EP0382949A1

EP0382949A1 - Pressure-pulse valve to prevent overfilling

Info

Publication number: EP0382949A1
Application number: EP19890200354
Authority: EP
Inventors: Cornelis Corts
Original assignee: Technology Trading BV
Current assignee: Technology Trading BV
Priority date: 1989-02-15
Filing date: 1989-02-15
Publication date: 1990-08-22

Abstract

A flap type valve (3) forms part of and is located at the end of the filling pipe (1) of a liquid storage tank (2) and which is instantly turned over from rest position by the avalanche effect of the fast flowing liquid, once being pushed by the floater arm (6) into the liquid stream, when the nominal filling level in the tank has been reached, which causes a pressure pulse in the filling hose, initiating the subsequent closure of an automatic, hydraulically operating supply valve, located upstream of the supply hose.

Liquid storage tanks, not designed to withstand overpressure can be filled at a high speed from a pressure filling system without danger to be overfilled and blown up and without polluting the environment.

Description

The invention relates to a flap type valve, positioned in the filling neck of a tank for the storage of liquid, that is activated by a floater when the maximum level is reached in the tank and which is subsequently shut due to the mass of the flowing liquid, thereby causing a pressure pulse in the supply hose, coupled to the tank, which pulse in turn initiates the closing of an automatic, hydraulically operating diaphragm valve, located upstream of the supply hose.
Tanks, designed for the storage of liquids, such as cylindrical tanks of tank cars or fuel tanks of aircraft, are filled under pressure, whereby a supply hose is connected to the filling opening of the tank by means of a dry-break coupling, which prevents the spilling of the liquid during the filling process or when connecting or disconnecting the supply hose. When the storage tank is full the ventilation pipe, relieving the air while filling takes place, is closed and the pressure in the tank increases, which causes the hydraulically operating supply valve, located upstream of the supply hose, to close automatically, thereby terminating the further supply of the liquid to the tank.
Many tanks however, such as those used in vehicles for the storage of fuel, have not been designed to accept any overpressure and are thus not suited to be filled under pressure. Reference is made to road vehicles such as buses, lorries, automobiles etc. having fuel tanks manufactured from steel sheet. They are filled at refilling stations by means of fuel pumps, equipped with a fuel supply hose and (pistol type) fuel nozzle.
When at the end of the refuelling process the tank is full, the fuel nozzle stops the further flow of fuel automatically. However the operator is often unaware of the tank being full or is trying to fill the tank until even the neck is completely filled, whereby the ground may be polluted by overspilling.
Also the fuel nozzles are not drip-free, resulting in additional pollution.
The invention as claimed makes it possible to fill also those tanks under pressure, that are not designed for overpressure, sothat filling can take place with a high velocity and without the danger of overfilling or spilling, so without the risk of polluting the environment.
The advantage of the invention is that any type of liquid storage tank, including those that are not resistant to overpressure, can be filled at a high speed under pressure, reducing considerably the time, needed for refilling and preventing pollution by overfilling or spillage.
One way of carrying out the invention is described in detail herebelow with reference to drawings, which illustrate only one specific embodiment, in which:

Figure 1 shows the pressure-pulse valve at the bottom of the filling pipe in accordance with the invention and
Figure 2 is a side view in reduced scale of a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention.

The pressure-pulse valve forms part of and is located at the bottom of the filling pipe (1), which is positioned in the neck of the storage tank (2).
In rest position the valve blade (3) lies against the wall of the rectangular lower part of the filling pipe due to the counterweight (4), welded to the valve blade, in which position the flowing liquid is by-passing the valve blade. When the floater (5) is lifted by the liquid in the tank, when approaching the nominal filling level, the floater arm (6) will push upward the counterweight, that can turn around shaft (7) sothat the valve blade will be exposed to the fast flowing liquid.
This then will cause a hydro-mechanical avalanche effect sothat the valve blade will be pushed over instantly until it hits the opposite wall of the filling pipe, thus blocking the further passage of the liquid, causing a pressure pulse in the supply hose, upstream of which an automatic, hydraulically operating diaphragm valve is situated, which will close immediately after the sensed pressure pulse, thus terminating the filling process before the tank itself is pressurized.
Since the pressure pulse valve is not entirely leak proof, some liquid will pass over the pressure pulse valve, which will return to its rest position as soon as the liquid flow has stopped.
The pressure in the filling pipe of the tank and the filling hose is thus relieved before the dry-break coupling of the liquid supply hose is disconnected, easing the handling while disconnecting.
The advantage of the invention is that tanks, that are not designed for filling under pressure, can be filled from a pressurized filling system without danger of being blown up. The pressure is solely present in the filling pipe, which is designed for overpressure.

Claims

1. A pressure-pulse valve to prevent overfilling, characterized in that a flap type pressure-pulse valve, forming part of and positioned at the rectangular cross-sectioned end of a filling pipe of a liquid storage tank, is activated from rest position by means of a floater that is lifted by the liquid, when approaching the tank's nominal filling level and pushing upward a counterweight, that has been welded to the valve blade, which assembly is turning around a shaft sothat the valve blade is exposed to the flowing liquid and therefore turned over instantly as a result of a hydro-mechanical avalanche action to the opposite wall of the filling pipe, thereby blocking the passage to the liquid, causing a pressure pulse into the liquid supply hose, which pressure pulse is sensed by an automatic, hydraulically operating valve, situated upstream of the supply hose, which closes immediately upon the increased pressure thus preventing the tank itself to be pressurized.

2. A valve as claimed in claim 1, forming part of a tank filling pipe, to be connected to a high speed, pressure filling system, characterized in that a hydro-mechanical avalanche action is used to cause a mechanical device to generate a pressure pulse, upon which the filling process is terminated without the tank to be pressurized.