Automated cylinder transfill system and method

• US 4,856,284 A
• Filed: 10/20/1987
• Issued: 08/15/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals Incorporated (Linde Plc)
• Original Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals Incorporated (Linde Plc)
• Inventors: Ommeren, James V., Mattiola, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Capossela, Ronald C.
• Application Number:
  US07/111,532
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 141/4, 141/5, 141/7, 141/65, 417/18, 417/20, 62/55, 137/255
• US Class Current: 62/50.7
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0323 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0161 cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0135 Pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/04 Methods for emptying or filling
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/061 Level of content in the vessel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0636 Flow or movement of content
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/005 for gas bottles, such as on a continuous belt or on a merry-go-round
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/02 for filling with liquefied gases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/4673 Plural tanks or compartments with parallel flow

Abstract

A system and method for loading liquid gases into a container includes supplying substance to a pump simultaneously with the evacuation of the container for cooling the pump down during evacuation and starting the pump motor when the pump has reached a low temperature determined in accordance with the pressure of the substance storage tank. An analyzer for detecting the presence of contaminants is coupled to the evacuation line in fluid communication with the substance removed from the cylinders. Cavitation during the loading operation is detected by monitoring the flow of substance from the pump. A plurality of containers of differing sizes are loaded simultaneously on the same manifold. An isolation valve is provided in the manifold for terminating flow of substance to smaller containers when the smaller containers are full while permitting substance to continue to flow to larger containers coupled to the manifold.

Claims

1. A method of filling at least one high pressure gas storage device in a filling station having a pump and a pump motor and having a storage tank containing liquefied gas, comprising the steps of:

(a) evacuating a gas storage device to improve final product purity of said device when filled;

(b) supplying liquefied gas to the pump simultaneously with the evacuation of the gas storage device;

(c) cooling the pump during the evacuation with the liquefied gas;

(d) determining when the evacuation is complete; and

then

(e) starting the pump motor in response to the determination in step (d).

2. A method of filling at least one high pressure gas storage device in a filling station having a pump and a pump motor and having a storage tank containing liquefied gas, comprising the steps of:

(a) evacuating a gas storage device wherein a plurality of cycles of evacuation are performed and determining when the next to the last evacuation cycle is being performed and performing step (b) in response to the determination;

(b) supplying liquefied gas to the pump simultaneously with the evacuation of the gas storage device for cooling the pump during evcuation;

(c) determining when the evacution is complete; and

(d) starting the pump motor in response to the determination in step (c).

3. A method of filling at least one high pressure gas storage device in a filling station having a pump and a pump motor and having a storage tank containing liquefied gas, comprising the steps of:

(a) evacuating a gas storage device;

(b) supplying liquefied gas to the pump simultaneously with the evacuation of the gas storage device for cooling the pump during the evacuation;

(c) determining when the evacuation is complete and determining when the pump temperature has reached a predetermined low level; and

(d) starting the pump motor in response to the determinations in step (c).

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

determining the pressure within the storage tank; and

selecting the predetermined low temperature level in accordance with the pressure determination.

5. A system for loading substance in a liquefied gas filling station having a storage tank for storing the cryogenic substance, comprising:

a fill pipe for supplying substance from the storage tank;

manifold means divided into at least first and second manifold sections including means for supplying substance to at least first and second containers coupled to the first and second manifold sections respectively wherein the first manifold section is coupled to the fill pipe for receiving substance from the fill pipe;

isolation valve means coupled to both the first and second manifold sections for controlling the flow of substance from the first manifold section to the second manifold section;

means for determining when a predetermined amount of substance has been supplied to the second container; and

,

means for actuating the isolation valve in repsonse to the determination to terminate the supply of substance to the second container while continuing the supply of substance to the first container.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the second container is relatively smaller compared to the first container.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the manifold means comprises at least two manifolds, each manifold divided into at least respective first and second manifold sections and each manifold having respective valve means.

8. A method of loading substance in a liquefied gas filling station having a storage tank for storing cryogenic substance and manifold means, comprising the steps of:

supplying substance from the storage tank by means of a fill pipe;

dividing the manifold means into at least first and second manifold sections and supplying substance to at least first and second containers coupled to the first and second manifold sections respectively wherein the first manifold section is coupled to the fill pipe for receiving substance from the fill pipe;

controlling the flow of substance from the first manifold section to the second manifold section by means of isolation valve means coupled to both the first and second manifold sections;

determining when a predetermined amount of substance has been supplied to the second container; and

actuating the isolation valve in response to the determination to terminate the supply of substance to the second container while continuing the supply of substance to the first container.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of coupling the second container comprises coupling a container relatively smaller compared to the first container.

10. The method of claim 8 including the step of providing at least two manifolds, each manifold divided at least respective first and second manifold sections and each manifold having respective valve means.

11. A method of filling a high pressure gas storage device in a filling station having a storage tank containing liquefied gas and including a pump for providing a flow of liquefied gas through a flowpath from the storage tank to the gas storage device, and a fill valve in the flowpath for terminating the flow of gas to the gas storage device, comprising the steps of:

(a) supplying gas by means of the pump to the gas storage device through the flowpath with an open fill valve from the storage tank;

(b) establishing a full pressure value for the gas storage device;

(c) measuring the value of pressure within the gas storage device;

(d) adjusting the established full pressure value to compensate for gas within the flow path;

(e) comparing the adjusted established full pressure value and the measured pressure value to produce a stop signal;

(f) stopping the pump in response to the stop signal;

(g) bleeding gas from the flowpath into the gas storage device; and

(h) closing the fill valve.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein step (g) comprises redistributing gas trapped in the flowpath to the gas storage device.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein step (d) comprises multiplying the determined full pressure by an adjusting factor substantially equal to one.

14. The method of claim 13 including the step of selecting an adjusting factor in accordance with the volume of the flowpath.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein step (e) includes producing a stop signal when the measured pressure value is substantially equal to the adjusted established full pressure value.