A flexible tube including a sheath having a corrugated outer surface wherein a path of intersection of the corrugated outer surface with a plane passing through a center axis of the tube corresponds to a curve having undulations defining a number of hollow portions and rounded zones interconnecting adjacent hollow portions. The rounded zones have at each point an osculating circle having a center situated on a same side of the sheath and a non-infinite radius of curvature. At least one laterally rigid outer reinforcing element fills the hollow portions to a height such that it reaches at least to the rounded zones, and the reinforcing element is non-adhering to walls of the sheath.
The invention relates to a system for storing fluid under pressure comprising means for admitting fluid into and monitoring fluid in the system (15, Vr), several containers (2, 3, 4) having at least one inlet orifice (10) and transfer lines for said fluid (5, 6, 7), said lines connecting the inlet and monitoring means to at least one of the inlet orifices 10 of said containers. The inlet and monitoring means Vr are designed to allow simultaneously, during at least part of the filling, fluid to pass freely between said inlet and monitoring means and at least two containers. The containers are short, light, reinforced tubular structures. The device has an auxiliary container 43 that can store hydrocarbon coming from one of the containers.
The present invention describes a tank for fluids under pressure and the manufacturing process thereof. The tank consists of two bottoms (3, 4) separated by a corrugated cylindric zone (2), the corrugated cylindric zone being circumferentially armed, and of a longitudinal reinforcement (7) placed on the total outer structure of the tank which, while reproducing the bottom effect, allows to reduce the thickness of the bottoms and to lighten the tank. The process describes the manufacturing of a circumferentially and longitudinally armed tank.
A method for manufacturing a hollow structure suitable for example as reservoir for pressurized fluids, which structure is obtained by curving over a part of its length a corrugated tube provided circumferentially in the hollow of its waves with a hardenable fiber reinforced composition, then subjecting the tube thus curved over at least a part of its length to a treatment for hardening the hardenable composition. The tube may comprise longitudinal reinforcements (braid or layers of widely spaced helical wires), the ends of the tube being possibly equipped with systems for communicating with the outside or for sealing, the final shaping being followed by a treatment for hardening said composition. The winding of the tube may be carried out about a central core or drum.
A reinforced flexible corrugated tube comprising a plurality of corrugations and connecting members for connecting each of said corrugations for reinforcement of same, wherein the first pair and last pair of corrugations are each connected by at least one connecting member, and all other corrugations are connected by at least one first and at least one second connecting member, with the first connecting members being offset with respect to the second connecting members.
A high pressure subsea pipe, particularly for underwater use, has the ability to flex while being transported and installed. The pipe has a friction reinforcement structure made of overlapping layers increasing substantially the capacity of the pipe in longitudinal direction. The reinforcement layer may be a helical wrap, either cylindrical or conical, or conical sleeves nested within one another. An articulated carcass has turns of a helically wrapped main and ancillary wires, offering no axial slack in either tension or compression or in both directions while remaining flexible.
