Temperature Sensor Spherical Sealing for Gas-Tightness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing temperature sensors, particularly thermocouples, in hazardous process plants face risks of toxic gas escape and contamination, leading to inaccurate measurements and potential process damage due to malfunction or failure, with complex and unreliable sealing mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A temperature sensor design featuring a spherical segment-shaped screw-in part, a glass feedthrough with sintered contact pins, and a soft metal sealing ring, ensuring automatic centering and homogeneous sealing, reducing parasitic voltages and maintaining gas-tightness, with removable components for easy maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complex sealing mechanisms with duplicate seals and threaded elements are used, then gas-tightness is improved, but device complexity and reliability worsen due to extensive testing requirements and failure modes
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing mechanism is divided into multiple independent sealing elements (first sealing element at the interface between intermediate housing part and sensor housing, second sealing element at the interface between measuring insert and intermediate housing part). Each sealing element operates independently, providing gas-tightness without requiring complex integrated mechanisms or duplicate threaded connections.
2Ease of repair
If detachable connections are designed for maintenance reasons, then ease of repair is improved, but gas-tightness worsens due to the need for special secure sealing arrangements
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing surfaces are pre-configured with spherical segment geometries that automatically generate uniform contact pressure when components are assembled. The spherical disc and corresponding spherical segment on the intermediate housing part create a self-centering effect that ensures proper sealing contact before the component is fully installed, eliminating the need for complex sealing arrangements during maintenance reassembly.
3Ease of repair
If threaded elements are removed and reinstalled after service, then ease of repair is improved, but reliability worsens due to extensive testing requirements and specific failure modes
Solution Approach 1:
The connection interface utilizes spherical segment geometry instead of traditional threaded elements. The spherical disc and corresponding spherical segment on the intermediate housing part create a self-aligning, self-centering connection that eliminates threading complexity. This curved surface design provides reliable gas-tight sealing upon reinstallation without requiring extensive testing or special failure mode considerations.
4Manufacturing precision
If spherical segment-shaped surfaces with spherical disc are used, then manufacturing precision and sealing homogeneity are improved, but device complexity increases due to specialized geometries
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing surfaces are designed with specific spherical segment geometries characterized by defined radii and curvature parameters. The spherical disc has a specific radius that matches the spherical segment on the intermediate housing part, creating a standardized interface that ensures uniform contact pressure and self-centering. This parameter-based design approach achieves high manufacturing precision while maintaining reasonable geometric complexity through standardization.
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 design provides reliable, precise temperature measurement in high-pressure and high-temperature processes, minimizing contamination and measurement errors, and simplifying maintenance by reducing parasitic voltages and seal complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a glass feedthrough can be arranged or is arranged gas-tight in the sensor housing facing away from the measuring point, and the glass feedthrough comprises a metal ring in which a sintered glass body is located gas-tight
Implementation Method 2
the temperature sensor has a lower soft metal sealing ring which is arranged on the stop surface facing the measuring point
Implementation Method 3
The thermocouples serve to measure the temperature
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a temperature sensor (T) with a measuring insert (M). The measuring insert (M) comprises an intermediate housing (12) which accommodates a primary protection tube (11) surrounding a number of thermocouples (9). According to the invention, an end (12.1) of the intermediate housing (12) facing away from the measuring point is arranged within a screw-in part (16) having an external thread (16.1) spaced apart from it by a gap, and an end (16.2) of the screw-in part (16) facing the measuring point is segment-shaped. A gas-tight glass feedthrough (1) can be arranged or is arranged in the sensor housing (15) facing away from the measuring point.