Linde Aktiengesellschaft

Piers Lambert

Alan Edward Green

John Andrew Golby

George Gregory

Oliver Gobold

Mandip Thind

Rigoberto Perez De Alejo Fortun

Brian Jacobsen

Helmut Franz

Raj Gupta

Rigoberto Perez De Alejo

The present invention provides a monitoring apparatus for an outlet of a vessel storing gas under pressure. The monitoring apparatus comprises a flow control valve movable to a position between a fully open position and a fully closed position to adjust a flow of gas from the outlet of the vessel, a valve position detector connected to the flow control valve to detect the position of the flow control valve, an internal pressure sensor to sense an internal pressure P(t) of the gas in the vessel at different times, a processor, a memory and an alarm. The processor calculates an actual rate of change in pressure dP/dt of the gas in the vessel over time, and compares dP/dt with an expected rate of change.

Monitoring apparatus for pressure vessels

The present invention provides a control system () for managing the supply of bottled gas to users (), the system comprising: a gas cylinder system () having a gas cylinder () for receiving and distributing gas contained therein; a first electronic monitoring system () associated with said gas cylinder system () and operable to monitor parameters associated with said cylinder system (); a second monitoring system () associated with one or more locations (A-F) in which said cylinder may reside and being operable to monitor the presence or absence of said cylinder within said one or more locations (A-F); and a computer system () in communication with each of said second monitors () for receiving information therefrom relating to the presence or absence of said cylinder system () in said one or more locations (A-F).

Gas cylinder control system and gas cylinder for use therewith system

The present invention provides a flow apparatus () having a flow control valve () having a housing (), an aperture (), an aperture obturator () and an actuator () for moving said obturator () between a first closed position and multiple open positions (B-L), characterised by a valve position monitor () for monitoring the position of the valve () and comprising a plurality of discrete sensors (to) associated with a plurality of open positions (B-L) of said valve for monitoring the presence or absence of one or more members () movable with said valve (). The arrangement may be used to monitor the valve position and such monitoring may be of use in the prediction of the amount of fluid remaining within a cylinder () to which it has been attached.

Flow apparatus and monitoring system relating thereto

The present invention provides a sub-frame () for a valve body () having two or more location surfaces (), said sub-frame () comprising a first and a second portion () having mutually confronting contact surfaces (), sides () and front and back surfaces () and mutually confronting engagement surfaces (and) wherein said mutually confronting contact surfaces () are shaped to engage with each other upon placement together of the two portions () and said mutually confronting engagement surfaces (and) are shaped to engage with one or other of said one or more location surfaces () on the valve body ().

Subframe for a valve body

The present invention provides a flow apparatus () for a vessel storing fluid under pressure having a flow control valve () having a housing () and an outlet aperture () and further including a valve seat () and a sealing member () for sealing against said seat () such as to obturate said outlet (), said apparatus further including an actuator () connected to said sealing member () for moving it between an open position of the valve in which it unobturates the outlet aperture () and a closed position in which it obturates said outlet, characterized by an electrical switch () for controlling the supply of electrical current to one or more electrical components () and wherein said switch is operably connected to said sealing member () to allow for the passage of current when said valve () is in a first position and to restrict the flow of current when said valve () is in a second position. Such an apparatus may be used to control the flow of gas from a gas bottle and to ensure that electricity is only supplied when needed, thus prolonging battery life and reducing maintenance.

Growing community of inventors

Surrey, United Kingdom

Piers Lambert