CO2 Transfer Pressure Control for Remote Bulk Tank Refilling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for refilling large bulk CO2 tanks are logistically challenging and costly, particularly when tanks are located on higher floors or indoors, as they require hard piping or high-pressure cylinders, which are expensive and inefficient, and often result in CO2 wastage and logistical issues with truck refilling being impractical.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing CO2 dewar tanks and high-pressure CO2 gas cylinders to remotely fill bulk CO2 tanks, maintaining differential pressure through a regulator, allowing for flexible placement of the bulk tank and reducing the need for truck refilling and hard piping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If hard piping is used to transfer liquid CO2 from ground level to higher floors, then CO2 can be delivered to the required location, but the system becomes expensive, logistically complex, and wastes significant CO2
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the CO2 transfer process into discrete segments: portable high-pressure cylinders (first containers) transfer CO2 to intermediate dewar tanks (second containers), which then transfer to the bulk storage tank (third container). This segmentation eliminates the need for continuous hard piping while maintaining efficient CO2 transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
Dewar tanks serve as intermediary containers between the high-pressure cylinders and the bulk storage tank. These intermediaries enable flexible, portable CO2 transfer without requiring permanent infrastructure, resolving the contradiction between delivery capability and system complexity.
2Stress or pressure
If high-pressure CO2 cylinders with siphon tubes are used, then CO2 can be transferred at room temperature maintaining high pressure, but the CO2 sits at room temperature reducing the cooling effect and creating logistical issues with heavy cylinders
Solution Approach 1:
The dewar tank acts as a thermal intermediary that receives high-pressure CO2 from cylinders and transfers it to the bulk tank. The dewar's insulation maintains CO2 temperature during transfer, preserving the cooling effect while eliminating the need to move heavy high-pressure cylinders manually.
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates the high-pressure storage function (in small portable cylinders) from the bulk storage function (in the insulated dewar and final bulk tank). This segmentation allows the CO2 to be pressurized efficiently while maintaining appropriate temperatures during transfer through the intermediary dewar system.
3Ease of operation
If a bulk CO2 tank is positioned on higher floors or inside buildings for convenient access, then direct access to high-pressure liquid CO2 is achieved, but truck refilling becomes impossible and hard piping is required
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces static hard piping infrastructure with dynamic, portable transfer equipment. High-pressure cylinders and dewar tanks can be moved to any location for refilling, allowing the bulk tank to be positioned flexibly on higher floors or inside buildings without requiring permanent infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The portable dewar tank serves as a mobile intermediary that can be delivered to any refilling location. This intermediary enables the bulk tank to be positioned anywhere with access to ground-level delivery points, maximizing ease of operation while maintaining refilling flexibility.
4Loss of substance
If additional equipment is added to condense gaseous CO2 back into liquid, then CO2 can be recovered, but the equipment costs over $100,000 and may not handle the required demand
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding complex equipment to recover CO2 that would otherwise be wasted, the system uses the natural high-pressure state of CO2 in portable cylinders to enable efficient transfer. The high pressure itself becomes the benefit, allowing direct liquid transfer without requiring energy-intensive condensation equipment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This system enables efficient and cost-effective refilling of CO2 tanks anywhere, minimizing CO2 wastage and logistical challenges by using smaller, transportable dewar tanks and high-pressure cylinders to maintain pressure, thus providing direct access to high-pressure liquid CO2 at the point of use.
Implementation Method 1
the controlling facilitates maintaining a differential pressure between the second pressure of the at least one second fluid and the third pressure of the third fluid within a differential pressure range
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is an apparatus for facilitating transferring fluids between containers, in accordance with some embodiments. Accordingly, the apparatus comprises a first container and a regulator. Further, the first container contains a first fluid at a first pressure and transfers the first fluid to a second container. Further, the second container transfers the second fluid to a third container based on the transferring. Further, the second pressure is greater than a third pressure of a third fluid contained in the third container. Further, the regulator is operatably coupled with the first container. Further, the regulator controls a mass flow rate of the first fluid transferred from the first container. Further, the transferring of the first fluid to the second container is based on the controlling. Further, the controlling facilitates maintaining a differential pressure between the second pressure and the third pressure within a differential pressure range.