RELEASING PRESSURIZED FLUID FROM A VESSEL
A cover is provided for a removable pressure vessel lid and the cover has a peripheral flange extending over the interface of the lid and pressure vessel to direct escaping pressurized fluid away from the operator upon release of the lid fasteners. In another version, the peripheral flange is provided on the lid.
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The present disclosure relates to controlling release of pressurized fluid from a vessel of the type having an open end with a closure removable for open access to the contents of the vessel. In particular, the disclosure relates to the type of pressure vessel employed for filtering fluid through filter elements disposed within the pressure vessel and which require periodic removal for cleaning or replacement. The vessel usually contains an inlet and outlet connected in line in a fluid system for passing fluid under pressure through the filter elements contained within the vessel. Such pressure vessels commonly employ a header or closure plate disposed over an open end of the pressure vessel and secured thereto by fasteners such as bolts or toggle clamps and sealed over the end of the pressure vessel by a seal such as an O-ring.
When it has been desired to open the closure plate or cover of the pressure vessel for interior access, it has been necessary for the operator to carefully loosen the fasteners securing the lid to the closure in order that the residual pressure in the vessel is not released at an accelerated rate in order to prevent injury to the operator by the rapidly escaping pressurized fluid which may include particulate matter from the filters. The more common arrangement of the cover for the filter closure is a flat plate secured to a flange formed about the open end of the pressure vessel with a gasket or seal ring interposed therebetween. Thus, loosening of the fasteners can provide a blast of pressurized fluid escaping between the flange and the undersurface of the cover plate as the fasteners are released thereby creating a hazardous condition for the operator upon initiating loosening of the fasteners.
Thus, it has been desired to provide a way or means of reducing the hazard of escaping fluid under high pressure from a pressure vessel upon depressurizing by removal of the vessel closure or lid.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONThe present disclosure provides a solution to the problem of prevention hazardous escape of fluid under high pressure from a pressure vessel during operation in the event of seal failure and upon the operator loosening of the fasteners of the vessel closure for removal thereof for access to the interior of the pressure vessel.
In one version, the pressure vessel closure or lid has a cover secured thereover with a flange extending peripherally thereabout and at generally right angles to the cover for directing fluid escaping between the cover and the pressure vessel in a direction generally parallel to the walls of the pressure vessel and thus in a direction away from the operator as the fasteners retaining the lid are released.
In another version, the cover has a peripheral flange provided thereon which extends generally at right angles to the lid and over the juncture of the lid and pressure vessel flange for directing fluid escaping therebetween in a direction away from the user or operator. If desired, the peripheral flange may be formed integrally as a one-piece member with the closure or lid.
Referring to
The flange 18 has a plurality of threaded bores 20 formed therethrough and disposed in peripherally spaced arrangement for receiving therein suitable retaining members such as threaded fasteners; however, alternatively suitable clamps such as unshown toggle clamps could be employed.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Flange 46 has a plurality of threaded bores 60 provided therethrough disposed in peripherally spaced arrangement thereabout. The lid 50 has complimentary bores 62 formed therethrough which are located on the lid so that each is aligned to coincide with one of the threaded bores 60. The suitable threaded fasteners such as eye bolts 64 are received through the bores 62 and threadingly engage the threaded bores 60 for retaining the lid 50 in contact with the sealing surface 48 and causing the seal rings 52, 54 to seal the pressure vessel to prevent escape of pressurized fluid therefrom.
When it is desired to depressurize the pressure vessel or release the pressurized fluid therefrom, the fasteners 64 are loosened by the operator and the seal between the seal rings 52 and the sealing surface 48 is broken permitting pressurized fluid to escape into the radial gap between the flange 56 and the flange 46 and to flow in a direction away from the operator.
The present disclosure thus describes a system for depressurizing a pressure vessel wherein the cover flange is provided about the sealing surface of the lid and the open end of the pressure vessel so that upon the operator loosening the fasteners containing the lid, the pressurized fluid is directed away from the user.
Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the exemplary embodiments be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.
Claims
1. A method of protecting a user during release of pressurized fluid from a vessel of the type having an access opening with a removable closure therein comprising:
- (a) sealing between the closure and the access opening;
- (b) providing user releasable retaining apparatus for securing the closure over the access opening; and,
- (c) forming an exclusive flow passage upon user release of the retaining apparatus and directing escaping pressurized fluid in a direction away from the user.
2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the step of forming an exclusive flow passage includes forming a peripheral flange on the closure.
3. The method defined in claim 2, wherein the step of forming a peripheral flange includes forming an annular flange.
4. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the step of forming an exclusive flow passage includes forming an annular channel between the closure and the vessel.
5. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the step of providing user releasable retaining apparatus includes providing a plurality of threaded fasteners.
6. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the step of sealing includes disposing a resilient seal between the closure and access opening.
7. A pressure vessel of the type having an access opening and a removable closure thereover comprising:
- (a) wall structure defining a fluid pressure chamber having an access opening;
- (b) a closure disposed over the access opening;
- (c) means operable for sealing the closure over the access opening;
- (d) means operable for releasably retaining the closure over the access opening; and,
- (e) means operable, upon user release of the retaining means for directing flow of pressurized fluid in a direction away from the user.
8. The pressure vessel defined in claim 7, wherein the means for directing flow comprises a channel formed in one of the wall structure and the closure.
9. The vessel defined in claim 7, wherein the means for directing flow includes a channel formed in the wall structure and the closure.
10. The vessel defined in claim 7, wherein the means for directing flow includes a peripheral channel about the access opening.
11. The vessel defined in claim 10, wherein the channel has an annular configuration.
12. The vessel defined in claim 7, wherein the means operable for sealing comprises an annular seal.
13. The vessel defined in claim 12, wherein the annular seal comprises an O-ring.
14. The vessel defined in claim 7, wherein the means operable for releasable retaining includes threaded fasteners.
Type: Application
Filed: May 5, 2009
Publication Date: Nov 11, 2010
Applicant:
Inventors: Ryan John Williams (Jackson, NJ), Richard Bradley Jacobs (Ocean, NJ), David Jay Taubenslag (Monmouth Jct, NJ)
Application Number: 12/435,472
International Classification: B65D 51/16 (20060101); B65D 45/00 (20060101); B65D 53/02 (20060101);