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US 10,240,722 B2Granted
Cryogenic fluid system and method of operating same
AssigneeProgress Rail Locomotive Inc.
InventorPeter Popadiuc
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cryogenic fluid system includes a vessel and a pumping system positioned for submerging within cryogenic fluid within the vessel. The pumping system includes an electric drive structured to move a pumping element within a pumping chamber to pump cryogenic fluid out of the vessel. A cooling jacket forms a heat exchange cavity about the electric drive such that heat is rejected externally of the storage vessel.
Claims18
A cryogenic fluid system comprising:
- a cryogenic fluid storage vessel having a cryogenic fluid outlet formed therein;
- a pumping system positioned within the cryogenic fluid storage vessel, and including a housing having a pumping inlet fluidly connected with an interior volume of the cryogenic fluid storage vessel, a pumping outlet structured to fluidly connect with the cryogenic fluid outlet, and a pumping chamber fluidly between the pumping inlet and the pumping outlet;
- the pumping system further including a pumping element movable within the pumping chamber to transition the cryogenic fluid from the pumping inlet to the pumping outlet, and an electric drive structured to actuate the pumping element;
- and
- the pumping system further including a cooling jacket forming a heat exchange cavity about the electric drive for conveying the cryogenic fluid in heat transference contact with the electric drive;
- wherein the cooling jacket is disposed separately from the pumping chamber and the heat exchange cavity is positioned fluidly between the pumping inlet and the pumping outlet, such that the cryogenic fluid transitioned from the pumping inlet and pumping chamber is conveyed through the heat exchange cavity to exchange heat with the electric drive prior to being transitioned to the pumping outlet.
3 more elements
A machine system comprising:
- a machine;
- a storage vessel structured to contain a fluid;
- fluid coupling hardware including a fluid conduit for conveying the fluid in a gaseous or liquid form from the storage vessel to the machine;
- and
- a pumping system positioned within the storage vessel, and including a housing having a pumping inlet, a pumping outlet structured to fluidly connect with the fluid conduit, and a pumping chamber;
- the pumping system further including a pumping element movable within the pumping chamber to transition the fluid from the pumping inlet to the pumping outlet, and an electric drive structured to actuate the pumping element;
- and
- the pumping system further including a cooling jacket forming a heat exchange cavity about the electric drive for conveying the fluid in heat transference contact with the electric drive;
- wherein the cooling jacket is disposed separately from the pumping chamber and the heat exchange cavity is positioned fluidly between the pumping inlet and the pumping outlet, such that the cryogenic fluid transitioned from the pumping inlet and pumping chamber is conveyed through the heat exchange cavity to exchange heat with the electric drive prior to being transitioned to the pumping outlet.
6 more elements
A method of operating a cryogenic fluid system comprising:
- operating a pumping system submerged in cryogenic fluid within a storage vessel to transition the cryogenic fluid from the storage vessel to a fluid conduit outside the storage vessel that is structured to supply the fluid to a machine, the pumping system including a pumping chamber in which the cryogenic fluid is pumped;
- conveying the cryogenic fluid transitioned by way of the operating of the pumping system so that the cryogenic fluid pumped in the pumping chamber is conveyed through a heat exchange cavity formed by a cooling jacket positioned about an electric drive of the pumping system, such that the cryogenic fluid exchanges heat with the electric drive, wherein the cooling jacket is disposed separately from the pumping chamber;
- and
- conveying the cryogenic fluid having exchanged heat with the electric drive out of the storage vessel.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.