Low temperature pipe system testing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12360002-B2
Application number	US-202318167596-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2023
Priority date	Feb 11, 2022
Publication date	Jul 15, 2025
Grant date	Jul 15, 2025

Abstract

A method of testing a pipe system with a testing apparatus is disclosed including a container, a cooling chamber in the container, and a cold head in the cooling chamber. The method includes loading the pipe system into the container; cooling a fluid, such as Helium gas, in the cooling chamber with the cold head to generate a cooled fluid; feeding the cooled fluid into the pipe system in the container; and taking a test measurement of the pipe system containing the cooled fluid.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of testing a pipe system with a testing apparatus, the testing apparatus comprising: a container, a cooling chamber separate from and disposed within the container, and a cold head disposed within the cooling chamber, the method comprising: loading the pipe system into the container; cooling a fluid in the cooling chamber with the cold head to generate a cooled fluid; feeding the cooled fluid into the pipe system in the container; and taking a test measurement of the pipe system containing the cooled fluid.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooled fluid flows within the pipe system as the test measurement is taken.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the testing apparatus further comprises a collection chamber in the container, and the cooled fluid flows from the pipe system and into the collection chamber as the test measurement is made.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the cooled fluid flows from the pipe system and into the collection chamber via an exit nozzle.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooled fluid comprises a gas.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooled fluid comprises gaseous Helium.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooled fluid is at a temperature below 120K.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the test measurement is a strain measurement of the pipe system.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the test measurement is a measurement of the cooled fluid in the pipe system.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the test measurement is a temperature measurement of the cooled fluid in the pipe system.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the test measurement is a flow measurement of the cooled fluid in the pipe system.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pipe system comprises a pipe bend, and the test measurement is taken at the pipe bend.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooled fluid is fed into the pipe system by one or more impellers.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising evacuating the container.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising evacuating the cooling chamber before loading the fluid into the cooling chamber.

16. A testing apparatus for testing a pipe system, the testing apparatus comprising: a container; a cooling chamber separate from and disposed within the container; a cold head disposed within the cooling chamber, wherein the cold head is configured to cool a fluid in the cooling chamber to generate a cooled fluid; and one or more impellers configured to feed the cooled fluid into the pipe system from the cooling chamber.

17. A testing apparatus according to claim 16 , further comprising a collection chamber in the container, wherein the collection chamber is configured to collect the cooled fluid as it flows out of the pipe system.

18. A testing apparatus for testing a pipe system, the testing apparatus comprising: a container; a cooling chamber separate from and disposed within the container; a cold head disposed within the cooling chamber, wherein the cold head is configured to cool a fluid in the cooling chamber to generate a cooled fluid; and a collection chamber in the container, wherein the collection chamber is configured to collect the cooled fluid as it flows out of the pipe system.

19. A testing apparatus according to claim 18 , further comprising a cryocooler configured to cool the cold head.

20. A testing apparatus according to claim 18 , further comprising a vacuum pump configured to evacuate the container.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Ltd

Inventors

• Iyengar Parthasarathy

Classifications

• G01M99/002 Primary

  Thermal testing (flaw detection G01N25/72) · CPC title

• G01M5/0025

  of elongated objects, e.g. pipes, masts, towers or railways (G01M5/0058 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01M3/363

  the structure being removably mounted in a test cell · CPC title

• G01M3/36

  by detecting change in dimensions of the structure being tested · CPC title

• G01M3/002 Primary

  by using thermal means · CPC title