# US 2012/0073680 A1 · Safety device for pressurized gas

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- Number: US 2012/0073680 A1
- Document ID: US20120073680A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/320,776
- Filed: 2010-05-07
- Published: 2012-03-29
- Earliest claimed: 2009-05-27
- Assignees: L'Air Liquide Societe Annonyme pour ;'Etude et Explotitation des Procedes Georges Claude
- Inventors: Simon Jallais; Vladimir Hasanov; Joseph Pierquin; Philippe Pisot; Sylvain Gerard; Hervé Challiol; Alexandre Morainville
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20120073680A1

## CPC

- F17C 13/12: Arrangements or mounting of devices for preventing or minimising the effect of explosion (flame traps A62C4/00 ){; Other safety measures}
- F17C 2205/0314: breakable, e.g. with burst discs
- F17C 2205/0317: fusing or melting
- F17C 2205/0332: Safety valves or pressure relief valves
- F17C 2205/0382: Constructional details of valves, regulators
- F17C 2205/0394: in direct contact with the pressure vessel
- F17C 2221/012: Hydrogen
- F17C 2223/0123: gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
- F17C 2260/042: Reducing risk of explosion
- Y02E 60/32: Hydrogen storage
- Y10T 137/7837: Direct response valves [i.e., check valve type]
- F17C: VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES (storing fluids in natural or artificial cavities or chambers in the earth B65G5/00; construction or assembling of bulk storage containers employing civil-engineering techniques E04H7/00; variable-capacity gas-holders F17B; liquefaction or refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

The invention relates to a safety device constituting a valve for releasing pressurized gas in the event of a dangerous situation, including a body defining a gas flow channel extending in a longitudinal direction between a first upstream end to be brought into contact with a pressurized gas source (G) and a second downstream end to be brought into contact with the outer atmosphere, wherein the device includes a plug located in the channel for preventing the flow of gas between the upstream end and the downstream end in a normal situation, the plug being shaped so as to release the passage for the gas in the event of a dangerous situation in which it is subjected to a pressure and/or a temperature exceeding a predetermined threshold, characterized in that, from the upstream direction toward downstream direction, the channel includes two upstream and downstream adjacent flow portions, respectively, having different respective transverse dimensions (d, D), the ratio D/d between the transverse dimension D of the downstream portion and the transverse dimension d of the upstream portion being between 1.4 and 11, and in that the junction between the two adjacent portions forms a discontinuity in the transverse dimension of the channel, and in that the ratio L/D between the length L of the downstream portion and the transverse dimension D of said downstream portion is between 15 and 100.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-10. (canceled)

### Claim 11

A safety device forming a relief valve that releases a gas under pressure in the event of a dangerous situation, the safety device comprising
a) a body defining a channel (1, 2) configured to be capable of directing a flow of gas in a longitudinal direction between
A) an upstream first end (11) adapted to be placed in contact with a source of gas (G) under pressure and
B) a downstream second end (12) adapted to be placed in contact with the exterior atmosphere,
b) a plug (3) situated on the channel (1, 2) configured to prevent a gas from flowing between the upstream end (11) and the downstream end (12) under normal situations, the plug (3) being configured to open the passage to the gas when subjected to a pressure and/or temperature that exceed a determined threshold,
c) wherein, from upstream to downstream, the channel (1, 2) comprises two adjacent flow portions, these respectively being an upstream and a downstream flow portion, the respective transverse dimensions (d, D) of which are different, with a ratio (D/d) between the transverse dimension D of the downstream portion (2) and the transverse dimension d of the upstream portion (1) being from 1.4 to 11;
d) wherein a junction between the two adjacent portions (1, 2) forms a discontinuity in the transverse dimension of the channel (1, 2), with a ratio (L/D) between the length L of the downstream portion (2) and the transverse dimension D of this downstream portion (2) being from 5 to 100.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the ratio D/d between the transverse dimension D of the downstream portion (2) and the transverse dimension of the upstream portion (1) is between 1.5 and 10.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the ratio D/d between the transverse dimension D of the downstream portion (2) and the transverse dimension of the upstream portion (1) is between 1.8 and 2.2.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the ratio L/D between the length L of the downstream portion (2) and the transverse dimension D of this downstream second portion (2) is between 20 and 60.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the upstream end (11) of the upstream portion (1) is adapted to be placed in contact with a source of gas (G) under pressure.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the downstream end (12) of the downstream portion (2) is adapted to be placed in contact with the atmosphere.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the respective transverse dimensions (d, D) of the two portions (1, 2) are the respective diameters or mean diameters of said portions (1, 2).

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein at least part of the downstream portion (2) comprises a reserve of gas that is enriched in oxygen with respect to the atmosphere, said reserve being kept in the downstream portion (2) by at least one retaining member, the retaining membrane being configured to open up the passage to the gas and allow mixing with the enriched gas of the reserve when subjected to a pressure and/or to a temperature that exceed a predetermined threshold.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the downstream portion (2) comprises, upstream of the downstream end (12), at least one orifice (4) providing communication between the downstream portion (2) and the exterior atmosphere, so as to form a spontaneous air (A) induction system if there is circulation of gas (G) under pressure originating from a source.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the body defining the channel (1, 2) is formed of at least two separable components (5, 6).