Marine Riser Heat Exchanger for Composite Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current marine riser systems face challenges with high temperatures and weight due to deep water operations, where traditional materials like carbon-reinforced composite materials are unsuitable for high-temperature conditions and heavy steel pipes are needed for strength, leading to inefficiencies and potential material degradation.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a heat exchanger device in at least one riser section to dissipate heat efficiently, allowing for the use of lightweight composite materials and reducing temperature-related stress and corrosion, while maintaining structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If carbon-reinforced composite materials are used to reduce riser weight, then weight is reduced, but the riser becomes unsuitable for high-temperature conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The riser is divided into multiple sections, with only the lower section (exposed to high temperatures) constructed from heat-resistant materials, while the upper sections can use lightweight composite materials. This segmentation allows weight reduction in non-critical areas while maintaining temperature resistance where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
A heat exchanger is introduced as an intermediary device to cool the drilling fluid before it reaches the riser, thereby reducing the temperature exposure of the riser materials and enabling the use of composite materials that would otherwise be unsuitable for high-temperature conditions.
2Strength
If traditional steel pipes are used to ensure strength and heat resistance, then structural integrity is maintained, but weight increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The riser is divided into multiple sections, with only the lower section (exposed to high temperatures) constructed from heat-resistant materials, while the upper sections can use lightweight composite materials. This segmentation allows weight reduction in non-critical areas while maintaining temperature resistance where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs composite materials (such as carbon-reinforced polymers) for the upper riser sections to achieve high strength-to-weight ratio, while using traditional heat-resistant materials only in the lower section where temperature exposure is critical.
3Stress or pressure
If auxiliary pipes with sufficient wall thickness are used to withstand high pressure, then pressure resistance is ensured, but weight and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
Composite materials are used for auxiliary pipes in upper riser sections where pressure requirements can be met with thinner walls, reducing weight while maintaining adequate pressure resistance through the high strength-to-weight ratio of composite materials.
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 enables the use of lightweight composite materials in riser joints, extends material longevity, and reduces operational costs by avoiding the need for expensive high-temperature-resistant materials, while maintaining structural integrity and preventing material degradation.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of the at least two riser sections comprises at least one pipe which comprises a heat exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
A marine riser includes at least two riser sections which are connected in an end-to-end relationship. The at least two riser sections extend between a subsea installation and a suspension device arranged above the subsea installation. At least one of the at least two riser sections includes at least one pipe having a heat exchanger.