Swivel bayonet joint for cryogenic fluids

• US 6,134,893 A
• Filed: 04/07/1999
• Issued: 10/24/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Chart Incorporated (Chart Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Chart Incorporated (Chart Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bonn, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): CAPOSSELA, RONALD C
• Application Number:
  US09/284,142
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 62/50.1, 62/50.7, 285/47, 285/904
• US Class Current: 62/50.7
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 27/0828 having radial bearings connections of quick-acting couplings maintained by balls or rollers under radial pressure F16L37/22
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 59/141 in which the temperature of the medium is below that of the ambient temperature rigid pipes of wood F16L9/006; vacuum insulation F16L59/065
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 59/185 Adjustable joints, joints allowing movement in general F16L27/00
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/00 Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/011 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/012 Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/014 Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/016 Noble gases (Ar, Kr, Xe)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0161 cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0168 by vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/02 for filling with liquefied gases
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/904 Cryogenic

Abstract

A method and system for dispensing cryogenic fluids, such as liquified natural gas (LNG), using a swivel bayonet joint interconnecting first and second sections of cryogenic pipe. The swivel bayonet joint includes a male bayonet joint and a corresponding female bayonet joint. An insertion stem of the male bayonet joint is dimensioned to have a very high tolerance fit within the receiving sleeve of the female joint that extends a sufficient length for formation of a vapor trap by the cryogenic fluid between the insertion end of the stem and the clamp end of the receiving sleeve. The vapor trap prohibits movement beyond the vapor trap of any cryogenic fluid passing through the joint, consequently, elastomeric seals in the bayonet joint remain insulated from extremely cold temperatures of the cryogenic fluid.

Claims

1. A swivel bayonet joint for transferring cryogenic fluids, comprising:

a. a male bayonet joint including an insertion stem having an insertion jacket surrounding and co-axial with a male inner line and secured to the male inner line at an insertion end of the stem, and a first swivel clamp means secured to the insertion jacket adjacent a clamp end of the stem; and

b. a female bayonet joint including an outer jacket surrounding and co-axial with a receiving sleeve, a line end of the receiving sleeve being secured to a female inner line surrounded by and co-axial with the outer jacket, and a second swivel clamp means secured adjacent a clamp end of the receiving sleeve for clamping to the first swivel clamp means to secure the male and female bayonet joints together in a swivel relationship, so that the joints may swivel in relation to each other about an axis parallel to flow of the cryogenic fluid through the male and female inner lines, wherein the insertion stem is dimensioned to establish a high tolerance fit within the receiving sleeve along a first axial length from the clamp end to the insertion end of the stem, the first axial length being a length sufficient for formation of a vapor trap of cryogenic fluid along the first axial length between its insertion end and the clamp end of the receiving sleeve, so that the cryogenic fluid cannot move beyond the vapor trap to cool mechanical components of the first and second clamp means.

2. The swivel bayonet joint of claim 1, wherein the first clamp means and second clamp means comprise corresponding outer and inner bearing races defining a bearing slot housing at least one set of bearings, and defining seal cavities housing seal means for protecting the set of bearings from contaminants.

3. The swivel bayonet joint of claim 1, wherein a male annular cavity is defined between the insertion jacket and the male inner line and the male annular cavity is maintained at a static vacuum enclosing at least one layer of radiation insulation material.

4. The swivel bayonet joint of claim 1, wherein a female annular cavity is defined between the outer jacket and receiving sleeve and the female annular cavity is maintained at a static vacuum enclosing at least one layer of radiation insulation material.

5. The swivel bayonet joint of claim 1, wherein the first axial length of the insertion stem between the insertion end and clamp end of the stem is at least three times a length of a diameter of the male inner line and a second axial length of the receiving sleeve between the line end and clamp end of the sleeve is at least three times a length of a diameter of the female inner line.

6. The swivel bayonet joint of claim 1, wherein the first clamp means includes a first tightening post and the second clamp means includes a second tightening post, the first and second tightening posts having a tightening rod removably secured between the posts.

7. A cryogenic fluid dispensing system for transferring a cryogenic fluid from a storage tank to a fluid user, comprising:

a. a pump control housing for housing control switches for conducting the cryogenic fluid out of the storage tank; and

,

b. A cryogenic fluid dispensing arm secured to a housing cryogenic outlet pipe of the pump control housing, the arm including a swivel bayonet joint interconnecting a first section and a second section of cryogenic pipe for facilitating movement of the arm from a storage position to a dispensing position, and a discharge outlet secured to a distal end of the section of cryogenic pipe farthest from the housing for dispensing the cryogenic fluid into the fluid user, the swivel bayonet joint including;

i. a male bayonet joint including an insertion stem having an insertion jacket surrounding and co-axial with a male inner line and secured to the male inner line at an insertion end of the stem, and a first swivel clamp means secured to the insertion jacket adjacent a clamp end of the stem; and

ii. a female bayonet joint including an outer jacket surrounding and co-axial with a receiving sleeve, a line end of the receiving sleeve being secured to a female inner line surrounded by and co-axial with the outer jacket, and a second swivel clamp means secured adjacent a clamp end of the receiving sleeve for clamping to the first swivel clamp means to secure the male and female bayonet joints together in a swivel relationship, so that the joints may swivel in relation to each other about an axis parallel to flow of the cryogenic fluid through the male and female inner lines, wherein the insertion stem is dimensioned to establish a high tolerance fit within the receiving sleeve along a first axial length from the clamp end to the insertion end of the stem, the first axial length being a length sufficient for formation of a vapor trap of cryogenic fluid along the first axial length between its insertion end and the clamp end of the receiving sleeve, so that the cryogenic fluid cannot move beyond the vapor trap to cool mechanical components of the first and second clamp means.

8. The cryogenic fluid dispensing system of claim 7 further comprising counter weight means for compensating for weight of the fluid dispensing arm as the arm moves from the storage position to the dispensing position.

9. The cryogenic fluid dispensing system of claim 8, wherein the counter weight means comprises a counter weight stack including a cable secured to an upper balance point on the fluid dispensing arm, the cable passing over a pulley wheel rotatably secured within the stack and attaching to a counter weight below the wheel so that the weight moves up and down as the arm moves between the storage and dispensing positions to counter the weight of the arm.

10. The cryogenic fluid dispensing system of claim 9, wherein the first clamp means and second clamp means comprise corresponding outer and inner bearing races defining a bearing slot housing at least one set of bearings, and defining seal cavities housing seal means for protecting the set of bearings from contaminants.

11. The cryogenic fluid dispensing system of claim 10, wherein a male annular cavity is defined between the insertion jacket and the male inner line and the male annular cavity is maintained at a static vacuum enclosing at least one layer of radiation insulation material.

12. The cryogenic fluid dispensing system of claim 11, wherein a female annular cavity is defined between the outer jacket and receiving sleeve and the female annular cavity is maintained at a static vacuum enclosing at least one layer of radiation insulation material.

13. The cryogenic fluid dispensing system of claim 12, wherein the first axial length of the insertion stem between the insertion end and clamp end of the stem is at least three times a length of a diameter of the male inner line and a second axial length of the receiving sleeve between the line end and clamp end of the sleeve is at least three times a length of a diameter of the female inner line.

14. The cryogenic fluid dispensing system of claim 13, wherein the first clamp means includes a first tightening post and the second clamp means includes a second tightening post, the first and second tightening posts having a tightening rod removably secured between the posts.

15. A method of transferring cryogenic fluid through first and second sections of cryogenic pipe that swivel in relation to each other, comprising the steps of:

a. securing a male bayonet joint to the first section of cryogenic pipe, the male bayonet joint having an insertion stem with and insertion jacket surrounding and co-axial with a male inner line and secured to the male inner line at an insertion end of the stem and having a first swivel clamp secured to the insertion stem adjacent a clamp end of the stem;

b. securing a female bayonet joint to the second section of cryogenic pipe, the female bayonet joint having an outer jacket surrounding and coaxial with a receiving sleeve, a line end of the receiving sleeve secured to a female inner line surrounded by and co-axial with the outer jacket, and a second swivel clamp secured adjacent a clamp end of the receiving sleeve;

c. inserting the insertion stem of the male bayonet joint into the receiving sleeve of the female bayonet joint;

d. clamping the first and second swivel clamps together so that the first and second sections of cryogenic pipe swivel in relation to each other about an axis parallel to flow of cryogenic fluid through the sections; and

e. forming a vapor trap of cryogenic fluid between the insertion stem and the receiving sleeve at a position between the insertion end of the insertion stem and the clamp end of the receiving sleeve so that the vapor trap stops movement of the cryogenic fluid beyond the vapor trap and the cryogenic fluid cannot cool mechanical components of the first and second swivel clamps.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of clamping the first and second swivel clamps together includes inserting at least one set of ball bearings into bearing slots defined within the clamps, and removably securing the ball bearings within the slots.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the steps of securing the male and female bayonet joints to the first and second sections of cryogenic pipe include establishing a static vacuum in a male annular cavity defined between the insertion jacket and male inner line, and establishing a static vacuum in a female annular cavity defined between the outer jacket and female inner line.