Apparatus and systems for separating phases in liquid hydrogen pumps
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsErnst Wolfgang Stautner, Constantinos Minas
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Abstract
Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed herein that include a cryogenic pump system comprising: a cryogenic liquid tank; a cryogenic pump including a suction adapter, the suction adapter connected to the cryogenic liquid tank via a liquid supply line and a gaseous return line; and a phase separator connected downstream of the cryogenic liquid tank and upstream of the cryogenic pump, the phase separator including a filtration structure integrated into the liquid supply line to separate vapor from cryogenic liquid, the phase separator connected to the gaseous return line to direct the vapor to the cryogenic liquid tank.
Claims20
An apparatus for separating gaseous hydrogen (GH2) from liquid hydrogen (LH2) in an LH2 pump, the apparatus comprising:
- a phase separator integrated into an LH2 flowline and a GH2 flowline, the phase separator including a filtration structure and a vapor accumulator, the GH2 flowline including a first GH2 portion upstream from an LH2 storage tank, a second GH2 portion downstream of the vapor accumulator, and a third GH2 portion downstream of the LH2 pump, the LH2 storage tank including a first pressure sensor, the second GH2 portion including a second pressure sensor, and the third GH2 portion including a third pressure sensor;
- a GH2 storage tank connected to the second GH2 portion via a first regulator valve and the third GH2 portion via a second regulator valve;
- and
- a controlling device configured to:
- determine pressure differentials between pressure measurements of at least two of the first, second, and third pressure sensors;
- determine whether the pressure differentials satisfy a threshold;
- and
- when at least one of the pressure differentials does not satisfy the threshold, increase a pressure output of at least one of the first or second regulator valves.
A vehicle including:
- a gas turbine engine;
- a liquid hydrogen (LH2) flowline;
- a LH2 storage tank including a first pressure sensor, the LH2 storage tank fluidly coupled to the gas turbine engine;
- a LH2 pump;
- a first regulator valve;
- a second regulator valve;
- a gaseous hydrogen (GH2) flowline including:
- a first GH2 portion upstream from the LH2 storage tank;
- a second GH2 portion including a second pressure sensor;
- and
- a third GH2 portion downstream of the LH2 pump, the third GH2 portion including a third pressure sensor;
- a phase separator integrated into the LH2 flowline and the GH2 flowline, the phase separator including:
- a filtration structure;
- and
- a vapor accumulator, the second GH2 portion downstream of the vapor accumulator;
- a GH2 storage tank connected to the second GH2 portion via the first regulator valve and the third GH2 portion via the second regulator valve;
- and
- a controlling device configured to:
- determine pressure differentials between pressure measurements of at least two of the first, second, and third pressure sensors;
- determine whether the pressure differentials satisfy a threshold;
- and
- when at least one of the pressure differentials does not satisfy the threshold, increase a pressure output of at least one of the first or second regulator valves.
A cryogenic pump system comprising:
- a liquid hydrogen (LH2) flowline;
- a LH2 storage tank including a first pressure sensor;
- a LH2 pump;
- a first regulator valve;
- a second regulator valve;
- a gaseous hydrogen (GH2) flowline including:
- a first GH2 portion upstream from the LH2 storage tank;
- a second GH2 portion including a second pressure sensor;
- and
- a third GH2 portion downstream of the LH2 pump, the third GH2 portion including a third pressure sensor;
- a phase separator integrated into the LH2 flowline and the GH2 flowline, the phase separator including:
- a filtration structure;
- and
- a vapor accumulator, the second GH2 portion downstream of the vapor accumulator;
- a GH2 storage tank connected to the second GH2 portion via the first regulator valve and the third GH2 portion via the second regulator valve;
- and
- a controlling device configured to:
- determine pressure differentials between pressure measurements of at least two of the first, second, and third pressure sensors;
- determine whether the pressure differentials satisfy a threshold;
- and
- when at least one of the pressure differentials does not satisfy the threshold, increase a pressure output of at least one of the first or second regulator valves.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.