FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a fixing system for mounting of temperature sensor on vessels or the like for temperature measurements. More particularly, the present invention is directed to providing a device for quick connecting and/or quick disconnecting of thermocouple/RTD etc connected to hoppers, vessels or bunkers to measure temperature. The temperature sensor fixing system according to the invention is directed to avoid complications of installation and ensure safety of operators while removing and fixing of instruments in bunkers, hopper, water tank/vessels etc. including hazardous locations. This would favor fast and safe user friendly installation of sensors for temperature measurement at any locations involving contact type measurement using rod type instruments, without affecting production/operations.

BACKGROUND ART

It is well known to use variety of systems for temperature measurement including at hazardous locations such as in High temperature and high pressure region, using Thermocouple and RTD type instrument.

In particular, it is known to use Thermocouple and RTD to measure temperature of solid, liquid or gas in bunkers, hoppers, close/open vessels or in a pipe line. Usually it is recommend for installations of such instruments that it should be connected to matched flange tightened with the help of nut and Bolt with washers. In conventional type temperature sensor fixing assembly, it is necessary to tighten all the bolts (minimum four) with proper washers during fixing of sensor. Similarly while removal of sensor opening of nut and bolt use to be very tough and time taken job. This necessarily affects the man-hours utilized for attending the breakdown. Working on such instrument under high temperature condition for more time is highly unsafe. Fixing and removal of temperature sensor usually require services of minimum three people consuming minimum 30 minutes time for each activity.

It is experienced in the related field of on site temperature sensing that following such conventional type of installations especially at hazardous locations where a person/operator cannot work for long hours without proper shut down of the unit and further following proper safety precautions, reliable working of instruments and its proper maintenance is very difficult. Importantly, it is found that such required shut down of operation tend to affect the production, therefore, not desirably occasioned frequently leading to possible delay in effective maintenance and reliability in use of such measuring systems.

There has been thus a persistent need to provide improved systems and method of temperature sensor fixing especially at hazardous locations so that the complexities and problems relating to safety concerns of the people and operators are taken care of and the system can be safely and effectively maintained and performs reliably for proper measurement including those at hazardous locations. The basic requirement for such temperature sensor installation devices is to ensure simple and faster installation as well as dismantling for maintenance/replacement at site involving less manpower without affecting continuity of production by way of longer shut down.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

The basic object of the present invention is thus directed to providing a fixing/removal system for quick connect/disconnect of sensor/instrument for temperature measurement at hazardous locations using Thermocouple/RTD instruments, which would avoid the limitations and safety concerns of conventional flange type installation for temperature measurement presently in use.

Another object of the present invention is directed to providing a fixing system for sensors for temperature measurement at hazardous locations, which would avoid the problems concerning long shut down and complex safety precautions required for installations and use of the Temperature measuring instrument presently in use.

A further object of the present invention is directed to a fixing system for sensors for temperature measurement at hazardous locations, which would require minimum manpower and ensure minimum time to replace the temperature measuring sensor and thus would have minimum adverse effect on production.
A still further object of the present invention is directed to providing a fixing system for sensors for temperature measurement at hazardous locations using Thermocouple/RTD, which would be simple and safe to install and would at the same time be effective and reliable in as far as ascertaining the temperature measurement.

Yet another object of the present invention is directed to a fixing system for sensors for temperature measurement ensuring simple, safe and cost effective yet fast and reliable instrument installation of liquid/solid/gases contents in tanks/vessels at hazardous locations, which could be readily installed without involving technical complexities and/or avoid hazards during installation and/or use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The basic aspect of the present invention is thus directed to a system involving quick connect-disconnect unit adapted for temperature sensor fixing in vessels/tanks/blast furnace and the like especially at hazardous locations comprising:

a releasable fixable top part of said quick connect-disconnect unit adapted for holding the temperature sensor and having inclined U shape holding bracket;

a bottom part of said quick connect-disconnect unit secured with respect to the subjects where the sensing is desired,

said bottom part having flanged inclined collar on diametrically opposite sides so that when releasable fixable top portion is matched with bottom portion and rotated through about 90° then the inclined collar of bottom portion and inclined U shape holding bracket get parallel to effect desired quick connect type fixing of the top part holding the temperature sensor with respect to the bottom part, a conical shape at the centre of the bottom part adapted such that the top part during said fixing with respect to the bottom part get tighten without any leakage.

A further aspect of the present invention is directed to a system comprising said top part for holding the temperature sensor having inclined U shape holding bracket used to hold tightly with respect to said bottom part through packing;

said bottom part having conical shape at the centre such that top portion get tighten without any leakage with respect to the bottom part with said inclined collar covering 45° (1/4th of periphery) on diametrically opposite sides such that when top portion is matched with bottom part and rotated through 90° then the incline collar of bottom part and inclined U shape holding bracket become parallel with resulting gap adapted for packing with packing material to ensure desired quick connect-disconnect type fixing.

A still further aspect of the present invention is directed to said system wherein said bottom part is normally welded at site on a pipe where temperature is required to be measured.

A still further aspect of the present invention is directed to said system which is adapted such that just a quarter turn rotation of top part in relation to secured bottom part fix the sensor at site with the help of top and bottom part of quick connect-disconnect unit.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention is directed to said system, wherein a slope is provided to said collar by maintaining a difference of about 2 mm in thickness at the extreme ends, so that proper packing material is provided in said uniform gap between top and bottom part to eliminate any leakages.

A still further advantageous aspect of the present invention is directed to said system which is adapted for fixing of the temperature sensor through said fixing assembly in only about a minute time.

The objects and advantages of the present invention is described in greater details with reference to the following non limiting accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING FIGURES

Figure 1: illustrates the arrangement and installation of a conventional type fixing assembly for temperature measurement using Flange type with nut and bolt arrangement for the fixing assembly;

Figure 2: illustrates the arrangement and installation of a quick connect disconnect type fixing assembly for temperature measurement according to the present invention at all location especially at hazardous locations using top portion of quick-connect/disconnect type temperature sensor fixing assembly.

Figure 3: illustrates the arrangement and installation of a quick connect/disconnect type fixing assembly for temperature measurement at all location especially at hazardous locations using bottom portion of the temperature sensor fixing assembly as of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE ACCOMPANYING FIGURES

The present invention is directed to a fixing system for installation of temperature measuring device in vessels/tanks especially at hazardous locations in a safe and reliable manner with quick connect/ disconnect provision.

The fixing system for temperature sensor, which replaces the conventional matching flange type assembly, comprises a top part of quick connect-disconnect unit used for holding the temperature sensor in place; and a bottom part of quick connect-disconnect unit which is normally welded at the field on a pipe in place of flange type sensor installation method;

Reference is first invited to the accompanying Figure 1, which illustrates a conventional flange type sensor fixing assembly for temperature measurement. Such type of fixing assemblies are conventionally used to fix rod type temperature measuring devices. It is recommended that such flange is fixed with sensor and is tightened with nut and bolt to install with the help of matching flange.

It would be apparent from the above conventional type temperature sensor fixing assembly, that during fixing of sensor it is necessary to tighten all the bolts (minimum four) with proper washers. Similarly while removal of sensor opening of nut and bolt use to be very tough and time taken job. This necessarily affects the man-hours utilized for attending the breakdown. Working on such instrument under high temperature condition for more time is highly unsafe. Fixing and removal of temperature sensor use to involve minimum three persons and consuming minimum 30 min time for each activity.

Reference is now invited to accompanying Figure 2, which illustrates the top portion of safe and user friendly quick connect/disconnect type fixing assembly for temperature sensors according to the present invention. In this case in place of fixing sensor on to flange at site, it is now fixed to top portion of fixing assembly at site lab and keep in ready condition for use as and when required. As clearly illustrated in said figure 2 in the system of the invention the conventionally recommended installation of rod type temperature sensor was through flange tightened with nut and bolt.

Reference is now invited to accompanying Figure 3, which illustrates the bottom part of temperature sensor fixing assembly which is to be welded at site where temperature sensor is required to be installed for temperature measurement. In this case in place of fixing sensor on to flange at site, readymade temperature sensor fixing assembly kept at site lab as per Figure 2, which is kept ready for use as and when required, is fixed to said bottom portion of figure 3 just by a quarter turn rotation of the top part against the fixed bottom part already welded in position. Said bottom portion is having conical shape at the centre so that top portion should get tighten without any leakage. Importantly, projected wedge shaped collar portion is provided on the bottom portion at two peripheral locations and matching slotted part in the form of ‘U’ shaped holding bracket to the top portion of the fixing assembly ensures proper fixing of thermocouple at site with the help of top and bottom portion holding tightly through proper packing by just by providing a quarter turn rotation of the top part against the fixed bottom part. More specifically, said bottom portion having inclined collar for 45° (1/4th of periphery) diagonally opposite locations so that when top portion rotates through 90°(a quarter turn) then inclined collar of bottom portion and inclined U shape holding become parallel leaving uniform gap for packing material. A rotation of the top part with sensor in reverse direction through a quarter turn would disconnect the sensor from the bottom part for maintenance/replacement purpose. Moreover, a specified slope is provided to the collar portions by maintaining difference of 2 mm in thickness at the extreme ends, which ensure providing of packing material to eliminate any leakages. The above fixing assembly thus favor quick connect-disconnect type installation arrangement for temperature sensor e.g. rod type thermocouple/RTD. Temperature sensor fixing through this fixing assembly takes only about a minute time in-place of earlier approximately 30 minute.

Advantageously, the above temperature sensor fixing system of the invention which has been developed after extensive studies of the sensors and its installation methods not only facilitates safe measurements of solid, liquid or gas temperatures in vessels/bunker etc at hazardous locations, but also the maintenance of the installed system, has also been made safe, simple, faster and cost effective.

The temperature measurement involving the system of the invention thus ensures quick installation of instrument and saving of human effort responsible for maintenance of such instruments. The instrument under the present system is thus serviceable with safety by any operating/maintaining personnel at any time as and when required. Importantly also, the maintenance and checking of the instrument in the system of the invention will be possible with minimum shut down requirement.

We Claim:

1. A system involving quick connect-disconnect unit adapted for temperature sensor fixing in vessels/tanks/blast furnace and the like especially at hazardous locations comprising:

a releasable fixable top part of said quick connect-disconnect unit adapted for holding the temperature sensor and having inclined U shape holding bracket;

a bottom part of said quick connect-disconnect unit secured with respect to the subjects where the sensing is desired,

said bottom part having flanged inclined collar on diametrically opposite sides so that when releasable fixable top portion is matched with bottom portion and rotated through about 90° then the inclined collar of bottom portion and inclined U shape holding bracket get parallel to effect desired quick connect type fixing of the top part holding the temperature sensor with respect to the bottom part, a conical shape at the centre of the bottom part adapted such that the top part during said fixing with respect to the bottom part get tighten without any leakage.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 comprising

Said top part for holding the temperature sensor having inclined U shape holding bracket used to hold tightly with respect to said bottom part through packing;

said bottom part having conical shape at the centre such that top portion get tighten without any leakage with respect to the bottom part with said inclined collar covering 45° (1/4th of periphery) on diametrically opposite sides such that when top portion is matched with bottom part and rotated through 90° then the inclined collar of bottom part and inclined U shape holding bracket become parallel with resulting gap adapted for packing with packing material to ensure desired quick connect-disconnect type fixing.

3. A system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 or 2 wherein said bottom part is normally welded at site on a pipe where temperature is required to be measured.
4. A system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 3 , adapted such that just a quarter turn rotation of top part in relation to secured bottom part fix the sensor at site with the help of top and bottom part of quick connect-disconnect unit.

5. A system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 4, wherein a slope is provided to said collar by maintaining a difference of about 2 mm in thickness at the extreme ends, so that proper packing material is provided in said uniform gap between top and bottom part to eliminate any leakages.

6. A system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 5, wherein said system is adapted for fixing of the temperature sensor through said fixing assembly in only about a minute time.

7. A system involving quick connect-disconnect unit adapted for temperature sensor fixing in vessels/tanks/blast furnace and the like especially at hazardous locations substantially as hereindescribed and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Dated this the 25th day of May, 2011

Anjan Sen
Of Anjan Sen & Associates
(Applicants Agent)
IN/PA-199