Dynamic CO2 Valve Stem Assembly for Low-Pressure Fill Closure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for delivering liquid carbon dioxide face challenges in filling when the vapor cylinder pressure is low, causing the shuttle valve to remain seated and preventing the system from closing, which requires manual intervention and limits delivery times to business hours, and existing solutions like using a spring are unreliable due to extreme low temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A control valve assembly with a dynamic compound valve stem assembly, including a stem body with poppets and a biasing spring, that directs pressurized liquid carbon dioxide to liquid storage and allows gaseous carbon dioxide to be stored in a gaseous cylinder, ensuring reliable closure of the system upon completion of the fill process even with low initial vapor cylinder pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the vapor cylinder pressure is low at the beginning of the filling process, then the system cannot overcome the increased pressure in the liquid cylinder, but this causes the shuttle valve to remain seated on the vapor port seat and prevents closure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the shuttle valve assembly with pre-weight bias toward the vapor port seat, so that when liquid cylinder pressure drops after filling, the weight automatically causes the valve to seat on the vapor port, enabling closure without requiring high vapor pressure or manual intervention.
2Reliability
If manual intervention is required to trip the system, then the system can close properly, but this requires customer access during business hours and is time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a self-acting system where the shuttle valve automatically responds to pressure differentials and weight forces. The system serves itself by using the weight of the shuttle valve assembly and pressure differential to automatically seat the valve on the vapor port when liquid cylinder pressure drops, eliminating the need for manual intervention or customer access.
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
Enables reliable and automated closure of the carbon dioxide delivery system during filling, allowing for flexible delivery times, including outside business hours, without the need for manual intervention and overcoming the limitations of low temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
an inlet cavity collar slideably interconnected to the stem body; and a collar biasing spring slideably interconnected to the stem body between the gas port cavity collar and the inlet cavity collar
Implementation Method 2
receiving and directing the flow of pressurized liquid carbon dioxide to at least one liquid storage cylinder
Implementation Method 3
Liquid carbon dioxide may then boil off and pass through the vapor port to fill a vapor cylinder
Data Source
AI summary
A dynamic control valve assembly for use in filling a liquid carbon dioxide storage and gas delivery system is provided, the assembly comprising: a valve body; an end nut with an inlet port for receiving liquid carbon dioxide; a chamber; an inlet cavity; a liquid port; a gas port; and a dynamic compound valve stem assembly for blocking the gas port while liquid carbon dioxide is delivered through the inlet port and allowing the liquid carbon dioxide to flow through the liquid port for storage in a liquid cylinder, and open the gas port and block the inlet port in order to allow carbon dioxide gasses from boiling liquid carbon dioxide within the liquid cylinder to pass through the gas port for storage in a gas cylinder until system pressure and temperature equilibrium is reached. The dynamic compound valve stem assembly comprises: a stem body having an inlet port poppet and a gas port poppet; an inlet cavity collar; and in some embodiments a collar biasing spring. The compound valve assembly is adapted to block the inlet port upon completion of the delivery of liquid carbon to the system when the system has an initial low pressure. The carbon dioxide gas may then be drawn from the gas cylinder for use in use in carbonated beverages and other applications such as agricultural and medical uses.