Cryogenic liquid container

Claim 2

In a container for low temperature liquified gas that provides the gas at relatively low pressure by drawing liquified gas from the container into a heat exchanger where it evaporates and feeding the gas from the heat exchanger to the user, the improvement comprising, (a) an inner shell containing said liquified gas, (b) an outer shell containing said inner shell and enclosing a sealed shell insulating space between said shells (c) means connected to said container for evacuating said shell insulating space, (d) an opening in said outer shell, (e) an opening in said inner shell in line with said outer shell opening, (f) structural tube structurally attached and sealed to said outer shell opening and and extending therefrom through said insulating space to said inner shell around said inner shell opening, (g) means supportively attaching said structural tube to said inner shell that permits movement of said inner shell relative to said structural tube up to a predetermined maximum, (h) a sealing tube attached and sealed to said inner shell opening and extending therefrom through said structural tube defining a space therebetween, (i) means for sealing said space between said tubes whereby said space between said tubes is evacuated when said shell insulating space is evacuated and (j) a liquefied gas conduit leading from inside said inner shell, through said sealing tube to liquefied gas control means.

Claim 3

In a container for low temperature liquefied gas that provides the gas at relatively low pressure by drawing liquefied gas from the container into a heat exchanger where it evaporates and feeding the gas from the heat exchanger to the user, the improvement comprisng, (a) an inner shell containing said liquified gas, (b) an outer shell containing said inner shell and enclosing a sealed shell insulating space between said shells (c) means connected to said container for evacuating said shell insulating space, (d) an opening in said outer shell, (e) an opening in said inner shell in line with said outer shell opening, (f) a structural tube structurally attached and sealed to said outer shell opening and extending therefrom through said insulating space to said inner shell around said inner shell opening, (g) a spacer made of relatively low conductivity material acting between said structural tube and said inner shell, said spacer permitting movement of said inner shell relative to said structural tube up to a predetermined maximum, (h) a sealing tube attached and sealed to said inner shell opening and extending therefrom through said structural tube defining a space therebetween, (i) means for sealing said space between said tubes whereby said space between said tube is evacuated when said shell insulating space is evacuated and (j) a liquefied gas conduit leading from inside said inner shell, through said sealing tube to liquefied gas control means.

Claim 4

In a container for low temperature liquefied gas that provides the gas at relatively low pressure by drawing liquefied gas from the container into a heat exchanger where it evaporates and feeding the gas from the heat exchanger to the user, the improvement comprisng, (a) an inner shell containing said liquified gas, (b) an outer shell containing said inner shell and enclosing a sealed shell insulating space between said shells (c) means connected to said container for evacuating said shell insulating space, (d) an opening in said outer shell, (e) an opening in said inner shell in line with said outer shell opening, (f) a structural tube structurally attached and sealed to said outer shell opening and extending therefrom through said insulating space to said inner shell around said inner shell opening, (g) a spacer made of relatively low conductivity material acting between said structural tube and said inner shell, said spacer permitting movement of said inner shell relative to said structural tube up to a predetermined maximum, (h) a sealing tube attached and sealed to said inner shell opening and extending therefrom through said structural tube defining a space therebetween, (i) means for sealing said space between said tubes whereby said space between said tube is evacuated when said shell insulating space is evacuated and (j) a liquefied gas conduit leading from inside said inner shell, through said sealing tube to liquefied gas control means.

Claim 5

A container as in claim 2 wherein, said spacer is ring-shaped.

Claim 6

In a container for low temperature liquefied gas that provides the gas at relatively low pressure by drawing liquefied gas from the container into a heat exchanger where it evaporates and feeding the gas from the heat exchanger to the user, the improvement, comprising, (a) an inner shell containing said liquified gas, (b) an outer shell containing said inner shell and enclosing a sealed shell insulating space between said shells (c) means connected to said container for evacuating said shell insulating space, (d) an opening in said outer shell, (e) an opening in said inner shell in line with said outer shell opening, (f) an inner shell opening boss, (g) a structural tube structurally attached and sealed to said outer shell opening and extending therefrom through said insulating space to said inner shell around said inner shell opening boss, (h) a spacer made of relatively low conductivity material acting between said structural tube and said inner shell opening boss, said spacer permitting movement of said inner shell relative to said structural tube up to a predetermined maximum, (i) a sealing tube attached and sealed to said inner shell opening and extending therefrom through said structural tube defining a space therebetween, (j) means for sealing said space between said tubes whereby said space between said tubes is evacuated when said shell insulating space is evacuated and (k) a liquified gas conduit leading from inside said inner shell, through said sealing tube to liquefied gas control means.

Claim 7

In a container for low temperature liquefied gas that provides the gas at relatively low pressure by drawing liquefied gas from the container into a heat exchanger where it evaporates and feeding the gas from the heat exchanger to the user, the improvement, comprising, (a) an inner shell containing said liquified gas, (b) an outer shell containing said inner shell and enclosing a sealed shell insulating space between said shells (c) means connected to said container for evacuating said shell insulating space, (d) an opening in said outer shell, (e) an opening in said inner shell in line with said outer shell opening, (f) an inner shell opening boss, (g) a structural tube structurally attached and sealed to said outer shell opening and extending therefrom through said insulating space to said inner shell around said inner shell opening boss, (h) a spacer made of relatively low conductivity material acting between said structural tube and said inner shell opening boss, said spacer permitting movement of said inner shell relative to said structural tube up to a predetermined maximum, (i) a sealing tube attached and sealed to said inner shell opening and extending therefrom through said structural tube defining a space therebetween, (j) means for sealing said space between said tubes whereby said space between said tubes is evacuated when said shell insulating space is evacuated and (k) a liquified gas conduit leading from inside said inner shell, through said sealing tube to liquefied gas control means.

Claim 8

A container as in claim 4 wherein, (a) said shells, boss and tubes are metal, (b) said boss is welded to said inner shell opening and, (c) said structural tube is welded to said outer shell opening.

Claim 9

A container as in claim 4 wherein, (a) radial tapped holes are provided in said boss, (b) radial bolt holes aligned with said radial tapped holes are provided in said structural tube and said spacer and, (c) bolts through said thick wall tube and spacer holes screw into said boss tapped holes, limiting the lateral motion of said inner shell to the movement of said boss within said structural tube and spacer.

Claim 10

A container as in claim 4 wherein, (a) said means for sealing said annular space between said tubes is a flange that connects to both.

Claim 11

A container as in claim 7 wherein, (a) said sealing tube projecting end is welded to said flange.

Claim 12

A container as in claim 8 wherein, (a) means are providing for connecting a vacuum source said shell insulating space whereby said shell insulating is evacuated and said annular space between said tubes is evacuated at the same time.

Claim 13

In a container for low temperature liquefied gas that provides the gas at relatively low pressure by drawing liquefied gas from the container into a heat exchanger and feeding it from the heat exchanger to the user, the improvement comprising, (a) an inner shell containing said liquefied gas, (b) an outer shell containing said inner shell; and enclosing a sealed shell insulating space between said shells (c) means connected to said container for evacuating said shell insulating space, (d) an opening in said outer shell, (e) an opening in said inner shell in line with said outer shell opening, (f) means providing an insulated channel extending from outside said container through said outer and inner shell openings to the inside of said inner shell, vacuum sealed to said shells, (g) a fluid control valve assembly outside of said container, (h) means including a coil of tubing connected to said liquid gas conduit outside of said container arranged to intercept a flow of ambient air resulting in substantial heat flow from said ambient air to said liquefied gas causing said gas to vaporize within said coil of tubing and (i) said coil includes sets of side by side turns of increasing diameter and said sets are stacked one upon another and the flow of liquefied gas in said coil turns is from the last turn of a set to the set next above the turn of said set next above immediately adjacent said last turn of the set blow, (j) whereby the flow through said coil is progressively radially outward and then progressively radially inward and (k) means connecting said coil of tubing to said fluid control valve assembly, (l) whereby said control valve assembly controls the flow of gas to a user.

Claim 14

In a container for low temperature liquefied gas that provides the gas at relatively low pressure by drawing liquefied gas from the container into a heat exchanger and feeding it from the heat exchanger to the user, the improvement comprising, (a) an inner shell containing said liquefied gas, (b) an outer shell containing said inner shell; and enclosing a sealed shell insulating space between said shells (c) means connected to said container for evacuating said shell insulating space, (d) an opening in said outer shell, (e) an opening in said inner shell in line with said outer shell opening, (f) means providing an insulated channel extending from outside said container through said outer and inner shell openings to the inside of said inner shell, vacuum sealed to said shells, (g) a fluid control valve assembly outside of said container, (h) means including a coil of tubing connected to said liquid gas conduit outside of said container arranged to intercept a flow of ambient air resulting in substantial heat flow from said ambient air to said liquefied gas causing said gas to vaporize within said coil of tubing and (i) said coil includes sets of side by side turns of increasing diameter and said sets are stacked one upon another and the flow of liquefied gas in said coil turns is from the last turn of a set to the set next above the turn of said set next above immediately adjacent said last turn of the set blow, (j) whereby the flow through said coil is progressively radially outward and then progressively radially inward and (k) means connecting said coil of tubing to said fluid control valve assembly, (l) whereby said control valve assembly controls the flow of gas to a user.

Claim 15

A container as in claim 10 wherein, (a) said shells and said liquefied gas conduit are stainless steel and (b) said coil is copper.

Claim 16

In a container for low temperature liquefied gas that provides the gas form at relatively low pressure by drawing liquefied gas from the container into a heat exchanger where it evaporates and feeding the gas from the heat exchanger to the user, the improvement comprising, (a) an inner shell containing said liquefied gas, (b) an outer shell container said inner shell and enclosing a sealed shell insulating space between said shells (c) means connected to said container for evacuating said shell insulating space, (d) an opening in said outer shell, (e) an opening in said inner shell in line with said outer shell opening, (f) structural tube structurally attached and sealed to said outer shell opening and and extending therefrom through said insulating space to said inner shell around said inner shell opening, (g) means supportively attaching said structural tube to said inner shell that permits movement of said inner shell relative to said structural tube up to a predetermined maximum, (h) a sealing tube attached and sealed to said inner shell opening and extending therefrom through said structural tube defining a space therebetween, (i) means for sealing said space between said tubes whereby said space between said tubes is evacuated when said shell insulating space is evacuated and (j) a liquefied gas conduit leading from inside said inner shell, through said thin wall tube to liquified gas control means, (k) a fluid control valve assembly outside of said container, (l) means including a coil of tubing connected to said liquid gas conduit outside of said container arranged to intercept a flow of ambient air resulting in substantial heat flow from said ambient air to said liquified gas causing said gas to vaporize within said coil of tubing and (m) means connecting said coil of tubing to said fluid control valve assembly, (n) whereby said control valve assembly controls the flow of gas to a user.

Claim 17

In a container for low temperature liquefied gas that provides the gas form at relatively low pressure by drawing liquefied gas from the container into a heat exchanger where it evaporates and feeding the gas from the heat exchanger to the user, the improvement comprising, (a) an inner shell containing said liquefied gas, (b) an outer shell container said inner shell and enclosing a sealed shell insulating space between said shells (c) means connected to said container for evacuating said shell insulating space, (d) an opening in said outer shell, (e) an opening in said inner shell in line with said outer shell opening, (f) structural tube structurally attached and sealed to said outer shell opening and and extending therefrom through said insulating space to said inner shell around said inner shell opening, (g) means supportively attaching said structural tube to said inner shell that permits movement of said inner shell relative to said structural tube up to a predetermined maximum, (h) a sealing tube attached and sealed to said inner shell opening and extending therefrom through said structural tube defining a space therebetween, (i) means for sealing said space between said tubes whereby said space between said tubes is evacuated when said shell insulating space is evacuated and (j) a liquefied gas conduit leading from inside said inner shell, through said thin wall tube to liquified gas control means, (k) a fluid control valve assembly outside of said container, (l) means including a coil of tubing connected to said liquid gas conduit outside of said container arranged to intercept a flow of ambient air resulting in substantial heat flow from said ambient air to said liquified gas causing said gas to vaporize within said coil of tubing and (m) means connecting said coil of tubing to said fluid control valve assembly, (n) whereby said control valve assembly controls the flow of gas to a user.

Claim 18

In a container for low temperature liquefied gas that provides the gas at relatively low pressure by drawing liquefied gas from the container through a conduit into a heat exchanger where said liquefied gas evaporates and feeding said evaporated gas from said heat exchanger to a user, an improved heat exchanger comprising, (a) a coil of tubing connected to said liquid gas conduit outside of said container arranged to intercept a flow of ambient air resulting in substantial heat flow from said ambient air to said liquified gas in said tubing causing said liquefied gas to vaporize within said coil of tubing, (b) said coil including sets of side by side turns of increasing diameter relative to a common vertical axis, said sets being stacked one upon another concentric with said vertical axis and the flow of said liquefied gas in said coil turns is from the last turn of a set to the set next above to the turn of said set next above immediately adjacent said last turn of said set blow, (c) whereby the flow through said coil is progressively upward from coil set to coil set and (d) means for feeding said vaporized gas from the upward-most set of turns of said coil of tubing to said user.

Claim 19

In a container for low temperature liquefied gas that provides the gas at relatively low pressure by drawing liquefied gas from the container through a conduit into a heat exchanger where said liquefied gas evaporates and feeding said evaporated gas from said heat exchanger to a user, an improved heat exchanger comprising, (a) a coil of tubing connected to said liquid gas conduit outside of said container arranged to intercept a flow of ambient air resulting in substantial heat flow from said ambient air to said liquified gas in said tubing causing said liquefied gas to vaporize within said coil of tubing, (b) said coil including sets of side by side turns of increasing diameter relative to a common vertical axis, said sets being stacked one upon another concentric with said vertical axis and the flow of said liquefied gas in said coil turns is from the last turn of a set to the set next above to the turn of said set next above immediately adjacent said last turn of said set blow, (c) whereby the flow through said coil is progressively upward from coil set to coil set and (d) means for feeding said vaporized gas from the upward-most set of turns of said coil of tubing to said user.

Claim 20

A container as in claim 13 wherein, (a) the coils of a set of progressively increasing diameter are progressively each lower than the preceding coil of the same set.

Claim 21

A container as in claim 14 wherein, (a) an ambient air flow guide is provided enclosing said sets of coil turns, (b) whereby ambient air flows in among said coil turns at the top-most set and out from said coil turns at the bottom-most set.

Claim 22

A container as in claim 13 wherein, (a) an ambient air flow guide is provided enclosing said sets of coil turns, (b) whereby ambient air flows in among said coil turns at the top-most set and out from said coil turns at the bottom-most set.