Tube shield assembly and method of securing same
AssigneeThe Southern Company
InventorDamon E. WOODSON
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tube shield assembly for protecting tubes includes a guard, a securing member and a holding tooth, wherein welding is not required to secure the guard to the tube. The guard is axially elongated and can have a semi-cylindrical cross-section to define a main body portion. The securing member includes at least one pair of fastening clips to secure the guard to the tube. The fastening clips permit radial expansion and contraction of the tube and the tube shield assembly in response to, for example, temperature fluctuations. The holding tooth is a tooth-like protrusion between the tube shield assembly and the tube to which it is secured to prevent axial slippage of the tube shield assembly up or down the length of the tube.
Claims18
A tube shield assembly for protecting a tube in a flow, the tube shield assembly comprising:
- a guard having a flow surface in communication with the flow, the flow surface adapted to protect the tube and provide non-turbulent flow around the tube;
- and
- a securing member extending from opposing free edges of the guard, the securing member adapted to secure to the guard to the tube.
A tube shield assembly for protecting a tube in a boiler environment, the tube shield assembly comprising:
- a layered metal shield body adapted to fit around a portion of the tube;
- at least one set of fastening clips for securing the body about the tube;
- and
- an integral holding tooth for further securing the body about the tube, the holding tooth adapted to engage a portion of an exterior side wall of the tube.
A non-welding method of securing a shield assembly to a tube in boiler system for protecting the tube, the boiler system comprising a boiler gas forced around the tube for heating media contained in the tube, the method comprising:
- providing a shield comprising an arcuate shape to cooperatively fit around a portion of the tube, the shield adapted to protect the tube from the boiler gas and a plurality of particulates contained in the boiler gas;
- engaging a holding tooth in communication with the an interior portion of the shield to a portion of an exterior wall the tube for securing the shield to the tube and for preventing axial movement of the shield;
- and
- fastening a pair of securing members of the shield to one another for securing the shield to the tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.