Pipeline Connection Assembly With Low-Jamming Sealing Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high working pressure of CO2 refrigerant in trans-critical cycles poses challenges for the connection and sealing of pipelines, leading to increased frictional forces during assembly and disassembly, making the process inconvenient due to multiple mating surfaces and potential jamming issues.
Innovation Solution
A pipeline connection device with a reduced number of annular friction surfaces, featuring a first connecting member with an abutting portion and a second connecting member with an isolation portion, where the sealing member is sleeved outside the isolation portion, and a ring member restricts the sealing element's radial expansion, minimizing contact areas and preventing jamming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple mating surfaces are provided between connectors, then sealing reliability is improved, but frictional force increases making assembly and disassembly difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into multiple components: a first connector with a first receiving groove, a second connector with a protruding portion, and a sealing member positioned between them. This segmentation allows the sealing function to be separated from the structural connection function, enabling reliable sealing through the dedicated sealing member while reducing frictional contact between the main connector bodies, thus facilitating easier assembly and disassembly.
2Stability of the object's composition
If connectors are tightly fixed together, then connection stability is improved, but jamming occurs during assembly and disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
A sealing member is introduced as an intermediary element between the first connector and the second connector. This sealing member acts as a mediator that ensures tight connection and stability while preventing direct metal-to-metal contact that would cause jamming. The sealing member allows the connectors to be tightly fixed for stability yet can be easily removed during disassembly without jamming the connector bodies together.
3Reliability
If sealing member is allowed to expand radially, then sealing performance is improved, but debris may enter the pipeline
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing member is nested within the first receiving groove of the first connector, which serves as a containment structure. This nesting arrangement allows the sealing member to expand radially for optimal sealing performance while the groove boundaries prevent the sealing material from extruding into the pipeline and forming debris that could contaminate the refrigerant system.
Data Source
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AI summary
A pipeline connection device (300), comprising a first connection member (11), a second connection member (12) and a sealing member (13). The first connection member comprises an abutting portion (113), and the second connection member comprises a second channel (121) and a first groove portion (124) provided on the outer peripheral side of the second channel. The first groove portion is provided with a first accommodation groove (1240) for accommodating the sealing member, and a first side wall (1241) located at the inner peripheral side. At least a part of the abutting portion is accommodated in the first accommodation groove and abuts against the sealing member. A first gap (L1) is provided between the abutting portion and the first side wall, and the first gap is not greater than 0.3 mm; or the first connection member and the second connection member have at most two annular friction surfaces (119) which are in contact with each other. Further disclosed is a pipeline adapting assembly having the pipeline connection device. The arrangement of the pipeline connection device reduces the contact area between the first connection member and the second connection member, avoiding mutual jamming of the first connection member and the second connection member.