RU-2861625-C1 - PIPELINE ELECTRIC HEATING SYSTEM

Abstract

FIELD: oil and gas industry. SUBSTANCE: invention relates to electric heating systems used for flexible transport pipelines in the oil and gas industry, and can be used for collecting and transporting liquid and gaseous substances. A pipeline electric heating system comprises a flexible pipeline with a heating cable laid on the surface of the pipeline or in a embedded element, covered with thermal insulation material and connected by a power cable to a transformer, junction, power supply and end boxes, a system for monitoring and monitoring system parameters. Wherein the transformer has taps on the secondary winding with different voltage stages. EFFECT: increasing the manufacturability of the system, convenience and speed of installation of the system, as well as versatility of the electric heating system due to the ability to change the length of the pipeline and, accordingly, reusable use at different facilities. 11 cl, 1 dwg, 4 tbl

Inventors

• STRUPINSKII MIKHAIL LEONIDOVICH

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20250602

Claims (11)

1. 1. An electric pipeline heating system comprising a flexible pipeline with at least one heating cable laid on the surface of the pipeline or in an embedded element, covered with heat-insulating material and connected by a power cable to a transformer having taps on the secondary winding with different voltage steps, at least one service, supply and end box, a system for controlling and monitoring the system parameters, wherein the flexible pipeline is designed with the possibility of being transported in a coiled form, the step of voltage steps on the taps of the secondary winding of the transformer for connecting the heating cable can be selected depending on the length of the pipeline and the required power for compensating for heat losses, the step is 100 V for a low-voltage system with a voltage in the range from 380 V to 990 V in a length range from 1700 m to 6400 m, the step is 1000 V for a high-voltage system with a voltage in the range from 1000 V to 8000 V in a length range from 4465 m to 42000 m.
2. 2. The system according to paragraph 1, in which the flexible pipeline is made of polymer, or rubber, or metal, or composite materials.
3. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the heating cable is resistive.
4. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the heating cable is self-regulating.
5. 5. The system according to paragraph 1, in which the embedded element is a cable channel placed on the outer surface of the pipeline under the thermal insulation material.
6. 6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the embedded element is a metal tube made of ferromagnetic material.
7. 7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the embedded element is a closed or open profile, preferably made of aluminum.
8. 8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system for monitoring and controlling parameters includes sensors for the temperature of the heating cable, pipeline and ambient air, connected to the control cabinet.
9. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein a single resistive heating cable is used, connected to a single-phase power supply system.
10. 10. The system of claim 1, which utilizes two resistive heating cables connected to a single-phase or two-phase power supply system.
11. 11. The system of claim 1, which uses three resistive heating cables connected to a three-phase power supply system in a star configuration.

Description

Scope of application This technical solution relates to electric heating systems used for flexible transport pipelines in the oil and gas industry and can be applied to the collection and transportation of liquid and gaseous substances. State of the art One of the main tasks for enterprises in the oil industry, as well as for other industries that use pipelines for transportation, is the heating and transportation of liquid, viscous and solidifying substances and petroleum products, especially fuel oils, bitumen, and tars. At low temperatures, the fluid transported in pipelines becomes viscous or completely solidifies, especially in sections where the flow remains static for some time. This can lead to increased power required to pump the fluid, as well as mechanical damage to the pipelines, accidents, and interruptions in the supply of water and other liquids. Thermal insulation alone may not be sufficient to prevent pipeline freezing. Therefore, heating pipelines with electric heating cables is widely used in many industries, ensuring the reliable transportation of liquid and gaseous media while maintaining their temperature at a specified level. The vast majority of pipelines, particularly oil pipelines, are made of steel. Steel pipes offer advantages such as high hydrodynamic properties, proven welding technology, and high permissible temperatures for transported fluids. However, they also have a number of significant drawbacks: poor corrosion protection exposes the pipe to environmental influences, and its rigidity creates difficulties during transportation and technological challenges during installation, including the installation of electric heating. To eliminate the shortcomings of fixed steel pipelines, flexible pipelines with an electric heating system are known from the prior art. A polymer-reinforced pipe with electrical heating is known [RU 2665776 C1, IPC F16L 9/12, published 04.09.2018]. The polymer-reinforced pipe consists of an inner polymer layer, which forms the base of the pipe, onto the outer surface of which a reinforcing layer is successively applied, an intermediate polymer sheath, a winding of insulated conductors having an additional outer sheath in the form of a sector of a ring, limited by the inner and outer radius of the conductor laying, and an outer polymer sheath, wherein the reinforcing layer is made of windings of metal or polymer tapes, polymer threads or metal wires. A flexible pipeline for transporting substances under pressure is known [RU 2034189 C1, IPC F16L 53/00, published 30.04.1995]. The pipeline includes an outer flexible tubular casing, a set of reinforcing fittings, an inner intermediate flexible casing, and heating means in the form of electrical conductors connected to an electrical power source. The closest analogue to the claimed invention is a pipeline with an electric heating system [RU 147579 U1, IPC F16L 9/00, published 11/10/2014], containing a flexible polymer-reinforced pipeline, along the entire length of which a heating element is installed, covered with a heat-insulating layer, enclosed in an outer shell. In existing technical solutions, the heating element of the electric heating system is installed during the polymer pipe production process, after which the system is delivered to the site and installed. Therefore, a disadvantage of such electric pipeline heating systems is their limited applicability due to the inability to change the length of the pipeline and, consequently, the heating cable during installation on-site or when reusing it at another site, as the power supply parameters change and a different transformer is required. Disclosure of invention The objective of the proposed technical solution is to create a universal mobile electric pipeline heating system, designed with the ability to change the pipeline length directly on site and to heat pipelines up to 45 km long from a single power supply point. The technical result is an increase in the technological effectiveness of the system, ease and speed of installation of the system, as well as the versatility of the electric heating system due to the ability to change the length of the heated pipeline. The claimed technical result is achieved through the use of the following set of essential features: a system for electric heating of pipelines, comprising a flexible pipeline with at least one heating cable laid on the surface of the pipeline or in an embedded element, covered with heat-insulating material, connected by a power cable to a transformer having taps on the secondary winding with different voltage levels, at least one service, supply and end box, a system for controlling and monitoring the system parameters. In specific embodiments, the flexible pipeline may be made of polymer, rubber, metal, or composite materials. The flexible pipeline with a heating cable secured under thermal insulation may be transported coiled on drums. The heating cable may be resistive or self-regu