Isolation valve for pressurized tank
AssigneesChina Energy Investment Corporation Limited, National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy
InventorsKenneth William Kratschmar, Xianming Jimmy Li, Cullen Hall, Edward Youn, Jeff Allen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An isolation mechanism for isolating a submerged pump in a storage vessel, where the isolation mechanism comprises a primary valve member and a secondary valve member, which are both biased in a fail-closed position. The isolation mechanism allows for redundancy for safety and reliability, and can be operated externally of the storage vessel. Furthermore, the isolation mechanism comprises venting and purging devices for safe operation of removal and installation of the pump in the storage vessel.
Claims19
A fluid delivery system comprising:
- a storage vessel for storing a fluid;
- a pump housing provided in the storage vessel;
- a pump insertable into the pump housing;
- wherein the pump comprises an extension flange configured to divide an interior space of the pump housing into a cold end space and a warm end space;
- and
- an isolation mechanism comprising:
- a primary valve member provided at one end of the pump housing near a bottom of the storage vessel in the fluid, said primary valve member configured to be biased in a fail-closed position and configured to isolate the pump in the pump housing from the storage vessel,
- a secondary valve member provided at the one end of the pump housing, said secondary valve member configured to be biased in a fail-closed position and configured to provide a second and redundant isolation of the pump in the pump housing from the storage vessel.
An isolation mechanism for a pump in a fluid, comprising:
- a primary valve member provided at one end of a pump housing, said primary valve member configured to be biased in a fail-closed position and configured to isolate the pump in the pump housing from a storage vessel;
- a secondary valve member provided at the one end of the pump housing, said secondary valve member configured to be biased in a fail-closed position and configured to provide a second and redundant isolation of the pump in the pump housing from the storage vessel;
- wherein the primary valve member is configured to be actuatable externally of the storage vessel,
- wherein the secondary valve member is actuated automatically;
- wherein the primary valve member comprises actuators that are hollow tubes configured to provide venting and purging for depressurization and clearing of any residual liquid or vapor in the pump housing,
- wherein the pump comprises an extension flange configured to divide an interior space of the pump housing into a cold end space and a warm end space.
A method for removing and/or installing a pump from a storage vessel comprising the steps of:
- closing a primary valve member provided at one end of a pump housing in the storage vessel by actuating an actuator, wherein the primary valve member is configured to be biased in a fail-closed position, wherein the closing of the primary valve member isolates the pump in the pump housing from the storage vessel;
- removing the pump, wherein a secondary valve member provided at the one end of the pump housing is automatically closed, wherein said secondary valve member is configured to be biased in a fail-closed position and configured to provide a second and redundant isolation of the pump in the pump housing,
- wherein the pump comprises an extension flange configured to divide an interior space of the pump housing into a cold end space and a warm end space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.