Isolation valve for pressurized tank

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11149703-B2
Application number	US-201916564241-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2019
Priority date	Jan 25, 2019
Publication date	Oct 19, 2021
Grant date	Oct 19, 2021

Abstract

An isolation mechanism for isolating a submerged pump in a storage vessel, where the isolation mechanism comprises a primary valve member and a secondary valve member, which are both biased in a fail-closed position. The isolation mechanism allows for redundancy for safety and reliability, and can be operated externally of the storage vessel. Furthermore, the isolation mechanism comprises venting and purging devices for safe operation of removal and installation of the pump in the storage vessel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid delivery system comprising:
a storage vessel for storing a fluid;
a pump housing provided in the storage vessel;
a pump insertable into the pump housing;
wherein the pump comprises an extension flange configured to divide an interior space of the pump housing into a cold end space and a warm end space; and
an isolation mechanism comprising:
a primary valve member provided at one end of the pump housing near a bottom of the storage vessel in the fluid, said primary valve member configured to be biased in a fail-closed position and configured to isolate the pump in the pump housing from the storage vessel,
a secondary valve member provided at the one end of the pump housing, said secondary valve member configured to be biased in a fail-closed position and configured to provide a second and redundant isolation of the pump in the pump housing from the storage vessel.

2. The fluid delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein the primary valve member is configured to be actuatable externally of the storage vessel, and wherein the primary valve member comprises actuators that are hollow tubes configured to provide venting and purging for depressurization and clearing of any residual liquid or vapor in the pump housing.

3. The fluid delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein the primary valve member comprises at least one first spring and at least one first contact, and wherein the secondary valve member comprises at least one second spring and at least one second contact, wherein said at least one first spring and at least one first contact and the at least one second spring and at least one second contact are configured to bias the respective primary valve member and secondary valve member in the fail-closed position.

4. The fluid delivery system according to claim 3 , wherein the primary valve member of the isolation mechanism comprises at least one first pneumatic piston, wherein the actuators comprise at least one first actuator that is a hollow tube connected to the at least one first contact and includes an opening in the cold end space, wherein the at least one first pneumatic piston is configured to bias the at least one first actuator to contact the at least one first contact when pneumatic pressure is present.

5. The fluid delivery system according to claim 4 , wherein the primary valve member further comprises at least one second pneumatic piston, wherein the actuators comprises at least one second actuator that is a hollow tube connected to a second contact of the at least one first contact and includes an opening in the warm end space, wherein the at least one second pneumatic piston is configured to bias the at least one second actuator to contact the second contact when pneumatic pressure is present.

6. The fluid delivery system according to claim 5 , further comprising a warm space vent line connected to the warm end space and a cold space vent line connected to the cold end space joined together forming joined vent lines above a level of the fluid in the storage vessel, wherein the joined vent lines are connected to a pressure relief device and a pressure equalization line that is configured to flow into a vapor space of the storage vessel.

7. The fluid delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein the isolation mechanism further comprises a retainer and mounting parts, said retainer configured to retain the isolation mechanism in the pump housing and said mounting parts configured to mount the isolation mechanism to the retainer.

8. The fluid delivery system according to claim 1 , further comprising a sealing ring and a sealing ring retainer configured to secure the extension flange in the pump housing and to separate the fluid in the cold end space from the warm end space in the pump housing.

9. The isolation mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid is at least one of flammable fuel, liquefied gas, a non-petroleum fuel, liquefied hydrogen, liquefied natural gas.

10. The isolation mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the secondary valve member is actuated automatically when the pump is positioned on the isolation mechanism.

11. The isolation mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the secondary valve member is actuated automatically to the fail-closed position when the primary valve member is biased in the fail-closed position.

12. An isolation mechanism for a pump in a fluid, comprising:
a primary valve member provided at one end of a pump housing, said primary valve member configured to be biased in a fail-closed position and configured to isolate the pump in the pump housing from a storage vessel;
a secondary valve member provided at the one end of the pump housing, said secondary valve member configured to be biased in a fail-closed position and configured to provide a second and redundant isolation of the pump in the pump housing from the storage vessel;
wherein the primary valve member is configured to be actuatable externally of the storage vessel,
wherein the secondary valve member is actuated automatically;
wherein the primary valve member comprises actuators that are hollow tubes configured to provide venting and purging for depressurization and clearing of any residual liquid or vapor in the pump housing,
wherein the pump comprises an extension flange configured to divide an interior space of the pump housing into a cold end space and a warm end space.

13. The isolation mechanism according to claim 12 , wherein the primary valve member comprises at least one first spring and at least one first contact, and wherein the secondary valve member comprises at least one second spring and at least one second contact, wherein said at least one first spring and at least one first contact and the at least one second spring and at least one second contact are configured to bias the respective primary valve member and secondary valve member in the fail-closed position.

14. The isolation mechanism according to claim 13 , wherein the primary valve member of the isolation mechanism comprises at least one first pneumatic piston, wherein the actuators comprise at least one first actuator that is a hollow tube connected to the at least one first contact and includes an opening, wherein the at least one first pneumatic piston is configured to bias the at least one first actuator to contact the at least one first contact when pneumatic pressure is present.

15. The isolation mechanism according to claim 14 , wherein the primary valve member further comprises at least one second pneumatic piston, wherein the actuators comprises at least one second actuator that is a hollow tube connected to a second contact of the at least one first contact and includes an opening, wherein the at least one second pneumatic piston is configured to bias the at least one second actuator to contact the second contact when pneumatic pressure is present.

16. A method for removing and/or installing a pump from a storage vessel comprising the steps of:
closing a primary valve member provided at one end of a pump housing in the storage vessel by actuating an actuator, wherein the primary valve member is configured to be biased in a fail-closed position, wherein the closing of the primary valve member isolates the pump in the pump housing from the storage vessel;
removing the pump, wherein a secondary valve member provided at the one end of the pump housing is automatically closed, wherein said secondary valve member is configured to be biased in a fail-closed position and configured to provide a second and redundant isolation of the pump in the pump housing,
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Assignees

• China Energy Investment Corp Ltd
• Nat Inst Clean & Low Carbon Energy

Inventors

• Kratschmar Kenneth William
• Li Xianming Jimmy
• Hall Cullen
• Youn Edward
• Allen Jeff

Classifications

• F04D29/608

  means for removing without depressurizing the cavity · CPC title

• F02M63/005

  Pressure relief valves · CPC title

• F02M59/462 Primary

  Delivery valves · CPC title

• F17C2227/0178

  in the vessel · CPC title

• F17C13/00

  Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels · CPC title