Device for monitoring winding tension of flexible pipe composite layer

Abstract

The invention discloses a flexible pipe composite layer winding tension monitoring device which comprises a tension sensing unit matched with a fiber rope of a winding machine, the winding machine comprises a machine disc, a bobbin and a wire outlet disc, a wire coil is installed on the bobbin, and the wire outlet end of the fiber rope is wound on the rotation face of a flexible pipe; the tension sensing unit comprises a tension sensor and a sensor fixing structure, the sensor fixing structure comprises a sliding sleeve, a telescopic cantilever and a buckle, the sliding sleeve is arranged on the bobbin in a sleeving mode, the fixed end of the telescopic cantilever is fixedly connected with the sliding sleeve, and the buckle is arranged at the free end of the telescopic cantilever and fixed to a fixing screw of the tension sensor; the position of the tension sensor relative to the fiber rope is determined by adjusting the positions of the sliding sleeve and the buckle; a sensing signal is finally transmitted to an upper computer so as to read and display the measured tension of the fiber rope in real time. The external cantilever type fixing structure is adopted, plane sliding of the sensor can be effectively prevented, meanwhile, actual winding is not affected, and high applicability is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a tension monitoring system for a flexible pipe composite layer winding machine, and in particular to a monitoring device for the tension of a flexible pipe composite layer winding. Background Art

[0002] Compared to rigid pipes, flexible pipes are widely used in oil transportation, chemical media transmission, marine engineering, and specialty fluid transportation due to their superior corrosion resistance, high strength-to-weight ratio, and ability to be transported in coils. Their performance directly determines the safety and economic feasibility of engineering operations. However, flexible pipes are structurally complex, with exceptionally long individual lengths and extreme load conditions. Their performance is highly sensitive to processing quality parameters, and therefore present significant challenges in their design and manufacturing.

[0003] Flexible pipes utilize a multi-layer composite structure designed to resist external pressure and radial collapse while bearing axial tensile loads. The composite structure requires a winding machine to evenly apply fiber ropes to the flexible pipe. The winding tension directly impacts the quality of the winding process and even the service life of the flexible pipe. Insufficient tension can lead to loose interlayer bonds, resulting in localized bulging, interlayer slippage, or structural instability, reducing compressive and tensile strength. This can easily cause pipe collapse or fracture under extreme high pressure and dynamic loads. Excessive tension can cause plastic deformation, fiber breakage, inner layer crushing, or excessive residual stress, shortening fatigue life. A more insidious risk lies in transient fluctuations in tension or uneven distribution along the length of the pipe, leading to localized stress concentrations and potential sources of failure during long-term service. Therefore, the actual process places stringent demands on the uniformity, stability, and consistency of the winding process. Even minor defects in deep-sea environments can lead to catastrophic accidents, causing significant economic losses and ecological crises.

[0004] Currently, quality control in the flexible pipe winding process relies primarily on two technologies: pre-set processes and offline quality inspection. The former relies on machine-based pre-set process parameters—setting nominal values ​​for tension, angle, and speed before winding. However, this lacks the ability to detect and adjust dynamic changes in tension during actual production. The latter relies on manual visual inspections, geometric dimensional measurements, or destructive sampling tests to assess finished product quality. This method suffers from significant lags and cannot correct defects online, leading to high scrap rates and rework costs.

[0005] To achieve real-time status monitoring of the winding tension of the flexible pipe composite layer, real-time monitoring of the winding tension is necessary. However, existing technologies can only achieve the initial setting of the tension and cannot monitor the dynamic winding process in real time. Therefore, how to achieve real-time dynamic monitoring of the winding tension is an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In response to the problems existing in the above-mentioned prior art, the present invention provides a monitoring device for the winding tension of a flexible pipe composite layer. By improving the traditional winding monitoring method and fully considering the motion characteristics of the wound fiber rope and the spatial layout of the winding machine, it can ensure that the tension sensor will not conflict with the fiber rope winding circuit during the monitoring process, thereby avoiding affecting the normal operation of the winding machine. At the same time, the tension sensor is fixed with an external cantilever fixing structure, which can effectively prevent the sensor from sliding on the plane and eliminate the risk of falling off due to the rotation of the winding machine. The monitoring device of the present invention is easy to disassemble as a whole, has strong operability, and has efficient and stable signal transmission, and has high applicability and cost-effectiveness.

[0007] To address the above technical problems, the present invention proposes a device for monitoring the winding tension of a composite layer of a flexible pipe, comprising a tension sensing unit associated with a fiber rope of a winding machine. The winding machine comprises a machine drum, a spool, and a discharge drum. A wire reel is mounted on the spool. One end of the fiber rope is fixed to the reel. The other end of the fiber rope passes through a wire outlet hole in the discharge drum and is wound around the rotating surface of the flexible pipe. The tension sensing unit comprises a tension sensor and a sensor fixing structure. The sensor fixing structure comprises a sliding sleeve, a telescopic cantilever, and a buckle. The sliding sleeve is mounted on the spool of the winding machine. The fixed end of the telescopic cantilever is fixedly connected to the sliding sleeve. The buckle is provided at the free end of the telescopic cantilever and is fixed to the fixing screw of the tension sensor. The position of the tension sensor relative to the fiber rope is determined by adjusting the position of the sliding sleeve and the buckle. The tension sensor transmits a sensing signal to a signal acquisition instrument via a transmission line. The signal acquisition instrument transmits the acquired signal to a host computer via a wireless transmission module. The host computer reads and displays the measured fiber rope tension in real time.

[0008] Furthermore, the monitoring device for the winding tension of the composite layer of a flexible pipe according to the present invention comprises:

[0009] The position adjustment and fixation of the tension sensor are as follows: a radial top screw hole is provided on the sliding sleeve, the telescopic cantilever is a multi-section pull-out metal tube, and each section can rotate relative to each other, and the buckle is fixed on the end section of the multi-section pull-out metal tube. By adjusting the axial position of the sliding sleeve relative to the bobbin, the length of the multi-section pull-out metal tube and the position of the buckle on its end section, after determining the position of the tension sensor, the sliding sleeve is fixed to the bobbin by a top screw, and a nut is assembled on the fixing screw of the tension sensor.

[0010] A protective cover is provided at the connection between the tension sensor and the transmission line.

[0011] The signal acquisition instrument is installed on the machine disk through a supporting base.

[0012] After the sliding sleeve is mounted on the spool, a shaft cap is installed on the shaft end of the spool.

[0013] A protective film is provided between the sensing area of ​​the tension sensor and the fiber rope.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0015] This invention proposes a device for monitoring the tension of a flexible pipe composite winding. Because the tension sensor's mounting structure utilizes an external cantilevered, independent mounting structure, it easily improves and upgrades existing conventional winding machines. This device can be widely used to monitor the quality of flexible pipe composite winding processes, achieving tension adaptability monitoring based on the winding machine's operating principle. During the development of this invention, the FS53 tension sensor was selected as the tension sensor by comparing the suitability of direct tension sensors with indirect tension sensors, such as strain sensors, pressure sensors, and rotational torque sensors. Furthermore, the invention's specially designed external cantilevered mounting structure fully utilizes the winding machine's layout space, effectively addressing potential interference between sensor placement and fiber rope winding circuitry within the limited space of the winding machine. Furthermore, the design's stable mounting structure mitigates the risk of sensor detachment caused by the winding machine's rotational motion. The tension sensing unit of this invention offers excellent adaptability to rotating objects. By ensuring the sensor's consistent motion with the wound fiber rope, it overcomes the monitoring difficulties associated with rotational motion. Furthermore, the spatial location of the monitoring point can be freely adjusted to suit different winding conditions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the monitoring device for the winding tension of the composite layer of a flexible pipe according to the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The end-to-end structural diagram of the monitoring device shown;

[0018] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure of the tension sensing unit in the present invention;

[0019] In the picture:

[0020] 1-machine disk 2-wire reel 3-spool 4-tension sensor 5-sensor fixing structure

[0021] 6-Signal acquisition instrument 7-Outlet drum 8-Fiber rope 9-Transmission line 10-Slider

[0022] 11-Shaft cap 12-Telescopic cantilever 13-Fixing screw 14-Snap buckle 15-Nut

[0023] 16-Protective film 17-Protective cover 18-Support base DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The present invention proposes a device for monitoring the winding tension of a flexible pipe composite layer. Considering that the fiber rope to be monitored needs to be laid and fixed to the flexible pipe, embedding a tension sensor directly within the rope to monitor its real-time tension changes would result in uneven winding, affecting the quality of the composite layer. Furthermore, since the winding machine is constantly rotating during the fiber rope winding process, and the wound fiber rope is also in a rotational motion, the placement of the tension sensor is restricted by this rotational motion, and the limited available space presents significant challenges in its placement and sizing. Taking all of these considerations into account, the present invention optimizes the sensor selection, installation layout, and fixing structure, thereby overcoming the monitoring obstacles caused by the motion characteristics of the wound fiber rope and the spatial layout of the winding machine, and achieving real-time, accurate, and reliable monitoring of the winding tension of the flexible pipe composite layer.

[0025] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, but the following embodiments are by no means intended to limit the present invention in any way.

[0026] like Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the present invention provides a monitoring device for the tensioning force of the composite layer winding of a flexible pipe, which includes a tension sensing unit matched with the fiber rope 8 of the winding machine.

[0027] The winding machine is a power equipment for winding processing, and includes a machine disk 1, a spool 3 and a discharge drum 7. The spool 3 is equipped with a wire reel 2. One end of the fiber rope 8 is fixed to the wire reel 2. The other end of the fiber rope 8 passes through the wire outlet hole on the discharge drum 7 and is wound on the rotating surface of the flexible tube.

[0028] The tension sensing unit includes a tension sensor 4 and a sensor fixing structure 5. A protective film 16 is provided between the sensing area of ​​the tension sensor 4 and the fiber rope 8. The protective film 16 can be a silicone gasket. The sensor fixing structure 5 is used to fix the tension sensor 4 on the spool 3. The sensor fixing structure 5 includes a sliding sleeve 10, a telescopic cantilever 12, and a buckle 14. The sliding sleeve 10 is sleeved on the spool 3 of the winding machine. The fixed end of the telescopic cantilever 12 is fixedly connected to the sliding sleeve 10. The buckle 14 is provided at the free end of the telescopic cantilever 12 and is fixed to the fixing screw 13 of the tension sensor 4. The position of the tension sensor 4 relative to the fiber rope 8 is determined by adjusting the position of the sliding sleeve 10 and the buckle 14.

[0029] The position adjustment and fixation of the tension sensor 4 are as follows: a radial top screw hole is provided on the sliding sleeve 10, the telescopic cantilever 12 is a multi-section pull-out metal tube, and each section can rotate relative to each other, and the buckle 14 is fixed on the end section of the multi-section pull-out metal tube. By adjusting the axial position of the sliding sleeve 10 relative to the bobbin 3, the length of the multi-section pull-out metal tube and the position of the buckle 14 on its end section, after determining the position of the tension sensor 4, the sliding sleeve 10 is fixed to the bobbin 3 by the top screw, and the nut 15 is assembled on the fixing screw 13 of the tension sensor 4. After the sliding sleeve 10 is installed on the bobbin 3, the shaft cap 11 is installed on the shaft end of the bobbin 3. In short, as Figure 3 As shown, one end of the sensor fixing structure 5 is sleeved on the bobbin 3 of the winding machine through the sliding sleeve 10, and then the shaft cap 11 is used for limiting. The slider 10 can move laterally and can be tightened and fixed. The other end of the sensor fixing structure 5 is connected to the fixing screw 13 of the tension sensor 4 through the buckle 14, and then the nut 15 is used to clamp and fix it. Since the sliding sleeve 10 and the buckle 14 are connected through the telescopic cantilever 12, the position of the tension sensor 4 can be moved and adjusted according to the spatial layout, and the tension sensor 4 can be adjusted to directly below the fiber rope 8 through the telescopic cantilever 12.

[0030] A protective film 16 is provided on the top of the tension sensor 4, i.e., the sensing area. When the tension sensor 4 is positioned, the fiber rope 8 is ensured to pass through the protective film 16 and exert downward force to measure the winding tension. A silicone gasket can be used as the protective film 16 between the tension sensor 4 and the fiber rope 8.

[0031] The tension sensor 4 transmits the sensing signal to the signal acquisition device 6 via a transmission line 9. The signal acquisition device 6 is mounted on the machine plate 1 via a support base 18. In this embodiment, the signal acquisition device 6 is welded to the machine plate 1 of the winding machine via the support base 18. A protective cover 17 is provided at the connection between the tension sensor 4 and the transmission line 9 to prevent the transmission line 9 from shaking during rotation and interfering with the normal winding path. The signal acquisition device 6 transmits the collected signal to a host computer via a wireless transmission module, which reads and displays the measured tension of the fiber rope 8 in real time.

[0032] The monitoring device of the present invention is used to monitor the winding tension of the flexible pipe composite layer. The number of tension sensing units to be installed is determined according to the number of fiber spools in the winding machine. In this embodiment, the number is recorded as N. N tension sensors 4 are installed on the machine plate 1 of the winding machine through their respective sensor fixing structures 5. Then, the winding tension is monitored in real time. The steps are as follows:

[0033] Initial state: N fiber ropes 8 of the winding machine are passed through the outlet holes of the outlet drum 7 to form a winding path. Two signal collectors 6 are welded to the drum 1 of the winding machine through a support base 18.

[0034] Install the tension sensors: Connect N tension sensors 4 to the spool 3 of each wire reel 2 via the sensor mounting structure 5. Adjust the telescopic cantilever 12 in the sensor mounting structure 5 so that the N tension sensors 4 are located directly below the N fiber ropes 8. Each fiber rope 8 naturally rests on the silicone gasket 16 on top of the corresponding tension sensor 4. After adjustment, tighten the shaft cap 11 at the end of the spool 3 and the nut 15 on the fixing screw 14. The tension sensor 4 is secured in its working position by the shaft cap 11 and nut 15.

[0035] Connect the transmission line of the tension sensor to the signal acquisition instrument 6: lead the transmission line 9 of each tension sensor 4 from the outside of the wire roll 2 at the corresponding position, along the machine disk 1 of the winding machine to the channel port of a signal acquisition instrument 6, and connect it. When leading the line, be careful to avoid conflict with the winding path.

[0036] Signal transmission and monitoring: Start the signal acquisition device 6, wireless transmission module, host computer, and winding machine. In this embodiment, the winding machine has N wire reels 2 distributed evenly along the outer ring of the machine disc 1 through N spools 3. Since the spools 3 are fixed to the machine disc 1 of the winding machine, the winding machine drives the spools 3 on the machine disc 1 to rotate together with it through its own rotation. Under the action of the traction force, the fiber rope 8 of the wire reel 2 on the spool 3 is transported forward along the path of the outlet hole of the outlet disc 7. After passing through the outlet disc 7, it is evenly laid on the pipe to be wound. Each tension sensor 4 is installed on the path of each fiber rope 8 being pulled forward and is located directly below it. Since the fiber rope 8 naturally passes normally on the support surface of the tension sensor 4, the fiber rope 8 exerts a downward force on the tension sensor 4. The sensor's sensing measurement area can measure the tension of the fiber rope 8 as it passes. In the present invention, the sensor mounting structure utilizes a cantilevered, retractable, and rotatable multi-section metal tube. The tension sensor is secured to the end of the spool via a cantilever beam. The cantilevered beam rotates with the machine disc 1, maintaining constant contact with the fiber rope. During winding machine operation, the signal collected by the tension sensor is transmitted sequentially via transmission line 9, signal acquisition device 6, and a wireless transmission module to a host computer (an external computer in this embodiment). The monitoring data is then transmitted to the external computer for reading (i.e., display), enabling real-time monitoring of winding tension.

[0037] Although the present invention has been described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned specific embodiments. The above-mentioned specific embodiments are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Under the guidance of the present invention, ordinary technicians in this field can make many improvements and changes without departing from the purpose of the present invention, which are all protected by the present invention.

Claims

1. A monitoring device for the winding tension of a composite layer of a flexible pipe, comprising a tension sensing unit matched with a fiber rope (8) of a winding machine, wherein the winding machine comprises a machine drum (1), a spool (3) and a discharge drum (7), a wire reel (2) being mounted on the spool (3), one end of the fiber rope (8) being fixed to the wire reel (2), and the other end of the fiber rope (8) passing through a wire outlet hole on the discharge drum (7) and then being wound on a rotating surface of the flexible pipe; characterized in that The tension sensing unit comprises a tension sensor (4) and a sensor fixing structure (5), wherein the sensor fixing structure (5) comprises a sliding sleeve (10), a telescopic cantilever (12) and a buckle (14), wherein the sliding sleeve (10) is sleeved on the bobbin (3) of the winding machine, and the fixed end of the telescopic cantilever (12) is fixedly connected to the sliding sleeve (10), and the buckle (14) is arranged at the free end of the telescopic cantilever (12) and fixed to the fixing screw (13) of the tension sensor (4), and the position of the tension sensor (4) relative to the fiber rope (8) is determined by adjusting the positions of the sliding sleeve (10) and the buckle (14); the tension sensor (4) transmits the sensing signal to the signal acquisition instrument (6) through the transmission line (9), and the signal acquisition instrument (6) transmits the collected signal to the host computer through the wireless transmission module, and the host computer reads and displays the measured tension of the fiber rope (8) in real time.

2. The monitoring device for the winding tension of a flexible pipe composite layer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The position adjustment and fixation of the tension sensor (4) are as follows: a radial top screw hole is provided on the sliding sleeve (10); the telescopic cantilever (12) is a multi-section pull-out metal tube, and each section can rotate relative to each other; the buckle (14) is fixed on the end section of the multi-section pull-out metal tube; after the position of the tension sensor (4) is determined by adjusting the axial position of the sliding sleeve (10) relative to the spool (3), the length of the multi-section pull-out metal tube and the position of the buckle (14) on its end section, the sliding sleeve (10) is fixed to the spool (3) by the top screw, and a nut (15) is assembled on the fixing screw (13) of the tension sensor (4).

3. The monitoring device for the winding tension of a flexible pipe composite layer according to claim 1, characterized in that: A protective cover (17) is provided at the connection between the tension sensor (4) and the transmission line (9).

4. The monitoring device for the winding tension of a flexible pipe composite layer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The signal acquisition instrument (6) is mounted on the machine disk (1) via a support base (18).

5. The monitoring device for the winding tension of a flexible pipe composite layer according to claim 1, characterized in that: After the sliding sleeve (10) is mounted on the spool (3), a shaft cap (11) is installed on the shaft end of the spool (3).

6. The monitoring device for the winding tension of a flexible pipe composite layer according to claim 1, characterized in that: A protective film (16) is provided between the sensing area of ​​the tension sensor (4) and the fiber rope (8).

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