EP3144055B1 - Device for feeding a liquid odoriser into a gas network - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for feeding a liquid odorant into a gas network, comprising a housing which is designed as a pipe section through which gas can flow, an odorant nozzle and an evaporation body, the odorant nozzle and the evaporation body being sealed in the opening through an opening in the wall of the housing the housing are inserted.

In the case of a pipeline-based supply of natural gas to the general public, which is essentially odorless in the processed state, for safety reasons it is required that the natural gas has an odor so that any leaks in the pipeline network are subjectively perceptible to people.

If the processed natural gas does not have a sufficient warning odor, it must be odorized in accordance with legal regulations. For this reason, it is known and customary to add odorants to natural gas. As odorants, malodorous substances are usually considered, which give the natural gas a sulfur-like odor. A widely used odorant is, for example, tetrahydrotiophene (THT). Furthermore, low-sulfur and sulfur-free odorants have also been used for a number of years.

Normally, natural gas is provided odorant-free in so-called gas transport networks (long-distance transport lines); odorization is carried out by the gas network operator of the gas distribution network in question when the gas is withdrawn from the gas transport network and when the pressure is reduced to the pressure prevailing in the gas network distribution pressure. For this purpose, a liquid odorant is added via an odorization system in a local gas pressure control and measuring system (GDRM system). The addition takes place depending on the size of the normalized gas volume flow, calculated from the data of the gas meter as well as the gas temperature and the gas pressure. A corresponding amount of odorant is fed to an odorant nozzle by means of a pulse-controlled metering pump. This odorant nozzle or also inoculation nozzle is generally designed as a dip tube inserted into the gas line. The odorant is fed intermittently to the immersion tube inserted in the gas line, the immersion tube being flowed around by the natural gas flowing through the gas line. The liquid odorant evaporates and is absorbed by the natural gas.

Normally, the odorant is not atomized when it is injected into the immersion tube and is fed to the immersion tube discontinuously or intermittently in the direction of the weight force. It cannot be ruled out that the odorant does not evaporate on or in the immersion tube and that the significant quantities of liquid odorant are entrained by the gas flow and distributed in an uncontrolled manner in the gas line. It has already occurred in practice that significant quantities of liquid odorant collect in the gas line below the injection nozzle.

In the prior art, it is known in principle to improve the dosage in the sense of removing odorant from a storage container by utilizing the capillary effect. For example, from the U.S. 2,279,705 known to arrange a perforated dip tube in a storage container for a liquid odorant, wherein in A cotton wick extends over the dip tube, which ensures that the odorant is continuously withdrawn from the container. Targeted metering as a function of the gas volume flow flowing through the line is not possible in this way, however. Therefore, up to now, compliance with a minimum odorant concentration in the gas flow can only be ensured by systematic overdosing of the odorant.

The U.S. 5,304,327 discloses a device according to the preamble of claim 1. It describes a device for feeding a liquid odorant into a gas network. The device has a threaded sleeve which can be screwed into a connection piece of a gas-carrying pipe. The device also has a conduit pipe which is held in a sealing manner by the threaded sleeve and extends into the free cross section of the pipe. A perforated pipe having openings is attached to the conduit pipe by means of a metering nozzle, an evaporation body in the form of steel wool being arranged inside the perforated pipe.

The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a device for odorizing a gas flow in a gas network with which the aforementioned disadvantages are eliminated.

The object is achieved with the features of claim 1; advantageous embodiments of the invention emerge from the subclaims.

One aspect of the invention relates to a device for feeding a liquid odorant into a gas network according to claim 1, comprising a housing which is designed as a pipe section through which gas can flow, an odorant nozzle, a Evaporation body, wherein the odorant nozzle and the evaporation body are inserted into the housing in a sealed manner through an opening in the wall of the housing in the opening, so that the evaporation body extends at least over a part of the free cross section of the housing in the housing and a valve body, which is of a first open position can be brought into a second closed position, wherein the valve body closes the gas-permeable cross-section of the housing in the second position and releases the gas-permeable cross-section of the housing in the first position and the valve body in the second position with the housing an extraction lock for the Evaporation body and / or the odorant nozzle forms.

A device for feeding in a liquid odorant is provided which comprises a housing with an evaporation body extending therein, into which a liquid odorant is introduced via an odorant nozzle so that the evaporation body is wetted and promotes evaporation of the odorant.

The housing is also designed as an extraction lock for the evaporation body. The evaporation body can extend essentially over the entire clear width of the free housing cross-section within the housing. The evaporation body can be provided, for example, as an open-pored foam body, preferably as one that has a certain inherent stability. The evaporation body can be designed, for example, as a rigid foam body with a macropore structure through which gas can flow.

A macropore structure in the context of the invention is to be understood as an open pore structure with a pore diameter in the order of millimeters, for example the pores of the evaporation body can have a diameter between 1 mm and 10 mm, preferably between 4 mm and 5 mm.

It is useful if the evaporation body is formed from a metal foam, for example from aluminum foam. Alternatively, metal foams based on iron or nickel can be used. For example, such metal foams can be used which have been produced from iron-based and nickel-based powder in the slip reaction foam sintering process.

In the context of the invention, evaporation bodies can also be provided as plastic foam bodies.

The evaporation body can be provided in an enclosure through which gas can flow or in a housing through which gas can flow, which can also be designed, for example, in the form of a perforated immersion tube.

Alternatively, the evaporation body can be designed as a housing with a fiber filling or a lamellar structure. Metal wool or steel wool, for example, can be provided as the fiber filling. As an alternative to this, chemically resistant plastic fibers can be arranged in a housing provided with throughflow openings. The special design of the extraction lock according to the invention makes it possible to replace the evaporation body essentially without dismantling and taking the gas line out of operation. A simple exchange of the odorant nozzle with the evaporation body is also of course possible or just the odorant nozzle. An extraction lock in the sense of the present invention is to be understood as a space within the housing which can be hermetically shut off relative to the pipe section through which gas can flow.

It is particularly advantageous that the extraction lock for the odorant nozzle and / or the evaporation body is formed by only a single valve body, which at the same time blocks the cross section of the gas line. This eliminates the need to shut off the housing of the device for feeding in the liquid odorant on both sides of a connection to the gas line.

In a gas line section, for example within a GDRM system, comprising the device according to the invention, it is sensible and expedient to provide a bypass line for the device according to the invention.

In a particularly preferred variant of the device according to the invention it is provided that the valve body has a lock chamber which cooperates with a valve seat of the housing in such a way that the valve seat seals the lock chamber when the valve body is in the second, closed position.

As a lock chamber, for example, a cavity can be provided in the valve body which is dimensioned such that it can accommodate the evaporation body and preferably also parts of the odorant nozzle.

It is particularly useful if a device is provided for pre-stressing the lock chamber. This is it is possible, after the free cross section of the housing has been shut off, to first relieve the lock chamber of the pressure prevailing in the housing, so that the housing can then be opened from the outside for the purpose of removing the evaporation body and / or the odorant nozzle.

The evaporation body can be arranged, for example, in an immersion sleeve or an immersion tube of the odorant nozzle. The evaporation body and the odorant nozzle can, for example, form an entire unit to be handled in the form of a cartridge.

As a pre-expansion device for pre-expansion of the lock chamber, for example, the odorant nozzle can have a pre-expansion valve that is expediently arranged on a part of the odorant nozzle that extends outside the housing.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention, the valve body is designed as a ball valve body which has a through-flow channel. The odorant nozzle and / or the evaporation body can, for example, pass through a passage in a pole of the ball valve body. Such a ball valve body expediently comprises two diametrically opposite poles which define the axis of symmetry and the axis of rotation of the ball valve body. A switching shaft for actuating the ball valve body can act on one pole, and a passage can be provided on the opposite pole, into which the odorant nozzle and / or the evaporation body are immersed.

The ball valve body can expediently be actuated via a ball valve which is fastened to a switching shaft penetrating the housing.

In an alternative embodiment of the device according to the invention, the valve body is designed as a slide, in particular as a wedge slide, which can be actuated via a spindle drive.

According to the invention it is provided that the housing has a first, second and third pipe outlet, that the valve body releases the third pipe outlet in the second closed position and that the third pipe outlet is preferably closed with an inspection cover.

In this variant of the device, the inspection cover with the housing limits the removal lock. The inspection cover can be provided with a sight glass, for example, which enables a visual inspection of the extraction lock, the evaporation body or the odorant nozzle.

The first, second and third pipe outlet can all have approximately the same cross section, the first and second pipe outlet forming the pipe section of the device through which gas can flow. A relatively large access opening to the extraction lock is provided through the third pipeline outlet. This makes it possible to insert a component, such as the odorant nozzle or the evaporation body, into the device from the side. As a result, a larger cross section is available for introducing components into the device.

A pre-expansion of the lock chamber can take place in the manner described above or via a connection which is arranged in the area of the removal lock.

The invention is explained below with reference to two exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings.

Figur 1

Eine schematische Darstellung einer Anordnung zur Odorierung eines Gasstroms;

Figur 2

Einen Längsschnitt durch eine Vorrichtung zur Einspeisung eines flüssigen Odoriermittels gemäß einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung,

Figur 3

einen Längsschnitt durch eine Vorrichtung zur Einspeisung eines flüssigen Odoriermittels gemäß einem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung

Figur 4

einen Querschnitt durch eine Vorrichtung zur Einspeisung eines flüssigen Odoriermittels gemäß einem dritten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung,

Figur 5

eine der Figur 4 entsprechende Ansicht, in welcher sich der Ventilkörper in der zweiten Stellung befindet und

Figur 6

einen Längsschnitt durch eine Vorrichtung gemäß dem dritten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung.

Show it:

Figure 1

A schematic representation of an arrangement for odorizing a gas flow;

Figure 2

A longitudinal section through a device for feeding in a liquid odorant according to a first embodiment of the invention,

Figure 3

a longitudinal section through a device for feeding a liquid odorant according to a second embodiment of the invention

Figure 4

a cross section through a device for feeding a liquid odorant according to a third embodiment of the invention,

Figure 5

one of the Figure 4 corresponding view in which the valve body is in the second position and

Figure 6

a longitudinal section through a device according to the third embodiment of the invention.

Reference is first made to the Figure 1 , which illustrates the basic structure of an arrangement for odorising a gas flow. The reference number 1 denotes a pipe section of a gas line, which is connected downstream of a gas meter 3 in the flow direction of the gas. The arrangement including the device according to the invention is arranged, for example, in a GDRM system of a local gas distribution network. In the gas line 2, natural gas for the gas pressure distribution network is provided at a reduced pressure from a high-pressure transport network.

In the direction of flow behind the gas meter 3, a liquid odorant, for example in the form of THT, is introduced into the gas line 2 via a device 4 for feeding in the liquid odorant.

The odorant is taken from an odorant container 5 and fed to the device 4 via a metering pump 6. The metering pump 6 is connected to the gas meter 3 via a control device 7. The gas meter 3 supplies information via a volume corrector 8 to a pulse generator, not shown in the figure, which in turn transmits control pulses to the control unit 7. The metering pump 6 receives corresponding control signals via the control unit 7, which are each converted into injection strokes of the metering pump 6, which is designed, for example, as a piston pump. The pulse generator can for example be designed as a goal counter or the like.

A first variant of the device 4 according to the invention is shown in FIG Figure 2 shown.

The device 4 comprises a housing 9, which is designed as a pipe section through which gas can flow, which has a first and second connection flange 10a, 10b which can be connected to pipe sections of the gas line 2 and whose nominal diameter is matched to the nominal diameter of the gas line 2 in question. The housing 9 forms a sealing seat 11 for a valve body designed as a ball valve body 12. The ball valve body 12 comprises a first pole 12a and a second pole 12b, which are located in the axis of rotation and symmetry of the ball valve body 12. A switching shaft 13 of a ball valve 14 acts on the first pole 12a and engages positively in a blind hole 15 of the ball valve body 12. It goes without saying that the leading end of the switching shaft 13 and the blind hole 15 are profiled accordingly.

In the area of the second pole 12b, the ball valve body 12 is provided with a passage opening 16 which is aligned with an opening 17 in a wall of the housing 9, which is coaxially aligned with it.

In this area, the housing 9 forms a threaded connector 18 in which a cartridge 19 comprising the odorant nozzle and an evaporation body is inserted as a one-piece arrangement. The drawing is simplified to the extent that the odorant nozzle and the evaporation body are not shown in detail. The cartridge 19 is screwed into the threaded connector 18 and sealed in this. This passes through the opening 17 and the passage opening 16 and extends in a flow channel 20 of the ball valve body 12. The cartridge 19 extends almost over the entire clear width or height of the flow channel 20, the cartridge 19 itself being designed so that gas can flow through it, for example as a cylindrical one Sleeve with throughflow openings and an evaporation body arranged inside.

Provided on the circumference of the threaded connector 18 is an interspace expansion connection 21 into which an interspace relief valve (not shown) is inserted.

In Figure 2 the device 4 is shown in the operating position in which the ball valve body 12 is open, that is, gas can flow through it. If the ball valve 14 is adjusted by a quarter turn, the ball valve body 12 seals both the relevant pipeline section 1 and the lock chamber 22 formed by the flow channel 20 of the ball valve body 12. At this point in time, the operating pressure of the gas line prevails in the lock chamber, which pressure is applied on both sides of the ball valve body 12. The lock chamber 22 can now be expanded to atmospheric pressure via the intermediate space relief valve arranged on the intermediate space expansion connection 21, so that the cartridge 19 can be rotated out of the threaded connector 18.

An odorant connection on the cartridge 19 is also not shown in the drawing for reasons of simplicity.

Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the device 4 according to the invention, where the same components are provided with the same reference numerals.

The functional principle and essentially also the construction principle of the device 4 according to FIG Figure 3 corresponds to that of the device according to Figure 2 , with the difference that the valve body is designed as a wedge slide 23 which, like the ball valve body 12 of the The open position is rotated into the closed position, but is moved from the open position into the closed position into a wedge-shaped valve seat 26 transversely to the flow direction of the housing 2 via a spindle 24 and a spindle drive 25. The spindle 24 is axially adjusted via an actuating wheel 27 which acts on the spindle drive 25. The spindle 24 is connected to the wedge slide 23.

The housing 2 comprises a housing cover 27 which serves as a spindle bearing. The spindle passes through an opening in the housing cover 27.
On the opposite side of the housing 2, an opening 17 with an internal thread for receiving the cartridge 19 is provided. The wedge slide 23 encloses a receiving space which is open in the direction of the opening 17 and which forms the lock chamber 22 for the cartridge 19.

As in the exemplary embodiment described above, the cartridge 19 comprises an odorant inlet (not shown in more detail) as well as an interspace expansion connection 21 to which an interspace relief valve (not shown) is connected.

Figure 3 shows the closed position of the wedge slide 23, in which the lock chamber 22 is hermetically sealed with respect to the gas-permeable cross section of the housing 2. In this state, the cartridge can be removed from the housing 2 via the interstitial relaxation connection 21 after preliminary relaxation.

A third embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS Figures 4 to 6 shown. The embodiment according to Figures 4 to 6 shows a device that according to Art a so-called "3-way ball valve" is designed, wherein the ball valve body 12 is designed as a 2-way ball valve. The same components are also provided with the same reference numerals in this exemplary embodiment.

The housing 9 comprises a first, second and third pipe outlet 28, 29 and 30. The first and second pipe outlet 28, 29 form the pipe section 1, which is connected to the gas line 2 on both sides. The third pipeline outlet 30 is closed with an inspection cover 31 and delimits the lock chamber 22 with the housing 9.

Figure 4 shows a cross section through the device according to the invention, in which the ball valve body 12 is in the first open position, in which it releases the cross section of the housing 2 through which gas can flow. The third pipe outlet 30 and the inspection cover 31 form a lateral access into the housing 9, which can be opened if necessary. For this it is necessary to remove the inspection cover 31.

Figure 5 shows one of the Figure 4 Corresponding view in which the ball valve body 12 is in the second closed position in which the gas-permeable cross section of the housing 9 is closed. The third pipeline outlet 30, on the other hand, is released from the ball valve body 12. Since the third pipeline outlet 30 is closed by the inspection cover 31, initially no pressure can escape from the lock chamber 22.

Figure 6 shows the longitudinal section through the in the Figures 4 and 5 shown device. Just like the device according to Figure 2 the housing 9 comprises a threaded connector 18 an opening 17 into which a cartridge 19 comprising the odorant nozzle is inserted. As in the previously described exemplary embodiments, the cartridge 19 comprises an odorant inlet, which is not designated in any more detail. Provided on the circumference of the threaded connector 18 is an interspace expansion connection 21, into which an interspace expansion valve, which is not described in greater detail, can be inserted. The interstitial expansion valve can alternatively be arranged in the area of the removal lock.

In the device according to the invention, the evaporation body can be introduced laterally into the housing 9 through the third outlet 30, separately from the odorant nozzle.

Reference number:

1

Pipe section

2

Gas pipe

3

Gas meter

4th

Device for feeding the liquid odorant

5

Odorant container

6th

Dosing pump

7th

Control unit

8th

Volume corrector

9

casing

10a, 10b

First and second connection flange

11

Sealing seat

12th

Ball valve body

12a

First pole of the ball valve body

12b

Second pole of the ball valve body

13th

Selector shaft

14th

Ball valve

15th

Blind hole

16

execution

17th

Opening for receiving the cartridge

18th

Threaded connector

19th

cartridge

20th

Flow channel of the ball valve body

21

Inter-space expansion connection

22nd

Lock chamber

23

Wedge gate valve

24

spindle

25th

Spindle drive

26th

Valve seat

27

Housing cover as spindle bearing

28

first pipe outlet

29

second pipe outlet

30th

third pipe outlet

31

Inspection cover

Claims (11)

1. Device for feeding a liquid odorant into a gas network, comprising a housing (9) which is designed as a pipe section through which gas can flow, an odorant nozzle, an evaporation body, the odorant nozzle and the evaporation body being inserted in a sealed manner into the housing through an opening (17) in the wall of the housing (9) so that the evaporation body extends at least through a part of the free cross-section of the housing (9) within the housing (9), the device being characterised in that it comprises a valve body (12, 23) which can be moved from a first, open position to a second, closed position, the valve body (12, 23) closing the cross-section of the housing (9) through which gas can flow and opening the cross-section of the housing (9) through which gas can flow in the second position, and wherein the valve body (12, 23) in the second position forms with the housing (9) an extraction lock for the evaporation body and/or the odorant nozzle, wherein the housing (9) comprises a first, second and third pipe outlet (28, 29, 30), wherein the valve body in the second closed position opens said third pipe outlet (30) and wherein said third pipe outlet (30) is preferably closed with an inspection lid (31).
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the valve body (12, 23) comprises a locking chamber (22) which cooperates with a valve seat (11, 26) of the housing (9) in such a way that the valve seat (11, 26) seals the locking chamber (22) when the valve body (12, 23) is in the second, closed position.
3. Device according to anyone of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that a device is provided for pre-releasing of pressure from the locking chamber (22).
4. Device according to anyone of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the evaporation body is attached to the odorant nozzle.
5. Device according to claim 4, characterised in that the evaporation body is arranged in an immersion sleeve or immersion tube of the odorant nozzle.
6. Device according to anyone of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the odorant nozzle comprises an interstitial expansion valve as a device for pre-releasing pressure from the locking chamber (22).
7. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that the interstitial expansion valve is arranged on a part of the odorant nozzle which extends outside the housing (9).
8. Device according to anyone of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the valve body is designed as a ball valve body (12) comprising a flow channel (20) extending therethrough.
9. Device according to claim 8, characterised in that the odorant nozzle and/or the evaporation body extend through a pole (12b) of the ball valve body (12).
10. Device according to claim 9, characterised in that the ball valve body (12) can be actuated via a ball tap (14) attached to a switching shaft (13) passing through the housing (9).
11. Device according to anyone of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the valve body is designed as a slide valve (23) which can be actuated via a spindle drive (25).

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