Dynamic Reference Pressure Chamber for Instrument Gas Reinjection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid control systems in industrial settings often vent control fluid into the atmosphere, leading to loss of valuable materials and potential regulatory issues, especially in scenarios where reliable power sources are unavailable.
Innovation Solution
A fluid control system that includes a pressurized chamber connected to a pipeline, allowing instrument gas leaked from instruments within the chamber to be captured and reinjected into the downstream pipeline, thereby eliminating atmospheric venting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If typical control systems vent control fluid to the atmosphere, then the system operates simply without complex pressure control mechanisms, but valuable material is lost and regulatory consequences occur
Solution Approach 1:
A pressurized chamber is introduced as an intermediary component between the control system and the atmosphere. The chamber captures vented control fluid and maintains it under pressure, allowing reinjection into the pipeline without direct atmospheric release. This mediator enables material conservation while managing the complexity of pressure control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the reference pressure parameter of the pressurized chamber to match pipeline pressure conditions. By changing the pressure parameter of the chamber in response to pipeline pressure variations, the system enables seamless reinjection of control fluid while maintaining pressure balance, thus preventing material loss without requiring overly complex control mechanisms.
2Loss of substance
If a pressurized chamber with dynamic reference pressure is used to capture and reinject control fluid, then material loss is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressurized chamber is designed to automatically adjust its reference pressure based on pipeline pressure conditions without requiring external intervention. The chamber self-regulates to maintain the pressure differential needed for capturing and reinjecting instrument gas, reducing the need for additional complex control systems while preventing material loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system equalizes the pressure potential between the pressurized chamber and the pipeline by dynamically matching the reference pressure. This equipotential approach allows control fluid to flow smoothly from the chamber back into the pipeline without requiring complex pressure differential control mechanisms, thus preventing material loss with simplified design.
3Productivity
If instruments operate with reference pressure greater than or equal to pipeline pressure, then control fluid can be reinjected into the pipeline, but the system requires dynamic pressure adjustment capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The reference pressure of the pressurized chamber is made dynamic rather than static, allowing it to automatically adjust to match pipeline pressure conditions. This dynamic pressure adjustment enables continuous and efficient reinjection of control fluid into the pipeline while maintaining the necessary pressure differential, achieving high productivity without requiring overly complex external control systems.
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 effectively prevents the loss of control fluid to the atmosphere, conserves valuable materials, and avoids regulatory consequences by ensuring that all vented fluid is re-injected into the pipeline.
Implementation Method 1
The pressurized chamber may have a dynamically variable pressure corresponding to a pressure in the pipeline... The one or more instruments within the pressurized chamber have a reference pressure greater than or equal to the pressure in the pipeline
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid control system is provided for controlling flow of a process fluid through a pipeline. The fluid control system can include a valve, one or more instruments in fluidic communication with the valve, and a pressurized chamber. In one example, the pressurized chamber contains the one or more instruments. In one example, the pressurized chamber has a dynamically variable pressure, which corresponds to a pressure in a downstream portion of the pipeline, such as a natural gas pipeline. In another example, the pressurized chamber captures instrument gas bled/leaked from the instruments and reinjects the instrument gas into the downstream portion of the pipeline.