Patent US3661542A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3661542A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Short term peak shaving of natural gas
Assignee: Shell USA Inc
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Filing: 1970-01-09
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Granted: 1972-05-09
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Expires: 1990-01-09
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and method for ''''peak shaving'''' storage of gas in a gas distribution system wherein the pressure varies from a maximum when demand is low to a minimum when demand is high, the method comprising cooling gas, in a gas storage chamber in open fluid communication with the system with a frozen cooling medium having a freezing point approximately midway between the minimum and maximum boiling points of the gas in the system. When the pressure in the system is high, gas in the chamber liquifies and is stored; when the pressure in the system is low gas in the chamber vaporizes and is available for use.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael H Collins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 03:28
CPC Classifications
F; F17; F17C; F17C7/00; F17C7/02; F17C7/04; F17C9/00; F17C9/02; F25; F25J; F25J1/00; F25J1/0002; F25J1/0022; F25J1/02; F25J1/0221; F25J1/0228; F25J1/0232; F25J1/0243; F25J1/0244; F25J1/0245; F25J1/0251; F25J1/0254; F25J1/0257; F25J1/0261; F25J1/0275; F17C2201/00; F17C2201/01; F17C2201/0104; F17C2201/0119; F17C2201/06; F17C2223/00; F17C2223/01; F17C2223/0146; F17C2223/0153; F17C2225/00; F17C2225/01; F17C2225/0107; F17C2225/0123; F25J2205/00; F25J2205/20; F25J2205/24; F25J2280/00; F25J2280/40; F25J2290/00; F25J2290/44; F25J2290/62
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 including the step of precooling at least some of the gas prior to its entering the storage chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said cooling of the storage chamber and its contents is achieved by transfer of heat to a cryogenic medium having a phase transition temperature approximately midway between the maximum and minimum boiling points of the gas in the system.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
90 words
The method of claim 3 wherein when the pressure in said gas storage chamber is increased, at least some of the gas in said gas storage chamber is liquified and at least some of said cryogenic medium undergoes a phase transition in which latent heat is consumed and when the pressure in said gas storage chamber is decreased at least some of the gas in said gas storage chamber is vaporized and at least some of said gas cryogenic medium undergoes a phase transition in which latent heat is yielded.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said gas is natural gas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said cryogenic medium is iso-octane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 including the step of periodically removing liquified gas from said gas storage chamber for separate storage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 4 including the step of periodically cooling said cryogenic medium by adding a volume of liquified gas to said gas storage chamber.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
205 words
An apparatus for the storage of a gas in a gas distribution system wherein the pressure varies through a range of pressures from a maximum pressure when demand is low to a minimum pressure when demand is high, the apparatus comprising: gas storage container means forming a chamber in open fluid communication with said gas distribution system whereby the pressure in said gas storage container means is maintained substantially equal to the pressure in said gas distribution system; heat storage/exchange means operatively associated with said gas storage container means for liquifying gas in the gas storage container means when the pressure in said gas storage container means is substantially in the upper half of the pressure range through which pressure in the gas distribution system varies and for vaporizing gas in the gas storage container means when the pressure in said gas storage container means is substantially in the lower half of said pressure range; said heat storage/exchange means including a cryogenic medium having a phase transition temperature midway between the boiling point of said gas when the pressure in the system is at said maximum pressure and the boiling point of said gas when the pressure in the system is at said minimum pressure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 9 including conduit means including valve means opening into said gas storage means and disposed so that liquified gas may be periodically withdrawn from or added to said gas storage means through said conduit means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 9 including precooler heat exchange means disposed to precool gas moving into said gas storage container means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the heat storage/exchangE means includes a cryogenic medium container substantially surrounding said gas storage container means, the cryogenic medium container having heat insulating exterior walls in spaced relationship with heat conductive interior walls to form a closed space between said exterior and interior walls to contain said cryogenic medium.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said heat conductive interior walls form at least a part of said gas storage container means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said heat storage/exchange means includes a plurality of cryogenic medium containers having heat conductive walls disposed within said gas storage container means so that each of said cryogenic medium containers may be substantially surrounded by the gas.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said precooler heat exchange means is a pebble-bed heat exchanger.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said cryogenic medium is a hydrocarbon.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said cryogenic medium is iso-octane.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3006155A
Cited
US3302416A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-09 | 1975-11-08 | 1976-05-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-09 | 1979-11-08 | 1980-05-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-09 | 1983-11-08 | 1984-05-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |