mode using the Reserve Energy Estimation Engine, wherein said energy distribution mode comprises energy estimation for at least one of a propulsion requirement and an auxiliary load requirement;
verifying said energy distribution mode using a mission priority and decision making engine; and
distributing said internal reserve energy based on said energy distribution mode using a control strategy engine.
8. The energy usage optimization module as claimed in claim 7, wherein said Reserve Energy Estimation Engine is configured for selecting said energy distribution mode by generating said energy distribution mode based on at least one of a pre-configured user input and a real time input.
9. The energy usage optimization module as claimed in claim 7, wherein said Reserve Energy Estimation Engine is configured for arranging said propulsion requirement and said auxiliary load requirement in an order of priority in said energy distribution mode.
10. The energy usage optimization module as claimed in claim 7, wherein said mission priority and decision making engine is configured for verifying said energy distribution mode by,
conducting a safety analysis of said energy distribution mode, wherein said selected energy distribution mode is configured to be overridden by at least a default energy distribution mode, if said safety analysis yields a negative result; and
verifying if the energy distribution module is in line with at least a user preference.
11. The energy usage optimization module as claimed in claim 10, wherein said safety analysis comprises at least one of possibility of the system reaching a destination, and reaching nearest charging station.
12. The energy usage optimization module as claimed in claim 7, wherein said control strategy engine is configured for distributing said internal reserve energy based on said energy distribution mode by,
calculating a value of at least one parameter associated with said selected energy distribution mode;
creating a distribution optimization profile, wherein said distribution optimization profile possesses said calculated value of said at least one parameter associated with said selected energy distribution mode; and
controlling said energy distribution to at least one component based on said at least one calculated value of said parameter.
13. A method for determining amount of internal reserve energy that is available in an energy storage system, the method comprising:
determining capacity of the energy storage system by Reserve Energy Estimation Engine;
collecting historical data relating to the energy storage system by said Reserve Energy Estimation Engine;
determining state of health of the energy storage system based on the collected historical data by said Reserve Energy Estimation Engine;
determining current state of the energy storage system by a Mission Priority and Decision Management Engine; and
computing the amount of internal reserve energy available below a threshold level based on at least one of the determined capacity, state of health, and current state of the energy storage system by said Reserve Energy Estimation Engine.
14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein said determining of amount of internal reserve energy in the energy storage system is based on at least one of a capacity of the energy storage system, age of the energy storage system, recharging behaviour of the energy storage system, number of charge and discharge cycles the energy storage system has experienced, historic usage pattern derived by collecting data representing at least one of historic driving pattern, historic terrain pattern, a current driving pattern, and impedance of the energy storage system.
15. An energy usage optimization module for determining amount of internal reserve energy that is available in an energy storage system, said energy usage optimization module configured for:
determining capacity of the energy storage system using a Reserve Energy Estimation Engine;
collecting historical data relating to the energy storage system using said Reserve Energy Estimation Engine;
determining state of health of the energy storage system based on the collected historical data using said Reserve Energy Estimation Engine;
determining current state of the energy storage system using a Mission Priority and Decision Management Engine; and
computing the amount of internal reserve energy available below a threshold level based on at least one of the determined capacity, state of health, and current state of the energy storage system using said Reserve Energy Estimation Engine.
16. The energy usage optimization module as claimed in claim 15, said energy usage optimization module configured for determining amount of internal reserve energy in the energy storage system based on at least one of a capacity of the energy storage system, age of the energy storage system, recharging behaviour of the energy storage system, number of charge and discharge cycles the energy storage system has experienced, historic usage pattern derived by collecting data representing at least one of historic driving pattern, historic terrain pattern, a current driving pattern, and impedance of the energy storage system, using said Reserve Energy Estimation Engine.