FR3106348A3 - Installation for treating tubes with a treatment fluid - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an installation for treating tubes by means of a treatment fluid, comprising: - a rack arranged to support at least one tube; - a nurse, integral with one end of the rack, having a lower part provided with a fluid inlet connector and a face turned towards the inside of the rack provided with at least one fluid outlet orifice arranged to receive sealingly an end portion of the tube; - a tank comprising a bottom delimiting an internal volume suitable for receiving the rack and into which opens a fluid inlet pipe to cooperate in a sealed manner with the fluid inlet connector of the nurse by mutual engagement, the pipe of fluid inlet being intended to be connected to a source of treatment fluid; and - lifting means capable of inserting the rack into the interior volume of the tank so as to mutually engage the fluid inlet pipe and the fluid inlet connector of the nurse, and capable of extracting it therefrom. ABREGE FIGURE: Fig. 1

Description

Installation for treating tubes with a treatment fluid

The present invention relates to an installation for treating tubes by means of a treatment fluid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the field of metallurgy, it is known that metal parts subjected to wringing and heat treatment operations oxidize and become covered with a layer of scale. The removal of this layer of scale is necessary because it can be the cause of cracking phenomena in the material constituting the metal parts.

According to a known process used for the manufacture of titanium tubes intended for aircraft, the removal of the scale layer is carried out via a pickling operation consisting in successively immersing the tubes in different acid baths before rinsing them with water. water.

An installation implementing such a method generally comprises a plurality of tanks each filled with an acid of different composition, a support on which the tubes to be treated are intended to be loaded, and a lifting beam arranged to introduce the support into the different tanks. .

Such an installation has the drawback of requiring large amounts of acid in order to be able to completely immerse the tubes therein and thus achieve a homogeneous pickling of said tubes.

Furthermore, such an installation has as many tanks as there are acid compositions required for pickling the tubes, and can therefore be particularly bulky.

What is more, the successive introduction of the support into each of the bins generates significant handling times tending to limit the productivity of the installation.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is therefore to provide an installation for chemically treating tubes making it possible to obviate at least in part the aforementioned problems.

To this end, there is provided, according to the invention, an installation for treating tubes by means of a treatment fluid, comprising:

• a rack arranged to support at least one tube;
• a manifold, integral with one end of the rack, having a lower part provided with a fluid inlet connector and a face turned towards the inside of the rack provided with at least one fluid outlet orifice arranged to receive sealingly an end portion of the tube;
• a tank comprising a bottom delimiting an internal volume suitable for receiving the rack and into which opens a fluid inlet pipe to cooperate in a sealed manner with the fluid inlet connector of the nurse by mutual engagement, the inlet pipe of fluid being intended to be connected to at least one source of treatment fluid; and
• lifting means capable of inserting the rack into the interior volume of the tank so as to mutually engage the fluid inlet pipe and the fluid inlet connector of the nurse, and capable of extracting it therefrom.

The nurse makes it possible to circulate a treatment fluid through the tube and thus to treat the interior surface of said tube with a limited quantity of treatment fluid.

Furthermore, by connecting the fluid inlet pipe of the tank to several sources of treatment fluid, it is possible to successively circulate different compositions of treatment fluids through the tube and thus limit the volume of the installation and the handling time, in particular the number of lifting and lowering operations of the support on which the tube is loaded.

According to a particular characteristic of the invention, the installation comprises at least one spray boom arranged in the interior volume of the tank for spraying a fluid on the tube, the boom being intended to be connected to the source of treatment fluid.

The spray boom makes it possible to treat the outer surface of said tube with a limited quantity of treatment fluid.

The invention will be better understood in the light of the following description, which is purely illustrative and not limiting, and should be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, among which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an installation according to a particular embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rack of the installation illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A is a detailed view of a first end of the rack illustrated in FIG. 2, showing the nurse;

FIG. 3B is a detailed view of a second end of the rack illustrated in FIG. 2, showing the drip collection chutes;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the nurse illustrated in FIG. 3A;

FIG. 5 is a front view of a first variant of the nurse illustrated in FIG. 4;

Figure 6 is a front view of a second variant of the nurse illustrated in Figure 4.

With reference to FIG. 1, an installation 1 for treating tubes T by means of a first treatment fluid F1 and a second treatment fluid F2, comprises, according to a particular embodiment of the invention, a rack 10 on which the tubes T are intended to be loaded, a feeder 20 integral with one end of the rack 10, a treatment tank 30 delimiting an interior volume V suitable for receiving the rack 10, and lifting means (not shown here ), for example two synchronized lifting columns, arranged to insert the rack 10 into the interior volume V of the tank 30, or a lifting bridge, or a lifting arm or hoists.

The rack 10 comprises, as illustrated in FIG. 2, a supporting structure comprising a first frame 11 and a second frame 12 of rectangular shape and of substantially identical dimensions. The first frame 11 and the second frame 12 extend substantially parallel to each other and facing each other, and each define a substantially vertical plane. They each comprise a lower beam 11.1, 12.1 and an upper beam 11.2, 12.2 which are substantially horizontal, and two main uprights 11.3, 12.3 which are substantially vertical, connecting the ends of the lower beam 11.1, 12.1 to those of the upper beam 11.2, 12.2. The first frame 11 further comprises substantially vertical intermediate uprights 11.4 extending between the main uprights 11.3 and connecting the lower beam 11.1 to the upper beam 11.2.

The first frame 11 and the second frame 12 are connected to each other via lower cross members 13.1 and upper cross members 13.2 respectively connecting the lower beam 11.1 of the first frame 11 to the lower beam 12.1 of the second frame 12, and the upper beam 11.2 of the first frame 11 to the upper beam 12.2 of the second frame 12. The lower cross members 13.1 and the upper cross members 13.2 extend perpendicularly to the first frame 11 and to the second frame 12.

The rack 10 also includes combs 14 arranged between the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 to support, here two by two, the T tubes loaded inside the rack 10. The combs 14 are substantially evenly distributed between the main uprights. 11.3, 12.3 of the first and second frames 11, 12 and comprise a plurality of horizontal teeth shaped to each receive two portions of tube T spaced from one another. Each of the teeth therefore extends perpendicularly to the planes of the frames 11, 12 and here comprises two recesses each receiving one of the two portions of tube T, said tubes extending parallel to the planes of the frames 11, 12.

The nurse 20 comprises, as illustrated in Figure 3A, a lower wall 21.1 and a substantially horizontal upper wall 21.2 interconnected by substantially vertical side walls 21.3 to define an enclosure 21 of parallelepiped shape. The enclosure 21 is attached to the end of the rack 10 and extends between the first frame 11 and the second frame 12.

Referring to Figure 4, the bottom wall 21.1 is provided with a fluid inlet connector 22 comprising a tubular portion projecting from said bottom wall 21.1. The tubular portion has two external annular grooves each arranged to receive a seal 23.

One of the side walls 21.3 of the enclosure 21 faces the interior of the rack 10 and comprises a plate 24 provided with fluid outlet orifices 24.1. Each of the orifices 24.1 is provided with an elastically deformable seal pierced with a hole having an internal diameter slightly less than the external diameter of the tubes T so that each orifice is thus arranged to receive in a sealed manner an end portion of the tube T The plate here comprises two vertical rows of twenty orifices thus making it possible to accommodate a maximum of forty end portions of tube T.

The plate 24 is removably attached to the side walls 21.3 adjoining said plate 24 via a locking device 25. The locking device 25 comprises eight eyebolts 25.1 pivotally mounted on an appendage of the side walls 21.3 extending perpendicular to the plate. 24 between a disengaged position and a tight position in which the screw of each bolt 25.1 has a portion housed in a lateral notch of the plate 24 on which the nut 25.2 of the bolt 25.1 exerts a clamping force to clamp the plate 24 against the other walls. A seal 26, here of the type called "PARA BEIGE", seals between the plate 24 and the other walls 21.1, 21.2, 21.3 of the enclosure 21.

In accordance with FIG. 3B, one end of the rack 10 opposite to that carrying the nurse 20 is provided with a chute 40 for collecting the drippings.

The tank 30 comprises a cover 31 with automatic removal and a bottom 32 into which open a pipe 33 for discharging fluid as well as an inlet pipe 34 for fluid comprising a tubular portion facing the interior of the volume V suitable for receive the rack 10. The tubular portion of the inlet pipe 34 is arranged to sealingly receive the inlet connector 22 of the nurse 20.

The tank 30 is provided with substantially horizontal spray booms 50 extending inside the volume V. The spray booms 50 include nozzles 51 arranged to spray F1, F2 and rinsing treatment fluids L on the tank. set of tubes T when the rack 10 is introduced into the volume V via the lifting means.

The inlet line 34 and the spray booms 50 are respectively connected to an outlet S of a fluid distribution circuit C via a first motorized valve R1 and a second motorized valve R2.

The fluid distribution circuit C comprises a first receptacle B1 filled with the first treatment fluid F1, a second receptacle B2 filled with the second treatment fluid F2 and a third receptacle B3 filled with the rinsing liquid L. The first treatment fluid F1 and the second treatment fluid F2 are here respectively a weak acid and a strong acid capable of pickling the tubes T. The outlet S of the fluid distribution circuit C is connected to the first container B1 by a first motorized valve V1 and a first pump P1 , to the second container B2 by a second motorized valve V2 and a second pump P2, and to the third container B3 by a third motorized valve V3 and a third pump P3. The first, second and third pumps P1, P2, P3 are arranged to respectively convey under pressure the first treatment fluid F1, the second treatment fluid F2 and the rinsing liquid L contained in the first, second and third receptacles B1, B2 , B3 to outlet S of the fluid distribution circuit C.

The fluid discharge line 33 is connected to the first container B1 via a third motorized valve R3, to the second container B2 via a fourth motorized valve R4, and to the third container B3 via a fifth motorized valve R5.

The operation of installation 1 will now be detailed.

The T tubes are first loaded onto the combs 14 of the rack 10 which is at a height facilitating the loading of said T tubes by the operator. An end portion of each of the T tubes is then inserted into the orifices 24.1 of the manifold 20.

The cover 31 of the bin 30 is then ordered to withdraw and thus allow the introduction of the rack 10 into said bin 30 via the lifting columns. The descent of the rack 10 into the tank 30 takes place along a substantially vertical axis and is stopped as soon as the inlet connector 22 is correctly fitted into the inlet pipe 34 opening into the bottom of the tank 30. The cover 31 is fitted. then ordered to close the tank 30 and thus enclose the rack in the tank 30.

During a first treatment step, it is necessary to close the second and third valves V2, V3 and the fourth and fifth valves R4, R5, and to open for a predetermined period of time the first valve V1 and the third valve R3. The opening of the first and second taps R1, R2 and the activation of the first pump P1 then make it possible to circulate the first treatment fluid F1 inside the tubes T via the manifold 20 and to spray this same fluid on said T tubes via the spray bars 50. After having passed through the inside of the T tubes and poured onto the outside of said T tubes, the first treatment fluid F1 falls into the bottom of the tank 30 and is redirected into the first container B1 via the discharge line 33 before being routed again to the manifold 20 and the spray booms 50.

During a second processing step, the first valve V1 and the third valve R3 should be closed, and the second valve V2 and the fourth valve R4 should be opened for a predetermined period of time. The activation of the second pump P2 thus makes it possible to circulate the second treatment fluid F2 inside the tubes T via the manifold 20 and to spray this same fluid on said tubes T via the spray booms 50. After having passed through inside the T tubes and poured onto the outside of said T tubes, the second treatment fluid F2 falls into the bottom of the tank 30 and is redirected into the second container B2 via the discharge pipe 33 before being again routed to the manifold 20 and the spray booms 50.

During a third processing step, the second valve V2 and the fourth valve R4 should be closed, and the third valve V3 and the fifth valve R5 should be opened for a predetermined period of time. Activation of the third pump P3 thus makes it possible to circulate the rinsing liquid L inside the tubes T via the manifold 20 and this same liquid to be sprayed on said tubes T via the spray bars 50. After having crossed l 'inside the tubes T and poured onto the outside of said tubes T, the rinsing liquid L falls into the bottom of the tank 30 and is redirected into the third container B3 via the fluid discharge line 33 before being again routed to the manifold 20 and the spray booms 50.

Once the third step is completed, it is necessary to close the third valve V3 and the first, second and fifth valves R5. The cover 31 is then again ordered to withdraw and thus allow the lifting of the rack 10 and out of the tank 30 via the lifting columns. The operator can then unload the T tubes treated with the first and second treatment fluids F1, F2 from rack 10.

Such an installation is compact and ergonomic and requires only one operator. It allows the chemical treatment of the T tubes in a small space with a limited quantity of treatment fluid F1, F2 and rinsing liquid L.

Figure 5 illustrates a nurse 20 'which is none other than a first variant of the nurse 20 illustrated in Figure 4. The nurse 20' differs from the nurse 20 in that the plate 24 has been replaced by a plate 24 'fitted with 24.1' outlet ports of larger diameter. Such a plate 24 'thus makes it possible to treat tubes T' having a diameter greater than that of the tubes T. It will of course be necessary to replace the combs 14 by combs comprising teeth arranged, at their spacing in particular, to receive such T 'tubes.

FIG. 6 illustrates a nurse 20 '' which is none other than a second variant of the nurse 20 illustrated in FIG. 4. The nurse 20 '' differs from the nurse 20 'in that the plate 24' has been replaced. by a 24 '' plate provided with 24.1 '' outlet openings of larger diameter and arranged in a single row. Such a plate 24 "thus makes it possible to process T" tubes having a diameter greater than that of T "tubes. Adequate combs should of course be used to support the T ’tubes on rack 10.

The simple replacement of plate 24 with plate 24 "or plate 24", and the use of suitable combs, thus allows plant 1 to process T, T ", T" tubes of different diameters.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described but encompasses any variant coming within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

The arrangement, number and dimensions of the outlet ports 24.1, 24.1 ", 24.1" may be different from those shown in Figures 4-6.

The arrangement and number of spray booms 50 may be different from those shown in Figure 1.

The arrangement and number of nozzles 51 may be different from those shown in Figure 1

Although the inlet connector 22 is here arranged to be fitted into the inlet pipe 34, the fluid inlet connector 22 can on the contrary be arranged to receive by fitting an end section of the inlet pipe. 34.

Although the seals 23 are here carried by the fluid inlet connector 22, they can on the contrary be carried by the inlet pipe 34.

Valves V1, V2 and valves R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 are not necessarily motorized.

The operation of the installation 1 can of course be different from that described. For example, the cover 31 can first be ordered to remove. T tubes are then loaded onto the lower teeth of the combs 14 which are then at a height allowing easy loading of said T tubes by the operator. An end portion of each of these T tubes is then inserted into the orifices 24.1 of the corresponding manifold 20. The lifting columns are then ordered to initiate a descent of the rack and thus bring it into an intermediate position allowing an equally easy loading of other T tubes in the upper teeth of the combs 14. When the other T tubes are correctly loaded and fitted into the corresponding orifices 24.1, the rack 10 continues its descent into the tank 30 until the inlet connector 22 is correctly fitted into the inlet pipe 34 opening into the bottom of the tank 30. The cover 31 is then ordered to close the tank 30 and thus enclose the rack in the tank 30.

Claims (5)

Installation (1) for treating tubes (T) using at least one treatment fluid (F1, F2), comprising:

• a rack (10) arranged to support at least one tube (T);
• a feeder (20), integral with one end of the rack, having a lower part provided with a fluid inlet connector (22) and a face (24, 24 ', 24'') facing the inside of the rack provided with at least one fluid outlet port (24.1, 24.1 ', 24.1'') arranged to receive in a sealed manner an end portion of the tube;
• a tank (30) comprising a bottom (32) delimiting an interior volume (V) capable of receiving the rack and into which opens a fluid inlet pipe (34) to cooperate in a sealed manner with the fluid inlet connector the nurse by mutual engagement, the fluid inlet pipe being intended to be connected to at least one source of treatment fluid (B1, B2); and
• lifting means capable of inserting the rack into the interior volume of the tank so as to mutually engage the fluid inlet pipe and the fluid inlet connector of the nurse, and capable of extracting it therefrom.

Installation (1) according to claim 1, comprising at least one spray boom (50) arranged in the interior volume (V) of the tank (30) for spraying a fluid onto the tube (T), the boom being intended to be connected to the source of process fluid. Installation (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the manifold (20) comprises a removable plate (24, 24 ’, 24’ ’) forming the face comprising the fluid outlet orifices. Installation (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which a fluid discharge pipe (33) opens into the bottom (32) of the tank (30) and is connected to the source of treatment fluid (B1, B2). Installation (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the fluid inlet pipe (34) is connected to at least two sources of treatment fluid (B1, B2) and to a source of rinsing liquid ( B3).