Optimized connection assembly between two portions of a supply line for a cryogenic fluid, including an additional thermal insulation chamber and a fluid expansion chamber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023139421-A1
Application number	US-202217973644-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 26, 2022
Priority date	Oct 28, 2021
Publication date	May 4, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A connection assembly between two portions of a supply line for a cryogenic fluid, the assembly including a male nozzle arranged to be at least partially inserted into a female nozzle together forming a tight mechanical link, over a distance of a few centimeters, a thermal insulation chamber for each of the two line portions and an additional thermal insulation chamber to thermally insulate the connection zone of the two line portions, and an expansion chamber for the cryogenic fluid that is configured to be linked to a cryogenic fluid sensor, arranged about the connection zone of the two line portions. This enables two cryogenic fluid line portions to be connected without requiring one portion to be inserted into the other portion over a significant length, thereby enhancing mechanical flexibility and obviating the need for significant free space about the connection assembly to assemble and disassemble the assembly.

First claim

1 . A connection assembly between two portions of a supply line for a cryogenic fluid, the connection assembly comprising:
a first line portion, and a second line portion,
the first line portion including a male nozzle arranged to be at least partially inserted into a female nozzle of the second line portion, said male and female nozzles together forming a tight sliding mechanical link,
the first line portion being made of a first material with a coefficient of expansion lower than the coefficient of expansion of a second material used to make the second line portion,
the first line portion including a first thermal insulation chamber and the second line portion including a second thermal insulation chamber,
at least one additional thermal insulation chamber that is separate from each of the first and second thermal insulation chambers and that extends between the first and second thermal insulation chambers, and also includes an expansion chamber for said fluid arranged about contact surfaces between the first line portion and the second line portion, the expansion chamber being linked via a duct to a housing arranged for the housing or a connection of a presence sensor of said cryogenic fluid.

2 . The connection assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said fluid expansion chamber has an absorbent element configured to absorb said fluid.

3 . The connection assembly according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first line portion and the second line portion is generally cylindrical and has inner and outer walls with corrugations, the corrugations of the inner wall extending over a length of line with corrugations on the outer wall.

4 . The connection assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first material is invar and the second material is stainless steel.

5 . The connection assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a vacuum is created in each of said thermal insulation chambers.

6 . The connection assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a maximum insertion distance of the male nozzle into the female nozzle is equal to or less than 50 mm.

7 . The connection assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the maximum insertion distance of the male nozzle into the female nozzle is equal to or less than 20 mm.

8 . The connection assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said housing is a terminal volume of a duct linking said expansion chamber to the outside of the supply line.

9 . The connection assembly according to claim 1 ,
wherein an end of the outer wall of each of the first and second line portions is flared to form a terminal contact flange that is configured to be positioned opposite the terminal contact flange of the other line portion of the line portions, and wherein said housing is arranged at a base of one of the terminal flanges.

10 . A liquid hydrogen distribution system including a connection assembly according to claim 1 .

11 . An aircraft including a connection assembly according to claim 1 .

12 . An aircraft including a distribution system according to claim 10 .

Assignees

• Airbus Sas
• Airbus Operations Sas

Inventors

• Pedoussaut Philippe
• Erroui Najoua

Classifications

• Y02T90/40

  Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells · CPC title

• F16L59/182

  Joints with sleeve or socket · CPC title

• F16L51/03 Primary

  comprising two or more bellows · CPC title

• F16L59/184 Primary

  Flanged joints · CPC title

• F16L59/065

  using vacuum (F16L59/075 takes precedence) · CPC title