Frozen/chilled fluid for pipelines and for storage facilities
Methods of, and apparatus for, storing and transporting a hazardous fluid, such as a combustible fuel, include methods and means, respectively, for: (a) treating the fluid to reduce its hazardous condition; (b) storing and/or transporting the treated fluid in such a manner that the risk of its hazardous condition remains reduced; (c) thereafter retreating the fluid to restore it to its original hazardous condition so that the fluid may be used in its restored condition. The hazardous fluid may be treated by adding a substance to, or removing a substance from, the fluid, or by changing the state of the fluid. For example, if the fluid is a fuel, it may be treated by cooling it to near or below its freezing temperature to reduce its combustibility, volatility, explosivity and/or ease of ignition.
1. A storage facility for containing a hazardous fluid with apparatus for reducing the hazard, said facility comprising: (a) a tank for containing a hazardous fluid, having an inlet for passage of said fluid into said tank and having an outlet for passage of said fluid out of said tank; (b) a plurality of sensors arranged in proximity to said tank at spaced intervals, including at least one chemical sensor operative to sense the presence of at least one specific chemical structure, to determine when a degree of likelihood that said hazardous fluid will escape from said tank exceeds a given level; (c) a plurality of injectors arranged at spaced intervals in proximity to said tank, for injecting a cooling fluid into the tank; wherein at least one of said sensors, including said at least one chemical sensor, upon detection that said likelihood of escape exceeds said given level, causes at least one of said injectors to inject said cooling fluid; whereby said cooling fluid renders said hazardous fluid less hazardous.
2. The storage facility defined in claim 1 , further comprising cooling apparatus, disposed in proximity to said tank, for cooling said hazardous fluid within said tank, whereby the fluid is stored in said tank in a cooled state thereby to render said fluid less hazardous.
3. The storage facility defined in claim 1 , further comprising a cooling tube, disposed within said tank, for conveying said cooling fluid to said injectors; wherein said injectors are operative to inject said cooling fluid from said tube into the space which is (1) outside of said tube and (2) inside of said tank.
4. The storage facility defined in claim 3 , wherein said cooling tube extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of said tank, and is situated at a central location within said tank.
5. The storage facility defined in claim 3 , wherein said cooling tube extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of said tank, and is situated adjacent an inner boundary of said tank.
6. The storage facility defined in claim 1 , further comprising a cooling tube, disposed external to said tank, for conveying said cooling fluid to said injectors; wherein said injectors are operative to inject said cooling fluid from said tube into said tank.
7. The storage facility defined in claim 3 , wherein said cooling tube extends from at least one of (1) said inlet end, and (2) said outlet end of said tank.
8. The storage facility defined in claim 1 , wherein said cooling fluid is liquid nitrogen.
9. The storage facility defined in claim 1 , wherein said cooling fluid is a liquefied noble element.
10. The storage facility defined in claim 3 , wherein said cooling tube comprises a storage tank situated within said tank.
11. The storage facility defined in claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of sensors operative to sense a temperature.
12. The storage facility defined in claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of sensors is operative to sense a pressure.
13. The storage facility defined in claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of sensors situated within said tank.
14. The storage facility defined in claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of sensors is situated exterior to said tank.
15. A storage facility for containing a hazardous fluid with apparatus for reducing the hazard, said facility comprising: (a) a tank for containing a hazardous fluid, having at least one port, said at least one port configured for passage of a hazardous fluid into and out of said tank; (b) a plurality of sensors arranged in proximity to said tank at spaced intervals, including at least one chemical sensor operative to sense the presence of at least one specific chemical structure, to determine when a degree of likelihood that said hazardous fluid will escape from said tank exceeds a given level; (c) a plurality of injectors arranged at spaced intervals in proximity to said tank, for injecting a cooling fluid into the tank; wherein at least one of said sensors, including said at least one chemical sensor, upon detection that said likelihood of escape exceeds said given level, causes at least one of said injectors to inject said cooling fluid; whereby said cooling fluid renders said hazardous fluid less hazardous.
16. The storage facility defined in claim 1 , further comprising a cooling tube, disposed within said tank, for conveying said cooling fluid to said injectors; wherein said injectors are operative to inject said cooling fluid from said tube into the space which is (1) outside of said tube and (2) inside of said tank.
17. The storage facility defined in claim 1 , further comprising a cooling tube, disposed external to said tank, for conveying said cooling fluid liquid to said injectors; wherein said injectors are operative to inject said cooling fluid from said tube into said tank.
18. The storage facility defined in claim 3 , wherein said cooling tube comprises a storage tank situated within said tank.
19. The storage facility defined in claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of sensors is operative to sense a temperature.
20. The storage facility defined in claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of sensors is operative to sense a pressure.
21. The storage facility defined in claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of sensors is situated within said tank.
22. The storage facility defined in claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of sensors is situated exterior to said tank.