Heater device for heating liquefied gas

Abstract

A device housing having a hollow portion including a gas intake pipe projectingly provided to an outer periphery of an instrument body, having a heater built therein and attached to the instrument body. In the hollow portion, a heating wall formed by a bulge extending from the outer end side to the inner end side in the axial direction of the intake pipe and the heater for heating are internally provided. Between the heating wall and a gas intake pipe, and between the heating wall and an inner wall of the housing, inner and outer gas flow paths are formed a liquefied gas introduction side opening is provided at an outer end side of the outer gas flow path, and the outer end side of the inner gas flow path is communicated with a gas intake opening of the tip of the gas intake pipe.

Claims

1. A heater device for heating liquefied gas in liquefied gas-utilization equipment that promotes atomization of liquefied gas at low temperatures by heating liquefied gas flowing through a gas flow path, the heater device comprising: a liquefied gas introduction pipe (28); a gas intake pipe (16) to supply liquefied gas to an instrument body (4A); a device housing having a hollow portion (18), an inner end (20a) adjacent the instrument body (4A) and a partition wall (20) extending axially from an outer end of the device housing towards the inner end (20a), the hollow portion having an annular inner hollow portion (22) and an annular outer hollow portion (24) formed concentrically to each other by the partition wall and wherein the inner and outer hollow portions are fluidically connected by a hollow radial annular portion along the inner end (20a); and a heater (12) located within the partition wall (20) of the device housing for heating the liquefied gas; wherein the gas intake pipe projects axially from the device housing inner end and protrudes through an outer periphery of the instrument body (4A) such that a gas intake opening (16a) of the gas intake pipe is located within the device housing; and wherein the device housing hollow portion forms a serpentine liquefied gas flow path from the gas introduction pipe (28) to the gas intake opening (16a), the gas intake pipe defining a center axis of the heater device with the inner hollow portion arranged concentrically about the gas intake pipe and the outer hollow portion arranged centrically about the inner hollow portion so that the liquefied gas flows axially within the outer hollow portion (24) along the partition wall (20) toward the inner end (20a), radially inward towards the inner hollow portion (22) then axially up along the partition wall within the inner hollow portion where it then enters the gas intake opening to be introduced into the instrument body from the gas intake pipe.

2. The heater device for heating liquefied gas according to claim 1, wherein the heater is provided at a portion where all or one portion of the gas flow path formed within the hollow portion can be heated.

3. The heater device for heating liquefied gas according to claim 1, wherein the hollow portion is formed in a cylindrical shape so as to surround the gas intake pipe across a predetermined interval.

4. The heater device for heating liquefied gas according to claim 1, wherein the partition wall is formed in a shape so as to surround a periphery of the gas intake pipe across a predetermined interval.

5. The heater device for heating liquefied gas according to claim 4, wherein the partition wall is formed in a cylindrical shape forming the gas flow path with inner walls therebetween of the hollow portion and with the gas intake pipe therebetween by protruding towards an axial direction of the gas intake pipe inside the hollow portion of the device housing.

6. The heater device for heating liquefied gas according to claim 1, wherein the partition wall is formed in a cylindrical shape so as to surround the intake pipe across a predetermined interval in the hollow portion of the device housing, and tubular passages formed at inner and outer peripheries of the partition wall are formed as return flow paths by communicating with each other at the inner end of the partition wall.

7. The heater device for heating liquefied gas according to claim 1, wherein either of a planar heater or a cylindrical heater that conforms to the shape of the partition wall, or a plurality of rod-shaped, planar, or column-shaped heaters that substantially uniformly heat the heater wall, are provided to the partition wall.

8. The heater device for heating liquefied gas according to claim 1, wherein the gas intake pipe is made of a metal material.

9. A heater device for heating liquefied gas in liquefied gas-utilization equipment that promotes atomization of liquefied gas at low temperatures by heating liquefied gas flowing through a gas flow path, the heater device comprising: a liquefied gas introduction pipe (28); a gas intake pipe (16) to supply liquefied gas to an instrument body (4A); a device housing having a hollow portion (18), an inner end (20a) adjacent the instrument body (4A) and a partition wall (20) extending axially from an outer end of the device housing towards the inner end (20a), the hollow portion having an annular inner hollow portion (22) and an annular outer hollow portion (24) formed concentrically to each other by the partition wall and wherein the inner and outer hollow portions are fluidically connected by a hollow radial annular portion along the inner end (20a); and a heater (12) located within the gas intake pipe (16) for heating the liquefied gas; wherein the gas intake pipe projects axially from the device housing inner end and protrudes through an outer periphery of the instrument body (4A) such that a gas intake opening (16a) of the gas intake pipe is located within the device housing; and wherein the device housing hollow portion forms a serpentine liquefied gas flow path from the gas introduction pipe (28) to the gas intake opening (16a), the heater defining a center axis of the heater device with the gas intake pipe arranged concentrically about the heater, the inner hollow portion arranged concentrically about the gas intake pipe and the outer hollow portion arranged centrically about the inner hollow portion so that the liquefied gas flows axially within the outer hollow portion (24) along the partition wall (20) toward the inner end (20a), radially inward towards the inner hollow portion (22) then axially up along the partition wall within the inner hollow portion where it then enters the gas intake opening to be introduced into the instrument body from the gas intake pipe.

10. The heater device for heating liquefied gas according to claim 9, wherein the hollow portion is formed in a cylindrical shape so as to surround the gas intake pipe across a predetermined interval.

11. The heater device for heating liquefied gas according to claim 9, wherein the partition wall is formed in a shape so as to surround a periphery of the gas intake pipe across a predetermined interval.

12. The heater device for heating liquefied gas according to claim 9, wherein the partition wall is formed in a cylindrical shape forming the gas flow path with inner walls therebetween of the hollow portion and with the gas intake pipe therebetween by protruding towards an axial direction of the gas intake pipe inside the hollow portion of the device housing.

13. The heater device for heating liquefied gas according to claim 9, wherein the partition wall is formed in a cylindrical shape so as to surround the intake pipe across a predetermined interval in the hollow portion of the device housing, and tubular passages formed at inner and outer peripheries of the partition wall are formed as return flow paths by communicating with each other at the inner end of the partition wall.

14. The heater device for heating liquefied gas according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of fins are provided along an outer wall of the cylindrical metal case.

15. The heater device for heating liquefied gas according to claim 9, wherein the gas intake pipe is made of a metal material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion showing an embodiment of a heater device for heating liquefied gas according to the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view from outer end side (a) and inner end side (b) showing schematic structures of a heater device for heating liquefied gas according to the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of an instrument body of the liquefied gas utilization equipment for attaching the heater device for heating liquefied gas according to the present invention.

(4) FIG. 4 is a system circuit diagram of liquefied gas-utilization equipment applying the heater device for heating liquefied gas according to the present invention.

(5) FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion showing another embodiment of a heater device for heating liquefied gas according to the present invention.

(6) FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion showing still another embodiment of a heater device for heating liquefied gas according to the present invention.

(7) FIG. 7 is a system circuit diagram of a conventional liquefied gas utilization equipment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(8) FIGS. 1 to 4 show an embodiment of a heater device for heating liquefied gas according to the present invention. In the figures, portions that are the same as or corresponding to portions shown in FIG. 7 described above are denoted by the same reference numbers and explanations thereof will be omitted.

(9) Now, according to the present invention, in a vaporizer serving as liquefied gas-utilization equipment, a heater device 10 for heating liquefied gas that promotes atomization of liquefied gas at low temperatures by heating liquefied gas flowing through a gas flow path is provided. The heater device 10 is, in the system shown in FIG. 4, equipped with a device housing 14 having substantially a cup shape with a built-in heater 12 having a cylindrical shape or the like for heating liquefied gas, and when it is assembled to a regulator 4, when having a gas intake opening 16a protruding from the regulator 4 a hollow portion 18 is provided between the device housing 14. The hollow portion 18 becomes a part of a gas flow path that makes the gas pass through meanderingly. When the gas passes through the flow path the gas flows along two surfaces, which are an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical heater 12, and has a heater structure that is configured to heat efficiently.

(10) Describing this in detail, in FIGS. 1 to 3, there is provided a device housing 14 which is projectingly provided to the outer of an instrument body 4A configuring the regulator 4 and which includes a gas intake pipe 16 which takes in liquefied gas from an outer end, the device housing 14 includes a hollow portion 18 which forms a liquefied gas flow path and includes therein a heater 12 for heating liquefied gas, the device housing 14 is attached to an instrument body 4A.

(11) In the hollow portion 18 of the device housing 14, a partition wall 20 which becomes a heating wall is formed by a bulge extending from the outer end side to the inner end side in the axial direction of the intake pipe 16 and internally providing a heater 12 for heating, gas flow paths 22, 24 are formed between the partition wall 20 and the gas intake pipe 16 and, the partition wall 20 and an inner wall 14a of the housing 14. These inner, outer gas paths 22, 24 are communicated with the inner end side of the device housing 14. An introduction pipe 28, which is a liquefied gas introduction side opening, is formed at an outer end side of the outer gas flow path 24 and the outer end side of the inner gas flow path 22 is communicated with a gas intake opening 16a of the tip of the gas intake pipe 16.

(12) Here, the partition wall 20 is formed in a cylindrical shape so as to surround the intake pipe 16 across a predetermined interval in the hollow portion 18 of the device housing 14. The inner, outer gas flow paths 22, 24 as tubular passage formed at the inner and the outer peripheries of the partition wall 20 are formed as return flow paths by communicating with each other in the inner end (in the figure, the part of 20a) of the partition wall 20.

(13) In the drawings, 12a, 12b are lead wires connected to the heater 12.

(14) Further, as the heater 12 for heating the liquefied gas, which is an object to be heated fluid, for example, ceramic heaters, PTC heating elements or the like, which can efficiently heat liquefied gas, are preferable.

(15) In the above-described configuration, the heater 12 generates heat when energized. When the liquefied gas passes through the inner and outer gas flow paths, which are meanderingly formed on both side surfaces of the partition wall 20, with the heater 12 built-in as return flow paths, the liquefied gas is heated by heat conduction. That is, within the hollow portion 18 of the device housing 14, from the liquefied gas introduction opening 28 provided to the inner wall thereof, the liquefied gas, which flows the liquefied gas flow path, that is, from the return flow path through the liquefied gas intake opening 16a of the tip of the gas intake pipe 16, can be efficiently heated.

(16) According to this configuration, since the flow path length and the transit time for heating by the heaters 12 formed at two surfaces on both sides along the partition wall 20 are lengthened, the time to heat the gas lengthens and the gas can be heated efficiently and be atomized even at low temperatures.

(17) In particular, in the conventional device, as shown in FIG. 7, the exhaust pipe 8 configures a heat exchange portion 9 by winding the piping pipe 2 for the gas flow and is used in conjunction with the heat of the exhaust heat at the exhaust pipe 8. However, according to the configuration described above, such heat exchange portion 9 becomes unnecessary and the number of components are reduced, the number of assembly steps and cost can be reduced, thereby enabling the entire device to be downsized.

(18) Further, in the configuration described above, although the return flow path is formed by using two surfaces at both sides of the partition walls formed within the device housing 14 and is a complicated flow path, the intake pipe 16, which has the gas intake opening 16a, is assembled with the device housing 14 and also serves as a part of the gas flow path, the number of components and assembly steps can be reduced.

(19) Furthermore, even when the used fluid is a volatile liquefied gas, the airtightness and the safety are improved. Further, the flow path distance can be increased while suppressing the size of the heater device 12, the product itself can be downsized and thus it becomes possible to improve layout flexibility. Moreover, the assembly is assembled by assembling device housing 14 provided with the partition wall 20 having the built-in heater to the liquefied gas utilization equipment and is fixed in place only by bolts and thus assembly of the complicated flow path structure is easy.

(20) Further, by providing a cylindrical partition wall 20 and using two surfaces on both sides thereof, the size of the heater 12 is reduced, the flow path length is lengthened and the contact surface area with the heater 12 is widened, thus it is possible to efficiently heat the gas with a small electric power consumption. Furthermore, it is possible to securely atomize in a short period of time even at low temperatures.

(21) The present invention is not limited to the structures described in the above embodiment, and it is apparent that the shape, structure and the like of each part of the device 10 can be appropriately deformed or modified.

(22) For example, although in the embodiment described above, a heater 12 having a cylindrical shape is provided at the cylindrical partition wall 20, it is not limited to this and a plurality of heaters that heat the partition wall 20 substantially uniformly can be provided in an appropriate arrangement state. The heaters may have a rod-like shape, planar shape, band planar shape or the like, or may have an appropriate shape or structure matching the places of the partition wall 20 or the like where the heaters are built in. In short, it is sufficient if a heating flow path is formed along one surface or both surfaces of the partition wall 20.

(23) Further, the invention is not limited to the structure where the heating wall is configured by building in the heater 12 to such partition wall 20 and it is apparent that a heater 12 that has an appropriate shape and structure can be provided to an appropriate place of the device housing 14. In short, as long as the portion is a portion where the liquefied gas flowing through the gas flow paths 22 and 24 or the like formed inside the device housing 14 can be heated, it can be provided anywhere.

(24) Furthermore, the heater device for heating liquefied gas pertaining to the present invention is not limited to the structure or the like as described in the above embodiment and, for example, the shapes and structures as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 may be adopted.

(25) That is, FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of a heating device for heating liquefied gas pertaining to the present invention and in this embodiment, in which a metal case 30 with a heater 12 built therein is used and is provided in a state in which the distal end side of the heater is facing the inner side of the device housing 14.

(26) The heater device is formed such that it includes the cylindrical metal case 30 with the heater 12 built therein and with the tip end thereof closed, providing the metal case 30 to the device housing 14 so as to extend along the axial direction by inserting into the inner side from the outer end of the intake pipe 16 and forming the flow path 33 for heating liquefied gas between the cylindrical metal case 30 and the inner wall of the gas intake pipe 16.

(27) In this embodiment, the protruding portion of the intake pipe 16 is formed in a large diameter tubular body shape and a metal case 30 having a heater 12 built therein is interpolated, and by forming a gas flow path 33 for heating gas between the intake pipe 16 and the metal case 30, an efficient heating effect can be obtained. Here, the device may be configured to heat at the flow path 22 between the outer side of the intake pipe 16 and the hollow portion inside the housing 14 by forming the intake pipe 16 of metal and transferring heat.

(28) In FIG. 5, reference number 31 is a supporting member which supports the metal case 30 with the heater built therein in a state in which the metal case is vertically installed at the central axis portion inside the hollow portion of the housing 14 and, 32 is an O-ring for sealing.

(29) Even with such an embodiment structure, similar to the embodiment described above, the liquefied gas can be efficiently and appropriately heated and atomized.

(30) FIG. 6 shows still another embodiment of a heater device of heating liquefied gas pertaining to the present invention, and in this embodiment, as compared with the embodiment of FIG. 5 described above, the intake pipe 16 is formed with a much larger diameter, and at the outer periphery of the metal case 30 with a heater 12 built therein, a plurality of fins 35 are arranged in parallel, such that the device may be configured so as to further improve the heat exchange efficiency within the gas flow path 33.

(31) In this embodiment, unlike the embodiments described above, the partition wall 20 is omitted and the shape of the hollow portion of the housing 14 is simplified. However, the present embodiment is not limited thereto and is apparent that such partition wall can be provided as required. In short, a liquefied gas flow path may be formed in an appropriate folded shape within the hollow portion by folding the liquefied gas channel in an appropriate shape, and by heating with a built-in heater 12, and efficient atomization can be carried out.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(32) 1 cylinder 2 piping pipe 4 regulator (liquefied gas utilization equipment) 4A instrument body 5 piping pipe 6 mixer 7 engine 8 exhaust pipe 10 heater device 12 heater 12a, b lead wire 14 device housing 16 gas intake pipe 16a gas intake opening 18 hollow portion 20 partition wall 22 inner gas flow path 24 outer gas flow path 28 introduction pipe which is a liquefied gas introduction side opening 30 cylindrical metal case 33 liquefied gas flow path 35 fin