Welding tee joint

Abstract

The invention discloses a welded tee joint, and belongs to the field of pipeline connecting piece manufacturing. The self-adaptive curved surface compensation device comprises a main pipe, a branch pipe and a self-adaptive curved surface compensation ring, a saddle-shaped intersecting line groove is formed in the end of the branch pipe, a curved surface structure matched with the saddle-shaped intersecting line groove is arranged on the side wall of the main pipe, the self-adaptive curved surface compensation ring is arranged between the main pipe and the branch pipe, and the two sides of the self-adaptive curved surface compensation ring are connected with the main pipe and the branch pipe respectively. The self-adaptive curved surface compensation ring comprises a metal flexible net strip and a fixed edge; the number of the fixing edges is two, the fixing edges are located on the two sides of the metal flexible net strip respectively, a plurality of openings are formed in the fixing edges, and the openings are evenly distributed in the axis direction of the metal flexible net strip; wherein the metal flexible net strip is fixedly installed on the curved surface structure in an abutting mode, and the fixed edge on one side of the metal flexible net strip is fixedly connected with the main pipe on one side of the curved surface structure through welding; and the fixed edge on the other side is fixedly connected with the branch pipe at the saddle-shaped intersecting line groove through welding.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of pipe fitting manufacturing technology, and specifically to a structurally improved welded tee. Background Technology

[0002] Welded tees are key connectors in pipeline systems in industries such as petrochemicals, power, and shipbuilding. Traditionally, the manufacturing process for welded tees involves machining a saddle-shaped bevel at the end of the branch pipe to fit into the intersecting hole or machined intersecting surface on the main pipe, followed by welding.

[0003] The existing technology has the following main problems: First, the saddle-shaped intersection line has a complex shape, and the uneven heat input during welding easily generates large residual stress and deformation in the intersection line area, which often becomes a fatigue weak point in the structure. Second, to ensure the quality of all-position welding, the machining accuracy of the saddle-shaped bevel and the assembly clearance between it and the main pipe surface are extremely demanding, which is difficult to control stably in actual production, easily leading to defects such as incomplete fusion and undercut, resulting in poor weld quality consistency. Third, internal quality inspection of the intersection line weld (such as radiographic inspection) is inconvenient to operate due to structural obstruction, and the defect repair process is complex.

[0004] To address these issues, existing technologies have developed automated welding solutions that utilize servo motor-driven rotation and laser vision tracking. However, these solutions involve significant equipment investment, system complexity, and high maintenance requirements, making them unsuitable for small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises, maintenance sites, or operating environments without stable power supplies. Consequently, their economic viability and versatility are limited. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a welding tee, which aims to effectively reduce welding stress, improve welding quality stability, and enhance inspection convenience through optimized mechanical structure design and purely mechanical processes, without relying on electric drive and complex control systems.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a welded tee, comprising a main pipe, a branch pipe, and an adaptive curved surface compensation ring; the end of the branch pipe is provided with a saddle-shaped intersection bevel, the side wall of the main pipe is provided with a curved surface structure matching the saddle-shaped intersection bevel, the adaptive curved surface compensation ring is disposed between the main pipe and the branch pipe, and is connected to the main pipe and the branch pipe on both sides respectively; the adaptive curved surface compensation ring comprises a flexible metal mesh and a fixed edge; the fixed edge is provided at two locations, respectively located on both sides of the flexible metal mesh, wherein the fixed edge is provided with multiple openings, and the openings are evenly distributed along the axial direction of the flexible metal mesh; wherein the flexible metal mesh is abutted and fixedly installed on the curved surface structure, and one side of the fixed edge is fixedly connected to the main pipe on one side of the curved surface structure by welding; wherein the other side of the fixed edge is fixedly connected to the branch pipe at the saddle-shaped intersection bevel by welding.

[0007] Furthermore, the branch pipe has a stress relief groove, preferably a U-shaped groove, on the back side of the saddle-shaped intersection bevel. This structure can provide a preset release path for welding stress, reducing the transmission of stress to the base material.

[0008] Furthermore, the main pipe is provided with at least one micro-reference hole, the axis of which extends towards the welding area of ​​the curved structure and the saddle-shaped intersection bevel. This hole provides a channel for subsequent direct observation of the weld root quality using tools such as endoscopes.

[0009] Furthermore, the flexible metal mesh is elastic, and the opening is tapered. This design facilitates both fixing and bending of the fixing edge. Simultaneously, the tapered opening effectively ensures maximum welding area during welding, providing overall stability. Furthermore, the flexible metal mesh is woven in a mesh-like pattern. The purpose of this design is to create a gap; that is, after welding, a gap remains between the main pipe and the branch pipe due to the woven metal mesh. This allows the impact on the main pipe or branch pipe to be absorbed by the gap, reducing its transmission. Simultaneously, the gap design also reduces stress concentration at the weld point, thus improving the overall service life.

[0010] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution provided by the present invention has the following significant advantages: 1. Effectively reduces stress and deformation: The stress relief groove on the back of the branch pipe actively guides and releases welding stress. The adaptive curved surface compensation ring can compensate for assembly gaps and absorb stress, and its elastic structure helps to reduce residual stress.

[0011] 2. Significantly improves welding quality and stability: The compensation ring ensures the uniformity of assembly gaps, laying the foundation for excellent weld formation. It greatly reduces reliance on welder skills, guaranteeing process consistency and high quality.

[0012] 3. Simplified Inspection and Repair: The miniature reference hole provides a convenient channel for direct observation of the weld root quality, solving the problem of poor accessibility for internal inspection. The clear structural features also provide a mechanical reference for possible local repairs.

[0013] 4. Low cost and strong adaptability: The entire solution is based entirely on mechanical structure, without the need for electric drive, sensors or complex control systems. It has a simple structure, low manufacturing cost, high reliability, and is easy to promote and use in various production workshops and on-site maintenance environments. It is especially suitable for multi-specification, small-batch production modes. Attached Figure Description

[0014] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. In all the drawings, the elements or parts are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0015] Figure 1 A front view of a welding tee provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shown is of a branch pipe. Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the supervisor shown; Figure 4 for Figure 1 The enlarged structural diagram at point A is shown below; Figure 5 for Figure 1 The cross-sectional structure of BB shown is schematic. Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the double-layer mesh structure of the adaptive surface compensation loop provided in another embodiment of the present invention; Figure label: Main pipe 1, branch pipe 2, adaptive curved surface compensation ring 3, curved surface structure 11, micro reference hole 12, saddle-shaped intersection bevel 21, stress relief groove 22, flexible metal mesh 31, fixed edge 32, opening 321. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The embodiments of the technical solution of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical solution of the present invention and are therefore intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0017] The basic implementation examples are as follows: Figures 1 to 6 As shown: This invention provides a welding tee, which aims to effectively reduce welding stress, improve welding quality stability and inspection convenience through an optimized purely mechanical structure, and is especially suitable for working environments that do not require electricity or complex control.

[0018] Example 1 like Figure 1 - Figure 5 As shown, this embodiment provides a welding tee, which includes a main pipe 1, a branch pipe 2, and a key adaptive curved surface compensation ring 3.

[0019] The main pipe 1 is typically a section of pipe. At the location on its side wall where the branch pipe 2 needs to be connected, a curved surface structure 11 is formed by machining (such as milling or boring) or forming (such as molding). The shape of this curved surface structure 11 needs to match the shape of the end of the branch pipe 2, which will be described later, to achieve a good connection foundation.

[0020] The end of the branch pipe 2 is machined with a saddle-shaped intersection bevel 21. The shape of the bevel 21 is determined according to the outer diameter of the main pipe 1 and the outer diameter of the branch pipe 2, as well as their intersection angle, so that the branch pipe 2 can fit its end against the curved surface structure 11 area of ​​the main pipe 1. Specifically, a stress relief groove 22 is provided on the back side of the saddle-shaped intersection bevel 21 (i.e., the side away from the central axis of the main pipe 1). In this embodiment, the stress relief groove 22 is preferably a U-shaped groove. This U-shaped groove, as a pre-designed mechanical weakening area, can preferentially guide and accommodate the deformation and stress caused by thermal cycling and constraint during welding and subsequent load-bearing processes, effectively blocking or reducing the stress transmission path to the main body area of ​​the branch pipe 2, thereby reducing the overall structural deformation and residual stress level.

[0021] The adaptive curved surface compensation ring 3 is the core component of this invention for achieving low-stress, high-quality welding. It is positioned between the curved surface structure 11 of the main pipe 1 and the saddle-shaped intersection bevel 21 of the branch pipe 2, serving to fill, compensate, and buffer stress. The compensation ring 3 mainly comprises two parts: a flexible metal mesh 31 and a fixed edge 32.

[0022] The flexible metal mesh 31 is preferably a mesh structure woven or welded from a metal material (such as stainless steel, nickel-based alloys, etc.) with good elasticity and heat resistance. This mesh structure gives it a certain elastic deformation capability in three-dimensional space and naturally forms a large number of micro gaps. Its functions are as follows: First, during assembly, it can conform to and tightly abut against the curved surface structure 11 of the main pipe 1, compensating for micro gaps caused by machining tolerances or assembly errors; second, during welding and service, its mesh elastic structure can absorb and disperse some thermal stress and mechanical impact; finally, its inherent gaps ensure that even after welding is completed, the area connected between the main pipe 1 and the branch pipe 2 through the mesh 31 is not completely rigidly connected, which helps to reduce stress concentration at the weld joint.

[0023] The fixed edge 32 has two locations, respectively connected to both sides of the flexible metal mesh 31 along its axial direction. Each fixed edge 32 has multiple openings 321. These openings 321 are approximately evenly distributed along the length of the fixed edge 32 (i.e., along the axial direction of the flexible metal mesh 31). Specifically, the openings 321 are tapered, meaning the width gradually increases from the side closest to the flexible metal mesh 31 towards the free end. This tapered design has several advantages: firstly, it facilitates bending and adjusting the fixed edge 32 according to the curvature of the main pipe 1 and branch pipe 2 during assembly, making it easier to fit with the surfaces to be welded; secondly, during subsequent welding, the solid portion between the tapered openings 321 provides a more stable and sufficient base for weld metal adhesion, helping to ensure the strength and reliability of the welded connection.

[0024] The installation and connection of the adaptive curved surface compensation ring 3 are as follows: First, one side of the flexible metal mesh 31 is attached and fixed to the curved surface structure 11 of the main pipe 1 by spot welding or other temporary fixing methods. Then, the fixed edge 32 of one side (e.g., near the upstream or downstream side of the main pipe 1) is firmly connected to the outer wall of the main pipe 1 by continuous welding (such as TIG welding, MIG welding, etc.) to form the first round fillet weld. Next, the saddle-shaped intersection bevel 21 of the branch pipe 2 is aligned and covered on the partially fixed adaptive curved surface compensation ring 3, and the position of the branch pipe 2 is adjusted so that its bevel 21 fits against the compensation ring 3. After that, the bevel 21 of the branch pipe 2 is welded to the fixed edge 32 on the other side of the adaptive curved surface compensation ring 3 to form the second round fillet weld. Finally, the main intersection weld is formed between the saddle-shaped intersection bevel 21 of the branch pipe 2 and the curved surface structure 11 of the main pipe 1, covering the area of ​​the flexible metal mesh 31 of the adaptive curved surface compensation ring 3. Because the adaptive curved surface compensation ring 3 pre-compensates for the gap and provides uniform support, the penetration depth and formation of this critical intersection weld are more uniform and controllable, resulting in a significant improvement in quality.

[0025] To further improve the inspectability of welding quality, at least one micro-reference hole 12 is machined on one or both sides of the pipe wall of the main pipe 1, corresponding to the welding area (i.e., the curved structure 11 and its vicinity) along the axial direction. The axial extension direction of the micro-reference hole 12 precisely points to the root region of the weld formed by the final welding of the curved structure 11 and the saddle-shaped intersection bevel 21. The diameter of the micro-reference hole 12 is typically in the range of 1-5 mm, sufficient to insert the fiber optic probe or lens of an industrial endoscope. Through this hole, quality inspectors can directly and non-destructively observe the fusion condition of the weld root after welding, and whether there are defects such as incomplete penetration, concavity, and undercut, greatly solving the problem of poor accessibility of internal weld inspection in traditional tees. At the same time, the position of this hole on the main pipe 1 also provides a precise positioning reference for possible local rework.

[0026] Overview of working principle and beneficial effects: In the welding process of the welded tee assembly in this embodiment, the U-shaped stress relief groove 22 on the back of the branch pipe 2 actively guides and releases welding stress. The flexible metal mesh 31 of the adaptive curved surface compensation ring 3 compensates for assembly gaps and absorbs deformation with its elasticity, while the fixed edges 32 on both sides ensure the strength of the welded connection and the ease of assembly through the tapered opening design. The woven mesh structure further provides a microscopic stress buffering mechanism. The micro-reference hole 12 opens a channel for direct visual inspection of the internal weld quality. The entire solution is based entirely on mechanical structure design, without relying on any electric drive or complex control system. It has a simple structure, low manufacturing cost, and high reliability, significantly reducing the absolute dependence on welder skills and improving the stability and consistency of welding quality. It is particularly suitable for multi-specification, small-batch production or on-site maintenance scenarios.

[0027] Example 2 like Figure 6 As shown, based on Embodiment 1, this embodiment further optimizes the flexible metal mesh 31 of the adaptive curved surface compensation ring 3. The flexible metal mesh 31 can be composed of double-layered woven metal wire mesh, with the layers connected by intermittent spot welding to enhance its load-bearing capacity and structural stability at high temperatures while maintaining overall elasticity. Furthermore, the side of the tapered opening 321 of the fixed edge 32 can be designed with a slight wave shape or serration to further increase its mechanical interlocking ability with the weld metal.

[0028] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention. For example, the diameter ratio and intersection angle of the main pipe 1 and the branch pipe 2 can be varied according to actual engineering requirements; the flexible metal mesh 31 of the adaptive curved surface compensation ring 3 can be implemented using other elastic porous metal structures (such as metal foam, sintered metal fiber felt, etc.); the number and position of the micro reference holes 12 can be increased or adjusted as needed to observe the weld area.

[0029] Numerous specific details are set forth in this specification. However, it will be understood that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this specification. The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of the present invention.

Claims

1. A welded tee, characterized in that, Includes main pipe, branch pipe, and adaptive surface compensation loop; The end of the branch pipe is provided with a saddle-shaped intersection bevel, and the side wall of the main pipe is provided with a curved surface structure that matches the saddle-shaped intersection bevel. The adaptive curved surface compensation ring is provided between the main pipe and the branch pipe, and its two sides are respectively connected to the main pipe and the branch pipe. The adaptive curved surface compensation ring includes a flexible metal mesh and fixed edges; the fixed edges are provided at two locations, respectively on both sides of the flexible metal mesh, wherein the fixed edges are provided with multiple openings, and the openings are evenly distributed along the axial direction of the flexible metal mesh. The flexible metal mesh is fixedly installed on the curved structure, and one side of the fixed edge is fixedly connected to the main pipe on one side of the curved structure by welding; the other side of the fixed edge is fixedly connected to the branch pipe at the saddle-shaped intersection bevel by welding.

2. The welded tee according to claim 1, characterized in that, The branch pipe has a stress relief groove on the back side of the saddle-shaped intersection bevel.

3. A welded tee according to claim 2, characterized in that, The stress relief groove is a U-shaped groove.

4. A welded tee according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main tube is provided with at least one micro reference hole, the axis of which extends in the direction of the welding area of ​​the curved structure and the saddle-shaped intersection bevel.

5. A welded tee according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible metal mesh is elastic, wherein the opening is tapered.

6. A welded tee according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible metal mesh is woven.

Images