High-Pressure Gas Valve Housing With Side Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for installing gas valve units (GVU) on ships are complex, as they require separate rooms or capsules due to the need for pressure-tight inspection and maintenance openings, which complicates integration within ship interiors.
Innovation Solution
A high-pressure container design with inspection and maintenance openings on the side and top walls, allowing for pressure-tight closure using blind flanges, simplifies installation and maintenance by accommodating different GVU sizes and functional components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the GVU is placed in a dedicated space or separate enclosure, then the explosion protection requirements are met, but the integration within ship interiors becomes complex and space-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the GVU enclosure with the fuel line enclosure into a single integrated structure. The high-pressure vessel serves dual purposes: containing the GVU and forming part of the double-walled fuel line system, thereby eliminating the need for separate dedicated spaces while maintaining explosion protection through the inherent safety design of the integrated enclosure.
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosure structure is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the outer pipe of the double-walled fuel line, contains the high-pressure gas vessel, provides inspection and maintenance access, and maintains pressure-tight sealing. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity and space requirements.
2Reliability
If inspection and maintenance openings are located at the front and rear of the high-pressure tank, then pressure-tight sealing is achieved, but the placement is limited by local conditions in the ship's interior
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions inspection and maintenance openings on the side wall of the high-pressure vessel rather than only at the front and rear. This lateral placement on the side wall provides pressure-tight sealing capability while offering greater flexibility in adapting to different ship interior layouts and local installation conditions.
3Ease of operation
If the high-pressure vessel is cut lengthwise for GVU installation, then the GVU can be installed, but the vessel requires complex resealing to maintain pressure-tightness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a removable cover or access panel on the side wall of the high-pressure vessel that allows the GVU to be installed without cutting the vessel lengthwise. This segmented access design enables easy GVU installation and maintenance while preserving the integrity of the main vessel structure, eliminating complex resealing operations.
4Ease of manufacture
If standard container elements are used for the enclosure, then the construction simplicity is improved, but the adaptability to different GVU sizes and ship classes must be verified
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the enclosure with adjustable or removable components, such as variable-length sections or modular panels, that allow the structure to be adapted to different GVU sizes. This dynamic configuration capability enables the use of standard container elements while maintaining flexibility to accommodate various GVU dimensions and ship class requirements.
Data Source
Figure 1~4
AI summary
Housing for receiving a gas valve unit (GVU) for gas-powered ships, comprising - a high-pressure tank (1), characterized by - a gas inlet nozzle (8) and a gas outlet nozzle (9) for a gas line (10) passing through the high-pressure tank (1), to which the functional components or modules of the GVU can be connected or into whichare integrable, - at least two pressure-tight sealable inspection and maintenance openings (4), and - a pressure-tight sealable connection nozzle (6) which can be pressure-tightly sealed by means of a blind flange arrangement (7), through whose blind flange electrical and sensor lines can be passed, wherein - one inspection and maintenance opening (4) is provided in the side wall of the high-pressure vessel (1) and can be sealed by means of a blind flange arrangement (7), - the high-pressure vessel (1) is open at the top for inserting and removing the GVU into and out of the high-pressure vessel (1) by forming one of the two inspection and maintenance openings (4) and can be pressure-tightly sealed by means of a cover (2) that can be flanged to the high-pressure vessel (1).