A filling device for cryogenic spherical tank interlayer cold insulation material

Abstract

A kind of filling device for cryogenic spherical tank interlayer cold insulation material, nitrogen tank outlet is sequentially communicated with the inlet of pneumatic dust pump by valve and nitrogen pipeline, cold insulation material filling box is sealed with the inlet of pneumatic dust pump by cold insulation material transport pipe I, the top interlayer of cryogenic spherical tank is sealed with pneumatic dust pump by cold insulation material transport pipe II;Vacuumizing port is arranged at the bottom interlayer of cryogenic spherical tank, and the vacuumizing port is sealed with vacuumizing pipeline, high vacuum baffle valve is installed on the vacuumizing pipeline at the vacuumizing port, and the tail end of vacuumizing pipeline is sealed with filter;Vacuum pump unit is connected with filter, cooling water system is connected with the inlet and outlet of vacuum pump unit;Vibration motor is installed in the lower part of outer spherical tank of cryogenic spherical tank.The utility model has the advantages of simple structure, easy installation, can greatly improve filling efficiency and heat insulation performance, reduce the heat loss of cryogenic spherical tank.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of filling technology for cryogenic spherical tank insulation materials, specifically a filling device for interlayer insulation materials in cryogenic spherical tanks. Background Technology

[0002] Cryogenic technology can improve product quality, extend service life, and reduce production costs. With over 100 years of development and continuous advancements in cryogenic technology, the gas industry has experienced rapid growth. The application of cryogenic liquids such as liquid oxygen, liquid nitrogen, liquid argon, liquid helium, liquid hydrogen, and liquefied natural gas has expanded from industries like machinery, petroleum, and chemicals to energy, environmental protection, shipbuilding, transportation, biology, and aerospace, with demand increasing rapidly year by year. Simultaneously, with the increasing energy demand and growing environmental awareness worldwide, the promotion and application of clean energy sources such as liquid hydrogen and liquefied natural gas have become a key focus of energy development in today's society. The widespread application of cryogenic liquids has driven the rapid development of cryogenic vacuum insulated containers (hereinafter referred to as "cryocontainers"). Currently, cryogenic containers have become the fastest-growing and most promising sector within the pressure vessel industry.

[0003] Cryogenic containers mainly include two types: spherical tanks (also known as spherical tanks) and cylindrical tanks. Compared with cylindrical tanks, spherical tanks have the smallest surface area under the same volume and pressure. Therefore, spherical tanks require less steel area and have a smaller heat transfer area, resulting in a lower heat leakage rate under the same conditions. Spherical tanks also experience more uniform stress, have twice the load-bearing capacity of cylindrical tanks, and have lower material costs. Nowadays, with the development of large-scale equipment, cryogenic spherical tanks are being used more widely.

[0004] Cryogenic spherical tanks consist of an inner tank and an outer tank. The space between the inner and outer tanks needs to be filled with insulation material, compacted, and then evacuated to a suitable vacuum level to provide vacuum insulation for the space. The insulation material is generally a loose, granular material with characteristics such as small volume, low thermal conductivity, and good chemical stability. Due to the characteristics of the insulation material, its compactness and moisture content significantly affect the insulation performance, making it difficult for the vacuum powder insulation layer to achieve insulation performance at low temperatures, thus failing to meet the equipment's usage requirements. Since spherical tanks are large storage devices, the space between them is tens or even hundreds of times larger than that of cylindrical tanks, posing greater challenges to filling and evacuating. If the filling time is too long, the moisture and impurities adsorbed by the perlite will affect the vacuum efficiency and insulation effect. If the perlite is not compacted during filling, the insulation material will continuously sink and compact during use due to the thermal expansion and contraction of the inner cylinder, resulting in a portion of the vacuum space in the spherical tank not being filled with insulation material. This inevitably reduces the container's insulation performance.

[0005] Currently, the filling of cryogenic container insulation materials suffers from problems such as low efficiency, significant leakage during the filling process, and poor filling effect. Furthermore, it is primarily used in cylindrical storage tanks, with virtually no application in the filling of spherical cryogenic container insulation materials. For example, Chinese patent CN 116357880 A (a perlite filling device and process) uses impact and intermittent methods for compacting the insulation material, and it is applied to cylindrical tanks. Therefore, to address these issues, a filling device and method for the interlayer insulation material of cryogenic spherical tanks is proposed. Utility Model Content

[0006] This invention provides a filling device for the interlayer insulation material of cryogenic spherical tanks. It has a simple structure, is easy to install, and can greatly improve filling efficiency and reduce heat loss of cryogenic spherical tanks.

[0007] The technical solution adopted in this utility model is as follows:

[0008] A filling device for insulation material in the interlayer of a cryogenic spherical tank includes a nitrogen tank, an insulation material filling box, a pneumatic dust pump, a vacuum pump unit, a vibration motor, a high-vacuum baffle valve, a filter, and a cooling water system. The nitrogen tank outlet is sequentially and sealed to the pneumatic dust pump inlet via a valve and a nitrogen pipeline. The insulation material filling box is sealed to the pneumatic dust pump inlet via an insulation material transport pipe I. The top interlayer of the cryogenic spherical tank is sealed to the pneumatic dust pump via an insulation material transport pipe II. A vacuum port is provided at the bottom interlayer of the cryogenic spherical tank, and this vacuum port is sealed to a vacuum pipeline. A high-vacuum baffle valve is installed on the vacuum pipeline at the vacuum port, and the end of the vacuum pipeline is sealed to the filter. The vacuum pump unit is connected to the filter, and the cooling water system is connected to the inlet and outlet of the vacuum pump unit. The vibration motor is installed at the lower part of the outer spherical tank of the cryogenic spherical tank.

[0009] The vacuum port is equipped with four layers of stainless steel wire mesh.

[0010] A vacuum gauge is installed at the inlet of the filter.

[0011] The nitrogen pipeline, cold insulation material transport pipe I, and cold material transport pipe II are all made of flexible hoses.

[0012] This invention employs positive pressure compaction technology, continuously evacuating the interlayer before and during filling to increase the bulk density of the insulation material, thereby enhancing the insulation effect and accelerating the filling speed. Gas transmission and closed-loop conveying significantly improve conveying efficiency and reduce dust leakage, preventing workers from coming into contact with harmful substances. A vibration motor, connected by bolts to a pre-installed bracket on the outside of the outer spherical tank, vibrates and compacts the insulation material during filling, further improving the insulation effect. This invention features a simple structure, convenient installation, and significantly improves filling efficiency while reducing heat loss in cryogenic spherical tanks. It is widely applicable to cryogenic spherical tanks containing liquid hydrogen, LNG, liquid nitrogen, liquid oxygen, and liquid argon. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a structural block diagram of the filling device of this utility model;

[0014] In the diagram: 1. Nitrogen tank; 2. Valve; 3. Nitrogen pipeline; 4. Cold insulation material filling box; 5. Cold insulation material transport pipe I; 6. Pneumatic dust pump; 7. Cold insulation material transport pipe II; 8. Cryogenic spherical tank; 9. Vacuum gauge; 10. Filter; 11. Cooling water system; 12. High vacuum baffle valve; 13. Vibration motor; 14. Vacuum extraction pipeline; 15. Vacuum pump unit. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0016] like Figure 1 As shown, a filling device for insulation material in the interlayer of a cryogenic spherical tank includes a nitrogen tank 1, an insulation material filling box 4, a pneumatic dust pump 6, a vacuum pump unit 15, a vibration motor 13, a high-vacuum baffle valve 12, a filter 10, and a cooling water system 11. The outlet of the nitrogen tank 1 is sequentially and sealed to the inlet of the pneumatic dust pump 6 via a valve 2 and a nitrogen pipeline 3. The insulation material filling box 4 is sealed to the inlet of the pneumatic dust pump 6 via an insulation material transport pipe I 5. The top interlayer of the cryogenic spherical tank 8 is sealed to the pneumatic dust pump 6 via an insulation material transport pipe II 7. The cryogenic spherical tank 8... A vacuum port is provided at the bottom interlayer, which is sealed and connected to the vacuum pipe 14. A high-vacuum baffle valve 12 is installed on the vacuum pipe 14 at the vacuum port. The end of the vacuum pipe 14 is connected to the filter 10, which adopts a two-stage filtration to minimize dust entering the vacuum pump and thus prevent dust damage to the vacuum pump. The vacuum pump unit 15 is sealed and connected to the filter 10, and the cooling water system 11 is sealed and connected to the inlet and outlet of the vacuum pump unit 15. The vibration motor 13 is bolted to a bracket pre-installed on the outer wall of the outer spherical tank and vibrates to compact the insulation material during the filling process. The bracket is connected to the outer spherical tank through a pad. Multiple brackets can be set according to the size of the spherical tank and evenly distributed.

[0017] The vacuum port is equipped with four layers of stainless steel wire mesh to prevent the insulation material from being extracted during vacuuming.

[0018] A vacuum gauge 9 is installed at the inlet of the filter 10 to detect the vacuum level and pressure of the vacuuming pipeline.

[0019] The nitrogen pipeline 3 uses a flexible hose for easy installation and relocation. Both the cold insulation material transport pipe I 5 and the cold material transport pipe II 7 use flexible hoses for easy suction and relocation.

[0020] In this invention, the vacuum pump unit is connected to a filter and the cryogenic spherical tank jacket via pipelines. A high-vacuum baffle valve controls the opening and closing of the pipelines. A cooling water system is used to cool the vacuum unit. The filter removes the dust drawn in, preventing damage to the vacuum pump. The insulation material filling box is connected to the inlet of a pneumatic dust pump via pipelines. The inlet of the pneumatic dust pump is connected to a nitrogen tank. The insulation material filling port of the cryogenic spherical tank is connected to the outlet of the pneumatic dust pump. Nitrogen gas drives the pneumatic dust pump to draw the insulation material into the pump chamber. The insulation material is then delivered into the cryogenic spherical tank jacket via nitrogen gas. The entire filling process is sealed, which can greatly improve the conveying efficiency and reduce dust leakage. During filling, a vibration motor is turned on to compact the insulation material.

[0021] The filling method of this utility model involves first opening the cooling water system 11, then turning on the vacuum pump 15, and then opening the vacuum baffle valve 12 to pre-evacuate the jacket of the cryogenic spherical tank 8. When the vacuum gauge 9 shows a pressure of 5 × 10⁻⁶, the filling process is completed. 4 When the pressure reaches 0.4 MPa, valve 2 is opened, and the pneumatic dust pump 6 is driven by nitrogen pressure to draw the insulation material from the insulation material filling box 4 into the pneumatic dust pump 6. The insulation material is then pumped into the interlayer by nitrogen pressure and the negative pressure of the cryogenic spherical tank 8. Because the vacuum pump unit 15 continuously evacuates the vacuum, the insulation material entering the interlayer moves rapidly downwards along with the nitrogen. The four layers of stainless steel wire mesh at the vacuum inlet block the insulation material, allowing gas to flow out and causing the insulation material to accumulate and compact from the bottom. Simultaneously with the vacuum evacuation, the vibration motor 13 is activated to further compact the insulation material, effectively improving the filling effect and insulation capacity. During filling, the pressure of the nitrogen tank 1 and the amount of insulation material in the insulation material filling box 4 should be monitored constantly. When the nitrogen tank pressure is below 0.4 MPa, the nitrogen tank should be pressurized with nitrogen to ensure filling quality. When the height of the insulation material is below 0.2 m, insulation material should be replenished promptly to ensure continuous filling.

[0022] The above description is only an application embodiment of this utility model, and of course it cannot be used to limit the scope of the rights of this utility model. Therefore, the equivalent changes made in accordance with the scope of the patent application of this utility model are still within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A filling device for insulation material in the interlayer of a cryogenic spherical tank, characterized in that, The system includes a nitrogen tank (1), a cold insulation material filling box (4), a pneumatic dust pump (6), a vacuum pump unit (15), a vibration motor (13), a high vacuum baffle valve (12), a filter (10), and a cooling water system (11). The outlet of the nitrogen tank (1) is connected to the inlet of the pneumatic dust pump (6) in sequence through a valve (2) and a nitrogen pipeline (3). The cold insulation material filling box (4) is connected to the inlet of the pneumatic dust pump (6) in a sealed manner through a cold insulation material transport pipe I (5). The top interlayer of the cryogenic spherical tank (8) is connected to the pneumatic dust pump (6). The cold insulation material transport pipe II (7) is sealed and connected; a vacuum port is provided at the bottom interlayer of the cryogenic spherical tank (8), and the vacuum port and the vacuum pipe (14) are sealed and connected. A high vacuum baffle valve (12) is installed on the vacuum pipe (14) at the vacuum port, and the tail end of the vacuum pipe (14) is sealed and connected to the filter (10); the vacuum pump unit (15) is connected to the filter (10), and the cooling water system (11) is connected to the inlet and outlet of the vacuum pump unit (15); the vibration motor (13) is installed at the bottom of the outer spherical tank of the cryogenic spherical tank (8).

2. The filling device for the interlayer insulation material of a cryogenic spherical tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vacuum port is equipped with four layers of stainless steel wire mesh.

3. A filling device for insulation material in the interlayer of a cryogenic spherical tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, A vacuum gauge (9) is installed at the inlet of the filter (10).

4. A filling device for insulation material in the interlayer of a cryogenic spherical tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nitrogen pipeline (3), the cold insulation material transport pipe I (5), and the cold material transport pipe II (7) are all made of flexible hoses.

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