US1616893A - Condenser tube and tube-sheet connection - Google Patents

Description

,i 1,616,893 Febo 89 H. FlNcH H coNDENsER TUBE AND TUBE SHEET coNNEcTIoN Filed May 22. 1926 I QM Y n Inventor l. A.- F/fc in which Patented Fein 8,

' UNiT-Enfs'rArEs PATENT OFFICE.

nanna' n. on AnEnDEnN, wnsrmre'ron.

connnsm me AND Turn-snaar common..

Anneleen nea n'y 2z,

I My present' invention has to do the maintenance in a state of eiiiciency of condensers used in connection'with steam.

turbinesand it has for its object the provision of a condenzer tubeVA and tube sheetconnection possessed "of the -prac-tical advantages ascribed to the same.

The invention in all of its details will vbe n Vfullyunderstood from'the following description and claim when the same are read in connection with the drawings, laccompanying and formingpart'of this specification,

Figure 1 is afsectional illustrating the connection constituting the preferred embodiment of my invention.;

Figure 2 -is a detailf view showing the ferrule andthe protective sleeve of my im. provement as properly arranged relative to each other, the ferrule being shovm in dia vmetrical section and the protective sleeve in elevation. Y

Figure 3 is a diametrical section ofthe protective sleeve' per se of the improvement.

Similar numerals of reference designate` corresponding parts lall of the views of the dra I show in Figure 15a condenser tube 1 of conventional type; and'l also show in said a0 Figure '1 a tube'sheet' 2, the latter4 being chamber-ed at 3 and threaded at 4.

My improvement involves 'the employ ment of a protective sleeve 4, preferably of -the same material as the condenser tube 1, and the improvement also involves the employment of a ferrule 5 'which is preferably of standard type save that .its head 6 is preferably longer than standard errule. The protective sleeve 1 is interiorly tapered,

40 as designatedby 7,'to a fine edge 8 atits.

inner end and the said sleeve 4 is of a size to snugly fit in the condenser tube 1 and is fixed with respect to the head portion of the ferrule 5. Preferably spot welding isv resorted to in the fixing of the protective sleeve 4 with respect to the ferrule' 5, and the ferrule head. and the protective sleeve ends are preferably2 though not necessarily,

provided withcoincldent kerfs 8 to receive a removing tool. yAt 9 the errule 5 is adapted to receive the end'portion of the condenser tube 1, and -in the chamber 3 of the tube sheet y2 conventional or any other approprlate packing 10 may be andjpreferably is employed.

It will be apparent rom the foregoing 192e serial no. 111,000.

that the protective sleeve 4 maybe Imanu- 1- factured separately and used with standard ferrules at present on the market in whicli event the Yspot Welding of the sleevetothe ferrule will be advantageous not only b ecause it constitutes a means 'of quick' connec; tion butalso because the spot welding is not liable-to be affected by .the heat.

Thepractical advantages of thev sleevev,4.

in -the relationdetned be appreciated when it isstated that the sleeve averts cutv4ting. away of the endof the `tube V1- due to sand and 't in thev Water circulating through the tube. It also prerentserosion of the tube 4 which ordinarily occurson the tube ends adjacent to the tube sheet. More.

over, the sleeve 4 lends increased strength to -the end portion of the tube l and takes up Vvibration and to a considerable degree prevents the transmission of vibration to. the

packing. This latter advantage will be ap-. preciated as important .when it is stated that in practice condenser tubes such as the tube 1 are small in diameter and from sixteen to twenty feet in length, according to the size ofthe condenser. Constant vibration brings about fatigue of the metal withv I v the result that the tube fails. The expansion chamber or space 9 in the fer-rule aords ample means for expansion of the tube as the sleeve 4 covers said spaceor chamber 9 and prevents the deposit therein ofscale or other foreign substance. Manifestly within the purview of my invention the sleeve 4 may be made of diji'erent lengths to taper of the sleeve 4 will be appreciated as an important advantage whenit is stated that said taper will prevent the formation 1 partially occupied. by the sleeve 4. My improvement will be appreciated as further advantageous whenit is stated that in the .inside the sleeve and through the' medium of a wrench appliedto the drift,- an operafmeet different conditions, and the interior of a vacuum area in the. portion of the tube tive can turn the ferruleabout its axis and remove it romthe tube-sheet 2. The operation alluded to .cannot be. carried out when the ordinary connection is emplofyed inasmuch asin inserting a dnft -o angular cross-section, the' drift would be pressed against the walls of the condenser tube and would render the condenser tube unsuitable for further use. As is well known in the art, condenser tubes such as l are costly7 5 Whereas the protective sleeve '4 ot' my iniprovenient is inexpensive.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that my improvement is calculated to eliminate the vacuum areaJ in the condenser tube adjacent to the errule, thereby assuring better conductivity of the Wat-er through the tube l; that iny improvement is calculated to prolong the usefulness of the end of the condenser tube which in most eases is the only part of the tube that deteriorates; and that the errule 5 characterized as described insures a clear expansion space or the tube l at all times and under all conditions, the protective sleeve 4 precluding the occupation of the said space or chamber, which is designated by 9, by sand, grit or other foreign substanee present in the Water circulating through the condenser.

I have eXplicit-iy described the preferred 25 embodiment o my invention in order to iin- V part a ull, clear and exact'understanding of the lsaid embodiment. I do not desire,.

hou-ever, lo be understood as limiting myself to the' precise structure disclosed, my invent-ion being defined by myappended claim Within the scope 'of which inodilicationniay be made `Without departure troni my invention. Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:- f Y Aln combination, a tube sheet chambered and provided with a thread, a urrule charnbcred and having a' thread engaging that ot' the tube sheet, a protective sleeve iixed to the fel-rule and forming the inner Wall ot' the said chamber of the errule, a condenser tube snugly. receiving the protective sleeve and disposed in the tube sheet and in the chamber of the errule, and packing about said tube and in the said chamber of' the tube sheet; the said protective sleeve being interiorly tapered kto a i'ine edge at the inner end thereof.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature. Y

HARRY H. Enron.

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