Flexible Support Grid Assembly for Uneven Pressure Vessel Floors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional support grids in pressure vessels face challenges in accommodating variations in vessel floor construction, leading to potential damage and inefficiencies in supporting filter media.
Innovation Solution
A support grid assembly with flexible, fluidly connected screen panels that can slide, rotate, or shift relative to a central fluid manifold, using adjustable split flanges or flexible gaskets, to accommodate variations in vessel floor construction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional rigid support grids are used in pressure vessels, then they can provide structural strength to support filter media, but they cannot accommodate variations in vessel floor construction
Solution Approach 1:
The support grid is divided into multiple individual screen panels that can be independently positioned and adjusted. Each panel is connected to the central manifold through flexible couplings, allowing the segmented structure to adapt to vessel floor variations while maintaining overall structural integrity and support capacity for filter media.
Solution Approach 2:
The support grid transitions from a rigid fixed structure to a dynamic adjustable structure. The screen panels are equipped with flexible connections and adjustment mechanisms that allow them to move and be repositioned, enabling the grid to adapt to different vessel floor configurations while maintaining structural strength.
2Ease of manufacture
If rigid connections are used between screen panels and central manifold, then assembly is simple, but the support grid cannot accommodate vessel floor variations
Solution Approach 1:
Flexible bellows-like connectors are used to connect the screen panels to the central manifold. These flexible connections maintain fluid communication while allowing the screen panels to be positioned at different locations and orientations, accommodating vessel floor variations without complicating the assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
Flexible couplings and bellows connectors serve as intermediary elements between the rigid central manifold and the adjustable screen panels. These intermediaries transmit fluid while accommodating positional variations, enabling both assembly simplicity and adaptability to different vessel floor configurations.
3Stability of the object's composition
If fixed support grids are used, then they provide stable fluid distribution, but they may be damaged by vessel floor variations
Solution Approach 1:
The support grid uses dynamic adjustable screen panels that can be positioned and secured to account for vessel floor variations. This dynamic positioning capability maintains stable fluid distribution patterns while preventing damage to the grid structure by allowing adaptation to actual floor conditions during installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The position and orientation parameters of individual screen panels can be changed during installation to accommodate vessel floor variations. This parameter adjustment ensures that the support grid maintains stable fluid distribution characteristics while avoiding damage from floor irregularities.
Data Source
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AI summary
A support grid assembly for use in a pressure vessel includes one or more screen panel assemblies that are flexibly, fluidly coupled to a central fluid manifold. Each screen panel assembly is operably slidably inserted into a central fluid manifold, whereby a flexible connection fluidly individually seals each screen panel assembly to the central fluid manifold. Through the use of a flexible connection, each screen panel assembly can individually slide, rotate or otherwise shift relative to the central fluid manifold and into engagement with a vessel floor regardless of inconsistencies in the vessel floor.