Abstract:
A fluid distribution assembly includes modules for channelling fluid and for mounting components a body having at least one support face for supporting the modules, the support face having a regular network of elements for fixing the modules. A passage for fluid is provided inside the body. The assembly finds application in the analysis of fluids circulating in industrial installations.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention concerns a fluid distribution assembly, of the type having modules for channelling fluid and for mounting functional components intended to interact with the fluid, and a body having at least one support face for supporting the modules, the said support face having a regular network of fixing elements.  
         [0002]     The invention applies, for example, to the analysis or measurement of characteristics of fluids circulating in industrial installations for this purpose, assemblies of the aforesaid type are used. The body is constituted by a thin plate. The fixing means are threaded holes which pass through the plate and are distributed according to one of the two possibilities provided for by standard ANSI/ISA-76.00.02-2002.  
         [0003]     The holes are therefore distributed so as to form squares, and the spacing between two holes of the same square may be 37 mm or 56 mm.  
         [0004]     Thus it is possible to fix on the plate, fluid channelling modules having dimensions which are also standardised. The modules are thus substantially in the shape of a parallelepiped with square base, the sides of which have a length of 38.2 mm if the first possibility is selected or, respectively, 57.2 mm if the second possibility is selected.  
         [0005]     The modules have internal channels and are arranged one after the other, being connected by connecting members, in order to effect the channelling of the fluid. The modules also serve for the mounting of functional components intended to interact with the fluid, such as valves, taps, pressure gauges, transducers, sensors, etc.  
         [0006]     Owing to the above-mentioned standard, the perforated plates, the modules and the components are interchangeable, whoever their manufacturers, thus making it possible in particular to guarantee reduced costs.  
         [0007]     In order to analyse a fluid, for example in an industrial installation, the fluid distribution assembly, equipped with the appropriate functional components, may be arranged downstream of a branch connection made on the pipe of the installation in which the fluid to be analysed circulates. A filter is generally provided between the branch connection and the fluid distribution assembly, in order to avoid polluting the analysis and measurement components.  
         [0008]     Such known distribution assemblies prove satisfactory, but it is still desirable to reduce their overall dimensions.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     It is therefore an aim of the invention to solve this problem by providing a distribution assembly of the aforesaid type which is of more reduced overall dimensions.  
         [0010]     To this end, the subject of the invention is an assembly of the aforesaid type, characterized in that a passage for the fluid is provided inside the body.  
         [0011]     According to particular embodiments, the invention may comprise one or more of the following features, taken singly or in all the technically possible combinations:  
         [0012]     the body has at least two support faces, each of which faces has a regular network of fixing means for the modules;  
         [0013]     the fluid passage and the or each support face extend in a longitudinal direction;  
         [0014]     the body has a polygonal cross-section, the or each support face forming one side of the polygon;  
         [0015]     the body has as many support faces as the polygon has sides;  
         [0016]     the fluid passage passes through the body from side to side;  
         [0017]     the fixing means are holes provided in the or each support face of the body;  
         [0018]     the fixing means are distributed at the corners of squares;  
         [0019]     the squares have sides with a length of 37 mm or 56 mm;  
         [0020]     the assembly further comprises functional components intended to be fixed on the or each support face by means of the fixing means in order to interact with the fluid; and the assembly comprises a filter for filtering the fluid, which filter is carried by the body.  
         [0021]     The invention also has as its subject the use of an assembly such as defined above for distributing a supply fluid for an engine of a vessel.  
         [0022]     According to one variant, the fluid is oil. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]     The invention will be more easily understood on reading the following description, provided solely by way of example, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:  
         [0024]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic view in longitudinal section of a fluid distribution assembly according to the invention,  
         [0025]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic section, along the line II-II in  FIG. 1 , and illustrating the body of the assembly of  FIG. 1 ,  
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is a partial top view of a support face of the body of the assembly of  FIG. 1 ,  
         [0027]      FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic front view of the left-hand flange of the body of the assembly of  FIG. 1 , seen in the direction of the arrow IV,  
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic top view of a fluid channelling module of the assembly of  FIG. 1 ,  
         [0029]      FIG. 6  is a diagrammatic sectional view of a connecting member which may be used with the assembly of  FIG. 1 , and  
         [0030]      FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic side view illustrating a fluid distribution assembly according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0031]      FIG. 1  shows a fluid distribution assembly  1  which principally comprises a body  3 , fluid channelling modules  5  and functional components  7  intended to interact with the fluid. More precisely, the components  7  are components for treating and/or measuring and/or analysing the fluid or its flow.  
         [0032]     The body  3  extends along a longitudinal axis L. It has a substantially cylindrical shape of square section. Thus, the body  3  has four faces  9  ( FIG. 2 ), each of which corresponds to one side of the said square.  
         [0033]     Each face  9  is provided with a regular network of threaded fixing holes  11 . The network complies with standard ANSI/ISA-76.00.02-2002. Thus, the sides of the squares connecting the axes of the holes  11  may have a length l of 37 mm, if the first possibility of this standard is selected.  
         [0034]     As will be seen hereinafter, the network of holes  11  makes it possible to fix on the faces  9  modules  5 , also conforming to standard ANSI/ISA-76.00.02-2002, that is to say, modules  5  which, seen from above, have a substantially square shape with a side length L of 38.2 mm, if the first possibility of the standard is selected.  
         [0035]     The body  3  is traversed by a main fluid circulation passage  13  which extends, inside the body  3 , along the axis L. In the example shown, the main passage  13  is substantially centered in the body  3 .  
         [0036]     Also in the example shown, the main passage  13  receives a filter  15  which comprises a radial filtering member  17  and two hollow plugs  19 . The plugs  19  are inserted into the ends of the passage  13  and are provided with seals  21 . The plugs  19  enclose longitudinally between them the filtering member  17 , maintaining it radially at a distance from the side wall of the main passage  13 . In another variant, the plugs  19  may be welded to the filtering member  17 .  
         [0037]     A first end of the body  3  (on the left in  FIG. 1 ) is extended by a first flange  23  for holding the modules  5 . The flange  23  is integral with the body  3 .  
         [0038]     The first flange  23  is traversed by four openings  25  for feeding the fluid towards the modules  5 . These openings  25  are for example evenly distributed angularly around the axis L. The openings  25  are stepped and thus have widened portions  27  which are oriented towards the rest of the body  3 , that is to say, towards the right in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0039]     An auxiliary passage  29  for the fluid is also provided in the body  3 . The passage  29  opens out at one end into the side wall of the main passage  13 , substantially in a middle region of the body  3 , then the auxiliary passage  29  extends longitudinally towards the flange  23 , passes through the latter and opens to the outside.  
         [0040]     The flange  23  further includes openings  31  for fixing a closure plate  33  onto the flange  23 . These openings  31  may be distributed in a similar manner to the openings  25  and be arranged in the flange  23  radially further out than the openings  25 .  
         [0041]     The closure plate  33  is traversed by a central opening  35  which communicates with the inside of the plug  19  arranged opposite (on the left in  FIG. 1 ), the inside of the plug  19  communicating with the inside of the filtering member  17 .  
         [0042]     The plate  33  holds the plug  19  in place inside the passage  13 .  
         [0043]     A countersink  37  is provided in the face of the closure plate  33  arranged opposite the flange  23 . This countersink  37  places the auxiliary passage  29  and the openings  25  in communication and is, for example, in the shape of a ring.  
         [0044]     Sealing gaskets  39  may be provided in the opposed faces of the flange  23  and of the closure plate  33 .  
         [0045]     All the modules  5  have similar structures and only one will be described hereinafter with reference to  FIG. 5 .  
         [0046]     As indicated previously, the module  5  is perfectly conventional and conforms to standard ANSI/ISA-76.00.02-2002. It will therefore be described only briefly. The module  5  is a block substantially in the shape of a parallelepiped which in top view has a substantially square shape, the angles of which are provided with seats  41  intended to receive fixing screws for fixing the module  5  on one of the faces  9  of the body  3  by screwing into its holes  11 .  
         [0047]     In the example shown in  FIG. 5 , the module  5  is pierced by a channel  43  intended to be traversed by the fluid and which passes through the module  5  from side to side. The channel  43  opens out into the upper face of the module  5  through an opening  45  which will serve to feed a component  7  mounted on the module  5  via four threaded holes  47  arranged in a square in the module  5 .  
         [0048]     As is also conventional, the modules  5  used in the assembly of  FIG. 1  may have shapes and numbers of channels  43  or openings  45  different from those of the module  5  shown in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0049]     In the assembly of  FIG. 1 , each face  9  is equipped with modules  5  which are aligned one after the other along the longitudinal axis L. In some applications, however, some faces  9  may be unused. Communication between the different modules  5  and with the widened portions  27  of the openings  25  of the first flange  23  is effected in a conventional manner by connecting members  49  inserted into the ends of the channels  43  and into the portions  27 .  
         [0050]     Also conventionally, components  7  are mounted on the modules  5 .  
         [0051]     It will be observed that only some of the modules  5  and of the components  7  have been shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0052]     The component  7  at the top left in  FIG. 1  may for example be a valve, the following component  7  on the right may be a pressure gauge, and the bottom component  7  on the left may be a filter cleaner. Thus, on each face  9  a circuit is formed, the whole of the circuits making it possible to carry out the required measurements and analyses of the fluid. It will be noted that elbowed connecting members  63  ( FIG. 6 ) may be used in some variants to connect to one another modules  5  provided on adjacent faces  9  and therefore the circuits which they carry.  
         [0053]     The body  3  is provided at its second end (on the right in  FIG. 1 ) with a second flange  51  for holding the modules  5 . The flange  51  is screwed onto the body  3  and, like the flange  23 , has four openings  25  terminating in flared portions  27 . The flange  51  holds the straight plug  19  in place in the main passage  13 .  
         [0054]     Connecting members  49  (not shown) are engaged in the portions  27  of the second flange  51  and the modules  5  located furthest on the right in  FIG. 1 . A connecting member  49  is arranged between the modules of each pair of modules  5 . It will additionally be recalled that connecting members  49  are arranged between the first flange  23  and the modules  5  located furthest on the left in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0055]     The modules  5  are therefore on the one hand fixed on the faces  9  by screwing into the holes  11 , and on the other hand held longitudinally via the connecting members  49  and the flanges  23  and  51 .  
         [0056]     In the example shown, a countersink  52  extending over about 180° around the axis L connects the lower opening  25  and the two middle openings  25  of the second flange  51 . This countersink  52 , for example in the shape of a sector of a crown, is closed by a closure plate  53  fixed on the flange  51 . The plate  53  has a central opening  35 , similar to the opening  35  of the plate  33 , and two stepped fluid passage openings  57  which have passed through the modules  5 . One of these openings  57  is located opposite the upper opening  25  and communicates with the latter. The other opening  57  is located opposite the lower opening  25  of the flange  51  and communicates with the opening  25  and the countersink  52 .  
         [0057]     The assembly  1  of  FIG. 1  is for example arranged on a branch loop of the oil supply circuit of the engine of a vessel, for example an oil tanker.  
         [0058]     The fluid circulating in the branch loop, in the present instance oil, penetrates into the left-hand opening  35  as represented by the arrow  59  in  FIG. 1 . Part of the fluid flows longitudinally inside the filtering member  17  and emerges through the other opening  35 , as represented by the arrow  61 , before being returned towards the remainder of the branch loop and then towards the supply circuit of the engine. The body  3  thus forms a portion of the branch loop.  
         [0059]     Another part of the fluid having penetrated into the filtering member  17  is filtered while passing radially through the filtering member  17 , then circulates in the auxiliary passage  29  and is returned through the countersink  37  to the openings  25  of the flange  23 . This other part of the fluid feeds the alignments of module  5  provided on each face  9 . The fluid then passes through the circuits formed on each of the faces  9  through the modules  5  and the components  7  where the required measurements and analyses are carried out.  
         [0060]     The fluid is then collected on the one hand by the upper openings  25  of the flange  51  and of the plate  53  and on the other hand by the lower and middle openings  25  of the flange  51 , by the countersink  52  and by the lower opening  57  of the plate  53 . The collected fluid is then returned towards the branch loop and the oil supply circuit.  
         [0061]     It will be observed that the upper opening  57  of the plate  53  may be dedicated, for example, to the evacuation of a polluted fraction of the fluid, in which case this fraction is not returned towards the branch loop or the main circuit. It will also be noted that, according to requirements, the countersink  52  may for example connect only two openings  25 , that another countersink  52  may be used simultaneously, that no countersink  52  may be provided, etc.  
         [0062]     The assembly  1  of  FIG. 1  has particularly reduced overall dimensions.  
         [0063]     This is due on the one hand to the fact that the body  3  itself has an inner passage  13  intended for the circulation of the fluid, and on the other hand to the fact that the body  3  has a plurality of support faces  9  for supporting the modules  5  arranged around the passage  13 .  
         [0064]     It will also be observed that the transport time for the fluid between the main passage  13  and the components  7  is reduced, thereby increasing the relevance of the measurements and analyses carried out.  
         [0065]     In general, numerous other arrangements may be used.  
         [0066]     Thus, by way of example,  FIG. 7  illustrates another embodiment in which the assembly  1  is mounted on a flange  65  of a branch connection  67  provided on a pipe  69  of an industrial installation.  
         [0067]     As illustrated by the arrow  71 , the fluid passes through the passage  13 , which does not include a filtering member, flowing upwards (in  FIG. 6 ), is filtered in an upper filter  72  integral with the body  3 , and is then returned downwards in order, as illustrated by the arrows  73 , to pass through the alignments of modules  5  provided along the faces  9 , before being returned towards the pipe  69 . It will be observed that the components  7  have not been shown in  FIG. 6  in order not to overload it.  
         [0068]     In general, other shapes of body  3  may be used, for example polygonal cross-sections other than square and the body  3  may be made in a plurality of parts.  
         [0069]     Similarly, the number of support faces  9  may be varied, and may in particular be less than four. It is also possible, for example, to use a body  3  which has only one support face  9  for supporting modules. The simple fact of providing in the body  3  a passage  13  intended for the fluid makes it possible to save space.  
         [0070]     Conversely, it is possible to use a body  3  having a plurality of support faces  9 , each corresponding, for example, to the side of a polygon, without using an inner passage  13  in the body  9 .  
         [0071]     Still more generally, the passage  13  is not necessarily a passage intended to be traversed by the fluid. It may thus be, by way of example, a fluid accumulation passage, from which the fluid is expelled, after accumulation, by means of a piston in order to pass through the alignment(s) of modules  5  provided on the support face(s)  9  of the assembly  1 .  
         [0072]     Also in general, the holes  11  may be replaced by other fixing means, for example protuberances, and be arranged in the form of a regular pattern other than those described previously. That would be the case especially if the aforesaid standard were to evolve or be replaced by a standard imposing different constraints.  
         [0073]     It will also be noted that the body  3 , the modules  5  and the components  7  may be sold separately.  
         [0074]     It will be observed that the above principles may be used in numerous fields and especially in industrial installations or vehicles.