EP0467635A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Thermally insulating compositions and a method of insulating pipeline bundles and pipeline riser caissons
Assignee: Land & Marine Engineering Ltd
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Filing: 1991-07-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-07-16
Abstract
Abstract A thermally insulating composition comprises an intimate mixture of a polar base fluid and a heteropolysaccharide, which is principally carbohydrate, comprising 2.8-7.5% (calculated as 0-acetyl) 0-acyl groups, 11.6-14.9% glucuronic acid, and the neutral sugars mannose, glucose and rhamnose in the approximate molar ratio 1:2:2 wherein the ratio of terminally linked rhamnose to 1,3 linked rhamnose is 1:2 and the glucose is primarily 1,3 linked. In the preferred composition the polar base fluid is monoethyleneglycol and the heteropolysaccharide is the Welan gum BIOZAN. Due to the gels good thermally insulating properties and rheology the gel finds particular use in a method of insulating pipeline bundles and pipeline riser caissons.
Inventors
- 👤 David Alexander Willis
- 👤 Donald Carmichael
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 11:32
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16L; F16L59/00; F16L59/02; F16L59/028; C; C08; C08K; C08K5/00; C08K5/04; C08K5/05; C08K5/06; E; E21; E21B; E21B17/00; E21B17/01; E21B36/00; E21B36/003
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
66 words
A composition characterised in that it comprises an intimate mixture of a polar base fluid and a heteropolysaccharide, which is principally carbohydrate, comprising 2.8-7.5% (calculated as 0-acetyl) 0-acyl groups, 11.6-14.9% glucuronic acid, and the neutral sugars mannose, glucose and rhamnose in the approximate molar ratio 1:2:2 wherein the ratio of terminally linked rhamnose to 1,3 linked rhamnose is 1:2 and the glucose is primarily 1,3 linked.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
19 words
A composition as claimed in claim 1 in which the polar base fluid is a polar organic base fluid.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A composition as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the polar base fluid is monoethyleneglycol.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A composition as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the heteropolysaccharide is a Welan gum.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A composition as claimed in claim 4 wherein the Welan gum is BIOZAN (Biozan is a registered Trademark of Merk & Co. Inc.)
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A composition as claimed in any of the preceding claims, which further comprises a chelating agent and/or a biocidal agent or a bistatic agent and/or a buffer to control pH.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A composition as claimed in claim 6 wherein the chelating agent is EDTA, the biocidal or biostatic agent is glutaraldehyde and the buffer to control pH is TRIS.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
72 words
A method of increasing the thermal insulating effect of a polar base fluid, the method comprising adding a heteropolysaccharide, which is principally carbohydrate, comprising 2.8-7.5% (calculated as 0-acetyl) 0-acyl groups, 11.6-14.9% glucuronic acid, and the neutral sugars mannose, glucose and rhamnose in the approximate molar ratio 1:2:2, wherein the ratio of terminally linked rhamnose to 1,4 linked rhamnose is 1:2 and the glucose is primarily 1,3 linked, to the polar base fluid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in claim 8 in which from 1 to 10 killograms of the heteropolysaccharide are added per metre cube of base fluid.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein from 4 to 7 killograms of heteropolychloride are added per metre cube of base fluid.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as claimed in claim 8, 9 or 10 in which the base fluid is monoethylene glycol or the heteropolysaccharide is BIOZAN (Biozan is a Registered Trademark of Merk & Co. Inc.).
Claim 12
Independent Claim
31 words
A method as claimed in any of claims 8 to 11 in which a chelating agent is also added in an amount in excess of 100mg per litre of base fluid.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
101 words
A method of insulating a fluid which is transported along a fluid conducting line housed within a carrier pipe, the method comprising pumping into a space formed between the outer surface of the conducting line and the inner surface of the carrier pipe, a mixture of a heteropolysaccharide, which is principally carbohydrate, comprising 2.8-7.5% (calculated an 0-acetyl) 0-acyl groups, 11.6-14.9% glucuronic acid, and the neutral sugars mannose, glucose and rhamnose in the approximate molar ratio 1:2:2, wherein the ratio of terminally linked rhamnose to 1,4 linked rhamnose is 1:2 and the glucose is primarily 1,3 linked, and a base polar liquid.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method as claimed in claim 13 in which the heteropolysaccharide and base polar liquid are mixed, and subjected to a shearing force sufficient to reduce the viscosity of the mixture by a degree sufficient to allow the mixture to be pumped into the space.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
80 words
A pipeline bundle comprising a first pipe located within a second pipe and defining a space therebetween said space being filled with a composition comprising a heteropolysacchardide, which is principally carbohydrate, comprising 2.8-7.5% (calculated as 0-acetyl) 0-acyl groups, 11.6-14.9% glucuronic acid, and the neutral sugars mannose, glucose and rhamnose in the approximate molar ratio 1:2:2, wherein the ratio of terminally linked rhamnose to 1,4 linked rhamnose a 1:2 and the glucose is primarily 1,3 linked and a polar base fluid.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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