Flexible Pipe Armour Wire Termination Bending Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

The termination of tensile armour wires in flexible pipes during end fitting assembly often results in significant bending, leading to plastic and elastic deformation, stress concentration, and reduced fatigue lifetime due to the need for wires to be bent away from the pipe axis to a large degree.

Innovation Solution

A method involving bending armour wires 10 to 50 degrees from the longitudinal axis using a temporary collar member and inserting a further collar member radially inward to minimize wire bending, thereby reducing deformation and stress concentration, is employed, along with a modified end fitting design that includes a split annular member and inner collar configuration to manage wire curvature and positioning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If armour wires are bent away from the pipe axis to a large degree during end fitting assembly, then the wires can be positioned in the end fitting, but plastic and elastic deformation occurs leading to stress concentration and reduced fatigue lifetime

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewire positioning in end fittingVSAvoidfatigue lifetime of armour layer

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The collar member is positioned on the pipe body before the armour wires are bent, establishing a predetermined location where the wires will be bent and terminated. This preliminary positioning ensures that the bending occurs at an optimal location that minimizes deformation while still allowing proper wire termination in the end fitting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the bending angle parameter by specifying that armour wires be bent at an angle between 10-50 degrees from the longitudinal axis of the pipe body, rather than being bent away at large angles. This parameter optimization reduces plastic and elastic deformation while still achieving proper wire positioning for end fitting assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If armour wires are bent at large angles from the longitudinal axis, then wire termination in end fitting is achieved, but stress concentration at the bending point increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewire termination processVSAvoidstress concentration at bending point

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The invention optimizes the bending angle parameter to between 10-50 degrees from the longitudinal axis, which reduces stress concentration at the bending point compared to traditional large-angle bending, while still achieving effective wire termination in the end fitting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If the collar member is positioned far from the pipe body, then access for terminating inner layers is improved, but armour wires cannot be effectively controlled

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess for terminating inner layersVSAvoidarmour wire control

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The collar member acts as an intermediary component that is positioned on the pipe body and provides both armour wire control features (for effective wire positioning and bending control) and structural features that create access space for terminating inner layers of the pipe body.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10527210B2Flexible pipe and method of manufacture of flexible pipe

Publication Date: 2020.01.07 BAKER HUGHES ENERGY TECH UK LTD

AI summary

A flexible pipe and method of producing a flexible pipe are disclosed. The method includes bending armour wires of a flexible pipe body about 10 to 50 degrees from a longitudinal axis of the pipe body using a temporary collar member; inserting a further collar member radially inwards of the bent armour wires such that a portion of the armour wires lay over the further collar member; and mating the flexible pipe body and further collar member with an end fitting body.