Submarine Pipeline Buoyancy Material With Hydrolysis-Resistant Microspheres
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing syntactic foams used in submarine pipelines suffer from hydrolytic degradation, poor floatability, and inadequate thermal insulation due to glass microbeads, which are prone to water intake and structural degradation, especially at great depths, and their manufacturing process is energy-intensive and costly.
Innovation Solution
A material comprising a polymer matrix with expanded thermoplastic microspheres coated with silicon dioxide and/or titanium dioxide nanoparticles, offering improved floatability, thermal insulation, and resistance to hydrolytic degradation, manufactured through a cost-effective and energy-efficient process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If glass microbeads are used in syntactic foam for submarine pipeline insulation, then floatability is improved, but the material suffers from hydrolytic degradation and water intake over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters by replacing glass microbeads with thermoplastic microspheres having different chemical composition and physical properties. The thermoplastic material is inherently resistant to hydrolysis while maintaining the low density and floatability required for submarine pipeline applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system using thermoplastic microspheres dispersed in a polymer matrix. This composite approach combines the floatability benefits of lightweight microspheres with the chemical resistance of thermoplastic materials, eliminating the hydrolytic degradation problem of glass microbeads.
2Temperature
If glass microbeads are used in syntactic foam, then thermal insulation is improved, but manufacturing cost and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs inexpensive thermoplastic microspheres that can be manufactured through simpler, less energy-intensive processes compared to glass microbeads. The thermoplastic material allows for lower temperature processing and eliminates the need for high-energy sintering or melting operations required for glass bead production.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the manufacturing parameters by using thermoplastic materials that process at lower temperatures and with simpler equipment. This substitution of material parameters directly reduces the energy consumption and manufacturing cost while maintaining the thermal insulation performance through the microspheric structure.
3Weight of moving object
If glass microbeads are used in syntactic foam, then floatability is achieved, but pressure resistance deteriorates over time in humid environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters from glass to thermoplastic microspheres, which have superior mechanical strength and pressure resistance. The thermoplastic material maintains its structural integrity under hydrostatic pressure better than glass microbeads, especially in humid environments where glass is susceptible to hydrolytic weakening.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure using thermoplastic microspheres embedded in a polymer matrix. This composite design provides both the floatability needed for submarine applications and the pressure resistance required to withstand deep-sea hydrostatic pressure, overcoming the limitations of glass microbead-based syntactic foams.
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 material provides high floatability, low thermal conductivity, and resistance to hydrostatic pressure, maintaining integrity over extended periods without significant water intake, suitable for submarine pipelines at great depths.
Implementation Method 1
The Applicant noticed that the microbeads tended to let water pass through and did not withstand hydrostatic pressure over time. The water intake of the glass beads can be attributed to 1) a hydration phenomenon which causes the water molecules to enter the glass by diffusion... and/or 3) a hydrolysis phenomenon whereby the silica reacts with water to form silica hydroxides soluble in water.
Implementation Method 2
The present invention relates to a material for ensuring the floatability of a submarine pipeline and/or for improving the thermal insulation of a submarine pipeline... It is necessary to maintain the crude oil at a temperature above 20° C. until it reaches the surface to avoid gas hydrate plugs or above 40° C. to avoid the formation of paraffin plugs which would block production. Therefore, this requires efficient and continuous thermal insulation of the bottom-surface connection pipeline conveying the crude oil.
Implementation Method 3
a material for ensuring the floatability of a submarine pipeline... These rigid insulating materials which also have interesting floatability, made up of synthetic materials including hollow microspheres...
Implementation Method 4
the membrane of which is composed of block polymers or copolymers... the process for manufacturing glass microspheres is a very energy-intensive process and has a very low yield due to the different screening steps necessary to guarantee a level of dimensional homogeneity allowing to achieve the very strict technical specifications in force in the upstream oil sector.
Data Source
AI summary
A material includes from 40 to 60% by volume of polymer matrix relative to the total volume of the material, and from 40 to 60% by volume, relative to the total volume of the material, of expanded thermoplastic microspheres. The membrane is composed of block polymers or copolymers. The microspheres are coated with a layer composed of nanoparticles of silicon dioxide and/or of titanium dioxide. A method for manufacturing is provided for making the material and the use of this material is provided for ensuring the floatability and/or for thermally insulating all or part of a submarine pipeline.