Fluid handling – Diverse fluid containing pressure systems – Gas pressure storage over or displacement of liquid
Reexamination Certificate
2005-01-18
2005-01-18
Michalsky, Gerald A. (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Diverse fluid containing pressure systems
Gas pressure storage over or displacement of liquid
C220S088300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06843269
ABSTRACT:
An apparatus and method for inerting the gas present in the ullage region of a storage tank for combustible liquids, e.g., a fuel tank containing a hydrocarbon liquid fuel, utilizes a molecular sieve zone (2, beds12/14) which either (a) selectively adsorbs oxygen from the ullage gas to provide an oxygen-depleted return ullage gas, or (b) selectively adsorbs nitrogen from the ullage gas, which nitrogen is desorbed and conveyed by a purge gas to provide a nitrogen-enriched gas. The return ullage gas or the nitrogen-enriched gas is flowed to the ullage region (30, 130) in quantity sufficient to render the overall composition of gas in the ullage region (30, 130) non-combustible and non-explosive. The apparatus may include a compressor (22) or a vacuum pump to flow the ullage gas through the system, and a valving arrangement (16, 18) is used to control the flow of gases. Operation may be intermittent or continuous and may comprise pressure-swing adsorption/desorption to place one of molecular sieve beds (12, 14) on-line to adsorb oxygen or nitrogen from the ullage gas, while the other of molecular sieve beds (12, 14) is off-line being regenerated.
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Moss Deborah Kamlani
Shimko Martin A.
Verma Sandeep
Cantor & Colburn LLP
Libert Victor E.
Michalsky Gerald A.
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