Liquid Gas Transfer System with Gravity Drainage Return Pipe
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for transferring liquid-form gas, such as methane, from one vessel to another are risky and time-consuming due to the cryogenic temperature and pressure, leading to potential human injury, material damage, and environmental pollution when the transfer pipe is disconnected, as the remaining gas may flow or spray out.
Innovation Solution
A transfer system comprising a main pipe with a return pipe that allows gravitational drainage of the liquid-form gas back to the source tank, eliminating the need for boiling off the gas, thereby reducing risks and energy losses, and ensuring safe disconnection of the transfer pipes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the transfer pipe is disconnected after liquid-form gas transfer, then the transfer operation is completed, but the remaining liquid-form gas may flow or spray out causing human injury, material damage, and environmental pollution
Solution Approach 1:
A return pipe is introduced as an intermediary component connected between the main pipe and the source tank. This return pipe serves as a safety pathway that allows remaining liquid-form gas to return to the source tank through gravitational drainage, preventing harmful outflow during disconnection. The return pipe acts as a mediator that resolves the conflict between completing the transfer operation and preventing hazardous gas release.
2Reliability
If the liquid-form gas is boiled off by spraying seawater on the pipe, then the gas is safely handled, but the operation becomes painstaking and time-consuming, lengthening the ship's downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal processing method (seawater spraying to boil off gas) is replaced with a gravitational drainage system. By using the return pipe positioned at a lower elevation than the main pipe, liquid-form gas is drained back to the source tank through gravity alone, eliminating the need for time-consuming thermal processing while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes gravitational potential energy by positioning the return pipe at a lower elevation than the main pipe. This creates a height difference that enables automatic drainage of liquid-form gas from the main pipe to the source tank through gravity, replacing the need for active thermal processing and significantly reducing operation time.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the liquid-form gas is boiled off and reliquefied or burnt, then the gas is disposed of, but energy losses occur
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discarding the remaining liquid-form gas through reliquefaction or combustion (which causes energy losses), the return pipe system recovers and returns the gas to the source tank. This recovery process preserves the energy contained in the liquid-form gas, eliminating the need for energy-intensive disposal methods.
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 simplifies and accelerates the drainage process, ensuring safe and efficient transfer of liquid-form gas by utilizing gravity to return the gas to the source tank, reducing the risk of environmental pollution and energy losses compared to traditional boiling methods.
Implementation Method 1
the transfer system for transferring liquid-form gas being configured to drain the liquid-form gas present in the main pipe under gravity toward the source tank via the return pipe
Data Source
AI summary
A transfer system, for transferring liquid-form gas between two liquid-form gas units, includes: a main pipe configured to transfer the liquid-form gas from a source tank of a liquid-form gas source unit to a receiving tank of a liquid-form gas receiving unit, the main pipe including at least a first portion and a flexible second portion; and at least one return pipe configured to convey the liquid-form gas present in the main pipe toward the source tank, the transfer system being configured to drain the liquid-form gas under gravity.