Submerged Liquefied Gas Pump With Misalignment Couplers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for pumping liquefied gases from storage containers face challenges with routine maintenance, especially with the failure of foot valves, which can lead to fluid leakage or obstruction, and require a booster pump for high-pressure discharge, complicating the process.
Innovation Solution
A system with a pump submerged in the container and a pipe segment extending to the exterior, using a sealing gland and misalignment couplers to manage temperature-induced length changes, and potentially eliminating the need for a booster pump by achieving sufficient discharge pressure within the container.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If a two-pump system with foot valve is used, then high discharge pressure is achieved, but maintenance complexity and reliability worsen due to foot valve failure risks
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the foot valve component from the system. Instead of using a foot valve at the pump inlet, the system uses a check valve located at the bottom of the tank that directs flow to the pump inlet through a screen. This removal of the foot valve eliminates the reliability issues associated with foot valve failure while maintaining the ability to achieve high discharge pressures through the pump system.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a check valve and screen as intermediary components between the tank bottom and the pump inlet. The check valve acts as a mediator to control flow direction, and the screen serves as a mediator to filter debris before it enters the pump. These intermediary components replace the problematic foot valve arrangement and improve overall system reliability.
2Productivity
If a two-pump system with column and foot valve is used, then pumping capability is achieved, but ease of maintenance worsens due to difficulty in accessing and servicing foot valve
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the foot valve from the column assembly and replaces it with a check valve located at the tank bottom with a screen. This repositioning eliminates the need to disassemble the column and pump assembly to access the valve for maintenance, significantly improving ease of repair while maintaining pumping capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention places the check valve and screen at a specific location (bottom of the tank) where they are easily accessible for maintenance. This local positioning strategy allows routine maintenance to be performed without complex disassembly, improving ease of repair while the pump continues to perform its pumping function effectively.
3Productivity
If in-tank pump with column is used, then liquid transfer is achieved, but device complexity increases due to multiple components (pump, column, foot valve, sealing gland)
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the foot valve component from the system, reducing the number of parts. The column is also simplified by removing the foot valve assembly from its bottom. This reduction in component count directly reduces device complexity while the pump continues to transfer liquid effectively through the simplified configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the function of the foot valve (flow control and filtration) into a combined check valve and screen assembly located at the tank bottom. This consolidation of functions into fewer components reduces overall system complexity while maintaining the necessary liquid transfer capabilities.
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
Enhances the reliability of liquefied gas pumping by reducing maintenance issues, ensuring complete drainage, and achieving high discharge pressures without the need for external booster pumps, thus improving operational efficiency and safety.
Implementation Method 1
misalignment couplers to manage temperature-induced length changes
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for pumping liquefied gas are provided. The system for pumping liquefied gas can includes a container having an access port with a central axis disposed at an upper end thereof, a pump disposed within the container, and at least one pipe segment having a first end and a second end. The pump can include a fluid inlet in fluid communication with a liquefied gas stored in the container and a fluid outlet. The first end of the pipe segment can be in fluid communication with the fluid outlet of the pump. The second end of the pipe segment can be in fluid communication with an exterior of the container. The pump can be capable of lifting the liquefied gas through the at least one pipe segment and discharging the liquefied gas from the container at a pressure sufficient for distribution or further processing.