Method for attenuating noise produced by pipes and pipe arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9500302-B2
Application number	US-201214236926-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2012
Priority date	Aug 23, 2011
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for attenuating noise produced by steam flowing through a pipe, comprising the steps of providing a pipe arrangement ( 10 ), which comprises an inner pipe ( 12 ) that defines in its inside an inner flow channel ( 14 ) which progresses in pipe direction ( 16 ) of the inner pipe ( 12 ), and an outer pipe ( 18 ) that surrounds the inner pipe ( 12 ) and progresses substantially parallel thereto, thereby defining an outer flow channel ( 20 ) between the two pipes ( 12, 18 ) which is substantially parallel to the inner flow channel ( 14 ), establishing a steam flow ( 22 ) in and along the inner flow channel ( 14 ), and establishing a water flow ( 28 ) in and along the outer flow channel ( 20 ), said water flow ( 28 ) being adapted to attenuate a noise produced by said steam flow ( 22 ) flowing through the inner flow channel ( 14 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for attenuating noise produced by pipes transporting a flow of fluids, gases, particles or combinations thereof, the method comprising:
providing a pipe arrangement comprising an inner pipe and an outer pipe,
the inner pipe defining an internal inner flow channel which progresses in a direction coincident with the longitudinal axis of the inner pipe,
the outer pipe surrounding the inner pipe which progresses in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the inner pipe, thereby defining an outer flow channel between the two pipes,
wherein the outer flow channel is substantially parallel to the inner flow channel,
establishing a steam flow in and along the inner flow channel,
establishing a water flow in and along the outer flow channel, the water flow being adapted to attenuate a noise produced by the steam flow flowing through the inner flow channel, wherein the water flow in and along the outer flow channel is in a direction opposite to the water flow in the inner flow channel, and
streaming gas into the water flow to generate a stream of gas bubbles within the water flow.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the gas is constantly streamed into the water flow in and along the outer flow channel to generate a stream of gas bubbles which is equally distributed within the water flow.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising extracting at least a part of the gas from the outer flow channel to prevent pressure at least one of: build up of the water layer, expelling of the water layer, and any combination thereof.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising arranging the inner pipe coaxially to the outer pipe.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising establishing a vibration insulated connection between the two pipes using a vibration insulated mount.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the volume of the water flow in the outer pipe is comparatively large with respect to the volume of the steam flow in the inner pipe.

7. A pipe arrangement, comprising:
an inner pipe that defines in its inside an inner flow channel which progresses in a pipe direction of the inner pipe, and
an outer pipe that surrounds the inner pipe and progresses substantially parallel thereto, thereby defining an outer flow channel between the inner pipe and outer pipe, the outer flow channel being substantially parallel to the inner flow channel,
the inner pipe having a steam inlet and a steam outlet for streaming in and out steam to establish a steam flow in and along the inner flow channel from the steam inlet to the steam outlet, the outer pipe.
the outer pipe having a water inlet and a water outlet for streaming in and out water to establish a water flow in and along the outer flow channel from the water inlet to the water outlet, wherein the water flow in and along the outer flow channel is in a direction opposite to the water flow in the inner flow channel,
wherein the water flow is adapted to attenuate a noise produced by the steam flow flowing through the inner flow channel,
the outer pipe further having a gas inlet for streaming gas into the water flow to generate a stream of gas bubbles within the water flow.

8. A pipe arrangement as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the outer pipe comprises an extraction conduit for extracting at least a part of the gas from the outer flow channel to prevent pressure build up and deterioration of the insulation properties of the water layer.

9. A pipe arrangement as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the inner pipe is coaxial to the outer pipe.

10. A pipe arrangement as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising a support structure connecting the inner and the outer pipe to each other via an insulation element for establishing a vibration insulated connection between the two pipes.

11. A pipe arrangement as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the diameter of the outer pipe is comparatively large with respect to the diameter of the inner pipe.

12. A system for attenuating noise produced by pipes transporting a flow of fluids, gases, particles or combinations of any of those, comprising:
a generator of an energy plant, adapted to receive water and to transform the water into steam,
a heat exchanger, adapted to receive steam output from the generator and to transform the steam into water, and
a pipe arrangement comprising:
an inner pipe comprising an inner flow channel which progresses in a linear direction coincident with a longitudional axis of the inner pipe, and
an outer pipe surrounding the inner pipe and progressing in a direction substantially parallel to the inner pipe, thereby defining an outer flow channel between the inner and outer pipe, the outer flow channel being substantially parallel to the inner flow channel,
the inner pipe further comprising a steam inlet for streaming in steam from the generator and a steam outlet for streaming out steam to the heat exchanger to establish a steam flow in and along the inner flow channel in a direction from the generator towards the heat exchanger,
the outer pipe further comprising a water inlet for streaming in water from the heat exchanger and a water outlet for streaming out water to the generator to establish a water flow in and along the outer flow channel in a direction from the heat exchanger to the generator, wherein the water flow in and along the outer flow channel is in a direction opposite to the water flow in the inner flow channel, the water flow being adapted to attenuate a noise produced by the steam flow flowing through the inner flow channel.

13. The system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the gas is constantly streamed into the water flow in and along the outer flow channel to generate a stream of gas bubbles which is equally distributed within the water flow.

14. The system as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising a conduit arranged to extract at least a part of the gas from the outer flow channel to prevent pressure at least one of: build-up of the water layer, expelling of the water layer and any combination thereof.

15. The system as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising arranging the inner pipe coaxially to the outer pipe.

16. The system as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising a vibration insulated connection arranged between the inner and outer pipes using a vibration insulated mount.

17. The system as claimed in claim 12 , where in the volume of the water flow in the outer pipe is comparatively large with respect to the volume of the steam flow in the inner pipe.

Assignees

• Geerlings Alexander Cornelis
• Sietsma Jan
• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Geerlings Alexander Cornelis
• Sietsma Jan

Classifications

• A01K97/02

  Devices for laying ground-bait, e.g. chum dispensers {, e.g. also for throwing ground-bait} · CPC title

• Y10T137/0318

  Processes · CPC title

• A01K97/01 Primary

  for ice-fishing {; Ice drilling, hook-setting or signalling devices} · CPC title

• F16L9/19 Primary

  Multi-channel pipes or pipe assemblies · CPC title