Patent Application
20240254650
The present disclosure relates to an electroplating apparatus for surface modification of pipes. The electroplating apparatus modifies surface characteristics of a pipe by uniformly plating a surface of the pipe.
The present disclosure is directed to research performed with the finance from “Business for Supporting Researcher Training for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises” sponsored by the Korean Ministry of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Startups (Business Group for Professional Manpower Training in Manufacture and Design of Convergence Parts in the Hydrogen Industry, Project No.: S3282193).
Recently, with increase in global carbon emissions, demand for various eco-friendly energy sources for carbon neutrality has been increasing. According to this trend, interest in hydrogen energy has also been growing.
Due to the growing interest in hydrogen energy, demand for hydrogen production, storage, and production facilities has been increasing, and accordingly, demand for pipes used for transporting hydrogen gas has also been increasing.
However, in a hydrogen gas transport pipe according to the related art, hydrogen permeates into the pipe due to continuous contact with the pipe, resulting in hydrogen embrittlement, in which mechanical properties of the pipe are deteriorated. This leads to a decrease in durability of the pipe, and in severe cases, may cause safety accidents such as gas leakage and explosion.
As a method for solving the above problem found in the related art, a method of changing the material of the pipe and a method of plating the surface of the pipe are known.
However, the method of changing the material of the pipe is not only cumbersome but also incurs enormous costs because it requires an overall change in the manufacturing process.
In addition, since the method of plating the surface of the pipe mainly coats the surface of the pipe by melting metal, the type of metal that can be plated is limited due to the melting point of the metal, and it is difficult to form a plating layer with a thin and uniform thickness on the surface of the pipe.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
In one general aspect, the electroplating apparatus for surface modification of pipes includes: a housing including an inner space accommodating an electrode, a plating solution, and a pipe therein, and a plating solution inlet disposed on a lower surface of the housing and allowing the plating solution to be injected therethrough; a plating auxiliary part disposed inside the housing, vertically fixing the pipe inserted into the housing, and guiding the plating solution injected into the housing to flow toward an upper portion of the housing; and an auxiliary support part disposed inside the housing, spacing the plating auxiliary part and the plating solution inlet apart from each other by a predetermined distance, and guiding the plating solution introduced through the plating solution inlet to flow in a direction, where the plating auxiliary part is disposed.
The electroplating apparatus may further include a plating solution supply pipe connected to the plating solution inlet for supplying the plating solution into the housing.
The housing may have a structure, in which the upper portion is open and the lower surface is provided with a plating solution outlet allowing the plating solution injected into the housing through the plating solution inlet to be discharged therethrough.
The electroplating apparatus may further include at least one discharge pipe for discharging the plating solution injected into the housing and a valve for controlling the discharge of the plating solution.
The plating auxiliary part may include: a support plate disposed inside the housing and supporting the pipe inserted into the housing; a pipe fixing portion disposed on an upper surface of the support plate and vertically fixing the pipe inserted into the housing; and a plating solution guide portion disposed on the support plate and guiding the plating solution injected into the housing to flow toward the upper portion of the housing.
A lower surface and an upper surface of the support plate may be disposed parallel to the lower surface of the housing.
The pipe fixing portion may protrude upward from the upper surface of the support plate in a ring shape having an inner diameter corresponding to an outer diameter of the pipe so that the pipe is inserted therein.
At least one inner plating solution passage hole may be disposed on the upper surface of the support plate at a position inside the pipe fixing portion, thereby allowing the plating solution injected into the housing to pass therethrough inside the pipe.
The plating auxiliary part may further include an electrode fixing portion disposed at a center of the upper surface of the support plate and fixing the electrode inserted into the housing.
The electrode may have an outer surface spaced apart from an inner surface of the pipe by a predetermined distance.
The auxiliary support part may have an open upper portion so that the plating auxiliary part is inserted therein, and a protruding step disposed therein to support the plating auxiliary part so that the inserted plating auxiliary part does not contact with the lower surface of the housing.
The electroplating apparatus may further include a cover disposed inside the housing, supported by an upper end of the pipe and an upper end of the auxiliary support part, and preventing the plating solution passing through the inner plating solution passage hole from flowing between an outer surface of the pipe and an inner surface of the auxiliary support part.
The cover may have at least one hollow communicating with an inside of the pipe so that the plating solution passing through the inside of the pipe passes therethrough.
The cover may further include a cable passage hole disposed on an upper surface of the cover to allow a cable for connecting to the pipe to pass therethrough.
The plating solution guide portion may further include an outer plating solution passage hole disposed on the upper surface of the support plate at a position outside the pipe fixing portion, allowing the plating solution injected into the housing to pass therethrough, and guiding the plating solution to flow outside the pipe.
The objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by describing in detail the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Throughout the drawings and the detailed description, unless otherwise described or provided, the same drawing reference numerals may be understood to refer to the same or like elements, features, and structures. The drawings may not be to scale, and the relative size, proportions, and depiction of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity, illustration, and convenience.
The following detailed description is provided to assist the reader in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the methods, apparatuses, and/or systems described herein. However, various changes, modifications, and equivalents of the methods, apparatuses, and/or systems described herein will be apparent after an understanding of the disclosure of this application. For example, the sequences within and/or of operations described herein are merely examples, and are not limited to those set forth herein, but may be changed as will be apparent after an understanding of the disclosure of this application, except for sequences within and/or of operations necessarily occurring in a certain order. As another example, the sequences of and/or within operations may be performed in parallel, except for at least a portion of sequences of and/or within operations necessarily occurring in an order, e.g., a certain order. Also, descriptions of features that are known after an understanding of the disclosure of this application may be omitted for increased clarity and conciseness.
Throughout the specification, unless otherwise specified, when an element is referred to as “including” another element, it will be understood to mean the inclusion of stated elements but not the exclusion of any other elements.
Throughout the specification, when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present.
In the present specification, it will be understood that when “B” is referred to as being on “A,” “B” can be directly on “A” or other component(s) may be interposed therebetween. That is, the location of “B” is not construed as being limited to direct contact of “B” with the surface of “A.”
Throughout the specification, the term “combination of” included in Markush type description refers to a mixture or combination of one or more components selected from a group consisting of components described in the Markush form and thereby means including one or more components selected from the Markush group.
In the present specification, the description of “A and/or B” means “A, or B, or A and B.”
In the present specification, the terms such as “first,” “second” or “A,” “B” are used to distinguish the same terms from each other, unless otherwise specified.
In the present specification, the singular forms “a” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly specifies otherwise.
The present disclosure has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the related art, and an objective of the present disclosure is to provide an electroplating apparatus for surface modification of pipes, the electroplating apparatus modifying a surface of a pipe through electroplating by forming a uniform plating layer on the surface of the pipe without changing the material of the pipe.
The objectives of the present disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other objectives not mentioned will be clearly understood from the following description.
An electroplating apparatus for surface modification of pipes according to the present disclosure configured as described above has the following effects.
By forming a uniform plating layer on a surface of a pipe through electroplating, it is possible to modify the surface of the pipe without changing the material of the pipe.
During electroplating of the pipe, the pipe is fixed vertically and a plating solution flows vertically. Thus, it is possible to relatively reduce the effect of gravity on the plating solution compared to when the plating solution flows horizontally, thereby enabling a uniform plating layer to be formed on the surface of the pipe.
Hereinbelow, the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
The housing 100 may have an inner space accommodating an electrode B, a plating solution, and a pipe A therein, and may have a plating solution inlet 110 disposed on a lower surface thereof and allowing the plating solution to be injected therethrough.
A separate plating solution supply pipe for supplying the plating solution into the housing 100 may be connected to the plating solution inlet 110.
The plating solution inlet 110 may be disposed on a center of the lower surface of the housing 100 so that the plating solution is injected into the housing 100 and the pipe A is uniformly plated.
The housing 100 may have a structure, in which an upper portion is open and a lower portion is provided with a plating solution outlet 120 allowing the plating solution injected into the housing 100 through the plating solution inlet 110 to be discharged therethrough.
At least one of a separate discharge pipe for discharging the plating solution injected into the housing 100 and a valve for controlling the discharge amount and discharge of the plating solution may be connected to the plating solution outlet 120. Thus, the plating solution injected into the housing 100 may be discharged from the inside of the housing 100 to the outside of the housing 100 when necessary.
The plating auxiliary part 200 may be disposed inside the housing 100, may vertically fix the pipe A inserted into the housing 100, and may guide the plating solution to flow toward the upper portion of the housing 100 when the plating solution is injected into the housing 100.
The plating auxiliary part 200 may include a support plate 210, a pipe fixing portion 220, a plating solution guide portion 230, and an electrode fixing portion 240.
The support plate 210 may be disposed inside the housing 100 and may support the pipe A inserted into the housing 100.
The support plate 210 may be disposed such that a lower surface thereof faces the plating solution inlet 110, and may be spaced apart from the plating solution inlet 110 by a predetermined distance.
The support plate 210 may be disposed inside the housing 100 such that a center thereof faces the plating solution inlet 110.
The pipe A may be inserted into the housing 100 such that a center thereof faces the plating solution inlet 110. Thus, the plating solution introduced through the plating solution inlet 110 may uniformly flow to the vicinity of the pipe A.
The support plate 210 may have a lower surface and an upper surface parallel to an inner lower surface of the housing 100 such that the pipe A is vertically fixed inside the housing 100.
The pipe fixing portion 220 may be disposed on an upper portion of the support plate 210, may allow the pipe A inserted into the housing 100 to be inserted therein, and may vertically fix the pipe A when the pipe A is inserted therein.
The pipe fixing portion 220 may protrude upward from the upper surface of the support plate 210 in a ring shape having an inner diameter corresponding to an outer diameter of the pipe A such that the pipe A is inserted therein.
The pipe fixing portion 220 may be disposed at the center of the support plate 210 such that the pipe A inserted into the housing 100 is fixed to the center of the support plate 210.
The pipe fixing portion 220 may be disposed on the upper portion of the support plate 210 such that an inner center thereof corresponds to the center of the support plate 210.
The pipe fixing portion 220 may protrude upward from the upper surface of the support plate 210 such that the inner diameter thereof has a predetermined diameter. Here, the inner diameter of the pipe fixing portion 220 may correspond to an inner diameter of the pipe A. Thus, the pipe A may be fitted into the pipe fixing portion.
When the pipe A is vertically fixed above the plating solution inlet 110, the effect of gravity on the plating solution may be relatively reduced during electroplating of the pipe A using the electroplating apparatus for surface modification of the pipes according to the present disclosure. Thus, a uniform plating layer may be formed on the pipe A.
The plating solution guide portion 230 may be disposed in the support plate 210 and may guide the plating solution injected into the housing 100 to flow toward the upper portion of the housing 100.
The plating solution guide portion 230 may guide the plating solution injected into the housing 100 through the plating solution inlet 110 to flow into the pipe A inserted into the housing 100.
The plating solution guide portion 230 may include an inner plating solution passage hole 231.
At least one inner plating solution passage hole 231 may be disposed on the support plate 210 at a position inside the pipe fixing portion 220, may allow the plating solution injected into the housing 100 to pass therethrough, and may guide the passed plating solution to flow inside the pipe A.
The plating solution passing through the inner plating solution passage hole 231 may flow inside the pipe A toward the upper portion of the housing 100. Here, when the current density is formed in the plating solution, a plating layer may be formed on an inner surface of the pipe A.
The shape of the inner plating solution passage hole 231 is not limited as long as it allows the passed plating solution to have a uniform flow outside the pipe A inserted into the housing 100, and may preferably be circular.
Meanwhile, the electrode B may be installed inside the pipe A inserted into the housing 100 such that a plating layer is formed inside the pipe A during electroplating using the electroplating apparatus for surface modification of the pipes according to the present disclosure. The electrode B may be installed at the center of the support plate 210 such that the distance between the installed electrode B and the pipe A is constant, and may have an outer surface spaced apart from the inner surface of the pipe A by a predetermined distance.
When the electrode B is provided at the center of the support plate 210 and the outer surface thereof is spaced apart from the inner surface of the pipe A by the predetermined distance, a uniform current may be formed between the electrode B and the pipe A due to the constant distance between the electrode B and the pipe A, such that a uniform plating layer may be formed on the inner surface of the pipe A.
The electrode fixing portion 240 may be disposed at a center of the upper surface of the support plate 210 and may fix the electrode B inserted into the housing 100.
The electrode fixing portion 240 may face the plating solution inlet 110 and may fix the electrode B installed inside the pipe A.
The electrode fixing portion 240 may protrude from the center of the upper surface of the support plate 210 in a ring shape having a predetermined inner diameter. The electrode B installed inside the pipe A may be inserted into and fixed in the electrode fixing portion 240.
Preferably, the electrode fixing portion 240 may be formed at the center of the support plate 210 such that the distance between the outer surface of the electrode B and the inner surface of the pipe A is constant.
The auxiliary support part 300 may be provided inside the housing 100, may space the plating auxiliary part 200 and the plating solution inlet 110 apart from each other by a predetermined distance, and may guide the plating solution introduced through the plating solution inlet 110 to flow in the direction, in which the plating auxiliary part 200 is disposed.
The auxiliary support part 300 may prevent the plating solution passing through the inner plating solution passage hole 231 from flowing outward in the left and right directions from the support plate 210 such that the plating solution passing through the inner plating solution passage hole 231 flows upward. Thus, the plating solution may uniformly flow outside the pipe A.
That is, the auxiliary support part 300 may prevent the plating solution passing through the inner plating solution passage hole 231 from flowing in the left and right directions toward an inner wall of the housing 100 such that the plating solution flows toward the upper portion of the housing 100.
The auxiliary support part 300 may allow the plating auxiliary part 200 to be inserted therein, and may have an inner surface surrounding an outer surface of the pipe A and spaced apart from the outer surface of the pipe A by a predetermined distance such that the plating solution passing through the inner plating solution passage hole 231 is prevented from flowing toward the inner wall of the housing 100.
The auxiliary support part 300 may have a cylindrical shape with an open upper portion such that the plating auxiliary part 200 is inserted therein, and may have a protruding step 310 disposed therein to support the plating auxiliary part 200 such that the inserted plating auxiliary part 200 does not contact with the lower surface of the housing 100.
The protruding step 310 may protrude inward from the inner surface of the auxiliary support part 300 such that the support plate 210 is seated on the protruding step when the plating auxiliary part 200 is inserted into the auxiliary support part 300.
As the plating auxiliary part 200 is seated on the protruding step 310, the auxiliary support part 300 may support the plating auxiliary part 200 by spacing the plating auxiliary portion apart from the plating solution inlet 110 by a predetermined distance.
Meanwhile, the plating solution passing through the inner plating solution passage hole 231 may pass between the outer surface of the auxiliary support part 300 and the inner surface of the housing 100 and be discharged through the plating solution outlet 120. When only the inner surface of the pipe A is to be plated using the electroplating apparatus for surface modification of the pipes according to the present disclosure, the plating solution passing through the inner plating solution passage hole 231 may flow between the outer surface of the pipe A and the inner surface of the auxiliary support part 300, such that the outer surface of the pipe A may be undesirably plated. Thus, it may plate not only the inner surface but also the outer surface of the pipe A.
To prevent this, the electroplating apparatus for surface modification of the pipes according to the present disclosure may further include a cover 400.
The cover 400 may be disposed inside the housing 100, may be supported by an upper end of the pipe A fixed by the pipe fixing portion 220 and an upper end of the auxiliary support part 300, and may prevent the plating solution passing through the inner plating solution passage hole 231 from flowing out of the pipe A.
The cover 400 may prevent the plating solution passing through the inner plating solution passage hole 231 and then passing through the inside of the pipe A from flowing between the outer surface of the pipe A and the inner surface of the auxiliary support part 300.
The cover 400 may be provided on an upper portion of the pipe A and an upper portion of the auxiliary support part 300 and may close a space disposed between the outer surface of the pipe A and the inner surface of the auxiliary support part 300.
The cover 400 may be fitted into the space disposed between the pipe A and the auxiliary support part 300, and may have a hollow 410 communicating with the inside of the pipe A such that the plating solution passing through the inside of the pipe A passes therethrough.
Meanwhile, in order to perform electroplating on the pipe A, it is required to supply electrical energy to the pipe A. To this end, a cable passage hole 420 may be disposed in the cover 400.
The cable passage hole 420 may be disposed in the cover 400 to allow a cable C for connecting to the pipe A to pass therethrough.
As the cable passage hole 420 is disposed in the cover 400, the cable C may be inserted into the space disposed between the outer surface of the pipe A and the inner surface of the auxiliary support part 300 from the outside and connected to the pipe A.
When the pipe A is to be plated using the electroplating apparatus for surface modification of the pipes according to the present disclosure, only the inner surface of the pipe A may be plated and modified. When the outer surface of the pipe A is also to be plated and modified, a modification is required to plate the outer surface of the pipe A.
Referring to
Meanwhile, the electroplating apparatus may include a housing 100, a plating auxiliary part 200, and an auxiliary support part 300, which are included in the electroplating apparatus for surface modification of the pipes according to the present disclosure. In describing the modification, substantially the same elements will be identified with the same reference numerals used above, and repeated descriptions will be omitted.
The outer plating solution passage hole 232 may be disposed in a support plate 210 at a position outside a pipe fixing portion 220, may allow a plating solution injected into a housing 100 to pass therethrough, and may guide the passed plating solution to flow outside the pipe A.
At least one outer plating solution passage hole 232 may be formed along the outer circumference of the support plate 210.
The plating solution introduced through a plating solution inlet 110 may pass through the inner plating solution passage hole 231 and the outer plating solution passage hole 232, and the plating solution passing through the outer plating solution passage hole 232 may flow between an inner surface of the auxiliary support part 300 and an outer surface of the pipe A. Thus, a plating layer may be formed on the outer surface of the pipe A during electroplating.
Meanwhile, in order to form a plating layer on the outer surface of the pipe A using the electroplating apparatus, it is required to provide an electrode outside the pipe A. To this end, when electroplating is performed using the electroplating apparatus, a cylindrical electrode B′ having open upper and lower portions and having a space therein may be installed between the auxiliary support part 300 and the pipe A.
The plating auxiliary part 200 of the electroplating apparatus may include an electrode seat 250 seating the cylindrical electrode B′ installed between the auxiliary support part 300 and the pipe A.
The electrode seat 250 may be formed between the inner surface of the auxiliary support part 300 and an area where the inner plating solution passage hole 231 is disposed in the support plate 210 such that the cylindrical electrode B′ installed between the auxiliary support part 300 and the pipe A is not moved by the flow of the plating solution passing through the outer plating solution passage hole 232.
The electrode seat 250 may be disposed to extend outward from the area where the outer plating solution passage hole 232 is disposed in the support plate 210.
The outer plating solution passage hole 232 may be disposed in the support plate 210 at a position between the outside of the pipe fixing portion 220 and the inner surface of the auxiliary support part 300, and may be disposed on the support plate 210 at a position between the electrode seat 250 and the pipe fixing portion 220. Thus, the cylindrical electrode B′ seated on the electrode seat 250 may not be moved by the plating solution passing through the outer plating solution passage hole 232, such that a plating layer may be uniformly formed on the outer surface of the pipe A.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present disclosure can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present disclosure is therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restricted. The scope of the present disclosure is indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and all changes that come within the meaning, range, and equivalence thereof are intended to be embraced therein.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2023-0012672 | Jan 2023 | KR | national |
Pursuant to 35 USC 120 and 365(c), this application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/KR2023/002874 filed on Mar. 2, 2023, and claims the benefit under 35 USC 119(a) of Korean Application No. 10-2023-0012672 filed on Jan. 31, 2023, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/KR2023/002874 | Mar 2023 | WO |
| Child | 18468859 | US |
