Gas filling system and gas filling apparatus

Abstract

A gas filling apparatus in the gas filling system includes a precooler for cooling hydrogen gas supplied from the gas supply source ( 11 ) and discharges the hydrogen gas cooled by the precooler to fill the hydrogen gas into the gas tank. The temperature of the hydrogen gas cooled by the precooler is detected by a gas temperature sensor that detects, upstream of the gas tank, a temperature of the hydrogen gas cooled by the precooler. A flow rate controller controls a filling flow rate of the hydrogen gas to be filled into the gas tank, based on the detected temperature of the hydrogen gas. For example, when the detected temperature of the hydrogen gas is high, the filling flow rate is reduced as compared to that when the detected temperature of the hydrogen gas is lower.

1 . A gas filling system comprising:
 a gas tank;   a gas filling apparatus, including a cooling device for cooling gas supplied from a gas supply source, that discharges the gas cooled by the cooling device to fill the gas into the gas tank;   a gas tank sensor that acquires information concerning the inside of the gas tank;   a gas temperature sensor that detects, upstream of the gas tank, a temperature of the gas cooled by the cooling device; and   a flow rate controller that controls a filling flow rate of the gas to be filled into the gas tank, based on the temperature of the gas detected by the gas temperature sensor and the information obtained by the gas tank sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The gas filling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow rate controller controls the filling flow rate so that the filling flow rate is reduced as the temperature of the gas increases. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The gas filling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas tank sensor includes at least one of a gas tank temperature sensor and a gas tank pressure sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The gas filling system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the gas filling system includes a plurality of the gas tanks;   the gas tank sensor acquires the information for each of the gas tanks; and   the flow rate controller controls the filling flow rate based on the information on the gas tank, in which a temperature is the highest, or on the information on the gas tank, in which a pressure is the lowest, among pieces of the information acquired by the gas tank sensors.   
     
     
         6 . The gas filling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas temperature sensor detects the temperature of the gas in the cooling device. 
     
     
         7 . The gas filling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas temperature sensor detects the temperature of the gas after being discharged from the gas filling apparatus to the gas tank. 
     
     
         8 . The gas filling system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a connection unit for connecting the gas tank and the gas filling apparatus at the time of filling,
 wherein the gas temperature sensor detects the temperature of the gas at the connection unit.   
     
     
         9 . The gas filling system according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 the connection unit includes a receptacle on the gas tank side and a filling nozzle on the gas filling apparatus side that is connected to the receptacle; and   the gas temperature sensor detects the temperature of the gas at the filling nozzle.   
     
     
         10 . The gas filling system according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 the connection unit includes a receptacle on the gas tank side and a filling nozzle on the gas filling apparatus side that is connected to the receptacle; and   the gas temperature sensor detects the temperature of the gas at the receptacle.   
     
     
         11 . The gas filling system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a display device that displays an indication that the filling flow rate is being controlled based on the temperature of the gas detected by the gas temperature sensor or an indication that the filling flow rate has been controlled based on the temperature of the gas detected by the gas temperature sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The gas filling system according to  claim 11 , wherein the display device is provided in the gas filling apparatus. 
     
     
         13 . The gas filling system according to  claim 11 , wherein the display device is provided in a mobile body, on which the gas tank is mounted. 
     
     
         14 . A gas filling apparatus, including a cooling device for cooling gas supplied from a gas supply source, that discharges the gas cooled by the cooling device to fill the gas into the gas tank, the gas filling apparatus comprising:
 a gas tank information acquisition portion that acquires information concerning the inside of the gas tank;   a gas temperature sensor that detects, upstream of the gas tank, a temperature of the gas cooled by the cooling device; and   a flow rate controller that controls a filling flow rate of the gas to be filled into the gas tank, based on the temperature of the gas detected by the gas temperature sensor and the information obtained by the gas tank information acquisition portion.   
     
     
         15 . A method for controlling filling of gas supplied from a gas supply source into a gas tank, comprising:
 detecting, upstream of the gas tank, a temperature of the gas cooled by a cooling device;   acquiring information concerning the inside of the gas tank; and   controlling a filling flow rate of the gas to be filled into the gas tank, based on the detected temperature of the gas and the information on the inside of the gas tank.