Method and System for Optimizing the Filling, Storage and Dispensing of Carbon Dioxide From Multiple Containers Without Overpressurization

A method for filling an on-site CO2 delivery system with CO2 to avoid over pressurization, comprising the steps of:

• providing a liquid CO2 container and a vapor CO2 container operatively connected to the liquid CO2 container;
• introducing pressurized CO2 fluid into the liquid CO2 container;
• creating a restricted flow pathway extending from the fill port to the vapor CO2 container in response to the flow of the pressurized CO2 fluid entering the liquid CO2 container;
• introducing a predetermined portion of the pressurized CO2 fluid through the restricted flow pathway and into the vapor CO2 container;
• filling the system with said pressurized CO2 fluid such that a total weight of said pressurized CO2 fluid occupying the system is no more than 68 wt % by water weight.

An on-site system for selectively filling and dispensing CO2 vapor product from a liquid CO2 container and a vapor CO2 container, respectively, comprising:

• a liquid CO2 container operably connected to a vapor CO2 container,
• the liquid CO2 container comprising a fill port to receive pressurized and refrigerated liquid CO2;
• a shuttle valve comprising a reciprocating piston;
• a pressure differential device situated between the liquid CO2 container and the vapor CO2 container;
• the on-site system adapted to switch between a first configuration for filling and a second configuration for use;
• the on-site system in the first configuration, during filling, that is defined, at least in part, by the pressure differential device activated to an open position, and the shuttle valve configured into a biased state in response to the pressurized refrigerated liquid CO2 pushing the reciprocating piston away from the fill port of the liquid container towards the vapor CO2 container, thereby unobstructing the fill port and preferentially directing a substantial fraction of the flow of the pressurized and refrigerated liquid CO2 into the liquid CO2 container while permitting a portion of the flow of the pressurized and refrigerated liquid CO2 to enter into the vapor CO2 container along a restricted flow path at a second pressure that is substantially equalized with a first pressure in the liquid CO2 container, said restricted flow path created by a clearance between a valve body of the shuttle valve and the reciprocating piston;
• the on-site system in the second configuration, during use, that is defined, at least in part, by the shuttle valve in an unbiased position that allows fluid communication between the liquid CO2 container and the vapor CO2 container in an amount that is greater than that permitted by the restrictive flow path when the pressure differential device is activated to open at a predetermined pressure difference between the liquid CO2 container and the vapor CO2 container, thereby allowing CO2 fluid to transfer from the liquid CO2 container along an internal pathway of the reciprocating piston of the shuttle valve, through the pressure differential device and into the vapor CO2 container, and further wherein the pressure differential device is activated to close below the predetermined pressure difference, thereby allowing a substantial fraction of the CO2 product to be preferentially dispensed from the vapor CO2 container while (i) minimizing or eliminating the transfer of the CO2 fluid from the liquid CO2 container to the vapor CO2 container;
• and/or (ii) minimizing or eliminating the dispensing of CO2 vapor product from the liquid CO2 container, where either (i) or (ii) is defined as occurring prior to a subsequent or successive refill of CO2 liquid into the liquid CO2 container or a transfer of CO2 fluid from the liquid CO2 container to the vapor CO2 container.

A method for assembling an on-site multiple container system capable of dispensing CO2 vapor product to an end-user or customer, comprising:

• providing a liquid CO2 container, the liquid CO2 container comprising a fill port to receive pressurized refrigerated liquid CO2;
• providing a vapor CO2 container that is the same size or larger than the liquid CO2 container;
• providing a pressure differential device;
• providing a shuttle valve comprising a reciprocating piston;
• operably connecting the liquid CO2 container with the vapor CO2 container with a conduit extending between the liquid CO2 container and the vapor CO2 container;
• configuring the shuttle valve along the conduit extending between the liquid CO2 container and the vapor CO2 container, wherein the shuttle valve is configured into a biased state during filling of the liquid CO2 container in response to receiving pressurized refrigerated liquid CO2 along the fill port whereby the pressurized refrigerated liquid CO2 pushes the reciprocating piston away from the fill port of the liquid container towards the vapor CO2 container, thereby unobstructing the fill port and preferentially directing a substantial fraction of the flow of the pressurized refrigerated liquid CO2 into the liquid CO2 container, while permitting a portion of the flow of the pressurized refrigerated liquid CO2 along a restricted flow pathway to enter into the vapor CO2 container at a second pressure that is substantially equalized with a first pressure in the liquid CO2 container, said restricted flow path created by a clearance between a valve body of the shuttle valve;
• configuring the pressure differential device along the conduit extending between the liquid CO2 container and the vapor CO2 container;
• such that the pressure differential device opens and closes under certain operating conditions, wherein the pressure differential device is set to open at a predetermined pressure difference between the liquid CO2 container and the vapor container thereby allowing CO2 fluid to transfer from the liquid CO2 container along an internal pathway of the reciprocating piston of the shuttle valve and into the vapor CO2 container, and further wherein the pressure differential device is activated to close below the predetermined pressure difference, thereby preventing the transfer of the CO2 fluid from the liquid CO2 container to the vapor CO2 container so as to preferentially dispense CO2 vapor from the vapor CO2 container.