Stay Ahead in Industrial Engineering with Innovations in Bleed Rings Amy Smith, January 2, 2024January 2, 2024 Industrial engineering may not be a popular field, but it’s definitely essential to our economy. It’s all about efficiency, cost reduction, and game-changing innovations. Bleed rings (also known as drip rings or test inserts) are a useful way to drain piping, take samples, or attach instruments. They are usually made of stainless steel but can be produced in other materials on request. Image Source: Freepik 1. RTJ (Ring Type Joint) Bleed rings, sometimes called bleeder or vent rings, are a set of flange-mounted pipe connections that enable you to drain pipes, take samples, attach instruments, or even bleed a valve. They are ring sections with one or more radial pipe connections that can be fitted inside the circular bolts between standard flanges that connect valves and instruments. They are available in a range of sizes from NPS 1 up to NPS 24 and in the ASME pressure classes 150 through 1500. A bleed ring can also be used to connect a level or pressure transmitter directly to the system and act as an environmentally safe process drain. This eliminates the need to use a separate valve and reduces the risk of corrosion in steel pipes and measuring equipment. In addition, the dead-space-free design of the ring means that there is no place for fluid to collect and build up, which can lead to contamination or leakage. The RTJ gasket is a type of metal-to-metal sealing system that is specifically designed for high-pressure and high-temperature pipeline applications. It uses a ring-shaped metallic element to seal the gap between the flange faces and is bonded with a conventional gasket material to provide a reliable, leak-free connection in demanding environments. The ring shape is designed to deform into the groove machined into the flange face, providing a strong metal-to-metal contact that prevents leak paths. Another advantage of RTJ is that it requires minimal maintenance and can be installed quickly. It also has a lower weight than traditional cast flanges and can be machined to the same tolerances as other flange types, making it an excellent choice for a wide variety of application needs. According to the invention, the patented combined shrink ring/bleed ring is made of a single forged piece and is flat on its inner surface. It has a half-open cavity on the side facing the inner casing, which, together with the outer contour of the inner case, forms an annular space in which bleed steam flows through the bleed slot collected. 2. Flexibility Bleed rings — also known as flush or test rings, vent or drain rings, or simply bleeder rings — allow for a convenient point of drainage and access to valves or instruments in your piping system. They are fitted to standard flanges within the bolt circle using conventional gasket materials, and they can be used to easily drain piping, take samples, or attach instruments without having to remove the entire flange from the process line. A typical steam turbine has an inner casing consisting of a bottom part, a top part, and an outer casing. The casing has a bleed slot to allow for the passage of a bleed stream to a pipe connection. In the bleed slot, there are multiple shrink rings that hold together the bottom and the top parts of the inner casing, as well as the associated pipe connections. These multiple shrink rings make it difficult to disassemble and inspect the interior of the casing, which in turn makes it more likely that problems will occur. To address these issues, a new type of combined shrink ring/bleed ring has been developed that combines the functions of the bleeder ring and the shrink ring into one part. This new design is easier to produce and fit than the previous versions. The combined shrink ring/bleed ring has an outer contour with an arch 23, a cavity on its inside, and flat parts 21 on each side. An opening 22 is arranged in arch 23 to fit an extraction connection. In this way, the combined bleed ring/bleed ring can be connected in a sealing manner to an extraction connection in the outer casing of the steam turbine and can be used to collect the bleed stream. To learn more about how bleed rings can be used in your industrial processes or systems, please contact us today at Unified Alloys. We can offer you a range of ANSI and ASME bleed ring sizes, taps, and ratings to meet the requirements of your specific application. We can also provide additional machining, coating, and testing services. 3. Safety Industrial engineering aims to enhance productivity, but it is also critical to create a safe workplace for employees. Failure to do so can lead to a variety of problems, including employee injuries and fatalities. These accidents have significant repercussions for employees’ health and well-being and can also negatively impact business operations and profitability. Workplace safety is a top priority for industrial engineers responsible for designing and improving safe work processes and equipment. This includes identifying potential safety hazards and developing strategies to mitigate them. This may involve ergonomic design of equipment and workflows to minimize physical strain or creating training programs for employees on how to use and operate safety equipment. Industrial engineers are also involved in the development of facility-based safety protocols and procedures, and they help ensure that all facilities are equipped to handle emergency situations. Industrial engineers need to be aware of and comply with all applicable government safety regulations and industry standards. They are also responsible for ensuring that all workers are properly trained and equipped with the proper safety equipment. Industrial engineers also analyze and improve workflows to reduce or eliminate safety risks. Safety in manufacturing is a major focus for industrial engineers, who are concerned with the safety of workers and the environment. They work to develop safety protocols, inspect equipment and facilities, and test for environmental hazards. Industrial engineers also utilize technology to monitor and control manufacturing processes. This can include sensor systems to detect dangerous levels of air and water contaminants, robots to automate repetitive tasks, and virtual and augmented reality for safety training and simulations. Bleed rings are often used in place of traditional valves and flanges to provide a more convenient and efficient solution for piping applications. These devices, which are also known as drip rings or bleeders, can be matched to any flange rating and come in a range of sizes. They can be made from a variety of materials, including carbon steel and stainless steel. If you’re interested in using bleed rings in your piping system, contact Unified Alloys. We can match you with the right bleed ring for your specific needs, including sizing and finish. 4. Efficiency An industrial engineering degree takes a lot of time and effort to acquire. But it also opens up a lot of career opportunities. These opportunities come with lucrative salaries and growth prospects. But to keep advancing in your field, you need to constantly work towards your goals. You can do this by staying ahead of the competition in your field and taking proactive measures to improve efficiency. One way to do this is by using bleed rings. These are a series of radial pipe connections that can be used to drain pipes or remove fluid from valves. They can also be used to remove pressure from a system before removing the valve or blind flange. These rings are available in a variety of sizes and ratings and can be made from a range of materials, including carbon steel and stainless steel. The steam turbine, according to the invention, has a combined shrink ring/bleed ring disposed above the bleed slot in the inner casing. The bleed ring has at its center an arch 23, which, together with the flat parts 21 at the sides of the bleed ring, forms a half-open cavity facing the inner casing. This cavity and the flat parts of the bleed ring form an extraction connection for directing the bleed steam through the outer casing to a pipeline. The bleed ring is fastened to the inner casing in a sealing manner by welding, screwing, or clamping. This allows the bleed ring to be positioned in such a way that it is not in contact with the hot working areas. In this way, the bleed ring is able to prevent the penetration of foreign matter into the steam turbine and protect it against corrosion. It can, therefore, be used for long-term operation in brownfield sites and reduces the risk of contamination. It also allows for rapid, easy access to drain piping, take samples, or attach instruments. It is often used in place of orifice flanges, which are more expensive. Share on FacebookTweetFollow usSave Business