Weld Ring Seal Layout for Leak-Tight Flange Connections

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing weld ring seals in process engineering plants face challenges with tightness due to misalignment and errors in the sealing seam, particularly under dynamic loads, leading to potential leaks and increased risk during assembly and dismantling, especially with hazardous media.

Innovation Solution

The toroidal connecting section is arranged radially on the inside, allowing the base sections to be welded outside, enabling precise positioning and quality control of the sealing seam before assembly, with features like an annular gap and notches to manage forces and reduce stress on fillet welds, and using materials with high elongation at break for enhanced durability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the weld ring halves are welded to the flanges via fillet welds with the torus-shaped connecting section arranged radially outside, then the sealing function is achieved, but the misalignment and defects in the sealing seam lead to tightness problems under dynamic loads

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing tightnessVSAvoidalignment precision of weld ring halves

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional arrangement by positioning the torus-shaped connecting section radially inside instead of outside. This inversion allows the sealing seam to be welded first with full accessibility, then the weld ring halves are positioned and welded to the flanges. The inversion resolves the contradiction by enabling precise sealing seam welding before assembly, eliminating alignment issues that occur when welding under clamped conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing seam is welded in advance before the weld ring halves are assembled to the flanges. This preliminary action allows the sealing seam to be welded with optimal accessibility and quality control, ensuring high manufacturing precision. The pre-welded sealing seam is then integrated into the final assembly, guaranteeing reliability without the misalignment problems that occur when welding under clamped conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If the sealing seam is welded with utmost care to ensure root formation inside the hollow interior, then the sealing quality is improved, but the quality cannot be checked afterwards as flanges are already clamped together

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing seam qualityVSAvoidinspectability of welding seam

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing seam is welded in advance before the weld ring halves are assembled to the flanges. This preliminary action allows the sealing seam to be welded with optimal accessibility and quality control, ensuring high manufacturing precision. The pre-welded sealing seam is then integrated into the final assembly, guaranteeing reliability without the misalignment problems that occur when welding under clamped conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent inverts the conventional arrangement by positioning the torus-shaped connecting section radially inside instead of outside. This inversion allows the sealing seam to be welded first with full accessibility, then the weld ring halves are positioned and welded to the flanges. The inversion resolves the contradiction by enabling precise sealing seam welding before assembly, eliminating alignment issues that occur when welding under clamped conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the weld ring seal is designed to compensate for radial loads through torus-shaped connecting section deformation, then the adaptability to dynamic stress is improved, but the tightness becomes significantly dependent on the seal seam quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompensation for radial displacementsVSAvoidtightness dependency on seal seam

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing seam is welded in advance before the weld ring halves are assembled to the flanges. This preliminary action allows the sealing seam to be welded with optimal accessibility and quality control, ensuring high manufacturing precision. The pre-welded sealing seam is then integrated into the final assembly, guaranteeing reliability without the misalignment problems that occur when welding under clamped conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Manufacturing precision

If the weld ring halves are positioned and fastened with extreme precision during clamping, then the alignment of lips is improved, but the assembly complexity and time are increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment of lipsVSAvoidassembly time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing seam is welded in advance before the weld ring halves are assembled to the flanges. This preliminary action allows the sealing seam to be welded with optimal accessibility and quality control, ensuring high manufacturing precision. The pre-welded sealing seam is then integrated into the final assembly, guaranteeing reliability without the misalignment problems that occur when welding under clamped conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent inverts the conventional arrangement by positioning the torus-shaped connecting section radially inside instead of outside. This inversion allows the sealing seam to be welded first with full accessibility, then the weld ring halves are positioned and welded to the flanges. The inversion resolves the contradiction by enabling precise sealing seam welding before assembly, eliminating alignment issues that occur when welding under clamped conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 configuration simplifies assembly, reduces the risk of errors, ensures higher quality welds, and allows for easier replacement of the weld ring seal without compromising sealing integrity, even under dynamic conditions and with hazardous media.

Implementation Method 1

the weld ring halves are welded to the base section via a fillet weld to the adjacent flange

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectWelding: Welding

Implementation Method 2

the weld ring halves are welded together at the torus-shaped connecting section via a sealing seam

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectWelding: Welding

Data Source

PatentEP3800389A1Flange connection with welded ring seal

Publication Date: 2021.04.07 KLINGER KEMPCHEN GMBH

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AI summary

A flange connection with two flanges (1, 2) and a weld ring seal (4) arranged between the flanges (1, 2), wherein the weld ring seal (4) has two weld ring halves (4a, 4b) arranged one above the other, each having a base section (5a, 5b) and a lip (6a, 6b) arranged thereon, wherein the weld ring halves (4a, 4b) are welded to the adjacent flange (1, 2) at the base section (5a, 5b) via a fillet weld (10a, 10b), and wherein the lips (6a, 6b) form a torus-shaped connecting section (7) with a hollow interior (8), and the weld ring halves (4a, 4b) are welded together at the torus-shaped connecting section (7) via a sealing seam (9). According to the invention, the torus-shaped connecting section (7) is arranged radially inside.