Coated Pipe Stop Formations for Hybrid Riser Guide Frame Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hybrid riser tower systems face challenges in securely attaching guide frames and buoyancy modules to flowlines that carry hydrocarbon fluids without compromising insulation or the integrity of the steel pipes, as traditional welding or clamping methods can lead to thermal bridging and coating discontinuities.
Innovation Solution
A coated pipe with integral or externally attached stop formations and key features, predominantly made of plastics, that resist movement and rotation of attached structures without direct welding to the pipe, ensuring insulation and compatibility with existing coatings, and utilizing clamping as the primary attachment method with stop formations acting as a secondary backup.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional welding or clamping methods are used to attach guide frames and buoyancy modules to flowlines, then secure attachment is achieved, but thermal bridging and coating discontinuities occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary attachment mechanism that connects guide frames and buoyancy modules to flowlines without direct welding or clamping. This intermediary system uses the pipe's external coating or sleeve as the attachment interface, thereby preventing thermal bridging between metal components and the hydrocarbon fluids while maintaining secure attachment through the stop formations and key features integrated into the coating structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a replicated attachment structure where the stop formations and key features are molded directly into the external coating or sleeve of the pipe. This copying approach transfers the attachment functionality from traditional metal fixtures to the coating itself, eliminating the need for separate welding or clamping hardware that would cause thermal bridging.
2Strength
If traditional welding or clamping methods are used to attach guide frames and buoyancy modules to flowlines, then secure attachment is achieved, but coating discontinuities occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the attachment function with the coating structure by integrating stop formations and key features directly into the external coating or sleeve. This combining of attachment mechanisms with the coating eliminates the need for separate welding or clamping operations that would disrupt the coating's continuity and integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating itself serves as an intermediary medium that provides both protective coverage and attachment functionality. By using the coating as the attachment interface rather than applying separate metal fixtures, the system maintains coating integrity while achieving secure attachment through the molded-in stop formations and key features.
3Strength
If stop formations are made of metal and welded to the pipe, then structural strength is improved, but insulation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies homogeneity by making the stop formations and key features predominantly of plastics material, matching the material composition of the external coating or sleeve. This homogeneous plastic construction maintains thermal insulation performance while providing sufficient structural strength for attachment, eliminating the need for metal components that would create thermal bridges.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes composite materials by forming the stop structures predominantly from plastics that can be molded directly into or attached to the coating. This composite approach combines the insulating properties of plastics with the structural requirements for secure attachment, avoiding metal materials that would compromise thermal insulation.
Data Source
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AI summary
A coated or sleeved pipe for a hybrid riser tower has at least one stop formation that is integral with or attached to an external coating or sleeve of the pipe. The stop formation is arranged to restrain movement along the pipe of a structure attached to the pipe, such as a guide frame.