Undersea Pipe Guide for Lateral Clamping and Longitudinal Movement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for undersea installation of fluid transport pipes and in-line structures face challenges in securing bulky and heavy equipment on unstable sea floors, requiring precise alignment and increasing foundation size to account for movement, which complicates and costs the installation process.

Innovation Solution

The method involves placing guides on both sides of the pipe section to laterally clamp it to the foundation, allowing longitudinal movement, and using movable stops to secure the pipe in its natural orientation without precise alignment, ensuring stable placement even on moving ground.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If permanent guides are installed on the foundation to define positioning axis, then positioning precision is improved, but device complexity and placement difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning precisionVSAvoidplacement difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide is installed on the foundation before placing the pipe section, preparing the positioning structure in advance. This preliminary action allows the pipe to be freely lowered without requiring precise alignment during placement, as the guide will subsequently define the positioning axis and provide lateral clamping.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The guide acts as an intermediary element between the foundation and the pipe section. It provides lateral clamping to constrain the pipe's transverse position while allowing longitudinal movement, thus mediating the positioning without requiring precise alignment during placement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the foundation dimensions are increased to offset placement unknowns, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesupport stabilityVSAvoidfoundation dimensions

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide replaces the need for oversized foundation dimensions by providing mechanical lateral clamping. Instead of increasing foundation size to account for placement uncertainties, the guide actively constrains the pipe's transverse position through lateral stops that clamp against the pipe.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Manufacturing precision

If precise alignment is required during pipe placement, then positioning precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidplacement ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The guide is pre-installed on the foundation before pipe placement. This preliminary positioning structure allows the pipe to be freely lowered without requiring precise alignment during the placement operation, as the guide will subsequently define the positioning axis and provide lateral clamping.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of requiring the pipe to be aligned with the foundation during placement, the approach is inverted: the guide is first installed on the foundation to create the positioning reference, then the pipe is freely placed and subsequently clamped by the guide's lateral stops.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

4Ease of operation

If the pipe is freely placed without guidance, then ease of operation is improved, but positioning precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplacement easeVSAvoidpositioning precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The guide is installed on the foundation before pipe placement, preparing the positioning structure in advance. This allows the pipe to be freely lowered without requiring precise alignment during placement, while the guide subsequently defines the positioning axis and provides lateral clamping to ensure accurate positioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The guide serves as an intermediary that first enables free placement by not constraining the pipe during lowering, then ensures precise positioning by providing lateral clamping through its stops after the pipe is in place.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10295082B2Method for mounting an undersea installation comprising at least one section of pipe, and associated installation

Publication Date: 2019.05.21 TECH FRANCE SA

AI summary

A method has the following steps: a) providing an undersea foundation arranged on the bed of a body of water; b) laying a section of pipe and of an in-line structure on the foundation and allowing the section of pipe to freely self-orient on the foundation; c) placing at least one guide on the foundation on both sides of the section of pipe; d) blocking the guide on the foundation to laterally clamp the section of pipe with respect to the foundation, while authorizing a longitudinal movement of the section of pipe with respect to the guide.