Pipe Flange Ball-and-Socket Sealing for Angular Misalignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas-tight connection technologies face challenges with angular misalignment between terminal and reference surfaces, leading to leaks and asymmetrical load on sealing elements, which are time-consuming to adjust and prone to destruction.
Innovation Solution
A device utilizing a ball-and-socket joint arrangement with an adjustable flanged disc unit and set screws to compensate for angular offset, separating the alignment and sealing functions, ensuring a full-surface contact for a permanent seal across larger offset angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If an elastomeric O-ring is used as angular misalignment compensation means with force-fit connection, then the connection can accommodate angular misalignment, but the sealing element is subjected to asymmetrical load leading to leaks and destruction
Solution Approach 1:
The device separates the alignment function from the sealing function by introducing a flanged disc unit with adjusting screws. The ball-and-socket joint handles angular misalignment while the flanged disc with full-surface contact provides reliable sealing, preventing the sealing element from承受ing asymmetrical loads.
2Reliability
If adjustable spacers are provided to limit mechanical stresses, then the sealing element is protected from asymmetrical load, but the adjustment process becomes time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The flanged disc unit incorporates adjusting screws that enable dynamic adjustment of the connection parameters. This allows the system to adapt to different angular misalignment conditions while maintaining full-surface contact for reliable sealing, balancing protection and adjustment efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If a ball-and-socket joint arrangement is used for angular misalignment compensation, then alignment is simplified, but additional adjustment mechanisms are required to achieve full-surface contact
Solution Approach 1:
The device merges the ball-and-socket joint arrangement with a flanged disc unit in an integrated structure. The joint enables quick angular alignment while the integrated flanged disc with adjusting screws ensures full-surface contact, achieving both alignment speed and sealing reliability without excessive complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for gas-tight connection includes: a first connection point with a terminal surface; a second connection point with a stationary, predetermined reference surface of a pipe flange connection, which is arranged relative to the terminal surface by an offset angle which is compensated for by an angular offset compensation; and a flanged disc unit. The first connection point includes a central ball-and-socket joint arrangement as an angular misalignment compensation. The central ball-and-socket joint arrangement has a tube section with a convex distal end region configured to interact in an articulated manner with a concave annular region, corresponding thereto, of the flanged disc unit. A side surface region of the flanged disc unit includes at least one adjusting screw for adapting to the offset angle so as to adjust a local distance to a counter-disc fixedly fastened coaxially to a pipe section adjacent to the convex distal end region.