Transportation subassembly for materials destabilized in presence of destabilizing contaminants

Abstract

A transportation subassembly is disclosed for transporting a material that is destabilized in the presence of a destabilizing contaminant. The subassembly has a structural body having a cavity constructed and arranged to receive the material to be stored, a breather assembly operatively connected to the structural body and including a container forming a chamber, the chamber being in fluidic communication with the cavity and being constructed and arranged to receive an contaminant-removing material selected to remove the destabilizing contaminant, and a venting assembly mounted with respect to the structural body. The venting assembly includes a rupture apparatus rupturable at a predetermined pressure formed within the cavity to form fluidic communication between the cavity and the atmosphere. A method for transporting a material in a transportation subassembly is also disclosed. A structural body having a cavity for storing the material to be transported and a rupture apparatus rupturable at a pressure formed within the cavity is used. The method includes inspecting the cavity for defects and for destabilizing impurities; dry air purging the cavity; loading the material into the cavity; activating a breather assembly to restrict destabilizing impurities from within the cavity; operatively connecting a dry air line to the cavity to form fluidic communication between the cavity and the storage compartment; and maintaining the breather assembly in an activated position to maintain the cavity in a pure condition.

1 . A transportation subassembly adapted to receive a material that is destabilized in the presence of a destabilizing contaminant, the subassembly comprising: 
 a structural body having a cavity constructed and arranged to receive a material to be transported;    a breather assembly operatively connected to the structural body and including a container forming a chamber, the chamber in fluidic communication with the cavity and constructed and arranged to receive an contaminant-removing material selected to remove the destabilizing contaminant; and    a venting assembly mounted with respect to the structural body, the venting assembly including a rupture apparatus rupturable at a predetermined pressure formed within the cavity to form fluidic communication between the cavity and the atmosphere.    
   
   
       2 . The transportation subassembly of  claim 1 , wherein the transportation subassembly is mounted on a railcar.  
   
   
       3 . The transportation subassembly of  claim 1 , wherein the material to be transported is a chemical compound rendered unstable in the presence of the destablizing contaminant.  
   
   
       4 . The transportation subassembly of  claim 3 , wherein the destabilizing contaminant is water and the contaminant removing material is a desiccant.  
   
   
       5 . The transportation subassembly of  claim 4 , wherein the chemical compound is sodium percarbonate.  
   
   
       6 . The transportation subassembly of  claim 1 , wherein the desiccant comprises a silica based regenerative desiccant.  
   
   
       7 . The transportation subassembly of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined pressure is between about 20 psi(g) and about 24 psi(g).  
   
   
       8 . The transportation subassembly of  claim 1 , wherein the rupture apparatus further comprises a rupture disc.  
   
   
       9 . The transportation subassembly of  claim 8 , wherein the rupture disc further comprises an inverted rupture disc.  
   
   
       10 . A railcar for storing and transporting a material that is destabilized in the presence of a destabilizing contaminant, the railcar comprising: 
 a structural body having a hopper forming a cavity constructed and arranged to receive the material to be transported;    a breather assembly operatively connected to the structural body and including a container forming a chamber, the chamber in fluidic communication with the hopper and having a contaminant-removing material stored therein; and    a venting assembly mounted with respect to the structural body, the venting assembly including a rupture apparatus rupturable at a predetermined pressure formed within the cavity to form fluidic communication between the cavity and the atmosphere.    
   
   
       11 . The railcar of  claim 10 , wherein the material to be transported is a chemical compound rendered unstable in the presence of the destablizing contaminant.  
   
   
       12 . The railcar of  claim 11 , wherein the destabilizing contaminant is water and the contaminant removing material is a desiccant.  
   
   
       13 . The railcar of  claim 12 , wherein the chemical compound is sodium percarbonate.  
   
   
       14 . The railcar of  claim 13 , wherein the desiccant comprises a silica based regenerative desiccant.  
   
   
       15 . The railcar of  claim 10 , wherein the predetermined pressure is between about 20 psi(g) and about 24 psi(g).  
   
   
       16 . The transportation subassembly of  claim 10 , wherein the rupture apparatus further comprises a rupture disc.  
   
   
       17 . The transportation subassembly of  claim 16 , wherein the rupture disc further comprises an inverted rupture disc.  
   
   
       18 . A railcar for storing and transporting sodium percarbonate comprising: 
 a structural body having a hopper forming a cavity wherein a supply of sodium percarbonate is stored;    a breather assembly operatively connected to the structural body and including a container forming a chamber, the chamber in fluidic communication with the cavity of the hopper and having a silica based regenerative desiccant stored therein; and    a venting assembly mounted with respect to the structural body, the venting assembly including an inverted rupture disc mounted to the hopper and rupturable at a predetermined pressure between about 20 psi(g) and about 24 psi(g) formed within the cavity to form fluidic communication between the cavity and atmosphere.    
   
   
       19 - 20 . (canceled)