Temperature Sensitive Fluid Transfer System with Insulated Lines
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current transfer systems for temperature-sensitive fluids, such as cryogenic gases and hot fluids, require laborious and time-consuming purging and cooling/warming procedures to prepare for transfer and decoupling, leading to high energy consumption and long set-up times.
Innovation Solution
A transfer system with thermally insulated transfer lines and pipe assemblies that form closed loops, allowing for continuous fluid circulation and maintaining operating temperature in both transfer and idle modes, thereby eliminating the need for purging and cooling/warming procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the transfer lines are left open to ambient air in idle state, then the system is simple and easy to operate, but the lines must be purged and cooled/warmed up before transfer which increases energy consumption and set-up time
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer lines are pre-cooled or pre-heated to operating temperature before actual transfer operations begin. This preliminary action eliminates the need for time-consuming cooling/warming procedures before each transfer, reducing set-up time while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous circulation of the temperature-sensitive fluid through the transfer lines during idle periods. This continuous action keeps the lines at operating temperature, eliminating the need for repeated cooling/warming cycles and reducing overall set-up time across multiple transfers.
2Reliability
If the transfer lines are purged and cooled/warmed up before each transfer, then the fluid transfer safety is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs cooling or heating of transfer lines in advance, before actual transfer operations begin. This preliminary action ensures safety requirements are met while avoiding repeated energy-intensive cooling/warming cycles during normal operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Continuous fluid circulation during idle periods maintains operating temperature in the transfer lines, eliminating the need for repeated energy-intensive cooling/warming cycles. This reduces overall energy consumption while maintaining transfer safety.
3Reliability
If the transfer lines are cooled down to operating temperature before transfer, then the temperature-sensitive fluid can be transferred safely, but the set-up time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer lines are cooled or heated to operating temperature in advance, before actual transfer operations begin. This preliminary action ensures the lines are ready for immediate use, eliminating time delays during actual transfers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous fluid circulation during idle periods to sustain operating temperature in the transfer lines. This eliminates the need for repeated cooling cycles and reduces overall set-up time across multiple transfer operations.
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
The system significantly reduces energy consumption and set-up times by maintaining the piping arrangement at operating temperature, enabling seamless transitions between transfer and idle modes without the need for extensive purging and cooling processes.
Implementation Method 1
a piping arrangement comprising at least two thermally insulated transfer lines
Implementation Method 2
the first and second transfer lines form a closed loop enabling a continuous flow of fluid through the first and second transfer lines
Data Source
AI summary
A transfer system is provided for transferring temperature sensitive fluids from a supply tank to a receiver tank. The supply and the receiver tank (101,102) are fluidly connected by a piping arrangement comprising at least two thermally insulated transfer lines (103a, 103b) and first and second piping assemblies (104a-d) associated with the receiver and the supply tank, respectively. One end of each transfer line is connected with one of the supply and receiver tank and the other end of each transfer line is provided with a coupling for coupling the other end with the other one of the supply and receiver tank. The transfer system (100) is selectively operable in a transfer mode and an idle mode by appropriately coupling and decoupling the first and second transfer lines. In either mode the piping arrangement remains at or close to an operating temperature of the transfer system in the transfer mode.