Fluid transferring system design for purging toxic, corrosive, or noxious fluids and fumes from materials handling equipment for cleansing and accident preventio

Gehring, W. E.

Hellmann, R. F.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

REPLY ro 
ATTN OF: GP 
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 
WASHINGTON. D.C. 20546 
March 27, 1971 
TO z USI/Scientific & Technical Information Division 
Attention: Miss Winnie M. Morgan 
FROM : GP/Office of Assistant General 
Counsel for Patent Matters 
SUBJECT: Announcement of NASA-Owned 
U.S. Patents in STAR 
In accordance with the procedures contained in the Code GP 
to Code U S 1  memorandum on this subject, dated June 8, 1970, 
the attached NASA-owned U.S. patent is being forwarded for 
abstracting and announcement in NASA STAR. 
The following information is provided: 
U.S. Patent No. : 3,331,404 
McDonnell Aircraft Corporation 
Corporate Source : St. Louis, Missouri 
Supplementary 
Corporate Source 
NASA Patent Case No.: ms-01905 
Gayle Parker 
- -  
Enclosure : 
Copy of Patent N 
0 
9 
c 
NASA-HQ 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19710011614 2020-03-17T02:54:46+00:00Z
. E. GEHRING ETAA 3,33 
APPARATUS F O R  P U R G I N G  SYSTEMS HANDLING 
AND OTHER F L U I D S  
Filed May 15, 1963 
T O X I C ,  CORROSIVE, N O X I O U S  __ 
United States Patent Office July 1967 
1 
3,331,404 
APPARATUS FOR PURGING SYSTEMS HANDLING 
TOXIC, CORROSIVE, NOXIOUS AND OTHER 
FLUIDS 
Wilbur E. GehrIng, St. Louis County, Ronald F. 
HeliImann, FIorissant, and Stewart Scott IIX, Fer- 
guson, Ma., granted to National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration under the provisions of 
42 U.S.C. 2457(d) 
Filed May 15,1963, Ser. No. 280,580 
1 Claim. (el. 141-91) 
The invention described herein was made in perform- 
ance of work under a NASA contract and is subject to 
the provisions of section 305 of the National Aeronautics 
and Space Act of 1958, Public Law 85-568 (72 Stat. 
435; 42 U.S.C. 2457(d). 
This invention relates to improvement in apparatus 
for systems handling toxic, corrosive, noxious and other 
fluids, and is particularly directed to apparatus by which 
conduits may be easily and positively purged of such 
fluids and the fumes therefrom for safety of personnel 
handling such fluids and for general cleansing of the 
system. 
There are many fluids (liquids or gases) which are re- 
quired to be handled with extreme care when transferred 
from one place to another. The transfer is usually made 
by a conduit system so that the fluid can be confined 
during the transfer. In setting up a transfer system cer- 
tain conduit connections and disconnections are usually 
required, and it is during these operations that care must 
be exercised not to allow such fluids to escape. The 
system hereinafter described is not so much directed to 
preventing loss of fluid by evaporation or other effects, 
but to positively prevent its escape or leakage in the 
first place. 
Important examples are systems handling rocket pro- 
pellants, and Freon coolants. These materials are toxic 
to personnel handling the same and some have lethal 
effects. Thus, great care is always required to establish 
a leak proof system and one in which spillage is reduced 
to zero. Of course, a leak proof system and apparatus 
therein may have a wider range of applications to reduce 
loss of costIy fluids or to prevent messy handling opera- 
tions. Such examples include uses in the chemical indus- 
try where hazardous fluids are transferred from con- 
tainer to container and where zero spillage is required, 
and uses in the atomic energy field where transfer of 
radio active fluids is involved. 
It is therefore, an important object of this invention 
to provide purging or scavenging means for toxic or 
hazardous fluid handling systems so that zero spillage 
may be assured. 
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved 
system for handling the transfer of fluids of the charac- 
ter above indicated with means incorporated therein for 
purging the fluids from disconnectable conduits, hoses 
or the like. 
It is another object of the invention to provide 
scavenging means for incorporation in systems of the 
foregoing character. 
Another object of the invention is to provide scaveng- 
ing means for incorporation in toxic or hazardous fluid 
transfer systems whereby such fluids may be positively 
purged by injection of inert fluids in counterflow relation. 
A further object of the invention is to provide an im- 
proved device for use in fluid transfer systems of the 
above character so that purging fluids may be introduced 
at a critical joint or connection which is required to be 
disconnected upon completion of the transfer. 
Other objects and advantages will be pointed out or 
will become apparent as a preferred example of the 
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invention as disclosed in the following description and 
with reference to the drawings, wherein: 
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a fluid handling and 
purging system in which certain preferred items of ap- 
paratus are shown; 
FIG. 2 is an enlarged and partially sectioned view of 
an item of apparatus incorporated in the system of FIG. 
1; and 
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken at line 3-3 in FIG. 2. 
In FIG. 1 the selected system for illustration com- 
prises a container or storage unit 10 for holding the fluid 
having toxic or hazardous characteristics, and 11 is the 
container or receiving unit. The fluid to be transferred is 
moved by a pump 12 from conduit 13 connected to the 
unit 10 into the conduit or hose 14 and flows to a filling 
device 15 where a connector 16 attaches the hose 14 to 
the main leg 17 of the device 15. The main leg 7 is, in 
turn, connected to the valve 18 connected to the filling 
port l l a  of receiver unit 11. The conduit 14 has a 
selector valve 19 interposed therein, the control handle 
20 of which is shown in its transfer position in full line. 
In such position of the valve 19 the pump 12 is able to 
transfer the fluid from storage unit 10 to receiver unit 
11. In place of the pump 12, the storage unit 10 may be 
pressurized so that the selector valve may be used to con- 
trol the system. 
The system of FIG. 1 also comprises a supply tank 21 
containing an inert purging medium under suitable pres- 
sure. Such medium may be gaseous nitrogen, helium, 
argon or even air contained under pressure at from 5 to 
500 p.s.i., depending upon the character of fluid being 
transferred in conduit 14 to receiver unit 11. The tank 
21 is provided with a conduit or hose 22 which leads to a 
connector 23 on a branch leg 24 of the device 15. The 
branch leg 24 contains a control valve 25. In addition, the 
system includes a discharge conduit 26 leading from the 
control valve 19 to a waste tank 27, or alternatively 
through a conduit (dotted outline) 26a back to the stor- 
age unit 10. A vacuum or suction type pump 28 is dis- 
posed in conduit 26 so that it may discharge to either 
the waste tank 27 or storage unit 10 through conduit 26a. 
In FIGS. 2 and 3, the filling device 15 is provided with 
a branch inlet connector 29 for the branch leg 24, and 
such inlet 29 has a feed tube 30 directed into the main 
leg 17 and extended toward the filling valve 18 (of any 
suitable type) where its outlet end 31 is adjacent the 
valve element 18a. A filter or screen element 32 is 
secured over the inlet passage by the threaded end 33, 
and valve 18 is connected to the leg 17 by a fitting 34 
which is rotatably mounted on the outlet ferrule 35. The 
ferrule 35 has a lip on its end which is adaptable to seat 
upon a complementary surface 37 on the end of valve 
fitting 18. The utility of the valve 18 and fitting 34 is 
believed to be apparent from the drawing, the object being 
to establish a leak proof joint for the filling valve 18 
and to be able to purge the passage below seat surface 
37 of all of the fluid being transferred in conduit 14. 
The device 15, instead of being made as shown, may 
have a body B shown in broken outline. In such event, 
the body B would have a first inlet connection at 16, a 
second inlet connection at 23, an outlet at 35, a first 
passageway 17 between the inlet 16 and outlet 35, a 
second passageway 24 leading from the second inlet 23 
and a control valve 25 for the passageway 24. The second 
passageway 24 is arranged with a portion thereof extend- 
ing to the outlet end 31 which is within the valve 18 when 
properly connecting the body B to the filling port l la .  
In operation, the fluid from storage unit 10 is moved 
through conduit 14 by pump 12 (or under pressure) when 
the control valve 19 is in the possition shown in full 
line. At this time the valve 25 at the device 15 is closed. At 
the completion of the transfer of fluid to receiver unit 
3,331,404 
3 4 
11 the valve 18 is closed and the control valve 19 is What is claimed is: 
turned to its dotted line position, first having stopped Apparatus for transferring a first fluid without spillage 
pump 12. The valve 25 may then be opened and the comprising a storage unit for the first'fluid, a receiver 
pump 28 started. The supply of inert fluid from tank 21 unit to be charged with the first fluid, said receiver unit 
flows under pressure into the branch leg 24 and tube 30 5 having inlet means, conduit means connected into said 
where it emerges at outlet 31 adjacent the valve element storage unit, control valve means in said conduit means, 
18a to purge the inlet side of valve 18 and flow into discharge conduit means connected into said control valve 
the main leg 17 of the filling device 15 in a counter di- means, first fluid transfer means connected to said con- 
rection to the flow of the fluid transferred to unit 11. trol valve means at one end, a filling device connected 
The counter flow is induced by the operation of vacuum to the opposite end of said transfer means, said device 
pump 28, and the inert fluid purges the conduit 14 and having a charging port detachably connected to said in- 
valve 18 back to either the waste tank 27 or the storage let means at said receiver unit, a source of purging 
unit PO, as the case may be. After a period of purging medium connected to said filling device, a discharge tube 
the conduit 14 and valve 18 is completely scavenge1 of a11 in said fiIIing device having one end opening adjacent 
fluid and the filling device may be disconnected from 15 said charging port, the opposite end being supplied with 
the filling port 18, the port 18 being capped or sealed by the purging medium, a shut-off valve in the purging 
suitable means (not necessary to show). medium connection to control the purging medium move- 
Certain fluids handled in the foregoing system cannot ment through said one open end, and an evacuating 
be returned to the storage unit 10, so must be led to the means connected into said discharge conduit means, said 
waste tank 27, while others can be saved for further 20 valves being selectively movable to transfer first fluid 
transfer handling and are conducted by the alternate con- from said storage unit to said receiver unit and to stop 
duit 26a back to the storage unit 10. such first fluid transfer and introduce purging medium 
It has been suggested that in place of pump 12 the unit into said transfer means, said evacuating means drawing 
10 may be pressurized. To accomplish this, the pressurized the Purging medium through said transfer means and 
fluid in tank 21 may be used by providing a conduit 220 25 discharge conduit means to scavenge the first fluid there- 
from a control valve 21a, all as will be understood from from* 
References Cited the view of FIG. 1. 
While the invention hereof has been shown and de- UNITED STATES PATENTS 
scribed in what is conceived to be a practical form, it is 3o 1,437,917 12/1922 Shelor _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  141-389 x 
of course understood that changes and alterations may be 2,505,799 5/1950 Smith _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  141-20 x 
made therein, all within the intended scope of the inven- 2,518,064 8/1950 Rapisarda _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  141-20 X 
tion. Therefore, the chosen form is not to be limited to 2,684,805 7/1954 McBean _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  141-3 
the details thereof but is to be given the fuIl scope of the 
claim and so as to include any and all equivalent ap- 35 LAVERNE D- Primary Examiner- - _. 
paratus. E. J. EARLS, Assistant Examiner. 


Apparatus for purging systems handling toxic, corrosive, noxious and other fluids Patent

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