Method and system for filling a gas cylinder

Abstract

A charge station is provided for filling a gas cylinder with gas. The charge station includes a gas output port configured to be fluidly connected to a supply of gas. The gas output port is configured to be fluidly connected to the gas cylinder for filling the gas cylinder with gas from the supply of gas. The charge station also includes a control system operatively connected to the gas output such that the control system is configured to control filling of the gas cylinder, and a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader operatively connected to the control system, the RFID reader configured to read data from an RFID tag on the gas cylinder.

1 . A charge station for filling a gas cylinder with gas, said charge station comprising:
 a gas output port configured to be fluidly connected to a supply of gas, the gas output port configured to be fluidly connected to the gas cylinder for filling the gas cylinder with gas from the supply of gas;   a control system operatively connected to the gas output such that the control system is configured to control filling of the gas cylinder; and   a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader operatively connected to the control system, the RFID reader configured to read data from an REID tag on the gas cylinder.   
   
   
       2 . The charge station according to  claim 1 , further comprising a data collection system operatively connected to the RFID reader to receive data read from the RFID tag on the gas cylinder, the data collection system being operatively connected to the control system such that the data collection system is configured to at least one of send data read from the RFID tag to the control system and control filling of the gas cylinder based at least in part on data received from the RFID reader. 
   
   
       3 . The charge station according to  claim 1 , further comprising a data collection system operatively connected to the RFID reader to receive data read from the RFID tag on the gas cylinder, wherein at least one of the data collection system and the control system is configured to store at least one of data read from the RFID tag by the RFID reader, data related to the gas cylinder, and data related to the charge station. 
   
   
       4 . The charge station according to  claim 1 , wherein the RFID reader is configured to read from the RFID tag at least one of a serial number of the gas cylinder, an operating pressure of the gas cylinder, a hydrostatic test date of the gas cylinder, a manufactured date of the gas cylinder, a type of the gas cylinder, an end of life date of the gas cylinder, an early warning of upcoming cylinder obsolescence of the gas cylinder, an upcoming hydrostatic test requirement of the gas cylinder, frequency of usage of the gas cylinder, a utilization of the gas cylinder, justification for additional equipment related to at least one of the gas cylinder and the charge station, a location of the gas cylinder, a filling date of the gas cylinder, an identification of the charge station, a location of the charge station, a current date, a current time, ambient air sample data, and an identification of an operator. 
   
   
       5 . The charge station according to  claim 1 , wherein one of:
 the RFID reader comprises a hand-held RFID reader; and   the RFID reader is fixedly mounted on the charge station.   
   
   
       6 . A gas cylinder filling system for filling a gas cylinder with gas, said gas cylinder filling system comprising:
 a supply of gas; and   a charge station comprising:
 a gas output port fluidly connected to the supply of gas, the gas output port configured to be fluidly connected to the gas cylinder for filling the gas cylinder with gas from the supply of gas; 
 a control system operatively connected to the gas output such that the control system is configured to control filling of the gas cylinder; and 
 a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader operatively connected to the control system, the RFID reader configured to read data from an RFID tag on the gas cylinder. 
   
   
   
       7 . The gas cylinder filling system according to  claim 6 , further comprising a data collection system operatively connected to the RFID reader to receive data read from the RFID tag on the gas cylinder, the data collection system being operatively connected to the control system such that the data collection system is configured to at least one of send data read from the RFID tag to the control system and control filling of the gas cylinder based at least in part on data received from the RFID reader. 
   
   
       8 . The gas cylinder filling system according to  claim 6 , further comprising a data collection system operatively connected to the RFID reader to receive data read from the RFID tag on the gas cylinder, wherein at least one of the data collection system and the control system is configured to store at least one of data read from the RFID tag by the RFID reader, data related to the gas cylinder, and data related to the charge station. 
   
   
       9 . The gas cylinder filling system according to  claim 6 , wherein the RFID reader is configured to read from the RFID tag at least one of a serial number of the gas cylinder, an operating pressure of the gas cylinder, a hydrostatic test date of the gas cylinder, a manufactured date of the gas cylinder, a type of the gas cylinder, an end of life date of the gas cylinder, an early warning of upcoming cylinder obsolescence of the gas cylinder, an upcoming hydrostatic test requirement of the gas cylinder, frequency of usage of the gas cylinder, a utilization of the gas cylinder, justification for additional equipment related to at least one of the gas cylinder and the gas cylinder filling system, a location of the gas cylinder, a filling date of the gas cylinder, an identification of the charge station, a location of the charge station, a current date, a current time, ambient air sample data, and an identification of an operator. 
   
   
       10 . The gas cylinder filling system according to  claim 6 , wherein the charge station comprises the supply of gas. 
   
   
       11 . A method for filling a gas cylinder with gas using a charge station, said method comprising:
 reading data from a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag on the gas cylinder; and   filling the gas cylinder with gas based at least in part on data read from the RFID tag on the gas cylinder.   
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein filling the gas cylinder with gas comprises automatically filling the gas cylinder using a processor. 
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising storing at least one of data read from the RFID tag by the RFID reader, data related to the gas cylinder, and data related to the charge station. 
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein reading data from the RFID tag comprises reading at least one of a serial number of the gas cylinder, an operating pressure of the gas cylinder, a hydrostatic test date of the gas cylinder, a manufactured date of the gas cylinder, a type of the gas cylinder, an end of life date of the gas cylinder, an early warning of upcoming cylinder obsolescence of the gas cylinder, an upcoming hydrostatic test requirement of the gas cylinder, frequency of usage of the gas cylinder, a utilization of the gas cylinder, justification for additional equipment related to at least one of the gas cylinder and the gas cylinder filling system, a location of the gas cylinder, a filling date of the gas cylinder, an identification of the charge station, a location of the charge station, a current date, a current time, ambient air sample data, and an identification of an operator. 
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising automatically determining if an end of life date of the cylinder has expired using a processor and based at least in part on data read from the RFID tag on the gas cylinder. 
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein upon determining that the end of life date of the cylinder has expired, the method further comprises using the processor to automatically at least one of display a warning that the cylinder end of life date has expired, display a warning that the cylinder should not be filled by the charge station, display a warning that the cylinder should be removed from service, and prevent the cylinder from being filled with gas by the charge station. 
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising automatically determining whether a hydrostatic test date of the cylinder has expired using a processor and based at least in part on data read from the RFID tag on the gas cylinder. 
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein upon determining that the hydrostatic test date of the cylinder has expired, the method further comprises using the processor to automatically at least one of display a warning that the cylinder hydrostatic test date has expired, display a warning that the cylinder should not be filled by the charge station, display a warning that the cylinder should be removed from service, and prevent the cylinder from being filled with gas by the charge station. 
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising automatically determining if an operating pressure of the cylinder equals a fill pressure setting of the charge station using a processor and based at least in part on data read from the RFID tag on the gas cylinder. 
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising at least one of:
 upon determining that the operating pressure of the cylinder does not equal the fill pressure setting of the charge station, using the processor to automatically at least one of display a warning that the operating pressure of the cylinder does not equal the fill pressure setting of the charge station, display a warning that the cylinder should not be filled by the charge station, prevent the cylinder from being filled with gas by the charge station, display an indication that the fill pressure setting of the charge station should be changed, and change the fill pressure setting of the charge station to equal the operating pressure of the cylinder; and   upon determining that the operating pressure of the cylinder equals the fill pressure setting of the charge station, using the processor to automatically at least one of display an indication that a user can activate the charge station to fill the cylinder with gas, and activate the charge station to fill the cylinder with gas.