Temperature Sensor and Sealing Gland
Applications
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Autoclaves/Furnaces
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Autoclaves
Furnace – Kilns & Ovens (Non-Vacuum)
Furnaces - Vacuum
Heaters/Heat Treating/Metal Processing
Sterilizers
Hyperbaric Chambers
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Cement Kiln Manufacturer
• Application Parameters:
– Temperature: 330° C
– High vibration
– Material in kiln: Nickel laterite ore
– Very abrasive material due to particle size and moisture weight
• Customer Requirement: A thermocouple assembly rugged enough
to measure ore temperature in a very abrasive, high vibration kiln
environment.
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Cement Kiln Manufacturer
• Conax Design Solution:
– Type K thermocouple made of 8 AWG wire and beaded with
alumina insulators
– A 0.50″ 446SS Schedule 40 pipewell houses the 8 AWG Type K
thermocouple assembly
– A 3.00″ OD x 1.50″ ID heat resistant alloy Grade HT outer
pipewell with a 5.24″ OD 310SS flange houses the 0.50″
Schedule 40 pipewell assembly
– Outer Grade HT pipewell is coated with a 0.05″-0.06″ thick
Nickel/Chrome/Boron coating for the first 3″ to provide abrasion
resistance.
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Cement Kiln Manufacturer
Kiln On-board Thermocouple
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Cement Kiln Manufacturer
Kiln On-Board Thermocouple
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Steel Manufacturer
• Customer Requirement: A thermocouple assembly capable of
monitoring exhaust gas temperature in the stack of a blast furnace
• Application Parameters:
– Temperature: 1500°C
– Pressure: 4 Bar
– High velocity gas flow
– Environment: coke, ore, hydrogen gas, debris
– Insertion length in process: 60″
– Flow Rate: 90,000 cu ft/min
– Exhaust Stack Pipe Diameter: 48″
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Steel Manufacturer
• Sensor Location:
Mounted vertically at the top of a 200 ft. stack
• Previous Sensor Design:
A Type S thermocouple with a 0.500″ diameter alumina tubewell.
The thermocouples exhibited open circuits after just 3 months of
operation. The customer was forced to shut down the furnace,
causing considerable down time.
• Reason for Failure:
Hydrogen penetration through the porous alumina tubewell caused
junction failure.
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Steel Manufacturer
• Conax Design Solution:
Conax designed and manufactured a Type S thermocouple with a
0.625″ OD outer sintered alpha silicon carbide tubewell with a 0.375″
OD inner alumina tubewell. At the present time the Conax designed
thermocouples have lasted 18 months without any problems.
• Why Did the Conax Design Work:
By incorporating a gas-tight silicon carbide outer tubewell with an
inner alumina tubewell, any hydrogen penetration was eliminated.
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Steel Manufacturer
Blast Furnace Thermocouple
© 2007 Conax Technologies
What is an Autoclave?
An autoclave is an ASME code certified, National Board registered,
metal structure that serves basically as a pressure vessel, designed
with one or more safety interlocked entry access closures (doors).
Autoclaves typically range in size up to 144" in diameter, with any length
practical for the application.
A typical autoclave is designed to retain a temperature-controlled
environment at a full vacuum or to 1000 PSIG. Autoclaves may be
electric, gas-fired or steam heated by a direct or indirect source. They
are supplied with customized control systems for temperature and
pressure, complete with data acquisition systems. Conax glands are
needed to penetrate:
• Temperature Sensors
• Low Voltage Instrument Leadwires
• High Voltage Conductors
• High Current Heater Conductors
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Typical Autoclave Construction
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Typical Autoclave Construction
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Typical Autoclave Construction
Some are large
enough to fit a skid
or actually drive a
car inside for
surface treatments
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Autoclave for Glass Treatment
• For the autoclave in the
previous slide, the
customer was forming
and laminating glass for
special windscreens.
• A film was put between
two pieces of glass and
fused together with the
heat.
© 2007 Conax Technologies
EG Assemblies on Autoclave
• Electrode Gland
assemblies are feeding
power to heaters inside of
autoclave
• Center stud is our EG
and splitting off the
voltage and amperage to
six wires (customer’s
distribution block).
© 2007 Conax Technologies
EG Assemblies on Autoclave
Photos showing EG
glands threaded onto
autoclave outer wall
© 2007 Conax Technologies
EG-187/125-A-L Autoclave
for Foam Manufacturer
• Requirements of Application:
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40 Amps, 240 Volts
Pure Nitrogen environment
24kpsi pressure test, 14.7kpsi max. operating
300º C
• Conax Custom Designed Solution:
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© 2007 Conax Technologies
Autoclave mounting (straight thread)
Stepped electrode for blowout protection
Lava seal
Nickel electrode for corrosion resistance
EG-187/125-A-L Autoclave
For Foam Manufacturer
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Vacuum/Heat Treating Furnace
Applications include:
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© 2007 Conax Technologies
Annealing
Tempering
Vacuum Braizing
Impregnating Material
Vacuum/Heat Treating Furnace
© 2007 Conax Technologies
PG Adaptation
0.5” Alumina Protection Tube
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Automotive parts heat treating customer
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Hydrogen Purged heat treat furnace requires Alumina
protection tube T/C
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Currently using leaky “cemented” fitting
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PG5-500-A-G Grafoil sealant provided secure, gas tight
seal to eliminate hydrogen leakage without harming the
fragile ceramic tubewell
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Vacuum/Heat Treating Furnace
• Transducer Gland at low voltage, millivolts
- TG-24T series (teflon insulation) or TG-24F/M (fiberglass
insulation) are Conax wire sealing from 230C to 790C
- TG with bare wires or our High Density (HD) Feed-through can be
used for low temperature up to 120C
• Power Lead Gland with Kapton insulated lead wires to 600 volts, 55
amps, up to 232C
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Vacuum Furnace
Thermocouple Sheath Compression Seal Fittings
with NPT or Vacuum Flange mounting options
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Vacuum/Heat Treating Furnace
• Base Metal & High Temperature Thermocouple Sensors Like Load
Probes and Control & Over-Temp Thermocouples
• 1200F Rated Stainless Steel & Ceramic Thermocouple Jack Panel
© 2007 Conax Technologies
PGS Sealing Gland for Penetration of a Single
Sensor with an Integral Sensor Tip
Hyperbaric Oxygenation Therapy chamber. Split sealing gland to
seal the patient monitoring sensor. Sensor has an enlarged
integral sensor tip.
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Process and Industrial
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Chemicals/Plastics
Defense/Government Labs/R&D
Industrial Gases
HVAC/Refrigeration/Cryogenics
Industrial Equipment
Oil & Gas
Waste Water
© 2007 Conax Technologies
PG Gland Seals Provide an Adjustable
Immersion of an OEM Vortex Flow Meter
Conax Packing Gland
provides an
adjustable immersion
© 2007 Conax Technologies
EGT-187 Adaption for
Sandia National Labs, NM
• Customer supplied heavy forged flange for Sarin Bomb
detonation chamber
• Required embedded EGTs with 15kV, 1,500 bar in 2mS
pressure, then hold 1 bar at 38ºC. High reliability and seal
integrity for obvious safety reasons.
• Only Teflon and Stainless Steel materials allowed
© 2007 Conax Technologies
EGT-187 Adaption for
Sandia National Labs, NM
• Tight tolerance on electrode length for interface electrical connection
• MK-style cap used
• EGT port machined into customer flange
• Blowout collar
• Government witnessed leak test for design verification
© 2007 Conax Technologies
E.I. DuPont
EGVSP (EGT style) Adaptation
• Requirements of Application:
• 20kV capability (short duration)
• 200º C, 6000 psi
• Outer Body threads: ¾"-16 and 1"-12
• Conax Custom Designed Solution:
• Used Vespel Sealant for mechanical properties at 200º C
• MK style cap so outer body threads could be used
• Single 16 AWG Kapton insulated wire
© 2007 Conax Technologies
TG-14-B2 Sealing Gland For
An Ultrasonic Gas Flow Meter
Application: Seal instrumentation leads into an ultrasonic gas flow
meter.
Solution: The Conax sealing gland offers a high-reliability, leak tight
seal that can be assembled onto the existing wires extending from the
sensor. Conax supplies the TG gland with a B-cap for direct
attachment of an agency-approved cable seal. Five TG sealing glands
required per meter.
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Transducer Wire Seals (TWS)
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Sealing on Oval Wires
Chevron Phillips needed a multiple hole sealing
assembly to seal on 5 each oval thermocouple wires,
0.047” x 0.079”
We recommended a MHM5-079-A5-V with a RSMHM5-057-V sealant.
Conax supplied Installation & Assembly Instructions
and performed a prototype test of the customersupplied .047" x .079" thermocouple wires. With a
reduced torque of 20-25 Ft-Lbs (catalog torque is 120130 Ft-lbs), the MHM5 gland was successfully tested
underwater with 45 PSI helium for 10 minutes
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Wire cut to
30º angle
for easier
insertion
through
sealant
Cool-Down RTD Sensors for Liquid Cryogenic
Storage Tanks
Application: Large cryogenic (LNG) storage tanks require Cool-down
sensors to monitor the temperature to insure the controlled filling to
avoid temperature-related structural stresses.
Conax Solution: Conax has supplied hundreds of RTD sensors with
Compression Sealing Gland Assemblies up to 1000 ft. long for direct
immersion into the LNG inner tank.
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Testing Feed Water Pumps
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Customer Requirement:
The Westinghouse Pump Assembly Facility needed
a sealing gland capable of sealing 80 Tefloninsulated, 24 AWG, Type J thermocouple wires (40
pairs) in nitrogen gas at 3,750 psi and 205°C. The
customer required the performance of hydrostatic
pressure test at 3,750 psi and 70°F for 10 minutes
with no visible leakage or wire movement permitted.
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Conax Design Solution:
We adapted our MHM6 sealing gland with a Grafoil
sealant and wires. The assembly contained 120"
leads on the body side. The Conax description is
MHM6-24T(J)-A80-G, 120"/24". The customer said
that Conax was the only vendor capable of sealing
80 wires for this high pressure application.
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Oil and Gas Applications
Upstream Applications:
• Exploration
• Extraction
• Research and Development
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Exploration Product
The HL Gland has been CSA® certified in the U.S. and Canada for use in hazardous locations defined
by the NEC® as Class I, Div.1 and 2, Groups B, C, and D; Class II, Div. 1 and 2, Groups E, F, and G;
and Class III.
It is superior to Chico® and other similar conduit sealing compound fittings commonly used in
hazardous environments.
With a mechanically-sealed HL Gland, you will not cracks in compound sealants or incorrectly installed
compound sealants that allow gases or liquids to leak in the conduit system allowing migration of
explosive gases through stranded conductors due to a pressure differential in the conduit system.
Features:
•Pressure rated to 500 psig
•Suitable for gas or liquid
•Features Grafoil® sealant
•Teflon sleeves are used to protect wires from damage
•Two body styles – small (1/2” NPT) and large (3/4” NPT)
•Wire, solid 14, 16 or 18 AWG is supplied either by customer or Conax Technologies
•Minimum 18” leads on both ends
•Wires can be easily assembled in the field
•Temperature range from -4°F to 130° F (-20°C to + 55°C)
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Extraction Product
American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) Approved Compression Seal Fittings for Use
on Sealing Semi Rigid Jacketed Cables for Off Shore Drill Rig Applications
Application:
Customer required a leak-tight compression sealing gland of semi rigid jacketed seismic
cable with internal electrical conductors and pressure tubes without severely pinching
the cable and damaging the internal conductors.
Conax Solution:
Conax developed a double sealant, double angle combination packing gland assembly
to minimize the deformation of the semi-rigid cable while maintaining the pressure rating.
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Extraction Products
High Density Feed-Through Used in Down-Hole Sand
Permeation Simulation Testing
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Extraction Product
Oil Field Pump Application
Customer manufactures fluid ends (pump suction and discharge
components) for high-pressure oil field pump service applications. The
customer work hardens the internal bores of the fluid ends using a
process called “autofrettage”. Strain gages are used within the fluid end
bores during the cyclical high fluid pressure autofrettage manufacturing
procedure. The customer required a sealing gland that could seal the
strain gauge leads exiting the fluid ends and hold up under pressures in
the 30,000 psi range. The High Pressure Power Lead (HPPL) was the
solution
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Research & Development Product
High Density Feed-Through with Protected Leads
Case Study:
High Density (HD) Feed-throughs are widely used for R&D and Testing in the
Oil & Gas industry where a significant number of instrumentation circuits must
penetrate into limited space applications. A single 3/8” diameter HD will seal 60
wires or 30 thermocouple pairs. Quite often the application requires long pigtail
lengths that can be damaged during installation or reassembly. We now offer
an options to protect the leads with either a stainless steel braid or with
interlock armor.
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Oil and Gas Applications
Downstream Applications
• Refining
• Distribution
• Storage
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Refining Products
Process Analyzer Sample Probe Assembly
(SPA) with Packing Gland (PG)
The Sample Probe Assembly
(SPA) is used to hot-tap a
probe into a process through a
process isolation valve
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Refining Products
Direct Immersion, Fast Response
Hot-Tapped Thermocouple Assembly
Application: A closed-loop refinery application required a direct immersion,
fast response thermocouple assembly designed to be hot-tapped into the
process through a valve for direct process monitoring.
Conax Solution: Conax utilized an extended length Packing Gland with a
Grafoil sealant to hot-tap the thermocouple directly into the process through a
gate valve. The thermocouple sheath is designed with an integral over-sheath
to insure the design is suitable for direct immersion into the flow stream.
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Distribution Products
Temperature Sensor for Natural Gas Flow
Computer for Custody Transfer Measurement
Temperature Sensor for Custody Transfer
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Total Flow Probe
Case Study: Precise temperature measurement for original equipment
manufacturer for natural gas flow computer industry.
Application: Natural gas flow computers require temperature
compensation for accurate gas volume measurement
Conax Solution: Conax developed in-house, US made, low cost, high
volume and high reliability RTD sensors for several large gas flow computer
OEMs. Pictured are the two typical styles where over 165,000 RTD sensors
were fabricated in an eight-year-period
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Distribution Products
PG 9 Gland with Steam Jacket for Sealing
Sulfur Analyzer Probes
Above is a specialized Conax PG9 gland with a steam jacket to seal a
1.25”pipe (1.66”OD) to hot-tap a sulfur analyzer probe into a sulfur
recovery unit (SRU) tailgate process. The steam jacket around the
gland maintains the temperature at 300°F(149°C) in order to prevent
the sulfur from hardening and cementing the probe in place. Utilizing
similar engineering capabilities, Conax can also design a water cooled
compression seal fitting for high power electrical feed-throughs.
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Storage Products
SPG Sealing Gland for Penetration of Sensors
with Special Tip Configurations
CBI is a Engineer & Constructor of nitrogen and helium storage tanks. They use
long length RTD sensors to monitor the tank’s wall temperature in a number of
locations to control the filling and emptying process and prevent structural
damage if the structure is temperature cycled too quickly.
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Storage Products
Cool-Down RTD Sensors for Liquid Cryogenic
Storage Tanks
Application: Large cryogenic (LNG) storage tanks require Cool-down
sensors to monitor the temperature to insure the controlled filling to
avoid temperature-related structural stresses.
Conax Solution: Conax has supplied hundreds of RTD sensors with
Compression Sealing Gland Assemblies up to 1000 ft. long for direct
immersion into the LNG inner tank.
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Storage Products
SPG Sealing Gland for Penetration of Sensors
with Special Tip Configurations
Objective: High reliability seal of multiple sensors into a storage tank
needed. The long RTD sensors require an integral sensor tip larger than
sheath to encase the RTD element and provide a means of attachment.
Solution: The SPG sealing glands can seal on the RTD sensor sheath and
still allow for field assembly of the RTD sensors through the split gland.
© 2007 Conax Technologies
Storage Products
To facilitate welding thermocouples to surfaces in the field such as
distribution pipes, the sensor’s measuring junction can be fitted with a
weld pad. Flat or curved pads are 0.125" thick x 1.00" square and are
available in 304 or optional 316 stainless steel. Flat pads may be
welded flat (Style F) or perpendicular (Style P). Curved pads may also
be welded flat (FC) or perpendicular (PC) and offer a choice of radius
of 0.567" (for 1" nominal pipe) or 0.875" (for 1.5" nominal pipe).
© 2007 Conax Technologies