Ball Transfer Pipe Runners to Prevent Spiraling in Casing Pipe Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pipe runner assemblies face significant frictional forces during the installation of carrier pipes within casing pipes, leading to increased installation difficulty, runner wear, and potential misalignment due to unidirectional rollers that can cause the carrier pipe to spiral or tip.
Innovation Solution
A multidirectional runner assembly incorporating ball transfer assemblies that reduce frictional forces, allowing for smoother movement and centering of the carrier pipe, eliminating wear and enabling longer installation distances without the need for excessive force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If conventional unidirectional rollers are used on pipe runners, then frictional forces are reduced in one direction, but the carrier pipe can spiral or tip during installation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from unidirectional rollers to multidirectional rollers that can rotate freely in multiple directions. This dimensional change in rotational freedom allows the rollers to accommodate carrier pipe movement in any direction while maintaining friction reduction, preventing both spiraling and tipping by providing stable support across multiple axes.
Solution Approach 2:
The multidirectional rollers are designed to dynamically adapt their rotation axis based on the carrier pipe's movement. Rather than being constrained to a single rotation direction, the rollers can pivot and rotate in multiple directions, providing continuous stability and friction reduction throughout the installation process regardless of the pipe's orientation or movement direction.
2Force
If conventional unidirectional rollers are used on pipe runners, then frictional forces are reduced, but runner wear increases due to lateral forces
Solution Approach 1:
By enabling rollers to rotate in multiple directions rather than being constrained to unidirectional rotation, the multidirectional rollers can accommodate lateral forces from the carrier pipe without experiencing excessive wear. The additional rotational degrees of freedom allow the rollers to roll smoothly alongside the pipe's movement rather than sliding or skidding, significantly improving durability.
3Productivity
If significant force is applied to push carrier pipe through casing pipe, then installation can proceed, but the carrier pipe may corkscrew within the central bore
Solution Approach 1:
The multidirectional rollers are pre-installed on the carrier pipe before insertion into the casing pipe. These rollers are positioned to contact the casing pipe's inner surface in advance, creating immediate friction reduction and alignment guidance as the pipe begins to move. This preliminary configuration prevents corkscrewing by providing stable, multi-directional support from the moment installation begins, eliminating the need for excessive pushing force.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The multidirectional runner assembly significantly reduces frictional forces, facilitates easier and faster installation of carrier pipes, and prevents misalignment by allowing multidirectional movement and maintaining the carrier pipe's centering, thus reducing wear and improving installation efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
ball transfer assemblies that reduce frictional forces, allowing for smoother movement and centering of the carrier pipe
Implementation Method 2
allowing carrier pipe (and runners) to roll through surrounding casing pipe instead of merely sliding through said surrounding pipe
Data Source
AI summary
A multidirectional runner assembly for positioning a carrier pipe within a surrounding casing pipe. Each multidirectional runner assembly has at least one ball transfer assembly at least partially protruding from the runner assembly, in order to contact an inner surface of a surrounding casing pipe. The ball transfer assemblies reduce static and/or kinetic friction forces during installation of a carrier pipe within the central bore of a casing pipe, permit multidirectional orientation of the runners within the casing pipe, and provide greater load support.