Conduits for transporting fluids and methods of fabricating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11835156-B2
Application number	US-202016992437-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2020
Priority date	Dec 20, 2018
Publication date	Dec 5, 2023
Grant date	Dec 5, 2023

Abstract

A method of fabricating a conduit comprises simultaneously corrugating three plies to form a bellows. The method also comprises simultaneously trimming a corrugated inboard ply and a first corrugated outboard ply of the bellows. The method further comprises locating a weld-through ring and a second weld-through ring between the corrugated inboard ply and the first corrugated outboard ply. The method additionally comprises forming a port and a second port through the weld-through ring and the second weld-through ring, respectively. The method also comprises communicatively coupling a sensor and a second sensor with an interstitial space, interposed between the corrugated inboard play and the first corrugated outboard ply, via the port and the second port, respectively.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method ( 300 ) of fabricating a conduit ( 100 ), the method ( 300 ) comprising:
simultaneously corrugating a first tubular outboard ply ( 115 ), a second tubular outboard ply ( 113 ), inserted into the first tubular outboard ply ( 115 ), and a tubular inboard ply ( 111 ), inserted into the second tubular outboard ply ( 113 ), to form a bellows ( 108 ), comprising a central axis ( 180 ), a first corrugated outboard ply ( 114 ), a second corrugated outboard ply ( 112 ), a corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ), and an interstitial space ( 126 ), interposed between the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) and the first corrugated outboard ply ( 114 ), and wherein the first corrugated outboard ply ( 114 ) is formed from the first tubular outboard ply ( 115 ), the second corrugated outboard ply ( 112 ) is formed from the second tubular outboard ply ( 113 ), and the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) is formed from the tubular inboard ply ( 111 );
simultaneously trimming a first corrugated-inboard-ply end ( 151 ) of the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) and a first first-corrugated-outboard-ply end ( 174 ) of the first corrugated outboard ply ( 114 ) to create a trimmed first corrugated-inboard-ply end ( 156 ) of the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) and a trimmed first first-corrugated-outboard-ply end ( 172 ) of the first corrugated outboard ply ( 114 );
simultaneously trimming a second corrugated-inboard-ply end ( 163 ) of the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) and a second first-corrugated-outboard-ply end ( 176 ) of the first corrugated outboard ply ( 114 ) to create a trimmed second corrugated-inboard-ply end ( 170 ) of the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) and a trimmed second first-corrugated-outboard-ply end ( 177 ) of the first corrugated outboard ply ( 114 );
locating a weld-through ring ( 150 ) between the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) and the first corrugated outboard ply ( 114 ) of the bellows ( 108 ) at the trimmed first corrugated-inboard-ply end ( 156 ) of the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) and the trimmed first first-corrugated-outboard-ply end ( 172 ) of the first corrugated outboard ply ( 114 );
locating a second weld-through ring ( 157 ) between the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) and the first corrugated outboard ply ( 114 ) of the bellows ( 108 ) at the trimmed second corrugated-inboard-ply end ( 170 ) of the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) and the trimmed second first-corrugated-outboard-ply end ( 177 ) of the first corrugated outboard ply ( 114 );
simultaneously attaching the trimmed first corrugated-inboard-ply end ( 156 ), the trimmed first first-corrugated-outboard-ply end ( 172 ), and the weld-through ring ( 150 ) to a first collar ( 102 ) with a first weld ( 138 );
simultaneously attaching the trimmed second corrugated-inboard-ply end ( 170 ), the trimmed second first-corrugated-outboard-ply end ( 177 ), and the second weld-through ring ( 157 ) to a second collar ( 103 ) with a second weld ( 183 );
forming a port ( 188 ) through the weld-through ring ( 150 ) along an axis, parallel with the central axis ( 180 ) of the bellows ( 108 ), after attaching the weld-through ring ( 150 ) to the first collar ( 102 ) with the first weld ( 138 ), so that the port ( 188 ) is communicatively coupled with the interstitial space ( 126 );
forming a second port ( 191 ) through the second weld-through ring ( 157 ) along a second axis, parallel with the central axis ( 180 ) of the bellows ( 108 ), after attaching the second weld-through ring ( 157 ) to the second collar ( 103 ) with the second weld ( 183 ), so that the second port ( 191 ) is communicatively coupled with the interstitial space ( 126 );
communicatively coupling a sensor ( 116 ) with the interstitial space ( 126 ) via the port ( 188 ); and
communicatively coupling a second sensor ( 117 ) with the interstitial space ( 126 ) via the second port ( 191 ) and a second channel ( 119 ) passing through the second collar ( 103 ).

2. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the second tubular outboard ply ( 113 ), in its entirety, is within the first tubular outboard ply ( 115 ) when the first tubular outboard ply ( 115 ), the second tubular outboard ply ( 113 ), and the tubular inboard ply ( 111 ) are simultaneously corrugated.

3. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the second tubular outboard ply ( 113 ) is shorter than the first tubular outboard ply ( 115 ) and the tubular inboard ply ( 111 ).

4. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of locating a tapered spacer ( 148 ) within the interstitial space ( 126 ), and wherein the tapered spacer ( 148 ) is made of a permeable material.

5. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the step of locating the tapered spacer ( 148 ) comprises locating the tapered spacer ( 148 ) coextensively with at least a portion of the first collar ( 102 ) along the central axis ( 180 ) of the bellows ( 108 ).

6. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the step of locating the tapered spacer ( 148 ) comprises abutting the tapered spacer ( 148 ) against the weld-through ring ( 150 ).

7. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising reducing pressure in the interstitial space ( 126 ) to below atmospheric pressure after the sensor ( 116 ) is communicatively coupled with the interstitial space ( 126 ).

8. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 7 , wherein the pressure in the interstitial space ( 126 ) is reduced by creating a pressure gradient across a vacuum port ( 120 ), formed in the first collar ( 102 ) and communicatively coupled with the interstitial space ( 126 ).

9. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 8 , further comprising sealing the vacuum port ( 120 ) with a pinch-off tube ( 140 ) after the pressure in the interstitial space ( 126 ) is reduced.

10. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the method ( 300 ) further comprises decreasing a distance between the corrugated inboard ply ( 110 ) and the first corrugated outboard ply ( 114 ) along the central axis ( 180 ) away from the weld-through ring ( 150 ).

11. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of locating a second tapered spacer ( 181 ) within the interstitial space ( 126 ), and wherein the second tapered spacer ( 181 ) is made from a permeable material.

12. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 11 , wherein the step of locating the second tapered spacer ( 181 ) within the interstitial space ( 126 ) comprises locating the second tapered spacer ( 181 ) coextensively with at least a portion of the second collar ( 103 ) along the central axis ( 180 ) of the bellows ( 108 ).

13. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 11 , wherein the step of locating the second tapered spacer ( 181 ) within the interstitial space ( 126 ) comprises abutting the second tapered spacer ( 181 ) against the second weld-through ring ( 157 ).

14. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the second tubular outboard ply ( 113 ) is shorter than the first tubular outboard ply ( 115 ) and the tubular inboard ply ( 111 ).

15. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 2 , further comprising a step of locating a tapered spacer ( 148 ) within the interstitial space ( 126 ), and wherein the tapered spacer ( 148 ) is made of a permeable material.

16. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 3 , further comprising a step of locating a tapered spacer ( 148 ) within the interstitial space ( 126 ), and wherein the tapered spacer ( 148 ) is made of a permeable material.

17. The method ( 300 ) according to claim 5 , wherein the step of locating the tapered spacer (

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

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

Classifications

• F16L5/022 Primary

  by welding · CPC title

• B21C37/154

  Making multi-wall tubes · CPC title

• B21D15/06

  annularly {(with thinning B21C37/205)} · CPC title

• F16L27/111 Primary

  the bellows being reinforced · CPC title

• G01M3/18

  for pipes, cables or tubes; for pipe joints or seals; for valves; {for welds; for containers, e.g. radiators} · CPC title