Device and method for superodorizing an LP-gas tank

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6223762
  • Patent Number
    6,223,762
  • Date Filed
    Friday, April 28, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, May 1, 2001
    23 years ago
Abstract
The invention is a device and method for superodorizing an LP-gas tank with a mercaptan odorant for a new LP-gas tank and other situations requiring additional odorant, thus giving the new or older LP-gas tank and its contents the “skunk scent” required for proper leakage detection of the otherwise colorless, odorless LP-gas.
Description




CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS




None.




I. BACKGROUND OF INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The invention is a device and method for superodorizing an LP-gas tank with a mercaptan odorant for a new LP-gas tank and other situations requiring additional odorant, thus giving the new or older LP-gas tank and its contents the “skunk scent” required for proper leakage detection of the otherwise colorless, odorless LP-gas.




2. Description of the Prior Art




The following United States patents are disclosed herein and incorporated into this application for utility patent. All relate to injection devices, including those for the injection of odorants. U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,755 to Lerner, et al., discloses an electronic component injection system injecting a predetermined amount of additive fluid into a main stream of fluid and continually circulating the additive within the flow of the main stream fluid. A closed and environmentally safe odorant injection apparatus comprising a pressurized gas supply, an odorant storage tank and a panel containing a level pot and sight tank and manually actuated pneumatically operated switches for drawing a measured portion of odorant and injecting it into a tank truck being loaded with LP-gas is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,281 to Williams, et al. A process for pre-treating containers having new or recently cleaned interior surfaces using a mixture of chemicals coating such interior is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,701,303 to Nevers. A chemical injection system having a programable controller is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,970 to Marshall, et al., such device disclosing a use with odorant injection and also having a monitoring device for measuring the amount of odorant injected.




Another electronic device and method for adding a mal odorant to a consumer gas and monitoring the precision amount of gas to odorant ratio is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,295 to Smars. A chemical method of reducing odorant depletion using a passivating agent containing a phosphate ester is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,973 to Naraghi. A fuel gas delivery system comprising a liquid fuel tank and a connected second tank or second compartment within the fuel tank, such second tank filled with vaporized fuel by small diameter tubing, thus reducing concentration changes to the odorant is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,285 to Kniebes. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,701 to Berman, et al., an odorant delivery system for perfumes in a sealed package with a layer of non-permeable material over the odorant for introducing perfume samples within a magazine or booklet is disclosed. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,772 to Belyea, a dye injection system on a fuel delivery truck is disclosed.




II. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The primary objective of the invention is to provide a simple device for in-line attachment between a fuel delivery system and a fuel tank, providing a measured amount of a mercaptan odorant within the device, contained between two containment disks, which rupture without fragmentation by the force of the LP-gas fuel being delivered from the fuel delivery system into the tank. A second objective of the invention is to provide a device for pre-odorizing or re-odorizing an LP-gas fuel tank, especially those being constructed of steel or those having the inner vessel exposed to air or water and those being installed using steel pipe to reduce the risk of “odor fade” which is a common risk in the LP-gas industry.




A third objective is to provide a simple low-cost device for delivery of the odorant to the inside of the LP-gas tank which does not require additional equipment or modification of existing equipment which is attached in-line with the filling hose, the odorant delivered to the inner tank at the time of initial filling or later refilling of the tank. A fourth objective is to disclose the method for odorizing LP gas tanks using the disclosed device.











III. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The following drawings are submitted with this utility patent application.





FIG. 1

is an exploded view of the device for superodorizing an LP gas tank.





FIG. 2

is a cross sectional view of the intact containment disc in an end of the delivery tube.





FIG. 3

is a diagram of the method for superodorizing an LP gas tank.











IV. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




The invention, as disclosed in

FIGS. 1-2

of the drawings, is a device


10


for the delivery of selected measured amounts of LP-gas odorant


90


, specifically an ethyl mercaptan odorant, to an LP-gas tank. In a preferred embodiment, the selected size device


10


provides sufficient LP gas odorant


90


to odorize an LP-gas tank


12


having a volume capacity of between 125 and 1000 gallons of LP-gas. Specifically, the invention is an in-line LP-gas delivery device


10


comprising a hollow cylindrical aluminum container


20


, most preferably a tube, having a first port


22


and a second port


32


, each first port


22


and second port


32


having an external machine straight thread


24


,


34


. A flat, smooth circular ring


26


,


36


is provided at each first port


22


and second port


32


, respectively, of the hollow cylindrical aluminum container


20


indicating the respective openings


28


,


38


of the hollow cylindrical aluminum container


20


. The hollow cylindrical aluminum container


20


also defines an inner gas/liquid chamber


40


, the entry to such inner gas/liquid chamber


40


defined by the flat, smooth circular rings


26


,


36


and between the respective openings


28


,


38


.




The device


10


also includes two hollow cylindrical caps


50


, each hollow cylindrical cap


50


having a first end


52


defining a set of internal machine straight threads


54


to engage the external machine straight threads


24


,


34


of the first port


22


and second port


32


of the hollow cylindrical aluminum container


20


. It is preferred that the hollow cylindrical caps


50


are a mild steel rod material having an outer surface


60


defining two parallel flat surfaces


62


for attaching a wrench. The hollow cylindrical cap


50


also includes a second end


56


having a set of internal ¾ inch female NPT threads


58


, a standard in the LP-gas industry for LP-gas delivery systems. These internal ¾ inch female NPT threads


58


in the second end


56


of the hollow cylindrical cap


50


are provided to engage a ¾ inch Acme fitting attached to a delivery hose from the LP-gas delivery system used to fill the LP-gas tank and also to engage another ¾ inch Acme fitting attached to the liquid fill port of the LP-gas tank, allowing the device


10


to be placed “in-line” during tank fueling or refueling. Within the hollow cylindrical cap


50


, at a location where the internal machine straight threads


54


of the first end


52


join the internal ¾ inch female NPT threads


58


in the second end


56


, a smooth flat internal shoulder


66


is provided.




Compressed between the smooth flat internal shoulder


66


of each of the hollow cylindrical caps


50


and the flat, smooth circular ring


26


,


36


at the first port


22


and second port


32


of hollow cylindrical aluminum container


20


is a containment disk assembly


70


, comprising a containment disk


72


and two identical gasket rings


80


, such containment disk assembly


70


forming an air-tight and liquid-tight seal between the containment disk assembly


70


, the hollow cylindrical caps


50


and the hollow cylindrical aluminum container


20


. The containment disk


72


is a thin, flat diaphragm having an outer perimeter


74


, an upper surface


76


and a lower surface


78


, which is capable of being ruptured by the pressure of LP-gas during the filling process. In the preferred embodiment, such pressure required to burst the containment disk


72


is 50 psi. The material comprising the containment disk


72


must be of a type which will not fracture or fragment at burst to insure that portions of the containment disk


72


do not become lodged in the LP-gas lines or system. In a preferred embodiment, the containment disk


72


is 0.005 inch Teflon® PFA.




The containment disk


72


has one of the gasket rings


80


upon the upper surface


76


, such gasket ring


80


having a perimeter


82


equal to the outer perimeter


74


of the containment disk


72


, and the second identical gasket ring


80


is applied upon the lower surface


78


of the containment disk


72


. When the containment disk assembly


70


is placed between the smooth flat internal shoulder


66


of each of the hollow cylindrical caps


50


and the flat, smooth circular rings


26


,


36


at the first end


22


and second end


32


of hollow cylindrical aluminum tube


20


, the gasket rings


80


are slightly deformed by compression as the hollow cylindrical caps


50


and the hollow cylindrical aluminum container


20


are tightened together, thus forming the aforementioned air-tight and liquid-tight seal.




After the containment disk assembly


70


is applied at the first port


22


of the hollow cylindrical aluminum container


20


and the hollow cylindrical cap


50


is fastened to such first port


22


, a measured amount of the LP-gas odorant


90


is placed within the inner gas/liquid chamber


40


. After such measured amount of the LP-gas odorant


90


has been delivered to the inner gas/liquid chamber


40


, the containment disk assembly


70


is placed upon the flat, smooth circular ring


36


of the second port


32


of the hollow cylindrical aluminum container


20


and the other hollow cylindrical cap


50


is fastened to such second port


32


. The LP-gas odorant


90


is thereby contained between the two containment disk assemblies


70


within the inner gas/liquid chamber


40


. It is preferred that the, LP-gas odorant


90


within the inner gas/liquid chamber


40


is delivered and contained without forced pressure or be contained at normal atmospheric pressure. As additional safety measure for transport and storage purposes, it is recommended that a brass plug


100


, having an outer ¾ inch male NPT thread


102


, be inserted into each of the internal ¾ inch female NPT threads


58


in the second end


56


of each of the hollow cylindrical caps


50


to prevent accidental rupture of the containment disks


72


and ensuing spillage or leakage of the LP-gas odorant


90


contained between the containment disks


72


. These brass plugs


100


are removed prior to the attachment of the ¾ inch Acme fittings


18


to the second end


56


of the hollow cylindrical caps


50


between the delivery hose


14


from the LP-gas delivery system


16


used to fill the LP-gas tank


12


and the liquid fill port


13


of the LP-gas tank


12


being filled and also being “super-odorized” at the same time.




The invention is provided with a variety of amounts of LP-gas odorant


90


, providing measured amounts for the variety of different size LP-gas tanks. In a preferred embodiment, the invention is provided to deliver at least three differing measured amounts, a small measured amount


90




a


suited for a 125-249 gallon LP-gas tank, a medium measured amount


90




b


suited for a 250-449 gallon LP-gas tank and a large measured amount


90




c


suited for a 450-1000 gallon LP-gas tank.




Thus, using the disclosed invention, the method for superodorizing an LP-gas tank first includes a determination that the LP-gas tank is appropriate for superodorizing due to such LP-gas tank being a new LP-gas tank, an old LP-gas tank having been open to air, a new distribution system being applied to the LP-gas tank, or notice by the user that the LP-gas has little or no detectible odorant. The user then selects the appropriate amount of LP-gas odorant


90




a


-


90




c


supplied and contained within the device


10


to be delivered to the LP-gas tank. If the LP-gas tank being put into service contains air, purge the air per the standard industry practice.




Remove the brass plugs


100


from the hollow cylindrical caps


50


of the device


10


without use of a wrench or vise on the hollow cylindrical aluminum container


20


. Insert a ¾ inch Acme fitting into each internal ¾ inch female NPT threads


58


in the second end


56


of each of the hollow cylindrical caps


50


. Connect one of the ¾ inch Acme fittings within one of the hollow cylindrical caps


50


of the device


10


to the liquid fill port of the LP-gas tank. Next, connect the delivery hose of the LP-gas delivery system to the ¾ inch Acme fitting attached within the other hollow cylindrical cap


50


. Fill the LP-gas tank in accordance with standard LP-gas delivery practice. This filling process will automatically burst the containment disks


72


at approximately 50 psi, forcing the LP-gas odorant


90


into the LP-gas tank along with the LP-gas.




After the LP-gas has been delivered to the LP-gas tank, disconnect the delivery hose from the device


10


, remove the invention from the LP-gas tank, remove the ¾ inch Acme fittings from the device


10


, and replace the brass plugs


100


in the used device


10


. It is recommended that the device


10


either be disposed of in compliance with environmental standards or that the device


10


be returned to a dealer or distributor for proper disposal and handling.




While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.



Claims
  • 1. A device for the delivery of a measured amount of an LP-gas odorant to an LP-gas tank, comprising:a. a hollow container having a first port, a second port, an inner gas/liquid chamber and a means for connecting said first port and second port of the hollow container between an LP-gas delivery hose and an LP-gas tank; b. a containment disk affixed at each first port and second port of the hollow container; and c. a measured amount of an LP-gas odorant between the containment disks within the inner gas/liquid chamber of the hollow tube, wherein the containment disks are ruptured by the force of the pressure of LP-gas after the device is installed between the LP-gas delivery hose and the LP-gas tank, while the LP-gas is delivered to the LP-gas tank, releasing the LP-gas odorant into the LP-gas tank.
  • 2. A device for the delivery of a measured amount of an LP-gas odorant to an LP-gas tank, comprising:a. a hollow cylindrical container having a first port with an external thread and a flat, smooth circular end, a second port having an external thread and a flat, smooth circular end and defining an inner gas/liquid chamber; b. two hollow cylindrical caps having a first end with internal threads to engage the external thread of the first port and second port of the hollow cylindrical container, a second end having a means to engage adaptors to LP-gas fittings, and defining a smooth flat internal shoulder between the internal threads of the first end and the internal threads of the second end of each of the said hollow cylindrical caps; c. two thin, pressure burstable, circular flat containment disks having an outer perimeter, an upper surface and a lower surface, and a means for sealing such containment disks, each of such containment disks positioned against the smooth flat internal shoulder of the hollow cylindrical cap and the flat, smooth circular end of the hollow cylindrical container, such placed containment disks and means for sealing such containment disks providing an air-tight and liquid-tight seal between the containment disk assembly, the hollow cylindrical cap and the hollow cylindrical container; d. a measured amount of LP-gas odorant within the inner gas/liquid chamber of the hollow cylindrical container, sealed between the lower surfaces of the two containment disk assemblies, such measured amount provided depending on the capacity of the LP-gas tank to which the LP-gas odorant is to be delivered; e. a means for plugging and sealing the second end of the hollow cylindrical caps engaging the internal threads of such second end to prevent accidental rupture or penetration of the containment disk during transport, wherein the means for plugging and sealing the second end of the hollow cylindrical caps are removed prior to the device being installed in-line during LP-gas tank refueling.
  • 3. A device for the delivery of a measured amount of an LP-gas odorant to an LP-gas tank, comprising:a. a hollow cylindrical container having a first port with an external thread and a flat, smooth circular end, a second port having an external thread and a flat, smooth circular end and defining an inner gas/liquid chamber; b. two hollow cylindrical caps having a first end with internal threads to engage the external thread of the first port and second port of the hollow cylindrical container, a second end having an internal ¾ inch female NPT thread to engage standard ¾ inch Acme fitting, and defining a smooth flat internal shoulder between the internal threads of the first end and the internal threads of the second end of each of the said hollow cylindrical caps; c. two containment disk assemblies, each containment disk assembly further comprising a thin, pressure burstable, circular flat containment disk having an outer perimeter, an upper surface and a lower surface, and two gasket rings, having a perimeter equal to that of the containment disk, one of the gasket rings located on the upper surface of the containment disk and the other gasket ring located on the lower surface of the containment disk, each of such containment disk assemblies positioned against the smooth flat internal shoulder of the hollow cylindrical cap and the flat, smooth circular end of the hollow cylindrical container, such placed containment disk assembly providing an air-tight and liquid-tight seal between the containment disk assembly, the hollow cylindrical cap and the hollow cylindrical container; d. a measured amount of LP-gas odorant within the inner gas/liquid chamber of the hollow cylindrical container, sealed between the lower surfaces of the two containment disk assemblies, such measured amounts provided in multiple measured amounts depending on the size of the LP-gas tank to which the LP-gas odorant is to be delivered; e. two plugs having an external ¾ male NPT thread, temporarily engaging the internal thread of the second end of the hollow cylindrical caps against the upper surface of the containment disk to prevent accidental rupture or penetration of the containment disk during transport, wherein the device may be installed in-line during LP-gas tank refueling by removing the brass plugs from the second end of the hollow cylindrical caps, installing a standard ¾ inch Acme fitting into the second end of each of the hollow cylindrical caps, connecting the delivery hose from an LP-gas delivery system to one of the ¾ inch Acme fittings and attaching the other ¾ inch Acme fitting to the LP-gas tank, a fueling the LP-gas tank, the pressure from the delivered gas rupturing the containment disk and transporting the contained LP-gas odorant into the LP-gas tank along with the LP-gas, thereby odorizing the LP-gas tank.
  • 4. The device of claim 3, further comprising:the hollow cylindrical container is an aluminum tube, the hollow cylindrical caps are mild steel rod and the plugs are brass.
  • 5. The device of claim 3 of the invention, further comprising:the containment disk is 0.005 inch Teflon PFA® which will burst without fragmentation at a pressure of 50 p.s.i.
  • 6. The device of claim 3 of the invention, further comprising:the internal threads of the first end of the hollow cylindrical cap and the external threads of the end of the hollow cylindrical tube are machine straight threads.
  • 7. The device of claim 3 of the invention, further comprising:the LP-gas odorant is ethyl mercaptan contained between the two containment disks at normal atmospheric pressure.
  • 8. The device of claim 3, the measured amount of LP-gas odorant contained between the two containment disks provided in multiple measured amounts, further comprising:a. a first measured amount for odorizing a 125-249 gallon LP-gas tank; b. a second measured amount for odorizing a 250-449 gallon LP-gas tank; and c. a third measured amount for odorizing a 450-1000 gallon LP-gas tank.
  • 9. A device for the delivery of a measured amount of an LP-gas odorant to an LP-gas tank, comprising:a. a hollow cylindrical aluminum tube having a first port with an external machine straight thread and a flat, smooth circular end, a second port having an external machine straight thread and a flat, smooth circular end and defining an inner gas/liquid chamber; b. two hollow cylindrical caps, made of mild steel rod, having a first end with internal machine straight threads to engage the external machine straight thread of the first port and second port of the hollow cylindrical aluminum tube, a second end having an internal ¾ inch female NPT thread to engage a standard ¾ inch Acme fitting, and defining a smooth flat internal shoulder between the internal threads of the first end and the internal threads of the second end of each of the said hollow cylindrical caps; c. two containment disk assemblies, each containment disk assembly further comprising a thin, pressure burstable, circular flat 0.005 inch Teflon PFA® containment disk which will burst without fragmentation at a pressure of 50 p.s.i., having an outer perimeter, an upper surface and a lower surface, and two gasket rings, having a perimeter equal to that of the containment disk, one of the gasket rings located on the upper surface of the containment disk and the other gasket ring located on the lower surface of the containment disk, each of such containment disk assemblies positioned against the smooth flat internal shoulder of the hollow cylindrical cap and the flat, smooth circular end of the hollow cylindrical aluminum tube, such placed containment disk assembly providing an air-tight and liquid-tight seal between the containment disk assembly, the hollow cylindrical cap and the hollow cylindrical aluminum tube; d. a measured amount of ethyl mercaptan LP-gas odorant at normal atmospheric pressure within the inner gas/liquid chamber of the hollow cylindrical aluminum tube, sealed between the lower surfaces of the two containment disk assemblies, such measured amounts of ethyl mercaptan LP-gas odorant provided in multiple measured amounts depending on the size of the LP-gas tank to which the LP-gas odorant is to be delivered; e. two brass plugs having an external ¾ male NPT thread, temporarily engaging the internal thread of the second end of the hollow cylindrical caps against the upper surface of the containment disk to prevent accidental rupture or penetration of the containment disk during transport, wherein the device may be installed in-line during LP-gas tank refueling by removing the brass plugs from the second end of the hollow cylindrical caps, installing a standard ¾ inch Acme fitting into the second end of each of the hollow cylindrical caps, connecting the delivery hose from an LP-gas delivery system to one of the ¾ inch Acme fittings and attaching the other ¾ inch Acme fitting to the LP-gas tank, a fueling the LP-gas tank, the pressure from the delivered gas rupturing the containment disk and transporting the contained LP-gas odorant into the LP-gas tank along with the LP-gas, thereby odorizing the LP-gas tank.
  • 10. A method for superodorizing an LP-gas tank using the device of claim 2, comprising:a. determining the appropriateness of the LP-gas tank to be superodorized; b. selecting the appropriate measured amount of LP-gas odorant contained within the device to be delivered to the suitable LP-gas tank; c. purging the suitable LP-gas tank of air, if any, per industry standard practice; d. removing the brass plugs from the hollow cylindrical caps of the invention; e. inserting a standard Acme fitting into the second end of each of the hollow cylindrical caps; f. connecting one of the inserted standard Acme fittings to the delivery hose of the LP-gas delivery system; g. connecting the other inserted standard Acme fitting to the LP-gas tank; h. filling the LP-gas tank in accordance with standard LP-gas delivery practice, such filling causing a bursting of the containment disks forcing the contained LP-gas odorant into the tank along with the LP-gas; i. disconnecting the delivery hose from the invention; j. removing the invention from the LP-gas tank; k. removing the Acme fittings from the invention; l. replacing the brass plugs into the hollow cylindrical caps; and m. disposing of the remaining invention in compliance with environmental standards.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Number Name Date Kind
2780071 Calva Feb 1957
3907515 Mulliner Sep 1975
4007755 Lerner et al. Feb 1977
4504281 Williams, Jr. et al. Mar 1985
4701303 Nevers Oct 1987
5406970 Marshall et al. Apr 1995
5632295 Smars May 1997
5746973 Naraghi May 1998
5839285 Kniebes Nov 1998
5878772 Belyea Mar 1999
5885701 Berman et al. Mar 1999