Composite Pipe Bending Flexibility via Segmented Welding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing composite pipes with wide oval cross-sections lack sufficient flexibility when bending around the short main axis, leading to difficulty in bending and potential buckling, limiting their ability to be laid with a narrow radius of curvature.
Innovation Solution
The welding of wave troughs is partially interrupted in areas where the large main axis intersects the curved wall sections, creating a flexible zone for expansion compensation, allowing the pipe to be bent with a narrower radius by stretching in the outer curvature area and compressing in the inner curvature area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the composite pipe has a wide oval cross-section with continuous welding of wave troughs to the inner pipe, then the structural strength and stability are improved, but the flexibility when bending around the short main axis deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous welding of wave troughs to the inner pipe is segmented by introducing circumferential gaps in the welding at the two curved wall sections. This segmentation allows the pipe to bend more easily around the short main axis while maintaining structural integrity in other areas, directly resolving the contradiction between strength and bending flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The welding configuration is made non-uniform: wave troughs are continuously welded to the inner pipe at the flat wall sections to maintain strength, while circumferential gaps are introduced at the curved wall sections to enable bending. This local differentiation of welding quality allows the pipe to have both high structural strength and sufficient bending flexibility.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the composite pipe is designed with continuous welding of wave troughs over the entire circumference, then the structural stability is improved, but the ability to be laid with a narrow radius of curvature deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous circumferential welding is segmented by introducing gaps specifically at the curved wall sections. This segmentation maintains structural stability in the majority of the pipe while creating localized flexibility zones that enable installation with narrow radius of curvature, resolving the contradiction between stability and installation adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The welding design implements local quality differentiation: continuous welding at flat sections ensures structural stability, while interrupted welding with circumferential gaps at curved sections provides the flexibility needed for narrow radius installation, thereby achieving both structural stability and installation adaptability.
3Area of moving object
If the composite pipe has a wide oval cross-section with large ratio of main axes, then the flow capacity is improved, but the bending flexibility around the short main axis deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The welding continuity is segmented at the curved wall sections where bending flexibility is needed, while maintaining continuous welding at flat sections to preserve the wide oval cross-section structure. This selective segmentation allows the pipe to maintain large flow capacity while achieving sufficient bending flexibility for installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The welding configuration applies local quality principles by differentiating between flat and curved wall sections: continuous welding preserves the structural integrity of the wide oval cross-section for flow capacity, while interrupted welding at curved sections enables bending flexibility, resolving the contradiction between flow capacity and bending flexibility.
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~5
AI summary
The composite pipe has wave troughs that are formed between directly adjacent wave crests. The first wave troughs are formed around the periphery of the composite tube with the inner tube (7) are welded. The corrugation portions (18,19) are formed between adjacent wave crests and between the first troughs to first wall sections (1,2). The first corrugation portions formed only in the region of the first wall sections to the inner tube are welded. USE : Composite pipe for air conditioning and ventilation technology. ADVANTAGE : Since the corrugation portions are formed between adjacent wave crests and between the first troughs to first wall sections, the composite pipe can be welded effectively. The deformation of the composite pipe can be reduced. The composite pipe can be manufactured effectively relative with narrow radius of curvature around small centerline. The flexibility of the composite pipe can be improved. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS : The drawing shows a cross-sectional view of the composite pipe. 1,2 : First wall sections 7 : Inner tube 8 : Curved outer pipe 13 : Flow channel 18,19 : Corrugation portions.