Compressed gas cylinder gas density measurement
AssigneeHexagon Technology AS
InventorsBrian Burks, John Eihusen, Troy Otto
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pressure vessel assembly incudes a pressure vessel and a gas density gauge. The pressure vessel includes a vessel wall defining an interior cavity. The gas density gauge includes a parallel plate capacitor having a pair of plates. Opposing surfaces of the plates are separated by a distance across an open gap. A capacitance of the capacitor is related to a density of a gas within the open gap.
Claims14
A pressure vessel plug configured to seal a port of a boss of a pressure vessel, the plug comprising:
- a plug body configured to be received within the port;
- a gas density gauge comprising a parallel plate capacitor supported by the plug body and including a pair of plates having opposing surfaces that are separated by a distance across an open gap;
- and
- valving configured to control gas injection or discharge through the plug body,
- wherein:
- a first pathway extends from a first opening in a distal face of the plug body to the open gap;
- a second pathway extends from a second opening in the distal face to the valving;
- and
- a capacitance of the capacitor is related to a density of a gas within the open gap.
A pressure vessel assembly comprising:
- a pressure vessel including a vessel wall defining an interior cavity;
- a boss supported by the vessel wall and including a port to the interior cavity;
- a plug comprising a plug body received within the port;
- a gas density gauge supported by the plug body and comprising a parallel plate capacitor including a pair of plates having opposing surfaces that are separated by a distance across an open gap;
- and
- valving through which a gas may be injected into the interior cavity or discharged from the interior cavity,
- wherein:
- a first pathway extends from a first opening in a distal face of the plug body to the open gap;
- a second pathway extends from a second opening in the distal face to the valving;
- and
- the opposing surfaces and the gap are exposed to a gas within the interior cavity;
- and
- a capacitance of the capacitor is related to a density of the gas.
A method of measuring a density of a gas within a pressure vessel, wherein:
- the pressure vessel comprises:
- a vessel wall defining an interior cavity;
- a boss supported by the vessel wall and including a port to the interior cavity;
- a plug comprising a plug body received within the port;
- a gas density gauge supported by the plug body and comprising a parallel plate capacitor including a pair of plates that are separated by a distance across an open gap;
- valving through which a gas may be injected into the interior cavity or discharged from the interior cavity;
- a first pathway extends from a first opening in a distal face of the plug body to the open gap;
- and
- a second pathway extends from a second opening in the distal face to the valving, the method comprising:
- containing a gas within the interior cavity of the pressure vessel;
- exposing the open gap to the interior cavity through the first pathway;
- exposing the valving to the interior cavity through the second pathway;
- and
- generating a capacitance signal indicating a capacitance of the capacitor using capacitance measurement circuitry,
- wherein the capacitance signal is related to a density of the gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.