Tubular member with thermal sleeve liner

A ball valve isolation method for a high pressure, rapidly cycling temperature service, comprising:

• installing an isolation ball valve (204, 208) in a line (202) comprising a pair of opposing ball valve members (102A, 102B) connected on either end of an end connector (104) comprising a tubular fluid flow device;
• and
• cycling operation of the isolation ball valve in service at a temperature swing of at least 250° C. at a frequency of at least one cycle per week;
• wherein the tubular fluid flow device comprises a tubular member (10) having at least one locus of non-uniform outside dimension (14, 16) and an axial flow passage (20) with a uniform inside diameter between opposite end connection elements (16);
• a thermal sleeve liner (22) disposed about the axial flow passage in a bore (24) formed in the tubular member, wherein the sleeve comprises an outer surface having a thermal barrier coating (26);
• and
• a pressure-relief passage (28) in fluid communication with an interface between an exterior surface of the thermal sleeve liner and an inner surface of the bore, and
• wherein the thermal sleeve liner is effective to inhibit thermal fatigue stress cracking in the end connector.

A method for the transfer of catalyst from a reactor, comprising:

• positioning an isolation ball valve (100A to 100C, 100F to 100G) in a conduit (202, 214) exiting the reactor (200, 206);
• and
• cycling the isolation ball valve between an open position to transfer catalyst from the reactor and a closed position to stop the catalyst transfer,
• wherein the isolation ball valve comprises a pair of opposing ball valve members (102A, 102B) connected on either end of an end connector (104) comprising a tubular fluid flow device comprising a tubular member (10) having at least one locus of non-uniform outside dimension (14, 16) and an axial flow passage (20) with a uniform inside diameter between opposite end connection elements (16);
• a thermal sleeve liner (22) disposed about the axial flow passage in a bore (24) formed in the tubular member;
• a thermal barrier coating (26) disposed on an exterior surface of the thermal sleeve liner (22) located at an interface between and in direct contact with the exterior surface of the thermal sleeve liner and an inner surface of the bore;
• and
• a pressure-relief passage (28) in fluid communication with the interface between the exterior surface of the thermal sleeve liner and the inner surface of the bore.