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US20130037166A1 - Method and equipment for rapidly filling a downstream tank with cryogenic liquid from an upstream store - Google Patents

Method and equipment for rapidly filling a downstream tank with cryogenic liquid from an upstream store Download PDF

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Publication number
US20130037166A1
US20130037166A1 US13/643,390 US201113643390A US2013037166A1 US 20130037166 A1 US20130037166 A1 US 20130037166A1 US 201113643390 A US201113643390 A US 201113643390A US 2013037166 A1 US2013037166 A1 US 2013037166A1
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Prior art keywords
storage tank
pressure
tank
upstream
liquid
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Abandoned
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US13/643,390
Inventor
Jean-Pierre Bernard
Olivier Pouchain
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Original Assignee
LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
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Assigned to L'AIR LIQUIDE, SOCIETE ANONYME POUR L'ETUDE ET L'EXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE reassignment L'AIR LIQUIDE, SOCIETE ANONYME POUR L'ETUDE ET L'EXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: POUCHAIN, OLIVIER, BERNARD, JEAN-PIERRE
Publication of US20130037166A1 publication Critical patent/US20130037166A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C5/00—Methods or apparatus for filling containers with liquefied, solidified, or compressed gases under pressures
    • F17C5/02—Methods or apparatus for filling containers with liquefied, solidified, or compressed gases under pressures for filling with liquefied gases
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C13/00—Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels
    • F17C13/02—Special adaptations of indicating, measuring, or monitoring equipment
    • F17C13/025—Special adaptations of indicating, measuring, or monitoring equipment having the pressure as the parameter
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C13/00—Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels
    • F17C13/02—Special adaptations of indicating, measuring, or monitoring equipment
    • F17C13/026—Special adaptations of indicating, measuring, or monitoring equipment having the temperature as the parameter
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C5/00—Methods or apparatus for filling containers with liquefied, solidified, or compressed gases under pressures
    • F17C5/02—Methods or apparatus for filling containers with liquefied, solidified, or compressed gases under pressures for filling with liquefied gases
    • F17C5/04—Methods or apparatus for filling containers with liquefied, solidified, or compressed gases under pressures for filling with liquefied gases requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. filling with helium or hydrogen
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C9/00—Methods or apparatus for discharging liquefied or solidified gases from vessels not under pressure
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2221/00—Handled fluid, in particular type of fluid
    • F17C2221/01—Pure fluids
    • F17C2221/014—Nitrogen
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2223/01—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the phase
    • F17C2223/0146—Two-phase
    • F17C2223/0153—Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
    • F17C2223/0161—Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2223/03—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the pressure level
    • F17C2223/033—Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2223/03—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the pressure level
    • F17C2223/035—High pressure (>10 bar)
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2223/04—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by other properties of handled fluid before transfer
    • F17C2223/042—Localisation of the removal point
    • F17C2223/046—Localisation of the removal point in the liquid
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2225/00—Handled fluid after transfer, i.e. state of fluid after transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2225/01—Handled fluid after transfer, i.e. state of fluid after transfer from the vessel characterised by the phase
    • F17C2225/0146—Two-phase
    • F17C2225/0153—Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
    • F17C2225/0161—Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2225/00—Handled fluid after transfer, i.e. state of fluid after transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2225/03—Handled fluid after transfer, i.e. state of fluid after transfer from the vessel characterised by the pressure level
    • F17C2225/033—Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2225/00—Handled fluid after transfer, i.e. state of fluid after transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2225/04—Handled fluid after transfer, i.e. state of fluid after transfer from the vessel characterised by other properties of handled fluid after transfer
    • F17C2225/042—Localisation of the filling point
    • F17C2225/046—Localisation of the filling point in the liquid
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2227/00—Transfer of fluids, i.e. method or means for transferring the fluid; Heat exchange with the fluid
    • F17C2227/01—Propulsion of the fluid
    • F17C2227/0107—Propulsion of the fluid by pressurising the ullage
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2227/00—Transfer of fluids, i.e. method or means for transferring the fluid; Heat exchange with the fluid
    • F17C2227/03—Heat exchange with the fluid
    • F17C2227/0302—Heat exchange with the fluid by heating
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2227/00—Transfer of fluids, i.e. method or means for transferring the fluid; Heat exchange with the fluid
    • F17C2227/03—Heat exchange with the fluid
    • F17C2227/0337—Heat exchange with the fluid by cooling
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2250/00—Accessories; Control means; Indicating, measuring or monitoring of parameters
    • F17C2250/03—Control means
    • F17C2250/032—Control means using computers
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2250/00—Accessories; Control means; Indicating, measuring or monitoring of parameters
    • F17C2250/04—Indicating or measuring of parameters as input values
    • F17C2250/0404—Parameters indicated or measured
    • F17C2250/043—Pressure
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2250/00—Accessories; Control means; Indicating, measuring or monitoring of parameters
    • F17C2250/04—Indicating or measuring of parameters as input values
    • F17C2250/0404—Parameters indicated or measured
    • F17C2250/043—Pressure
    • F17C2250/0434—Pressure difference
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2250/00—Accessories; Control means; Indicating, measuring or monitoring of parameters
    • F17C2250/04—Indicating or measuring of parameters as input values
    • F17C2250/0486—Indicating or measuring characterised by the location
    • F17C2250/0491—Parameters measured at or inside the vessel
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2250/00—Accessories; Control means; Indicating, measuring or monitoring of parameters
    • F17C2250/06—Controlling or regulating of parameters as output values
    • F17C2250/0605—Parameters
    • F17C2250/0626—Pressure
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2250/00—Accessories; Control means; Indicating, measuring or monitoring of parameters
    • F17C2250/06—Controlling or regulating of parameters as output values
    • F17C2250/0605—Parameters
    • F17C2250/0631—Temperature
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2260/00—Purposes of gas storage and gas handling
    • F17C2260/02—Improving properties related to fluid or fluid transfer
    • F17C2260/025—Reducing transfer time
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2265/00—Effects achieved by gas storage or gas handling
    • F17C2265/06—Fluid distribution
    • F17C2265/061—Fluid distribution for supply of supplying vehicles
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2270/00—Applications
    • F17C2270/01—Applications for fluid transport or storage
    • F17C2270/0165—Applications for fluid transport or storage on the road
    • F17C2270/0168—Applications for fluid transport or storage on the road by vehicles
    • F17C2270/0171—Trucks

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the field of processes for filling a downstream tank with a cryogenic liquid, such as liquid nitrogen, from an upstream storage tank.
  • a cryogenic liquid such as liquid nitrogen
  • Such filling operations are used, for example, to fill the tanks of trucks used to transport and distribute heat-sensitive products such as pharmaceutical products or foodstuffs.
  • the cryogenic fluid for example liquid nitrogen
  • a high-capacity upstream storage tank connected downstream to equipment that consumes this fluid, such as the tank of a truck, the upstream storage tank containing, under a storage pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, the cryogenic fluid in liquid phase at the bottom of the tank and in gas phase at the top of the tank, this storage tank being designed to, on the one hand, supply the downstream consuming equipment with liquid extracted from the bottom of the storage tank, and on the other hand, to be supplied from the exterior with fluid.
  • low-pressure storage tanks i.e. the maximum pressure reached at the top of the tank is in general lower than about 4 bar absolute and conventionally the pressure at the top of the storage tank is 1.5 bar relative.
  • this upstream storage tank For example a tank to be filled, conventionally a cryogenic pump is used to increase the upstream pressure during transfer to the downstream cryogenic tank (see FIG. 1 appended below).
  • cryogenic pumps may entail drawbacks in terms of cost, maintenance, and specific operational constraints such as the pump requiring cooling before use. This is because cryogenic pumps comprise moving parts that require specific maintenance.
  • One of the objectives of the present invention is thus to provide a novel approach to rapid filling, solving the technical problems described above.
  • the present invention provides a new filling process, the essential features of which may be summarized as follows:
  • the present invention thus relates to a process for filling at least one downstream tank with a cryogenic liquid from an upstream storage tank, which upstream storage tank contains, under a storage pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, the cryogenic fluid in liquid phase at the bottom of the storage tank and in gas phase at the top of the storage tank, said upstream storage tank being designed to supply the downstream tank with liquid extracted from the bottom of the storage tank, and to be supplied from the exterior with fluid, noteworthy in that a pressure difference is created and maintained between the upstream storage tank and the downstream tank, by establishing, in the gas phase in the upstream storage tank, a pressure that is higher than the equilibrium pressure in the storage tank.
  • the gas phase in the upstream storage tank is brought to and maintained at a pressure equal to:
  • FIG. 1 is a partial schematic view of a conventional installation for filling a downstream tank with liquid nitrogen from an upstream storage tank, using a cryogenic pump;
  • FIG. 2 is a partial schematic view of a rapid filling installation according to the invention.
  • FIG. 1 shows the conventional structure of such a filling installation, a pressurizing means for pressurizing the liquid extracted from the foot of the storage tank and transported to the downstream tank being present on the line, which structure is well known and will therefore not be described further here.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates an installation according to the invention, which does not comprise such a pressurizing means, but in contrast comprises a control device able to act automatically on the supply pressure of the cryogenic liquid at the foot of the upstream storage tank and on the temperature of the stored cryogenic liquid, in response to a measurement of the pressure of the gas phase in the upstream storage tank and the position of this measurement relative to the equilibrium pressure in the storage tank, so as to maintain a pressure difference between the upstream storage tank and the downstream tank and to maintain this gas-phase pressure at a level above the equilibrium pressure of the storage tank, the equilibrium pressure corresponding to the temperature of the cryogenic fluid in the storage tank.
  • a control device able to act automatically on the supply pressure of the cryogenic liquid at the foot of the upstream storage tank and on the temperature of the stored cryogenic liquid, in response to a measurement of the pressure of the gas phase in the upstream storage tank and the position of this measurement relative to the equilibrium pressure in the storage tank, so as to maintain a pressure difference between the upstream storage tank and the downstream tank and to maintain
  • the transfer pressure of the cryogenic fluid is set to the nominal desired value, for example 5 bar relative for a given downstream application using liquid nitrogen, the temperature of the fluid is moreover controlled relative to a reference value under given conditions, for example ⁇ 187° C., which corresponds to an equilibrium pressure of 1.5 bar relative. If after a period of use, the temperature difference with respect to the setpoint value is greater than the allowed hysteresis, a new pressure setpoint is delivered to the controller in order to reduce the pressure of the associated gaseous atmosphere and therefore limit heating of the fluid in the storage tank during idle periods during the transfers.
  • the system resets to the pressure setting with regard to operational reuse of the rapid transfer installation.
  • the control device thus enables parameterized control of pressure, temperature and time data in order to optimize the overall consumption of the installation.
  • This table indicates the filling times obtained for the transfer of 410 liters of liquid nitrogen from upstream to downstream, for various operating conditions:
  • the table gives the filling time and the average flow rate achieved.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and equipment for filling at least one downstream tank with a cryogenic liquid, from an upstream store which contains, at a storage pressure above atmospheric pressure, the cryogenic fluid in the liquid phase at the bottom of the tank, and the cryogenic fluid in the gas phase at the top of the tank, said upstream store being suitable for feeding liquid withdrawn from the bottom of the store to the downstream tank, as well as to be supplied with fluid from the outside, characterized in that one generates and maintains a pressure difference between the upstream store and the downstream tank, by pressurizing the gas phase of the upstream store at a pressure that is greater than the equilibrium pressure of the store.

Description

  • The present invention relates to the field of processes for filling a downstream tank with a cryogenic liquid, such as liquid nitrogen, from an upstream storage tank.
  • It more particularly relates to processes enabling rapid filling.
  • Such filling operations are used, for example, to fill the tanks of trucks used to transport and distribute heat-sensitive products such as pharmaceutical products or foodstuffs.
  • Conventionally, the cryogenic fluid, for example liquid nitrogen, is stored in a high-capacity upstream storage tank connected downstream to equipment that consumes this fluid, such as the tank of a truck, the upstream storage tank containing, under a storage pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, the cryogenic fluid in liquid phase at the bottom of the tank and in gas phase at the top of the tank, this storage tank being designed to, on the one hand, supply the downstream consuming equipment with liquid extracted from the bottom of the storage tank, and on the other hand, to be supplied from the exterior with fluid.
  • Most commonly, storage tanks called “low-pressure storage tanks” are used, i.e. the maximum pressure reached at the top of the tank is in general lower than about 4 bar absolute and conventionally the pressure at the top of the storage tank is 1.5 bar relative.
  • To rapidly transfer the fluid between this upstream storage tank and such a downstream point, for example a tank to be filled, conventionally a cryogenic pump is used to increase the upstream pressure during transfer to the downstream cryogenic tank (see FIG. 1 appended below).
  • However, it is known that using such cryogenic pumps may entail drawbacks in terms of cost, maintenance, and specific operational constraints such as the pump requiring cooling before use. This is because cryogenic pumps comprise moving parts that require specific maintenance.
  • Another solution has been suggested, which consists in using an intermediate transfer tank that is pressurized before the ultimate filling of the downstream tank. This solution involves the use of an additional tank, thus entailing a volume constraint and an operating mode that is greatly dependent on the downstream process (pressurization before use and managing filling when it is empty, etc.).
  • Another solution has been suggested, which consists in maintaining the upstream cryogenic storage tank at the transfer pressure, but it is known, because of the characteristic behavior of cryogenic fluids, that under these conditions the fluid will tend to gravitate toward its equilibrium temperature at the pressure in the storage tank, which will produce a diphasic fluid during transfer and therefore reduce the flow rate because there will be gas in the flow (by way of illustration, 1% of diphasic fluid by weight in nitrogen implies a ratio of the mass of gas to the total mass equivalent to a void rate, i.e. the volume occupied by the gas/total volume, of 50%).
  • One of the objectives of the present invention is thus to provide a novel approach to rapid filling, solving the technical problems described above.
  • As will be seen in more detail below, the present invention provides a new filling process, the essential features of which may be summarized as follows:
      • the upstream storage tank is used directly, without an intermediate additional tank;
      • a pressure difference is created between the upstream storage tank and the downstream point, by establishing an “overpressure” in this upstream storage tank by pressurizing it to a pressure higher than the equilibrium pressure corresponding to the temperature of the cryogenic fluid in the storage tank, and by maintaining, via control/regulation means, such a higher pressure, thereby allowing the subcooled liquid to be transferred at its transfer pressure and therefore allowing filling operations to be carried out at higher flow rates, by limiting, during the transfer, losses due to vaporization, related to head loss in the installation, and to the ingress of heat (the time it takes for the temperature of the liquid to increase being sufficiently long relative to the time it stays in the upstream storage tank between two filling operations);
      • to do this, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a control device is fitted to or associated with the upstream storage tank, said device being able to automatically manage the supply pressure of the cryogenic liquid in the upstream storage tank at the foot of the tank (liquid phase), and the temperature of the stored cryogenic liquid, so as to maintain the gas phase in this upstream storage tank at such a pressure that is higher than the equilibrium pressure in the storage tank.
  • The present invention thus relates to a process for filling at least one downstream tank with a cryogenic liquid from an upstream storage tank, which upstream storage tank contains, under a storage pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, the cryogenic fluid in liquid phase at the bottom of the storage tank and in gas phase at the top of the storage tank, said upstream storage tank being designed to supply the downstream tank with liquid extracted from the bottom of the storage tank, and to be supplied from the exterior with fluid, noteworthy in that a pressure difference is created and maintained between the upstream storage tank and the downstream tank, by establishing, in the gas phase in the upstream storage tank, a pressure that is higher than the equilibrium pressure in the storage tank.
  • According to one embodiment of the invention, the gas phase in the upstream storage tank is brought to and maintained at a pressure equal to:
  • Pg=ΔP+P1−pgh
  • where:
      • Pg is the pressure maintained in the gaseous atmosphere in the storage tank;
      • ΔP is the head loss in the line between the upstream storage tank and the downstream tank;
      • P1 is the pressure of the liquid in the line;
      • p is the density of the stored liquid;
      • g=9.81 m/s2; and
      • h is the height of liquid available.
  • Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more clearly apparent from the following description, given by way of completely nonlimiting illustration, and with regard to the appended drawings, in which:
  • FIG. 1 is a partial schematic view of a conventional installation for filling a downstream tank with liquid nitrogen from an upstream storage tank, using a cryogenic pump; and
  • FIG. 2 is a partial schematic view of a rapid filling installation according to the invention.
    •
  • FIG. 1 shows the conventional structure of such a filling installation, a pressurizing means for pressurizing the liquid extracted from the foot of the storage tank and transported to the downstream tank being present on the line, which structure is well known and will therefore not be described further here.
  • For its part, FIG. 2 illustrates an installation according to the invention, which does not comprise such a pressurizing means, but in contrast comprises a control device able to act automatically on the supply pressure of the cryogenic liquid at the foot of the upstream storage tank and on the temperature of the stored cryogenic liquid, in response to a measurement of the pressure of the gas phase in the upstream storage tank and the position of this measurement relative to the equilibrium pressure in the storage tank, so as to maintain a pressure difference between the upstream storage tank and the downstream tank and to maintain this gas-phase pressure at a level above the equilibrium pressure of the storage tank, the equilibrium pressure corresponding to the temperature of the cryogenic fluid in the storage tank.
  • By way of example, the transfer pressure of the cryogenic fluid is set to the nominal desired value, for example 5 bar relative for a given downstream application using liquid nitrogen, the temperature of the fluid is moreover controlled relative to a reference value under given conditions, for example −187° C., which corresponds to an equilibrium pressure of 1.5 bar relative. If after a period of use, the temperature difference with respect to the setpoint value is greater than the allowed hysteresis, a new pressure setpoint is delivered to the controller in order to reduce the pressure of the associated gaseous atmosphere and therefore limit heating of the fluid in the storage tank during idle periods during the transfers. The system resets to the pressure setting with regard to operational reuse of the rapid transfer installation. The control device thus enables parameterized control of pressure, temperature and time data in order to optimize the overall consumption of the installation.
  • The table of experimental results below will allow the advantages of such conditions, according to the invention, to be better understood.
  • This table indicates the filling times obtained for the transfer of 410 liters of liquid nitrogen from upstream to downstream, for various operating conditions:
      • upstream to downstream pressure deltas of 1, 2 or 3 bar;
      • in combination with temperatures of the liquid phase in the upstream storage tank regulated to −177° C., −181, −187 or −191° C.;
      • in each case, the value “Psat” represents the equilibrium pressure of the nitrogen at the liquid temperature considered.
  • For each set of operational conditions, the table gives the filling time and the average flow rate achieved.
  • Thus, by way of example, for a delta of 3 bar (Pupstream=5 bar and Pdownstream=2 bar) with the temperature of the liquid regulated to −187° C., the 410 liters of a downstream tank were filled in 3.7 minutes, with an average flow rate of 110.8 1/min.
  • TABLE 1
    Pressure Filling time for 410 liters and average flow rate achieved
    difference T| = −191° C. T| = −187° C. T| = −181° C. T| = −177° C.
    (bar) Psat = 0.7 bar Psat = 1.5 bar Psat = 3.2 bar Psat = 4.8 bar
    1 6.6 mn 7.3 mn 8.3 mn 9 mn
    62.1 l/mn 56.2 l/mn 49.4 l/mn 45.6 l/mn
    2 4 mn 4.8 mn 6.2 mn 7.3 mn
    102.5 l/mn 85.4 l/mn 66.1 l/mn 56.2 l/mn
    3 3 mn 3.7 mn 5.2 mn 6.4 mn
    136.7 l/mn 110.8 l/mn 78.8 l/mn 64.1 l/mn
  • The following teachings may be deduced from this table:
      • columns 3 and 4 (−181° C., −177° C.) show a striking reduction in flow rate (comparative examples);
      • the tests of column 1 are in accordance with the invention, but it could be said that they represent an implementation that, while certainly being possible, is more expensive;
      • the tests of column 2 (−187° C., pressure delta of 2 or 3 bar) represent a very good compromise between performance and implementation cost for the application and installation supplied here.

Claims (5)

1-4. (canceled)
5. A process for filling at least one downstream tank with a cryogenic liquid from an upstream storage tank, the upstream storage tank contains, under a storage pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, the cryogenic fluid in liquid phase at the bottom of the storage tank and in gas phase at the top of the storage tank, said upstream storage tank being designed to supply the downstream tank with liquid extracted from the bottom of the storage tank, and to be supplied from the exterior with fluid, the process comprising creating and maintaining a pressure difference between the upstream storage tank and the downstream tank, by establishing, in the gas phase in the upstream storage tank, a pressure that is higher than the equilibrium pressure in the storage tank.
6. The filling process of claim 5, wherein the pressure of the gas phase in the upstream storage tank is maintained by acting on the supply pressure of the cryogenic liquid in the upstream storage tank at the foot of the tank and on the temperature of the stored cryogenic liquid.
7. The filling process of claim 6, wherein a control device is provided, able to automatically manage the supply pressure of the cryogenic liquid in the upstream storage tank at the foot of the tank and the temperature of the stored cryogenic liquid, in response to a measurement of the pressure of the gas phase in the upstream storage tank and the position of this measurement relative to the equilibrium pressure in the storage tank.
8. An installation for filling at least one downstream tank with a cryogenic liquid from an upstream storage tank, which upstream storage tank contains, under a storage pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, the cryogenic fluid in liquid phase at the bottom of the storage tank and in gas phase at the top of the storage tank, said upstream storage tank being designed to supply the downstream tank with liquid extracted from the bottom of the storage tank, and to be supplied from the exterior with fluid, comprising a control device able to automatically manage the supply pressure of the cryogenic liquid in the upstream storage tank at the foot of the tank and the temperature of the stored cryogenic liquid, in response to a measurement of the pressure of the gas phase in the upstream storage tank and the position of this measurement relative to the equilibrium pressure in the storage tank, so as to maintain, in the gas phase in the upstream storage tank, a pressure that is higher than the equilibrium pressure in the storage tank.
US13/643,390 2010-04-27 2011-01-17 Method and equipment for rapidly filling a downstream tank with cryogenic liquid from an upstream store Abandoned US20130037166A1 (en)

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FR1053199A FR2959295B1 (en) 2010-04-27 2010-04-27 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RAPID FILLING OF A CRYOGENIC LIQUID DOWNSTREAM RESERVOIR FROM UPSTREAM STORAGE
FR1053199 2010-04-27
PCT/FR2011/050075 WO2011135210A1 (en) 2010-04-27 2011-01-17 Method and equipment for rapidly filling a downstream tank with cryogenic liquid from an upstream store

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CN112789444A (en) * 2018-10-09 2021-05-11 乔治洛德方法研究和开发液化空气有限公司 Method and installation for storing and distributing liquefied hydrogen

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EP2796848B1 (en) * 2013-04-25 2017-12-27 The Boeing Company Method and system for monitoring the integrity of a pressurised tank

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CN109404725A (en) * 2018-11-19 2019-03-01 国网山东省电力公司潍坊供电公司 Sulfur hexafluoride gas cylinder heating device and method based on pressure difference control

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PT2564110T (en) 2021-07-23
ES2880803T3 (en) 2021-11-25
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AU2011247224A1 (en) 2012-12-20

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