Sealed cabin penetration assembly for low-temperature refrigerant pipeline to penetrate through cabin wall and installation method of sealed cabin penetration assembly

By designing the combination of a special-shaped inner pipe and a multi-layer sealing structure, the leakage and cold bridge effect problems of low-temperature refrigerant pipelines when they pass through the bulkhead are solved, and efficient sealing and insulation effects are achieved, ensuring cabin safety and system efficiency.

CN120487983APending Publication Date: 2025-08-15CHINA SHIP DEV & DESIGN CENT
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202510632714.2
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-05-16
Publication Date
2025-08-15

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

There are problems of refrigerant leakage and cold bridge effects when existing low-temperature refrigerant pipelines penetrate bulkheads, resulting in an increase in Freon concentration in the compartment, affecting personnel health, and decreasing system efficiency.

Method used

The combination design of special-shaped inner tube, intermediate insulation cylinder, end insulation cylinder, outer sleeve, sleeve sealing gasket and end cover sealing gasket is adopted. The outer sleeve and bulkhead are connected by welding, and combined with multi-layer sealing structure and thermal insulation materials to form a multi-layer sleeve-type removable structure to prevent refrigerant leakage and reduce heat loss.

Benefits of technology

It achieves efficient sealing and insulation effects, prevents refrigerant leakage, meets pressure requirements, reduces cooling capacity losses, and ensures cabin safety and system efficiency.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention provides a sealed cabin penetration assembly for a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline penetrating through a cabin wall and an installation method of the sealed cabin penetration assembly. The sealing cabin penetration assembly for the low-temperature refrigerant pipeline to penetrate through the cabin wall comprises a special-shaped inner pipe, a middle heat insulation cylinder, end heat insulation cylinders, an outer sleeve, end covers, sleeve sealing gaskets and end cover sealing gaskets, a channel is formed in the special-shaped inner pipe for refrigerant to pass through, and the special-shaped inner pipe is sleeved with the middle heat insulation cylinder and the two end heat insulation cylinders. A sleeve sealing gasket or an end cover sealing gasket is arranged between the middle heat insulation cylinder and the end heat insulation cylinder in a sleeved mode so as to seal the outer portion of the special-shaped inner pipe between the middle heat insulation cylinder and the end heat insulation cylinder, the middle heat insulation cylinder and the end heat insulation cylinder are sleeved with an outer sleeve, and an outer cylinder body penetrates through an installation hole of a cabin wall and is connected with the installation hole in a welded mode. An end cover is detachably installed at an opening of the end of the special-shaped inner pipe, and the inner side of the end cover is attached to an end cover sealing gasket. The sealing cabin penetration assembly can prevent leakage of refrigerants, meets the pressure bearing requirement and has the heat preservation and heat insulation capacity.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of ship structures, and in particular to a sealed through-cabin assembly for passing a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline through a bulkhead and an installation method thereof. Background Art

[0002] As an underwater operation platform, the hull contour of an underwater submersible is completely surrounded by seawater when it is diving, and the internal cabin is in a closed state completely isolated from the outside atmosphere. The control of harmful gas components in the cabin is directly related to the health and life safety of personnel.

[0003] To ensure adequate food supplies for personnel, refrigeration equipment maintains a low-temperature, refrigerated environment in cold storage, extending the shelf life of foods like fruits, vegetables, and meat. Refrigeration systems typically use Freon (CFC) refrigerants such as R134a, R404a, or R410a. In the enclosed environment of a submersible, long-term, micro-leakages in the piping system can have a cumulative effect, leading to a gradual increase in CFC concentrations in the cabin atmosphere. Although CFCs are extremely low in toxicity, prolonged exposure or exposure to concentrations exceeding permitted limits can still cause discomfort, dizziness, or suffocation. Chemical reactions between different atmospheric components and between gaseous components and submersible systems and equipment can even produce more toxic substances such as hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, or phosgene. Therefore, CFC leaks must be strictly controlled in refrigeration systems.

[0004] For refrigeration systems where the refrigeration unit (cold source) and the air chiller (user) are located in different compartments, refrigerant piping must penetrate the bulkhead. The bulkheads of underwater submersibles are subject to pressure-bearing and tightness requirements, necessitating the use of bulkhead fittings. Currently, two types of bulkhead fittings are commonly used: rigid and flexible. However, both rigid and flexible fittings utilize threaded joints or flanges, which pose a risk of leakage for pressurized piping (pressures above ambient atmospheric pressure). Furthermore, the refrigerant return temperature from the air chiller can drop to -10°C to -20°C. Directly welding conventional bulkhead fittings to the bulkhead creates a cold bridge effect, leading to icing of the piping and bulkhead, cooling loss, and decreased system efficiency. Welded bulkhead fittings also pose significant maintenance challenges. Therefore, a detachable bulkhead assembly that prevents refrigerant leakage, meets pressure requirements, and provides thermal insulation is urgently needed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a sealed through-cabin assembly for low-temperature refrigerant pipelines passing through the bulkhead and an installation method thereof, aiming to prevent refrigerant leakage and reduce heat loss.

[0006] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a sealed through-cabin assembly for a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline to pass through a bulkhead, comprising a special-shaped inner tube, an intermediate thermal insulation tube, an end thermal insulation tube, an outer sleeve, an end cover, a sleeve sealing gasket, and an end cover sealing gasket, wherein:

[0007] The interior of the special-shaped inner tube forms a channel for the refrigerant to pass through, the outside of the special-shaped inner tube is covered with a middle insulation tube and two end insulation tubes, a sleeve sealing gasket or an end cover sealing gasket is covered between the middle insulation tube and the end insulation tube to seal the outside of the special-shaped inner tube between the middle insulation tube and the end insulation tube, the outside of the middle insulation tube and the end insulation tube is covered with an outer sleeve, the outer cylinder body is passed through the mounting hole of the bulkhead and is welded thereto, and an end cover is detachably installed at the end opening of the special-shaped inner tube, and the inner side of the end cover is fitted with the end cover sealing gasket.

[0008] Preferably, the special-shaped inner tube includes end pipes located at both ends and an intermediate pipe located in the middle. The outer wall of the intermediate pipe protrudes above the outer wall of the end pipe to form an annular retaining ring. The front and rear end faces of the annular retaining ring are respectively fitted with the end cover sealing gasket and the sleeve sealing gasket, and the outer side surface of the annular retaining ring is fitted with the inner wall of the intermediate insulation tube.

[0009] Preferably, the outer side wall of the end pipe is fitted with the inner side wall of the end insulation tube, and sealing grooves are provided on the front and rear end faces of the annular retaining ring.

[0010] Preferably, both ends of the sleeve sealing gasket abut against the middle insulation tube and the end insulation tube respectively.

[0011] Preferably, the interior of the outer sleeve sequentially forms a first mounting hole, a second mounting hole and a third mounting hole from close to the end cover to farthest from the end cover, wherein the end insulation tube is accommodated in the third mounting hole and is sleeved on the outside of the end pipe, the middle insulation tube is accommodated in the second mounting hole and is sleeved on the outside of the middle pipe, and the end cover sealing gasket is accommodated in the first mounting hole and the end face seals the step surface formed by the first mounting hole and the second mounting hole.

[0012] Preferably, the outer ring side of the end cover sealing gasket abuts against the inner side wall of the first mounting hole, and the inner ring side of the end cover sealing gasket abuts against the outer side wall of the end insulation cylinder.

[0013] Preferably, the end cover includes a cover plate and a sealing portion protruding from one side of the cover plate, the sealing portion is accommodated inside the first mounting hole to compress and seal the end cover sealing gasket, the cover plate and the sealing portion are both passed through the end insulation tube, and the cover plate is connected to the end face of the outer sleeve through a fastener.

[0014] Preferably, the middle insulation tube and the end insulation tubes are both made of aerogel insulation material, and the middle insulation tube and the end insulation tubes are bonded and fixed to the special-shaped inner tube.

[0015] Preferably, the interior of the end pipe is connected to the external refrigerant pipeline by brazing, and the material of the outer sleeve is the same as that of the bulkhead.

[0016] The present invention further proposes a method for installing the sealed bulkhead assembly for passing a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline through the bulkhead, comprising the following steps:

[0017] Weld the outer sleeve to the mounting hole of the bulkhead, and fix the middle insulation tube and the two end insulation tubes to the outer wall of the special-shaped inner tube by gluing;

[0018] Put the sleeve sealing gasket on the bottom of the special-shaped inner tube and insert it into the outer sleeve so that the end surface of the sleeve sealing gasket contacts the bottom step surface of the outer sleeve;

[0019] The head of the special-shaped inner tube is sequentially covered with the end cover sealing gasket and the end cover, and the side surface of the end cover is fixedly connected to the end surface of the outer sleeve by fasteners to clamp the end cover sealing gasket.

[0020] The sealed through-cabin assembly for passing a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline through a bulkhead proposed by the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0021] (1) Use insulation tube wrapping isolation measures to achieve effective isolation from the outer sleeve and bulkhead, suppress the cold bridge effect between the low-temperature pipeline and the bulkhead, prevent icing and reduce cooling loss;

[0022] (2) A double seal design is adopted to achieve a compartment sealing requirement of not less than 0.6 MPa;

[0023] (3) The end cover is used, and the internal sleeve sealing gasket and the end cover sealing gasket form a multi-layer sleeve type detachable structure, which is convenient for replacing the sealing gasket and insulation material, etc., while also ensuring good sealing and insulation effects of the through-chamber components;

[0024] (4) The outer sleeve is directly welded to the bulkhead to reinforce the bulkhead opening and meet the bulkhead strength requirements. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a sealed through-cabin assembly for passing a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline through a bulkhead according to the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the sealed through-cabin assembly for passing a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline through a bulkhead according to the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 This is a partial structural diagram of a sealed through-cabin assembly for passing a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline through a bulkhead according to the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the partial structure of the special-shaped inner tube in the sealed through-cabin assembly for the low-temperature refrigerant pipeline to pass through the bulkhead of the present invention.

[0029] In the figure, 1-special-shaped inner tube, 2-end cover, 3-outer sleeve, 4-middle insulation tube, 5-sleeve sealing gasket, 6-end insulation tube, 7-nut, 8-washer, 9-stud, 10-end cover sealing gasket, 11-external refrigerant pipeline, 12-bulkhead.

[0030] The purpose, features and advantages of the present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings and in conjunction with the embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0032] It should be noted that in the description of the present invention, the terms "transverse," "longitudinal," "upper," "lower," "front," "back," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer" and the like, indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are intended only to facilitate the description of the present invention and simplify the description. They do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and the like are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0033] The invention provides a sealed through-cabin assembly for allowing a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline to pass through a bulkhead.

[0034] Reference Figures 1 to 4 In this preferred embodiment, a sealed through-cabin assembly for a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline passing through a bulkhead comprises a special-shaped inner tube 1, an intermediate insulation tube 4, an end insulation tube 6, an outer sleeve 3, an end cover 2, a sleeve sealing gasket 5, and an end cover sealing gasket 10, wherein:

[0035] A channel is formed inside the special-shaped inner tube 1 for the refrigerant to pass through. The outside of the special-shaped inner tube 1 is covered with an intermediate insulating tube 4 and two end insulating tubes 6. A sleeve sealing gasket 5 or an end cover sealing gasket 10 is provided between the intermediate insulating tube 4 and the end insulating tube 6 to seal the outside of the special-shaped inner tube 1 between the intermediate insulating tube 4 and the end insulating tube 6. The outside of the intermediate insulating tube 4 and the end insulating tube 6 is covered with an outer sleeve 3. The outer tube body is passed through the mounting hole of the bulkhead 12 and is welded to it. The end opening of the special-shaped inner tube 1 is detachably installed with an end cover 2, and the inner side of the end cover 2 is fitted with the end cover sealing gasket 10.

[0036] Specifically, in this embodiment, the special-shaped inner tube 1 includes end tubes at both ends and a middle tube in the middle. The outer wall of the middle tube protrudes above the outer walls of the end tubes to form an annular retaining ring. The front and rear end faces of the annular retaining ring are respectively fitted with the end cover sealing gasket 10 and the sleeve sealing gasket 5. The outer side of the annular retaining ring is fitted with the inner wall of the middle insulating tube 4. The outer wall of the middle tube forms a stepped surface with the outer walls of the two end tubes, and the two stepped surfaces are respectively used to install the sleeve sealing gasket 5 and the end cover sealing gasket 10.

[0037] Specifically, the outer wall of the end pipe is fitted against the inner wall of the end insulation tube 6, and the front and rear end surfaces of the annular retaining ring are each provided with sealing grooves. There are two or three sealing grooves on each of the front and rear end surfaces. The width of the sealing grooves is 1mm to 1.5mm.

[0038] In this embodiment, the ends of the sleeve sealing gasket 5 respectively abut against the middle insulation tube 4 and the end insulation tube 6. A first mounting hole, a second mounting hole, and a third mounting hole are formed in the interior of the outer sleeve 3, from closer to the end cap 2 to farther away from the end cap 2. The end insulation tube 6 is received in the third mounting hole and sleeved onto the outside of the end pipe. The middle insulation tube 4 is received in the second mounting hole and sleeved onto the outside of the middle pipe. The end cap sealing gasket 10 is received in the first mounting hole, and its end face seals the stepped surface formed by the first and second mounting holes.

[0039] The outer ring of the end cap sealing gasket 10 abuts the inner wall of the first mounting hole, while the inner ring of the end cap sealing gasket 10 abuts the outer wall of the end insulation tube 6. The end cap 2 includes a cover plate and a sealing portion protruding from one side of the cover plate. The sealing portion is accommodated within the first mounting hole to compress and seal the end cap sealing gasket 10. Both the cover plate and the sealing portion are inserted into the end insulation tube 6. The cover plate is connected to the end face of the outer sleeve 3 via fasteners. The fasteners include a nut 7, a washer 8, and a stud 9.

[0040] In this embodiment, the middle insulation tube 4 and the end insulation tubes 6 are both made of aerogel insulation material and are bonded and fixed to the special-shaped inner tube 1. The thermal conductivity of aerogel insulation material is as low as 0.022W / (m·℃), which significantly reduces the thickness of the insulation layer and can raise the outer surface temperature to above 20℃, effectively blocking the cold bridge effect and preventing icing. The interior of the end pipe is connected to the external refrigerant pipeline 11 by brazing. The outer sleeve 3 is made of the same material as the bulkhead 12 or a high-strength steel material equivalent to the bulkhead 12. The special-shaped inner tube 1 is the part that directly contacts the fluid in the pipeline system and is made of the same type of material as the external refrigerant pipeline 11. After all sealing components are assembled, the special-shaped inner tube 1 is brazed to the external refrigerant pipeline to ensure a reliable pipeline seal and prevent refrigerant leakage.

[0041] This low-temperature refrigerant pipeline bulkhead sealing assembly has two sealing pairs, refer to Figure 3 The first is the "special-shaped inner tube 1 - sleeve sealing gasket 5 - outer sleeve 3" sealing pair. Depending on the structure, material, and preload force, it can achieve a sealing requirement of no less than 0.6MPa. The second is "end cover 2 - end cover sealing gasket 10 - special-shaped inner tube 1 (or outer sleeve 3)". When maintenance is required, remove the nut 7, washer 8 and stud 9, and then all components can be removed.

[0042] The sealed through-cabin assembly for passing a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline through a bulkhead proposed by the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0043] (1) The insulation tube is used to effectively isolate the outer sleeve 3 and the bulkhead 12, suppress the cold bridge effect between the low-temperature pipeline and the bulkhead 12, prevent ice formation and reduce cooling loss;

[0044] (2) The double seal design can achieve a compartment sealing requirement of not less than 0.6 MPa;

[0045] (3) The end cover 2 is used, and the internal sleeve sealing gasket 5 and the end cover sealing gasket 10 are combined to form a multi-layer sleeve-type detachable structure, which is convenient for replacing the sealing gasket and insulation material, etc., while also ensuring good sealing and insulation effects of the through-chamber assembly;

[0046] (4) The outer sleeve 3 is directly welded to the bulkhead 12 to reinforce the opening of the bulkhead 12 and meet the strength requirements of the bulkhead 12.

[0047] The present invention further provides a method for installing a sealed through-cabin assembly for passing a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline through a bulkhead.

[0048] In this preferred embodiment, a method for installing the sealed bulkhead assembly for passing a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline through a bulkhead comprises the following steps:

[0049] Step S10: Weld the outer sleeve 3 to the mounting hole of the bulkhead 12, and fix the middle insulation tube 4 and the two end insulation tubes 6 to the outer side wall of the special-shaped inner tube 1 by gluing;

[0050] Step S20: Put the sleeve sealing gasket 5 on the bottom of the special-shaped inner tube 1 and insert it into the outer sleeve 3, so that the end surface of the sleeve sealing gasket 5 contacts the bottom step surface of the outer sleeve 3;

[0051] Step S30: sequentially cover the head of the special-shaped inner tube 1 with the end cover sealing gasket 10 and the end cover 2, and fix the side of the end cover 2 to the end surface of the outer sleeve 3 by fasteners to clamp the end cover sealing gasket 10.

[0052] The installation method proposed in the present invention can effectively prevent refrigerant leakage from the special-shaped inner tube 1 while also meeting the pressure requirements and thermal insulation capabilities. The installation process is simple, easy to operate, and the structural reliability after installation is high.

[0053] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention's description and drawings, or directly or indirectly applied to other related technical fields, are also included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sealed through-cabin assembly for low-temperature refrigerant pipelines passing through bulkheads, characterized in that: It includes a special-shaped inner tube, a middle insulation tube, an end insulation tube, an outer sleeve, an end cover, a sleeve sealing gasket and an end cover sealing gasket, wherein: The interior of the special-shaped inner tube forms a channel for the refrigerant to pass through, the outside of the special-shaped inner tube is covered with a middle insulation tube and two end insulation tubes, a sleeve sealing gasket or an end cover sealing gasket is covered between the middle insulation tube and the end insulation tube to seal the outside of the special-shaped inner tube between the middle insulation tube and the end insulation tube, the outside of the middle insulation tube and the end insulation tube is covered with an outer sleeve, the outer cylinder body is passed through the mounting hole of the bulkhead and is welded thereto, and an end cover is detachably installed at the end opening of the special-shaped inner tube, and the inner side of the end cover is fitted with the end cover sealing gasket.

2. The sealed through-cabin assembly for passing a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline through a bulkhead according to claim 1, characterized in that: The special-shaped inner tube includes end pipes located at both ends and an intermediate pipe located in the middle. The outer wall of the intermediate pipe protrudes above the outer wall of the end pipe to form an annular retaining ring. The front and rear end faces of the annular retaining ring are respectively fitted with the end cover sealing gasket and the sleeve sealing gasket, and the outer side surface of the annular retaining ring is fitted with the inner wall of the intermediate insulation tube.

3. The sealed through-cabin assembly for passing a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline through a bulkhead according to claim 2, characterized in that: The outer side wall of the end pipe is fitted with the inner side wall of the end insulation tube, and sealing grooves are provided on the front and rear end surfaces of the annular retaining ring.

4. The sealed through-cabin assembly for passing a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline through a bulkhead according to claim 2, characterized in that: The two ends of the sleeve sealing gasket are respectively in contact with the middle insulation tube and the end insulation tube.

5. The sealed through-cabin assembly for passing a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline through a bulkhead according to claim 2, characterized in that: The interior of the outer sleeve sequentially forms a first mounting hole, a second mounting hole and a third mounting hole from close to the end cover to far away from the end cover, wherein the end insulation tube is accommodated in the third mounting hole and is sleeved on the outside of the end pipe, the middle insulation tube is accommodated in the second mounting hole and is sleeved on the outside of the middle pipe, and the end cover sealing gasket is accommodated in the first mounting hole and the end face seals the step surface formed by the first mounting hole and the second mounting hole.

6. The sealed through-cabin assembly for passing a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline through a bulkhead according to claim 5, characterized in that: The outer ring side of the end cover sealing gasket abuts against the inner side wall of the first mounting hole, and the inner ring side of the end cover sealing gasket abuts against the outer side wall of the end insulation cylinder.

7. The sealed through-cabin assembly for passing a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline through a bulkhead according to claim 5, characterized in that: The end cover includes a cover plate and a sealing portion protruding from one side of the cover plate. The sealing portion is accommodated inside the first mounting hole to compress and seal the end cover sealing gasket. The cover plate and the sealing portion are both passed through the end insulation tube. The cover plate is connected to the end face of the outer sleeve through fasteners.

8. The sealed through-cabin assembly for passing a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline through a bulkhead according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The middle insulation tube and the end insulation tubes are both made of aerogel insulation material, and are bonded and fixed to the special-shaped inner tube.

9. The sealed through-cabin assembly for passing a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline through a bulkhead according to claim 1, characterized in that: The interior of the end pipe is connected to the external refrigerant pipeline by brazing, and the material of the outer sleeve is the same as that of the bulkhead.

10. A method for installing a sealed through-cabin assembly for a low-temperature refrigerant pipeline passing through a bulkhead according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Weld the outer sleeve to the mounting hole of the bulkhead, and fix the middle insulation tube and the two end insulation tubes to the outer wall of the special-shaped inner tube by gluing; Put the sleeve sealing gasket on the bottom of the special-shaped inner tube and insert it into the outer sleeve so that the end surface of the sleeve sealing gasket contacts the bottom step surface of the outer sleeve; The head of the special-shaped inner tube is sequentially covered with the end cover sealing gasket and the end cover, and the side surface of the end cover is fixedly connected to the end surface of the outer sleeve by fasteners to clamp the end cover sealing gasket.