U.S. patent application number 10/347545 was filed with the patent office on 2003-10-02 for inert gas blanket for protection from oxidation.
Invention is credited to Hall, Richard H., Selby, Theodore W..
Application Number | 20030183454 10/347545 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40748528 |
Filed Date | 2003-10-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030183454 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hall, Richard H. ; et
al. |
October 2, 2003 |
Inert gas blanket for protection from oxidation
Abstract
Inert gas blanket protects oxidatively labile substance from
oxidation. For example, fuels and lubricants such as present in
fuel tanks, bearings, crankcases, gear boxes, transmissions, and so
forth, employed in or in conjunction with internal combustion, jet
and turbine engines, or a combustible substance such as flour dust
in a grain silo, can be protected with a nitrogen blanket provided
from the separation of air with a membrane containing device,
Useful life of oleaginous liquids and hydrocarbon-based lubricants
can be extended. For example, with the practice of the present
invention, it may be necessary to change automobile engine oil only
after twenty to fifty thousand miles of use.
Inventors: |
Hall, Richard H.; (Midland,
MI) ; Selby, Theodore W.; (Midland, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Christopher John Rudy
Ste. 8
209 Huron Ave.
Port Huron
MI
48060
US
|
Family ID: |
40748528 |
Appl. No.: |
10/347545 |
Filed: |
January 21, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10347545 |
Jan 21, 2003 |
|
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|
09172577 |
Oct 13, 1998 |
|
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60062133 |
Oct 15, 1997 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
184/6.21 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16N 39/002 20130101;
F16N 39/00 20130101; F01M 1/18 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
184/6.21 |
International
Class: |
F01M 001/00 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A protected item comprising a generally enclosed space for
containing an oxidatively labile substance, and attached in
communication thereto an inert gas device for providing an inert
gas blanket to said space to assist in protecting the oxidatively
labile substance from oxidation.
2. The item of claim 1, wherein said device provides said inert gas
which is enriched in or is pure nitrogen.
3. The item of claim 2, wherein said device includes a membrane for
separating said inert gas from air.
4. The item of claim 3, which delivers to a place away from said
space a gas which is enriched in or is pure oxygen.
5. The item of claim 3, which is a fuel tank.
6. The item of claim 3, which is an electrical wire raceway.
7. The item of claim 3, which is a hydraulic brake system, a tank
for transporting a liquid fuel or combustible or oxidation
sensitive reactant or solvent, and a combination thereof.
8. The item of claim 1, which is selected from the group consisting
of a transmission box, a gear box, and a crankcase of an internal
combustion engine; and the oxidatively labile substance is an oil
or transmission fluid.
9. The item of claim 3, which is selected from the group consisting
of a transmission box, a gear box, and a crankcase of an internal
combustion engine; and the oxidatively labile substance is an oil
or transmission fluid.
10. The item of claim 8, which is said engine crankcase.
11. The item of claim 9, which is said engine crankcase.
12. The item of claim 4, wherein said place is selected from the
group consisting of a carburetor, fuel injector, catalytic
converter and a combination thereof.
13. The item of claim 4, wherein said place includes a pilot,
driver or passenger cabin or compartment.
14. The item of claim 3, which is stationary.
15. The item of claim 14, which is a grain elevator or silo.
16. A method for controlling oxidative degradation of an oleaginous
liquid substance in a generally enclosed space in a working
machine, which comprises providing an inert gas blanket to said
space.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein said oleaginous liquid
substance is an oil or transmission fluid, and said machine is
selected from the group consisting of a transmission box, a gear
boy, an internal combustion engine, and a combination thereof.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein said inert gas which is
enriched in or is pure nitrogen.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein said inert gas is provided from
separation air with a membrane-containing device.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein said oleaginous liquid
substance is an engine oil; said machine is the internal combustion
engine, and it is necessary to change the oil only after twenty
thousand miles of use or more.
Description
FIELD
[0001] This invention concerns provision of a non-oxidizing gas
blanket, for protection from oxidation, to include, for example,
for fuels and lubricants such as present in fuel tanks, bearings,
crankcase, gear boxes, transmissions, and so forth, used in or in
conjunction with internal combustion, jet and turbine engines.
Protection from combustion in enclosed spaces, to include wiring
raceways, and explosion with other explosive mixtures are also of
concern, for example, in static building structures containing
carbonaceous particulate matter which may become suspended in air
and can present a safety problem, for example, silos or buildings
which contain grain, flour, and so forth and the like.
BACKGROUND
[0002] One of the primary enemies of longevity in hydrocarbon-based
lubricants is oxidation. For example, engine oils employed in
automobiles, transportation and stationary power units break down
significantly owing to oxidation and must be replaced every few
thousand miles, or after a certain number of hours, of use.
[0003] As well, oxidation can be a foe of safety when it comes to
fuel tank explosions and so forth. For example, automobiles under
crash conditions may encounter such explosions; aircraft fuel tanks
have been known to explode, and the wiring of aircraft may start on
fire. Ship tankers carrying fuels are particularly at rink, and
most are now "inserted" when traveling unloaded. Railroad tank cars
and tank trucks are also of concern. In tanked vehicles, flue gas,
rich in carbon dioxide, may be piped to the tank to hopefully
protect its contents if an explosive condition would exist due to
the presence of a fuel and oxygen.
[0004] Furthermore, the dumping of used oil is one of the major
sources of pollution in landfills. Moreover, harmful substances
accompanying the used oil are carried into the landfills.
[0005] Further, static building structures containing carbonaceous
particulate matter which may become suspended in air can present a
safety problem. For example, silos or buildings which contain
grain, flour and/or other carbonaceous particulate matter such as
may be provided by sawdust have been known to explode. In
addressing this matter, silo explosion detectors are known, which
detect an explosion at its onset and inject argon gas therein to
hopefully minimize or alleviate explosive wave front propagation.
However, such systems are not without their drawbacks.
[0006] It would be desired to overcome or ameliorate such
problems.
SUMMARY
[0007] The invention provides an inert gas blanket for protection
from oxidation. Such includes, for example, for fuels and
lubricants such as present in fuel tanks, bearings, crankcases,
gear boxes, transmissions, and so forth, employed in or in
conjunction with internal combustion, jet and turbine engines.
[0008] The invention is useful in conservation and public
safety.
[0009] Significantly by the invention, the useful life of
oleaginous liquids and hydrocarbon-based lubricants can be extended
to most amazing lengths. For example, with the practice of the
present invention, it may be necessary to change automobile engine
oil only after twenty to fifty thousand miles of use or more. As
well, by the invention, less and less oil will find its way into
landfills since the major reason so much oil is found unsuitable
for use and is dumped is due to the oil becoming oxidized; the
oxidation of oil generates organic acids, ketones, aldehydes and
other varnish-like and/or corrosive compounds, which, in general,
must be dumped while still dissolved or suspended in the oil, or
cause damage to the operating mechanism which the oil lubricates.
The retardation of the process of forming these components, i.e.,
the oxidation, will not only minimize the consumption of oil such
as will be drained and dumped by the consumer, which is of real
economic value to him, but also will provide for a reduced load on
the environment in waste handling and disposal of the used oil,
which can be estimated in millions of gallons per year. In
addition, the likelihood of fuel tank explosions in air, land and
sea vehicles and stationary machinery, and as well the likelihood
of electrical fires in wiring raceways as found in aircraft, can be
effectively reduced. Furthermore, buildings such as grain or flour
silos, sawdust containing buildings, etc., can be inhibited from
explosion. The invention is simple; it is inexpensive to implement,
and it is efficient.
[0010] Numerous further advantages attend the invention.
DRAWINGS
[0011] The drawings form part of the specification hereof. With
respect to the drawings, where like numerals indicate like
features, the following is briefly noted:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a plan view of an inert gas blanket provision of
the invention for protection of engine oil in an internal
combustion engine in an automobile.
[0013] FIG. 2 in a plan view of inert gas blankets of the invention
for protection of a fuel tank and a wire raceway in an
airplane.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a plan view of an inert gas providing membrane
separator, which can be used in the practice of the invention.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a plan view of an inert gas blanket provision of
the invention for protection of a flour silo.
ILLUSTRATIVE DETAIL
[0016] The invention can be further understood by the present
detail which may be read in view of the drawings. The same is to be
taken in an illustrative and not necessarily limiting sense.
[0017] Herein, in general, in reference to a gas, the term "inert"
means non-oxidizing. Generally so, an "inert gas blanket" is a
non-oxidizing gas blanket. Preferred is a nitrogen-enriched
gas.
[0018] In reference to the drawings, in general, in FIGS. 1 &
2, protected machinery 100 is depicted, which includes housing 1
and generally enclosed device 10 having oxidatively labile
substance 11 therein. For example, in FIG. 1 is depicted protected
automobile 100 having body 1, internal combustion engine 10, which
may be diesel or gasoline powered, and lubricating motor oil 11; in
FIG. 2 is depicted protected airplane 100 having body 1, and
amidship, fuel tank 10 and fuel 11, and fore, electrical wire
raceway 10 containing electrical wire 11 having combustible
insulation and so forth. Inert gas providing device 50 can provide
the inert gas blanket for protection from oxidation of the
oxidatively labile substance 11. The device 50 can be take the form
of an inert gas tank such as pressurized or liquid argon, nitrogen
and/or carbon dioxide, and so forth and the like, or any other
device which can provide inert gas to the device 10 so as to
protect the substance 11 from oxygen or at least high
concentrations of oxygen such as found in ambient air. As an
alternative, the device 50 may generate the inert gas as, for
example, a nitrogen blanket or at least a gas blanket having
enriched concentrations or nitrogen in comparison to ambient air
such as through employment of membrane technology and so forth. As
such, and as not only generally depicted in FIGS. 1 & 2 but
also depicted in FIG. 3, the device 50 may include membrane
separating device 51, which can separate air into a plurality of
fractions, for example, two fractions, one containing an enriched
supply of nitrogen, the other having an enriched supply of oxygen
as a byproduct, and such a device may be of the pressurized
"membrane," i.e., hollow fiber, type so as to enable economical
separation; first conduit 52 leads from the nitrogen enriched side
of the device 51 to pump 53, which may be, for example, of the type
commonly employed in compressed air, enhanced shock absorbers used
for level control or for light trucks, of be of another suitable
variety; second conduit 54 leads from the pump 53 to fitting 55
leading to the interior of the engine or fuel tank 10 where inert
gas blanket 56, for example, of the gas enriched with nitrogen, is
provided. The pump 53, and optional small reservoir storage tank 57
for storage of inert gas and/or for byproduct gas, as appropriate,
can be placed in any suitable position on, in, or in association or
conjunction with the protected machinery 100. With tube-type
membrane gas separators, since they typically operate better under
a high pressure inlet stream, the inlet of the separating device 51
is placed at the outlet of the pump 53. Optionally, by-product gas,
say, enriched with oxygen, may be delivered to another part of the
machinery where it can be consumed, for example, to a catalytic
converter assembly, a fuel injector assembly, or, as depicted in
FIG. 1, to an air cleaner assembly for intake to the carburetor,
through third conduit 58. In the former case, an advantageous
feature of providing the byproduct gas enriched in oxygen thereto
is that it can be used in the initial starting of an internal
combustion engine when the catalytic converter is otherwise at its
minimum activity, or, in other words, its maximum pollutant
generation, level, so as to alleviate the same. Another advantage
of using the byproduct enriched oxygen stream is to enhance the
loss of oxygen in a sealed cabin space such as that found in
aircraft or even in the passenger compartment of a boat, automobile
or truck.
[0019] In general, as is known in the art, membrane separators,
which can include the membrane separator 50, work on the following
principles:
[0020] For fluids, rolled film sheets are used.
[0021] For gasses, fine microfiber tubes 59 are used (FIG. 3).
[0022] Desirably, the tubes 59 are small in diameter so as to allow
higher pressure differentials on opposing sides of the membrane.
The cylindrical shape is extrudable for cost reasons and allows for
side wall thickness control.
[0023] The membranes are semipermeable, and the semipermeable
membrane units can be large to provide adequate volume throughput.
Alternatively, they may be provided in series to provide high
efficiency, high percentage separations, i.e., purer exit
streams.
[0024] The rolled film units are more often used for liquids since
the weight of product passing through, as can be measured by its
density, is greater, but mainly because some part of the fluid, for
example, entrained salts, must flushed through, or else that part
will block the film. In the example of FIG. 3, both "A" and "B"
streams are gasses. Therefore, there will be no deposits or
blinding of the membrane, if the gasses are properly filtered at
the inlet end.
[0025] For dirty, or dusty, areas, an inlet end particulate filter
(not Illustrated) is desirable. The filter can have an automatic
backflush feature on pressure drop indication.
[0026] Various membranes may be commercially obtained and used as
is or adapted for use in the practice of the invention. For
example, membrane-based, nitrogen enhancing technology is available
from MG Generon of Malvern, Pa.
[0027] In reference to FIG. 4, in general, protected enclosed
static structure 200 includes housing 1 and generally enclosed
structure 10 having oxidatively labile substance 11 therein. For
example, the oxidatively labile substance may be flour dust
suspended in otherwise ambient air. The membrane separating device
50 can be provided proximate the silo 200, with, for example, a
nitrogen enriched supply of inert gas pumped inside the silo 200
through conduit 54 to help protect from explosion, and byproduct
gas enriched in oxygen diverted elsewhere outside the silo 200.
Internal pressure relief opening and/or valve 60 may be
provided.
[0028] The device 50 may be retrofitted to a standard, generally
enclosed device 10 to provide the protected machinery 100 or static
structure 200. For an illustrative example, such may be adapted
especially for and made available in the automotive aftermarket for
retrofitting with a standard automotive engine, or adapted
especially for and made available in the heavy machinery market for
retrofitting with standard locomotive, farm tractor, over the road
truck, or ship engines. Along such lines, such may be applied
within a standing grain or flour silo complex so as to provide an
inexpensive source of non-oxidizing gas to help prevent explosions
of suspended flour dust. Additional examples of the protected
machinery 100 can include liquid fuel tanks, transmissions, gear
boxes, hydraulic brake systems and/or wire raceways of electrical,
gasoline or diesel powered watercraft, land motor vehicles,
locomotive railroad engines, farm machinery, home gardening
tractors and lawn mowers, commercial or industrial and home
electrical generators, welders, and so forth; truck, railroad or
ship tank cars, trailers or bays for fuels or combustible or
oxidation sensitive reactants or solvents; stationary farm,
industrial and home tanks for gasoline, diesel, oil, combustible or
oxidation sensitive reactants or solvents; and so forth and the
like.
[0029] In general, the invention may apply to any system in which a
substantially enclosed space or a space to which an overpressure
can be applied contains an oxidizable material. The actual
possibilities of application of the invention are extensive.
CONCLUSION
[0030] The present invention is thus provided. Various features,
subcombinations and combinations of the invention may be practiced
with or without reference to other features, subcombinations or
combinations in the practice of the invention, and numerous
adaptations and modifications can be effected within its spirit,
the literal claim scope of which is particularly pointed out as
follows:
* * * * *