Liquid nitrogen to gas system

• US 5,095,709 A
• Filed: 06/27/1990
• Issued: 03/17/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Henry M. Billiot
• Original Assignee: Henry M. Billiot
• Inventors: Billiot, Henry M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Capossela, Ronald C.
• Application Number:
  US07/545,428
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 62/50.3, 60/618, 60/648
• US Class Current: 62/50.3
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/014 Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0161 cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2225/0123 gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2225/036 Very high pressure, i.e. above 80 bars
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0302 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0311 Air heating
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0393 using a vaporiser
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 9/02 with change of state, e.g. vaporisation

Abstract

A nitrogen liquid to gas system in which an internal combustion engine drives hydraulic pumps and motors in a closed ethylene gylcol fluid circuit. A heat exchanger is provided between the liquid nitrogen and the ethylene glycol fluid for converting the liquid nitrogen to gaseous nitrogen. Heat is recovered from the ambient air in a heat exchange with the ethylene glycol fluid for maintaining the fluid between approximately 0° F. and 20° F. by means of a temperature regulating valve.

Claims

1. A liquid nitrogen to gaseous nitrogen vaporizing and pumping system comprising,

an internal combustion engine with sufficient horsepower to power a cryogenic pump to maximum flow and pressure,

an ethylene glycol fluid pump connected to and driven by the engine,

an ethylene glycol fluid motor driven by the ethylene glycol fluid pump,

a nitrogen pump connected to and driven by the ethylene glycol fluid motor for pumping liquid nitrogen through a line,

said ethylene glycol fluid pump and ethylene glycol motor being in a closed ethylene glycol circuit through which the ethylene glycol fluid flows,

a liquid nitrogen-ethylene glycol fluid heat exchanger between the liquid nitrogen line and the closed ethylene glycol fluid circuit for converting the liquid nitrogen to gaseous nitrogen,

an air-ethylene glycol fluid heat exchanger connected to the closed ethylene glycol fluid circuit downstream of the nitrogen-ethylene glycol fluid heat exchanger for heating the cooled ethylene glycol fluid, and

an engine exhaust-nitrogen gas heat exchanger connected to the nitrogen line downstream of the nitrogen-ethylene glycol fluid heat exchanger to increase the temperature of the gaseous nitrogen as desired.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the ethylene glycol fluid comprises,

a mixture of approximately sixty percent ethylene glycol and forty percent water.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 including a temperature regulator to maintain the temperature of the ethylene glycol mixture between substantially 0°

F. to 20°

F. throughout the ethylene glycol fluid system.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the temperature regulator controls the amount of EGF through the air-EGF heat exchanger.