US3455348A - Apparatus and method for filling gloveboxes with a pure atmosphere - Google Patents

Apparatus and method for filling gloveboxes with a pure atmosphere Download PDF

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Publication number
US3455348A
US3455348A US609666A US3455348DA US3455348A US 3455348 A US3455348 A US 3455348A US 609666 A US609666 A US 609666A US 3455348D A US3455348D A US 3455348DA US 3455348 A US3455348 A US 3455348A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
gas
glovebox
atmosphere
balloon
enclosure
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US609666A
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English (en)
Inventor
Alwig Stingele
Robert De Cat
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.)
European Atomic Energy Community Euratom
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European Atomic Energy Community Euratom
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Filing date
Publication date
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Publication of US3455348A publication Critical patent/US3455348A/en
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21F—PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT; TREATING RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED MATERIAL; DECONTAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS THEREFOR
    • G21F7/00—Shielded cells or rooms
    • G21F7/04—Shielded glove-boxes
    • G21F7/041—Glove-box atmosphere, temperature or pressure control devices

Definitions

  • An enclosure having a first valved inlet with an inflatable balloon which substantially fills the enclosure when inflated attached thereto on the inside of the enclosure, and a second valved inlet.
  • the atmosphere in the enclosure may be changed by inflating the balloon while expelling the actual atmosphere through the second inlet and admitting a new atmosphere through the first inlet.
  • the invention relates to an apparatus and method for replacing the gaseous atmosphere in an enclosure, such as gloveboxes, hot cells and similar equipment, by a pure or exactly controlled atmosphere.
  • the desired atmosphere can easily be produced in steel gloveboxes by pumping out to a high vacuum and then filling with the purified gas. But these steel boxes are expensive, and the vacuum pump required must also be taken into account.
  • the main feature of the invention is as follows: to separate the gas to be expelled in the enclosure from the purified gas with which it is to be filled, a rubber or plastics balloon is mounted on a gas inlet nozzle in the enclosure, this balloon being dimensioned so that when inflated it expels substantially all the gaseous atmosphere in the enclosure through an outlet provided for the purpose.
  • the enclosure is then filled with the desired gas, for example, through the valve through which the gaseous atmosphere was previously expelled.
  • FIGURE 1 shows, by way of example, a specific embodiment of a glovebox according to the invention.
  • any desired gas air, CO or nitrogen
  • a balloon 4 made of suitable, readily expandable and gas-tight material, which is mounted gas-tightly on a nozzle 6 in the glovebox 1, for example, by means of a clamping ring 5.
  • Gas is blown through the gas-inlet valve 3 into the balloon 4, so that the latter is inflated and expels thegaseous atmosphere originally in the glovebox 1 through the open valve 7.
  • the balloon 4 When the balloon 4 is well inflated, it occupies substantially the whole of the volume of the glovebox 1, so that over 99% of the gaseous atmosphere of the glovebox 1 is expelled through the valve 7.
  • the desired highpurity gas is then admitted into the glovebox 1 through the valve 7, and the balloon 4 is evacuated through the valve 3.
  • the atmosphere in the balloon 4 is thereby expelled from the glovebox 1 through the valve 3.
  • FIGURE 1 also shows a possible alternative; the three-way valve 11 enables either the lock 2 or the glovebox 1 to be used for the admission of the desired pure gas. This simplifies the operation.
  • the three way valve 11 may also be used in cooperation with pressure comparison equipment to compare the pressures in the lock and in the enclosure.
  • the purity of the atmosphere in the glovebox closely corresponds to that of the pure gas that has been admitted.
  • the filling process may easily be carried out completely automatically, if a valve is used that switches off automatically if the pressure rises suddenly in the balloon, when the glovebox is completely full.
  • the nozzle carrying the balloon may be in a recess in the wall of the glovebox or lock, the recess may be large enough to receive the balloon when empty, and can also be sealed gas-tightly with respect to the interior of the glovebox, for example, by a lid. This may be advantageous, for example, when substances that are liable to attack the balloon material are used.
  • the two nozzles for the admission and discharge of gas, and the desired measuring equipment and gas cylinders are assembled to form a transportable unit, which can easily be transferred when required from one glovebox to another. This may be done, for example, by means of locks or couplings specially provided for the purpose. The unit can then be taken off the glovebox after gas exchange has taken place and the specially provided lock has been closed from within.
  • the apparatus and the method according to the invention results in a considerable saving of time and expensive protective gases, such as pure helium and argon, while the cost of the apparatus is low.
  • An enclosure such as a glovebox, hot cell and like equipment having a first valved inlet, an inflatable balloon attached to said inlet on the inside of said enclosure, said balloon in an inflated condition substantially filling said enclosure, and a second valved inlet in said enclosure by which a gaseous atmosphere is selectively introduced and expelled in conjunction with inflation and deflation of said balloon, a pressure lock attached to said enclosure and providing access thereto, duct means interconnecting References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1956 Meyer 222389 X 9/1959 Bender et a1 14165 X HOUSTON S. BELL, JR., Primary Examiner US. 01. X.R.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Manipulator (AREA)
US609666A 1966-02-04 1967-01-16 Apparatus and method for filling gloveboxes with a pure atmosphere Expired - Lifetime US3455348A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DEE0030999 1966-02-04

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3455348A true US3455348A (en) 1969-07-15

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Family Applications (1)

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US609666A Expired - Lifetime US3455348A (en) 1966-02-04 1967-01-16 Apparatus and method for filling gloveboxes with a pure atmosphere

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US3455348A (de)
BE (1) BE693203A (de)
DE (1) DE1598393A1 (de)
FR (1) FR1508907A (de)
LU (1) LU52752A1 (de)
NL (1) NL6701351A (de)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4924919A (en) * 1988-11-03 1990-05-15 Balloon Wrap, Inc. Method of filling a balloon with articles and air
US6089282A (en) * 1998-05-08 2000-07-18 Aeronex, Inc. Method for recovery and reuse of gas
US6141941A (en) * 1999-03-15 2000-11-07 Carroll; William Gregory Apparatus and method for inserting objects into balloons
WO2004025667A1 (de) * 2002-09-16 2004-03-25 Konstantin Technologies Gmbh Verfahren zum vollständigen füllen eines handschuhkastens mit einem gas sowie handschuhkasten
US20050198927A1 (en) * 1999-09-09 2005-09-15 Elliot Summons Method of filling dispensing cartridges having collapsible packages
US20090151810A1 (en) * 2006-02-10 2009-06-18 Benjamin Crawshaw Balloon Inflation System

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2731297A (en) * 1952-09-19 1956-01-17 Bjorksten Res Lab Inc Hydraulically operated liquid sprayer
US2905560A (en) * 1957-05-20 1959-09-22 Sydney E Bender Methods and means for handling milk

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2731297A (en) * 1952-09-19 1956-01-17 Bjorksten Res Lab Inc Hydraulically operated liquid sprayer
US2905560A (en) * 1957-05-20 1959-09-22 Sydney E Bender Methods and means for handling milk

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4924919A (en) * 1988-11-03 1990-05-15 Balloon Wrap, Inc. Method of filling a balloon with articles and air
WO1990005086A1 (en) * 1988-11-03 1990-05-17 Balloon Wrap, Inc. Apparatus and method of filling a balloon with articles and air
US6089282A (en) * 1998-05-08 2000-07-18 Aeronex, Inc. Method for recovery and reuse of gas
US6141941A (en) * 1999-03-15 2000-11-07 Carroll; William Gregory Apparatus and method for inserting objects into balloons
US20050198927A1 (en) * 1999-09-09 2005-09-15 Elliot Summons Method of filling dispensing cartridges having collapsible packages
US7194847B2 (en) * 1999-09-09 2007-03-27 Sashco, Inc. Method of filling dispensing cartridges having collapsible packages
WO2004025667A1 (de) * 2002-09-16 2004-03-25 Konstantin Technologies Gmbh Verfahren zum vollständigen füllen eines handschuhkastens mit einem gas sowie handschuhkasten
US20090151810A1 (en) * 2006-02-10 2009-06-18 Benjamin Crawshaw Balloon Inflation System

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR1508907A (fr) 1968-01-05
NL6701351A (de) 1967-08-07
LU52752A1 (de) 1967-03-06
DE1598393A1 (de) 1970-07-23
BE693203A (de) 1967-07-03

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