Method and system for transporting natural gas from a pipeline to a compressed natural gas automotive re-fueling station

摘要

A system for delivering natural gas, from a pipeline, is loaded onto a movable transport by flowing the gas into multiple pressure vessels equipped with internal flexible bladders which will contain the gas until the pressure in the vessels equalize with the pressure in the pipeline. At that time, the transport will be moved to a compressed natural gas (CNG) re-fueling station. At the re-fueling station, the multiple pressure vessels will be connected to an un-loading conduit leading to the storage facilities. The natural gas will be un-loaded by pressure differential until pressures equalize, then pressurized hydraulic fluid will be pumped into the annulus between the bladder and the steel walls of the pressure vessel which will deflate the bladder and squeeze the remaining gas out of the bladder to storage. The transport is then disconnected from the un-loading facilities and returned to the pipeline for re-filling with natural gas.