Explosion panel and its clamping adjustment system for fixing

Abstract

Explosion panel (1) comprising a metal sheet (4) having a weakened zone, a clamping frame (6) arranged on the periphery of the sheet (4), and at least one sealing gasket (5, 7), in particular a sealing gasket referred to as a support gasket (5) arranged at least on the periphery and against the sheet (4) opposite the clamping frame (6), as well as clamping adjustment means (8), the panel having fixing holes (10) which pass through the thickness of the clamping frame (6), the sheet (4) and said at least one sealing gasket (5, 7), characterized in that the clamping adjustment means (8) are integrated as a single piece into the sheet (4). Fig. 4

Description

Title of the invention: Explosion panel and its tightening adjustment system for its fixing

[0001] The invention relates to the field of explosion panels.

[0002] Explosion panels protect storage enclosures without limitation, such as silos, hoppers, dryers, tanks, filtration systems, bucket elevators, etc., or even material processing machines. These enclosures or machines store powdered products or gases which under certain conditions are likely to cause an increase in pressure and temperature inside the enclosure, which can lead to an explosion. The explosion panels are then capable of tearing in their weakened zone in the event of abnormal overpressure in the enclosures, creating a hole through which the pressurized gases can escape.

[0003] An explosion panel usually comprises a so-called rupture metal sheet comprising a weakening zone near the peripheral edge of the sheet, an upper frame arranged on and around the sheet and used for fixing the explosion panel, and at least one sealing gasket arranged under and at the periphery of the rupture sheet and covering the weakening zone. It is also common to have a sealing interface gasket between the upper frame and the rupture sheet. The fixing of the explosion panel around an enclosure opening to be protected is obtained by screwing means which cooperate with fixing holes around the entire periphery of the panel, near the weakening zone.The peripheral frame, the interface seal, the rupture sheet and the sealing gasket have facing bores arranged around the entire periphery of the panel to constitute the fixing holes into which the screwing means are intended to be introduced.

[0004] The tightening of the screwing means ensures the compression of the sealing gaskets which thus fully fulfill their function. Tightening rules are recommended so that the sealing gaskets, in particular the gasket arranged under the rupture sheet, are crushed in a balanced manner, without excess. Indeed, excessive crushing can cause the weakened zone located in the immediate vicinity of the fixing zone to tear, and consequently damage the panel which becomes unusable. In order to make it easier for the operator to adjust the tightening, in particular without a torque wrench, it is known from patent FR2675075B1 to introduce into the fixing holes of the panel, added spacers which have a given height with an appropriate clearance corresponding to the suitable crushing of the sealing gasket arranged under the rupture sheet.By tightening the screwing means in a fixing hole, the seal is compressed and the operator necessarily realizes that the tightening is achieved. because the spacer then comes up against the structure of the enclosure. The compression of the seal is then in accordance with that expected and is uniform around the entire periphery of the explosion panel.

[0005] However, it is essential that the operator does not forget to put spacers in each of the multiple fixing holes. If this is forgotten, optimization of the tightening and compression of the joint is not ensured.

[0006] The invention therefore aims to provide an alternative solution to the usual manual means of controlling the tightening of the means of fixing an explosion panel, without in particular presenting the aforementioned drawback.

[0007] The invention relates to an explosion panel comprising a so-called rupture metal sheet which is provided with a weakening zone (capable of tearing in the event of overpressure inside the structure to which the explosion panel is fixed), a so-called clamping frame which is arranged on the periphery of the rupture sheet, and at least one sealing gasket, in particular a sealing gasket called a support gasket which is arranged at least on the periphery and against (one face of) the rupture sheet opposite the clamping frame (the support gasket being intended to rest on the structure to be protected), as well as tightening adjustment means (which make it possible to tighten tightening means for fixing the explosion panel according to the appropriate crushing height of the gasket), the explosion panel further comprising fixing orifices which pass through the thickness of the clamping frame, the rupture sheet and said at least one sealing gasket.The explosion panel is characterized in that the tightening adjustment means are integrated in a single piece into the rupture sheet. The expression "integrated in a single piece into the rupture sheet" with regard to the tightening adjustment means means that the tightening adjustment means are integral with the rupture sheet in an irremovable manner.

[0008] Thus, by the very integration of the tightening adjustment means into the explosion panel, more particularly by the integration directly into the rupture sheet sandwiched between the clamping frame and the support seal, the operator no longer has to worry about adding removable adjustment means and therefore the risk of forgetting is necessarily avoided. In addition, there is no need for added parts at the level of the fixing orifices and therefore no need for interface parts between the sealing joints and the tightening means, which allows direct cooperation of the tightening means of the screw or threaded rod type with the sealing joint(s) guaranteeing perfect sealing by inserting the sealing material into the thread of the screws during compression.

[0009] According to one characteristic, the tightening adjustment means are arranged on at least one face of the rupture sheet and around bores constituting part of the fixing orifices, preferably on at least the so-called lower face of the sheet in look at the support joint.

[0010] Advantageously, the sheet having two opposite faces (called lower and upper faces), the tightening adjustment means are arranged on the two opposite faces of the sheet and around the fixing orifices. This makes it possible, when another sealing joint called an interface joint is sandwiched between the rupture sheet and the clamping frame, to obtain balanced compression on both sides (against each of the faces) of the rupture sheet.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment, the tightening adjustment means form bosses, in particular resulting from a deformation by stamping of the sheet. The bosses, being preferentially resulting from a deformation by stamping of the metal rupture sheet, certainly generate, compared to the aforementioned patent FR2675075B1, a manufacturing method of the explosion panel requiring more time and tooling due to the stamping step, nevertheless, the single-piece integration of the bosses has several advantages such as those mentioned above. The bosses form male elements which constitute stop elements with the rigid surface opposite the rupture sheet and against which the seal is compressed; once in stop, the operator feels a hard point during tightening signifying that the appropriate compression has been reached.

[0012] According to a preferred characteristic, the adjustment means form an alternation of several bosses on each of the faces of the rupture sheet. In particular, the bosses are distributed all around a bore of the sheet constituting part of a fixing orifice, the distribution of the bosses on the two opposite faces of the sheet being such that the boss of one face and the immediately adjacent boss of the opposite face form a pair whose separation distance is shorter than the distance separating another pair of bosses.

[0013] Advantageously, the tightening adjustment means are distributed in a balanced manner all around the fixing orifices (all around each of the bores of the sheet constituting part of each of the fixing orifices).

[0014] According to yet another characteristic, said at least one sealing joint comprises (through) holes opposite the tightening adjustment means. These holes provided in the sealing joint(s) thus allow the bosses, during compression of said joint(s), to pass through the joint and to come into abutment against a rigid surface.

[0015] According to yet another characteristic, the panel fixing holes consist of facing bores made in the clamping frame, the rupture sheet, and said at least one sealing gasket, in particular in the support gasket and in the interface gasket when the latter is arranged between the clamping frame and the rupture sheet. Advantageously, said at least one sealing gasket, in particular the gasket support, comprises bores which constitute part of the fixing orifices, each of the bores in said at least one sealing gasket has a diameter adjusted to the section of clamping means intended to be introduced into the fixing orifices and in particular such that the material of the gasket is intended to be inserted into the thread of threaded bodies of the clamping means for fixing by clamping the explosion panel.

[0016] According to one characteristic, each sealing joint therefore comprises bores (forming part of the fixing orifices of the panel into which tightening means for fixing the panel are intended to be introduced), and around each bore, holes for the passage of the tightening adjustment means secured to the rupture sheet.

[0017] The explosion panel of the invention is in particular intended to be used for silos, tanks, battery containers, filtration systems, or even material handling or processing machines.

[0018] The present invention is now described with the aid of examples which are solely illustrative and in no way limitative of the scope of the invention, and from the attached illustrations, in which: - [Fig.l] represents a top view of an example of an explosion panel according to the invention from which a part of the upper clamping frame is removed to view the underside of said frame, here viewing the interface joint just below. - [Fig.2] is an exploded perspective view of the explosion panel of [Fig.l] showing tightening adjustment means according to the invention. - [[Fig.3]] is a partial perspective view of the rupture sheet of the explosion panel of the example of [Fig.2], showing in more detail the tightening adjustment means. - [[Fig.4]] represents a partial sectional view of the explosion panel of [Fig.l] according to the thickness of the panel and according to a plane passing through a fixing hole of the panel, the explosion panel being placed on and around an opening of an enclosure to be protected. - [[Fig.5]] corresponds to [Fig.4] in the fixed position of the explosion panel to the enclosure, using bolting type tightening means.

[0019] The explosion panel 1 of the invention illustrated in the figures is intended to be used to protect a structure from an explosion in the event of abnormal overpressure inside it.

[0020] The explosion panel 1 as illustrated in [Fig.5] thus seals an opening 20 of a structure or enclosure 2 in a sealed manner. The explosion panel 1 is fixed to the structure 2 and all around the opening 20 by screwing means 3 which pass through both the explosion panel 1 via fixing orifices 10 and the structure 2. In the event of overpressure, the central part of the explosion panel 1 is likely to tear.

[0021] As shown in [Fig.l] and in [Fig.2], the explosion panel 1 comprises a metal sheet 4 also called hereinafter the rupture sheet which comprises a weakening zone 40, a seal 5 called the support seal which is pressed against one of the faces (called the lower face 4A) of the sheet 4 and is intended to press against the enclosure 2, a frame 6, preferably metal, which serves to clamp the sheet 4 against the enclosure 2, and preferably a seal 7 called the interface seal which is pressed against the other face of the sheet 4, opposite the support seal 5, and against which the clamping frame 6 is pressed. The interface seal 7 is therefore sandwiched between the clamping frame 6 and the sheet 4. As for the support seal 5, it is sandwiched between the sheet 4 (at opposite the clamping frame 6) and the enclosure 2 in the installed position of the explosion panel 1 on the enclosure 2.Furthermore, the explosion panel 1 comprises tightening adjustment means 8 which allow the operator, when fixing the panel, to feel when the ad hoc tightening of the tightening means 3 is reached, optimally compressing the support joint 5.

[0022] The explosion panel 1 is here rectangular in shape, but could be square or circular or even according to another geometry.

[0023] The sheet 4 is intended to close the opening of the enclosure 2 and this in a sealed manner thanks to the support seal 5. The sheet 4 has a thickness preferably between 0.5 and 1.2 mm, for example of the order of 0.8 millimeters. The weakening zone 40 is arranged in the thickness of the sheet 4 and is capable of breaking in the event of overpressure in the enclosure 2. The weakening zone 40 consists for example of discontinuous slots in the thickness of the sheet 4, generally made by laser, and connected by frangible solid parts. The weakening zone 40 is arranged over all or part of the periphery of the sheet 4 and close to the periphery of the frame 6. Depending on the embodiments of the explosion panel 1, the weakening zone 40 may extend over the entire periphery of the sheet 4 or only in part such as in a U shape as illustrated in [Fig.2].In addition, the sheet 4 may comprise stiffening folds 41, for example in the shape of a diamond point. The invention applies to any type of rupture sheet 4, in particular to any type of arrangement of the weakening zone 40. The sheet 4 will therefore not be described further here.

[0024] The support joint 5 makes it possible to ensure peripheral sealing between the explosion panel 1, more particularly between the sheet 4, and the enclosure 2. The support joint 5 is made of compressible material and potentially of food quality, and made of a material known per se. The support joint 5 is preferably made integral with the sheet 4 during the manufacture of the explosion panel, by gluing. The support joint 5 draws a frame which has the shape of the periphery of the sheet 4 and which covers the weakened zone 40 on the lower face 4A of the sheet (figures 4 and 5). Alternatively, the support seal 5 could cover the entire lower face 4A of the sheet intended to be opposite the enclosure 2.

[0025] The clamping frame 6 has a geometry which corresponds to the periphery of the sheet 4.

[0026] The interface seal 7 has a geometry which corresponds to that of the clamping frame 6. The interface seal 7 also covers the weakening zone 40 (Figures 4 and 5).

[0027] The support seals 5 and interface seals 7 are preferably attached by gluing to each of the faces of the sheet 4, respectively to the lower face 4A and the upper face 4B of the sheet 4. In a variant, the interface seal 7 can be attached by gluing against the clamping frame 6.

[0028] The explosion panel 1 is fixed over its entire periphery by means of the clamping means 3, in particular by bolting. Also, as an example of clamping means 3, the clamping means 3 comprise a screw 30 and a nut 31. The screw 30 comprises a threaded body 32 which passes through the thickness of the explosion panel 1 and the enclosure 2, and a head 33 which is accessible from the outside of the panel 1, from the clamping frame 6. The nut 31 cooperates with the screw body 32, opposite the head 33 and on the inside of the enclosure 2. Preferably, a washer 34 is provided between the screw head 33 and the clamping frame 6.

[0029] For the passage of the clamping means 3 ([Fig.5]), in particular of the screw body 32, the explosion panel 1 has its fixing holes 10 which are preferably arranged at regular intervals ([Fig.l]). Each of the fixing orifices 10 of the panel 1 ([Fig.2] and [Fig.4]) corresponds to respective and opposite bores 60 of the clamping frame 6, 70 of the interface seal 7, 42 of the sheet 4, and 50 of the support seal 5. The bores 50 and 70 of the support seal 5 and interface seal 7 have a diameter adjusted to the section of clamping means 3 such as the body 32 of a screw or a threaded rod, intended to be introduced into the fixing orifice 10 of the explosion panel so that when the seals are compressed, the material of the seals is inserted into the thread of the clamping means, guaranteeing a perfect seal.

[0030] In order to crush the support seal 5 in a weighted manner and this over the entire periphery, and preferably also for the interface seal 7, the operator must apply a controlled tightening torque for each of the tightening means 3. For this purpose, the explosion panel 1 comprises, according to the invention, the tightening adjustment means 8, these tightening adjustment means 8 being integrated in a single piece into the sheet 4 and being arranged around each of the bores 42 of the sheet 4. Preferably, the tightening adjustment means 8 are multiple for a single bore 42 of the sheet and are distributed in a balanced manner around the bore 42. The tightening adjustment means 8 allow the operator to stop tightening at the moment when he feels a hard point concomitantly with the compression of the support seal 5 sandwiched between the sheet 4 and the rigid surface 21 of the enclosure 2. The tightening adjustment means 8 come into abutment ([Fig.5]) against the rigid surface 21 of the enclosure 2, opposite the metal sheet 4. The homogeneous distribution of the tightening adjustment means 8 around each bore 42 of the sheet 4 provides a compression of uniform thickness around each bore 42.

[0031] As illustrated in detail in [Fig. 3] and in Figures 4 and 5, the clamping adjustment means 8 form, by way of example, bosses 80 at least on the lower face 4A of the sheet 4, and preferably also bosses 81 on the upper face 4B. The bosses 80 and 81 are preferably the result of a stamping operation in order to deform in a localized manner and over a certain height the sheet constituting the metal sheet 4. The clamping adjustment means 8 secured to the sheet 4 therefore protrude relative to at least one of the faces, preferably relative to each of the faces 4A and 4B of the sheet 4. The bosses 80 and 81 extend in opposite directions, perpendicular to the general plane of the sheet 4.

[0032] The tightening adjustment means 8 are arranged on at least one face of the sheet 4, in particular at least on the lower face 4A in contact with the support seal 5 which is intended to be pressed against the enclosure 2 to be protected. This provides a calibration of the thickness of the support seal 5 around the opening of the enclosure 2 precisely to guarantee above all a good seal with respect to the enclosure 2.

[0033] Preferably, the tightening adjustment means 8 are arranged on each of the lower 4A (bumps 80) and upper 4B (bumps 81) faces of the sheet 4 so as to calibrate the compression, on the one hand of the support seal 5, and on the other hand, of the interface seal 7, and this concomitantly. This calibration on either side of the metal sheet 4 and therefore of the weakened zone 40 which is covered on each of the faces of the sheet 4, by the support seal 5 and the interface seal 7, avoids crushing said seals too much against said weakened zone 40 otherwise risking compressing it too much and tearing it.

[0034] The bosses 80 and 81 here have a truncated cone shape and have a circular base but may have another shape.

[0035] The tightening adjustment means 8 associated with a face of the sheet 4 (the bosses 80 or 81) are distributed homogeneously around each bore 42 of the sheet, and therefore around each fixing orifice 10 of the explosion panel, so as to generate a balanced compression in thickness of the seal associated with said tightening adjustment means 8 (with said bosses). The number of bosses 80 and 81 are advantageously a function of the diameter of the fixing orifice 10 of the panel 1. By For example, for a fixing hole diameter of 12 mm, the number of bosses 80 on the lower face 4A may be three, and the number of bosses 81 on the upper face 4B is also three.

[0036] Preferably, when each of the lower 4A and upper 4B faces comprises bosses 80 and 81, they are arranged in close pairs for a boss 80 on one face and a boss 81 on the opposite face (shown schematically by the dotted surrounds in [Fig. 3]), which makes it possible to reduce the solid area between two opposite bosses 80 and 81 by a pair and to reduce the risk of deformation of the sheet 4 between two opposite and close bosses 80 and 81 during tightening, so as to avoid abnormally crushing the sealing joints 5 and 7.

[0037] The height (dimension perpendicular to the plane of the sheet 4) of a boss 80, 81 is of a dimension adapted to correspond to the desired compression of the associated sealing gasket - support gasket 5 or interface gasket 7 - which is integral with the face from which the boss projects. For the bosses 80 of the lower face 4A, their height corresponds to the ideal compression magnitude of the support gasket 5 to ensure sealing around the opening of the enclosure 2. For the bosses 80 and 81 of the two opposite faces 4A and 4B of the sheet, their height is adapted so that the crushing of the two respective support gaskets 5 and interface gaskets 7 does not cause degradation of the weakened zone 40. The height of the bosses is for example 2 mm when the thickness of the support gaskets 5 and interface gaskets 7 is for example 4 mm.

[0038] In addition, during the compression of each support joint 5 and each interface joint 7, in order to facilitate the abutment of the tightening adjustment means 8 (bosses 80 and 81) against a hard surface (surface 21 of the enclosure and lower face of the clamping frame 6), the support joints 5 and interface joint 7 comprise (as shown in more detail in [Fig. 4]) around each of their respective bores 50 and 70 for fixing the panel, (through) holes 51 and respectively 71 which are opposite the tightening adjustment means 8 (opposite respectively the bosses 80 and 81).

[0039] The fixing of the explosion panel 1 is implemented in the following manner. The sheet 4 integrating the tightening adjustment means 8 and the sealing joints 5 and 7, is positioned around the opening of the enclosure 2. Then, the clamping frame 6 is attached thereon. Finally, the removable clamping means 3 are attached by being introduced at the level of each of the fixing orifices 10. The tightening of the clamping means 3 causes the compression of the support joint 5 and the interface joint 7. The tightening becomes sufficient (which corresponds to the optimal tightening torque) when the end of the bosses 80 and 81 comes into abutment, respectively against the rigid surface 21 of the enclosure 2 and against the clamping frame 6 ([Fig.5]).

Claims

Claims

1. Explosion panel (1) comprising a metal sheet (4) which is provided with a weakening zone (40), a so-called clamping frame (6) which is arranged on the periphery of the sheet (4), and at least one seal (5, 7), in particular a seal called a support seal (5) which is arranged at least on the periphery and against the sheet (4) opposite the clamping frame (6), as well as clamping adjustment means (8), the panel comprising fixing orifices (10) which pass through the thickness of the clamping frame (6), the sheet (4) and said at least one seal (5, 7), characterized in that the clamping adjustment means (8) are integrated in a single piece into the sheet (4).

2. Explosion panel according to claim 1, characterized in that the tightening adjustment means (8) are arranged on at least one face of the sheet (4) and around bores (42) constituting part of the fixing orifices (10), preferably on at least the so-called lower face (4A) of the sheet (4) opposite the support seal (5).

3. Explosion panel according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, the sheet having two opposite faces (4A, 4B), the tightening adjustment means (8) are arranged on the two opposite faces (4A, 4B) of the sheet and around the fixing orifices (10).

4. Explosion panel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clamping adjustment means (8) form bosses (80, 81), in particular resulting from deformation by stamping of the sheet (4).

5. Explosion panel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tightening adjustment means (8) form an alternation of several bosses (80, 81) on each of the faces (4A, 4B) of the sheet (4).

6. Explosion panel according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the bosses (80, 81) are distributed all around a bore (42) of the sheet constituting part of a fixing orifice (10), the distribution of the bosses on the two opposite faces (4A, 4B) of the sheet being such that the boss of one face and the immediately adjacent boss of the opposite face form a pair whose separation distance is shorter than the distance separating another pair of bosses.

7. Explosion panel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tightening adjustment means (8) are distributed evenly around the fixing holes (10).

8. Explosion panel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one sealing joint (5, 7) comprises holes (51, 71) opposite the tightening adjustment means (8).

9. Explosion panel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one seal (5, 7) comprises bores (50, 70) which constitute part of the fixing orifices (10), each of the bores (50, 70) in said at least one seal has a diameter adjusted to the section of clamping means (3) intended to be introduced into the fixing orifices (10) and in particular such that the material of the seal is intended to be inserted into the thread of threaded bodies (32) of the clamping means (3).

10. Use of the explosion panel according to any one of the preceding claims, for silos, tanks, battery containers, filtration systems, or even material handling or processing machines.

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