A method for conditioning a liquid cryogen in a tank includes reducing a pressure of the liquid cryogen in the tank for reducing a temperature of the liquid cryogen and condensing any vapor boil-off in the tank for reclaiming the liquid cryogen in the tank. The liquid cryogen may be selected from the group consisting of liquid nitrogen (LIN), liquid oxygen (LOX), and liquid argon (LAR).

The invention relates to an apparatus for transferring flammable, hazardous and/or cryogenic fluids, comprising a first coupling part and a second coupling part having a connecting and locking mechanism in order to establish a connection to the first coupling part by connecting contact surfaces comprising sealing devices, so that charge equalization can be established. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method of operating an apparatus for transferring flammable, hazardous and/or cryogenic fluids into or out of a mobile, transportable or stationary storage device such that at first charge equalization is established before the transfer process begins.

The present invention provides a lightweight high pressure vessels that are made from a liner or a liner housing that is overwrapped with a composite material. Unlike conventional high pressure vessels, the lightweight high pressure vessel of the invention includes a liner that comprises a plurality of liner sections without using welding or crimping. In particular, the lightweight high pressure vessels of the invention include a plurality of elements that are combined to form a liner housing and a composite overwrap that provides structural and mechanical strength to maintain integrity of the high pressure vessel. In one particular embodiment, the high pressure vessel of the invention is a diaphragm accumulator.

A method for releasing a fluid from a pressure vessel assembly, the method including the steps of providing: a pressure vessel; a piezo electric device; and an electric field generator; arranging the piezo electric device in a sealed relationship with a part of the pressure vessel, thereby providing the pressure vessel assembly, providing a fluid contained within the pressure vessel assembly under pressure, and using the electric field generator to apply an electric field to the piezo electric device, such that the piezo electric device fails, thereby releasing the fluid from the pressure vessel assembly.

A system and method is provided for transferring liquid argon from a bulk storage tank to a transport tank in which liquid argon is pumped through a tube arrangement within a heat exchanger and the tube arrangement is contacted by liquid nitrogen so that heat transfers from the liquid argon to the liquid nitrogen, thereby reducing the temperature, density and pressure of the liquid argon prior to exiting the heat exchanger and flowing into the transport tank.

A multi-walled storage tanks use pressure differences between walls/shells to maximize fluid mass storage for tank size by reducing or minimizing the distance between the outer most layers of a multi-layer storage device, and keeping the middle one(s), particularly the innermost space, as large as possible, while having shell walls of substantially the same material and thickness, with no wall being thicker than the inner shell wall.

A sealed and thermally insulating tank incorporated in a supporting structure (2), the tank including at least one inclined tank wall (1) forming an angle with a horizontal direction and fixed to a supporting wall of the supporting structure (2) is disclosed. The tank wall (1) has a multilayer structure including successively, in the direction of thickness from the outside to the inside of the tank, a thermally insulating barrier (3) held against the corresponding supporting wall and a sealed membrane (4) carried by the thermally insulating barrier (3). The tank includes sealed strips (15) in the space formed between the thermally insulating barrier (3) and the supporting wall.

An insulation arrangement configured to cover a vessel containing a liquified gas is provided. Embodiments include an insulation arrangement including an aerogel composition and a vapor barrier, where the insulation arrangement reduces heat transfer between the ambient environment and the liquified gas. Other embodiments include an insulated clamping device configured to connect a vessel to a framework and a connection system including the insulated clamping device, where the vessel includes the aforementioned insulation arrangement.

A cryogenic system includes a cryogenic tank containing a liquid cryogen and a vacuum vessel surrounding the cryogenic tank and providing a vacuum space between an inner surface of the vacuum vessel and an outer surface of the cryogenic tank. The cryogenic system further includes a suspension system arranged within the vacuum space so as to support the cryogenic tank within the vacuum vessel and to maintain the cryogenic tank within the vacuum vessel in a desired position. The suspension system includes a plurality of roller elements arranged within the vacuum space and contacting the inner surface of the vacuum vessel and the outer surface of the cryogenic tank.

A type IV conformable pressure vessel is provided comprising an elongated folded tank and a valve assembly configured to pass fluid into and out of an interior of the tank through first and second filling couplers directly connected to a respective first and second end of the tank. The tank has at least two chambers for the storage of fluid. The valve assembly receives fluid from an external source, selectively provides the external fluid through a Venturi nozzle into a mixing chamber, recirculates fluid from the second end of the tank into the mixing chamber, and delivers the mixture of the recirculated fluid and the external fluid to the first end of the tank.