IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSURE VESSELS

摘要

1,254,868. Ion-exchange apparatus; pressure vessels. R. E. MARSH. 30 Oct., 1968 [31 Oct., 1967], No. 51358/68. Headings B1J and B1X. [Also in Divisions E1 and F4] A lightweight pressure vessel comprises a cylindrical central section on each end of which is mounted, in axially slidable manner, an end cap having a dome-like portion and an integral skirt portion having an external diameter which is substantially equal to the external diameter of the central section thereby to provide a smooth external junction between the central section and the skirt portion of the end cap. Located intermediate the central section and each end cap is means for providing a fluid-tight seal between the central section and the end cap; tightly wound about the central section and the end caps is a filament, for example a silane glass filament coated with an isophthalic acid based polyester resin. The central section and the end caps may be formed from brass, stainless steel, polyvinyl chloride, high density linear polyethylene or an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin. Figure 4 illustrates the junction between the central section and an end cap of one embodiment of such vessel. The end cap has a dome-like portion 20 and an integral skirt portion 22 terminating in an annular spigot 24 having a reduced external dimension which provides a shoulder 26 against which the central section abuts thereby to provide a smooth junction between the central section and the end cap. A filament 29 overlies the central section and the end cap. The external annular surface of the spigot is provided with a groove 30 for accommodating resilient sealing means in the form of an O-ring 32 which sealingly engages the central section. The axial length of the spigot preferably is at least three times the width of the sealing contact between the resilient sealing means and the central section. The spigot is tapered from region 34 in order to provide flexibility for mounting the end cap on the central section. Figure 8 illustrates an alternative embodiment of pressure vessel in which each end cap 70, 71 has a skirt portion 72 connected to a central section 74 by a connector ring 76 having an annular shoulder portion 78 which has an external diameter substantially equal to the external diameter of the central section and of the skirt portion of the adjacent end cap and from each end of which extends a spigot 81 the external surface of which is provided with an annular groove 82 for accommodating resilient sealing means in the form of an O-ring 80 which sealingly engages the central section or the skirt portion of the adjacent end cap. The vessel may be used in the treatment of a fluid by contact with a fluid conditioning medium, for example for softening water by the use of ion-exchange material; Figures 2 and 7 illustrate a vessel modified for such use. End cap 12 is provided with a central threaded aperture which retains a control valve assembly 40 having a connection 57 for supplying to the vessel fluid to be conditioned by the medium contained therein, a connection 58 for supplying to the vessel regenerant for the medium contained therein, a drain connection 60 and a connection 62 for supplying to service fluid which has been conditioned by the medium contained in the vessel. A conduit 64 extends from the control valve assembly axially through the central section 16 into the end cap 14 which is provided externally with a mount 55 and internally with means for directing fluid flow through the vessel in the form of a plurality of vanes 42 defining channels 44 and chambers 46, the cross-section of the channels decreasing with the radial distance from the axis of the vessel. The vanes are provided with orifices 48 to enable limited direct fluid flow between the channels and the chambers. Seated on an annular shoulder 50 formed in the end cap is a collector screen 52 having an annular flange 54 located about the conduit, unapertured portions located above the channels and apertured portions located above the chambers; the apertures in the screen are in the form of circumferentially extending slots 56 which are so located in the screen that the resistance to fluid flow between the central section and the end cap decreases with the radial distance from the axis of the vessel. A vessel comprising such central section, end caps, conduit, vanes and screen forms the subject matter of and is specifically claimed in Specification 1,254,869.