Horizontal Subsea Tie-In With Sliding Guide Faces for Hub Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing subsea pipeline tie-in systems face challenges with alignment and space occupancy due to the use of guide pins and guide bores, requiring precise tolerances and significant axial movement for angular alignment, which can be costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A subsea horizontal tie-in system utilizing guide arrangements with porch and termination guide faces that slide against each other, featuring a base plate with machined guide faces and slots, allowing for angular alignment and reduced axial extension, and incorporating a guide frame for landing and alignment assistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If guide pins and guide bores are used for alignment, then angular alignment and position alignment are achieved, but manufacturing tolerances and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from point-contact guide pins and guide bores to surface-contact guide faces on sliding surfaces. This dimensional change from 0D/1D contact to 2D surface contact distributes alignment requirements across larger areas, reducing the stringency of point-to-point tolerance requirements while maintaining alignment precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the alignment system by replacing cylindrical guide pins with planar guide faces having specific surface geometries. This parameter change allows for more relaxed manufacturing tolerances while achieving the same or better alignment precision through surface engagement rather than line engagement.
2Measurement precision
If guide pins and guide bores are used for alignment, then angular alignment is achieved, but axial movement distance increases
Solution Approach 1:
By introducing lateral guidance through guide faces on vertical surfaces, the system achieves angular alignment without requiring the same extent of axial movement that would be needed with traditional guide pin configurations. The lateral constraint provided by the guide faces enables more compact axial engagement distances.
3Measurement precision
If guide pins and guide bores are used, then alignment is achieved, but device complexity and space occupancy increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the alignment and guiding functions into the structural components themselves by incorporating guide faces directly onto the porch part and termination part. This eliminates the need for separate, dedicated guide pins and guide bores, thereby reducing device complexity and space occupancy while maintaining alignment functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide faces serve multiple functions: they provide alignment during connection, support the structure during operation, and enable force transfer. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components, simplifying the overall device structure.
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 solution provides a more efficient and cost-effective alignment process with reduced space requirements and tolerances, enabling secure and precise connection of pipeline ends while handling bending forces and heavy components like pig launchers/receivers.
Implementation Method 1
guide arrangements having porch guide faces on the porch part and termination guide faces on the termination part, wherein the porch guide faces and termination guide faces are configured to slide against each other during said movement
Data Source
AI summary
A subsea horizontal tie-in system comprising a porch part (100) with a porch hub (101a), a termination part (200) with a termination hub (201a). The termination part is configured to land on the porch part. The tie-in system further has an alignment system to align the porch hub (101a) and the termination hub (201a) during movement of the termination hub towards the porch hub in a landed state. The alignment system comprises guide arrangements (A1, A2, B1, B2) having porch guide faces (113p, 113q, 113r) on the porch part and termination guide faces (213p, 213q, 213r) on the termination part. The porch guide faces and termination guide faces are configured to slide against each other during said movement. The porch part (100) comprises a base plate (103) on which the porch guide faces are arranged.