US4153434A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Emergency standby air drying back-up system
Assignee: EMPLOYEE ACQUISITION Corp -15
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Filing: 1978-05-25
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Granted: 1979-05-08
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Expires: 1998-05-25
Abstract
Abstract In some critical use, air-drying systems, 100% back-up capability is desired. The problem has been that an idle standby unit requires considerable time to reach full capability for dry air delivery. This invention bleeds enough dry air from the operating primary unit through parts of the idle back-up unit to maintain any dynamic conditions that are necessary to keep the standby unit ready for immediate use in the event of a failure of the primary unit.
Inventors
- 👤 Bernard W. Settlemyer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 13:22
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; B01D53/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
253 words
In a gas-drying system including two dehumidifiers, one of which operates as a primary system and the other of which serves as a standby back-up system, and each of which includes an air dryer unit and each of which constitutes a self-contained system that can supply the full demand for dry gas to a place of use when the other system is not in operation and for indefinite periods of time such as a day or a plurality of successive days, each dehumidifier having means for connecting it with a source of gas, to be dehumidified, the improvement which comprises a bleed connection through which gas flows from the downstream side of the air dryer unit of the primary dehumidifier to the upstream side of the air dryer unit of the standby system when said standby system is not in operation but ready to operate for supplying the full demand for dry gas to the place of use when and if the primary system is shut down because of mechanical failure or for other reasons, piping through which both the primary system and the standby system can supply dry gas to the same place of use, and means for supplying through said bleed connection, a predetermined amount of dry gas when the primary system is in operation, and the standby system is not in operation, to maintain dynamic conditions necessary to keep the standby system in ready condition for instant takeover from the primary system when the primary system is suddenly shut down.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
253 words
In a gas-drying system including two dehumidifiers, one of which operates as a primary system and the other of which serves as a standby back-up system, and each of which includes an air dryer unit and each of which constitutes a self-contained system that can supply the full demand for dry gas to a place of use when the other system is not in operation and for indefinite periods of time such as a day or a plurality of successive days, each dehumidifier having means for connecting it with a source of gas, to be dehumidified, the improvement which comprises a bleed connection through which gas flows from the downstream side of the air dryer unit of the primary dehumidifier to the upstream side of the air dryer unit of the standby system when said standby system is not in operation but ready to operate for supplying the full demand for dry gas to the place of use when and if the primary system is shut down because of mechanical failure or for other reasons, piping through which both the primary system and the standby system can supply dry gas to the same place of use, and means for supplying through said bleed connection, a predetermined amount of dry gas when the primary system is in operation, and the standby system is not in operation, to maintain dynamic conditions necessary to keep the standby system in ready condition for instant takeover from the primary system when the primary system is suddenly shut down.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The gas-drying system described in claim 1, characterized by the bleed connection entering the standby system downstream from the source of gas for the standby system, and means for preventing backflow of gas from the bleed connection to the source of gas for the standby system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
The gas-drying system described in claim 2, characterized by a valve in the standby system between the source of gas for the standby system and the bleed connection for preventing the flow of gas from the bleed connection to the source of gas for the standby system, and means for regulating the amount of gas supplied to the standby system through said bleed connection.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
The gas-drying system described in claim 3 characterized by said means for regulating being a pressure-regulator in series with the bleed connection, and of a type that receives gas under pressure and that delivers gas under a controlled and reduced pressure on the downstream side of the regulator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
79 words
The gas-drying system described in claim 1 characterized by both the primary and the secondary systems communicating with common piping through which dry gas flows from either system to the place of use of the dry gas, and valves on opposite sides of the common piping and between the primary and secondary systems, respectively, each of the valves being a check valve that closes to stop backflow from said common piping toward either of the primary and secondary systems.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
The gas-drying system described in claim 5 characterized by the bleed connection being independent from the connections of the primary and secondary systems to the common piping, and a check valve in the bleed connection that closes to stop flow of gas from the secondary system toward the primary system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
61 words
The gas-drying system described in claim 1 characterized by the standby system including an adsorptive gas dryer, and means in the bleed connection for supplying sufficient dry gas from the primary system to maintain the gas dryer of the standby system in a dry condition and ready for instant use when the standby system is called into operation in an emergency.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
59 words
The gas-drying system described in claim 7 characterized by the standby system including a refrigeration air dryer and means for supplying sufficient dry gas from the primary system to maintain some continuous load on the refrigeration gas dryer to prevent frosting or freeze-up that would delay proper functioning of the standby system if called into operation in an emergency.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
The gas-drying system described in claim 1 characterized by the standby system including a high humidity alarm through which the dry gas from the bleed connection flows to keep the alarm in condition for instant use if the standby system is called into operation in an emergency.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
100 words
The gas-drying system described in claim 1 characterized by both the primary and the standby systems including a refrigeration gas dryer, an economizer heat exchanger with one side through which gas under pressure flows to the dryer, and another side through which gas from the downstream side of the refrigeration gas dryer flows in thermal communication with the gas flowing to the upstream side of the dryer, and the bleed conduit leading from a location downstream from the heat exchanger of the primary system to a location upstream of the heat exchanger and refrigeration gas dryer of the standby system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
136 words
The gas-drying system described in claim 1 characterized by the primary system and the standby system each having a motor-driven air compressor that serves as the source of gas under pressure, and each having some chamber capacity for storing some air under substantial pressure, the piping for supplying gas to the place of use being in direct communication with the systems where the air is under substantial pressure, and portions of both systems beyond said piping including a pressure regulator for receiving the gas at said substantial pressure and delivering the gas at a reduced pressure, and other piping through which the primary system delivers air at the reduced pressure to a second place of use, and the standby system having other piping for delivering air at the reduced pressure to the second place of use.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
62 words
The gas-drying system described in claim 11 characterized by the standby system having its connection with the bleed connection at a location that permits the dry gas bled from the primary unit to flow through the entire gas circuit of the standby unit, except the portion through which gas is supplied to the standby system when the standby system is in operation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
55 words
The gas-drying system described in claim 1 characterized by a high humidity alarm in contact with the dry gas in the primary system, controls connected with said alarm and with the standby system for shutting off delivery from the primary system and putting the standby system into operation as a substitute for the primary system.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-05-07 | 1982-11-06 | 1983-05-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-05-07 | 1986-11-06 | 1987-05-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-05-07 | 1990-11-06 | 1991-05-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |