DEVICE FOR CENTERING AND CLAMPING TUBULAR PARTS, COMPRISING MEANS FOR REGULATING THE GAS FLOW RATE IN ORDER TO CONTROL THE OXYGEN CONTENT

• Main Authors: RICHARD, GILLES, L'ARVOR, ERIC
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 21.09.2011
• Subjects: CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; TRANSPORTING; WELDING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM

The invention relates to a device for centering and clamping conduits which are preferably made from alloy steel and which are positioned end to end in order to be welded to form a pipeline. The invention comprises: means for centering and clamping two conduits that are to be welded, optional leak-tight partition means which define an inerting chamber at the mating surface, and inert gas distribution means for creating a protective atmosphere at the mating surface. The inventive device also comprises at least means for regulating the flow of inert gas and/or the supply pressure of said inert gas as a function of the concentration of O2 measured in the protective atmosphere and/or the pressure measured within said atmosphere, such as to maintain the O2 content of the atmosphere below a pre-determined alarm threshold value and/or the pressure of the atmosphere below a pre-determined threshold value.