Method of Installing a Heat Tube on Pre-Insulated Piping
AssigneeThermacor Process, LP
InventorsThomas Joseph Keyes, Clinton James Riggin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method is shown for installing a heat tube on a section of pre-insulated piping. A metal carrier pipe is covered with a first layer of foam insulation. Next, a routing device is used to cut a longitudinal slot along the length of the pipe so that the pipe exterior surface is exposed from the insulation. A heat tube is then installed within the longitudinal slot, whereby the heat tube contacts the exterior surface of the metal carrier pipe. A second layer of foam insulation is then sprayed onto the exterior of the metal carrier pipe, covering the previously formed longitudinal slot and installed heat tube. A polyolefin coating is then applied over the insulation to form a protective outer jacket for the insulated pipe.
Claims18
A method for installing a heat tube on a section of pre-insulated piping where the piping is made up of first and second lengths of insulated and jacketed pipe, each having a joining end to be joined to an end of the other length, each pipe length comprising an inner metal carrier pipe having an interior surface and an exterior surface, an envelope of foamed insulation surrounding the inner metal carrier pipe exterior surface, and an outer protective jacket surrounding the envelope of insulation, the joining ends of adjacent metal carrier pipe lengths being welded together to form fixed joints, whereby the adjacent pipe lengths provide a continuous length of fluid conduit for conveying fluids, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a steel carrier pipe having an exterior surface, an interior surface and a given length extending along a central longitudinal axis, the steel carrier pipe having a first layer of foam which has previously been sprayed onto the exterior surface thereof, the foam covered pipe having also been cured at a curing station to allow the sprayed foam to cure to a given radial thickness to thereby form a foam insulated pipe;
- placing the foam insulated pipe on a conveyor and moving the foam insulated pipe down the conveyor to a cutting station which includes a cutter assembly;
- providing a carriage assembly located at the cutting station which is associated with the cutter assembly and moving the carriage assembly on as associated track linearly down the exterior of the foam insulated pipe, whereby the cutter assembly cuts a longitudinal slot through the first layer of foam insulation along at least a portion of the length of the steel carrier pipe, thereby exposing the exterior surface of the steel carrier pipe;
- installing a heat tube within the longitudinal slot whereby the heat tube contacts the exposed exterior surface of the metal carrier pipe;
- passing the pipe past a second foam application station while spraying a second layer of foam insulation onto the exterior of the metal carrier pipe, thereby covering the previously formed longitudinal slot and installed heat tube;
- applying a polyolefin coating around the insulated pipe to thereby form an outer protective jacket for the insulated pipe.
A method for installing a heat tube on a section of pre-insulated piping where the piping is made up of first and second lengths of insulated and jacketed pipe, each having a joining end to be joined to an end of the other length, each pipe length comprising an inner metal carrier pipe having an interior surface and an exterior surface, an envelope of foamed insulation surrounding the inner metal carrier pipe exterior surface, and an outer protective jacket surrounding the envelope of insulation, the joining ends of adjacent metal carrier pipe lengths being welded together to form fixed joints, whereby the adjacent pipe lengths provide a continuous length of fluid conduit for conveying fluids, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a steel carrier pipe having an exterior surface, an interior surface and a given length extending along a central longitudinal axis;
- placing the carrier pipe on a conveyor which rotates the steel carrier pipe while simultaneously moving the pipe in a longitudinal direction past a first foam application station where a first layer of foam insulation is sprayed onto the exterior surface of the metal carrier pipe;
- passing the foam covered pipe through a curing station located on the conveyor line and allowing the foam insulation to cure to a given radial thickness to thereby form a foam insulated pipe as it is being moved longitudinally down the conveyor line;
- passing the foam covered pipe to another section of straight line conveyor where it continues to be moved in a longitudinal direction to a cutting station which includes a cutter assembly;
- providing a carriage assembly located at the cutting station which is associated with the cutter assembly and moving the carriage assembly on an associated track linearly down the exterior of the foam insulated pipe from a starting position to an ending position, whereby the cutter assembly cuts a longitudinal slot through the first layer of foam insulation along at least a portion of the length of the steel carrier pipe, thereby exposing the exterior surface of the steel carrier pipe;
- installing a heat tube within the longitudinal slot whereby the heat tube contacts the exposed exterior surface of the metal carrier pipe;
- moving the pipe to another section of conveyor which moves the pipe in a longitudinal direction while simultaneously rotating the pipe;
- passing the pipe past a second foam application station while spraying a second layer of foam insulation onto the exterior of the metal carrier pipe, thereby covering the previously formed longitudinal slot and installed heat tube;
- continuing to move the pipe down a final section of conveyor while applying a polyolefin coating around the insulated pipe to thereby form an outer protective jacket for the insulated pipe;
- rolling the pipe off the final section of conveyor into a finished pipe area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.