Bitar Machine Design was contracted by Lifeguard Technologies to develop a solution to a critical safety problem with US energy infrastructure. The “drive off” event. When LNG storage facilities are being supplied by LNG trucks the weak link between the fill truck and the facility is not the safety hose but the manifold that is directly connected to a large LNG storage tank. Lifeguard Technologies’ safety hose already provides huge safety advantages over a standard fill hose with patented safety valve technology that instantly stops flow when even the slight pressure differential from say a punctured or damaged hose is detected. However certain facilities are not protected from a “drive off” event where the fill hose is not disconnected and the fill truck drives off.

In 3 months Bitar Machine Design engineered a weak link in the safety hose system that prevents catastrophic failure. Our solution was to engineer a break away fitting using special “necked” bolts. The problem was carefully studied, and calculations were performed to inform the design of the breakaway valve body. Simulations of various states and temperature were performed to validate the hand calculations and finalize the design. Several prototype systems were developed for laboratory testing to certify the design however no laboratory had the capabilities to test the system both under pressure and under tension.

Bitar Machine Design developed a novel testing setup that was approved by the client’s customer that would allow the design to be certified. Basically (2) tanks of compressed air supplied the real world pressure to the new safety hose and (2) fill trucks (one stationary and one that would drive off) supplied a realistic tension. The test was performed and successfully validated the design and the product was certified.