High temperature line expansion installation with bellows
AssigneeThermacor Process, LP
InventorThomas Joseph Keyes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An flexible coupling is shown for an insulated piping system of the type used to convey steam and other high temperature fluids. The coupling uses a flexible bellows and additional insulating and joining components to couple conventional lengths of insulated pipe. The bellows arrangement compensates for any relative movement of the inner fluid conveying pipes with respect to the outer layers of insulating material and outer jacket in order to protect the integrity of the assembly and prevent the intrusion of water or other contaminants which could lead to corrosion or early failure of the piping system.
Claims17
A flexible, extendible and contractible pipe coupling for high temperature insulated piping, the coupling comprising:
- a first and second length of insulated and jacketed pipe, each having a joining end to be joined to an end of the other length, each pipe length comprising an inner pipe, an envelope of foamed insulation surrounding the inner pipe and an outer protective jacket surrounding the envelope of insulation;
- wherein each inner pipe projects beyond the end of the envelope of insulation and beyond an end of the jacket to form an exposed, joining end, the joining ends of the inner pipes being sealingly connected to form a continuous fluid conduit for conveying high temperature fluids;
- a flexible tubular bellows surrounding the joining ends of the inner pipes, the bellows being capable of being axially expanded and contracted and of being configured in a straight or curved axial configuration, the tubular bellows having opposing outer extents which are joined to the respective protective jackets of the respective pipe lengths being coupled thereby defining a closed bellows interior;
- and
- a layer of high temperature insulation surrounding the joining ends of the inner pipes within the closed bellows interior.
A method of coupling lengths of insulated piping used to form a high temperature fluid conveyance system, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a first and second length of insulated and jacketed pipe, each having a joining end to be joined to an end of the other length, each of the first and second lengths of pipe comprising an inner pipe, an envelope of foamed insulation surrounding the inner pipe and an outer protective jacket surrounding the envelope of insulation;
- forming each pipe length so that each inner pipe projects beyond the end of the envelope of insulation and beyond an end of the jacket to form an exposed, joining end;
- welding the joining ends of the inner pipes to thereby form a continuous fluid conduit for conveying high temperature fluids;
- providing a layer of high temperature insulation surrounding the joining ends of the inner pipes which is not joined to the exposed joining ends of the inner pipes or to the protective jackets;
- and
- surrounding the joining ends with a flexible tubular bellows, the bellows being capable of being axially expanded and contracted and of being configured in a straight or curved axial configuration, the tubular bellows having opposing outer extents which are joined to the respective protective jackets of the respective pipe lengths.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.