Method and apparatus for maintaining a minimum temperature in a fluid
AssigneeGE Oil & Gas UK Limited
InventorsGeorge Karabelas, Duncan Edward Reay
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and method for maintaining temperature in a sub-sea device, in particular in relation to fluid in the device. A material having a high latent heat on phase change is used to release latent heat to the fluid when the fluid temperature decreases towards a threshold value.
Claims19
A flexible pipe body comprising:
- one or more encapsulated or enclosed regions of thermally active material disposed in a layer of flexible pipe body;
- wherein the thermally active material is a phase change material,
- wherein said one or more regions comprises an annular channel region in a cross section of a hoop element, a plurality of said hoop elements being disposed in a side-by-side coaxial relationship to thereby provide said layer,
- wherein the layer comprising said plurality of hoop elements is the innermost layer of the pipe body.
A method of manufacturing flexible pipe body, comprising the steps of:
- providing one or more encapsulated or enclosed regions of thermally active material in a layer of flexible pipe body,
- wherein the thermally active material is a phase change material, and
- wherein the step of providing one or more encapsulated or enclosed regions comprises interlocking a plurality of hoop elements arranged in a side-by-side substantially coaxial relationship, each hoop element comprising an annular channel circling throughout the hoop element,
- and wherein the layer comprising said plurality of hoop elements is the innermost layer of the pipe body.
A method of preventing or delaying the cooling of a fluid in a sub-sea pipe below a predetermined threshold temperature, the method comprising providing the pipe with a layer comprising one or more encapsulated or enclosed regions of thermally active material selected to liberate latent heat to the fluid as the fluid temperature approaches said threshold temperature,
- wherein the thermally active material is a phase change material, and
- wherein said one or more regions comprises an annular channel region in a cross section of a hoop element, a plurality of said hoop elements being disposed in a side-by-side coaxial relationship to thereby provide said layer,
- wherein the layer comprising said plurality of hoop elements is the innermost layer of the pipe.
A sub-sea pipe or pipe body configured to prevent or delay the cooling of a fluid when present in the sub-sea pipe or pipe body below a predetermined threshold temperature, the sub-sea pipe or pipe body including a layer of one or more encapsulated or enclosed regions of thermally active material configured to liberate latent heat to the fluid as, or if, in use, the fluid temperature approaches said threshold temperature,
- wherein the thermally active material is a phase change material, and
- wherein said one or more regions comprises an annular channel region in a cross section of a hoop element, a plurality of said hoop elements being disposed in a side-by-side coaxial relationship to thereby provide said layer,
- wherein the layer comprising said plurality of hoop elements is the innermost layer of the pipe or pipe body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.