Vacuum-Insulated Suction Container Using Boil-Off Gas Buffering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquefied gas in suction containers vaporizes due to heat input, leading to bubble generation and increased boil-off gas, which destabilizes pump operation and reduces efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A suction container with a vacuum insulation structure and a gas-layer space for boil-off gas, combined with a baffle structure to stabilize the liquid surface and prevent convection, along with a controlled boil-off gas discharge system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If thermal insulation of the suction container is improved, then heat input to liquefied gas is reduced, but device complexity increases due to additional insulation structures
Solution Approach 1:
A gas-layer space filled with boil-off gas is introduced as an intermediary thermal insulation layer between the liquefied gas and the external environment. This gas layer acts as a thermal barrier, reducing heat input to the liquefied gas while utilizing the already-present boil-off gas rather than adding complex active cooling systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The boil-off gas, which is normally considered waste or harmful due to liquefied gas loss, is converted into a useful thermal insulation medium. By filling the gas-layer space with boil-off gas, the system transforms a negative effect (vaporization loss) into a positive effect (thermal insulation), reducing further heat input and liquefied gas vaporization.
2Reliability
If liquid surface stability is improved, then pump operation stability is enhanced, but device complexity increases due to additional stabilization structures
Solution Approach 1:
A baffle structure is introduced as an intermediary element between the liquid surface and the gas-layer space. This baffle prevents direct contact and interaction between the liquid surface and the gas layer, eliminating the mechanism by which gas-layer pressure changes could cause liquid surface undulation and pump operation instability.
3Reliability
If boil-off gas is discharged to reduce pressure, then liquid surface undulation is reduced, but loss of substance increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discharging boil-off gas to the external environment (which would increase substance loss), the system utilizes the boil-off gas as a thermal insulation medium in the gas-layer space. This converts the harmful effect of vaporization into a beneficial insulation effect, reducing further heat input and liquefied gas vaporization, thereby minimizing substance loss while maintaining liquid surface stability.
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 solution significantly reduces heat input, stabilizes the liquid surface, and minimizes boil-off gas, maintaining thermal insulation and pump stability.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum insulation container having a double-wall structure in which a vacuum is formed; and a vacuum insulation lid having a hermetic structure in which a vacuum is formed
Implementation Method 2
a gas insulation layer made of a boil-off gas is formed between an inner surface of the vacuum insulation container and an outer surface of the hermetic structure
Implementation Method 3
the undulation of the liquid surface can cause convection in a gas layer, which causes the liquefied gas to further vaporize
Data Source
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AI summary
The pump apparatus for delivering liquefied gas includes a suction container (9) and a pump (10). The suction container (9) has a vacuum insulation container (18) and a vacuum insulation lid (19). The pump (10) is disposed in a pump chamber (30) formed in the vacuum insulation container (18). A gas-layer space (L) for forming a gas insulation layer made of the boil-off gas is formed between an inner surface of the vacuum insulation container (18) and an outer surface of a hermetic structure (25) of the vacuum insulation lid (19). The gas-layer space (L) is in communication with the pump chamber (30).