Method and apparatus for servicing a tank, a plug, or a tank and plug

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9822931-B2
Application number	US-201514738834-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2015
Priority date	Dec 17, 2012
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

An apparatus for servicing a tank and/or a plug includes a valve having a first port sealingly couplable onto a tank port surrounding the plug, a second port, and a valve member operable between an open position providing a pathway between the first and second ports, and a closed position providing a sealed barrier between the first and second ports. The apparatus further includes an adapter sealingly couplable to the second port, and a plug displacement tool couplable to the adapter for displacing the plug relative to the tank when the first port is coupled to the tank port, the adapter is coupled to the second port, and the valve member is in the open position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
(a) a body comprising:
(i) a first port configured to connect onto a tank port;
(ii) a second port opposite to said first port;
(iii) an interior cavity between said first and second ports; and
(iii) an outlet in fluid communication with said interior cavity for removing or supplying air or a pressurized fluid;

(b) a valve proximal to said first port, wherein said valve comprises:
(i) a valve member configured to transform between an open position that provides a pathway between said first port and said second port wherein said pathway is large enough to allow passage of a plug, and a closed position that provides a sealed barrier between said first port and said second port;

(c) a plug displacement tool, wherein said plug displacement tool comprises:
(i) a member that is extendable through said valve in said open position to engage with said plug; and

(d) one of a pump, a compressor and a vacuum device selectively and operatively connected with said outlet for establishing a standing pressure in said interior cavity;
wherein said standing pressure is a negative pressure equal to or below atmospheric pressure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second port comprises a sealable opening that can be opened to access an attachment mechanism of said plug displacement tool to access said plug.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said body is separable into a first part and a second part; said first part comprising a coupling for attachment to said tank port and a housing for said valve; and said second part comprising an adapter in the form of a housing for said plug displacement tool.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said plug displacement tool comprises an attachment mechanism at a contact end for engagably coupling said plug to said contact end.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said plug displacement tool is a substantially elongated rod for engagably coupling with said plug when said apparatus is coupled to said tank port; and said elongated rod is slidingly coupled to said adapter and is slidable for engagably coupling with said plug, and for displacing plug when engagably coupled.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said adapter comprises said outlet.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising:
(e) fittings for sealingly coupling said adapter to said second port, and said tank port to said first port.

8. A method for removing a plug from a sealing tank while preserving a pressure within said tank, said steps comprising:
(a) sealingly coupling a first port of a valve onto a tank port surrounding said plug;
(b) coupling an adapter to a second port of said valve to form a seal between said adapter and said second port, said adapter, valve, and said plug defining an interior cavity;
(c) pressurizing said interior cavity to sufficiently maintain a standing pressure within said interior cavity, wherein said standing pressure is one of a positive pressure greater than atmospheric pressure and a negative pressure equal to or less than atmospheric pressure;
(d) displacing said plug from said tank beyond a valve member of said valve;
(e) actuating said valve member of said valve to a closed position to provide a sealed barrier between said first and second ports; and
(f) decoupling said adapter from said second port to remove said plug.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein a getter material is connected with said plug and said plug is removed from said tank such that said getter material can be inspected or replaced.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said pressure within said tank is a vacuum, and said step of pressurizing said interior cavity comprises removing air from said interior cavity sufficient to maintain a standing vacuum within said interior cavity.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein: said step of displacing said plug from said tank is performed with a plug displacement tool.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising
(g) installing said plug wherein installing said plug comprises:
(i) introducing said plug into said adapter, and aligning the plug between the valve member and the adapter;
(ii) sealingly coupling said adapter to said second port of said valve to define a secondary cavity between said adapter and said valve member that encloses said plug;
(iii) pressurizing said secondary cavity to sufficiently maintain a secondary pressure within said secondary cavity;
(iv) actuating said valve member of said valve to an open position to provide a pathway between said first and second ports; and
(v) installing said plug into said tank port.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said pressure within said tank is a vacuum, and said secondary pressure comprises a pressure equal to or lower than said vacuum within said tank.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising
(h) decoupling said plug from said plug displacement tool prior to said step of decoupling said first port from said tank.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising
(h) servicing said plug.

16. The method of claim 12 ; further comprising:
(h) introducing a servicing tool into said adapter;
(i) sealing coupling said adapter to said second port of said valve assembly to define a secondary cavity between said valve member in closed position, said second port, and adapter; and
(j) pressurizing said secondary cavity and opening said valve member to provide access for said servicing tool to service said tank.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:
(k) servicing said tank with said servicing tool wherein said servicing tool is selected from said list consisting of: a cleaning tool, a stereoscope, a camera, a radiation emitting device, and a sampling device.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising
(k) installing said plug wherein installing said plug comprises:
(i) actuating said valve member of said valve to a closed position, and removing said servicing tool from said adapter;
(ii) introducing said plug into said adapter, and aligning said plug between said valve member and said adapter;
(iii) pressurizing said secondary cavity to sufficiently maintain a secondary pressure within said secondary cavity;
(iv) actuating said valve member of said valve to an open position to provide a pathway between said first and second ports; and
(v) installing said plug into said tank port.

19. A method of removing a plug installed in a port of a vessel, said plug employed to preserve a pressure of an interior space on one side of said plug comprising:
(a) creating an enclosing space on a second side of said plug opposite said one side of said plug, such that a pressure of said enclosing space equals said pressure of said interior space within a predetermined range;
(b) removing said plug from said port away from said interior space whereby said pressure of said interior space remains within said predetermined range;
(c) isolating a portion of said enclosing space containing said plug from said interior space; and
(d) exposing said plug to atmosphere; wherein said pressure of said interior space remains within said predetermined range.

Assignees

• Westport Power Inc

Inventors

• Harper Gregory C
• Newton Jason G

Classifications

• F17C2250/038

  using cameras · CPC title

• F17C2250/036

  using alarms · CPC title

• F17C13/002

  for vessels under pressure (F17C13/008 and F17C13/02 - F17C13/12 take precedence) · CPC title

• F17C2227/0157

  Compressors · CPC title

• F17C13/06 Primary

  Closures, e.g. cap, breakable member ({for autoclaves B01J3/03}; closures for {large} containers in general B65D {B65D90/54}; {for pressure vessels in general F16J13/00}) · CPC title