The invention relates to a gas pipe system provided with a gas source and downstream of the gas source a gas pipe with a gas pipe end, which in use is connected to a processing module, wherein the gas pipe system is arranged for conducting a gas from the gas source to the processing module, wherein the gas pipe system comprises at least one gas pipe component with an outer jacket comprising an outer jacket inner space, which is at least partly of a material having a relatively low bursting pressure.
The known gas pipe system is provided with a check valve for taking up pressure differences which in use may arise in the gas pipe system due to undesirable (dys)functioning of at least one of the components in the gas pipe system or due to an occurring defect somewhere in the gas pipe system. In the event of an increased pressure or pressure impulse so caused, the check valve ensures that gas is let out of the gas pipe system in order to compensate the pressure impulse or increased pressure to prevent parts of the gas pipe system getting broken due to the (too) high pressure.
A disadvantage of the known gas pipe system is that upon a suddenly occurring relatively high pressure in the gas pipes, e.g., caused by the suddenly occurring defect somewhere in the gas pipe system, the check valve may respond slowly. As a result, the check valve does not blow the gas out of the gas pipe system in time, so that the weakest parts in the gas pipe system, viz. the components provided with a material having the lowest bursting pressure in the gas pipe system, may break due to the pressure. The weakest parts are chiefly the pipe components that are provided with an at least partly transparent outer housing. Transparent parts have a lower bursting pressure than, for example, the stainless steel or copper parts of the gas pipe system and will break first at a high pressure. When a pipe component breaks, this creates an open fluid communication between the contents of the gas pipe system and the air in the space around the gas pipe system. As a result, air particles, whether or not with other undesirable particles, can diffuse from the environment into the gas pipe system. Especially when in processes very pure gases are used, pollution of the pipe system is undesirable. Since pollution necessitates prolonged flushing of the pipes to prevent process equipment at the end of the gas pipe system from becoming polluted, processes may be at a standstill for a long time. Flushing can sometimes take a few hours during which the process is idle. Also, it is undesirable that when a pipe component breaks, gas enters the surrounding space. This is undesirable with a view to the safety of operators present in the space.
In order to remove the above-mentioned disadvantage, the invention contemplates providing an improved gas pipe system with an improved overpressure protection. More particularly, the invention contemplates providing a gas pipe system which prevents, upon a sudden pressure increase or pressure impulse, breaking of the weakest parts of the gas pipe system, resulting in undesirable gas release in the space in which the pipe system is disposed, or the gas pipe system becoming polluted.
To this end, the invention provides a gas pipe system according to the type described in the preamble, characterized in that the at least one gas pipe component is provided with a protection against overpressure occurring in an outer jacket inner space in order to prevent breaking of the outer jacket at the overpressure. When an unexpected pressure increase or pressure impulse arises in the gas pipe system, this pressure will also penetrate into the outer jacket of the gas pipe component. The protection of the gas pipe component ensures at that moment that the pressure is reduced by leading the gas out of the gas pipe component. In this way, the outer jacket is prevented from breaking, so that no gas from the gas pipe system ends up in the space around the gas pipe system, and air from the space is prevented from penetrating into the gas pipe system.
Preferably, according to a further elaboration of the invention, the protection is a break plate, which is arranged to break at an overpressure in the outer jacket inner space, in order to discharge gas from the gas pipe component. This break plate breaks due to the overpressure before the outer jacket has a chance to break. The breaking of the break plate creates a way out for the gas in the gas pipe component which is not present in normal use of the gas pipe system.
In operation, the gas flows from the gas source via the at least one gas pipe component through the gas pipe system. For this, according to a further elaboration of the invention, the outer jacket inner space can be in fluid communication with the gas pipe or in the outer jacket inner space an inner housing may be provided which is in fluid communication with the gas pipe. When an inner housing is provided in the outer jacket inner space through which the gas flows, this inner housing will break first upon a sudden pressure increase or a pressure impulse. The gas then ends up in the outer jacket inner space. After this, the break plate breaks to discharge the gas, so that in this embodiment too the outer jacket remains intact.
According to a further elaboration of the invention, the break plate has a bursting pressure that is lower than the bursting pressure of the outer jacket. Preferably, the outer jacket has a bursting pressure of approximately 15 bar. The break plate may be designed in different ways and can have a bursting pressure of, for example, 1 bar, 2 bar, 3 bar, and so forth, with the bursting pressure of the break plate being in any case lower than the bursting pressure of the outer jacket, hence lower than 15 bar. By designing the break plate such that the bursting pressure thereof is much lower than the bursting pressure of the outer jacket, the chance of the outer jacket breaking despite a protection being present in the gas pipe component is minimal. Certainly with a view to the safety of an operator of the gas pipe system, this safety margin is desirable.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the inner housing may be at least for a part of a material having a relatively low bursting pressure. Preferably, according to a further elaboration of the invention, the outer jacket has a higher bursting pressure than the inner housing. The inner housing can have a bursting pressure of, for example, approximately 11 bar. The inner housing is the first to break upon the pressure increase and thereby provides a throughflow opening for the gas from the inner housing to the outer jacket inner space. The outer jacket inner space remains intact and the gas will leave the gas pipe component via the break plate. It is particularly favorable when between the bursting pressure of the outer jacket and the bursting pressure of the inner housing a safety margin is provided so that upon breaking of the inner housing the outer jacket remains intact during a further pressure increase, in any case until the break plate breaks.
According to a further elaboration of the invention, the material having a relatively low bursting pressure is a transparent material, e.g., glass or acrylate. At some gas pipe components an operator must read information from the at least one gas pipe component. Therefore the gas pipe component can at least partly comprise a transparent material. In this way, the operator can see the contents of the gas pipe component and possibly read information from it.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the at least one gas pipe component is provided with a cartridge which comprises the outer jacket and a coupling part, and a base connected with the coupling part, which is connected to the gas pipe, so that the gas pipe is in fluid communication with the cartridge. The cartridge and the base together form the gas pipe component. The base is fixedly connected with the gas pipe system and typically has a bursting pressure in the same order of magnitude as the bursting pressure of the gas pipe. The cartridge is connected by a coupling part to the base and can easily be replaced. Certainly when the cartridge depending on the function has a relatively short life, it is convenient that the cartridge can be quickly replaced. According to a further elaboration of the invention, the base may be implemented as a regulator, filter base, tap, flowmeter or as a valve. In a further elaboration of the invention, the cartridge may be provided with filter material to filter the gas, and/or with indicator material to indicate pollution of gas. Such a cartridge may be placed on the different bases for fulfilling the filter or indicator function.
According to a further elaboration of the invention, the break plate is provided in the coupling part of the cartridge, and the break plate is in fluid communication with the outer jacket inner space. Further, in a further elaboration of the invention, on the side of the break plate remote from the outer jacket inner space, a discharge channel is provided for discharging gas, wherein in use after the breaking of the break plate the outer jacket inner space is in fluid communication with the discharge channel. The gas that has accumulated in the outer jacket inner space is discharged through the discharge channel. Preferably, the discharge channel is connected to an exhauster or a discharge space, such as a well ventilated space.
In a further elaboration of the invention, in the discharge channel of the at least one gas pipe component a sensor is provided for detecting gas in the discharge channel. According to a further elaboration of the invention, the at least one sensor may be connected to a control, for controlling on the basis of a sensor signal the at least one pipe component or the gas source, and/or for emitting on the basis of the sensor signal a visual signal and/or audio signal in order to warn a user. In this way, a user or operator is automatically warned in the event of the protection of a cartridge coming into action. The operator may be informed about the location of the broken cartridge in the gas pipe system, so that the operator can quickly remedy a defect, if any, and replace the cartridge. In the case where the gas pipe system is not under surveillance by an operator or user, the control may be so designed as to automatically shut off the gas source in the event of a protection coming into action. The control can naturally also control other gas pipe components if desired.
In a further elaboration of the invention, in the fluid communication between the outer jacket inner space and the discharge channel at least one sealing is provided, e.g., an O-ring, in order to prevent microleakage. This prevents slow leakage of small amounts of gas into the space surrounding the gas pipe system.
According to a further elaboration of the invention, an outlet of the discharge channel has a different configuration than an inflow and outflow opening of the cartridge to prevent improper connection of the cartridge to the base. Even when a user or operator is not used to replacing a cartridge, the configuration of the base and the outflow and inflow openings on the cartridge will make it clear how the cartridge should be placed on the base. Improper placement is prevented, so that the risk of breaking of an outer jacket is reduced.
According to a further elaboration of the invention, the gas pipe system can comprise multiple gas pipe components, which are provided with an outer jacket having a relatively low bursting pressure. Depending on the function of the gas pipe system and the kind of gas that flows through the gas pipe system, different gas pipe components may be provided in the gas pipe system.
Also, the invention relates to a gas pipe component for the use in an above-mentioned gas pipe system, wherein the gas pipe component has an outer jacket at least partly provided with material having a relatively low bursting pressure, wherein the gas pipe component is provided with a protection against overpressure occurring in the outer jacket inner space in order to prevent breaking of the outer jacket in use.
Such a gas pipe component affords like advantages and effects to those mentioned and discussed earlier in relation to the gas pipe system.
Further elaborations of the invention are described in the subclaims and will be clarified hereinafter with reference to the drawings, in which:
a shows a sectional view of a first embodiment of a gas pipe component;
b shows a detail of the gas pipe component of
a shows a sectional view of a second embodiment of a gas pipe component;
b shows a detail of the gas pipe component of
a shows a sectional view of a third embodiment of a gas pipe component;
b shows a detail of the gas pipe component of
It is noted that like reference numerals refer to like parts in the different figures.
In
The gas pipe 3 comprises a number of gas pipe components 6, 6′, 6″, 6″′, which have an outer jacket 7 comprising an outer jacket inner space 7a, which is at least partly of a material having a relatively low bursting pressure. The relatively low bursting pressure is a bursting pressure that is in any case lower than a bursting pressure of other parts in the gas pipe system, e.g., of stainless steel or copper parts of the gas pipe system. In this exemplary embodiment, for example, a gas pipe component 6 is a regulator, which is provided with an indicator, another component 6′ is a quick-change filter, a next component 6″ is an in-line filter and a last gas pipe component is a tap 6′″ provided with an indicator. Also, a gas pipe component may be, e.g., a valve.
The components 6, 6′, 6″, 6′″ are provided with a protection 8 (see
In
On a side 8b of the break plate 8 remote from the outer jacket inner space 7a, a discharge channel 13 is provided. This discharge channel 13 can be connected to an exhaust system 14 (see
In
The cartridge 10 is fastened to the base 12 with the aid of a fastening ring (not shown). For changing the cartridge 10, the fastening ring is removed, after which the cartridge 10 can be taken off. The cartridge 10 may, for example, be changed at the same time as the gas cylinder is changed. Further, the base 12 may comprise valves (not shown) for shutting off the outflow and inflow opening (not shown) for the gas in the base 12, in order to prevent inward diffusion of particles in the gas pipe system 1. It is particularly advantageous when an outflow opening 13c of the discharge channel 13 in a side of the coupling part 11 of the cartridge 10 that is opposite the base 12 has a different configuration than the gas inflow and gas outflow opening of the cartridge 10 in order to prevent incorrect connection of the cartridge 10 to the base 12. What may be accomplished, for example, with different diameters of the respective openings is that the cartridge 10 can only be fastened to the base 12 in one manner. It is also possible that the base 12 and the cartridge 10 both comprise cooperating shaped parts. This promotes proper connection and prevents cartridges from other manufacturers, for example without a protection, being fastened onto the base 12.
In
Also, the control 16 may be designed to generate a warning signal, such as, for example, a visual signal, such as switching on a lamp, or an audio signal to the operator or user. The operator can then trace a defect, if any, and may or may not stop the gas flow in the gas pipe system 1. It is clear, of course, that the sensor 15 may be provided at any location between the discharge channel 13 and the exhaust system 14, hence also somewhere in the discharge pipe 13b. Also, possibly, a sensor may be provided on the break plate 8, arranged to produce a signal when the break plate 8 breaks.
In
Finally,
It will be clear that the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described, but that various changes are possible within the framework of the invention as defined by the claims. In another embodiment of the invention, there may be provided in the outer jacket an inner housing that is open at one end and so is in fluid communication with the inner space of the outer jacket. In use, the gas flows via the inflow opening of the cartridge into the outer jacket and then flows via the open end through the inner housing, which may or may not be provided with filter material and/or indicator material. Via the inner housing, the gas leaves the cartridge via the outflow opening, then to flow via the base back into the gas pipe system again. In such an embodiment of the invention, the inner housing will not break upon a pressure impulse or a sudden pressure increase, since there is an open communication between the inner housing and the outer jacket. Naturally, it is also conceivable that the gas enters the inner space via an inner housing open on one side and then via the outer jacket inner space leaves the outer jacket inner space again through an outlet opening. Naturally, gas pipe systems with different compositions of gas pipe components fall within the invention. Thus, a gas pipe system may comprise only a few gas pipe components or a large number of components. Further, just a single gas pipe component with an outer jacket of a material having a relatively low bursting pressure may be present, but also more or all gas pipe components may be provided with an outer jacket of a material having a relatively low bursting pressure.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2002916 | May 2009 | NL | national |