Gas filling system and gas filling method

Abstract

The invention discloses a gas filling system and a gas filling method, the gas can be helium, the helium in a storage container can be supplemented by the helium from a gas supply carrier after being inflated into a transfer container and consumed, and the cycle of inflating the transfer container by the storage container can be shortened. The transfer container communicates with the storage containers through a first control assembly, the first control assembly comprises first control valves correspondingly controlling connection and disconnection of the storage containers and the transfer container, and the two first control valves are interlocked so that only one first control valve can be opened and closed. When the storage container inflates the transfer container, the inflation efficiency of each time is high, and the helium storage and filling efficiency can be improved. And the multiple storage containers can inflate the transfer container in sequence according to the sequence of the air pressure in the storage containers from low to high, so that the air pressure in the transfer container is gradually increased, and the inflation efficiency of the transfer container is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the technical field of gas filling, and particularly relates to a gas filling system and a gas filling method. Background Art

[0002] Helium is a noble gas with inactive chemical properties and is widely used in various industries. Imported liquid nitrogen is the main source of helium, and the liquid nitrogen needs to be vaporized and then filled and used separately.

[0003] Currently, gaseous helium is mainly stored in cylinder groups, and the helium in the cylinder groups is transported to the user end. During the transportation of helium, the pressure difference between the cylinder group and the transportation end as well as the user end gradually decreases, and the pressure equalizes during the filling process, resulting in a continuous decrease in the filling rate. After the helium in the cylinder group is output, it also takes time to replenish. In the helium system, the helium filling rate is low, it takes a long time, and it requires a long cycle to replenish the gas, so the efficiency of helium storage and filling is not high enough. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a gas filling system and a gas filling method, aiming to solve the problem that the efficiency of helium storage and filling is not high enough to a certain extent.

[0005] In some embodiments of this application, a gas filling system is provided, including:

[0006] A gas supply carrier for supplying gas;

[0007] A plurality of storage containers, all connected to the gas supply carrier to receive gas;

[0008] A transfer container, connected to the plurality of storage containers through a first control component. The first control component includes first control valves corresponding to controlling the connection and disconnection of each storage container and the transfer container, and two of the first control valves are interlocked to only open or close one of the first control valves.

[0009] In some embodiments, the gas filling system further includes:

[0010] A second control component connecting the gas supply carrier and the plurality of storage containers. The second control component includes second control valves corresponding to controlling the connection and disconnection of each storage container and the gas supply carrier, and two of the second control valves are interlocked to only open or close one of the second control valves.

[0011] In some embodiments, the gas filling system further includes:

[0012] A stop valve, provided between the second control component and each storage container to control the connection and disconnection between the second control component and each storage container.

[0013] In some embodiments, the gas filling system further includes:

[0014] A booster, disposed between the first control assembly and the transfer container, for boosting the gas entering the transfer container.

[0015] In some embodiments, the transfer container is a helium transfer vehicle, and the helium transfer vehicle is connected to the second control assembly through a gas filling column.

[0016] In some embodiments provided by the present application, a gas filling method is provided, including a gas filling system, the gas filling system including a gas supply carrier for supplying gas;

[0017] A gas supply carrier for supplying gas;

[0018] A plurality of storage containers, all connected to the gas supply carrier to receive gas;

[0019] A transfer container, connected to the plurality of storage containers through a first control assembly, the first control assembly including a first control valve corresponding to controlling the on-off of each storage container and the transfer container, and two of the first control valves being interlocked to only switch one of the first control valves;

[0020] The gas filling method includes:

[0021] Inflate the plurality of storage containers into the transfer container in sequence according to the order of the air pressure in the storage containers from low to high.

[0022] In some embodiments, the gas filling method further includes:

[0023] Make the gas supply carrier inflate the plurality of storage containers in sequence according to the order of the air pressure from high to low.

[0024] In some embodiments, the gas filling method further includes:

[0025] While inflating the plurality of storage containers into the transfer container in sequence according to the order of the air pressure in the storage containers from low to high, make the gas supply carrier inflate the plurality of storage containers in sequence according to the order of the air pressure from high to low, and the storage containers in the gas supply state and the inflation state are two different storage containers.

[0026] In some embodiments, the gas filling system further includes a booster disposed between the first control assembly and the transfer container and boosting the gas entering the transfer container,

[0027] The gas filling method further includes:

[0028] Inflate the plurality of storage containers into the transfer container in sequence according to the order of the air pressure in the storage containers from low to high until the first pressure;

[0029] The booster pressurizes the transfer container to a set pressure based on the first pressure.

[0030] In some embodiments, the booster extracts gas from the storage container with the lowest air pressure among multiple storage containers for pressurization.

[0031] Beneficial effects provided by one or more embodiments of the present application:

[0032] In the gas filling system, the gas supply carrier can inflate multiple storage containers, and the storage containers then inflate the transfer container. The gas is transported to the corresponding user end through the transfer container, etc. After the gas in the storage container is consumed by inflating the transfer container, it can also be replenished with gas from the gas supply carrier, which can shorten the inflation cycle of the storage container for the transfer container. The first control component between the transfer container and the storage container is connected, and the first control component includes first control valves corresponding to controlling the on / off of each storage container and the transfer container, and the two first control valves are interlocked so that only one first control valve can be switched. When the storage container inflates the transfer container, the inflation efficiency is relatively high each time, which is beneficial to improving the efficiency of gas storage and filling. Also, multiple storage containers can be inflated to the transfer container in sequence according to the ascending order of the air pressure in the storage containers, so that the air pressure in the transfer container gradually increases, which is also beneficial to improving the inflation efficiency of the transfer container. When the gas is helium, the storage and filling efficiency of helium can be improved, and the problem of insufficient storage and filling efficiency of helium can be solved to a certain extent. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the following drawings are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0034] Figure 1 Shows a schematic structural diagram of a gas filling system in one or more embodiments of the present application.

[0035] Figure 2 Shows another schematic structural diagram of a gas filling system in one or more embodiments of the present application

[0036] Figure 3 Shows a flowchart of a gas filling method in one or more embodiments of the present application.

[0037] Explanation of the accompanying drawings: 1. Gas supply carrier; 2. Storage container; 3. Transfer container; 4. First control component; 41. First control valve; 5. Second control component; 51. Second control valve; 6. Shut-off valve; 7. Booster; 8. Gas filling column. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] In order to make the technical personnel in the technical field to which the present application belongs to understand the present application more clearly, the technical scheme in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in the field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0039] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a gas filling system in one or more embodiments of the present application is shown, with reference to Figure 1 In some embodiments of the present application, a gas filling system is provided, comprising:

[0040] A gas supply carrier 1 for supplying gas.

[0041] The plurality of storage containers 2 are all connected to the gas supply carrier 1 to receive gas.

[0042] The transfer container 3 is connected to multiple storage containers 2 through a first control component 4. The first control component 4 includes a first control valve 41 that controls the connection and disconnection of each storage container 2 and the transfer container 3, and the two first control valves 41 are interlocked with each other so that only one first control valve 41 is switched.

[0043] In a gas filling system, a gas supply carrier 1 can fill multiple storage containers 2, and the storage containers 2 then fill a transfer container 3. The gas is transferred to the corresponding user end through the transfer container 3, etc. After the gas in the storage container 2 is consumed by filling the transfer container 3, it can also be replenished with gas from the gas supply carrier 1, which can shorten the filling cycle of the storage container 2 for the transfer container 3. The first control assembly 4 is connected between the transfer container 3 and the storage container 2, and the first control assembly 4 includes first control valves 41 corresponding to controlling the on-off of each storage container 2 and the transfer container 3, and the two first control valves 41 are interlocked with each other so that only one first control valve 41 can be switched. When the storage container 2 fills the transfer container 3, the filling efficiency is relatively high each time, which is beneficial to improving the efficiency of gas storage and filling. It can also be in the order of the air pressure in the storage container 2 from low to high, so that multiple storage containers 2 fill the transfer container 3 in sequence, and the air pressure in the transfer container 3 gradually increases, which is also beneficial to improving the filling efficiency of the transfer container 3. When the gas is helium, the storage and filling efficiency of helium can be improved, and to a certain extent, the problem of insufficient storage and filling efficiency of helium can be solved. It can also increase the effective storage volume of the high-pressure helium storage container 2 and the storage turnover frequency of helium. While improving the efficiency, to a certain extent, the equipment configuration of the helium storage and filling system can be simplified, the equipment investment can be reduced, and the floor area can be saved. Moreover, the storage container 2 can also be used as a transfer station between the gas supply carrier 1 and the transfer container 3 to adjust the gas pressure provided by the gas supply carrier 1 to a more appropriate pressure and transport it to the transfer container 3.

[0044] The gas filling system can also be applied to the filling of inert gases similar to helium, and this application does not limit this. The following description can be based on the gas being helium.

[0045] It should be noted that the interlock between the two first control valves 41 can be realized by, for example, a PLC (programmable logic controller), etc., and the controller can be included in the first control assembly 4. This application does not limit this.

[0046] In some embodiments, the gas supply carrier 1 can be a gas station with a liquid helium gasification function, or a vaporizer for gasifying liquid helium, etc. The storage container 2 can be a gas cylinder, or a box for storing gas, or an irregular container with a storage space, etc. This application does not limit this.

[0047] In some embodiments, the storage container 2 can be a gas cylinder, and the design pressures of multiple storage containers 2 can be the same. A pressure detection gauge is provided inside the gas cylinder. It is convenient for helium to be stably filled into the storage container 2, and the pressure detection gauge can detect the pressure inside the gas cylinder to control different gas cylinders to store helium or supply helium to the transfer container 3.

[0048] In some embodiments, the gas filling system further includes: a second control component 5 that connects the gas supply carrier 1 and the plurality of storage containers 2. The second control component 5 includes second control valves 51 that respectively control the connection and disconnection between each storage container 2 and the gas supply carrier 1, and the two second control valves 51 are interlocked with each other so that only one second control valve 51 can be switched on or off.

[0049] Adding the second control component 5 to control the gas supply carrier 1 and each storage container 2 can also improve the efficiency of the gas supply carrier 1 supplying gas to the storage container 2, which is beneficial to shortening the helium storage and filling cycle and improving the helium storage and filling efficiency.

[0050] In certain embodiments, the structure of the second control component 5 can be the same as that of the first control component 4, which is convenient for preparation and acquisition. The interlock logic between the second control valves 51 can be the same as or different from that of the first control valves 41, and can also be implemented through structures such as a controller, etc. The present application does not limit this.

[0051] In certain embodiments, the first control component 4 and the second control component 5, in addition to including control valves and a controller (not shown in the figure), may further include a control panel (not shown in the figure). The controller is integrated in the control panel and can be adjusted and set through the control panel. The present application does not limit this.

[0052] In some embodiments, the gas filling system further includes:

[0053] A stop valve 6 is provided between the second control component 5 and each storage container 2 to control the connection and disconnection between the second control component 5 and each storage container 2. This can improve the use safety of the gas filling system.

[0054] In certain embodiments, the stop valve 6 can also be provided between every two interconnected devices or valve groups and other structures, such as between the first control component 4 and the plurality of storage containers 2 or between the first control component 4 and the gas supply carrier 1. The present application does not limit this.

[0055] In some embodiments, the gas filling system further includes a booster 7. The booster 7 is provided between the first control component 4 and the transfer container 3 and is used to boost the gas entering the transfer container 3.

[0056] The booster 7 can boost the gas in the transfer container 3, improve the helium transfer efficiency, reduce the possibility of gas backflow, etc., and improve the use safety of the gas filling system.

[0057] In some embodiments, the transfer container 3 is a helium transfer vehicle, and the helium transfer vehicle is connected to the second control component 5 through a gas filling column 8. The transfer container 3 being a helium transfer vehicle can facilitate the transfer of helium to the user end, and the gas filling column 8 can facilitate the filling of helium.

[0058] In some embodiments, the transfer container 3 can also be a gas cylinder on a helium vehicle, etc. The number of gas cylinders can be 3 or 4, etc., and the present application does not limit this.

[0059] Figure 2 Another structural schematic diagram of the gas filling system in one or more embodiments of the present application is shown. Refer to Figure 2 , in some embodiments, in the gas filling system, the gas supply carrier 1, the second control component 5, the multiple storage containers 2, the first control component 4, and the transfer container 3 can form a transfer line. The gas filling system can include at least one parallel transfer line, and a single supercharger 7 can be shared among different transfer lines. This can increase the scale of the gas filling system and improve the fault tolerance rate during filling. Sharing the supercharger 7 can reduce costs. The supercharger 7 can also be arranged such that each transfer line is provided with a corresponding one, and the present application does not limit this.

[0060] It should be noted that between devices or structures that need to be connected to convey gas or helium, they can all be connected through pipelines or tubes, and valves can be arranged in the corresponding pipelines or tubes. The present application does not limit this.

[0061] Figure 3 A flowchart of the gas filling method in one or more embodiments of the present application is shown. Refer to Figure 1 And Figure 3 , in the second aspect of the present application, a gas filling method is provided, including a gas filling system, and the structure of the gas filling system can refer to the foregoing. The gas filling method includes:

[0062] S101: Inflate the multiple storage containers into the transfer container in sequence according to the order of increasing air pressure in the storage containers.

[0063] For the structure and effects of the gas filling system, reference can be made to the foregoing, and details will not be elaborated here. When the storage container inflates the transfer container, by inflating the multiple storage containers into the transfer container in sequence according to the order of increasing air pressure in the storage containers, the air pressure in the transfer container gradually increases, which is also beneficial to improving the inflation efficiency of the transfer container. When the gas is helium, the storage and filling efficiency of helium can be improved, and to a certain extent, the problem of insufficient storage and filling efficiency of helium can be solved. Moreover, in this way, the volume utilization rate of the transfer container is also relatively high, which is beneficial to reducing the storage and filling cycle of helium.

[0064] It should be noted that according to the number of times the storage container supplies gas to the transfer container and the different amounts of gas that the storage container needs to supply to the transfer container, different pressure values will naturally exist among the multiple storage containers, and there will be high and low pressures in each storage container.

[0065] In some embodiments, the gas filling method further includes: causing a gas supply carrier to fill a plurality of storage containers in sequence according to the order of decreasing air pressure.

[0066] When filling the storage containers, by filling the plurality of storage containers in sequence according to the order of decreasing air pressure, the storage containers with higher air pressure can be filled first and then the storage containers with lower air pressure can be filled. The efficiency of filling the storage containers is relatively high, and the filled storage containers can also be put into use to supply gas to the transfer container. It is not necessary to spend a long time waiting for all the storage containers to be filled before filling the transfer container, effectively improving the filling efficiency.

[0067] In some embodiments, while causing a plurality of storage containers to fill the transfer container in sequence according to the order of increasing air pressure in the storage containers, the gas supply carrier fills the plurality of storage containers in sequence according to the order of decreasing air pressure, and the storage containers in the gas supply state and the filling state are two different storage containers.

[0068] By adopting the above method, two storage containers for filling and gas supply respectively can exist simultaneously among the plurality of storage containers, and filling and gas supply are carried out simultaneously, enabling the overall gas filling system to be effectively recycled. The storage containers with lower pressure supply gas to the transfer container and are emptied first, and the storage containers with increasing pressure are emptied in sequence. At the same time, the storage containers with decreasing pressure receive the gas supplied by the gas supply carrier and are filled in sequence. The emptied storage containers are refilled, and the storage container with the highest filled pressure supplies gas to the transfer container, effectively improving the overall filling efficiency. While the filling efficiency is greatly improved, according to the actual usage requirements, the overall scale or floor space of the gas filling system can also be slightly reduced correspondingly, reducing the preparation cost of the gas filling system while improving the efficiency.

[0069] It should be noted that when a storage container receives helium from the gas supply carrier, the storage container is in the filling state, and when the storage container supplies gas to the transfer container, the storage container is in the gas supply state. If there are two storage containers with the same pressure among the plurality of storage containers, the two storage containers with the same pressure are filled or supplied with gas in sequence.

[0070] In some embodiments, the gas filling system further includes a booster disposed between the first control component and the transfer container and boosting the gas entering the transfer container. The gas filling method may further include:

[0071] Causing a plurality of storage containers to fill the transfer container to a first pressure in sequence according to the order of increasing air pressure in the storage containers; causing the booster to boost the pressure of the transfer container to a set pressure based on the first pressure.

[0072] Adding a booster can, for example, on the basis that the design pressure of the transfer container is greater than the design pressure of the storage container, extract the gas in the storage container, boost the pressure and then transport it into the transfer container, improving the versatility of the gas filling system. The booster can also reduce the possibility of gas reflux and improve the safety of gas transfer.

[0073] In some embodiments, the booster extracts gas from the storage container with the lowest air pressure among multiple storage containers for boosting. On the one hand, it can promote the emptying of the storage container with low air pressure. On the other hand, the booster has a faster boosting speed, and boosting the lower air pressure has a better air supply effect.

[0074] In some embodiments, the ratio of the set pressure to the first pressure is 20:18 to 20:10. When the set pressure and the first pressure of the transfer container are set within the above range, the filling efficiency of the transfer container is relatively high.

[0075] It should be noted that the ratio of the set pressure to the first pressure can also slightly exceed the above range. The first pressure can be obtained through multiple tests, and this application does not limit this.

[0076] In this application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the first feature being "on" or "under" the second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or may also include the first and second features not being in direct contact but being in contact through other features between them. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "over" and "on top of" the second feature includes the first feature being directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or merely indicating that the first feature has a higher horizontal height than the second feature. The first feature being "under", "beneath" and "underneath" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or merely indicating that the first feature has a lower horizontal height than the second feature.

[0077] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. It is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation to this application.

[0078] In this application, unless otherwise clearly specified and defined, terms such as "connection" and "fixation" shall be understood in a broad sense. For example, "fixation" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or integrated; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the communication inside two components or the interaction relationship between two components. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0079] In addition, in this application, descriptions such as "first" and "second" are only for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more features. In the description of this application, "a plurality of" means two or more unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0080] Although the embodiments of this application have been shown and described, those of ordinary skill in the art can understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and purposes of this application, and the scope of this application is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A gas filling system, characterized in that, Comprising: A gas supply carrier for supplying gas; A plurality of storage containers, all connected to the gas supply carrier to receive the gas; A transfer container, connected to the plurality of storage containers through a first control assembly, the first control assembly including first control valves corresponding to control the connection and disconnection of each storage container and the transfer container, and two of the first control valves being interlocked to only switch one of the first control valves.

2. The gas filling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas filling system further includes: A second control assembly connecting the gas supply carrier and the plurality of storage containers, the second control assembly including second control valves corresponding to control the connection and disconnection of each storage container and the gas supply carrier, and two of the second control valves being interlocked to only switch one of the second control valves.

3. The gas filling system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The gas filling system further includes: A shut-off valve provided between the second control assembly and each storage container to control the connection and disconnection between the second control assembly and each storage container.

4. The gas filling system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The gas filling system further includes: A booster provided between the first control assembly and the transfer container for boosting the gas entering the transfer container.

5. The gas filling system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The transfer container is a helium transfer vehicle, and the helium transfer vehicle is connected to the second control assembly through a gas filling column.

6. A gas filling method, characterized in that, Comprising a gas filling system, the gas filling system includes a gas supply carrier for supplying gas; A gas supply carrier for supplying gas; A plurality of storage containers, all connected to the gas supply carrier to receive gas; A transfer container, connected to the plurality of storage containers through a first control assembly, the first control assembly including first control valves corresponding to control the connection and disconnection of each storage container and the transfer container, and two of the first control valves being interlocked to only switch one of the first control valves; The gas filling method includes: In the order of increasing air pressure in the storage containers, causing the plurality of storage containers to sequentially fill the transfer container with gas.

7. The gas filling method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The gas filling method further includes: Causing the gas supply carrier to sequentially fill the plurality of storage containers with gas in the order of decreasing air pressure.

8. The gas filling method according to claim 6, wherein The gas filling method further includes: In the order of increasing air pressure in the storage containers, while causing the plurality of storage containers to sequentially fill the transfer container with gas, causing the gas supply carrier to sequentially fill the plurality of storage containers with gas in the order of decreasing air pressure, and the storage containers in the gas supply state and the gas filling state are two different storage containers.

9. The gas filling method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that, The gas filling system further includes a booster provided between the first control assembly and the transfer container for boosting the gas entering the transfer container, The gas filling method further includes: In the order of increasing air pressure in the storage containers, causing the plurality of storage containers to sequentially fill the transfer container with gas to a first pressure; Causing the booster to boost the pressure of the transfer container to a set pressure based on the first pressure.

10. The gas filling method according to claim 9, wherein, The booster extracts gas from the storage container with the lowest air pressure among the plurality of storage containers for boosting.

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