Patent ID: 8899278

Claim:
A method for dispensing a compressed gas from a plurality of more than two compressed gas storage volumes, wherein the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes are operated each in a pressure range ranging from a lower gas storage pressure, P LOWER , to an upper gas storage pressure, P UPPER , inclusive, the method comprising: (a) dispensing from a first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes into a first receiving vessel, the first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes initially at a first pressure, P 1 , where P LOWER <P 1 ≦P UPPER ; (b) terminating dispensing from the first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes when the pressure in the first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes is within 7.5 MPa of P LOWER wherein the dispensing is terminated without regard to the pressure difference between the first compressed gas storage volume and the first receiving vessel; (c) subsequent to step (b), dispensing from a second of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes into the first receiving vessel, the second of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes initially at a second pressure, P 2 , where P LOWER <P 2 ≦P UPPER ; (d) terminating dispensing from the second of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes when the first receiving vessel is filled to a desired level for the first receiving vessel; and introducing compressed gas into the first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes at least until the pressure in the first of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes is within 7.5 MPa of P UPPER ; whereby the pressure in each of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes is cycled through pressure cycles during which compressed gas is withdrawn from each of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes and compressed gas is introduced into each of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes, the pressure cycles for each of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes independent from one another, the pressure cycles for each of the plurality of compressed gas storage volumes having a pressure decrease portion and a pressure increase portion subsequent to the pressure decrease portion, wherein the pressure during the pressure decrease portion progresses from within 7.5 MPa of P UPPER to within 7.5 MPa of P LOWER and the pressure increase portion progresses from within 7.5 MPa of P LOWER to within 7.5 MPa of P UPPER , wherein the pressure in each of the compressed gas storage volumes is not increased at any time during the pressure decrease portion of the pressure cycles and the pressure in each of the compressed gas storage volumes is not decreased at any time during the pressure increase portion of the pressure cycles.