Open-Celled Rigid Foam Pipe Connection Envelopment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pipe connection methods are inefficient, requiring high operating and rental costs, and often use hazardous liquid modifiers, with existing insulation methods failing to meet mechanical impact requirements and having high buoyancy issues, while also being difficult to process and transport.
Innovation Solution
The connection of pipes is enveloped with open-celled rigid polyurethane foam having polyisocyanurate structures, which simplifies production, meets mechanical impact test requirements, reduces buoyancy, and avoids hazardous liquid modifiers by using a stable polyurethane system that maintains processability and transportability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If pipes are enveloped with rigid polyurethane foam for connection protection, then mechanical strength and impact resistance are improved, but buoyancy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs open-celled rigid foam instead of conventional closed-celled foam for enveloping pipe connections. The open-celled structure provides comparable mechanical strength and impact resistance while reducing density and buoyancy, directly resolving the contradiction between strength improvement and buoyancy increase.
2Ease of manufacture
If liquid modifiers are used in polyurethane production, then processability is improved, but health hazards and toxicity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes hazardous liquid modifiers from the polyurethane production process entirely. By formulating a modifier-free system using alternative ingredients and processing methods, the invention eliminates health hazards and toxicity while maintaining adequate processability for pipe connection envelopment.
3Stability of the object's composition
If polyurethane systems without liquid modifiers are used, then stability and transportability are improved, but processability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical composition and physical parameters of the polyurethane system by eliminating liquid modifiers and adjusting ingredient ratios. This creates a stable, transportable formulation that maintains adequate processability through optimized mixing and curing parameters specific to modifier-free systems.
4Manufacturing precision
If production is carried out on board pipe-laying ships, then connection quality is improved, but operating and rental costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the pipe connection production process into separable stages, enabling pre-fabrication of connection envelopes in shore-based facilities before pipe assembly. This segmentation allows high-quality production with precise control while eliminating the need for expensive shipboard operations, directly reducing operating and rental costs.
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 reduces production and laying costs, enhances mechanical strength, minimizes buoyancy, and improves processability and transportability of pipe connections, while ensuring compliance with impact tests and safety standards.
Implementation Method 1
the connections have a low buoyancy
Implementation Method 2
open-celled rigid foam which is preferably a polyurethane foam having polyisocyanurate structures
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to the envelopment of a connection of at least two pipes or parts thereof by an open-celled rigid foam, the production of such an envelope and also the use of open-celled rigid foam for protecting connections of two pipes.