Coupling for liquefied gas

Abstract

A coupling (1) for liquefied gas includes a male part (10) and a second part (40) to be coupled to each other by inserting a first part (10) into the second part (40). An internal liquefied gas conduit is to be fluidly connected for transporting liquefied gas through the coupler (1). A valve (42) is movable between a first position in which the liquefied gas is prevented from being transmitted through the coupler and a second position in which the liquefied gas is permitted to be transmitted through the coupler. In the event that the components (10, 40) are interconnected, the coupling has a first operating state, in which no liquefied gas is transmitted through the coupling, and a second operating state, in which liquefied gas is allowed to flow through the coupling. An automated process is provided by providing at least one sensor (14, 16, 20) adapted to sense the status of the coupler to enable control of the fueling process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to connectors, and more specifically to a connector for transporting cryogenic media using a vacuum insulated pipe or hose line and a poppet valve, wherein the poppet valve can be moved in an axial direction to a connector plug using a pneumatic or hydraulic supply, wherein the pneumatic or hydraulic supply is outside the vacuum insulated pipe or hose line with any gas or liquid medium, and the conduit thereby opens the other side of the conduit in the connector plug, such as a single or multiple poppet valves, for transporting the cryogenic medium. Background Art

[0002] Under the zero emission target or CO2 neutral future of global environmental issues, clean energy such as hydrogen and natural gas play a greater role in the growing demand. One example is that clean liquefied gas produced by solar energy, wind energy and other clean energy, especially hydrogen, needs to be transported in liquefied phase due to its small volume. On the other hand, liquefied gas is considered as a fuel for long-distance transportation (such as trucks, ships, airplanes and rockets) due to its high energy and high density fuel.

[0003] In cryogenic applications, changes in temperature can quickly become dangerous, especially if liquefied gases reach boiling temperatures causing them to expand rapidly. An example is liquid hydrogen (LH2), which needs to be kept below -253°C at atmospheric pressure to keep it liquid. LH2 at boiling point can expand about 800 times in volume to hydrogen gas (GH2) at ambient temperature, which creates dangerous pressures. As is known, such cryogenic media can only be achieved with appropriate insulation measures (e.g. vacuum insulated pipes or hose lines) for transport or refueling.

[0004] In particular, for supplying cryogenic liquefied gases (especially LH2), the connector is a critical and vulnerable component, where thermal bridges and dead spaces containing, for example, air may provide dangerous changes. For example, at atmospheric pressure, LNG condenses into liquid at temperatures below about -160°C, oxygen condenses into liquid oxygen at temperatures below about -195°C, nitrogen condenses into liquid nitrogen LN2 at temperatures below about -195°C, and hydrogen condenses into liquid hydrogen LH2 at temperatures below about -253°C. In order to maintain this, it is crucial that no foreign particles (including condensed liquid or solid oxygen, nitrogen) are introduced into the storage (e.g., fuel cell) when the liquefied gas is transported as fuel. Potential leakage of H2 at the dead space with condensed liquid oxygen may also cause an explosion.

[0005] Liquefied gas is used for different purposes, but regardless of the purpose, efficiency and safety are important factors. To provide one of many examples, liquefied gas can be used as a fuel and needs to be transferred from a gas station to, for example, a truck. Although such transfers are well known in the art, there are disadvantages in the art that reduce efficiency. For example, an open connector without a poppet valve. This type of connector would require first purging the entire pipeline with an inert gas to test for leaks and then evacuating.

[0006] Insulation is a way to avoid heat loss during the transfer of cryogenic media, which means less "cold" will be transferred to the outside of the operating area. Effective insulation means that the system does not have to work as hard to maintain the operating temperature of the unit, thus reducing energy consumption. One known vacuum insulation is to use a variety of insulating materials, such as rolled aluminum foil inside a vacuum chamber. Summary of the invention

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a coupling for liquefied gas for quickly connecting and disconnecting hoses without the need for additional tools and without spillage, and in which reliability and safety are primary concerns.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the invention, a connector for liquefied gas comprises: a first male component and a second female component, the first male component and the second female component are to be connected to each other by inserting the first component into the second component (40), wherein the first component and the second component both comprise: an internal liquefied gas conduit, the internal liquefied gas conduit being fluidly connected for transmitting liquefied gas through the connector; a valve, the valve being movable between a first position and a second position, in the first position preventing liquefied gas from being transmitted through the connector, and in the second position allowing liquefied gas to be transmitted through the connector, wherein, when the first component and the second component are interconnected, the connector has a first operating state and a second operating state, in the first operating state no liquefied gas is transmitted through the connector, and in the second operating state liquefied gas is allowed to flow through the connector, the connector being characterized by at least one sensor, the at least one sensor being suitable for sensing the state of the connector so as to enable control of the refueling process.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the state of the coupling includes whether the first component and the second component are interconnected.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the state of the coupling includes whether the first component and the second component are locked to each other.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the state of the coupling comprises the position of the valve.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the sensor is any one of: an inductive sensor, a proximity sensor, and a magnetic sensor.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, thermal insulation is provided, preferably vacuum insulation.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the sensor is arranged outside the thermal insulation.

[0015] According to a second aspect of the invention, a nozzle for a connector according to the invention is provided, the nozzle comprising a first male component connectable to a second female component of the connector, the first component and the second component to be connected to each other by inserting the first component into the second component, the first component comprising an internal liquefied gas conduit to be fluidically connected for transmitting liquefied gas through the connector, wherein, when the first component and the second component are interconnected, the connector has a first operating state and a second operating state, in the first operating state no liquefied gas is transmitted through the connector, in the second operating state liquefied gas is allowed to flow through the connector, the nozzle being characterized by at least one sensor arranged in the first male component, the at least one sensor being suitable for sensing the state of the connector so as to enable control of the refueling process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0017] Figure 1 is in the connected position Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a coupling of , wherein no fluid passes through the coupling;

[0018] Figure 2 After the coupling parts are connected and locked (at which point flushing can begin) Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a connector; and

[0019] Figure 3 After connection and at full flow Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of the connector. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] In the following, a detailed description of different embodiments of the solution is disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings. All embodiments herein should be considered as part of the general description and can therefore be combined in a broad sense. Individual features of the various embodiments and aspects can be combined or exchanged, unless such combination or exchange is obviously inconsistent with the overall function of the device or method.

[0021] In this specification, the term "coupler" will refer to the two halves of a connection unit with an internal valve, which comprises a female part in the form of a socket (also called a tank unit or adapter) and a male part in the form of a nozzle (also called a hose unit or coupling). The socket is almost vacuum mounted on a transport unit (such as a tank truck, rail car or receiving container), while the nozzle is almost vacuum mounted on a supply unit (such as a flexible hose from a gas station, a loading arm from a storage tank, a supply tank or a fuel container).

[0022] Now go to Figure 1 , shows a coupling, generally designated 1, comprising a first male part in the form of a nozzle 10 and a second female part in the form of a socket 40, the nozzle 10 and the socket 40 being to be coupled to each other by inserting the nozzle 10 into the socket 40. The interconnection between the nozzle 10 and the socket 40 is achieved by first inserting the nozzle 10 into the socket 40; and then rotating the nozzle 10 about its central axis by turning a handle 12 attached to the nozzle 10. There will be mutual rotation between the nozzle 10 and the socket 40, since the socket 40 is fixed against rotation by its attachment to the receiving container.

[0023] In order to sense the position of the nozzle 10 relative to the socket 40, an interconnection sensor 14 is provided in the nozzle 10. In the preferred embodiment, the interconnection sensor 14 is provided in or attached to the nozzle 10 engaged in the socket 40. The locking means and the groove together form a bayonet joint, as is known in the art. The interconnection sensor 14 may be an inductive sensor, but other options are possible, such as a proximity sensor or a magnetic sensor.

[0024] exist Figure 1 In the interconnected position shown, the nozzle 10 and the socket 40 are not locked to each other. In other words, the operator can disengage the nozzle 10 from the socket 40 by reversing the interconnection process. For safe operation, a locking sensor 16 is provided, which senses whether the locking mechanism 18 has been activated. The locking mechanism ensures that the nozzle 10 cannot be disengaged from the socket 40. However, in another embodiment, the locking mechanism is normally closed, i.e. the nozzle 10 and the socket 40 are locked to each other by default.

[0025] A valve sensor 20 is provided for detecting the position of a valve device 42, which is arranged in the socket and is movable between a first position in which the transmission of liquefied gas through the coupling 1 is blocked and a second position in which the transmission of liquefied gas through the coupling is allowed. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the valve device 42 comprises poppet valves arranged one after the other in the flow path. For safety reasons, the flow of liquefied gas must not start before the nozzle 10 and the socket 40 are locked to each other.

[0026] exist Figure 2, a coupling is shown in which the nozzle 10 and the socket 40 are locked to each other by means of a locking mechanism 18. This means that the operation of transferring liquefied gas can be started. The operation starts with a so-called purge operation, in which the chamber between the nozzle 10 and the socket 40 is flushed with a suitable gas, such as H2, to ensure that no oxygen remains in the chamber. In this regard, the valve sensor 20 gives a positive signal for the purge position, in which the cold seal does not engage with the socket 40. Only when the space 24 between the nozzle 10 and the socket 40 has been flushed, the liquefied gas in the gas duct 26 of the nozzle 10 is allowed to start flowing into the socket 40.

[0027] exist Figure 3 , the coupling 1 is shown with liquefied gas flowing through the gas duct 26 of the nozzle 10 and the gas duct 46 of the socket 40. In this figure it can be seen that the valve 42 has been pushed from a position in which the valve piston has left its engagement with the valve seat, thereby allowing flow into the gas duct 46 of the socket 40. This displacement of the valve 42 of the socket is effected by the displacement of the displacement piston 28 provided in the nozzle 10.

[0028] The displacement of the piston 28 is achieved by increasing the pressure in a displacement chamber 30, which is arranged outside the gas duct 26 of the nozzle 10 and preferably outside the insulation (in this case, the vacuum insulation). In other words, the pneumatic or hydraulic supply is outside the vacuum insulated pipe or hose line with any gas or liquid medium. In a preferred embodiment, the gas pressure in the displacement chamber 30 is increased to 15 to 20 bars to achieve the displacement. The gas in the displacement chamber 30 exerts pressure on the shoulder 28a rigidly mechanically connected to the displacement piston 28, causing the shoulder 28a to shift, thereby shifting the displacement piston 28 to the left in the figure. The fact that the driving force is completely outside the gas duct 26 prevents the risk of liquefied gas mixing with other gases from being eliminated. Instead of a pneumatic solution with gas in the displacement chamber 30, a hydraulic solution is also possible.

[0029] Returning to the sensors 14, 16, 20, the arrangement of these sensors enables a fully automated gas flow process once the operator connects the nozzle 10 to the socket 40. The automated process essentially comprises the following steps:

[0030] - manually interconnecting the nozzle 10 and the socket 40 so that the nozzle 10 and the socket 40 are in an interconnected state;

[0031] - detecting the interconnection status;

[0032] - Automatically lock the nozzle 10 to the socket 40;

[0033] -optionally, detecting valve position;

[0034] - Automatically purge the space 24 between the nozzle 10 and the socket 40;

[0035] - Automatically shifting the valve 42 from a first position, in which the transmission of liquefied gas through the coupling 1 is blocked, to a second position, in which the transmission of liquefied gas through the coupling 1 is allowed.

[0036] When the flow of liquefied gas is to be terminated, the process is reversed. In one embodiment of the reverse operation, after the pressure in chamber 30 is released, the spring pushes the valve into the closed position. In this embodiment, the cold seal remains in the sealed position, allowing the gas trapped in the coupling to be safely purged. Pressure is then applied to the opposite side of chamber 30 to disengage the cold seal.

[0037] Preferred embodiments of a coupling and a method of operating such a coupling according to the invention have been described. It should be understood that these embodiments may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the inventive concept. Thus, a coupling with a double valve solution has been shown in the drawings. It should be understood that the invention is also applicable to other types of valves, such as a single valve solution.

Claims

1. A connector (1) for liquefied gas, the connector (1) comprising: a first component (10) and a second component (40) to be coupled to each other by inserting the first component (10) into the second component (40), wherein the first component (10) and the second component (40) each comprise an internal liquefied gas conduit to be fluidly connected for transferring liquefied gas through the coupling (1); a valve (42) movable between a first position, in which the liquefied gas is prevented from being transmitted through the coupling, and a second position, in which the liquefied gas is allowed to be transmitted through the coupling, wherein, when the first component (10) and the second component (40) are interconnected, the coupling has a first operating state in which no liquefied gas is transmitted through the coupling and a second operating state in which liquefied gas is allowed to flow through the coupling, It is characterized in that At least one sensor (14, 16, 20) is adapted to sense a state of the coupling to enable control of a refueling process.

2. The coupling according to claim 1, wherein: The state of the coupling includes whether the first component (10) and the second component (40) are interconnected.

3. The coupling according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The state of the coupling includes whether the first component (10) and the second component (40) are locked to each other.

4. The coupling according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The state of the coupler includes the position of the valve.

5. The coupling according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The sensor (14, 16, 20) is any one of the following: an inductive sensor, a proximity sensor, and a magnetic sensor.

6. A coupling according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising thermal insulation, preferably vacuum insulation.

7. The coupling according to any one of claims 6, wherein: The sensor is arranged outside the thermal insulation.

8. A nozzle for a coupling according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the nozzle comprising: a first component (10) connectable to a second component (40) of the coupling, the first component and the second component being to be coupled to each other by inserting the first component (10) into the second component (40), The first component (10) comprises an internal liquefied gas conduit to be fluidly connected for transferring liquefied gas through the coupling (1), in, With the first component (10) and the second component (40) interconnected, the coupling has a first operating state in which no liquefied gas is transmitted through the coupling and a second operating state in which liquefied gas is allowed to flow through the coupling, It is characterized in that At least one sensor is provided in the first component (10), the at least one sensor being adapted to sense the state of the coupling to enable control of the refueling process.

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