Flexible Pipe End Piece Spacer Member Anchoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible pipe end pieces used in deep water hydrocarbon transport experience fatigue failure due to inadequate anchoring of tensile armor layers, leading to reduced axial tension recovery and increased risk of detachment, especially in deep water environments where axial tensions are high and vary significantly with wave movements.
Innovation Solution
The end piece design incorporates a spacer member that supports the armor layers and a filling material to increase the contact surface area between the armor elements and the filling material, enhancing the mechanical locking and adhesion, thereby improving the axial tensile strength and reducing the risk of fatigue failure without significantly lengthening the tip.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the tip length is increased to improve axial tension recovery, then the anchoring of tensile armor improves, but the device complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a traditional linear elongation approach to a three-dimensional radial expansion mechanism. The bell-shaped structure with radially outwardly directed end sections creates additional spatial dimension for armor anchoring, allowing tensile armor to be mechanically locked in multiple directions simultaneously, thereby achieving superior axial tension recovery without increasing tip length
Solution Approach 2:
The tip is divided into distinct functional zones: a bell-shaped anchoring zone with radially outwardly directed end sections for mechanical locking, a transition zone for stress distribution, and a connection zone for attachment. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally, improving overall anchoring efficiency without requiring a longer tip structure
2Reliability
If the contact area between armor elements and resin is increased by traditional tip design, then axial tension recovery improves, but the tip length must be considerably lengthened
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a bell-shaped structure with radially outwardly directed end sections that expand the contact area in the radial dimension rather than extending axially. This geometric transformation allows the armor elements to engage with the resin over a larger surface area while maintaining a compact axial length, resolving the contradiction between contact area and tip length
Solution Approach 2:
The bell-shaped geometry with curved radially outwardly directed end sections maximizes the surface area available for armor-resin contact within a compact volume. The spherical/circular arc profiles create optimal stress distribution and increased mechanical interlocking between the armor elements and resin without requiring axial elongation
3Strength
If hook-shaped or wave-shaped deformations are formed at armor ends to create mechanical lock, then anchoring strength improves, but the manufacturing complexity and potential for fatigue initiation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the mechanical locking function from complex localized deformations (hooks, waves) and replaces it with a global geometric configuration. The bell-shaped structure with radially outwardly directed end sections provides inherent mechanical locking through its geometry alone, eliminating the need for additional deformations and simplifying manufacturing while maintaining anchoring strength
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of creating complex deformations at the armor ends to achieve mechanical locking, the invention inverts the approach by using the overall bell-shaped geometry to provide the locking mechanism. The radially outwardly directed end sections create natural mechanical interlocking with the resin without requiring any deformation of the armor elements themselves
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design significantly enhances the axial tensile strength of the end piece, reducing the risk of fatigue failure and improving the anchorage of the tensile armor layers, allowing for effective recovery of axial tensions while maintaining a compact length.
Implementation Method 1
a filling material to increase the contact surface area between the armor elements and the filling material, enhancing the mechanical locking and adhesion
Implementation Method 2
the anchoring of the armor is generally ensured by the friction between the armor wires and the epoxy resin poured into the chamber
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The end-piece according to the invention comprises: - at least one end segment (34) of each sheathing element (29), - an end arch and a cap, the end arch and the cap delimiting a chamber between them for receiving an end segment (34); and - a filler material for filling the receiving chamber, in which the end segment (34) is embedded. The end-piece comprises a spacing member (58) positioned bearing inside the end segments (34) of the sheathing elements (29) of at least one sheathing layer (24, 25). Each spacing member (58) defining, on at least one end segment (34) of a sheathing element (29) of said sheathing layer (24, 25), contact zones (90, 92) spaced axially along said end segment (34), the contact zones (90, 92) delimiting intermediate spaces (94) between them for contact between the filler material and the end segment (34).