COUPLING GUARD

Abstract

A coupling guard for covering a coupling device for connecting a first machine to a second machine, wherein the coupling guard has a first guard unit and a second guard unit, the second guard unit has a first flange as well as a second flange and the first flange of the second guard unit is connected with a flange of the first guard unit. A coupling guard with an enhanced design is achieved in that the flange of the first guard unit and the first flange of the second guard unit are in contact with each other at their respective rear side.

Claims

1.-12. (canceled)

13. A coupling guard for covering a coupling device for connecting a first machine to a second machine, comprising: a first guard unit and a second guard unit, wherein the second guard unit comprises a first flange as well as a second flange and the first flange of the second guard unit is connected with a flange of the first guard unit via a fixed and detachable flange connection, wherein the flange of the first guard unit and the first flange of the second guard unit are in contact with each other at their respective rear side, wherein the rear side of the respective flange of the respective guard unit is that side of the respective flange, which points towards a centre of the respective guard unit and a face side of the respective flange of the respective guard unit is that side of the respective flange, which points away from a centre of the respective guard unit.

14. The coupling guard according to claim 13, wherein the flange of the first guard unit extends radially outwards and the first flange of the second guard unit extends radially inwards.

15. The coupling guard according to claim 13, wherein the second guard unit surrounds the flange of the first guard unit.

16. The coupling guard according to claim 13, wherein a fluid sealant is placed between the flange of the first guard unit and the first flange of the second guard unit.

17. The coupling guard according to claim 13, wherein the first guard unit is connectable or flange connectable with the first machine.

18. The coupling guard according to claim 13, wherein the second flange of the second guard unit is connectable with a flange of the second machine at their respective face sides.

19. The coupling guard according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the guard units or each guard unit is formed cylindrical.

20. The coupling guard according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the guard units or each guard unit, respectively, comprises two half shells.

21. A machinery system, comprising: a coupling guard according to claim 13, a first machine, a second machine, and a coupling device, wherein the coupling device connects the first machine to the second machine.

22. The machinery system according to claim 21, wherein the first and the second machines are rotating machines, and wherein the coupling device connects a shaft of the first machine to a shaft of the second machine.

23. The machinery system according to claim 21, wherein the first machine is a turbine, and wherein the second machine is a compressor.

24. The machinery system according to claim 21, wherein the first guard unit is connected or flange connected, with the first machine, and wherein the second flange of the second guard unit is connected with a flange of the second machine at their respective face sides.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] In the drawings display:

[0038] FIG. 1 a schematic overview of two machines, which are connected by a coupling guard;

[0039] FIG. 2 a schematic overview of the mounting of the coupling guard of FIG. 1;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0040] FIG. 1 shows schematically a machinery system 2. The machinery system 2 comprises a first machine 4 and a second machine 6, both of which are rotating machines. In the present case, the first machine 4 is a turbine and the second machine 6 is a compressor.

[0041] Moreover, the machinery system 2 exhibits a coupling guard 8. Further, the machinery system 2 comprises a coupling device 10, which connects the first machine 4 to the second machine 6. Particularly, the coupling device 10 connects a shaft 12 of the first machine 4 to a shaft 14 of the second machine 6.

[0042] The coupling guard 8 covers both shafts 12, 14 as well as the coupling device 10. Further, the coupling guard 8 as well as relevant flanges of the machines 4, 6 are shown in sectioning.

[0043] The coupling guard 8 comprises a first guard unit 16 that is connected to the first machine 4. In the shown embodiment, the first guard unit 16 is flange connected to the first machine 4 by means of bolts and nuts. Principally, the first guard unit 16 could also be connected otherwise with the first machine 4, for instance the first guard unit 16 could be welded to the first machine 4.

[0044] Further, the coupling guard 8 comprises a second guard unit 18 that is connected to the second machine 6, particularly by means of bolts and nuts and/or threads.

[0045] The coupling guard 8 is formed axial symmetrical, particularly cylindrical. Thus, each guard unit 16, 18 is formed axial symmetrical, particularly cylindrical.

[0046] The second guard unit 18 comprises a first flange 20 as well as a second flange 22. The first flange 20 of the second guard unit 18 extends radially inwards and is connected with a flange 24 of the first guard unit 16, wherein the flange 24 of the first guard unit 16 extends radially outwards. Thus, both guard units 16, 18 of the coupling guard 8 are connected to each another.

[0047] In particular, the flange 24 of the first guard unit 16 and the first flange 20 of the second guard unit 18 are in contact with each other at their respective rear side 26.

[0048] The rear side 26 of the respective flange 20, 24 may be understood as the side opposite to the face side 28 of the flange 20, 24. In the meaning of this invention, the face side 28 of the flange 20, 24 of an element 18, 16 may be that side of the flange 20, 24, which point away from the centre of the element 18, 16. Thus, the rear side 26 of the flange 20, 24 of an element 18, 16 may be that side of the flange 20, 24, which points towards the centre of the element 18, 16.

[0049] Further, the second guard unit 18 surrounds the first guard unit 16 in sections. Particularly, the second guard unit 18 surrounds the flange 24 of the first guard unit 16.

[0050] A fluid sealant 30 (see FIG. 2) is placed between the flange 24 of the first guard unit 16 and the first flange 20 of the second guard unit 18. Also the flange connection between the first guard unit 16 and the first machine 4 comprises a fluid sealant (not shown).

[0051] The second flange 22 of the second guard unit 18 is connected with a flange 32 of the second machine 6 at their respective face sides 28. A fluid sealant 30 (see FIG. 2) is placed between the second flange 22 of the second guard unit 18 and the flange 32 of the second machine 6.

[0052] Each guard unit 16, 18 exhibits two half shells 34. The respective two half shells 34 of each guard unit 16, 18 may be connected to another, for instance by means of bolts. For mounting/installing of the respective guard unit, the shells may be placed and/or replaced separately, particularly from opposite directions (see FIG. 2). In this way, mounting/installing and/or dismounting of the coupling guard 8 will be easy.

[0053] FIG. 2 shows schematically one step of the mounting of the coupling guard 8 of FIG. 1.

[0054] For installing/mounting the coupling guard 8, the two half shells 34 of the first guard unit 16 are placed separately from opposite directions (with regard of the drawing from top and from bottom). Each half shell 34 of the first guard unit 16 may have a rim for being connected with the other half shell 34 of the first guard unit 16. A sealant, particularly a fluid sealant, may be placed at the rim of one of the half shells 34 of the first guard unit 16. The two half shells 34 of the first guard unit 16 are connected to each other by means of bolts.

[0055] The first guard unit 16 comprises the flange 24, which points toward the second machine 6, and another flange 25, which points towards the first machine 4. A sealant, particularly a fluid sealant, may be placed at the face side 26 of the other flange 25 of the first guard unit 16. Further, the first guard unit 16 is flange connected to the first machine 4 by means of bolts and nuts. In other words, the other flange 25 of the first guard unit 16 may be connected with a flange 36 of the first machine 4 by means of bolts and nuts.

[0056] Then, the second guard unit 18 is placed on top of the first guard unit 16 in that way, that the second guard unit 18 surrounds the first guard unit 16 in sections. Particularly, the second guard unit 18 is placed on top of the first guard unit 16 in that way, that the first flange 20 of the second guard unit 18 points towards the first machine 4 and the second flange 22 of the second guard unit 18 points towards the second machine 6. Therefore, the two half shells 34 of the second guard unit 18 are placed separately from opposite directions (with regard to FIG. 2 from top and from bottom as indicated by vertical arrows in the drawing). Each half shell 34 of the second guard unit 18 may have a rim for being connected with the other half shell 34 of the second guard unit 18. A sealant, particularly a fluid sealant, may be placed at the rim of one of the half shells 34 of the second guard unit 18.

[0057] The two half shells 34 of the second guard unit 18 are connected to each other by means of bolts.

[0058] A fluid sealant 30 is placed at the rear side 26 of the first flange 20 of the second guard unit 18. Moreover, a fluid sealant 30 is placed at the face side 28 of the second flange 22 of the second guard unit 18. Alternatively and/or additionally, a fluid sealant can be placed at the rear side 26 of the flange 24 of the first guard unit 16, which flange 24 points towards the second machine 6, and/or a fluid sealant can be placed at the face side 28 of the flange 32 of the second machine 6.

[0059] Further, the second guard unit 18 is shifted axially (as indicated by horizontal arrows in the drawing), until flange 24 of the first guard unit 16 is in contact with the first flange 20 of the second guard unit 18 and the second flange 22 of the second guard unit 18 is in contact with the second machine 6. Thus, a fluid sealant 30 is situated between the flange 24 of the first guard unit 16 and the first flange 20 of the second guard unit 18. Moreover, a fluid sealant 30 is situated between the face side 28 of the second flange 22 of the second guard unit 18 and the flange 32 of the second machine 6.

[0060] The flange 24 of the first guard unit 16 is connected with the first flange 20 of the second guard unit 18, particularly by means of bolts and nuts. More in detail, the rear side 26 of the flange 24 of the first guard unit 16 is connected with the rear side 26 of the first flange 20 of the second guard unit 18.

[0061] Further, the second flange 22 of the second guard unit 18 is connected with the second machine 6, particularly with the flange 32 of the second machine 6, by means of bolts.

[0062] Principally, it would be possible to use gaskets like paper gaskets as a sealant. With the described design, no axial length compensation has to be taken into account, even if the sealing is compressed, because changes in thickness of the sealing counterbalance themselves within this design.