Outlet tube and wear module for outlet tube

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an outlet pipe and a wear module for an outlet pipe, providing longer replacement intervals and more cost-effective maintenance of structural components of the outlet pipe (1). The outlet pipe (1) comprises: a discharge pipe (2) having an inlet end (7) for receiving a fluid and an outlet end (8) for flowing the fluid; a connector (3) attached to the discharge tube (2) to cover the inlet end (7); and a wear module (5) arranged in a cavity (4) delimited by the discharge tube (2) and the connector (3). The connector (3) has an interface surface (9) for attachment to an outlet face (10) of a valve (11) providing said fluid, and the wear module (5) has a duct (6) such that at least the discharge tube (2) and the duct (6) define a flow channel (12) with one another, which flows fluid from the interface surface (9) to the outlet end (8).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an outlet pipe, which includes a discharge pipe, a connector, and a wear module (wear-resistant module). Background Art

[0002] For many industrial processes that require high fluid pressure, such as mineral processing, it is known to use outlet pipes for pressure reduction and control. In such processes, the fluid may include gases, liquids, or mixtures of gases and liquids at different concentrations. In some of these processes, the fluid may also contain solid particles embedded in the gas or liquid, and the fluid may be highly corrosive and erosive. This is often the case, for example, in industrial processes related to the pressure leaching of minerals, where the outlet pipe is used to transport the fluid from the leaching chamber to a pressure reduction vessel. For example, pipeline solutions for such corrosive conditions have been described in the published documents WO2019167024Al and US10458446Bl.

[0003] Using such fluids, combined with generally high operating pressures and fluctuating operating conditions, poses a high-demand operating environment for the structural components of industrial equipment, including outlet pipes. Under such operating conditions, the structural components are generally required to have a high level of corrosion resistance and wear resistance, and as part of equipment maintenance, it is usually necessary to frequently replace the components exposed to the fluid flow. This may in turn significantly increase the cost of industrial operations, as it may be necessary to replace the large entity due to an unacceptable degree of damage in any component of the large entity of the equipment. Summary of the Utility Model

[0004] The object of the present disclosure is to mitigate the above disadvantages and provide a solution that allows for longer replacement intervals and more cost-effective maintenance of the structural components. This object is achieved by the outlet pipe of the present disclosure and the wear module for the outlet pipe.

[0005] By utilizing the wear module, a structure with longer replacement intervals and more cost-effective maintenance can be obtained.

[0006] The present disclosure provides an outlet pipe, which includes: a discharge pipe having an inlet end for receiving a fluid and an outlet end for allowing the fluid to flow through; a connector attached to the discharge pipe to cover the inlet end, the connector having an interface surface for attaching to the outlet surface of a valve that provides the fluid; and a wear module disposed in a cavity defined by the discharge pipe and the connector, the wear module having a pipe, wherein at least the discharge pipe and the pipe mutually define a flow channel for the fluid to flow from the interface surface to the outlet end.

[0007] Furthermore, the cavity extends into at least one of the discharge pipe and the connector.

[0008] Furthermore, the wear module and the cavity are shaped to prevent the wear module from moving in the axial and radial directions of the flow channel.

[0009] Furthermore, the outlet pipe further includes the valve, and an outlet surface of the valve is attached to an interface surface of the connector to connect the valve as an integral part of the flow channel.

[0010] Furthermore, at least one of the discharge pipe and the valve further includes a lining covering the flow channel, and the lining forms a gapless interface with the wear module.

[0011] Furthermore, the pipe has a minimum inner diameter that is smaller than the minimum inner diameter of at least one of the discharge pipe and the valve.

[0012] Furthermore, the pipe has a minimum inner diameter at an intermediate position, and the diameter at the intermediate position is smaller than the diameters at an inlet portion and an outlet portion of the pipe.

[0013] Furthermore, the discharge pipe has an inner surface with a tapered shape that widens toward the outlet end, and the wear module abuts against the discharge pipe in the axial direction of the flow channel, thereby forming a step that descends toward the outlet end.

[0014] Furthermore, the cavity and the wear module are shaped to allow the wear module to be arranged in the cavity only in a plurality of predetermined angular orientations about the central axis of the flow channel.

[0015] Furthermore, the wear module is manufactured using a powder metallurgy method or is manufactured using a combination of a powder metallurgy method and a hot isostatic pressing method.

[0016] The present disclosure also provides a wear module for an outlet pipe, the wear module having a pipe and an external shape that allows the wear module to be arranged in the outlet pipe only in one or more predetermined angular orientations.

[0017] Furthermore, on a part of the circumferential inner surface of the pipe, the pipe has an interrupted section that provides a changed cross-sectional area for fluid flow through the pipe compared to other parts of the pipe, and the interrupted section is positioned such that when the wear module is in a predetermined angular orientation, the interrupted section performs a desired manipulation on the fluid flow.

[0018] Further, the pipe includes at least one section having a different material, the at least one section providing the pipe with higher wear resistance characteristics compared to other sections of the pipe, and the at least one section being positioned such that when the wear module is in a particular one of the predetermined angular orientations, the fluid flow through the pipe is directed towards the at least one section having the highest wear resistance. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in more detail by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0020] Figure 1 shows a cross-section of a first embodiment of an outlet pipe,

[0021] Figure 2 shows a cross-section of a second embodiment of an outlet pipe,

[0022] Figure 3 shows a part of a cross-section of a third embodiment of an outlet pipe, and

[0023] Figure 4 shows a cross-section of a fourth embodiment of an outlet pipe. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Figure 1 shows a cross-section of a first embodiment of an outlet pipe 1 as viewed along a longitudinal mid-plane of the outlet pipe. In this example, the outlet pipe 1 includes a discharge pipe 2 and a connector 3 attached to the discharge pipe 2, so that the discharge pipe 2 and the connector 3 define a cavity 4. In other words, the discharge pipe 2 and the connector 3 are internally shaped such that a cavity 4 is formed between them due to the attachment of the connector 3 to the discharge pipe 2. Further, the outlet pipe 1 includes a wear module 5 disposed in the cavity 4, and the wear module 5 includes a pipe 6. The discharge pipe 2 has an inlet end 7 for receiving fluid and an outlet end 8 for allowing the fluid to flow through, and the connector 3 is arranged to cover the inlet end 7. The connector 3 also has an interface surface 9 for attachment to an outlet face 10 of a valve 11 that supplies the fluid. The connector 3 can be a component of a pressure-holding container and can be implemented as a lid structure compliant with the PED (Pressure Equipment Directive).

[0025] Depending on the implementation, the discharge pipe 2 can be a very large (such as 1 - 2 m long) and expensive component made of a steel structure and a wear-resistant lining. By utilizing the wear module 5 described below, it can be ensured that during use, the cheaper and simpler wear module 5 undergoes most of the wear, such that in most cases, it is sufficient to replace only the wear module 5 during maintenance operations without replacing the entire discharge pipe 2.

[0026] In Figure 1 the example of, the pipes 6 of the discharge pipe 2 and the wear module 5 mutually (collectively) define a flow channel 12 that enables fluid to flow from the interface surface 9 of the connector 3 to the outlet end 8 of the discharge pipe 2. However, in other embodiments, other components of the outlet pipe 1, such as the connector 3, may also be used to mutually define the flow channel 12 with the discharge pipe 2 and the pipe 6. In other words, the other components may also form a contact surface with the fluid flowing from the interface surface 9 to the outlet end 8. Additionally, in Figure 1 the example of, the discharge pipe 2 and the connector 3 define a cavity 4 such that the cavity 4 extends in both the discharge pipe 2 and the connector 3. However, in other embodiments of the outlet pipe 1, this arrangement may be different, where the cavity 4 may, for example, only extend in the structure of the discharge pipe 2 or the connector 3.

[0027] In Figure 1 the example of, the outlet pipe 1 has also been arranged in a vertical position (vertical pose) such that the flow channel 12 extends in the direction of gravity. For example, this arrangement may be beneficial compared to an arrangement where the outlet pipe 1 has been arranged horizontally, as it allows avoiding the asymmetry caused by gravity on the fluid flow within the flow channel 12. This, in turn, may have a beneficial effect on the lifespan of the outlet pipe 1 by promoting a more uniform wear of the flow channel 12 due to the fluid flow.

[0028] In Figure 1 the example of, the wear module 5 and the cavity 4 are mutually shaped to prevent the wear module 5 from moving in the axial and radial directions of the flow channel 12. That is, the outer surface of the wear module 5 has been shaped to cooperate with the shape of the cavity 4, thereby abutting against the walls of the cavity 4 in both the axial and radial directions. In this example, the outer surface of the wear module 5 is also shaped to be rotationally symmetric about the central axis 13 of the flow channel 12 to allow free rotation of the wear module 5. This arrangement is beneficial because it allows the wear module 5 to rotate about the central axis 13, for example, during the maintenance process of the outlet pipe 1, to accommodate possible asymmetric wear or corrosion on the wear module 5. After such rotation, the wear module 5 can be locked to a desired position, for example, by using locking components. Such asymmetric wear or corrosion may occur, for example, due to an asymmetric fluid flow pattern within the flow channel 12, which may be caused by, for example, the asymmetric shape of the flow system connected to the flow channel 12. The asymmetric flow pattern may also be caused by an asymmetric opening of the valve 11, particularly when using a small opening angle of the valve 11, in which case the fluid flow through the movable closing member in the valve 11 is directed laterally with respect to the central axis 13 of the flow channel.

[0029] In other embodiments of the outlet pipe 1, Figure 1 the cavity 4 and the wear module 5 can also be simply modified such that the cavity 4 and the wear module 5 are shaped to allow the wear module 5 to be oriented in the cavity 4 only at a number (a few) of predetermined angles about the central axis 13 of the flow channel 12. For example, such a modification can be achieved by providing additional rotational limiting components on the wall of the cavity 4 to engage corresponding receiving parts provided on the wear module 5, or by directly providing rotational limiting shapes for the cavity 4 and the wear module 5. For example, such rotational limiting components and shapes can include pins arranged to engage corresponding recesses or stepped structures arranged to engage mating stepped structures. In cases where the inner wall of the wear module 5 was previously subject to a relatively high degree of wear in a sector, for example extending over 100°, due to an asymmetric flow pattern, it may be sufficient for the cavity 4 and the wear module 5 to be shaped to allow the wear module 5 to be oriented at three different angles spaced 120° apart from each other. With such an arrangement, whenever the inner wall of one 120° sector is significantly worn, the wear module 5 can be rotated 120° during maintenance. Thus, in such cases, replacement of the wear module 5 can be postponed until the inner walls in all three different 120° sectors have been worn.

[0030] With the arrangement as described, additional benefits can be obtained by correlating different properties present on different regions of the wear module 5 with different predetermined angular orientations. For example, this can be beneficial when the fluid flow through the pipe 6 or the properties of the fluid itself change between process cycles or steps, in which case the wear module 5 can be positioned to the desired angular orientation correspondingly between said process cycles or steps. The properties of the wear module 5 can include, for example, material properties related to wear resistance and corrosion resistance. The benefits of the arrangement are particularly evident in cases where there is a varying asymmetric fluid flow pattern within the flow channel 12, since the desired properties of the wear module 5 can be targeted to the regions most affected by the fluid flow in each process cycle or step. In some embodiments of the outlet pipe 1, different properties can be achieved on said different regions by forming different regions of the wear module 5 from different materials. However, in other embodiments, the wear module 5 can be formed from a number of separate pieces of different materials that are joined together to achieve the complete shape of the wear module 5.

[0031] In Figure 1In the example of , the outlet pipe 1 further includes a valve 11, and the outlet face 10 of the valve is attached to the interface surface 9 of the connector 3 to connect the valve 11 as an integral part of the flow channel 12. In this example, both the discharge pipe 2 and the valve 11 further include a lining 14 covering the flow channel 12, and the lining 14 forms a gapless interface with the wear module 5. The term "gapless" as used herein refers to an arrangement in which the interface between the lining 14 and the wear module 5 does not allow the material underlying the lining 14 to be exposed to the flow channel 12. However, in some embodiments of the outlet pipe 1, it may be sufficient to provide the lining 14 on only one of the discharge pipe 2 and the valve 11. In some embodiments of the outlet pipe 1, the lining 14 may be formed of the same material as the wear module 5, while in other embodiments, the lining 14 may be formed of a different material.

[0032] Figure 2 FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of a second embodiment of the outlet pipe 1 as viewed along the longitudinal intermediate plane of the outlet pipe. In practice, this embodiment shares most of the distinguishing features with the Figure 1 embodiment, so only the differences between the embodiments are discussed here. In the Figure 1 and Figure 2 example, the pipe 6 has a minimum inner diameter 15, which is smaller than the minimum inner diameters 16, 17 of at least one of the discharge pipe 2 and the valve 11. As used herein, the term "minimum inner diameter of the valve 11" refers to the portion of the valve 11 that is located behind the closing member in the flow direction. More precisely, in the Figure 1 example, along the entire length of the pipe 6, the pipe 6 has a constant inner diameter, and the inner diameter is smaller than the minimum inner diameter 17 of the valve 11. On the other hand, in the Figure 2 example, along the length of the pipe 6, the pipe 6 has a variable inner diameter, and its minimum inner diameter 15 is smaller than either the minimum inner diameter 16 of the discharge pipe 2 or the minimum inner diameter 17 of the valve 11. In addition, in this example, the inner diameter of the pipe 6 varies in such a way that the pipe 6 has a minimum inner diameter 15 at the intermediate position, and the diameter at the intermediate position is smaller than the diameters at the inlet portion and the outlet portion of the pipe 6.

[0033] By according to Figure 1 and Figure 2One example is that the minimum inner diameter 15 of the pipe 6 can affect the fluid flow within the flow channel 12 such that the flow velocity at the pipe 6 is higher than the flow velocity at either the discharge pipe 2 or the valve 11. In this case, the erosive effect of the fluid flow can also be arranged to be concentrated on the wear module 5 rather than on either the discharge pipe 2 or the valve 11. In other words, through the said arrangement, the wear module 5 can be arranged as a sacrificial component within the outlet pipe 1, so that other components forming the flow channel 12 can be used with a longer replacement interval. In this case, as part of the maintenance of the outlet pipe 1, it may only be necessary to replace the wear module 5 relatively frequently. Additionally, as Figure 2 shown, by arranging the pipe 6 to have a variable inner diameter along the length of the pipe 6, the fluid flow can be further affected so as to, for example, reduce the impact of the fluid flow on a specific part of the flow channel 12.

[0034] Figure 3 shows a part of the cross-section of a third embodiment of the outlet pipe 1, which Figure 1 and Figure 2 The example is different in that the pipe 6 has a partially conical shape with its inner diameter increasing towards the outlet end 8 of the discharge pipe 2. Additionally, in Figure 3 the example, the minimum inner diameter 15 of the wear module 5 is not less than the minimum inner diameter 17 of the valve 11, which can also be a suitable design choice for certain operating conditions of using the outlet pipe 1.

[0035] Figure 4 shows a cross-section of a fourth embodiment of the outlet pipe 1 as viewed along the longitudinal mid-plane of the outlet pipe. In this example, on a part of the circumferential inner surface of the pipe 6, the pipe 6 of the wear module 5 has an interrupted section 20, which provides an altered cross-sectional area for the fluid flow through the pipe 6 compared to other parts of the pipe 6. In other words, the interrupted section 20 has been arranged to extend circumferentially along the inner surface of the pipe 6 only to a part of the inner surface of the pipe 6 at a predetermined position. In this example, the interrupted section 20 has been arranged in the form of a protrusion into the pipe 6 such that the cross-sectional area for the fluid flow is reduced at that position. However, the interrupted section 20 can also be arranged as a recess such that the cross-sectional area for the fluid flow increases. The interrupted section 20 is positioned such that when the wear module 5 is in a predetermined angular orientation, the interrupted section performs a desired manipulation on the fluid flow. For example, such a desired manipulation can include guiding the fluid flow in a desired manner so as to, for example, reduce the impact of the fluid flow on a specific part of the flow channel 12. In the said example, the outer shape of the wear module 5 has been formed such that it only allows the wear module 5 to be arranged into the outlet pipe 1 in one or more of the said predetermined angular orientations.

[0036] In Figure 4In the example, the pipe 6 further includes a section 21, which includes a material different from other sections of the pipe 6, and the section 21 provides higher wear resistance characteristics for the pipe 6. Such a section 21 can be used in combination with the above-mentioned interrupted section 20, or alternatively, it can be used in an embodiment without the interrupted section 20. In some embodiments, only the interrupted section 20 may be included, without including any section 21 that provides higher wear resistance compared to other parts of the wear module.

[0037] However, in Figure 4 the example shown, it is assumed by way of example that the outlet pipe is provided with both an interrupted section 20 and a section 21 that provides higher wear resistance characteristics.

[0038] In Figure 4 it, the section 21 is positioned such that when the wear module 5 is in a specific one of a plurality of predetermined angular orientations, the fluid flow through the pipe 6 is directed towards at least one section 21 having the highest wear resistance. If the outlet pipe 1 is provided with an interrupted section 20 (which is not the case in all embodiments), such an interrupted section can be used to achieve this guidance, or alternatively, for example, due to other factors in the design, such as due to the design of the valve 11 and the closing member of the valve, this guidance can be achieved. The benefit of this arrangement is that it enables the section 21 to be located at the most needed position to ensure optimal wear resistance at the position where erosion is highest due to the potentially asymmetric shape of the fluid flow. In this way, only a part of the wear module 5 needs to be made of a material with higher wear resistance characteristics, which can produce the wear module 5 more economically compared to the case where the entire wear module 5 is made of the material with higher wear resistance characteristics. In other embodiments of the wear module 5, the pipe 6 may further include several sections 21, the sections include a material different from other sections of the pipe 6, and the sections 21 can be included and positioned at the pipe 6 independently of the possible interrupted section 20 included.

[0039] In Figures 1 to 4 the example, the discharge pipe 2 has an inner surface 18 with a tapered shape that widens towards the outlet end 8, and the wear module 5 abuts against the discharge pipe 2 in the axial direction of the flow channel 12 to form a step 19 that descends towards the outlet end 8. In other words, in the said example, the inner diameter of the pipe 6 at the interface between the discharge pipe 2 and the wear module 5 is smaller than the inner diameter of the discharge pipe 2 at the said interface, thereby forming a step 19 that extends between the edge of the pipe 6 and the inner surface 18 of the discharge pipe 2 at the said interface. This arrangement enables the wear module 5 to be used as a protective flow guide, guiding the core of the fluid flow away from the inner surface 18 of the discharge pipe 2, thereby reducing the impact of the fluid flow on the inner surface 18. Through this arrangement, the service life of the discharge pipe 2 can be further extended.

[0040] When assembling the outlet pipe 1 according to Figures 1 to 4 the embodiment of, the wear module 5 is arranged in the cavity 4, thereby providing a flow channel 12 for fluid to flow from the interface surface 9 of the connector 3 to the outlet end 8 of the discharge pipe 2. The wear module 5 can first be arranged in contact with the internal shape of either the discharge pipe 2 or the connector 3 that mutually defines the cavity 4, and then the connector 3 is attached to the discharge pipe 2 to cover the inlet end 7. At this time, the wear module 5 is also in contact with the internal shape of the other of the discharge pipe 2 and the connector 3, so that the pipe 6 and at least the discharge pipe 2 mutually define the flow channel 12. Then, the thus formed outlet pipe 1 can be attached to the outlet surface 10 of the valve 11 through the interface surface 9 of the connector 3, or the valve 11 can be attached to the connector 3 at any other point in the assembly process.

[0041] The described wear module 5 can be manufactured, for example, from a metallic material, a ceramic material, or a combination thereof (such as in the form of a metal matrix composite), and different parts of the wear module 5 can also be formed from different materials. The wear module 5 can be manufactured using, for example, powder metallurgy methods (such as sintering methods or additive manufacturing methods), and the methods can be used in combination with a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) method.

[0042] It should be understood that the above description and drawings are only intended to illustrate the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure can be changed and modified without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An outlet pipe (1), characterized in that, The outlet pipe (1) comprises: a discharge pipe (2) having an inlet end (7) for receiving fluid and an outlet end (8) for allowing fluid to flow therethrough, a connector (3) attached to the discharge pipe (2) to cover the inlet end (7), the connector having an interface surface (9) for attachment to an outlet face (10) of a valve (11) providing the fluid, and a wear module (5) disposed in a cavity (4) defined by the discharge pipe (2) and the connector (3), the wear module (5) having a duct (6), wherein, at least the discharge pipe (2) and the duct (6) mutually define a flow passage (12) for fluid to flow from the interface surface (9) to the outlet end (8).

2. The outlet pipe (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cavity (4) extends into at least one of the discharge pipe (2) and the connector (3).

3. The outlet pipe (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The wear module (5) and the cavity (4) are mutually shaped to prevent the wear module (5) from moving in the axial and radial directions of the flow passage (12).

4. The outlet pipe (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The outlet pipe (1) further includes the valve (11), the outlet face (10) of which is attached to the interface surface (9) of the connector (3) to connect the valve (11) as an integral part of the flow passage (12).

5. The outlet pipe (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that, At least one of the discharge pipe (2) and the valve (11) further includes a lining (14) covering the flow passage (12), the lining (14) forming a gapless interface with the wear module (5).

6. The outlet pipe (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The duct (6) has a minimum inner diameter (15) that is smaller than the minimum inner diameter (16, 17) of at least one of the discharge pipe (2) and the valve (11).

7. The outlet pipe (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The duct (6) has a minimum inner diameter (15) at an intermediate position, the diameter at the intermediate position being smaller than the diameters at the inlet and outlet portions of the duct (6).

8. The outlet pipe (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The discharge pipe (2) has an inner surface (18) having a tapered shape that widens towards the outlet end (8), and The wear module (5) abuts against the discharge pipe (2) in the axial direction of the flow passage (12), thereby forming a step (19) that descends towards the outlet end (8).

9. The outlet pipe (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The cavity (4) and the wear module (5) are mutually shaped to allow the wear module (5) to be disposed in the cavity (4) only in a number of predetermined angular orientations about the central axis (13) of the flow passage (12).

10. The outlet pipe (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The wear module (5) is manufactured using powder metallurgy methods or using a combination of powder metallurgy methods and hot isostatic pressing methods.

11. A wear module (5) for an outlet pipe (1), characterized in that, The wear module (5) has a duct (6) and an external shape that allows the wear module (5) to be disposed in the outlet pipe (1) only in one or more predetermined angular orientations.

12. The wear module (5) according to claim 11, characterized in that, On a part of the circumferential inner surface of the duct (6), the duct (6) has an interrupted section (20) that provides a changed cross-sectional area for fluid flowing through the duct (6) compared to other parts of the duct (6), and The interruption section (20) is positioned such that when the wear module (5) is in a predetermined angular orientation, the interruption section performs a desired manipulation of the fluid flow.

13. The wear module (5) according to claim 11, characterized in that, The pipe (6) includes at least one section (21) having a different material, the at least one section providing the pipe (6) with higher wear resistance characteristics compared to other sections of the pipe (6), and the at least one section (21) is positioned such that when the wear module (5) is in a particular one of the predetermined angular orientations, the fluid flow through the pipe (6) is directed towards the at least one section (21) having the highest wear resistance.

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