High-efficiency low-temperature adsorbent vacuum breaking device and method

Abstract

An efficient low-temperature adsorbent vacuum breaking device comprises an outer shell and an inner container arranged in the outer shell, a vacuum heat insulation gap is reserved between the inner container and the outer shell, a low-temperature adsorbent chamber is inserted in the inner container, one end of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber is arranged in the inner container, and the other end of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber is arranged in the inner container. The other end of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber is arranged in the vacuum heat insulation gap, an opening is formed in the end, at the vacuum heat insulation gap, of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber, the opening is sealed through a sealing cover, an adsorption opening is formed in the sealing cover and sealed through a thin aluminum plate, and an air inlet pipe is further inserted into the sealing cover. And a low-temperature adsorbent is filled in the low-temperature adsorbent chamber. The low-temperature adsorbent can be put into the interlayer in advance, the tank body is prevented from being subjected to trepanning operation again in the later period, meanwhile, the activation degree of the low-temperature adsorbent material is guaranteed to the maximum degree, and the low-temperature adsorbent material can be activated again and replaced conveniently in the later period.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of vacuum insulated storage tank, in particular to a high-efficiency low-temperature adsorbent vacuum breaking device, and also relates to a use method of the high-efficiency low-temperature adsorbent vacuum breaking device. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the application of LNG, liquid oxygen, liquid nitrogen, liquid argon and other vacuum insulated storage tanks, the heat insulation performance of the tank interlayer is crucial, which directly affects the service life of the equipment. In order to ensure that the tank interlayer can maintain good vacuum degree, low-temperature adsorbent needs to be placed in the interlayer space, which can adsorb moisture and gas impurities in the interlayer.

[0003] Low-temperature adsorbent usually needs to be activated and placed in the cold side of the interlayer space, and the contact time with air should be minimized during the placement process to ensure its adsorption performance. However, due to the special structure of the vacuum insulated storage tank with double-layer structure, the placement method and timing of the low-temperature adsorbent face many difficulties.

[0004] Currently, there are mainly two common placement methods: one is to place low-temperature adsorbent in the interlayer in advance during the manufacture of the tank body, but this method will cause the low-temperature adsorbent to be in contact with air for a long time, which will affect its adsorption performance; the other is to damage the interlayer after nitrogen replacement of the tank body, then place the low-temperature adsorbent. However, the conventional structure type cannot well meet the above process requirements, and there are problems such as complex operation and affecting the adsorbent performance.

[0005] Therefore, it is of great practical significance to develop a vacuum breaking device that can effectively solve the above problems. SUMMARY

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by the present application is to provide a high-efficiency low-temperature adsorbent vacuum breaking device, which can place low-temperature adsorbent in the interlayer in advance, avoid opening the tank body for operation again in the later stage, and maximize the activation degree of low-temperature adsorbent material, and facilitate the reactivation and replacement of low-temperature adsorbent material in the later stage.

[0007] Another technical problem to be solved by the present application is to provide a use method of the high-efficiency low-temperature adsorbent vacuum breaking device.

[0008] The technical problem to be solved by the present application is solved by the following technical scheme. The present application is a high-efficiency low-temperature adsorbent vacuum breaking device, which comprises an outer shell and an inner container arranged in the outer shell, a vacuum heat insulation gap is left between the inner container and the outer shell, a low-temperature adsorbent chamber is inserted on the inner container, one end of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber is arranged in the inner container, the other end of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber is arranged in the vacuum heat insulation gap, an opening is arranged at the end of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber in the vacuum heat insulation gap, the opening is sealed by a sealing cover, an adsorption port is arranged on the sealing cover, the adsorption port is sealed by a thin aluminum plate, a gas inlet pipe is also inserted on the sealing cover, one end of the gas inlet pipe is arranged in the low-temperature adsorbent chamber, the other end of the gas inlet pipe extends to the outside of the outer shell, and the low-temperature adsorbent is filled in the low-temperature adsorbent chamber.

[0009] The technical problem to be solved by the present application can be further realized by the following technical scheme. For the high-efficiency low-temperature adsorbent vacuum breaking device described above, the outer shell and the inner container are arranged transversely, the low-temperature adsorbent chamber is vertically inserted on the inner container, the bottom of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber is arranged on the bottom of the inner container, and the joint of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber and the inner container is sealed.

[0010] The technical problem to be solved by the present application can be further realized by the following technical scheme. For the high-efficiency low-temperature adsorbent vacuum breaking device described above, the gas inlet pipe is vertically inserted on the low-temperature adsorbent chamber, and the bottom of the gas inlet pipe extends to the bottom of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber.

[0011] The technical problem to be solved by the present application can be further realized by the following technical scheme. For the high-efficiency low-temperature adsorbent vacuum breaking device described above, the gas inlet pipe is a lengthened flexible steel pipe, and the joints of the lengthened flexible steel pipe and the sealing cover and the outer shell are sealed.

[0012] The technical problem to be solved by the present application can be further realized by the following technical scheme. For the high-efficiency low-temperature adsorbent vacuum breaking device described above, the low-temperature adsorbent is molecular sieve, activated carbon or silica gel.

[0013] The technical problem to be solved by the present application can be further realized by the following technical scheme. For the high-efficiency low-temperature adsorbent vacuum breaking device described above, a control valve is arranged on the gas inlet pipe.

[0014] The technical problem to be solved by the present application can be further realized by the following technical scheme. For the high-efficiency low-temperature adsorbent vacuum breaking device described above, the control valve is an electric regulating valve or a manual regulating valve with flow regulating function.

[0015] The technical problems to be solved by the present application can also be further realized by the following technical solutions, for the high-efficiency low-temperature adsorbent vacuum breaking device, a high-efficiency low-temperature adsorbent vacuum breaking method, the steps are as follows: (1) In the device manufacturing stage, the selected low-temperature adsorbent is filled into the low-temperature adsorbent chamber, ensuring that the filling is dense without gaps, the opening of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber at the vacuum heat insulation gap is closed by a sealing cover, and the adsorption port is sealed by a thin aluminum plate to form an independent sealed space, so that one end of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber is located inside the inner container at the low-temperature side, and the other end is located in the vacuum heat insulation gap, which is completely isolated from the outside world; (2) The device is installed in the interlayer between the outer shell and the inner container, ensuring that the low-temperature adsorbent chamber is sealed and connected to the bottom of the inner container, the gas inlet pipe extends to the outside of the outer shell and is sealed and fixed, high-purity nitrogen is filled into the interlayer between the outer shell and the inner container, and the air and impurities in the interlayer are replaced and removed to reduce the pollution risk to the low-temperature adsorbent; (3) After the nitrogen replacement is completed and before the vacuum is extracted, pressurized nitrogen is filled into the low-temperature adsorbent chamber through the gas inlet pipe until the internal pressure reaches the calculated threshold, the high-pressure nitrogen impacts the thin aluminum plate, causing it to break, and the low-temperature adsorbent chamber is connected to the vacuum heat insulation gap, at this time the low-temperature adsorbent chamber is in a low-temperature environment due to the insertion of the inner container, and the low-temperature adsorbent starts to efficiently adsorb the residual gas and volatile organic compounds in the interlayer under low-temperature conditions, maintaining the vacuum degree of the interlayer; (4) When the low-temperature adsorbent needs to be regenerated after a period of use, hot nitrogen is filled into the low-temperature adsorbent chamber through the gas inlet pipe, the hot nitrogen heats the low-temperature adsorbent, causing the adsorbed gas to desorb and be carried out by the hot nitrogen, restoring the adsorption performance, after regeneration, the valve is closed again and vacuum is extracted, and the use can continue; (5) If the performance of the low-temperature adsorbent permanently decays or needs to be replaced with a new material, the failed adsorbent is extracted by connecting the vacuum suction equipment through the gas inlet pipe, and then the new low-temperature adsorbent is refilled, and finally the use is activated again according to step (3).

[0016] The technical problems to be solved by the present application can also be further realized by the following technical solutions, for the high-efficiency low-temperature adsorbent vacuum breaking device, in step (3), the calculated threshold of the internal pressure refers to the breaking pressure threshold calculated according to the tensile strength parameters of the thin aluminum plate and the design aperture area of the adsorption port.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present application provides a high-efficiency low-temperature adsorbent vacuum breaking device, mainly designed for vacuum heat insulation storage tanks, which has the following advantages: 1、The low-temperature adsorbent can be put into the interlayer in advance, and there is no need to perform the hole opening operation on the tank body in the later period, so that the process flow is simplified, the operation difficulty and cost are reduced, and damage to the tank body structure caused by the hole opening is avoided; 2、The low-temperature adsorbent material activation degree is guaranteed to the maximum degree through the structure design of the lengthened flexible steel pipe and the low-temperature adsorbent chamber inserted into the inner container, so that the low-temperature adsorbent can always maintain good adsorption performance, and the heat insulation effect and service life of the vacuum heat insulation storage tank are improved; 3、The low-temperature adsorbent can be activated and treated through the gas inlet pipe to make the low-temperature adsorbent reusable, and the use cost is reduced.

[0018] 4、The low-temperature adsorbent material in the inner container can be easily sucked out through the gas inlet pipe, and new adsorbent material can be replaced, so that the long-term stable operation of the vacuum heat insulation storage tank is ensured. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Figure 1 is a structural schematic view of the present application; Figure 2 is a structural schematic view of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber of the present application; Figure 3 is Figure 2 a partial enlarged schematic view. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] In order to make the purpose, technical scheme and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the technical scheme in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely in combination with the drawings of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor fall within the protection scope of the present application.

[0021] Referring to Figures 1-3 , an efficient low-temperature adsorbent vacuum breaking device aims to realize efficient vacuum maintenance and low-temperature adsorption functions, ensure that residual gas and volatile organic compounds can be effectively adsorbed in a low-temperature environment, maintain the vacuum degree inside the device, and have the ability of convenient regeneration and replacement of adsorbent, specifically: The device includes an outer shell 1 and an inner container 2 disposed inside the outer shell 1. A vacuum insulation gap 3 is left between the inner container 2 and the outer shell 1 to reduce the transfer of external heat into the inner container 2 and provide good insulation for the low-temperature environment inside the inner container 2. The outer shell 1 plays a role in protecting the internal structure, while the inner container 2 is used to contain substances that need to be stored at low temperatures. Maintaining a low-temperature environment inside the inner container is the basis for realizing the function of the entire device.

[0022] A low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4 is inserted into the inner container 2. One end of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4 is located inside the inner container 2, and the other end is located inside the vacuum insulation gap 3. The low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4 is filled with low-temperature adsorbent 8, which is used to adsorb residual gas and volatile organic compounds in the vacuum insulation gap 3 and maintain the vacuum degree of the interlayer. The fact that one end of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4 is located on the low-temperature side inside the inner container 2 can keep the adsorbent in a low-temperature state and improve the adsorption efficiency.

[0023] Preferably, the low-temperature adsorbent 8 is a molecular sieve, activated carbon, or silica gel. Molecular sieves have a uniform microporous structure and selectively adsorb gases of a specific molecular size; activated carbon has a large specific surface area and strong adsorption capacity; silica gel has good chemical and thermal stability. Different types of low-temperature adsorbents 8 have different adsorption characteristics and applicable ranges, and can be selected according to actual needs.

[0024] The specific structure of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4 is as follows: an opening is provided at the end of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4 at the vacuum insulation gap 3 to facilitate the filling operation of the low-temperature adsorbent 8 before use. The opening is sealed by a sealing cover 6 to ensure airtightness. An adsorption port is provided on the sealing cover 6, and the adsorption port is sealed by a thin aluminum plate 7 to facilitate the subsequent breaking of the thin aluminum plate 7 to open the adsorption port. An air inlet pipe 5 is also inserted into the sealing cover 6. One end of the air inlet pipe 5 is located inside the low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4, and the other end of the air inlet pipe 5 extends to the outside of the outer shell 1. This facilitates the use of the air inlet pipe 5 to input nitrogen gas to break through the thin aluminum plate 7 to open the adsorption port, and also facilitates the use of the air inlet pipe 5 to regenerate or replace the low-temperature adsorbent 8. Preferably, a control valve is installed on the air inlet pipe 5. More preferably, the control valve is an electric regulating valve or a manual regulating valve with flow regulation function.

[0025] In actual use, the outer shell 1 and the inner container 2 are both arranged horizontally, and the low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4 is vertically inserted into the inner container 2. The bottom of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4 is installed at the bottom of the inner container 2. The connection between the low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4 and the inner container 2 is sealed (e.g., by welding) to ensure airtightness. The air inlet pipe 5 is vertically inserted into the low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4, and the bottom of the air inlet pipe 5 extends to the bottom of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4, which facilitates better activation, regeneration, or replacement of the low-temperature adsorbent 8. The air inlet pipe 5 is an extended flexible steel pipe, and the connection between the extended flexible steel pipe and the sealing cap 6 and the outer shell 1 is sealed (e.g., by welding) to significantly reduce heat transfer.

[0026] Of course, in order to better coordinate with the vacuum breaking operation, a vacuum pumping device (such as a vacuum pumping pipe with a vacuum valve and a vacuum pump) connected to the vacuum insulation gap 3 is also installed on the outer shell 1. This device is used to perform vacuuming treatment on the vacuum insulation gap 3 as needed, extract the gas and residual hot nitrogen gas in it, and restore the device to the initial vacuum state so that it can continue to be used.

[0027] A method for breaking vacuum using a high-efficiency low-temperature adsorbent 8 utilizes the high-efficiency adsorption characteristics of the low-temperature adsorbent 8 in a low-temperature environment to maintain the vacuum level of the vacuum insulation gap 3. The steps are as follows: (1) During the device manufacturing stage, the selected low-temperature adsorbent 8 is filled into the low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4 to ensure that the filling is dense and without gaps. The opening of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4 at the vacuum insulation gap 3 is sealed by the sealing cover 6, and the adsorption port is sealed by the thin aluminum plate 7 to form an independent sealed space, so that one end of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4 is located on the low-temperature side inside the inner container 2, and the other end is located in the vacuum insulation gap 3, completely isolated from the outside. This is used to create a suitable working environment for the low-temperature adsorbent 8, ensuring that it can play an efficient role in subsequent use; the dense filling can ensure full contact between the adsorbent and the gas, improving adsorption efficiency; the sealed design can prevent external impurities from entering the adsorbent chamber, while ensuring that the adsorbent and the interlayer space can be connected in a predetermined manner in subsequent operations.

[0028] (2) Install the entire device in the interlayer between the outer shell 1 and the inner container 2, ensuring that the low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4 is sealed to the bottom of the inner container 2, and extend the air inlet pipe 5 to the outside of the outer shell 1 and seal it. Fill the interlayer between the outer shell 1 and the inner container 2 with high-purity nitrogen gas, and remove the air and impurities in the interlayer by displacement to reduce the risk of contamination of the low-temperature adsorbent 8. Purging with high-purity nitrogen can reduce the risk of contamination to the cryogenic adsorbent 8, as impurities such as oxygen and moisture in the air can affect the adsorption performance and lifespan of the adsorbent. For example, oxygen may react with some adsorbents in an oxidation reaction, and moisture may cause the adsorbent to clump together, reducing its adsorption efficiency.

[0029] (3) After the nitrogen replacement is completed and before the vacuum is drawn, pressurized nitrogen is introduced into the low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4 through the air inlet pipe 5 until the internal pressure reaches the calculated threshold. The high-pressure nitrogen impacts the thin aluminum plate 7, causing it to break and making the low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4 connected to the vacuum insulation gap 3. At this time, the low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4 is in a low-temperature environment because it is inserted into the inner container 2. The low-temperature adsorbent 8 begins to efficiently adsorb the residual gas and volatile organic compounds in the interlayer under low-temperature conditions, maintaining the vacuum degree of the interlayer. The calculated threshold for internal pressure refers to the membrane rupture pressure threshold calculated based on the tensile strength parameters of the thin aluminum plate 7 and the designed pore size area of ​​the adsorption port. Essentially, the membrane rupture pressure threshold is the critical value at which the thin aluminum plate undergoes tensile fracture under internal pressure. When the tensile stress generated by the internal pressure exceeds the material's tensile strength, the diaphragm ruptures. The formula directly calculates the critical pressure through the correlation between tensile strength and the diaphragm's geometric parameters (thickness, pore size). The formula for calculating the membrane rupture pressure threshold P is as follows: P=bt / r in: b represents the tensile strength of the thin aluminum sheet (unit: MPa, which needs to be obtained through material testing). t is the thickness of the thin aluminum sheet (unit: mm); r is the designed pore radius of the adsorption port (unit: mm).

[0030] By introducing pressurized nitrogen to break the membrane, the low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4 is connected to the interlayer space. At this time, the low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4 is in a low-temperature environment because it is inserted into the inner container 2. The low-temperature adsorbent 8 begins to efficiently adsorb residual gases and volatile organic compounds in the interlayer under low-temperature conditions, maintaining the vacuum degree of the interlayer. The low-temperature adsorption process can effectively reduce the gas content in the interlayer and maintain a high vacuum degree.

[0031] (4) When the low-temperature adsorbent 8 needs to be regenerated after a period of use, hot nitrogen is introduced into the low-temperature adsorbent chamber 4 through the air inlet pipe 5. The hot nitrogen heats the low-temperature adsorbent 8, causing the adsorbed gas to desorb and be carried out by the hot nitrogen, thus restoring the adsorption performance. After the regeneration is completed, the valve is closed again and a vacuum is drawn, and it can be used again. After the hot nitrogen carrying the desorbed gas has been discharged for a period of time, it is considered that the low-temperature adsorbent 8 has completed the regeneration process and restored a certain degree of adsorption performance. At this time, the valve is closed again and a vacuum is drawn to extract the gas and residual hot nitrogen in the jacket, so that the device can be restored to the initial vacuum state and can continue to be used.

[0032] (5) If the performance of the low-temperature adsorbent 8 is permanently degraded or the material needs to be replaced, the ineffective adsorbent is extracted by connecting the vacuum suction device through the air inlet pipe 5, and then the new low-temperature adsorbent 8 is refilled. Finally, the adsorbent is reactivated and used in step (3).

[0033] In summary, this application, through reasonable structural design and detailed operating procedures, achieves the goal of efficiently adsorbing residual gases and volatile organic compounds and maintaining vacuum in a low-temperature environment. It also has the ability to easily regenerate and replace the adsorbent, and has high practical value and promotion significance.

Claims

1. A high efficiency cryosorbent break vacuum apparatus, characterized by: The device comprises an outer container and an inner container, a vacuum insulation gap is left between the inner container and the outer container, a low-temperature adsorbent chamber is inserted into the inner container, one end of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber is arranged in the inner container, the other end of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber is arranged in the vacuum insulation gap, an opening is arranged at the end of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber in the vacuum insulation gap, the opening is sealed by a sealing cover, an adsorption port is arranged on the sealing cover, the adsorption port is sealed by a thin aluminum plate, a gas inlet pipe is also inserted into the sealing cover, one end of the gas inlet pipe is arranged in the low-temperature adsorbent chamber, the other end of the gas inlet pipe extends to the outside of the outer container, and the low-temperature adsorbent is filled in the low-temperature adsorbent chamber.

2. The high efficiency adsorbent break vacuum of claim 1, wherein: The outer container and the inner container are arranged transversely, the low-temperature adsorbent chamber is vertically inserted into the inner container, the bottom of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber is arranged on the bottom of the inner container, and the low-temperature adsorbent chamber and the inner container are connected in a sealed manner.

3. The high efficiency adsorbent break vacuum of claim 2, wherein: The gas inlet pipe is vertically inserted into the low-temperature adsorbent chamber, and the bottom of the gas inlet pipe extends to the bottom of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber.

4. The high efficiency adsorbent break vacuum of claim 1, wherein: The gas inlet pipe is a lengthened flexible steel pipe, and the lengthened flexible steel pipe is connected to the sealing cover and the outer container in a sealed manner.

5. The high efficiency adsorbent break vacuum of claim 1, wherein: The low-temperature adsorbent is molecular sieve, activated carbon or silica gel.

6. The high efficiency adsorbent break vacuum of claim 1, wherein: A control valve is arranged on the gas inlet pipe.

7. The high efficiency adsorbent break vacuum apparatus of claim 6, wherein: The control valve is an electrically-controlled or manually-controlled valve with flow regulation function.

8. A high efficiency low temperature sorbent break vacuum method, characterized by: The method uses the high-efficiency low-temperature adsorbent vacuum breaking device of any one of claims 1-7, and the steps are as follows: (1) in the device manufacturing stage, the selected low-temperature adsorbent is filled into the low-temperature adsorbent chamber, ensuring that the filling is dense without gaps, the opening of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber in the vacuum insulation gap is closed by the sealing cover, the adsorption port is sealed by the thin aluminum plate, an independent sealed space is formed, the low-temperature side of the low-temperature adsorbent chamber is located in the inner container, and the other end is located in the vacuum insulation gap, which is completely isolated from the outside world; (2) the device is installed in the interlayer between the outer container and the inner container, the low-temperature adsorbent chamber is connected to the bottom of the inner container in a sealed manner, the gas inlet pipe extends to the outside of the outer container and is fixed and sealed, high-purity nitrogen is filled into the interlayer between the outer container and the inner container, the air and impurities in the interlayer are removed by replacement, and the pollution risk of the low-temperature adsorbent is reduced; (3) after the nitrogen replacement is completed and before the vacuum is broken, pressurized nitrogen is filled into the low-temperature adsorbent chamber through the gas inlet pipe until the internal pressure reaches the calculated threshold, the high-pressure nitrogen impacts the thin aluminum plate, causing it to break, and the low-temperature adsorbent chamber is connected to the vacuum insulation gap, at this time, the low-temperature adsorbent chamber is in a low-temperature environment due to being inserted into the inner container, and the low-temperature adsorbent starts to efficiently adsorb the residual gas and volatile organic compounds in the interlayer under low-temperature conditions, maintaining the vacuum degree of the interlayer; (4) when the low-temperature adsorbent needs to be regenerated after a period of use, hot nitrogen is filled into the low-temperature adsorbent chamber through the gas inlet pipe, the hot nitrogen heats the low-temperature adsorbent, the adsorbed gas is desorbed and carried out by the hot nitrogen, and the adsorption performance is restored, after the regeneration is completed, the valve is closed again and the vacuum is broken, and the device can be used continuously. (5) If the performance of the low-temperature adsorbent is permanently degraded or the material needs to be replaced, the vacuum suction equipment is connected through the gas inlet pipe to extract the failed adsorbent, and then the new low-temperature adsorbent is refilled, and finally the reactivation is performed according to step (3).

9. The high efficiency adsorbent break vacuum method of claim 8, wherein: In step (3), the calculated threshold value of the internal pressure refers to the film rupture pressure threshold value calculated according to the tensile strength parameter of the thin aluminum plate and the design aperture area of the adsorption port.

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