Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
  • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
  • F04B23/00—Pumping installations or systems
  • F04B23/02—Pumping installations or systems having reservoirs
  • F04B23/021—Pumping installations or systems having reservoirs the pump being immersed in the reservoir
  • F04B23/023—Pumping installations or systems having reservoirs the pump being immersed in the reservoir only the pump-part being immersed, the driving-part being outside the reservoir
• • 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
  • F17C6/00—Methods and apparatus for filling vessels not under pressure with liquefied or solidified gases
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
  • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
  • F04B15/00—Pumps adapted to handle specific fluids, e.g. by selection of specific materials for pumps or pump parts
  • F04B15/06—Pumps adapted to handle specific fluids, e.g. by selection of specific materials for pumps or pump parts for liquids near their boiling point, e.g. under subnormal pressure
  • F04B15/08—Pumps adapted to handle specific fluids, e.g. by selection of specific materials for pumps or pump parts for liquids near their boiling point, e.g. under subnormal pressure the liquids having low boiling points
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
  • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
  • F04B3/00—Machines or pumps with pistons coacting within one cylinder, e.g. multi-stage
  • F04B3/003—Machines or pumps with pistons coacting within one cylinder, e.g. multi-stage with two or more pistons reciprocating one within another, e.g. one piston forning cylinder of the other
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
  • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
  • F04B53/00—Component parts, details or accessories not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F04B1/00 - F04B23/00 or F04B39/00 - F04B47/00
  • F04B53/14—Pistons, piston-rods or piston-rod connections
  • F04B53/144—Adaptation of piston-rods
  • F04B53/146—Piston-rod guiding arrangements
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
  • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
  • F04B15/00—Pumps adapted to handle specific fluids, e.g. by selection of specific materials for pumps or pump parts
  • F04B15/06—Pumps adapted to handle specific fluids, e.g. by selection of specific materials for pumps or pump parts for liquids near their boiling point, e.g. under subnormal pressure
  • F04B15/08—Pumps adapted to handle specific fluids, e.g. by selection of specific materials for pumps or pump parts for liquids near their boiling point, e.g. under subnormal pressure the liquids having low boiling points
  • F04B2015/081—Liquefied gases
  • F04B2015/0822—Hydrogen
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
  • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
  • F04B53/00—Component parts, details or accessories not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F04B1/00 - F04B23/00 or F04B39/00 - F04B47/00
  • F04B53/10—Valves; Arrangement of valves
  • F04B53/12—Valves; Arrangement of valves arranged in or on pistons
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
  • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
  • F04B53/00—Component parts, details or accessories not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F04B1/00 - F04B23/00 or F04B39/00 - F04B47/00
  • F04B53/16—Casings; Cylinders; Cylinder liners or heads; Fluid connections
  • F04B53/162—Adaptations of cylinders
• • 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
  • 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
  • F17C2227/0128—Propulsion of the fluid with pumps or compressors
  • F17C2227/0157—Compressors

Definitions

• the invention relates to a compression apparatus and a filling station comprising such an apparatus.
• Such an apparatus is, for example, a cryogenic pump, particularly for pumping liquefied hydrogen.
• the invention relates more particularly to a cryogenic fluid compression apparatus comprising a sealed enclosure for containing a cryogenic fluid bath, a compression chamber communicating with the bath, an inlet system communicating with the compression chamber configured to allow the entry of fluid to be compressed into the compression chamber, a movable piston for ensuring the compression of the fluid in the compression chamber, the apparatus further comprising an outlet system communicating with the compression chamber and configured to allow the outlet of compressed fluid, the piston being mounted at a first end of a rod, the apparatus comprising a rod drive mechanism in a back-and-forth motion in a longitudinal direction, the drive mechanism comprising a motor equipped with a rotating shaft and a mechanical system converting the rotational motion of the rotating shaft into a translational motion of a sliding head in the longitudinal direction and to which a second end of the rod is connected.
• Crank-and-connecting-rod drive is a well-known actuation solution for cryogenic piston pumps. Most of these pumps operate with oil splash lubrication to guide the piston rod. This architecture is well-suited to horizontal piston rod configurations because oil leakage is very limited.
• the piston rod can be guided by plain bearings or anti-friction strips (e.g., bronze plates).
• One solution is to use a linear guidance mechanism (for example, (Roller carriages, ball bushings, etc.) without oil, mounted on the side receiving the generated transverse force.
• This design is subject to significant stresses that limit lifespan and require frequent maintenance. This solution can also cause a high temperature increase, necessitating shutdown of the installation.
• the piston stroke is relatively short compared to the load (stress).
• the size of the sliding head is close to the stroke length.
• the stresses are poorly distributed due to the asymmetry of the mechanism.
• multiple sliding heads can be used, or multiple guides can be used on the side receiving the stresses with additional mechanical couplings (ball joints for mounting). However, this does not completely resolve the problems.
• the document US 3 251 602 A discloses a device for pumping highly volatile liquefied gases; the document OF 102 22 313 C1 discloses a motor featuring deformable elastic rails to guide a sliding element.
• One aim of the present invention is to overcome all or part of the disadvantages of the prior art noted above.
• the compression device which also conforms to the generic definition given in the preamble above, is essentially characterized in that the head is mounted to slide and guided by two fixed guide rails located on either side of the head and in that the head and/or a rail includes an elastic portion, said elastic portion being configured to generate on the rail(s) a force transverse to the longitudinal direction, and in that the elastic portion includes a spring or a deformable zone and is prestressed.
• the invention also relates to a filling station according to claim 13.
• the cryogenic fluid compression apparatus shown schematically, comprises a sealed enclosure 13 for containing a cryogenic fluid bath 16 (typically a liquid phase in the lower part and a gaseous phase in the upper part).
• the apparatus 1 has at least one compression chamber 3 communicating with the liquid bath (in particular, the compression chamber 3 is preferably immersed in the bath).
• Device 1 includes an inlet system 2 communicating with the compression chamber 3 and configured to allow the entry of fluid to be compressed into the compression chamber 3 (typically including a system of valve(s) and/or orifice(s)).
• inlet system 2 communicating with the compression chamber 3 and configured to allow the entry of fluid to be compressed into the compression chamber 3 (typically including a system of valve(s) and/or orifice(s)).
• the apparatus 1 further includes a movable piston 5 for compressing the fluid in the compression chamber 3 and a discharge system 7 communicating with the compression chamber 3 configured to allow fluid to exit compressed (typically comprising a set of valve(s) and communicating with a drain line).
• a movable piston 5 for compressing the fluid in the compression chamber 3
• a discharge system 7 communicating with the compression chamber 3 configured to allow fluid to exit compressed (typically comprising a set of valve(s) and communicating with a drain line).
• the piston 5 is mounted at one end of a rod 50.
• the apparatus 1 includes a drive mechanism 21 for driving the rod 50 in a reciprocating motion along a longitudinal direction A.
• the drive mechanism 21 conventionally comprises a motor 121 with a rotating shaft 211 and a mechanical system 212, 213 that converts the rotational motion of the rotating shaft 211 into a translational motion of a sliding head 8 along the longitudinal direction A.
• a second end of the rod 50 is connected to the head to receive its actuating force.
• the 8-head can be made up of one or more assembled pieces. This 8-head can also be referred to in the literature as a "crossbar”, “cross” or “cross-shaped head” ("Crosshead” in English).
• the piston rod 50 can be connected to one end of the head 8 via a coupling piece, such as a rigid connection (e.g. bolted flange type) or a flexible one (e.g. ball joint or pivot type).
• a coupling piece such as a rigid connection (e.g. bolted flange type) or a flexible one (e.g. ball joint or pivot type).
• the head 8 is mounted to slide and guided by two fixed guide rails 9.
• the two rails 9 are located on either side of the head 8 (on either side in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction A).
• the head 8 is guided in translation by the rails 9 and receives the tensile and thrust forces via one end of the mechanism 21; for example, a connecting rod 213 is connected to the head 8 at a ball joint or pivot joint 11.
• the mechanical system converting the rotational movement of the rotating shaft 211 into a translational movement of the head 8 can be connected to a central area of the head 8 via a link 11 located on a longitudinal line A passing through the axis of translation of the rod 50.
• this line can also be intersecting the line passing through the rotating shaft 211 of the motor 210.
• each end of the head 8 can be slidably mounted on a rail 9.
• the head 8 can be slidably mounted on the guide rail 9 via a set 12 of rollers and/or balls.
• the sliding system can also be of the precision rail type or any other suitable guiding system (preferably not using oil in the case where the axis of the rod is vertical in the operating position).
• carriages roll or ball bearing
• the rails 9, for example, are fixed to the frame of the device.
• a passive (or active) cartridge can nevertheless be mounted on each of the carriages.
• the head 8 includes an elastic portion 10 which is configured to generate on the rail(s) 9 a transverse force in the longitudinal direction A.
• the elastic portion 10 generates a permanent transverse force on the rail(s) 9.
• the compression movement of the fluid in the compression chamber 3 generates significant forces in the mechanism (the fluid compression is obtained when the rod is pulled on the representation of the [ Fig.1 Due to the asymmetrical mechanism (eccentric type), during this compression, the lateral forces at the rails 9 are not symmetrical.
• one rail 9 may be more transversely loaded than the other (the left rail in this non-limiting example shown).
• the force Fm exerted by the motion transformation mechanism 21 induces a tensile component Ft on the rod 50 and a transverse thrust component F1 towards one of the rails 9.
• the elastic portion 10 is configured to generate a continuous force F2 on this same rail 9, in the opposite direction to this thrust F1, and which at least partially compensates for it (for example, the force F2 is sized to reduce the thrust force F1 by half). Note that a force F2 can also be generated on the other rail 9; this has no particular influence on the proper functioning of the device.
• this force F2 generated by the elastic portion is preferably constant, while the thrust F1 has an intensity that varies cyclically during the movements.
• the value of F2 can be chosen to partially compensate for the maximum intensity of F1 during the cycle.
• the maximum thrust force (when operating under low load, the spring force will be greater than the thrust force).
• this solution provides a second guide rail which, with the elastic element 10, reduces the lateral forces.
• the elastic portion 10 can be located between the central area of the head 8 and one of the two rails 9.
• This elastic portion 10 can include a spring, a pre-stressed deformable area, or any other component generating an appropriate force.
• this elastic portion may include a spring formed by a loop-shaped portion (for example, two-lobed) of a part of the body of the head 8.
• the elastic portion 10 can be integrated into (or constituted by) the head 8.
• Elements 8 and 10 can be separate parts or the same part.
• the fluid compression effort is obtained by pulling (up) the rod 50.
• the fluid compression force can be obtained by pushing (descent) the rod 50.
• the lateral forces are reversed compared to the description above.
• the force F2 of the elastic portion 10 can also simply be reversed (either by moving this elastic portion to the other side of the head or by modifying the structure of the elastic portion 10 so that its force is oriented to oppose the excessive force on the side concerned).
• the piston 5 comprises a tubular portion mounted around a fixed central guide 15.
• One end of the central guide 15 forms the fixed wall delimiting a portion of the compression chamber 3 from the tubular portion of the piston 5.
• device 1 is of the single-stage compression type (fluid compressed only once). Of course, the invention also applies in the same way to a two-stage compression device (fluid undergoing two compressions in series).
• the [ Fig. 7 Figure 1 illustrates an example of a two-stage compression structure.
• the device 1 may include a tubular piston 5 cooperating with a tubular cavity 14 or fixed chamber, which is closed at its lower end to delimit two compression chambers 3 and 4.
• the inlet system 2 communicates with a first compression chamber 3.
• the architecture includes a transfer system 6 (valve or other) communicating with the first 3 and second 4 compression chambers and configured to allow the transfer of compressed fluid from the first 3 compression chamber to the second 4 compression chamber.
• the movable piston 5 alternately compresses the fluid in the first 3 (towards the second 4 chamber) and in the second 4 compression chamber, depending on its direction of movement.
• the outlet system 7 communicates with the second 4 compression chamber.
• Device 1 may have the following operating characteristics: piston stroke between 40 and 160 mm, motor rotation speed of approximately 80 rpm to 500 rpm (corresponding to a frequency between 1.3 Hz and 8.5 Hz for piston 5).
• the thrust force F1 can be on the order of 10-20% of Ft, while the opposing force generated by the elastic element 10 may be in the order of 5-10% of Ft.
• the design eliminates the need for an oil bath lubrication system that would seep onto the cryogenic section. This design also avoids the need to manage an oil bath during maintenance operations. Only grease fittings that provide passive self-lubrication to certain components of the mechanism during operation require recharging.
• the solution is compact and lightweight and can be applied to any type of piston pump and any type of crank-driven mechanism.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Compressor (AREA)
• Compressors, Vaccum Pumps And Other Relevant Systems (AREA)
• Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
• Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)
• Reciprocating Pumps (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=77226877

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Families Citing this family (1)

Family Cites Families (16)

• 2021
  • 2021-05-21 FR FR2105323A patent/FR3123094B1/fr active Active
• 2022
  • 2022-05-04 US US18/562,822 patent/US20240230032A1/en active Pending
  • 2022-05-04 JP JP2023564083A patent/JP2024517636A/ja active Pending
  • 2022-05-04 CN CN202280029447.4A patent/CN117242260A/zh active Pending
  • 2022-05-04 EP EP22727821.5A patent/EP4341560B1/fr active Active
  • 2022-05-04 KR KR1020237040021A patent/KR20240013111A/ko active Pending
  • 2022-05-04 CA CA3217932A patent/CA3217932A1/fr active Pending
  • 2022-05-04 WO PCT/EP2022/061961 patent/WO2022243040A1/fr not_active Ceased

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