GB2554434A

GB2554434A - Ducting

Info

Publication number: GB2554434A
Application number: GB1616399.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yeldrem Anthony; Islam Murat
Original assignee: BMP Europe Ltd
Current assignee: BMP Europe Ltd
Priority date: 2016-09-27
Filing date: 2016-09-27
Publication date: 2018-04-04
Also published as: GB201616399D0; GB2554434A8

Abstract

A cable protector segment 100 comprising a first semi-tubular ducting component 102 and a complementary second semi-tubular ducting component 104, such that the first and second semi-tubular ducting components may be joined together along axial lines to form a tubular ducting segment 100, where at least one of the axial lines that defines the boundary between the first and second semi-tubular ducting components is staggered so as to function as a castellated hinge. The protector may be deployed underwater to provide cable protection around a pipe or cable in a modular, piecemeal, fashion. Preferably the castellated hinge comprises sleeve projections 118 and corresponding recesses 116, where the sleeve projections all have a longitudinally extending internal cavity 120 for receiving a securing member 126 to secure adjacent projections together. The securing member may be a nylon rod or other flexible plastic material. The ducting components may comprise a circumferential external shoulder 128 at each end to receive a longitudinal connecting means, such as a collar (132, figure 3). The ducting components may be negatively buoyant.

Description

(54) Title of the Invention: Ducting

Abstract Title: Cable protector segment (57) A cable protector segment 100 comprising a first semi-tubular ducting component 102 and a complementary second semi-tubular ducting component 104, such that the first and second semi-tubular ducting components may be joined together along axial lines to form a tubular ducting segment 100, where at least one of the axial lines that defines the boundary between the first and second semi-tubular ducting components is staggered so as to function as a castellated hinge. The protector may be deployed underwater to provide cable protection around a pipe or cable in a modular, piecemeal, fashion. Preferably the castellated hinge comprises sleeve projections 118 and corresponding recesses 116, where the sleeve projections all have a longitudinally extending internal cavity 120 for receiving a securing member 126 to secure adjacent projections together. The securing member may be a nylon rod or other flexible plastic material. The ducting components may comprise a circumferential external shoulder 128 at each end to receive a longitudinal connecting means, such as a collar (132, figure 3). The ducting components may be negatively buoyant.

100

At least one drawing originally filed was informal and the print reproduced here is taken from a later filed formal copy.

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Ducting

The present invention relates to protective ducting for mounting around elongate members, and in particular, but not exclusively, to those which are deployed underwater. Such members include pipes, cables which may be electric, fibre optic or of other types and other like elongate members. One particular application concerns the protection of power cables from offshore wind farms, where the power cables rest on the sea bed.

Such cable protectors typically form one part of a system deployed around offshore elongate members to protect them from physical damage. Other parts include bend stiffeners, connectors and centralisers, amongst others.

Such cable protection is often formed from a plurality of tubular sections. Each section is provided with a means for connecting adjacent sections together along the length of the pipe or cable. The process of deployment typically involves forming an entire cable protector section by joining together several tubular sections on deck and then feeding the elongate member through.

While proven and effective, this approach has some disadvantages. The need to lay numerous tubes together whilst on deck requires a large amount of deck space, which is often at a premium. For example, a cable protector section comprising ten segments each of which is 2 metres long, takes 20 metres of deck space if fully assembled on deck.

One way of avoiding the need to use a large amount of deck space is to use a system which does not require the power cable (or other elongate member) to be threaded through. Semi-tubular systems are known in this context: they allow a cable to be placed on a half tube before a complementary half tube is placed over the top. However, such known systems typically require means of fastening the two half tubes together, for example nut and bolt arrangements or clamps, which are relatively complex. Moreover problems can arise if it is necessary to gain access to the protected cable, both with regard to penetrating the cable protection and subsequently repairing it,

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cable protection means that can be formed around a pipe or cable in a piecemeal, modular fashion. The need to form the ducting around the entire length of the pipe or cable whilst on deck is inconvenient and costly, requiring large deck space. This can often impose limitations on the length of cables that can be installed in such marine environments.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide cable protection which is convenient to apply and which allows convenient disassembly and reassembly.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention there is a cable protector segment comprising a first semi-tubular ducting component and a complementary second semi-tubular ducting component, such that the first and second semi-tubular ducting components may be joined together along axial lines to form a tubular ducting segment, wherein at least one of the axial lines that defines the boundary between the first semi-tubular ducting component and the second semi-tubular ducting component is staggered so as to function as a castellated hinge.

A castellated hinge Is one that comprises two components that intermesh with each other along their castellated edges, with each castellated edge forming one or more sleeve projections.

Preferably, the castellated hinge comprises a plurality of sleeve projections and corresponding recesses for receiving the sleeve projections, each sleeve projection is provided with a longitudinally extending internal cavity for receiving a securing member, the cavity having two open ends to allow the securing member to pass through the internal cavity of one sleeve projection and through a corresponding cavity of an adjacent sleeve projection in order to secure one to the other.

By providing a castellated hinge along at least one of the longitudinally extending edges, the first semi-tubular ducting component can be secured to the second semitubular component to allow the ducting to be formed around sections of the pipe or cable, along its length, in a modular fashion, thereby enabling assembly where limited deck space is available.

This hinge configuration also allows each ducting section to be supplied in either a closed or part closed configuration. When supplied in a part closed configuration, the ducting can be formed around each portion of the elongate member with ease, negating the need to feed the elongate member through numerous tubes placed together whilst on deck.

Preferably, the castellated hinge comprises an elongate rod extending through all of the intermeshed sleeve projections to pivotally secure the two semi-tubular components together along one longitudinally extending edge.

Preferably, the rod is a nylon rod suitable for offshore environments.

Preferably, the second axial line comprises a securing means to secure the two semi-tubular sections together once they are in a closed configuration.

Alternatively, both axial lines that define the boundary between the first semitubular ducting component and the second semi-tubular ducting component are staggered so as to function as a castellated hinge.

By providing a castellated hinge means along both of the longitudinally extending edges, the first semi-tubular ducting component can be part secured to the second semitubular component along a first longitudinally extending edge to provide an open hinge configuration. The ducting can then be formed around the sections of the pipe or cable to be protected in a modular fashion. The castellated hinge means formed on the second longitudinally extending edge can then be secured, once the ducting is in the closed configuration, by means of a second elongate rod extending through all of the intermeshed sleeves of the castellated hinge on the second longitudinally extending edge.

Further, each castellated sleeve projection is shaped to resist longitudinal slippage of the component along the length of pipe or cable in a particular direction. In such an embodiment, resistance to slippage in both directions can be provided using castellated projections and complimentary recesses which are thus adapted to resist longitudinal slippage of the duct in opposite directions.

In a preferred embodiment, each duct section is generally elongate and is provided with longitudinal connecting means at each end for connecting it to the adjacent ends of other duct section. The longitudinal connecting means may comprise an annular shoulder for receiving a portion of a collar. The annular shoulder may extend around the entire peripheral edge of the duct section. In this way, the ducting sections can be assembled in a modular fashion in order to minimise the required deck space.

The modular symmetry of the ducting sections also allows each section to be rotationally misaligned with respect to the longitudinally adjacent section so that the axiai, e.g. perpendicular, joints between each semi-tubular component do not align with those of the adjacent duct section, thereby increasing the strength of the assembly. This is also made possible by virtue of a continual peripheral recess formed in the collar for receiving the connecting means.

Preferably, the first and second semi-tubular ducting components are negatively buoyant so as to bias the elongate member towards the seabed.

Preferably, the ducting component is made from a plastics material, e.g. polyurethane.

By way of example, a specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:Fig. 1 a is a perspective view of a ducting section embodying the present invention comprising two ducting components in an assembled configuration.

Fig. 1b is a perspective view of a single ducting component.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the ducting section of Fig. 1a.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section view of two longitudinally adjacent ducting sections in a clamped configuration.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the two longitudinally adjacent ducting sections of Fig. 3 in a part clamped configuration.

With reference to Fig. 1a, there is shown a protective ducting section 100 in the form of a tubular casing. The ducting section 100 comprises two, releasably engaged, semi-tubular components 102, 104 which are arranged with respect to one another to form the tubular ducting section 100 and to provide a cylindrical passage 106 there through which, in use, receives a cable, pipe or other elongate member (not shown) to be protected.

As best illustrated in Fig. 1b, the semi-tubular components 102, 104 comprise generally cylindrical outer and inner walls 108, 110 the diameter of the inner wall being adapted to allow ample space to thread a cable, pipe or other elongate member through the cylindrical passage 106 using a pull line (not shown) or the iike. As shown, an annular shoulder 128 projects axially from either end of the semi-tubular components 102, 104 and is adapted to receive a collar 130 for coupling to an adjacent ducting section 100 as will be explained.

Each semi-tubuiar component 102,104 is provided on its exposed, diametrically opposed faces 112, 114 with a hinge means for securing the component to another diametrically opposed component to form the tubular duct section 100. The castellated hinge means comprises a plurality of equally spaced, recesses 116 on either face 112, 114 which are adapted to receive a plurality of equally spaced sleeve projections 118 of the diametrically opposed face.

As best seen in Fig. 2, each sleeve projection 118 is provided with a longitudinally extending interna! cavity 120 having two open ends 122, 124. As illustrated, the internal cavity 120 is aligned with the staggered split line corresponding to the longitudinal axis

A-A so that, when the semi-tubular components 102,104 are in engagement, the internal cavity 120 of each sleeve projection 118 of the diametrically opposed faces 108,110 are aligned to allow a securing member 126 to pass through the cavity of one projection 118 and through a corresponding cavity 120 of an adjacent projection 118 in order to secure one to the other. Preferably the securing member is a nylon rod. However, other securing members may be used including securing members made from any other suitably flexible plastic/material. When the projections 118 of the diametrically opposed faces 112,114 are aligned, the securing member 126 can passthrough the formed cavity 120 along the length of the duct section 100.

As illustrated in Figs, 1 to 4, both diametrically opposed faces 112, 114 comprise the castellated hinge means. However, it is envisaged that the castellated hinge means may be formed on only one diametrically opposed face of each semi-tubular component 102, 104, with another releasable securing means disposed on the other diametrically oppose face, thereby enabling the duct section 100 to be assembled in a modular fashion. This also allows the duct sections to be supplied in a closed or part closed fashion for quick assembly. In addition, the hinge means also enables access to the protected pipe or cable within after it has been laid.

The two ends of the ducting section 100 may be formed into a spigot and socket portion respectively, whereby the spigot portion of one ducting section 100 can be received in the socket portion of an adjacent ducting section 100, or, as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, the two ends of the ducting sections 100 may be fiat, whereby adjacent ducting sections 100 simply abut one another face-to-face.

In use, adjacent ducting sections 100 are fitted as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. Longitudinaliy adjacent ducting sections 100 are secured to one another by fitting a collar 130 around the annular shoulder 128 of two abutting sections 100. As best seen in Fig. 4, the collar 130 comprises two identical half shells 132,134. As illustrated, a continuous peripheral recess 136 is formed on the outer surface at either end of each half shelf 132, 134 for receiving a banded clamp 138.

As the collar 130 is assembled around the annular shoulders 128 of two longitudinally adjacent ducting sections 100, bands 138 are clamped in position in the 10 continuous peripheral recesses 136 formed by the aligned recesses 136 in the outer surface of each half shell 132, 134, thereby securely clamping the assembly together.

Diametrically opposite semi-tubular components 102,104 are also secured by means of the sleeve projections 118 and complimentary recesses 116, although, as illustrated in Fig. 3, each ducting section 100 may be rotationaliy misaligned with respect to the adjacent ducting section 100 so that the vertical joints between diametrically opposed semi-tubular components 102, 104 do not align with those of the longitudinally adjacent ducting section 100, thereby increasing the strength of the finished assembly.

In this way, protective ducting may be more easily formed and fitted around a pipe or cable in a modular fashion. The ducting may be applied to each portion of the pipe or cable in turn, or may be pre-installed before insertion of a pipe, cable or the like is pulled through. The ducting formed thereby protects the pipe or cable within, but is sufficiently flexible to permit the protected cable to be laid, or re-laid, as appropriate, and to allow for slight shifts in the position of the pipe or cable.

The collar assembly for clamping adjacent ducting sections together has been described with reference to a banded clamp. However, other clamps for mounting upon the annular shoulders 128 of two longitudinally adjacent ducting sections 100 may utilise bolts to secure part-annular clamp collars against the ducting sections. The part annular clamp collars may be formed e.g. of polyurethane or other composite material and are loaded with a large tension through bolts used to draw their ends together, by virtue of which the clamp collars provide some compliance.

The present invention provides a protective ducting which is assembled from a number of similar components. This can significantly reduce production costs, since only one type of component need be manufactured, and it also facilitates assembly, since no selection of one part from a number of different parts is necessary. The construction also facilitates access to the protected pipe or cable, should this be necessary or desirable. In order to obtain access to the protected pipe or cable, it is merely necessary to strip of the banding 138 from the appropriate portion of ducting 100, whereupon the necessary semi-tubular sections 102, 104 can be removed to permit access to the pipe or cable within.

Once the necessary work has been carried out, the ducting can be reassembled, as previously described.

The ducting may be formed from a unitary plastics moulding comprising a polyurethane material, whose abrasion and impact resistance resistance is well suited for the intended application.

The above embodiments have been described with reference to mechanical protection. However, the ducting could also have other properties. For example, the ducting may allow heat to pass to or from the pipe or cable as appropriate. In addition, the arrangement may not be water tight, aiding thermal conductivity. Alternatively, the ducting may be thermally insulating to protect the pipe or cable from the temperature of the environment.

It is also possible for the ducting to be negatively buoyant if desired. In this way, the pipe or cable may be biased against the sea bed. The length of the sections can also be varied as desired, and the diameter of each semi-tubuiar component wilt be selected to accommodate threading of the pipe or cable through the cylindrical passage 106 of the ducting section 100. However, it is envisaged that the ducting section 100 may comprise two or more different components which form different radial sections of the ducting. Indeed, the present invention is not restricted to protecting members of circular cross-section, but can be adapted to protect members of any cross-section, by appropriate selection of the profile of the semi-tubular components 102,104.

The present description is for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed to narrow the breadth of the present disclosure in any way. Thus, those skilled

In the art will appreciate that various modifications might be made to the presently disclosed embodiments without departing from the full and fair scope of the present disclosure.

Other aspects, features and advantages will be apparent upon an examination of the attached drawings and appended claims.

Claims

Claims

U A cable protector segment comprising a first semi-tubular ducting component and a complementary second semi-tubuiar ducting component, such that the first and second semi-tubular ducting components may be joined together along axia! lines to form a tubular ducting segment, wherein at least one of the axial lines that defines the boundary between the first semi-tubular ducting component and the second semi-tubular ducting component is staggered so as to function as a castellated hinge.

Z A cable protector segment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the castellated hinge comprises a plurality of sleeve projections and corresponding recesses for receiving the sleeve projections, each sleeve projection provided with a iongitudinaily extending internal cavity for receiving a securing member, the cavity having two open ends to allow the securing member to pass through the internal cavity of one projection and through a corresponding cavity of an adjacent projection in order to secure one to the other.

X, A cable protector segment as claim in claim 2, wherein the sieeve projections are identical.
4. A cabie protector segment as claim in claim 2, wherein the sieeve projections are equally spaced.

Ex A cable protector segment as claimed in claim 2, wherein the securing member is a nylon rod or a rod made from any other suitably flexible piastic/materiat to A cable protector segment as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first and second semi-tubular ducting components are of a common shape.
7. A cable protector segment as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein both axial lines that define the boundary between the first semi-tubular ducting component and the second semi-tubular ducting component are staggered so as to function as a castellated hinge.
8. A cable protector segment as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first and second semi-tubular ducting components comprise a circumferential external shoulder at each end adapted to receive an applied longitudinal connecting means.
9. A cable protector segment as claimed in claim 8, wherein the longitudinal connecting means comprises a collar.
10. A cable protector segment as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the ducting component comprises plastics.
11. A cable protector segment as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the segment is not water tight.
12. A cable protector segment as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first and second ducting components are negatively buoyant.
13. A cable protector segment as herein described, with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: GB1616399.0 Examiner: Mr Tobias Tribe