FR2609426A1 - Method of producing a closed vessel penetrated in a sealed manner at at least one point, and application to the production of heat exchangers - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for the production of a closed vessel penetrated, in a sealed manner, at at least one point by a solid element. The method according to the invention is essentially characterised in that it consists in producing, on the solid element 30, a continuous shoulder 33, 34 surrounding it, the shoulder being situated at a position which can lie inside the vessel when it is produced, in arranging around the element, against the shoulder, an elastic seal 37, 38 on the side of the wall of the vessel when it is produced, in producing at least one bearing point 33, 34 integral with the element at a second location which may be situated substantially in the vicinity of a part 61, 62 of the internal surface 64 of the vessel when it is produced, opposite that which is to be penetrated by the solid element, in moulding the wall of the vessel with a material having a significant shrinkage, in allowing the wall to solidify and in exerting, on the wall portion surrounding the element, a compressive force in order to squeeze the seal between the shoulder and the internal surface of the wall of the vessel.

Description

PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A CROSSED CLOSED ENCLOSURE
WATERPROOF IN AT LEAST ONE POINT AND APPLICATION
TO THE PRODUCTION OF HEAT EXCHANGERS
The present invention relates to methods for producing closed enclosures whose wall is traversed at at least one point by a solid element, and more particularly aimed at heat exchangers.

 In many technical fields, it is necessary to produce sealed closed enclosures but the wall of which must be traversed by solid elements such as, for example, pipes. However, it is not always easy to be able to machine, manufacture, and pour such enclosures at once. To achieve this result, it is often necessary to make these speakers in two parts which must then be brought together. All these operations are long, which contributes to the increase in the cost price of these speakers. In addition, their numerous sealing surfaces are sources of possible and frequent leaks.

 The purpose of the present invention is therefore to tend to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above and to implement a method for producing a closed enclosure whose wall is crossed in leaktight fashion at at least one point, allowing to seriously reduce the cost of manufacturing such an enclosure and to implement techniques and products that it was almost impossible to use in the previous processes.

More specifically, the subject of the present invention is a method for producing a closed enclosure crossed in leaktight manner at at least one point by a solid element, characterized in that it consists
- To achieve on said solid element, near the place to pass through said enclosure, a continuous shoulder surrounding said element, said shoulder being located in a position of said element capable of being inside said enclosure, when is carried out,
- to have around said element, and substantially against said shoulder, an elastic seal, on the side of the wall of said enclosure when it is produced,
- To produce at least one support point integral with said element in a second location capable of being located substantially near a part of the interior surface of said enclosure when it is produced, opposite to that which must be crossed by said solid element ,
- Molding the wall of said enclosure in a material having a high shrinkage coefficient, said wall being molded so that it passes on the one hand substantially near said fulcrum and on the other hand around said solid element of so that it surrounds said solid element and that it is located near the side of said seal opposite to that facing said shoulder,
- solidifying said wall, and
- To exert on the portion of said wall surrounding said element a pressure force to pinch said seal between said shoulder and the inner surface of said wall of said enclosure.

 The present invention also relates to a process for producing an enclosure for a heat exchanger.

 The present invention also relates to the enclosures produced according to the method according to the invention.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear during the following description given with reference to the drawings annexed by way of illustration, but in no way limited, in which
FIGS. 1A to 1E represent the different stages of the implementation of the method according to the invention for producing a closed enclosure crossed by a solid element,
- Figures 2A and 2B show two stages in the manufacture, as an application, of an enclosure constituting a heat exchanger.

 Returning more particularly to FIGS. 1A to 1E, these represent the different stages in the implementation of a method for producing a closed enclosure whose wall is crossed at at least one point by a solid element.

 Figure 1A shows a solid element 1 such as, for example, an iron rod or a tube, etc ... which must pass through the wall of a closed enclosure in a sealed manner.

 To obtain this seal, on this solid element 1 and near 3 of the portion 2 of the solid element which must pass through the enclosure, a shoulder 4 of continuous shape is formed completely surrounding the solid element 1, and advantageously according to a waterproof contact line 5. This shoulder 4 is located on the element 1 so that, when the wall of the enclosure is produced, it is located inside the latter.

 When the shoulder is finished, a closed gasket 6 is produced which is placed against, or near, the shoulder 4, and surrounding, in contact, the external lateral surface 7 of the element 1 This seal 6 is substantially located between points 2 and 3 defined above.

The end 8 of the solid element 1 which must be located inside
the enclosure carries an extension body 9 defining a fulcrum 10 located near a part of the interior surface of the enclosure opposite to that to be traversed by the solid element at its point 2.

When the various means described above are all carried out as
shown in Figure 1B, there is a mold 20 arranged relative to the element 1 to obtain an enclosure wall of desired shape and location.

 The molding material is introduced into the mold 20, advantageously cast, for example, by rotational molding, in order to obtain on the internal surface 21 of the mold 20 the wall 22 which is, in the form shown in FIG. 1C, that obtained when the material has just been hot cast. In this position, the parts 23 and 24 of the wall 22 which must be traversed by the element 1 at the level of the part 23 are respectively distant from the seal 6 and the fulcrum 10 by a predetermined value.

 Indeed, these values are predetermined so that, during the shrinking of the molding material during its cooling and its complete solidification, these two parts 23 and 24 of the wall 22 come into contact, respectively and without excessive pressure, of the seal 6 and of the fulcrum 10. The result of this constriction is illustrated in FIG. 1D where it can be seen that the solidified wall 22 has reduced in all its dimensions by separating from the internal surface 21 of the mold 20.

 The mold 20 is then removed (Figure lE), the part 23 of the wall of the enclosure being in contact with the seal 6 and the part 24 pressing against the fulcrum 10. It is then possible to exert pressure forces 25 to hold the part 23 against the joint 6. The fulcrum 10 exerting a feedback force on the wall of the enclosure, these pressure forces 25 make it possible to create a slight deformation of the part 23 of the wall of the enclosure which thus crushes the seal 6 in order to ensure sealing at the level of the passage section 26 between the solid element 1 and the wall 22.

 The means for exerting these pressure forces can be of any form. An example will be given thereof during the description of a particular application of the invention, given with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B.

 The method described above therefore makes it possible to produce closed enclosures, the wall of which must be sealed through by solid elements, without having to pierce it after it has been made, for example by molding. This method is also very advantageous for the case where the enclosures must be able to contain envelopes whose cross section is clearly greater than that of the conduit passing through it connecting to the environment outside the enclosure.

 Figures 2A and 2B show an example of the implementation of the method described above in the case of an application to the production of a heat exchanger, in particular intended to be associated with solar collectors.

 It is known that a heat exchanger consists of a sealed enclosure traversed right through by a first conduit, at one point by a second fluid supply conduit, and at another point by a third evacuation conduit for fluid, these two second and third conduits connect the interior of the sealed enclosure with the exterior.

 To produce such an exchanger, the first conduit 30 is placed with its two through ends 31 and 32 comprising continuous shoulder flanges 33 and 34 located near the places where these two ends must pass through the wall of the enclosure, and such that the flanges are located inside the finished enclosure.

 Between these two flanges, the conduit 30 generally comprises a portion 36 of significantly larger cross section than the ends 31, 32, and which constitute in fa t, the heat radiator serving for the exchange of calories with a fluid which is at its contact.

 Against its flanges 33 and 34, seals 37 and 38 are arranged. Each seal surrounds on contact a flange and the side wall - 39, 40 with one end 31, 32 and it is arranged to lie at the interior of the finished enclosure, wedged between the interior surface of the enclosure and the flange.

 Each of the two fluid supply and discharge conduits is also produced with a flange surrounding it and a seal arranged to be on the side of the part which must be located inside the enclosure.

 These two conduits 50, 51, with their respective flange and seal, are secured by removable links 53 to the middle part of the first conduit, and advantageously of the radiator 36 defined above, in order to make them take up a minimum of space to be able to carry out the molding of the enclosure without hindrance.

 When the three conduits are arranged as shown in FIG. 2A, the enclosure 60 is molded in the same way as described with reference to FIGS. 1C and 1D. When the material is shrunk, when it is completely cooled and solidified, the two ends 61 and 62 of the wall of the enclosure come into contact with the two seals 37 and 38, the actions and reactions of the pressures on the seals being exerted respectively on the two flanges 33 and 34 in the same way as described above.

 However, in this case, the two ends 31, 32 of the conduit 30 are threaded and, at the time of molding are covered with a sleeve 70, 71, to prevent the molding product from coming to settle in the threads of the thread. When the fully formed and cooled enclosure 60 has taken the form shown in FIG. 2A, the two sleeves 70 and 71 are removed, for example by unscrewing, and, instead, nuts 80, 81 are positioned, as shown in Figure 2B. These two nuts are sufficiently screwed to slightly deform the wall of the two parts 61 and 62, until they come to crush the two seals and seal between the flange, the lateral surface 39, 40 of the two ends 31, 32, and the interior surface 64 of the enclosure 60.

 Then, the two orifices 90, 91 are drilled along the axes 92 and 93 and of a diameter slightly greater than that, respectively, of the second 50 and third 51 conduits linked to the first by the links 53. When these two orifices are made, by any means, the destructible links are broken and the two ends 54, 55 of the two conduits 50, 51 have come out of the enclosure until the two seals 56 and 57 are in contact with the interior surface 64 of the pregnant. The two ends 54, 55 being threaded, two nuts 94, 95 are screwed there. Tensile forces are then exerted on these ends 54, 55 until they come slightly to crush the two seals 56, 57 against the two flanges 58, 59 defined above integral with the conduits 50 and 51 and which are therefore driven in the same traction as the ends 54, 55.

 It can therefore be seen that the method described above makes it possible to pierce the enclosure only with four orifices of small diameter, although it encloses elements of large dimensions such as the radiator 36 and the various flanges 33, 34, 58, 59 .

 In addition, by connecting the two conduits 50, 51 to the radiator 36 during the production of the enclosure 60, it is possible to use a rotational molding technique, with possibly a reinforcement of winding of a winding of fibers of different nature, by making rotate the enclosure around an axis passing substantially through the first conduit 30 and giving it a form of revolution around this axis, without being hindered by the two ends 54 and 55 if they were emerging as when they are when the heat exchanger is completely finished, as shown partially in section and cut away in Figure 2B.

 In fact, in FIG. 2B, the heat exchanger produced by the method according to the invention is shown. The conduit 30 allows the passage of a hot fluid coming, for example from a solar collector. This fluid flows into the radiator 36, the wall of which it heats, which itself transmits calories to a secondary fluid 100 which arrives via the supply duct 50 in the bottom of the enclosure 60, and which exits through the orifice. inlet of the exhaust duct 51 located at the top of the enclosure. The secondary fluid thus heated can then itself be used for heating a dwelling, for supplying hot water to a domestic circuit, etc.

Claims (10)

 1. Method for producing a closed enclosure, the wall of which is sealed in at least one point per solid element, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT that it consists  - to achieve on said solid element (1, 30), near the place (2, 31, 32) which must pass through said wall (23, 61, 62), a continuous shoulder  (4, 33, 34) surrounding said element, said shoulder being located in a position (3) of said element capable of being inside said enclosure when it is produced,  - to have around said element, and substantially against said shoulder, an elastic seal (6, 37, 38), on the side of the wall of said enclosure when it is produced,  - Producing at least one fulcrum (9, 10, 33, 34) integral with said element in a second location capable of being located substantially near a part (24, 61, 62) of the interior surface (22 , 64) of said enclosure when it is made, opposite to that to be traversed by said solid element,  - Molding the wall of said enclosure in a material having a high shrinkage coefficient, said wall being molded so that it passes on the one hand substantially near said fulcrum and on the other hand around said solid element of so that it surrounds said solid element and that it is located near the side of said seal opposite to that facing said shoulder,  - solidifying said wall, and  - To exert on the portion of said wall surrounding said element a pressure force (25, 80, 81) to pinch said seal between said shoulder and the inner surface of said wall of said enclosure.  2. Method according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT said molding of said wall is carried out by rotational molding.  3. A method of producing a heat exchanger as an application of the method according to one of claims 1 and 2, said heat exchanger comprising a closed enclosure (60)., A first conduit (30) passing right through said enclosure, a second conduit (50) for supplying fluid, a third conduit (51) for discharging fluid, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT that it consists  - To realize on said first conduit, near the places to pass through said enclosure, a continuous shoulder (33, 34) surrounding said first conduit, said two shoulders being located in a position of said conduit capable of being inside said pregnant when performed,  - to have around said conduit and substantially against said shoulders an elastic seal (37, 38), the elastic seals being on the side of the shoulders facing the interior surface (64) of the wall of the enclosure when it is made at a distance predetermined of it,  - Molding the wall of said enclosure in a material having a high shrinkage coefficient, said wall being molded so that it passes, on the one hand near said joints and on the side opposite said shoulders relative to said joint, and qu '' it surrounds the ends (31, 32) of said first conduit (30),  - solidifying said wall, and  - To exercise on the portions (61, 62) of said wall surrounding said first conduit, respectively two sets of opposite pressure forces to pinch said joints respectively between said shoulders and the inner surface of said wall of the enclosure.  4. Method according to claim 3, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the two ends (31, 32) of said first conduit (30) are threaded and are protected by sleeves (70, 71) when said wall of the enclosure is casting.  5. Method according to claim 4, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the opposite pressure forces are supplied by two nuts (80, 81) screwed, respectively at the two ends of said first conduit.  6. Method according to one of claims 3 to 5, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the two said second (50) and third (51) conduits are linked (53) to said first conduit (30) at a location (36) located between the two said shoulders (33, 34).  7. Method according to claim 6, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT, when said enclosure is formed, two orifices (90, 91) are made and the two second (50) and third (51) conduits are untied from said first conduit and respectively fixed in the two said orifices.  8. Method according to claim 7, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the two said second and third conduits are fixed in said two orifices by means of flanges (58, 59) and nuts (94, 95) trapping a seal (56, 57) elastic sealing and the edge of said orifices.  9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT said molding is obtained by rotational molding.  10. Method according to one of claims 3 to 9, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT that it consists in reinforcing said molded wall by a winding of fibers.