Non-Welded Branch Pipe Clamps for Vibration Reinforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Branch pipe systems in power plants are prone to damage due to vibrations, particularly when their natural frequency matches the frequency of the header pipe, leading to resonance and amplified vibrations, which can cause cracks at welding portions, and existing methods to mitigate this issue, such as integrated supports and welding reinforcement, are either ineffective or difficult to implement.
Innovation Solution
A non-welded branch piping reinforcement apparatus comprising joint clamps, connection pipe clamps, and valve clamps with arc-shaped cross sections, along with stress reinforcement plates and fastening bolts, that cover and protect the branch pipe system, distributing vibrations and loads uniformly to increase the system's strength and reduce stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If integrated support is used to connect the branch pipe system to the header pipe, then the vibration of the branch pipe system is reduced, but the installation space constraints prevent installation and additional effort is required to confirm soundness
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement apparatus is divided into multiple separate clamp components (joint clamp, connection pipe clamp, valve clamp) that can be independently installed on different sections of the branch pipe system, avoiding the need for a single large integrated support that would require significant installation space
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp components serve as intermediary elements that locally reinforce the branch pipe system at critical points without requiring direct connection to the header pipe, thus reducing vibration without needing extensive installation space or complex soundness verification
2Strength
If socket welding portion is reinforced to increase fatigue resistance, then the welding portion strength is improved, but the vibration is not fundamentally reduced and discontinuous deformation occurs at diameter change points
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the reinforcement function from the welding portion itself and applies it separately through clamp components that encircle the branch pipe system, thereby reinforcing the structure without modifying the welding portions and avoiding the associated problems of discontinuous deformation
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp components provide localized reinforcement at specific critical sections of the branch pipe system (joint, connection pipe, valve areas) rather than uniformly reinforcing the entire system, allowing targeted vibration reduction at problem areas while maintaining the original welding portions unchanged
3Strength
If butt welding type is used instead of socket welding, then the fatigue resistance of welding portion is increased, but the vibration is not fundamentally reduced and bending stress caused by vibration remains
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement function is extracted from the welding joint design and implemented through separate clamp components that wrap around the branch pipe system, eliminating the need to change welding types while still providing the necessary structural reinforcement to reduce vibration and bending stress
4Reliability
If the branch pipe system is designed to accommodate vibration loads, then the reliability is improved, but the complexity of the apparatus increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement apparatus is segmented into multiple simple, standardized clamp components that can be independently installed and adjusted, reducing the overall complexity compared to a single complex integrated support structure while maintaining reliability through distributed reinforcement at critical points
Data Source
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AI summary
A non-welded type branch piping reinforcement apparatus capable of preventing damage to a branch pipe system by increasing the strength of the branch pipe system by covering and protecting the branch pipe system connected to a header pipe, by a joint clamp, a connection pipe clamp, and a valve clamp includes: a joint clamp arranged to cover the branch pipe joint and the connection pipe and having an arc-shaped cross section; a connection pipe clamp arranged to cover the connection pipe and having an arc-shaped cross section; and a valve clamp arranged to cover the connection pipe and the valve and having an arc-shaped cross section, wherein one end of the connection pipe clamp is connected to the joint clamp and the other end of the connection pipe clamp is connected to the valve clamp.