APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MAINTENANCE OF A STRUCTURE CARRYING A FLUID

Abstract

A method and apparatus are for maintaining a structure for carrying a fluid. In addition, a method, apparatus and system are for detecting leakage from a structure carrying a fluid. The methods include: providing a jacket covering at least a portion of a structure carrying a fluid, the jacket forming a pocket between the jacket and the structure, the pocket having an inlet and an outlet; injecting a drive fluid into the pocket in a flow through the inlet; and moving a potentially harmful fluid in the pocket with the flow of injected drive fluid out of the pocket through the outlet. The method may further include detecting the potentially harmful fluid by use of a detector downstream of the pocket. The described apparatuses and/or the system may be for performing one or more of the methods.

Claims

1. A method of maintaining a structure for carrying a fluid, the method comprising the steps of: providing a jacket covering at least a portion of the structure, the jacket forming a pocket between the jacket and the structure, the pocket having an inlet and an outlet; injecting a drive fluid into the pocket in a flow through the inlet; and moving a potentially harmful fluid in the pocket with the flow of injected drive fluid out of the pocket through the outlet.

2. An apparatus for maintaining a structure for carrying a fluid, the apparatus comprising: a jacket for covering at least a portion of the structure and forming a pocket having an inlet and an outlet between the jacket and the structure; a fluid source for providing a drive fluid for injection into the pocket for driving a potentially harmful fluid in the pocket out of the pocket through the outlet; and a first tube for connecting the fluid source to the inlet for providing a path for the drive fluid to the pocket.

3. The method according to claim 1, the method comprising the step of: detecting the potentially harmful fluid by use of a detection means downstream of the outlet.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, the apparatus comprising: a detection means for detecting the potentially harmful fluid, the detection means for being placed downstream of the pocket in fluid communication with the pocket.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the jacket covers at least a part of the structure and forms a pocket between the jacket and the structure, the pocket having an inlet and an outlet and wherein the fluid source is in fluid communication with the pocket via a first tube.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the apparatus has the detection means and a second tube, wherein the detection means is in fluid communication with the pocket via the second tube.

7. A method of detecting a leakage, the method comprising the steps of: providing a jacket covering at least a portion of a structure carrying a fluid, the jacket forming a pocket between the jacket and the structure, the pocket having an inlet and an outlet; injecting a drive fluid into the pocket in a flow through the inlet; moving a leaked fluid in the pocket with the flow of injected drive fluid out of the pocket through the outlet; and detecting the leaked fluid by use of a detection means downstream of the outlet.

8. An apparatus for detecting a leakage, the apparatus comprising: a jacket covering at least a portion of a structure carrying a fluid, forming a pocket between the structure and the jacket and providing an inlet into the pocket and an outlet from the pocket; a fluid source for injecting a drive fluid into the pocket; a first tube connecting the fluid source to the inlet of the pocket for leading the drive fluid into the pocket; a second tube connected to the outlet of the pocket for leading the leaked fluid and the drive fluid out of the pocket; and a detection means for detecting the leaked fluid, the detection means being placed downstream of the pocket, in fluid communication with the pocket via the second tube and configured for detecting the leaked fluid, the apparatus being configured for providing a flow of drive fluid from the fluid source through the pocket for driving a leaked fluid from the pocket to the detection means for the detection means to detect the leaked fluid.

9. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the jacket comprises a gastight material and/or a thermal-protection material.

10. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus comprises a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the first tube for monitoring a fluid pressure in the first tube.

11. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the apparatus comprises a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the second tube for monitoring a fluid pressure in the second tube.

12. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus comprises a liquid-detection device arranged in the pocket for detecting a presence of a liquid in the pocket.

13. A detection system for detecting a leakage, the system comprising: a plurality of jackets each covering at least a portion of a structure carrying a fluid, forming a pocket between the structure and the jacket and providing an inlet into the pocket and an outlet from the pocket; a fluid source for injecting a drive fluid into each of the pockets; a plurality of first tubes connecting the fluid source to the inlet of each of the pockets for leading the drive fluid into each of the pockets; a plurality of second tubes for leading the leaked fluid and the drive fluid out of the plurality of pockets; and a number of detection means for detecting a leakage, the number of detection means being in fluid communication with the plurality of pockets via the plurality of second tubes and configured for detecting the leaked fluid, the system being configured for providing a flow of drive fluid from the fluid source through each of the pockets for driving a leaked fluid from any one of the pockets to at least one of the number of detection means for the detection means to detect the leaked fluid.

14. The detection system according to claim 13, wherein the system comprises a plurality of detection means for detecting a leaked fluid from one of the structures and a processor connected to the plurality of detection means, wherein each of the detection means of the plurality of detection means is connected to one pocket or one group of pockets, wherein the processor is configured for identifying into which pocket or group of pockets the leaked fluid has leaked by identifying which of the detection means of the plurality of detection means detects the leaked fluid.

15. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the jacket covers at least a part of the structure and forms a pocket between the jacket and the structure, the pocket having an inlet and an outlet and wherein the fluid source is in fluid communication with the pocket via a first tube.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0090] In the following is described an example of a preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0091] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an embodiment of the system according to the fifth aspect of the invention; and

[0092] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an embodiment of an apparatus according to the second aspect of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0093] Note that the drawings illustrates examples of the system according to the fifth aspect and the apparatus according to the second aspect of the invention. The drawings are schematic representations of the inventions, meant only to illustrate some features of the inventions.

[0094] FIG. 1 shows a system 1 for detection of a leakage from a structure 91, shown in this embodiment comprising two pipes 91. The system 1 is shown comprising two jackets 11 each circumferentially covering a part of one of the pipes 91, thereby forming two pockets 12. A fluid source 13 is connected to the pockets 12 through a first tube 14 having two branches 141, 142. The fluid source 13 in this embodiment of the invention is an air supply 13 for supplying a stream of air into and through the pockets 12.

[0095] The first tube 14 is here shown having an isolation valve 15 for opening or closing a flow path for the air supply 13 through the first tube 14. The first tube 14 in this embodiment also includes an air filter with a drain 16 and a pressure reduction valve 17 for regulating the pressure of the air from the air supply 13.

[0096] Furthermore, the first tube 14 is here shown having a pressure switch 18 for shutting off the air supply 13 if the pressure of the air in the first tube 14 reaches a certain threshold. In this embodiment, the first tube further includes a pressure transmitter 19 for monitoring the pressure in the first tube 14.

[0097] As mentioned, the first tube 14 in the shown embodiment branches into two branches 141, 142, each leading to one of the two pockets 12. Each branch 141, 142 comprises a pressure reduction valve 17, an analogue pressure transmitter 18 and a flow adjustment valve 20. Each branch 141, 142 also has a pneumatic valve 21 to enable switching between supplying air to a pocket 12 or to evacuating air to an outlet to exhaust, e.g. in case of maintenance.

[0098] The jackets 11 in the embodiment shown are made from gas-tight material and are applied to the pipes 91 so that the pockets 12 formed between the jackets 11 and the pipes 91 are gas-tight. The system 1 is configured to inject air into an inlet 22 of each pocket and for having gas, including said injected air, evacuate through an outlet 23 of each pocket.

[0099] The injected gas is an example of what has been called a “drive fluid” above. Other embodiments of the invention may use other fluids as drive fluids.

[0100] A leak of fluid from one of the two pipes 91 circumferentially covered by one of the two jackets 11 will be contained by the system 1. The leaked fluid will leak into a pocket 12 from which it will not be able to escape but through the outlet 23. The leaked fluid, due to a stream air from the air supply 13, will not be allowed to accumulate to create a big, concentrated cloud of gas, but will instead be evacuated through the outlet 23.

[0101] The system 1 further has a second tube 24 through which the leaked fluid and the air is evacuated. The second tube 24 includes a flow measurement device 25 and a flow adjustment valve 26, and a multi gas detector 27, and leads to an exhaust to safe zone.

[0102] The multi gas detector 27 enables detection of a presence of leaked fluid in the second tube 24. It is now shown in FIG. 1, but the gas detector 27 may be connected to a control unit and/or directly to an alarm device to facilitate for notification of detection. The gas detector may further, either directly or e.g. via a control unit, be connected to a valve or another means for stopping a flow of fluid in the pipe 91. The invention may enable substantially immediate detection of leakage, notification of leakage and/or a shut down of fluid flow through the pipe 91 that is leaking.

[0103] FIG. 2 shows a simple embodiment of the apparatus 100 according to second aspect of the invention. The apparatus 100 comprises a jacket 11 arranged around a portion of a pipe 91 and forming a pocket 12 between the jacket 11 and the pipe 91. The pocket 12 has an inlet 22 from which to have drive fluid injected into the pocket 12, and an outlet 23 through which a potential harmful fluid may escape from the pocket 12 with the drive fluid or be driven from the pocket 12 with the drive fluid. The apparatus 100 further comprises a fluid source 13 from which the drive fluid is provided, and a second tube 24 to lead the fluid or fluids escaping or being driven from the pocket 12 away from the pocket 12.

[0104] The apparatus 100 according to the second aspect of the invention may, in other embodiments, have any one or more of the features of the system 1, such as, but not limited to, e.g. the pressure reduction valve 17, the analogue pressure transmitter 18, the isolation valve 15, and/or the flow adjustment valve 26, and/or the multi gas detector 27.

[0105] The apparatus 100 may be very beneficial to maintain a structure 91 for carrying a fluid, by removing a potentially harmful fluid that if left in the pocket 12 could have caused the structure 91 e.g. to corrode or increased a risk for or caused an explosion that could have damaged or destroyed the structure 91. The apparatus 100 could also be used to remove or reduce a concentration of a fluid that could be hazardous e.g. for personnel, such as a poisonous fluid. With the addition of a detection means to detect a fluid being evacuated/driven from the pocket 12, the apparatus 100 could be an apparatus 100 akin to the apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the invention, capable of detecting a potentially harmful fluid from the structure 91.

[0106] It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. Use of the verb “comprise” and its conjugations does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those stated in a claim. The article “a” or “an” preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements.

[0107] Note that “fluid” as used herein is defined as including both gas and liquid.

[0108] The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.