Riser pipe fairing
AssigneeW. R. Grace & Co.
InventorsLouie W. Watkins, Stephen C. Miller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fairing for riser pipe immersed in a fluid medium, usually fresh water or sea water. The fairing is constructed of syntatic foam and is compatible with existing systems. The fairing may be removably secured to riser buoyancy modules. The fairing has special fluid flow characteristics.
Claims13
A fairing having a substantially neutral buoyancy for removable mounting on risers equipped with syntactic foam buoyancy modules, said fairing comprising an axis of rotation, a widest dimension aft of said axis of rotation, a diminishing taper aft of said widest dimension, a fin projecting laterally outward from opposing sides of the fairing aft of said taper, a rounded nose forward of said axis of rotation, and an assembly means for removable mounting said fairing, said assembly means having means for gripping the buoyancy modules fixedly and means allowing the rotation of said fairing about said axis of rotation in an arc of 360.degree., wherein said fairing comprises syntactic foam as its major structural constituent, said fairing comprises two halves divided at about the chord of the fairing, each half having at least one configured slip retaining slot formed therein and said assembly means comprises two halves, each half being engaged in slip threaded engagement in a respective said configured slip retaining slot.
A fairing comprising a fairing body and means for removably mounting said fairing body on risers equipped with buoyancy modules leaving an unencumbered riser buoyancy module surface, said means for removably mounting said fairing body being held within the fairing body by engagement in a channel in said fairing body.
A fairing comprising an axis of rotation, a widest dimension aft of said axis of rotation, a diminishing taper aft of said widest dimension, a fin projecting laterally outward from opposing sides of the fairing aft of said taper, and means for allowing said fairing's rotation about a vertical axis in an arc of 360.degree., wherein said means for allowing rotation includes a channel with said axis of rotation being the center of said channel and annular assembly means for securing said fairing to a linear object in said channel about which said fairing is to rotate, said assembly means being adapted to fit varying sizes of riser pipes equipped with syntactic foam buoyancy modules and said assembly means having a plurality of grip plates attached to the inner periphery thereof, said grip plates having a plurality of spikes for gripping syntactic foam buoyancy modules.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.