# US 2017/0284602 A1 · Method and System for Optimizing the Filling, Storage and Dispensing of Carbon Dioxide From Multiple Containers Without Overpressurization

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- Number: US 2017/0284602 A1
- Document ID: US20170284602A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/472,928
- Filed: 2017-03-29
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-30
- Assignees: Praxair Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Xuemei Song; Shawn M. Cecula; William R. Gerristead
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170284602A1

## CPC

- F17C 5/06: for filling with compressed gases
- F17C 1/00: Pressure vessels, e.g. gas cylinder, gas tank, replaceable cartridge (pressurised apparatus for purposes other than storage, see the relevant subclasses such as A62C, B05B; associated with vehicles, see the appropriate subclass of classes B60 - B64; pressure vessels in general F16J12/00 {; autoclaves B01J3/04; tank vehicles B60P3/22; railway tank wagons for carrying fluent materials B61D5/00; accumulators for supplying fluid under pressure F15B1/04; liquefied gas stoves F24C3/00})
- F17C 1/005: {Storage of gas or gaseous mixture at high pressure and at high density condition, e.g. in the single state phase}
- F17C 5/005: {for gas bottles, such as on a continuous belt or on a merry-go-round}
- F17C 7/00: Methods or apparatus for discharging liquefied, solidified, or compressed gases from pressure vessels, not covered by another subclass
- F17C 7/04: with change of state, e.g. vaporisation
- F17C 13/002: {for vessels under pressure (F17C13/008 and F17C13/02 - F17C13/12 take precedence)}
- B67D 1/04: Apparatus utilising compressed air or other gas acting directly or indirectly on beverages in storage containers
- F17C 2203/0639: Steels
- F17C 2203/0646: Aluminium
- F17C 2203/0648: Alloys or compositions of metals
- F17C 2205/0138: bundled in series
- F17C 2205/0323: Valves
- F17C 2205/0338: Pressure regulators
- F17C 2205/0382: Constructional details of valves, regulators
- F17C 2221/013: Carbon dioxide
- F17C 2223/0153: Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
- F17C 2223/035: High pressure (>10 bar)
- F17C 2225/0123: gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
- F17C 2227/043: by pressure cascade
- F17C 2260/021: Avoiding over pressurising
- F17C 2260/022: Avoiding overfilling
- F17C 2260/042: Reducing risk of explosion
- F17C 2270/0171: Trucks
- F17C 2270/0509: "Dewar" vessels
- F17C 2270/059: Mass bottling, e.g. merry belts
- F17C 2270/07: for household use
- F17C 2270/0736: Capsules, e.g. CO2
- 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)
- B67D: DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes B08B9/02; emptying or filling of bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels, or similar containers, not otherwise provided for B67C; water supply E03; pipe systems F17D; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D; measuring volume, volume flow, mass flow or liquid level, metering by volume G01F; coin-freed or like apparatus G07F)

## Abstract

This invention relates to a novel method and system for dispensing CO2 vapor without over pressurization from a system having multiple containers. The system includes one or more liquid containers and one or more vapor containers. The system is designed to operate in a specific manner whereby a restricted amount of CO2 liquid is permitted into the vapor container through a restrictive pathway that is created and maintained by a shuttle valve during the filling operation so that equalization of container pressures is achieved, thereby allowing shuttle valve to reseat when filling has stopped. During use, a pressure differential device is designed to specifically isolate the vapor container from the liquid container so as to preferentially deplete liquid CO2 from the vapor container and avoid over pressurization of the system until the vapor container becomes liquid dry. The system can be operated so that at least 50% of the CO2 vapor product is dispensed from the vapor container.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for dispensing CO2 product to an end-user from an on-site carbon dioxide (CO2) multiple container system comprising a liquid CO2 container operatively connected with a vapor CO2 container, said method comprising the steps of:
dispensing CO2 vapor substantially from the vapor CO2 container to the end-user; and
preferentially depleting CO2 liquid from the vapor CO2 container, such that the dispensing of the CO2 vapor substantially from the vapor CO2 container to the end-user occurs until a pressure difference between the liquid CO2 container and the vapor CO2 container acquires a set point value.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a weight ratio of the CO2 product dispensed from the vapor container to the CO2 product dispensed from the liquid container is approximately 1:1 or higher.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising consuming a greater amount by weight of CO2 vapor from the vapor CO2 container than the liquid CO2 container 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.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of substantially avoiding accumulation of liquid CO2 in the vapor CO2 container after one or more subsequent or successive refills of the CO2 liquid into the liquid CO2 container or one or more transfers of the CO2 liquid from the liquid CO2 container to the vapor CO2 container.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising vaporizing at least 75 wt % of CO2 liquid in the vapor CO2 container prior to introducing CO2 liquid and/or CO2 vapor from the liquid CO2 container to the vapor CO2 container.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure difference between the liquid CO2 container and the vapor CO2 container increases to the set point value that causes a transfer of CO2 fluid from the liquid CO2 container to the vapor CO2 container.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:
isolating the vapor CO2 container from the liquid CO2 container when the pressure difference between the liquid CO2 container and vapor CO2 container has decreased to below the set point value.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the weight ratio of the CO2 product dispensed from the vapor container to the CO2 product dispensed from the liquid container is approximately 1.5:1 or higher.

### Claim 9

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.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising substantially equalizing pressures in the liquid CO2 container and the vapor CO2 container during the filling.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein a pressure differential device is configured in the open position, said pressure differential device situated between the liquid CO2 container and the vapor CO2 container.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the restricted flow path is created by a predetermined clearance between the valve body and the piston.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising:
monitoring a liquid level of the pressurized CO2 fluid in the vapor CO2 container;
determining a liquid CO2 level in the vapor CO2 container to reach a predetermined maximum level, and in response thereto;
stopping the filling of the pressurized CO2 fluid into the liquid CO2 container.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the step of introducing pressurized CO2 fluid through the restricted flow pathway and into the vapor CO2 container is in an amount that comprises less than approximately 30 wt % of the pressurized CO2 fluid introduced from a CO2 source.

### Claim 15

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.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The on-site system of claim 15, wherein the pressure differential device is integrated with the shuttle valve.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The on-site system of claim 15, wherein the restricted flow path has the clearance between the valve body and the reciprocating piston that is no more than about 0.003 inches to create less than about 25 wt % of the total CO2 pressurized and refrigerated liquid CO2 that is charged into the system to enter into the vapor CO2 container with the balance charged to occupy the liquid CO2 container.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The on-site system of claim 15, wherein the pressure differential device is selected from the group consisting of a critical orifice, a capillary, a pressure relief valve, an active in-line spring-loaded backpressure device and any other suitable device capable of being set to activate into an open position at the predetermined pressure difference between the liquid container and the vapor container so as to maintain transfer of the CO2 fluid from the liquid CO2 container to the vapor container upon preferential depletion of the CO2 liquid in the vapor CO2 container.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The on-site system of claim 15, further comprising a flow leg extending between the liquid CO2 container and the vapor CO2 container.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The on-site system of claim 19, wherein the shuttle valve and the pressure differential device is situated on the flow leg.

### Claim 21 (depends on 15)

The on-site system of claim 15, further comprising a means for measuring the pressurized refrigerated CO2 liquid level in the vapor CO2 container.

### Claim 22 (depends on 15)

The on-site system of claim 15, wherein the vapor CO2 container is configured to be the same size or larger in volume than the liquid CO2 container.

### Claim 23 (depends on 15)

The on-site system of claim 15, further comprising a residual pressure control device.

### Claim 24

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.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The method of assembly of claim 24, further comprising installing a fill hose to the fill port and connecting a CO2 pressurized refrigerated source to the fill hose.

### Claim 26 (depends on 24)

The method of assembly of claim 24, further comprising installing a residual pressure control device.

### Claim 27 (depends on 24)

The method of assembly of claim 24, further comprising installing a pressure regulator operably connected to the vapor CO2 container.

### Claim 28

A method for dispensing CO2 product to an end-user from an on-site carbon dioxide (CO2) multiple container system comprising a liquid CO2 container operatively connected with a vapor CO2 container, said method comprising the steps of:
dispensing CO2 vapor substantially from the vapor CO2 container to the end-user; and
preferentially depleting CO2 liquid from the vapor CO2 container, such that the weight ratio of the CO2 vapor dispensed from the vapor CO2 container to the CO2 vapor dispensed from the liquid container is approximately 1.5:1 or higher as measured prior to (i) a subsequent or successive refill of CO2 liquid into the liquid CO2 container (ii) or a transfer of CO2 fluid from the liquid CO2 container to the vapor CO2 container.