Adapter for electro-coalescer insulated electrodes with metal sealing for electrodes
Electro-coalescer systems herein may include a vessel, a base plate separating a process chamber and an electric enclosure, rod-shaped ceramic insulated electrodes, and a sealing assembly. An end of the electrodes is located within the electric enclosure. The electrodes traverse respective through-holes of the base plate into or through the process chamber, where a second portion is supported by a spacer, configured to maintain a position of the electrodes while allowing fluid passage. The sealing assembly forms a seal between the through-holes and the rod-shaped insulated electrodes, preventing fluid traversing from the process chamber into the electric enclosure. The sealing assembly may include: a metal fitting disposed around the rod-shaped insulated electrode; metal o-rings; metal seats; and a closing nut. The metal fitting has a coefficient of thermal expansion similar to that of the ceramic insulator, thereby preventing breakage of the electrodes during use.
1. An electro-coalescer system, comprising:
a vessel having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, between which is a process chamber;
a base plate separating an electric enclosure from the process chamber in the vessel;
more than one pipes fluidly connecting the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet,
more than one rod-shaped insulated electrodes, comprising a conductor disposed within a
ceramic insulator; wherein:
a first end of the more than one rod-shaped insulated electrodes is located within
the electric enclosure,
the more than one rod-shaped electrodes traverse respective through-holes of the
base plate and through at least a portion of the more than one pipes, and
a second portion of the more than one rod-shaped electrodes is supported by a
spacer, the spacer being configured to support and maintain a position of the more than one insulated electrodes while simultaneously allowing fluid passage;
a sealing assembly configured to form a seal between the through-holes and the rod shaped insulated electrodes, preventing fluid from traversing from the process chamber into the electric enclosure, the sealing assembly comprising:
a metal fitting disposed around the rod-shaped insulated electrode;
one or more metal o-rings;
metal seats; and
a closing nut;
wherein the metal fitting has a coefficient of thermal expansion similar to the coefficient of thermal expansion of the ceramic insulator.
2. The electro-coalescer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the metal fitting has a coefficient of thermal expansion within 1% of the coefficient of thermal expansion of the ceramic insulator.
3. The electro-coalescer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the metal fitting has a coefficient of thermal expansion the same as the coefficient of thermal expansion of the ceramic insulator.
4. The electro-coalescer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the interface between the metal seat and the base plate contains features to prevent the rotation of the electrode assembly and/or the metal o-rings while tightening the closing nut.
5. The electro-coalescer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rod-shaped insulated electrode comprises a monolithic ceramic tube that is void- and bubble-free, and wherein an inner wall of the monolithic ceramic tube is plated with a conductive metal, and wherein an outside wall of a conductive tubular sleeve is in electric contact with the conductive metal plating.
6. The electro-coalescer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rod-shaped insulated electrode comprises a monolithic ceramic tube having an open end and a closed end, and wherein the closed end extends a distance from an end of the tube.
7. The electro-coalescer system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the spacer is located along the distance of the closed end.
8. The electro-coalescer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the ceramic insulator comprises alumina and wherein the metal fitting comprises titanium.
9. The electro-coalescer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the spacer is metallic.
10. The electro-coalescer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the metal o-rings, the metal seats, and the base plate are made of a material different than that of the metal fitting.
11. The electro-coalescer system as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein each through-hole of the base plate comprises:
a threaded portion extending from the electrical enclosure side and terminating proximate a first shoulder intermediate the electrical enclosure side and the process chamber side of the base plate;
a first longitudinal portion extending from the first shoulder to a second shoulder; and
a second longitudinal portion extending from the second shoulder to the process chamber side of the base plate; and
wherein a first metal seat is disposed proximate the first shoulder, a second metal seat is disposed proximate the second shoulder, and wherein the first and second metal seats each comprise a concave portion configured to mate with a convex portion of the metal fitting.
12. The electro-coalescer system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the first metal seat comprises a shoulder configured to interact with the first shoulder of the through-hole such that longitudinal movement of the first metal seat along the first longitudinal portion is limited.
13. The electro-coalescer system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the metal o-rings form a seal between the metal fitting, one of the metal seats, and the through-hole.
14. The electro-coalescer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the base plate through holes are disposed at an angle from perpendicular, and wherein a support hole of the spacer is disposed at a similar angle from perpendicular.