Method and device for applying protective sheeting of polymer material to a pipeline

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016236401-A1
Application number	US-201415030552-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 24, 2014
Priority date	Oct 24, 2013
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of applying protective sheeting of polymer material to a pipeline extending along a longitudinal axis and having a cutback bounded at opposite axial ends by two end portions of respective protective coatings of polymer material, the method including directly heating the free faces of the end portions; extruding and simultaneously winding about the pipeline a protective sheeting wide enough to cover the cutback and the end portions; and compressing the protective sheeting against the pipeline, the end portions included.

First claim

The invention is claimed as follows:

1 - 18 . (canceled)

19 . A method of applying protective sheeting of polymer material to a pipeline which extends along a longitudinal axis and includes a cutback bounded at opposite axial ends by two end portions of respective protective coatings of a polymer material, said method comprising:
rotating a carriage about the pipeline, wherein an extrusion die, and a heat treating unit including at least two heaters are mounted on the carriage with the at least two heaters located between the extrusion die and the pipeline, said at least two heaters configured to direct and confine heat onto the end portions; directly heating free faces of the end portions; simultaneously:
(i) extruding, by an extrusion die, a protective sheeting wide enough to cover the cutback and the end portions, and
(ii) winding the protective sheeting about the pipeline; and
compressing the protective sheeting against the pipeline including the end portions.

20 . The method of claim 19 , which includes:
softening, by heating, a surface layer of each end portion; and applying the protective sheeting, not completely hardened, onto the softened surface layers.

21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein directly heating the free faces of the end portions includes directing at least one of: hot air, radiation and a flame, onto the free faces of the end portions.

22 . The method of claim 19 , wherein directly heating the free faces of the end portions includes generating heat by at least one heat source selected from: an infrared lamp, an electric resistor, a gas emitter, and a gas burner.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein directly heating the free faces of the end portions includes:
generating a hot airflow which intercepts the heat source; directing the hot airflow onto the free faces of the end portions; and moving the heat source and the hot airflow around the pipeline.

24 . The method of claim 22 , which includes:
generating and directing flames onto the end portions by at least two heat sources; and moving the at least two heat sources and the flames around the pipeline.

25 . The method of claim 22 , which includes:
generating an electromagnetic radiation by at least two heat sources; directing the electromagnetic radiation onto the end portions; and moving the at least two heat sources and the electromagnetic radiation around the pipeline.

26 . The method of claim 19 , which includes:
moving the extrusion die about the longitudinal axis of the pipeline to extrude the protective sheeting and simultaneously wind the protective sheeting about the pipeline as the protective sheeting is extruded; and moving the at least two heaters around the end portions to concentrate a heat transfer at the end portions.

27 . The method of claim 19 , wherein compressing the protective sheeting includes:
a first protective sheeting compression cycle performed simultaneously with winding the protective sheeting about the pipeline; and a subsequent second protective sheeting compression cycle, wherein the first protective sheeting compression cycle and the second protective sheeting compression cycle are performed in opposite rotation directions about the longitudinal axis of the pipeline.

28 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the compressing step includes moving a roller, which rotates about an axis of rotation parallel to the longitudinal axis, about the longitudinal axis of the pipeline.

29 . The method of claim 19 , which includes controlling an amount of heat transmitted per unit of time to the end portions.

30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the amount of heat transmitted is based on a speed at which the protective sheeting is applied.

31 . A pipeline protective sheeting application device comprising:
a carriage rotatable about a pipeline extending along a longitudinal axis and including a cutback bounded at opposite axial ends by two end portions of respective protective coatings of a polymer material; an extrusion die mounted on the carriage and configured to simultaneously wind about the pipeline and extrude a protective sheeting of polymer material wide enough to cover the cutback and the end portions; a heat treating unit mounted on the carriage and including at least two heaters, said heat treating unit configured to direct and confine heat onto the end portions and configured to directly heat free faces of the end portions, wherein that the at least two heaters are located between the extrusion die and the pipeline; and a roller configured to compress the protective sheeting against the pipeline including the end portions.

32 . The pipeline protective sheeting application device of claim 31 , wherein the at least two heaters are configured to soften, by directly heating, a surface layer of each end portion before the protective sheeting, not completely hardened, is applied onto the softened surface layers.

33 . The pipeline protective sheeting application device of claim 32 , wherein the at least two heaters are configured to direct and confine at least one of hot air, radiation and a flame onto the free faces of the end portions.

34 . The pipeline protective sheeting application device of claim 31 , wherein the heat treating unit includes at least one heat source selected from: an infrared lamp, an electric resistor, a gas emitter, and a gas burner.

35 . The pipeline protective sheeting application device of claim 34 , wherein the heat treating unit includes:
a fan configured to generate a hot airflow which intercepts the at least one heat source; and a heater configured to direct and confine the hot airflow onto the free faces of the end portions.

36 . The pipeline protective sheeting application device of claim 34 , wherein the heat treating unit includes at least two heat sources configured to generate and direct flames onto respective end portions.

37 . The pipeline protective sheeting application device of claim 34 , wherein the heat treating unit includes at least two heat sources configured to generate and direct an electromagnetic radiation onto the end portions.

Assignees

• Saipem Spa

Inventors

• Kaltchev Momtchil

Classifications

• B29C66/8432

  Machines for making separate joints at the same time mounted in parallel or in series · CPC title

• B29C66/1122

  Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence) · CPC title

• B29C48/151

  Coating hollow articles · CPC title

• B29C66/5326

  said single elements being substantially flat · CPC title

• B29C48/305

  having a wide opening, e.g. for forming sheets · CPC title