Self-Supporting Flexible Pipe Arches for Fracturing Manifolds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing well fracture systems face challenges with rigid high pressure lines that cause vibrations, erosion, corrosion, leaks, and cluttered workspaces due to their complex configurations and rigid structures, leading to inefficiencies and safety hazards during fluid transmission from pump trucks to manifolds and wellbores.
Innovation Solution
The use of self-supporting flexible pipes forming arches to connect pump outlets to manifold inlets, which reduces vibration, pressure drop, and clutter, while allowing for flexible equipment arrangement and safer workspaces by elevating the pipes above the ground and eliminating the need for additional support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If rigid high pressure lines are used to connect pump trucks to manifolds, then structural stability is improved, but vibrations and erosion occur leading to pipe failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid high pressure lines with flexible hoses that can absorb vibrations and movements during pumping operations. The flexible nature of the hoses prevents the vibrations and erosion that plague rigid pipe systems, thereby reducing pipe failures while maintaining structural integrity through the flexibility of the material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and properties of the connection medium from rigid to flexible. By using hoses with appropriate material properties (flexibility, pressure resistance), the system accommodates vibrations and movements without failing, resolving the contradiction between structural stability and reliability.
2Stress or pressure
If complex rigid pipe configurations are used, then pressure transmission is maintained, but workspaces become cluttered and safety hazards increase
Solution Approach 1:
Flexible hoses can be routed more easily and occupy less space compared to rigid pipe configurations. They can be suspended or positioned without requiring complex support structures, thereby clearing workspaces and reducing safety hazards while maintaining effective pressure transmission from pump trucks to manifolds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes spatial arrangement by suspending flexible hoses in an arched configuration above the ground or equipment. This three-dimensional positioning clears the workspace below, eliminating clutter and safety hazards while the hoses continue to transmit pressure effectively through their flexible structure.
3Productivity
If rigid high pressure lines are installed, then fluid transmission is achieved, but vibrations cause erosion and corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible hoses absorb and dampen vibrations generated during high-pressure fluid transmission, preventing the vibrations from causing erosion and corrosion. The material composition of the hoses is designed to resist these mechanical stresses while maintaining fluid transmission efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible hoses are constructed from composite materials that combine flexibility with high resistance to erosion and corrosion. This allows the system to transmit fluid efficiently under high pressure while the composite structure protects against the harmful effects of vibration-induced wear.
4Stability of the object's composition
If additional support structures are added for rigid pipes, then structural stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible hoses are inherently stable due to their material properties and can be suspended or positioned with minimal support structures. Their flexibility allows them to accommodate movements and vibrations without requiring complex rigid support systems, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible hoses are designed to be self-supporting to a large extent, using their own structural properties to maintain stability without requiring extensive external support. This self-service characteristic reduces the need for additional complex support structures while maintaining adequate structural stability for high-pressure fluid transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for transferring fluid from a pump to a manifold, the manifold having a plurality of fluid inlets. A first pump truck includes a first pump having a first fluid outlet. A first flexible pipe couples the first fluid outlet to a first fluid inlet. The first flexible pipe is self-supporting and forms an arch extending over the first pump truck. The first pump truck may include a second pump having a second fluid outlet and a second flexible pipe may couple the second fluid outlet to a second fluid inlet. A second pump truck may include third and fourth pumps having third and fourth fluid outlets, respectively, that may be coupled to third and fourth fluid inlets by third and fourth self-supporting flexible pipes.