REACTIVE COMPONENT REDUCTION SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR THE USE THEREOF

• US 20110262309A1
• Filed: 08/20/2008
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phyre Technologies, Inc. (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Phyre Technologies, Inc. (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Inventors: Robertson, Stuart, Limaye, Santosh Y., Koenig, Donald, Jung, Wesley
• Granted Patent: US 10,166,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/129
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2256/12 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2256/22 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/864 Removing carbon monoxide or hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/885 Devices in general for catalytic purification of waste gases
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/02 with stationary particles, e.g. in fixed beds
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 37/32 Safety measures not otherwise provided for, e.g. preventing explosive conditions extinguishing or preventing fires in aircraft A62C

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, there are provided simplified systems and methods for deactivating, removing, or reducing the levels of reactive component(s) from vapor phase fluids prior to introduction thereof into fuel storage tanks. The simple apparatus described herein can be utilized to replace complex systems on the market. Simply stated, in one embodiment of the invention, the vapor phase fluid contemplated for introduction into the fuel storage tank is passed through a reaction zone (e.g., a catalytic bed) operated at appropriate temperatures to allow the reaction between free reactive components therein (e.g., oxygen and hydrogen or other fuel vapor), thereby deactivating reactive component(s) in the gas phase.

Claims

1. A system for reducing the concentration of one or more reactive component(s) in a vapor phase fluid prior to introduction thereof into a container having fuel therein, thereby reducing the concentration of reactive component(s) in said vapor phase fluid below the concentration at which auto-ignition may occur when said vapor phase fluid is introduced into said container, said system comprising:

said container, and

a fluid treating zone comprising;

at least one inlet,

at least one outlet, and

a reaction zone, wherein said reaction zone provides conditions suitable to deactivate said one or more reactive component(s) when contacted therewith,

wherein only the outlet of said fluid treating zone is in fluid communication with the container, such that the inlet of said fluid treating zone has no communication with the container or contents thereof.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said fluid treating zone comprises a catalyst which facilitates conversion of reactive component(s) to non-reactive component(s) when contacted therewith under suitable conditions.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein said reaction zone comprises a source of microwave energy sufficient to deactivate said one or more reactive component(s) when contacted therewith.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein said reaction zone comprises a source of plasma energy sufficient to deactivate said one or more reactive component(s) when contacted therewith.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more elements which monitor flow rate of the vapor phase, and/or the level of reactive component(s) in said vapor phase.

24. The system of claim 1 wherein said fluid treating zone is external to said container.

26. The system of claim 1 wherein said fluid treating zone is within said container.

27. The system of claim 1 further comprising one or more elements suitable for equilibrating pressure within the system upon exposure to sub- or super-atmospheric conditions.

31. The system of claim 1 wherein said reactive component(s) is oxygen and/or fuel vapor.

32. The system of claim 1 wherein said vapor phase further comprises fuel vapor.

33. The system of claim 1 further comprising an independent source of fuel to facilitate deactivation of the reactive components within the reaction zone.

34. The system of claim 1 further comprising a flame arrestor.

36. The system of claim 1 further comprising one or more sensors before and/or after the fluid treating zone.

48. A method for displacing fuel in, or vapor in the vapor space of, a container having fuel therein with reactive component-depleted air as fuel is withdrawn from the container, said method comprising:

combining air with vaporized fuel in a system according to claim 1,

passing the resulting combination through a fluid treating zone under conditions suitable to produce reactive component-depleted air,

optionally removing any water from the reactive component-depleted air to produce substantially water-free, reactive component-depleted air, and

introducing the resulting substantially water-free, reactive component-depleted air into said container as fuel is withdrawn therefrom.

49. A method for displacing the vapor in the vapor space of a container employed for the storage of fuel therein with reactive component-depleted air as fuel-containing vapor is withdrawn from the container, said method comprising:

introducing ambient air, optionally in combination with a fuel material, into a fluid treating zone in a system according to claim 1 under conditions suitable to produce reactive component-depleted air,

optionally removing any water from the reactive component-depleted air to produce substantially water-free, reactive component-depleted air, and

introducing the resulting substantially water-free, reactive component-depleted air into said container as fuel-containing vapor is withdrawn therefrom.

50. A method for inerting the vapor space of a container employed for the storage of fuel therein, said method comprising replacing the vapor in said container, prior to the introduction of fuel into said container, with reactive component-depleted air prepared by:

passing ambient air, optionally in combination with a fuel material, through a fluid treating zone in a system according to claim 1 under conditions suitable to produce reactive component-depleted air, and

optionally removing any water from the reactive component-depleted air to produce substantially water-free, reactive component-depleted air.

3-17. -17. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

22-23. -23. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

28-30. -30. (canceled)

35. (canceled)

37-42. -42. (canceled)

43. A system for (a) introducing reactive component-depleted air into a container having fuel therein as fuel is withdrawn therefrom, or (b) displacing fuel in, or vapor in the vapor space of, a container having fuel therein with reactive component-depleted air, said system comprising:

a fluid treating zone comprising;

at least one inlet,

at least one outlet, and

a reaction zone, wherein said reaction zone provides conditions suitable to deactivate said one or more reactive component(s) when contacted therewith,

a source of air, wherein the source of air is in fluid communication with the inlet of the fluid treating zone,

a source of fuel, wherein the source of fuel is in fluid communication with the inlet of said fluid treating zone, and

optionally a filter/condenser, wherein when the filter/condenser is present, the fluid treating zone is in fluid communication with the inlet of the filter/condenser, and the outlet of the filter/condenser is in fluid communication with the container,

wherein said fluid treating zone operates under conditions suitable to remove or reduce the concentration of reactive component in the source of air when contacted therewith in the presence of fuel, and is in fluid communication with the container.

44. (canceled)

45. A system for reducing the concentration of one or more reactive component(s) in a vapor phase fluid prior to introduction thereof into a container having fuel therein, thereby reducing the concentration of reactive component(s) in said vapor phase fluid below the concentration at which auto-ignition may occur when said vapor phase fluid is introduced into said container, said system comprising:

said container, and

a fluid treating zone comprising;

at least one inlet,

at least one outlet, and

a catalyst zone, said catalyst zone comprising an optionally supported metal catalyst, said catalyst being reactive with one or more reactive component(s) when contacted therewith under suitable conditions so as to deactivate said one or more reactive component(s),

wherein only the outlet of said fluid treating zone is in fluid communication with the container, such that the inlet of said fluid treating zone has no communication with the container or contents thereof.

46. The system of claim 45 further comprising a temperature modulator associated with the catalyst zone.

47. A fuel storage system, said system comprising:

a container having an outlet for removal of vapor therefrom, and an inlet for return of vapor thereto, and

a reaction zone which provides conditions suitable to deactivate one or more reactive component(s) in the vapor phase of said container when contacted therewith,

wherein said container and the reaction zone are in fluid communication with one another.