Gas Filling and Dispensing Device, Vessel with Such Device, and Operational Circuit

• US 20100326540A1
• Filed: 02/09/2009
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude (L'Air Liquide SA)
• Original Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude (L'Air Liquide SA)
• Inventors: Pisot, Philippe, Moretti, Alessandro
• Granted Patent: US 8,381,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/468
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 17/00 Safety valves; Equalising valves, e.g. pressure relief valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/04 Arrangement or mounting of valves valves per se F16K ; snap-coupling of nipples F16L37/00
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0323 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0332 Safety valves or pressure relief valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/012 Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/042 Reducing risk of explosion
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0168 by vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1812 In fluid flow path
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7737 Thermal responsive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7794 With relief valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8733 Fluid pressure regulator in at least one branch

Abstract

The invention relates to a gas filling and dispensing device that comprises a body to be positioned in the opening of a pressurized gas storage tank, a gas-tapping circuit extending between a first upstream end to be connected to the inside of the tank and a second downstream end to be connected to a gas user, wherein the tapping circuit includes a first insulation valve, the device further including a safety valve subjected to the tank pressure for blocking or selectively opening a passage for the gas from the tank towards a discharge area based on the temperature and/or pressure of the gas in the tank relative to at least one predetermined threshold, characterized in that the discharge area of the safety valve is located upstream from the first insulation valve.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A gas filling and dispensing device comprising a body adapted for operable fluid connection to an orifice of a pressurized-gas storage reservoir, a gas withdrawing circuit running between an upstream first end adapted for operable fluid connection to an inside of the reservoir and a downstream second end adapted to be connected to a user of the gas, the withdrawing circuit comprising a first isolating valve, the device further comprising a safety relief valve configured to be subjected to the pressure in the reservoir, wherein the safety relief valve is adapted to close or open a passage for the gas from the reservoir to a discharge zone according to the temperature and/or the pressure of the gas in the reservoir with respect to at least one set threshold, characterized in that the discharge zone of the safety relief valve is situated upstream of the first isolating valve.

17. The filling device of claim 16, wherein the withdrawing circuit comprises a pressure regulator, a low-pressure chamber and the first isolating valve which are arranged in series in that order from the upstream to downstream end, the discharge zone of the safety relief valve being situated downstream of the pressure regulator.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the safety relief valve is situated in a pipe having a downstream end connected upstream of the first isolating valve and an upstream end connected, when the device is mounted on a reservoir, to the inside of the reservoir.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the gas withdrawing circuit comprises a second isolating valve.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the second isolating valve is arranged between the pressure regulator and the first isolating valve.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein the discharge zone of the safety relief valve is situated between the first and second isolating valves.

22. The device of claim 16, wherein the safety relief valve comprises a fusible element butting against a member that is adapted to move selectively between a position of shutting off the passage to the discharge zone when the fusible element is not activated and a position of opening the passage to the discharge zone when the fusible element is activated.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the moving member of the safety relief valve comprises a piston capable of translational movement in the body of the device and a system of one or more seals adapted to operably cooperate with a seat formed in said body.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the passage for the gas to a discharge zone comprises a groove, the positions in which the passage to the discharge zone is closed off and opened being defined by the positions of the system of one or more seals relative to the groove.

25. The device of claim 22, wherein the moving member of the safety relief valve comprises a piston of the differential type wherein the piston is configured so that only a determined fraction of the working surface area is subjected to the pressure in the reservoir so as to limit the force transmitted by the piston to the fusible element to a set value.

26. The device of claim 16, wherein the safety relief valve closes off the passage for the gas to the discharge zone when the safety relief valve is subjected to a temperature and/or a pressure which is below the threshold.

27. The device of claim 16, wherein the safety relief valve comprises a valve of the Pressure Relief Device type.

28. The device of claim 16, wherein the safety relief valve comprises an element that is sensitive to temperature and/or sensitive to shocks, the element configured within the safety relief valve to operate to open the passage in the event of an excessive temperature or an excessive shock.

29. A pressurized-gas vessel comprising an orifice, wherein it comprises a gas filling and dispensing device of claim 16 arranged in the orifice.

30. An assembly comprising a circuit for using a pressurized gas and a pressurized gas vessel of claim 29, the vessel being selectively connectable to the user circuit via the gas filling and dispensing device, the circuit comprising a mechanism that forms a high-pressure safety relief valve adapted to discharge the pressurized exhaust gas to the atmosphere or to a set safe zone.