Acoustic vapor type indicator

• US 5,170,634 A
• Filed: 06/11/1991
• Issued: 12/15/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Squires Enterprises Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Squires Enterprises Incorporated
• Inventors: Squires, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): SOLLECITO, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US07/713,968
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 62/126, 62/125, 62/129, 62/475, 62/474, 116/70, 116/67 R, 55/274, 55/277
• US Class Current: 62/126
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/02 Special adaptations of indicating, measuring, or monitoring equipment measuring in general G01
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/123 for gas bottles, cylinders or reservoirs for tank vehicles or for railway tank wagons
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0326 electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0329 manually actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0338 Pressure regulators
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0394 in direct contact with the pressure vessel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/013 Carbone dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/014 Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/031 Air
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/038 Refrigerants
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0153 Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/033 Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0386 with a jacket
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/036 using alarms
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/043 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0447 Composition; Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0626 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/044 Avoiding pollution or contamination
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 43/04 for withdrawing non-condensible gases
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 5/00 : Whistles

Abstract

An acoustic vapor type indicator is disclosed in which an audible signal such as a whistle is produced when a vapor is flowing through the indicator. The indicator includes an air chamber having an inlet for connection with a closed vessel containing a quantity of a gas other than air. When the closed vessel is open to the indicator, the gases within the vessel first force the air from the air chamber through an outlet orifice producing a whistle of a first pitch. Once the air has been removed and the gas within the closed vessel passes the outlet orifice, due to a change in density the pitch produced by the indicator will be changed. Alternative embodiments disclose automated pitch detection means as well as a pitch recognition device.

Claims

1. An acoustic vapor type indicator for use in controlled venting of separated gases from a closed vessel containing a quantity of a separate heavier vapor comprising:

a vapor flow conduit connectable at one end to said closed vessel;

an air chamber connectable to an opposite end of said vapor flow conduit;

an outlet orifice connected to said air chamber; and

a hollow echo chamber having an opening positioned adjacent said orifice so that vapor flow through said orifice crosses said opening producing a whistle sound.

2. The indicator of claim 1 further comprising a pressure regulator in said conduit to control the pressure of vapor flowing through said orifice.

3. The indicator of claim 2 comprising electronic pitch detection means for indicating a change in pitch as the vapor flowing through said orifices changes from a non-condensible gas to said separate heavier vapor.

4. The indicator of claim 3 wherein said conduit includes an electronically controlled shut off valve operable to close in response to a signal from said electronic pitch detection means.

5. The indicator of claim 2 further comprising:

means for regulating the temperature of the gas in said closed vessel to provide the gas with a predetermined temperature; and

electronic pitch recognition means for indicating the frequency of said sound whereby condensible vapor can be indicated.

6. An acoustic vapor type indicator for use in venting non-condensible gases from a closed vessel containing a quantity of a condensible refrigerant vapor comprising:

a chamber having a quantity of air therein;

a chamber inlet adapted to connect said chamber to said closed vessel;

said chamber forming an outlet orifice substantially opposite said inlet, whereby as refrigerant vapor enters said chamber through said inlet, air in said chamber exits through said outlet orifice substantially before said refrigerant vapor exits through said outlet orifice, said outlet orifice communicating with ambient air;

means adjacent said orifice responsive to a flow of gas through said orifice for producing an audible sound, the pitch of said sound being a function of the density of said gas whereby when the air is flowing through said orifice, a first pitch is produced and when said refrigerant vapor is flowing through said orifice a second pitch different from said first pitch is produced.

7. The indicator of claim 6 wherein said pitch producing means includes a hollow echo chamber forming an opening, said outlet orifice producing a flow of gas across said opening to produce said pitch.

8. The indicator of claim 6 further comprising coupling means for connecting said inlet to said closed vessel, said coupling means including a pressure regulator to control the pressure of gas flowing through said inlet into said air chamber.

9. The indicator of claim 6 further comprising electronic pitch detection means for indicating the change from said first pitch to said second pitch.

10. The indicator of claim 8 further comprising electronic pitch detection means for indicating the change from said first pitch to said second pitch.

11. The indicator of claim 10 wherein said coupling means includes an electronically controlled shut off valve operable to close in response to a signal from said electronic pitch detection means.

12. The indicator of claim 8 further comprising:

means for regulating the temperature of vapor in said closed vessel to provide vapor with a predetermined temperature; and

electronic pitch recognition means for indicating the frequency of said second pitch whereby the refrigerant vapor can be identified.

13. The indicator of claim 6 further comprising:

pitch recognition means for indicating the frequency of said second pitch; and

microprocessor means for determining the type of refrigerant vapor flowing through said outlet orifice based on the pitch frequency, vapor pressure and vapor temperature.

14. An acoustic vapor type indicator for use in determining the type of a condensible refrigerant contained in a closed vessel comprising:

a chamber having a quantity of air therein;

an inlet at one end of said chamber;

an outlet orifice at an opposite end of said chamber from said inlet;

an echo chamber having an opening positioned adjacent said outlet orifice whereby gas flowing through said outlet orifice travels over said opening to produce a sound;

means for connecting said inlet to said closed vessel, said connecting means including a pressure regulator to provide refrigerant vapor to said chamber at a predetermined pressure;

means for controlling the temperature of the refrigerant in the closed vessel at a predetermined temperature; and

pitch recognition means for determining the frequency of sound produced as said refrigerant vapor flows past said opening and for displaying said frequency.

15. The indicator of claim 14 further comprising a valve in said connecting means operable to close said connecting means after ascertainment that said frequency of sound produced is that frequency generated by said refrigerant vapor flowing past said opening.

16. The indicator of claim 14 further comprising microprocessor means for determining the type of refrigerant vapor flowing through said outlet orifice based on the sound frequency, pressure and temperature of said refrigerant.

17. An acoustic vapor type indicator for use in controlled venting of separated gases from a closed vessel containing a quantity of a separate heavier vapor comprising:

a vapor flow conduit connectable at one end to said closed vessel;

a pressure regulator in said conduit to control the pressure of vapor flowing through said orifice;

an outlet orifice at the opposite end of said conduit;

a hollow echo chamber having an opening positioned adjacent said orifice so that vapor flow through said orifice crosses said opening producing a whistle sound;

means for regulating the temperature of the gas in said closed vessel to provide the gas with a predetermined temperature; and

electronic pitch recognition means for indicating the frequency of said sound whereby condensible vapor can be indicated.