US 12,331,884 B2
Cryogenic fluid coupling
Erik Gustafson, Woodstock, GA (US)
Assigned to Chart Inc., Ball Ground, GA (US)
Filed by Chart Inc., Ball Ground, GA (US)
Filed on Mar. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/686,842.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/156,438, filed on Mar. 4, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0282837 A1, Sep. 8, 2022
Int. Cl. F17C 13/04 (2006.01); F17C 5/04 (2006.01)
CPC F17C 13/04 (2013.01) [F17C 5/04 (2013.01); F17C 2205/0323 (2013.01); F17C 2205/037 (2013.01); F17C 2227/04 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A coupling for transferring a cryogenic fluid comprising:
a. a nozzle including:
i) a nozzle bayonet including a nozzle inner tube and a nozzle outer tube with a bayonet insulation space defined therebetween;
ii) a warm seal positioned at a distal end of the nozzle bayonet, said warm seal having a warm seal engagement surface facing radially inwards;
iii) a nose seal positioned at a proximal end of the nozzle inner tube so that a distal passage within the inner tube is defined between the warm seal and the nose seal, said nose seal having a nose seal engagement surface facing radially inwards;
iv) a nozzle poppet valve having a nozzle poppet with a nozzle poppet spring urging the nozzle poppet towards a closed position at an outlet of the nozzle poppet valve and an inlet configured to receive the cryogenic fluid;
v) a proximal passage positioned between the outlet of the nozzle poppet valve and the nose seal;
vi) a purge line and a vent line in fluid communication with the distal passage;
vii) said nozzle bayonet extending downstream of the outlet of the nozzle poppet valve in a direction of fluid flow through the outlet of the nozzle poppet valve when the nozzle poppet is in an open position, said nose seal positioned between the outlet of the nozzle poppet valve and the warm seal;
b. a receptacle including:
i) a receptacle inner tube and a receptacle outer tube with a receptacle insulation space defined therebetween;
ii) an outer casing surrounding and annularly spaced from at least a portion of the receptacle outer tube to that a coupling space is defined therebetween,
iii) a receptacle poppet valve having a receptacle poppet with a receptacle poppet spring urging the receptacle poppet towards a closed position at an inlet of the receptacle poppet valve and an outlet in fluid communication with the receptacle inner tube;
c. said receptacle coupling space sized to receive the nozzle bayonet and configured so that the receptacle sequentially engages the warm seal of the nozzle with an outer surface of the outer casing and then the nose seal of the nozzle with an outer surface of the receptacle outer tube during insertion of the nozzle bayonet into the receptacle coupling space with the nozzle poppet engaging the receptacle poppet to open the nozzle poppet valve and the receptacle poppet valve when the nozzle bayonet is fully inserted into the receptacle coupling space so that the nozzle and receptacle are in a coupled condition.