Sight Glass Containment with Gel Buffer and Sensor Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sight glasses in high-pressure systems pose a significant safety risk due to the potential for catastrophic failure, which can lead to debris impact and subsequent failure of secondary sight glasses, and existing safety measures have not adequately addressed this issue.
Innovation Solution
A sight glass apparatus featuring a containment vessel with an optical sensor and a secondary sight glass positioned behind the primary sight glass, utilizing a transparent liquid or gel to absorb debris and equalize pressure, and incorporating a valve assembly to automatically shut off fluid flow in case of failure, along with impact-resistant elements and absorbent linings to mitigate damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a secondary sight glass is mounted directly behind the primary sight glass, then the likelihood of complete failure is reduced, but debris from the failed primary sight glass will impact and cause failure of the secondary sight glass
Solution Approach 1:
A transparent liquid or gel medium is introduced between the primary and secondary sight glasses to serve as an intermediary that absorbs and slows down debris from the primary sight glass, preventing it from reaching the secondary sight glass with sufficient velocity to cause failure
Solution Approach 2:
The space between the sight glasses is filled with a cushioning liquid or gel material in advance, which provides protective cushioning to absorb the impact energy of debris before it can reach the secondary sight glass
2Reliability
If the space between sight glasses is filled with transparent liquid or gel, then debris velocity is reduced and pressure is equalized, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transparent liquid or gel medium serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a cushioning material to slow debris, functions as a pressure equalization medium, and maintains optical transparency for viewing, thereby reducing the need for additional separate protective components
3Ease of operation
If the optical sensor is mounted in a direct path from the sight glass, then viewing is simplified, but the sensor is vulnerable to debris impact and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The optical sensor is positioned in a location that is not in the direct path of debris travel, and optical elements are used to redirect the optical path, thereby separating the sensor from the harmful debris zone while maintaining viewing capability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively contains high-pressure fluids and reduces the risk of damage to optical sensors and other components, ensuring safer operation by preventing complete failure and minimizing debris impact, thus enhancing safety in high-pressure environments.
Implementation Method 1
a space between the first sight glass and the second sight glass may contain a transparent liquid or gel. This material within the space serves to slow down debris from the first sight glass
Implementation Method 2
the containment vessel comprises one or more optical elements for defining an indirect optical path between the sight glass and the optical sensor
Data Source
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AI summary
A sight glass apparatus for viewing the interior of a pressurised vessel, chamber or a pipe conveying fluid under pressure is described. The sight glass apparatus comprises a sight glass assembly mounted over an opening into the vessel, chamber or pipe, the sight glass assembly comprising a sight glass adjacent the opening which provides a window to the inside of the vessel, chamber or pipe, and a containment vessel mounted behind and/or around the sight glass assembly for containing fluid exiting the opening in the pipe in the event that the sight glass assembly fails. In this way, even if the sight glass assembly fails, the pressurised fluid within the pressurised vessel, chamber or pipe is safely contained. In addition, a secondary sight glass can be provided behind the first, with a liquid or gel, or minimal gap, between the primary and secondary glasses to reduce the likelihood of a failure in the first sight glass triggering failure of the second sight glass, and/or a valve can be provided to automatically isolate the pressure system upon a sight glass failure.