Thermowell With Expansion Joint
AssigneeForeman Instrumentation & Controls, Inc.
InventorTimothy H. Foreman, JR.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thermowell-thermocouple assembly for installation in a refractory-lined process vessel has an expansion joint for compensating for expansion, contraction and movement of the refractory. Examples of expansion joints include unsupported bellows, bellows that have a support sleeve around the bellows, a sliding, hexagonal coupling with crimping to hold the sliding tubes together, a pin-and-slot coupling and a spring-loaded, pin-and-slot sliding connection. The thermocouple-thermowell assembly can include a metal, a ceramic material, a refractory brick and/or a conical-shaped tip at a distal end, which can be or which can become fixed to the refractory.
Claims24
A thermowell tube assembly for protecting a thermocouple assembly that is used to measure temperature inside a commercial or industrial vessel, unit, structure or machine, which has a mounting structure for receiving and holding the thermowell tube assembly, the thermowell tube assembly comprising:
- an internal tubular fitting for attachment to the mounting structure;
- a thermowell tube engaged with the internal tubular fitting for receiving the thermocouple assembly within the internal tubular fitting and the thermowell tube;
- and
- an expansion joint in the internal tubular fitting and/or in the thermowell tube for allowing the thermowell tube to move with respect to the internal tubular fitting.
A thermowell-thermocouple assembly that can be installed to extend into a refractory-lined process vessel, the process vessel having a mounting flange on a nozzle, the mounting flange having an opening for providing access into the process vessel, the thermowell-thermocouple assembly comprising:
- an internal tubular fitting for attachment to the mounting flange and extending into the process vessel;
- a thermowell tube engaged with the internal tubular fitting;
- a thermocouple assembly received within the internal tubular fitting and within the thermowell tube;
- and
- an expansion joint in the internal tubular fitting and/or in the thermowell tube for allowing the thermowell tube to move with respect to the internal tubular fitting.
A tubular sensor assembly that can be installed to extend into a refractory-lined process vessel, the process vessel having a mounting flange on a nozzle, the mounting flange having an opening for providing access into the process vessel, the tubular sensor assembly comprising:
- an internal tubular fitting for attachment to the mounting flange and extending into the process vessel;
- a tube engaged with the internal tubular fitting;
- a sensor assembly received within the internal tubular fitting and within the tube, wherein the sensor is for or is not for measuring temperature;
- and
- an expansion joint in the internal tubular fitting and/or in the tube for allowing the tube to move with respect to the internal tubular fitting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.