Concrete Pipe Rack Structure for Fire-Resistant Support Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pipe racks in oil refineries are vulnerable to fire, leading to structural integrity loss and potential catastrophic failures, and require precise foundation placement, which is time-consuming and costly.
Innovation Solution
A pipe rack design featuring pre-stressed concrete legs with apertures for adjustable horizontal supports, allowing for flexible placement and increased adjustability, reducing the need for exact foundation alignment and enhancing fire resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If steel bents are used for pipe racks, then structural strength is provided, but fire resistance is poor and structural integrity is lost during fire
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs concrete material for the pipe rack structure, which provides both fire resistance and structural strength. Concrete's inherent fire-resistant properties prevent the structural integrity loss that occurs with steel bents during fire, while maintaining the necessary load-bearing capacity for pipe support.
2Manufacturing precision
If precise foundation placement is required for steel bents, then accurate pipe support is achieved, but construction time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the dimensional parameters of the concrete structure, specifically providing a width of at least 24 inches and a length of at least 48 inches, which creates a more forgiving foundation that does not require precise placement. This dimensional enlargement allows for easier installation while maintaining structural integrity and proper pipe support.
Data Source
AI summary
A pipe rack and a method for making a pipe rack where the pipe rack may include at least one foundation, two legs, and a horizontal support. The two legs are supported by the at least one foundation. Each of the two legs includes at least one aperture. The horizontal support has two ends. The first end is located in an aperture in a first leg of the two legs and a second end of the horizontal support is located in an aperture in a second leg of the two legs. The first end of the horizontal support has a cross-sectional area that is at most 75% of a cross-sectional area of the aperture in the first leg and the second end of the horizontal support has a cross-sectional area that is at most 75% of a cross-sectional area of the aperture in the second leg.