Pressure pod cryogenic fluid expander
AssigneeChart Inc.
InventorPaul Drube
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system that generates high pressure cryogenic gas includes a storage tank that contains a liquid cryogen and a feed line that supplies the liquid cryogen to a pressure pod. The pressure in the pressure pod gradually increases due to ambient heat to a first predetermined level. A regulator valve opens at the first predetermined level thereby directing the liquid cryogen to a heat exchanger where it is vaporized and directed back to the pressure pod to raise the pressure therein further. Once the pressure in the pressure pod reaches a second predetermined level, a dispense valve opens. The pressurized liquid cryogen is directed through the dispense valve to a vaporizer that vaporizes the high pressure liquid cryogen to a cryogenic gas that may be dispensed and stored in a tank.
Claims20
A system for converting liquid cryogen from a source into a pressurized cryogenic gas comprising:
- a. a pressure pod in communication with the source so that liquid cryogen is received therefrom;
- b. means for ambient heating of the liquid cryogen in the pressure pod;
- c. a heat exchanger having in inlet and an outlet, both in communication with the pressure pod;
- d. an automated valve in circuit between the inlet of the heat exchanger and the pressure pod, said automated valve set to open when the pressure within the pressure pod exceeds a first predetermined level due to ambient heating of the liquid cryogen therein;
- whereby pressurized cryogen gas is produced within the pressure pod by ambient heating of the liquid cryogen therein and vaporization of the liquid cryogen by the heat exchanger when a pressure within the pressure pod exceeds the first predetermined level.
A system for converting a liquid cryogen into a pressurized cryogenic gas comprising:
- a. a storage tank containing a supply of the liquid cryogen;
- b. a pressure pod in communication with the storage tank so that liquid cryogen is received therefrom;
- c. means for ambient heating of the liquid cryogen in the pressure pod;
- d. an automated valve in communication with the pressure pod, said automated valve opening when a pressure within the pressure pod exceeds a first predetermined level due to ambient heating of the liquid cryogen therein;
- and
- e. a heat exchanger having an inlet in communication with the automated valve and an outlet in communication with the pressure pod, said heat exchanger receiving liquid cryogen from the pressure pod through the automated valve when the pressure within the pressure pod exceeds the first predetermined level so that cryogenic gas is produced and directed to the pressure pod.
A method of converting a liquid cryogen into a pressurized cryogenic gas comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a pressure pod and a heat exchanger;
- b. filling the pressure pod with liquid cryogen;
- c. warming the liquid cryogen in the pressure pod with ambient heat;
- d. monitoring a pressure of the liquid cryogen in the pressure pod as it is warmed with ambient heat;
- e. vaporizing liquid cryogen from the pressure pod in the heat exchanger when the pressure within the pressure pod exceeds a first predetermined level;
- and
- f. directing the vaporized cryogen back to the pressure pod.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.