Drive assembly and pump assembly arrangement for cryogenic pump

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10184462-B2
Application number	US-201514934593-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2015
Priority date	Nov 6, 2015
Publication date	Jan 22, 2019
Grant date	Jan 22, 2019

Abstract

A cryogenic pump for pumping cryogenic fluid is provided. The pump includes a pump assembly adapted for exposure to cryogenic fluid that includes a plurality of pumping elements disposed about a pump axis. A drive assembly drives the pumping elements to pump cryogenic fluid. A plurality of actuating elements are arranged circumferentially about the pump axis, each actuating element operatively interconnecting the drive assembly with a respective one of the pumping elements. Each actuating element includes a first portion disposed a first radial distance from the pump axis and a second portion disposed a second radial distance from the pump axis with the first radial distance being less than the second radial distance at ambient temperature.

First claim

I claim:

1. A cryogenic pump for pumping cryogenic fluid comprising:
a pump assembly adapted for exposure to cryogenic fluid, the pump assembly including a plurality of pumping elements disposed about a pump axis;
a drive assembly for driving the pumping elements to pump cryogenic fluid; and
a plurality of actuating elements arranged circumferentially about the pump axis, each actuating element operatively interconnecting the drive assembly with a respective one of the pumping elements;
wherein each actuating element includes a first portion arranged relatively closer to the drive assembly than a second portion with the second portion arranged relatively closer to the pump assembly than the first portion, the first portion of the actuating element having a first longitudinal axis which is disposed a first radial distance from the pump axis and the second portion of the actuating element having a second longitudinal axis which is disposed a second radial distance from the pump axis with the first radial distance being less than the second radial distance at ambient temperature.

2. The cryogenic pump of claim 1 wherein each actuating element includes a tappet and a pushrod.

3. The cryogenic pump of claim 2 wherein the first portion of the actuating element includes at least a portion of the tappet and the second portion of the actuating element includes at least a portion of the pushrod.

4. The cryogenic pump of claim 2 wherein the pushrod includes an upper pushrod and a lower pushrod.

5. The cryogenic pump of claim 4 wherein each actuating element includes a plunger operatively arranged in a respective one of the pumping elements.

6. The cryogenic pump of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the actuating element is supported in a first opening in a first housing for sliding movement in directions parallel to the pump axis and the second portion of the actuating element is supported in a second opening in a second housing for sliding movement in directions parallel to the pump axis.

7. The cryogenic pump of claim 6 wherein with the first opening defines the first radial distance and the second opening defines the second radial distance.

8. The cryogenic pump of claim 1 wherein the drive assembly includes a rotatable wobble plate with each actuating element being in operative engagement with the wobble plate.

9. A cryogenic pump for pumping cryogenic fluid comprising:
a pump assembly adapted for exposure to cryogenic fluid, the pump assembly including a plurality of pumping elements disposed about a pump axis;
a drive assembly for driving the pumping elements to pump cryogenic fluid; and
a plurality of actuating elements arranged circumferentially about the pump axis, each actuating element operatively interconnecting the drive assembly with a respective one of the pumping elements;
wherein each actuating element includes a first portion arranged relatively closer to the drive assembly than a second portion with the second portion arranged relatively closer to the pump assembly than the first portion, the first portion of the actuating element having a first longitudinal axis which is disposed a first radial distance from the pump axis and the second portion of the actuating element having a second longitudinal axis which is disposed a second radial distance from the pump axis with the first radial distance being less than the second radial distance at ambient temperature, the first radial distance and second radial distance being selected such that the first portion and second portion of the actuating element are in substantially coaxial alignment parallel to the pump axis when the cryogenic pump is pumping cryogenic liquid.

10. The cryogenic pump of claim 9 wherein each actuating element includes a tappet and a pushrod.

11. The cryogenic pump of claim 10 wherein the first portion of the actuating element includes at least a portion of the tappet and the second portion of the actuating element includes at least a portion of the pushrod.

12. The cryogenic pump of claim 10 wherein the pushrod includes an upper pushrod and a lower pushrod.

13. The cryogenic pump of claim 12 wherein each actuating element includes a plunger operatively arranged in a respective one of the pumping elements.

14. The cryogenic pump of claim 9 wherein the first portion of the actuating element is supported in a first opening in a first housing for sliding movement in directions parallel to the pump axis and the second portion of the actuating element is supported in a second opening in a second housing for sliding movement in directions parallel to the pump axis.

15. The cryogenic pump of claim 14 wherein with the first opening defines the first radial distance and the second opening defines the second radial distance.

16. The cryogenic pump of claim 9 wherein the drive assembly includes a rotatable wobble plate with each actuating element being in operative engagement with the wobble plate.

17. A cryogenic pump for pumping cryogenic fluid comprising:
a pump assembly adapted for exposure to cryogenic fluid, the pump assembly including a plurality of pumping elements disposed about a pump axis;
a drive assembly for driving the pumping elements to pump cryogenic fluid; and
a plurality of actuating elements arranged circumferentially about the pump axis, each actuating element operatively interconnecting the drive assembly with a respective one of the pumping elements;
a first housing, a first portion of each actuating element being supported in the first housing for reciprocal sliding movement parallel to the pump axis; and
a second housing, a second portion of each actuating element being supported in the second housing for reciprocal sliding movement parallel to the pump axis, the first housing being arranged relatively closer to the drive assembly than the second housing and the second housing being arranged relatively closer to the pump assembly than the first housing;
wherein the first housing is configured such that a first longitudinal axis of the first portion of the actuating element is disposed a first radial distance from the pump axis and the second housing is configured such that a second longitudinal axis of the second portion of the actuating element is disposed a second radial distance from the pump axis with the first radial distance being less than the second radial distance at ambient temperature, the first radial distance and second radial distance being selected such that the first portion and second portion of the actuating element are in substantially coaxial alignment parallel to the pump axis when the cryogenic pump is pumping cryogenic liquid.

18. The cryogenic pump of claim 17 wherein each actuating element includes a tappet and a pushrod.

19. The cryogenic pump of claim 18 wherein the first portion of the actuating element includes at least a portion of the tappet and the second portion of the actuating element includes at least a portion of the pushrod.

20. The cryogenic pump of claim 17 wherein the drive assembly includes a rotatable wobble plate with each actuating element being in operative engagement with the wobble plate.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Stockner Alan R

Classifications

• F04B1/12

  having cylinder axes coaxial with, or parallel or inclined to, main shaft axis · CPC title

• F04B15/08 Primary

  the liquids having low boiling points · CPC title

• F04B2015/081

  Liquefied gases · CPC title

• F04B53/10

  Valves; Arrangement of valves · CPC title

• F04B53/16

  Casings; Cylinders; Cylinder liners or heads; Fluid connections · CPC title