GAS TURRET FOR VACUUM PUMP

Abstract

The invention discloses a gas turret for a vacuum pump for coupling a gas engine to a supply pipe. The gas turret for a vacuum pump comprises: a coupling body for conveying gas from the gas engine to a supply pipe, the coupling body defining a conduit having an inlet portion having an inlet internal cross-section, an outlet portion having an outlet internal cross-section smaller than the inlet internal cross-section, and a transition portion, between the inlet portion and the outlet portion, having a transition internal cross-section that transitions between the inlet internal cross-section and the outlet internal cross-section; and a supply pipe received by the coupling body and configured to receive gas from the outlet portion and convey it to the vacuum pump. Abstract Figure: Figure 4

Description

Title of the invention: GAS TURRET FOR VACUUM PUMP Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a gas turret. State of the prior art

[0002] Gas turrets are known. Gas turrets are fittings that generally couple between a gas supply and a gas supply conduit. For example, a gas turret may couple between a gas engine and a gas supply pipe to convey a gas between the gas engine and the supply pipe. Although gas turrets are useful, they may have unexpected shortcomings. Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved gas turret. Summary

[0003] According to a first aspect, there is provided a gas turret for a vacuum pump for coupling a gas engine to a vacuum pump, the gas turret comprising: a coupling body for conveying gas from the gas engine to a supply pipe, the coupling body defining a conduit having an inlet portion having an inlet internal cross-section, an outlet portion having an outlet internal cross-section smaller than the inlet internal cross-section and a transition portion, between the inlet portion and the outlet portion, having a transition internal cross-section that transitions between the inlet internal cross-section and the outlet internal cross-section; and a supply pipe received by the coupling body and configured to receive the gas from the outlet portion and convey it to the vacuum pump.

[0004] According to the first aspect, existing gas turrets have the disadvantage that they can activate backpressure sensors, which triggers a warning of potential blockage which in turn can cause the downstream equipment receiving gas from the gas engine to stop operating while the potential blockage is investigated. This is because the shape and / or configuration of gas turrets can cause the backpressure generated by the gas turret to vary significantly depending on its location in the gas supply. Therefore, a gas turret or vacuum pump coupling is provided. The vacuum pump gas turret can be used to couple a gas engine or gas supply to a vacuum pump. The vacuum pump gas turret can include a coupling body or structure for conveying gas from the gas engine. The coupling body can define or provide a conduit.The conduit. may include or provide an inlet portion or region. The inlet portion may include or define an internal inlet cross-section. The conduit may include or define an outlet portion or region. The outlet portion may include or define an internal outlet cross-section that is smaller than or reduced in size relative to the inlet internal cross-section. The conduit may include or provide a transition portion or region. The transition portion may be located between the inlet portion and the outlet portion. The transition portion may be downstream of the inlet portion. The outlet portion may be downstream of the transition portion. The transition portion may include or define a transition internal cross-section that transitions, changes, or varies between the inlet cross-section and the outlet cross-section.The gas turret for a vacuum pump may include a supply pipe. The supply pipe may be configured or designed to be received by, coupled to, or in contact with the coupling body. The supply pipe may be configured or designed to receive gas from the outlet portion for delivery to the vacuum pump. In this manner, the inlet portion may have a larger internal cross-sectional area than the outlet internal cross-sectional area, which increases the conductivity of the gas turret fluid and helps reduce back pressure, thereby reducing the likelihood of activation of any back pressure sensor, which, in turn, reduces any blockage alarms and reduces the likelihood of interruption of operation of any downstream device.

[0005] The internal transition cross-section of the transition portion may taper, reduce, or narrow from the inlet portion to the outlet portion.

[0006] The transition internal cross-section of the transition portion may taper or reduce from the inlet internal cross-section to the outlet internal cross-section.

[0007] The internal transition cross-section of the transition portion may be conical.

[0008] The inlet internal cross-section of the inlet portion may have or define a constant, invariable, or identical internal cross-section along a first axial length.

[0009] The internal cross-section of the inlet portion may substantially correspond to or be substantially identical to an internal cross-section of a gas supply conduit of the gas engine.

[0010] The internal inlet cross-section of the inlet portion may substantially correspond to or be substantially identical to a cross-section of a flow of the gas from the gas engine. The matching of the cross-sections allows the flow of the gas stream being captured by the gas turret, helps to increase the gas conductance of the gas turret and reduces the back pressure.

[0011] The internal outlet cross-section of the outlet portion may have a constant, invariable, or identical internal cross-section along a second axial length.

[0012] An outer diameter of a first portion or region of the coupling body may be sized and / or configured to fit an inner diameter of a coupling recess of the gas engine. In other words, the first portion of the coupling body may be sized to be received in the coupling recess.

[0013] The first part may comprise the input part.

[0014] The first part may further comprise the transition part.

[0015] An axial length of the coupling body may be sized and / or configured to abut, contact, or bear against an end face of the coupling recess. This contributes to uniform positioning of the gas turret in the coupling recess.

[0016] The internal inlet cross-section of the inlet portion may substantially match or be substantially identical to a cross-section of a gas stream from the gas engine and flowing into the coupling recess. The matching of the cross-sections helps to increase the gas conductance of the gas turret and reduce the back pressure that can be measured by the back pressure sensors.

[0017] The inlet portion may be sized and / or configured to define an axial end face that does not interfere with or block a flow of the gas stream from the gas engine flowing into the coupling recess. Again, this helps to increase the gas conductance of the gas turret and reduce the back pressure that can be measured by the back pressure sensors.

[0018] An outer diameter of a second portion of the coupling body may be sized to fit an inner diameter of the supply pipe.

[0019] The second part may comprise the output part.

[0020] According to a second aspect, there is provided an apparatus comprising the gas turret for vacuum pump according to the first aspect as well as the gas engine and / or the vacuum pump.

[0021] The apparatus may include all of the features of the vacuum pump gas turret set forth above.

[0022] Other particular and preferred aspects are described in the appended independent and dependent claims. The features of the dependent claims may be combined with the features of the claims independent, if any, and in combinations other than those explicitly set forth in the claims.

[0023] When a feature of the apparatus is described as serving to provide a function, it is to be understood that it is a feature of the apparatus which provides that function or which is designed or configured to provide that function. Brief description of the drawings

[0024] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig.l

[0025] [Fig.l] schematically illustrates a configuration of a conventional gas turret located inside a gas supply conduit of a gas engine; Fig. 2

[0026] [Fig.2] illustrates a coupling body of a gas turret according to one embodiment. Fig. 3

[0027] [Fig.3] shows an axial sectional view through the coupling body of [Fig.2]; and Figs.4 and 5

[0028] [Fig.4] and [Fig.5] illustrate the gas turret of [Fig.2] with an O-ring positioned in the gas engine feed duct. Description of Embodiments

[0029] Before discussing the embodiments in more detail, an overview should first be provided. Some embodiments relate to a gas turret for a vacuum pump or a coupling structure for a vacuum pump that couples a gas supply to a vacuum pump. The coupling structure defines a conduit having an enlarged inlet opening relative to a narrower outlet opening. The conduit narrows between the inlet opening and the outlet opening. The coupling structure includes a supply pipe that couples to the vacuum pump. This provides improved gas conductance compared to conventional configurations.

[0030] [Fig.l] schematically illustrates a configuration of a conventional gas turret 100 located within a gas supply conduit 110 of a gas engine 120. The gas turret 100 includes a coupling body whose outer diameter generally corresponds to an inner diameter of the gas supply conduit 110 and an O-ring 130 which fluidically seals any gap between the gas turret 100 and the gas supply conduit 110. The gas turret 100 is placed in the gas supply conduit 110 and the gas engine 120 provides to the gas supply conduit 110 of gas which is routed via the gas turret 100 to a downstream apparatus (not shown). However, a problem with the configuration illustrated in [Fig.l] is that the pressure sensors (not shown) within the gas engine 120 may activate, indicating a blockage in the gas flow from the gas engine 120 depending on the configuration and / or positioning of the gas turret 100.

[0031] [Fig.2] illustrates a coupling body 200 of a gas turret for pump vacuum according to one embodiment. The coupling body 200 includes a first portion 210 and an adjacent second portion 220. The first portion 210 defines a generally cylindrical outer surface having an annular recess 230 formed and configured to receive an O-ring (not shown). The first portion includes a chamfered region 240 at an axial end of the first portion 210 distal to the second portion 220. The first portion 210 has an outer diameter sized to fit the inner diameter of the gas supply conduit 110. An outer surface of the second portion 220 is also generally cylindrical and has an outer diameter sized to fit an inner diameter of a supply pipe (not shown). The outer diameter of the second portion 220 is smaller than the outer diameter of the first portion 210 to accommodate a thickness of the supply pipe.

[0032] [Fig. 3] illustrates an axial sectional view through the coupling body 200. As shown in the figure, the coupling body 200 defines a conduit 250. The conduit 250 includes an inlet portion 260 adjacent a downstream transition portion 270 which, in turn, is adjacent a downstream outlet portion 280. The inlet portion 260 of the conduit 250 is generally cylindrical in shape and has an internal diameter DI that is larger than an internal diameter D2 of the outlet portion 280. The outlet portion 280 of the conduit 250 is also generally cylindrical in shape. The transition portion 270 of the conduit 250 is shaped to transition between the diameters DI and D2. In this example, the transition portion 270 is frustoconical, but it should be understood that the internal surface of the transition portion 270 may be stepped or curved.

[0033] [Fig.4] illustrates the gas turret for vacuum pump 300 comprising the body coupling 200 and an O-ring 130 positioned entirely within the supply conduit 110 of the gas engine 120. The inner diameter D2 of the outlet portion 280 of the conduit 250 has been sized such that the second portion can be received within an inner diameter of the supply pipe (not shown). The inner diameter DI of the inlet portion 260 of the conduit 250 is chosen to be larger than the diameter D2. Generally, the diameter DI is sized to correspond to a diameter of a gas supply opening 140 of the gas engine 120 which supplies gas to the gas supply conduit 110. In other words, the diameter DI is dimensioned to have a cross-sectional area that substantially corresponds to a cross-sectional area of ​​the gas stream supplied by the gas engine 120, through the gas supply opening 140, into the gas supply conduit 110 to improve its conductance. As shown in [Fig. 4], an axial end of the first portion 110 abutting one end of the gas supply conduit 110 fails to interfere with or obstruct the flow of the gas stream in the gas supply conduit 110. In addition, the first portion 210 has an axial length dimensioned to allow the gas turret 300 to be fully embedded in the gas supply conduit 110 and to abut an annular shoulder 150 defining one end of the gas supply conduit 110.Gas is supplied from the gas engine 120, through the gas supply opening(s) 140, to the inlet portion 260 of the conduit 250 and is routed to the downstream transition portion 270 of the conduit 250, into the downstream outlet portion 280 of the conduit and into the supply pipe to supply the vacuum pump (not shown). [Fig. 5] illustrates the vacuum pump gas turret 300 (with the O-ring 130 omitted for clarity) positioned within the inlet of the supply conduit 110 of the gas engine 120 before being located at the position illustrated in [Fig. 4].

[0034] Thus, as shown in the figure, the gas turret 300 has increased conductance compared to the conventional gas turret 100. Furthermore, it can be fully received in the gas supply conduit 110 without substantially interfering with the gas flow from the gas engine 120. This allows the gas turret 300 to be consistently placed in the gas supply conduit 110 without causing the backpressure variations encountered with the conventional gas turret 100 and avoids activation of any pressure sensors that might otherwise indicate a blockage. This allows for a more reliable and consistent coupling to the gas engine than the configuration illustrated in [Fig.l] which generally requires adjustment of the positioning of the gas turret 100 and / or adjustment of the pressure thresholds of the pressure sensors based on the individual positioning of said gas turret 100.

[0035] Therefore, some embodiments provide a nozzle-shaped gas turret for conductance improvement. This helps to reduce the pressure differential regardless of the position of the gas turret in the gas module by improving its conductance. As noted above, in some situations, the exhaust pressure varies depending on the particular position of a conventional gas turret, making it difficult to identify the degree of by-product blockage. Typically, in the case of a conventional gas turret design, the exhaust pressure varies depending on the position of the assembly in the gas module. This means that the exhaust pressure varies depending on how the pump is manufactured. This is problematic because the user may mistakenly think that a by-product is being created when the variation is simply due to the individual positioning of the gas turret. This also results in a reduced margin for the exhaust pressure warning / alarm setpoint and the measurable range of a pressure sensor. In particular, under certain circumstances, the exhaust pressure is not uniform and can vary from 2.7 to 4.1 psig. In addition, there is not much margin for the exhaust pressure warning / alarm setpoint (9.01 to 14 psig) and the pressure sensor's nominal pressure range (-14.7 to 14.7 psig). For example, the creation of a small amount of by-product can easily trigger a warning / alarm.In addition, there is less margin for the measurable pressure range of the pressure sensor (under certain circumstances, the measurable pressure range can be between -1 barg and 1 barg). Conductance is one of the causes of this variation. In the case of a conventional gas turret, the exhaust pressure increased when the gas turret was deeply inserted into the gas module. The exhaust pressure decreased when the gas turret was slightly moved outward from the gas module. This means that the conductance varied with the position of the gas turret. More precisely, in the case of a conventional gas turret in [Fig.l], the straight part of the gas turret acts as a wall that interferes, for example, with the flow of N2, resulting in an increasing number of molecules near the pressure sensor.To reduce the deviation caused by the gas turret position and increase the margin for the exhaust pressure warning / alarm setpoint and the measurable range of the pressure sensor, the conductance of the gas turret has been improved by designing a nozzle-shaped gas turret. The improved conductance results in a slight variation in the exhaust pressure when the position of the gas turret assembly changes. This design minimizes the possibility of interference with the gas flow and allows for an exhaust pressure of about 2 psig, with a deviation of less than about 1 psig. Thus, the design of the gas turret according to some embodiments can ensure more margin for the exhaust pressure warning / alarm and the measurable range of the pressure sensor.The embodiments are particularly suitable for pumps having increased flow rates to the exhaust pipe, due to the improved conductance. The embodiments are also particularly suitable for situations where the pressure sensor and the gas purge system are located in a single space.

[0036] Although embodiments of the invention, given for illustrative purposes, have been described in detail in the present invention with reference to the drawings which accompanying it, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to any specific embodiment and that various variations and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. List of reference symbols

[0037] Gas Turret 100

[0038] Gas supply conduit 110

[0039] 120 gas engine

[0040] O-ring 130

[0041] Gas supply opening 140

[0042] Annular shoulder 150

[0043] Coupling body 200

[0044] First part 210

[0045] Second part 220

[0046] Annular recess 230

[0047] Chamfered region 240

[0048] Conduit 250

[0049] Input part 260

[0050] Transition Part 270

[0051] Output part 280

[0052] Gas turret for vacuum pump 300

Claims

Claims

1. A gas turret for a vacuum pump for coupling a gas engine (120) to a vacuum pump, comprising: - a coupling body (200) for receiving gas from said gas engine (120), said coupling body defining a conduit comprising - - an inlet portion (260) having an inlet internal cross-section, - - an outlet portion (280) having an outlet internal cross-section smaller than said inlet internal cross-section, and - - a transition portion (270), between said inlet portion (260) and said outlet portion (280), having a transition internal cross-section that transitions between said inlet internal cross-section and said outlet internal cross-section; and - a supply pipe (110) received by said coupling body (200) and configured to receive said gas from said outlet portion (280) and convey it to said vacuum pump.

2. A gas turret for a vacuum pump according to claim 1, wherein said transition internal cross-section of said transition portion (270) tapers from said inlet portion (260) to said outlet portion (280).

3. A gas turret for a vacuum pump according to any preceding claim, wherein said transition internal cross-section of said transition portion (270) is conical.

4. A gas turret for a vacuum pump according to any preceding claim, wherein said inlet internal cross-section of said inlet portion (260) has a constant internal cross-section along a first axial length.

5. A gas turret for a vacuum pump according to any preceding claim, wherein said inlet internal cross-section of said inlet portion (260) substantially corresponds to an internal cross-section of a gas supply conduit (110) of said gas engine (120).

6. A gas turret for a vacuum pump according to any preceding claim, wherein said inlet internal cross-section of said inlet portion (260) corresponds substantially at a cross-section of a flow of said gas from said gas engine (120).

7. A gas turret for a vacuum pump according to any preceding claim, wherein said outlet internal cross-section of said outlet portion (280) has a constant internal cross-section along a second axial length.

8. A gas turret for a vacuum pump according to any preceding claim, wherein an outer diameter of a first portion of said coupling body (200) is sized to fit an inner diameter of a coupling recess of said gas motor (120).

9. A gas turret for a vacuum pump according to claim 8, wherein said first portion comprises said inlet portion (260).

10. A gas turret for a vacuum pump according to claim 8 or 9, wherein said first portion comprises said transition portion (270).

11. A gas turret for a vacuum pump according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein an axial length of said coupling body (200) is dimensioned to abut against an end face of said coupling recess.

12. A gas turret for a vacuum pump according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein said inlet portion (260) is dimensioned to define an axial end face which does not interfere with a flow of said stream of said gas from said gas engine (120) flowing into said coupling recess.

13. A gas turret for a vacuum pump according to any preceding claim, wherein an outer diameter of a second portion of said coupling body is sized to fit an inner diameter of said supply pipe (110) and said second portion comprises said outlet portion (280).

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