Process for severing a tube sheet
AssigneeMonsanto Company
InventorCharles J. Runkle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process for severing a polymeric tube sheet to expose bores of the hollow fibers embedded in the tube sheet wherein the tube sheet is provided with a circumferential stress raiser and compressive forces are applied to the tube sheet to fracture off a portion of the tube sheet at the stress raiser to expose the bores of the hollow fibers embedded therein.
Claims7
A process for severing a brittle polymeric tube sheet to expose bores of hollow fibers having the ends thereof embedded in the tube sheet, said tube sheet having a cylindrical configuration with a rear face and a front face from which said fibers protrude, said rear face having a circular stress raiser extending circumferentially around the axis of the said tube sheet, comprising
- (a) supporting the tube sheet at points on the rear face of said tube sheet, said points being arranged in a circle having a diameter greater than the diameter of the stress raiser, and
- (b) applying a fluid under pressure to the front face of the tube sheet said pressure being sufficient to stress the tube sheet to the point where a portion of the tube sheet surrounded by the stress raiser fractures off the tube sheet to expose ends of the hollow fibers in the tube sheet.
A process for severing a tube sheet to expose bores of hollow fibers embedded in the tube sheet, comprising
- (a) providing a generally cylindrical tube sheet made from a polymeric material and having a Shore A hardness of at least 80, said tube sheet having a rear face and a front face from which said fibers protrude, said tube sheet being provided with a circular stress raiser extending peripherally around the tube sheet at a location adjacent to said rear face;
- (b) placing the tube sheet in a closed chamber having an annular shoulder for contacting the rear face of the tube sheet to support said tube sheet, said annular shoulder having a diameter greater than the diameter of the stress raiser;
- (c) admitting compressed air into the chamber to contact the front face of the tube sheet;
- and
- (d) raising the pressure of the compressed air to a value sufficiently high that the compressive force applied by said air causes the tube sheet to fracture at said stress raiser.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.