Termination for segmented steel tube bundle

Abstract

A termination and anchorage for steel helical segmented steel tubing bundles includes a set of multiple separable anchor blocks to which the individual tubes in the bundle can be attached and a clamp assembly for securing and supporting the set of anchor blocks. Multiple comating annular arcuate outer anchor blocks for the outer tubes in the tubing bundle surround a central anchor block, for the center tube in the tubing bundle. The aggregation of anchor blocks is compactly assembled and held together by surrounding the assembled blocks with a separable clamp assembly.

1 . A subsea termination device for a helical tubing bundle comprising: 
 a) a center anchor block attached to a center tube of a tubing bundle;    b) a plurality of outer anchor blocks, each outer anchor block attached to an outer tube of the tubing bundle, wherein an interior surface of each outer anchor block is comateable with an outer surface of the center anchor block to form an anchor block assemblage; and    c) a ring clamp engageable around the anchor block assemblage to thereby rigidize the anchor block assemblage.    
   
   
       2 . The subsea termination device of  claim 1 , wherein the center anchor block is attached to the center tube by welding.  
   
   
       3 . The subsea termination device of  claim 1 , wherein the outer anchor blocks are attached to the outer tubes by welding.  
   
   
       4 . The subsea termination device of  claim 1 , wherein the ring clamp is a split clamp assembly having a first clamp half and a second clamp half cojoined by threaded fasteners.  
   
   
       5 . The subsea termination device of  claim 4 , wherein a flange on each outer anchor block is mounted on the first or second clamp half.  
   
   
       6 . The subsea termination device of  claim 1 , wherein each outer anchor block comprises: a transverse flange, a right circular partial cylindrical inner face, a symmetrically positioned right circular through hole, and a right circular partial cylindrical outer face.  
   
   
       7 . The subsea termination device of  claim 1 , wherein each outer anchor block is retained within two opposed transverse flanges of the center anchor block.  
   
   
       8 . The subsea termination device of  claim 5 , wherein the radius of the inner face of the outer anchor block has a substantially similar radius as an outer cylindrical surface of the center anchor block.  
   
   
       9 . The subsea termination device of  claim 1 , wherein an upper transverse face of the outer anchor block abuts a flange of the center anchor block.  
   
   
       10 . The subsea termination device of  claim 1 , further comprising a bend limiting assembly.  
   
   
       11 . The subsea termination device of  claim 10 , wherein the bend limiting assembly includes a lower socket, two mirror-image retainer halves, and a swivel head.  
   
   
       12 . The subsea termination device of  claim 1 , wherein the center anchor block and the outer anchor blocks have comating frustoconical surfaces.  
   
   
       13 . The subsea termination device of  claim 1 , wherein the outer anchor blocks constitute a segmented ring.  
   
   
       14 . The subsea termination device of  claim 1 , wherein the center anchor block and the outer anchor blocks have a radially outwardly extending transverse flange, wherein the flange of the center anchor block abuts a side of each of the outer anchor blocks and the flange of the outer anchor blocks engages the ring clamp.  
   
   
       15 . A termination device comprising: 
 a) a center anchor block having an outer surface of rotation, wherein the center anchor block is attached to a center tube of a tubing bundle;    b) a plurality of outer anchor blocks, each outer anchor block attached to an outer tube of the tubing bundle, wherein an interior surface of each outer anchor block is comateable with an outer surface of the center anchor block to form an anchor block assemblage;    c) a ring clamp engageable around the anchor block assemblage to thereby rigidize the anchor block assemblage; and    d) a retaining means for restraining the axial motion of the center and outer anchor blocks.    
   
   
       16 . The termination device of  claim 15 , wherein the retaining means includes a pair of opposed flanges on the inner and the outer anchor blocks.  
   
   
       17 . The termination device of  claim 15 , wherein the retaining means includes: 
 a) a pair of opposed center anchor block flanges, one flange extending radially outward from a first end of the center anchor block and a second flange extending radially outward from a second end of the center anchor block;    b) a pair of opposed outer anchor block flanges, one flange extending radially outward from a first end of each outer anchor block and a second flange extending radially outward from a second end of each outer anchor block;    c) the flange at the first end of the center anchor block abuts the first end of each of the outer anchor blocks;    d) the flanges at the first end of the outer anchor blocks abut a first side of the ring clamp;    e) the flange at the second end of the center anchor block abuts the second end of each of the outer anchor blocks; and    f) the flanges at the second end of the outer anchor blocks abut a second side of the ring clamp;    whereby the termination device permits the anchor block assemblage to resist axial motion in either direction.    
   
   
       18 . The termination device of  claim 15 , wherein the outer anchor blocks constitute a segmented ring.  
   
   
       19 . The termination device of  claim 15 , wherein 
 a) the outer surface of rotation of the center anchor block is frustroconical with a taper in a first direction;    b) the interior surface of each outer anchor block is frustroconical with a taper in the same direction as the frustroconical outer surface of the center anchor block and comateable with the outer surface of the center anchor block;    c) an exterior surface of each outer anchor block is frustroconical with a taper in the same direction as the frustroconical outer surface of the center anchor block; and    d) an inner face of the ring clamp is frustroconical with a taper in the same direction as the frustroconical outer surface of the center anchor block and comateable with the exterior surface of the outer anchor blocks, thereby permitting the anchor block assemblage to resist axial movement in the said taper direction.    
   
   
       20 . The termination device of  claim 15 , further comprising a bend limiting assembly.  
   
   
       21 . The termination device of  claim 20 , wherein the bend limiting assembly consists of: 
 a) a socket element having a frustrospherical internal cavity;    b) a ball element having: 
 i) a cylindrical neck supporting a coaxial frustrospherical external upset comateable with the internal cavity of said socket element;  
 ii) a coaxial through bore; and  
 iii) a transverse mounting surface with anchorages for the attachment of the ring clamp, whereby the ball element is rotatable in the socket element within limits imposed by the impingement of the cylindrical neck against the socket element.