US3770048A — Integrated system for vaporizing cryogenic liquids

Claim 1

Independent Claim 151 words

A heat transfer system for vaporizing cryogenic liquid to a product gas comprising, a fuel burner and air blower combination for producing large volumes of hot combustion gases, a combustion chamber into which the combustion gases are directed for completing combustion thereof, means for injecting water spray into the gases after substantially complete combustion for vaporizing the water and producing a gas-steam heat transfer mixture, a heat exchanger through which the gas-steam mixture from the combustion chamber is directed having passages for circulation of the cryogenic liquid, the heat transfer mixture being in direct heat exchange contact with the cryogenic passages for vaporiZing the liquid to a product gas, means for sensing the temperature of the heat transfer mixture leaving the exchanger, and means responsive to the temperature sensing means for controlling the firing rate of the burner-blower combination to regulate the temperature of the product gas leaving the exchanger passages.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 151 words

A heat transfer system for vaporizing cryogenic liquid to a product gas comprising, a fuel burner and air blower combination for producing large volumes of hot combustion gases, a combustion chamber into which the combustion gases are directed for completing combustion thereof, means for injecting water spray into the gases after substantially complete combustion for vaporizing the water and producing a gas-steam heat transfer mixture, a heat exchanger through which the gas-steam mixture from the combustion chamber is directed having passages for circulation of the cryogenic liquid, the heat transfer mixture being in direct heat exchange contact with the cryogenic passages for vaporiZing the liquid to a product gas, means for sensing the temperature of the heat transfer mixture leaving the exchanger, and means responsive to the temperature sensing means for controlling the firing rate of the burner-blower combination to regulate the temperature of the product gas leaving the exchanger passages.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 47 words

A heat transfer system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the combustion chamber comprises an elongated cylinder of double-walled construction to form an annular cooling passage around the chamber, the outer of said walls having ports providing for the admission and exhaust of passage cooling water.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 31 words

A heat transfer system as set forth in claim 2 further including helical baffle means between the walls of said cylinder to channel the cooling water flow in a helical pattern.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 50 words

A heat transfer system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger comprises a plurality of tube bundles arranged in a vertical stacked array, said combustion chamber directing said heat transfer mixture into the lower of said tube bundles whereby the mixture passes up through the vertical array.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 33 words

A heat transfer system as set forth in claim 4 including means to direct the cryogenic fluid flow through said tube bundles in co-current flow relationship with respect to the heat transfer mixture.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 41 words

A heat transfer system as set forth in claim 4 including sump means to collect liquid condensed on said tube bundles for reuse, and further means to trap water leaving the heat exchanger and return the same to the sump means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 38 words

A system as set forth in claim 1 including means to cool said combustion chamber walls with a flow of cooling water and then inject the resulting heated water into heat transfer contact with passages of the exchanger.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 58 words

A system as set forth in claim 1 including means to sense the temperature of the product gas leaving the heat exchanger passages, means responsive to said gas temperature sensing means to cause cryogenic liquid to bypass exchanger passages and be admitted to the gas flow leaving the exchanger for further regulating the temperature of said product gas.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 39 words

A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the water injecting means comprises a plurality of nozzles angularly arranged in an annular array to direct a fogging spray in a generally conical pattern into the hot combustion gases.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 46 words

A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fuel burner and air blower combination are removably connected as a unit to one end of the combustion chamber and wherein the water injecting means is located at the heat exchanger end of the combustion chamber.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 35 words

A system as set forth in claim 4 wherein at least four tube bundles are vertically stacked and conduit means connects pairs of said bundles to create parallel flow of the liquid in said pairs.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 41 words

A system as set forth in claim 4 including a 90* guidance elbow connecting said combustion chamber and said vertical stack, baffle means in said elbow to direct the heat transfer mixture uniformly from a horizontal flow to a vertical flow.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 37 words

A system as set forth in claim 4 wherein the combustion chamber is an elongated cylinder and saddle means support the cylinder to permit free longitudinal movement thereof caused by expansion and contraction resulting from temperature change.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 21 words

A system as set forth in claim 6 including means to adjust the temperature of the water in the sump means.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 92 words

A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fuel burner comprises an annular manifold means, a plurality of injection tubes extending radially inwardly from said manifold means, a plurality of ports in each of said tubes to permit the exhaust of fuel therefrom, means to supply the manifold means with fuel, said air blower positioned upstream of said burner to direct a flow of air across said tubes, and said mixture temperature responsive means controlling the fuel supply to the manifold means and the air supply to the air blower.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 106 words

A heat transfer system for heating a fluid compriSing a fuel combustion unit for producing large volumes of hot combustion gases, an elongated tunnel through which the gases are directed for completing combustion thereof, means at the discharge end of the tunnel for injecting water spray into the hot combustion gases for producing a gas-steam heat transfer mixture, a heat exchanger tower having a plurality of tube bundles through which the fluid is circulated for heating, means for directing the gas-steam mixture from the tunnel in substantially uniform cross-sectional flow into the tower and into heat exchange contact with the tube bundles for heating the fluid.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 106 words

A heat transfer system for heating a fluid compriSing a fuel combustion unit for producing large volumes of hot combustion gases, an elongated tunnel through which the gases are directed for completing combustion thereof, means at the discharge end of the tunnel for injecting water spray into the hot combustion gases for producing a gas-steam heat transfer mixture, a heat exchanger tower having a plurality of tube bundles through which the fluid is circulated for heating, means for directing the gas-steam mixture from the tunnel in substantially uniform cross-sectional flow into the tower and into heat exchange contact with the tube bundles for heating the fluid.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 126 words

A method of vaporizing a cryogenic liquid comprising, producing large volumes of hot combustion gases, reducing the temperature of the hot combustion gases by contacting said gases with a fogging spray of water whereby a substantial portion of the water spray is vaporized and the temperature of the resulting combustion gas-steam mixture is reduced to within the range of from about 120*-350* F, directing said gas-steam mixture to a heat exchanger containing a plurality of tube coils arranged in a vertical array, maintaining a flow of cryogenic liquid to said coils, passing said gas-steam mixture upward through said coils to heat the cryogenic liquid therein, and controlling the temperature of the cryogenic vapor leaving the coils according to the temperature of the mixture leaving the exchanger.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 126 words

A method of vaporizing a cryogenic liquid comprising, producing large volumes of hot combustion gases, reducing the temperature of the hot combustion gases by contacting said gases with a fogging spray of water whereby a substantial portion of the water spray is vaporized and the temperature of the resulting combustion gas-steam mixture is reduced to within the range of from about 120*-350* F, directing said gas-steam mixture to a heat exchanger containing a plurality of tube coils arranged in a vertical array, maintaining a flow of cryogenic liquid to said coils, passing said gas-steam mixture upward through said coils to heat the cryogenic liquid therein, and controlling the temperature of the cryogenic vapor leaving the coils according to the temperature of the mixture leaving the exchanger.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 44 words

A method as defined in claim 17 including sensing the exhaust temperature of the mixture exiting the heat exchanger and controlling the production of the hot combustion gases in response thereto to maintain the exhaust temperature within the range of from about 110*-170* F.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 35 words

A method as defined in claim 17 including regulating the temperature of the vaporized cryogen exhaust leaving the exchanger by introducing cryogenic liquid into the exhaust in amounts necessary to maintain a desired temperature level.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 43 words

A method as defined in claim 18 including producing said hot combustion gases by burning a fuel in the presence of oxygen, controlling the amount of fuel and oxygen supplied so as to fully burn the fuel and leave substantially no uncombined oxygen.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 20 words

A method as defined in claim 17 wherein the temperature of the gas-steam mixture is reduced to about 150*-190* F.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 22 words

A method as defined in claim 18 wherein the said exhaust temperature is maintained within the range of from about 130*-140* F.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-11-05	1977-05-07	1977-11-06	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-11-05	1981-05-07	1981-11-06	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-11-05	1985-05-07	1985-11-06	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Integrated system for vaporizing cryogenic liquids

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