Method for manufacturing continuous composite tube, apparatus for manufacturing continuous composite tube

Abstract

Method for manufacturing a continuous composite tube comprising translating a tube liner through a manufacturing station wherein the manufacturing station comprises a winding station and a consolidation station located at a distance downstream of the winding station; winding a composite tape on the tube liner at the winding station for forming a tape layer; consolidating the composite tape on the tube liner at a consolidation zone of the consolidation station by pressing and heating to the tape.

Claims

1. Method for manufacturing a thick walled multi-layer, spoolable, continuous composite tube comprising: providing a tube liner; translating a tube liner through a manufacturing station wherein the manufacturing station comprises a separate winding station and a separate consolidation station located at a distance downstream of the winding station; winding a composite tape on the tube liner or a previously wound and consolidated composite tape layer at the winding station for forming a tape layer; and consolidating the wound composite tape layer on the tube liner or a previously wound and consolidated composite tape layer at a consolidation zone of the consolidation station by applying external pressure by a force controlled pressure body in direct sliding contact with the composite tape layer, wherein the force controlled pressure body is a flexible pressure body flexible in both an axial and a circumferential direction to accommodate irregularities on the tube liner or a previously wound and consolidated composite tape layer, and applying heat to the tape layer of which at least the pressure is applied over an axial-circumferential consolidation area encompassing an axial length and encompassing a section of a circumference of the tube liner; and repeating the translating, winding and consolidating steps at the manufacturing station to form a thick walled multi-layer, spoolable continuous composite tube of a desired thickness.

2. Method according to claim 1, further comprising providing internal pressure to the tube liner during consolidation.

3. Method according to claim 1, further comprising heating the tape layer simultaneously and at the same location as pressing the tape layer.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein heating is provided by contact heating.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the axial-circumferential consolidation area is large enough to prevent damage to an unreinforced tube liner.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the flexible force controlled pressure body comprises multiple fingers each applied over a part of the axial length and a part of the section of the circumference of the tube liner.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the irregularities on the tube liner comprise the tube liner having an irregular shape.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the irregular shape is an oval cross-section.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the irregularities on the tube liner or a previously wound and consolidated on composite tape layer comprise the continuous composite tubing having diameter that increases with each application of a consolidated tap layer.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein multi-layer spoolable continuous composite tube comprises at least 40 layers of wound and consolidated composite tape.

11. Apparatus for manufacturing a thick walled multi-layer, spoolable, continuous composite tube wherein the apparatus comprises a manufacturing station arranged to allow translation of a tube liner there through, wherein the manufacturing station comprises a separate winding station for winding a composite tape on the tube liner for forming a tape layer and a separate consolidation station at a distance downstream of the winding station for consolidating the wound composite tape layer on the tube liner by applying external pressure by a force controlled pressure body, wherein the force controlled pressure body is a flexible pressure body flexible in an axial and a circumferential direction to accommodate irregularities on the tube liner or a previously wound and consolidated composite tape layer in direct sliding contact with the composite layer, and further configured to apply heat to the tape layer, wherein the pressure is applied over an axial-circumferential consolidation area comprising a an axial length and a section of a circumference of the tube liner, the apparatus further including at least one spool for receiving the tube liner upon application of a consolidated composite tape layer, the spool being operatively associated with the manufacturing station to feed the tube liner repeatedly to the manufacturing station to form a thick walled multi-layer, spoolable continuous composite tube of a desired thickness.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a heating device for heating the tape layer simultaneously and at the same location as pressing the tape layer.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the heating device is arranged for heating the pressure body for providing contact heating.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the axial-circumferential consolidation area is large enough to prevent damage to an unreinforced tube liner.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the flexible force controlled pressure body comprises multiple fingers each applied over a part of the axial length and a part of the section of the circumference of the tube liner.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the irregularities on the tube liner comprise the tube liner having an irregular shape.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the irregular shape is an oval cross-section.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein thick walled multi-layer spoolable continuous composite tube comprises at least 40 layers of wound and consolidated composite tape.

Description

(1) In the drawing:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a first embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a second embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 shows schematic representations of pressure bodies for use in an apparatus according to the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 shows schematic representations of flexible pressure bodies for use in an apparatus according to the invention;

(6) FIG. 5 shows schematic representations of heating devices for use in an apparatus according to the invention;

(7) FIG. 6 shows schematic representations of winding for use in an apparatus according to the invention; and

(8) FIG. 7 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a winding zone and a consolidation zone according to the invention.

(9) It is noted that the figures are only schematic representations of embodiments of the invention that are given by way of non-limiting example. In the figures, the same or corresponding parts are designated with the same reference numerals.

(10) FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an apparatus 1 according to the invention. The apparatus 1 for manufacturing a continuous composite tube comprises here a manufacturing station 2 and two reels 3, 4. A plastic, preferably thermoplastic, tube liner 5 is coiled onto the reel 3. During manufacturing of the composite tube 6, the tube liner 5 is translated through the manufacturing station 2 and coiled onto the reel 4. Thus a composite coiled tube 6 can be realized.

(11) The manufacturing station 2 comprises a winding station 7 and a consolidation station 8. At the winding station 7 a composite, preferably thermoplastic, tape 9 is laid over the tube liner 5 to form a tape layer 10a on the tube liner 5 at the winding zone 14. The tape 9 can be a fibre reinforced tape. The tape 9 can be laid in paths 10 approximately next to each other. A small gap 9a between the tape paths 10 is acceptable or a small overlap between the tape paths 10 is acceptable. In FIG. 1 the gap 9a is exaggerated. The gap or overlap is small with respect to the width of the tape path 10. Ideally, the tape paths 10 abut against each other. By providing a force controlled pressure body, such a gap and/or overlap may be more easily accommodated.

(12) Examples of winding of the tape 9 onto the tube liner 5 are given in FIG. 5. FIG. 6a shows winding with a concentric fibre reel. FIG. 6b shows winding with rotating winding heads. FIG. 6c shows winding with fixed winding heads in which the tube is translating and rotating. FIG. 6d shows braiding the tape onto the tube liner and FIG. 6e shows winding the tape by translating the winding head and rotating the tube liner.

(13) Downstream of the winding station 7, the consolidation station 8 is positioned. At the consolidation station 8, the tape 9 is consolidated on the tube liner 5 by pressing, heating and optionally cooling, as shown in FIG. 2, of the tape 9 in the consolidation zone 13. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the consolidation zone 13 comprises the consolidation area 16, having a length L, for pressing the tape layer 10a. The pressure body 11 and the consolidation area 16 are here schematically drawn. It is clear that the pressure body 11 applies pressure over an axial length L of the tube liner 5 and over at least a part of the circumference of the tube liner 5, preferably over the complete circumference.

(14) Consolidation of the tape layer is done by applying pressure and heat to the tape layer 10a. The pressing and heating of the tape layer 10a is done here at the same place and at the same time at the consolidation area 16 so an optimal fusing of the tape layer 10a to the tube liner 5 can be obtained. By providing the consolidation of the tape layer 10a on the tube liner 5 at a distance downstream of the winding of the tape 9, a controlled process may be obtained.

(15) FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the invention, in which further a cooling zone 18 and a pre-heating zone 17 are provided. At the cooling zone 18 a cooling device 19 is arranged, and at the pre-heating zone 17 a pre-heating device 20 is arranged. First, there can be pre-heated to at least partly melting the tape 9 in the pre-heating zone 17, then pressure may be applied in combination with heat to fuse the tape 9 to the previous layer in the pressure zone 16. Thereafter, there may be cooled to freeze the fused tape in the cooling zone 18. Also, multiple consolidation zones may be provided e.g. in the same consolidation station or in multiple consolidation stations. Many variants are possible.

(16) Instead of the embodiment shown, the heating device 12 may be omitted and the pre-heating device may be replace by a heating device, so pressure and heat are applied for consolidation of the tape layer, albeit not at the same location.

(17) For consolidating the tape 9 onto the tube liner 5, a pressure body 11 and a heating device 12 is provided. In the examples shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the pressure body 11 is stationary with respect to the tube and/or the tube liner and/or the tape. The tube liner 5 is translating while the pressure body 11 is fixedly mounted and stationary with respect to the translating tube. Also, in the embodiments shown, the heating device 12 is stationary with respect to the tube and/or the tube liner and/or the tape. The pressure body 11 and the heating device 12 are arranged such that the pressure and the heat are applied over the consolidation area 16 of the tube liner 5 simultaneously at the same location. Advantageously, the pressure body 11 is arranged to provide pressure over a part of the circumference of the tube liner as well. Thus, over the consolidation area 16 of the tube liner 5 the tape layer 10a is consolidated to the tube liner 5.

(18) FIG. 3 gives multiple examples of pressure bodies 11 that can be used, FIG. 4 gives multiple examples of flexible pressure bodies that can be used.

(19) FIG. 7 shows that the consolidation takes place at a consolidation zone 13 at a distance downstream of a winding zone 14. At the winding zone 14, the tape is wound onto the tube liner 5, the point where the tape 9 contacts the tube liner 5 is usually referred to as the nip-point line 15. Decoupled from the winding of the tape 9, is the consolidation of the tape layer 10a that takes place at the consolidation zone 13 of the consolidation station 8. Consolidating the tape layer 10a onto the tube liner 5 by pressing and heating is done over an axial length L of the tube liner 5. Depending on the configuration of the pressure body 11, the consolidation zone extends over a circumferential section or over the complete circumference of the tube liner, such that the tape layer 10a is consolidated to the tube liner 5 over an area of the tube liner 5. FIG. 3a shows a pressure body that can be locally compressed, for example a rubber shoe, which can be for example positioned stationary with respect to the tape and/or the tube liner, and which can be in sliding contact with the tape and/or the tube liner. Also other pressure bodies may be positioned stationary. FIG. 3b shows to squeeze between a heated arbour and a die. FIG. 3c shows to heat and squeeze between a die and the tube liner. FIG. 3d shows to press by providing compressed air over an axial length of the tube liner 5. FIG. 3e shows to press by translating the tube liner 5 through a bath with compressed fluid. FIG. 3f shows to press by providing tension in a coiled belt around the tube liner 5.

(20) FIG. 4a shows providing pressure with a three point belt wrapped around the tube liner 5. FIG. 4b shows to provide pressure by rollers placed radially around the tube liner 5. FIG. 4c shows to press with a spring. FIG. 4d shows to press with a ring-shaped pressure device, while FIG. 4e shows a flexible shoe. Pressure bodies shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 can be in some embodiments be positioned stationary with respect to the tape and/or tube liner.

(21) The pressure is preferably applied over an axial length of the tube liner and/or over a circumferential part of the tube liner, such that an area of the tube liner 5 is subject to the pressure to consolidate the tape layer 10a in that area. As can be seen for example in the devices of FIGS. 3b, 3c, 3e and 3f and FIG. 4. Advantageously, during pressing with the pressure device, the tube liner 5 is internally pressurized as well to minimize collapse of the tube liner 5.

(22) For consolidation, also heating is applied. The heating may be provided by a heating device 12 that may heat the tube liner directly, for example that the heating device 12 heats the tape and/or the tube liner, or indirectly, for example the heating device 12 heats the pressure body 11 which in turn heats the tape and/or tube liner. Heating devices may be positioned stationary with respect to the tape and/or the tube liner. Also, a heating device may be combined with a pressure device, e.g. a heated shoe that can apply pressure onto the tape and/or the tube liner.

(23) FIG. 5 shows some embodiments of a heating device 12 that may be applied. For example, FIG. 5a shows heating by a gas torch or hot air. FIG. 5b shows heating by using ultrasonic waves. FIG. 5c shows heating with infrared radiation. FIG. 5d shows heating by conduction (contact heating). FIG. 5e shows heating by induction. FIG. 5f shows microwave heating. FIG. 5g shows heating by laser. In an embodiment heating may be performed by generating an electric current in a resistance element. For active cooling for example methods shown in FIG. 4a and FIG. 4d can be used. With the method of FIG. 5a, cooled air is blown against the product, and with the method of FIG. 5d a cooled contact element is brought in contact with the pipe.

(24) The heating is preferably done over an axial length of the tube liner and/or over a circumferential part of the tube liner, similar to applying the pressure to provide for an optimal consolidation. Preferably, the heating is applied simultaneously with the pressing and at the same location. By heating the tube liner 5 and/or the tape 9, the fusing of the tape layer 10a to the tube liner 5 can be improved.

(25) Preferably, the tube liner 5 and/or the tape 9 are heated by contact heating, to increase the heat exchange to the tape and/or the tube liner and to improve the fusing between the tape 9 and the tube liner 5. Advantageously, the pressure body 11 itself is heated. By pressing the heated pressure body 11 onto the tape 9 and the tube liner 5, the tape 9 and the tube liner 5 are heated. In the same way, cooling can be realised.

(26) Manufacturing of the composite tube can be a continuous process, meaning that during translation of the tube liner 5 through the manufacturing station 2, the tape layer 10a is consolidated on the tube liner 5. During consolidation, the pressure body 11 is in contact with the tape 9 for pressing the tape 9 onto the tube liner 5. Preferably, the pressure body 11 is force controlled, which may result in a relatively even pressure distribution over the area, in particular when the pressure body 11 is in sliding contact with the tape layer 10a.

(27) A further tape layer may be wound onto the tube liner 5 on top of the tape layer already present on the tube liner 5. For example, a further manufacturing station may be provided downstream of the manufacturing station 2. Also, when the reel 3 is free of the tube liner 5 and the tube 6 is coiled onto the reel 4, the reels 3, 4 may be exchanged and the process can start anew. A further tape layer is then wound on top of the present tape layer when processing the tube liner 5 again through the manufacturing station 2. Many tape layers may be wound onto the tube liner 5, for example up to 40 tape layers or more may be wound. Preferably, each tape layer 10a is consolidated after being wound, and a further tape layer 10a is wound over a previously consolidated tape layer. Alternatively and/or additionally, a few tape layers may be wound on top of each other and may then be consolidated at once. However, the number of tape layers thus consolidated is limited, preferably six or less. This is contrary to the prior art where usually all tape layers are wound in advance and then consolidated at once.

(28) Many variants will be apparent to the person skilled in the art. All variants are understood to be comprised within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.