Flexible Pipe Armouring Layer Gap Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional flexible pipes for offshore fluid and gas transportation lack a simple yet strong armouring layer that can maintain flexibility and prevent the formation of gaps between armouring layers, which are essential for withstanding varying pressures and bending during transportation.
Innovation Solution
The flexible pipe incorporates an interlocked armouring layer formed from a combination of profiled wires and folded metal strips, where the profiled wires provide thickness and the folded metal strips offer flexibility, allowing for the production of armouring layers of different thicknesses using the same type of folded strips with varying profiled wire thicknesses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional helically wound steel wires are used for armouring layers, then the pipe can withstand pressure forces, but gaps form between the wires compromising reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The armouring layer combines two different metal profiles (profiled wire and folded metal strip) into a composite structure. The profiled wire provides pressure resistance while the folded metal strip fills gaps and prevents fluid ingress, creating a more reliable armouring system than either component alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The folded metal strip acts as an intermediary element between the profiled wires. It fills the gaps between wires and provides a continuous barrier against fluid ingress, mediating between the discrete wire elements to create a seamless armouring layer.
2Strength
If armouring layers are made from thick profiled wires to increase strength, then pressure resistance improves, but flexibility and bendability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Different components of the armouring layer have different local qualities optimized for their specific functions. The profiled wire provides localized strength for pressure resistance, while the folded metal strip provides localized flexibility and gap-filling. This division of functional qualities allows the overall structure to achieve both strength and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the armouring layer by combining elements with different thicknesses and geometries. The folded metal strip has a width at least 6 times its thickness, creating a thin, flexible component that complements the thicker profiled wire, achieving optimal balance between strength and flexibility.
3Reliability
If multiple armouring layers are used to prevent collapse and resist pressure, then structural reliability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the functions of multiple traditional armouring layers into a single composite armouring layer formed by interlocking profiled wires and folded metal strips. This integrated structure provides both collapse prevention and pressure resistance that were previously requiring separate layers, thereby reducing overall structural complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a flexible pipe for transportation of fluids and gasses, e.g. useful in water transportation, and in offshore transportation of crude oil e.g. from seabed to an installation or between installations. The flexible pipe of the invention comprises a new type of armouring layers which is made from a combination of one or more profiled wires and one or more metal strips. A folded strip is an endless unit with at least one fold and a width which in unfolded condition is at least 6 times its thickness, such as at least 10, such as at least 15, such as at least 25 times its thickness or even up to 100 or 500 times its thickness. A profile is a preshaped non-folded cross sectional profile. The profile may preferably have a width of less than 6 times its thickness. The term `endless' is used to indicate that the tapes and profiles are very long compared to their other dimensions.