Composite Pipe Winding Edge Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in manufacturing composite pipes for subsea oil and gas applications is ensuring precise winding of composite tapes to prevent gaps or overlaps, which can lead to structural weaknesses and surface irregularities, especially under harsh environmental conditions and high pressures.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of pre-formed composite tapes with a thermoplastic polymer matrix and reinforcing fibers, where the tapes are helically wound around a cylinder, with scanning technology to detect and adjust for tape edges to ensure perfect abutment and fusion, minimizing gaps and overlaps, and using a combination of optical, electrical, magnetic, or ultrasonic methods for precise edge detection and control of the winding process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If composite tapes are helically wound onto a cylinder to form composite pipe, then the pipe can be manufactured with desired structural properties, but gaps or overlaps between adjacent tape windings occur, creating voids and surface irregularities that lead to structural weaknesses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs scanning devices to detect the position of previously wound tape edges and feeds this information back to control the winding process. This feedback mechanism ensures that each new tape winding precisely abuts the previous winding without gaps or overlaps, eliminating voids and surface irregularities that would compromise structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical winding control with scanning-based detection systems that use optical, electrical, magnetic, or ultrasonic fields to detect tape edge positions. This substitution enables more precise control of tape winding placement, ensuring perfect abutment between adjacent windings and preventing the formation of voids and surface irregularities.
2Strength
If heat is applied to fuse together the composite tapes during winding, then the tapes bond to the underlying liner or previous tape layer, but the pipe expands or contracts during manufacture, affecting the separation of adjacent composite tape windings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies scanning detection before the heating and bonding process. By detecting the precise position of tape edges and controlling winding placement in advance, the system ensures that adjacent windings are positioned correctly before heat is applied. This preliminary action prevents distortion of tape separation caused by thermal expansion or contraction during the bonding process.
3Manufacturing precision
If scanning devices are used to detect tape edges and control winding precision, then gaps and overlaps are minimized, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs scanning devices that can detect tape edges using multiple physical principles (optical, electrical, magnetic, or ultrasonic fields). These multi-functional scanning systems can be integrated into existing winding apparatus, providing precise tape edge detection without requiring completely separate complex measurement systems for each detection method.
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
This approach ensures a seamless and strong composite pipe structure with no gaps or overlaps, enhancing mechanical properties and preventing delamination or failure due to gas permeation, while maintaining optimal mechanical properties and handling flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
scanning a region where edges of wound composite tape are expected to be, to generate scanning information
Implementation Method 2
The windings of any given concentric layer may be provided at the same angle or at a different angle to the windings of the immediately preceding concentric layer
Implementation Method 3
the windings of composite tape(s) are heated to melt and fuse them to the underlying surface
Implementation Method 4
helically winding the composite tape(s) around a cylinder to form a pipe comprising concentric layers of adjacently positioned, helically-wound tape(s)
Data Source
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AI summary
According to the invention, a method of making a composite pipe is provided, comprising the steps of: a) providing one or more sources (5) of composite tape (7), the composite tape being formed of reinforcing fibres embedded in a thermoplastic matrix; b) helically winding the composite tape(s) around a cylinder (1) under the application of heat to form a pipe comprising fused, concentric layers of adjacently positioned, helically-wound composite tape; c) scanning a region where edges of wound composite tape are expected to be, to generate scanning information; d) controlling the gap between further adjacent windings by: a. using the scanning information to determine wound composite tape edge position(s); and b. using the determined wound composite tape edge position(s) to adjust the winding process during winding; e) repeating steps c) and d). The invention also relates to a corresponding apparatus for making a composite pipe.