Interlocked Flexible Pipe Layer to Prevent Creep and Singing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flexible pipes face issues such as polymer creep and 'singing' due to gaps between hoop-like elements, leading to potential failure and reduced operational efficiency, especially in extreme deep-water environments with high pressures and temperatures.
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 covers gaps and prevents relative motion, thereby reducing creep and singing phenomena.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If gaps are left between adjacent hoop-like elements for flexibility, then the pipe can accommodate large deflections, but polymer creep into gaps causes failure
Solution Approach 1:
A connector body with support arm portions is introduced as an intermediary element between adjacent hoop-like elements. The support arms extend into the gaps and provide abutment surfaces that prevent polymer creep while maintaining the spacing needed for flexibility and deflection accommodation.
2Ease of manufacture
If gaps exist between hoop-like elements, then manufacturing and assembly is simpler, but singing phenomena occurs due to vortex shedding
Solution Approach 1:
The connector body acts as a mediator that fills and smooths the gaps between hoop-like elements. The support arm portions extend into the gaps to provide abutment surfaces that eliminate vortex shedding sites, preventing singing while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through modular connector design.
3Reliability
If connector body with support arms is added to cover gaps, then creep and singing are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector body merges multiple functions into a single component: it provides locking surfaces for interlocking adjacent hoops, restraining arm portions for lateral stability, and support arm portions with abutment surfaces for preventing polymer creep and eliminating vortex shedding. This consolidation reduces overall system complexity despite adding functional elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector body is designed as a multi-functional element that simultaneously achieves interlocking, lateral restraint, and gap filling/creep prevention. The single connector structure performs multiple roles that would otherwise require separate components, maintaining simplicity while enhancing reliability.
4Reliability
If hoop-like elements are tightly interconnected to prevent creep, then polymer creep is reduced, but relative motion restraint reduces flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The connector body provides localized support at critical gap regions through support arm portions with abutment surfaces, preventing polymer creep only where needed. The rest of the hoop-like elements maintain their ability to move relative to each other, preserving overall pipe flexibility and deflection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The support arm portions act as local intermediaries that prevent polymer creep into gaps without restraining the natural relative motion of adjacent hoops during pipe deflection. The abutment surfaces provide creep resistance while allowing the flexible movement necessary for pipe adaptability.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
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.