Fuel transfer and storage systems and methods
AssigneeAvista Corporation
InventorsAlan Duane Hatfield, Robert James Lafferty, Gregory William Rahn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Liquid fuels are routinely used to provide energy for many different uses. Transferring and distributing liquid fuels have many challenges including providing safe and reliable transfers and distributions. Liquid fuels, for example, Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) may be transferred from a vessel at a relatively low flow rate. This system allows for leaks to be captured and contained to an area of a water based transfer platform rather than allowing the spill to spread out on the surface of the water.
Claims25
A system comprising:
- a water based transfer platform;
- a supply vessel holding or receiving a liquid fuel detachably coupled to the water based transfer platform;
- and
- a spill containment system located on the water based transfer platform, the spill containment system comprising:
- one or more trenches disposed in a surface of the water based transfer platform, the one or more trenches configured to collect a liquid and direct it in one or more directions;
- and
- one or more sumps coupled to the one or more trenches, the one or more sumps configured to receive liquid collected from the one or more trenches and also configured to hold the liquid.
A water based transfer platform detachably coupleable to a supply vessel holding or receiving a liquid fuel, the water based transfer platform comprising:
- a liquid fuel transfer system;
- and
- a spill containment system disposed in a surface of the water based transfer platform, the spill containment system comprising:
- one or more holding cavities;
- and
- one or more collectors having a first end, second end, and an edge,
- the one or more holding cavities coupled to the first end,
- one or more of the second end, the edge, or a combination thereof is located near a portion of the liquid fuel transfer system,
- the one or more collectors configured to collect a spill from the portion of the liquid fuel transfer system and direct it to one or more of the one or more holding cavities.
A method comprising:
- transporting a supply vessel storing fuel to a water based transfer platform;
- connecting the supply vessel to the water based transfer platform, the water based transfer platform having a spill containment system;
- transferring fuel from the supply vessel to the water based transfer platform at a first flow rate, the first flow rate below a flow rate threshold;
- and
- distributing the fuel to consumers at a second flow rate, the second flow rate within a second flow rate threshold of the first flow rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.