US 2016/0102783 A1 · FAIRING AND METHOD

Abstract

A fairing device for the reduction of vortex-induced vibrations or motions, and for minimizing the drag about a substantially cylindrical element immersed in a fluid medium, comprising; a fairing rotatably mounted about the cylindrical element, the fairing comprising a shell with a mainly cylindrical cross-sectional shape with an outer diameter (D) following the outer diameter of the cylindrical element from an upward stagnation point of 0 degrees to at least +/−90 degrees, and which at +/−90 degrees continues as two fin-like portions in an aft direction, whereby the fin-like portions are convexly curved aft of +/−90 degrees thus tapering towards each other and are defining a tail end opening or gap less than the fairing standoff height. A method for mounting, storage, and deployment of the fairing device is also disclosed.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A fairing device for the reduction of vortex-induced vibrations or motions and reduction of drag about a substantially cylindrical element immersed in a fluid medium, comprising:

a fairing rotatably mounted about the substantially cylindrical element, the fairing comprising a shell with a mainly cylindrical cross-sectional shape with an outer diameter (D) following the outer diameter of said cylindrical element from an upward stagnation point of 0 degrees to at least +/−90 degrees, and which at +/−90 degrees continues as two fin-like portions in an aft direction,
wherein the fin-like portions are convexly curved aft of +/−90 degrees thus tapering towards each other and defining a tail end opening less than the fairing standoff height;
and the fin-like portion on a first side is dimensionally different than the fin-like portion on a second opposing side thus forming an asymmetric cross-section.

A method for the mounting, storage and deployment of fairing devices for the reduction of vortex-induced vibrations or motions and minimization of drag about substantially cylindrical elements immersed in a fluid medium,

characterized by the following steps:
a) creating a plurality of joint sections prepared for storage by mounting fairing devices around respective cylindrical elements, wherein said fairing devices include fin-like portions which are held in close proximity around the cylindrical elements;
b) connecting joint sections together prior to deployment into said fluid medium;
c) actuating said fairing device, thus bringing said fin-like portions out from said close proximity around the cylindrical elements;
and
d) immersing a string comprising a plurality of connected joint sections into a fluid medium.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Fairing and method

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Fairing and method

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Abstract

Claims23