Automatic air supply system for hot isostatic pressing air source

Abstract

The invention relates to an automatic air supply system for a hot isostatic pressing air source. A one-key starting instruction module, a liquid argon leading-out control module, a low-temperature liquid pump starting module, a vaporizer vaporization control module, a pressure monitoring and valve group switching module, a pressurization mode adaptation module, a continuous gas production guarantee module, a storage tank group management module, a hot isostatic pressing machine PLC control module and a safety protection module are arranged in the gas source PLC control cabinet; through cooperative work of all the modules, full-process automatic control of liquid argon exporting, pre-cooling, vaporization, storage in the storage tank, equipment gas supply and mode switching is achieved, manual intervention is not needed, the technical defects of an existing gas supply mode are effectively overcome, and the gas supply efficiency, stability, safety and reliability of the hot isostatic pressure gas source are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air supply technology for thermal isostatic pressure equipment, and in particular to an automated air supply system for thermal isostatic pressure air sources. Background Technology

[0002] Hot isostatic pressing (HIP) is an advanced process for densifying materials under high temperature and pressure conditions, widely used in aerospace, medical devices, precision manufacturing, and other fields. HIP equipment relies on stable high-pressure argon gas as the pressure medium during operation, and the reliability and stability of its gas supply system directly affect the equipment's performance and product quality.

[0003] The existing hot isostatic pressure (HIP) gas supply method has many shortcomings: First, the operation process is cumbersome, requiring manual operation to sequentially complete operations such as opening the liquid argon outlet valve, starting the cryogenic liquid pump, opening the vaporizer valve, and switching the storage tank group, which is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and prone to operational errors; Second, relying on manual monitoring of pressure and storage capacity makes it difficult to respond to the equipment's gas supply needs in real time, which can easily lead to gas supply interruptions or pressure fluctuations, affecting the HIP treatment effect; Third, the gas supply switching during the pre-pressurization stage of the HIP equipment lacks automated linkage, requiring manual judgment of the switching timing, which poses safety hazards and is inefficient.

[0004] At present, the technology of hot isostatic pressure gas supply has technical problems such as complicated operation, reliance on manual intervention, poor gas supply stability and insufficient safety and reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned problems existing in the prior art, the main objective of the present invention is to provide an automated gas supply system for a thermal isostatic pressure gas source.

[0006] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows: an automated gas supply system for thermal isostatic pressure gas source, including a liquid argon storage tank, wherein the liquid argon storage tank is connected to a cryogenic liquid pump M1 and a cryogenic liquid pump M2 through a pipeline, wherein valve one and valve two are distributed on the pipeline connecting the cryogenic liquid pump M1 and the cryogenic liquid pump M2, wherein the cryogenic liquid pump M1 and the cryogenic liquid pump M2 are connected to a vaporizer through a pipeline, wherein valve three is provided on the pipeline between the cryogenic liquid pump M1 and the cryogenic liquid pump M2 and the vaporizer, wherein the vaporizer is connected to a storage tank group through a pipeline, and the storage tank group is connected to a thermal isostatic press through a pipeline; The liquid argon storage tank, cryogenic liquid pump M1, cryogenic liquid pump M2, vaporizer, storage tank group and hot isostatic press are all electrically connected to the gas source PLC control cabinet. The gas source PLC control cabinet is equipped with a one-button start command module, a liquid argon export control module, a cryogenic liquid pump start module, a vaporizer vaporization control module, a pressure monitoring and valve group switching module, a pressurization mode adaptation module, a continuous gas production guarantee module, a storage tank and bottle group management module, a hot isostatic press PLC control module, and a safety protection module.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the storage tank group consists of multiple sets of storage tanks. Each set of storage tanks has an air inlet valve on its air inlet pipe and an air outlet valve on its air outlet pipe. Each set of storage tanks is connected to a pressure relief valve via a pipe. Each storage tank is equipped with a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the one-button start command module includes an command input unit and a signal transmission unit. The command input unit supports user input of gas supply pressure requirements and gas supply duration parameters, which are then transmitted to the main control unit. The liquid argon export control module responds to the main control unit's commands and executes the opening and closing control of the liquid argon storage tank outlet valve. The cryogenic liquid pump start module receives a signal from the main control unit, starts the cryogenic liquid pump, and generates a pump ready signal after the pre-cooling temperature reaches the target. The vaporizer vaporization control module starts the vaporizer and adjusts its operating parameters based on the pump ready signal. The pressure monitoring and valve group switching module collects the equipment pre-pressurization pressure and the storage tank group pressure, and automatically switches the gas supply valve of the corresponding storage tank group based on the pressure difference. The pressurization mode adaptation module sends a pressurization mode trigger signal to the gas source automation system. The continuous gas production guarantee module monitors the argon storage in the storage tank group and dynamically adjusts the liquid argon export rate and vaporization efficiency based on the storage threshold.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the liquid argon extraction control module includes a valve drive unit and a flow regulation unit.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the cryogenic liquid pump start-up module has a preset liquid argon precooling temperature threshold of -185℃ to -180℃.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the pressure monitoring and valve group switching module is set to a pressure difference threshold of 0.5MPa~25MPa.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the continuous gas production guarantee module sets the lower limit threshold of argon gas storage capacity of the storage tank group to 50% of the rated capacity of the storage tank.

[0013] Compared with the prior art, the advantages and positive effects of the present invention are that, through the coordinated work of each module, the entire process from liquid argon extraction, precooling, vaporization to storage tank storage, equipment gas supply, and mode switching is fully automated, without the need for manual intervention. This effectively solves the technical defects of the existing gas supply method and improves the efficiency, stability, and safety and reliability of the thermal isostatic pressure gas source supply. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This invention provides an overall structural schematic diagram of an automated gas supply system based on a thermal isostatic pressure gas source.

[0015] Legend: 1. Liquid argon storage tank; 2. Cryogenic liquid pump M2; 3. Cryogenic liquid pump M1; 4. Vaporizer; 5. Storage tank assembly; 6. Hot isostatic press; 7. Gas source PLC control cabinet; 71. One-button start command module; 72. Liquid argon export control module; 73. Cryogenic liquid pump start module; 74. Vaporizer vaporization control module; 75. Pressure monitoring and valve group switching module; 76. Pressurization mode adaptation module; 77. Continuous gas production guarantee module. Detailed Implementation

[0016] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0017] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0018] In the description of this invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0019] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Example An automated gas supply system for thermal isostatic pressure (TIP) includes a liquid argon storage tank 1. The liquid argon storage tank 1 is connected to a cryogenic liquid pump M13 and a cryogenic liquid pump M22 via pipelines. Valves 1 and 2 are distributed on the pipelines connecting the cryogenic liquid pumps M13 and M22. The cryogenic liquid pumps M13 and M22 are connected to a vaporizer 4 via pipelines. A valve 3 is provided on the pipeline between the cryogenic liquid pumps M13 and M22 and the vaporizer 4. The vaporizer 4 is connected to a storage tank group 5 via pipelines. The storage tank group 5 is connected to a thermal isostatic pressure (TIP) press 6 via pipelines. Liquid argon storage tank 1, cryogenic liquid pump M13, cryogenic liquid pump M22, vaporizer 4, storage tank bottle group 5, and hot isostatic press 6 are all electrically connected to the gas source PLC control cabinet 7. The gas source PLC control cabinet 7 is equipped with a one-button start command module 71, a liquid argon export control module 72, a cryogenic liquid pump start module 73, a vaporizer vaporization control module 74, a pressure monitoring and valve group switching module 75, a pressurization mode adaptation module 76, a continuous gas production guarantee module 77, a storage tank and bottle group management module, a hot isostatic press PLC control module, and a safety protection module.

[0020] The storage tank group 5 consists of multiple storage tanks. Each storage tank group has an inlet valve on its inlet pipe and an exhaust valve on its exhaust pipe. Each storage tank group is connected to a pressure relief valve via a pipe. Each storage tank is equipped with a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor to collect storage status data in real time, thereby achieving safe storage and status monitoring of gaseous argon.

[0021] The one-click start command module 71 includes a command input unit and a signal transmission unit. The command input unit supports users to input additional parameters such as gas supply pressure requirements and gas supply duration. The command input unit transmits the information to the signal transmission unit, which then synchronizes it to the system main control unit to trigger system startup. The liquid argon export control module 72 responds to the instructions of the main control unit and executes the opening and closing control of the outlet valve of the liquid argon storage tank. The liquid argon export control module 72 includes a valve drive unit and a flow regulation unit. The main control unit sends instructions to the liquid argon export control module 72. The valve drive unit controls the opening and closing of outlet valve one and valve two of the liquid argon storage tank 1 through an electric actuator. The flow regulation unit dynamically adjusts the liquid argon export flow rate based on the current argon storage of the storage tank group 5 and the equipment gas supply demand to achieve directional and quantitative liquid argon export. After liquid argon export, the cryogenic liquid pump start module 73 receives the signal from the main control unit and starts the cryogenic liquid pump M13 and cryogenic liquid pump M22 to pre-cool the liquid argon. The temperature of the liquid argon is monitored in real time by the temperature sensor built into the pump body. When the temperature reaches the preset threshold of -185℃ to -180℃, a pump body operation ready signal is generated and fed back to the main control unit. The cryogenic liquid pump start module 73 receives the signal from the main control unit and starts the cryogenic liquid pump. After the precooling temperature reaches the target, it generates a pump body running ready signal. After receiving the pump body running ready signal, the cryogenic liquid pump start module 73 starts the motor and automatically adjusts the working parameters to vaporize the precooled liquid argon into gaseous argon and deliver it to the vaporizer 4. The vaporizer vaporization control module 74 is used to start the vaporizer and adjust the operating parameters based on the pump body running ready signal; The pressure monitoring and valve group switching module 75 collects the pre-pressurization pressure of the equipment and the pressure of the storage tank group. Based on the pressure difference, it automatically switches the gas supply valve of the corresponding storage tank group 5. The pressure monitoring and valve group switching module 75 synchronizes the pre-pressurization pressure of the hot isostatic press 6 and the pressure data of the storage tank group 5 in real time. When the difference between the pressure of the storage tank group 5 and the pre-pressurization pressure of the equipment is within the preset threshold range of 0.5MPa to 25MPa, the gas supply valve of the corresponding storage tank is automatically opened to supply gas to the equipment. If the pressure of the storage tank drops below the pre-pressurization pressure of the equipment by 0.5MPa, the module immediately triggers valve group switching and automatically starts the next storage tank group 5 with the qualified pressure to continuously supply gas, ensuring uninterrupted gas supply during the pre-pressurization stage. The boosting mode adaptation module 76 sends a boosting mode trigger signal to the gas source automation system. When the pre-boosting pressure of the equipment reaches the preset threshold, the boosting mode adaptation module 76 sends a boosting mode trigger signal to the main control unit. The main control unit then increases the liquid argon export rate and the power of the cryogenic liquid pump, and the system enters the continuous gas production state. The continuous gas supply module 77 monitors the argon storage capacity of the storage tank group and dynamically adjusts the liquid argon extraction rate and vaporization efficiency based on the storage capacity threshold. The continuous gas supply module 77 monitors the argon storage capacity of the storage tank group 5 in real time. When the storage capacity of any storage tank is lower than 50% of the rated capacity (lower limit threshold), it automatically adjusts the liquid argon introduction rate and the power of the cryogenic liquid pump to quickly replenish argon to 90% of the rated capacity (upper limit threshold), providing a sufficient and stable gas source for the equipment booster drive.

[0022] The cryogenic liquid pump start-up module 73 has a preset liquid argon precooling temperature threshold of -185℃ to -180℃.

[0023] The pressure monitoring and valve group switching module 75 is set with a pressure difference threshold of 0.5MPa~25MPa.

[0024] The continuous gas supply module 77 sets the lower limit threshold of argon gas storage capacity of the storage tank group to 50% of the rated capacity of the storage tank.

[0025] Safety protection module: Real-time monitoring of pressure and temperature data of liquid argon storage tank 1 and storage tank group 5. When the pressure exceeds the rated pressure or the temperature exceeds the preset threshold, a safety response is immediately triggered: automatically closing the liquid argon outlet valve and the cryogenic liquid pump, opening the pressure relief valve for safe pressure relief, and sending an alarm signal to the main control unit to achieve timely warning and handling of risks. Working principle: As shown in the figure, taking storage tank group 5, which consists of three groups of storage tanks, as an example, each group of storage tanks is named 1# storage tank, 2# storage tank and 3# storage tank in sequence. The corresponding air inlet valves of each group are named valve four, valve five and valve six in sequence. The corresponding exhaust valves of each group are named valve seven, valve eight and valve nine in sequence. The corresponding pressure relief valves of each group are named pressure relief valve ten, pressure relief valve eleven and pressure relief valve twelve in sequence. The user inputs the start command through the panel of the one-button start command module 71, and sets the gas supply pressure to 22.5MPa and the gas supply duration to 4 hours. The signal transmission unit transmits the command and parameters to the system main control unit. Liquid argon export and precooling: The main control unit sends a command to the liquid argon export control module 72, the valve drive unit controls the opening of the outlet valve (valve one or valve two) of the liquid argon storage tank 1, and the flow regulation unit adjusts the flow according to the initial storage of the storage tank group 5; the liquid argon in the liquid argon storage tank 1 flows into the cryogenic liquid pump M13 or cryogenic liquid pump M22 through the valve (valve one or valve two). At the same time, the cryogenic liquid pump start module 73 starts the precooling function. When the temperature sensor (T3 or T4) detects that the liquid argon temperature has dropped to -182℃, it sends a "ready signal" and the main control unit triggers the start of the cryogenic liquid pump M13 or cryogenic liquid pump M22 to deliver the liquid argon to the vaporizer 4; Liquid argon vaporization and storage: After receiving the "ready signal", the vaporizer vaporization control module 74 adjusts the number of heat sinks through valve three according to the gas supply and opens valves (valve four, valve five, valve six) to deliver gaseous argon to three storage tanks; the storage tank pressure sensor provides real-time feedback on the storage volume. When the pressure of each storage tank reaches 22.5MPa (upper limit threshold), the flow regulation unit reduces the liquid argon output flow to 0 (closes valve one or valve two), and the cryogenic liquid pump goes into standby mode.

[0026] Equipment pre-pressurization gas supply: The hot isostatic press starts pre-pressurization. The pressure monitoring and valve group switching module 75 collects the equipment pressure (initial 0MPa) and the storage tank pressure (22.5MPa) in real time. The pressure difference between the storage tank and the equipment is 22.5MPa (exceeding the 0.5MPa threshold). The main control unit opens valve seven of the gas supply valve for storage tank #1. When the equipment pressure rises to 12MPa, the pressure of storage tank #1 drops to 12.5MPa (0.5MPa pressure difference with the equipment). The module triggers a switch, closing valve seven of the gas supply valve for storage tank #1 and opening valve eight of the gas supply valve for storage tank #2. When the equipment pressure rises to 19MPa, the pressure of storage tank #2 drops to 19.5MPa (0.5MPa pressure difference with the equipment). The module triggers a switch, closing valve eight of the gas supply valve for storage tank #2 and opening valve nine of the gas supply valve for storage tank #3, until the equipment pressure reaches 20MPa (pre-pressurization threshold). Pressurization mode and continuous gas production: The pressurization mode adapter module 76 sends a "trigger signal" to reopen the outlet valve of liquid argon storage tank 1 (valve one or valve two), and open valve (valve four, valve five or valve six). The main control unit controls the liquid argon output flow rate to increase, the cryogenic liquid pump power to increase, and the vaporizer adjusts the number of heat sinks through valve 3. The continuous gas production guarantee module monitors the storage tank capacity. When the pressure of storage tank #3 drops to 12.5MPa (lower limit threshold of storage tank capacity), it further increases the liquid argon output flow rate and the cryogenic liquid pump power until the pressure of storage tank #3 recovers to 22.5MPa, restoring stable gas production.

[0027] Safety protection monitoring: During operation, the safety protection module monitors the pressure of the liquid argon storage tank in real time (stable at 0.9MPa) and the pressure of the storage tank group (stable at 0MPa~25MPa), and there are no cases exceeding the threshold. If the pressure of a certain storage tank rises to 26MPa due to a fault, the safety protection module immediately closes the liquid argon outlet valve (valve one or valve two) and the cryogenic liquid pump M13 or cryogenic liquid pump M22, opens the pressure relief valve of the storage tank (valve ten, valve eleven or valve twelve), and triggers an audible and visual alarm at the same time.

[0028] Finally, it should be noted that the above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated gas supply system for a thermal isostatic pressure gas source, comprising a liquid argon storage tank (1), characterized in that: The liquid argon storage tank (1) is connected to cryogenic liquid pump M1 (3) and cryogenic liquid pump M2 (2) through a pipeline. Valves one and two are distributed on the pipeline connecting the cryogenic liquid pump M1 (3) and cryogenic liquid pump M2 (2). The cryogenic liquid pump M1 (3) and cryogenic liquid pump M2 (2) are connected to vaporizer (4) through a pipeline. Valves three are provided on the pipeline between the cryogenic liquid pump M1 (3) and cryogenic liquid pump M2 (2) and vaporizer (4). The vaporizer (4) is connected to storage tank group (5) through a pipeline. The storage tank group (5) is connected to hot isostatic press (6) through a pipeline. The liquid argon storage tank (1), cryogenic liquid pump M1 (3), cryogenic liquid pump M2 (2), vaporizer (4), storage tank group (5) and hot isostatic press (6) are all electrically connected to the gas source PLC control cabinet (7). The gas source PLC control cabinet (7) is equipped with a one-button start command module (71), a liquid argon export control module (72), a cryogenic liquid pump start module (73), a vaporizer vaporization control module (74), a pressure monitoring and valve group switching module (75), a pressurization mode adaptation module (76), a continuous gas production guarantee module (77), a storage tank bottle group management module, a hot isostatic press PLC control module, and a safety protection module.

2. The automated gas supply system for thermal isostatic pressure gas source according to claim 1, characterized in that: The storage tank group (5) consists of multiple groups of storage tanks. Each group of storage tanks has an air inlet valve on its air inlet pipe and an exhaust valve on its exhaust pipe. Each group of storage tanks is connected to a pressure relief valve through a pipe. Each storage tank is equipped with a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor.

3. The automated gas supply system for a thermal isostatic pressure gas source according to claim 1, characterized in that: The one-click start command module (71) includes an command input unit and a signal transmission unit. The command input unit supports users to input additional parameters such as gas supply pressure requirements and gas supply duration, which are then transmitted to the main control unit. The liquid argon export control module (72) responds to the main control unit's command and executes the opening and closing control of the liquid argon storage tank outlet valve. The cryogenic liquid pump start module (73) receives the main control unit's signal, starts the cryogenic liquid pump, and generates a pump body ready signal after the pre-cooling temperature reaches the standard. The vaporizer vaporization control module (74) is used to start the vaporizer and adjust the working parameters based on the pump body ready signal. The pressure monitoring and valve group switching module (75) collects the equipment pre-pressurization pressure and the tank bottle group pressure, and automatically switches the gas supply valve of the corresponding tank bottle group (5) based on the pressure difference. The pressurization mode adaptation module (76) sends a pressurization mode trigger signal to the gas source automation system. The continuous gas production guarantee module (77) monitors the argon storage of the tank bottle group and dynamically adjusts the liquid argon export rate and vaporization efficiency based on the storage threshold.

4. The automated gas supply system for a thermal isostatic pressure gas source according to claim 1, characterized in that: The liquid argon export control module (72) includes a valve drive unit and a flow regulation unit.

5. The automated gas supply system for a thermal isostatic pressure gas source according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cryogenic liquid pump start-up module (73) has a preset liquid argon precooling temperature threshold of -185℃ to -180℃.

6. The automated gas supply system for a thermal isostatic pressure gas source according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pressure monitoring and valve group switching module (75) is set to a pressure difference threshold of 0.5MPa~25MPa.

7. The automated gas supply system for a thermal isostatic pressure gas source according to claim 1, characterized in that: The continuous gas production guarantee module (77) sets the lower limit threshold of argon gas storage capacity of the storage tank group to 50% of the rated capacity of the storage tank.

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