Apparatus and method for coating pipelines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10688517-B2
Application number	US-201615748463-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2016
Priority date	Jul 30, 2015
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

An apparatus configured to coat pipelines, in particular a cutback along a pipeline, having: a frame, which extends along a designated axis and is fixable with respect to the pipeline so as to arrange the designated axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipeline; a carriage, which is supported by the frame, is movable along the designated axis with respect to the frame, and is configured to designated a heater and an applicator; an actuator configured to advance the carriage along the designated axis; and a control unit configured to select a travel distance for the carriage from a plurality of travel distances.

First claim

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A pipeline coating apparatus configured to coat a cutback along a pipeline, the pipeline coating apparatus comprising:
a frame extending along a designated axis, the frame being fixable with respect to the pipeline to arrange the designated axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the pipeline;
a carriage supported by the frame and movable along the designated axis with respect to the frame, the carriage supporting an induction heater and an applicator;
a first actuator configured to advance the carriage along the designated axis; and
a control unit configured to select, from a plurality of travel distances, a travel distance for the carriage to travel to sequentially heat, via the induction heater, an outer surface of the pipeline and then apply, via the applicator, a powder coating to the heated outer surface of the pipeline.

2. The pipeline coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises:
a first frame portion fixable with respect to the pipeline;
a second frame portion rotatably supported about the designated axis by the first frame portion; and
a second actuator configured to rotate the second frame portion with respect to the first frame portion about the designated axis.

3. The pipeline coating apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first frame portion comprises two first opposing heads connected to one another, the two first opposing heads being arrangeable around, and clampable to the pipeline.

4. The pipeline coating apparatus of claim 3 , wherein each head comprises a fixed part and an arm hinged to the fixed part and selectively movable between an open and a closed position.

5. The pipeline coating apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first frame portion comprises a support structure connected to the two first opposing heads and configured to keep the two first opposing heads a designated distance apart.

6. The pipeline coating apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first frame portion comprises a coupling for a manipulator.

7. The pipeline coating apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the second frame portion comprises two second opposing heads connected to one another by a plurality of guides which are slidably engaged by the carriage.

8. The pipeline coating apparatus of claim 7 , wherein each second head has an open ring shape fittable to the frame around the pipeline.

9. The pipeline coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the carriage comprises:
a main body;
a first mounting member configured to support at least one of the induction heater and the applicator; and
a second mounting member configured to support at least one of the applicator and the induction heater.

10. The pipeline coating apparatus of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first mounting member and the second mounting member are selectively movableably mounted along the main body in a radial direction with respect to the designated axis.

11. The pipeline coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first actuator comprises a nut mounted on the carriage and a threaded bar supported by the frame.

12. The pipeline coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the induction heater operable at an alternating current at a frequency of between 15,000 Hz and 40,000 Hz.

13. The pipeline coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the induction heater comprises a plate-shaped induction heater comprising a magnetic circuit and at least one coil of electrically conductive material supported by the magnetic circuit.

14. The pipeline coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the induction heater comprises a toroid-shaped induction heater comprising an annular magnetic circuit and at least one coil of electrically conductive material supported by the magnetic circuit.

15. The pipeline coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the applicator is mounted on the carriage and comprises an annular body and a mixing chamber defined inside the annular body, the applicator configured to enable a mixing of a polymer powder and air, and a distribution of the mixture along the mixing chamber.

16. The pipeline coating apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the annular body is formed by at least two complementary parts movable between a closed position and an open position to enable mounting the applicator around the pipeline.

17. The pipeline coating apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the annular body comprises an annular slit configured to connect the mixing chamber to an outside area and form a film of polymer powder.

18. The pipeline coating apparatus of claim 15 , wherein a hose is connected to the mixing chamber and configured to feed polymer powder and air to the mixing chamber.

19. The pipeline coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to set and control the selected travel distance for the carriage and a plurality of operation cycles and rest cycles of the induction heater and the applicator.

20. The pipeline coating apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising two carriages, wherein each carriage is provided with one induction heater and one applicator.

21. The pipeline coating apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the two carriages support at least one of both induction heaters and both applicators on opposite sides of the designated axis.

Assignees

• Saipem Spa

Inventors

• Simone Francesco
• Duncan Joseph Crichton
• Muratori Valerio

Classifications

• F16L58/181

  for non-disconnectable pipe joints · CPC title

• B05D2254/02

  Applying the material on the exterior of the tube · CPC title

• B05B13/0436 Primary

  Installations or apparatus for applying liquid or other fluent material to elongated bodies, e.g. light poles, pipes (B05B13/0442, B05B13/0463 take precedence) · CPC title

• B05B7/1486

  for spraying particulate material in dry state · CPC title

• B05C9/14

  the auxiliary operation involving heating {or cooling} · CPC title