Liquid separation device and method for conduit hydraulic test

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of aero-engine part testing, in particular to a liquid separation device and method for a guide pipe hydraulic test. The device comprises a main conveying pipe, a base shell and a plurality of branch pipes. The plurality of branch pipes are arranged on the main conveying pipe, and the branch pipes are communicated with the main conveying pipe; a rectangular groove is formed in the base shell, and the main conveying pipe is installed in the rectangular groove of the base shell. One end of the main conveying pipe is provided with a first joint, and the other end is provided with an expansion joint; the first joint is used for being connected with a liquid supply pipe of hydraulic equipment, and the expansion joint is used for being connected with a first joint on another liquid separation device; a nut plug is screwed on the expansion joint and is used for plugging the expansion joint when expansion is not needed; a second connector is arranged at the outlet end of each branch pipe and used for being connected with a connector of a guide pipe to be tested. According to the invention, batch synchronization of conduit hydraulic tests is realized, and the test efficiency is greatly improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of aero-engine component testing, and particularly relates to a liquid distribution device and method for pipe liquid pressure testing, and is particularly used for batch liquid pressure testing of aero-engine pipes. BACKGROUND

[0002] As the core power component of an aircraft, an aero-engine has a complex working environment and harsh working conditions, and has extremely high requirements for the reliability and sealing of each component. As a key component of an aero-engine, a pipe mainly undertakes the important function of transmitting various types of oil and gas required by the engine, including fuel, lubricating oil, air and oxygen. The transmission of these media is directly related to the normal operation of the aero-engine and flight safety. Therefore, the sealing of the aero-engine pipe is a key indicator to ensure the performance of the engine and flight safety. Therefore, all aero-engine pipes need to be 100% sealed after production and manufacturing.

[0003] The structure of an aero-engine pipe is usually made of various types of joints for assembly and connection and pipes for medium transmission through a welding process. After welding, in order to ensure that the sealing of the weld and the working surface of the joint meets the design requirements, each pipe must be subjected to a liquid pressure test. During the liquid pressure test, a certain liquid pressure test pressure needs to be applied according to relevant standards and technical requirements, and the maximum test pressure needs to be maintained for a specified duration to fully test whether the pipe has any leakage risks.

[0004] However, in current production practice, the pipe liquid pressure test link faces significant technical bottlenecks. On the one hand, the existing hydraulic equipment has a limited number of oil inlet interfaces, which cannot simultaneously provide test media for multiple pipes. On the other hand, there is a lack of special fixtures and transmission devices that can simultaneously clamp and distribute media for multiple pipes.

[0005] Therefore, the mainstream method for liquid pressure testing of aero-engine pipes is single-piece sequential testing. Specifically, the operator needs to connect the end of a single pipe to the oil supply interface of the liquid pressure test equipment one by one, perform pressure testing, pressure maintenance and pressure relief, and then disassemble and replace the next pipe to repeat the process. However, the production of aero-engine pipes has the characteristic of large batch size. Due to the limited number of oil supply interfaces of the liquid pressure test equipment and the lack of special fixtures suitable for simultaneous clamping and liquid supply of batch pipes, this "one piece at a time" mode has significant defects: each pipe test includes a complete cycle of connection, testing and disassembly, and the pressure maintenance time itself cannot be shortened, resulting in a very long overall testing process and low efficiency. This has become a major bottleneck in the production and manufacturing of pipes, and cannot meet the needs of modern aviation manufacturing for high efficiency and large batch production.

[0006] Therefore, existing hydraulic testing methods for ducts suffer from low testing efficiency and cannot meet the needs of simultaneous testing of large batches of ducts. There is an urgent need for a special device that can perform hydraulic testing on multiple ducts at the same time, breaking through the limitations of existing single-piece testing and improving the efficiency of hydraulic testing. This has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in the current production and manufacturing process of aero-engine ducts. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present invention aims to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art in the low efficiency and inability to perform batch synchronous hydraulic tests on aero-engine ducts, and provides a liquid distribution device and method for hydraulic testing of ducts with reasonable structure and convenient operation. The liquid distribution device can connect multiple ducts at one time and supply high-pressure test medium synchronously, thereby transforming sequential testing into parallel testing, significantly shortening the overall testing time of a single batch of ducts and improving production efficiency.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a liquid distribution device for hydraulic testing of a conduit, comprising a main delivery pipe, a base housing, and multiple branch pipes; the multiple branch pipes are arranged on the main delivery pipe and are connected to the main delivery pipe, with the axis of the branch pipe perpendicular to the axis of the main delivery pipe; a rectangular groove is provided on the base housing, and the main delivery pipe is installed in the rectangular groove of the base housing; a first connector is provided at one end of the main delivery pipe, and an expansion connector is provided at the other end; the first connector is used to connect to the liquid supply pipe of a hydraulic device, and the expansion connector is used to connect to a first connector on another liquid distribution device; a nut plug is screwed onto the expansion connector for sealing the expansion connector when expansion is not required; a second connector is provided at the outlet end of each branch pipe for connecting to the connector of the conduit to be tested.

[0009] Preferably, the base housing includes two side plates spaced apart from each other and a top plate disposed on top of the two side plates; the top plate and the two side plates together form the rectangular groove; an ear plate is formed by bending the lower part of each side plate; the branch pipe passes through the top plate of the base housing and is connected to the main pipeline.

[0010] Preferably, the base shell is a one-piece molded structure to ensure overall rigidity and stability.

[0011] Preferably, the base housing, main pipe, first connector, branch pipe and expansion connector are made of stainless steel to ensure strength and corrosion resistance; the second connector is made of copper or copper alloy to adapt to frequent tightening and loosening with the tested conduit connector and maintain good sealing contact.

[0012] Preferably, the fixed connections between the main pipeline and the base housing, between the main pipeline and the first connector, between the branch pipeline and the main pipeline, between the branch pipeline and the second connector, and between the main pipeline and the expansion connector are all welded to ensure connection strength and sealing reliability.

[0013] Preferably, the diameter of the branch pipe is not greater than the diameter of the main pipe to ensure balanced pressure distribution.

[0014] Preferably, both the first and second joints are cone-seal welded straight-through 60° sealing pipe thread joints.

[0015] Secondly, the present invention provides a system for hydraulic testing of conduits, comprising at least one set of dispensing devices as described above; when at least two sets of the dispensing devices are included, the expansion joint of one set of dispensing devices is connected to the first joint of the other set of dispensing devices, thereby forming a series connection structure of multiple dispensing devices.

[0016] Thirdly, the present invention provides a method for hydraulic testing of a catheter, employing the above-mentioned liquid separation device, comprising the following steps: S1. Connect the first connector on the liquid separator to the liquid supply pipe of the hydraulic equipment. S2. Seal one end of the catheter to be tested and connect the other end to the second connector on the branch tube; S3. Test medium is introduced into the main pipeline through hydraulic equipment. The test medium flows into the corresponding test conduit through each branch pipe, so that each test conduit can be pressurized and pressure held at the same time.

[0017] Preferably, step S2 further includes an extension step: when the number of catheters to be tested exceeds the number of second connectors in a single set of dispensing devices, multiple sets of dispensing devices are connected in series, and adjacent sets of dispensing devices are connected to the first connector through extension connectors.

[0018] Due to the adoption of the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: (1) High-efficiency batch testing: In this invention, by utilizing the structure of one main pipe and multiple branch pipes, a "one main and multiple branches" pipeline structure is formed, which realizes the simultaneous connection of multiple test tubes and the simultaneous pressurization and pressure holding. Multiple tubes can be tested in one operation, which greatly reduces auxiliary time and significantly improves testing efficiency.

[0019] (2) Flexible and expandable: Multiple liquid separation devices can be connected in series through expansion connectors to flexibly increase the number of test stations, which can adapt to batch testing needs of different scales and has strong versatility.

[0020] (3) Stable and reliable structure: The base shell provides stable support, and the main pressure-bearing components are connected by welding, which ensures the structural integrity and sealing safety of the device under high pressure conditions.

[0021] (4) Easy to operate: The liquid separator has a simple structure and is easy to use, which reduces the labor intensity and skill requirements of the operators and helps to ensure the consistency of test quality.

[0022] (5) Promote production progress: It fundamentally solves the efficiency bottleneck of the hydraulic test process and speeds up the overall production and manufacturing cycle of the conduit. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the liquid separation device provided by the present invention; Figure 2 This is a top view of the liquid separation device provided by the present invention; Figure 3 for Figure 2 BB section view; Figure 4 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the base shell in this invention.

[0025] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Base shell; 1a. Rectangular groove; 1b. Side plate; 1c. Top plate; 1d. Ear plate; 2. Main pipeline; 3. First connector; 4. Branch pipeline; 5. Second connector; 6. Expansion connector; 7. Nut plug. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0027] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0028] In addition, the descriptions involving "first", "second", etc. in the present invention are for descriptive purposes only, and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In addition, the technical solutions between various embodiments may be combined with each other, but must be based on what can be achieved by those of ordinary skill in the art. When the combination of technical solutions results in contradictions or cannot be achieved, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

[0029] Embodiment 1 As shown in the accompanying drawings, this embodiment provides a liquid distribution device for the hydraulic test of ducts, and its core function is to provide synchronous hydraulic test interfaces for multiple aero-engine ducts.

[0030] This liquid distribution device includes a base housing 1, a main delivery pipe 2, a first joint 3, multiple branch pipes 4, multiple second joints 5, an extension joint 6, and a nut plug 7.

[0031] The base housing 1 is formed by bending a stainless steel plate, and its cross-section is in a "U" shape. Specifically, it includes two parallel and vertically arranged side plates 1b, and a top plate 1c horizontally welded to the tops of the two side plates 1b. The top plate 1c and the two side plates 1b together enclose a rectangular groove 1a with an open top. On the top plate 1c, a plurality of through holes (not shown in the figure) are machined at equal intervals along its length direction. The lower end of each side plate 1b is bent outward horizontally to form a rectangular ear plate 1d for stably supporting the entire device on the workbench. The base housing 1 mainly functions to fix and support the entire device. During the hydraulic test, it is placed on the hydraulic workbench to fix and support the entire device.

[0032] The main delivery pipe 2 is a straight stainless steel pipe, which is horizontally placed and accommodated in the rectangular groove 1a of the base housing 1, and both ends of the main delivery pipe 2 extend out of the rectangular groove 1a. The pipe body of the main delivery pipe 2 is fixedly connected to the lower surface of the top plate 1c by spot welding or continuous welding. On the pipe wall of the main delivery pipe 2, a row of connection holes is drilled along its axial direction, and the number and spacing of the connection holes correspond to the through holes on the top plate 1c one by one.

[0033] The multiple branch pipes 4 are slender stainless steel pipes, and the number thereof is the same as the number of connection holes on the main delivery pipe 2. The lower end of each branch pipe 4 vertically passes through the top plate 1c of the base housing 1 and then inserts into the corresponding connection hole on the main delivery pipe 2. The branch pipe 4 and the main delivery pipe 2 are firmly and sealedly connected by circumferential seam welding at the insertion point, so that the internal cavity of the main delivery pipe 2 is connected to the internal cavity of each branch pipe 4.

[0034] The first connector 3 is a threaded connector, such as a cone-seal welded straight-through 60° sealing pipe thread connector. The first connector 3 is fixedly connected to the first end of the main delivery pipe 2 by welding. This first connector 3 serves as the pressure medium inlet for the entire device and is used to connect to the hydraulic equipment's supply pipe.

[0035] At the outlet section of each branch pipe 4, a second connector 5 is connected by welding. The second connector 5 is made of copper or copper alloy and is designed with a conical sealing structure with external threads. For example, the second connector 5 is a conical seal welded straight-through 60° sealing pipe thread connector, and its specifications match the internal thread specifications of the interface at one end of the aircraft engine duct under test. Each second connector 5 is used to connect one duct to be tested.

[0036] The expansion joint 6 is a stainless steel structure that is fixedly connected to the second end of the main pipeline 2 (i.e., the end opposite to the first joint 3) by welding. The nut plug 7 is a steel plug with internal threads that match the external threads of the expansion joint 6. When this device is used alone, the nut plug 7 is tightened onto the expansion joint 6 to seal it.

[0037] Brief description of working principle: During the test, the operator first seals one end of all the test conduits with a special plug. Then, the dispensing device is placed on the workbench via the ear plate 1d, and the output port of the hydraulic equipment is connected to the first connector 3 of the dispensing device using a supply pipe. The other ends (unsealed ends) of all the test conduits are then screwed sequentially onto the respective second connectors 5. The hydraulic equipment is started, and the pressurized medium enters the main delivery pipe 2 through the first connector 3, is then evenly distributed to each branch pipe 4, and simultaneously injected into all connected test conduits, achieving synchronous pressurization and pressure holding. After the test is completed, the pressure is released and the conduits are disassembled.

[0038] Example 2 like Figure 3 As shown, this embodiment provides a system for testing hydraulic fluid distribution of catheters, used to test batches of catheters exceeding the number of branch tubes in a single device. The system includes two identical fluid distribution devices as described in Embodiment 1 (for distinction, they can be referred to as the first fluid distribution device A and the second fluid distribution device B). In use, the nut plug 7 on the first fluid distribution device A is first removed, and the first connector 3 of the second fluid distribution device B is connected to the expansion connector 6 on the first fluid distribution device A. In this way, the two fluid distribution devices are connected in series, allowing the hydraulic medium to flow sequentially through the first fluid distribution device A and the second fluid distribution device B. This allows for the connection of more catheters to be tested.

[0039] In practice, a portion of the test conduit can be connected to the second connector 5 of the first liquid separator A, and the remaining conduit to the second connector 5 of the second liquid separator B. The second connector 5 not connected to the test conduit can be sealed with a plug. After starting the hydraulic equipment, the pressure medium enters through the first connector 3 of the first liquid separator A, flows through the main delivery pipe 2 of both liquid separators, and thus synchronously provides test pressure to all conduits connected to the two liquid separators. Theoretically, more liquid separators can be connected in series as needed.

[0040] Example 3 This embodiment provides a method for hydraulic testing of catheters, using the aforementioned liquid separation device to perform batch hydraulic testing of catheters. The specific process is as follows: (1) Preparation of conduits: Take a batch of aircraft engine conduits that require hydraulic testing, and use special sealing plugs or tooling to reliably seal one of the interface ends on each conduit.

[0041] (2) Device placement and connection: Place the liquid separator stably on the hydraulic workbench. Connect the first connector 3 on the liquid separator to the liquid supply pipe of the hydraulic equipment. The hydraulic equipment can be a hydraulic testing machine or a pump station.

[0042] (3) Installation of the test tubes (including extended judgment and operation): Count the number of test tubes. If the number does not exceed the number of second connectors 5 on a single set of dispensing devices, directly install the unsealed end of each test tube onto each second connector 5. If the number exceeds the number, perform the extended operation: remove the nut plug 7 from the dispensing device, take another set of dispensing devices, connect the extended connector 6 of the first set of dispensing devices to the first connector 3 of the second set of dispensing devices to form a series structure, and then distribute and connect the test tubes to all the second connectors 5 of the two sets of devices. The second connectors 5 of the unconnected test tubes can be sealed with plugs. In this way, multiple sets of dispensing devices can be connected to form a series structure.

[0043] (4) Batch test execution: After verifying that all connections are correct, start the hydraulic equipment. Slowly increase the pressure to the test pressure value specified in the technical documents, and then start the pressure holding time. During the pressure holding period, personnel can be arranged to visually inspect all pipes for leaks or check them with leak detection fluid.

[0044] (5) Depressurization and disassembly: After the specified pressure holding time has been reached and no leakage has been confirmed, slowly operate the hydraulic equipment to depressurize. After the system pressure has completely returned to zero, unscrew all the tested conduits from the second connector 5 in sequence. If it is necessary to separate the extended multiple sets of liquid distribution devices, reinstall the nut plug 7.

[0045] Other implementation methods Based on the above embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that other variations of the present invention are possible. For example: The specific interface forms (such as thread specifications and quick-connect forms) of the first connector 3, the second connector 5, and the expansion connector 6 can be adapted and selected according to the actual hydraulic equipment and conduit connector standards being connected.

[0046] The arrangement of branch pipes 4 on the main pipeline 2 is not limited to a single row of equidistant straight distribution. They can also be arranged in multiple rows or staggered as needed, as long as they are reliably connected to the main pipeline.

[0047] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention's specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A liquid dispensing device for hydraulic testing of conduits, characterized in that, It includes a main pipeline (2), a base shell (1), and multiple branch pipes (4); Multiple branch pipes (4) are arranged on the main pipeline (2), and the branch pipes (4) are connected to the main pipeline (2), and the axis of the branch pipes (4) is perpendicular to the axis of the main pipeline (2); A rectangular groove (1a) is provided on the base housing (1), and the main pipeline (2) is installed in the rectangular groove of the base housing (1); A first connector (3) is provided at one end of the main delivery pipe (2), and an expansion connector (6) is provided at the other end; the first connector (3) is used to connect to the liquid supply pipe of the hydraulic equipment, and the expansion connector (6) is used to connect to the first connector (3) on another liquid distribution device; a nut plug (7) is screwed on the expansion connector (6) to seal the expansion connector (6) when expansion is not required. A second connector (5) is provided at the outlet end of each branch tube (4) for connecting to the connector of the tube to be tested.

2. The liquid separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base housing (1) includes two side plates (1b) spaced apart from each other and a top plate (1c) disposed on top of the two side plates (1b). The top (1c) and the two side plates (1b) together form the rectangular groove (1a); The lower part of each side plate (1c) is bent to form an ear plate (1d). The branch pipe (4) passes through the top plate (1c) of the base housing (1) and is connected to the main pipe (2).

3. The liquid separation device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The base shell (1) is an integrally formed structure.

4. The liquid separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base housing (1), main pipe (2), first connector (3), branch pipe (4) and expansion connector (6) are made of stainless steel; the second connector (5) is made of copper or copper alloy.

5. The liquid separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixed connection between the main pipe (2) and the base housing (1), between the main pipe (2) and the first connector (3), between the branch pipe (4) and the main pipe (2), between the branch pipe (4) and the second connector (5), and between the main pipe (2) and the expansion connector (6) are all welded.

6. The liquid separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter of the branch pipe (4) is not greater than the diameter of the main pipe (2).

7. The liquid separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first connector (3) and the second connector (5) are both cone-sealed welded straight-through 60° sealing pipe thread connectors.

8. A system for testing the hydraulic pressure of a conduit, characterized in that, Includes at least one liquid separation device as described in any one of claims 1 to 7; When at least two sets of the liquid dispensing devices are included, the expansion joint (6) of one set of liquid dispensing devices is connected to the first joint (3) of the other set of liquid dispensing devices.

9. A method for testing the hydraulic pressure of a conduit, characterized in that, The liquid separation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 includes the following steps: S1. Connect the first connector (3) on the liquid separator to the liquid supply pipe of the hydraulic equipment; S2. Seal one end of the catheter to be tested and connect the other end to the second connector (5) on the branch tube (4); S3. The test medium is introduced into the main pipeline (2) through the hydraulic equipment. The test medium flows into the corresponding test conduit through each branch pipe (4), so that the pressure and pressure holding tests can be carried out on each test conduit at the same time.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, In step S2, an extension step is also included: when the number of test tubes exceeds the number of second connectors (5) in a single set of dispensing devices, multiple sets of dispensing devices are connected in series, and adjacent sets of dispensing devices are connected to the first connector (3) through an extension connector (6).

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