AU2008101131A4

AU2008101131A4 - Boom

Info

Publication number: AU2008101131A4
Application number: AU2008101131A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ian Garden
Original assignee: RIGCOOL Ltd
Current assignee: Optima Solutions UK Ltd
Priority date: 2008-03-11
Filing date: 2008-11-21
Publication date: 2009-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 2016-11-21
Also published as: AU2008101131B4; GB0821312D0; GB2458740B; GB0804432D0; GB2458740A

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR AN INNOVATION PATENT r I Name and Address of Applicant: Rigcool Limited Birchmoss Plant Storage Depot Echt, Westhill Aberdeen AB32 6XL United Kingdom Actual lan GARDEN Inventor(s): Address for McCarthy Port Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys Service: ervice: Suite 6 Level 1 447 Hay Street Perth WA 6000 Invention Title: Boom The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- AG1317-2-AUPA 00 O Boom Field of the invention 0 This invention relates to a boom and more particularly to a boom suitable for use with apparatus proving a water cooling function and more particularly for use in an offshore environment, or a highly volatile environment where the cooling of equipment is required, or for the protection of property from fires.

Background to the invention

OO

00 It is known to provide water curtains for example on drilling platforms or other onshore or off-shore facilities where equipment is operated in a high temperature environment.

Ringside protection is provided via a pipe or duct, such as a handrail with apertures therethrough, to allow for water flowing in the pipe to be sprayed out over an area where water protection is required. Whilst such ringside protection is useful, it suffers from certain limitations. Such systems require high maintenance due to the length of the system required to cover a fairly small area and, since the apertures typically operate in series, any blockage of apertures in the pipe can lead to problems either in the area of the blocked aperture in lack of water cooling or further along the pipe with build up of fluid pressure in the pipe. Furthermore, the effectiveness of such arrangements for providing protection from heat sources may be compromised by their location. Typically, a water curtain provided integral to a handrail or other existing duct, is not positioned optimally with respect to all facilities requiring protection from a heat source, such as a flare. Thus, additional protective water curtains may be required in order to provide adequate protection from a given heat source. This may incur unnecessary costs for labour and equipment, and in addition may consume more water than is necessary.

This problem may be overcome by the installation of a boom to position a nozzle for the production of a water curtain in close proximity to a water curtain. It may not in all cases be practicable to install a boom in position permanently, and in other situations, the optimal position of water curtains positioned closer to a heat source, such as a flare, may vary according to weather conditions, such as wind direction. Permanent 00 installations close to heat sources are, additionally, more difficult to maintain and may necessitate additional shut-down of facilities to provide access for the purposes of maintenance, for example to remove blockages from a nozzle or to repair leaks in the 0 Z fluid conduit.

Therefore, there remains a need for a boom to position nozzles for creating a water curtain in an optimal position under all conditions and which provides easy access for maintenance.

Summary of the invention 00 According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a boom adapted to support one or more nozzles, each connected to a water supply and adapted to provide a water curtain over a predetermined area.

In one form, the boom may comprise one or more nozzle supporting means, each of which may be adapted to support a nozzle. The or each nozzle supporting means may be in fluid communication with fluid conduit means.

Thus, the invention extends in a second aspect to a boom for providing a water curtain over a predetermined area, the boom comprising nozzle supporting means having nozzle receiving means, and fluid conduit means in fluid communication with the nozzle receiving means. Thus, when water curtain forming nozzles are connected to the or each nozzle receiving means and water is supplied to the water curtain forming nozzles via the fluid conduit means, a water curtain is formed.

In one form, the boom may comprise a plurality of water curtain forming nozzles. A boom comprising a plurality of water curtain forming nozzles is operable to create a larger water curtain than a boom comprising a single nozzle and therefore provides protection from a heat source over a wider area. In one from, the boom may be formed and arranged so that, in use, the water curtains formed by the water curtain forming nozzles overlap to form an enlarged water curtain.

In one form, the boom may be portable. A portable boom can be positioned (and secured in position if necessary) optimally with respect to a heat source and an installation requiring protection from the heat source and is moveable to 00 0O accommodate a change in the optimal position. In contrast, a permanently installed Oboom requiring maintenance (for example unblocking or repairing of a nozzle) may require that the heat source and/or the operations requiring protection from the heat 0 z source be shut down during repair of the boom.

A portable boom is also more easily maintained than a permanently installed boom and can be withdrawn from position and replaced by another boom with minimal impact on ongoing operations.

In one form, the fluid conduit means may comprise a fluid inlet for receiving water. In 00 one form, the fluid conduit means may be operable to communicate received water to a plurality of nozzles in parallel. A plurality of nozzles connected to a water supply in parallel are more tolerant to blockage or damage to an individual nozzle than the plurality of nozzles installed upon a pipe or duct in series of the prior art.

In one form, the nozzle supporting means may comprise a base and a support member attached to the base.

In one form, the support member may be tubular and may comprise nozzle receiving means and fluid conduit means. According to one embodiment, each said nozzle attached to the nozzle receiving means is in fluid communication with the inside of the tubular support member, such that the tubular support member functions both as fluid conduit means and nozzle supporting means. This arrangement may also communicate water to a plurality of nozzles in parallel.

In one form, the boom may comprise a tubular arm having nozzle receiving means and fluid conduit means. According to one embodiment, each said nozzle may be mounted thereon in fluid communication with the interior of the arm, such that the arm functions as fluid conduit means and nozzle supporting means.

In one form, the arm may be pivotally mounted on the support member and may be operable between an open position in which a fluid path is established between the support member and the arm and a closed position in which said fluid path is closed.

00 A pivotally mounted tubular arm may be advantageously moved from an open position to a closed position, as might be required, for example, due to high winds or other inclement weather conditions.

0 z In one form, two arms may be mounted on and extend from the support member. In one form, in a closed position, the distal ends of each said arm may be brought together. In one form, in an open position, the said arms may extend from opposite t' sides of the support member.

0 The provision of pivotally mounted tubular arms operable between an open position 00 00 and a closed position facilitates folding and storage of the boom.

According to one embodiment, in a closed position of the or each arm, the or each arm may be substantially parallel to the support member.

In one form, each said arm may be adapted to receive a nozzle at an end thereof remote from the support member. In one form, nozzle support means may be located at the distal ends of each arm and configured so that corresponding nozzles retained on each arm generate water curtains which are parallel, and may be co-planar, and may be overlapping.

In one form, a flange may be mounted on the other end of the each said arm. In one form, a corresponding flange may be mounted on the support member such that the flanges can be connected to establish the fluid path.

In one form, guide wires may be mounted between the support member and the arms.

In one form, a bracket may be mounted to the support member and the arms are pivotally mounted on the bracket. In one form, the bracket may be pivotally mounted to the support member.

Brief Description of the Drawings An example embodiment of the present invention will now be illustrated with reference to the following Figures in which: 00 00 Fig.1 is a schematic view of a boom according to one aspect of the present invention in a closed position; Z Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the boom of Fig. 1 is an open position; Fig. 3 is a more detailed view of the boom of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a schematic view of a bracket of a support member of the boom of Fig. 3, and 00 Fig. 5 is a schematic view of a guide wire connection point on an arm of the boom of Fig.3.

Detailed Description of Example Embodiments Turning now to the figures there is shown in Figure 1 a boom 1 according to one aspect of the present invention. The boom comprises a substantially vertical tubular support member 2 pivotally mounted on a base 3. An inlet 4 is provided at the lower end of the support member. In other embodiments, the inlet may be provided in other positions along the support member.

The upper end of the support member is adapted to receive a nozzle 5 suitable for producing a water curtain around a designated area. The upper end of the support member 2 may be screw threaded (not shown) to receive a nozzle with a cooperating screw thread (not shown).

A bracket 6 is mounted on either side of the support member 2 between the base and the nozzle. The bracket has upper and lower substantially horizontal legs 7 which extend outwardly from the support member. The bracket may be mounted to the support member in a known manner.

The end of each leg 7 of the bracket remote from the support member has an aperture 8 therethrough. A swivel pin 9 passes through the two apertures and is fixed in position by known means. In one embodiment, the pin may be threaded at either end (not shown) and a nut 10 may be screwed onto each end of the pin. A port 11 is provided in the support member between the upper and lower legs of each bracket 6.

00 Two substantially horizontal tubular arms 12 are pivotally provided on the support member 2. The arms are provided with a flange 13 at the end nearest the support member as will be described further below and the distal end of the arms are adapted Z to receive a nozzle 5 in a similar manner to the support member. Each arm 12 is mounted to a bracket 6 of the support member. Apertures (not shown) are provided in the end of the arms 12 adjacent the bracket to receive the swivel pin 9 of the bracket thereby allowing the arms to pivot from a closed position where both arms extend substantially perpendicularly to the legs of the bracket as shown in Fig. 1 to an open position where each arm 12 extends axially to the legs of the bracket. In the extended position, the flangel3 on the end of the arms 12 adjacent the bracket 6 is positioned 00 0adjacent one of the ports 11 on the side of the support member.

A spacer 14 may be provided between the port 11 on the support member and the flange 13 of the arm to allow the arm to swivel into and out of the extended position.

Alternatively a valve (not shown) may be provided between the port and the flange.

Guide wires 15 are provided between the support member 2 and the arms 12 of the boom 1. The guide wires are mounted to an eye 16 at one end to the bracket 6, pass through an eye 17 at the upper end of the support member and are mounted to an eye 18 on the arm. The guide wire 15 may be tensioned and each end of the guide wire may be mounted through a turn buckle and pad eye to give tension and support.

When the boom 1 is not in use the arms 12 of the boom may be pivoted into the closed position and the boom stored. This provides for significant space saving particularly in off-shore operations where space is at a premium. When it is required to use the boom 1, the support member 2 is positioned in the required location, the arms 12 of the boom are pivoted into their open position, the guide wires 15 are attached between the brackets 6 and the arms 12 and tensioned to support the arms.

In an alternative embodiment, not shown, horizontal legs 7 are pivotally mounted about ports 11, to enable arms 12 to pivot around both swivel pins 9 and the axis of ports 11 and thereby align in a closed position with support member 2, for compact storage.

The flange 13 at the end of the arm adjacent the port 11 on the support member is fluidly connected to the port in a known manner and nozzles 5 are mounted on the 00 ends of the support member and each arm of the boom. A water supply is connected Sto the inlet 3 of the support member. The supply may be fed via a mud pump or booster.

0 When water flows through the inlet 3 it passes along the support member 2, along each arm 12 of the boom and exits at each of the nozzles 5 mounted on the support member and the boom. The boom described provides for improved heat suppression in a required location as multiple nozzles may be mounted on the boom and positioned as required to provide a localised water curtain upon demand.

00 This leads to a better heat suppression at source and also attenuates more thermal Sradiated heat. The folding nature of the boom aids both in storage of the apparatus but also during operation in high winds or other inclement weather. The boom also reduces the need for ringside protection on off-shore facilities as it provides for a water curtain with increase coverage due to the additional nozzles mounted thereon.

Further variations and modifications can be made within the scope of the invention herein disclosed.

It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications or systems are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents or systems forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or in any other country. In the statement of invention and description of the invention which follow, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A boom for providing a water curtain over a predetermined area, the boom 0 Z comprising nozzle supporting means having nozzle receiving means, and fluid conduit means in fluid communication with the nozzle receiving means.

2. A boom according to Claim 1, wherein the boom is formed and arranged so t that, in use, when water curtain forming nozzles are received by the nozzle Sreceiving means, the water curtains formed by the water curtain forming nozzles overlap to form an enlarged water curtain. 00

3. A boom according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the nozzle supporting means comprises a tubular support member, which tubular support member comprises nozzle receiving means and fluid conduit means.

4. A boom according to Claim 3, wherein the boom further comprises two tubular arms having nozzle receiving means and fluid conduit means, wherein each said nozzle is mounted thereon in fluid communication with the interior of the arm, such that the arm functions as fluid conduit means and nozzle supporting means, and wherein each arm is pivotally mounted on the support member and is operable between an open position in which a fluid path is established between the support member and the arm and a closed position in which said fluid path is closed.

5. A boom adapted to support one or more nozzles, each connected to a water supply and adapted to provide a water curtain over a predetermined area.