Pressure vessel

Abstract

A pressure vessel having a housing forming a chamber of a polygonal cross-section, the sides of the housing being formed by at least one panel, the panel forming one side being connected to the panels forming an adjacent side by a connector assembly that permits the connected panels at the juncture of the connector assembly to pivot or move relative to one another in the substantial absence of any bending stress at such juncture, and a seal being used to form fluid-tight seals between adjacent sides.

1 . A pressure vessel, comprising: 
 a housing having at least three connected sides and forming a chamber, said chamber having at least one chamber opening, each of said sides having at least two connection edges;    a connector assembly for flexibly connecting a connection edge of one side to a connection edge of an adjacent side;    a fluid-tight seal for sealing between adjacent sides; and    a closure sealingly secured over said at least one chamber opening.    
     
     
         2 . A pressure vessel, comprising: 
 a housing having at least three connected sides and forming a chamber having a cross-section determined by the number of sides, said chamber having a first chamber opening, each of said sides comprising at least one side panel, each of said side panels having a web section with a first edge and a second edge, a first flange portion extending from said first edge of said web section, a second flange portion extending from said second edge of said web section, said first and second flange portions being substantially parallel, each of said panels having a first end and a second end;    a connector on each of said flange portions adjacent each of the ends of said panel, each of said connectors having a leaf projecting outwardly of said end of said panel, each of said leaves having a first face and a second face, each of said leaves having an opening extending through and transverse to said first and second faces, the openings in the leaves on a given end of a panel being in register;    the leaves on the connected ends of adjacent panels being spaced relative to one another so as to be interlaminated when an end of one panel is connected to the end of an adjacent panel, the bores of said interlaminated leaves being in register;    a tie rod extending through the registered openings of said interlaminated leaves to hold the ends of adjacent panels in connected relationship;    a fluid-tight seal for sealing between adjacent sides; and    a first closure member sealingly secured over said first chamber opening.    
     
     
         3 . The pressure vessel of  claim 2  wherein there are four connected sides forming a chamber having a generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration.  
     
     
         4 . The pressure vessel of  claim 2  wherein each of said flange portions has an inner surface and an outer surface.  
     
     
         5 . The pressure vessel of  claim 4  wherein said connector is removably secured to said inner surface of said flange portion.  
     
     
         6 . The pressure vessel of  claim 2  wherein each of said sides comprises a plurality of said side panels disposed in side-by-side relationship, each of said side panels having one flange portion sealingly engaging the flange portion of an adjacent side panel.  
     
     
         7 . The pressure vessel of  claim 6  wherein said sealing engagement is accomplished by grouting.  
     
     
         8 . The pressure vessel of  claim 6  wherein each of said flange portions has an inner surface and an outer surface.  
     
     
         9 . The pressure vessel of  claim 8  wherein each of said sealingly engaged flange portions has an aligning aperture, said aligning apertures being in register when said panels are in side-by-side relationship.  
     
     
         10 . The pressure vessel of  claim 9  wherein each of said connectors is a monolithic body and includes a body portion having an aligning boss, respective ones of said connectors being removably secured to said inner surfaces of respective ones of said sealingly engaged flange portions, said aligning bosses being received in respective ones of said aligning apertures.  
     
     
         11 . The pressure vessel of  claim 10  wherein each of said bosses has a bore, respective ones of said bores being in register when respective ones of said aligning bosses are received in respective ones of said apertures, a fastener being received in respective ones of said registered bores to urge said connector on one flange portion of a side panel toward said connector on the flange portion of said adjacent side panel.  
     
     
         12 . The pressure vessel of  claim 9  wherein each of said connectors comprises a spacer place, a leaf plate, and an aligning bushing, respective ones of said spacer plates being disposed between respective ones of said inner surfaces of said flange portions and said leaf plates, each of said spacer plates and said leaf plates having aligning bores, aligning bores of respective ones of said spacer plates and said leaf plates being in register with each other and with respective ones of said aligning apertures in said flange portions to form a connector passage, respective ones of said aligning bushings being received in respective ones of said connector passages.  
     
     
         13 . The pressure vessel of  claim 12  wherein each of said aligning bushings has a bore therethrough, said bores being in register when respective ones of said aligning bushings are received in respective ones of said connector passages, a fastener being received in respective ones of said connector passages to urge said connector on one flange portion of one side panel toward said connector on the flange portion of said adjacent side panel.  
     
     
         14 . The pressure vessel of  claim 6  wherein said sealingly engaged flange portions are connected together along their length.  
     
     
         15 . The pressure vessel of  claim 2  wherein said fluid-tight seal comprises an outer body section, an inner body section, and an intermediate web section, said web section being disposed between connected ends of adjacent panels.  
     
     
         16 . The pressure vessel of  claim 2  wherein said chamber has a second chamber opening and there is a second closure member sealingly secured over said second chamber opening.  
     
     
         17 . The pressure vessel of  claim 2  wherein said first closure member includes an access door.  
     
     
         18 . The pressure vessel of  claim 16  wherein said second closure member includes an access door.