Pipe Guide Collar With Line-Contact Pads for Low-Friction Sliding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing guide devices for pipes in thermally-insulating tanks experience high friction issues due to mounting errors, leading to non-stick coating damage from thermal contraction and expansion, which results in faulty sliding functionality.
Innovation Solution
A guide device with a U-shaped support collar and circular non-stick coating pads, allowing for controlled line contacts and reduced friction, while maintaining robustness and ease of mounting, with the pads fixed centrally to minimize thermal stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rounded support collar is used to surround the pipe, then surface contact is formed between the collar and pipe, but friction becomes too high causing coating damage
Solution Approach 1:
The rounded support collar is segmented by introducing axial separation between the two end portions, creating distinct contact zones. This segmentation reduces the continuous surface contact area, thereby lowering friction while maintaining guiding functionality through distributed point contacts.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from surface contact (2D) to line contact (1D) by introducing axial separation. The non-stick coating films are positioned at separated axial locations rather than covering the entire collar surface, effectively reducing the contact dimension and friction accordingly.
2Ease of operation
If non-stick coating films are applied to the support collar, then sliding is enabled, but the films break and escape due to high friction from mounting errors
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous non-stick coating film is segmented into discrete sections positioned at separated axial locations. This segmentation reduces the total contact area and distributes friction forces, preventing the high localized stress that causes coating breakdown and escape during pipe sliding operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying non-stick coating over the entire collar surface (excessive action), the coating is applied only at specific separated axial positions (partial action). This partial coverage is sufficient to enable sliding while significantly reducing the friction-induced stress that leads to coating failure.
3Measurement precision
If the support collar is fixed rigidly to the wall, then positioning is precise, but thermal contraction and expansion cause mounting errors increasing friction
Solution Approach 1:
The support collar is designed with dynamic positioning capability through adjustable fastening means, allowing it to accommodate thermal contraction and expansion of the pipe. This dynamic adjustment maintains optimal positioning accuracy despite temperature variations, preventing the mounting errors that would otherwise increase friction.
4Reliability
If the non-stick coating covers the whole internal face of the collar, then guiding is improved, but friction remains high due to excessive contact area
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous non-stick coating is segmented into discrete sections positioned at separated axial locations on the collar. This segmentation maintains guiding functionality through distributed contact points while significantly reducing the total contact area, thereby lowering friction forces.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of uniform coating coverage, the non-stick coating is applied selectively at specific local zones separated axially. This local quality approach provides guiding function where needed while minimizing the total coated surface area that generates friction during pipe sliding.
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 solution effectively reduces friction and prevents non-stick coating damage, ensuring reliable pipe guidance and sliding performance across temperature variations.
Implementation Method 1
The films 12 and 12′ have an important function in the guide device. In fact, the pipe is caused to slide in the support collar, typically made of a metal such as stainless steel. The non-stick coating films 12 and 12′ allow the pipe to slide in the guide device without deterioration of either the support collar or the pipe.
Implementation Method 2
the pipe is moved in the guide device, contracts at low temperature and expands at high temperature
Implementation Method 3
the pipe is moved in the guide device, contracts at low temperature and expands at high temperature
Data Source
AI summary
The invention concerns a guide device (10) for a pipe intended to be moved along a first axis (X), comprising:a support (51) comprising a receiving plate comprising a front face extending in a first plane (P1) substantially parallel to the first axis (X);a non-stick coating film (12) fixed to the front face of the receiving plate intended to form a first line contact (13) with the pipe;a support collar (14) having a U-shaped section having a so-called internal face (15) intended to surround the pipe, the support collar (14) being extended in a second plane (P2) substantially parallel to the first plane (P1) by two end sections (16, 17) extending on respective opposite sides of the U-shaped section;a fixing means (18) for fixing each end section (16, 17) to the support (51);a circular non-stick coating pad (19) fixed to the so-called internal face (15) intended to form at least one second line contact (23) with the pipe.