Flange connection
A flange connection system, including a pair of flange rings each including a neck portion and a radially extending flange portion. The radially extending flange portion includes a distal face including a contact surface that protrudes from a remainder of the distal face. The radially extending flange portion includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced bolt holes extending parallel to a center axis. The distal face including a first seal pocket radially inward of the contact surface and a second seal pocket radially outward of the contact surface, wherein in an assembled condition, the contact surface of the first flange ring is disposed against the contact surface of the second flange ring, a first seal ring is disposed in the first seal pockets, and a second seal ring is disposed in the second seal pockets.
1 . A flange connection system, comprising:
a first flange ring and a second flange ring each including a neck portion and a radially extending flange portion,
each radially extending flange portion including a proximal face facing in a direction of its respective neck portion and a distal face facing in a direction opposite to its respective neck portion, wherein in an undeformed state, the proximal face has an inclined surface at an angle of between 0.1 and 10.0 degrees relative to a plane that perpendicularly intersects a center axis of the neck portion,
each distal face including a contact surface that axially protrudes relative to an entire remainder of the distal face of its respective radially extending flange portion,
each radially extending flange portion including a plurality of circumferentially spaced bolt holes extending parallel to the center axes of the neck portions,
each distal face including a first seal pocket radially inward of its respective contact surface and a second seal pocket radially outward of its respective contact surface, wherein in the undeformed state, a portion of the distal face radial outward from the contact surface is perpendicular to the center axes of the neck portions,
wherein each contact surface is disposed entirely between its respective first seal pocket and its respective second seal pocket,
wherein in an assembled condition, the contact surface of the first flange ring is disposed against the contact surface of the second flange ring, a first seal ring is disposed in each of the first seal pockets,
a second seal ring is disposed in each of the second seal pockets and
a plurality of bolt assemblies are inserted through the plurality of bolt holes and in the assembled condition, the bolt assemblies are tightened to bring edge portions of each radially extending flange portion in contact with one another such that the portions of each distal face radial outward from its contact surface are angled relative to the plane that perpendicularly intersects the center axis of its neck portion and the inclined surface of each proximal face extends perpendicular to the center axes of the neck portions, and to compress the first seal ring and the second seal ring.
2 . The flange connection according to claim 1 , wherein each radially extending flange portion extends radially outward from its respective neck portion.
3 . The flange connection according to claim 2 , wherein each first seal pocket and each second seal pocket are disposed radially inward of the bolt holes on their respective radially extending flange.
4 . The flange connection according to claim 1 , wherein each neck portion is configured to be welded to a tower section of a windmill.
5 . A flange connection system, comprising:
a first flange ring and a second flange ring each including a neck portion and a radially extending flange portion,
each radially extending flange portion including a proximal face facing in a direction of its respective neck portion and a distal face facing in a direction opposite to its respective neck portion,
each distal face including a pointed annular contact surface, the pointed annular contact surface including angled first and second surfaces that are angled relative to a plane that perpendicularly intersects a center axis, the first and second surfaces axially protrude relative to an entire remainder of the distal face of its respective radially extending flange portion and the angled first and second surfaces of the pointed annular contact surface are at an acute angle relative to a plane that perpendicularly intersects the center axis and the angled first and second surfaces intersect one another to define a pointed edge contact surface,
each radially extending flange portion including a plurality of circumferentially spaced bolt holes extending parallel to the center axis,
wherein each pointed annular contact surface is spaced radially inward from the plurality of circumferentially spaced bolt holes,
wherein in an assembled condition, the pointed annular contact surface of the first flange ring is disposed against the pointed annular contact surface of the second flange ring; and
a plurality of bolt assemblies are inserted through the plurality of bolt holes and tightened to bring edge portions of each radially extending flange portion in contact with one another.
6 . The flange connection according to claim 5 , wherein each radially extending flange portion extends radially outward from its respective neck portion.
7 . The flange connection according to claim 6 , wherein a first seal pocket and a second seal pocket are disposed radially inward of the bolt holes.