Floatable Pipe Flange Protection for Collision-Safe Water Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plastic pipes with large diameters, used in various applications and installed in water, are prone to damage during transport due to collisions at their flange regions, which can compromise their tightness and require repairs.
Innovation Solution
A floatable pipe combination featuring a plastic pipe with flange protection, including an outer protective covering that radially projects beyond the pipe's diameter, providing protection to the flange regions and comprising a lapped flange, stub end, and closing cover, which can be screwed together with threaded rods and clamping nuts for stability, and optionally includes internal and external protective bodies for enhanced durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If plastic pipes are transported in water without additional protection, then transport simplicity is maintained, but the flange regions are vulnerable to collision damage
Solution Approach 1:
The flange protection is pre-installed on the plastic pipe before transport, creating a protective barrier in advance. This preliminary action ensures that the flange regions are already protected when the pipe is placed in water, preventing collision damage without requiring complex protective measures during transport operations
Solution Approach 2:
The flange protection acts as an intermediary element between the vulnerable flange region and the external water environment. This intermediate structure absorbs and distributes collision forces, protecting the flange from direct impact while maintaining the simplicity of the overall transport system
2Reliability
If flange protection is added to protect flange regions, then damage prevention is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flange protection is designed as a separate, modular component that can be independently manufactured and attached to the plastic pipe. This segmentation allows the protective function to be added without redesigning the entire pipe system, thereby improving connection integrity while minimizing increases in overall device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The flange protection is applied locally only to the flange regions where damage risk exists, rather than protecting the entire pipe. This localized approach provides targeted protection for critical connection areas while avoiding unnecessary complexity in other parts of the pipe structure
Data Source
AI summary
A floatable pipe combination has a plastic pipe having a rear longitudinal end, on which a rear flange region is formed, and a front longitudinal end, on which a front flange region is formed, a closing cover arranged on the rear longitudinal end, and a closing cover arranged on the front longitudinal end. A pulling device is arranged on the closing cover. At least on the front longitudinal end, a flange protection with an outer protective covering is arranged. The outer protective covering is formed to radially project with respect to the outer diameter of the plastic pipe.