GB2458740A

GB2458740A - Portable boom for providing water curtain

Info

Publication number: GB2458740A
Application number: GB0821312A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Garden
Original assignee: RIGCOOL Ltd
Current assignee: RIGCOOL Ltd
Priority date: 2008-03-11
Filing date: 2008-11-21
Publication date: 2009-10-07
Anticipated expiration: 2028-11-21
Also published as: AU2008101131B4; AU2008101131A4; GB0804432D0; GB0821312D0; GB2458740B

Abstract

A boom, for providing a water curtain over a predetermined area, comprising nozzle supporting means having nozzle receiving means which are in communication with a fluid conduit. There may be a plurality of nozzles 5 and the water curtains formed by these nozzles may overlap to form an enlarged curtain or fan. The boom may be portable and may comprise two tubular arms 12 which form the fluid conduits, and the arms may be pivotably mounted on a support member (2, figure 1) and supported by guide wires 15. The arms may have an open position, in which the arms 12 are outstretched, and a closed position in which the distal ends of the arms 12 are brought together (see figure 1). The boom may be used in an off-shore environment, a highly volatile environment for the cooling of equipment, or for the protection of property from fires.

Description

1 Boom

3 Field of the invention

This invention relates to a boom and more particularly to a boom suitable for use with 6 apparatus proving a water cooling function and more particularly for use in an off- 7 shore environment, or a highly volatile environment where the cooling of equipment is 8 required, or for the protection of property from fires.

Background to the invention

12 It is known to provide water curtains for example on drilling platforms or other on- 13 shore or off-shore facilities where equipment is operated in a high temperature 14 environment.

16 Ringside protection is provided via a pipe or duct, such as a handrail with apertures 17 therethrough, to allow for water flowing in the pipe to be sprayed out over an area 18 where water protection is required. Whilst such ringside protection is useful, it suffers 19 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 21 operate in series, any blockage of apertures in the pipe can lead to problems either in 22 the area of the blocked aperture in lack of water cooling or further along the pipe with 23 build up of fluid pressure in the pipe. Furthermore, the effectiveness of such 24 arrangements for providing protection from heat sources may be compromised by their location. Typically, a water curtain provided integral to a handrail or other 26 existing duct, is not positioned optimally with respect to all facilities requiring 27 protection from a heat source, such as a flare. Thus, additional protective water 1 curtains may be required in order to provide adequate protection from a given heat 2 source. This may incur unnecessary costs for labour and equipment, and in addition 3 may consume more water than is necessary.

This problem may be overcome by the installation of a boom to position a nozzle for 6 the production of a water curtain in close proximity to a water curtain. It may not in all 7 cases be practicable to install a boom in position permanently, and in other situations, 8 the optimal position of water curtains positioned closer to a heat source, such as a 9 flare, may vary according to weather conditions, such as wind direction. Permanent installations close to heat sources are, additionally, more difficult to maintain and may 11 necessitate additional shut-down of facilities to provide access for the purposes of 12 maintenance, for example to remove blockages from a nozzle or to repair leaks in the 13 fluid conduit.

Therefore, there remains a need for a boom to position nozzles for creating a water 16 curtain in an optimal position under all conditions and which provides easy access for 17 maintenance.

19 Summary of the invention

21 According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a boom adapted 22 to support one or more nozzles, each connected to a water supply and adapted to 23 provide a water curtain over a predetermined area.

Preferably, the boom comprises one or more nozzle supporting means, each of which 26 is adapted to support a nozzle. Preferably, the or each nozzle supporting means is in 27 fluid communication with fluid conduit means.

29 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 31 having nozzle receiving means, and fluid conduit means in fluid communication with 32 the nozzle receiving means. Thus, when water curtain forming nozzles are 33 connected to the or each nozzle receiving means and water is supplied to the water 34 curtain forming nozzles via the fluid conduit means, a water curtain is formed.

1 Preferably, the boom comprises a plurality of water curtain forming nozzles. A boom 2 comprising a plurality of water curtain forming nozzles is operable to create a larger 3 water curtain than a boom comprising a single nozzle and therefore provides 4 protection from a heat source over a wider area. Preferably, the boom is formed and arranged so that, in use, the water curtains formed by the water curtain forming 6 nozzles overlap to form an enlarged water curtain.

8 Preferably the boom is portable. A portable boom can be positioned (and secured in 9 position if necessary) optimally with respect to a heat source and an installation requiring protection from the heat source and is moveable to accommodate a change 11 in the optimal position. In contrast, a permanently installed boom requiring 12 maintenance (for example unblocking or repairing of a nozzle) may require that the 13 heat source and/or the operations requiring protection from the heat source be shut 14 down during repair of the boom.

16 A portable boom is also more easily maintained than a permanently installed boom 17 and can be withdrawn from position and replaced by another boom with minimal 18 impact on ongoing operations.

Preferably, the fluid conduit means comprises a fluid inlet for receiving water.

21 Preferably, the fluid conduit means is operable to communicate received water to a 22 plurality of nozzles in parallel. A plurality of nozzles connected to a water supply in 23 parallel are more tolerant to blockage or damage to an individual nozzle than the 24 plurality of nozzles installed upon a pipe or duct in series of the prior art.

26 Preferably the nozzle supporting means comprises a base and a support member 27 attached to the base.

29 Preferably, the support member is tubular and comprises nozzle receiving means and fluid conduit means. According to one embodiment, each said nozzle attached to the 31 nozzle receiving means is in fluid communication with the inside of the tubular 32 support member, such that the tubular support member functions both as fluid 33 conduit means and nozzle supporting means. This arrangement typically also 34 communicates water to a plurality of nozzles in parallel.

1 Preferably also, the boom comprises a tubular arm having nozzle receiving means 2 and fluid conduit means. According to one embodiment, each said nozzle is mounted 3 thereon in fluid communication with the interior of the arm, such that the arm 4 functions as fluid conduit means and nozzle supporting means.

6 Preferably the arm is pivotally mounted on the support member and is operable 7 between an open position in which a fluid path is established between the support 8 member and the arm and a closed position in which said fluid path is closed.

A pivotally mounted tubular arm may be advantageously moved from an open 11 position to a closed position, as might be required, for example, due to high winds or 12 other inclement weather conditions.

14 Preferably, two arms are mounted on and extend from the support member.

Preferably, in a closed position, the distal ends of each said arm are brought 16 together. Preferably, in an open position, the said arms extend from opposite sides of 17 the support member.

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

22 According to one embodiment, in a closed position of the or each arm, the or each 23 arm is substantially parallel to the support member.

Preferably each said arm is adapted to receive a nozzle at an end thereof remote 26 from the support member (the distal end). Preferably, nozzle support means are 27 located at the distal ends of each arm and configured so that corresponding nozzles 28 retained on each arm generate water curtains which are parallel, and preferably co- 29 planar, and more preferably overlapping.

31 Preferably a flange is mounted on the other end of the each said arm (the proximal 32 end). Preferably a corresponding flange is mounted on the support member such 33 that the flanges can be connected to establish the fluid path.

Preferably guide wires are mounted between the support member and the arms.

1 Preferably a bracket is mounted to the support member and the arms are pivotally 2 mounted on the bracket. Most preferably the bracket is pivotally mounted to the 3 support member.

Brief Descri�tion of the Drawings 7 An example embodiment of the present invention will now be illustrated with 8 reference to the following Figures in which: Fig.1 is a schematic view of a boom according to one aspect of the present invention 11 in a closed position; 13 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; 17 Fig. 4 is a schematic view of a bracket of a support member of the boom of Fig. 3, 18 and Fig. 5 is a schematic view of a guide wire connection point on an arm of the boom of 21 Fig.3.

23 Detailed DescriDtion of ExamDle Embodiments Turning now to the figures there is shown in Figure 1 a boom 1 according to one 26 aspect of the present invention. The boom comprises a substantially vertical tubular 27 support member 2 pivotally mounted on a base 3. An inlet 4 is provided at the lower 28 end of the support member. In other embodiments, the inlet may be provided in other 29 positions along the support member.

31 The upper end of the support member is adapted to receive a nozzle 5 suitable for 32 producing a water curtain around a designated area. The upper end of the support 33 member 2 may be screw threaded (not shown) to receive a nozzle with a cc- 34 operating screw thread (not shown).

1 A bracket 6 is mounted on either side of the support member 2 between the base and 2 the nozzle. The bracket has upper and lower substantially horizontal legs 7 which 3 extend outwardly from the support member. The bracket may be mounted to the 4 support member in a known manner.

6 The end of each leg 7 of the bracket remote from the support member has an 7 aperture 8 therethrough. A swivel pin 9 passes through the two apertures and is fixed 8 in position by known means. In one embodiment, the pin may be threaded at either 9 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.

12 Two substantially horizontal tubular arms 12 are pivotally provided on the support 13 member 2. The arms are provided with a flange 13 at the end nearest the support 14 member as will be described further below and the distal end of the arms are adapted to receive a nozzle 5 in a similar manner to the support member. Each arm 12 is 16 mounted to a bracket 6 of the support member. Apertures (not shown) are provided in 17 the end of the arms 12 adjacent the bracket to receive the swivel pin 9 of the bracket 18 thereby allowing the arms to pivot from a closed position where both arms extend 19 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 21 position, the flangel3 on the end of the arms 12 adjacent the bracket 6 is positioned 22 adjacent one of the ports 11 on the side of the support member.

24 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.

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

28 Guide wires 15 are provided between the support member 2 and the arms 12 of the 29 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 31 eye 18 on the arm. The guide wire 15 may be tensioned and each end of the guide 32 wire may be mounted through a turn buckle and pad eye to give tension and support.

34 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 36 particularly in off-shore operations where space is at a premium. When it is required I to use the boom 1, the support member 2 is positioned in the required location, the 2 arms 12 of the boom are pivoted into their open position, the guide wires 15 are 3 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 6 about ports 11, to enable arms 12 to pivot around both swivel pins 9 and the axis of 7 ports 11 and thereby align in a closed position with support member 2, for compact 8 storage.

The flange 13 at the end of the arm adjacent the port 11 on the support member is 11 fluidly connected to the port in a known manner and nozzles 5 are mounted on the 12 ends of the support member and each arm of the boom. A water supply is connected 13 to the inlet 3 of the support member. The supply may be fed via a mud pump or 14 booster.

16 When water flows through the inlet 3 it passes along the support member 2, along 17 each arm 12 of the boom and exits at each of the nozzles 5 mounted on the support 18 member and the boom. The boom described provides for improved heat suppression 19 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.

22 This leads to a better heat suppression at source and also attenuates more thermal 23 radiated heat. The folding nature of the boom aids both in storage of the apparatus 24 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 26 water curtain with increase coverage due to the additional nozzles mounted thereon.

28 Further variations and modifications can be made within the scope of the invention 29 herein disclosed.