Acetylene cylinder manifold assembly

Abstract

A system and method for simultaneously filling or discharging a plurality of acetylene cylinders. One embodiment provides an acetylene cylinder filling/dispensing assembly comprising a manifold connected to a plurality of acetylene cylinders for simultaneously filling or discharging the plurality of acetylene cylinders, the manifold having an acetylene gas inlet/discharge coupling connectable to an acetylene gas supply to deliver acetylene gas from the acetylene gas supply to the plurality of acetylene cylinders.

1 . An acetylene cylinder assembly, comprising: a manifold connected to a plurality of acetylene cylinders for simultaneously filling or discharging the plurality of acetylene cylinders, the manifold having an acetylene gas inlet/discharge coupling connectable to an acetylene gas supply to deliver acetylene gas from the acetylene gas supply to the plurality of acetylene cylinders.  
   
   
       2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of conduits connected to the manifold, each conduit being connected to an associated acetylene cylinder of the plurality of acetylene cylinders.  
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of valves connected to the manifold, each valve being adapted for coupling with an associated acetylene cylinder of the plurality of acetylene cylinders.  
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a cock valve adapted to couple the manifold with the acetylene gas inlet coupling.  
   
   
       5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressure regulator interposed between the manifold and the acetylene gas discharge coupling.  
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each acetylene cylinder of the plurality of acetylene cylinders contains a low vapor pressure solvent.  
   
   
       7 . An acetylene cylinder filling assembly for simultaneously filling a plurality of acetylene cylinders containing a low vapor pressure solvent, the filling assembly comprising: 
 an acetylene gas inlet coupling adapted for coupling the filling assembly with an acetylene gas supply;    a manifold connected to the acetylene gas inlet coupling for receiving acetylene gas from the acetylene gas supply apparatus; and    a plurality of conduits connected to the manifold, each conduit being connected to an associated acetylene cylinder of the plurality of acetylene cylinders for delivering the acetylene gas from the manifold to the associated acetylene cylinder.    
   
   
       8 . The filling assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the low vapor pressure solvent has a vapor pressure of less than 5 mmHg at 25° C.  
   
   
       9 . The filling assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the low vapor pressure solvent is one of dimethylformamide, n-dimethylsulfoxide, hexamethylphosphoramide, ethylpyrrolidone and n-methylpyrrolidone.  
   
   
       10 . The filling assembly of  claim 7 , further comprising a cock valve adapted to couple the manifold with the acetylene gas inlet coupling.  
   
   
       11 . The filling assembly of  claim 7 , further comprising a pressure regulator interposed between the manifold and an acetylene gas discharge coupling for simultaneously discharging the plurality of acetylene cylinders.  
   
   
       12 . An acetylene cylinder assembly comprising: 
 a frame housing a plurality of acetylene cylinders; and    an acetylene cylinder filling/dispensing assembly comprising a manifold connected to a plurality of acetylene cylinders for simultaneously filling or discharging the plurality of acetylene cylinders, the manifold having an acetylene gas inlet/discharge coupling connectable to an acetylene gas supply to deliver acetylene gas from the acetylene gas supply to the plurality of acetylene cylinders.    
   
   
       13 . The cylinder assembly of  claim 12 , wherein each acetylene cylinder of the plurality of acetylene cylinders contains a low vapor pressure solvent.  
   
   
       14 . The cylinder assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the low vapor pressure solvent has a vapor pressure of less than about 5 mmHg at 25° C.  
   
   
       15 . The cylinder assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the low vapor pressure solvent is one of dimethylformamide, n-dimethylsulfoxide, hexamethylphosphoramide, ethylpyrrolidone and n-methylpyrrolidone.  
   
   
       16 . The cylinder assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the acetylene cylinder filling/dispensing assembly further comprises a plurality of conduits connected to the manifold, each conduit being connected to an associated acetylene cylinder of the plurality of acetylene cylinders.  
   
   
       17 . The cylinder assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the acetylene cylinder filling/dispensing assembly further comprises a plurality of valves connected to the manifold, each valve being adapted for coupling with an associated acetylene cylinder of the plurality of acetylene cylinders.  
   
   
       18 . The cylinder assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the acetylene cylinder filling/dispensing assembly further comprises a cock valve adapted to couple the manifold with the acetylene gas inlet coupling.  
   
   
       19 . The cylinder assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the acetylene cylinder filling/dispensing assembly further comprises a pressure regulator interposed between the manifold and the acetylene gas discharge coupling.  
   
   
       20 . The cylinder assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the acetylene cylinder filling/dispensing assembly further comprises an acetylene gas outlet coupling adapted to couple the manifold with a consumer apparatus.  
   
   
       21 . An acetylene cylinder assembly comprising: 
 a frame housing a plurality of acetylene cylinders containing a low vapor pressure solvent; and    an acetylene cylinder filling/dispensing assembly comprising: 
 an acetylene gas inlet coupling adapted for coupling the filling/dispensing assembly to an acetylene gas supply;  
 a manifold connected to the acetylene gas inlet coupling for receiving acetylene gas from the acetylene gas supply or at least one of the plurality of acetylene cylinders;  
 a plurality of conduits connected to the manifold, each conduit being connected to an associated acetylene cylinder of the plurality of acetylene cylinders for delivering the acetylene gas from the acetylene gas supply to the associated acetylene cylinder; and  
 an acetylene gas outlet coupling adapted to couple the filling/dispensing assembly with a consumer apparatus for delivering the acetylene gas from the at least one of the plurality of acetylene cylinders to the consumer apparatus.  
   
   
   
       22 . The cylinder assembly of  claim 21 , wherein the low vapor pressure solvent has a vapor pressure of less than 5 mmHg at 25° C.  
   
   
       23 . The cylinder assembly of  claim 21 , wherein the low vapor pressure solvent is one of dimethylformamide, n-dimethylsulfoxide, hexamethylphosphoramide, ethylpyrrolidone and n-methylpyrrolidone.  
   
   
       24 . An acetylene cylinder filling/dispensing system comprising an acetylene gas container containing acetylene gas, the acetylene gas container being connected to an acetylene gas supply for supplying the acetylene gas to an acetylene cylinder assembly, the acetylene cylinder assembly comprising: 
 a frame housing a plurality of acetylene cylinders containing a low vapor pressure solvent and an acetylene cylinder filling/dispensing assembly, the acetylene cylinder filling/dispensing assembly comprising: 
 an acetylene gas inlet coupling adapted for coupling the filling/dispensing assembly to the acetylene, gas supply;  
 a manifold connected to the acetylene gas inlet coupling for receiving acetylene gas from the acetylene gas supply or at least one of the plurality of acetylene cylinders;  
 a plurality of conduits connected to the manifold, each conduit being connected to an associated acetylene cylinder of the plurality of acetylene cylinders for delivering the acetylene gas from the acetylene gas supply to the associated acetylene cylinder; and  
 an acetylene gas outlet coupling adapted to couple the filling/dispensing assembly with a consumer apparatus for delivering the acetylene gas from the at least one of the plurality of acetylene cylinders to the consumer apparatus.  
   
   
   
       25 . A method for simultaneously filling a plurality of acetylene cylinders containing a low vapor pressure solvent, the method comprising: 
 coupling an acetylene gas inlet coupling with an acetylene gas supply for receiving acetylene gas from the acetylene gas supply; wherein the acetylene gas inlet coupling is in fluid communication with the plurality of acetylene cylinders arranged on a portable housing; and    supplying the acetylene gas from the acetylene gas supply to the plurality of acetylene cylinders for simultaneously filling the plurality of acetylene cylinders.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the low vapor pressure solvent has a vapor pressure of less than 5 mmHg at 25° C.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the low vapor pressure solvent is one of dimethylformamide, dimethylsulfoxide, hexamethylphosphoramide, ethylpyrrolidone and n-methylpyrrolidone.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising decoupling the acetylene gas inlet coupling from the acetylene gas supply.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising charging/receiving a fee for the filling.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 flowing the acetylene gas from the acetylene gas supply into the acetylene gas inlet coupling;    flowing the acetylene gas from the acetylene gas inlet coupling into a manifold;    flowing the acetylene gas from the manifold to a plurality of conduits, each conduit being connected to an associated acetylene cylinder of the plurality of acetylene cylinders; and    flowing the acetylene gas from the plurality of conduits to the plurality of acetylene cylinders.