Patent ID: 8950419
Filing Date: 2015-02-10
Classification: B65G,F17C,F17D,Y02E,Y02P,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for supplying additional hydrogen to a hydrogen pipeline from a salt cavern to assist in meeting customer demand for hydrogen, said method comprising: removing a crude hydrogen stream from the salt cavern at a first flow rate that will assist in meeting the customer demand, the crude hydrogen stream containing contaminants imparted by the salt cavern such that the crude hydrogen stream contains at least one of the contaminants at a level higher than that allowed by a product purity specification of the hydrogen in the pipeline; withdrawing a portion of hydrogen from the hydrogen contained in the pipeline to form a hydrogen dilution stream when supply is less than demand, the hydrogen dilution stream containing each of the contaminants at a concentration less than that of the product purity specification; mixing the hydrogen dilution stream with the crude hydrogen stream to dilute the crude hydrogen stream and thereby form a hydrogen product stream having lower levels of the contaminants than the crude hydrogen stream; controlling a second flow rate of the hydrogen dilution stream such that the contaminants are present in the hydrogen product stream at or below the product purity specification; and introducing at least part of the hydrogen product stream into the pipeline to supply the additional hydrogen to the pipeline.