Patent Description:
There exists a need for buffering (electrical) energy, caused for a great part by the generation of sustainable energy, also called renewable, green or clean energy, which is often available only intermittently. As an example, solar power is available mostly in summer and during the day, and less abundant or lacking in the winter or during the night. The demand for energy however, is not necessarily coupled to the supply, and therefore a need exists to store energy during times of abundance, and retrieve it during times of scarcity. With investments in renewable energy growing, it is expected the need for storing energy will grow accordingly.

It is principally possible to store energy in the form of hydrogen by producing hydrogen using energy when it is available, and by producing energy from the hydrogen when energy is scarce. However, hydrogen at standard temperature and pressure offers a relatively low volumetric energy density, meaning that a relatively small amount of stored energy requires a relatively large volume. Therefore, in order to store sufficient amounts of energy in the form of hydrogen, relatively large storage systems are needed. Such systems may be impractical and/or costly, thereby decrementing the cost effectiveness of the energy produced.

One such system is known from <CIT> which discloses heat-insulating means of cryogenic objects, consisting of a bank of cooled radiation shields arranged coaxially with the cryogenic object, i.e. a vessel, provided with heat exchange channels which intercommunicate through connecting pipes. The entire bank of shields is made as an integral whole, the channels being located in the body of the shields. The bank of shields is made of a multilayered strip with a pattern of the development of the entire bank of shields applied to it. Then a system of channels and connecting pipes is created between the strip layers in compliance with the pattern. Then the development is cut out and formed into a bank, arranging the shields coaxially with pipes therebetween. The heat-insulating means is intended primarily for use in vessels for storage of cryogenic fluids.

The invention has as its object to provide a hydrogen storage system that allows storing energy at a higher volumetric density and/or cost effectively.

The object is achieved by a cryogenic hydrogen storage system according to claim <NUM>,which comprises a vessel for containing cryogenic hydrogen and at least one inlet and/or outlet for letting gaseous hydrogen into the system and for letting gaseous hydrogen out of the system, further comprising a heating and cooling system for heating and cooling gaseous hydrogen, wherein the heating and cooling system comprises at least one conduit connecting the at least one inlet and/or outlet to the vessel, and a plurality of thermally insulated thermal buffers, the thermal buffers being thermally connected to the at least one conduit in series for heating and cooling a fluid in the conduit.

Firstly, the cooling system allows cooling the hydrogen to cryogenic temperatures, thereby densifying it. Accordingly, a larger amount of hydrogen can be stored in the same volume. As a result, the volumetric energy density of the hydrogen is increased. Accordingly, a smaller system may suffice, and the cryogenic storage system may be more cost effective.

However, cooling the hydrogen consumes a relatively large amount of energy. As such, storing cooled hydrogen as such is not optimally cost effective.

The cryogenic hydrogen storage system therefore also exhibits a heating functionality, brought about by at least one conduit connecting the at least one inlet and/or outlet to the vessel, and a plurality of thermally insulated thermal buffers, the thermal buffers being thermally connected to the at least one conduit in series for heating and cooling a fluid in the conduit. Using the heating and cooling system, hydrogen may be let into the system at a relatively high temperature, and let out at a similar or the same temperature, while it is stored at a relatively low temperature. During normal use, this is achieved by the thermal buffers, which become increasingly cold towards the vessel. As such, hydrogen passing through the conduit towards the vessel is cooled more and more by the buffers. At the same time, each buffer heats up to a certain extent. Upon letting out hydrogen, it passes through the conduit again, thereby thermally contacting the buffers. As a result, heat from the buffers is transferred to the hydrogen, thereby heating it up. At the same time, the buffers cool down.

As such, the thermal buffers cooperate to keep cold in the cryogenic storage system when hydrogen is let out. The cold is then reused when new hydrogen enters the cryogenic storage system. As a result, there is a much smaller energy consumption to cool the new hydrogen. Accordingly, less energy is spent on cryogenic storage, thereby increasing the efficiency of the cryogenic storage system.

In order to limit energy losses to the environment, the vessel may be insulated using multi-layer insulation (MLI), which limits losses via radiation. Exemplary MLI's may comprise aluminum foil and a spacer, such as glass-paper-aluminum. Of course, other suitable MLI's could be employed, such as an aluminized polyester foil, e.g. mylar.

It is especially advantageous if the hydrogen is condensed into a liquid. In that case, the latent heat can be used to store additional energy, thereby further increasing the volumetric energy density in the storage system. For this purpose, the vessel may be configured for containing liquid hydrogen. Of course, some hydrogen in the vessel may still be gaseous.

In such a case, the heating and cooling system may be referred to as a state conversion system.

It is particularly advantageous if at least some of the thermal buffers comprise an annular structure arranged around the vessel.

By arranging the annular buffers around the vessel, the flow of heat to and/or from the vessel may be further limited. In fact, the annular structures may absorb some of the cold lost by the vessel due to their shape. Additionally or alternatively, annular buffers may allow creating a relatively compact system.

In order to provide a particularly compact embodiment, multiple buffers, which are thus thermally insulated from each other, are arranged next to each other at an equal or similar distance to the vessel. For instance, if the vessel has a longitudinal axis, multiple buffers may be arranged at an equal distance with respect to the longitudinal axis. This may for instance be obtained by arranging the buffers next to each other in the longitudinal direction parallel to the longitudinal axis. It is alternatively possible to arrange buffers at the same distance from the longitudinal axis, e.g. the same radial distance, by arranging them next to each other at different angular positions, in particular when the vessel is round.

In the case the buffers are annular in shape, several annular buffers may be arranged concentrically at different longitudinal positions, thereby creating a 'stacked' structure of buffers. In such a structure, a relatively large number of buffers can be used in a relatively small space, wherein each buffer has a different temperature during operation. Increasing the number of buffers increases the energy efficiency of the system, since the difference in temperature between the buffers is smaller and transport of heat is therefore limited.

Depending on the shape of the vessel, other options are possible. In each case, thermal buffers being arranged next to each other may be defined as them being arranged on the same closed <NUM>-dimensional surface which extends around the vessel at a constant distance therefrom. Thus, when thermal buffers are arranged next to each other, they may together at least partly enclose or encapsulate the vessel, i.e. forming a shell at least partly around the vessel. As mentioned elsewhere in this document, it is possible overlapping buffers are provided at a different distance from the vessel (or its longitudinal axis if applicable), i.e. in a different shell.

It is noted that the buffers, being arranged on the outside of the vessel, perform to some extent a shielding function. Optimal shielding could be achieved by arranging a single shield, or at least multiple shields at the same preferably low temperature, extending around as much of the vessel as possible. The current disclosure thus distinguishes itself from this shielding functionality by providing multiple buffers, which are thermally insulated and therefore have different temperatures during operation, next to each other.

The annular structures may be arranged concentrically with each other and/or with the vessel.

It is possible to overlap some of the annular structures with each other as seen in the radial direction, so that at least some of the annular structures extend at least partly around each other.

This may further increase the insulating effect of the annular design and/or may contribute to the compactness of the system.

It is noted overlapping buffers may also be used with non-annular buffers.

At least some of the thermal buffers may extend at least partially over longitudinal ends of the vessel. As a result, cold losses from the longitudinal ends may be (further) mitigated.

Together with the annular structures, the vessel may thus be at least partly encapsulated in the thermal buffers. It should be noted however, that the same insulating effect can be achieved with another form factor of the buffers, as long as least some of the thermal buffers encapsulate the vessel at least partly.

At least some of the buffers, e.g. the annular structures thereof, may comprise a substantially solid mass of a material suitable for cryogenic temperatures, such as aluminum , titanium, copper, or a combination thereof.

The solid masses may be cooled down/heated up in order to store cold or heat therein. Using a solid mass as a heat buffer may contribute to the reliability of the system, and may contribute to an elegant design thereof. The mass of material may be a metal, since metals generally conduct heat relatively easily. As such, it may be relatively easy to store cold in a large portion of, or in the complete mass of material. Suitable materials are aluminum, titanium, copper, or a combination thereof. In particular aluminum is envisioned as material for the buffer, as it has a relatively high heat capacity and is not as costly as other materials.

Additionally or alternatively, at least some of the buffers may comprise a phase shift material, such as nitrogen or neon.

A phase shift material may allow storing cold as latent heat, since the change from e.g. gas to liquid phase and vice versa produces / requires energy. Particularly suitable materials to use as phase change material are nitrogen or neon, as they have relatively low boiling temperatures. As such, their phase change takes place at a relatively low temperatures. This makes them especially suitable for buffering cold as latent heat at relatively low temperatures.

It is particularly envisioned to use a combination of the above-described buffers, i.e. some solid buffers and some phase-change based buffers. The solid buffers may advantageously be used at higher temperatures, i.e. near the inlet/outlet side of the system, whereas the phase change buffers may be used at lower temperatures, i.e. near the vessel. Such a combination is useful, since the heat capacity of e.g. metals decreases as the temperature becomes relatively low. Therefore, low temperature buffers are advantageously phase-change buffers.

In order to provide for thermal contact between the contents of the at least one conduit, i.e. hydrogen, and the buffers, the at least one conduit may be wound along the thermal buffers. By winding the conduit along the buffers, a suitably large area of contact can be established in order to allow sufficiently fast heat transfer.

The at least one conduit may extend e.g. along the inside of an annular buffer, or along the outside thereof, or both. Other manners of winding are also envisioned, such as helically winding the at least conduit around at least a part of the buffers.

It is noted that the at least one conduit may exhibit one or more loops in between consecutive buffers in order to limit heat transfer from one buffer to the next. The conduit may be made of a material with a suitably low heat conductance, such as stainless steel. Accordingly, the conduit would prevent heat exchange between the buffers directly.

A practical winding of the at least one conduit, would include the conduit helically winding around the vessel at a distance thereof, the at least one conduit travelling along the inside and/or outside of the buffers, and optionally having one or more additional windings in between consecutive buffers. In an embodiment, the cryogenic hydrogen storage system further comprises an inlet, connected to the vessel via a first conduit, and an outlet, separate from the inlet, connected to the vessel via a second conduit, wherein the first and the second conduit are thermally connected to the buffers in the same sequence as seen from the vessel to the inlet and outlet respectively.

Accordingly, hydrogen can be let in and/or out via separate pathways, whilst use can still be made of all the buffers.

Further, said embodiment allows selectively connecting the outlet to an upper zone of the vessel or a bottom zone of the vessel, for selectively letting out liquid or gaseous hydrogen.

Selectively connecting the outlet to the upper and lower end zone is understood to mean that as desired, the outlet can be connected to the upper zone at one moment, and to the lower zone at another moment. As such, a choice can be made whether to let out material from the upper zone or to let out material from the lower zone. In the case where the vessel is partly filled with liquid hydrogen, and also contains gaseous hydrogen, the liquid hydrogen will be at the bottom since it is more dense. As such choosing to let out material from the bottom zone, i.e. by connecting the outlet to the lower zone, liquid hydrogen can be let out. Connecting the outlet to the upper zone, gaseous hydrogen can be let out.

By selectively letting out liquid or gaseous hydrogen the temperature and pressure inside the vessel can be desirably controlled. As an example when letting out gaseous hydrogen, the pressure will reduce thereby causing some liquid hydrogen to boil. As a result, the temperature inside the vessel drops.

The same can of course be done when a combined inlet/outlet is used.

The skilled person is able to provide for different methods of selectively connecting the outlet to the upper or lower zone of the vessel, for instance by making a branched conduit connected to the outlet debouche in the vessel at different heights, and by providing valves in the split conduits to selectively use one of the two or more branches.

It is principally also possible to have the conduit extend at least partly in the vessel, and to move an opening thereof up and down in the vessel for changing the height at which hydrogen is let out. Other options may be available to also achieve the selective connection.

In order to limit heat transfer to/from the thermal buffers, they may be arranged in a vacuum container. In particular, the thermal buffers may be placed in a common vacuum container, thereby leading to an elegant design of the system.

It is possible to arrange other heat-critical parts of the system in the same common vacuum container. In particular, it is envisioned the vessel is arranged in the common vacuum container. The cryogenic hydrogen storage system may comprise a cooling device connected to an interior of the vessel for cooling a contents thereof.

Firstly, the cooling device may be used to compensate for losses in the storage system caused by the hydrogen inadvertently heating up. As such, the cooling device allows keeping the hydrogen sufficiently cool. Secondly, the cooling device may be used to cool the storage system, and in particular its buffers and contents, during a first use thereof.

It is noted that although known cooling devices are relatively inefficient, the total energy spent may still be acceptable since the cooling device need only compensate for losses during normal use, and perform a one-time cooling of the buffers and/or hydrogen. Moreover, it is envisioned the cooling device is used only or mainly when energy is abundant, so that its inefficient operation does not impact energy demand during times in which energy is scarce.

The invention also relates to an energy storage system, the system comprising an electrolyser for producing hydrogen connected to a cryogenic hydrogen storage system as described above for supplying hydrogen thereto.

Using such an energy storage system, electrical energy may be converted to hydrogen and vice versa. Accordingly, energy can be stored as hydrogen. The energy storage system can therefore be used to buffer an intermittent supply of energy. In particular, the energy storage system can be used to store renewable energy, such as hydro, wind or solar power during times of abundance, and to release it during times of scarcity. For this purpose, the electrolyser may be electrically connected to an energy source, preferably a renewable energy source. Further, a cooling device of the cryogenic hydrogen storage system may be connected to the same energy source.

In an embodiment of the energy storage system, the electrolyser is configured to provide hydrogen to the cryogenic hydrogen storage system at a pressure above standard pressure.

At this increased pressure, hydrogen condenses at a higher temperature. During a cooling process, the hydrogen therefore becomes liquid earlier. As such, the efficiency of the cooling device may be increased.

This embodiment is particularly suitable in combination with the ability to selectively let out gaseous or liquid hydrogen respectively, since letting out the gaseous hydrogen will decrease temperature inside the vessel, as the increased pressure is lowered.

Standard pressure may herein be defined as atmospheric pressure, or approximately <NUM> bar.

In order to convert hydrogen back to electrical energy, the energy storage system may further comprise a hydrogen fuel cell connected to the hydrogen storage system.

It is noted that the energy storage system may accordingly be used without causing carbon emissions.

The invention also relates to a method of storing and delivering hydrogen, the method comprising the steps of:.

By cooling the gaseous hydrogen, it is densified. As such, a larger mass of hydrogen can be stored in the same volume. As such, the hydrogen may be stored relatively compactly or relatively cost efficiently. As it is possible to produce hydrogen using electrical energy and vice versa, the method of storing hydrogen finds application in energy storage, particularly in combination with intermittently available energy sources.

The method may be performed using the cryogenic hydrogen storage system as described herein, and may thus have the corresponding features, alone or in any suitable combination.

During the cooling process at least part of the hydrogen may be liquified. Then, liquid hydrogen may be stored, and at least a part thereof may eventually be gasified in order to discharge it. Storing liquid hydrogen allows increasing the volumetric energy density even further.

The method may include, during the cooling and/or heating step, a step of performing an ortho-para conversion at a hydrogen temperature of between <NUM> and <NUM>, preferably of approximately <NUM>. The ortho-para conversion may take place by contacting the hydrogen with a catalyst. Heat generated or needed during the conversion may be discharged or gained from the hydrogen or one or more of the buffers.

The invention will be further elucidated with reference to the attached drawings, in which:.

Like elements in different figures are referenced using like reference numerals.

<FIG> shows an energy system <NUM>, showing schematically energy demanding parties <NUM>. In the scope of <FIG>, electric energy will be taken as an example, although the subject matter described herein could be applied to other types of energy, possibly with the use of suitable transducers. In order to provide electrical energy, a renewable energy source <NUM> is provided. The renewable energy source <NUM> can be e.g. a solar or wind based power plant, or could be another type of renewable energy source. The renewable energy source <NUM> is electrically connected to energy demanding parties <NUM>. Accordingly, when energy is available at the renewable energy source <NUM>, the demand can be satisfied by directly providing power <NUM> to the demanding parties <NUM>. When no or little energy is available at the renewable energy source <NUM>, additional power <NUM> is needed from elsewhere.

When the available energy at the renewable energy source <NUM> is higher than the demand, a surplus of energy <NUM>, <NUM> can be used in an energy storage system including an electrolyser <NUM>, a cryogenic hydrogen storage system <NUM> and a fuel cell <NUM>. The electrolyser <NUM> takes in a first portion of surplus energy <NUM> in order to produce hydrogen <NUM> from water <NUM>, thereby also creating oxygen <NUM> which is vented to the air. The hydrogen <NUM> produced by the electrolyser is gaseous, and at a pressure above <NUM> bar. The hydrogen <NUM> is stored in the hydrogen storage system <NUM>, which will be described in more detail below. The cryogenic hydrogen storage system <NUM> also consumes some, albeit relatively little, of the surplus energy <NUM>. When needed, hydrogen <NUM> can be extracted from the hydrogen storage system <NUM>, and converted using the fuel cell <NUM> to provide power <NUM> for the demanding parties <NUM>. In doing so, the fuel cell takes in oxygen <NUM> from the environment and produces water <NUM>. It should be noted that as a result, a surplus of energy can be stored temporarily as hydrogen in the cryogenic hydrogen storage system <NUM>, and extracted when desired using the fuel cell <NUM>.

<FIG> shows some details of a cryogenic hydrogen storage system <NUM>. The cryogenic hydrogen storage system <NUM> has a vessel <NUM> which stores gaseous and liquid hydrogen that has been cooled to cryogenic temperatures. In order to insert hydrogen into the system, and to take it out, a separate inlet <NUM> and outlet <NUM> are provided respectively. Of course, the in- and outlet <NUM>, <NUM> could be provided as a single connection point, appropriately called inlet and/or outlet <NUM>, <NUM> in such a case. The inlet <NUM> connects to an interior of the vessel <NUM> via a first conduit <NUM>. The outlet <NUM> connects to the interior of the vessel <NUM> via a second conduit <NUM>. The cryogenic hydrogen storage system <NUM> further comprises several thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM>, which are thermally separated from each other. The conduits <NUM>, <NUM> each pass along the thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM> consecutively. The first conduit <NUM> starts at the inlet, reaches first the first thermal buffer <NUM>, and travels along the others to reach the last thermal buffer <NUM> before reaching the vessel <NUM>. The second conduit <NUM> also runs along all thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM>, in the same order as seen from the vessel <NUM>. The flow in the second conduit <NUM> during use is however from the vessel <NUM> to the outlet, i.e. opposed to that in the first conduit <NUM>. As such, hydrogen entering the cryogenic hydrogen storage system <NUM> via the inlet, passes the thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM> in a first order, reaches the vessel <NUM>, and exits the cryogenic hydrogen storage system <NUM> via the outlet <NUM> after having passed the same thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM> in a second, reversed order. In order to promote heat exchange between the hydrogen in the conduits <NUM>, <NUM>, the conduits are wound around the thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM> as shown schematically by zigzags <NUM>, <NUM>. Accordingly, heat can transfer relatively easily to the thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM> from the hydrogen in the conduits <NUM>, <NUM> and vice versa. The buffers <NUM> - <NUM> are amongst themselves thermally insulated, meaning they are not in heat exchanging contact. Of course structural components and the conduits <NUM>, <NUM> themselves allow some heat transfer between the thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM>, but these can be kept to a minimum by applying appropriate design principles known to the skilled person. Further, the cryogenic hydrogen storage includes a cooling device <NUM>, which contacts the interior of the vessel <NUM>. The cooling device <NUM> can be used to compensate for losses, or to cool down the cryogenic hydrogen storage system <NUM> initially. The thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM>, the vessel <NUM> and a large part of the conduits <NUM>, <NUM> are arranged within an MLI insulated vacuum container <NUM>. During normal use of the cryogenic hydrogen storage system <NUM>, hydrogen is inserted in the inlet <NUM>. The thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM> are kept at gradually decreasing temperatures. By passing the hydrogen along the thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM> sequentially, the hydrogen cools down. The thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM> take up some heat from the hydrogen. Due to the cooling process, the hydrogen becomes more dense, or even liquid, and carries a relatively large amount of energy in a relatively small space. When energy is needed, hydrogen can be taken out via the outlet <NUM> after the hydrogen has passed over the thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM> in reverse order, thereby cooling the buffers and heating up. During such a cycle, relatively little energy is lost to cooling and/or compressing the hydrogen, as the required cold is kept in the cryogenic hydrogen storage system <NUM> even when hydrogen is discharged. As an illustrative example, the second conduit <NUM> is connected to an bottom part of the vessel <NUM> via a first conduit section <NUM> and to an upper part of the vessel <NUM> via a second conduit section <NUM>. The conduit section <NUM>, <NUM> connected to the outlet <NUM> via the second conduit <NUM> can be selected using a three-way valve <NUM>. Accordingly, liquid can be taken out of the vessel <NUM> using the first conduit section <NUM> or gaseous hydrogen can be taken out using the second conduit section <NUM> selectively. It is noted that in particular the valve <NUM> is herein shown simplified. In practice a more complex valve, or system of conduits and valves, may be used, in order to make the system suitable for cryogenic temperatures.

<FIG> shows more details of a cryogenic hydrogen storage system <NUM>. The cryogenic hydrogen storage system <NUM> of <FIG> is similar to that of <FIG>. Differences and details not visible in <FIG> will be described herein. The vessel <NUM> is shown to contain both liquid hydrogen <NUM> and gaseous hydrogen <NUM>. The contents <NUM>, <NUM> of the vessel <NUM> can be cooled using the cooling device <NUM>. The vessel <NUM> has a generally cylindrical shape and a top <NUM> and a bottom <NUM>. The cylindrical shape defines a longitudinal direction. The thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM>, in this example also comprising further thermal buffers <NUM>', <NUM>', <NUM>', <NUM>' and <NUM>", are arranged concentrically with the vessel <NUM> surrounding it, and surrounding each other. The further thermal buffers <NUM>' - <NUM>" are similar to the other thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM>, and serve to show that the amount of thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM> and <NUM>' - <NUM>" used may be suitably chosen. For the sake of brevity, reference will be made to the collection of thermal buffers using reference sings <NUM> - <NUM>. It should be noted that in practice more thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM> may be employed if desired. The thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM> in this example are annular structures that together substantially enclose the vessel <NUM>. Some of the thermal buffers <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>, <NUM>' and <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>', <NUM>" respectively, are arranged next to each other, i.e. at the same radial distance from the vessel as each other, but at different heights along the longitudinal direction of the vessel, which in the figure is vertical. A second layer of thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM>" is arranged around, and thus partly overlaps, a first layer of thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM>'. Starting from the vessel, the conduits <NUM>, <NUM> run first along the thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM>' in the first layer, and then along the thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM>" in the second, outer layer. The conduits <NUM>, <NUM> are shown as a single line wound along the thermal buffers <NUM> - <NUM>, however, it should be noted that multiple conduits may be used, e.g. a conduit <NUM>, <NUM> for every inlet <NUM> and/or outlet <NUM>. The top and bottom thermal buffers <NUM>', <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>" also extend over longitudinal ends of the vessel <NUM>. For that purpose, they comprise an annular section <NUM> and a cover <NUM>, referenced using numerals only for the lowermost thermal buffer <NUM>". Further, the cryogenic hydrogen storage system <NUM> includes a second outlet <NUM>', which in conjunction with the outlet <NUM> can be used to selectively let out liquid or gaseous hydrogen, as an alternative to the single, second conduit <NUM> shown schematically in <FIG>. Finally, the cryogenic hydrogen storage system <NUM> comprises a safety exhaust <NUM> leading to a safety valve (not shown).

Claim 1:
Cryogenic hydrogen storage system (<NUM>), comprising:
- a vessel (<NUM>) for containing cryogenic hydrogen; and
- at least one inlet and/or outlet (<NUM>, <NUM>) for letting gaseous hydrogen into the system (<NUM>) and for letting gaseous hydrogen out of the system (<NUM>),
further comprising
- a heating and cooling system for heating and cooling gaseous hydrogen,
wherein the heating and cooling system comprises at least one conduit (<NUM>, <NUM>) connecting the at least one inlet and/or outlet to the vessel (<NUM>), and characterized by a plurality of thermally insulated thermal buffers (<NUM> - <NUM>), the thermal buffers (<NUM> - <NUM>) being thermally connected to the at least one conduit (<NUM>, <NUM>) in series for heating and cooling a fluid in the conduit (<NUM>, <NUM>),
and in that
multiple such thermally insulated thermal buffers (<NUM> - <NUM>), are arranged next to each other at an equal or similar distance to the vessel (<NUM>).