GB2157588A - Bubble cap structure for general use in distillation plants - Google Patents

Abstract

The bubble cap structure comprises a bell-like body (1) formed at the bottom with vapour passage ports (2) and being adapted for attachment to an inlet port (4a) formed through a surface (4b). The bell-like body (1) being formed of two discrete elements comprising a substantially cylindrical member (11) and an end closure element (12) adapted to be removably coupled thereto. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Bubble cap structure for general use in distillation plants The present invention relates to a bubble cap structure for general use in distillation plants.

As is known, many chemical treatments and refining processes require bubbling devices commonly termed "bubble caps", which comprise a bell-like body, formed by deep-drawing and adapted for surrounding an inlet port formed through a surface and defining an annulus, and engaging therewith in tight sealed relationship and being held thereon by a tie rod which protrudes through the top of the bell-like body, or some other arrangement. Forming the bell-like body as a one-piece construction by deep drawing currently poses considerable manufacturing problems, since one or more purposely designed dies must be provided which permit the steel sheet to be deep drawn to a desired configuration.

Further, during the course of the above deep drawing step, the material is subjected to high stretching loads, and consequent internal stresses, thereby necessitating each successive drawing step to be alternated with an annealing step, which resultantly, significantly affects the overall cost of the finished product.

The invention is aimed at obviating such prior problems encountered in the formation of the belllike body by providing a novel design bell-like body adapted to be manufactured by greatly simplified techniques without resorting to deep drawing, which as mentioned affects the cost of the finished article to a significant extent.

Within the above aim, it is an object of the invention to obviate such prior shortcomings by providing a novel type of bubble cap structure which permits the manufacture of a bell-like body by means of a notably simplified process, which is far less wasteful of material than deep drawing, thus bringing about increased manufacturing savings.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide a bubble cap structure which, whilst having the same functional characteristics as conventional drawn caps, is of a much simpler construction.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a bubble cap structure which, by virtue of its peculiar construction, is highly reliable and safe to use.

The cited aims and these and other objects, which will be apparent from the following description, are achieved by the present invention, which, according to one aspect thereof, provides a bubble cap structure for general use in distillation plants comprising a bell-like body, formed at the bottom with vapour passage ports and being adapted for attachment to an inlet port formed through a surface in tight sealed relationship therewith, and surrounding said inlet port, characterized in that said bell-like body is formed of two discrete elements, a substantially cylindrical member, and an end closure element adapted to be removably coupled thereto.

Further features and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of a bubble cap structure for general use in distillation plants, and from the accompanying illustrative and not limitative drawings, where: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view diagrammatically showing the bell-like body bubble cap and the inlet port element of the bubble cap structure according to the invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view of this bubble cap structure, shown attached to a surface including an inlet port formed therethrough.

With reference to the cited drawing figures, this bubble cap structure for general use in distillation plants comprises a bell-like body, generally indicated with the reference numeral 1. The bell-like body 1 defines at its base, bottom ports 2 provided for the passage of bubbling fluid (vapour) which are delimited by small feet 3 for resting the belllike body 1 onto a surface 4b wherethrough an inlet port 4a is formed, defining an annulus 4 on said surface.

The bell-like body 1 is adapted to surround an inlet port element 5, of preferably cylindrical shape, having an external diameter corresponding to the diameter of an inlet port 4a wherethrough it is insertable and is provided at its lower end with a flange 6 which is adapted for sealed abutment engagement with the underside of an annulus 4 through the interposition of a sealing gasket 6a.

The inlet port element 5 has, at an upper portion thereof, a diametrical cross-piece 7 whence there extends a tie rod 8 which enables the bell-like body 1 to be clamped to the inlet port element 5 by means of a nut 9 and washer 10.

A peculiarity of the invention resides in the fact that the bell-like body 1 is formed of two elements which may be removably coupled together.

More specifically, the bell-like body 1 includes a substantially cylindrical member 11 which defines a lateral surface and may be manufactured in any suitable way, such as by welding along one generatrix of a folded over metal sheet, by machining a tubular section, or some other operations known per se.

Above the substantially cylindrical member 11, there is mounted an end closure cap or end closure element 12 having a peripheral edge 13 for coupling with the upper end of the substantially cylindrical member 11, and a hole 12a, having a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the tie rod 8, wherethrough said tie rod 8 is passed when clamping the cylindrical member 11 to the inlet port element 5.

To provide a tight joint between the substantially cylindrical member 11 and the end closure cap 12, the cylindrical member 11 is provided, at its upper end, with an annular projection 14 formed, advantageously by deformation of the cylindrical member, which, on engaging with the end of the peripheral edge 13, provides sealed interlocking of the end closure cap 12 with the cylindrical member 11.

As will be appreciated from the preceding description, the procedure for assembling the bubble cap structure according to the present invention is very simple and may be effected as follows: The bell-like body 1 is assembled by placing the end closure element 12 over the end of the cylindrical member 11 causing the peripheral edge 13 to engage with the abutment 14. Then, conventiently, the inlet port member 5 may be inserted upwards through an inlet port 4a causing the flange 6 to abut the underside of the annulus 4 with the interposition of the sealing gasket 6a.

The bell-like body 1 may be fixed to the inlet port member 5 by passing the tie rod 8 through the hole 12a until the small feet 3 rest on the surface 4, and then placing the washer 10 onto the tie rod 8 to rest on the end closure element 12. Thereafter, the threaded nut 9 may be engaged with the tie rod and tightened.

This tightening action causes the inlet port element 5 to be drawn upwards in the direction of the arrow indicated at 'A' (Figure 2), and the bell-like body 1 to be pushed downwards in the direction of the arrow indicated at 'B'. Thus, the annulus 4 is 'clamped' between the small feet 3 and the flange 6, and the sealing element 6a is respectively 'clamped' between the flange 6 and the annulus 4.

Consecutively, the joint between the peripheral edge 13 of the closure element 12 and the projection 14 of the cylindrical member 11 is also tightened in a sealed relationship.

When assembled, the bubble cap structure defines a substantially integral structure, the dismantling of which may be effected by simply reversing the assembly procedure.

Thus, with the arrangement described in the foregoing, a bell-like body is obtained which is functionally comparable to conventional bell-like bodies formed as a deep drawn single piece, despite the fact that it is formed of two discrete elements removably coupled together which are much simpler to manufacture because their construction involves neither deep drawing nor casting operations.

The two-piece construction of the bell-like body affords the further advantage that; in the event of wear or corrosion, only the actually corroded member need be replaced, which may be either the end cap or possibly the lateral surface represented by the cylindrical section, without requiring replacement of the whole bell-like body.

Another important advantage of the invention is that the above described bell-like body may be readily replaced with bell-like bodies of conventional construction, this operation involving no basic alterations since the bell-like body of the invention is functionally the same as conventional ones.

In practicing the invention, any materials, shapes and dimensions compatible with the intended application may be selected and used contingent on individual requirements.

Claims (4)

1. A bubble cap structure for general use in distillation plants, comprising a bell-like body formed at the bottom with vapour passage ports and being adapted for attachment to surround an inlet port formed through a surface in tight sealed relationship therewith, characterized in that said bell-like body is formed of two discrete elements, comprising a substantially cylindrical member and an end closure element adapted to be removably coupled thereto.

2. A bubble cap structure for general use in distillation plants, according to Claim 1, characterized in that said end closure element has a peripheral edge adapted to be at least partially superimposed on the top end of said substantially cylindrical member.

3. A bubble cap structure for general use in distillation plants, according to Claim 2, characterized in that said substantially cylindrical member defines, at an upper portion thereof, an annular projection adapted for engagement with said peripheral edge of said end closure element.

4. A bubble cap structure for general use in distillation plants, according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that said end closure element is removably attachable to said substantially cylindrical member by means of a tie rod.