Patent US4062006A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3883322A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3883322A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Blending apparatus for vaporizing propane
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-08-23
•
Granted: 1975-05-13
•
Expires: 1993-08-23
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for providing from a supply of liquefied fuel fluid, such as propane, an aerated, gaseous fuel fluid to be added to a natural gas distribution system from supplementation, standby or peak shaving service. The apparatus includes means for vaporizing a portion of the liquid fuel as a result of absorption of thermal energy developed in the process of compressing ambient air to be mixed with the supply fuel fluid in the aeration thereof. The apparatus further includes means for dehumidifying the compressed air utilizing a flashing of another portion of the liquid fuel into the compressed air so as to cool the air and permit subsequent removal of the condensed moisture by a separator apparatus.
Inventors
- 👤 Jr Henry W Bivins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 03:04
CPC Classifications
F; F17; F17C; F17C7/00; F17C7/02; F17C7/04; B; B01; B01D; B01D3/00; B01D3/14; B01D3/32; B01D3/322; F17C2201/00; F17C2201/01; F17C2201/0104; F17C2201/0109; F17C2221/00; F17C2221/03; F17C2221/031; F17C2221/032; F17C2221/033; F17C2221/035; F17C2223/00; F17C2223/01; F17C2223/0107; F17C2223/0123; F17C2223/0146; F17C2223/0153; F17C2223/0161; F17C2227/00; F17C2227/03; F17C2227/0367; F17C2227/0388; F17C2227/0393; F17C2265/00; F17C2265/01; F17C2265/015
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING FROM A SUPPLY OF LIQUEFIED FUEL FLUID A GASEOUS FUEL FLUID, COMPRISING: DELIVERY MEANS; POWERED MEANS FOR COMPRISING AMBIENT AIR; MEANS PROVIDING A HEAT TRANSFER COOLANT IN HEAT EXHCANGE RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID POWERED MEANS FOR COOLING SAID POWERED MEANS; MEANS FOR PROVIDING HEAT EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE LIQUID FUEL FLUID AND SAID COOLANT FOR COOLING SAID COOLANT AND VAPORIZING SAID LIQUID FUEL FLUID; AND MEANS FOR DELIVERING TO SAID DELIVERY MEANS A MIXTURE OF FUEL FLUID VAPORIZED BY SAID HEAT EXCHANGE MEANS AND AIR COMPRESSED BY SAID POWERED MEANS.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
91 words
APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING FROM A SUPPLY OF LIQUEFIED FUEL FLUID A GASEOUS FUEL FLUID, COMPRISING: DELIVERY MEANS; POWERED MEANS FOR COMPRISING AMBIENT AIR; MEANS PROVIDING A HEAT TRANSFER COOLANT IN HEAT EXHCANGE RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID POWERED MEANS FOR COOLING SAID POWERED MEANS; MEANS FOR PROVIDING HEAT EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE LIQUID FUEL FLUID AND SAID COOLANT FOR COOLING SAID COOLANT AND VAPORIZING SAID LIQUID FUEL FLUID; AND MEANS FOR DELIVERING TO SAID DELIVERY MEANS A MIXTURE OF FUEL FLUID VAPORIZED BY SAID HEAT EXCHANGE MEANS AND AIR COMPRESSED BY SAID POWERED MEANS.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said powered means includes a natural gas engine drive means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heat exchange means includes means providing a liquid heat exchange medium for transferring heat from said air compressing means to said liquid fuel fluid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heat exchange means includes reboiler tank and means for maintaining a level of liquid fuel fluid therein for heat exchange with the air compressing means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further including means for removing moisture from the compressed air prior to the delivery thereof to said delivery means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further including means for vaporizing a second portion of the liquid fuel fluid and combining the vaporized fuel fluid with the compressed air, said delivery means further defining means for delivering the combined vaporized fuel fluid and compressed air to said delivery means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further including means for flashing a second portion of the liquefied fuel fluid into the compressed air to refrigerate the compressed air.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further including means responsive to a change of condition of a second portion of the liquefied fuel fluid for removing moisture from the compressed air.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
65 words
APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING FROM A SUPPLY OF LIQUEFIED FUEL FLUID AN AERATED GASEOUS FUEL FLUID, COMPRISING: DELIVERY MEANS; MEANS FOR PROVIDING COMPRESSED AIR; MEANS FOR FLASHING THE LIQUEFIED FUEL FLUID; MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE FLASHING OF THE LIQUEFIED FUEL FLUID FOR DEHUMIDIFYING THE COMPRESSED AIR; AND MEANS FOR DELIVERING A MIXTURE OF THE DEHUMIDIFIED COMPRESSED AIR AND THE FLASHED FUEL FLUID TO SAID DELIVERY MEANS.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
65 words
APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING FROM A SUPPLY OF LIQUEFIED FUEL FLUID AN AERATED GASEOUS FUEL FLUID, COMPRISING: DELIVERY MEANS; MEANS FOR PROVIDING COMPRESSED AIR; MEANS FOR FLASHING THE LIQUEFIED FUEL FLUID; MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE FLASHING OF THE LIQUEFIED FUEL FLUID FOR DEHUMIDIFYING THE COMPRESSED AIR; AND MEANS FOR DELIVERING A MIXTURE OF THE DEHUMIDIFIED COMPRESSED AIR AND THE FLASHED FUEL FLUID TO SAID DELIVERY MEANS.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said flashing means comprises means for flashing said liquefied fuel fluid into the compressed air, and said dehumidifying means includes means to cool the air suitably to condense moisture therein and means for separating the condensed moisture from the cooled air.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
THe apparatus of claim 9 wherein the flashing means is arranged to further cool the dehumidified air subsequent to the dehumidification thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said dehumidifying means comprises means for cooling the air suitably to condense moisture therein, and means for separating condensed moisture from the cooled air, said apparatus further including means for placing the dehumidified air in heat exchange relationship with the flashing liquid fuel fluid for further cooling the dehumidified air prior to delivery to said delivery means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
89 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said dehumidifying means comprises a shell and tube heat exchanger arranged to cause vaporization of the liquefied fuel fluid into the compressed air within the shell portion thereof and thereby cool compressed air in the tube portion thereof suitably to condense moisture therein, means for separating the condensed moisture from the cooled air, the dehumidified air passing through the shell of the heat exchanger with the vaporizing liquefied fuel fluid further cooling the air prior to the delivery thereof to said delivery means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 9 further including controlled valve means responsive to the rate of flow of the dehumidified air for controlling the rate of delivery of liquefied fuel fluid from the supply.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said controlled valve means includes orifice means in the flow path of the air between said flashing means and said delivery means, and a valve responsive to the flow through the orifice means for controlling the flow of liquefied fuel fluid from the supply.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said flashing means includes a nozzle for injecting fuel fluid from the supply into the dehumidified compressed air.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 9 further including means for vaporizing a portion of the liquefied fuel fluid of said supply and means for deliverying said vaporized portion to said delivery means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2221352A
Cited
US2522026A
Cited
US2618935A
Cited
US3266261A
Cited
US3479164A
Cited
US3535885A
Cited
US3421574A
Cited
US3438216A
Cited
US3658499A
Cited
US3724229A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-12 | 1978-11-11 | 1979-05-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-12 | 1982-11-11 | 1983-05-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-12 | 1986-11-11 | 1987-05-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |