Cryogenic pump with insulating arrangement
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsMichael J. Pollard, Cory A. Brown, Alan R. Stockner, Adrienne M. Brasche
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cryogenic pump configured for pressurizing a cryogenic fluid is provided. The cryogenic pump includes a warm end portion adapted to not contact cryogenic fluid during operation of the pump and including one or more driving components. The cryogenic pump includes a cold end portion adapted to contact cryogenic fluid during operation of the pump and including a pump inlet and a pump outlet. An insulating arrangement including an insulator plate is arranged between the warm end portion and the cold end portion and defines a first air gap between the cold end portion and the insulator plate.
Claims10
A cryogenic pump configured for pressurizing a cryogenic fluid, the cryogenic pump comprising:
- a warm end portion adapted to not contact cryogenic fluid during operation of the pump and including one or more driving components disposed within a housing, wherein the one or more driving components include a plurality of pushrods;
- a cold end portion adapted to contact cryogenic fluid during operation of the pump and including one or more barrels, each of the one or more barrels including a pump inlet and a pump outlet, and each of the one or more barrels connected to a manifold so that the pump outlet of each of the one or more barrels is in fluid communication with a pressurized fluid outlet defined by the manifold, the manifold configured to fluidly isolate the cryogenic fluid from the warm end portion during operation;
- and
- an insulating arrangement including an insulator plate arranged between the warm end portion and the cold end portion, a first air gap being defined between the cold end portion and the insulator plate;
- wherein the warm end portion includes a transverse section operatively configured as a pushrod guide, the insulator plate and the transverse section of the warm end portion defining a second air gap therebetween.
A cryogenic pump configured for pressurizing a cryogenic fluid, the cryogenic pump comprising:
- a warm end portion adapted to not contact cryogenic fluid during operation of the pump, the warm end portion including a shaft and a load plate for driving longitudinal movement of a plurality of pushrods, the plurality of pushrods being contained in a pushrod housing, the pushrod housing including a pushrod guide supporting the pushrods;
- a cold end portion adapted to contact cryogenic fluid during operation of the pump and including one or more barrels, each of the one or more barrels including a pump inlet and a pump outlet, and each of the one or more barrels connected to a manifold so that the pump outlet of each of the one or more barrels is in fluid communication with a pressurized fluid outlet defined by the manifold, the manifold configured to fluidly isolate the cryogenic fluid from the warm end portion during operation;
- and
- an insulator plate disposed between a portion of the pushrod housing and a portion of the manifold, the insulator plate including a plurality of openings therethrough, each of which receives a corresponding one of the plurality of pushrods, the insulator plate further including a first side having a raised outer portion and a recessed center portion, the recessed center portion and the manifold defining a first air gap therebetween.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.