US 6,637,212 B2 · Method and apparatus for the delivery of liquefied gases having constant impurity levels

Abstract

A method and an apparatus are provided for the delivery of a vapor phase product having a substantially constant impurity level from a liquefied source of said gas to an endpoint. The delivery method includes withdrawing a liquefied gas having a level of impurities from a storage container and delivering the liquefied gas to a vaporization unit where the liquefied gas and the impurities dissolved therein are completely vaporized. The vapor phase product is then delivered to an endpoint. This invention affords the delivery of gases with substantially constant impurity levels throughout the delivery of the liquefied gas. In addition, this invention affords the delivery of the liquefied gas at high vapor phase flow rates for long periods of time and allows substantially complete usage of the contents of the storage container.

Claims34

Dependent claims

A gas delivery system for delivering an initially liquefied form of a gas from at least one storage container to an endpoint, said system comprising:

a vaporization unit comprising an inlet, an outlet, a vaporizing means for converting said liquefied gas having a concentration of soluble impurities to the vapor phase, and a heating means for heating said vaporizing means to a temperature sufficient to completely vaporize said liquefied gas and soluble impurities, wherein said vaporizing means is capable of completely vaporizing said liquefied gas and said soluble impurities to form a vapor phase product before said liquefied gas and said soluble impurities accumulate in said vaporization unit, wherein the level of said impurities in said vapor phase product is substantially equivalent to the level of said impurities in said liquefied gas;
a first delivery conduit for delivering said liquefied gas from said at least one storage container to said vaporization unit;
and
a second delivery conduit for delivering said vapor phase product from said vaporization unit to said endpoint.

1 more element

A method of delivering an initially liquefied form of a gas having a level of soluble impurities from a storage container to an endpoint, said gas having a substantially constant impurity level of said soluble impurities throughout said delivery, said method comprising:

(a) providing at least one source of said liquefied gas having said level of said soluble impurities;
(b) transporting said liquefied gas along with said soluble impurities to a vaporization unit via a first conduit;
(c) heating said liquefied gas and said soluble impurities to form a vapor phase product, wherein said liquefied gas and said soluble impurities are completely vaporized within said vaporization unit before said liquefied gas and said soluble impurities accumulate in said vaporization unit, and wherein the concentration of the vaporized form of said impurities in said vapor phase product is substantially equivalent to the concentration of said impurities in said liquefied gas;
and
(d) transporting said vapor phase product containing the vaporized form of said impurities from said vaporization unit to said endpoint via a second conduit.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for the delivery of liquefied gases having constant impurity levels

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for the delivery of liquefied gases having constant impurity levels

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims34