COLLAPSIBLE CRYOGENIC STORAGE VESSEL

Abstract

This invention describes a novel design and construction method for a Collapsible Cryogenic Storage Vessel that can be used for storing cryogenic liquids. The vessel provides the ability to be packed for transport in a compact state and erected at the point of use. The vessel can be used multiple times. The vessel's volume can also be adjusted during use to minimize or eliminate head space in the vessel.

Claims

1. A pressure vessel capable of storing cryogenic fluids and associated gasses that is constructed from flexible materials to facilitate folding into a small volume for storage and transport, comprising: a membrane fluid containment layer; a textile based structural layer that supports fluid and gas pressure loads; a textile based protective liner; multiple insulation layers; a protective membrane outer cover; and, one or more fixtures adapted for and configured to enable filling and draining the vessel with cryogenic fluid.

2. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the structural layer is a woven webbing construction with intermittent joining of the webbings.

3. The pressure vessel in claim 1, wherein the structural layer is constructed from at least one from the group consisting of a fiber material and a combination of fiber materials, wherein the fiber or combination of fiber materials can withstand cryogenic temperatures.

4. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the structural layer comprises an overlapped webbing construction with intermittent joining of the webbings.

5. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein internal features or prescribed lengths are connected to adjacent or opposing walls to alter the shape of the vessel to approximate cuboid volumes.

6. The pressure vessel of claim 5, wherein the internal features are manufactured from textile based flexible materials.

7. The pressure vessel of claim 5, wherein the internal features are made from rigid materials.

8. The pressure vessel of claim 5, wherein the internal, features are connected to one another to alter the vessels shape or form internal partitions.

9. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein two or more vessels are configured to be joined to create complex shaped vessels.

10. The pressure vessel of claim 1, further comprising the pressure vessel mounted to a mobile platform.

11. The pressure vessel of claim 1, further comprising pressurized chambers, which chambers are configured to lift and or tilt the vessel thereby aiding in filling or draining the vessel.

12. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein rigid insulation blocks are applied to the tank intermittently to prevent compression of the flexible insulation.

13. The pressure vessel of claim 12, wherein a vacuum can be applied between the membrane fluid containment layer and a protective membrane outer cover to improve insulation performance.

14. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein a rigid insulation rests under the tank to prevent compression of the flexible insulation.

15. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the layers of the vessel are periodically attached to one another to cause them to move in unison.

16. The pressure vessel of claim 1, further comprising metal plates that facilitate filling, draining and sensing ports are integrated into or between the layers comprising the vessel.

17. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the protective membrane outer cover prevents ambient air exchange in the insulation that could lead to condensation and reduced insulation performance.

18. The pressure vessel of claim 1, further comprising external rigid beam structures, whereby the vessel is supported, externally by the rigid beam structures to reduce stress in the structural restraint and facilitate large or high pressure vessels.

19. The pressure vessel of claim 1, further comprising internal rigid beam structures whereby the vessel is supported internally by the rigid beam structures to reduce stress in the structural restraint and facilitate large or high pressure vessels.

20. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the insulation is contained in flexible sealed bags.

21. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the flexible insulation is layered such that individual layer seams do not overlap.

22. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the flexible insulation is constructed from fibers or combinations of fibers that can withstand cryogenic temperatures.

23. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the layered flexible insulation contains thin flexible impermeable membranes between some or all layers.

24. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the membrane fluid containment layer is reinforced with a textile.

25. The pressure vessel of claim 1, further comprising a secondary fluid containment layer for redundancy.

26. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the membrane fluid containment layer is joined to at least one layer selected from the group consisting of a textile layer and a foam layer that limits its bend radius to prevent folding damage.

27. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the membrane fluid containment layer includes a self-healing layer that can seal holes in the membrane.

28. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the pressure further comprises rigid elements that aid in packing and deployment of the vessel.

29. The pressure vessel of claim 1, further comprising sensors, which sensors are integrated into the individual layers to monitor performance and structural health.

30. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the vessel is externally compressed during filling or draining to eliminate a gaseous head in a filling tank.

31. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the vessel is positioned in any orientation.

32. The pressure vessel of claim 1, wherein the structural layer is an assembly of connected rigid components that are joined by flexible couplings to facilitate collapsing the vessel.

33. The pressure vessel of claim 3, wherein the fiber in the fiber material consists of at least one selected from the group consisting of Vectran, Kevlar, polyester, nylon and stainless steel.

34. The pressure vessel of claim 6 where the textile based flexible materials are in the form of at least one selected from the group consisting of webbings, fabrics and coated or laminated fabrics.

35. The pressure vessel of claim 22, wherein the fibers or combinations of fibers are at least one selected from the group consisting of wool, glass fibers and aerogel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] FIG. 1: Illustrates the cross-section of a standalone cylindrical collapsible cryogenic storage vessel;

[0018] FIG. 2A: illustrates that the collapsible cryogenic storage vessel is considerably smaller in its packed state than its deployed state;

[0019] FIG. 2B: illustrates the collapsible cryogenic storage vessel of FIG. 2A in its deployed state;

[0020] FIG. 3: illustrates the cross-section of the innermost layers of the vessel, including the woven textile structural layer;

[0021] FIG. 4: Illustrates the cross-section of the innermost layers of the vessel, including the overlapped textile structural layer;

[0022] FIG. 5: illustrates the use of internal spars to alter the shape of the vessel from spherical or cylindrical;

[0023] FIG. 6: Illustrates that the flexible vessels of any shape can be joined to create complex shapes;

[0024] FIG. 7: Illustrates a side view of a vehicle mounted cylindrical collapsible cryogenic storage vessel;

[0025] FIG. 8A: Illustrates the rear view of vehicle mounted cylindrical collapsible cryogenic storage vessels in their stowed state;

[0026] FIG. 8B: Illustrates the rear view of vehicle mounted cylindrical collapsible cryogenic storage vessels in their deployed cylindrical configuration;

[0027] FIG. 8C: Illustrates the rear view of vehicle mounted cylindrical collapsible cryogenic storage vessels in their deployed lobed configuration;

[0028] FIG. 9: Illustrates the use of pressurized chambers to lift and tilt the vessel;

[0029] FIG. 10: Illustrates the addition of rigid insulation blocks to support the filled vessel or create supports in the insulation which allow vacuum to be applied to the insulation cavity, without compressing the flexible insulation;

[0030] FIG. 11: Illustrates the use of a rigid insulation basin to hold the vessel;

[0031] FIG. 12: Illustrates one variation of a standalone collapsible cryogenic storage vessel with an external rigid frame;

[0032] FIG. 13: Illustrates one variation of a standalone collapsible cryogenic storage vessel with an internal rigid frame;

[0033] FIG. 14: Illustrates the misalignment of the seams in the insulation and the potential use of impermeable membranes between insulation layers;

[0034] FIG. 15: Illustrates the use of flexible sealed bags to contain lose insulation material such that it can be arranged in various ways to create a unified insulation layer; and,

[0035] FIG. 16: Illustrates the addition of a secondary membrane fluid containment layer for redundancy.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0036] It should be understood by the reader, that throughout the description of the preferred embodiments like elements in different Figures use the same numerical indicators.

[0037] FIG. 1 illustrates the cross-section of a standalone cylindrical collapsible cryogenic fluid storage vessel in its filled state 100. The flexible vessel has several layers including the membrane fluid containment layer (also known as bladder) 101, the protective liner 102, the structural layer (also known as restraint) 103, multiple insulation layers 104, and a protective outer cover 105. The vessel also has integral fill and drain fittings 106 which can be connected to flexible or rigid fill 107 and drain 108 lines. These fittings can be placed anywhere on the vessel.

[0038] Because the materials used in the construction of the vessel are flexible the vessel can be drained and folded or rolled into a smaller volume for convenient storage or transport. FIG. 2 illustrates the compressible nature of the evacuated tank 100 which allows the packed vessel to be many times smaller in volume than when in its filled state.

[0039] FIG. 3 illustrates the use of webbings or tapes which are three dimensionally woven to form the structural layer 103. This results in a damage tolerant design because of how friction locks the assembly together when the vessel is pressurized. FIG. 4 illustrates another method of manufacture of the structural layer would be to overlap the webbings 103 and connect them intermittently to make them form an assembly shaped as a vessel.

[0040] In their simplest form flexible pressure vessels 100 generally take the shape of a sphere of a cylinder when pressurized. In some cases it may be desirable to alter the geometry of the pressure vessel to facilitate an operational constraint. In this case internal spars 111 can be attached from opposite or adjacent walls to draw them in closer proximity which alters the shape of the vessel as illustrated in FIG. 5. The spars 111 can be in any configuration including being attached to one another to form internal compartments or partitions in the vessel. Flexible pressure vessels 100 can also be joined to form complex shapes as shown in FIG. 6. By combining these approaches almost any vessel shape is possible.

[0041] The collapsible cryogenic fluid storage vessel 100 can be a standalone system or it can be mounted to a transportation system of any type. FIG. 7 illustrates a trailer mounted cylindrical vessel 100 held in place on the vehicle base 112 by straps 114. A container 113 which houses pumps, valves, control systems, and other equipment for filling and draining the pressure vessel can be mounted to the vehicle. This assemblage can take many forms depending on the shape of the vessel 100 and the vehicle system. FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8C illustrates the rear view of FIG. 7 for vehicle mounted cylindrical collapsible cryogenic storage vessels 100; in their stowed state; deployed cylindrical configuration; and in a deployed lobed configuration, respectively.

[0042] FIG. 9 illustrates a method to elevating the vessel 100, or tilting it to aid in draining it or using it on uneven ground. Pressurized lifting chambers 115 can be mounted under or attached to the vessel 100. The orientation of the vessel 100 can be altered by adjusting the pressure in the lifting chambers 115.

[0043] The collapsible cryogenic fluid storage vessel 100 can rest on any surface. However, since the insulation 104 is flexible it can become compressed and lose efficiency. Rigid insulation blocks 116 can be added to the assembly locally in place of flexible insulation 104 to support the vessel and prevent compression of the insulation 104 as illustrated in FIG. 10. The rigid insulation blocks 116 can be shaped to prevent the vessel from rolling. They can also be contained inside the outer cover 105, protrude through the outer cover 105, or be outside the outer cover 105. The rigid insulation blocks 116 can also be placed intermittently over the entire vessel between the structural layer 103 and the protective outer cover 105, locally replacing flexible insulation. A vacuum can then be applied between the protective membrane outer cover 105 and the membrane fluid containment layer 101 to improve the insulation properties of the vessel. It is also possible that the rigid insulation 117 can be extended in size and shaped to resemble a cradle or tub for the vessel 100 to reside in as illustrated by FIG. 11. Both uses of rigid insulation blocks 116 and a rigid insulation cradle 117 facilitate collapse of the vessel 100 for shipping or storage.

[0044] As the operational pressure and the size of the collapsible cryogenic fluid storage vessel 100 increase the stress in the structural layer 103 increases. Eventually a point is reached where flexible materials cannot be used to construct a flexible structural layer 103. To remedy this, rigid beams 118 can be added to the exterior of the vessel 100 and undersized in comparison to the vessel such the vessel 100 becomes lobed as illustrated in FIG. 12. Since the stress in the walls of a flexible structure are dictated by the internal pressure and radius of curvature, the lower radius of curvature in the lobes will reduce stresses in the vessel to levels where flexible materials can be used to construct the structural layer 103. This approach is scalable in many ways to yield vessels 100 of various shapes and sizes. Conversely, the rigid beams 119 can also be placed inside the vessel 100 to perform the same shape control function as illustrated in FIG. 13. Again, this approach is scalable in many ways to yield vessels 100 of various shapes and sizes.

[0045] The collapsible cryogenic fluid storage vessel 100 will have varying amounts of, and types of, insulation 104 depending on how it is used. The insulation 104 is flexible and some forms come in layers. Preferably, the layers will be assembled such that the gaps in the individual flexible insulation layers 104 have a minimum of overlaps, when assembled, to minimize heat leaks as illustrated in FIG. 14. It is also possible to include impermeable membranes 120 between or attached to individual insulation layers 104 to improve insulation performance. Some insulation is only available in a loose form. In this case the insulation will be contained in sealed bags 121 to contain the material into shaped flexible pillows. These pillows can be arranged in any manner of ways to form the required insulation layer for the vessel 100 as illustrated in FIG. 15.

[0046] In some applications of the collapsible cryogenic fluid storage vessel 100 the need for increased safety or redundancy may be required. In this case a secondary membrane fluid containment layer 122 can be added to the layers of the tank 100 as shown in FIG. 16. Any leaks from the membrane fluid containment layer 101 will flow into the volume between it and the secondary membrane fluid containment layer 122 as these layers are sealed membranes. The space between the layers can be vented in a controlled manner and filtered to regulate the pressure in the space and what escapes to the local atmosphere.

[0047] Although the foregoing subject matter has been described in detail for purposes of clarity of understanding, it will be apparent that certain changes and modifications may be practiced that are within the scope of the disclosed subject matter. Accordingly, the present embodiments are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the subject matter disclosed herein is not to be limited to the details given herein, but may be modified within the scope and equivalents of the disclosed subject matter.