US3616815A - Flow system having electrostatic charge reducer - Google Patents
Flow system having electrostatic charge reducer Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US3616815A US3616815A US3616815DA US3616815A US 3616815 A US3616815 A US 3616815A US 3616815D A US3616815D A US 3616815DA US 3616815 A US3616815 A US 3616815A
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- reducer
- liquid
- static charge
- tank
- pins
- 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
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Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
- A62C—FIRE-FIGHTING
- A62C4/00—Flame traps allowing passage of gas but not of flame or explosion wave
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
- Y10T137/8593—Systems
- Y10T137/86348—Tank with internally extending flow guide, pipe or conduit
- Y10T137/86364—Inverted "U" passage
Definitions
- An unshrouded static charge reducer tube is connected in the storage means of the flow system for eliminating electrostatic charge resulting from liquid flow.
- the reducer is formed of a suitable plastic and a plurality of pins project inwardly into the internal flow passageway.
- a conductive member connects the pins to the storage means or some other element which defines a ground connection.
- This invention relates to a flow system having a storage means and a static charge reducer means for eliminating the accumulated electrostatic charge resulting from the flow of the liquid through the system.
- the accumulated charge of the flowing liquid is a function of the flow rate and the static surfaces and consequently filters, as a result of the large surfaces presented to the liquid, are known to be a particularly substantial source of charge generation.
- Grounding of the tanks and other equipment provides for a partial solution in that the charge will transfer to the tank surface and drain off.
- the time element may be such that an explosion may be created before the charge has an opportunity to pass to ground.
- separate charge neutralizers or reducers have been connected directly in the line with an outer metal housing or shroud confining and directing the liquid through the neutralizer element.
- US. Pat. 3,141,113 suggests an alternative system wherein an insulating tube having a discharge pin is mounted as a separate series flow element. The pin is insulated from ground and connected to a preceding element which is a source of charge and which is also insulated from ground.
- an underground fiow system dispenses the liquid from the tank to one or more hydrants.
- Airports generally employ a hydrant distribution system and separate charge neutralizers are preferably provided underground immediately adjacent each hydrant. To excavate and provide the below groundinstallation of a reducer results in an installation cost of the reducer in excess of the equipment cost. Further, such systems require additional equipment which include sources of charge buildup in the liquid for transfer of the fuel from the hydrant to the airplane.
- Cart systems are generally employed where a movable cart is interconnected by a hose to the hydrant and then positioned adjacent the airplane for convenient transfer from the hydrant to the plane. It may then be advisable and generally is provided at the discharge end with a suitable contaminating material removing filter. This, however, is a new source of static charge. Although the charge may be minimized by reducing the fiow rate, an optimum system desirably permits relatively high flow rates.
- the present invention is particularly directed to the provision of a small unshrouded static charge reducer mounted within a storage means forming part of the normal transfer equipment and in particular, connected to the inlet-outlet means of the storage means.
- the static charge reducer is formed as a tubular member of a suitable insulating material.
- a plurality of pins are secured to the tubular member and project inwardly into the internal flow passageway defined by the tubular member.
- a conductive member connects the pins to the storage means or some other element which defines a ground connection.
- the present invention appears to function as a result of creating a capacitive element of minimal capacitance and thereby generating an intensive voltage concentration, which can be controlled by proper pin placement.
- the outer element of the capacitor is an apparent and undefinable plate, thereby creating an essentially indefinitely large separation.
- the plate area and constant is defined by the reducer pipe. As a result of the separation distance, the capacitance is necessarily small.
- V is the voltage
- Q the charge
- C the capacitance
- the voltage is substantial.
- the large voltage results in an efiicient charge reducer and thus permits the use of relatively small units.
- the discharge is generally determined by the usual time constant of a capacitive system; i.e., the multiple of the capacitance times a resistance.
- the resistance of the liquid is the discharge resistance element.
- the unshrouded tubular member is disposed within the storage means and interconnected drectly to the inlet and/ or the outlet depending upon the particular construction of the unit. This permits the removal of the charge at the very terminal point and minimizes the expense and cost of the construction of the static charge reducer as such. Furthermore, by employing the relatively small static charge reducer which is mounted and submerged within the liquid in a standard piece of equipment permits ready retrofit to existing flow systems.
- the static charge reducer may be constructed generally in accordance with the individual filter elements employed in a filter tank.
- the static charge reducer is connected between the stack of filters and the related tank connecting conduit means to provide charge reduction and/or elimination at the very point of tank connection. Applicant has found that the submerged nonshrouded static charge reducer performs in an exceptionally satisfactory manner adjacent to the discharge and/or the inlet conduit connection of a tank.
- the present invention has thus been found to provide a highly improved static charge reducing system which can be conveniently applied to existing systems as Well as to new systems and provides an exceptional degree of flexibility with respect to static charge reducing elements.
- FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a filter tank with parts broken away and sectioned to illustrate detail of construction of the embodiment of the present invention shown therein;
- FIG. 2 is a section through a static charge reducer shown in elevation in FIG. 1;
- FIG. 2a is a. fragmnetary section taken generally on line 22 of FIG. 2;
- FIG. 3 is a View of a compartmentalized tank body with various static charge reducer connections in the several corn artments.
- FIG. is a fragmentary view of an aircraft having an integrated static charge reducer in accordance with the teaching of the present invention.
- the present invention is illustrated and applied to an airport fuel filtering unit which includes a vertically mounted storage tank 1 having a bottom inlet pipe 2 and an adjacent outlet pipe 3.
- the pipes 2 and 3 are laterally spaced and secured within the tank 1 and in slightly spaced relationship to the bottom wall 4 and includes a plurality of apertures 6 permitting the flowing liquid to flow from the inlet pipe 2 into the principal portion of the tank 1 and also to flow therefrom through the apertures 6 to the outlet pipe 3.
- a vertical dividing wall 7 extends between the bottom wall 4 and the distributing plate into an inlet chamber 8 and an outlet chamber 9 to which the pipes 2 and 3 are connected.
- a flanged conduit 10 is connected or integrally formed with the upper surface of plate 5 at each of the apertures 6 aligned with chamber 8 and project slightly upwardly to define a filter mounting element.
- a stack of filters 11 are interconnected to each other and to a respective conduit 10.
- the stack of filters 11 project upwardly from the conduits 10.
- the filters 11 may be of any suitable construction such as tubular coalescer elements which remove the impurities as the liquid flows through the walls thereof.
- the incoming liquid flows inwardly through the inlet pipe 2 to the inlet chamber 8 and through the stack of filters 11 to remove any impurities.
- a similar stack of filters 12 is connected to similar flanged outlet conduits 13 aligned with each of the related apertures 6 in plate 5 to further filter the liquid as it is withdrawn from the tank (1.
- a tubular static charge reducer 14 generally corresponding in configuration to one of the filter elements 11 or 12 is interposed between the stack of filters 11 and the related conduits 10 and a similar reducer 15 is ll'IlOllIlii6d between the filters 12 and the outlet conduits 13.
- the upper end of the tank 1 is extended upwardly by an extension ring 16 which is interconnected to the top of the tank 1 by a flange and bolt unit 17 and to the usual top cover 18 by a similar plurality of flange and bolt units 19.
- the conventional filter tan-k 1 includes a removable cover 18 and is readily fitted with the necessary extension to maintain the proper filter stack with the inserted reducers 1'3 and 15.
- the static charge reducers 14 and 15 are similar completely unshrouded units, as shown in FIG. 2 and include a tubular body member 20 longitudinally aligned with the tubular filters 11 and 12 and secured in the stack including the adjacent conduit by any suitable means such as the conventional clamping members.
- the illustrated clamping members include hook bolts 21 hoo-ked beneath the flanged conduits 10 and '13 and over the top of the stack and connected by a turn buckle 22 adapted to draw them together, with similar clamping members at opposite sides of the stack to produce a balanced attachment.
- each static charge reducer is formed of an electrically insulating material such as polyethylene.
- a plurality of pointed electrode pins 23 extend through the wall of the tubular body and into the liquid flowing passageway through the static charge reducer and have a sharp pointed end.
- each pin 23 is secured to the end of a mounting bolt 24 which in turn is threaded into a suitably threaded opening in the wall of the tubular member 20.
- the pins 23 are staggered about the tubular member 20 and particularly located to sense high field concentrations and thereby establish maximum efficiency.
- the pins 23 are, in a particularly novel aspect of the present invention, arranged with a single pin 23 adjacent but spaced from the entrance or downstream end 25 of the tubular body 20 and with circumferentially spaced pin groups axially spaced therefrom. In the illustrated embodiment, there are two groups of three pins each. In each group, the pins are axially aligned and equicircumferentially located to establish maximum spacing therebetween and a preferred distribution within the flow passageway to remove residual charge.
- the several pins 23 are interconnected by a common conductive Wire 26 to each other. The outer end of the common wire 26 is connected to the tank 1 as at 27. In turn, a ground connection 28 is provided to the tank 1 to particularly ground the pin system.
- the incoming liquid flows through the inlet chamber 8 and then upwardly through the conduits 10, the static charge reducers 1-4 and the stack of filters 11 into the filter tank 1.
- the liquid is Withdrawn from tank 1 through the filter elements 12, static charge reducers 15 at the bottom of each vertical stack of filters 12, outlet conduits 13, the chamber 9 and pipe 3.
- the charge created by flow through elements 12 is essentially completely removed as a result of the grounded pins 23.
- the liquid discharged through the discharge pipe 3 is therefore essen tially static charge free. Tests have shown that highly satisfactory charge removal results are obtained employing the relatively small unshrouded static charge reducer at the discharge end of a flowing liquid even without the inlet reducer 14 which has been illustrated to show the possibility of such use if desired.
- the static charge reducer can, of course, be employed connected either to the inlet side or to the outlet side only of a storage system depending upon the particular application.
- FIG. 3 wherein the usual tank truck body 29 of a petroleum product tank truck is illustrated having a pair of dividers 30 defining three side-by-side chambers 31, 32 and 33 each of which is provided with a similar top loading hatch 34.
- the tank body 29 is grounded in the usual construction through a suitable ground means 35.
- the first chamber 31 is illustrated with an L-shaped inlet conduit 36 connected to the body 29 and including a swivel connector 37 to permit rotation about a vertical axis.
- the inlet conduit 36 is connected to an internal L-shaped conduit 38 secured overlying the inlet opening of the tank and extending laterally therefrom.
- a static charge reducer 39 constructed in accordance with the present invention, is secured to the end of the pipe 38 and projects laterally adjacent the bottom of the tank chamber 31.
- the static charge reducer 39 includes the plurality of pins 40 projecting inwardly into the static charge reducer passageway and a bonding wire 41 interconnecting the pins to each other and to the tank as at 42.
- the chamber 31 is provided with an outlet sump 43 in the bottom of the tank.
- the sump 43 is aligned with the terminal end of the static charge reducer 39 and includes an L-shaped outlet pipe 44 interconnected to the sump and including a suitable swivel connector 45.
- the incoming liquid flows through the static charge reducer 39 into the chamber 31 to produce an essentially electrically neutral liquid within the storage tank. Further, if the liquid is transferred directly as it is introduced, the liquid will flow through the static charge reducer 39 and then directly through the outlet pipe 44 to transfer essentially electrically neutral liquid.
- Chamber 32 is provided with a common inlet-outlet conduit 46.
- An internal conduit or pipe 47 is connected to the tank end of the common inlet-outlet conduit 46.
- the pipe 47 is generally an inverted J-shaped member which extends upwardly into the tank and then laterally and downwardly terminating in spaced relationship to the tank bottom of chamber 32.
- a static charge reducer 48 is connected to the terminal end of the pipe 47 and extends downwardly therefrom terminating within a sump 49.
- the bonding wire 50 again interconnects or grounds the static charge reducer 48 to the tank body.
- the static charge reducer thus carries the liquid into the chamber 32 as well as from the chamber 32 to establish and maintain the liquid transferred with respect to the chamber 32 essentially electrically neutral.
- the static charge reducer is formed as a relatively fixed component in an otherwise normally functioning tank-like unit.
- liquid is supplied only through the top hatch opening 34 and is withdrawn through a bottom discharge sump 50a to which a discharge pipe 51 is connected through a suitable swivel connector 52.
- a separate inlet pipe 53 such as provided at a bulk loading station or the like, terminates in a static charge reducer 54 having a bonding wire 55 interconnecting the reducer 54 to the pipe 53.
- a ground connection 56 is made between the inlet pipe 53 and ground.
- the incoming liquid passes through the terminal static charge reducer 54 which essentially neutralizes the liquid and thus establishes an electrically neutral liquid within the chamber 33. This liquid is subsequently withdrawn through the outlet pipe 51.
- FIG. 4 Still a further application of the present invention operating essentially in the same manner as the above embodiments is shown in FIG. 4.
- FIG. 4 a fragmentary portion of an aircraft 57 is illustrated containing a fuel tank 58 with an inlet conduit 59 terminating in the lower surface of the wing.
- a small static charge reducer 60 is connected to the inlet conduit '59 and within the fuel tank 58 and grounded to the wing 57. As a result, the liquid supplied to the tank 1 is neutralized to thereby further minimize danger of explosion and the like.
- the improvement in static charge reducer means to neutralize electrostatic charges in the liquid comprising, an unshrouded tubular member of an insulating material disposed within said storage means and defining a flow passageway connected to the transfer means with the corresponding liquid passing axially through the tubular member, a plurality of axially aligned and equicircumferentially spaced pins extending through the wall of the tubular member into the flow passageway to dispose the pins in contact with the liquid flowing in the tubular member, a single pin located adjacent the entrance of the tubular member, at least one group of said axially aligned and equicircumferentially spaced pins located upstream from said single pin, and conductive means connecting the pins to an electrically ground reference means.
- a static charge reducer means disposed within said storage means and having an insulating member defining a flow passageway connected to said transfer means to conduct the corresponding liquid and having pin means projecting into the flow passageway for removing the satic charge in said liquid transferred through the storage means, conductive means connecting the reducer means to an electrically ground reference means, a bottom depression in the storage means defining a sump adjacent said transfer means, a common conduit connected to said inlet-outlet means and extending upwardly into the storage means from the bottom of the storage means and then laterally and downwardly, said static charge reducer extending downwardly from the end of said conduit and terminating in said sump.
- conduit includes an upper curved portion extending laterally and downwardly in alignment with said sump, said static charge reducer including a tubular member secured to the end of the conduit and extending downwardly from the end of said conduit and terminating adjacent said sump.
- said static charge reducer includes a tubular member extending downwardly from the end of said conduit and terminating in said sump having a pulrality of electrically isolated pins secured to the tubular member and projecting into the passageway, and said conductive means connecting said pins to said storage means, said storage means being a metal tank connected to a ground.
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- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Public Health (AREA)
- Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
- Emergency Management (AREA)
- Loading And Unloading Of Fuel Tanks Or Ships (AREA)
- Elimination Of Static Electricity (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US83402369A | 1969-06-17 | 1969-06-17 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US3616815A true US3616815A (en) | 1971-11-02 |
Family
ID=25265906
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US3616815D Expired - Lifetime US3616815A (en) | 1969-06-17 | 1969-06-17 | Flow system having electrostatic charge reducer |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US3616815A (en) |
JP (1) | JPS4927614B1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE2029740A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE19651398C1 (en) * | 1996-12-11 | 1998-06-10 | Ralf Weidenmueller | Pipe made of electrically insulating material for the construction of a fluid transporting pipe system |
-
1969
- 1969-06-17 US US3616815D patent/US3616815A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1970
- 1970-06-16 DE DE19702029740 patent/DE2029740A1/en active Pending
- 1970-06-17 JP JP5198670A patent/JPS4927614B1/ja active Pending
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE19651398C1 (en) * | 1996-12-11 | 1998-06-10 | Ralf Weidenmueller | Pipe made of electrically insulating material for the construction of a fluid transporting pipe system |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
JPS4927614B1 (en) | 1974-07-19 |
DE2029740A1 (en) | 1971-01-07 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: GEOSOURCE INC., HOUSTON, TX., A DE CORP. Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:A.O. SMITH CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:004262/0195 Effective date: 19760116 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: WADE WILLIAM J. Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SMITH METER, INC.;REEL/FRAME:004281/0318 Effective date: 19840531 Owner name: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, A DE BANKING CORP Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SMITH METER, INC.;REEL/FRAME:004281/0318 Effective date: 19840531 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: SMITH METER INC., A CORP OF DE Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:GEOSOURCE INC., A CORP OF DE;REEL/FRAME:004279/0619 Effective date: 19840601 |