Fairing for pipes

A fairing for pipes and other substantially rigid structures immersed in a fluid medium, for reducing the coefficient of drag on said pipe due to relative flow thereof with respect to said fluid medium, said fairing comprising a shell of substantially rigid material forming a symmetrical structure having a nose portion and a tail portion;

• where
• (a) said nose portion has an opening along its axis to accommodate said pipe;
• and
• (b) at least said tail portion has a plurality of upstanding rib portions spaced axially along each side of said fairing and extending rearwardly from the front of said fairing, and a plurality of alternating tail portions at least between said upstanding rib portions;
• where aspect ratios taken at a cross-section through any of said upstanding rib portions and a cross-section through any of said alternating tail portions are similar;
• said aspect ratios being the ratio of length to breadth of the fairing, the breadth being the greatest width of each respective cross-section and the length of each respective cross-section being taken along the chord length thereof to the rearmost point of the cross-section where a rearward taper thereof terminates;
• the length and breadth, respectively, of any cross-section taken through any of said upstanding rib portions being different, in absolute terms, than the length and breadth respectively of any cross-section taken through any of said alternating tail portions of said fairing;
• and where said alternating tail portions and said upstanding rib portions terminate at a trailing fin portion of said fairing which extends rearwardly therefrom.

A fairing for pipes and other substantially rigid structures immersed in a fluid medium, for reducing the coefficient of drag on said pipe due to relative flow thereof with respect to said fluid medium, said fairing comprising a shell of substantially rigid material forming a symmetrical structure having a nose portion and a tail portion;

• where
• (a) said nose portion has an opening along its axis to accommodate said pipe;
• and
• (b) at least said tail portion has a plurality of upstanding rib portions spaced axially along each side of said fairing and extending rearwardly from the front of said fairing, and a plurality of alternating tail portions at least between said upstanding rib portions;
• where aspect ratios taken at a cross-section through any of said upstanding rib portions and a cross-section through any of said aternating tail portions are similar;
• said aspect ratios being the ratio of length to breadth of the fairing, the breadth being the greatest width of each respective cross-section and the length of each respective cross-section being taken along the chord length thereof to the rearmost point of the cross-section where a rearward taper thereof terminates;
• the length and breadth, respectively, of any cross-section taken through any of said upstanding rib portions being different, in absolute terms, than the length and breadth respectively of any cross-section taken through any of said alternating tail portions of said fairing;
• and where each of said aternating tail portions terminates at a trailing fin portion of said fairing which extends rearwardly of said respective alternating tail portion to substantially the same distance behind the front of said as said upstanding rib portions extend;
• and further comprising a pair of stabilizer plates extending between at least two adjacent upstanding rib portions near the rearward end of each, on each side of said fairing.