ARRANGEMENT FOR ADJOINING A SUPPORT STRUCTURE TO A PIPE

Abstract

An arrangement for use in adjoining a support structure to a pipe that passes through the support structure. The arrangement comprises a mount attachable to the support structure. Radial bellows are connected to the mount. The bellows are arranged in use to extend circumferentially around a pipe and be connectable thereto such that a volume is defined by the bellows, mount and pipe.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising: a support structure; a pipe passing through the support structure, a mount connected to the support structure; and radial bellows connected to the mount and to the pipe, the bellows extending circumferentially around the pipe and being connected to the pipe such that a volume is defined by the bellows, mount and pipe.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein a resilient material is provided in the volume defined by the bellows, mount and pipe, and contacts each of the bellows, mount and pipe.

3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the resilient member comprises is silicone rubber.

4. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the resilient material is bonded to the bellows.

5. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of a surface of the mount that defines a surface of the volume is profiled to undulate.

6. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bellows are made from a metal.

7. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bellows are welded to the mount.

8. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bellows are welded to the pipe.

9. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mount is welded to the metal structure.

10. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bellows have a wall thickness, and lobe configuration selected so as to meet the stiffness requirements and damping requirements of the assembly.

11. An arrangement for use in adjoining a support structure to a pipe that passes through the support structure, the arrangement comprising: an annular mount attachable to the support structure; and radial bellows connectable to the mount, the bellows being arranged to define an annulus and be coaxial to the mount so that the bellows can circumscribe a pipe and be connected to the pipe so as to define a volume between the bellows, mount and pipe.

12. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein a resilient material is provided in the volume defined by the bellows, mount and pipe, and contacts each of the bellows, mount and pipe.

13. The arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the resilient member comprises silicone rubber.

14. The arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the resilient material is bonded to the bellows.

15. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein at least a portion of a surface of the mount that defines a surface of the volume is profiled to undulate.

16. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the bellows are made from a metal.

17. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the bellows are welded to the mount,

18. An assembly comprising: a support structure; a pipe passing through the support structure, a metallic mount welded to the support structure; radial metallic bellows welded to the mount and to the pipe, the bellows extending circumferentially around the pipe and being connected to the pipe such that a volume is defined by the bellows, mount and pipe; and a resilient material provided in the volume defined by the bellows, mount and pipe, the resilient material being bonded to the bellows and contacting each of the bellows, the pipe, and the mount.

19. The assembly according to claim 18, wherein the resilient member comprises silicone rubber.

20. The assembly according to claim 18, wherein the mount includes a surface with an undulating profile, and the resilient material contacts the surface of the mount with an undulating profile.

Description

[0028] Examples will now be described with reference to the following drawing in which;

[0029] FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view through one half of a metal structure connected to a pipe via an arrangement,

DETAILED DESCTIPTION

[0030] Referring to FIG. 1, a metal structure and pipe assembly is indicated generally at 10. The assembly includes a structure 12 connected to a pipe 14 via an arrangement 16. The arrangement 16 is arranged to provide a seal between the pipe and the metal structure so as to seal an air/fluid boundary. The pipe and the structure are metallic. Axis 18 indicates the centre line of the assembly.

[0031] The arrangement 16 includes a mount 20 and bellows 22. The bellows 22 are connected to the pipe 14 and the mount is connected to the metal structure 12. A resilient material 24, in this case rubber, is provided in a volume defined by the pipe, bellows and mount.

[0032] The bellows 22 are radial bellows provided circumferentially round the pipe 14. The bellows 22 connect to a radially outer surface of the pipe 14. In this example the bellows are connected to the pipe by welding the bellows to the pipe (in FIG. 1 welds are indicated by reference numeral 26). The bellows extend radially outwardly to the mount 20 and are connected to a radially inner surface of the mount, in the present example by welding. In this example the bellows are metallic bellows, e.g. stainless steel bellows.

[0033] The mount 20 circumferentially surrounds the pipe 14. The mount 20 can be considered to be a tube. In an at rest position, the mount is assembled to be substantially coaxial to the pipe. A flange 28 is provided at one end of the mount. The flange 28 extends both radially inward and radially outward, but it will be understood that the flange can take any suitable form. The mount is connected to the metal structure 12 by welding the flange to the metal structure.

[0034] An annular volume is defined by the pipe 14, bellows 22 and the mount 20. A surface 30 of the mount, i.e. a portion of the radially inner surface of the mount that defines a boundary of the annular volume, is profiled so as to undulate. As mentioned previously, a resilient material 24 is provided in the bellows. The undulating surface 30 of the mount can be defined as a surface of the mount that is adjacent and/or in contact with the resilient material. The undulating surface of the mount can accommodate deformation of the resilient material 24 which can contribute to noise attenuation.

[0035] The resilient material 24 should be selected to be able to withstand the temperatures expected in the operational environment. In this example the resilient material is silicone rubber. The resilient material is bonded to the radial bellows. The resilient material is fully enclosed by the pipe, bellows and mount, which means that the resilient material is protected from the operational environment.

[0036] The metallic radial bellows 22 can accommodate for thermal and shock movements.

[0037] Further, the use of radial bellows increases the surface area of a transmission path in contact with the resilient material 24 which can increase noise attenuation by strained layer damping, that is, a portion of the resilient material spaced from an area bonded to the bellows is relatively constrained. In addition, the portion of the resilient material that is away from the bonded areas reduces sound transmission from the pipe by deforming into the undulating surface of the mount 20.

[0038] Provision of the resilient material 24 between the metal structure 12 and the pipe 14 can improve noise performance. The resilient material is protected because it is fully enclosed by the mount 20, bellows 22 and pipe 14

[0039] The bellows 22 are arranged so that the welds are on the outside of arrangement 16, so that the assembly 10 is easier to manufacture.

[0040] It is possible to select the wall thickness of the bellows 22, the number of lobes of the bellows and/or the resilient material 24 used to meet the stiffness requirements of a given application, and/or to provide damping at targeted different frequencies without compromising sealing integrity.

[0041] The present disclosure has applicability to many different applications, for example in process plants and oil or gas platforms which contain accommodation blocks so noise attenuation is required for habitability and comfort reasons.

[0042] It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the examples above-described and various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the concepts described herein.