Apparatus and method for assembling, measuring, and monitoring integrity of mechanical pipe joints
OwnerLarry W. Vincent, Darrell L. Vincentinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Processes and systems for preparing pipe for machine processing to form pin and box ends for assembly into pipelines using mechanical press-fit pipe joints that are fully measured and documented during both manufacturing and assembly. Installed pipelines include pipeline data monitoring systems coupled to a pipeline data management center for receiving, archiving, and analysis of the data records to aid in administration, operation and management, and troubleshooting of pipelines.
Claims17
An apparatus for joining pipe section ends using a mechanical press-ft joint to form an oil and gas pipeline, comprising:
- a bench having a fixed stock at a first end configured with a clamp to hold a formed end of a first pipe section, and a movable stock slidingly supported on a second end of the bench, the movable stock coupled to a source of hydraulic pressure and configured with a clamp to hold a formed end of a second pipe section;
- a hydraulic pressure sensor coupled to the source of hydraulic pressure for measuring hydraulic pressure P applied to move the movable stock and the second pipe section clamped therein to engage the formed end of the second pipe section with the formed end of the first pipe section held in the fixed stock;
- a linear displacement sensor coupled between a fixed reference on the bench and the movable stock for measuring the linear displacement L of the movable stock when moving toward the fixed stock;
- a processor for acquiring and processing the sensor measurements P and L for display to an operator during joining of the first and second pipe sections;
- and
- a display coupled to the processor for displaying a graph of the sensor measurements P versus L to indicate in real time within a defined acceptance window plotted on the graph the correct formation of the mechanical press-fit joint between the first and second pipe sections;
- wherein
- a correctly formed mechanical press-fit joint assembled without inserting the pipe ends into a separate coupling device is indicated when both P and L appear within the acceptance window of the graph.
An apparatus for assembling pipe section ends for an oil and gas pipeline to be joined by mechanical press-fit joints, comprising:
- a bench having a fixed stock at a first end configured with a clamp to secure a first end of a first pipe section having a formed end, and a movable stock slidingly supported on a second end of the bench, the movable stock coupled to a source of hydraulic pressure and configured with a clamp to secure a formed end of a second pipe section for assembly of the second formed end to the first pipe section;
- a hydraulic pressure sensor coupled to the source of hydraulic pressure for measuring hydraulic pressure P applied to move the movable stock and the second pipe section clamped therein toward the corresponding end of the first pipe section secured in the fixed stock;
- a linear displacement sensor coupled between a fixed reference on the bench and the movable stock for measuring the linear displacement L of the movable stock when moving toward the fixed stock;
- and
- a display configured to monitor when measurements of the hydraulic pressure P and the linear displacement L are both within a defined acceptance window plotted on the display;
- wherein
- the mechanical press-fit joint is formed without the use of a separate coupling device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.