Double-Walled Pipe Joint Access Hatch for Easier Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation, access, and maintenance of double-walled pipes are difficult due to their complex design and the need for careful handling of fluids at varying temperatures and pressures.
Innovation Solution
A fluid pipe connection design featuring an inner pipe assembly with a joint between two sections, an outer pipe assembly with a shroud covering the inner joint and a hatch providing access, and no mechanical connection between the inner and outer pipe assemblies, allowing for easier inspection and maintenance while maintaining structural support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a double-walled pipe structure is used to provide insulation and fail-safe containment, then reliability and safety are improved, but ease of operation and maintenance deteriorate due to difficult access to the inner pipe joint
Solution Approach 1:
The outer pipe assembly is segmented into sections with a removable shroud that can be divided into multiple parts. This segmentation allows maintenance personnel to access the inner pipe joint by removing only the necessary portion of the shroud, rather than dismantling the entire double-walled structure, thus maintaining safety while improving accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
A removable shroud acts as an intermediary component between the outer pipe and the inner pipe joint. This shroud provides a controlled access path that maintains the integrity of the double-walled structure while allowing inspection and maintenance of the inner joint, resolving the contradiction between containment reliability and maintenance accessibility.
2Ease of repair
If the shroud is made removable to allow access to the inner joint, then ease of repair is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional fastening and sealing mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomer seal provides a visual indication of its integrity and sealing status. The seal's material properties change in response to installation conditions, allowing maintenance personnel to quickly assess whether the seal is properly installed and functioning without complex inspection procedures, thus reducing operational complexity while maintaining ease of repair.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomer seal is designed as a relatively simple, replaceable component that can be easily installed and removed. Rather than creating a complex permanent sealing system, the design uses a straightforward seal that can be replaced during maintenance, reducing the overall complexity of the fastening and sealing mechanisms while improving ease of repair.
3Strength
If a mechanical connection is provided between inner and outer pipe assemblies for structural support, then strength is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates due to additional alignment and connection requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical connection between the inner and outer pipe assemblies is extracted or removed entirely. The design relies on the outer pipe assembly and shroud to provide structural support and containment independently, eliminating the need for complex alignment and connection mechanisms between the inner and outer pipes, thus improving ease of manufacture while maintaining sufficient strength through the outer structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid pipe connection is disclosed having an inner pipe assembly including a first inner pipe section and a second inner pipe section, and an inner joint between the first inner pipe section and second inner pipe section; an outer pipe assembly having a first outer pipe section, a second outer pipe section, a shroud covering the inner joint and mechanically connecting the first outer pipe section to the second outer pipe section via a mechanical connection, and a hatch fastened to the shroud by one or more fasteners and covering a hole in the shroud, wherein the hatch is moveable between a closed position and an open position to provide access to the inner joint through the hole.