Computer Simulation to Optimize the VFA Alpha Prototype with a Hydraulic Piston Compressor and an Integrated Booster

Abstract

Natural gas, including biomethane, is a sustainable alternative fuel. Widening compressed natural gas applications by now is restricted by weakly developed infrastructure. Hygen Ltd. works on "hydraulic piston"technology for natural gas and biomethane compressing, storing, delivering and discharging the storage cylinders by means of an innovative hydraulic boosting technology. Designing of the Vehicle Fuelling Appliance (VFA) demands to take into account thermodynamics and gas dynamics properties at fluid compression and motion. The present paper deals with theoretical characteristics and their link to test measurements regarding a particular VFA HYGEN+ Alpha prototype manufactured by Hygen Ltd.