Integral Flow Conditioner Vanes for Pipeline Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow conditioners in oil and gas pipelines often fail due to extreme forces, causing vanes to be damaged or broken, which distorts fluid flow profiles and makes accurate flow measurements difficult and inconsistent.
Innovation Solution
A flow conditioner with integral vanes machined from the same material as the flow conditioner, which follow the contour of the holes and are not separately attached, reducing fluid swirl and improving performance without being torn by pipeline forces, and featuring a stepped configuration with vanes on both sides or recessed from each other.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If vanes are welded onto a flow conditioner plate, then the flow conditioner can be assembled, but the vanes may be significantly damaged or broken into pieces due to extreme forces in pipelines
Solution Approach 1:
The vanes are merged with the flow conditioner plate by machining them as integral parts from the same material, eliminating the weld connections that previously failed under extreme pipeline forces. This integration ensures the vanes cannot be torn or ripped from the plate, resolving the reliability issue while maintaining manufacturability through single-piece machining.
2Ease of manufacture
If vanes are welded onto a flow conditioner plate, then the flow conditioner can be assembled, but the vanes may be torn or ripped from the flow conditioner due to pipeline forces
Solution Approach 1:
The vanes and flow conditioner plate are merged into a single monolithic structure machined from the same material, eliminating weak weld joints. The integral construction ensures uniform strength throughout the assembly, preventing the vanes from being torn or ripped off under extreme pipeline forces.
3Measurement precision
If a flow conditioner is placed upstream of the flow meter, then the flow profile can be corrected, but the vanes may fail due to extreme forces, causing measurement inaccuracies
Solution Approach 1:
The integral construction of the vanes with the flow conditioner plate eliminates the reliability failure mode, ensuring the flow conditioner remains intact upstream of the flow meter. This maintains the corrected flow profile and ensures consistent measurement precision without the risk of vane failure.
4Ease of manufacture
If vanes are separately attached to a flow conditioner, then the flow conditioner can be assembled, but the assembly may be damaged, thereby damaging the pipeline and/or downstream flow meter
Solution Approach 1:
The vanes are merged into the flow conditioner plate as integral parts, eliminating separate components that could fail and cause harm. The integral structure prevents vane detachment that could damage the pipeline or downstream flow meter, removing this harmful factor while maintaining ease of manufacture through single-piece construction.
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
The integral vanes ensure stable and accurate fluid flow measurements by reducing swirl and enhancing flow conditioner performance, preventing damage from pipeline forces and maintaining consistent measurement accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
The integral vanes ensure stable and accurate fluid flow measurements by reducing swirl and enhancing flow conditioner performance
Data Source
AI summary
A flow conditioner includes a single disk comprising an array of holes; a first set of integral vanes at least partially following a contour or pattern of an outer ring the holes; and a second set of integral vanes at least partially following a contour or pattern of an inner ring the holes. The second set of integral vanes is recessed from the first set of integral vanes in a stepped configuration.