US4058373A — Combustible gas-in-oil detector

Claim 1

Independent Claim 116 words

In a system for extracting and analyzing gas carried in a body of liquid, the combination of conduit means for directing a portion of the liquid in a path leading externally from the body and returning thereto, means for cooling the liquid in a portion of the conduit means which is external of the body for creating a temperature gradient along said path for causing the liquid to move through the conduit means by thermosiphonic action, means forming a hollow chamber within a portion of the conduit means with the chamber having semi-permeable outer wall means for passing gas from the liquid into the chamber, and means for moving gas from the chamber for subsequent analysis.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 116 words

In a system for extracting and analyzing gas carried in a body of liquid, the combination of conduit means for directing a portion of the liquid in a path leading externally from the body and returning thereto, means for cooling the liquid in a portion of the conduit means which is external of the body for creating a temperature gradient along said path for causing the liquid to move through the conduit means by thermosiphonic action, means forming a hollow chamber within a portion of the conduit means with the chamber having semi-permeable outer wall means for passing gas from the liquid into the chamber, and means for moving gas from the chamber for subsequent analysis.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 37 words

A system as in claim 1 in which the outer wall means of the chamber includes an elongate cylindrical shell mounted in radially spaced-apart relationship within the conduit means with liquid contained therein surrounding the cylindrical shell.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 31 words

A system as in claim 2 in which the cylindrical shell includes a support tube of a porous material together with a membrane of semi-permerable material mounted about the support tube.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 43 words

A system as in claim 1 in which the conduit means includes an upright section and means forming a heat exchange surface on the upright section for transferring heat to air surrounding the heat exchange surface for cooling fluid within the upright section.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 27 words

A system as in claim 4 in which the means forming a heat exchange surface includes a plurality of radially extending fins mounted about the upright section.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 82 words

A system as in claim 1 in which the means for moving the gas from the chamber includes an inlet tube having an open end extending into the chamber together with an outlet tube having an open end extending into the chamber, and means for moving a carrier gas through the inlet tube, into the chamber and through the outlet tube whereby gas which permeates into the chamber from the fluid is moved along with the carrier gas through the outlet tube.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 29 words

A system as in claim 6 which includes means connected with the outlet tube for analyzing and determining the character of the gas being carried by the carrier gas.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 124 words

Apparatus for detecting gas within an oil-filled structure, including an upright conduit having its upper and lower ends connected in fluid communication with the oil in the structure, means for cooling at least a portion of the upright conduit and thereby cooling oil contained therein to a temperature lower than the temperature of oil within the structure for causing thermosiphonic movement of oil from the structure through the upper end of the conduit and back to the structure through the lower end, an elongate cell wall enclosing an inner chamber with the outer wall being formed at least in part of a semi-permeable material for permeating gas into the chamber from oil surrounding the cell, and means for extracting said gas from the cell.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 124 words

Apparatus for detecting gas within an oil-filled structure, including an upright conduit having its upper and lower ends connected in fluid communication with the oil in the structure, means for cooling at least a portion of the upright conduit and thereby cooling oil contained therein to a temperature lower than the temperature of oil within the structure for causing thermosiphonic movement of oil from the structure through the upper end of the conduit and back to the structure through the lower end, an elongate cell wall enclosing an inner chamber with the outer wall being formed at least in part of a semi-permeable material for permeating gas into the chamber from oil surrounding the cell, and means for extracting said gas from the cell.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 27 words

Apparatus as in claim 8 in which the cooling means includes a plurality of vertically elongate, radially extending fins mounted about a portion of the upright conduit.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 33 words

Apparatus as in claim 8 in which the outer wall of the cell includes a support wall formed of a porous metal together with a semi-permeable polymeric membrane carried about the support wall.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 15 words

Apparatus as in claim 10 in which said membrane is formed of a silicone rubber.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 34 words

Apparatus as in claim 8 in which said extraction means includes means coupled with the cell for injecting a carrier gas into the chamber and for carrying said permeating gas out of the chamber.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 89 words

In a method for analyzing gas in a body of liquid, the steps of directing liquid from the body along a path externally thereof, creating a temperature differential between liquid in the path relative to liquid in the body whereby the liquid moves from the body through the path by thermosiphonic action, directing the liquid moving in the path into contact with one side of a semi-permeable membrane, causing gas in the liquid to permeate through the membrane, and collecting gas which permeates through the membrane for subsequent analysis.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 89 words

In a method for analyzing gas in a body of liquid, the steps of directing liquid from the body along a path externally thereof, creating a temperature differential between liquid in the path relative to liquid in the body whereby the liquid moves from the body through the path by thermosiphonic action, directing the liquid moving in the path into contact with one side of a semi-permeable membrane, causing gas in the liquid to permeate through the membrane, and collecting gas which permeates through the membrane for subsequent analysis.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 54 words

A method as in claim 13 in which the liquid is directed from the body along an upstanding path, and the temperature differential is created by cooling liquid in a portion of the upstanding path to a temperature below the temperature of the liquid in the body to establish liquid movement by thermosiphonic action.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 55 words

A method as in claim 13 in which the semi-permeable membrane encloses a chamber with the membrane being surrounded by liquid in the path whereby gas permeates through the membrane into the chamber, and the gas is collected by directing a carrier gas into and out of the chamber for carrying said permeating gas therewith.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1980-11-14	1981-05-16	1981-11-15	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1984-11-14	1985-05-16	1985-11-15	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1988-11-14	1989-05-16	1989-11-15	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Combustible gas-in-oil detector

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