US1921531A

US1921531A - Apparatus for and method of producing compressed gas

Info

Publication number: US1921531A
Application number: US590673A
Authority: US
Inventors: Isaac H Levin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1932-02-03
Filing date: 1932-02-03
Publication date: 1933-08-08
Anticipated expiration: 1950-08-08

Description

1933- l. H. LEVIN 1,921,531 1 APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF PRODUCING COMPRESSED GAS Filed Feb. 3, 1932 ZSheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR N nu N I l) "4| JA All I. H. LEVIN Aug. 8, 1933.

APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF PRODUCING COMPRESSED GAS Filed Fb. 3, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheefi 2 I INVENTOR Mimi/44 444 25 cation.

Patented Aug. 8, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE arrmrus FOR AND mrrnon 01' moq DUCING COMPRESSED ens Isaac 11. Kevin, menu-11, Pa. Application February a, 1932. Serial No. 590,673

10Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus for and method of producing compressed gas, and more especially to the filling of gas containers at high pressure by means of the self pressure generat d by the vaporization of a liquefied gas, such as gen, nitrogen, or the like. Y

The liquefiedgas, such as liquefied oxygen, is poured into a vaporizer consisting of an-inner vessel which is supported within an outer pressure vessel. The inner vessel has'a small open ingthrough its bottom which allows the liquefied gas to pass into the space between the inner and outer vessels. With this arrangement, as hereinafter more fully described, the waste of the liquefied gas during the filling of the vaporizer is kept to a minimum, but after the vaporizer is closed the vaporization proceeds at a relatively rapid rate, producing the regasified gas at high pressure for charging the usual gas-containing go pressure cylinders.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in my preferred apparatus, and

Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating a modifisection, of

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention,

. reference numeral 1 indicatesgenerally the vaporizer for receiving theliquefled gas, and reference numeral 2 indicates the usual pressure containers or'cylinders in which the highly com-' pressed gas is shipped. The gas, is usually shipped in the cylinders 2 at pressures of about 2200 pounds to the square inch. This pressure is secured by the self pressure of vaporization of a liquefied gas which is poured into the vaporizer 1 at atmospheric pressure. The liquefied gas,

such as liquefied oxygen, nitrogen, air or similar gas, is poured into the vaporizer 1. After the liquefied gas is poured in, the vaporizer-isclosed, vaporization takes place, and the cylinders 2 are filled with the regasified liquefied gas at a high pressure.

For economical operation the loss of gas due to evaporation during the filling of the vaporizer should be kept to a minimum, but after the vaporizer is closed, vaporization should proceed at a relatively rapid rate so that the gas cylinders 2 can be expeditiously charged.

Referring now in more detail to the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the drawings, the vaporizer 1- comprises an outermetal vessel 3 within which is supported an inner metal vessel 4. The outer vessel 3 is made to withstand pressures of 2250 pounds or over. The vessel 3 filling of the inner vessel 4 is minimized. As can,

is closed by a gas-tight cover 5 held in place by a clampin head 6.

The inner vessel 4 is preferably in the form of a stemless funnel, having a small opening '1 through its bottom. The stemless funnel or in-' ner vessel 415 made of very light sheet metal and has a small thermal capacity. It is supported within and spaced from the outer vessel 3 by means of legs 8 ofsmall cross-section and therefore of small heat conductivity. The top of the inner vessel 4 is spaced'from the closure 5 so that heat cannot be lost by metallic conduction from the vessel 3 to the closure plate 5; g The vaporizer is filled with liquefied gas by means of an inlet pipe 10 closed by a valve 11. An outlet pipe 12 for leading the gas from the vaporizer 1 to the shipping cylinders 2 is tapped off from the pipe 10. The outlet pipe 12 is provided with a main shut-ofi valve 13. From the outlet pipe are run branch pipes 14 to each of the gas cylinders 2. Vaives 15 are provided in the branch pipes 14. The pressure cylinders 2 have the usual valves 16. f

The operation of the apparatus will now be described with particular reference to the embodiment shown in Figure 1. The liquefied gas, such as liquefied oxygen, is poured from some transfer container, such as the usual vacuum bottle, through the inlet pipe 10 into the inner vessel or stemless funnel 4. As soon as the proper charge of liquefied gas is poured into the stem- I lessfunnel 4, the valve 11 is closed and the

valves

13, 15 and 16 are opened. As 'soon as the first liquid gas reaches the bottom of the stemless funnel 4, it begins to trickle through the bottom opening 'I and comes in contact .with the outer vessel 3. The outer vessel 3, which is exposedtotheatmosphere, is relatively warm compared to the liquefied gas, and the liquefied gas which trickles through the opening 7 is immediately tween the inner and outer vessels. This vaporized gas is, of course, intensely cold and serves immediately to chill the walls of the stemless funnel. The walls of the innervessel or stemless funnel 4 are thin and therefore have small thermal capacity. The vaporization of liquid within the inner vemel 4 is kept at a minimum, and the useless boiling oil and wasting of gas during the readily be seen, the vaporized gas is generated at the bottom of the vaporizer where the liquefied gas trickles through the opening 7 against the bottom of the outer container 4. The intensely U cold vaporized gas rises'in the annular space 20 110 2. Since the liquefied gas is expelling the warm air and forming an intensely cold insulating sheath around the inner vessel d.

The filling of the vaporizer by meansof the usual vacuum bottle, or, if desired, by pipe connection, occupies but a few minutes, and because of the construction as described the loss of gas by vaporization within the stemless funnel 4 is kept at a After the vaporizer is filled and the valve 11 closed and the

valves

13, 15 and 16 are opened, the useful vaporization takes place. The liquefied gas is discharged by gravity through the opening '7. As the liquefied gas passes into the space 20 between the inner and outer vessels, this space becomes very active from a heat transfer standpoint. The walls of the outer vessel 3 become cold. The difference in temperature between the walls of the vessel 3 and the atmosphere becomes very large. The heat transfer therefore becomes, also large and the liquefied gas is rapi y vaporized and passes through the discharge pipe 12 into the pressure containers discharged by the stemless funnel into direct contact with the exposed outer vessel 3, vaporization begins almost immediately and even before any considerable pressure is built up within the vaporizer.

When the liquefied gas is completely vaporized and the shipping containers 2 are filled with compressed gas, an empty set of shipping containers 2 is attached and the operation repeated.

If it is-desired to conserve the compressed gas which remains in the vaporizer, the valve 13 may be closed before the shipping containers are disconnected. After another set of shipping containers are connected, the valve 13 may be opened to allow the residual compressed gas from the vaporizer to fiow into the shipping containers. The valve 13 is then closed, the valve 11 opened, and afresh supply of liquefied gas poured into the vaporizer, whereupon a new set of the containers 2 may be filled with the gas under pressure.

In Figure 2 there is illustrated a modification. 'The vaporizer 1' consists of an outer vessel'3 and inner vessel 4 arranged as in Figure 1,'together with a heated outlet pipe 30 in which the greater part of the vaporization takes place. The vessel 3 is enclosed in an insulating packing 31 which serves .to keep heat from the vessel 3 and to further minimize boiling and wasting of the gas during the filling operation. The outlet pipe 30 is connected to the bottom of the vessel 3 to receive liquefied gas as it is discharged from the bottom opening '7 of the stemless funnel 4. A heater, shown as an electric heating coil 32, gives controlled heating and vaporization of the liquefied gas as. it passes through the pipe 30. In operating the device the valve 13 is normally closed. The inner vessel or stemless funnel 4 is filled through the inlet pipe 10*, after'which the. valve 11 is closed and the valve 33 opened. The liquefied gas passes to the pipe 30 and is vaporized therein and passes as a vaporized compressed gas into the containers 2.

While I have specifically illustrated and described the preferred embodimnt of my invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not so limited,'but may be otherwise embodied andpracticed within the scope of the following claims.

I claim: V

1. A vaporizer for liquefied gases, comprising an outer vessel,. an inner vessel supported within and spaced from the outer vessel and, adapted to be filled with a liquefied gas and having a restricted opening adjacent its bottom for discharging liquefied gas into the space between the irmer and outer vessels.

2. A vaporizer for liquefied gases, comprising an outer vessel, an inner vessel supported within and spaced from the outer vessel and adapted to be filled with a liquefied'gas and having a restricted opening for discharging liquefied gas into the space between the inner and outer vessels, a closure at the top of the outer vessel spaced away from the top of the inner vessel, an inlet fied gas to vaporize it and conducting the vaporizedgas to a pressure container to be filled, an inner vessel supported within the outer vessel and spaced from the walls thereof and having a restricted outlet at its bottom for discharging liquefied gas into the-space between the inner and outer vessels, and means for introducing liquefied gas into the inner vessel.

4. Apparatus for vaporizing liquefied gases under pressure, comprising an outer vessel directly exposed to receive heat through the walls thereof, an inner vessel supported within and spaced from the outer vessel and adapted to be filled with a liquefied gas and having a restricted opening adjacent its bottom for discharging liquefied gas into the space between the,innei' and outer vessel.

5. Apparatus for vaporizing liquefied gases unmeans for heating the gas as it fiows through the v outlet.

6. The process of vaporizing a liquefied gas under pressure, which comprises filling a vessel spaced apart from and enclosed within an outer pressure-resisting vessel, causing the liquefied gas to be discharged as a liquid from the inner vessel into the space between it. and the outer vessel, and subjecting the gas so discharged to heat so as to vaporize it under pressure, and leading the gas thus vaporized while under pressure to a container to be filled with compressed 'l. A vaporizer for liquefied gases, comprising an outer vessel, an inner vessel supported within and spaced from the outer vessel and adapted to be filled with a liquefied'gas and having a restricted opening adjacent its bottomfor discharging liquefied gas into the space between the inner and outer vessels, a closure at the top of the outer vessel spaced awayfrom the top of the inner vessel, an inlet for filling the inner.

vessel with liquefied-gas, and an outlet for leading the vaporized gas from the vaporizer.

fied gas and having a restricted opening for discharging liquefied gas into the space between the mner and outer vessels, and an outlet for leading space between the inner and outer vessels, a pipe leading from said space to a container to be filled with compressed gas, and an electric heating pipe.

means for heating the gas as it flows through said 10. The process of vaporizing a liquefied gas under pressure, which comprises filling a vessel spaced apart from and enclosed within an outer pressure resisting vessel, discharging the liquefied gas from the inner vessel into the space between it and the outer vessel, and heating the liquefied gas so discharged to vaporize it while leading it under pressure to a container to be filled with compressed gas.

- I ISAAC H. LEVIN.