Apparatus and Method for Cooling an Outer Wall of Pipe

Abstract

A method of cooling an outer wall of polymer pipe is provided. The method includes extruding a layer of polymer onto a pipe to form an outer wall of pipe; conveying the pipe including the outer wall of pipe through an inner aperture of an annular air-cooler having an annular air manifold; and blowing pressurized air, at a temperature lower than a temperature of the outer wall of pipe, through the annular air manifold such that it contacts the outer wall of pipe and cools the outer wall of pipe at a rate that is a function of a pressure of the pressurized air and a difference between the temperature of the pressurized air and the temperature of the outer wall of pipe. An apparatus for cooling an outer wall of polymer pipe is also provided.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for cooling an outer wall of polymer pipe, the apparatus comprising:
 an annular air manifold having an outer diameter and an inner diameter, the inner diameter defining an inner aperture and a lane of the apparatus, a centerpoint of the inner aperture intersecting a pipe-conveying direction;   an air inlet disposed in fluid communication with the annular air manifold; and   an annular passageway defined by a first ring and a second ring, and disposed in fluid communication with the annular air manifold at the inner diameter;   wherein the first ring has a first frusto-conical face, the second ring has a second frusto-conical face, and the first and second frusto-conical faces are parallel to each other and disposed at an angle towards the pipe-conveying direction; and   wherein the apparatus is configured to convey air, at a temperature lower than a temperature of the outer wall of pipe, through the air inlet, around the annular air manifold, and through the annular passageway, so as to cool an outer wall of polymer pipe when the polymer pipe is translated through the inner aperture in the pipe conveying direction.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the air inlet is disposed in fluid communication with the annular air manifold at the outer diameter. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the air inlet is further disposed in fluid communication with an air supply. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the air supply is a pump. 
     
     
         14 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the annular passageway is disposed at an angle between 5 and 40 degrees from the plane of the apparatus. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the annular passageway is disposed at an angle of approximately 15 degrees from the plane of the apparatus. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is oriented relative to an outer pipe wall manufacturing apparatus such that the annular passageway is configured to direct air in a downstream direction of a pipe translated through the inner aperture. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the apparatus comprises a plurality of bearings, each bearing being configured to support a cooperating apparatus for pressing the outer wall of pipe against an inner wall of pipe. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is disposed downstream from a cross-head die configured to extrude the outer wall of pipe onto an inner wall of pipe. 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus for forming and cooling an outer wall of polymer onto a corrugated pipe, the apparatus comprising:
 a cross-head die configured to extrude an outer wall of polymer onto an inner wall of corrugated polymer pipe;   an annular air manifold positioned downstream from the cross-head die and having an outer diameter and an inner diameter, the inner diameter defining an inner aperture and a plane of the apparatus, a centerpoint of the inner aperture intersecting a pipe-conveying direction;   an air inlet disposed in fluid communication with the annular air manifold; and   an annular passageway defined by a first ring and a second ring, and disposed in fluid communication with the annular air manifold at the inner diameter;   wherein the first ring has a first frusto-conical face, the second ring has a second frusto-conical face, and the first and second frusto-conical faces are parallel to each other and disposed at an angle towards the pipe-conveying direction; and   wherein the apparatus is configured to convey air, at a temperature lower than a temperature of the outer wall of pipe, through the air inlet, around the annular air manifold, and through the annular passageway, so as to cool an outer wall of polymer pipe when the polymer pipe is translated through the inner aperture in the pipe conveying direction.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the air inlet is disposed in fluid communication with the annular air manifold at the outer diameter. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the air inlet is further disposed in fluid communication with an air supply. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the air supply is a pump. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the annular passageway is disposed at an angle between 5 and 40 degrees from the plane of the apparatus. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the annular passageway is disposed at an angle of approximately 15 degrees from the plane of the apparatus. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the annular passageway is configured to direct air in a downstream direction of a pipe translated through the inner aperture. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the apparatus comprises a plurality of bearings, each bearing being configured to support a cooperating apparatus for pressing the outer wall of pipe against an inner wall of pipe.