CA2488958C - Pipeline rotation system - Google Patents

Abstract

A pipe rotation device having a pair of rollers supported by a frame that can move vertically relative to a base supporting the frame. A pipe normally supported by a supporting member is vertically hoisted by the rollers upon vertical movement of the frame. A pair of ratchets are pivotally connected to the rollers at one respective end and have a connection therebetween at the other respective ends such that movement of the connection therebetween by an extendable device imparts rotary motion of the rollers for rotating the pipe. A brake inhibits back-rotation during the return of the ratchets to their original positions for subsequent rotation.

Description

4 FIELD OF THE INVENTION:
6 [0001] The present invention relates to apparatus and method for rotating lengths of pipe in a 7 pipeline.

[0002] It is well known to use a pipeline for transporting fluid. Pipelines are used for 11 transporting fluids such as oil, natural gas, water, chemicals etc. along not only immense 12 distances, but also relatively short distances. A complex array of pipes are used to interconnect 13 different components of a processing plant. These pipes are often arrayed in racks, one above 14 another, for an orderly and secure arrangement.
[0003] The racks used to support the pipes typically have a series of columns, each with 16 horizontal of "I" beam supports placed at various heights. The pipes may be supported on a roller 17 that permits axial movement of the pipes in response to extreme change in weather. It is quite 18 common for the pipes to be tightly spaced and for them to be elevated above the ground. This 19 offers difficult access to the pipeline for the purposes of maintenance, installation on the supporting beams, etc.
21 [0004] Some fluids transported through a pipeline are abrasive, and repeated flow through 22 the piping causes wear along its bottom inner surface. A notable example occurs in transporting 23 crude oil embedded with mineral matter commonly referred to as "oil sands".
The wear effected 24 to the pipe's interior typically affects only the portion of the pipe in contact with the fluid and as such the pipe will experience a non-uniform pattern of wear. The lengths of pipe used are 26 generally quite expensive, therefore to prolong the life of the pipeline, the individual lengths of 27 pipe are known to be rotated periodically in order to distribute the internal wear evenly about the 28 inner surface of the pipe.
21333300.2 1 [0005] Other fluid types which may not have abrasive qualities may also require periodic 2 rotation. For instance, certain chemicals, and even water can affect the pipe's material after 3 prolonged exposure to the fluid travelling therethrough. In any case, whenever periodic rotation 4 of a pipeline is desired, the task involves time consuming and sometimes dangerous effort to rotate the individual lengths of pipe from which the pipeline is assembled.
This is typically 6 accomplished manually in a hostile and hazardous environment.
7 [0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the above 8 mentioned disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
11 [0007] In one aspect, the present invention provides a device for rotating a cylindrical 12 member. The device has a base with a support member for normally supporting the cylindrical 13 member and a frame mounted on the base. The frame is adapted to move vertically relative to 14 the base using a lifting mechanism. A pair of rollers are supported upon the frame and are oriented along an axial direction of the cylindrical member. A cranking mechanism pivotally 16 connected to the rollers and being adapted to rotate the rollers in unison in one direction is used.
17 The cranking mechanism is moveable from a retracted position to a an extended position wherein 18 this movement rotates the rollers. A brake is attached to at least one of the rollers for inhibiting 19 back rotation of the cylindrical member during retraction of the cranking mechanism. The lifting mechanism vertically hoists the frame thereby lifting the cylindrical member above the support 21 using the rollers to enable the cranking mechanism to rotate the rollers during movement from its 22 retracted position to its extended position.

[0008] An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with 26 reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
21333300.2 1 [0009] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of pipeline.
2 [0010] Figure 2 is sectional view along the line II-II of Figure 1.
3 [0011] Figure 3 is a top view of the pipe rotation device of Figure 2.
4 [0012] Figure 4 is a side view of the pipe rotation device of Figure 3.
[0013] Figure 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the pipe rotation device shown in Figure 6 2.
7 [0014] Figure 6 is a schematic of a hydraulic control system for the pipe rotation device.
8 [0015] Figure 7 is a flow chart showing the operation of the pipe rotation device.
9 [0016] Figure 8 is a flow chart showing the steps taken by the hydraulic system for operating the pipe rotation device.

13 [0017] Referring therefore to Figure 1, a portion of a rack 11 for supporting a network of 14 pipes is shown. The rack 11 has a series of columns 13 supporting protruding "I" beams 14.
1 S Each row of "I" beams 14 secured at a corresponding height will support an individual length of 16 a portion of the pipeline network. A pipe rotation device 12 is fixed to respective ones of the "I"
17 beams 14, and a portion of a pipeline 10 is supported upon the pipe rotation devices 12. Each of 18 the pipe rotation devices 12 is connected to a hydraulic system 16. The hydraulic system 16 in 19 Figure 1 is shown schematically only to illustrate its connectivity with the pipe rotation devices 12. It will be appreciated that any number of pipe rotation devices 12 may be situated along the 21 pipeline 10 and that preferably one will be used for each supporting "I"
beam 14 which are 22 spaced apart according to established engineering principles.
23 [0018] The pipe rotation device 12 generally depicted in Figure 1 is shown in greater detail 24 in Figures 2-4. The pipe rotation device 12 has a base 24 secured to its respective "I" beam 14.
21333300.2 1 A central support 27 is located on the base 24 and includes side plates 27a,b and cross plates 2 27c,d connected in a rectangular arrangement. An axial roller 26 is rotatably supported between 3 the side plates 27a,b by a shaft 25 extending therethrough and secured to the side plates 27a,b.
4 The central support 27 surrounds the roller 26 while permitting rotation thereof. The side plates 27a,b and cross plates 27c,d have a height that is less than that which the upper surface of the 6 axial roller 26 is above the base 24.
7 [0019] A frame 22 is supported on the base 24. The frame 22 includes side plates 22a,b and 8 cross plates 22c,d connected in a rectangular arrangement. The frame 22 also includes a set of 9 lift shoes 28a-d secured at respective ends of the cross plates 22c,d.
Corresponding lift cylinders 30a-d are secured between the lift shoes 28a-d and the base 24 and include pistons secured to the 11 underside of the lift shoes 28a-d and cylinders secured to the base 24. The lift cylinders 30a-d 12 are connected to the hydraulic system 16 by a common lift line 42.
13 [0020] A pair of rollers 18, 20 are rotatably supported on the frame 22 by a set of bearings 14 21. The bearings 21 are attached to the frame 22 at respective ends of the cross plates 22c,d above corresponding lift shoes 28a-d. The rollers 18, 20 are fixed to respective shafts 17, 19 that 16 extend through the bearings 21 beyond the cross plates 22c,d and are oriented to provide an axis 17 of rotation normal to that defined by shaft 25.
18 [0021] As best seen in the top view of Figure 3, a pair of ratchet drives 32, 34 are fixed to the 19 shafts 17, 19. The ratchet drives 32, 34 each have an overrun gear 54 secured to the respective shaft 17, 19 and an arm 50 extending radially and substantially parallel to each other. An 21 enlarged view of the ratchet drives 32, 34 is shown in Figure 5. The overrun gear 54 includes a 22 hub 55 formed with a set of teeth 57. The teeth 57 are contoured to permit a pin 56 to slide 23 thereover upon clockwise rotation of the arm 50. The pin 56 is slidably mounted in a slot 60 in 24 the arm 50 and biased towards the overrun gear 54 by a spring 58.
Accordingly, the pin 56 engages the radial face of the teeth 57 to rotate the gear 54 with the arm in one direction but 26 allows the pin 56 to ride over the teeth 57 upon relative movement in an opposite direction.
27 [0022] A drive bar 36 formed by a pair of spaced plates is pivotally connected to each of the 28 arms at pivot points 64 and includes a drive connection 37 vertically offset from the pivot points 21333300.2 1 64. An extendible hydraulic motor 38 is pivotally connected at its piston end to the drive 2 connection 37 and its cylinder end is pivotally connected to a support 40 which is secured to the 3 underside of the base 24. The drive motor 38 is connected to the hydraulic system 16 by a push 4 line 44 and a pull line 46.
(0023] A braking ratchet 35 is secured at the end of the shaft 17 opposite that of the ratchet 6 32. The braking ratchet 35 is similar to the ratchet drives 32, 34 but operates in a manner 7 opposite that of the ratchet drives 32, 34 such that the braking ratchet 3 S
prevents rotation while 8 the ratchet drives 32, 34 overrun and vice versa.
9 [0024] Although not explicitly shown in the figures, the frame 22 is adapted to permit vertical movement relative to the base 24 to engage the rollers 18, 20 with the pipeline 10 to lift 11 the pipeline 10 off the axial roller 26. Under normal operation of the pipeline 10, the pipeline 10 12 is supported by the axial roller 26 to permit axial movement of the pipeline 10 due to changing 13 temperatures. Figure 2 illustrates the result of such relative movement of the frame 22, wherein 14 the pipeline 10 is supported by the pipe rotation device 12 above the axial roller 26.
[0025] The device 12 is operated by hydraulic fluid supported by the hydraulic system 16 16 shown in Figure 6. To enable synchronized operation of each pipe rotation device 12 supporting 17 a portion the pipe 10, a central hydraulic system 16 is used with the devices connected in 18 parallel. Figure 6 shows an arbitrary "N" number of pipe rotation devices 12 to illustrate that 19 any suitable number may be controlled by the hydraulic system 16. A single lift line 42 is connected to all of the lift cylinders 30a-d, a single push line 44 is connected to all drive motors 21 38 and similarly, a single pull line 46 is connected to all drive motors 38.
22 [0026] Fluid is stored in a tank 68 which includes a set of heaters for preheating the fluid and 23 a circulation pump (both not shown), and a working pump 70 supplies fluid to a pair of valves 24 80, 82. The valve 80 controls extension and retraction of the lift cylinders 30a-d and has a neutral position in which flow is locked in the line 42, a lift position in which the pump 70 is 26 connected to the line 42 and a lower position to connect the line 42 to the tank and PTO. The 27 valve 82 controls extension and retraction of the hydraulic motor 38 and has a drive position in 21333300.2 1 which the pump 70 is connected to the push line 44 and a retract position in which the pump 70 2 is connected to the pull line 46.
3 [0027) The pipe rotation device 12 preferably uses an iterative process 700 for rotating the 4 pipe 10. Figure 7 shows a step-by-step example of how the pipe rotation device 12 may operate.
The following steps describe the relative movement and operation of the pipe rotation device 12 6 components only. A detailed description of the hydraulic control will be presented separately.

7 [0028] In normal operation, the frame 22 is fully lowered with the lift cylinders 30a-d fully 8 collapsed. In this position, the pipeline 10 is supported on the roller 26 to permit normal 9 expansion and contraction.
[0029] To enable the pipeline 10 to be rotated, it will be drained of fluid and disconnected 11 702. Each axial run of pipe is disconnected from its preceding and succeeding counterparts by 12 disengaging the respective end flanges. Each portion of the pipeline 10 is therefore supported 13 upon the axial rollers 26 of each supporting pipe rotation device 12 and is free to experience 14 radial and axial movement when disconnected.
1 S [0030] For rotation to begin, the pipeline 10 is lifted off the axial rollers 26 (step 704). At 16 each pipe rotation device 12, the lift cylinders 30a-d extend in unison thereby pushing their 17 respective lift shoes 28a-d and consequently the frame 22 in an upward direction until the rollers 18 18, 20 contact the pipeline 10. The lift cylinders 30a-d proceed by overcoming the weight of the 19 pipeline 30 and raising the pipeline 30 off the axial roller 26 thereby supporting the pipeline 30 above the axial roller 26. The lift cylinders 30a-d continue to raise the pipeline 30 until all of the 21 lift cylinders 30a-d of all the pipe rotation devices 12 are fully extended 706. At this point the 22 frame 22 is held in its upper position as shown in Figure 2.
23 [0031] To rotate the pipeline 10, each of the extendible drive motors 38 is then extended 708.
24 As the drive motor 38 extends, the drive bar 36 will translate horizontally and rotate the ratchet bodies 50 about their respective shafts 17, 19. The ratchet drives 32, 34 rotate the rollers 18, 20 26 in unison which consequently rotates the pipeline 10.
21333300.2 1 [0032] When the ratchets 32, 34 rotate counter-clockwise, the spring 58 biases the pin 56 to 2 engage one of the teeth 57 of the overrun gear 54 permitting the ratchets 32, 34 to rotate the 3 rollers 18, 20. While the ratchets 32, 34 are cranking the rollers 18, 20, the braking ratchet 35 is 4 operating opposite that of the ratchets 32, 34 and therefore its pin 56 is sliding over the teeth 57 of the overrun gear 54. The braking ratchet 35 overruns to permit rotation of the pipeline 10 6 while the drive motor 38 is extending.
7 [0033] When the desired cylinder extension is complete, which in this example will be a 8 complete extension, the hydraulic control will cause the drive motor 38 to retract 712. As the 9 drive motor 38 retracts, the drive bar 36 is translated back towards its initial position before rotation commenced, which rotates the arms 50 through the same path in which they travelled 11 during extension of the drive motor 38 with the pin 56 overrunning the teeth 57. The pin 56 of 12 the braking ratchet 35 will engage a tooth 57 of the overrun gear 54 and oppose the rotation of 13 the rollers 18, 20 which may otherwise rotate back to their original positions simultaneously 14 with the ratchets 32, 34. The rollers 18, 20 are therefare held in place.
[0034] Depending on the desired circumferential rotation of the pipeline 10, the pipe rotation 16 device 12 will either perform another extension or finish the rotation operation 714. If no further 17 rotation is desired 716 the lift cylinders 30a-d will be retracted 718 causing the frame 22 to lower 18 and the pipeline 10 to be seated upon the axial roller 27 as before 720. If further rotation is 19 desired, a further extension commences (steps 708, 710, 712, 714). This process occurs an applicable number of times required to achieve the desired rotation of the pipeline 10.
21 [0035] Variations in the length of the arms 50 and the length of extension of the drive motor 22 38 affect the angle in which the pipeline 10 is rotated during each cylinder extension. For 23 instance, the longer the extension of the drive motor 38, the greater the angle of rotation and vice 24 versa. The greater the length of the arm 50, the further the extension required to rotate the arm 50 an equal amount. The extension of the drive motor 38 may cease at any appropriate point 710 26 based on the desired accuracy of the angle of rotation. For example, if each full extension 27 imparts a circumferential rotation of 2 inches to the pipeline 10, and a rotation of 5 inches is 28 desired, two full extensions and a half extension would be necessary to accurately rotate the pipe 21333300.2 _')_ 1 5 inches. It will be appreciated that all measurements used are situation dependent and may be 2 chosen based on size requirements and/or the angle of rotation desired for each cylinder 3 extension.
4 [0036] The procedure outlined making reference to Figure 7 describes the relative movements of the components of the pipe rotation device 10. Although these movements can be 6 performed using any suitable drive system, it is preferable to utilize the hydraulic system 16 7 exemplified herein. An exemplary procedure 800 for controlling the pipe rotation device 12 8 using the hydraulic system 16 is shown in Figure 8. The steps outlined therein suggest a suitable 9 set of operations which can be manually performed or programmed for automatic operation using a hydraulic controller.
11 [0037] To simplify the explanation of the hydraulic control, it will be assumed that the 12 control logic includes a lift control for operating the valve 80, and a rotation control for operating 13 the valve 82. The lift control operates the valve 80 between its three positions, namely the lift 14 position for extension of the lift cylinders 30a-d, the lower position for retraction of the lift cylinders 30a-d and the neutral position for holding the hydraulic pressure in the lift line 42 at a 16 desired value. The rotation control will likewise operate the valve 82 in three positions, namely 17 the drive position for extending the drive motor 38, the retract position for retracting the drive 18 motor 38 and a neutral position for holding the hydraulic pressure in the push line 44 or pull line 19 46 at a desired value if necessary.
[0038] To enable the lift cylinders 30a-d to raise the frame 22 and hoist the pipeline 10 on 21 the rollers 18, 20, the valve 80 is shifted into the lift position 802 and the pressure in the lift line 22 42 is monitored while lifting occurs 804. During lifting, the pressure in the lift line 42 will rise 23 slowly. When the lift cylinders 30a-d are fully extended, the lift line 42 will experience a sharp 24 increase in pressure (pressure spike). The lift control will shift the valve 80 into neutral upon sensing this pressure spike 806 so that the pressure in the lift line 42 is held at the pressure 26 reached through the pressure spike, the lift cylinders 30a-d are fully extended, and the pipeline 27 10 supported above the axial rollers 27.
21333300.2 _8_ 1 (0039] The pressure in the lift line 42 will be maintained during the rotation phase. To begin 2 rotation, the rotation control shifts the valve 82 to the drive position 808. This pressurizes the 3 push line 44 causing the drive motor pistons to begin extending. The pressure will rise slowly 4 until all the ratchet drives 32, 34 are engaged and the pressure is maintained relatively consistent during the rotation. Similar to the lift operation, the pressure is monitored 810 and when the .
6 drive motors 38 are fully extended, a pressure spike occurs in the push line 44. Upon sensing 7 this pressure spike, the rotation control shifts the valve 82 to neutral 812.
8 [0040] With the drive motors 38 fully extended, they must be retracted to repeat the rotation 9 process or to finish the rotation process. The rotation control shifts the valve 82 to the retract position 814, and the pull line 46 will experience a relatively low pressure during retraction.
11 Again the pressure is monitored 816 and the rotation control shifts the valve 82 into neutral when 12 a pressure spike in the pull line 46 occurs 818. Upon completion of steps 808 to 818, a complete 13 rotation has been accomplished by the pipe rotation system 12 and the pipeline 10 has been 14 rotated accordingly.
[0041] The operator of the control logic will determine whether the pipeline has been rotated 16 the desired distance 820. If the pipeline requires further rotation, steps 808 to 818 are repeated.
17 It will be noted that if a partial rotation is desired (i.e. less than that imparted by a complete 18 extension), while the pressure is being monitored in step 810, the pipeline 10 may also need to be 19 monitored so that the valve 82 can be shifted into neutral to hold the pressure and cease extension of the drive motors 38. The rotation of the pipeline 10 can be monitored through the 21 use of sensors (not shown) or manually using markings on the pipe or a human operator but shall 22 not be limited to such procedures 23 [0042] If no further rotation is necessary, the lift control shifts the valve 80 into the lower 24 position 822 thereby releasing the pressure holding the lift cylinders 30a-d in their extended positions and allowing the pipeline 10 to be seated upon the axial rollers 26.
A period of time is 26 generally allowed to elapse to ensure that the lift cylinders 30a-d have fully retracted 824 and 27 that the pipeline 10 is uniformly seated and the frame 22 at rest. The lift control shifts the valve 28 80 into neutral at this point.
21333300.2 1 [0043] For operation in cold temperature, the tank 68 preferably includes a set of heaters and 2 a circulation pump. The heaters and circulation pump are used for preheating the distribution 3 lines. It will be appreciated that the hydraulic system 16 may also incorporate other situation-4 dependent sub-systems to ensure consistent operation of the hydraulic system 16 and to S minimize maintenance costs.
6 [0044] Therefore the pipe rotation device 12 described herein is a compact mechanism that 7 can be incorporated into existing support structures commonly used for supporting pipelines 10.
8 (i.e. "I" beams 14 protruding from pillars 13 in a rack 11) The use of a central hydraulic system 9 16 allows multiple pipe rotation devices 12 to work in unison thereby enabling rotation of a length of pipeline in an quick and efficient manner.

11 [0045] It will be appreciated that the pipe rotation device 12 is suitable for rotating any 12 cylindrical object which requires rotation and shall not be limited to use with pipelines 10 and 13 industrial applications as described above by example. It will also be appreciated that the 14 hydraulic system 16 described herein is given for illustration purposes only and that other 1 S hydraulic systems or equivalent control systems are applicable to the operation of the above 16 described pipe rotation device 12.
17 [0046] Although the invention has been described with reference to certain specific 18 embodiments, various modifications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art without 19 departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as outlined in the claims appended hereto.
The entire disclosures of all references recited above are incorporated herein by reference.

21333300.2

Claims (16)

1. A device for rotating a cylindrical member comprising:

(a) a base having a support member for normally supporting said cylindrical member;
(b) a frame mounted on said base, said frame configured to move vertically relative to said base using a lifting mechanism;
(c) a pair of rollers supported upon said frame and oriented along an axial direction of said cylindrical member;
(d) a cranking mechanism, said cranking mechanism pivotally connected to said rollers and configured to rotate said rollers in unison in one direction, said cranking mechanism moveable from a retracted position to an extended position, wherein movement from said retracted position to said extended position rotates said rollers;
(e) a brake, said brake attached to at least one of said rollers for inhibiting back rotation of said cylindrical member during retraction of said cranking mechanism;
wherein said lifting mechanism vertically hoists said frame thereby lifting said cylindrical member above said support using said pair of rollers to enable said cranking mechanism to rotate said pair of rollers during movement from said retracted position to said extended position.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said support member comprises an axial roller supported by said base to normally support said cylindrical member when said pair of rollers is retracted by said lifting mechanism.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein said axial roller comprises a concave surface for accommodating said cylindrical member.

4. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said frame comprises a set of lift shoes and said lifting mechanism comprises a corresponding set of lift cylinders, wherein said lift shoes are aligned to be engaged by said lift cylinders to move said frame vertically.

5. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one of said pair of rollers comprises a ratchet drive permitting rotation in one direction while inhibiting rotation in the other direction.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein said ratchet drive comprises an overrun gear having a hub formed with a set of teeth, said teeth being contoured to permit a pin to slide thereover upon rotation in said one direction while engaging a radial face of said teeth to rotate said overrun gear in the other direction.

7. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said cranking mechanism comprises an arm extending from each of said pair of rollers with a drive bar connected to distal ends thereof to effect movement of said rollers in unison, said device cranking mechanism further comprising an extendible drive motor to effect movement of said drive bar.

8. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said braking mechanism comprises a braking ratchet acting opposite to rotation of said pair of rollers.

9. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said lifting mechanism and said cranking mechanism are hydraulically controlled by a hydraulic system configured to control multiples ones of said device.

10. A system comprising a plurality of devices according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and a hydraulic system connecting said lifting mechanism and said cranking mechanism of respective ones of said devices.

11. A method for rotating a cylindrical member normally supported by one or more support members, said method comprising:

(a) lifting one or more pairs of rollers vertically with respect to said one or more support members to engage said cylindrical member and lift said cylindrical member off of said support members;

(b) at the same time for each pair of rollers:

i. rolling said pair of rollers in unison in one direction by moving a cranking mechanism from a retracted position to an extended position;
ii. inhibiting back rotation of said cylindrical member during retraction of said cranking mechanism using a brake; and iii. repeating said rolling and said inhibiting until a particular degree of rotation has been achieved; and (c) lowering said one or more pairs of rollers to return said cylindrical member to said one or more support members.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising disconnecting said cylindrical member from other cylindrical members prior to said lifting.

13. The method according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein said lifting further comprises ensuring that all lift cylinders used to perform said lifting are in an upper position prior to moving said cranking mechanism.

14. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein steps (a) through (c) are programmed for automatic operation using a hydraulic controller, said hydraulic controller being connected to a hydraulic system configured for operating said lifting mechanism and said cranking mechanism.

15. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein steps (a) through (c) are operated using a hydraulic system configured for operating said lifting mechanism and said cranking mechanism.

16. The method according to claim 14 or claim 15, wherein said hydraulic system is configured for: shifting a lift control into a lift position, monitoring pressure in said lifting mechanism, shifting said lift control to a first neutral position when a first pressure spike occurs, shifting a rotation control to a drive position, monitoring pressure in said cranking mechanism, shifting said rotation control to a second neutral position when a second pressure spike occurs, shifting said rotation control to a retract position, monitoring pressure in said cranking mechanism, shifting said rotation control to said second neutral position when a third pressure spike occurs, repeating rotation if required, shifting said lift control into a lower position, and ensuring said lifting mechanism is fully retracted and said cylindrical member has returned to said support members before shifting said lift control to said first neutral position.