Flexible pipeline

Abstract

A pipeline to transport a frozen medium is indicated which has an outer transversely to its longitudinal direction undulated limiting pipe, arranged inside are at least one metal pipe for guiding the frozen medium as well as a cooling pipe composed of metal for guiding a second frozen medium. In the limiting pipe hollow areas are available for evacuation. Fitted inside the limiting pipe are at least two transversely to their longitudinal direction undulated metal pipes for guiding the frozen medium, which are each surrounded by a thermal insulation. During the operation of the pipeline the frozen medium is led in different directions through both the metal pipes. Attached around both the metal pipes and the cooling pipe is a pipe shaped closed sleeve composed of a thermally good conductive material that is in contact with the cooling pipe.

Claims

1. Flexible pipeline for transporting a cold liquid or gas medium comprising: an outer limiting tube corrugated transversely to its longitudinal direction; two metal pipes inside said limiting tube, said two metal pipes corrugated transversely to said longitudinal direction, said metal pipes for guiding said cold liquid or gas medium; and a metal cooling pipe, also within said outer limiting tube for guiding a second cold liquid or gas medium, wherein said two metal pipes are each surrounded by a thermal insulation, wherein said two metal pipes and said metal cooling pipe are all directly abutting one another within said outer limiting tube, wherein said cold liquid or gas medium, during the operation of the pipeline is led in different directions, one direction through a first of said metal pipes and the other direction through a second of said metal pipes, wherein surrounding said at least two metal pipes and said metal cooling pipe is a closed sleeve composed of a conductive thermal material which is in contact with at least said metal cooling pipe.

2. Pipeline according to claim 1, wherein the closed sleeve is composed of copper or aluminum.

3. Pipeline according to claim 1, wherein the thermal insulation of the two metal pipes guiding the cold liquid or gas medium are composed of a plurality of bands or non-woven mesh arranged one over the other, of which each of said bands has at least a one sided or a two sided synthetic layer coated with metal.

4. Pipeline according to claim 1, wherein the closed sleeve is surrounded by a plurality of bands or non-woven mesh of which each has at least a one sided or a two sided synthetic layer coated with metal.

5. Pipeline according to claim 1, wherein the metal cooling pipe is corrugated transversely to a longitudinal direction of said metal cooling pipe.

6. Pipeline according to claim 1, wherein the at least two metal pipes and the metal cooling pipe can all have substantially the same outer diameter.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) An embodiment of the subject of the invention is illustrated in the drawings.

(2) In the drawings:

(3) FIG. 1 shows schematically an arrangement for conducting a frozen medium.

(4) FIG. 2 shows a cross section of a usable pipeline in the arrangement in FIG. 1, according to the invention.

(5) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the pipeline of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) Helium can be used, for example, as a transporting frozen medium and nitrogen as a second frozen medium for the operation of the pipeline. Advantageously, the helium can be contained in one of the pipelines at a temperature of 4.5 K, fed into thermally insulated metal pipes and circulated through the second thermally insulated metal pipe and guided back to the point of insertion. Advantageously the nitrogen is fed into the cooling pipe with a temperature of 80 K. Basically, also another cooling medium and also another temperature can be used. The cooling medium and their temperature will not be described in more detail in the following.

(7) When more than two undulated thermally insulated metal pipes are arranged in the pipeline, there can be, for example, four pipes available with two separate circulations of two different frozen mediums. Instead of helium, other mediums can be used, for example, hydrogen.

(8) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a transmission path for a frozen medium from a cooling plant, preferably a helium cooling plant 1, that is fed into a pipeline 2 attached to the same. The frozen medium is transferred through the pipeline 2 to a plant 3, which may be, for example, a larger cooling plant.

(9) The pipeline 2 has an outer limiting pipe 4 of metal, that is transversely of its longitudinal direction undulated and therefore easily bendable. In the center of the limiting pipe 4 are arranged two transversely to their longitudinal direction undulated metal pipes 5 and 6, which each are surrounded by a thermal insulation 7 or 8. Also, in the center of the pipeline is found as well a cooling pipe 9 composed of metal, that advantageously also can be undulated transversely to its longitudinal direction.

(10) All the described pipes 4, 5, 6, and 9 are preferably composed of high grade steel. They can advantageously all have approximately the same outer diameter.

(11) The three pipes 5, 6 and 9 are surrounded by the same sleeve 10 composed of a thermally good conductive material. They are preferably constructed of at least one band, that is twisted around the three pipes 5, 6 and 9. The sleeve 10 is composed advantageously out of copper or aluminum.

(12) The sleeve 10 is surrounded by a thermal insulation in the illustrated embodiment.

(13) For the thermal insulation 7 and 8 the two metal pipes 5 and 6 as well as 11 of the sleeve 10 the usual insulation material can be used. Advantageously also more bands layered on top of each other can be twisted around the metal pipes 5 and 6 as well as the sleeve 10, which are composed of a layer of synthetic material, on one side or both sides coated with metal. The synthetic material layer can, for example, be composed of polyethylene or out of a biaxially oriented polyester. For the metal, aluminum for example can be used.

(14) All the hollow spaces inside the limiting pipe 4 are evacuated.

(15) By the operation of the pipeline 2 for example, liquid helium from a helium cooling plant 1 is fed into the metal pipe 5 and transported to the plant 3. From the plant 3 gaseous, thus warm helium, is transported through the metal pipe 6 back to the helium cooling plant 1. Simultaneously, during the total operation, liquid nitrogen is in the cooling pipe 9. It will advantageously be moved through the same.