FR3059931A1 - METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING FLUID TRANSPORT FLEXIBLE CONDUIT - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a flexible pipe for the transport of a fluid. According to the invention, the following steps are carried out: - producing a basic woven structure having a tubular or substantially tubular shape, according to a first weave, - inserting during the weaving of said basic woven structure, additional threads, which are threads attached to said first armor, said additional threads forming coating media, said additional threads being bonded, or taken, regularly or otherwise, to said basic weave structure in a second armor, said second armor is chosen to define, for each additional wire, zones of floats in which said corresponding additional wire is left being placed outside said base woven structure to locally cover it, - cover the assembly thus obtained by means of a coating composition and curing said composition.

Description

® FRENCH REPUBLIC

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY © Publication number:

(to be used only for reproduction orders)

©) National registration number

059 931

62393

COURBEVOIE

©) Int Cl ⁸ : B 29 C 70/22 (2017.01), B 29 C 70/54, F16L 11/12, 11/02, B 29 D 23/00, D 03 D 13/00

A1 PATENT APPLICATION

©) Date of filing: 13.12.16. © Applicant (s): ETS A. DESCHAMPS ET FILS (30) Priority: Simplified joint stock company - FR. ©) Inventor (s): DESCHAMPS GEORGES-PAUL. ©) Date of public availability of the request: 15.06.18 Bulletin 18/24. ©) List of documents cited in the report preliminary research: Refer to end of present booklet (© References to other national documents ©) Holder (s): ETS A. DESCHAMPS ET FILS Company related: by simplified actions. ©) Extension request (s): @) Agent (s): CABINET PLASSERAUD.

FR 3 059 931 - A1 (04) PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING A FLEXIBLE FLUID TRANSPORT PIPE.

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a flexible pipe for transporting a fluid.

According to the invention, the following steps are carried out:

- producing a basic woven structure having a tubular, or substantially tubular, shape according to a first weave,

- inserting during the weaving of said basic woven structure, additional threads, which are threads added with respect to said first weave, said additional threads forming coating supports,

- Said additional yarns being linked, or taken, regularly or not, to said basic woven structure in a second weave, said second weave is chosen to define, for each additional yarn, float areas in which said corresponding additional yarn is left by being placed outside said basic woven structure to locally cover the latter,

- Cover the assembly thus obtained by means of a coating composition and harden said composition.

Method of manufacturing a flexible fluid transport pipe

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a flexible fluid transport pipe.

Such a pipe finds application in particular for the transport of seawater in floating energy production installations by conversion of thermal energy from the seas (ETM).

Technological background

It is known to implement flexible pipes in the marine environment for the transport of fluid, in particular hydrocarbons or water.

These pipes installed at great depth must resist very high tensions. This is particularly the case of so-called rising pipes, connecting a floating structure located on the surface to the seabed.

The weight of these risers, of large longitudinal dimension, generates in the upper part of these very high tensions, in particular of traction.

It is therefore imperative to be able to limit the weight of these pipes.

It is also known to place at each end of each pipe, an end fitting, which allows a resumption of the forces exerted on the pipe.

In its international application PCT / EP2016 / 076165, the applicant describes a module for transporting a fluid, comprising a woven structure forming a tubular pipe and an end fitting placed at at least one end of this woven structure, this fitting end comprising a main body defining an internal channel for the passage of this fluid.

The internal wall of said body delimiting said channel, or the external wall of said body delimiting the external lateral surface of this body, being annular and having at least one shoulder defining an internal, respectively external, support face for receiving at least a ring, the anchoring of the free end of the structure woven in this fitting is obtained only by rubbing the faces of said free end with the surfaces of said one or more rings and of said internal, respectively external, wall of said main body.

Not only is the flexible pipe of this module, formed of a woven structure, advantageously lighter, but its end fittings provide improved tear resistance of the flexible pipe.

The weaving threads of this woven structure are advantageously made of high density polyethylene (PE-HD) to ensure its mechanical strength.

However, the Applicant has found that the use of this material to produce the woven structure makes the sealing of the latter complex.

Indeed, PE-HR has a very poor affinity with the coating composition so that the latter does not hold over time.

However, the sealing of the flexible pipe is, of course, required to ensure the transport of fluid.

There is therefore a pressing need for a process for manufacturing a flexible pipe which meets the above-mentioned drawbacks.

Object of the invention

The present invention aims to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art by proposing a method of manufacturing a flexible pipe for the transport of a fluid, simple in its design and in its operating mode, reliable and economical, ensuring in particular the tightness of this flexible pipe.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

To this end, the invention relates to a method of manufacturing a flexible pipe for transporting a fluid.

According to the invention, the following steps are carried out:

- producing a basic woven structure having a tubular, or substantially tubular, shape according to a first weave,

- insert during the weaving of said basic woven structure, additional threads, which are threads reported relative to said first weave, said additional threads forming coating supports,

said additional yarns being linked, regularly or not, to said basic woven structure in a second weave, said second weave is chosen to define, for each additional yarn, float zones in which said corresponding additional yarn is not linked to said basic woven structure by being placed outside this basic woven structure, to locally cover the basic woven structure,

- cover the assembly thus obtained by means of a coating composition and harden said composition.

The term "wire forming a coating support" in particular a wire whose constituent material allows, or promotes, the adhesion of the coating composition and its resistance over time.

It is clear that the present invention is not limited to a particular type of yarn but that the term yarn must be understood in its broadest sense in the textile field.

Purely by way of illustration, the warp and weft threads used to make this flexible pipe are chosen from the group comprising monofilament threads, multi-filament threads, flat threads, threads formed from fibers maintained twisted together, single wire or rotor, braids of twisted wires, flexible multi-strand elements, twisted or not, such as flexible strands.

In a known manner, a person skilled in the art knows that to represent the weave of a fabric, use is made of the carding process, which uses grid paper, and, by definition, it is accepted that the vertical lines of the squaring represent the warp threads, and the horizontal spaces, the weft threads, or the pick of the fabric.

If on such a grid, we want to represent that a warp thread evolves above a weft thread, it is then sufficient, by convention, to color the box placed at the intersection of the warp thread and the frame considered. We then have a "catch".

The absence of coloring of a box, which corresponds to a "left", symbolizes the passage of the warp thread below the corresponding weft thread.

This particularly simple carding process thus makes it possible, by a judicious combination of taken and left, to represent the respective developments of warp and weft threads of a woven wall or of a fabric, however complicated they.

The existence of a free additional portion of wire between two intersections, or two left on the armor, spaced from one another, defines a float zone in which this free additional portion of wire does not work and covers locally the basic woven structure. The additional wire forming a coating support, this free additional portion of wire, placed outside the basic woven structure, therefore makes it possible to locally seal the flexible pipe.

The choice of the second weave as well as the number of additional threads advantageously makes it possible to ensure wide coverage of the basic woven structure, which is difficult to seal with these additional threads forming a coating support.

In different particular embodiments of this method, each having its particular advantages and susceptible of numerous possible technical combinations:

- Each additional thread is linked to said basic woven structure by its intersection with a warp or weft thread of said basic woven structure.

This additional thread can thus be linked along its longitudinal dimension by warp or weft threads only, or even by warp and weft threads. By way of example, said additional threads being warp threads, each additional thread is linked by its intersection with a weft thread of the basic woven structure.

This additional thread being a warp thread, it advantageously has a length identical or substantially identical to the longitudinal dimension of the woven structure.

- said additional threads are linked every n weft or warp threads of said basic woven structure, n being> 4, and even better, greater than or equal to 8.

This number n can correspond to the number of wires present in an evolution of the armor.

This ensures wide coverage, or external covering, of the basic woven structure for its sealing.

- This coating composition is applied by a spraying process or by soaking in a bath.

Preferably, a polymer is used, such as an elastomer.

- Said second weave is determined so that said additional son are parallel to each other.

- During weaving, each additional thread is at least partially pressed against said basic woven structure between two leaves of said second weave.

- said tubular woven structure is made in one piece by a seamless weaving process.

- Said first weave is a canvas weave and said second weave is a double canvas weave.

- Said basic woven structure being made of high density polyethylene (PE-HD), said additional son are made of a material chosen from nylon, polypropylene, polyester, polyamide and cotton.

Purely by way of illustration, this basic woven structure can itself be obtained by a process for manufacturing a woven structure comprising at least one woven wall, in which the following steps are carried out:

a) weaving at least a first portion of said woven structure, said first portion comprising warp threads and weft threads crisscrossed according to the basic weave of each part of woven wall corresponding to this first portion,

b) stop the introduction of the weft threads after insertion of a weft thread associated with the positioning of at least one elongated element in said woven structure, this weft thread being intertwined with the warp threads of each part of the woven wall according to the basic armor of said wall part,

c) said at least one elongated element having a main axis, introducing each elongated element between the warp threads defining with said associated weft thread, the position of insertion of this elongated element in the woven structure, the main axis of said element elongated intersecting the plane passing through the warp threads of each part of the wall into which it is introduced

d) hold each elongated element in position and introduce at least one new weft thread intersecting the warp threads of said structure woven according to said fundamental weave of each wall part or according to at least one new weave, to resume the manufacture of said structure woven, each elongated element not being taken up in said woven structure.

When this woven structure has several walls, the wall parts may have the same basic weave or, on the contrary, separate weaves for at least some of them.

By the term "taken" from step d) of the process, it is clear that each elongated element introduced into the woven structure is naturally not linked to this woven structure by the sole weaving of the woven structure. Thus, and in the absence of a separate joining step of the weaving of the woven structure proper, such as a bonding of the elongated element to the warp and weft threads surrounding it, each elongated element can be removed from the woven structure.

Of course, this operation can be made more or less complex depending on the compaction of the weft threads of the desired woven structure, which can result in a more or less significant tightening of the elongated element.

The woven walls, or plies, of the woven structure can be identical or, on the contrary, present for at least some of them, different dimensions or shapes.

Stopping weaving to introduce one or more elongated elements into the woven structure is therefore identified with respect to the weft thread directly associated with the position of the elongated element (s) in the woven structure. This means that this weft thread is one of the threads of the woven structure surrounding the elongated element or elements. Of course, steps b) to d) are repeated each time one or more new elongated elements whose position or positions are associated with another weft thread of the woven structure, are to be introduced into this woven structure. These operations therefore necessitate determining beforehand which is the weft thread, or which are the weft threads, of the woven structure associated with the positioning of one or more elongated elements in this structure. A follow-up of the guidance and the introduction of these weft threads into each lane of the loom is also necessary to trigger the stopping of weaving. However, such a method allows very precise positioning, since almost, of an elongated element in the woven structure without mechanically weakening the latter.

The elongated element has a main axis extending along its longitudinal dimension and, for example, the elongated element is a solid wire, a metal wire, an insert, a stiffening rod, a tube, a tube provided with at least one transverse sealing membrane, a tube whose internal wall is tapped and combinations of these elements.

Advantageously, this elongated element has a circular or ovoid cross section.

Two sealing membranes placed in a tube can be used to define a waterproof housing to protect the external object placed in the tube, for example from water.

In addition, an elongated element having the shape of a tube can receive an external object.

When furthermore, at least part of the internal wall of this tube is tapped, this external object can advantageously be locked in position. Such an external object can then be an insert, a fastener or even a measuring device for example.

Advantageously, this external object can then comprise at least one friction zone, grooved, threaded or the like, on at least part of its connection zone intended to be in contact with the internal wall of the tube, this friction zone allowing avoid the extraction of this external object under the effect of the fluid pressure.

Preferably, this elongated element is separable so that passing right through the woven structure, it is, for example, possible to move one of the other two walls of this woven structure connected by such an elongated element.

For example, these elongated elements are tubes allowing passage through the woven structure, of fasteners for fixing stiffening bars making it possible to stiffen this woven structure in order to resist crushing.

These elongated elements can serve as a support for fixing measuring tools, such as probes.

The present invention also relates to the use of the flexible pipe obtained by the manufacturing process as described above for the transport of water, for example, in an installation for producing energy by converting thermal energy from the seas.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other advantages, aims and particular characteristics of the present invention will emerge from the description which follows, made, for explanatory purposes and in no way limitative, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 schematically shows a fluid transport assembly according to a particular embodiment of the present invention;

- Figure 2 is a partial view in cross section of the flexible pipe of FIG. 1, this flexible pipe having been obtained by the manufacturing method according to a particular embodiment of the present invention;

- Figure 3 is a perspective view of a floating installation of energy production by conversion of thermal energy from the seas (ETM) equipped with a handling unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

- Figure 4 schematically shows a partial sectional view of the floating installation of FIG. 3;

- Figure 5 schematically shows a partial view from above of the floating installation of Fig. 3 showing the draft system and the central well;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

First, note that the figures are not to scale.

Figures 1 and 2 show an example of a fluid transport assembly 10 implementing a flexible tubular conduit 11 obtained by the manufacturing method of the invention.

This fluid transport assembly 10 is used here to transport water but could also be used for transporting gaseous fluids such as air.

This transport assembly 10 thus comprises a flexible tubular pipe 11 and a ballast 12 placed at its lower end.

This flexible tubular pipe 11 is made up of a sealed woven structure. The woven structure is advantageously made in one piece to strengthen its mechanical strength.

More specifically, this sealed woven structure comprises a basic woven structure 23 having a tubular shape to which is linked a wall 24 placed outside this basic woven structure 23 by surrounding the latter around its entire periphery. This wall 24 is formed by additional added threads, which here are warp threads which were inserted during the weaving of the basic structure 23 while being regularly linked to the latter along its longitudinal axis. These additional wires which form coating supports, carry the cured coating composition to seal the flexible pipe.

At each end of this flexible pipe 11 is placed an assembly flange 13, 14.

The assembly flange 13 connected to the upper end of the woven structure 11 is intended for assembling the transport assembly 10 to a thermal power station 15, at sea, while its opposite end is assembled by the flange 14 ballast 12.

This flexible pipe 11 is intended for the transport of cold deep water to supply the thermal power station 15, which exploits, by way of illustration, in an intertropical oceanic zone, the temperature differential between the surface waters well above 20 ° C. and the deep waters of around 4 ° C, to generate electricity.

The woven structure 11 here has a length of 1100 m having an outer diameter, for example, slightly less than four meters while the assembly flanges 13, 14 secured to its ends, have an outer diameter greater than four meters. The flexible pipe 11 typically weighs several tens of tonnes.

It is stored in a storage unit (not shown) while being flattened, this storage unit being placed on a floating structure 16 forming part of the thermal power station 15.

This floating structure 16 comprises a central well 17, or moon pool, the opening diameter of which is here greater than the diameter D of each assembly flange 13, 14 and the ballast 12 to allow their passage for their immersion.

It also comprises a system for drawing the flexible pipe 11 comprising a first and a second set of attracting devices 18 arranged vertically, said first and second sets being movable between a clamping position, in which they are placed at least partially at- above well 17 to tighten this flexible pipe 11 and ensure its displacement, and at least a second so-called inactive position, in which they are set back from said well 17 in particular to free the passage to the flanges 13, 14 to and from this well 18 central.

Each assembly comprises two superimposed attracting devices 18, these attracting devices 18 being arranged to ensure tangential drive of the flexible pipe 11.

Such a configuration of the pulling system advantageously makes it possible to apply a constant and symmetrical force to the two walls of the woven tubular structure.

This handling unit also comprises a crane 19 for maneuvering the fluid transport assembly, this crane 19 being configured to support this fluid transport assembly 10 at least partially submerged, when said first and second assemblies are in their position inactive. This crane 19 is mounted on the deck of the floating structure 16.

The attracting devices 18 of each assembly being mounted vertically on a separate support structure 20, 21, the pulling system comprises, for each support structure, two linear actuators 22, such as jacks, for moving the corresponding support structure 20, 21 between clamping positions and inactive.

Preferably, all of these linear actuators must be in the retracted position when the pulling system of the flexible pipe 11 is not in operation in order to protect the rods of the jacks.

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Claims (12)

1. A method of manufacturing a flexible pipe for transporting a fluid, characterized in that the following steps are carried out: - producing a basic woven structure having a tubular, or substantially tubular, shape according to a first weave, - insert during the weaving of said basic woven structure, additional threads, which are threads reported relative to said first weave, said additional threads forming coating supports, said additional yarns being linked, regularly or not, to said basic woven structure in a second weave, said second weave is chosen to define, for each additional yarn, float zones in which said corresponding additional yarn is not linked to said basic woven structure by being placed outside it to locally cover the basic woven structure, - cover the assembly thus obtained by means of a coating composition and harden said composition. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that each additional thread is linked to said basic woven structure by its intersection with a warp or weft thread of said basic woven structure. 3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said additional threads being warp threads, each additional thread is linked by its intersection with a weft thread of the basic woven structure. 4. Method according to one of claims 2 to 3, characterized in that said additional son are linked all the n weft or warp son of said basic woven structure, n being> 4, and even better, greater than or equal at 8. 5. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said coating composition is applied by a spraying process or by soaking in a bath. 6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that a polymer is used. 7. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said second weave is determined so that said additional son are parallel to each other. 8. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that during weaving, each additional thread is at least partially pressed against said basic woven structure between two leashes of said second weave. 9. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said tubular woven structure is made in one piece by a seamless weaving process. 10. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in 5 that said first weave is a canvas weave and said second weave is a double canvas weave. 11. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that said basic woven structure being made of high density polyethylene (PE-HD), said additional son are made of a material chosen from nylon, polypropylene, polyester, polyamide and cotton. 12. Use of the flexible pipe obtained by the manufacturing process according to any one of claims 1 to 11 for the transport of water, for example in an installation for producing energy by converting thermal energy from the seas. 1/3