Bend Stiffener Magnetic Repulsion Riser Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bend stiffeners in offshore energy production facilities are prone to failure, leading to costly downtime and damage, with existing solutions like stopper clamps causing stress and potential corrosion, and requiring complex removal and reinstallation processes.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing magnetic repulsion forces between a bend stiffener and a clamp to prevent falling, and a tapered or swellable riser design to absorb impact, eliminating the need for external stopper clamps and simplifying installation, while incorporating corrosion-resistant materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a bend stiffener is used to protect the riser from fatigue, then the riser protection is improved, but the bend stiffener may fall and cause damage to the riser and require complex removal and reinstallation procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the bend stiffener into modular components: an upper bend stiffener portion with magnetic material, a lower bend stiffener portion, and a clamp assembly. This segmentation allows the upper portion to be detached and replaced independently without removing the entire bend stiffener assembly, significantly reducing maintenance complexity while maintaining protective function
Solution Approach 2:
Magnetic materials are pre-installed in the upper bend stiffener portion and clamp assembly before deployment. This preliminary action creates a magnetic coupling system that secures the upper portion to the lower portion, preventing falls during operation and eliminating the need for complex removal procedures when maintenance is needed
2Reliability
If a stopper clamp is used to prevent bend stiffener falls, then the bend stiffener fall prevention is improved, but concentrated stresses are applied to the riser which reduces fatigue life
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the traditional mechanical stopper clamp with a magnetic coupling system. Magnetic materials in the upper and lower bend stiffener portions create an attractive force that prevents falls without requiring physical contact or clamping. This substitution eliminates concentrated stresses on the riser while maintaining fall prevention capability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental parameter of fall prevention from mechanical contact (clamp force) to magnetic field interaction. By using magnetic attraction between oppositely polarized materials, the system achieves fall prevention without the mechanical stress concentration that would reduce riser fatigue life
3Reliability
If a clamp is used to secure the bend stiffener to the riser, then the bend stiffener security is improved, but the clamp requires diver or ROV operations for tightening which increases operation complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces mechanical tightening operations with magnetic attraction. The magnetic materials in the upper and lower bend stiffener portions automatically secure the assembly through magnetic force, eliminating the need for diver or ROV operations to tighten clamps while maintaining secure attachment
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic coupling system is self-securing, requiring no external intervention for tightening or adjustment. The magnetic attraction between the upper and lower portions automatically maintains secure attachment, allowing the system to service itself without requiring specialized operational expertise or equipment
4Strength
If the bend stiffener is assembled at a factory site as an integral piece, then the structural integrity is improved, but failure requires returning the entire riser to the factory for replacement which increases downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The bend stiffener is segmented into an upper portion with magnetic material and a lower portion, allowing the upper portion to be replaced independently in the field. This segmentation maintains the structural integrity of each component while enabling rapid field replacement, significantly reducing downtime compared to returning the entire riser to the factory
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic coupling system is pre-configured during factory assembly, creating a secure yet separable connection. This preliminary action enables the upper bend stiffener portion to be easily detached and replaced in the field without compromising the overall structural integrity of the riser system
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
Reduces the risk of bend stiffener failure, minimizes damage, and simplifies maintenance by using magnetic repulsion to prevent contact and a tapered design to absorb impact, thereby reducing downtime and installation complexity.
Implementation Method 1
the upper end of the clamp and the lower end of the bend stiffener repel one another with a repulsion force during operation of the system to decelerate falling and prevent contact
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are systems for securing a bend stiffener to a riser in an offshore energy production facility. In one system, the lower end of the bend stiffener has a magnet that repels a magnet in a clamp on the riser a distance below the bend stiffener. The magnets repel one another with a force during operation to decelerate falling and prevent contact between the clamp and the bend stiffener. Methods are provided for retrofitting a riser system by adding the magnets. In another system, the riser has an upper portion and a tapered portion immediately below the upper portion. The outer diameter of the tapered portion increases such that the tapered portion can be friction fit into the lower end of the bend stiffener in the event that the bend stiffener is forced down or free falls onto the riser.