Vacuum-Insulated Pipe Sleeve Access With Leak-Tight Connector Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum-insulated pipes for cryogenic hydrogen fuel systems face challenges in maintaining a vacuum and thermal insulation while providing easy access to connectors for assembly and maintenance, and ensuring a reliable seal against leaks, especially in environments with oxygen.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum-insulated pipe assembly with a sleeve and shoulder configuration that allows selective access to inner connectors, featuring a seal element connected to the shoulder to prevent fluid leakage, and optional use of rigid thermally insulative material and metallic gaskets for enhanced sealing and thermal insulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the vacuum-insulated pipe assembly uses a fixed sealed structure to maintain vacuum and thermal insulation, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but access to inner connectors for assembly and maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The pipe assembly is divided into modular sections with a separable sleeve structure. The sleeve can be moved along the pipe to expose or cover the inner connectors, allowing maintenance access without compromising the overall vacuum insulation structure. This segmentation enables independent access to connection points while preserving the thermal insulation integrity of the main pipe body.
2Ease of repair
If the pipe assembly provides open access to inner connectors for maintenance, then ease of repair is improved, but vacuum seal integrity and thermal insulation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
A seal element acts as an intermediary between the sleeve and the pipe body. This seal element maintains the vacuum barrier when the sleeve is in the closed position, allowing the system to provide maintenance access when needed while preserving vacuum integrity during operation. The seal element mediates between the conflicting requirements of accessibility and seal integrity.
3Reliability
If a seal element is added to prevent fluid leakage between shoulder and sleeve, then reliability against leaks is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal element utilizes a flexible sealing mechanism that conforms to the interface between the shoulder and sleeve. This flexible seal provides reliable fluid leakage prevention through its ability to adapt to surface irregularities and maintain contact pressure, achieving high reliability without requiring complex mechanical sealing systems or multiple sealing components.
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 provides a reliable seal against fluid leaks, reduces heat transfer, and simplifies assembly and maintenance by allowing easy access to connectors, while maintaining vacuum and thermal insulation, thus enhancing the efficiency and durability of the pipe assembly.
Implementation Method 1
Vacuum-insulated pipes employ a vacuum in a space between inner and outer pipes to thermally insulate the cryogenic hydrogen fuel flowing through the inner pipe
Implementation Method 2
the vacuum-insulated pipe assembly comprises a first pipe section and a second pipe section... the first outer wall is spaced from the first inner wall to define a first space... configured to maintain a vacuum in the space
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3B
Figure 4A~6
AI summary
Provided is a vacuum insulated pipe assembly comprising a first pipe section and a second pipe section. The first pipe section has a first outer wall and a first inner wall within the first outer wall. The first outer and inner walls are concentric along a common central axis, and the first outer wall is spaced from the first inner wall to define a first space. The second pipe section has a second outer wall and a second inner wall within the second outer wall. The second outer and inner walls are concentric along the common central axis, and the second outer wall is spaced from the second inner wall to define a second space. The first inner wall comprises a first inner connector and the second inner wall comprises a second inner connector connected to the first inner connector. The vacuum-insulated pipe assembly has a shoulder on one of the first and second outer walls, and a sleeve portion supported on the shoulder and slidable along the shoulder in an axial direction along the common central axis selectively provide access to a region in which the first and second inner connectors are located. The vacuum-insulated pipe assembly also has a seal element connected to the shoulder, the seal element configured to provide a seal between the shoulder and the sleeve portion.