Pump Column Baffle for LNG Pump
Disclosed is a pump column for use with a submersible pump in an croygenic tank, such as for use in a rail tender fueled by liquid natural gas. The pump column is configured to enable rapid removal and access to a pump submerged within a tank containing liquid natural gas.
1 . A device for accessing a pump inside a cryogenic fluid tank, comprising:
an elongated, vertical column structure defining an internal volume;
a pump contained in a lower region of the column structure;
at least one seal that provides a seal between the internal volume and a region exterior to the internal volume;
a lift mechanism that actuates to raise the pump; and
an actuator attached to the lift mechanism, the actuator adapted to raise the pump upon actuation.
2 . A device as in claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a jack screw.
3 . A device as in claim 1 , wherein the jack screw threadedly extends through a top plate on the column.
4 . A device as in claim 1 , wherein the lift mechanism comprises a jack rod that attaches the actuator to the pump.
5 . A device as in claim 1 , further comprising a foot plate that supports the pump at the lower region of the column structure.
6 . A device as in claim 5 , further comprising a seal that seals the foot plate from an exterior region outside the pump.
7 . A device as in claim 1 , further comprising a discharge conduit that fluidly couples the internal volume of the pump to an exterior region.
8 . A device as in claim 1 , wherein the vertical column includes a bellows that can change shape.
9 . A device as in claim 1 , wherein the column is cylindrical.
10 . A device as in claim 1 , further comprising the tank.
11 . A device as in claim 10 , wherein the tank includes an inner tank and an outer tank.
12 . A device as in claim 11 , wherein an upper region of the column structure extends out of the inner tank to the outer tank and wherein a bottom region of the column is inside the inner tank.