Refractory pipeline with gas-tight joint
AssigneeVereinigte Aluminium-Werke Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsWerner Schultze, Stefan Schindler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refractory pipeline having ceramic pipe sections with joints therebetween located at areas where in which there are the greatest temperature differences in the pipeline. Adjacent pipe sections are connected together by shoulders at the ends of each such section, the shoulder of one pipe section being radially outside the shoulder of an adjacent section. A further pipe section is pushed over the joint so as to form a gastight seal by defining a space in communication with a borehole through the one shoulder and a peripheral groove in the other shoulder. A pressure cushion is provided in the space by applying a barrier medium under pressure to the space and thereby through the borehole to the peripheral groove.
Claims20
A refractory pipeline extending through an outside environment, the pipeline comprising:
- means for conveying a fluid medium, said conveying means including a first elongated tubular member having a first end and a second elongated tubular member having a second end, said first and second ends being inserted one into the other to form a joint connection which has a gap between the first and second ends, the first and second tubular members each having a respective elongated inner tubular channel, said tubular channels being in communication with each other for conveying the fluid medium through the tubular channels, the joint connection including a first shoulder member and a second shoulder member, said shoulder members overlapping each other and having an interior facing surface and an exterior facing surface, the first shoulder member extending from said first tubular member, said second shoulder extending from said second tubular member, and the first shoulder member being radially inside the second shoulder member;
- means for sealing said joint connection, said sealing means consisting of a pressurized, gaseous barrier medium which forms a pressure cushion that seals the gap between said first and second ends in a gas-tight manner and thereby seals off and protects the fluid medium within tubular channels from the outside environment, said sealing means including at least one peripheral groove in the first shoulder so that the pressure cushion may form in the peripheral groove, the second shoulder having a hole in fluid communication with said peripheral groove and extending radially outward to the exterior facing surface of said second shoulder, the peripheral groove extending about a circumference of the first shoulder;
- and
- means for supplying the barrier medium under pressure through said hole to said peripheral groove.
A refractory pipeline as in claim further comprising a zirconium oxide coating on said ceramic material.
A method of using a refractory pipeline, comprising the steps of:
- conveying a fluid medium through first and second elongated tubular members, the first elongated tubular member having a first end, the second elongated tubular member having a second end, the first and second ends being inserted one into the other to form a joint connection which has a gap between the first and second ends, the first and second tubular members each having a respective elongated inner tubular channel, said tubular channels being in communication with each other for conveying the fluid medium through the tubular channels, the joint connection including a first shoulder member and a second shoulder member, said shoulder members overlapping each other and having an interior facing surface and an exterior facing surface, the first shoulder member extending from said first tubular member, said second shoulder extending from said second tubular member, and the first shoulder member being radially inside the second shoulder member;
- sealing the joint connection with an element consisting of a pressurized, gaseous barrier medium to form a pressure cushion that seals the gap between the first and second ends in a gastight manner and thereby seals off and protects the fluid medium within the tubular channels from the outside environment, the pressure cushion forming within at least one peripheral groove in the first shoulder, the second shoulder having a hole in fluid communication with said peripheral groove and extending radially outward to the exterior facing surface of said second shoulder, the peripheral groove extending about a circumference of the first shoulder;
- and
- supplying the barrier medium under pressure through said hole to said peripheral groove.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.