US2460355A - Container for liquefied gases - Google Patents

Description

.Feb- 1, 1949 H. c. KORNEMANNy 2,460,355

CONTAINER FOR LIQUEFIED GASES original Filed Juiy 11, 1942 MINI 'INVENTOR ATTORNEY HENRY C. KORNEMANN Patented Feb. l, 1949 I UNITED sTATEs PATENT 'OFFICE t 2,460,355 y y ,CONTAINER FOB LIQUEFIED GASES ration of Ohio original application July 11,`\194z.seriai No.

Divided and this application November 4, 1944, Serial No. 561,869

2 Claims. (Cl. 22o-15) This invention relates to containers for holding cold liquids and more particularly to apparatus for the storage of a liquefied gas having a relatively low boiling-point temperature such as liquid oxygen.

In order to store liqueed gases having boilingpoint temperatures below 233 K. such as liquid oxygen at atmospheric pressure or at pressures slightly above atmospheric pressure, it is necessary that the vessel holding the liquefied gas be well protected from the heat of the atmosphere so that losses due to evaporation are maintained at a, low value. It is customary to envelope completely the liquid-holding vessel with a relatively thick layer of insulating material,

embodying the principles of the present invention; and

- Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the and thoroughly protect such insulation from the eilects of atmospheric moisture by providing a closed outer shell about the vessel and insulation. The insulating material customarily employed for a liquid oxygen container is a loose powder such as magnesium carbonate or a brous material such as mineral wool or a combination of such materials. Such insulation has a Idensity such that it is only self-supportingv and cannot provide any support for the inner vessel. For moderate sized liquid oxygen containers the inner vessel yis customarily supported in suspension by rods or cables secured to the outer shell or to a frame associated with the outer shell. For relatively large liquefied gas storage containers such method of supporting the inner vesselwould require the provision of excessively heavy side walls for the outer shell or expensive and heavy bracing and frame construction. I

Principal objects of the present'invention are:

to provide an improved construction for conequal irrespective of the expansion and contraction due to temperature changes. A

These and other objects and novel features oi. the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view mainly'in vertical section of a relatively large liqueed gas storage container upper portion of one of the supporting members for the inner vessel.

Referring now to the drawing, the inner vessel I0 and outer shell II are preferably in the form' oi' upright cylinders having cylindrical side walls I2 and I3 respectively, but provided with dished upper and lower heads I4, I5 and I6. I1, respectively. The outer shell Il is larger in all dimensions` than the inner vessel I0 by an amount suillcient to provide an adequate insulation space between the walls I2 and I3, the upper heads Il and I5 and the lower heads I6 and I'l. Such` insulation space is filled with suitable insulating means I9. In some instances, however, it may be desirable to employ a vacuum between the inner vessel and the outer shell for purposes of heat insulation. In such case the surfaces of the insulation space should be highly p olished. For vessels of relatively large size, however, it is difviicult and expensive to provide polished surfaces cause the outer shell can be constructed so as to withstand the external atmospheric pressure. I

The inner vessel Ill is supported in desired relation to the outer shell II by a series of piers or supporting members 20, preferably spaced circumferentially around the lower end of the cylindrical side Wall I2. The supporting members 20 are secured to the lower head Il by suitable means such as by welding the member to a ren enforcing plate 2| secured against the inside surface of the head I1. An outwardly extending angular brace 22 may also be provided to maintain the supporting members 20 in the vertical position. Such supporting members may preferably have a tubular form and be composed of a metal having a relatively low heat conductivity, such as stainless steel. The upper ends of the supporting members 20 are provided withfiat horizontal plates 23, the upper surfaces of which are smooth to form bearing surfaces. Corresponding bearing surfaces on the inner vessel III are provided on the lower surfaces of horizontal plates 24 secured in the proper positions to the inner, vessel I0. The plates 24 are secured preferably by welding to the lower ends of angular brackets 25, the upper ends of which are secured to the cylindrical side wall I2. The brackets 25v are braced by gusset plates 26 to the dished head I 6. The inwardly extending edges of the plates 24 are welded to angle plates 2l which are secured against the shoulder of the dished head I6. A lubricating material such as graphite is interposed between the bearing surfaces of the plates 23` and 24. Thelamount of relative travel l permitted between the plates 23 and 24 is preferably limited by suitable stops. Thus, a stop block 28 is secured against the under surface of the plate 24 adjacent its outer edge while the bracket 21 secured to the under surface of the plate 24 adjacent its inner edge acts to prevent over travel in the other direction.

The outer shell may be supported by any suitvextend into the ground to a depth below the normal frost line.

Connections for the supply and withdrawal of liquid, the withdrawal of gas, safety valves, and other auxiliary equipment may be provided as is customary with liquefied gas storage tanks. Such support the inner vessel in desired spaced relation to the outer shell; movement-restraining means associated with said bearing surfaces on said inner vessel and positioned to cooperate with said supporting members for substantially centering said inner vessel with respect to said outer vessel when said inner vessel has contracted a predetermined amount due to introduction of liquefied gas; and anti-friction means between the bearing surfaces of said inner vessel and the corresponding surfaces of said supporting members, said anti-friction means being of a character having adequate anti-friction properties at the temperature of said liquefied gas whereby said inner vessel may freely contract radially and be centered with respect to said outer shell.

2. Apparatus for the storage of liquefied gas at temperatures below 233 K. comprising a closed inner vessel for holding the liquefied gas; said inner vesselv having a side wall of substantially vertical cylindrical form; a plurality of brackets secured externally at spaced points to the lower portion of said side walls, Isaid brackets each having a horizontal bearing surface; a closedgastight outer shell enveloping said inner vessel and spaced therefrom to provide an evacuatable inequipment forms no part of the present invention I and is therefore not illustrated.

It will be seen that certain features of the invention may be used independently of others and that changes may be made'in certain features of the apparatus without departing from the essentials of the invention. -For example, the

inner vessel I0 or both the inner vessel l0 andthe outer shell II may be of spherical insulating space; supporting members spaced outwardly from the center of the bottom of said inner vesselV and extending upwardly from the bottom or iioor of the outer shell, said supporting members being provided with smooth, flat horizontal upper bearing surfaces; supports for holding said outer shell in upright position, said supports being positioned under said supporting members; horizontal iiat bearing surfaces on said inner vessel positioned to rest on said upper surfaces of said supporting members, the construction and arrangement of said supporting members yand horizontal surfaces being such as to sulating'space; supporting members secured to and extending upwardly from the lower portion with respect to said outer shell; supporting col-` umns for said outer shell positioned substantially under said supporting members so that the weight of the inner vessel and contents creates substantially no bending forces in the outer shell; and outer and inner stop means associated with said bearing surfaces for preventing excessive relative horizontal displacement between the inner vessel and outer shell and acting in cooperation with said anti-friction means to center the inner vessel when it contracts upon introduction of a charge of said liquefied gas, whereby the heat insulating efliciency of said insulating space is at its highest value when the inner vessel is charged.

HENRY C. KORNEMANN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Koppel Oct. 31, 1944

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