Insulated fluid conduit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017059080-A1
Application number	US-201615224782-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 1, 2016
Priority date	Aug 31, 2015
Publication date	Mar 2, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention provides an insulated fluid conduit useful in facilities in which a hot fluid susceptible to one or more deleterious phase changes in response to heat loss to a cold environment is transported. Such conduits may be particularly well suited to improve thermal control in subsea hydrocarbon production operations. The fluid conduit includes an inner first insulating layer containing a first polymer matrix, and a first phase change material undergoing a phase change at T 1 . The fluid conduit includes an outer second insulating layer containing a second polymer matrix, and a second phase change material undergoing a phase change at T 2 , wherein T 1 is greater than T 2 . One or more barrier layers inhibit migration of the phase change material from the insulation layers and into the environment. In one or more embodiments, the phase change material is present as a microencapsulated phase change material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An insulated fluid conduit comprising:
(a) a conduit inner surface defining a flow channel; (b) a conduit outer surface; (c) a first insulating layer comprising a first phase change material dispersed in a first polymer matrix; (d) a second insulating layer disposed upon the first insulating layer, the second insulating layer comprising a second phase change material dispersed in a second polymer matrix; and (e) at least one barrier layer configured to inhibit migration of one or more of the first and second phase change materials into the environment; wherein the first phase change material has a melting point T 1 and the second phase change material has a melting point T 2 , and T 1 is greater than T 2 .

2 . The insulated fluid conduit according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first polymer matrix, the second polymer matrix and the barrier layer comprises a silicone rubber silicone rubber.

3 . The insulated fluid conduit according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first polymer matrix and the second polymer matrix comprises a polyolefin.

4 . The insulated fluid conduit according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first polymer matrix, the second polymer matrix and the barrier layer comprises a polyurethane.

5 . The insulated fluid conduit according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first polymer matrix, the second polymer matrix and the barrier layer comprises a polyepoxide.

6 . The insulated fluid conduit according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first polymer matrix, the second polymer matrix and the barrier layer comprises a polyimide.

7 . The insulated fluid conduit according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first polymer matrix, the second polymer matrix and the barrier layer comprises a polyetherimide.

8 . The insulated fluid conduit according to claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer comprises a silicone material which is impermeable with respect to the phase change material.

9 . The insulated fluid conduit according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first phase change material and the second phase change material is dispersed in a polymeric matrix configured as an open cell foam.

10 . The insulated fluid conduit according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first phase change material and the second phase change material is dispersed in a polymeric matrix configured as a continuous phase.

11 . The insulated fluid conduit according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first phase change material and the second phase change material is microencapsulated.

12 . The insulated fluid conduit according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first phase change material and the second phase change material comprises a normal hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of hexadecane, octadecane, and eicosane.

13 . The insulated fluid conduit according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first polymer matrix and the second polymer matrix is a silicone rubber configured as an open cell foam defining a network of voids and wherein the phase change material is disposed therein.

14 . The insulated fluid conduit according to claim 1 , which is a component of oil field equipment selected from the group consisting of insulated pipes, insulated valves, insulated manifolds, insulated joints, insulated Christmas trees, insulated risers and insulated tie-backs.

15 . The insulated fluid conduit according to claim 1 , wherein a thermally conductive layer is disposed between the conduit outer surface and the first insulating layer.

16 . An insulated fluid conduit comprising:
(a) a conduit inner surface defining a flow channel; (b) a conduit outer surface; (c) a first insulating layer comprising a silicone rubber and a first phase change material; (d) a second insulating layer comprising a silicone rubber and a second phase change material; and (e) at least one barrier layer configured to inhibit migration of one or more of the first and second phase change materials into the environment; wherein the first phase change material has a melting point T 1 and the second phase change material has a melting point T 2 , and T 1 is greater than T 2 .

17 . The insulated fluid conduit according to claim 16 , wherein the first insulating layer is configured as an open cell silicone foam defining a network of voids, and wherein the first phase change material is disposed therein.

18 . The insulated fluid conduit according to claim 16 , wherein the second phase change material is configured as a continuous silicone rubber phase, and wherein the second phase change material is dispersed within the continuous silicone rubber phase as a microencapsulated discontinuous phase.

19 . An insulated fluid conduit comprising:
(a) a conduit inner surface defining a flow channel; (b) a conduit outer surface; (c) a first insulating layer comprising a first phase change material dispersed in a first polymeric matrix; (d) a second insulating layer comprising a second phase change material dispersed in a second polymeric matrix; and (e) at least one barrier layer configured to inhibit migration of one or more of the first and second phase change materials into the environment; wherein the first phase change material has a melting point T 1 and the second phase change material has a melting point T 2 , wherein T 1 is greater than T 2 , and wherein at least one of the first polymeric matrix and the second polymeric matrix is configured as an open cell foam defining a network of voids.

20 . The insulated fluid conduit according to claim 19 , wherein at least one of the first polymeric matrix and the second polymeric matrix comprises a polyether imide.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Zheng Huabing
• Buckley Jr Donald Joseph
• Miller Scott Michael
• Yates Chad Eric
• Rivas Cardona Juan Alberto

Classifications

• B32B2597/00

  Tubular articles, e.g. hoses, pipes · CPC title

• B32B2307/7248

  Odour barrier · CPC title

• B32B2307/50

  having particular mechanical properties · CPC title

• B32B2266/0278

  Polyurethane · CPC title

• B32B2307/7246

  Water vapor barrier · CPC title