Conduits for transporting fluids and methods of fabricating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11512807-B2
Application number	US-202117314602-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2021
Priority date	Dec 20, 2018
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

A method of fabricating a conduit comprises steps of attaching a first tubular-outboard-ply end of a tubular outboard ply to a first inner collar portion of a first collar with a third weld and attaching a second tubular-outboard-ply end to a second inner collar portion of a second collar with a fifth weld. The method additionally comprises steps of interconnecting the first inner collar portion and a first outer collar portion of the first collar with a first weld and interconnecting the second inner collar portion and a second outer collar portion of the second collar with a sixth weld. The method also comprises attaching a trimmed first corrugated-inboard-ply end to the first outer collar portion with a second weld, attaching a trimmed second corrugated-inboard-ply end to the second outer collar portion with a fourth weld, and communicatively coupling a first sensor with an interstitial space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of fabricating a conduit, the method comprising steps of:
attaching a first tubular-outboard-ply end of a tubular outboard ply to a first inner collar portion of a first collar with a third weld;
attaching a second tubular-outboard-ply end of the tubular outboard ply, which is axially opposite the first tubular-outboard-ply end of the tubular outboard ply, to a second inner collar portion of a second collar with a fifth weld;
inserting a tubular inboard ply into the tubular outboard ply and advancing the tubular inboard ply along an interior of the tubular outboard ply until a first tubular-inboard-ply end of the tubular inboard ply protrudes a first distance past the first inner collar portion, and a second tubular-inboard-ply end protrudes a second distance past the second inner collar portion, wherein the first distance is greater than a first predetermined distance, and the second distance is greater than a second predetermined distance;
simultaneously corrugating the tubular inboard ply and the tubular outboard ply to form a bellows, having a central axis and comprising a corrugated outboard ply, a corrugated inboard ply, and an interstitial space, interposed between the corrugated inboard ply and the corrugated outboard ply, wherein the corrugated outboard ply is formed from the tubular outboard ply, and the corrugated inboard ply is formed from the tubular inboard ply;
trimming a first corrugated-inboard-ply end of the corrugated inboard ply, corresponding to the first tubular-inboard-ply end of the tubular inboard ply, to create a trimmed first corrugated-inboard-ply end that protrudes the first predetermined distance past the first inner collar portion;
trimming a second corrugated-inboard-ply end of the corrugated inboard ply, corresponding to the second tubular-inboard-ply end of the tubular inboard ply, to create a trimmed second corrugated-inboard-ply end that protrudes the second predetermined distance past the second inner collar portion;
interconnecting the first inner collar portion and a first outer collar portion of the first collar with a first weld;
interconnecting the second inner collar portion and a second outer collar portion of the second collar with a sixth weld;
attaching the trimmed first corrugated-inboard-ply end of the corrugated inboard ply to the first outer collar portion with a second weld;
attaching the trimmed second corrugated-inboard-ply end of the corrugated inboard ply to the second outer collar portion with a fourth weld; and
communicatively coupling a first sensor with the interstitial space.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of inserting the tubular inboard ply into the tubular outboard ply comprises inserting the first tubular-inboard-ply end of the tubular inboard ply into the second tubular-outboard-ply end of the tubular outboard ply.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, after the tubular inboard ply is advanced along the interior of the tubular outboard ply, and after the tubular inboard ply and the tubular outboard ply are simultaneously corrugated, the first inner collar portion is interconnected with the first outer collar portion, and the second inner collar portion is interconnected with the second outer collar portion.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the tubular inboard ply is inserted into the tubular outboard ply after the first tubular-outboard-ply end of the tubular outboard ply is attached to the first inner collar portion, and after the second tubular-outboard-ply end of the tubular outboard ply is attached to the second inner collar portion.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein:
the trimmed first corrugated-inboard-ply end of the corrugated inboard ply is attached to the first outer collar portion after the first inner collar portion and the first outer collar portion are interconnected with the first weld; and
the trimmed second corrugated-inboard-ply end of the corrugated inboard ply is attached to the second outer collar portion after the second inner collar portion and the second outer collar portion are interconnected with the sixth weld.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first sensor is communicatively coupled with the interstitial space via a first channel, passing through one of the first inner collar portion or the first outer collar portion; and
the first channel is cross-sectionally circumferentially closed.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising communicatively coupling a second sensor with the interstitial space via a second channel, passing through one of the second inner collar portion or the second outer collar portion, wherein the second channel is cross-sectionally circumferentially closed.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising reducing pressure in the interstitial space to below atmospheric pressure after the first sensor is communicatively coupled with the interstitial space.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the pressure in the interstitial space is reduced by creating a pressure gradient across a vacuum port, communicatively coupled with the interstitial space.

10. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising sealing the vacuum port, after the pressure in the interstitial space is reduced, by closing a pinch-off tube.

11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
flaring the first tubular-outboard-ply end of the tubular outboard ply to create a first flared portion of the first tubular-outboard-ply end, and wherein the step of attaching the first tubular-outboard-ply end of the tubular outboard ply to the first inner collar portion comprises attaching the first flared portion of the first tubular-outboard-ply end to a first beveled weld-joint recess of the first inner collar portion with the third weld; and
flaring the second tubular-outboard-ply end of the tubular outboard ply to create a second flared portion of the second tubular-outboard-ply end, wherein the step of attaching the second tubular-outboard-ply end of the tubular outboard ply to the second inner collar portion comprises attaching the second flared portion of the second tubular-outboard-ply end to a second beveled weld-joint recess of the second inner collar portion with the fifth weld.

12. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
attaching a first second-tubular-outboard-ply end of a second tubular outboard ply to the first inner collar portion with the third weld;
attaching a second second-tubular-outboard-ply end of the second tubular outboard ply, which is axially opposite the first second-tubular-outboard-ply end of the second tubular outboard ply, to the second inner collar portion of the second collar with the fifth weld; and
corrugating the second tubular outboard ply simultaneously with the tubular inboard ply and the tubular outboard ply to form the bellows, which further comprises a second corrugated outboard ply;
wherein:
the tubular outboard ply is interposed between the tubular inboard ply and the second tubular outboard ply, and
the second corrugated outboard ply is formed from the second tubular outboard ply.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first outer collar portion of the first collar comprises a first annular weld-joint recess;
the second outer collar portion of the second collar comprises a second annular weld-joint recess;
the trimmed first corrugated-inboard-ply end of the corrugated inboard ply is attached to the first annular weld-joint recess of the first outer collar portion by the second weld; and
the trimmed second corrugated-inboard-ply end of the corrugated i

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Di Carlo Tony
• Vaniman Brian T
• Leuer John P

Classifications

• F16L2201/30

  Detecting leaks · CPC title

• B21D15/00

  Corrugating tubes (wrinkle-bending using mandrels or the like B21D9/14) · CPC title

• F16L59/147

  the insulation being located inwardly of the outer surface of the pipe · CPC title

• G01M3/185

  for welds · CPC title

• F16L59/143

  Pre-insulated pipes · CPC title