TPi October 2008

f i t t ings feature on . . .

Airbag technology for lateral pipe connection systems The airbag revolutionised safety technology in the automotive industry. Since it was launched, the chances of drivers and passengers surviving an accident have risen considerably. Rehau has applied this proven technology to its lateral pipe connection systems, and has further developed its connection systems with Awadock New Generation.

gas services around the test bay, above the test equipment. T-shaped Phastite connectors are used to provide junction points for delivering gas into each test cell. In this application, Phastite connectors provided an alternative to welded connections, saving the cost and time of orbital welding. Around 30 joints in total were needed to implement the tubing runs; each of these being assembled in less than 2 minutes using the handheld tool. The complete installation exercise for the gas services, including cutting and mounting the tube runs, took just one day. The simplicity of this approach allowed John Crane to reduce installation costs to a small fraction of the cost of a welded system. John Crane’s investment sees the company’s test bay facilities upgraded to handle twice the previous number of seals being tested, and to allow higher pressure testing. In addition, the new rigs have a sophisticated data acquisition system that allows customers who are located remotely to monitor testing of their own seals online. This will help to speed delivery, saving time and money for customers who would normally send someone to witness the tests. Parker Instrumentation Products Division – UK ipd@parker.com • www.parker.com Parker Instrumentation Products Division – USA ipdsales@parker.com • www.parker.com

The launch of Parker’s Phastite offered a new time- and money-saving option to the equipment builders, allowing these high-pressure connections to be assembled by a push-fit operation taking seconds. The five test rigs simulate the real- world gas pressures that will exist inside compressor casings and provide high- accuracy instrumentation to measure any leakage from the seal. Each of the five rigs requires around 20-25 permanent high-pressure connections. Compared with implementing these using cone-and-thread connectors, Phastite allowed the equipment builder to eliminate machine-based preparation of the large bore tube ends, and the subsequent thread cutting. Phastite connectors were simply slid onto the tubing ends and assembled in seconds using a hand-held tool. A spokesman for the equipment builder commented, “Phastite gave us a much faster and more efficient assembly process. For high-pressure and high flow rate applications, Parker’s new fluid connector technology offers a very interesting alternative wherever permanent fluid connections are needed. The connectors are also very attractive for this application because of their intrinsic resistance to vibration.” Phastite connectors are also employed on two large-bore tubing runs that supply compressed air and helium gases to the test rigs. These long pipes carry the

➥

Awadock connection systems S S

This works similarly to an airbag which reduces the risk of head and chest injuries in a car crash – the airbag is not a substitute for a safety belt but a necessary and useful supplement. The Awadock connection seal is comparable with a safety belt in a figurative sense. The job of the airbag in the system is taken over by a specially developed additional seal. If a leak occurs between the bore hole and the seal, the green ‘airbag seal’ absorbs the water, increases its volume and effectively plugs the leak, ensuring permanent tightness. The green ‘airbag seal’, named Q-TE-C, was designed by the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT specially for the Awadock connection system. It is a swelling thermoplastic elastomer composite which begins to swell in contact with water to plug leaks.

Phastite connectors have been used to provide high pressure connections for the ▼ ▼ permanent flow connections inside each of five new rigs at John Crane’s new multi-million pound test facility

The Q-TE-C seal was designed so that the noticeable water absorption begins

38

Tube Products International October 2008

www.read-tpi.com