Westport Power Inc.

Westport Fuel Systems Canada Inc.

Michael Ebbehoj

Kenneth William Kratschmar

Robbi L McDonald

Ankur Harshkant Vayeda

Gregory C Harper

Robbi L Mcdonald

Ziyuan Ren

Ankur H Vayeda

Raymundo A Saenz

A flange for a pump comprises first and second faces and a passageway for cryogenic fluid flow extending from the first face to the second face and at least one of (1) the passageway is for a pipe and comprises a first portion of a first diameter and a second portion of a second diameter greater than the first diameter, wherein when the pipe has an outer diameter that is smaller than the second diameter a gap is formed between the pipe and the passageway where the pipe passes through the second portion; and (2) a first annular groove in one of the first face and the second face and extending around the passageway, wherein the first annular groove in cooperation with the passageway forms a bellows. The gap and bellows increase the thermal resistance between the passageway and the flange, and the bellows allows for flexure during thermal contractions of the flange reducing thermal stress on welded fluid seals.

Cryogenic pump flange

A cryogenic storage vessel having an inner vessel defining a cryogen space; an outer vessel spaced apart from and surrounding the inner vessel, defining a thermally insulating space between the inner vessel and the outer vessel; and a receptacle defining passages for delivery of liquefied gas from the cryogen space to outside the cryogenic storage vessel. The receptacle has an elongated outer sleeve defining an interior space in fluid communication with the thermally insulating space that is sealed from the cryogen space; an elongated inner sleeve extending into the interior space defined by the elongated outer sleeve defining an inner receptacle space that is fluidly isolated from the thermally insulating space; and a collar extending around an inner surface of the elongated inner sleeve which seals against a cooperating surface of a pump assembly when a pump assembly is installed in the cryogenic storage vessel thereby dividing a warm end from a cold end of the receptacle. A motor for driving the pump can be installed within the cryogenic storage vessel.

Cryogenic storage vessel

Draining a cryogenic storage vessel to remove a pump is timing consuming, expensive and can result in increased greenhouse gas emissions. A cryogenic storage vessel comprises an inner vessel defining a cryogen space and an outer vessel spaced apart from and surrounding the inner vessel, defining a thermally insulating space between the inner and outer vessels. A receptacle comprises an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve, and defines passages for delivery of liquefied gas from the cryogen space to outside the cryogenic storage vessel. The outer sleeve intersects opposite sides of the inner vessel, with the opposite ends of the outer sleeve defining an interior space in fluid communication with the thermally insulating space that is sealed from the cryogen space. The inner sleeve has an open end supported from the outer vessel, and extends into the interior space defined by the outer sleeve, and a closed end opposite the open end, defining a receptacle space that is fluidly isolated from the thermally insulating space. A fluid communication channel extends from the cryogen space to the receptacle space, and can be selectively closed to allow the pump to be removed.

In high horse power engines there are strict energy budgets allotted for each subsystem. It is a challenge for a gaseous fuel pumping system to supply the necessary gaseous fuel mass flow to the engine while staying within budget. A method for pressurizing a gaseous fuel supplied to an engine comprises providing first and second hydraulically actuated pumping apparatus comprising first and second shuttle valves in first and second hydraulic pistons respectively; and selectively communicating hydraulic fluid flow to the first and second hydraulically actuated pumping apparatuses. In a first mode hydraulic fluid is communicated through the first hydraulically actuated pumping apparatus to the second hydraulically actuated pumping apparatus. In a second mode hydraulic fluid is communicated through the second hydraulically actuated pumping apparatus to the first hydraulically actuated pumping apparatus. The method switches between the first and second modes when a pressure drop in hydraulic fluid pressure associated with the hydraulic fluid flowing through the first and second shuttle valves is detected.

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Vancouver, Canada

Michael Ebbehoj