Patent Application
20250162621
The present invention relates to railroad tank cars and, more particularly, a device for preventing the premature opening of a valve due to sudden pressure changes caused by the movement of liquid within a railroad tank car.
Railroad tank cars are frequently used to transport a variety of liquid or gaseous commodities, such as crude oil, acid, fertilizer, polymer, food grain products, and/or other goods or resources. When in operation transporting liquid, the movement of a railroad tank car (such as sudden acceleration and deceleration) may result in the violent sloshing of the liquid within the railroad tank car. For a moving, partially filled railroad tank car, the energy transmitted from such violent sloshing may cause an explosion or rupturing of disc vents, a pressure relief valve (PRV), vacuum relief valves (VRV), and/or similar components due to instantaneous pressure spikes within the railroad tank car. Accordingly, there is a need for a device or system that can diffuse or suppress pressure surges caused by sloshing waves within a railroad tank car.
As an example, vacuum relief valves are frequently used on tank cars to automatically allow air into the tank car to prevent vacuum conditions that could damage the tank car. For instance, a vacuum may be formed in a tank car due to changes in pressure and/or temperature. Such a vacuum can exert extreme stress on the tank car and, in some cases, even cause the tank car to implode on itself. Vacuum relief valves are used to prevent the buildup of excessive vacuum that may result in damage to the tank car. For example, when a vacuum forms within a tank car, the vacuum (i.e., the pressure difference) exerts a force on a valve stem of the relief valve that causes the valve stem to move and the valve to open. Air from outside the tank car may then be allowed to enter the tank through the valve in order to relieve the vacuum or otherwise equalize the pressure difference between the inside of the tank and the outside of the tank. Indeed, a device or system that can reduce sudden pressure changes caused by sloshing waves within the railroad tank car could prevent the premature opening of the valve.
Aspects of this disclosure relate to a surge suppression apparatus for use inside a railroad tank car to diffuse pressure surges caused by sloshing liquid within the railroad tank car. As a result, the surge suppression apparatus described herein is configured to protect rupture disc vents, pressure relief valves (PRV), vacuum relief valves (VRV), and/or similar components from opening due to instantaneous pressure spikes within a railroad tank car. According to various embodiments, the surge suppression apparatus comprises a main body having an inner surface defining an interior space extending between a first opening at a first end of the main body and a second opening at a second end of the main body. In various embodiments, the main body is substantially rectangular with openings at each end that are generally square. In various embodiments, the apparatus includes sets of openings in sides of the main body. For example, in various embodiments, the apparatus may include a first set of openings in a first side of the main body that are defined by a first set of louver portions bent and extending inwardly away from the first side, and a second set of openings in a second side of the main body opposite the first side that are defined by a second set of louver portions bent and extending inwardly away from the second side.
According to various embodiments, the surge suppression apparatus is mounted inside a railroad tank car at one of the two ends of the main body. In various embodiments, the interior space extending between the first opening and the second opening at the respective ends of the main body defines a fluid path (e.g., to and away from an opening corresponding to disc vents, pressure relief valves (PRV), vacuum relief valves (VRV), and/or similar components installed on the railroad tank car). In various embodiments, the main body of the apparatus comprises a flanged portion at one end, and the apparatus is mounted to an interior side of the railroad tank car at that end via the flanged portion. In various embodiments, the apparatus is mounted inside the railroad tank car at a position corresponding with an opening in an interior side of the railroad tank car. In various embodiments, the apparatus is welded inside the railroad tank car. In some embodiments, the apparatus is welded to an underside of a fitting flange. For example, in some embodiments, the apparatus is welded to an underside of a fitting flange having a minimum weld throat of ¼ inch. In various embodiments, the apparatus may be mounted inside the railroad tank car such that the sides of the apparatus having openings are perpendicular to a direction of travel for the railroad tank car. In other words, the apparatus may be mounted inside the railroad tank car such that the openings face the direction of travel of the railroad tank car, and thus face the direction of the sloshing liquid.
According to various embodiments, the openings in the sides of the surge suppression apparatus may be uniform or may be of varying size and/or shape. For example, in some embodiments, each of the openings on one side (e.g., a first set of openings) may have a uniform shape and/or a uniform size. In other embodiments, one or more of the openings on a given side may have different sizes and/or shapes than the other openings on that side. In some embodiments, some or all of the openings on one side (e.g., a first set of openings) and some or all of the openings on another side (e.g., a second set of openings) may have a uniform size and/or shape. In some embodiments, some or all of the openings on one side may have a different size and/or shape than some or all of the openings on another side. In some embodiments, each of the louver portions on a given side of the apparatus may extend inwardly at a uniform angle. In other embodiments, one or more of the louver portions on a give side may extend inwardly at an angle different than one or more of the other louver portions on that side. In some embodiments, one louver portion on a given side of the apparatus may be larger in size than each of the one or more other louver portions on that side of the apparatus. For example, such a louver portion may comprise the louver portion positioned furthest from an end of the apparatus that is mounted to the inside of the railroad tank car. In some such embodiments, each of the one or more other louver portions on that side of the apparatus may be uniform in size (and/or shape). In some embodiments, a louver portion that is larger in size than each of the one or more other louver portions may extend inwardly from the side of the apparatus at an angle different from each of the one or more other louver portions on that side. In some embodiments, an opening formed by a louver portion that is larger in size than each of the one or more other louver portions on that side of the apparatus may extend to an edge of that side of the main body (e.g., to an edge of that side corresponding to an end of the main body opposite the end mounted to an interior side of the railroad tank car).
These and other objects, features, and characteristics of the invention disclosed herein will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. As used in the specification and in the claims, the singular form of “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limited in the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements and in which:
These drawings are provided for purposes of illustration only and merely depict typical or example embodiments. These drawings are provided to facilitate the reader's understanding and shall not be considered limiting of the breadth, scope, or applicability of the disclosure. For clarity and case of illustration, these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.
In the following description of various examples of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration various example structures, systems, and steps in which aspects of the invention may be practiced. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed and the present invention is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. It is to be understood that other specific arrangements of parts, structures, example devices, systems, and steps may be utilized, and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Also, while the terms “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “back,” “side,” and the like may be used in this specification to describe various example features and elements of the invention, these terms are used herein as a matter of convenience, e.g., based on the example orientations shown in the figures. Nothing in this specification should be construed as requiring a specific three-dimensional orientation of structures in order to fall within the scope of this invention.
The invention described herein relates to a surge suppression apparatus configured to be installed on the interior of a railroad tank car and diffuse (or suppress) pressure surges caused by sloshing waves (liquid) within the railroad tank car. As a result, the surge suppression apparatus described herein is configured to protect rupture disc vents, pressure relief valves (PRV), vacuum relief valves (VRV), and/or similar components from opening due to instantaneous pressure spikes within a railroad tank car. In various embodiments, the surge suppression apparatus may comprise a main body having an inner surface defining a fluid path extending between a first opening and a second opening. The main body may include one or more louver portions that are bent and extend inwardly away from the inner surface and a louver opening. In some embodiments, the louver opening is an opening defined by the louver portion cut away from the outer surface of the main body. In various embodiments, the louver portions and corresponding openings may generate a flow within the fluid path that may suppress pressure surges caused by sloshing waves within the railcar.
While the surge suppression apparatus described herein is described for use within a railroad tank car, a person of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the surge suppression device described herein could be used in any other applications to protect rupture disc vents, pressure relief valves (PRV), vacuum relief valves (VRV), and/or similar components where pressure surges caused by sloshing waves may cause said components from blowing due to instantaneous pressure spikes.
In various embodiments, surge suppression apparatus 100 may comprise a substantially rectangular main body 110 with a flanged portion 122 to mount the substantially rectangular main body to a side of a railcar or a mounting flange used on a railcar. In other words, the substantially rectangular main body 110 may comprise a rectangular shape when viewed from a horizontal cross-sectional view. In other embodiments, however, main body 110 may be circular, polygonal, triangular, oval or a combination of any appropriate shape to facilitate the aspects of surge suppression apparatus 100 described herein.
In some embodiments, main body 110 may include louver portions 118 and louver openings 120 on one or multiple sides of main body 110. For example, in some embodiments, main body 110 may include louver portions 118 and louver openings 120 on opposite walls of substantially rectangular main body 110. In some embodiments, the louver portions 118 and louver openings 120 may be a uniform shape and/or size on the same or different sides of main body 110. In other embodiments, the louver portions 118 and louver openings 120 may have a different shape and/or size on the same or different sides of main body 110.
As discussed herein and depicted in
In some embodiments, louver portions 118 may each extend inwardly from an outer surface of main body 110 at a uniform angle. In other embodiments, louver portions 118 may extend inwardly from an outer surface of main body 110 at different angles. For example, and as depicted in
In some embodiments, louver portions 118 may each extend inwardly from an outer surface of main body 110 at a uniform angle. In other embodiments, louver portions 118 may extend inwardly from an outer surface of main body 110 at different angles. For example, and as depicted in
It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth herein. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Variations and modifications of the foregoing are within the scope of the present invention. It should be understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text and/or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the present invention. The embodiments described herein explain the best modes known for practicing the invention and will enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by this description.
Reference in this specification to “one implementation”, “an implementation”, “some implementations”, “various implementations”, “certain implementations”, “other implementations”, “one series of implementations”, or the like means that a particular feature, design, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the implementation is included in at least one implementation of the disclosure. The appearances of, for example, the phrase “in one implementation” or “in an implementation” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same implementation, nor are separate or alternative implementations mutually exclusive of other implementations. Moreover, whether or not there is express reference to an “implementation” or the like, various features are described, which may be variously combined and included in some implementations, but also variously omitted in other implementations. Similarly, various features are described that may be preferences or requirements for some implementations, but not other implementations.
The language used herein has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. Other implementations, uses and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. The specification should be considered exemplary only, and the scope of the invention is accordingly intended to be limited only by the following claims.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/599,640 filed Nov. 16, 2023, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63599640 | Nov 2023 | US |
