Dosing of subcooled liquids for high volume flow applications

Abstract

A sub cooled liquid delivery system includes at least one feed tank, at least one pressure building apparatus in fluid communication with the at least one feed tank, at least one weight measurement apparatus for measuring the weight of the at least one feed tank and a liquid present in the at least one feed tank, at least one fill conduit in fluid communication with the at least one feed tank for providing the liquid to the at least one feed tank, at least one feed conduit in fluid communication with the at least one feed tank for delivering a subcooled liquid to at least one liquid utilizing process, and at least one pressure building conduit in fluid communication with the at least one feed tank for increasing the pressure within the at least one feed tank. A method is also included to subcool liquid delivery using the system.

1 . A subcooled liquid delivery system, comprising:
 at least one feed tank;   at least one pressure building apparatus in fluid communication with the at least one feed tank;   at least one weight measurement apparatus for measuring the weight of the at least one feed tank and a liquid present in the at least one feed tank;   at least one fill conduit in fluid communication with the at least one feed tank for providing the liquid to the at least one feed tank;   at least one feed conduit in fluid communication with the at least one feed tank for delivering a subcooled liquid to at least one liquid utilizing process; and   at least one pressure building conduit in fluid communication with the at least one feed tank for increasing the pressure within the at least one feed tank.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one gas conduit in fluid communication with the at least one feed tank for providing gas from the at least one feed tank to at least one of the pressure building apparatus or at least one other process. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a master fill valve and at least one dedicated fill valve associated with the at least one fill conduit, and a master feed valve and at least one dedicated feed valve associated with the at least one feed conduit, wherein each one of the at least one feed tank is operatively associated with one of the at least one dedicated fill valve and one of the at least one dedicated feed valve. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising a microprocessor control device capable of: (i) accepting data from (a) the at least one weight measurement apparatus, (b) at least one pressure gauge associated with the at least one feed tank, and optionally (c) a liquid level measurement device in fluid communication with the at least one feed tank; (ii) calculating the weight of liquid present in the at least one feed tank; and (iii) controlling delivery of the subcooled liquid to the at least one liquid utilizing process by adjusting the master fill valve, the at least one dedicated fill valve, the master feed valve and/or the at least one dedicated feed valve. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure building apparatus comprises at least one pressure building tank which is in fluid communication with the feed tank via the at least one pressure building conduit, at least one pressure regulating valve operatively engaged with the at least one pressure building conduit, and at least one shut-off valve operatively engaged with the at least one pressure building conduit. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the pressure building apparatus further comprises an ambient heat exchanger in fluid communication with the at least one fill conduit and the at least one pressure building tank, such that liquid is provided from the at least one fill conduit, vaporized into a gas in the ambient heat exchanger, and utilized to increase the pressure within the at least one pressure building tank. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pressure building apparatus comprises a compressor. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one weight measurement apparatus comprises a load cell, a strain gauge or a force sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressurized storage tank that is in fluid communication with the at least one feed tank via one of the at least one fill conduits for providing liquid to the at least one feed tank. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises a cryogen, optionally nitrogen. 
     
     
         11 . A method of providing a subcooled liquid to at least one liquid utilizing process, comprising:
 (a) providing at least two feed tanks, including a first feed tank and a second feed tank;   (b) at least partially filling the first feed tank concurrently or sequentially with the filling of another of the at least two feed tanks;   (c) calculating the weight of liquid in the first feed tank;   (d) increasing the pressure in the first feed tank by utilizing at least one pressure building apparatus, converting the liquid in the first feed tank into a subcooled liquid;   (e) providing a desired amount, by weight, of the subcooled liquid in the first feed tank to the at least one liquid utilizing process, the subcooled liquid being forced out of the first feed tank as a result of the increased pressure in the first feed tank;   (f) repeating (b)-(e);   (g) at least partially filling the second feed tank concurrently or sequentially with the filling of another of the at least two feed tanks;   (h) calculating the weight of liquid present in the second feed tank;   (i) increasing the pressure in the second feed tank by utilizing the at least one pressure building apparatus, converting the liquid in the second feed tank into a subcooled liquid;   (j) providing a desired amount, by weight, of the subcooled liquid in the second feed tank to the at least one liquid utilizing process, the subcooled liquid being forced out of the second feed tank as a result of the increased pressure in the second feed tank; and   (k) repeating (g)-(j);   wherein subcooled liquid is substantially continuously available to the at least one liquid utilizing process by filling at least one of the at least two feed tanks while another of the at least two feed tanks is capable of providing subcooled liquid to the at least one liquid utilizing process.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising utilizing additional feed tanks in a similar way as the first feed tank and the second feed tank are utilized to provide subcooled liquid to the at least one liquid utilizing process. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing gas present in the at least one feed tank to at least one of the pressure building apparatus or at least one other process. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising measuring the level of liquid in at least one of the at least two feed tanks during filling of the at least two feed tanks. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said calculating the weight of the liquid in the first feed tank and/or the second feed tanks is by at least one weight measurement device, the at least one weight measurement device comprising a load cell, a strain gauge or a force sensor. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said increasing the pressure in the first feed tank and/or the second feed tank comprises utilizing at least one pressure building tank to inject a gas into the first feed tank and/or the second feed tank, wherein the at least one pressure building tank is in fluid communication with the first feed tank and/or the second feed tank via at least one pressure building conduit. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing a gas to the at least one pressure building tank to increase the pressure within the at least one pressure building tank. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said increasing the pressure in the first feed tank and/or the second feed tank comprises utilizing a compressor to inject a gas into the first feed tank and/or the second feed tank. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the liquid for said at least partially filling any of the at least two feed tanks is provided from a pressurized bulk storage tank. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the liquid comprises a cryogen, optionally nitrogen.