Method and apparatus for shielding the interior walls of an explosion containment chamber

Abstract

A method and apparatus to protect the interior surfaces of an explosion suppression and containment chamber. The present invention uses a plurality of modular armor tile plates fixedly attached to the interior surfaces of the chamber. The present invention also uses a shield armor plate to protect all interior exhaust orifices from potential shrapnel damage.

1 . An interior surface protection apparatus for an explosion suppression and containment chamber, said chamber having a plurality of walls, a ceiling, a floor, at least one exhaust orifice, and at least one access door, each of said walls having an interior surface, said ceiling having an interior surface, said floor having an interior surface, said access door having an interior surface, and each of said walls being supported by a wall support system, said apparatus comprising; 
 a plurality of armored tile plates, each of said armored tile plates being fixedly attached to said interior surface of said walls with an attaching means thereby creating a seam between the adjoining armored tile plate, and creating an exposed wear-absorbing face array of said armored tile plates.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of armored tile plates fixedly attached to said interior surface of said ceiling.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising at least one armored tile plate fixedly attached to said interior surface of said access door.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of armored tile plates fixedly attached to said interior surface of said floor.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said armored tile plates are constructed of a material meeting AR-500 armor material specifications.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said seam is located directly above said wall support system.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said attaching means is a conventional fillet weld placed along the periphery of each said armored tile plates.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said conventional fillet weld is created with an inclined angle.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a means of protecting said exhaust orifice.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said means of protecting said exhaust orifice comprises a shield plate.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said shield plate is constructed of the same material as said armored tile plates.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said shield plate is shaped in a “U” configuration.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said means of protecting said exhaust orifice is fixedly attached to said exposed wear-absorbing face array of said armored plates with an attaching means whereby substantially covering said exhaust orifice.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 13  wherein said attaching means is a conventional fillet weld placed along the intersection of said means of protecting said exhaust orifice and said armored tile plates.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said conventional fillet weld is created with an inclined angle.  
     
     
         16 . A method of protecting the interior surface of an explosion suppression and containment chamber, said chamber having a plurality of walls, a ceiling, a floor, at least one exhaust orifice, and at least one access door, each of said walls having an interior surface, said ceiling having an interior surface, said floor having an interior surface, said access door having an interior surface, and each of said walls being supported by a wall support system, said method comprising the step of; 
 attaching a plurality of armored tile plates to said interior surface of said walls with an attaching means whereby creating a seam along the adjoining armored tile plate and creating an exposed wear-absorbing face array of said armored tile plates.    
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 16  further comprising the step of attaching a plurality of armored tile plates to said interior surface of said ceiling.  
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 16  further comprising the step of attaching at least one armored tile plate to said interior surface of said door.  
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 16  further comprising the step of attaching a plurality of armored tile plates to said interior surface of said floor.  
     
     
         20 . The method as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said armored tile plates are constructed of a material meeting AR-500 armor material specifications.  
     
     
         21 . The method as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said seam is located directly above said wall support system.  
     
     
         22 . The method as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said attaching means is a conventional fillet weld placed along the periphery of each of said armored tile plates.  
     
     
         23 . The method as claimed in  claim 22  wherein said conventional fillet weld is created with an inclined angle.  
     
     
         24 . The method as claimed in  claim 16  further comprising the step of attaching a means of protecting said exhaust orifice.  
     
     
         25 . The method as claimed in  claim 24  wherein said means of protecting said exhaust orifice comprises a shield plate.  
     
     
         26 . The method as claimed in  claim 25  wherein said shield plate is constructed of the same material as said armored tile plates.  
     
     
         27 . The method as claimed in  claim 25  wherein said shield plate is shaped in a “U” configuration.  
     
     
         28 . The method as claimed in  claim 24  further comprising the step of fixedly attaching said means of protecting said exhaust orifice to said exposed wear-absorbing face array of said armored plates with an attaching means whereby substantially covering said exhaust orifice.  
     
     
         29 . The method as claimed in  claim 28  wherein said attaching means is a conventional fillet weld placed along the intersection of said means of protecting said exhaust orifice and said armored tile plates.  
     
     
         30 . The method as claimed in  claim 29  wherein said conventional fillet weld is created with an inclined angle.