Method and apparatus for transfer of liquefied gas

• US 3,962,882 A
• Filed: 09/11/1974
• Issued: 06/15/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Gee, David E., Worboys, Robert V.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Dea, William F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Capossela, Ronald C.
• Application Number:
  US05/505,128
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 62/55, 141/82, 141/387, 141/388
• US Class Current: 62/50.1
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0391 by vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0629 Two walls
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/012 Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/033 Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/035 Propane butane, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0153 Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0161 cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/035 High pressure (>10 bar)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/036 Very high pressure (>80 bar)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0337 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/04 Methods for emptying or filling
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/037 Handling leaked fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0168 by vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 7/02 Discharging liquefied gases
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 9/00 Methods or apparatus for discharging liquefied or solidified gases from vessels not under pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 Hydrogen storage

Abstract

A method and apparatus for transferring a liquefied gas from a first container into a second container without removal of vapor from the second container is disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of transferring a liquefied gas from a first container to a second container without removal of vapor from the second container which comprises the following sequential steps:

a. cooling a multiple part conduit having a disconnectable coupling between two parts thereof by removing liquefied gas from said first container, pressurizing the removed liquefied gas and returning the pressurized liquefied gas to said first container through said conduit;

b. breaking said conduit at the coupling thereof into first and second parts and establishing communication between said first container and said second container through the first part of the cooled conduit while closing off the second part thereof; and

c. transferring liquefied gas under pressure from said first container to said second container through said first part of said conduit.

2. A method as in claim 1, which comprises when the desired quantity of liquefied gas has been transferred to said second container, removing said first conduit part from said second container, reuniting said first and second conduit parts, and opening the second part thereof, whereafter cooling of said conduit in accordance with step (a) of claim 1 is resumed.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein the vapor formed in the first container is reliquefied.

4. The method as in claim 1, comprising returning part of the liquefied gas from the first part of said conduit to said first container by means of an alternate conduit.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the liquefied gas is selected from the group consisting of liquefied natural gas (L.N.G.), liquefied petroleum gas (L.P.G.) and liquefied hydrogen.