A coupling device for cryogenic liquid transfer
By designing quick-connect and self-sealing joint equipment, the problems of complex flange joint connections and low-temperature icing in liquefied natural gas loading and unloading operations have been solved, achieving safe, reliable, and efficient loading and unloading of cryogenic liquids.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202210857463.4
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2022-07-20
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-25
- Estimated Expiration
- 2042-07-20
AI Technical Summary
In existing liquefied natural gas loading and unloading operations, flange joints are complex to connect, prone to leakage, and easily freeze and jam under low temperature conditions, posing safety hazards. Loading and unloading is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and inefficient.
Design a connector device that includes a male connector, a female connector, and a positioning component. It utilizes a guide sleeve and a claw drive unit to achieve rapid docking and disassembly. It incorporates a self-sealing component to prevent cryogenic liquid leakage in the event of accidental disconnection and employs nitrogen protection to prevent frost formation.
It enables rapid connection and disconnection during cryogenic liquid transportation, improves loading and unloading efficiency, reduces operational difficulty and labor intensity, ensures safety and reliability, and avoids the risks of icing and leakage.
Smart Images

Figure CN117469497B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of liquid fuel refueling equipment, and more particularly to a connector device for cryogenic liquid transportation. Background Technology
[0002] Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is typically transported by tanker trucks to gas stations for storage. LNG loading and unloading operations usually employ flange connections. Flange connections are complex to operate, and the process of installing and removing flanges typically takes 10-15 minutes, making it time-consuming and labor-intensive. Each time a flange is connected, a new gasket must be used. If the diagonal bolts are not tightened evenly or the gasket is damaged, leaks can easily occur during loading and unloading. Furthermore, the inherent properties of LNG, including its low temperature, stratification, rapid phase change, and fire and explosion hazards, mean that leaks during loading and unloading can lead to serious accidents.
[0003] Meanwhile, existing liquefied natural gas (LNG) loading and unloading joints are typically used with hoses. These joints are prone to freezing and jamming at -162°C, making separation impossible. After loading and unloading, thawing is required before flange removal, posing a safety hazard when using an icebreaker to break the frozen area. Furthermore, after nitrogen purging, the unknown methane content inside the loading arm also poses a safety risk when removing the flange. Therefore, existing flange joints are prone to detachment, leakage, freezing, and frost formation, posing significant safety risks and resulting in time-consuming, labor-intensive, and inefficient loading and unloading processes. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a connector device for cryogenic liquid transportation that can realize quick connection and disconnection of the connector and ensure safe and reliable loading and unloading.
[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution proposed by this invention is as follows:
[0006] A connector device for cryogenic liquid transportation includes a male connector, a female connector, and a positioning assembly for locking and positioning the male and female connectors. The positioning assembly includes a female connector positioning component and a male connector positioning component. The female connector positioning component includes a guide sleeve, a jaw hinged to the guide sleeve, and a jaw drive unit connected to the upper part of the jaw. The male connector positioning component includes a jaw limiting groove and a sleeve limiting groove. When the male connector and the female connector are mated, the end of the guide sleeve abuts against the sleeve limiting groove, and the jaw falls into the jaw limiting groove through the jaw drive unit.
[0007] As a further improvement to the above technical solution:
[0008] The chuck drive unit includes a drive hinge, a hinge spring, an axial moving sleeve, and a moving sleeve drive part. The moving sleeve drive part is drivenly connected to the axial moving sleeve. The two ends of the hinge spring are respectively connected to the base of the axial moving sleeve and the drive hinge. The bridge arm of the drive hinge is hinged to the upper part of the chuck.
[0009] The moving sleeve drive unit includes four hook-shaped hinge arms, two push handles, and two connecting rods. The two push handles are symmetrically hinged to the outer side wall of the guide sleeve. The two connecting rods are symmetrically arranged between the push handles, and each connecting rod has a hook-shaped hinge arm hinged to both ends. The other end of each hook-shaped hinge arm is hinged to the push handle on the corresponding side. The hinge point between the connecting rod and the hook-shaped hinge arm is fixed to the axial moving sleeve.
[0010] The push handle is rotatably mounted on the guide sleeve via a fixed shaft. When the push handle is pushed away from the hook-shaped hinge arm to a preset position, the inner side of the hook-shaped hinge arm is locked to the fixed shaft.
[0011] The female connector includes a gun head, a gun body located outside the gun head, a female connector valve core fixedly installed in the middle of the gun body, a first elastic support member located between the gun head and the gun body, and a valve core driving unit driven by the gun body. The gun head presses against the female connector valve core under the force of the first elastic support member. A first self-sealing component is provided between the female connector valve core and the gun head to prevent leakage of cryogenic liquid.
[0012] The male connector includes a male connector valve body, a male connector valve core seat disposed within the male connector valve body, a male connector valve core movably sleeved on the male connector valve core seat, and a second elastic support member disposed between the male connector valve core and the male connector valve core seat. The male connector valve core abuts against the male connector valve body under the force of the second elastic support member. A second self-sealing component is provided between the male connector valve core and the male connector valve body to prevent leakage of cryogenic liquid. The female connector valve core contacts the male connector valve core when the male and female connectors are mated, and is driven axially by the valve core driving unit.
[0013] The gun head, the gun body, and the male connector valve body are all equipped with a cold-insulating sleeve to prevent frost from forming on the components.
[0014] Both the female connector valve core and the male connector valve core are umbrella-shaped valve cores, and the contact positions of the female connector valve core and the male connector valve core are provided with plug-in components.
[0015] Both the first self-sealing component and the second self-sealing component are O-ring seals.
[0016] The female connector also includes a nitrogen delivery channel to prevent frost formation on the nozzle and nozzle body; a nozzle cover is provided on the outside of the nozzle, and a nitrogen sealing sleeve is fixedly connected to the outside of the nozzle body; one end of the nozzle cover is fixedly connected to the nozzle, and the other end of the nozzle cover is located between the nitrogen sealing sleeve and the nozzle body; the nitrogen delivery channel includes the gap between the nozzle body and the nitrogen sealing sleeve, the gap between the nozzle cover and the nozzle body, and the gap between the nozzle cover and the nozzle; the nitrogen inlet of the nitrogen delivery channel is located at the connection position between the nitrogen sealing sleeve and the nozzle body, and the nitrogen outlet is located at the connection position between the nozzle and the nozzle cover.
[0017] The gun body has threaded grooves on the outside to allow nitrogen to fully replace air and water vapor.
[0018] The nozzle head is provided with a set of connection sealing components at both ends to prevent the leakage of cryogenic liquid when the flow channel is connected. The connection sealing components include a C-shaped sealing ring that expands and seals when the cryogenic liquid leaks, and a retaining ring that fixes the position of the C-shaped sealing ring. The opening of the C-shaped sealing ring is arranged facing the axial sides of the nozzle head, and the retaining ring is located at the opening end of the C-shaped sealing ring.
[0019] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are as follows:
[0020] The female connector positioning component of this invention is equipped with a guide sleeve, a jaw that hinges to the guide sleeve, and a jaw drive unit connected to the upper part of the jaw; the male connector positioning component is equipped with a jaw limiting groove and a sleeve limiting groove. When the male connector and female connector are mated, the jaw falls into the jaw limiting groove, and the end of the guide sleeve abuts against the sleeve limiting groove, thus completing the mating of the male and female connectors and achieving fast and reliable installation; when the male and female connectors need to be disassembled, the jaw is opened by the jaw drive unit, thus separating the male and female connectors and achieving rapid disassembly. Therefore, this invention achieves rapid connection and disconnection of the male and female connectors, ensuring the reliability of connections in cryogenic liquid loading and unloading operations while improving loading and unloading efficiency, reducing the difficulty and labor intensity of loading and unloading operations, and ensuring the safety and reliability of loading and unloading connections.
[0021] Furthermore, the structural configuration of the female and male connectors of this invention allows the nozzle of the female connector to rapidly advance and tightly fit against the female valve core under the action of the first elastic support member, achieving self-sealing under the action of the first self-sealing component, under the action of the second elastic support member; similarly, the valve core of the male connector rapidly advances and tightly fits against the male valve body under the action of the second elastic support member, achieving self-sealing under the action of the second self-sealing component. Therefore, the male and female connectors of this invention can achieve self-sealing in the event of an accident, preventing leakage of cryogenic liquids and effectively ensuring the safe and reliable operation of the equipment. Simultaneously, the self-sealing mechanism of the male and female connectors enables connection and disconnection of the connectors under liquid pressure, eliminating the need for purging of the connectors and pipelines before and after loading and unloading, thus improving loading and unloading efficiency. Attached Figure Description
[0022] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to embodiments and the accompanying drawings.
[0023] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the connector device for cryogenic liquid transportation of the present invention (connector device not connected).
[0024] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the connector device for cryogenic liquid transportation of the present invention (connection state of the connector device).
[0025] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view (flow channel connected state) of the connector device for cryogenic liquid transportation according to the present invention.
[0026] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the connector device for cryogenic liquid transportation according to the present invention.
[0027] The labels in the diagram represent:
[0028] 1. Male connector;
[0029] 11. Male connector valve body;
[0030] 12. Male connector valve core seat;
[0031] 13. Male connector valve core;
[0032] 14. Second elastic support component;
[0033] 15. Second self-sealing component;
[0034] 2. Female connector;
[0035] 21. Spearhead;
[0036] 22. Gun body;
[0037] 221. Threaded groove;
[0038] 23. Female connector valve core;
[0039] 24. First elastic support component;
[0040] 25. Valve core drive unit;
[0041] 26. First self-sealing component;
[0042] 27. Gun head cover;
[0043] 28. Nitrogen-sealed sleeve;
[0044] 3. Positioning components;
[0045] 31. Guide sleeve;
[0046] 32. Claw;
[0047] 33. Claw drive unit;
[0048] 331. Drive hinge;
[0049] 332. Hinge spring;
[0050] 333. Axial moving sleeve;
[0051] 334. Hook-shaped hinge arm;
[0052] 335. Push the handle;
[0053] 336. Connecting rod;
[0054] 337. Fixed shaft;
[0055] 34. Claw limiting groove;
[0056] 35. Sleeve limiting groove;
[0057] 4. Cold insulation sleeve;
[0058] 5. Nitrogen delivery channel;
[0059] 51. Nitrogen inlet;
[0060] 6. Connecting sealing assembly;
[0061] 61. C-shaped sealing ring;
[0062] 62. Retaining ring. Detailed Implementation
[0063] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, but this does not limit the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0064] like Figures 1 to 4This invention illustrates an embodiment of a connector device for cryogenic liquid transportation, which can be used to connect liquefied natural gas (LNG) tank trucks to LNG loading arms, and can also be applied to the loading and unloading connections of other cryogenic liquid (below -50°C) transportation equipment. This embodiment is applied to the LNG tank truck loading and unloading connector, enabling rapid pressurized connection and disconnection of the LNG loading and unloading arms and the LNG tank truck, ensuring the safety and reliability of the loading and unloading process. In this embodiment, the connector device includes a male connector 1, a female connector 2, and a positioning component 3. The male connector 1 connects to the LNG tank truck's loading and unloading pipeline, the female connector 2 connects to the LNG loading and unloading arms, and the positioning component 3 includes a female connector positioning component and a male connector positioning component. The female connector positioning component includes a guide sleeve 31, a jaw 32, and a jaw drive unit 33, wherein the jaw 32 is hinged to the guide sleeve 31; the jaw drive unit 33 is connected to the upper part of the jaw 32 to provide the jaw 32 with tensioning force. The male connector positioning component includes a jaw limiting groove 34 and a sleeve limiting groove 35.
[0065] When male connector 1 and female connector 2 are mated, the end of guide sleeve 31 abuts against sleeve limiting groove 35, and claw 32 falls into claw limiting groove 34 through claw driving unit 33 to lock and position male connector 1 and female connector 2, completing the mating of male connector 1 and female connector 2 and achieving fast and reliable installation. When male connector 1 and female connector 2 need to be disassembled, claw 32 is driven to open by claw driving unit 33, which can separate male connector 1 and female connector 2, achieving fast disassembly. It can be seen that the present invention realizes the rapid connection and disconnection of male connector 1 and female connector 2, while ensuring the reliability of connection in cryogenic liquid loading and unloading operations, improving loading and unloading efficiency, reducing the difficulty and labor intensity of loading and unloading operations, and ensuring the safety and reliability of loading and unloading connection.
[0066] Furthermore, the chuck drive unit 33 includes a drive hinge 331, a hinge spring 332, an axial moving sleeve 333, and a moving sleeve drive part. The moving sleeve drive part is driven to the axial moving sleeve 333. Both ends of the hinge spring 332 are connected to the base of the axial moving sleeve 333 and the drive hinge 331, respectively. The bridge arm of the drive hinge 331 is hinged to the upper part of the chuck 32. The chuck drive unit 33 of this invention can quickly and reliably realize the opening and closing of the chuck 32. Furthermore, the chuck drive unit 33 is arranged on the outside of the guide sleeve 31, resulting in a compact structure and small space occupation. Specifically:
[0067] When the axial moving sleeve 333 moves away from the drive hinge 331, the axial moving sleeve 333 will stretch the hinge spring 332, thereby driving the drive hinge 331 to move in the stretching direction. At this time, the drive hinge 331 will drive the pawl 32 to rotate and open around the hinge point, so that the pawl 32 moves above the pawl limiting groove 34 when the male connector 1 and the female connector 2 are connected. When the axial moving sleeve 333 moves back, the axial moving sleeve 333 will drive the hinge spring 332 to retract and the drive hinge 331 will return to its original state. At this time, the pawl 32 will rotate and close around the hinge point, and cooperate with the pawl limiting groove 34 for limiting.
[0068] like Figure 4 As shown, further, the moving sleeve drive unit includes four hook-shaped hinge arms 334, two push handles 335, and two connecting rods 336. The two push handles 335 are symmetrically hinged to the outer wall of the guide sleeve 31; the two connecting rods 336 are symmetrically arranged between the push handles 335, and each connecting rod 336 has a hook-shaped hinge arm 334 hinged to both ends at both ends, with the other end of each hook-shaped hinge arm 334 hinged to the corresponding push handle 335; the hinge point between the connecting rod 336 and the hook-shaped hinge arm 334 is fixed to the axially moving sleeve 333. Its drive structure is compact and easy to operate, enabling rapid and effective opening and closing of the chuck 32. Specifically:
[0069] When male connector 1 and female connector 2 are connected, the operator holds the push handle 335 with both hands and presses it inward. At this time, the push handle 335 is subjected to radial force, and in turn, through the hook-shaped hinge arm 334 and the connecting rod 336, it drives the axial moving sleeve 333 away from the drive hinge 331, so that the pawl 32 opens. The operator holds the handle with both hands and drives the female connector 2 to move towards the male connector 1. When the guide sleeve 31 is embedded in the sleeve limiting groove 35 of the male connector, the operator holds the push handle 335 with both hands and releases the inward pressing force. In turn, through the hook-shaped hinge arm 334 and the connecting rod 336, it drives the axial moving sleeve 333 back to its original position. At this time, the pawl 32 closes and falls into the pawl limiting groove 34 to lock and position the male connector 1 and female connector 2.
[0070] In this embodiment, the push handle 335 is rotatably mounted on the guide sleeve 31 via a fixed shaft 337. When the push handle 335 is pushed to a preset position away from the hook-shaped hinge arm 334, the inner side of the hook-shaped hinge arm 334 is locked to the fixed shaft 337. When the push handle 335 is pushed away from the hook-shaped hinge arm 334, the axial moving sleeve 333 will drive the female connector valve core 23 in the female connector 2 to move, thereby pushing the male connector valve core 13 and realizing the flow channel connection. The present invention uses the form of limiting the hook-shaped hinge arm 334 and the fixed shaft 337 to enable the connector to achieve self-locking when the flow channel is connected. At this time, the push handle 335 does not return to its original position when there is no external force, ensuring the safety and reliability of the medium transportation.
[0071] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the female connector 2 includes a nozzle 21, a nozzle body 22, a female connector valve core 23, a first elastic support member 24, and a valve core drive unit 25. The nozzle body 22 is located outside the nozzle 21; the female connector valve core 23 is fixedly installed in the middle of the nozzle body 22; the first elastic support member 24 is located between the nozzle 21 and the nozzle body 22 and is sleeved on the female connector valve core 23; the valve core drive unit 25 is driven by the nozzle body 22 to move the female connector valve core 23 and achieve flow channel connection. Its layout is compact and reasonable. In this embodiment, the valve core drive unit 25 and the claw drive unit 33 use the same component, that is, the axial moving sleeve 333 is driven by the moving sleeve drive unit to move left and right, which can simultaneously achieve the docking of the male and female connectors and the flow channel connection.
[0072] In this embodiment, the nozzle 21 presses against the female connector valve core 23 under the force of the first elastic support 24. A first self-sealing component 26 is provided between the female connector valve core 23 and the nozzle 21, which allows the nozzle 21 of the female connector 2 to quickly advance and tightly fit with the female connector valve core 23 under normal or abnormal disconnection conditions, and achieve self-sealing under the action of the first self-sealing component 26 to prevent the occurrence of low temperature liquid leakage.
[0073] Meanwhile, the male connector 1 includes a male connector valve body 11, a male connector valve core seat 12, a male connector valve core 13, and a second elastic support member 14. The male connector valve core seat 12 is located inside the male connector valve body 11; the male connector valve core 13 is axially movable and sleeved on the male connector valve core seat 12; the second elastic support member 14 is located between the male connector valve core 13 and the male connector valve core seat 12, resulting in a compact and reasonable layout. Furthermore, the male connector valve core 13, under the force of the second elastic support member 14, presses against the male connector valve body 11. A second self-sealing component 15 is provided between the male connector valve core 13 and the male connector valve body 11, allowing the male connector valve core 13 to quickly advance and tightly fit against the male connector valve body 11 under normal or abnormal disconnection conditions, achieving self-sealing under the action of the second self-sealing component 15 to prevent leakage of cryogenic liquids.
[0074] It is evident that the male connector 1 and female connector 2 of the present invention can achieve self-sealing in the event of an accident, preventing leakage of cryogenic liquid and effectively ensuring the safe and reliable operation of the equipment. At the same time, the self-sealing form of the male connector 1 and female connector 2 enables the connection and disconnection of the male and female connectors when the liquid pressure of the connector is high, eliminating the need for purging of the connectors and pipelines before and after loading and unloading, and improving loading and unloading efficiency.
[0075] In this embodiment, both the first self-sealing component 26 and the second self-sealing component 15 are O-rings. The O-rings are made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, which is resistant to low temperatures and corrosion. Both the male connector valve core 13 and the female connector valve core 23 of this invention are provided with sealing ring mounting grooves to effectively fix the O-rings.
[0076] Furthermore, both the female connector valve core 23 and the male connector valve core 13 are umbrella-shaped valve cores to increase their contact area and ensure effective actuation of the male connector valve core 13 by the female connector valve core 23. Insertion components are provided at the contact positions of the female connector valve core 23 and the male connector valve core 13 to mutually limit and cooperate during actuation, achieving reliable actuation. Simultaneously, through holes are provided at the mounting positions of the female connector valve core 23 on the gun body 22 and at the male connector valve core seat 12 to ensure effective medium delivery. In this embodiment, both the male connector 1 and the female connector 2 are stainless steel connectors to avoid low-temperature brittleness.
[0077] Furthermore, the nozzle 21, nozzle body 22, and male connector valve body 11 are all equipped with a cold insulation sleeve 4. The cold insulation sleeve 4 is made of a composite material of expanded perlite filled with SiO2 aerogel, which prevents frost and ice formation during loading and unloading operations, ensuring loading and unloading safety and improving loading and unloading speed.
[0078] Furthermore, the female connector 2 also includes a nitrogen delivery channel 5. A nozzle cover 27 is provided on the outside of the nozzle 21; a nitrogen sealing sleeve 28 is fixedly connected to the outside of the nozzle body 22, and the nitrogen sealing sleeve 28 and the axial moving sleeve 333 are the same component; one end of the nozzle cover 27 is fixedly connected to the nozzle 21, and the other end of the nozzle cover 27 is located between the nitrogen sealing sleeve 28 and the nozzle body 22.
[0079] In this embodiment, the nitrogen delivery channel 5 includes the gap between the gun body 22 and the nitrogen sealing sleeve 28, the gap between the gun head cover 27 and the gun body 22, and the gap between the gun head cover 27 and the gun head 21, which are connected in sequence. Meanwhile, the nitrogen inlet 51 of the nitrogen delivery channel 5 is located at the connection between the nitrogen sealing sleeve 28 and the gun body 22, and the nitrogen outlet is located at the connection between the gun head 21 and the gun head cover 27. Furthermore, the outer side of the gun body 22 is provided with a threaded groove 221 to allow nitrogen to more fully replace air and water vapor.
[0080] This invention injects nitrogen into the nitrogen delivery channel 5 through the nitrogen inlet 51. The nitrogen displaces the air and moisture in the gap between the nitrogen sealing sleeve 28 and the gun body 22. The nitrogen passes through the threaded groove 221 between the gun head cover 27 and the gun body 22 to form a spiral gas. The spiral gas enters the gap between the gun head cover 27 and the gun head 21, displacing the air and moisture in the gap. Afterward, the nitrogen is discharged from the nitrogen outlet. This invention uses room temperature nitrogen to protect the gaps of the female connector during the installation and removal of the connector equipment, displacing the air and moisture in the gaps of the female connector. This further effectively avoids the occurrence of frost and freezing blockage of the female connector 2, realizing dry connection and disconnection of the connector.
[0081] like Figure 3 As shown, a set of connecting sealing components 6 are respectively provided at both ends of the nozzle head 21. The connecting sealing components 6 include a C-shaped sealing ring 61 and a retaining ring 62. The opening of the C-shaped sealing ring 61 faces the axial sides of the nozzle head 21. When the cryogenic liquid leaks, the liquid enters the opening of the C-shaped sealing ring 61, causing the C-shaped sealing ring 61 to expand and seal, preventing leakage of the cryogenic liquid when the flow channel is connected, and ensuring effective delivery of the medium. The retaining ring 62 is located at the open end of the C-shaped sealing ring 61 and is used to fix the axial position of the C-shaped sealing ring 61.
[0082] In this embodiment, the C-shaped sealing ring 61 uses a stainless steel spring ring inside and an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene ring on the outside. It has self-compensating characteristics and can meet the needs of low temperature and high pressure dynamic sealing.
[0083] In this embodiment, the connection process of male connector 1 and female connector 2 is as follows: the operator holds the push handle 335 with both hands and squeezes it inward. At this time, the push handle 335 is subjected to radial force and moves the axial moving sleeve 333 away from the drive hinge 331 through the hook-shaped hinge arm 334 and the connecting rod 336 in sequence, so that the pawl 32 opens. The operator holds the push handle 335 with both hands and moves the female connector 2 towards the male connector 1. When the guide sleeve 31 is embedded in the sleeve limiting groove 35 of the male connector 1, the operator holds the push handle 335 with both hands and releases the inward squeezing force. The axial moving sleeve 333 returns to its original position through the hook-shaped hinge arm 334 and the connecting rod 336 in sequence. At this time, the pawl 32 closes and falls into the pawl limiting groove 34 to lock and position the male connector 1 and the female connector 2.
[0084] The process of opening the flow channels of male connector 1 and female connector 2 is as follows: The operator holds the push handle 335 with both hands and pushes it to the left. With the pawl 32 as the support point, the push handle 335 rotates to the left, thereby driving the hook-shaped hinge arm 334 to rotate to the left. At this time, the female connector valve core 23 is driven to move to the left through the axial moving sleeve 333 and the gun body 22 in sequence. The female connector valve core 23 pushes the male connector valve core 13 to move to the left, thereby making male connector 1 and female connector 2 break free from self-sealing and realize the flow channel connection.
[0085] After the loading and unloading of natural liquefied gas is completed, the disconnection process of male connector 1 and female connector 2 is as follows: the operator holds the push handle 335 with both hands and pushes it to the right. With the pawl 32 as the support point, the push handle 335 rotates to the right, thereby driving the hook-shaped hinge arm 334 to rotate to the right. In turn, the female connector valve core 23 moves to the right through the axial moving sleeve 333 and the gun body 22. Under the action of the elastic element, the female connector valve core 23 and the male connector valve core 13 return to the self-sealing state to the right. After the push handle 335 is rotated to the right, the operator holds the push handle 335 with both hands and squeezes it inward. At this time, the push handle 335 is subjected to radial force, and in turn, through the hook-shaped hinge arm 334 and the connecting rod 336, it drives the axial moving sleeve 333 to move away from the drive hinge 331, so that the pawl 32 opens. The operator holds the push handle 335 with both hands and drives the female connector 2 to move to the right. The guide sleeve 31 disengages from the sleeve limiting groove 35 of the male connector 1, and the pawl 32 disengages from the pawl limiting groove 34. The operator holds the push handle 335 with both hands and releases the inward squeezing force, thus completing the disconnection of the male connector 1 and the female connector 2.
[0086] When male connector 1 and female connector 2 move unexpectedly or disconnect unexpectedly under external force, causing the guide sleeve 31 to disengage from the sleeve limiting groove 35 of male connector 1 and the claw 32 to disengage from the claw limiting groove 34, the nozzle 21 of female connector 2 can quickly advance and tightly fit with the valve core 23 of female connector under normal or abnormal disconnection conditions, and achieve self-sealing under the action of the first self-sealing component 26; the valve core 13 of male connector can quickly advance and tightly fit with the valve body 11 of male connector under normal or abnormal disconnection conditions, and achieve self-sealing under the action of the second self-sealing component 15. This prevents the leakage of cryogenic liquid and ensures the safe and reliable operation of the equipment.
[0087] Although the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, various modifications can be made and components can be replaced with equivalents without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, the technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any manner as long as there is no structural conflict. The invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.
Claims
1. A connector device for cryogenic liquid transportation, comprising a male connector, a female connector, and a positioning assembly for locking and positioning the male and female connectors, characterized in that, The positioning assembly includes a female connector positioning component and a male connector positioning component. The female connector positioning component includes a guide sleeve, a jaw hinged to the guide sleeve, and a jaw drive unit connected to the upper part of the jaw. The male connector positioning component includes a jaw limiting groove and a sleeve limiting groove. When the male connector mates with the female connector, the end of the guide sleeve abuts against the sleeve limiting groove, and the jaw falls into the jaw limiting groove via the jaw drive unit. The chuck drive unit includes a drive hinge, a hinge spring, an axial moving sleeve, and a moving sleeve drive part. The moving sleeve drive part is drivenly connected to the axial moving sleeve. Both ends of the hinge spring are connected to the axial moving sleeve and the base of the drive hinge, respectively. The bridge arm of the drive hinge is hinged to the upper part of the chuck. The moving sleeve drive part includes four hook-shaped hinge arms, two push handles, and two connecting rods. The two push handles are symmetrically hinged to the outer wall of the guide sleeve; the two connecting rods are symmetrically arranged on the outer wall of the guide sleeve. Between the aforementioned push handles, each of the connecting rods has a hook-shaped hinge arm hinged to both ends, and the other end of each hook-shaped hinge arm is hinged to the corresponding push handle. The hinge point between the connecting rod and the hook-shaped hinge arm is fixed to the axially movable sleeve. The push handle is rotatably mounted on the guide sleeve via a fixed shaft. When the push handle is pushed away from the hook-shaped hinge arm to a preset position, the inner side of the hook-shaped hinge arm is locked to the fixed shaft, thereby enabling the connector to self-lock when the flow channel is connected. The female connector includes a nozzle and a nozzle body located outside the nozzle. The female connector also includes a nitrogen delivery channel to prevent frost formation on the nozzle and nozzle body. A nozzle cover is provided on the outside of the nozzle, and a nitrogen sealing sleeve is fixedly connected to the outside of the nozzle body. One end of the nozzle cover is fixedly connected to the nozzle, and the other end of the nozzle cover is located between the nitrogen sealing sleeve and the nozzle body. The nitrogen delivery channel includes a gap between the nozzle body and the nitrogen sealing sleeve, a gap between the nozzle cover and the nozzle body, and a gap between the nozzle cover and the nozzle. The nitrogen inlet of the nitrogen delivery channel is located at the connection position between the nitrogen sealing sleeve and the nozzle body, and the nitrogen outlet is located at the connection position between the nozzle and the nozzle cover.
2. The connector device for cryogenic liquid transportation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The female connector also includes a female connector valve core fixedly installed in the middle of the gun body, a first elastic support member disposed between the gun head and the gun body, and a valve core driving unit driven by the gun body. The gun head presses against the female connector valve core under the force of the first elastic support member. A first self-sealing component is provided between the female connector valve core and the gun head to prevent the leakage of cryogenic liquid.
3. The connector device for cryogenic liquid transportation according to claim 2, characterized in that, The male connector includes a male connector valve body, a male connector valve core seat disposed within the male connector valve body, a male connector valve core movably sleeved on the male connector valve core seat, and a second elastic support member disposed between the male connector valve core and the male connector valve core seat. The male connector valve core abuts against the male connector valve body under the force of the second elastic support member. A second self-sealing component is provided between the male connector valve core and the male connector valve body to prevent leakage of cryogenic liquid. The female connector valve core contacts the male connector valve core when the male and female connectors are mated, and is driven axially by the valve core driving unit.
4. The connector device for cryogenic liquid transportation according to claim 3, characterized in that, The gun head, the gun body, and the male connector valve body are all equipped with a cold-insulating sleeve to prevent frost from forming on the components.
5. The connector device for cryogenic liquid transportation according to claim 3, characterized in that, Both the female connector valve core and the male connector valve core are umbrella-shaped valve cores, and the contact positions of the female connector valve core and the male connector valve core are provided with plug-in components.
6. The connector device for cryogenic liquid transportation according to claim 3, characterized in that, Both the first self-sealing component and the second self-sealing component are O-ring seals.
7. The connector device for cryogenic liquid transportation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gun body has threaded grooves on the outside to allow nitrogen to fully replace air and water vapor.
8. The connector device for cryogenic liquid transportation according to claim 2, characterized in that, The nozzle head is provided with a set of connection sealing components at both ends to prevent the leakage of cryogenic liquid when the flow channel is connected. The connection sealing components include a C-shaped sealing ring that expands and seals when the cryogenic liquid leaks, and a retaining ring that fixes the position of the C-shaped sealing ring. The opening of the C-shaped sealing ring is arranged facing the axial sides of the nozzle head, and the retaining ring is located at the opening end of the C-shaped sealing ring.
Citation Information
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