Cryogenic fluid storage tank

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11384903-B2
Application number	US-201917311125-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2019
Priority date	Dec 6, 2018
Publication date	Jul 12, 2022
Grant date	Jul 12, 2022

Abstract

The invention relates to a tank for storing a two-phase cryogenic mixture of liquid and gas, comprising a first casing, at least one drawing pipe, a tank filling circuit, the tank comprising a sensor assembly measuring the pressure in the first casing, the tank comprising a pipe for pressurizing the internal casing, comprising an upstream end connected to the lower end of the first casing and a downstream end connected to the upper part of the first casing, the pressurization line comprising at least one regulating valve and a heater, in particular a vaporization heat exchanger. The invention is characterized in that the regulating valve is configured to automatically maintain the pressure in the first casing at a minimum value by ensuring, when the pressure in the first casing is lower than said first value, a circulation of liquid taken from the first casing in the heater and a re-injection of said heated fluid into the first casing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tank for storing a two-phase mixture of liquid and of gaseous cryogenic fluid, comprising a first casing intended to contain the cryogenic fluid; at least one drawing-off pipe having an upstream end connected to the first casing and being configured to allow fluid contained in the first casing to be drawn-off toward the outside of the tank; a circuit for filling the tank; a set of one or more sensor(s) measuring the pressure in the first casing; a pipe for pressurizing the first casing comprising a first end connected to the lower end of the first casing and a second end connected to the upper part of the first casing; an air venting regulator connected to the upper end of the first casing; and a vaporized gas drawing-off pipe comprising a first upstream end connected to the upper part of the first casing for drawing-off fluid in the gaseous state, wherein:
the pressurization pipe comprises at least one regulating valve and a heater;
the regulating valve of the pressurization pipe is configured to automatically maintain the pressure in the first casing at a minimum determined pressure value by ensuring, when the pressure in the first casing is lower than said minimum value, that the liquid taken from the first casing is circulated in the heater and that this heated fluid is re-introduced into the first casing;
the vaporized gas drawing-off pipe comprises a vaporizer and at least one regulating valve toward a downstream distribution end; and
at least two from among,
the regulating valve of the pressurization pipe,
the air venting regulator, and
the regulating valve of the vaporized gas drawing-off pipe, are made up of a same automated regulating valve that comprises a plurality of inlets and outlets respectively connected to the first end of the pressurization pipe of the first casing, to the first upstream end of the drawing-off pipe, to the downstream distribution end of the vaporized gas drawing-off pipe, and to the atmosphere.

2. The tank of claim 1 , wherein the regulating valve of the pressurization pipe is sensitive to the pressure measured by the set of one or more sensor(s), said regulating valve comprises at least one movable element closing or opening a passage for the fluid in the pressurization pipe, said movable element is opened or closed according to the pressure difference between a setting force corresponding to a minimum pressure value and the pressure measured by the set of one or more sensor(s).

3. The tank of claim 1 , wherein the regulating valve of the pressurization pipe comprises at least one electrically controlled valve and an electronic device for controlling the controlled valve configured to control the opening and the closing of the valve as a function of the minimum pressure value and the pressure measured by the set of one or more sensor(s).

4. The tank of claim 1 , wherein the vaporized gas drawing-off pipe comprises a second upstream end connected to the lower part of the first casing, said second upstream end being connected to the vaporizer so as to allow fluid to be drawn-off in the liquid state and to be vaporized in the vaporizer and supply vaporized gas at the downstream distribution end.

5. The tank of claim 1 , wherein the regulating valve of the vaporized gas drawing-off pipe is configured to automatically reduce, during drawing-off via said drawing-off pipe, the pressure in the first casing below a first maximum value by ensuring, when the pressure in the first casing is higher than said first maximum value, that gas taken from the first casing is circulated toward the downstream distribution end of the gas drawing-off pipe.

6. The tank of claim 1 , wherein the air venting regulator is connected to the upper end of the first casing via a portion of the pressurization pipe.

7. The tank of claim 6 , wherein the air venting regulator is connected to the upper end of the first casing via the first end of the pressurization pipe.

8. The tank of claim 1 , wherein the air venting regulator comprises a pneumatic valve or an electrically controlled valve configured to control the opening and the closing of the valve in relation to the atmosphere as a function of the pressure measured by the set of one or more sensor(s) in relation to a determined high threshold.

9. The tank of claim 1 , wherein the air venting regulator is configured to automatically maintain the pressure in the first casing below a second maximum value by ensuring, when the pressure in the first casing is higher than said second maximum value, that the gas taken from the first casing is discharged toward the outside atmosphere.

10. The tank of claim 1 , wherein at least two from among, the regulating valve of the pressurization pipe, the air venting regulator, and the regulating valve of the vaporized gas drawing-off pipe, are integrated in a same housing or set of one or more regulating valve(s).

11. The tank of claim 1 , wherein the automated regulating valve is a linear movement valve.

12. The tank of claim 1 , wherein the automated regulating valve is a rotary valve.

13. The tank of claim 1 , wherein the pressure measured by the set of one or more sensor(s) comprises at least one from among: the pressure in the upper part of the first casing, the pressure in the lower part of the first casing, and a pressure difference between the pressure in the upper part of the first casing and the pressure in the lower part of the first casing.

14. The tank of claim 1 , wherein at least one from among, the regulating valve of the pressurization pipe, the air venting regulator, and the regulating valve of the vaporized gas drawing-off pipe, is a regulating valve sensitive to the pressure measured by the set of one or more sensor(s).

15. The tank of claim 1 , wherein the filling circuit comprises a first filling pipe having an upstream end intended to be connected to a fluid source and a downstream end connected to the lower portion of the first casing, a second filling pipe having an upstream end intended to be connected to the fluid source and a downstream end connected to the upper portion of the first casing, and a set of one or more distribution valve(s) configured to allow distribution of the fluid originating from the fluid source in the first and second filling pipes.

16. The tank of claim 15 , wherein the set of one or more valve(s) for distributing the filling flow and the set of one or more regulating valve(s) are integrated in a single common valve.

17. The tank of claim 1 , wherein the heater is a vaporization heat exchanger.

Assignees

• Air Liquide

Inventors

• Beuneken Olivier
• Geneste Didier
• Pointeau Regis

Classifications

• F17C2225/0161

  cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG · CPC title

• F17C2205/0364

  flexible or articulated, e.g. a hose · CPC title

• F17C2250/075

  when full · CPC title

• F17C2223/0161

  cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG · CPC title

• F17C2260/021

  Avoiding over pressurising · CPC title