Systems and methods for suppressing vaporization of volatile fluids in agricultural fluid application systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10856464-B2
Application number	US-201816050942-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2018
Priority date	Aug 1, 2017
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods for suppressing vaporization of a volatile fluid dispensed from a pressure vessel are provided. The system includes an evaporator coupled in thermal communication with a first flow of volatile fluid from the pressure vessel and in fluid communication with a second flow of volatile fluid from the pressure vessel. The evaporator includes at least one channel therein for channeling the second flow of volatile fluid therethrough. In addition, the system includes a compressor coupled in fluid communication with and downstream from the at least one channel. Moreover, the system includes a return line coupled in fluid communication with an outlet of the compressor. The compressor is configured to compress the second flow of volatile fluid and channel the compressed second flow of volatile fluid to the pressure vessel via the return line.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for suppressing vaporization of a volatile fluid dispensed from a pressure vessel, said system comprising:
an evaporator coupled in thermal communication with a first flow of volatile fluid from the pressure vessel and in fluid communication with a second flow of volatile fluid from the pressure vessel, said evaporator comprising at least one channel therein for channeling the second flow of volatile fluid therethrough;
a metering valve coupled in fluid communication with said at least one channel and fluidly connected between said evaporator and the pressure vessel;
at least one sensor configured to detect a characteristic of the second flow of volatile fluid;
a controller coupled in communication with said metering valve and said at least one sensor, said controller configured to control an operating parameter of said metering valve to regulate a flow rate of volatile fluid channeled to said evaporator, wherein said controller is configured to control the operating parameter of said metering valve based at least in part on the detected characteristic of the second flow;
a compressor coupled in fluid communication with and downstream from said at least one channel; and
a return line coupled in fluid communication with an outlet of said compressor, wherein said compressor is configured to compress the second flow of volatile fluid and channel the compressed second flow of volatile fluid to the pressure vessel via said return line.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said metering valve comprises one of the following: a pulse-width-modulated expansion valve, a proportional expansion valve, and a mechanical thermal expansion valve.

3. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said at least one sensor comprises an inlet sensor at an inlet of the evaporator and an outlet sensor at an outlet of the evaporator, wherein said controller is configured to control the operating parameter of said metering valve based on a temperature differential detected by said inlet sensor and said outlet sensor.

4. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said at least one sensor comprises a liquid level sensor.

5. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said controller is configured to control the operating parameter of said metering valve according to an automated control routine, and wherein said controller is further configured to suspend the automated control routine when a determined flow rate of the first flow of volatile fluid falls below a flow rate threshold.

6. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said compressor comprises one of the following: a reciprocating compressor, a rotary vane compressor, a scroll compressor, a screw compressor, a centrifugal compressor, and a turbomachine.

7. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the volatile fluid within the pressure vessel is at a first pressure and a first temperature, and wherein said compressor is configured to compress the second flow of volatile fluid to a second pressure and a second temperature greater than the first pressure and the first temperature, respectively.

8. The system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a driving component, said compressor coupled to said driving component for operating said compressor.

9. The system in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said driving component comprises one of the following: a hydraulic system, a ground drive system, and an electric drive system.

10. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said compressor comprises one of an electric motor and an external combustion engine configured to operate said compressor.

11. The system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a heat source, wherein said evaporator is coupled in thermal communication with said heat source.

12. The system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a fluid line coupled to an outlet of the pressure vessel, the return line coupled to an inlet of the pressure vessel, each of said fluid line and said return line comprising a quick connect coupler configured to couple said fluid line and said return line to the pressure vessel.

13. The system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a vapor generator coupled downstream of said compressor, said vapor generator comprising:
a housing for holding a liquid therein, said housing defining an outlet fluidly coupled to said return line via an outlet line; and
a fluid line extending through an interior of the housing for heat exchange with the liquid, wherein said fluid line is coupled in fluid communication with said compressor outlet and said return line for channeling the compressed second flow of volatile fluid through the interior of said vapor generator housing;
wherein vapor generated from vaporization of the liquid with said vapor generator housing is channeled to the pressure vessel via said outlet line.

14. A method for suppressing vaporization of a volatile fluid dispensed from a pressure vessel, said method comprising:
channeling a first flow of volatile fluid from the pressure vessel to a distribution manifold;
channeling a second flow of volatile fluid from the pressure vessel to an evaporator in thermal communication with the first flow of volatile fluid;
detecting a characteristic of the second flow of volatile fluid using at least one sensor;
expanding the second flow of volatile fluid using a metering valve coupled in fluid communication with the evaporator and fluidly connected between the evaporator and the pressure vessel to produce an expanded second flow of volatile fluid having a reduced pressure and temperature;
controlling an operating parameter of the metering valve, using a controller, based at least in part on the detected characteristic of the second flow to regulate a flow rate of volatile fluid channeled to the evaporator;
compressing the expanded second flow of volatile fluid using a compressor coupled to the evaporator to produce a compressed second flow of volatile fluid having an increased pressure and temperature; and
channeling the compressed second flow of volatile fluid to the pressure vessel via a return line, wherein the pressure and the temperature of the compressed second flow of volatile fluid are greater than a tank pressure and a tank temperature, respectively, of volatile fluid contained in the pressure vessel.

15. The method in accordance with claim 14 , wherein controlling an operating parameter of the metering valve comprises controlling the operating parameter of the metering valve based on a superheat value of the second flow of volatile fluid.

16. The method in accordance with claim 15 further comprising determining the superheat value, using the controller, based on at least one of a temperature and a pressure of the expanded second flow of volatile fluid.

17. The method in accordance with claim 14 , wherein controlling an operating parameter of the metering valve comprises controlling the operating parameter of the metering valve according to an automated control routine, said method further comprising suspending the automated control routine when a determined flow rate of the first flow of volatile fluid falls below a flow rate threshold.

18. The method in accordance with claim 14 , wherein channeling the first flow of volatile fluid from the pressure vessel comprises cooling the first flow of the volatile fluid via the evaporator, said method further comprising dispensing the cooled first flow of volatile fluid at least one of onto and into soil using the distribution manifold.

Assignees

• Capstan Ag Systems Inc

Inventors

• Schrader Kale

Classifications

• B05B12/087

  Flow or presssure regulators, i.e. non-electric unitary devices comprising a sensing element, e.g. a piston or a membrane, and a controlling element, e.g. a valve · CPC title

• F17C2227/0157

  Compressors · CPC title

• B05B12/02

  for controlling time, or sequence, of delivery · CPC title

• B05B9/0822

  a discharge device being fixed to the container · CPC title

• A01C23/024 Primary

  for ammonia · CPC title