Abstract:
A connector including a male adapter and a female adapter is provided. The male adapter includes a first base structure and a neck structure protruding out of the base structure. The neck structure includes a multiple of first lobes extending radially outward from the neck structure. The first lobes include a first mating surface contour on a bottom surface. The female adapter includes a second base structure. The second base structure includes a second mating surface contour on a top surface and is configured to fit into said first mating surface contour thereby compressing a face seal to induce a compressive stress between said male and said female adapter.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The invention relates generally to lobed connectors, and more particularly to lobed connectors in pipe systems. 
         [0002]    Gasification Technologies provide a stable, affordable energy supply and high efficiency with near-zero pollutants. Gasification based systems also provide flexibility in the production of a wide range of products including electricity, fuels, chemicals, hydrogen, and steam. More importantly, in a time of electricity- and fuel-price spikes, flexible gasification systems provide for operation on low-cost, widely-available feedstocks. 
         [0003]    One of the critical factors in gasification plant economics is maintenance. The ease of maintaining the equipment and equipment reliability can lead to a significant reduction in the overall downtime of the plant. Moreover, an easier process of assembly and disassembly of equipment is also an important factor in facilitating easier maintenance. An improvement in these factors results in enhanced productivity of the plant. 
         [0004]    A coal gasification feed injector nozzle used in a gasification plant generally includes three concentric pipes with portions of the nozzle welded to ends of each pipe. Such a design is referred to as a non-modular design. Flanges used to connect the pipes are unbolted during disassembly of the pipes. Further, the inner pipe is pulled out through the middle pipe and the middle pipe is pulled out through the outer pipe. Feed injector performance has been improved upon by introduction of a nozzle design that features a flared inner nozzle section, which makes it impossible to pull out the inner pipe during disassembly. For this reason, the improved nozzle has been designed to be modular, wherein the entire nozzle is bolted onto adapters on the pipes. Such a design makes pulling the inner pipe out convenient during disassembly as the entire nozzle can first be unbolted and removed. However, the modular design is generally not practical due to bolting, sealing and fabrication cost issues. 
         [0005]    Therefore, it would be desirable to have a design that would address the aforementioned problems. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
       [0006]    In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a connector is provided. The connector includes a male adapter including a first base structure and a neck structure protruding out of the said base structure. The neck structure includes a plurality of first lobes extending radially outward from the neck structure. The plurality of first lobes further includes a first mating surface contour on a bottom surface. The connector also includes a female adapter. The female adpater includes a second base structure that includes a plurality of second lobes extending radially inward from the second base structure having a second mating surface contour on a top surface. The second mating surface contour is configured to fit into the first mating surface contour thereby compressing a face seal to induce a compressive stress between the male and the female adapter. 
         [0007]    In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a gasification system is included. The gasification system includes a first end of a first gas pipe configured to connect to a male adapter that includes a first base structure and a neck structure protruding out of the base structure. The neck structure includes a plurality of first lobes extending radially outward from the neck structure. The plurality of first lobes also includes a first mating surface contour on a bottom surface. The gasification system also includes a first end of a second gas pipe configured to connect to the first end of the first gas pipe via a female adapter including a second base structure. The second base structure includes a plurality of second lobes extending radially inward from the second base structure having a second mating surface contour on a top surface. The second mating surface contour is configured to fit into the first mating surface contour thereby compressing a face seal to induce a compressive stress between the male and the female adapter. 
     
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic illustration of an exemplary gasification pipe connection system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic illustration of the male adapter in  FIG. 1  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic illustration of the female adapter in  FIG. 1  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic illustration of a dowel stop configuration of the male adapter and the female adapter in  FIG. 1  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic illustration of a ratchet stop configuration of the male adapter and the female adapter in  FIG. 1  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a diagrammatic illustration of a two way release configuration of the male adapter and the female adapter in  FIG. 1  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic illustration of a no way release configuration of the male adapter and the female adapter in  FIG. 1  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    As discussed in detail below, embodiments of the present invention include an improved connection system, wherein the connection system provides a boltless and flangeless mechanism of connecting objects such as gas pipes with desirable sealing. The connection system includes a twist-on mechanism during assembly and twist-off mechanism during disassembly of the objects that makes it convenient for usage. A seal compression force prevents joints that are connected from coming apart. 
         [0017]    In an illustrated embodiment of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1 , a cross-sectional view of an exemplary gasification pipe connection system  10  is shown. The system  10  includes two pipes  12  and  14  that are connected to each other via a male adapter  16  and a female adapter  18 . An end of the pipe  12  is attached to the male adapter  16  while an end of the pipe  14  is attached to the female adapter  18 . An annular seal ring  20  provides sealing between the male adapter  16  and the female adapter  18  enabling a desirably tight connection. The male adapter  16  and the female adapter  18  may be fitted inside the pipes  12  and  14  so as to enable desirable clearance outside. In an example, the male adapter  16  and the female adapter  18  are welded inside ends of the pipes  12  and  14  respectively. 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatical illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the male adapter  16  as referenced to in  FIG. 1 . The male adapter  16  includes a first base structure  30  and a neck structure  32  that protrudes out of the first base structure  30 . The base structure  30  includes the seal ring  20  as referenced to in  FIG. 1 . The seal ring  20  may include a material that requires minimal torque for installation while maintaining an effective seal. In an example, the seal ring  20  may include a rubber O-ring seal. The neck structure  32  includes a plurality of first lobes  34  that extend radially outward from the neck structure  32 . Each of the first lobes  34  includes a first mating surface contour on a bottom surface  36 . The lobes  34  are circumferential flange sections internal to the male adapter  16 . In an example, the neck structure  32  may include a hollow annular structure. In another example, the first base structure  30  may include a hollow annular structure. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the male adapter  16  is welded internal to a pipe  12 . This may lead to a constriction in flow area of a liquid or gas through the pipe  12 . Hence, providing a hollow structure for the male adapter  16  would minimize constriction in the flow of the liquid or gas. Further, it may be desirable to provide a pipe of a diameter slightly larger than that of the flow area in order to accommodate for the constriction in flow. 
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a diagrammatical illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the female adapter  18  as referenced to in  FIG. 1 . The female adapter  18  includes a second base structure  40  that includes a plurality of second lobes  42  extending radially inward from the second base structure  40 . Each of the multiple second lobes  42  include a second mating surface contour on a top surface  44  that is configured to fit into the first mating surface contour of the bottom surface  36  in the male adapter  16  in  FIG. 2 . In an example, the second base structure  40  may include a hollow annular structure. As in the case of the male adapter  16  described above, the female adapter  18  is also welded internal to the pipe  14  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Accordingly, this may lead to a constriction in flow area of a liquid or gas through the pipe  14 . Hence, providing a hollow structure for the female adapter  18  would minimize constriction in the flow of the liquid or gas. 
         [0020]    During coupling of the male adapter  16  with the female adapter  18 , the first mating surface contour on the bottom surface  36  of the male adapter  16  is configured to twist on and twist off the second mating surface contour on the top surface  44  of the female adapter  18  in specific directions. While twisting on, the seal ring  20  as referenced to in  FIG.1 , which is disposed on the first base structure  30  is configured to compress so as to hold the female adapter  18  against the male adapter  16  in an equilibrium position. When the male adapter  16  is twisted on to the female adapter  18 , the seal ring  20  gets compressed initially at least twice as much as that it would in the equilibrium position. Once the equilibrium position is reached, the seal ring  20  releases slightly so as to enable a tight connection between the male adapter  16  and the female adapter  18 . Special contouring of the bottom surface  36  of the male adapter  16  in  FIG. 2  and the top surface  44  of the female adapter  18  compresses the seal ring  20  desirably enough to enable required bonding at joints. Various embodiments of contouring of the bottom surface  36  and the top surface  44  are described in detail below in  FIGS. 4 ,  5 ,  6  and  7 . 
         [0021]    In an illustrated embodiment of the invention as shown in  FIG. 4 , an exemplary configuration of the first mating surface contour on the bottom surface  36  of the male adapter  16  in  FIG. 2  and the second mating surface contour on the top surface  44  of the female adapter  18  in  FIG. 3  is provided. The exemplary configuration  50  is referred to as a dowel stop configuration. In the dowel stop configuration  50 , the bottom surface  36  as referenced to in  FIG. 2  of the male adapter  16  is twisted on in a direction  52  and twisted off in an opposite direction  54 . In the dowel stop configuration  50 , the first mating surface contour of the male adapter  16  and the second mating surface contour of the female adapter includes inclined planes  58  and  60  respectively. When the inclined planes  58  and  60  of the first mating surface contour and the second mating surface contour respectively, are aligned, the male adapter  16  and the female adapter  18  are in an unstable position. Hence, a dowel pinhole  64  is required in both the inclined planes  58  and  60  such that a dowel pin may be inserted to hold the male adapter  16  and the female adapter  18  together. The compressive annular ring  20  as referenced to in  FIG. 1  is compressed so as to create a tight bond between the male adapter  16  and the female adapter  18  when twisted on as shown in a twist on configuration  62 . 
         [0022]    In another illustrated embodiment of the invention as shown in  FIG. 5 , an exemplary configuration of the first mating surface contour on the bottom surface  36  of the male adapter  16  in  FIG. 2  and the second mating surface contour on the top surface  44  of the female adapter  18  in  FIG. 3  is provided. The exemplary configuration  70  is referred to as a ratchet stop configuration. In the ratchet stop configuration  70 , the bottom surface  36  as referenced to in  FIG. 2  of the male adapter  16  as referenced to in  FIG. 1  are twisted on in a direction  72  and twisted off in the same direction  72 . In the ratchet stop configuration  70 , the first mating surface contour of the male adapter  16  and the second mating surface contour of the female adapter  18  include two inclined planes  76  and a step  78  between the inclined planes  76 . The step  78  allows twisting off the male adapter  16  in only one direction  74 . During twist on, as the second mating surface contour of the female adapter  18  encounters the step  78  of the male adapter  16 , the female adapter  18  falls in place and gets locked. If the female adapter  18  is further twisted in the same direction  72 , it gets unlocked. However, there is no unlocking if twisted in an opposite direction. Such a configuration may be used in a pipe system where a torque is being applied on the pipes in a specific direction. In such a case, the ratchet stop configuration can be designed to twist off only in a direction opposite to the direction of the applied torque. The compressive annular ring  20  as referenced to in  FIG. 1  facilitates in providing a tight bond at joint  82  between the male adapter  16  and the female adapter  18  when twisted on as seen in a twist on configuration  80 . 
         [0023]    In another illustrated embodiment of the invention as shown in  FIG. 6 , an exemplary configuration  90  of the first mating surface contour on the bottom surface  36  of the male adapter  16  in  FIG. 2  and the second mating surface contour on the top surface  44  of the female adapter  18  in  FIG. 3  is provided. The exemplary configuration  90  is referred to as a two way release configuration. In the two way release configuration  90 , the bottom surface  36  as referenced to in  FIG. 2  of the male adapter  16  as referenced to in  FIG. 1  may be twisted on in a direction  92  and twisted off in either direction  92  or  94 . In the two way release configuration  90 , the first mating surface contour of the male adapter  16  and the second mating surface contour of the female adapter includes three inclined planes  96 . The three inclined planes  96  do not prevent twisting off in either direction, as there is no barrier like the step  78  in  FIG. 5 . Slope of the inclined planes  96  is directly proportional to torque applied during twisting on of the male adapter  16  and the female adapter  18 . Hence, a gentler slope may be designed for an easier twist on process. The compressive annular ring  20  as referenced to in  FIG. 1  facilitates in providing a tight bond between the male adapter  16  and the female adapter  18  when twisted on as seen in a twist on configuration  98 . 
         [0024]    In another illustrated embodiment of the invention as shown in  FIG. 7 , an exemplary configuration  100  of the first mating surface contour on the bottom surface  36  of the male adapter  16  in  FIG. 2  and the second mating surface contour on the top surface  44  of the female adapter  18  in  FIG. 3  is provided. The exemplary configuration  100  is referred to as a no way release configuration. In the no way release configuration  100 , the bottom surface  36  as referenced to in  FIG. 2  of the male adapter  16  as referenced to in  FIG. 1  may be twisted on in a direction  102  and may not be twisted off in any direction. In the no way release configuration  100 , the first mating surface contour of the male adapter  16  and the second mating surface contour of the female adapter  18  include an inclined plane  104 , a straight plane  106  and a step  108  between the inclined plane  104  and the straight plane  106 . The step  108  acts as a stop lock that locks the male adapter  16  and the female adapter  18  in place and does not give any degree of freedom to be twisted off. Hence, when the inclined planes  104  of the male adapter  16  and the female adapter  18  align, the step  108  locks the male adapter and the female adapter thus preventing them from twisting off. The compressive annular ring  20  as referenced to in  FIG. 1  facilitates in providing a tight bond between the male adapter  16  and the female adapter  18  when twisted on as seen in a twist on configuration  110 . 
         [0025]    Some of the non-limiting advantages of the above mentioned connection system are non-inclusion of bolts or flanges to join parts in the system. In addition, the aforementioned embodiments of the invention may be fitted inside pipes or other systems that need to be connected thus enabling an easier process of assembly and disassembly. 
         [0026]    While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.