Fluid conduit system

Abstract

Accordingly, one aspect of the present application provides a conduit for conveying a flowable material, the conduit comprising: a body having: at least one primary channel through which the flowable material flows, the primary channel extending substantially along a length of the body; and a plurality of secondary channels extending substantially parallel to the primary channel along the length of the body, wherein the secondary channels are configured to receive a heated fluid at a predetermined temperature such that the temperature of the heated fluid is at least partially transferred to the flowable material flowing in the primary channel.

Description

[0001] Related applications This application claims priority to Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2023903511, filed on November 1, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention generally relates to a conduit system for conveying flowable materials, and more particularly to a jacketed conduit system for conveying flowable materials, the system being connectable to a heating or cooling medium to assist in processing the flowable materials conveyed by the conduit system. Background Technology

[0003] Flowable materials, such as liquids or solids in a fluid state, typically need to be transported within the plant area for processing via pipes or similar channels. Food-grade materials are usually transported in a fluid state through pipes and then sent to processing stations for processing into food products and packaging.

[0004] For example, fatty meat products from the human or animal food industry fall into this category. These products are typically transported under pressure through pipes to facilitate their flow within the pipes. One problem with handling such materials is that the fat in the material may solidify at low temperatures, causing it to accumulate on the pipe walls. This can restrict the pipe diameter, reduce flow, or even cause the material to stop flowing and block the pipe.

[0005] To address this problem, a jacketed piping system has been proposed. This system places a smaller-diameter inner tube inside a larger-diameter concentric tube, with the ends of the two concentric tubes welded together. Heating fluid can flow within the space between the two concentric tubes, allowing the heating fluid to heat the inner tube and maintain the material inside at the desired temperature, thus ensuring the material's flowability. While this jacketed piping system has proven successful, the need to weld the pipes together makes its fabrication and maintenance difficult, and it is prone to leaks and maintenance problems.

[0006] Another application area for traditional jacketed piping is heat exchange systems, which are widely used in various industries such as food, petrochemicals, and pharmaceuticals. These systems typically provide a means of heating or cooling media to meet diverse needs. To achieve this, the system usually requires piping or similar conduits to transport the heating / cooling medium from the source to the exchange point, where energy exchange occurs to heat / cool the desired product. Furthermore, piping is often needed to return the heating / cooling medium to the source for replenishment.

[0007] Ammonia is a heating / cooling medium that has long been widely used in heat exchange systems across various industries. In heat exchange systems, industrial-grade anhydrous ammonia is widely used due to its extremely low water content. Refrigeration-grade ammonia has a maximum water content of approximately 150 ppm (0.015%). Refrigeration-grade ammonia has a high latent heat capacity per pound; therefore, compared to other known refrigerants, typically less ammonia is needed to perform the same function. This efficient medium reduces energy consumption and operating costs.

[0008] When using ammonia or other similar refrigerants, because the refrigerant is stored under pressure, the piping used to transport the refrigerant typically employs pressure manifolds and pressurized pipelines to ensure the safe delivery of the refrigerant within the facility. All piping is generally under pressure, and the length of these pressurized pipelines should be as short as possible to minimize the risk of pressure leakage. Due to the high coefficient of expansion of ammonia, liquid ammonia piping often includes an expansion chamber. In this environment, if the indoor temperature rises, any liquid remaining in the piping may expand rapidly, potentially causing the pipe to rupture.

[0009] Therefore, the piping and conduits required for pressurized fluid pipelines have high requirements, necessitating complex design and installation to cope with pressurized environments. The problem becomes even more complex when pipelines need to transport fluids over long distances and connect to equipment such as heat exchangers, as various pressure relief valves and other devices are needed to ensure that pressurized fluids are delivered to the exchange system in a safe and controlled manner.

[0010] Therefore, in the field of material handling and heat exchange systems, there is a need for a piping or conduit system that can handle the main medium for transport and receive auxiliary fluid media to assist in the transport of the main medium, and that can safely and efficiently handle any pressurized fluid requirements of the auxiliary fluid media, and that can be installed simply and efficiently without any complicated installation process.

[0011] The foregoing references and descriptions of prior art or products are not intended, nor should they be construed, as a statement or admission of common knowledge to those skilled in the art. In particular, it should be noted that the foregoing discussion of prior art does not involve knowledge commonly known or understood by those skilled in the art, but is intended to aid in understanding the inventive steps of the present invention, and identifying relevant prior art solutions is only one component of the present invention. Summary of the Invention

[0012] Therefore, according to one aspect of the present invention, a conduit for conveying a flowable material is provided, the conduit comprising: A subject, which has: At least one main groove through which the flowable material flows, the main groove extending substantially along a length direction of the body; and Multiple secondary grooves extend substantially parallel to the main groove along the length direction of the body. These secondary grooves are configured to receive a hot fluid at a predetermined temperature, such that the temperature of the hot fluid is at least partially transferred to the flowable material flowing in the main groove.

[0013] The body may be made of extruded metal, and the at least one main groove and the plurality of secondary grooves may be formed by extrusion within the body.

[0014] The at least one main groove may be formed at the center of the body, and the plurality of secondary grooves are located around the at least one main groove and are radially spaced outward from the at least one main groove.

[0015] The hot fluid may be a pressurized fluid from a pressurized fluid source.

[0016] The pressurized fluid may be a refrigerant used to cool and / or freeze the flowable material flowing in the at least one main groove.

[0017] The refrigerant may be ammonia.

[0018] The heat fluid can be cold water or hot water.

[0019] The at least one main groove and the body may have a substantially rectangular cross-section. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The invention can be better understood through the following non-limiting description of preferred embodiments, wherein: Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a catheter according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the end of the catheter shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the end of the conduit shown in Figure 1, with a heat insulation layer; Figures 4 and 5 are end cross-sectional views of a catheter that does not include the features of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the end of a catheter according to another embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 7 is an end sectional view of the conduit shown in Figure 6 with the insulation layer. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The following description, in conjunction with the invention, describes its application in the process of cooling materials, such as conveying refrigerants (e.g., ammonia) to cool materials, both for transporting flowable media within a facility and as part of a heat exchange system (especially a refrigeration system). However, it should be understood that the invention can also be used as a conduit for transporting pressurized and unpressurized fluids in a variety of different commercial and non-commercial applications.

[0022] refer to Figure 1 The diagram illustrates a conduit 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The conduit 10 is an elongated pipe or conduit with a substantially rectangular cross-section, but its cross-sectional shape can be any desired shape as needed. One end of the conduit 10 is provided with an inlet manifold 12, which can be connected to a source of the medium to be transported and / or cooled by a refrigerant, depending on the application of the invention. The conduit 10 also includes an inlet pipe 14 and an outlet pipe 15 for supplying auxiliary fluid or refrigerant (e.g., ammonia) into and discharging auxiliary fluid or refrigerant from the conduit 10 as needed.

[0023] It should be understood that multiple conduits 10 can be connected end-to-end to form a piping system for conveying refrigerant and / or materials to be processed between different processing areas of the processing facility. Connectors (not shown) can be provided between adjacent conduits in the piping system to achieve a sealed interconnection between adjacent conduits through which refrigerant and / or materials to be processed can flow.

[0024] Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the conduit 10. The conduit 10 is made of metal (e.g., aluminum) and extruded into the shape shown. The conduit 10 has a central groove 16 extending along its length for holding the material to be processed. The material to be processed can be in various forms, such as liquids (e.g., water) or solids (e.g., meat or fish products), all of which can flow through the central groove. The material to be processed is fed into the conduit 10 through a feed manifold 12 and may be equipped with a pump (not shown) to ensure the material flows through the central groove 16.

[0025] The conduit 10 has a wall 17 formed around a central groove 16, the thickness of which is substantially constant, “T”. Multiple smaller grooves 18 are formed on the wall 17, spaced apart around the central groove 16 as shown, to extend the length of the conduit 10. The spacing between the smaller grooves 18 can be substantially the same around the periphery of the central groove 16, or it can be varied as needed.

[0026] The smaller recess 18 is substantially circular, but may be circular or elliptical. The smaller recess 18 is configured to be in fluid communication with an auxiliary fluid source, which may be a hot or cold water supply, or a pressurized refrigerant source discussed below.

[0027] In this embodiment, conduit 10 is designed to convey fatty meat products through a central recess 16. Hot water can be supplied to a smaller recess 18, allowing it to flow along the length of conduit 10, adjacent to the central recess 16. In this embodiment, the outer wall of the central recess 16 is heated by the hot water in the smaller recess 18, thereby keeping the fat in the fatty meat products molten on the outer wall of the central recess 16, thus lubricating the outer wall of the central recess 16. This ensures that the product can continue to flow under pressure within the central recess 16 of conduit 10. Similarly, if conduit 10 is planned to be placed in an outdoor environment, the fatty meat products may need to be transported to tanker trucks or other means of transport to a remote location where outdoor temperatures may be as low as -25°C. This could cause the material within the central recess to freeze and stop flowing. Therefore, heated fluid can be supplied to the smaller recess 198 of conduit 10 to ensure that the central recess is maintained at a predetermined temperature, thereby promoting the flow of material within the central recess 16.

[0028] In another embodiment, the smaller recesses 18 can be used to contain pressurized refrigerant, such as ammonia. Refrigerant can be delivered to each smaller recess 18, such that the pressurized refrigerant flows along each smaller recess 18, which is parallel to each other and parallel to the central recess 16. It is understood that the smaller, circular recesses are better suited for handling pressurized fluids and provide a safer, more robust piping network for such fluids.

[0029] Referring to Figure 3, the above reference is shown. Figure 2 The described conduit 10 has an insulated outer shell 20. The insulated outer shell 20 may include an aluminum body 22 and an insulating material 24, such as polyurethane, located between them. This pre-installed insulation system eliminates the need for post-installation insulation or other jacking treatments on the conduit, thus avoiding high labor costs and the unsightly appearance of exposed insulation layers, which are also susceptible to aging from sunlight, weather, and pests.

[0030] Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the present invention is compared with a conduit that does not use multiple small grooves to receive pressurized refrigerant when used for receiving pressurized refrigerant. In this embodiment, the conduit 5 has an inner groove 6 for receiving the material to be processed and a common outer groove 8 for receiving pressurized refrigerant. The conduit 5 consists of two concentric shells 7 and 9, which may be made of metal.

[0031] As shown in Figure 5, when pressurized fluid is delivered to the outer groove 8, the pressurized fluid causes the outer casing 9 to bend and deform under pressure. This is highly detrimental, not only leading to conduit failure but also causing potential hazardous chemical leaks into the surrounding environment. Therefore, by incorporating multiple smaller grooves 18 within the conduit to receive and distribute the pressurized fluid, the pressure generated by the pressurized fluid can be better dispersed throughout the conduit, thereby reducing the risk of conduit 10 failure.

[0032] Figures 6 and 7 illustrate another embodiment of the catheter according to the present invention, with reference numeral 30.

[0033] The structure of the conduit 30 is basically the same as that of the aforementioned conduit 10, and it is made of extruded metal (e.g., aluminum). However, in this embodiment, the conduit 30 is substantially circular in shape and has a circular central groove 32, around which a plurality of outer grooves 34 extend parallel to the central groove 32 and are arranged along its periphery. Each outer groove 34 is also substantially circular in shape and is located within the wall of the conduit 10.

[0034] As previously described, the central groove 32 may be configured to receive material to be processed, such that the material to be processed flows through the central groove 32 of the conduit 30. The outer grooves 34 may be configured to receive auxiliary fluid from an auxiliary fluid source, such as hot or cold water, or pressurized refrigerant from a pressurized refrigerant source, such that the auxiliary fluid flows through each outer groove 34 in a direction parallel to the central groove 32.

[0035] As shown in Figure 7, the conduit 30 has an insulated outer shell 36. This insulated outer shell 36 may include an aluminum body 38 and an insulating material 37, such as polyurethane, located between them. This pre-installed insulation system eliminates the need for post-installation insulation of the conduit and other pipe jacking operations, thus saving labor costs and avoiding the unsightly appearance of exposed insulation layers, which are also susceptible to aging due to sunlight, weather, and pests.

[0036] In embodiments of the conduits 10 and 30 of the present invention, the central grooves 16 and 32 are used to accommodate the material to be processed. When the smaller groove 18 and the outer groove 34 receive auxiliary fluid from the auxiliary fluid source, the auxiliary fluid flows around the periphery of the central grooves 16 and 32 and adheres closely to the central grooves, thereby affecting the temperature of the material within the central grooves 16 and 32. In refrigeration applications, the auxiliary fluid is a pressurized refrigerant, which absorbs heat energy from the material within the central groove, thereby cooling the material flowing therein; conversely, if the auxiliary fluid flowing through the smaller groove 18 or the outer groove 34 is at a higher temperature, the opposite effect will occur.

[0037] In one embodiment of the conduit of the present invention, the conduit may be configured to receive hot fluid through a smaller recess or an outer recess to facilitate the flow of product within the conduit, in the same manner as described above for fatty meat products. Then, in the event of a system malfunction, such as a pump failure or a delay in material handling, the hot fluid can be drained from the smaller recess or outer recess of the conduit and replaced with cold water or refrigerant to cool the central recess and the material therein. This allows the product within the conduit to be preserved during "storage" before the product delivery resumes.

[0038] Therefore, it is easy to understand that the conduit of the present invention has many advantages over existing conduits of the same type. Firstly, the conduit of the present invention can provide a pipeline network capable of handling and transporting materials over long distances, as well as a conduit capable of safely and efficiently handling and transporting pressurized fluids over long distances. Furthermore, the conduit allows the pipeline network to operate as a conventional heat transfer system, where materials are transported through a central recess and cooled or heated by a heat exchange medium flowing through the outer recesses. Because the conduit can be pre-insulated, expensive post-installation insulation or jacking work is eliminated, thus avoiding potential integrity damage caused by exposure to harsh weather and pest environments.

[0039] The system of this invention can process any pumpable meat or offal product, with particle size limited only by the pump. In most embodiments, basic pre-grinding of the material prior to processing ensures optimal results.

[0040] Throughout the specification and claims, the term "comprising" and its derivatives are intended to have an open-ended meaning rather than a closed-ended meaning, unless explicitly stated or required by the context. That is, the term "comprising" and its derivatives refer not only to the directly listed components, steps, or features, but also to other components, steps, or features not explicitly listed, unless explicitly stated or required by the context.

[0041] Directional terms used in the specification and claims, such as vertical, horizontal, top, bottom, upper and lower, shall be interpreted as relative terms and based on the premise that components, articles, devices, apparatus or instruments are generally considered in a particular direction, with conduits typically at the top.

[0042] It will be understood that those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications to the methods of the present invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A conduit for conveying a flowable material, comprising: A subject, which has: At least one main groove through which the flowable material flows, the main groove extending substantially along a length direction of the body; and Multiple secondary grooves extend substantially parallel to the main groove along the length direction of the main body. The plurality of secondary grooves are configured to receive a hot fluid at a predetermined temperature, such that the temperature of the hot fluid is at least partially transferred to the flowable material flowing in the main groove.

2. The catheter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The body is made of extruded metal, and the at least one main groove and the plurality of secondary grooves are extruded within the body.

3. The catheter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The at least one main groove is formed at the center of the body, and the plurality of secondary grooves are located around the at least one main groove and are radially spaced outward from the at least one main groove.

4. The catheter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hot fluid is a pressurized fluid from a pressurized fluid source.

5. The catheter according to claim 4, characterized in that, The pressurized fluid is a refrigerant used to cool and / or freeze the flowable material flowing within the at least one main groove.

6. The catheter according to claim 5, characterized in that, The refrigerant is ammonia.

7. The catheter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hot fluid is either cold water or hot water.

8. The catheter according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The at least one main groove and the body have a substantially rectangular cross-section.

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