Liquefied gas containers

Claim 2

A container for liquefied gas and a gaseous phase thereof, comprising in combination: thermally insulated means for enclosing a supply of said liquefied gas and said gaseous phase; means inside said enclosing means for providing at least two separate compartments including a first compartment and a second compartment each containing liquified gas and said gaseous phase; said first compartment having a larger volume and a smaller surface area per unit of volume exposed to heat transfer through said thermally insulated means than said second compartment; whereby the rate of thermal input to said first compartment from the exterior is less than that of the second compartment and means inside said enclosing means for conducting gas of said gaseous phase between said compartments in heat-exchange relationship with said liquefied gas contained within said compartments.

Claim 3

A container as claimed in claim 1, including: means for providing a lower thermal input for the first of said compartments than for the other of said at least two separate compartments.

Claim 4

A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said compartment providing means include baffle means extending from one surface of the interior of said compartment extending throughout said gaseous phase and into said supply of liquefied gas, whereby the only communication path between said gaseous phase portions is through said liquid phase.

Claim 5

A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said liquefied gas is a vehicle fuel; and said container is a vehicle fuel tank. said

Claim 6

A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said enclosing means include an elongate sealed receptacle for said liquefied gas and gaseous phase.

Claim 7

A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said receptacle has a substantially oval cross section.

Claim 8

A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said compartment-providing means include means for providing at least three of said separate compartments for containing liquid gas and said gaseous phase.

Claim 9

A container as claimed in claim 7, wherein: the first of said compartments is located between the other of said at least three separate compartments, said first compartment being larger in volume than each of said other compartments and lesser surface area exposed to heat transfer through said thermally insulator means than at least one of said other compartments.

Claim 10

A container as claimed in claim 7, wherein: said thermally insulated means include means for providing more insulation for the first of said compartments than for the other of said at least two separate compartments.

Claim 11

A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said gas conducting means include hollow baffle means in each of said compartments, said hollow baffle means extending into said gaseous phase including openings communicating with said gaseous phase and into said liquefied gas supply for conducting said gaseous phase between said compartments in intimate heat-exchange relationship with said liquefied gas.

Claim 12

A container as claimed in claim 10, wherein: said compartment providing means include between each two adjacent hollow baffle means a further baffle means extending throughout said gaseous phase and into said supply of liquefied gas.

Claim 13

A container as claimed in claim 11, wherein: said enclosing means include an elongate sealed receptacle for said liquefied gas and gaseous phase; and said hollow baffle means and said further baffle means extend substantially transversely of said elongate receptacle.

Claim 14

A container as claimed in claim 12, wherein: said elongate receptacle and said further baffle means have substantially oval cross sections.

Claim 15

A container as claimed in claim 13, wheRein: said hollow baffle means include baffle sheets having substantially oval cross sections.

Claim 16

A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said enclosing means include an elongate sealed receptacle for said liquefied gas and gaseous phase, a shell spaced from and enclosing said receptacle, means for maintaining said shell and said receptacle spaced from each other, and thermal insulation between said receptacle and said shell.

Claim 17

A container as claimed in claim 15, wherein: said thermal insulation includes multilayer reflective sheet insulation.

Claim 18

A container as claimed in claim 15, wherein: said means for maintaining said shell and receptacle spaced include spacers of thermally insulating material extending between said receptacle and said shell, substantially each of said spacers having a first height and first lateral dimensions, first base members of structurally rigid material attached to said receptacle for receiving said spacers, substantially each of said first base members having a height several times smaller than said first height and lateral dimensions larger than said first lateral dimensions, and second base members of structurally rigid material attached to said shell for receiving said spacers, substantially each of said second base members having a height several times smaller than said first height and lateral dimensions larger than said first lateral dimensions.

Claim 19

A container for liquefied gas and a gaseous phase thereof comprising in combination; thermally insulated means for enclosing a supply of said liquefied gas and said gaseous phase; means inside said enclosing means for providing at least two separate compartments including a first compartment and a second compartment each containing liquified gas and said gaseous phase; said first compartment having a larger volume and a smaller surface area exposed to heat transfer through said thermally insulated means than said second compartment; and means inside said enclosing means for conducting gas of said gaseous phase between said compartments in heat-exchange relationship with said liquefied gas contained within said compartments wherein said compartment providing means includes means for providing at least three of said separate compartments for containing liquid gas and said gaseous phase and wherein said thermally insulated means includes means for providing more insulation for said larger first compartment than for said other compartments.

Claim 20

A container for liquefied gas and a gaseous phase thereof comprising in combination; thermally insulated means for enclosing a supply of said liquefied gas and said gaseous phase; means inside said enclosing means for providing at least two separate compartments including a first compartment and a second compartment each containing liquified gas and said gaseous phase; said first compartment having a larger volume and a smaller surface area exposed to heat transfer through said thermally insulated means than said second compartment; and means inside said enclosing means for conducting gas of said gaseous phase between said compartments in heat-exchange relationship with said liquefied gas contained within said compartments wherein said compartment providing means includes means for providing at least three of said separate compartments for containing liquid gas and said gaseous phase and wherein said thermally insulated means includes means for providing more insulation for said larger first compartment than for said other compartments.

Claim 21

A container for liquefied gas and a gaseous phase thereof, comprising in combination: thermally insulated means for enclosing a supply of said liquefied gas and said gaseous phase; means inside said enclosing means for providing at least two separate compartments including a first compartment and a second compartment each containing liquefied gas and said gaseous phase; said first compartment having a larger volume and a smaller surface area per unit of volume exposed to heat transfer through said thermally insulated means than said second compartment; and means inside said enclosing means for conducting gas of said gaseous phase between said compartments in heat-exchange relationship with said liquefied gas contained within said compartments; wherein said gas conducting means include gas duct means immersed in said supply of liquefied gas.

Claim 22

A container for liquefied gas and a gaseous phase thereof, comprising in combination: thermally insulated means for enclosing a supply of said liquefied gas and said gaseous phase; means inside said enclosing means for providing at least two separate compartments including a first compartment and a second compartment each containing liquefied gas and said gaseous phase; said first compartment having a larger volume and a smaller surface area per unit of volume exposed to heat transfer through said thermally insulated means than said second compartment; and means inside said enclosing means for conducting gas of said gaseous phase between said compartments in heat-exchange relationship with said liquefied gas contained within said compartments; wherein said gas conducting means include gas duct means immersed in said supply of liquefied gas.

Claim 23

A container as claimed in claim 19 wherein: said gas phase conducting means extending into the gas phase region of each compartment and include means for impeding entry of liquefied gas into said gas conducting means.

Claim 24

A container as claimed in claim 19, including: means operatively associated with said gas conducting means for vaporizing liquefied gas occurring in said gas conducting means.

Claim 25

A container as claimed in claim 19, including: means extending into said gas duct means for vaporizing liquefied gas occurring in said gas conducting means.

Claim 26

A container for liquefied gas anD a gaseous phase thereof, comprising in combination; thermally insulated means for enclosing a supply of said liquefied gas and said gaseous phase; means inside said enclosing means for providing at least two separate compartments including a first compartment and a second compartment each containing liquefied gas and said gaseous phase; said first compartment having a larger volume and a smaller surface area exposed to heat transfer through said thermally insulated means than said second compartment; and means inside said enclosing means for conducting gas of said gaseous phase between said compartments in heat-exchange relationship with said liquefied gas contained within said compartments said compartment providing means including baffle means extending throughout said gaseous phase into said supply of liquefied gas; wherein said gas conducting means include gas duct means immersed in said supply of liquefied gas.

Claim 27

A container for liquefied gas anD a gaseous phase thereof, comprising in combination; thermally insulated means for enclosing a supply of said liquefied gas and said gaseous phase; means inside said enclosing means for providing at least two separate compartments including a first compartment and a second compartment each containing liquefied gas and said gaseous phase; said first compartment having a larger volume and a smaller surface area exposed to heat transfer through said thermally insulated means than said second compartment; and means inside said enclosing means for conducting gas of said gaseous phase between said compartments in heat-exchange relationship with said liquefied gas contained within said compartments said compartment providing means including baffle means extending throughout said gaseous phase into said supply of liquefied gas; wherein said gas conducting means include gas duct means immersed in said supply of liquefied gas.

Claim 28

A container as claimed in claim 23, wherein: said conducting means include means for impeding entry of liquefied gas into said gas conducting means.

Claim 29

A container for liquefied gas and a gaseous phase thereof, comprising in combination: thermally insulated means for enclosing a supply of said liquefied gas and said gaseous phase; means inside said enclosing means for providing at least two separate compartments including a first compartment and a second compartment each containing liquefied gas and said gaseous phase; said first compartments having a larger volume and a smaller surface area per unit of volume exposed to heat transfer through said thermally insulated means than said second compartment; means inside said enclosing means for conducting gas of said gaseous phase between said compartments in heat-exchange relationship with said liquefied gas contained within said compartments; wherein said gas connected means includes hollow baffle means in each of said compartments; said hollow baffle means extending into said gaseous phase and into said liquified gas supply for conducting said gas in heat exchange relationship with said liquified gas; said gas conducting means further includes means for impeding entry of liquefied gas into said hollow baffle means.

Claim 30

A container for liquefied gas and a gaseous phase thereof, comprising in combination: thermally insulated means for enclosing a supply of said liquefied gas and said gaseous phase; means inside said enclosing means for providing at least two separate compartments including a first compartment and a second compartment each containing liquefied gas and said gaseous phase; said first compartments having a larger volume and a smaller surface area per unit of volume exposed to heat transfer through said thermally insulated means than said second compartment; means inside said enclosing means for conducting gas of said gaseous phase between said compartments in heat-exchange relationship with said liquefied gas contained within said compartments; wherein said gas connected means includes hollow baffle means in each of said compartments; said hollow baffle means extending into said gaseous phase and into said liquified gas supply for conducting said gas in heat exchange relationship with said liquified gas; said gas conducting means further includes means for impeding entry of liquefied gas into said hollow baffle means.

Claim 31

A container as claimed in claim 25, wherein: said entry impeding means include means for turning about liquefied gas splashing against said hollow baffle means.

Claim 32

A container as claimed in claim 25, wherein: said gas conducting means further include gas duct means immersed in said supply of liquefied gas and extending between said hollow baffle means in communication with hollow spaces in said hollow baffle means.

Claim 33

A container for liquefied gas and a gaseous phase thereof, comprising in combination: thermally insulated means for enclosing a supply of said liquefied gas and said gaseous phase; means inside said enclosing means for providing at least two separate compartments for containing said gaseous phase; and means inside said enclosing means for conducting gas of said gaseous phase between said compartments in heat exchange relationship with said liquefied gas, wherein said enclosing means include an elongated sealed receptacle for said liquefied gas and gaseous phase, a shell spaced from and enclosing said receptacle, means for maintaining said shell and said receptacle spaced from each other, and thermal insulation between said receptacle and said shell, wherein said means for maintaining said shell and receptacle spaced include a number of spaced first hoops of structurally rigid material encompassing and attached to said receptacle, a number of spaced second hoops of structurally rigid material encompassing and spaced from said receptacle and attached to said shell, and spacers of thermally insulating material extending between and engaging said first and second hoops.

Claim 34

A container for liquefied gas and a gaseous phase thereof, comprising in combination: thermally insulated means for enclosing a supply of said liquefied gas and said gaseous phase; means inside said enclosing means for providing at least two separate compartments for containing said gaseous phase; and means inside said enclosing means for conducting gas of said gaseous phase between said compartments in heat exchange relationship with said liquefied gas, wherein said enclosing means include an elongated sealed receptacle for said liquefied gas and gaseous phase, a shell spaced from and enclosing said receptacle, means for maintaining said shell and said receptacle spaced from each other, and thermal insulation between said receptacle and said shell, wherein said means for maintaining said shell and receptacle spaced include a number of spaced first hoops of structurally rigid material encompassing and attached to said receptacle, a number of spaced second hoops of structurally rigid material encompassing and spaced from said receptacle and attached to said shell, and spacers of thermally insulating material extending between and engaging said first and second hoops.

Claim 35

A container as claimed in claim 28, wherein: said first and second Hoops are of metal.

Claim 36

A container as claimed in claim 28, wherein: said receptacle is outwardly indented between said first hoops.

Claim 37

A container as claimed in claim 30, wherein: said shell is inwardly indented between said second hoops.

Claim 38

A thermally insulating container comprising in combination: a receptacle; an outer shell spaced from said receptacle; thermal insulation between said receptacle and said outer shell; spacers of thermally insulating material extending between said receptacle and said shell, substantially each of said spacers having a first height and first lateral dimensions; first base members of structurally rigid material attached to said receptacle for receiving said spacers, substantially each of said first base members having a height several times smaller than said first height and lateral dimensions larger than said first lateral dimensions; and second base members of structurally rigid material attached to said shell for receiving said spacers, substantially each of said second base members having a height several times smaller than said first height and lateral dimensions larger than said first lateral dimensions; said first and second base members constituting portions of continuous hoops encircling said receptacles and shell respectively.

Claim 39

A thermally insulating container comprising in combination: a receptacle; an outer shell spaced from said receptacle; thermal insulation between said receptacle and said outer shell; spacers of thermally insulating material extending between said receptacle and said shell, substantially each of said spacers having a first height and first lateral dimensions; first base members of structurally rigid material attached to said receptacle for receiving said spacers, substantially each of said first base members having a height several times smaller than said first height and lateral dimensions larger than said first lateral dimensions; and second base members of structurally rigid material attached to said shell for receiving said spacers, substantially each of said second base members having a height several times smaller than said first height and lateral dimensions larger than said first lateral dimensions; said first and second base members constituting portions of continuous hoops encircling said receptacles and shell respectively.

Claim 40

A container as claimed in claim 32, wherein: said receptacle includes outwardly positioned indentations between said first base members.

Claim 41

A container as claimed in claim 33, wherein: said shell includes outwardly extending preformed indentations between said second base members.

Claim 44

The combination in accordance with claim 35 wherein said conduit means includes a plurality of baffles extending generally vertical in said vessel and extending into the region of gaseous and liquid phase gas contained in said vessel.

Claim 45

The combination in accordance with claim 35 wherein said conduit means communicates with said second compartment of said vessel whereby gas is introduced into and withdrawn from said vessel via said second compartment.

Claim 46

The combination in accordance with claim 35 wherein said second compartment of said vessel is elongated and encloses said first compartment on three sides whereby said second compartment is exposed to thermal transfer on substantially all outer sides and said first compartment is exposed to thermal transfer through said second compartment on three sides and exposed to thermal transfer outward from said vessel on substantially one side only.

Claim 47

The combination in accordance with claim 38 wherein said thermal insulation means is substantially uniform in insulation properties on each side of said vessel whereby the thermal transfer through said thermal insulation means from said first compartment is less than the total thermal transfer from said second compartment.