Rotary cryogenic couplings

Claim 2

A cryogenic coupling of the rotary type, comprising a pair of flange members; bearing sleeves fixed to said flange members and co-operating therewith to provide first and second coupling means; bearing means disposed between said sleeves for making each of said flanges rotatable relative to the other; means including a member rotatable with each of said coupling means for providing a cryogenic liquid flow component concentrically disposed within the coupling means, whereby there is an annular space between said conduit means and the coupling means; means in said annulaR space for reducing the flow of heat from the ambient surroundings through the coupling into a cryogenic liquid in said conduit means; and means for providing limited fluid communication between the inside and outside of the conduit means, whereby limited amounts of the cryogenic liquid can flow into and vaporize in a space between the conduit means and the coupling means and thereby equalize the hydrostatic pressure on the opposite sides of said seal means and reduce the pressure on the seal means to the head pressure of the cryogenic liquid in the conduit means.

Claim 3

A cryogenic coupling of the rotary, jacketed type, comprising: a first annular coupling means; a second annular coupling means; means extending between said first and second coupling means and making said first coupling means rotatable relative to said second coupling means about the longitudinal axis of the second coupling means; a cryogenic liquid conduit means concentrically disposed within said first and second coupling means and in spaced relation thereto; and means disposed between said coupling means and said conduit means for reducing the flow of heat from the ambient surroundings into a liquid in said conduit means, said last-mentioned means comprising: insulating members in the spaces between the coupling means and the cryogenic liquid conduit and gastight shrouds around said insulating members to minimize the transfer of heat between said coupling means and said conduit means by convection.

Claim 4

A cryogenic coupling of the rotary, jacketed type, comprising: a first annular coupling means; a second annular coupling means; means extending between said first and second coupling means and making said first coupling means rotatable relative to said second coupling means about the longitudinal axis of the second coupling means; a cryogenic liquid conduit means concentrically disposed within said first and second coupling means and in spaced relation thereto; and means disposed between said coupling means and said conduit means for reducing the flow of heat from the ambient surroundings into a liquid in said conduit means, said last-mentioned means comprising: insulating members in the spaces between the coupling means and the cryogenic liquid conduit and gastight shrouds around said insulating members to minimize the transfer of heat between said coupling means and said conduit means by convection.

Claim 5

A cryogenic coupling according to claim 2, wherein the heat flow reducing means includes means providing an annular sealed space within said coupling means which can be evacuated to reduce the transfer of heat by conduction and convection into the liquid in the conduit means.

Claim 6

A cryogenic coupling according to claim 2, together with an evironmental sealing means disposed between said coupling means for keeping foreign matter from penetrating therebetween.

Claim 7

A cryogenic coupling according to claim 1, together with means associated with each of said coupling means for reducing the flow of heat from the ambient surroundings into the cryogenic liquid through joints at the opposed ends of said coupling.

Claim 8

A cryogenic coupling according to claim 1, together with a liquid seal means associated with each of said coupling means for restricting the outflow of liquid from said conduit means through joints at the opposed ends of said coupling.

Claim 9

A cryogenic coupling of the rotary, jacketed type, comprising: a first annular coupling means; a second annular coupling means; means extending between said first and second coupling means and making said first coupling means rotatable relative to said second coupling means about the longitudinal axis of the second coupling means; a cryogenic liquid conduit means disposed within said first and second coupling means and spaced therefrom, said conduit means comprising first and second conduit defining members and said first and second conduit defining members being rotatable with said first and second coupling means, respectively; a first dynamic seal means between said first and second conduit defining members for confining the cryogenic liquid to said conduit means while providing limited fluid communication between the inside and outside of the conduit means, whereby limited amounts of the cryogenic liquid can flow into and vaporize in a space between the conduit means and the coupling means and thereby equalize the hydrostatic pressure on the opposite sides of said seal means and reduce the pressure on the seal means to the head pressure of the cryogenic liquid in the conduit means; a second dynamic seal means between said first and second coupling means for preventing cryogenic liquid vapor in the space between the coupling means and the conduit means from escaping to the exterior of the coupling; and means in said space for reducing the flow of heat from the ambient surroundings into a cryogenic liquid in said conduit means.

Claim 10

A cryogenic coupling of the rotary, jacketed type, comprising: a first annular coupling means; a second annular coupling means; means extending between said first and second coupling means and making said first coupling means rotatable relative to said second coupling means about the longitudinal axis of the second coupling means; a cryogenic liquid conduit means disposed within said first and second coupling means and spaced therefrom, said conduit means comprising first and second conduit defining members and said first and second conduit defining members being rotatable with said first and second coupling means, respectively; a first dynamic seal means between said first and second conduit defining members for confining the cryogenic liquid to said conduit means while providing limited fluid communication between the inside and outside of the conduit means, whereby limited amounts of the cryogenic liquid can flow into and vaporize in a space between the conduit means and the coupling means and thereby equalize the hydrostatic pressure on the opposite sides of said seal means and reduce the pressure on the seal means to the head pressure of the cryogenic liquid in the conduit means; a second dynamic seal means between said first and second coupling means for preventing cryogenic liquid vapor in the space between the coupling means and the conduit means from escaping to the exterior of the coupling; and means in said space for reducing the flow of heat from the ambient surroundings into a cryogenic liquid in said conduit means.

Claim 11

A cryogenic coupling accOrding to claim 7, together with a third dynamic seal between said coupling means for keeping foreign matter from penetrating to the interior thereof.

Claim 12

A cryogenic coupling of the rotary, jacketed type, comprising: a first annular coupling means; a second annular coupling means; means extending between said first and second coupling means and making said first coupling means rotatable relative to said second coupling means about the longitudinal axis of the second coupling means; a separate conduit means rotatable with each of said coupling means, said conduit means co-operating to form a cryogenic liquid flow conduit through the coupling within and concentric with the first and second coupling means and spaced therefrom, whereby there is an annular space between said conduit and said coupling means; means including a conical member surrounding and sealed at one end to one of said conduit means and at the other to the flange member of one of said coupling means for providing in said annular space a sealed annular chamber which surrounds and extends over at least the major portion of the cryogenic liquid conduit; and means for evacuating said sealed chamber to thereby reduce conductive and convective flow of heat from the ambient surroundings through the coupling into a cryogenic liquid in the conduit.

Claim 13

A cryogenic coupling of the rotary, jacketed type, comprising: a first annular coupling means; a second annular coupling means; means extending between said first and second coupling means and making said first coupling means rotatable relative to said second coupling means about the longitudinal axis of the second coupling means; a separate conduit means rotatable with each of said coupling means, said conduit means co-operating to form a cryogenic liquid flow conduit through the coupling within and concentric with the first and second coupling means and spaced therefrom, whereby there is an annular space between said conduit and said coupling means; means including a conical member surrounding and sealed at one end to one of said conduit means and at the other to the flange member of one of said coupling means for providing in said annular space a sealed annular chamber which surrounds and extends over at least the major portion of the cryogenic liquid conduit; and means for evacuating said sealed chamber to thereby reduce conductive and convective flow of heat from the ambient surroundings through the coupling into a cryogenic liquid in the conduit.

Claim 14

A cryogenic coupling according to claim 9, wherein one of said one cryogenic liquid forming means comprises a tubular member extending from one end of the coupling toward the other end thereof and an annular member fixed to the end of the tubular member nearest said other end of said coupling, said conical member being sealed at the one end thereof to said annular member.

Claim 15

A cryogenic coupling according to claim 10, wherein said one conduit forming means further includes a ring-like member sealed to said one end of said tubular member and wherein said one end of said tubular member is supported from the coupling means flange member at said one end of the coupling by means comprising a cylindrical member and a second conical member surrounding the tubular member, said cylindrical member being sealed at one end to said ringlike member and being surrounded by the second conical member, the inner end of the second conical member being sealed to the annular member at the other end of the cylindrical member and the outer end of the second conical member being sealed to the flange member, whereby said cylindrical and conical members also co-operate with the first mentioned conical member to define the annular, sealed, evacuatable chamber.

Claim 16

A cryogenic coupling according to claim 11, together with a conical insulation module disposed between the cylindrical and conical support members.

Claim 17

A cryogenic coupling according to claim 10, wherein the other of said cryogenic liquid conduit forming means comprises a ring member juxtaposed to said annular member, said annular and ring members having co-operating radial sealing surfaces and there being a liquid seal disposed between said last-mentioned members with portions thereof sealingly engaging each of said sealing surfaces.

Claim 18

A cryogenic coupling according to claim 13, wherein one of said ring and annular members in part overlies the other of said members, there being a member of a material having a low coefficient of friction between the members in the region in which they overlap to insure free relative rotation between said members.

Claim 19

A cryogenic coupling according to claim 13, together with a pair of liquid seals, wherein there is a second radial sealing surface on the ring member engageable by one of the liquid seals, there being a radial sealing surface on the ringlike member at said one end of said tubular conduit forming member engageable by the other of said pair of liquid seals.

Claim 20

A cryogenic coupling according to claim 10, wherein the other of said cryogenic liquid conduit forming means comprises a ringlike member and including means supporting said member from the other of said Coupling means flange members which comprises a cylindrical member within and sealed at one end to said flange member and extending therefrom toward the other of said flange members and a conical member within the cylindrical member, the outer end of the conical member being sealed to the other end of the cylindrical member and the conduit forming member being sealed to the inner end of the conical member.

Claim 21

A cryogenic coupling according to claim 16, together with a conical insulation module between said cylindrical and conical support members.

Claim 22

In combination: a cryogenic coupling of the rotary, jacketed type, which includes a first annular coupling means, a second annular coupling means, means extending between said first and second coupling means and making said first coupling means rotatable relative to said second coupling means, and a cryogenic liquid conduit means disposed within said first and second coupling means and in spaced relation thereto; a pair of jacketed cryogenic components, each of said cryogenic components having a liquid conduit means; means for fixing one of said components to each of the first and second coupling means with the liquid conduit means of the component juxtaposed to and in fluid communication with the liquid conduit means in the coupling; and first and second means for reducing the flow of heat from the ambient surroundings into a cryogenic liquid in the conduit means through the coupling and through the joints between the coupling and the cryogenic components.

Claim 23

In combination: a cryogenic coupling of the rotary, jacketed type, which includes a first annular coupling means, a second annular coupling means, means extending between said first and second coupling means and making said first coupling means rotatable relative to said second coupling means, and a cryogenic liquid conduit means disposed within said first and second coupling means and in spaced relation thereto; a pair of jacketed cryogenic components, each of said cryogenic components having a liquid conduit means; means for fixing one of said components to each of the first and second coupling means with the liquid conduit means of the component juxtaposed to and in fluid communication with the liquid conduit means in the coupling; and first and second means for reducing the flow of heat from the ambient surroundings into a cryogenic liquid in the conduit means through the coupling and through the joints between the coupling and the cryogenic components.

Claim 24

The combination of claim 18, wherein each of said cryogenic components includes an outer jacket and an inner conduit and wherein the means for reducing the flow of heat into the cryogenic liquid through the joint between each of said coupling means and the cryogenic component to which it is fixed includes a first annular sealing means disposed between and sealed to the coupling means and the cryogenic liquid conduit in the coupling and a second annular sealing means disposed between and sealed to the inner conduit and outer jacket of the cryogenic component; a liquid seal means between the cryogenic liquid conduit and the inner conduit of the cryogenic component for restricting the outflow of the cryogenic liquid through the joint between said conduits to such an extent that the outflowing liquid will vaporize and not create a liquid short but will equalize the hydrostatic pressure on the inner and outer sides of the joint and thereby reduce the pressure on the liquid seal means to the head pressure of the cryogenic liquid.

Claim 25

The combination of claim 19, together with means in the spaces defined by said first and second annular sealing means for minimizing convection currents therein which comprises a pair of juxtaposed insulation modules, each of said insulation modules including an annular body of a structurally integral material having a low thermal conductivity and a substantially gastight shroud surrounding said body.

Claim 26

The combination of claim 20, wherein each coupling means includes an annular flange member and including a flange integrated with the outer jacket of the associated cryogenic component and facing the coupling means flange member, there being an annular sealing member between and in sealing relationship with said flange and flange member to prevent the outflow of cryogenic liquid vapor through the interface therebetween.

Claim 27

The combination of claim 19, wherein said first annular sealing means comprises a cylindrical member surrounding the cryogenic liquid conduit in the coupling; means adjacent said joint providing a seal between the conduit and one end of the cylindrical member; and a conical member surrounding the cylindrical member, the inner end of the conical member being sealed to the other end of the cylindrical member and the outer end thereof being sealed to the coupling means flange member and wherein said second annular sealing means comprises a cylindrical member surrounding the inner conduit of the cryogenic component, meaNs adjacent the joint providing a seal between the cylindrical member and the inner conduit, and a condical member surrounding the cylindrical member, the inner end of the cylindrical member being sealed to the other end of the cylindrical member and the outer end thereof being sealed to the outer jacket of the cryogenic component.

Claim 28

The combination of claim 22, wherein the means providing seals between the cylindrical member of the first annular sealing means and the conduit in the coupling and between the cylindrical member of the second annular sealing means and the inner conduit of the cryogenic component comprise juxtaposed annular rings, there being facing sealing surfaces on said rings and said liquid seal being disposed between said annular rings and engaging the sealing surfaces thereof.

Claim 29

A cryogenic coupling of the rotary, jacketed type, comprising: a first annular coupling means; a second annular coupling means; means extending between said first and second coupling means and making said first coupling means rotatable relative to said second coupling means about the longitudinal axis of the second coupling means; a cryogenic liquid conduit means concentrically disposed within said first and second coupling means and in spaced relation thereto, said conduit means comprising members rotatable with said first and second coupling means, respectively; a liquid seal means between said members for confining the cryogenic liquid to said conduit means while providing limited fluid communication between the inside and outside of the conduit means, whereby limited amounts of the cryogenic liquid can flow into and vaporize in a space between the conduit means and the couplings and thereby equalize the hydrostatic pressure on the opposite sides of said seal means and reduce the pressure on the seal means to the head pressure of the cryogenic liquid in the conduit means; and means disposed between said coupling means and said conduit means for reducing the flow of heat from the ambient surroundings into a liquid in said conduit means.

Claim 30

A cryogenic coupling of the rotary, jacketed type, comprising: a first annular coupling means; a second annular coupling means; means extending between said first and second coupling means and making said first coupling means rotatable relative to said second coupling means about the longitudinal axis of the second coupling means; a cryogenic liquid conduit means concentrically disposed within said first and second coupling means and in spaced relation thereto, said conduit means comprising members rotatable with said first and second coupling means, respectively; a liquid seal means between said members for confining the cryogenic liquid to said conduit means while providing limited fluid communication between the inside and outside of the conduit means, whereby limited amounts of the cryogenic liquid can flow into and vaporize in a space between the conduit means and the couplings and thereby equalize the hydrostatic pressure on the opposite sides of said seal means and reduce the pressure on the seal means to the head pressure of the cryogenic liquid in the conduit means; and means disposed between said coupling means and said conduit means for reducing the flow of heat from the ambient surroundings into a liquid in said conduit means.

Claim 31

A cryogenic coupling according to claim 24, together with means in the space in which the cryogenic liquid vapor exists for reducing circulation of said vapor and thereby keeping heat from being transferred into the cryogenic liquid in the conduit means by convection.

Claim 32

A cryogenic coupling according to claim 24, together with sealing means between said coupling means for preventing cryogenic liquid vapor from leaking between said coupling means to the exterior of the coupling.

Claim 33

A cryogenic coupling of the rotary type, comprising a pair of flange members; bearing sleeves fixed to said flange members and co-operating therewith to provide first and second coupling means; bearing means disposed between said sleeves for making each of said flanges rotatable relative to the other; means including a member rotatable with each of said coupling means for providing a cryogenic liquid flow component concentrically disposed within the coupling means, whereby there is an annular space between said conduit means and the coupling means; and means in said annular space for reducing the flow of heat from the ambient surroundings through the coupling into a cryogenic liquid in said conduit means, the flange member and bearing sleeve of one of said coupling means having portions engageable with opposite ends of said bearing means; the sleeve of said one coupling means being threaded onto the flange member thereof; and there being alignable apertures in the other coupling means and the sleeve of said one coupling means through and into which a tool can be inserted to preclude relative rotation therebetween, whereby the flange member of said one coupling means can be rotated relative to the sleeve thereof to decrease the distance between the bearing means engageable portions of the flange member and sleeve and thereby preload said bearings, there also being means carried by the flange member of said one coupling means which is engageable with the sleevE thereof to retain the flange member in the position to which it is adjusted relative to said sleeve.

Claim 34

A cryogenic coupling of the rotary type, comprising a pair of flange members; bearing sleeves fixed to said flange members and co-operating therewith to provide first and second coupling means; bearing means disposed between said sleeves for making each of said flanges rotatable relative to the other; means including a member rotatable with each of said coupling means for providing a cryogenic liquid flow component concentrically disposed within the coupling means, whereby there is an annular space between said conduit means and the coupling means; and means in said annular space for reducing the flow of heat from the ambient surroundings through the coupling into a cryogenic liquid in said conduit means, the flange member and bearing sleeve of one of said coupling means having portions engageable with opposite ends of said bearing means; the sleeve of said one coupling means being threaded onto the flange member thereof; and there being alignable apertures in the other coupling means and the sleeve of said one coupling means through and into which a tool can be inserted to preclude relative rotation therebetween, whereby the flange member of said one coupling means can be rotated relative to the sleeve thereof to decrease the distance between the bearing means engageable portions of the flange member and sleeve and thereby preload said bearings, there also being means carried by the flange member of said one coupling means which is engageable with the sleevE thereof to retain the flange member in the position to which it is adjusted relative to said sleeve.

Claim 35

A cryogenic coupling of the rotary type, comprising a pair of flange members; bearing sleeves fixed to said flange members and cooperating therewith to provide first and second coupling means; bearing means disposed between said sleeves for making each of said flanges rotatable relative to the other; means including a member rotatable with each of said coupling means for providing a cryogenic liquid flow component concentrically disposed within the coupling means, whereby there is an annular space between said conduit means and the coupling means; means in said annular space for reducing the flow of heat from the ambient surroundings through the coupling into a cryogenic liquid in said conduit means; co-operating radial sealing surfaces on the flange member of said one coupling means and on the bearing sleeve of the other coupling means; a dynamic environmental seal surrounding said just-mentioned flange member and having portions sealingly engaging said radial sealing surfaces; co-operating radial sealing surfaces on the sleeve of said one coupling means and on the flange member of the other coupling means; and an annular, dynamic, primary gas seal surrounding the cryogenic liquid conduit means and having portions thereof in sealing engagement with said last-mentioned sealing surfaces.

Claim 36

A cryogenic coupling of the rotary type, comprising a pair of flange members; bearing sleeves fixed to said flange members and cooperating therewith to provide first and second coupling means; bearing means disposed between said sleeves for making each of said flanges rotatable relative to the other; means including a member rotatable with each of said coupling means for providing a cryogenic liquid flow component concentrically disposed within the coupling means, whereby there is an annular space between said conduit means and the coupling means; means in said annular space for reducing the flow of heat from the ambient surroundings through the coupling into a cryogenic liquid in said conduit means; co-operating radial sealing surfaces on the flange member of said one coupling means and on the bearing sleeve of the other coupling means; a dynamic environmental seal surrounding said just-mentioned flange member and having portions sealingly engaging said radial sealing surfaces; co-operating radial sealing surfaces on the sleeve of said one coupling means and on the flange member of the other coupling means; and an annular, dynamic, primary gas seal surrounding the cryogenic liquid conduit means and having portions thereof in sealing engagement with said last-mentioned sealing surfaces.