Cluster-type relief device

A relief device for a high-pressure gas container, comprising:

• a main body having a generally uniform outer circumference that defines a bore, said bore in fluid communication with an interior volume of the high-pressure gas container;
• a means for relieving to the atmosphere the contents of the container when said container reaches a certain pressure, said relieving means located within said bore and within the outer circumference of said main body such that the contents when relieved are directed against a wall of said bore;
• a means for sealingly engaging the relief device directly to the container;
• and
• a retaining means that is adapted at its upstream end to sealingly engage said main body and retain said rupture disc within said bore, said retaining means providing a flowpath from said bore to the atmosphere when said relieving means is ruptured, said retaining means being substantially within the outer circumference of said main body.

A method that relieves the over-pressurization of a high-pressure gas container, comprising:

• providing a main body having a generally uniform outer circumference that defines a bore, said bore in fluid communication with an interior volume of the high-pressure gas container;
• providing a rupture disc that relieves to the atmosphere the contents of the container when said container reaches a certain pressure, said rupture disc located within said bore and within the outer circumference of said main body;
• sealingly engaging the relief device directly to the container;
• and
• adapting a cluster nut at its upstream end to sealingly engage said main body and retain said rupture disc within the said bore, said cluster nut having a cluster nut bore in fluid communication with said bore when said rupture disc is ruptured, said cluster nut bore in fluid communication with the atmosphere, said cluster nut being substantially within the outer circumference of said main body and further wherein at least a portion of said cluster nut bore is oriented to direct fluid flowing therethrough against an inner wall of said main body bore.

A truck-borne compressed gas containment system, comprising:

• a compressed gas cylinder for storing compressed gas, said compressed gas cylinder defining an opening therein;
• and
• a relief device retained in said opening, said relief device comprising:
• a main body having a generally uniform outer circumference that defines a bore, said bore in fluid communication with an interior volume of the high-pressure gas container;
• a rupture disc that relieves to the atmosphere the contents of the container when said container reaches a certain pressure, said rupture disc located within said bore and within the outer circumference of said main body;
• a threaded connection for sealingly engaging the relief device directly to the container;
• and
• an cluster nut that is adapted at its upstream end to sealingly engage said main body and retain said rupture disc within said bore, said cluster nut having a cluster nut bore in fluid communication with said bore when said rupture disc is ruptured, said cluster nut bore in fluid communication with the atmosphere, said cluster nut being substantially within the outer circumference of said main body and further wherein at least a portion of said cluster nut bore is oriented to direct fluid flowing therethrough against an inner wall of said main body bore.

A method to manufacture an apparatus that relieves the over-pressurization of a high-pressure gas container, comprising:

• providing a main body having a generally uniform outer circumference that defines a bore, said bore in fluid communication with an interior volume of the high-pressure gas container;
• providing a rupture disc that relieves to the atmosphere the contents of the container when said container reaches a certain pressure, said rupture disc located within said bore and within said outer circumference;
• sealingly engaging the relief device directly to the container;
• and
• adapting a cluster nut at its upstream end to sealingly engage said main body and retain said rupture disc within said bore, said cluster nut having a cluster nut bore in fluid communication with said bore when said rupture disc is ruptured, said cluster nut bore in fluid communication with the atmosphere, said cluster nut being substantially within the outer circumference of said main body and further wherein at least a portion of said cluster nut bore is oriented to direct fluid flowing therethrough against an inner wall of said main body bore.