Technical field

The present invention refers to a safety device, particularly for containing leaks along damaged fluid pipes, both undersea and over land, and usable under specific operating conditions, for example in the event of the absence or failure to function of safety valves.

Background Art

Nowadays it is considered essential to be able to intervene on fluid pipes, for example oil pipelines, if and when damage is discovered to have occurred to the pipes, in order to prevent uncontrolled leaks of the fluid which, obviously, irreversibly compromise the environment.

The attempts that have been carried out to contain the leaks in damaged pipes, and typically in undersea pipes for the extraction of oil, have concentrated substantially on two types of solution. The first type of solution has been to offer devices constituted by a bell structure connected to an aspiration pipe and provided with fastening means, controlled remotely or for example by using robots, in order to be attached to the free end of the damaged pipe.

It has however appeared evident that, owing to the turbulence generated by the fluid leaking from the damaged pipe, it is substantially impossible to "fasten" the bell structure to the free end of the damaged pipe.

An alternative solution has been to attempt to fit around the free end of the damaged pipe an open cylindrical body, with respect to which a bulkhead for diverting the fluid and connected to an aspiration pipe is movable in a direction that is perpendicular to the flow.

In this case too, although fastening the cylindrical body to the damaged pipe is possible, there are major and very clear problems in managing the movement of the diversion bulkhead or bulkheads. Disclosure of the Invention

The aim of the present invention is to provide a safety device, particularly for containing leaks along fluid pipes that makes it possible to eliminate the above mentioned drawbacks.

Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a safety device, particularly for containing leaks along fluid pipes that is extremely flexible in use as well as being simple to make, using materials and elements that are easily sourced.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a safety device, particularly for containing leaks along fluid pipes, that is extremely versatile and easy to position and install, even in critical situations such as for example, undersea pipes laid at considerable depths.

This aim, as well as these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a safety device, particularly for containing leaks along fluid pipes according to what is specified in claim 1. Brief description of the drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of some preferred, but not exclusive, embodiments of a safety device, particularly for containing leaks along fluid pipes according to the present invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the safety device in the phase of approaching the damaged pipe;

Figure 2 is a view similar to the previous view in which the safety device is locked onto the damaged pipe and the closure body is in the closer position;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross-section of the safety device in the approach phase and with the closure body in the spaced position;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to the previous one with the locking means actuated and with the closure body in the spaced position;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to the previous one with the locking means actuated and with the closure body in the closer position;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane identified by the line VI- VI of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an enlarged-scale longitudinal cross-sectional view of the actuated locking means;

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a possible form of male/female coupling between two lateral walls of the base structure.

Ways of carrying out the Invention

In the embodiments that follow, individual characteristics shown in relation to specific examples may in reality be interchanged with other, different characteristics, existing in other embodiments.

Moreover, it should be noted that anything found to be already known during the process of obtaining the patent is understood not to be claimed and to be the subject of a disclaimer.

With reference to the figures, the present invention refers to a safety device, designated generally by the reference numeral 1 , particularly for containing leaks along fluid pipes.

The safety device 1 comprises a base structure 2 which forms at least one insertion opening 8 fittable around the free outflow end 3 a of a damaged fluid duct 3.

The base structure 2 is provided with means 5 for locking with respect to the duct 3, such locking means 5 being adapted, on command, to couple the base structure 2 to the duct 3.

The base structure 2 is connected to a closure body 4, which is movable on command, through relative movement means 6, with respect to the base structure 2 along a direction of mutual approach/spacing 103 in order to move between a closer position (shown in Figures 2 and 5) and a spaced position (shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4) and vice-versa. In more detail, in the closer position the base structure 2 cooperates with the closure body 4 in order to form a substantially closed containment chamber which accommodates the free outflow end 3a of the duct 3.

In the spaced position, on the other hand, the containment chamber formed between the base structure 2 and the closure body 4 is in the open condition.

Moreover, the containment chamber can be connected to at least one duct 4a, 2b for extracting the fluid that exits from the free outflow end 3 a.

Advantageously, the locking means 5 comprise clamping means which are supported by the base structure 2, which are adapted to move, on command, between an inactive condition (indicated by the dotted line in Figure 6), in which they allow the relative movement of the insertion opening 8 along the longitudinal direction of the duct 3, and an active condition in which they are clamped against the external surface of the duct 3 in order to couple the base structure 2 to the duct 3.

In more detail, the clamping means comprise at least one pair of clamping jaws 5a, which are arranged on opposite sides with respect to the duct 3 and are movable, on command, along respective sliding guides which run along a radial direction with respect to the duct 3.

Advisably, the clamping jaws 5a have a respective coupling zone 5b which is shaped in such a way as to complement the external surface of the duct 3.

According to a preferred embodiment shown in the cross-section view in Figure 7, the coupling zones 5b have a serrated profile along a direction that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the duct 3.

Such serrated profile is advantageously constituted by a sequence of inclined portions 5c, tapered along the length of the duct 3 in the direction of moving away from the free outflow end 3a, such inclined portions 5c being interrupted at intervals by substantially flat portions 5d in order to allow, following the clamping of the coupling zones 5b against the external surface of the duct 3, a better grip.

Advisably, first sealing means 5e are accommodated along the serrated profile and are constituted, for example, by one or more sections of O-ring.

Advantageously, second sealing means 5f can be provided which act between the abutting portions of the clamping jaws 5a arranged outside the coupling zones 5b.

Advisably, it is possible to provide third sealing means 5g which are designed to act, when the locking means 5 are brought into the active condition, between such locking means, and specifically between the surface of the clamping jaws 5a turned towards the insertion opening 8, and the base structure 2.

For the purposes of example, the third sealing means 5g can be implemented by an annular sealing body which extends around the insertion opening 8 and inside the base structure 2 and is designed to press, when the locking means 5 are brought into the active condition, against the surface of the clamping jaws 5a turned towards the insertion opening 8, and the base structure 2.

The presence of the sealing means makes it possible to hermetically close the containment chamber so as to prevent the fluid exiting from the free outflow end 3 a from leaking from the annular surface formed between the insertion opening 8 and the external surface of the duct 3.

The locking means comprise, moreover, first actuation means, constituted typically by first hydraulic pistons, which are adapted to command the movement of the clamping jaws 5a along a direction of thrust, indicated for the purposes of example by the arrows 102 in Figure 4, possibly along a respective sliding guide 15.

The sliding guides 15 can be constituted by lateral guides 15a and/or by an upper guide so as to allow an exact and effective sliding of the clamping jaws 5a and so obtaining, at the same time, a stiffening of the base structure 2.

The use of hydraulic pistons to command the movement of the locking means 5 from the inactive condition to the active condition makes it possible to execute the clamping operations of the clamping jaws 5a against the external surface of the duct 3 with extreme rapidity.

However, in order to ensure the clamping of the clamping jaws 5a against the outside surface of the duct 3 over time, locking means are provided in the active condition of the clamping jaws 5a.

Such locking means can be constituted, for example, by locking devices provided with screw/female screw couplings which act between the base structure 2 and the clamping jaws 5a.

According to a preferred embodiment shown in the figures, the base structure 2 comprises a footing 11 from which a plurality of lateral containment walls 12 rise.

In this specific case, the direction of mutual approach/spacing 103 runs substantially perpendicular to the plane upon which the footing 11 lies.

The base structure 2 can have an upper element 13 extending from the lateral containment walls 12 and lying on a plane that is substantially parallel to the footing 11.

The upper element 13 forms an opening 13a, which is adapted to allow the exit of the fluid from the containment chamber when the closure body 4 is in the spaced position.

Advisably, the closure body 4 comprises a frustoconical structure (or, more generally, a structure with a tapered progression along the direction of moving away from the base structure 2), which is connected, at its base, to a flanged element 4b and, on the other side, to a first extraction duct 4a.

Advisably, along the extraction duct 4b a respective closing valve 4d can be provided.

Advantageously, the relative movement means 6 comprise a plurality of second hydraulic pistons 7, for example four or six and angularly spaced apart with respect to the longitudinal axis of the closure body 4, which have, respectively, a footing that is jointly connected with the base structure and a stem which is connected to the closure body 4.

Advantageously, each stem passes through a respective engagement slot formed on the upper element 13.

The second hydraulic pistons 7, similarly to the first hydraulic pistons, have a respective body for fixing to the base structure 2, which, advisably, has a flange which can be anchored to the external surface of the base structure 2.

According to a preferred embodiment, the lateral containment walls

12 form at least one through duct which leads into a respective valve 2a which is connected, in output, to second extraction ducts 2b.

The flanged element 4b has a plurality of through fixing holes 4c, advisably mutually angularly spaced apart with respect to the longitudinal axis of the closure body 4, which are arranged, when the closure body 4 is brought into the closer position, so as to correspond to respective stud bolt elements 4f which are jointly connected with the upper element 13.

In order to stably keep the closure body 4 in the closer position with respect to the footing 11 so as to close the containment chamber, respective nuts 4e are provided for fixing the flanged element 4b to the upper element 13, such fixing nuts 4e being designed to engage with the respective stud bolt elements 4f, so stably locking the closure body 4 to the base structure 2.

Also between the base structure 2, and specifically between the upper element 13, and the flanged element 4b an annular sealing device can be provided to make the containment chamber hermetic.

As shown in Figure 8, the base structure 2 is made from a plurality of slab-shaped bodies which can be, advantageously, mutually connected by means of male/female couplings 12a and, therefore, locked by means of threaded connecting elements 12b.

In this way the base structure 2 can be obtained without the need for using welds which could render its use at determined depths problematic.

The use of a safety device 1 according to the invention follows naturally from the foregoing description.

In particular, when using the safety device 1 to block the exit of fluids (for example oil) from damaged undersea pipes, the base structure 2, with which the closure body 4 is associated in the spaced position, is allowed to fall to the required depth by means of cables 10.

The fall of the base structure 2 is carried out by guiding the base structure 2 along a direction, indicated in Figure 3 with the arrows 102, which is, in its final portion, substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 100 of the free outflow end 3 a of the duct 3, so as to bring the insertion opening 8 to fit around the outflow end 3 a of the duct 3.

In this regard, attention is drawn to the fact that in the embodiment described and illustrated the insertion opening 8 is formed on the footing 11 of the base structure 2, but there is nothing to prevent its being provided on one of the lateral walls 12. This solution could be advantageous if the outflow end 3 a is lying on a substantially horizontal plane.

Once the outflow end 3 a is fitted around the insertion opening 8, the locking means 5 are commanded, for example by actuating the first pistons which implement the first actuator means, so as to bring the clamping jaws 5a, suitably guided inside respective guides 15, to press against the external surface of the duct 3 in order to couple the base structure 2 to the duct 3.

To ensure the locking of the base structure 2 onto the duct 3 over time, the locking means constituted, for example, by locking devices provided with screw/female screw couplings which act between the base structure 2 and the clamping jaws 5a, are then engaged.

At this point, by actuating the second pistons 7 the closure body 4 is made to approach the base structure 2 along the direction of mutual approach/spacing 103 in order to form the substantially closed containment chamber. During these operations, the extraction duct or ducts of the fluid exiting from the free outflow end 3 a must be kept open so as to prevent an excessive increase of the pressure inside the containment chamber.

Once the containment chamber has been closed, the flanged element 4b of the closure body 4 is then stably fixed to the base structure 2, for example by means of tightening nuts on the captive elements.

Owing to the sealing means, the containment chamber is closed substantially hermetically and, consequently, the fluid exiting from the free outflow end 3 a is evacuated from the containment chamber by means of the extraction ducts 4a, 2b.

It is also possible, by acting on special closing valves, to close all or part of the extraction ducts 4a, 2b.

All the characteristics of the invention, indicated in the foregoing as advantageous, advisable and so on, can also be missing or be substituted by equivalent characteristics.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.

So, for example, the base structure 2 can be associated, especially in the case where intervention is required proximate to the sea floor, with ballast adapted to keep it stably in position on the sea floor.

Moreover, elements for breaking up the flow can be positioned inside the closure body 4.

In practice it has been found that in all the embodiments the invention has fully achieved the intended aim and objects.

In practice the materials employed as well as the dimensions and the contingent shapes may be any, according to requirements.

Moreover all the details can be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. VR2010A000141 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in the claims are followed by reference signs and/or numerals, those reference signs and/or numerals have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs and/or numerals do not have any limiting effect on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs and/or numerals.