Hydraulic and earth engineering – Subterranean or submarine pipe or cable laying – retrieving,... – With protection or indication of pipe or trench
Patent
1988-12-29
1990-04-03
Reese, Randolph A.
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Subterranean or submarine pipe or cable laying, retrieving,...
With protection or indication of pipe or trench
405172, 264 458, 264 459, 264 469, 264262, F16L 5700, F16L 5914, F16L 104
Patent
active
049135880
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a method for providing a thermic insulating effect around an article, such as pipe line which is submerged in water, by the use of a foam based insulating substance. The invention also relates to means for use in providing such a thermic insulating covering over an article.
Especially, the invention is intended for use in connection with pipe lines for transport of liquids and gases, such as hydrocarbon products from submerged wells positioned on the sea bottom in very deep water.
During transport of hydrocarbons in production pipe lines, there will take place a considerable cooling when will cause a reduction of the pressure and increased viscosity with resulting demand for pumping capacity and separating capacity. It is therefore wanted to insulate such pipe lines. A problem in this connection will however be that the outer pressure in deep water will be very high and that the insulating material will be exerted for an outer pressure which will reduce the gas volume in the insulating material and thereby also the insulating properties of the material.
The object of the present invention is to avoid this problem. This object is achieved by a method as described in the patent claims.
The invention also relates to means for use in the production of thermic insulating coverings in deep water, i.e. by high outer pressure. A means for such use is characterized by the features given in the means claims.
The present invention is based on the principle that the separate components which are necessary to produce the insulating material are brought separately down to the article which shall be insulated and that the material, for instance a cellular plastic material is produced in situ on or near the article or with other words at the place in which the production takes place and at the same pressure at which it shall be used. The components necessary for producing a cellular plastic material in the form of foam are a gas with a pressure adapted to the outer pressure and solid substances such as a adhesives and foaming liquid.
The inventor has by tests prooved that it is possible to produce cellular plastic material under water and thereby achieve a product with good properties for the intended purpose. Thus, a cellular plastic material based on amino-plastic, such as urea-formaldehdye, has been produced under water by forming of an aquous emulsion with air by the use of conventional, acid forming agents and hardener. The cellular plastic material which was achieved was consolidated to a large unitary body with good insulating and adhesive properties and with sufficient mechanical strength.
The invention will in the following be further illustrated by means of a possible embodiment which schematicly has been shown on the drawing. The figures are showing:
FIG. 1 an isometric view illustrating a means according to the invention for providing an insulating covering on the pipe line by the use of the method according to the invention, and
FIG. 2 a cross-section of an insulated pipe, and
FIG. 3 a detailed view of the foam producer and nozzle arrangement, and
FIG. 4 a detailed view of the form element.
In the drawing it is shown an embodiment of the invention, used for insulating a pipe line 1 positioned at the sea bottom 2, partly submerged into the sea bottom. In order to insulate this pipe line 1 a covering of insulating foam 3 shall be produced around that part of the pipe line which is positioned over the sea bottom 2. This foam is produced in the space between the pipe line 1 and a cap in the form of a flexible sheet material, which is sound off from a supply roll 5. The foam producing substances are led to a foam producing or mixing chamber 7 through a supply and conduit system which generally has been referred to by 6 and which is of known art. The agents which are transported to the foam producing chamber 7 may be air from a compresser and appropriate substances led in separate conduits and pumped for instance with a two-component pump. These substances are mixed in the mixing chamber 7
REFERENCES:
patent: 3733382 (1973-05-01), Van Dijk
patent: 4134782 (1979-01-01), Straughan
patent: 4240850 (1980-12-01), Arntz
patent: 4289716 (1981-09-01), Voigt
patent: 4338043 (1982-07-01), Biancale et al.
patent: 4411949 (1983-10-01), Snider et al.
patent: 4480943 (1984-11-01), Leuenberger
patent: 4537913 (1985-08-01), Baumann
Derwent's Abstract No. D 8014 D/17, SU 754 158.
Reese Randolph A.
Ricci John
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