Sapphire reinforced thermocouple protection tube
AssigneeTexaco Inc.
InventorsSteven R. Green, Kent Santos
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved apparatus including a thermocouple for measuring the temperature in a gasification process is provided. The improvement includes a sapphire reinforced outer protection tube for enclosing at least a portion of the thermocouple. The sapphire reinforced outer protection tube may be integrally formed around an inner protection tube, the inner protection tube being receptive of a sapphire-sheathed thermocouple. The apparatus may be inserted directly into a gasification stream without the use of a thermowell. The sapphire reinforced outer protection tube increases the life of the thermocouples used in gasification processes.
Claims30
In an apparatus comprising a thermocouple for measuring the temperature in a gasification process, the improvement comprising a sapphire reinforced composite outer protection tube arranged about the thermocouple and enclosing at least a portion of the thermocouple, wherein the sapphire comprises structural-grade non optical fibers.
In an apparatus comprising a thermocouple for measuring the temperature in a gasification process, the improvement comprising a sapphire reinforced outer protection tube arranged about the thermocouple and enclosing at least a portion of the thermocouple, and a sapphire sheath removably arranged about a distal end of the thermocouple.
A thermocouple system for use in a gasification system comprising:
- a thermocouple, the thermocouple comprising a pair of wires of dissimilar metal joined together at one end by a hot junction and at the other end by a cold junction but otherwise electrically insulated by an insulating tube;
- a thermocouple inner protection tube receptive of the pair of wires and the insulating tube;
- and
- a thermocouple outer protection tube, wherein the outer protection tube comprises a composite reinforced with sapphire fibers.
A method of measuring temperatures in a gasification process using a thermocouple, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a thermocouple comprising a pair of wires of dissimilar metal joined together at one end by a hot junction and at the other end by a cold junction but otherwise electrically insulated from each other by an insulating tube;
- providing an outer protection tube comprising composite reinforced with sapphire fibers, said outer protection tube connected to a support tube;
- inserting the outer protection tube and support tube into a gasification reactor;
- and
- inserting the thermocouple into the outer protection tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.