Service reservoir purge of air dryers in pump-off mode
AssigneeBendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
InventorsDavid J. Goodell, Charles e. Eberling
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cargo or bulk product off-load system includes a compressor (10) that pressurizes air. The air is dried by a dryer (12, 14) and routed to a supply tank (16). From the supply tank, the air is either used to pressurize service reservoirs (24, 26) or to assist the off-load system. Air stored in the service reservoirs (24, 26) is used to pressurize purge volumes associated with the dryers (12, 14). The compressor (10) operates at a lower pressure when supplying air to assist the off-load system than when pressurizing the service reservoirs (24, 26). Controllers (30, 40) coordinate switching of airflow, and alternating purging and drying of the dryers.
Claims28
A system for providing pressure to assist a cargo off-load system comprising:
- an air compressor for supplying low pressure air to the cargo off-load system;
- a first dryer operatively connected with the air compressor for removing moisture from air supplied thereby;
- and
- a service reservoir for providing high pressure compressed air for purging the dryer during a cargo off-load pump-off process.
A method of off-loading a product from a tanker truck comprising the steps of:
- supplying pressurized air to a product tank for off-loading;
- drying air that pressurizes the product tank with a first dryer;
- and,
- purging moisture from the first dryer with air from a service reservoir.
A tanker truck comprising:
- a cargo hold for holding a flowable bulk cargo;
- and
- a pressurized off-load assist system including:
- an air compressor that alternately compresses air at high and low pressures, the high pressure being used to pressurize a service reservoir, and the low pressure being used to pressurize an off-load tank.
A method of reducing the operating load of a compressor during a cargo off-load process comprising the steps of:
- compressing air at a first pressure to fill a service reservoir with pressurized air;
- isolating the service reservoir from additional pressurized air;
- compressing air at a second pressure for an off-load system;
- and
- purging moisture from an air dryer desiccant bed with the pressurized air in the service reservoir.
A system for reducing the operating load of a compressor during a cargo off-load system comprising:
- a service reservoir;
- a compressor in communication with the service reservoir;
- a cargo off-load system in communication with the compressor;
- and
- a control mechanism that isolates the service reservoir from the compressor during operation of the cargo off-load system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.