WO2019207022A1

WO2019207022A1 - Vacuum support ring

Info

Publication number: WO2019207022A1
Application number: PCT/EP2019/060563
Authority: WO
Inventors: Werner Anetseder; Andreas HALBMEIR; Ralph SPULLER
Original assignee: Sgl Carbon Se
Priority date: 2018-04-27
Filing date: 2019-04-25
Publication date: 2019-10-31
Also published as: DE102018206614A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a vacuum support ring, which is composed of at least two ring segments (2, 3, 4) which are preferably structurally identical and are made of a chemically inert material. The chemically inert material is preferably a carbon fibre-reinforced plastic or a carbon fibre-reinforced carbon or a fibreglass-reinforced plastic. The ring segments of the vacuum support ring which are adjacent to one another are preferably fitted together by means of tongue and groove joints (5).

Description

Vacuum support ring

The invention relates to a vacuum support ring.

Such a vacuum support ring is known from DE 77 15 420 U1. This known vacuum support ring is an annular body which is provided for internally supporting the corrugations of flexible compensator bellows made of rubber-like material, which are at least temporarily exposed to a vacuum load. The use of vacuum support rings is intended to prevent the flexible center section of compensators from being incident during vacuum loading and narrowing or blocking the flow cross section. Vacuum support rings were usually made of steel or stainless steel, which is susceptible to corrosion. Therefore, existing vacuum support rings made of steel or stainless steel were provided with protective coatings, paints and coatings. However, since such sheaths are very susceptible and can easily be damaged even with small impact loads, DE 77 15 420 U1 proposes forming the annular body as a resilient, open ring of circular cross-section and having an all-round, fluid-tight covering of corrosion-resistant Na - To provide tur- or synthetic rubber.

Another vacuum support ring is known from the Applicant's "POLYFLURON PTFE expansion joints" brochure published in January 2018. There, a vacuum support ring intended for internal support of a bellows is described on page 8, which has a plastic coating.

The object of the invention is to provide an easily assembled, cost-effective vacuum support ring, which is resistant to corrosive media. This object is achieved by a vacuum support ring having the features specified in claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the inven tion are given in the dependent claims. The claim 10 describes a preferred use of a vacuum support ring according to the invention.

An inventive vacuum support ring for internal support of a flexible

Conduit component is composed of at least two, a chemically inert material comprising ring segments. In addition, when the ring segments comprise a non-chemically inert material, the chemically inert material is completely surrounded by the chemically inert material. This ensures that a corrosive medium can not come into contact with the chemically inert material.

Preferably, an inventive vacuum support ring from at least two, preferably identical, composed of a chemically inert material ring segments composed. Any other parts (eg wedges) preferably also consist of one or the same chemically inert material. Such a vacuum support ring is easy to install, inexpensive to implement and even without coating has a high chemical resistance to corrosive media such as mono-chloroacetic acid on. A preferred use of such a vacuum support ring is an inner support of a flexible conduit component, for example a pipeline, a bellows, a compensator or a flexible conduit component used in chemical apparatus construction. By this inner support is advantageously avoided that upon exposure of the flexible conduit member with vacuum, the flexible conduit member is contracted so strong that the desired flow rate of a medium and thus the function of the flexible conduit component is limited or no longer exists. In this case, vacuum generally also denotes an underpressure, preferably an underpressure of up to -1 barg. According to one embodiment of the invention, the chemically inert material is a carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) or a carbon fiber reinforced carbon (CFC) or a glass fiber reinforced plastic (GRP). These materials ensure the desired chemical resistance of the ring segments of the vacuum support ring even without any coating. This chemical resistance does not only consist of corrosive media but generally of acids, lyes and monomers.

According to one embodiment of the invention, adjacent ring segments of the vacuum support ring are in each case plugged together by means of a tongue and groove connection.

According to one embodiment of the invention, these tongue and groove joints are dovetail joints.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the ring segments are plugged together in the axial direction. This facilitates the assembly of the vacuum support ring.

According to one embodiment of the invention adjacent ring segments of the vacuum support ring are clamped together by means of a wedge. This increases the mechanical stability of the vacuum support ring.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the wedge is platelet-shaped or cylindrical-shaped and therefore can be produced in a simple manner.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the adjacent ring segments each have a groove for receiving the wedge. The wedge can be clamped in these grooves in a mechanically simple way, so that the mechanical stability of the wedge can be clamped in a mechanically simple manner. kuumstützrings can be produced in a simple manner. In particular, by clamping adjacent ring segments by means of a wedge, it is ensured that adjacent ring segments are not displaced in the axial direction relative to one another after their mating or are even separated from one another again.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the wedge in the jammed condition of adjacent ring segments is aligned in the radial direction. As a result, the desired mechanical stability of the vacuum support ring is ensured in many applications.

According to one embodiment of the invention, in the jammed condition of adjacent ring segments, the wedge is oriented at an angle to the radial direction which is in the range between 0 ° and 45 °. This increases the desired mechanical stability of the vacuum support ring during operation.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the wedge is glued in the respective groove by means of an adhesive. As a result, an additional safeguard against unplanned release of the tongue-and-groove connection is ensured or the mechanical stability of the vacuum support ring is further increased during operation.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the length of the wedge extending in the radial direction coincides with the width of a ring segment extending in the radial direction. This ensures that the tongue and groove connection of adjacent ring segments better withstand mechanical stresses occurring during operation of the vacuum support ring.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the ring segments are each formed flat. This facilitates their production from plate goods. According to an embodiment of the invention, the ratio of the radially extending width of a ring segment to the axially extending height of a ring segment is b> 2 * h, where b is the width of the ring segment and h is the height of the ring segment.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the vacuum support ring is composed of three to six ring segments. Preferably, it is composed of three ring segments, each extending over an angular range of 120 °. This allows a simple and quick assembly of the vacuum support ring, since the number of ring segments is kept comparatively small.

Preferably, the vacuum support ring is substantially circular. A diameter of the assembled vacuum support ring is preferably not smaller than DN100 and not larger than DN1,400. An E-modulus of the material of the ring segments is preferably not smaller than 25GPa.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. It shows

FIG. 1 shows a sketch of a flexible line component, to the inner support of which vacuum support rings are provided,

2 shows a sketch of a vacuum support ring composed of three ring segments, FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the vacuum support ring shown in FIG. 2 in the direction of the section line AA shown in FIG. 2, FIG.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective sketch of a vacuum support ring in the not yet fully assembled state;

FIG. 5 a sketch to illustrate the construction of a ring segment,

Figure 6 is a sketch of a plan view of a wedge and

Figure 7 is a perspective sketch of a wedge.

FIG. 1 shows a sketch of a flexible conduit component 14, to the inner support of which vacuum support rings 1 are provided. The illustrated flexible line component is a bellows. This bellows can be used, for example, as a compensator between two rigid line components in order to connect them to one another and to compensate for positional deviations of these rigid line components occurring during operation relative to one another. Compensators are also used to decouple any occurring vibrations of the rigid line components or of connected system components. During operation, the rigid conduit components and the bellows connecting them conduct media such as acids, lyes, monomers and other corrosive media. Furthermore, during operation in the rigid line components and the bellows connecting these rigid line components, oppression often occurs, or at least for a short time a vacuum is generated. So that during the duration of this negative pressure or during the duration of the presence of a vacuum, the bellows is not contracted so far that it can no longer perform its function, the vacuum elements shown in FIG. provided support rings 1, which prevent such a contraction of the bellows. Since these vacuum support rings must be resistant to the aforementioned media, an inventive vacuum support ring consists of a chemically inert material. Preferably, this chemically inert material is a carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) or a carbon fiber reinforced carbon (CFC) or a glass fiber reinforced plastic (GRP). These materials ensure the desired chemical resistance to aggressive media, especially corrosive media, even without the application of a coating.

The construction and the composition of a vacuum support ring according to the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7.

FIG. 2 shows a sketch of a vacuum support ring 1 composed of three ring segments 2, 3, 4. These ring segments 2, 3 and 4 are of identical construction. Each of these three ring segments extends in the circumferential direction of the vacuum support ring over an angular range of 120 °, so that a total of three ring segments are required to form the complete vacuum support ring 1. In this case, mutually adjacent ring segments are each joined together using a groove-spring connection 5. In the illustrated embodiment, these tongue and groove connections 5 are dovetail connections. In this case, one of the two adjacent ring segments has a spring and the other of the two adjacent ring segments has a groove, as can be seen in particular from FIGS. 4 and 5, which will be explained below. When assembling the vacuum support ring, two adjacent ring segments are plugged together in the axial direction 6, wherein this axial direction 6 in the figure 2 in the plane of the drawing, that is directed perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. Furthermore, in FIG. 2, the radial direction 9 of the vacuum support ring 1 and the width 12 of a ring segment extending in the radial direction 9 are illustrated. The width 12 of all ring segments coincides, since the ring segments-as already described above-are of identical construction. FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the vacuum support ring 1 shown in FIG. 2 in the direction of the section line AA shown in FIG. On the left side of the sectional view shown in FIG. 3, a sectional area leading through the ring segment 2 is hatched. Furthermore, it can be seen from the sectional illustration shown in FIG. 3 that in the region of FIG

Dovetail connection 5 realized contact point of the ring segments 2 and 3, a wedge 7 is provided, by means of which the two ring segments 2 and 3 are clamped together. The shape of this wedge is illustrated in FIGS. 4, 6 and 7, which will be explained below. Furthermore, the contact point 5 between the ring segments 3 and 4 shown in FIG. 2 is illustrated on the right side of the sectional illustration shown in FIG. At this contact point 5, which is also realized by a dovetail connection, the ring segment 4 has a groove 8, in which a wedge 7 is pressed. A corresponding groove 8 (not visible in FIG. 3) is also provided in the annular segment 4 adjacent ring segment 3, wherein in the groove 8 of the ring segment 3 of the remaining part of the wedge 7 is pressed.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective sketch of a vacuum support ring in the not yet assembled state of the vacuum support ring. In this illustration, the ring segments 2 and 3 are already plugged together, wherein at the contact point of the two ring segments 2 and 3, a dovetail connection 5 is formed and wherein further at this contact point, the two ring segments 2 and 3 are clamped together by means of a wedge 7. The ring segment 4 shown in FIG. 4 is not yet plugged together with the ring segments 2 and 3. However, it can be seen that the ring segment 4 has on its left side in FIG. 4 a spring 5a and on its right side in FIG. 4 a groove 5b. The spring 5a provided on the left side of the ring segment 4 is inserted into the groove 5b of the ring segment 2 in the axial direction 6 when the ring segments 2 and 4 are put together. Into the groove provided on the right side of the ring segment 4 5 b, the spring 5 a of the ring segment 3 is inserted in the axial direction 6 when mating the ring segments 3 and 4.

In addition, wedges 7 are illustrated in FIG. 4 in the region between the two ring segments 2 and 4 as well as 3 and 4, which after the mating of the ring segments 2 and 4 and 3 and 4 at the respective contact point in each case in the radial direction between the respectively adjacent Ring segments are inserted in order to clamp them together. In the inserted state of the wedge, i. in the jammed condition of the two ring segments, the pressed-wedge is aligned in the radial direction. This radial orientation of the wedge is sufficient in many applications to ensure that the two adjacent ring segments can not undesirably shift in the axial direction relative to each other.

To increase the mechanical strength of the finished vacuum support ring, the wedges can if necessary be glued in the respective groove of the respective ring segment by means of an adhesive 10, which is introduced, for example, into the groove 8 of the respective ring segment illustrated in FIG.

Furthermore, the length 11 of the respective wedge 7 extending in the radial direction is preferably selected such that it coincides with the width 12 of a ring segment which likewise extends in the radial direction. However, the wedge may also be made longer, so that the part of the wedge protruding beyond the inner radial outer surface can easily be gripped for disassembly which may be necessary.

Furthermore, it can be seen from FIG. 4 that the ring segments are each formed flat (that is to say lower in the axial direction than in the radial direction). Preferably applies For the ratio of the radially extending width 12 of a ring segment to the axially extending flute 13 of a ring segment, the relationship is as follows: b> 2 * h. Where b is the width 12 of the ring segment and h is the fleas 13 of the ring segment.

FIG. 5 shows a sketch to illustrate the structure of a ring segment. It can be seen from this illustration that the ring segment in the embodiment shown extends in the circumferential direction over an angular range of 120 ° and that the ring segment has a tongue 5a in its one end region and a groove 5b in its other end region. Further, in Figure 5, the radially extending width 12 of the ring segment is illustrated.

6 shows a sketch of a plan view of a wedge 7. It can be seen that this wedge in the embodiment shown has the shape of an at least substantially rectangular plate. The left-hand side face 7a of the small plate 7 in FIG. 6 runs parallel to the right-hand end face 7b of the small plate 7 in FIG. 6. The end face of the small plate 7 forming the upper side of the small plate 7 in FIG. 6 and the lower side of the small plate 7 forming end face of the plate 7 are not arranged parallel to each other in the embodiment shown, but extend from left to right seen at least at a small angle to each other. The effect of the clamping action which the wedge has in its state pressed into the vacuum support ring can be enhanced if necessary by a suitable choice of this angle. In this case, the grooves provided in the ring segments for receiving the wedge are to be designed accordingly.

Furthermore, the effect of the clamping action which the wedge has in its state pressed into the vacuum support ring can be intensified by aligning the wedge in the jammed condition of adjacent ring segments at an angle to the radial direction which lies in the range between 0 ° and 45 °. Also in this Trap provided for receiving the wedge grooves in the ring segments are to be designed accordingly.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective sketch of the wedge illustrated in FIG. This illustration again illustrates the platelet-shaped configuration of the wedge 7 described above.

Both from FIG. 6 and from FIG. 7 it can be seen that the front end edges of the wedge, which are provided on the right side in FIGS. 6 and 7 in the press-in direction of the wedge, can be slightly rounded. This reduces the likelihood of material damage occurring when the wedge is pressed into the grooves of the ring segments.

An alternative embodiment is to make the wedge cylindrical. Even then, the desired clamping effect can be achieved.

After all, the invention provides a coating-free vacuum support ring which is composed of at least two preferably identical ring segments consisting of a chemically inert material. The chemically inert material is preferably carbon fiber reinforced plastic, carbon fiber reinforced carbon or glass fiber reinforced plastic. Said ring segments are preferably plugged together by means of tongue and groove connections, in particular by means of dovetail connections. If necessary, the mated ring segments can be clamped together by means of a wedge to increase the mechanical strength of the composite vacuum support ring. If necessary, the wedge can be adhesively bonded in a respective groove of the respective annular segment by means of an adhesive to further increase the mechanical strength of the assembled vacuum support ring. According to the invention described above, a coating-free vacuum support ring is provided, which is composed of at least two preferably identical, consisting of a chemically inert material ring segments. This ensures the desired resistance to corrosive media. According to one embodiment, such a vacuum support ring composed of at least two preferably structurally identical ring segments consisting of a chemically inert material may also be provided with a coating in order, for example, to meet food-law requirements.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 vacuum support ring

2 ring segment

3 ring segment

4 ring segment

5 tongue and groove connection; Dovetail joint

5a spring

5b groove

6 axial direction

7 wedge

7a end face of the wedge

7b end face of the wedge

7c face of the wedge

7d face of the wedge

8 groove

9 radial direction

10 glue

11 Length of the wedge 7

12 Width of a ring segment

13 Height of a ring segment

14 flexible conduit component; compensation; bellows; pipeline

Claims

claims

1. vacuum support ring (1) for internal support of a flexible conduit member (14), wherein the vacuum support ring (1) of at least two, a chemically inert

Material comprehensive ring segments (2, 3, 4) is composed.

2. Vacuum support ring according to claim 1, wherein the chemically inert material is a carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) or a carbon fiber reinforced carbon (CFC) or a glass fiber reinforced plastic (GRP).

3. Vacuum support ring according to claim 1 or 2, in which adjacent Ringseg- elements by means of tongue and groove connections (5), preferably by means of dovetail connections, are plugged together.

4. Vacuum support ring according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ring segments (2, 3, 4) are identical.

5. vacuum support ring according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ring segments in the axial direction (6) are plugged together.

6. vacuum support ring according to any one of the preceding claims, in which adjacent ring segments by means of a wedge (7) are clamped together, wherein preferably at least one of the following features (i) to (vii) is present:

(i) the wedge (7) is platelet-shaped or cylindrical; (ii) the adjacent ring segments each have a groove (8) for receiving the wedge (7); (iii) the wedge (7) is aligned in the locked state of adjacent ring segments in the radial direction (9);

(iv) the wedge (7) is aligned in the jammed condition of adjacent ring segments at an angle to the radial direction (9) which is in the range between 0 ° and 45 °; (V) the wedge (7) is glued in the respective groove (8) by means of an adhesive (10);

(vi) the length (1 1) of the wedge (7) extending in the radial direction (9) coincides with the width (12) of a ring segment extending in the radial direction (9);

(vii) the wedge (7) consists of a chemically inert material, preferably of the same material as the ring segments.

7. Vacuum support ring according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the ring segments (2, 3, 4) are each formed flat, wherein preferably for the ratio of the radial direction (9) extending width (12) of a ring segment to be in Axial direction (6) extending height (13) of a Ringseg- ment the following relationship applies: b> 2 * h, where b is the width of the ring segment and h the height of the ring segment.

8. Vacuum support ring according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the ring segments (2, 3, 4) are coating-free.

9. Vacuum support ring according to one of the preceding claims, which is composed of three ring segments (2, 3, 4), each extending in the circumferential direction over an angular range of 120 °.

10. Use of a vacuum support ring according to one of the preceding claims for the internal support of a flexible conduit component (14), preferably a pipeline, a bellows or a compensator.