DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE FILLING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A DOSING VESSEL

• US 20180112824A1
• Filed: 10/26/2017
• Published: 04/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: US Bank Trust Company National Association As Notes Collateral Agent
• Original Assignee: Chart Incorporated (Chart Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gaddis, Nathan Daniell, Rybak, Paul Kunst
• Granted Patent: US 11,585,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/025 having the pressure as the parameter
• 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 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/032 with substantially vertical main axis
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/054 medium (>1 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0391 by vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/018 Supporting feet
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0364 flexible or articulated, e.g. a hose
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/014 Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0161 cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/033 Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/03 Control means
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/043 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/061 Level of content in the vessel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0626 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/024 Improving metering
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/05 for industrial use
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/04 requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. filling with helium or hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 7/02 Discharging liquefied gases
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 13/00 Apparatus for measuring by volume and delivering fluids or fluent solid materials, not provided for in the preceding groups
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/18 : Indicating, recording or alarm devices actuated electrically

Abstract

A dosing vessel includes a reservoir having an inlet and an outlet and is configured to contain a supply of a cryogenic liquid with a headspace above. The outlet is configured to be connected to a dosing arm having a dosing head. A low pressure sensor is configured to detect a vapor pressure in the headspace. A high pressure sensor is configured to detect a pressure in a bottom portion of the reservoir. An inlet valve is in fluid communication with the inlet of the reservoir and is placed in communication with a source of cryogenic liquid. A controller is in communication with the high and low pressure sensors and the inlet valve and is configured to store a preset liquid level or a preset differential pressure corresponding to the preset liquid level, to determine a measured differential pressure based on data from the high and low pressure sensors and to control the inlet valve based on the measured differential pressure and the preset liquid level or the preset differential pressure so that a liquid level of a cryogenic liquid stored in the reservoir is generally maintained at the preset liquid level.

Claims

1. A dosing vessel comprising:

a. a reservoir having an inlet and an outlet, said reservoir configured to contain a supply of a cryogenic liquid with a headspace above and said outlet configured to be connected to a dosing arm having a dosing head;

b. a low pressure sensor configured to detect a vapor pressure in the headspace of the reservoir;

c. a high pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure in a bottom portion of the reservoir;

d. an inlet valve in fluid communication with the inlet of the reservoir and configured to be placed in communication with a source of cryogenic liquid; and

e. a controller in communication with the high and low pressure sensors and the inlet valve, said controller configured to store a preset liquid level or a preset differential pressure corresponding to the preset liquid level and to determine a measured differential pressure based on data from the high and low pressure sensors and to control the inlet valve based on the measured differential pressure and the preset liquid level or the preset differential pressure so that a liquid level of a cryogenic liquid stored in the reservoir is generally maintained at the preset liquid level.

2. The dosing vessel of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to determine a measured liquid level height using the measured differential pressure and to compare the measured liquid level height with the preset liquid level height and to open the inlet valve when the measured liquid level height is below the preset liquid level height.

3. The dosing vessel of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to compare the measured differential pressure with the preset differential pressure and to open the inlet valve when the measured differential pressure is below the preset differential pressure.

4. The dosing vessel of claim 1 wherein the reservoir is positioned within an outer shell with a space defined between the reservoir and the outer shell, said space generally evacuated of air so as to provide the reservoir with vacuum insulation.

5. The dosing vessel of claim 1 further comprising a vent tube having a first end in fluid communication with the head space and a bottom end in fluid communication with ambient.

6. The dosing vessel of claim 5 wherein a bottom portion of the vent tube passes through a bottom of the reservoir and a bottom of the shell.

7. The dosing vessel of claim 5 wherein at least a portion of the vent tube is provided with a jacket so that an annular space is defined between the vent tube and the jacket, with said annular space generally evacuated of air.

8. The dosing vessel of claim 1 wherein the low pressure sensor includes a low pressure line having a first end in fluid communication with the headspace of the reservoir and a high pressure line in fluid communication with the bottom portion of the reservoir, each of said low and high pressure lines having a second end in fluid communication with a transducer that is communication with the controller.

9. The dosing vessel of claim 8 wherein the second end of the low pressure line is in fluid communication with a low pressure transducer and the high pressure line is in fluid communication with a high pressure transducer.

10. The dosing vessel of claim 1 wherein the inlet valve includes a needle valve member operably connected to an inlet valve actuator, where the inlet valve actuator is in communication with the controller.

11. A system for controlling filling of a vessel with a cryogenic liquid comprising:

a. a low pressure sensor configured to detect a vapor pressure in a headspace of the vessel;

b. a high pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure in a bottom portion of the vessel;

c. an inlet valve configured for fluid communication between the vessel and a source of cryogenic liquid; and

d. a controller in communication with the high and low pressure sensors and the inlet valve, said controller configured to store a preset liquid level or a preset differential pressure corresponding to the preset liquid level and to determine a measured differential pressure based on data from the high and low pressure sensors and to control the inlet valve based on a the measured differential pressure and the preset liquid level or the preset differential pressure so that a liquid level of a cryogenic liquid stored in the vessel is generally maintained at the preset liquid level.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the controller is configured to determine a measured liquid level height using the measured differential pressure and to compare the measured liquid level height with the preset liquid level height and to open the inlet valve when the measured liquid level height is below the preset liquid level height.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the controller is configured to compare the measured differential pressure with the preset differential pressure and to open the inlet valve when the measured differential pressure is below the preset differential pressure.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the low pressure sensor includes a low pressure line having a first end in fluid communication with the headspace of the reservoir and a high pressure line in fluid communication with the bottom portion of the reservoir, each of said low and high pressure lines having a second end in fluid communication with a transducer that is communication with the controller.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the second end of the low pressure line is in fluid communication with a low pressure transducer and the high pressure line is in fluid communication with a high pressure transducer.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the inlet valve includes a needle valve member operably connected to an inlet valve actuator, where the inlet valve actuator is in communication with the controller.

17. A method for controlling filling of vessel using an inlet valve that is in fluid communication with a source of cryogenic liquid comprising the steps of:

a. storing a preset liquid level or a preset differential pressure corresponding to the preset liquid level

b. measuring a low pressure in a headspace of the vessel;

c. measuring a high pressure in a bottom portion of the vessel;

d. subtracting the low pressure from the high pressure to determine a measured differential pressure; and

e. controlling the inlet valve based on the measured differential pressure and the preset liquid level or the preset differential pressure so that a liquid level of a cryogenic liquid stored in the vessel is generally maintained at the preset liquid level.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of determining a measured liquid level height using the measured differential pressure and wherein step e. include comparing the measured liquid level height with the preset liquid level height and opening the inlet valve when the measured liquid level height is below the preset liquid level height.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein step e. includes comparing the measured differential pressure with the preset differential pressure and opening the inlet valve when the measured differential pressure is below the preset differential pressure.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of venting the vessel headspace during filling.