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 said 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 or body 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 body.
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 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 body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.