Abstract: A solenoid controlled valve is mounted in a threaded opening of a pressure vessel which contains compressed natural gas. The valve includes a valve body having a head, which is exposed outside of the pressure vessel, and a neck, which is located within the pressure vessel. A solenoid poppet valve is mounted to the inner end of the neck. A valve seat is mounted in a bore within the valve body. An orifice at an inner end of the valve seat exposes a flow passage between the bore of the valve body and an outlet port, which is located in the head of the valve body. The solenoid poppet valve includes a seal for closing the orifice, a bias spring which biases the seal toward the seat to close the orifice, a plunger which is connected to the seal, and a solenoid coil which, when energized, moves the plunger so that the seal moves out of engagement with the seat and permits flow of compressed gas from the interior of the pressure vessel to the outlet port.

Abstract: A pressure relief valve, which can be pressure activated or thermally activated, includes a valve housing with an inlet communicating with an interior of a pressure vessel, and a passage from the inlet, through the housing, to an outlet for communicating with the exterior of the housing. A seal plug has a passageway which communicates between an inlet side of the passage and an outlet side of the passage. The seal plug is disposed within a cavity of the housing and across the passage. The seal plug retains a frangible disk against a radial shoulder of the passage for sealing the passage. Excessive pressures within the pressure vessel cause the frangible disk to rupture, thereby exposing a flow path between the inlet and the outlet through which the gas can escape. A thermal trigger engages the seal plug within the cavity to restrict movement of the seal plug and maintain a seal of the passage when a temperature adjacent to the housing is below a predetermined temperature threshold.

Abstract: A thermally activated pressure relief valve includes a valve housing with an inlet communicating with an interior of a pressure vessel, and a passage from the inlet, through the housing, to an outlet for communicating with the exterior of the housing. A seal plug is disposed within a cavity of the housing and across the passage for sealing the passage. A thermal trigger engages the seal plug within the cavity to restrict movement of the seal plug and maintain a seal of the passage when a temperature adjacent to the housing is below a predetermined temperature threshold. The thermal trigger releases the seal plug, which is movable within the cavity, allowing the seal plug to relocate within the cavity when the temperature reaches the predetermined temperature threshold, thereby exposing a flow path between the inlet and outlet through which gas can escape.

Abstract: A solenoid controlled valve is mounted in a threaded opening of a pressure vessel which contains compressed natural gas. The valve includes a valve body having a head, which is exposed outside of the pressure vessel, and a neck, which is located within the pressure vessel. A solenoid poppet valve is mounted to the inner end of the neck. A valve seat is mounted in a bore within the valve body. An orifice at an inner end of the valve seat exposes a flow passage between the bore of the valve body and an outlet port, which is located in the head of the valve body. The solenoid poppet valve includes a seal for closing the orifice, a bias spring which biases the seal toward the seat to close the orifice, a plunger which is connected to the seal, and a solenoid coil which, when energized, moves the plunger so that the seal moves out of engagement with the seat and permits flow of compressed gas from the interior of the pressure vessel to the outlet port.