Sliding Collar Expansion Joint for Thermal Pipe Movement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial pipe joints are prone to damage from thermal expansion and contraction, as well as mechanical and external factors, leading to premature wear and high installation costs with existing solutions like bellows-type or belt expansion joints.
Innovation Solution
A cost-effective expansion and movement joint system utilizing a collar and guide configuration with precision fits and sliding surfaces, allowing for lateral and axial movement, and accommodating thermal changes, while being easy to manufacture and install.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bellows-type or belt expansion joints are used to prevent damage to pipe joints, then the pipes can accommodate thermal expansion and movement, but the overall length of the joint increases and installation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested structure where an inner collar is positioned within an outer collar, and both are contained within a guide. This nesting arrangement allows multiple functional components to occupy overlapping spatial envelopes, achieving the required expansion accommodation and sealing functions without proportionally increasing the overall joint length.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic capability through the sliding collar mechanism that allows axial movement along the pipe while maintaining sealing. The collar can dynamically adjust its position to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction, providing reliability without requiring a excessively long static joint structure.
2Reliability
If bellows-type or belt expansion joints are used to prevent damage to pipe joints, then the pipes can accommodate thermal expansion and movement, but installation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the expansion joint into separate functional segments: an inner collar for sealing, an outer collar for structural support, and a guide for movement control. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using standard machining processes, reducing overall manufacturing and installation costs compared to monolithic bellows or belt structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses simple cylindrical collar and guide geometries that can be manufactured using standard copying processes and conventional machining. This avoids the need for complex forming operations required for bellows-type joints, significantly reducing manufacturing and installation costs while maintaining reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If precision fits and sliding surfaces are used in the collar and guide configuration, then lateral and axial movement is allowed while accommodating thermal changes, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a guide as an intermediary component between the collar and the fixed structure. The guide provides a controlled interface that defines the movement path, allowing the collar to slide axially and move laterally within specified tolerances. This intermediary structure distributes the precision requirements across multiple surfaces rather than requiring a single high-precision fit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs clearance fits between the collar and guide, allowing for parameter variations due to thermal expansion. The sliding surfaces are designed with appropriate clearances and tolerances that accommodate dimensional changes while maintaining functional movement, reducing the stringency of manufacturing precision requirements.
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 system provides a robust, reliable, and cost-effective solution for accommodating pipe movement and size changes, reducing the risk of joint damage and installation costs, while maintaining a tight seal and facilitating easy installation.
Implementation Method 1
the pipes can be subjected to movement (e.g., lateral, axial and/or radial movement) and/or changes in size, which can result from thermal expansion or contraction resulting from fluid flowing therethrough
Data Source
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AI summary
Expansion and movement joints are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a collar having a first aperture extending therethrough to receive a conduit, and a guide to receive the collar, where the guide has a second aperture that defines an inner surface of the guide, and where the inner surface of the guide is larger than an outer surface of the collar to define a gap therebetween.