Vacuum-Insulated Cryogenic Pressure Regulator With Secondary Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pressure regulators for cryogenic fluids lack adequate thermal insulation and safety features, leading to issues such as oxygen condensation, increased risk of inflammation, and difficulty in detecting leaks, while also failing to provide a second containment for environmental protection.
Innovation Solution
A pressure regulator with a housing enclosing the control valve and sensor means, insulated by a vacuum space and a second containment, which maintains a set pressure independent of atmospheric conditions, using a membrane and spring mechanism for control, and optionally filled with a gas below the fluid's boiling point for temperature stabilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If polymeric foam insulation is used on the pressure regulator, then thermal insulation is provided, but the insulation cover must be removed and scrapped for any maintenance or pressure change, and liquid oxygen can condense between the foam cover and cold wall creating safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure regulator is divided into two containment walls: an inner wall housing the regulator components and an outer wall forming the insulation boundary. This segmentation allows the regulator to be thermally insulated while maintaining accessibility for maintenance through the outer wall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure regulator employs a composite structure combining metallic containment walls with vacuum insulation. This composite design provides effective thermal insulation without requiring removable foam covers, eliminating the safety hazards associated with liquid oxygen condensation between insulation and cold surfaces.
2Temperature
If polymeric foam insulation is used on the pressure regulator, then thermal insulation is provided, but leak detection becomes very difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The outer containment wall incorporates visual indicators or transparent sections that enable operators to detect leaks through color changes or visual cues, making leak detection straightforward without removing insulation materials.
3Device complexity
If conventional single-walled pressure regulator is used, then device complexity is low, but there is no second containment to protect environment or personnel from hazardous fluids
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure regulator is divided into two containment walls: an inner wall housing the regulator components and an outer wall forming the insulation boundary. This segmentation provides a second containment for safety while maintaining structural efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner containment wall is nested within the outer containment wall, creating a double-walled structure. The inner wall houses the pressure regulator components while the outer wall provides thermal insulation and secondary containment, protecting the environment and personnel from hazardous fluids.
4Stress or pressure
If pressure regulator operates at cryogenic temperatures, then pressure regulation is achieved, but atmospheric oxygen condensates on cold spots increasing inflammation risk
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure regulator employs a composite structure combining metallic containment walls with vacuum insulation. This composite design provides effective thermal insulation without requiring removable foam covers, eliminating the safety hazards associated with liquid oxygen condensation between insulation and cold surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum space between the inner and outer containment walls creates an inert environment that prevents atmospheric oxygen from contacting cold surfaces. This eliminates the risk of oxygen condensation and subsequent inflammation hazards while maintaining effective thermal insulation.
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
Provides enhanced thermal insulation and safety by preventing oxygen condensation, ensuring leak detection, and offering a second containment, effectively regulating pressure for cryogenic fluids without atmospheric influence.
Implementation Method 1
A pressure regulator with a housing enclosing the control valve and sensor means, insulated by a vacuum space
Implementation Method 2
a control valve actuated by a control element responding to a pressure signal generated by sensor means to maintain a set pressure in the transfer line
Implementation Method 3
using a membrane and spring mechanism for control
Data Source
AI summary
A pressure regulator for fluids is described. The pressure regulator (100) has a main body (108) including a control valve (112,113) actuated by a control element (119) responding to a pressure signal generated by sensor means (118) to maintain a set pressure in the transfer line. The main body (108), the control valve (112,113), the control element (119) and the sensor means (118) are contained in an interior space (124) enclosed by a housing (123). A pressure below atmospheric pressure prevails in the interior space (124).