Carbon dioxide vaporizer

Abstract

The invention comprises a system for supplying carbon dioxide liquids while maintaining a desirable pressure in a liquid carbon dioxide storage vessel. In an exemplary embodiment, an improved vaporizer is deployed in a downstream line from the storage vessel. The vaporizer converts a portion of the withdrawn liquid carbon dioxide into replacement carbon dioxide vapor using heat from steam or electricity supplied by the facility. This replacement carbon dioxide vapor is returned to the storage vessel to maintain the desired internal tank pressure as liquified carbon dioxide is withdrawn. The vaporizer includes an elongated cylindrical steel shell with spaced apart ends. Each end has a steel end cap that is welded to the body. Either end cap may be removed to service the vaporizer. The vaporizer body is penetrated by three ports, a steam inlet, a liquid carbon dioxide inlet and a carbon dioxide vapor outlet. The steam inlet accepts steam from the facility while the inlet accepts liquid carbon dioxide and the outlet emits carbon dioxide vapors. Other types of heating mediums such as air or hot water, may be used as well. The vaporizer body houses a tubing unit for vaporizing the liquid carbon dioxide. The tubing unit has an inlet, outlet and vaporization section. The vaporization section tubing is preferably formed from copper while the inlet and outlet pipes are preferably steel. The tubing unit includes several individual coils wound in a series of loops extending between the inlet and outlet pipes respectfully. When servicing the vaporizer, the technician may remove an end cap by cutting it off with a welding torch or another suitable method. The tubing unit may then be freed by uncoupling the inlet unions adjacent the inlet ports. The entire tubing unit may then be removed from the body.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.