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Accelerated pipe freezing in non-circular sections

Accelerated pipe freezing in non-circular sections
Accelerated pipe freezing in non-circular sections
Pipe freezing is increasingly used in a range of industries to solve otherwise intractable pipe line maintenance and servicing problems. There is, however, a limit to the size of circular pipe that may be plugged using the technique. Ice, and most other fluids encountered in their frozen state, are poor thermal conductors that tend to insulate the fluid remaining in the core. For large diameters a closed plug cannot be formed no matter how much cooling is applied at the outer surface. Experiments have been conducted to investigate the advantages of freezing non-circular sections. It is shown that by reducing the distance between the fluid and cooled wall whilst at the same time maintaining the flow area of the pipe there is no limit to the nominal size of line that may be plugged by freezing. Significant advantages are gained when freezing all sizes of pipe. Strategically placed non-circular sections can eliminate the need for conventional valves and might find wide application in the hydrocarbon, utility and building services industries.
pipe freezing, non-circular sections, cold valve
0263-8762
467-473
Richardson, R.N.
972cc0b1-7c0b-4c43-8f2f-1b3f14d3fc5e
Bowen, R.J.
157b6e67-cea0-4f6d-9f19-df219af0a184
Sharman, A.
5cb98fb9-c4be-49bb-9835-fc51ea27f261
Richardson, R.N.
972cc0b1-7c0b-4c43-8f2f-1b3f14d3fc5e
Bowen, R.J.
157b6e67-cea0-4f6d-9f19-df219af0a184
Sharman, A.
5cb98fb9-c4be-49bb-9835-fc51ea27f261

Richardson, R.N., Bowen, R.J. and Sharman, A. (2003) Accelerated pipe freezing in non-circular sections. Chemical Engineering Research and Design, Transactions of the Institute of Chemical Engineers: Part A, 81 (A4), 467-473. (doi:10.1205/026387603765173727).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Pipe freezing is increasingly used in a range of industries to solve otherwise intractable pipe line maintenance and servicing problems. There is, however, a limit to the size of circular pipe that may be plugged using the technique. Ice, and most other fluids encountered in their frozen state, are poor thermal conductors that tend to insulate the fluid remaining in the core. For large diameters a closed plug cannot be formed no matter how much cooling is applied at the outer surface. Experiments have been conducted to investigate the advantages of freezing non-circular sections. It is shown that by reducing the distance between the fluid and cooled wall whilst at the same time maintaining the flow area of the pipe there is no limit to the nominal size of line that may be plugged by freezing. Significant advantages are gained when freezing all sizes of pipe. Strategically placed non-circular sections can eliminate the need for conventional valves and might find wide application in the hydrocarbon, utility and building services industries.

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More information

Published date: 2003
Keywords: pipe freezing, non-circular sections, cold valve
Organisations: Engineering Sciences

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 22350
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/22350
ISSN: 0263-8762
PURE UUID: 67fb191f-f234-4d51-889a-33216734e455

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 21 Mar 2006
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 06:37

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Contributors

Author: R.N. Richardson
Author: R.J. Bowen
Author: A. Sharman

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