US3602003A - Method of and apparatus for transporting cryogenic liquids - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of and apparatus for reducing the rate at which the heat content of a cryogenic liquid such as liquefied oxygen or nitrogen increases as a consequence of its being necessarily shipped in a partially filled container. The method includes dividing a predetermined volume of the liquid which ordinarily would be loaded into a shipping container therefor into major and minor fractions, the first of which is significantly larger than the second. The major fraction is confined within a container compartment having substantially the same volume as that of the major fraction, and the minor fraction is confined within a container compartment having a substantially larger volume than that of the minor fraction so as to accommodate any enlargement in the volume of the major fraction as a consequence of increases in the heat content thereof. Any such increases in the volume of the major fraction are withdrawn from the container compartment confining the same and are delivered to the container compartment confining the minor fraction. The apparatus includes a tank car having a large container provided with inner and outer wall structures separated from each other to define a heat-insulated space therebetween. The container is subdivided by a bulkhead into major and minor compartments, and means are provided for filling the container with a cryogenic liquid and for withdrawing such liquid therefrom. The minor and major compartments are flow interconnected by valve-equipped conduits that enable any overflow of liquid from the major compartment resulting from temperature-induced volumetric increases in the liquid confined therein to pass into the minor compartment.

Description

[72] lnventor Robert S. llilampton lLiverrnore, tCnlii. [211 App]. No. 000,765 [22] Filed Mar. 20, 11969 [45] Patented Aug. 3i, 11971 [73] Assignee lLox Equipment Company Livermore, Calili. Continuation-in-part oi application Ser. No. 756,554, Aug. 30, 1960, now abandoned.

[54] METHUD 01F AND APPARATUS lFUlii TRANSPORTTNG CiWOGENllQ lLllQlUilDiS 112 Claims, 3 Drawing i igs.

[52] 10.5. C1 622/54, 62/55, 220/9, 220/85 [51] int. 1C1 ..1F117c 113/00,B65d 25/00 [50] Field oi Search 62/45, 50, 51, 55, 54; 220/9, 85

[56] Reierences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,651,921 9/1953 DuRant 62/50 X 3,045,437 7/1962 Aronson 62/45 X 3,254,498 6/1966 Becker 62/45 3,319,433 5/1967 Pauliukonis et al 62/55 X Primary Examiner-Albert W. Davis, Jr. Attorney-Gardner and Zimmerman ABSTRACT: A method of and apparatus for reducing the rate at which the heat content of a cryogenic liquid such as liquefied oxygen or nitrogen increases as a consequence of its being necessarily shipped in a partially filled container. The method includes dividing a predetermined volume of the liquid which ordinarily would be loaded into a shipping container therefor into major and min-or fractions, the first of which is significantly larger than the second. The major frac tion is confined within a container compartment having substantially the same volume as that of the major fraction, and the minor fraction is confined within a container compartment having a substantially larger volume than that of the minor fraction so as toaccommodate any enlargement in the volume of the major fraction as a consequence of increases in the heat content thereof. Any such increases in the volume of the major fraction are withdrawn from the container compartment confining the same and are delivered to the container compartment confining the minor fraction.

The apparatus includes a tank car having a large container provided with inner and outer wall structures separated from each other to define a heat-insulated space therebetween. The container is subdivided by a bulkhead into major and minor compartments, and means are provided for filling the container with a cryogenic liquid and for withdrawing such liquid therefrom. The minor and major compartments are flow interconnected by valve-equipped conduits that enable any overflow of liquid from the major compartment resulting from temperature-induced volumetric increases in the liquid confined therein to pass into the minor compartment.

PATENTED AUBSI ISYI $602,003

INVENTOR. Robert 5. Hampton At orneqs METHOD Oil AND APPARATUS I Olit TRANSPORTING ClltYOGlENIC LIQUIDS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Ser. No. 756,554 filed Aug. 30, 1968, now abandoned for Method of an Apparatus for Transporting Cryogenic Liquids) DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for reducing the rate at which the heat content of a liquid increases as a consequence of its being shipped in a partially filled container, and it relates more particularly to a method of and apparatus for transporting relatively large quantities of a cryogenic liquid, as for example, a railway tank car of liquid oxygen or nitrogen.

Whenever a liquid product confined within a partially filled container is shipped, whether by highway, rail, sea or air, the substantially unending disturbances imparted to the liquid as a consequence of its inertia and of container vibration, changes in the velocity thereof and in the direction of its movement, etc., imparts kinetic energy to the liquid causing it to move about or slosh within the container. The kinetic energy represented by such motion of the liquid is at least partially dissipated by conversion into heat which has the consequence, often undesirable, of elevating the temperature of the liquid product.

The amount that a liquid sloshes within a container, and the resultant conversion of kinetic energy to heat, is to a considerable extent a function of the geometry of the container; and, in this reference, conversion of the kinetic energy to heat varies with the square of the length of the uninterrupted wave motion (i.e., the distance between abutments in the direction of wave motion or travel). In view of this, a common means for reducing the kinetic energy and hence, heat imparted to the liquid, is to install multiple-baffle structure in the container so as to reduce the free distance the waves can travel in the direction of the greatest expected changes in velocity of the container (i.e., the direction of greatest expected positive and negative accelerations). However, the hydraulic forces that develop during the shipment of relatively dense liquids under the accelerations expected in rail transport is very large, and by way of example, a typical specification for a dense liquid such as liquid oxygen requires the structural design of the container and any baffle structure to accommodate an acceleration of 7 gs. Thus, installation of multiple baffles within a container for dense liquids is quite expensive since such structures must be quite substantial.

Relatively large volumes of cryogenic liquids are necessarily transported in partially filled containers because such liquids must be maintained at very low temperatures as, for example, temperatures of the order of 200 F.; and as a consequence, a great temperature difference exists between such liquids and the ambient environments. Therefore, it is to be expected that there will be some increase in the heat content of such liquids when they are shipped by rail or other transport over relatively long distances, and this increase will be accompanied by an increase in the volume of the liquid. As a result, it is customary to maintain substantial ullage space within a container in which cryogenic liquids are shipped; and by way of example, I

in containers having a capacity in excess of 20,000 gallons, it is customary to fill the same only to about 90 percent to 95 percent of capacity.

Accordingly, the problem of reducing the rate at which the heat content of a cryogenic liquid increases as a consequence of its being shipped in a partially filled container is one to which considerable attention has been directed for several reasons. Increases in the heat content result in product loss because of the operation of pressure relief valves and rupture discs in transit, which operation permits the escape of the product to protect the container against excessive pressures, and because of flashoff of temperature-induced product vapors that accumulate in transit when the product is unloaded at its destination. So far as is known, such efforts to reduce the rate of increase in the heat content in a cryogenic liquid during shipment thereof has resulted in the inclusion of multiple-baffle structures to reduce the distances of wave motion, as explained hereinbefore.

An object, among others, of the present invention is to provide an improved method of and apparatus for transporting large quantities of liquid products, cryogenic products for example such as liquid oxygen, nitrogen, etc., and which method and apparatus minimize the development of kinetic energy within the liquid and conversion of such energy into heat; and which improved method and apparatus accomplishes such minimization without the requirement for multiple-baffle or other structures of high mass, complexity and strength.

Such object is generally accomplished by confining at least a major fraction of the liquid which ordinarily would be loaded into a shipping container therefore, within a first compartment of the shipping container having a volumetric capacity substantially equal to that of the major fraction. While ideally, all of the liquid is confined within the first compartment, a minor fraction of it may be confined within a second compartment of the shipping container, but the second compartment therefor has a greater volumetric capacity than is required by such minor fraction, sufficiently greater so as to accommodate any increases in the volume of the major fraction as a consequence of increases in the heat content thereof. The two compartments are interconnected so that any increases in the volume of the major fraction are withdrawn from the compartment therefor and are delivered into the space afforded in the compartment confining the minor fraction. The increase of kinetic energy of the liquid as a consequence of motion imparted thereto is significantly minimized because there is substantially no ullage within the compartment confining the major fraction the accompanying drawing, motion thereof is substantially inhibited, and the compartment containing the minor fraction is constructed so that the free distance for wave motion is quite small, thereby materially restricting the wave motion and heat increase developed therefrom in the minor fraction.

An exemplary structural embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. l is a schematic diagram of a container and the various flow connections thereto embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a broken side view in elevation of the inner wall of a container embodying the invention, the outer wall thereof being broken away and shown in section; and

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 3- 3 of FIG. 2.

As respects the present invention, the constructional features and characteristics of the relatively large containers in which cryogenic liquids are stored and transported may be conventional; and as a consequence, such constructional details are neither illustrated nor described since containers of this general type are well known in the art. Accordingly, for purposes hereof the container illustrated may be taken to be a railway tank car used for transporting cryogenic liquids and it is essentially conventional except to the extent that such tank car is specifically modified as explained herein. The container shown is denoted in its entirety with the numeral 110, and it comprises an inner wall structure 111 defining a liquid-receiving compartment 112 therewithin and an outer shell or wall structure 113 surrounding the wall structure it to enclose the same. The wall structures Ill and 13 are separated and define a chamber or space M therebetween which is provided with a vacuum and thermal insulation so as to retard and minimize the rate of heat migration into the liquid contents confined within thecompartment 12.

As explained hereinbefore, cryogenic products likely to be shipped within thecontainer 10 are products such as liquified oxygen and nitrogen and, evidently, these products must be maintained at a very low temperature, for example, of the order of 200 F. As a consequence of the temperature differential established between the low temperature liquid within thecompartment 12 and the ambient air temperatures exteriorly of the outer shell orwall structure 13, there is always a slow inward migration of heat through the wall structures and insulated space 14 to the cryogenic product within thecompartment 12. It will be apparent that the temperature increases of the cryogenic liquid resulting from such heat migration thereto will cause the liquid to expand and, therefore, provision for such expansion must be made, usually by not completely filling the compartment 12 (for example, only filling the same to about 95 of its volumetric capacity).

The relatively large ullage space thereby provided within thecompartment 12 has the disadvantages of affording considerable room for the liquid to slosh or move about within the compartment as the container is transported; and since the hydrokinetic energy represented by such moving liquid must be dissipated, a considerable component of it appears as unwanted heat, thereby accelerating the temperature rise of the liquid. As explained heretofore, previous practice has resulted in the construction of multiple baffles within the compartment in an effort to reduce the motion of the liquid therewithin and, therefore, the hydrokinetic energy which is caused and which is dissipated, at least in substantial part, as heat. y

In the container shown in the drawing, thecompartment 12 is subdivided into major and minor compartments orcompartment sections 15 and 16 as by means of abulkhead 17 mounted within thecompartment 12 intermediate the ends thereof. The major compartment orcompartment section 15 is significantly larger in a volumetric sense than theminor compartment 16, and in a typical installation the order-ofmagnitude ratio is in the range of about 9to 1. As will become more apparent hereinafter, the precise ratio may vary substantially, but ordinarily the greatest advantage is realized when the minor compartment is made as small as possible without being so small that it cannot accommodate the ordinarily anticipated expansion-caused overflow of liquid from the major compartment.

Any suitable materials may be made to construct the container l0, and in a usual instance the inner wall structured 1 will be stainless steel whereupon thebulkhead 17 is advantageously formed of stainless steel welded or otherwise secured to the wall structure 1 1 so as to flow-isolate the major andminor compartments 15 and 16. Thebulkhead 17 may be initially provided with a centrally located access opening so that entrance to thecompartment 16 can be gained through the interior of thecompartment 15 as necessary while the container is being constructed. This opening is sealed in the late stages of the construction by acover 18 which is secured to thebulkhead 17 such as by welding.

The various connections to and interconnections between the compartments l5 and 16 are shown in FIG. 1, and the numerous valves, gauges and conduits, and the manner of connection of the conduits with the respectively associated compartments may be largely conventional. Thus, themajor compartment 15 is provided adjacent each end thereof with valveequipped conduits l9 and that are used selectively to fill thecompartment 15 with a cryogenic liquid and to withdraw such liquid therefrom. Usually, theconduits 19 and 20 are arranged with the wall structure 11 andcompartment 15 so as to enter the same adjacent the bottom thereof as shown. The provision of the two valve-equippedconduits 19 and 20 serves as a convenience so that the compartment can be loaded and unloaded from either of its ends. Thecompartment 15 is also provided with a valve-equippedvent conduit 21 having a safety valve 22 located therealong which, by way of example, may be a burst disc .designed to relieve the pressure within thecompartment 15 should it exceed a value of about 45 p.s.i.g.

Thecompartment 15 has aconduit 23 communicating therewith which is equipped with a manually manipulatable valve, and the conduit is so arranged with respect to the compartment that liquid can be withdrawn through the conduit when the compartment contains a predetermined volume of liquid. For example, assuming a typical situation in which thecompartment 15 comprises approximately percent of the total capacity of thecomposite compartment 12, wherefore thecompartment 16 comprises about 10 percent of such total capacity, theconduit 23 may be arranged to enable liquid to flow therethrough when thecompartment 15 is substantially full. Therefore, theconduit 23 and the valve therefor might be referred to as a 90 percent full trycock. A pair ofconduits 24 and 25 respectively connected to the bottom and top of thecompartment 15 define liquid and vapor lines, respectively, and each is equipped with a valve and terminates in the respectively associated liquid level andpressure gauges 26 and 27. Theconduits 24 and 25 are interconnected intermediate the valves and gauges therealong by an equalizingvalve 28, and ableed valve 29 associated therewith can be used to withdraw quantities of liquid from theline 24. Thegauges 26 and 27 may be coupled, as shown in FIG. 1.

Thecompartment 16 is provided with analogous connections thereto, and in this respect a valve-equippedconduit 30 is used to supply liquid to the compartment, and to withdraw liquid therefrom. Thecompartment 16 has aconduit 31 communicating therewith which is equipped with a manually manipulatable valve, and the conduit is so arranged with the compartment that liquid can be withdrawn through the conduit when the compartment contains a predetermined volume of liquid. For example, assuming the exemplary ratio of about 9 to l heretofore stated, theconduit 31 might be arranged to enable liquid to be withdrawn when thecomposite compartment 12 is filled to about percent of its total capacity, whereupon thecompartment 16 would be about 50 percent filled. It may be observed that customarily the containers in which cryogenic liquids are shipped are filled to about 95 percent of capacity to provide sufficient excess volume or ullage space to accommodate thermal expansion of the liquid. Accordingly, theconduit 31 and the valve therefor might be referred to as a 95 percent full trycock."

A pair ofconduits 32 and 33 respectively connected to the bottom and top of thecompartment 16 define liquid and vapor lines, respectively, and each is equipped with a valve and terminates in the respectively associated liquid level andpressure gauges 34 and 35. Theconduits 32 and 33 are interconnected intermediate the valves and gauges therealong by an equalizingvalve 36, and ableed valve 37 associated therewith can be used to withdraw quantities of liquid from theline 32. Thegauges 34 and 35 may be coupled, as shown in FIG. 1.

Thecompartment 15 is connected with thecompartment 16 by anoverflow conduit 38 running generally from the top of thecompartment 15 to aconduit 50 which is connected to the top ofcompartment 16. Sinceconduit 50 is connected to the top ofcompartment 16, reverse flow of liquid from the minor compartment to the major compartment is prevented. This can be important, especially if the major compartment should happen to be vented to the atmosphere. For example, if the burst disc or safety valve 22 should fail prematurely, liquid within the minor compartment cannot flow into the major compartment through the overflow conduit, thus minimizing the amount of liquid lost through the safety valve.

Disposed along theconduit 38 is a pressure equalizingcheck valve 39, which is in the nature of a one way relief valve in that it provides substantially no inhibition of expansion-induced flow of fluid from thecompartment 15 into thecompartment 16 but prevents reverse flow therepast, usually of gaseous fluid, should conditions within thecompartment 16 tend to induce such flow into theconduit 38 via theconduit 50. Adifferential pressure regulator 40 and aregulator bypass valve 41 connect theoverflow conduit 38 with thesupply conduit 30 to pressure relate the upper and lower portions of thecompartment 16. Thecompartments 15 and 16 are further interconnected by a flow network that includes aconduit 42 connected via a pressurizerliquid valve 43 andconduit 44 to the bottom of thecompartment 15. Apressure relief valve 45 associated with theconduit 42 adjacent thevalve 43 is included as a safety device and, for example, may be selected to relieve pressures in excess of p.s.i.g.

Theconduit 42 is also connnected as shown at 46 to one end of a pressure building coil 47 which at its other end is connected at 18 through apressurizer vapor valve 49 toconduit 50 and thereby serving as an ullage space vent therefor. Theconduit 50 has a manuallymanipulatable vent valve 51 therein, and apressure relief valve 52 is also provided along theline 50 and may be adjusted to relieve pressures in excess of about 20 p.s.i.g.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, for the most part, the various flow conduits are disposed within the space 14 defined between the inner andouter wall structures 11 and 13 except where such conduits enter thecomposite compartment 12 or extend through theouter wall structure 13. The conduits l9 and 20 through which thecompartment 15 is filled and evacuated, selectively, may have expansion loops formed therealong, as shown in FIG. 2; and theconduit 31 through which the quantity of liquid present within thecompartment 16 is determined may terminate adjacent the center thereof (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) in accordance with the foregoing example in which such compartment is to be filled to about 50 percent of its capacity. Thelines 38 and 42 are interconnected by an ullage space pressurizerliquid valve 53.

Atypical container 10 of the type being considered might have a capacity of about 24,000 gallons; and to fill the same with a liquid cryogenic product, a supply line is first connected to either of theconduits 19 or 20 and all of the valves in the system are closed except for theregulator bypass valve 41 and ullagespace vent valve 51. These conditions realized, the control valve in the conduit 19 (or 20 as the case might be) is opened to initiate the flow of liquid into thecompartment 15, and also the liquid valve along theconduit 24 and vapor valve along theconduit 25 are both opened. When theliquid level gauge 26 shows that the volume of liquid within thecompartment 15 is beginning to fill the same, the trycock valve in theconduit 23 is opened to permit some escape of fluid or vapor therethrough to allow the conduit to cool. Prior to thecompartment 15 being completely filled, the ullagespace vent valve 51 is throttled so as to permit a slight pressure to build up within thecompartment 16. When operation of the trycock valve in theconduit 31 results in the flow of liquid therethrough, the container is filled to the desired capacity, whereupon the filling operation is terminated, and all of the valves in the system are closed. The tank is then ready for shipment.

When it is desired to withdraw liquid from suchtypical container 10, a check is first made to determine that all of the valves in the system are closed and a withdrawal line is then coupled to either of thelines 19 or 20. The pressurizerliquid valve 43 andpressurizer vapor valve 49 are then opened, as is theregulator bypass valve 41. When the pressure within thecompartment 15approximates 15 p.s.i.g., as indicated by thepressure gauge 27, the valve within the line 19 (or 20 depending upon which conduit is used) is opened to enable the liquid to be withdrawn and the pressure is regulated by suitable adjustment of either the pressurizerliquid valve 43 orpressurizer vapor valve 49 to maintain the pressure at about 15 p.s.i'.g. When withdrawal is complete, the pressurizerliquid valve 43 and valve in theline 19 are closed; and upon the rise in pressure terminating, thepressurizer vapor valve 49 is closed. The withdrawal line is then disconnected and all of the valves are closed, whereupon the car is ready for shipment or other use.

Once thecontainer 10 has been filled as desired, expansion of the liquid within thecompartment 15 results in a flow of liquid through theconduit 38 into thecompartment 16 which has sufiicient excess volume or ullage space therein to accommodate the overage of liquid resulting from thermal expansion thereof in thecompartment 15. Evidently, thecompartment 15 is maintained in a substantially full condition at all times, wherefore there is no significant motion-accommodating ullage space and hydrokinetic energy otherwise invested within the liquid as a consequence of sloshing thereof within thecompartment 15 is significantly minimized. Correspondingly, then, there is a material reduction in the rate at which the heat content of such liquid within thecompartment 15 increases.

The liquid within thecompartment 16 is permitted to slosh since this compartment is filled initially only to about $0 percent of its capacity. Although sloshing of the liquid within the compartment is tolerated, the rate at which the heat content of this liquid fraction increases is relatively low because the length of the uninterrupted wave motion is quite minimal (i.e., the distance between thebulkhead 17" and facing end of the wall structure 11 which together define the compartment 16). Accordingly, the advantages of providing baffle structure within thecompartment 16 is realized without the require ment for such baffle structure. Further, the amount of liquid within thecompartment 16 is small relative to the total quantity of liquid being shipped within thecontainer 10, and which total quantity has a major fraction thereof within thecompartment 15 which is not associated with a large motion-accommodating ullage space.

Evidently then, thecompartments 15 and 16 respectively represent major and minor compartments, and the quantities of liquid therein respectively represent major and minor fractions of the total volume being shipped within the container.

The major fraction of liquid is confined within thecompartment 15 which has substantially the same volume as that of the major fraction; and the minor fraction of liquid is confined within theminor compartment 16 which has a significantly greater volume than that of the minor fraction. As the major fraction increases volumetrically as a consequence of temperature increases therein, the excessive volume resulting from such expansion is withdrawn from themajor compartment 15 and is delivered to theminor compartment 16.

In certain instances, a slight modification or variation in the described arrangement might be provided especially where it is desired to reduce the effects of large-valued impact forces delivered to the container by the liquid therewithin, which impact forces often result from the type of rapid accelerations and decelerations of railway cars caused by coupling cars travelling at appreciably different velocities. In such instances, theoverflow line 38 can be arranged with thecompartment 15 so that the line terminates a spaced distance downwardly from the top of the inner wall structure 11, thereby leaving a small vapor or ullage space in thecompartment 15. Such space should be a very'small percentage of the total ullage space which otherwise would be provided substantially entirely within thecompartment 16. By way of example, a space only 1 percent as large as the ullage space within thecompartment 16 has been found satisfactory.

While in the foregoing specification embodiments of the invention both as to the method and apparatus have been set forth in considerable detail for purposes of making a complete disclosure thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous changes may be made in such details without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention.

I claim:

1. A container structure for transporting thermoexpansible liquids including cryogenic liquids and the like, comprising an inner wall structure defining a container chamber therewithin, an outer wall structure spaced from said inner wall structure and defining an insulating space therebetween, an intermediate bulkhead within said chamber subdividing the same into major and minor compartments flow-isolated one from the other, means associated with said major compartment for filling the same with such liquid and for removing the same therefrom, means associated with said minor compartment for introducing liquid thereinto and for removing the same therefrom, and flow conduit means interconnecting said compartments to enable overage from said major compartment to flow into said minor compartment so as to accommodate thermal expansion of such liquid confined within said major compartment, said flow conduit means interconnecting said compartments including valve devices therealong comprising a pressure equalizing check valve permitting flow of liquid from the major to the minor compartment.

2. A container structure for transporting thermoexpansible liquids including cryogenic liquids and the like and being elongated axially in the direction in which it travels during transport thereof, comprising an inner wall structure defining an axially elongated container chamber therewithin, an outer wall structure spaced from said inner wall structure and defining an insulating space therebetween, an intermediate bulkhead within said chamber in relatively close proximity to one end thereof subdividing the chamber into a long major compartment adapted to be filled substantially to capacity with such liquid to restrict the permissible freedom of movement thereof relative to said wall structure and a minor compartment fiow isolated from said major compartment and adapted to be partially filled with such liquid and being short in the axial direction relative to said major compartment so as to restrict the axial extent of the uninterrupted wave motion of any liquid partially filling the same, means associated with said major compartment for filling the same with such liquid and for removing the same therefrom, means associated with said minor compartment for introducing liquid thereinto and for removing the same therefrom, flow conduit means interconnecting said compartments to enable overage from said major compartment to flow automatically into said minor compartment so as to accommodate thermal expansion of such liquid confined within said major compartment, and flow-inhibiting means for prohibiting reverse fiow of liquid through said flow conduit means from said minor to said major compartment.

3. The container structure of claim 2 and further comprising pressure relief means connected with said major compartment for limiting the maximum permissible pressure therewithin, the aforesaid prohibition of reverse fiow through said How conduit means being effective during and subsequent to operation of said pressure relief means.

4. The container structure of claim 2 in which said flow conduit means connects with said minor compartment adjacent the upper end thereof so as to be above the elevation of liquid partially filling the same to define at least a part of said flowinhibiting means and effect the aforesaid prohibition of reverse flow from said minor to said major compartment.

5. The container structure of claim 2 in which said flow conduit means is connected with said major compartment adjacent the upper extremity thereof so that said major compartment is continuously maintained in a substantially completely filled condition when filled with any such liquid.

6. The container structure of claim 5 in which said flow conduit means connects with said minor compartment adjacent the upper end thereof so as to be above the elevation of liquid partially filling the same to define at least a part of said flowinhibiting means and effect the aforesaid prohibition of reverse flow from said minor to said major compartment.

7. The container structure of claim 6 and further comprising pressure relief means connected with said major compartment for limiting the maximum permissible pressure therewithin, the aforesaid prohibition of reverse flow through said flow conduit means being effective during and subsequent to operation of said pressure relief means.

8. The container structure of claim 7 in which a pressure equalizing check valve permitting flow of liquid from the major to the minor compartment is included in said flow conduit means to define a further part of said flow-inhibiting means.

9. In a method of minimizing the development of kinetic energy and conversion thereof into heat during transport of a thermoexpansible liquid such as a cryogenic liquid or the like, thesteps of confining a predetermined large volume of such liquid within an axially elongated major chamber having substantially the same volume as that of the liquid therein so as to restrict the permissible freedom of movement of the liquid relative thereto, confining a substantially smaller volume of such liquid within a minor chamber to' partially fill the same and which minor chamber has a much smaller capacity than that of the major chamber but at least as great as the normally expected volumetric increase of the liquid within said major chamber due to any increase in the heat content thereof,

restricting the axial extent of the uninterrupted wave motion of any llqllld within the minor chamber by minimizing the axial length thereof, withdrawing from the major chamber any volumetric increases in the liquid therein that tend to exceed the capacity of the major chamber and delivering such withdrawn quantities into the minor chamber, and confining liquid within the minor chamber against flow thereof into the major chamber.

10. The method of claim 9 in which any such volumetric increases in the liquid within the major chamber are continuously withdrawn therefrom and delivered into the minor chamber.

11. The method ofclaim 10 in which the volume of liquid within the major chamber is initially about nine times greater than the volume within the minor chamber.

12. The method of claim 11 in which said minor chamber has a capacity about twice the volume of the liquid initially confined therein.

Claims (12)

1. A container structure for transporting thermoexpansible liquids including cryogenic liquids and the like, comprising an inner wall structure defining a container chamber therewithin, an outer wall structure spaced from said inner wall structure and defining an insulating space therebetween, an intermediate bulkhead within said chamber subdividing the same into major and minor compartments flow-isolated one from the other, means associated with said major compartment for filling the same with such liquid and for removing the same therefrom, means associated with said minor compartment for introducing liquid thereinto and for removing the same therefrom, and flow conduit means interconnecting said compartments to enable overage from said major compartment to flow into said minor compartment so as to accommodate thermal expansion of such liquid confined within said major compartment, said flow conduit means interconnecting said compartments including valve devices therealong comprising a pressure equalizing check valve permitting flow of liquid from the major to the minor compartment.

2. A container structure for transporting thermoexpansible liquids including cryogenic liquids and the like and being elongated axially in the direction in which it travels during transport thereof, comprising an inner wall structure defining an axially elongated container chamber therewithin, an outer wall structure spaced from said inner wall structure and defining an insulating space therebetween, an intermediate bulkhead within said chamber in relatively close proximity to one end thereof subdividing the chamber into a long major compartment adapted to be filled substantially to capacity with such liquid to restrict the permissible freedom of movement thereof relative to said wall structure and a minor compartment flow isolated from said major compartment and adapted to be partially filled with such liquid and being short in the axial direction relative to said major compartment so as to restrict the axial extent of the uninterrupted wave motion of any liquid partially filling the same, means associated with said major compartment for filling the same with such liquid and for removing the same therefrom, means associated with said minor compartment for introducing liquid thereinto and for removing the same therefrom, flow conduit means interconnecting said compartments to enable overage from said major compartment to flow automatically into said minor compartment so as to accommodate thermal expansion of such liquid confined within said major compartment, and flow-inhibiting means for prohibiting reverse flow of liquid through said flow conduit means from said minor to said major compartment.

3. The container structure of claim 2 and further comprising pressure relief means connected with said major compartment for limiting the maximum permissible pressure therewithin, the aforesaid prohibition of reverse flow through said flow conduit means being effective during and subsequent to operation of said pressure relief means.

4. The container structure of claim 2 in which said flow conduit means connects with said minor compartment adjacent the upper end thereof so as to be above the elevation of liquid partially filling the same to define at least a part of said flow-inhibiting means and effect the aforesaid prohibition of reverse flow from said minor to said major compartment.

5. The container structure of claim 2 in which said flow conduit means is connected with said major compartment adjacent the upper extremity thereof so that said major compartment is continuously maintained in a substantially completely filled condition when filled with any such liquid.

6. The container structure of claim 5 in which said flow conduit means connects with said minor compartment adjacent the upper end thereof so as to be above the elevation of liquid partially filling the same to define at least a part of said flow-inhibiting means and effect the aforesaid prohibition of reverse flow from said minor to said major compartment.

7. The container structure of claim 6 and further comprising pressure relief means connected with said major compartment for limiting the maximum permissible pressure therewithin, the aforesaid prohibition of reverse flow through said flow conduit means being effective during and subsequent to operation of said pressure relief means.

8. The container structure of claim 7 in which a pressure equalizing check valve permitting flow of liquid from the major to the minor compartment is included in said flow conduit means to define a further part of said flow-inhibiting means.

9. In a method of minimizing the development of kinetic energy and conversion thereof into heat during transport of a thermoexpansible liquid such as a cryogenic liquid or the like, the steps of confining a predetermined large volume of such liquid within an axially elongated major chamber having substantially the same volume as that of the liquid therein so as to restrict the permissible freedom of movement of the liquid relative thereto, confining a substantially smaller volume of such liquid within a minor chamber to partially fill the same and which minor chamber has a much smaller capacity than that of the major chamber but at least as great as the normally expected volumetric increase of the liquid within said major chamber due to any increase in the heat content thereof, restricting the axial extent of the uninterrupted wave motion of any liquid within the minor chamber by minimizing the axial length thereof, withdrawing from the major chamber any volumetric increases in the liquid therein that tend to exceed the capacity of the major chamber and delivering such withdrawn quantities into the minor chamber, and confining liquid within the minor chamber against flow thereof into the major chamber.

10. The method of claim 9 in which any such volumetric increases in the liquid within the major chamber are continuously withdrawn therefrom and delivered into the minor chamber.

11. The method of claim 10 in which the volume of liquid within the major chamber is initially about nine times greater than the volume within the minor chamber.

12. The method of claim 11 in which said minor chamber has a capacity about twice the volume of the liquid initially confined therein.

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