France-based cryogenic equipment developer and manufacturer Cryostar has debuted its new Dispenser 3.0 liquefied natural gas (LNG) dispenser for vehicle refueling applications.
The company says its R&D department worked in collaboration with its sales and product management teams to come up with the latest version of the dispenser. One of the main areas of focus was delivering customers a more intuitive, enjoyable filling experience in order to “democratize LNG filling and thereby increase users’ level of acceptance and satisfaction with this technology.”
“There are more than 200 LNG vehicle refueling stations using Cryostar equipment all over the globe,” says Philippe Heisch, LNG solutions sales manager. “User feedback is one of our top priorities. Every comment made by users, operators or maintenance staff is an opportunity to reconsider our equipment and feed the continuous improvement process.”
Among Dispenser 3.0’s features:
- an aesthetically pleasing design with a modern look that contributes to the visual identification of LNG as fuel
- a multilingual, interactive touchscreen and animations to explain the step-by-step process of refueling a vehicle, including connecting the nozzles, venting, refueling and disconnecting
- a more ergonomic user experience: the control buttons are positioned at a more comfortable 45 degrees, the filling position is located in front of the control screen while still allowing the user to visually monitor the refueling process, and the roof has been extended to offer protection from bad weather.
- a longer lifetime for many of the components: a simpler method for reattaching the nozzle, an inductive sensor for improved detection of nozzles, and an “air pack” heating system on connectors to help them last longer.
Improvements were also made with station operations in mind, according to Cryostar. The dispenser offers a number of practical station management features, such as remote connection and configuration of the dispenser directly from its screen, with no need for a complementary computer. The dispenser is also 100% autonomous and can be retrofitted to any existing station.
Dispenser 3.0 also offers other options, such as the insulation and defrosting of lines for stations that have a high rate of consumption or experience extreme weather conditions; a collision detection and prevention system; and independent insulation of the dispenser for maintenance purposes.
I’d love to find out if a Cryostar Dispenser 3.0 is already installed in Southern California, if not whats’ the timeframe it to come online out here?