THERMOCOUPLE SYSTEM HAVING A TERMINAL END REGION

Abstract

A thermocouple system, has a metal feedthrough having a cylindrical portion having an axis of symmetry and a terminal end region arranged thereon, which completely closes the cylindrical portion, and which has at least two passageways, the opening cross-section of which is smaller than the cross-sectional surface vertical to the axis of symmetry through the cylindrical portion. Through one passageway, a thermocouple is guided, and in the region of the passageway, the thermocouple is connected to the end region in a fluid-tight manner by way of a seal.

Claims

1. A thermocouple system comprising: a metal leadthrough with a cylindrical section with a symmetry axis and also a terminal end region, arranged thereon, which completely closes off the cylindrical section and has at least two passages, the opening cross section of which is smaller than the cross-sectional area perpendicularly to the symmetry axis through the cylindrical section, wherein a thermocouple is guided through a passage and in the region of the passage the thermocouple is connected to the terminal region in a fluid-tight manner by means of a seal.

2. The thermocouple system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the terminal region is at least partially of conical design.

3. The thermocouple system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the terminal region is at least partially of stepped design and at least two passages are introduced into different steps of the step-formed terminal region.

4. The thermocouple system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seal is a solder which is preferably a soft solder or a hard solder.

5. The thermocouple system as claimed in claim 1, wherein all passages which are not provided with a thermocouple are also sealed in a fluid-tight manner.

6. The thermocouple system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opening cross sections of the passages are at least 1.0 mm but at most 7.0 mm in diameter.

7. The thermocouple system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the passages are designed as holes which extend parallel to the symmetry axis of the cylindrical section.

8. The thermocouple system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the passages in the longitudinal direction through the material of the terminal region have a length of at least 1.0 mm and at most 10.0 mm.

9. The thermocouple system as claimed in claim 1, wherein tube sections are attached on the outer wall of the terminal region, which tube sections are in alignment with the passages and are fixed on the outer wall.

10. The thermocouple system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid-tight seal between thermocouple and passage is of pressure-tight design up to 30 bar.

11. A gas turbine comprising: at least one thermocouple system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermocouple system is integrated into the outer casing of the gas turbine.

12. The thermocouple system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the openings of at least two passages on the conically formed outer wall of the terminal region have in the main different distances to the symmetry axis of the cylindrical section.

13. The thermocouple system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the seal is a soft solder or a hard solder.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] In this case, in the drawing:

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view from the side of a first embodiment of the thermocouple system according to the invention;

[0033] FIG. 2 shows a sectional side view through the embodiment of the thermocouple system shown in FIG. 1;

[0034] FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of the thermocouple system according to the invention in a perspective side view;

[0035] FIG. 4 shows a sectional side view through the embodiment of the thermocouple system according to the invention shown in FIG. 3;

[0036] FIG. 5 shows a perspective side view of a further embodiment of the thermocouple system according to the invention;

[0037] FIG. 6 shows a sectional side view through the embodiment of the thermocouple system according to the invention shown in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the thermocouple system 1 according to the invention in a perspective side view, which in addition to a cylindrical section 10 has a terminal end region 11 which in the present case is in the main of conical shape. The terminal end region 11 has a number of passages 12, the opening cross sections of which are distributed over the outer wall of the terminal region 11. Guided through a predetermined passage 12 is a thermocouple 20 which has two electric leads, not additionally provided with designations, which are provided for the contacting. For sealing and for fixing the thermocouple in the respective passage 12 provision is made for a seal 15 which can be designed for example as special cement or as solder. The seal is designed in this case in such a way that the passage along with the thermocouple is sealed in a fluid-tight manner.

[0039] It is furthermore to be seen that provision is made for a symmetry axis S of the cylindrical section 10, which represents the rotational symmetry axis. The individual passages 12 in the terminal end region 11 are arranged in this case in a number or rings around this symmetry axis S, wherein the individual rings have a different number of passages 12. The individual passages 12 of a ring in each case are in the main equidistant to the respective adjacent passage 12, wherein advantageously the individual rings are also in the main equidistant to the respectively next adjacent ring.

[0040] The thermocouple system 1 can now be guided in its entirety through a suitable opening (not shown in the present case) on an outer casing of a working machine, wherein the cylindrical section 10 of the leadthrough 2 is suitably clamped in the outer casing. In this case, the cylindrical section 10 can for example be inserted into a suitable Swagelok socket and clamped therein. If it were now to be necessary to exchange the thermocouple 20, only the seal 15 would be removed in order to be able to withdraw the thermocouple 20 as a whole from the leadthrough 2. In this respect, the entire leadthrough 2 is no longer to be removed or destroyed but it is sufficient to manipulate just one part, i.e. a specific passage 12.

[0041] The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is shown again in detail in FIG. 2 in a sectional side view. In this, it is be seen that the seal 15 for fixing the thermocouple and for sealing the respective passage fills out the entire passage 12. Also, the other passages, which are not provided with a thermocouple 20, can be sealed against escape and ingress of fluid. It is also to be clearly seen that the opening cross sections of the individual passages are appreciably smaller that the cross-sectional area Q perpendicularly to the symmetry axis S through the cylindrical section 10. If according to the prior art this entire cross-sectional region Q was previously provided with a seal for fixing a thermocouple, then according to the present invention it is now sufficient to provide only a considerably smaller opening region with a seal 15 which consequently can also be removed again more easily.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of the thermocouple system 1 according to the invention in a perspective side view. In this case, the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 differs from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 only to the effect that the individual passages 12 in the terminal end region 11 of the leadthrough 2 are provided with small tubes or tube sections. These tubes or tube sections allow an improved guiding of the thermocouple 20 when it is being inserted through the passages 12 as well as an enlarged surface for applying the seal 15 which for example also penetrates into the tube sections. Particularly in the case of soldering the thermocouple 20, the solder can therefore easily be applied to the inner wall of these tube sections and bring about a seal or an attachment for the thermocouple 20.

[0043] FIG. 4 shows a sectional side view through the embodiment of the thermocouple system 1 according to the invention shown in FIG. 3, in which again the attachment of the individual tube sections, which are in alignment with the respective passages 12, is shown in more detail.

[0044] FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment of the thermocouple system 1 according to the invention, wherein in comparison to the previously shown embodiments the terminal end region 11 is now of step-like design. The steps are of circular design and arranged symmetrically to the symmetry axis S. The individual steps are in each case provided with a predetermined number of passages 12, the longitudinal extent of which runs parallel to the orientation of the symmetry axis S. The individual passages 12 of the respective steps have a ring-like arrangement, wherein two adjacent passages 12 in such a ring are in each case equally spaced apart.

[0045] FIG. 6 shows a sectional side view through the embodiment of the thermocouple system 1 according to the invention shown in FIG. 5.

[0046] Further embodiments are gathered from the dependent claims.