Wafer Ring Adapter for RTJ Flange Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wafer rings are designed to mate only with raised face ANSI flanges and cannot be installed between ring type joint (RTJ) or other types of flanges without requiring modifications or multiple wafer designs, leading to inventory and installation challenges.
Innovation Solution
The use of adapters with specific sealing surfaces that allow wafer rings with planar sealing surfaces to be sealed between fittings with RTJ or other types of sealing surfaces, such as ring type joint, groove, tongue, or male/female sealing surfaces, without increasing wafer width or requiring multiple wafer designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wafer rings are designed with planar sealing surfaces to mate with raised face ANSI flanges, then sealing performance is improved, but compatibility with other flange types (RTJ, groove, tongue, male/female) deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an adapter as an intermediary component between the wafer ring and the flange. The adapter has a first sealing surface that mates with the planar sealing surface of the wafer ring, and a second sealing surface that is configured to mate with various flange types (RTJ, groove, tongue, male/female). This intermediary adapter resolves the contradiction by allowing the wafer ring to maintain its simple planar sealing design while achieving compatibility with multiple flange types through the adapter's multiple sealing surface configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the sealing interface into two separate components: the wafer ring with its planar sealing surface, and the adapter with multiple sealing surface configurations. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the wafer ring maintains its simple planar design for reliable sealing, while the adapter provides the versatility to interface with different flange types through its multiple sealing surface options.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple wafer ring designs are created to accommodate different flange types, then compatibility with various flanges is improved, but device complexity and inventory requirements deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the adapter universal by equipping it with multiple sealing surface configurations (RTJ, groove, tongue, male/female) on its second sealing surface. This single multi-functional adapter can interface with various flange types while the wafer ring maintains a simple, standardized planar sealing design. This eliminates the need for multiple specialized wafer ring designs, reducing device complexity and inventory requirements while maintaining broad compatibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If wafer width is increased to accommodate different sealing surface types, then compatibility with various flanges is improved, but the bore diameter uniformity and flow characteristics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the contradiction by moving the sealing surface variation from the wafer ring's radial dimension (width) to the adapter's axial dimension (sealing surface configuration). The wafer ring maintains a constant width and uniform bore diameter, while the adapter accommodates different flange types through variations in its sealing surface geometry. This dimensional separation preserves bore diameter uniformity and flow characteristics while achieving compatibility with various flanges.
Data Source
AI summary
An industrial process assembly for carrying a process fluid conveyed through process piping includes a wafer having a sealing surface of a first type and a fitting having a sealing surface of a second type, different from the first type. The wafer includes a bore for carrying the process fluid and the fitting is attached to process piping. An adapter has a first sealing surface for mating with the sealing surface of the wafer and a second sealing surface for mating with the sealing surface of the fitting. The adapter is positioned between the wafer and the fitting. The adapter further includes an inner bore having a same diameter as the bore of the wafer in some embodiments. An additional adapter is provided on a second side of the wafer in some embodiments.