TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a pipe compressing apparatus and application thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Pipes of PVC, steel, copper or other nature have been widely employed in industrial operations across the oil & gas, mining, aeronautical, agriculture, waste/waste water treatment and other disparate industries. The pipes are primarily used to distribute or convey a variety of substances including chemicals in liquid or gaseous forms. With the corrosive nature of the substances being carried and natural aging of the pipe work, overtime, pipes may crack, develop leaks or even burst under a sudden increase in pressure. Leakage or spillage of hazardous substances may bring detrimental environmental and financial consequences, as demonstrated in a recent example of an oil spill from the Montara oil rig in Timor Sea. Where a leak has developed in a pipe system, it is crucial to take immediate steps to identify the leak and repair the damaged pipe. However, with the complex pipe systems constructed at the site of a metal refinery or · an oil rig, for example, there are sections of the pipes that may be difficult to access or even be hidden underground or extending downwards into the ocean bed, thus making the task of identifying the leak near impossible. At times, automatically shutting down the flow in the damaged pipe may not be an available option, e.g. in a situation where the flow regulation system itself has failed or the regulation system simultaneously controls a number of pipes such that it is not possible to shut down the flow in the damaged pipe only. Therefore, it is necessary to have an external apparatus which could shut the flow in a pipe in any situation including emergency operations. The present invention attempts to overcome at least in part the aforementioned problems associated with a pipe leakage situation, and particularly shutting down the flow of the substance moving through the pipe. SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In accordance with a first aspect of' the present invention, there is provided a pipe compressing apparatus characterised by comprising:

a frame;

a slot disposed within the frame;

the slot being arranged in use to receive a pipe to be laterally compressed;

the slot having opposed members which are relatively moveable towards and away from one another; such that a pipe received in the slot is, in use, subject to compression as the opposed members are moved relatively together so as to reduce the internal configuration of the pipe and thereby reduce or shut down substance flow therethrough.

The opposed members may comprise two independently movable members or one stationary member and one movable member. In both instances, the opposed members are considered relatively moveable towards and away from one another.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the opposed members are bar members.

In' a more preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one of the opposed bar members has a rear face connected to drive means in the form of at least one hydraulic ram disposed between the frame and the respective opposed member.

In a further embodiment of the invention; at least one of the opposed bar members has an inner face with a tapered head having a rounded contact blade arranged to press into a pipe without cutting the pipe.

In another embodiment of the invention, the frame has opposing arms, and an operable and closable gate disposed in at least one of the arms.

In a preferred embodiment, the gate is disposed opposite to the slot, thereby enabling passage of the pipe through the gate and direct positioning of the pipe in the slot.

In a more preferred embodiment, the gate has control means operable to regulate opening and closing of the gate.

In yet a more preferred embodiment, the frame has means for engaging and thereby locking he gate in a closed position. In another embodiment of the invention, the frame has means to support the weight and guide the movement of the bar member.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the means to support the weight and guide the movement of the bar member comprises at least one sliding means. The pipe compressing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention may be automated and/or remotely controlled.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for compressing a pipe to reduce or shut down any substance flow in the pipe using a pipe compressing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the method comprising the steps of

locating the pipe in the slot arranged to receive the pipe; and

applying compression to the pipe.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pipe compressing apparatus in accordance with the present invention, for compressing a pipe;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a single pipe after having been compressed by the pipe compressing apparatus of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a combination pipe (i.e. a number of pipes inside one another) after having been compressed by the pipe compressing apparatus of Figure 1 ; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of a further embodiment of a pipe compressing apparatus according to the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1, there is provided a pipe compressing apparatus 10 in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention. The apparatus 10 comprises a rectangular frame 12 having opposing arms 14a and 14b extending lengthways, and opposing arms 16a and 16b defining the width of the rectangular frame 12.

Along a midsection of the elongate arm 14a, there is provided a gate 18. Opening and closing of the gate 18 is regulated via a control means 20 affixed to an outer surface 22 of the gate 18 and an outer surface 24 of the arm 14a (see Figure 1). The control means 20 may operate to swing the gate 18 open or closed via a pneumatic or hydraulic mechanism (e.g. the control means 20 may be a hydraulic cylinder). To ensure that the gate 18 would not swing open when not required, there are provided retractable pins 26 which are arranged to protrude out of an end surface 28 of the arm 14a to engage an end surface 30 of the gate 18. The end surface 30 may be provided with corresponding recesses arranged to engage with respective pins 26 so as to lock the gate 18 in the closed position thereof. Alternatively, the end surface 30 may be provided with one or more pins arranged to engage with corresponding recesses in the end surface 26. The pins 26 may also be operated by a pneumatic or hydraulic mechanism (not shown).

The pins 26 are preferably the ends of reinforcing steels incorporated in the frame 12 to strengthen the frame structure, thereby providing strength and stability to the pipe compressing apparatus 10, particularly when the apparatus is in use. The pins 26 may, however, be separate provisions from the reinforcing steels contained within the frame structure. The pipe compressing apparatus 10 as shown in Figure 1 comprises two parallel opposed bar members 32 defining a slot 34 (opposite the gate 18) for receiving a pipe 36. Each bar member 32 has an inner face having a tapered head 38 formed by upper and lower converging surfaces 40 meeting at an arched strip that is outwardly protruding forming a rounded contact blade 42 arranged to press into a pipe 36 without cutting the pipe 36 in use. A bar member 32 may also take other shapes or forms, but is preferably with a tapered head 38 having a rounded contact blade 42 as described hereinbefore.

In this embodiment, each bar member 32 is connected to the rectangular frame 12 via drive means in the form of three parallel hydraulic rams 44 that actuate a bar member 32. Movable rods 48 of each hydraulic ram 44 are connected to a rear face 46 of a respective bar member 32, whilst fixed cylinders 50 of the hydraulic rams 44 are secured to a respective arm, 16a or 16b, of the rectangular frame 12 (see Figure 1). The movable rods 48 of the hydraulic rams 44 may extend or retract to direct the movement of the respective bar 32 towards, or away from, the pipe 36.

Whilst other types of drive means or compression mechanisms (e.g. pneumatic, lever or thread mechanism) may also be used to actuate a bar member 32 and operate the pipe compressing apparatus 10, the hydraulic mechanism employed in the apparatus 10 is a preferred mechanism for driving the bar members 32 and compressing a pipe 36.

In this particular embodiment of the present invention, a symmetrical arrangement with two opposing bar members 32, each being driven by three parallel hydraulic rams · 44, is provided so that sufficient force may be applied from two opposing sides of the pipe 36 to compress evenly the pipe 36. In use, there is provided a method for compressing a pipe 36 to reduce or shut down any substance flow in the pipe 36 using a pipe compressing apparatus 10 according to the first aspect of the present invention.

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Firstly, the pipe compressing apparatus 10 may be located near a section of the pipe 36 that is to be compressed. The apparatus 10 is orientated in a manner such that the gate 18 is situated along an elongate arm 14a of the rectangular frame 12 which faces the pipe 36. The control means 20 may then be activated to open the gate 18, thus enabling passage of the pipe 36 through the gate 18 into the pipe compressing apparatus 10 to be received in the slot 34. Once the pipe 36 is confined in slot 34, the gate 18 may be closed and the pins 26 may be actuated to extend out of an end surface 28 of the arm 14a to engage the gate 18, thus locking the gate 18 in the closed position and securing the pipe 36 inside the frame 12.

At this point, the hydraulic rams 44 may be actuated to drive the bars 32 towards the pipe 36. Due to the design of the bars 32, the tapered heads 38, in particular the protruding contacting blades 42, would first come into contact with the pipe 36. Movement of the bars 32, as driven by the hydraulic cylinders 44, would press the blades 42 toward a central axis of the pipe 36, whilst the rounded design of the contacting blades 42 prevents the blades 42 cutting the pipe 36 in any way. Consequently, two sides of the pipe 36 impacted by the blades 42 would cave inwardly so that the pipe walls converge until they are closely adjacent one another or are in contact with one another and thereby reduce or shut down any substance flow through this section of the pipe 36. The pipe compressing apparatus 10 may be used to compress a single pipe as shown in Figure 2 or a combination pipe (which comprises a number of pipes telescopically arranged inside one another) as shown in Figure 3.

The pipe compressing apparatus 10 may be used on land, at height over land, over water or under water. For example, the pipe compressing apparatus 10 may be used on a mine site, an oil rig or even the ocean bed to shut down any substance flow in a pipe or pipe system. On a mine site, the pipe compressing apparatus 10 may be stored near, or as a part of, the pipe system. Before use, the apparatus 10 may be transported and/or set in position using manpower. If the apparatus 10 was used in a marine environment where it is not (conveniently) accessible by man, a robot or a remote controlled vehicle may be used to transport and position the apparatus 10 as desired. The pipe compressing apparatus 10 may be automated in a manner that opening of the gate 18 and actuation of the hydraulic rams 44 (and therefore the bars 32) may be remotely controlled.

The pipe compressing apparatus 10 may be manufactured from a variety of materials including cast iron, stainless steel, other metal alloys, concrete, wood or even plastics materials. Choice of the material depends on the size and hardness of the pipe 36 as well as pressure inside the pipe 36, which determines force required to compress such a pipe 36. Choice of the material also depends on the environment in which the pipe compressing apparatus 10 is to be operated (e.g. on land or in a corrosive marine environment). In an alternative embodiment, a pipe compressing apparatus 100 in accordance with the present invention may comprise a single bar 132 driven by a single hydraulic ram 144 as shown in Figure 4. To provide sufficient power to compress a pipe 136, the bar 132 and the hydraulic ram 144 may be of a substantial size and weight, thus requiring means to support their respective weights in order to maintain the bar 132 and the hydraulic ram 144 in an operational position. In this respect, two parallel weight support slides 152, sandwiching the bar 132, may be used as a means to support the weight and guide the horizontal movement of the bar 132 as shown in Figure 4. Each weight support slide 152 comprises a plastic strip 154 that is able to slide relative to a supporting base 156 or 157. In the instance of the base 157, a meter scale is provided on an exposed side of the base 157 so as to enable estimation of the distance required in respect of the movement of the bar 132 to yield the desired impact on the pipe 136. Also as shown in Figure 4, the heavy hydraulic ram 144 may be supported by a bracket 158, which may be mounted to an arm 114b of a rectangular frame 112 (for example).

Both a pipe compressing apparatus 10 or 100 may take a symmetrical arrangement, with two opposing bars 32 or 132, driven by opposing rams 44 or 144, compressing a pipe 36 or 136 sandwiched between the bars 32 or 132. Alternatively, a pipe compressing apparatus 10 or 100 may take an asymmetrical arrangement with only one bar 32 or 132 being driven, respectively, by the rams 44 or the single ram 144. In this instance, the slot for receiving the pipe 36 or 136 may be disposed between the single bar 32 or 132 and an opposing arm of the frame (e.g. arm 16a of frame 12) parallel and adjacent to the bar 32 or 132. The opposing arm of the frame therefore constitutes the second member of the opposed members or opposed bar members defining the slot of the present invention. In this instance, the opposing arm of the frame remains stationary whilst the bar 32 or 132 is movable towards or away from the opposing arm of the frame. Nevertheless, the single bar 32 or 132 and the opposing arm of the frame together constitute the opposed members or opposed bar members according to the first aspect of the present invention.

In other embodiments of a pipe compressing apparatus of the present invention, the number of rams, hydraulic cylinders or even the compression mechanism may be varied as required. A pipe compressing apparatus of the present invention preferably has reinforcing steels, or other types of reinforcements, incorporated in the frame structure or throughout the frame structure, to provide the strength and stability required when compressing a pipe, particularly a combination pipe as shown in Figure 3. It is evident from the above that a pipe compressing apparatus according to the present invention may be used to reduce or shut down any substance flow in a single pipe, a combination pipe or a pipe system under a normal or emergency situation. Where a pipe leakage may lead to a toxic, corrosive or even explosive environment, or the pipe system extends deep down towards the ocean bed, an automated and remotely controlled pipe compressing apparatus in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention may be sent in to reduce or shut down the substance flow in the pipe or pipe system, thus avoiding or reducing the risk of personnel injuries. In fact, the installation, operation and dissembling of a pipe compressing apparatus of the present ' invention can be all completed through remote control robotics already on the market. Alternatively, a pipe compressing apparatus of the present invention may remain in place, rather than having to be disassembled, after use.

Further, the compression mechanism (s) proposed for a pipe compressing apparatus according to the present invention benefits from a low risk of igniting any sparks or other fire hazards during operation.

Further still, a pipe or pipe system may be compressed at a single position or at multiple positions over various distances using the pipe compressing apparatus of the present invention.

Finally, modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.