Segmented Lifting Elevator for Large Diameter Pipe Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation and removal of lifting and handling eyes on large-diameter conductor pipes are time-consuming, costly, and prone to damage, and they can disrupt the sediment around the wellbore, causing resistance and potential failure during the installation process.
Innovation Solution
A lifting elevator with rotatable segments and slips that can grip the external surface of the pipe, allowing for the lifting and positioning of non-vertical pipe joints without the need for pre-installed lifting eyes, using a segmented ring design that can open and close laterally to grasp the pipe from above, reducing the risk of damage and eliminating the need for welding or bolting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If lifting eyes are pre-installed on large-diameter conductor pipes, then the pipes can be lifted and positioned, but the installation and removal process is time-consuming and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The elevator is divided into multiple segments that can open and close independently. Each segment contains slips that can engage with the pipe surface. This segmentation allows the elevator to be opened for pipe loading and closed for lifting without requiring pre-installed lifting eyes, eliminating the time-consuming installation and removal processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The elevator segments are pre-configured with slips and gripping surfaces that can automatically engage with the pipe when closed. This preliminary preparation allows the elevator to be quickly positioned around the pipe and secured without requiring time-consuming installation of lifting eyes on the pipe itself.
2Ease of operation
If lifting eyes are welded or bolted to conductor pipes, then lifting is enabled, but damage to the pipe and operational disruptions can occur
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting capability is extracted from the pipe itself and transferred to the elevator device. Instead of modifying the pipe with welded or bolted lifting eyes, the elevator provides the lifting function through its own segmented structure with slips that grip the pipe surface, eliminating damage risks to the pipe.
Solution Approach 2:
The elevator acts as an intermediary device between the lifting mechanism and the pipe. Rather than directly attaching lifting eyes to the pipe, the elevator's segmented structure with slips serves as a mediator that grips the pipe surface without causing damage, enabling lifting while preserving pipe integrity.
3Ease of operation
If lifting eyes are installed on conductor pipes, then lifting can be performed, but sediment around the wellbore can be disrupted causing resistance and potential failure
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting function is extracted from the pipe and transferred to the elevator, eliminating the need for pipe modifications. This allows lifting to be performed without installing lifting eyes that would disrupt sediment and cause resistance during the installation process.
4Ease of operation
If a traditional elevator design is used, then pipe lifting is possible, but the structure is complex and requires pre-installed lifting features
Solution Approach 1:
The elevator is segmented into multiple independent sections, each capable of opening and closing. This segmentation simplifies the overall structure by distributing the lifting function across multiple smaller components rather than requiring a complex monolithic structure with pre-installed lifting features.
Solution Approach 2:
The segmented elevator structure serves multiple functions: it can open for pipe loading, close for lifting, and be reused for multiple pipes. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for specialized pre-installed lifting features on each pipe, reducing overall system complexity.
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 method simplifies the assembly and installation of conductor pipe joints by eliminating the need for pre-installed lifting eyes, reducing the risk of damage and operational disruptions, while allowing for efficient lifting and placement of large-diameter pipes without adding resistance or failure risks.
Implementation Method 1
each of the first plurality of slips and the second plurality of slips has a die configured to grip an external surface of a pipe
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A lifting elevator includes a first elevator segment having a first plurality of slips, a second elevator segment having a second plurality of slips, and a hinge. The first elevator segment and the second elevator segment each have a swept angle of about 180°, and each of the first plurality of slips and the second plurality of slips includes a die configured to grip an external surface of a pipe.