3462results about "Fluid handling accessories" patented technology

A fluid storage and dispensing system comprising a vessel for holding a fluid at a desired pressure. The vessel has a pressure regulator, e.g., a single-stage or multi-stage regulator, associated with a port of the vessel, and set at a predetermined pressure. A dispensing assembly, e.g., including a flow control means such as a valve, is arranged in gas / vapor flow communication with the regulator, whereby the opening of the valve effects dispensing of gas / vapor from the vessel. The fluid in the vessel may be constituted by a liquid that is confined in the vessel at a pressure in excess of its liquefaction pressure at prevailing temperature conditions, e.g., ambient (room) temperature. In another aspect, the vessel contains a solid-phase sorbent material having sorbable gas adsorbed thereon, at a pressure in excess of 50 psig. The vessel may have a >1 inch NGT threaded neck opening, to accommodate the installation of an interior regulator.

A fluid storage and dispensing system comprising a vessel for holding a fluid at a desired pressure. The vessel has a pressure regulator associated with a port of the vessel, and set at a predetermined pressure. A dispensing assembly, e.g, including a flow control means such as a valve, is arranged in gas / vapor flow communication with the regulator, whereby the opening of the valve effects dispensing of gas / vapor from the vessel. The fluid in the vessel may be constituted by a liquid which is confined in the vessel at a pressure in excess of its liquefaction pressure at prevailing temperature conditions, e.g., ambient (room) temperature. A phase separator such as a gas / vapor-permeable liquid-impermeable membrane, may be associated with the regulator, as a barrier to flow of liquid into the regulator, when the contained fluid in the vessel is in a liquid state.

A portable hydrogen refueling stations which can dispense gaseous hydrogen from one or more internal high pressure tanks. The refueling station can be refilled with a lower pressure hydrogen gas feed and then compressed for storage within the refueling station.

A service station facility for replenishing various motivational energy sources onboard different types of automotive vehicles is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the service station facility includes a rack, replaceable fuel tanks, a service module, and an electronic computer control system. The replaceable fuel tanks are stocked on the rack and substantially filled with various fluids, such as hydrogen, which are utile as motivational energy sources within fuel-operated automotive vehicles. The service module is mounted on the rack, and the electronic computer control system is connected in electrical communication with the service module. In this configuration, the service module is controllably operable to receive a depleted replaceable fuel tank from a fuel-operated automotive vehicle and also selectively deliver one of the filled replaceable fuel tanks onboard the automotive vehicle. In another embodiment, the service station facility may also stock replaceable batteries for selective delivery onboard battery-operated automotive vehicles.

Marine LNG carrier and method of operating the marine LNG carrier. The LNG carrier carries LNG in at least one tank. Gas composed of evaporated LNG within the at least one tank is removed. The gas is fed to at least one gas consuming prime mover of the LNG carrier. Power is provided with the at least one gas consuming prime mover. This Abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Systems for handling and / or dispensing hydrogen or a mixture of fuels containing hydrogen gas including refueling stations for hydrogen-powered vehicles. Pure hydrogen or various mixtures ratios of hydrogen and CNG may be dispensed. Hydrogen handling equipment may include a hydrogen generator, a pressurizing apparatus or compressor, pressure vessels, piping, valves, vent pipes, and / or a dispenser. Substantially vertical orientation of pressure vessels may reduce the amount of land required and facilitate installation in urban environments. Pressurization may take place before hydrogen generation to reduce the power required for pressurization. Safety features include enclosures and surrounding walls that lean away from the equipment. Any leaking hydrogen, fires, or explosions may be contained and / or directed upward, protecting human life and property. Systems may be shop assembled and certified.

A valve with a smart handle including a memory module to log relevant data. A sensor on the handle determines when the valve is open, and this triggers the start of timers and recording of the “open” event in a log in the memory module. When the valve is closed, the sensor triggers stopping of the timers and recording of the “closed” event in the log. The timer information is used to calculate the duration of the time “open” event, and this, together with the actual date and time of the opening and closing of the valve are recorded in the log. Other relevant information, such as cylinder fill date, cylinder I.D. number, batch number, and patient name or account number may also be logged in the memory module. The log of the events and the corresponding dates and times may be used to prepare invoices for billing gas treatments, for inventory control, and for other record-keeping and control functions.

A canister filling system is provided for independently filling multiple canisters from a common set of storage stations prioritized in a cascaded manner. The system includes first and second fill stations configured to receive and independently fill canisters with pressurized gas. First and second storage stations store gas at corresponding first and second charge pressures, respectively. A supply-chain joins each of the first and second fill stations to both of the first and second storage stations. First and second valve assemblies are provided in the supply-chain to monitor, independent of one another, the canister pressures at the corresponding first and second fill stations. The canister pressures represent the pressure within corresponding canisters. The first and second valve assemblies automatically open and close to permit and prevent discharge of gas from the first and second storage stations, independent of one another, to automatically switch between the first and second storage stations based on the canister pressures. In one embodiment, the valve assembly includes a combination of sequence valves and check valves. Alternatively, the valve assembly may be controlled by electronic sensors and electronic solenoids. The electronic sensors detect the canister pressures and the charge pressures at the storage stations. The electronic solenoids open and close the valves based on the sensed canister pressures.

The invention discloses a LNG / L-CNG skid-mounted gas station. The LNG / L-CNG skid-mounted gas station comprises a first sled base, a second sled base, a LNG pump sled, a low-temperature storage tank, aL-CNG pump sled and a gas filling machine; the L-CNG pump sled is arranged on the first sled base; the low-temperature storage tank, the L-CNG pump sled and the gas filling machine are integrated onthe second sled base in sequence; an unloading table is additionally arranged at the end, near the gas filling machine, of the second sled base; the end, near the low-temperature storage tank, of thesecond sled base is movably connected with the first sled base; the low-temperature storage tank discharges liquid by the head and tail ends; fences are arranged on two sides of the first sled base and the second sled base; the first sled base is connected with the end, near the low-temperature storage tank, of the second sled base; top cover plates are arranged at the tops of the fences; and thehorizontal plane of the top cover plates is higher than the horizontal plane of the top of the low-temperature storage tank. The LNG / L-CNG skid-mounted gas station has the following beneficial effects: through high integration degree, the country and industry standards are met, and the functions of an integrated gas station are expanded; and through the mode of discharging the liquid by the head and tail ends of the low-temperature storage tank, the generation of BOG is greatly reduced, and the liquid outlet speed is accelerated.

A gaseous fuel storage system for a vehicle is disclosed. The fuel storage system can be installed as a modular unit in the vehicle. The fuel storage system is pivotable relative to the vehicle to allow easy accessibility to the storage tanks without requiring the storage tanks to be unmounted from the vehicle. The fuel storage system also provides protection for the storage tanks through the use of shielding and energy absorbing material.

A medical gas cylinder monitoring and alarm device is provided. The medical gas cylinder monitoring and alarm device is a portable device that provides a monitoring function for one or more cylinders and may be carried by a patient or respiratory therapist or may be removably affixed to a medical gas cylinder. The monitoring device is a processor based device adapted to receive selected user inputs for a specific medical gas cylinder application and determine the estimated time remaining before the medical gas cylinder is emptied. The device displays the time remaining for the medical gas cylinder and is also adapted to provide visual and audible alarm notifications when the gas cylinder is near empty.

Methods for loading a compressed fluid, such as natural gas, into and discharging the compressed fluid out of containment are provided. The compressed fluid is injected into a bottom portion of a container system for storage and / or transport until a target pressure is reached after which gas is withdrawn from an upper portion of the container system at a rate to maintain the target pressure while the compressed fluid is injected in the bottom portion. The compressed fluid is cooled through an expansion valve and by refrigerated chillers or by injecting a cold liquid of the same chemical composition as the compressed fluid, such as liquid natural gas, into the compressed fluid prior to injection into the container system. Withdrawal or discharge from the container system to a receiving facility begins with blow down from the bottom portion of the container system without a displacement fluid and continues until pressure falls below an acceptable differential pressure. The discharge stream is passed through a separator and a light gas from the separator is pressurized and injected into an upper portion of the container system to drive the compressed fluid out the bottom. The light gas is pressurized using either a compressor or a heated tank system, where two vessels operate in parallel, trapping and heating the light gas and then discharging to the container system from one while filling the other and alternating the operation between the two.

Described herein is a portable storage device that stores a hydrogen fuel source. The storage device includes a bladder that contains the hydrogen fuel source and conforms to the volume of the hydrogen fuel source. A housing provides mechanical protection for the bladder. The storage device also includes a connector that interfaces with a mating connector to permit transfer of the fuel source between the bladder and a device that includes the mating connector. The device may be a portable electronics device such as a laptop computer. Refillable hydrogen fuel source storage devices and systems are also described. The refillable system comprises a hydrogen fuel source refiner that includes the mating connector and provides the hydrogen fuel source to the storage device. Hot swappable fuel storage systems described herein allow a portable hydrogen fuel source storage device to be removed from a fuel processor or electronics device it provides the hydrogen fuel source to, without shutting down the receiving device or without compromising hydrogen fuel source provision to the receiving device for a limited time.

This disclosure describes a modular, monolithic pump-purge system which can be integrated into a modular, monolithic fluid handling system without creating a closed tolerance loop. In particular, the pump-purge system comprises a plurality of valves mounted on a modular and monolithic manifold which can be attached to the modular, monolithic fluid handling system. At least a portion, and preferably all of the fluid transfer conduits necessary for either applying a vacuum (or other evacuation means) to a fluid handling system conduit which is to be evacuated (pumped), or for transfer of flushing fluid within a conduit (purging) are present within monolithic manifolds of the fluid handling system. The modular, monolithic manifold of the pump-purge system contains openings and fluid flow conduits which correspond with openings and fluid flow conduits of the modular, monolithic fluid handling system, to enable evacuation or flushing of a selected fluid flow conduit within the fluid handling system. To avoid the formation of a closed tolerance loop, it is necessary that the pump-purge manifold or a portion of the modular, monolithic fluid handling system manifold to which it is attached be sufficiently free-floating to permit making of all necessary connections without creating stress which can lead to an increased rate of corrosion or failure of the connection. In a preferred embodiment gas handling system, the gas handling flow lines which make up the system are comprised of individual sticks of gas handling elements, each of which is attached to the manifold of the pump-purge system so that it is free-floating.

A system dispenses both liquid natural gas (LNG) and compressed natural gas (CNG). A bulk tank contains a supply of LNG which is pumped to a smaller storage tank. After the storage tank is refilled, LNG from the bulk tank is pumped to a vaporizer so that CNG is produced. The CNG may be routed to the LNG in the storage tank to condition it. It is also used to recharge a pressurizing cylinder that is placed in communication with the head space of the storage tank when it is desired to rapidly dispense LNG to a vehicle. A bank of cascaded storage cylinders alternatively may receive CNG from the vaporizer for later dispensing through the system CNG dispenser. The CNG from the vaporizer may also be dispensed directly via the system CNG dispenser.

An offshore liquefied natural gas structure may receive, store, and process liquefied natural gas from carriers. A structure may be a gravity base structure. A structure may include a system of ballast storage areas, transfer equipment to offload liquefied natural gas from a carrier, docking equipment to allow direct mooring with carriers, platforms to elevate equipment, water intake systems to provide water to the structure, wave deflectors, and / or projections extending from a bottom of the structure. A portion of the structure may be composed of lightweight concrete. Pipelines may be coupled to the structure to export processed natural gas onshore. Living quarters, flare towers, and export line metering equipment may be included on the structure.

A fluid storage and dispensing system including a vessel for holding a fluid, an adjustable set point pressure regulator in the interior volume of the vessel, a dispensing assembly in fluid flow communication with the regulator for dispensing fluid at a pressure determined by the set point of the regulator, and an adjusting assembly exterior to the vessel for in situ adjustment of the set point of the internally disposed regulator. By such arrangement, fluid storage and dispensing operations can have respectively differing regulator set point pressures, as for example a sub-atmospheric pressure set point for storage and a super-atmospheric pressure set point for dispensing.

A diagnostic method for a gas supply system includes: determining a desired ramp rate for filling a vessel from a supply of compressed gas; monitoring the actual pressure of gas entering the vessel; and discontinuing the flow of gas into the vessel when the actual pressure deviates from the intended pressure at the desired ramp rate by an undesired amount. A system for carrying out the method includes a flow controller for controlling operation of the supply system to deliver compressed gas from a source to a vessel through a supply line at a desired ramp rate. The system employs a pressure monitor downstream of a control valve for measuring the pressure of gas directed into the vessel and transmitting pressure-related data to the flow controller, which closes the control valve to discontinue filling of the vessel if the actual pressure exceeds a permissible deviation from the intended pressure.

A fuel gas supply system of a ship is provided for supplying fuel gas to a high-pressure gas injection engine of the ship, wherein the ship has an LNG fuel tank for storing LNG as fuel and LNG is extracted from an LNG fuel tank of the ship, compressed at a high pressure, gasified, and then supplied to the high-pressure gas injection engine.

A gaseous fuel storage system for a vehicle is disclosed. The fuel storage system can be installed as a modular unit in the vehicle. The fuel storage system is pivotable relative to the vehicle to allow easy accessibility to the storage tanks without requiring the storage tanks to be unmounted from the vehicle. The fuel storage system also provides protection for the storage tanks through the use of shielding and energy absorbing material.

An apparatus for rapidly filling a hydrogen tank with a hydrogen gas comprises a hydrogen source; a hydrogen tank; a passage which connects the hydrogen source and said hydrogen tank; and a mechanism for varying the hydrogen-filling rate. The mechanism for varying the hydrogen-filling rate changes the hydrogen-filling rate depending upon the pressure within said hydrogen tank. The apparatus can suppress heat generation at the initial filling stage where the temperature is easily increased. Also, even if it takes longer time for increasing the pressure within the hydrogen tank at the initial filling state, the delayed time can be caught up and, the apparatus and the process of the present invention can totally attain a rapidly filling with hydrogen.

A rotary liquefied natural gas boil-off compressor has a series of compression stages. A gas passage passes through the series of compression stages. The gas passage extends through and is in heat exchange relationship with cooling means in the form of indirect heat exchangers. Each of the heat exchangers is cooled by LNG supplied from a pipeline. Flow control valves are provided for controlling the flow of LNG to the heat exchangers respectively. The valves are controlled in response to temperature sensors respectively, so as to maintain the inlet temperature of each of the compression stages at a chosen sub-ambient temperature or between chosen sub-ambient temperature limits.

A container for gas storage tanks in a vehicle is disclosed as part of a fuel storage system. The container is dimensioned to include one or more storage tanks along with a flow control device, such as a pressure regulator or automatic valve. The container does not form a fluid-tight containment around the storage tank and includes one or more ventilation openings to allow a gas within the container to be vented therefrom. There is also one or more drain openings in the container to allow liquid within the container to be drained therefrom.

Mobile fire-fighting systems and a method of producing breathable fire-suppression compositions are provided for extinguishing fires in buildings, and other human occupied structures, being also effective in suppressing fires under ruins of collapsed buildings. The systems employ a transportable high-pressure container having the breathable composition or nitrogen gas, or a liquid nitrogen container, vaporizer and a mixing chamber, wherein a vaporized nitrogen gas is mixed with an ambient air in order to produce said breathable fire-suppression composition. Refilling stations are provided for refilling the mobile systems with said composition, nitrogen gas or liquid nitrogen, all being generated at site from the ambient air. The method of producing said composition at a fire site employs mixing of nitrogen gas with ambient air or, alternatively, vaporizing of liquid nitrogen in necessary quantities and mixing it with ambient air in provided proportions. A method of delivery of the breathable fire-suppressive composition inside a building on fire is provided as well. The systems are also suitable for installation as a stationary fire-suppression system for a building or other structure. A breathable fire-suppression composition is provided for use in said mobile systems, said composition having an oxygen content below 16% or from 10% to 12% for the majority of civil applications.

A gas supply apparatus including: a tank unit that includes a tank storing a gas and a discharge mechanism discharging the stored gas to the outside of the tank at a reduced pressure of the stored gas; a temperature detector that detects a temperature of the tank; and a supply regulator that regulates supply of the gas from the tank according to the detected tank temperature.

A fluid distribution system for supplying a gas to a process facility such as a semiconductor manufacturing plant. The system includes a main fluid supply vessel coupled by flow circuitry to a local sorbent-containing supply vessel from which fluid, e.g., low pressure compressed gas, is dispensed to a fluid-consuming unit, e.g., a semiconductor manufacturing tool. A fluid pressure regulator is disposed in the flow circuitry or the main liquid supply vessel and ensures that the gas flowed to the fluid-consuming unit is at desired pressure. The system and associated method are particularly suited to the supply and utilization of liquefied compressed gases such as trimethylsilane, arsine, phosphine, and dichlorosilane.

A fluid storage and dispensing system including a fluid storage and dispensing vessel enclosing an interior volume for holding a fluid. The vessel includes a fluid discharge port for discharging fluid from the vessel. A pressure regulating element in the interior volume of the fluid storage and dispensing vessel is arranged to flow fluid therethrough to the fluid discharge port at a set pressure for dispensing thereof. A controller external of the fluid storage and dispensing vessel is arranged to transmit a control input into the vessel to cause the pressure regulating element to change the set pressure of the fluid flowed from the pressure regulating element to the fluid discharge port. By such arrangement, the respective storage and dispensing operations can have differing regulator set point pressures, as for example a subatmospheric pressure set point for storage and a super atmospheric pressure set point for dispensing.

The present invention provides an improved oxygen filling apparatus adapted to provide oxygen to oxygen cylinders for use in connection with EMS services, ambulances, fire departments, hospitals, veterinary clinics and other services and applications. The present invention includes an oxygen generator unit having at least one molecular sieve, a plurality of pressure sensors, an oxygen sensor, and a PLC control unit with a touch sensitive graphical screen interface configured to selectively display current and historical operational parameters. The oxygen filling apparatus may be adapted for wall mounting and may include a data communications port for remote access, monitoring and troubleshooting.