Pfaudler, Inc.

Keith A Quintana

Apparatus for repairing a breach in a lower nozzle of a glass lined vessel which includes an internal flange having an upper surface, a lower surface, an outside end surface and an inside end surface. The apparatus further includes an insert tube having an outside diameter sized to permit insertion through the nozzle and of sufficient length to extend completely through the nozzle and extend beyond a lowermost portion of the nozzle. The insert tube has an inside surface, and an external surface having an upper end portion. The upper end portion of the external surface of the insert tube is in contact with and integral with the inside end surface of the internal flange. The insert tube is usually welded to the internal flange at that location. The external surface of the insert tube is threaded below the lowermost portion of the nozzle. The apparatus of the invention also includes a liner of corrosion resistant metal, e.g. tantalum, covering the inside surface of the insert tube, the upper surface of the internal flange, the outside end surface of the internal flange and at least a portion of the lower surface of the inside flange. A thrust plate flange is provided that is threadable over the external surface of the insert tube below the lowermost portion of the nozzle. The thrust plate flange is provided with threaded bolt holes. Bolts are provided for threading into the bolt holes for forcing the thrust plate flange in a direction away from the lowermost portion of the nozzle thus forcing said insert tube and attached internal flange in a direction which causes the tantalum lined lower surface of the internal flange and the corrosion resistant lining of the vessel to seal against an internal flange gasket located between said lower surface of the internal flange and the corrosion resistant lining of the vessel.

Bottom nozzle repair apparatus

An electronic probe assembly having a probe for introduction into a vessel, which vessel has a corrosion resistant liner. The assembly comprises a ring having a body wherein the body is defined by a circumferential exterior surface, an upper sealing surface, a lower sealing surface and a central surface defining a central hole. The body also has a probe access hole passing through the body from the exterior surface to the central hole. The upper surface, lower surface and defining surfaces of the central hole are covered by a contiguous layer of a corrosion resistant metal, which is preferably tantalum. A probe is mounted in the probe access hole such that an end of a sensor portion of the probe is integral with said lining over the central surface and such that the probe may be connected with an electrical conductor through the probe access hole. The end of the sensor preferably comprises platinum which is welded to the tantalum to become integral therewith. The assembly is readily mounted to a vessel at a flange surface by placing a first corrosion resistant gasket between the lower sealing surface and the flange surface and a second corrosion resistant gasket between the upper sealing surface and a cover and tightening the cover to the flange thus compressing and holding the gaskets and allowing access of the sensor to the interior of the vessel and otherwise electrically isolating said assembly from the interior of the vessel.

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Fairport, NY, United States of America

Keith A Quintana