Apparatus for withdrawal of liquid from a container and method

An assembly for withdrawing a liquid from a closed container, the assembly comprising:

• a) a conduit comprising an upstream open end disposed inside the container and an opposed downstream open end located outside the container;
• b) a pick-up provided at the upstream open end of the conduit, wherein the pick-up comprises an enclosing side wall surrounding the upstream open end of the conduit disposed therein;
• c) a wicking material housed inside the pick-up in a substantially surrounding relationship with the upstream open end of the conduit, wherein the enclosing side wall of the pick-up is provided with at least one perforation for enabling the wicking material to draw the liquid into the pick-up and wherein at least a portion of the conduit is of a flexible material that the conduit means provides for free and open flow to maintain contact of the pick-up with the liquid for withdrawing the liquid from the container at all times;
• and
• d) a removal device located outside the container and in fluid flow communication with the downstream open end of the conduit, wherein when an outer pressure in the removal device is less than an inner pressure taken inside the container, the liquid in contact with the pick-up is caused to flow through the conduit from inside the container to the removal device.

An assembly for withdrawing cryogenic liquid contents from a closed container independent of the spatial orientation thereof, the assembly comprising:

• a) a flexible conduit comprising an upstream open end disposed inside the container and an opposed downstream open end located outside the container;
• b) a pick-up provided at the upstream open end of the conduit, wherein the pick-up comprises an enclosing side wall surrounding the upstream open end of the conduit disposed therein;
• c) a wicking material housed inside the pick-up in a substantially surrounding relationship with the upstream open end of the conduit, and wherein the enclosing side wall of the pick-up is provided with at least one perforation for enabling the wicking material to draw the liquid into the pick-up and wherein at least a portion of the upstream open end of the conduit is of a synthetic polymeric material that is not adversely affected by the cryogenic liquid to thereby maintain contact with the liquid contents independent of the spatial orientation of the container;
• d) a heat exchanger provided outside the container and in fluid flow communication with the downstream open end of the conduit, wherein independent of the spatial orientation of the container, the liquid contents are movable from inside the container to the heat exchanger via the conduit to transfer heat to the liquid and provide a raised-energy fluid and wherein liquid removal from the container ceases at such time as the pressure inside the container essentially equals the pressure in the heat exchanger;
• and
• e) a consumption device provided to consume the raised-energy fluid from the heat exchanger so that a pressure differential is set up between the heat exchanger and the inside of the container through the conduit which causes the liquid contents to flow through the conduit and into the heat exchanger as the consumption device consumes the raised-energy fluid.

A method for withdrawing a liquid from a closed container, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a flexible conduit comprising an upstream open end disposed inside the container and an opposed downstream open end located outside the container, wherein at least a portion of the conduit is of a flexible material such that the conduit reaches all areas of the container intended to contain liquid upon changes in the orientation of the container while providing for free and open flow therethrough;
• b) providing a pick-up at the upstream open end of the conduit, the pick-up comprising an enclosing side wall surrounding the upstream open end of the conduit disposed therein;
• c) a wicking material housed inside the pick-up in a substantially surrounding relationship with the upstream open end of the conduit, and wherein the enclosing side wall of the pick-up has at least one perforation for enabling the wicking material to draw the liquid into the pick-up, thereby maintaining the upstream open end of the conduit in contact with the liquid;
• d) providing a removal device located outside the container with the downstream open end of the conduit leading to the removal device;
• e) creating a pressure differential between an outer pressure taken in the removal device and an inner pressure taken inside the container;
• and
• f) withdrawing the liquid from the container to the removal device through the conduit when the outer pressure communicating through the conduit is less than the inner pressure inside the container.

A method for withdrawing cryogenic liquid contents from a closed container independent of the spatial orientation thereof, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a flexible conduit comprising an upstream open end disposed inside the container and an opposed downstream open end located outside the container, wherein at least a portion of the conduit is of a flexible material such that the conduit contacts the liquid contents independent of the spatial orientation of the container while maintaining free and open flow therethrough;
• b) providing a pick-up at the upstream open end of the conduit, the pick-up comprising an enclosing side wall surrounding the upstream open end of the conduit disposed therein;
• c) a wicking material housed inside the pick-up in a substantially surrounding relationship with the upstream open end of the conduit, and wherein the enclosing side wall of the pick-up has at least one perforation for enabling the wicking material to draw the liquid into the pick-up, thereby maintaining the upstream open end of the pick-up in contact with the liquid;
• d) providing a heat exchanger outside the container and in fluid flow communication with the downstream open end of the conduit;
• e) withdrawing the liquid contents from the container and moving the withdrawn liquid to the heat exchanger via the conduit to conduct heat energy to the liquid and provide a raised-energy fluid;
• and
• f) consuming the raised-energy fluid from the heat exchanger, thereby setting up a pressure differential between the heat exchanger and the inside of the container causing the liquid contents to flow through the conduit and into the heat exchanger, and ceasing liquid consumption from the container at such time as the pressure inside the container essentially equals the pressure in the heat exchanger.