Sealing flange suitable for natural gas pipeline
By designing a sealing flange suitable for natural gas pipelines, using a double sealing structure and memory alloy spring, the problem of lax sealing at the connections of natural gas pipelines is solved, and an efficient and reliable sealing effect is achieved, ensuring the safe operation of the pipeline system.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202420894087.0
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-04-28
- Publication Date
- 2025-03-28
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-04-28
AI Technical Summary
The natural gas pipeline connection is prone to being sealed after too long, resulting in natural gas leakage, affecting air quality and waste of resources.
A sealing flange suitable for natural gas pipelines is designed, adopting a double sealing structure and a memory alloy spring, and the sealing effect is ensured through the mating connection of the first annular groove and the second annular projection, combining the compensation function of the U-shaped fixing mechanism and the memory alloy spring.
It significantly improves seal reliability, prevents natural gas leakage, ensures the safe operation of pipeline systems, and adapts to natural gas delivery systems under different working conditions.
Smart Images

Figure CN222687552U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of machinery, and in particular to a sealing flange suitable for a natural gas pipeline. Background Art
[0002] Flange, also called flange flange or flange, is a part that connects pipes to each other. It is used to connect pipe ends, and is also used to connect equipment inlets and outlets or structures. Flange connection is an important connection method for pipeline construction. Flange connection is easy to use and can withstand greater pressure. It is widely used in industrial pipelines.
[0003] Natural gas refers to a type of flammable gas that exists in nature. It is a fossil fuel. The main use of natural gas is as a fuel. It can be used to make carbon black, chemicals and liquefied petroleum gas. Propane and butane produced from natural gas are important raw materials for modern industry. The transportation of natural gas is generally through natural gas pipelines. Due to the different output distances, flange connectors are required to connect the gas pipelines. Most flange connection structures are composed of upper and lower flanges, sealing gaskets, bolts and nuts. The pipeline flange connection is mainly through the external force between the sealing gasket and the flange sealing surface to make it fit tightly to avoid leakage. However, after being used for a long time, the joints of the natural gas pipelines may sometimes be poorly sealed, and natural gas leakage may occur at the joints. The leaked natural gas will affect the air quality and cause waste of natural gas. Utility Model Content
[0004] In view of this, the utility model aims at the deficiencies of the prior art and proposes a sealing flange suitable for natural gas pipelines. The sealing flange is well designed, stable in structure, has good sealing performance and adaptability, can effectively prevent leakage of natural gas at pipeline connections, and ensure the safe operation of the pipeline system.
[0005] The utility model provides a sealing flange suitable for a natural gas pipeline, comprising a first flange plate and a second flange plate, wherein the first flange plate and the second flange plate are both provided with mounting holes corresponding to each other, a connecting surface of the first flange plate is provided with a first annular groove, a first annular sealing gasket is arranged in the first annular groove, the second flange plate is provided with a second annular protrusion which cooperates with the first annular groove, a memory alloy spring is embedded in the first annular sealing gasket; a U-shaped fixing mechanism is also arranged between the first flange plate and the second flange plate.
[0006] In some embodiments of the present application, the U-shaped fixing mechanism includes a first clip, a second clip, and a connecting piece for connecting the first clip and the second clip.
[0007] In some embodiments of the present application, corresponding through holes are provided on the first clip and the second clip, and the size of the through holes is the same as that of the mounting hole.
[0008] In some embodiments of the present application, a U-shaped rubber pad is provided in the U-shaped fixing mechanism.
[0009] In some embodiments of the present application, a first annular protrusion is further provided on the first flange plate, and a second annular groove is provided on the connecting surface of the second flange plate, and the first annular protrusion is cooperatively connected with the second annular groove; a second annular sealing gasket is provided in the second annular groove, and a memory alloy spring is embedded in the second annular sealing gasket.
[0010] In some embodiments of the present application, cross-sections of the first annular sealing gasket and the second annular sealing gasket are both U-shaped.
[0011] In some embodiments of the present application, the first annular sealing gasket and the second annular sealing gasket are made of carbon fiber reinforced polyetheretherketone composite material or graphene reinforced polytetrafluoroethylene material.
[0012] In some embodiments of the present application, the material of the memory alloy spring is titanium nickel.
[0013] The utility model discloses a sealing flange suitable for a natural gas pipeline, wherein a first annular groove and a second annular protrusion are arranged on a connecting surface of a first flange plate, and another first annular groove and another second annular protrusion which precisely match with the first flange plate are arranged on a corresponding position of the second flange plate, such a double sealing structure significantly improves the sealing reliability, ensures the close fit between the flanges, and improves the sealing effect; a sealing contact is achieved by arranging an annular sealing gasket in the first annular groove, and a memory alloy spring is embedded in the sealing gasket to compensate for a small gap between the flanges caused by thermal expansion and contraction or pipeline pressure fluctuation, so as to always maintain a good sealing state and effectively prevent natural gas leakage; and the stability of the flange connection is further enhanced by the arranged U-shaped fixing mechanism. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] Figure 1 A front view of a sealing flange applicable to a natural gas pipeline provided by an embodiment of the utility model;
[0015] Figure 2 A side view of a sealing flange suitable for a natural gas pipeline provided by an embodiment of the utility model;
[0016] Figure 3 A front view of a first flange structure provided in an embodiment of the utility model;
[0017] Figure 4A front view of a second flange structure provided in an embodiment of the utility model;
[0018] Figure 5 A side sectional view of a first flange structure provided in an embodiment of the utility model;
[0019] Figure 6 A side sectional view of a second flange structure provided in an embodiment of the utility model;
[0020] Figure 7 This is a diagram of the internal structure of the first sealing gasket provided in an embodiment of the utility model.
[0021] Wherein: 1, mounting hole; 100, first flange; 110, first annular groove; 120; first annular protrusion; 130, first annular sealing gasket; 131, memory alloy spring; 200, second flange; 210, second annular protrusion; 220, second annular groove; 230, second annular sealing gasket; 300, U-shaped fixing piece; 301, first clip; 302, second clip; 303, connecting piece; 310, U-shaped rubber pad. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0022] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0023] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.
[0024] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.
[0025] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.
[0026] The utility model provides a sealing flange suitable for natural gas pipelines, which adopts a high-pressure butt welding flange with a pressure level matching the natural gas pipeline system, and has excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical strength, such as ASTM A182 Gr. F316L stainless steel or A105 carbon steel, and undergoes appropriate heat treatment and surface anti-corrosion treatment to prevent corrosive components such as hydrogen sulfide in natural gas from damaging it. The flange includes a first flange plate 100 and a second flange plate 200, and the first flange plate 100 and the second flange plate 200 are both provided with corresponding mounting holes 1 to ensure that the two flanges can be accurately and accurately fastened with bolts and other fasteners for docking and installation. A first annular groove 110 is provided on the connection surface of the first flange 100, and a first annular sealing gasket 130 is embedded in the groove. A second annular protrusion 210 that precisely matches the first annular groove 110 is provided at the corresponding position of the second flange 200. When the first flange 100 and the second flange 200 are docked, the second annular protrusion 210 is just embedded in the first annular groove 110, and a preliminary sealing contact is achieved through the first annular sealing gasket 130. This structural design can ensure a close fit between the flanges and improve the sealing effect. A U-shaped fixing mechanism is also provided between the first flange 100 and the second flange 200 to further enhance the stability of the flange connection.
[0027] Specifically, the U-shaped fixing mechanism includes a first clamp 301, a second clamp 302, and a connecting piece 303 for connecting the first clamp 301 and the second clamp 302. The first clamp 301 and the second clamp 302 are provided with through holes of the same size as the mounting hole 1, so that the U-shaped fixing mechanism can cooperate with the mounting hole 1 on the flange through fasteners such as bolts to firmly fix the first flange 100 and the second flange 200 together. Through the setting of the U-shaped fixing mechanism, when the pipeline produces axial displacement due to thermal expansion and contraction or installation error, the axial direction of the flange can be limited.
[0028] A layer of U-shaped rubber pad 310 is also embedded inside the U-shaped fixing mechanism. The rubber pad has good elasticity and sealing performance, and can provide additional sealing protection while the clip clamps the flange to prevent gas from escaping from the joint between the flange and the fixing mechanism.
[0029] To further improve the sealing performance, in some embodiments of the present application, a first annular protrusion 120 is further provided on the mating surface of the first flange 100, and the first annular protrusion 120 and the first annular groove 110 are respectively arranged on the inner side and the outer side of the mounting hole 1; the connecting surface of the second flange 200 is also correspondingly provided with a second annular groove 220. The first annular protrusion 120 and the second annular groove 220 are matched and connected to form a second sealing line. This double sealing structure significantly improves the sealing reliability and can ensure the sealing of the natural gas pipeline even under extreme working conditions.
[0030] In some embodiments of the present application, a memory alloy spring 131 is embedded in the first annular seal 130 and the second annular seal 230. The memory alloy spring 131 has shape memory function and superelasticity, and can produce a small displacement under temperature changes or external forces to compensate for the small gap between flanges caused by thermal expansion and contraction or pipeline pressure fluctuations, always maintain a good sealing state, and effectively prevent natural gas leakage.
[0031] The memory alloy spring 131 has a certain preset compression state at room temperature. When the flanges are butt-jointed and subjected to the pressure in the pipeline, the spring can provide additional axial restoring force to help the sealing ring better fit the flange surface and enhance the sealing effect. When the pressure in the pipeline drops or is released, the "memory" property of the memory alloy spring 131 enables it to return to its initial compression state, ensuring that a constant sealing contact pressure can be maintained even under pressure fluctuations.
[0032] The memory alloy spring 131 is made of titanium-nickel alloy. Titanium-nickel alloy has excellent memory effect, superelasticity and corrosion resistance, and can maintain stable performance in the natural gas transmission environment, and effectively play its role of compensating seal.
[0033] In some embodiments of the present application, the cross-sections of the first annular sealing gasket 130 and the second annular sealing gasket 230 are both U-shaped to better adapt to the concave-convex structure on the flange surface and increase the sealing contact area. The material of the sealing gasket is selected from carbon fiber reinforced polyetheretherketone composite material or graphene reinforced polytetrafluoroethylene material.
[0034] Adding carbon fiber as a reinforcing phase to the polyetheretherketone matrix can significantly improve its mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, flexural strength and impact resistance. The high strength and low density of carbon fiber helps to reduce the overall weight of the seal ring, while increasing its stiffness and fatigue resistance, so that it can maintain stable sealing performance when subjected to the working pressure of the natural gas pipeline.
[0035] Graphene is a two-dimensional nanomaterial with extremely high specific surface area, excellent mechanical strength, good electrical and thermal conductivity, and excellent barrier properties. Introducing it into a polytetrafluoroethylene matrix as a reinforcing agent can significantly improve the mechanical strength, thermal stability, and wear resistance of the composite material, while enhancing its ability to resist gas penetration and further improving the sealing effect.
[0036] In summary, the present embodiment provides a sealing flange suitable for a natural gas pipeline, wherein a first flange 100 and a second flange 200 are respectively fixedly connected to two sections of the pipeline, and the connecting surfaces of the first flange 100 and the second flange 200 are opposite to each other, and the first annular groove 110 and the first annular protrusion 120 of the first flange 100 are respectively matched and connected with the second annular protrusion 210 and the second annular groove 220 of the second flange 200, and then the U-shaped fixing piece 300 is clamped between the two flanges, and the U-shaped fixing piece 300 and the first flange 100 and the second flange 200 are firmly fixed together by fasteners such as bolts; during the tightening process, the first annular protrusion 120 squeezes the second sealing gasket, and the second annular protrusion 210 squeezes the first sealing gasket, filling the gap between the annular groove and the annular protrusion, thereby ensuring the sealing contact between the first flange 100 and the second flange 200. The utility model realizes efficient and reliable sealing of the natural gas pipeline connection through unique structural design, high-performance material selection and application of memory alloy spring 131, significantly improves the safety and stability of the pipeline system, and is suitable for natural gas transmission systems under various working conditions.
[0037] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, if these modifications and variations of the present invention fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention and their equivalents, the present invention is also intended to include these modifications and variations.
Claims
1. A sealing flange suitable for a natural gas pipeline, characterized in that: It includes a first flange and a second flange, each of which is provided with corresponding mounting holes, a connecting surface of the first flange is provided with a first annular groove, a first annular sealing gasket is arranged in the first annular groove, the second flange is provided with a second annular protrusion that cooperates with the first annular groove, and a memory alloy spring is embedded in the first annular sealing gasket; a U-shaped fixing mechanism is also arranged between the first flange and the second flange.
2. The sealing flange suitable for natural gas pipeline according to claim 1, characterized in that: The U-shaped fixing mechanism includes a first clamping piece, a second clamping piece, and a connecting piece for connecting the first clamping piece and the second clamping piece.
3. The sealing flange suitable for natural gas pipeline according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first clamp and the second clamp are provided with corresponding through holes, and the size of the through holes is the same as that of the mounting hole.
4. The sealing flange suitable for natural gas pipeline according to claim 2, characterized in that: A U-shaped rubber pad is arranged in the U-shaped fixing mechanism.
5. The sealing flange suitable for natural gas pipeline according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first flange is also provided with a first annular protrusion, the connecting surface of the second flange is provided with a second annular groove, the first annular protrusion is cooperatively connected with the second annular groove; a second annular sealing gasket is provided in the second annular groove, and a memory alloy spring is embedded in the second annular sealing gasket.
6. The sealing flange suitable for natural gas pipeline according to claim 5, characterized in that: The cross sections of the first annular sealing gasket and the second annular sealing gasket are both U-shaped.
7. The sealing flange suitable for natural gas pipeline according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first annular sealing gasket and the second annular sealing gasket are made of carbon fiber reinforced polyetheretherketone composite material or graphene reinforced polytetrafluoroethylene material.
8. The sealing flange suitable for natural gas pipeline according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material of the memory alloy spring is titanium nickel.