Interlocked Pressure Armour Layer for Flexible Pipe Gap Coverage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flexible pipes used in deep and ultra-deep water environments face issues such as polymer creep and 'singing' due to internal and external pressures, leading to potential failure and reduced operational efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A pressure-resistant layer is created using adjacent hoop-like elements interconnected by a connector body with restraining and support arm portions, which helps to eliminate or reduce the risk of polymer creep and singing by covering gaps between windings and restraining relative motion of hoop-like elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional flexible pipe is used in deep water environments, then the pipe can transport production fluids from sub-sea locations, but polymer creep into gaps between windings causes pipe failure
Solution Approach 1:
The connector body divides the gap coverage function into multiple arm portions (first, second, third, and fourth arm portions) that collectively cover gaps between adjacent windings at different locations, preventing polymer creep into individual gaps through segmented protection
Solution Approach 2:
The connector body acts as an intermediary element positioned between adjacent hoop-like elements, with its arm portions extending into gaps to block polymer material from creeping between the windings, serving as a protective mediator
2Reliability
If conventional flexible pipe is used in deep water environments, then the pipe can operate under high pressure, but vortex shedding at gaps causes singing and catastrophic failure
Solution Approach 1:
The connector body segments the gap coverage into multiple arm portions positioned at different locations between adjacent windings, collectively eliminating vortex shedding sites along the pipe length through distributed gap coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The connector body serves as an intermediary structure that fills and covers gaps between adjacent windings, preventing fluid flow from creating vortex shedding at these gaps and thereby eliminating singing
3Stress or pressure
If discrete hoops are used to form pressure armour layer, then the layer can provide pressure resistance, but gaps between hoops allow polymer ingress and reduce performance
Solution Approach 1:
The connector body merges with adjacent discrete hoops to form an integrated pressure armour layer, where the arm portions of the connector body combine with the hoops to eliminate gaps and create a continuous protective structure
Solution Approach 2:
The connector body acts as an intermediary element between discrete hoops, with its arm portions extending into gaps to block polymer material from creeping between the windings, serving as a protective mediator
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus, flexible pipe body and methods are disclosed. The apparatus comprising at least one connector body comprising a first restraining arm portion and an opposed further restraining arm portion, each extending outwardly away from a common intersecting region of the connector body and comprising a respective locking surface, and at least one support arm portion that extends from the common intersecting region substantially perpendicular to the opposed arm portions and terminates with a flared end portion providing an abutment surface, wherein a distance between the common intersecting region and an abutment surface is less than 60% of said predetermined thickness.