Internal nozzle for a tank car
AssigneeTrinity Tank Car, Inc.
InventorRoss E. Hill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cryogenic railway tank car includes an outer tank, an inner tank positioned within the outer tank, an internal nozzle, and a pipe. The inner tank includes a shell that defines an opening. The internal nozzle is coupled to the inner tank at least along a perimeter of the opening and extends in a radial direction through the opening and into the inner tank. A space defined by an interior surface of the outer tank, an exterior surface of the inner tank, and an interior surface of the nozzle is configured to hold a vacuum. The pipe is configured to transport the fluid between an exterior of the outer tank and the interior of the inner tank. At least a portion of the pipe extends from the outer tank to the inner tank through at least a portion of the nozzle.
Claims14
A cryogenic railway tank car comprising:
- an outer tank;
- an inner tank positioned within the outer tank, the inner tank comprising:
- a shell that is generally cylindrical in shape, the shell comprising a first open end, a second open end opposite the first open end, and a side that defines at least a first opening;
- a first tank head coupled to the shell at the first open end;
- and
- a second tank head coupled to the shell at the second open end:
- an internal nozzle coupled to the inner tank at least along a perimeter of the first opening, the internal nozzle extending in a radial direction through the first opening and into at least a portion of an interior of the inner tank, wherein:
- a first space defined by an interior surface of the outer tank, an exterior surface of the inner tank, and an interior surface of the nozzle is configured to hold a vacuum;
- a second space located within the inner tank and defined by an interior surface of the inner tank and an exterior surface of the nozzle is configured to hold a fluid:
- a first pipe configured to transport the fluid from at least one of an exterior of the outer tank to the interior of the inner tank and the interior of the inner tank to the exterior of the outer tank, wherein at least a portion of the first pipe extends from the outer tank to the inner tank through at least a portion of the nozzle;
- a first end of the internal nozzle terminates within the inner tank;
- and
- a second end of the internal nozzle terminates within the first space, the second end of the internal nozzle opposite the first end of the internal nozzle.
A method of manufacturing a cryogenic railway tank car comprising:
- forming an inner tank system, the inner tank system comprising:
- an inner tank comprising:
- a shell that is generally cylindrical in shape, the shell comprising a first open end, a second open end opposite the first open end, and a side that defines at least a first opening:
- a first tank head coupled to the shell at the first open end;
- and
- a second tank head coupled to the shell at the second open end:
- an internal nozzle coupled to the inner tank at least along a perimeter of the first opening, wherein the internal nozzle extends in a radial direction through the first opening and into at least a portion of an interior of the inner tank;
- and
- a first pipe, wherein at least a portion of the first pipe is located within the internal nozzle;
- enclosing the inner tank system within an outer tank, wherein:
- a first space defined by an interior surface of the outer tank, an exterior surface of the inner tank, and an interior surface of the nozzle is configured to hold a vacuum;
- a second space located within the inner tank and defined by an interior surface of the inner tank and an exterior surface of the nozzle is configured to hold a fluid;
- and
- the first pipe is configured to transport the fluid from at least one of an exterior of the outer tank to the interior of the inner tank, and the interior of the inner tank to the exterior of the outer tank;
- a first end of the internal nozzle terminates within the inner tank;
- a second end of the internal nozzle terminates within the first space, the second end of the internal nozzle opposite the first end of the internal nozzle;
- and
- applying a vacuum to the first space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.