Patent ID: 12011989

Abstract:
A refueling system may include an inlet tube that fluidly connects to a container containing gaseous hydrogen, a cryocooler including a cold tip and a cold head, the cold tip driven to a hydrogen liquefaction temperature by the cold head, a condensation chamber fluidly connected to the inlet tube to receive the gaseous hydrogen and thermally connected to the cryocooler cold tip, a catalyst disposed in the condensation chamber and that conducts ortho-to-para hydrogen conversion. The cryocooler cold tip absorbs a resulting exothermic reaction. The refueling system may also include a funnel fluidly connected to the condensation chamber and that receives liquid hydrogen from the condensation of the gaseous hydrogen, and a coupling mechanism fluidly connected to the funnel to receive the liquid hydrogen and having a nozzle downwardly movable to fluidly connect from above to an upwards facing tank inlet of a vehicle.