Thermowell apparatus for petrochemical applications

Claim 1

A thermowell apparatus for use in sensing temperature and supporting piping in a cracker furnace including, a one piece tubular assembly comprised of an upper tubular support member and a lower tubular sensor member with hollow interiors, said members being constructed of like materials and having a welded end-to-end interconnection, said welded interconnection being spaced from a tip of said sensor member a sufficient distance to dispose said welded connection and said tubular support member on the exterior of the outer wall of a cracker furnace when said tubular sensor member is attached to a furnace pipe, said tubular support member having a wall thickness sufficient to provide a supporting function for a furnace pipe under temperature conditions which exist exterior to the outer wall of a cracker furnace, said tubular sensor member having a wall thickness sufficient to provide a weight supporting function for a furnace pipe within a cracker furnace at temperature conditions up to 2000 degrees F. the tip of said tubular sensor member having an elongated, hollow tip portion for insertion into an opening in the upper surface of a furnace pipe for temperature measuring purposes and having a radially enlarged solid metal portion adjacent said tip portion, said metal portion having a 30 degree welding bevel for permitting a welding attachment of said enlarged metal portion to a furnace pipe, said hollow tip portion having an opening sized to receive a thermocouple member.