A self-sealing structure

Abstract

A self-sealing structure, including tank door flange and cylinder flange, the edge of the tank door flange and the cylinder flange is close to form a gap, the outer edge of the cylinder flange is embedded with a fixed base, the outer edge of the fixed base is provided with a sealing lip extending downward, the outer edge of the sealing lip is close to the inner edge of the tank door flange, and the sealing lip covers the gap formed by the edge of the tank door flange and the cylinder flange. The utility model discloses extremely simplified structure, and the reliability is extremely high, realizes the truly passive safety and self -adaptation sealing, reduces manufacturing cost and operation and maintenance cost, and is convenient to install, and the applicability is wide, avoids the unnecessary loss of the sealing ring caused by the excessive pre -tightening force at low pressure, simultaneously, the self -compensation characteristic can tolerate certain abrasion, thereby prolongs the effective service life of the sealing ring.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of autoclave technology, specifically a self-sealing structure. Background Technology

[0002] As a core component for achieving equipment sealing and ensuring safe operation, the reliability of the sealing structure of autoclave doors is of paramount importance. The industry mainly uses inflatable sealing ring structures and traditional V-type or O-type solid sealing ring structures for autoclave doors. These structures are complex, have many potential failure points, and rely on external air sources, pipelines, solenoid valves, controllers, and other auxiliary systems. Any one of these components can lead to seal failure, posing a safety hazard. Utility Model Content

[0003] To address the aforementioned problems, the purpose of this invention is to provide a self-sealing structure that is simpler in structure, more reliable, safer, and requires no external energy assistance.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of this utility model is as follows: a self-sealing structure, including a tank door flange and a cylindrical flange, the edges of the tank door flange and the cylindrical flange are close together to form a gap, a fixed base is embedded in the outer edge of the cylindrical flange, a sealing lip extending obliquely downward is provided on the outer edge of the fixed base, the outer edge of the sealing lip is close to the inner edge of the tank door flange, and the sealing lip covers the gap formed by the edges of the tank door flange and the cylindrical flange, so that a self-pressurizing chamber is formed in the cylindrical body inside the inner side of the cylindrical flange.

[0005] Furthermore, the edges of the tank door flange and the cylinder flange that are close together are bent outward to form an annular edge.

[0006] Furthermore, a C-type retaining ring flange is fitted on the annular edge, which clamps and secures the annular edges of the tank door flange and the cylinder flange.

[0007] Furthermore, the base of the ring gradually narrows from the inside out.

[0008] Furthermore, an arc-shaped groove is provided on the inner edge of the ring fixing base, which is recessed into the main body of the ring fixing base.

[0009] Furthermore, the tank door flange is thicker than the tank body flange.

[0010] Furthermore, the fixing base and the sealing lip are integrally formed using an elastomer material.

[0011] Through the above settings, this utility model has the following significant beneficial effects: This utility model has an extremely simplified structure and extremely high reliability: it completely eliminates the compressed air pipeline, solenoid valve, pressure switch and complex electrical control system required for external inflation, fundamentally eliminating the risk of seal failure caused by auxiliary system failure. The reliability of the system depends only on the material properties and structural design of the sealing ring itself, and the reliability is improved by orders of magnitude.

[0012] This invention achieves true passive safety and adaptive sealing: the sealing force originates from the pressure of the medium inside the tank, requiring no external energy, thus realizing passive and adaptive sealing. The higher the pressure, the tighter the seal, and the instantaneous response speed perfectly adapts to pressure fluctuations, greatly improving safety.

[0013] This invention reduces manufacturing and operation and maintenance costs: it eliminates the need for expensive auxiliary control systems and piping components, significantly reducing the manufacturing cost of the autoclave. At the same time, daily operation requires no energy consumption, and maintenance is limited to the periodic inspection and replacement of the sealing ring body, greatly simplifying the maintenance process and reducing the total life cycle cost.

[0014] This utility model is easy to install and has wide applicability: the installation method is similar to that of traditional sealing rings, and it can be simply embedded into the sealing groove without complicated pipeline connections and electrical debugging. It is convenient and quick. By adjusting the cross-sectional size and material, it can be applied to autoclaves of different diameters, pressure ratings and temperature ratings.

[0015] This invention extends the service life of the sealing ring because the sealing force is generated on demand, avoiding unnecessary wear caused by excessive pre-tightening force at low pressure. At the same time, the self-compensating characteristic can tolerate a certain amount of wear, thereby extending the effective service life of the sealing ring. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The present invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of this utility model; Figure 2 This is an enlarged structural schematic diagram of the fixed base of this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0018] like Figure 1-2As shown, a self-sealing structure includes a tank door flange 5 and a cylindrical flange 3. The edges of the tank door flange 5 and the cylindrical flange 3 form a gap. A fixing base 2 is embedded in the outer edge of the cylindrical flange 3. A downwardly extending sealing lip 1 is provided on the outer edge of the fixing base 2. The outer edge of the sealing lip 1 is in close contact with the inner edge of the tank door flange 5, and covers the gap formed by the edges of the tank door flange 5 and the cylindrical flange 3. The specific angle of the sealing lip 1 allows for better line contact with the metal surface of the tank door flange (i.e., the inner edge of the tank door flange 5) under initial installation and pressure, generating a higher sealing specific pressure. To further reduce friction and improve wear resistance, the sealing lip... The cover is laminated with a layer of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) film, which has an extremely low coefficient of friction and excellent anti-stick properties. The sealing lip 1 serves as the second sealing surface, forming a self-pressurizing chamber 4 inside the cylinder on the inner side of the cylinder flange 3. The self-pressurizing chamber 4 is the internal cavity formed by the sealing lip 1, the fixed base 2, and the sealing ring groove of the cylinder flange 3. The opening faces the inside of the autoclave and is used to introduce high-pressure media (such as nitrogen or compressed air) into the tank. The inner wall of the sealing ring groove of the cylinder flange is smooth, and the width and depth of the opening are carefully designed to ensure that the high-pressure media can smoothly enter the self-pressurizing chamber 4 under various pressures and effectively convert the pressure into a thrust on the sealing lip 1.

[0019] To secure the tank door flange 5 and the cylindrical flange 3, the edges of the tank door flange 5 and the cylindrical flange 3 that are close to each other are bent outward to form an annular edge. A C-type retaining ring flange 6 is fitted on the annular edge, and the C-type retaining ring flange 6 clamps and secures the annular edge of the tank door flange 5 and the cylindrical flange 3.

[0020] Specifically: The ring fixing base 2 gradually narrows from the inside to the outside. The inner edge of the ring fixing base 2 is provided with an arc-shaped groove 7 that is recessed into the main body of the ring fixing base 2. That is, the arc-shaped groove 7 of the fixing base 2 embedded in the groove is the first sealing surface for the sealing surface to fit in the groove. The fixing base 2 is designed as a flat or barbed rectangular cross section to ensure that it can be stably installed in the T-shaped or rectangular sealing groove of the autoclave flange, preventing radial displacement or overturning under high pressure. The tank door flange 5 is thicker than the cylinder flange 3. The fixing base 2 and the sealing lip 1 are made of an elastomer with a high Shore D hardness (such as PEEK or higher hardness fluororubber), which is combined by composite injection molding or co-vulcanization to form a self-sealing ring body. It has excellent temperature resistance, pressure resistance and chemical corrosion resistance, and is very suitable for the working environment of autoclaves. Its Shore A hardness can be designed between 70-85 to take into account elasticity and wear resistance.

[0021] The self-sealing ring body (i.e., the fixing base 2 and the sealing lip 1) can be manufactured by compression molding and vulcanization. If the surface needs to be composite with a polytetrafluoroethylene film, a coating or film pasting followed by vulcanization process can be used. The finished product must undergo strict quality inspection, including dimensional tolerances, appearance (no bubbles or cracks), material physical properties (hardness, tensile strength, compression set), and bonding strength through composite injection molding or co-vulcanization. During installation, simply clean the self-sealing ring body and evenly embed it into the sealing groove of the tank or tank door. Due to its integrated structure, the installation process is extremely simple.

[0022] Working principle of this utility model: Initial sealing: The tank door flange 5 is the tank door structure, and the cylindrical flange 3 is the tank body structure. The two cooperate with each other. When the autoclave door is closed but the inside has not been pressurized, the fixed base 2 and the sealing lip 1 are the sealing ring of the tank body. The sealing ring relies on the elasticity of its fixed base 2 and the elastic deformation of the inclined surface of the sealing lip 1 to make the sealing lip 1 and the fixed base 2 expand inward and outward, generating sufficient pre-tightening force on the tank door flange 5 and the cylindrical flange 3, forming an effective initial seal to prevent medium leakage in the initial pressurization stage. Self-pressurizing seal: When the autoclave begins to be filled with high-pressure gas (medium), the pressure inside the tank increases. The high-pressure medium enters the self-pressurizing chamber 4 through the C-shaped opening formed by the compression of the sealing lip 1 and the groove of the sealing ring. According to Pascal's principle, the pressure acting on the inner wall of the pressurizing chamber will be evenly transmitted to all parts of the sealing ring. This pressure will generate a huge outward force, which will push the sealing lip 1 and the fixed base 2 to press more tightly against the sealing surfaces of the tank flange and the tank door flange. The key is that this sealing force is directly proportional to the pressure inside the tank. The higher the pressure inside the tank, the greater the force acting on the pressurization chamber, and the clamping force of the sealing lip 1 on the flange also increases linearly, thereby achieving "self-pressurization" or "self-tightening" sealing. This design ensures that the seal remains reliable even at the highest working pressure and can automatically compensate for the gap caused by minor flange deformation or seal wear.

[0023] Specific workflow: The working pressure of one autoclave is 1.5 MPa, and the working temperature is 220℃; Closing: When the tank door is closed, the mechanical structure presses the tank door flange 5 against the cylinder flange 3. At this time, the fixed base 2 of the sealing ring body provides an equivalent pre-tightening pressure, and the sealing lip 1 is tightly attached to the tank door flange 5 to form an initial seal. Pressurization: Air is started to be filled into the tank. As the pressure inside the tank gradually increases from 0 MPa, the air enters the self-pressurizing chamber 4. Self-tightening seal: When the pressure inside the tank reaches 1.5 MPa, this pressure also acts on the inner wall of the self-pressurizing chamber 4. After the chamber is pressurized, the sealing lip 1 is pushed towards the tank door flange with a huge force far exceeding the initial pre-tightening force, forming an extremely strong self-pressurizing chamber 4 that is dynamically balanced with the internal pressure. Pressure holding and pressure release: During the entire pressure holding stage, the sealing force always adapts to the pressure inside the tank. When the pressure is released, as the pressure inside the tank decreases, the force on the sealing lip 1 of the self-sealing ring also decreases, but it always maintains an effective seal until the pressure is completely unloaded and returns to the initial pre-tightened state.

[0024] The above description is merely an illustrative embodiment of this utility model and is not intended to limit the scope of this utility model. Any equivalent changes and modifications made by those skilled in the art without departing from the concept and principles of this utility model should fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A self-sealing structure, comprising a tank door flange (5) and a cylinder flange (3), wherein the edges of the tank door flange (5) and the cylinder flange (3) are close together to form a gap, characterized in that: A fixed base (2) is embedded in the outer edge of the cylindrical flange (3). A sealing lip (1) extending obliquely downward is provided on the outer edge of the fixed base (2). The outer edge of the sealing lip (1) is close to the inner edge of the tank door flange (5), and the sealing lip (1) covers the gap formed by the tank door flange (5) and the edge of the cylindrical flange (3), so that a self-pressurized cavity (4) is formed inside the cylindrical body on the inner side of the cylindrical flange (3).

2. The self-sealing structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The edges of the tank door flange (5) and the cylinder flange (3) are bent outward to form an annular edge.

3. The self-sealing structure as described in claim 2, characterized in that: A C-type retaining ring flange (6) is fitted on the annular edge, which clamps the annular edge of the tank door flange (5) and the cylinder flange (3).

4. The self-sealing structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The base of the ring (2) gradually narrows from the inside to the outside.

5. The self-sealing structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that: An arc-shaped groove (7) is provided on the inner edge of the ring fixing base (2) and recessed into the main body of the ring fixing base (2).

6. The self-sealing structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The tank door flange (5) is thicker than the cylinder flange (3).

7. The self-sealing structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The fixed base (2) and the sealing lip (1) are integrally formed using an elastomer material.

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