Sliding Mating Collar for High-Temperature Liquid Seals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid seals face challenges in maintaining one-directional gas flow and stability, particularly at elevated temperatures, due to thermal expansion causing stress on joints and potential mechanical damage.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a mating collar that allows the gas conduit to slide and accommodate thermal expansion, preventing stress on the liquid seal, combined with additional flow-control devices like perforated cones and chevrons, enhances the stability and efficiency of the liquid seal system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the gas conduit is fixed rigidly to the collar, then the joint is strong and stable, but thermal expansion of the gas conduit causes stress on the joint and potential mechanical damage
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is designed to allow the gas conduit to slide axially within it, transforming the rigid fixed connection into a dynamic movable connection. This allows the gas conduit to expand and contract freely with temperature changes while maintaining sealing through the sliding interface, resolving the contradiction between joint strength and thermal expansion accommodation
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding collar mechanism changes the physical state of the connection from rigid to movable, allowing the system to adapt to parameter changes (temperature and expansion) without compromising joint integrity or causing stress concentration
2Reliability
If the gas conduit is allowed to slide freely in the collar, then thermal expansion is accommodated, but gas flow control and seal stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible sealing element (such as an O-ring or gasket) is introduced between the collar and gas conduit. This flexible component maintains the sealing function while allowing axial movement, thus accommodating thermal expansion without compromising liquid seal stability or gas flow control
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible sealing element acts as an intermediary between the fixed collar and the moving gas conduit, enabling relative movement while maintaining the seal integrity and preventing liquid leakage, thus resolving the contradiction between movement freedom and seal stability
3Productivity
If liquid seal is used at elevated temperatures, then gas flow control is achieved, but thermal expansion causes stress on joints and reduces system life
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding collar creates a dynamic connection that accommodates thermal expansion at elevated temperatures, preventing stress accumulation and joint failure, thereby extending the service life of the liquid seal system while maintaining gas flow control functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The design explicitly accounts for thermal expansion by providing an axial movement mechanism through the sliding collar, allowing the gas conduit to expand and contract with temperature changes without causing damaging stress, thus enabling reliable operation at elevated temperatures
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
This solution enables the use of liquid seals over a broader range of temperatures, maintaining efficient gas flow and reducing mechanical strain, thus extending the life of the liquid seal and minimizing maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
If some components of the liquid seal are in contact with hot gas and other components remain at lower temperature, there will be stress on joints as the components thermally expand at different rates.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid seal mating system to accommodate thermal expansion during elevated-temperature operation, including a collar, sized and shaped to receive a discharge end of a gas-delivery conduit and a fence that surrounds the collar and is attached thereto, wherein when installed, the collar accommodates thermal expansion of the gas-delivery conduit along a longitudinal axis of the gas-delivery conduit and limits movement of the gas-delivery conduit perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. A method for suppressing bulk fluid motion in an elevated-temperature liquid seal, including attaching a mount to an outer shell of a liquid seal and receiving, within a mating collar, a discharge end of a gas-delivery conduit, the mating collar attached to the mount and being sized and shaped to accommodate thermal expansion of the gas-delivery conduit, filling the outer shell with liquid to submerge the discharge end of the gas-delivery conduit, and flowing gas through the gas-delivery conduit.