Cylinder pressure transducer and related method

• US 6,955,090 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2003
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE Company, LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Wilson, Ronald Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Oen, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): JENKINS, JERMAINE L
• Application Number:
  US10/707,097
• Publication Number:
  US 20050109114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 73700-756
• US Class Current: 73/715
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/0627 Protection against aggressive medium in general

Abstract

A pressure transducer for a hydrogen reciprocating compressor in a sour gas environment includes a sensor head including a diaphragm mounted on a free end of the sensor head. The diaphragm is constructed of a nickel-based alloy with gold plating on an exposed side thereof. A method of monitoring line pressure in a reciprocating hydrogen compressor in a sour gas environment includes a) providing a pressure transducer having a sensor head and a diaphragm located flush with a free end of the sensor head composed of a nickel-based alloy; b) applying a noble metal plating to one side of the diaphragm; and c) mounting the pressure transducer in a reciprocating compressor with the one side exposed to the sour gas.

Claims

1. A pressure transducer for a hydrogen reciprocating compressor in a sour gas environment comprising a sensor head including a diaphragm mounted on a free end of said sensor head;

wherein said diaphragm is constructed of a nickel-based alloy with a noble metal plating on an exposed side thereof.

2. The pressure transducer of claim 1 wherein said nickel-based alloy is a C-276 alloy.

3. The pressure transducer of claim 1 wherein said sensor head includes a threaded end portion and an integral hex nut that are comprised of said nickel-based alloy.

4. The pressure transducer of claim 3 wherein said nickel-based alloy is a C-276 alloy.

5. The pressure transducer of claim 1 wherein said noble metal plating comprises 24K gold plating.

6. The pressure transducer of claim 1 wherein said gold plating is applied to a thickness of about 5-8 microns.

7. The pressure transducer of claim 1 wherein said diaphragm has a thickness of about 42 microns.

8. The pressure transducer of claim 7 wherein said gold plating is applied to a thickness of about 5-8 microns.

9. A pressure transducer for a hydrogen reciprocating compressor in a sour gas environment comprising a sensor head including a diaphragm mounted on a free end of said sensor head;

wherein said diaphragm is constructed of a nickel-based alloy with a noble metal plating on an exposed side thereof;

and further comprising a housing connected to said sensor head by a transducer cable.

10. The pressure transducer of claim 9 wherein said transducer cable is enclosed in armor.

11. A pressure transducer for a hydrogen reciprocating compressor in a sour gas environment comprising a sensor head including a diaphragm mounted on a free end of said sensor head;

wherein said diaphragm is constructed of a nickel-based C-276 alloy with gold plating on an exposed side thereof; and

wherein said sensor head includes a threaded end portion and an integral hex nut that are also constructed of said nickel-based C-276 alloy.

12. A method of monitoring line pressure in a reciprocating hydrogen compressor in a sour gas environment comprising:

a) providing a pressure transducer having a sensor head and a diaphragm located flush with a free end of said sensor head composed of a nickel-based alloy;

b) applying gold plating to one side of said diaphragm; and

c) mounting said pressure transducer in a reciprocating compressor with said one side exposed to the sour gas.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said nickel-based alloy comprises a C-276 alloy.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said gold plating comprises 24K gold plating.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein said gold plating is applied to a thickness of about 5-8 microns.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein said diaphragm has a thickness of about 42 microns and said gold plating is applied to a thickness of about 5-8 microns.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein said sensor head includes a threaded end portion and an integral hex nut comprised of said C-276 alloy.