Control Line Clamp Assembly for Automated Tubing Installation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control line clamps for securing control lines around production tubing are labor-intensive and hazardous for workers due to manual installation, requiring intricate tasks and posing risks in the 'red zone' of the drill floor.
Innovation Solution
A control line clamp assembly that can be automated for installation, using collars that position and press together around the pipe without the need for screws or welding, allowing robotic attachment and reducing the need for human intervention in hazardous areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual installation methods are used for control line clamps, then workers can perform intricate tasks such as tightening screws, but the installation is labor intensive and exposes workers to hazards in the red zone
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp assembly is designed to be self-installing through a simple press-fit mechanism. The collars are positioned around the pipe and pressed together to secure the clamping element, eliminating the need for manual screw tightening or welding operations. This self-service design enables automated installation while maintaining secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional mechanical fastening system (screws, bolts, welding) is replaced with a press-fit collar mechanism. The collars engage with the clamping element through axial compression, substituting complex manual mechanical operations with a simpler pressing action that can be performed by automated equipment.
2Reliability
If conventional control line clamps with screws or welding are used, then secure attachment is achieved, but installation is time consuming and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp assembly is divided into separate components: first collar, second collar, and clamping element. These segmented parts can be independently positioned and then quickly assembled through a simple pressing action, significantly reducing installation time compared to conventional single-piece clamps requiring screws or welding.
Solution Approach 2:
The collars are pre-positioned around the pipe before the clamping element is installed. This preliminary positioning allows the clamping element to be quickly secured between the collars through axial compression, eliminating the need for time-consuming fastening operations and enabling rapid installation.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If automated installation is implemented, then worker safety is improved by reducing personnel in the red zone, but the clamp design must be simplified for robotic manipulation
Solution Approach 1:
The complex fastening mechanisms (screws, welding equipment) are extracted from the clamp design, leaving only the essential press-fit collar structure. This simplified design can be easily manipulated by robotic systems, enabling automated installation and reducing worker exposure to hazardous areas.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of securing the clamp to the pipe through external fasteners (screws from outside, welding from outside), the invention inverts the approach by using internal press-fit collars that engage the clamping element from within the collar structure. This inverted mechanism is more suitable for automated manipulation.
Data Source
AI summary
A control line clamp includes a clamping element for retaining one or more control lines alongside a pipe; a first collar; and a second collar. The clamping element is arranged to be attached to the pipe by positioning the first and second collars around the pipe on opposing sides of the clamping element and moving the first and second collars relatively towards each other in an axial direction.