Compressor air cooler with replaceable flange ring

Abstract

A cooler assembly includes a substantially hollow casing having an inside surface having a diameter D. A flange ring is positioned in the casing and has a flange ring outside surface sealingly secured against the casing inside surface. The flange ring has a flange ring inside surface having a diameter r less than the diameter D. A cooler is positioned in the casing and has first and second headers and a plurality of cooling tubes extending therebetween. At least the first header has a first header outside diameter I that is approximately equal to or slightly less than the diameter r. The cooler is positioned such that the first header is axially aligned with and sealed against the flange ring.

1 . A cooler assembly comprising: 
 a substantially hollow casing having an inside surface having a diameter D;    a flange ring positioned in the casing and having an outside surface sealingly secured against the casing inside surface, the flange ring having an inside surface having a diameter r less than the diameter D; and    a cooler positioned in the casing and having a first header, a second header, and a plurality of cooling tubes extending therebetween, wherein the first header has a first header outside diameter I that is approximately equal to or slightly less than the diameter r, the cooler is positioned such that the first header is axially aligned with and sealed against the flange ring, and the cooler is insertable in and removable from the casing independently of the flange ring.    
   
   
       2 . The cooler assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flange ring includes a ring shoulder that extends radially inward from the flange ring inside surface to define an axial stop for the first header.  
   
   
       3 . The cooler assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the casing further includes a shoulder that extends radially inward from the casing inside surface, wherein the shoulder defines an axial stop for the flange ring.  
   
   
       4 . The cooler assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flange ring has a width W and the first header has a width less than the width W.  
   
   
       5 . The cooler assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flange ring outside surface has a chamfered portion to assist in the insertion of the flange ring into the casing.  
   
   
       6 . The cooler assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flange ring inside surface has a chamfered portion to assist in the insertion of the first header into the flange ring.  
   
   
       7 . The cooler assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flange ring outside surface has at least one substantially circumferential groove to assist in bonding the flange ring to the casing.  
   
   
       8 . The cooler assembly of  claim 1 , further including an O-ring between flange ring and the first header.  
   
   
       9 . The cooler assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the first header includes an outside surface having a groove configured to receive the O-ring.  
   
   
       10 . The cooler assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flange ring is sealed to the casing with a high temperature sealant.  
   
   
       11 . A cooler assembly comprising: 
 a substantially hollow casing having an inside surface having a diameter D and including a casing shoulder that extends radially inward from the casing inside surface;    a flange ring positioned in the casing against the casing shoulder and having an outside surface sealingly secured against the casing inside surface, the flange ring having an inside surface having a diameter r less than the diameter D and having a ring shoulder that extends radially inward from the flange ring inside surface; and    a cooler positioned in the casing and having a first header and a second header and a plurality of cooling tubes extending therebetween, wherein the first header has a first header outside diameter I that is approximately equal to or slightly less than the diameter r, the cooler is positioned such that the first header is axially aligned with and sealed against the flange ring, the ring shoulder defines an axial stop for the first header, and the cooler is insertable in and removable from the casing independently of the flange ring.    
   
   
       12 . The cooler assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the flange ring has a width W and the first header has a width less than the width W.  
   
   
       13 . The cooler assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the flange ring outside surface has a chamfered portion to assist in the insertion of the flange ring into the casing.  
   
   
       14 . The cooler assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the flange ring inside surface has a chamfered portion to assist in the insertion of the first header into the flange ring.  
   
   
       15 . The cooler assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the flange ring outside surface has at least one substantially circumferential groove to assist in bonding the flange ring to the casing.  
   
   
       16 . The cooler assembly of  claim 11 , further including an O-ring between flange ring and the first header.  
   
   
       17 . The cooler assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the first header includes an outside surface having a groove configured to receive the O-ring.  
   
   
       18 . The cooler assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flange ring is sealed to the casing with a high temperature sealant.  
   
   
       19 . A method for assembling a cooler assembly, the method comprising: 
 providing a substantially hollow casing having a casing inside surface defining a casing shoulder;    applying a high temperature sealant at least partially covering the casing inside surface and the casing shoulder;    inserting a flange ring into the casing and against the casing shoulder, wherein the flange ring includes an outside surface, an inside surface, a ring shoulder that extends radially inward from the flange ring inside surface;    inserting a cooler into the casing, wherein the cooler includes a first header, a second header and a plurality of cooling tubes extending therebetween, such that the first header is axially aligned with and sealed against the flange ring and the ring shoulder defines an axial stop for the first header; and    curing the sealant.