Support structure for a reverse-back ring rupture disk

Abstract

A knuckle and support structure for a reverse back ring rupture disk is described.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - reference to Related Applications This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 814,959, filed on July 26, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Background Art

[0002] Reverse - buckling rupture disks are generally used in various applications involving medium and high pressures, high operating temperatures, and significant pressure fluctuations, such as chemical processing plant processes, refineries, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and oil - based processes. Reverse - buckling rupture disks utilize a dome with the convex side facing the process media / pressure direction. When the pressure level reaches a sufficient level (i.e., the "burst pressure"), instability is created in the dome, resulting in the inversion (i.e., buckling) of the dome and thus the release of pressure. Buckling occurs along the ribs of the disk. These components are often used in pressure relief safety devices.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a rupture disk assembly can include an inlet body and an outlet body that contacts the inlet body and forms a through - hole having an inner diameter. The outlet body can include a first plane that contacts the inlet body and a second plane on the opposite side of the first plane. The assembly can further include a rupture disk that is present inside the through - hole and seals the through - hole, and a knuckle of the outlet body that is present inside the through - hole, protrudes towards the rupture disk beyond the first plane, and is configured to capture the rupture disk during operation. The knuckle can include a crown having a crown radius facing the through - hole and curved wings on each side of the crown. The back of the knuckle can be tapered to reduce from the inner diameter.

[0004] In some embodiments, the inlet body, the outlet body, and the rupture disk can be separate components. In some embodiments, the inlet body and the rupture disk can be welded together. In some embodiments, the inlet body, the outlet body, and the rupture disk can be welded into a single unit. In some embodiments, the crown radius is proportional to the inner diameter of the through-hole. In some embodiments, the ratio of the crown radius to the inner diameter can be from about 1:0.90 to 1:1.10.

[0005] In some embodiments, each curved wing can include a wing radius. In some embodiments, the knuckle can include a nose radius perpendicular to the crown radius. In some embodiments, the knuckle can project beyond the first plane according to a nose angle proportional to the height of the crown. In some embodiments, the nose angle can be proportional to the height of the crown at a ratio of about 1:2. In some embodiments, the draw gradient is proportional to the height of the crown. In some embodiments, the wing can be configured to curl the rupture disk into the shape of the through-hole before colliding with the back of the knuckle.

[0006] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a rupture disk assembly can include an inlet body and an outlet body that contacts the inlet body and forms a through-hole having an inner diameter. The outlet body can include a first plane that contacts the inlet body and a second plane on the opposite side of the first plane. The assembly can further include a rupture disk that is present inside the through-hole and seals the through-hole, and the inlet body and the rupture disk can be welded together to form a single component. In some embodiments, the assembly can include a knuckle of the outlet body that is present inside the through-hole, protrudes toward the rupture disk beyond the first plane, and is configured to capture the rupture disk during operation. In some embodiments, the knuckle can include a crown having a crown radius facing the through-hole and curved wings on each side of the crown. The back of the knuckle can be reduced from the inner diameter with a taper. In some embodiments, the crown radius is proportional to the inner diameter of the through-hole.

[0007] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a rupture disk assembly can include an inlet body and an outlet body that contacts the inlet body and forms a through-hole having an inner diameter. The outlet body can include a first plane that contacts the inlet body and a second plane on the opposite side of the first plane. The outlet body can include an asymmetric keyed extension. The assembly can include a rupture disk that is present inside the through-hole and seals the through-hole. In some embodiments, the assembly can include a knuckle of the outlet body that is present inside the through-hole, protrudes toward the rupture disk beyond the first plane, and is configured to capture the rupture disk during operation. In some embodiments, the knuckle can include a crown having a crown radius facing the through-hole and curved wings on each side of the crown. The back of the knuckle can be reduced from the inner diameter with a taper. In some embodiments, the crown radius can be proportional to the inner diameter of the through-hole.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the claimed invention or its use. Further, although the disclosed embodiments may be described in connection with use with tax preparation services, it should be understood that the disclosed principles may be applied to any service that requires input and analysis of form fields.

[0010] Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a support structure for a reverse back ring rupture disk that prevents fragmentation after actuation of the rupture disk and reduces flow resistance. In some embodiments, the support structure is designed to simultaneously cause capture of the rupture disk (and thus prevent fragmentation) and a reduction in the Kr value of the assembly, and includes a knuckle that can be machined to be integral with the rupture disk holder. Such a reduction in the Kr value is advantageous because if the resistance of the line is too high, various problems related to overpressure and equipment damage can occur.

[0011] An example of a conventional rupture disk assembly 100 is shown in FIG. 1. The assembly 100 includes an inlet 102, a rupture disk 103, and an outlet 104. The inlet 102 and the outlet 104 together form a through hole (i.e., a cylindrical hole or channel passing through the inlet and the outlet). The rupture disk 103 is present inside the through hole and prevents leakage from the flow 101 through the outlet until actuation. The inlet 102 can be made from any number of metal alloys and desirably supports and stabilizes the inlet flange of the rupture disk 103. In some embodiments, the inlet 102 can include some form of sealing mechanism to prevent the medium from exiting while under pressure. Such mechanisms are typically metal-to-metal seals that result in various designs. The outlet 104 can also be made from any number of metal alloys and supports and stabilizes the outlet flange of the rupture disk 103. In some embodiments, both the inlet 102 and the outlet 104 can be referred to as a support structure. The rupture disk 103 can be fabricated from any number of metal alloys or plastics and includes a membrane (i.e., a dome) designed to rupture at a specified burst pressure and temperature. The burst pressure and temperature are specified and can vary depending on the application.

[0012] Assembly 100 further includes paddle 105. It is important to note that paddle 105 can alternatively be replaced with a knuckle (see knuckle 400 in FIG. 4 and knuckle 505 in FIG. 5), both of which can be directly attached to rupture disk 103 by various joining methods such as welding or epoxy. The function of the paddle and the knuckle is generally to capture the reverse buckling rupture disk when it buckles and tears through a predetermined score pattern. By capturing the buckling rupture disk, fragmentation of the disk and a reduction in flow resistance after its operation are prevented.

[0013] The knuckle is often formed as a cast or machined metal alloy designed to fit inside the inlet bore of the outlet of the holder assembly (i.e., outlet 104). Many knuckle designs in the rupture disk market are cast due to the cost of machining complex shapes into small pieces of metal. Additionally, many knuckles are cast in stainless alloys to avoid the high cost of casting exotic metal alloys. The knuckle is typically attached by either a welding process (e.g., GTAW) or epoxy.

[0014] FIG. 2 shows a top view of a conventional reverse buckling rupture disk 200. Rupture disk 200 includes paddle 201 and flexure hinge 202 designed to capture the buckling rupture disk. FIG. 3 shows a side view of a conventional reverse buckling rupture disk 300 including flexure hinge 301.

[0015] The sheet metal used for paddles and knuckles is typically a stainless alloy, but in general, can be made from any number of alloys. For low-pressure applications, the paddle may be a simple notch design without any bent material. High-pressure designs can typically be bent to avoid sharp edges that can attenuate momentum and create cracks in the disk material during operation. Many rupture disk applications use paddles instead of knuckles because of their low manufacturing cost. However, paddles generally have difficulty eliminating all sharp edges and are thus not as effective as knuckles at preventing fragmentation.

[0016] Currently, there are various knuckle designs available in the rupture disk market, as well as various paddle designs formed from bent sheet metal. As described above, both designs are used to attenuate the momentum of the reverse buckling rupture disk during operation and to capture or secure the disk petals to prevent them from splitting and separating from the rupture disk assembly. This is known in the rupture disk market as fragmentation and is generally unacceptable due to the potential for damage it can cause. A further attribute of these designs is their effect on the flow resistance through the rupture disk assembly. In particular, the Kr value is a dimensionless value used to describe the rupture disk assembly that represents the resistance to flow or head loss associated with the assembly. Similarly, fittings such as elbows and tees have a common Kr value / coefficient assigned to them in pressure and piping. Generally, as the flow restriction increases, the head loss increases and thus the Kr value increases. Minimizing the head loss or flow resistance of a flowing pressurized system can be advantageous as excessive line resistance can lead to problems associated with overpressure and equipment damage.

[0017] FIG. 6A shows a top view of a knuckle rupture disk assembly 6 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Assembly 6 includes an outlet holder 606 and a knuckle 600. Knuckle 600 can include a crown 601 having an associated crown radius. The crown radius represents the outer profile of the upper portion of knuckle 600 in the orientation from the front / top view. The crown radius can also represent the overall height of the knuckle and can play an important role in preventing fragmentation by promoting the curling of the rupture disk towards the inner diameter of outlet holder 606. In some embodiments, if the radius of crown 601 is not large enough (and thus the knuckle 600 is not tall enough), the knuckle 600 may not attenuate the momentum of the rupture disk sufficient to prevent rupture. In some embodiments, the ratio of the radius of crown 601 to the inner diameter of outlet holder 606 can be about 1:1 + / - 10%.

[0018] Knuckle 600 can also include wings 602. Wings 602 may be present on both sides of knuckle 600. Each wing 602 can be curved or can have an associated wing radius which is the radius representing the connection between crown 601 and the inner diameter of outlet holder 606. After the rupture disk buckles back, it strikes the nose radius 603 (see FIG. 6B) and flips over when placed on crown 601. The wing radius can support the outer edge of the rupture disk and bend it outward to match the curvature and outer profile of outlet holder 606, thereby preventing a curled or rough edge. Thus, the radius of wings 602 can help prevent fragmentation by eliminating a sharp change in the geometry of the rupture disk. In some embodiments, wings 602 can curl the reverse dome of the rupture disk into the shape of the pipe or the inner diameter of outlet holder 606 before hitting the draw slope 605.

[0019] Figure 6B shows a side view of a knuckle rupture disk assembly 6 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The side view of the assembly 6 shows the knuckle 600 between the inlet and the outlet holder 606. The knuckle 600 can be further defined by a nose radius 603 that represents the profile of the cross-section of the knuckle 600 and can be perpendicular to the crown radius. Further, the knuckle 600 can be further defined by a nose angle 604, which is a two-dimensional view angle representing the distance that the knuckle 600 protrudes from the surface of the outlet holder 606. In some embodiments, when viewed in three dimensions, the nose angle 604 can be a conical angle, which helps to form the rupture disk when it operates. The knuckle 600 can protrude beyond the plane of the outlet holder 606 to the concave side of a rupture disk (not shown). In some embodiments, such a protrusion can help to rapidly dampen the momentum of the buckling rupture disk rather than allowing the buckling rupture disk to roll through the opening, especially for larger rupture disks. In some embodiments, the nose angle 604 can be defined as a specific ratio of the average height of the crown 601 to the height of an unmachined cone, which can be about 1:2.

[0020] Figure 6C shows a perspective view of a knuckle rupture disk assembly 6 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The perspective view shows the knuckle 600 inside the outlet holder 606. In some embodiments, the knuckle 600 can include a draft 605, which can represent the angle of the back side of the knuckle 600 (inside the through hole) that decreases from the inner diameter of the outlet holder 606 through the body of the knuckle 600 without causing a sharp change in geometry. In some embodiments, the draft 605 may be proportional to the height of the radius of the crown 601. Further, the draft 605 can support the rupture disk at the final stage of operation at the knuckle 600 and can imprint an angular geometry on the disk, which can assist in reducing the flow resistance.

[0021] In some embodiments, the disclosed knuckle 600 can be machined onto the outlet holder 606, whereas conventional knuckles are generally cast onto the holder. The disclosed design of the knuckle 600 allows for a smooth geometric transition between the knuckle 600 and the outlet holder 606 and can reduce the head loss across the knuckle 600. Generally, cast and welded knuckles have a steep shape due to the minimum thickness constraints of the cast parts and the rough transition along the weld bead.

[0022] Furthermore, exotic materials for the outlet holder 606 can now have a matching knuckle. Cast knuckles are typically made from stainless materials because casting exotic alloys is expensive. This adds to the direct and indirect costs of placing large minimum orders of exotic alloys. Also, the material uniformity and flexibility can be advantageous as certain applications may not be able to tolerate stainless materials.

[0023] In some embodiments, the taper 605 can provide various advantages such as reducing head loss and flow resistance coefficient by gradually expanding across the knuckle 600 that ends in the same plane as the inner diameter of the outlet holder 606. Further, the taper 605 can reduce the bounce of the disc after completely enclosing the knuckle 600 by imprinting the design of the taper 605 onto the material. This can enable the disc to be firmly seated against the bore diameter and reduce the head loss.

[0024] In some embodiments, the holder 606 can include an asymmetric keyed extension that exits the cutter and can take the form of an asymmetric angle of a tag slot integrated into the holder 606, contributing to eliminating the possibility of attaching the disc backwards. This is shown in FIG. 11, which includes an assembly 6 having an asymmetric keyed extension 1100.

[0025] In some embodiments, the disclosed knuckle 600 can be integrated with a two-piece rupture disk assembly. The assembly can include a welded two-piece design, in which the inlet body and the rupture disk are integrally welded together to form one component, and the outlet body forms the second component. This assembly can help reduce leakage and harmful emissions on the inlet side. In other embodiments, the two-piece rupture disk assembly can exist without the knuckle, which can also result in a reduced Kr value.

[0026] In some embodiments, the disclosed knuckle 600 can also be integrated with a one-piece assembly having a replaceable welded assembly disk inlet. In the one-piece assembly, the inlet, outlet, and rupture disk are all welded together to form a single component.

[0027] In some embodiments, the disclosed knuckle 600 can be integrated with a three-piece rupture disk assembly, in which the inlet, outlet, and rupture disk are separate components.

[0028] Figures 7-10 show an exemplary knuckle 600 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional side view of the knuckle 600, which shows various measurements. The knuckle 600 can include a taper 701 of about 25 degrees (see taper 605), a height 702 of 0.27 inches, a length 703 of 1.00 inches (this length is adjacent to the inner diameter of the outlet holder 606), a nose radius 704 that is about 14-15% of the inner diameter of the outlet holder, an overall height 705 of 0.4 inches, and an angle 706 from the inner diameter of 60 degrees. In some embodiments, the 1-inch knuckle nose radius is about 0.10 inches, the radius of the outlet bore is about 0.688 inches, and this ratio can be applied to various sizes.

[0029] In FIG. 8, an exemplary knuckle 600 includes an overall length 801 of 1.56 inches, a length 802 of the left wing 602 of 0.35 inches, a length 804 of the right wing 602 of 0.35 inches, a length 803 of the crown 601 of 0.87 inches, an edge thickness 805 of 0.04 inches, and various widths 806 - 808 of 0.07 inches, 1.00 inches, and 1.10 inches.

[0030] In FIG. 9, the knuckle 600 includes a radius 901 of the crown 601 that is about 112.5% of the inner diameter of the outlet holder 606, and a distance 902 from the center of the center of the circle of the crown radius of 0.73 inches.

[0031] In FIG. 10, the knuckle 600 includes a radius 1001 that is 125% of the inner diameter of the outlet holder 606, a distance 1002 from the midpoint of the knuckle 600 to the midpoint of the wing 602 that is about 0.61 inches, a distance 1003 from the center of the center of the circle of the crown radius of 0.73 inches, and a distance 1004 from the center of the center of the circle of the crown radius (which is 45% of the inner diameter of the outlet holder 606) to the wing 602.

[0032] Although various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they are presented by way of example and not limitation. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Indeed, after reading the above description, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art how to implement alternative embodiments. For example, other steps may be provided or steps may be removed from the described flow, other components may be added to the described system, or other components may be removed from the described system. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

[0033] Furthermore, it should be understood that any figures emphasizing functions and advantages are presented for illustrative purposes only. The disclosed methods and systems are sufficiently flexible and configurable to be utilized in ways other than those shown.

[0034] The term "at least one" may be frequently used in this specification, the claims, and the drawings, but terms such as "a", "an", "the", "said" also mean "at least one (or the at least one)" in this specification, the claims, and the drawings.

[0035] Finally, the applicant intends that only claims containing the explicit language "means" or "step" be construed under 35 U.S.C. 112(f). Claims that do not explicitly contain the phrases "means" or "step" should not be construed under 35 U.S.C. 112(f).

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0036] 6 Knuckle Rupture Disk Assembly 100 Rupture Disk Assembly 101 Flow 102 Inlet 103 Rupture Disk 104 Outlet 105 Paddle 200 Reverse Backing Ring Rupture Disk 201 Paddle 202 Flexure Hinge 300 Reverse Backing Ring Rupture Disk 301 Flexure Hinge 400 Knuckle 505 Knuckle 600 Knuckle 601 Crown 602 Wing 603 Nose Radius 604 Nose Angle 605 Draft 606 Outlet Holder 701 Draft 702 Height 703 Length 704 Nose Radius 705 Overall Height 706 Angle 801 Overall length 802 Length 803 Length 804 Length 805 Thickness 806 Width 807 Width 808 Width 901 Radius 902 Distance 1001 Radius 1002 Distance 1003 Distance 1004 Distance 1100 Keyed extension

Claims

1. A rupture disk assembly comprising: An inlet body, An outlet body that contacts the inlet body and forms a through-hole having an inner diameter, the outlet body including a first plane that contacts the inlet body and a second plane on the opposite side of the first plane, A rupture disk that is present inside the through-hole and seals the through-hole, and A knuckle of the outlet body that is present inside the through-hole, protrudes toward the rupture disk beyond the first plane, and is configured to capture the rupture disk during operation, A crown having a crown radius facing the through-hole, and Curved wings on each side of the crown, The knuckle having a back surface that decreases from the inner diameter with a taper, A rupture disk assembly comprising the above.

2. The rupture disk assembly according to claim 1, wherein the inlet body, the outlet body, and the rupture disk are separate components.

3. The rupture disk assembly according to claim 1, wherein the inlet body and the rupture disk are welded together.

4. The rupture disk assembly according to claim 1, wherein the inlet body, the outlet body, and the rupture disk are welded into a single unit.

5. The rupture disk assembly according to claim 1, wherein the crown radius is proportional to the inner diameter of the through-hole.

6. The rupture disk assembly according to claim 5, wherein the ratio of the crown radius to the inner diameter is from about 1:0.90 to 1:1.

10.

7. The rupture disk assembly according to claim 1, wherein each curved wing includes a wing radius.

8. The rupture disk assembly according to claim 1, wherein the knuckle includes a nose radius perpendicular to the crown radius.

9. The rupture disk assembly according to claim 1, wherein the knuckle protrudes beyond the first plane according to a nose angle proportional to the height of the crown.

10. The rupture disk assembly according to claim 9, wherein the nose angle is proportional to the height of the crown at a ratio of about 1:

2.

11. The rupture disk assembly according to claim 1, wherein the taper is proportional to the height of the crown.

12. The rupture disk assembly according to claim 1, wherein the wing is configured to curl the rupture disk into the shape of the through hole before colliding with the back surface of the knuckle.

13. A rupture disk assembly, comprising: An inlet body, An outlet body that contacts the inlet body and forms a through hole having an inner diameter, the outlet body including a first plane that contacts the inlet body and a second plane on the opposite side of the first plane, and A rupture disk that is present inside the through hole and seals the through hole, wherein the inlet body and the rupture disk are welded together to form a single component. A rupture disk assembly including the above.

14. The rupture disk assembly according to claim 13, further comprising a knuckle of the outlet body that is present inside the through hole, protrudes toward the rupture disk beyond the first plane, and is configured to capture the rupture disk during operation.

15. The knuckle includes: A crown having a crown radius facing the through hole, and Curved wings on each side of the crown, The rupture disk assembly according to claim 14, wherein the back surface of the knuckle decreases from the inner diameter with a draft gradient.

16. The rupture disk assembly according to claim 15, wherein the crown radius is proportional to the inner diameter of the through hole.

17. A rupture disk assembly, comprising: An inlet body, An outlet body that contacts the inlet body and forms a through hole having an inner diameter, the outlet body including a first plane that contacts the inlet body and a second plane on the opposite side of the first plane, and including an asymmetric keyed extension, and A rupture disk that is present inside the through hole and seals the through hole.

18. The rupture disk assembly according to claim 17, further comprising a knuckle of the outlet body that is present inside the through hole, protrudes toward the rupture disk beyond the first plane, and is configured to capture the rupture disk during operation.

19. The knuckle includes: A crown having a crown radius facing the through hole, and Curved wings on each side of the crown. The rupture disk assembly according to claim 17, wherein the back surface of the knuckle decreases from the inner diameter with a draft gradient.

20. The rupture disk assembly according to claim 19, wherein the crown radius is proportional to the inner diameter of the through hole.

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