Containment module for transportable liquid natural gas dispensing station

• US 6,640,554 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2002
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chart Incorporated (Chart Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Chart Incorporated (Chart Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Drube, Thomas, Emmer, Claus D.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOERRLER, WILLIAM CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US10/133,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20030005709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 62/451, 220/560.1, 222/3
• US Class Current: 62/45.1
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/081 for large land-based storage vessels supports for large containers in general B65D90/12
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/083 for medium-sized mobile storage vessels, e.g. tank vehicles or railway tank vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/035 with substantially horizontal main axis
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/054 medium (>1 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0391 by vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0617 with one layer
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0643 Stainless steels
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0111 Boxes
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0326 electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0329 manually actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0335 Check-valves or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/033 Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0161 cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/033 Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0121 by gravity
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0135 Pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0178 in the vessel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0302 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/04 Methods for emptying or filling
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/032 : using computers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0408 : Level of content in the vessel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0439 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0631 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/065 : for refueling vehicle fuel tanks
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0139 : Fuel stations
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0168 : by vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/007 : for individual gas tanks or containers, e.g. in vehicles filling with liquid fuel not under pressure, B60S5/02, B67D7/00

Abstract

A portable self-contained liquid natural gas (LNG) dispensing system is housed in a container featuring opposing side and end walls and a bottom panel. The container is divided into a ventilated portion and a covered portion. A roof is over the covered portion while the ventilated portion features an open top. A bulk tank positioned within the container contains a supply of LNG with a head space thereabove and a pump is submerged in LNG within a sump that is also positioned within the container and communicates with the bulk tank. The container is lined with stainless steel sheets to define a containment volume that is capable of holding the entire supply of LNG in the bulk tank. A vent valve communicates with the head space of the bulk tank and is positioned under the open top of the ventilated portion of the container. The electric controls are positioned on the lower portion of the end wall of the covered portion of the container so as to be located in accordance with the appropriate safety guidelines.

Claims

1. A container for a self-contained cryogenic liquid dispensing station comprising:

a)a pair of opposing side walls, a pair of opposing end walls and a bottom panel;

b)said bottom panel, opposing side walls and opposing end walls of said container lined with a lining material so that cryogenic liquid does not leak out of the container;

c) a top panel opposing said bottom panel and including roof portion and an open top portion; and

d) an electric control panel adapted to configure and operate a the dispensing station positioned upon a lower portion of the end panel that is adjacent to the roof portion of the top panel.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein said lining material includes stainless steel sheets.

3. The container of claim 2 wherein the stainless steel sheets are welded to the bottom panel and side and end walls of said container.

4. The container of claim 1 wherein the dispensing system includes a bulk tank positioned within said container and the bulk tank contains a supply of the cryogenic liquid and the lining material of the container defines a spill containment volume that is sized to hold all of the cryogenic liquid in the bulk tank.

5. The container of claim 4 wherein the bulk tank includes a head space and a vent valve in communication with the head space with said vent valve positioned beneath the open top of the container.

6. The container of claim 5 wherein the dispensing station includes a pump that is in communication with the bulk tank and the electric control panel so that the pump may be operated via the electric control panel.

7. The container of claim 1 wherein the dispensing station includes a plurality of automated valves that communicate with said electric control panel so that the dispensing station may be via the electric control panel.

8. A self-contained dispensing station for storing and dispensing cryogenic liquid to a use device comprising:

a) a container featuring a pair of opposing side walls, a pair of opposing end walls and a bottom panel

b) said bottom panel, opposing side walls and opposing end walls of said container lined with a lining material so that cryogenic liquid does not leak out of the container;

c) said container divided into a ventilated portion and a covered portion with said covered portion including a roof positioned thereon in opposition to said bottom panel and said ventilated portion including an open top;

d) a bulk tank positioned within said container and containing a supply of cryogenic liquid with a head space thereabove;

e) a vent valve in communication with the head space of said bulk tank and positioned beneath the open top of the ventilated portion of the container; and

f) an electric control panel adapted to control and operate the dispensing station positioned on a lower portion of the end panel of the covered portion of the container.

9. The dispensing station of claim 8 wherein said lining material includes stainless steel sheets.

10. The dispensing station of claim 9 wherein the stainless steel sheets are welded to the bottom panel and side and end walls of said container.

11. The dispensing station of claim 8 wherein the lining material of the container defines a spill containment volume that is sized to hold all of the supply of cryogenic liquid in the bulk tank.

12. The dispensing station of claim 8 further comprising a pump that is in communication with the bulk tank and the electric control panel so that the pump may be operated via the electric control panel.

13. The dispensing station of claim 12 further comprising a dispensing hose with a meter in circuit between the dispensing hose and said pump.

14. The dispensing station of claim 8 wherein the container is an ISO container.

15. A self-contained dispensing station for storing and dispensing cryogenic liquid to a use device comprising:

a) a container featuring a pair of opposing side walls, a pair of opposing end walls and a bottom panel;

b) said bottom panel, opposing side walls and opposing end walls of said container lined with a lining material so that cryogenic liquid does not leak out of the container;

c) said container divided into a ventilated portion and a covered portion with said covered portion including a roof positioned thereon in opposition to said bottom panel and said ventilated portion including an open top;

d) a bulk tank positioned within said container and containing a supply of cryogenic liquid with a head space thereabove;

e) a vent valve in communication with the head space of said bulk tank and positioned beneath he open top of the ventilated portion of the container;

f) a pump position within the container and in communication with said bulk tank so that when said pump is activated, cryogenic liquid is dispensed from the dispensing station; and

g) an electric control panel for operating the pump positioned on a lower portion of the end panel of the covered portion of the container.

16. The dispensing station of claim 15 wherein said lining material includes stainless steel sheets.

17. The dispensing station of claim 16 wherein the stainless steel sheets are welded to the bottom panel and side and end walls of said container.

18. The dispensing station of claim 15 wherein the lining material of the container defines a spill containment volume that is sized to hold all of the supply of cryogenic liquid in the bulk tank.

19. The dispensing station of claim 15 further comprising a sump that is in communication with the bulk so as to receive cryogenic liquid therefrom and wherein said pump is submerged in said cryogenic liquid so as to avoid two-phased flow therethrough.

20. The dispensing station of claim 15 wherein the container is an ISO container.