Method and apparatus for venting a storage vessel
AssigneeHenry T. Hilliard
InventorsHenry T. Hilliard, Jr., Jerry B. Roach, Gary N. Lawrence
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for venting volatile organic compound vapors from a liquid storage vessel which includes the steps of introducing a purge medium to a liquid storage vessel containing volatile organic compound vapors and establishing an uniform and continuous stratified interface between the purge medium and the volatile organic compound vapors. The introduction of the purge medium is continued causing the continuous stratified interface to move within the vessel purging the undiluted volatile organic compound vapors from the vessel and into a vapor recovery line which delivers the volatile organic compound vapors to a vapor handling device. Preferably, the purge medium comprises carbon dioxide or nitrogen.
Claims23
A method for venting vapors from a storage vessel, comprising the steps of:
- (i) connecting a fill line to a storage vessel containing vapors;
- (ii) connecting a vapor recovery line to said vessel;
- (iii) releasing a gas into said fill line;
- (iv) reducing the pressure on said gas to auto-refrigerate said gas;
- and
- (v) introducing said gas at a controlled temperature, flow rate and pressure to said vessel through said fill line to maintain a substantially laminar flow of said gas to displace said vapors from said vessel and into said vapor recovery line.
Apparatus for venting vapors from a storage vessel, comprising:
- (i) a storage vessel containing vapors;
- (ii) a fill line connected to said vessel;
- (iii) a vapor recovery line connected to said vessel;
- (iv) means for releasing a purge medium into said fill line;
- and
- (v) means for dropping the pressure of said purge medium;
- (vi) means for introducing said purge medium into said vessel through said fill line at a controlled rate, temperature and pressure to maintain a substantially laminar flow of said purge medium and establish a stratification between said vapors and said purge medium.
A method for venting vapors from a storage vessel, said method comprising the steps of:
- (i) connecting a fill line to a storage vessel containing vapors;
- (ii) connecting a vapor recovery line to said vessel;
- (iii) releasing a gas into said fill line;
- (iv) heating said gas;
- (v) reducing the pressure on said gas;
- and
- (vi) introducing said gas at a controlled flow rate, pressure, and temperature into said vessel through said fill line to establish and maintain a substantially laminar flow of said gas to displace said vapors from said vessel and into said vapor recovery line until said gas is detected in said vapor recovery line.
An apparatus for venting vapors from a storage vessel, said apparatus comprising:
- (i) a storage vessel containing vapors;
- (ii) a fill line connected to said vessel;
- (iii) a vapor recovery line connected to said vessel;
- (iv) means for releasing a purge medium into said fill line;
- (v) means for heating said purge medium;
- (vi) means for dropping the pressure of said purge medium;
- (vii) means for introducing said purge medium into said vessel at a controlled flow rate, pressure and temperature to establish and maintain a substantially laminar flow of said purge medium to displace said vapors from said vessel;
- and
- (viii) means for detecting said purge medium in said vapor recovery line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.