Heat exchanger closure connection

Claim 2

A heat exchanger closure connection, which comprises: a tubular shell including an outwardly extending shell closure flange having a shell closure flange sealing surface; an inner tube positioned within said shell and including an outwardly extending tube closure flange, said tube closure flange including a first sealing surface and an axially spaced apart second sealing surface; a locking flange positioned about said tube closure flange between said first and second sealing surfaces of said tube closure flange; a first seal ring positioned between said first seal surface of said tube closure flange and said shell closure flange sealing surface; means for interconnecting said locking flange with said tube closure flange and transmitting axial forces on said locking flange toward said shell closure flange; first means for urging said locking flange toward said shell closure flange, thereby to interconnect said tube closure flange and said shell closure flange and to urge said shell closure flange sealing surface and first sealing surface of said tube closure flange into sealing engagement with said first seal ring; a tube end extension tube extending axially from said inner tube and including an outwardly extending tube end closure flange having a tube end closure flange sealing surface positioned adjacent said second sealing surface of said tube closure flange; a second seal ring positioned between said tube end closure flange sealing surface and said tube closure flange sealing surface; and a second means for urging said tube end closure flange toward said locking flange, thereby to interconnect said tube closure flange and tube end closure flange and to urge said second seal surface of said tube closure flange and said tube end closure sealing surface into sealing engagement with said second seal ring.

Claim 3

The heat exchanger closure connection as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said first means for urging said locking flange toward said shell closure flange includes a treaded member threadedly engaged with said locking flange and extending through said shell closure flange.

Claim 4

The heat exchanger closure connection as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second means for urging said tube end closure flange toward said locking flange includes a second threaded member threadedly engaged with said locking flange and extending through said tube end closure flange.

Claim 5

The heat exchanger closure connection as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first means for urging said locking flange toward said shell closure flange and said second means for urging said tube end closure flange toward said locking flange includes: threaded means extending between said shell closure flange, said locking flange and said tube end flange; nuts on each end of said threaded the outboard of said shell closure flange and said tube end flange; and means for preventing axial movement of said threaded member toward said shell closure flange with respect to said locking flange.

Claim 6

The heat exchanger closure connection as claimed in claim 4, wherein said axial movement preventing means includes a threaded interconnection between said locking flange and said shell closure flange.

Claim 7

The heat exchanger closure connection as claimed in claim 4, wherein said axial movement preventing means includes a locking nut threadedly engaged with said threaded member and positioned between said locking flange and said tube end closure flange in abuttment with said locking flange.

Claim 8

The heat exchanger closure connection as claimed in claim 6, wherein said locking flange includes a countersunk bore receiving said locking nut.

Claim 9

A heat exchanger closure connection, which comprises: a tubular shell including an outwardly extending shell closure flange, said shell closure flange including an outwardly flaring frusto-conical sealing surface; an inner tube positioned within said shell and including an outwardly extending tube closure flange, said tube closure flange having an axially extending cylindrical sealing surface about the periphery thereof having a diameter less than the inside diameter of said shell closure flange, said tube closure flange sealing surface including a retaining groove intermediate the ends thereof; a split ring assembly positioned in said retaining groove and extending radially outwardly from said tube closure flange sealing surface; a first ring seal positioned about said tube closure flange sealing surface and within said shell closure flange sealing surface in abutment with said split ring assembly and preventing fluid contact therewith; an annular locking flange positioned about said tube closure flange and having means for engaging the other side of said split ring assembly and for retaining said split ring assembly within said retaining groove; first means for urging said locking flange axially toward said shell closure flange thereby to interconnect said locking flange and shell closure flange and to urge said first seal ring into sealing engagement with said shell closure flange sealing surface and said tube closure flange sealing surface; a tube end extension tube extending axially from said inner tube, said tube end extension tube including an outwardly extending tube end closure flange, said end closure flange including an outwardly flaring internal frusto-conical sealing surface sealing with said tube closure flange sealing surface; a second seal ring positioned about said tube closure flange sealing surface and within said tube end closure flange sealing surface in abutment with said locking flange; and a second means for urging said tube end closure flange axially toward said locking flange, thereby to interconnect said locking flange and tube end closure flange and to urge said second seal ring into sealing engagement with said tube end closure flange sealing surface while not affecting the sealing engagement of the first seal ring and said tube closure flange sealing surface.

Claim 10

A heat exchanger closure connection, which comprises: a tubular shell including an outwardly extending shell closure flange, said shell closure flange including an outwardly flaring frusto-conical sealing surface; an inner tube positioned within said shell and including an outwardly extending tube closure flange, said tube closure flange having an axially extending cylindrical sealing surface about the periphery thereof having a diameter less than the inside diameter of said shell closure flange, said tube closure flange sealing surface including a retaining groove intermediate the ends thereof; a split ring assembly positioned in said retaining groove and extending radially outwardly from said tube closure flange sealing surface; a first ring seal positioned about said tube closure flange sealing surface and within said shell closure flange sealing surface in abutment with said split ring assembly and preventing fluid contact therewith; an annular locking flange positioned about said tube closure flange and having means for engaging the other side of said split ring assembly and for retaining said split ring assembly within said retaining groove; first means for urging said locking flange axially toward said shell closure flange thereby to interconnect said locking flange and shell closure flange and to urge said first seal ring into sealing engagement with said shell closure flange sealing surface and said tube closure flange sealing surface; a tube end extension tube extending axially from said inner tube, said tube end extension tube including an outwardly extending tube end closure flange, said end closure flange including an outwardly flaring internal frusto-conical sealing surface sealing with said tube closure flange sealing surface; a second seal ring positioned about said tube closure flange sealing surface and within said tube end closure flange sealing surface in abutment with said locking flange; and a second means for urging said tube end closure flange axially toward said locking flange, thereby to interconnect said locking flange and tube end closure flange and to urge said second seal ring into sealing engagement with said tube end closure flange sealing surface while not affecting the sealing engagement of the first seal ring and said tube closure flange sealing surface.

Claim 11

The heat exchanger closure connection as claimed in claim 8, wherein: said means for urging said locking flange toward said shell closure flange includes a treaded member threadedly engaged with said locking flange and extending through said tube closure flange.

Claim 12

The heat exchanger closure connection as claimed in claim 8, wherein said second means for urging said tube end closure flange toward said locking flange includes a second threaded member threadedly engaged with said locking flange and said tube end closure flange.

Claim 13

The heat exchanger closure connection as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first means for urging said locking flange toward said shell closure flange and said second means for urging said tube end closure flange toward said locking flange include: threaded means extending between said shell closure flange, said locking flange and said tube end flange; nuts on each end of said threaded member outboard of said shell closure flange and said tube end flange; and means for preventing axial movement of said threaded member toward said shell closure flange with respect to said locking flange.

Claim 14

The heat exchanger closure connection as claimed in claim 11, wherein said axial movement preventing means includes a threaded interconnection between said locking flange and said shell closure flange.

Claim 15

The heat exchanger closure connection as claimed in claim 11, wherein said axial movement preventing means includes a locking nut threadedly engaged with said threaded member and positioned between said locking flange and said tube end closure flange in abuttment with said locking flange.

Claim 16

The heat exchanger closure connection as claimed in claim 13, wherein said locking flange includes a countersunk bore receiving said locking nut.

Claim 17

A heat exchanger closure connection, which comprises: a tubular shell including an outwardly extending shell closure flange having a shell closure flange seal surface; an inner tube positioned within said shell and including an outwardly extending tube closure flange, said tube closure flange including a first sealing surface and an axially spaced apart second sealing surface; a locking flange positioned about said tube closure flange between said first and second sealing surfaces of said tube closure flange; a first seal ring positioned between said first seal surface of said tube closure flange and said shell closure flange sealing surface defining a fluid enclosure area; means for interconnecting said locking flange with said tube closure flange and transmitting axial forces on said locking flange toward said shell closure flange disposed externally of said fluid enclosure area; first means for urging said locking flange toward said shell closure flange, thereby to interconnect said tube closure flange and said shell closure flange and to urge said shell closure flange sealing surface and first sealing surface of said tube closure flange into sealing engagement with said first seal ring while not affecting the sealing engagement of the second seal ring. a tube end extension tube extending axially from said inner tube and including an outwardly extending tube end closure flange having a tube end closure flange sealing surface positioned adjacent said second sealing surface of said tube closure flange; a second seal ring positioned between said tube closure flange closure flange sealing surface and said tube closure flange sealing surface; and a second means for urging said tube end closure flange toward said locking flange, thereby to interconnect said tube closure flange and tube end closure flange and to urge said second seal surface of said tube closure flange and said tube end closure sealing surface into sealing engagement with said second seal ring while not affecting the sealing engagement of the first seal ring.

Claim 18

A heat exchanger closure connection, which comprises: a tubular shell including an outwardly extending shell closure flange having a shell closure flange seal surface; an inner tube positioned within said shell and including an outwardly extending tube closure flange, said tube closure flange including a first sealing surface and an axially spaced apart second sealing surface; a locking flange positioned about said tube closure flange between said first and second sealing surfaces of said tube closure flange; a first seal ring positioned between said first seal surface of said tube closure flange and said shell closure flange sealing surface defining a fluid enclosure area; means for interconnecting said locking flange with said tube closure flange and transmitting axial forces on said locking flange toward said shell closure flange disposed externally of said fluid enclosure area; first means for urging said locking flange toward said shell closure flange, thereby to interconnect said tube closure flange and said shell closure flange and to urge said shell closure flange sealing surface and first sealing surface of said tube closure flange into sealing engagement with said first seal ring while not affecting the sealing engagement of the second seal ring. a tube end extension tube extending axially from said inner tube and including an outwardly extending tube end closure flange having a tube end closure flange sealing surface positioned adjacent said second sealing surface of said tube closure flange; a second seal ring positioned between said tube closure flange closure flange sealing surface and said tube closure flange sealing surface; and a second means for urging said tube end closure flange toward said locking flange, thereby to interconnect said tube closure flange and tube end closure flange and to urge said second seal surface of said tube closure flange and said tube end closure sealing surface into sealing engagement with said second seal ring while not affecting the sealing engagement of the first seal ring.

Claim 19

The heat exchanger closure connection of claim 15, wherein said means for interconnecting said locking flange with said tube closure flange is disposed axially externally of the fluid enclosure area and the shell closure flange so as to facilitate assembly and disassembly of the heat exchanger closure connection for repair and maintenance by precluding corrosive attack on said means for interconnecting said locking flange with said tube closure flange.