Pipe connector with annular communication

Abstract

A compression type pipe connector for joining a pipe segment to another node in a pipeline or another pipeline segment. The connector has pipe connector compression segments that are extricably and interlockingly connected to one another to form a fluid-tight seal therebetween. The pipe connector is configured to form an outer bore through which fluids transported, disposed or trapped within an annulus formed within a multi-layered flexible pipeline can flow through while providing a central bore through which hydrocarbons transported through the inner diameter of the pipeline can flow. The segments of the pipe connector are connected together via vertical and horizontal compression bolts to effect a fluid-tight seal between the connector segments.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A pipe connector comprising:
 a plurality of pipe compression connector segments configured to be disposed circumferentially around a pipe, wherein each pipe compression segment of the plurality of pipe compression segments comprises:
 a middle section having an inner surface configured to engage an outer surface of the pipe; and 
 a flange that extends out from the middle section; 
   an inner compression connector that forms a central bore through the pipe connector, wherein:
 the inner compression connector is configured to be disposed within a cavity defined by the plurality of pipe compression connector segments; and 
 an outer surface of the inner compression connector is configured to engage an inner surface of the pipe; and 
   a fastener configured to secure the flange of one pipe compression connector segment in the plurality of pipe compression connector segments to the flange of another pipe compression connector segment in the plurality of pipe compression connector segments to facilitate engaging the inner surface of each of the plurality of pipe compression connector segments with the outer surface of the pipe and engaging the outer surface of the inner compression connector with the inner surface of the pipe.   
     
     
         2 . The pipe connector of  claim 1 , comprising:
 another plurality of pipe compression connector segments configured to be disposed circumferentially around another pipe, wherein:
 each pipe compression segment of the other plurality of pipe compression segments comprises:
 another middle section having another inner surface configured to engage another outer surface of the other pipe; and 
 another flange that extends out from the other middle section; 
 
 the inner compression connector is configured to be disposed within another cavity defined by the other plurality of pipe compression connector segments; and 
 the outer surface of the inner compression connector is configured to engage another inner surface of the other pipe; and 
   another fastener configured to secure the other flange of one pipe compression connector segment in the other plurality of pipe compression connector segments to the other flange of another pipe compression connector segment in the other plurality of pipe compression connector segments to facilitate engaging the other inner surface of each of the other plurality of pipe compression connector segments with the other outer surface of the other pipe and engaging the outer surface of the inner compression connector with the other inner surface of the other pipe.   
     
     
         3 . The pipe connector of  claim 2 , wherein:
 a pipe compression connector segment in the plurality of pipe compression connector segments comprises a middle flange; and   another pipe compression connector segment in the other plurality of pipe compression connector segment comprises another middle flange configured to be secured to the middle flange of the pipe compression connector to facilitate securing the plurality of pipe compression connector segments to the other plurality of pipe compression connector segments.   
     
     
         4 . The pipe connector of  claim 3 , wherein the pipe connector is configured to enable fluid flow between a first fluid conduit defined in a first annulus of the pipe and a second fluid conduit define in a second annulus of the other pipe. 
     
     
         5 . The pipe connector of  claim 2 , wherein the inner compression connector comprises:
 a first inner compression connector component configured to be disposed within the cavity defined by the plurality of pipe compression connector segments to enable the first inner compression connector component to engage the inner surface of the pipe; and   a second inner compression connector component configured to be disposed within the other cavity defined by the other plurality of pipe compression connector segments to enable the second inner compression connector component to engage the other inner surface of the other pipe.   
     
     
         6 . The pipe connector of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the first inner compression connector component of the inner compression connector comprises a ledge; and   the second inner compression connector component of the inner compression connector comprises an extension configured to interlockingly engage the ledge on the first inner compression connector to facilitate forming a fluid-tight seal between the first inner compression connector component and the second inner compression connector component.   
     
     
         7 . The pipe connector of  claim 2 , wherein:
 each pipe compression connector segment of the plurality of pipe compression connector segments comprises a groove; and   each pipe compression connector segment of the other plurality of pipe compression connector segments comprises an extension configured to interlockingly engage the groove in a corresponding pipe compression connector segment of the plurality of pipe compression connector segments to facilitate forming a fluid-tight seal between the plurality of pipe compression connector segments and the other plurality of pipe compression connector segments.   
     
     
         8 . The pipe connector of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each flange of the plurality of pipe compression connector segments comprises a hole; and   the fastener comprises:
 a bolt configured to be inserted through the hole in a first pipe compression connector segment of the plurality of pipe connector segments and the hole in a second pipe compression connector segment of the plurality of pipe connector segments; and 
 a nut configured to be tightened on a threaded end of the bolt to facilitate compressing the first pipe compression connector segment and the second pipe compression connector segment toward one another. 
   
     
     
         9 . The pipe connector of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a first ledge formed circumferentially along the inner surface of the plurality of pipe compression connector segments; and   a second ledge formed circumferentially along the outer surface of the inner compression connector such that the second ledge opposes the first ledge, wherein the first ledge and the second ledge are configured to facilitate blocking insertion of the pipe into an outer bore defined between the inner surface of the plurality of pipe compression connector segments and the outer surface of the inner compression connector beyond a certain point.   
     
     
         10 . The pipe connector of  claim 9 , comprising a vent assurance ring configured to be disposed between the pipe and the first ledge and between the pipe and the second ledge to facilitate enabling fluid flow between a first fluid conduit defined in a first annulus of the pipe and a second fluid conduit defined in a second annulus of another pipe that is secured to the pipe connector, wherein the vent assurance ring comprises one or more holes. 
     
     
         11 . The pipe connector of  claim 1 , comprising:
 first serrations implemented circumferentially along the inner surface of the plurality of pipe compression connector segments; and   second serrations implemented circumferentially along the outer surface of the inner compression connector.   
     
     
         12 . A method of securing a pipe connector to a pipe, comprising:
 inserting an inner compression connector of the pipe connector into an inner bore of the pipe;   disposing a first pipe compression connector segment and a second pipe compression connector segment of the pipe connector circumferentially around the pipe to define an outer bore between an outer surface of the inner compression connector and inner surfaces of the first pipe compression connector segment and the second pipe compression connector segment; and   tightening a fastener of the pipe connector that is secured to a first flange of the first pipe compression connector segment and a second flange of the second pipe compression connector segment to facilitate engaging the inner surfaces of the first pipe compressions connector segment and the second pipe compression connector segment with an outer surface of the pipe and engaging an outer surface of the inner compression connector with an inner surface of the pipe.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising:
 inserting the inner compression connector of the pipe connector into another inner bore of another pipe;   disposing a third pipe compression connector segment and a fourth pipe compression connector segment circumferentially around the pipe to define another outer bore between the outer surface of the inner compression connector and other inner surfaces of the third pipe compression connector segment and the fourth pipe compression connector segment;   tightening another fastener of the pipe connector that is secured to a third flange of the third pipe compression connector segment and a fourth flange of the fourth pipe compression connector segment to facilitate engaging the other inner surfaces of the third pipe compression connector segment and the fourth pipe compression connector segment with another outer surface of the other pipe and engaging the outer surface of the inner compression connector with another inner surface of the other pipe; and   securing the first pipe compression connector segment and the second pipe compression connector segment to the third pipe compression connector segment and the fourth pipe compression connector segment to facilitate fluidly connecting a first fluid conduit defined in a first annulus of the pipe with a second fluid conduit defined in a second annulus of the other pipe.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein securing the first pipe compression connector segment and the second pipe compression connector segment to the third pipe compression connector segment and the fourth pipe compression connector segment comprises:
 interlocking a first a first groove formed in the first pipe compression connector segment with a first extension formed on the third pipe compression connector segment; and   interlocking a second groove formed in the second pipe compression connector segment with a second extension formed on the fourth pipe compression connector segment.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 inserting the inner compression connector into the inner bore of the pipe comprises inserting a first inner compression connector component of the inner compression connector into the inner bore of the pipe; and   inserting the inner compression connector into the other inner bore of the other pipe comprises inserting a second inner compression connector component of the inner compression connector into the other inner bore of the other pipe.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising securing the first inner compression connector component of the inner compression connector to the second inner compression connector component of the inner compression connector at least in part by interlocking a ledge formed in the first inner compression component with an extension formed on the second inner compression component. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein tightening the fastener of the pipe connector comprises:
 inserting a bolt through a first opening formed through the first flange of the first pipe compression connector segment and a second opening formed through the second flange of the second pipe compression connector segment; and   tightening a nut on a threaded end of the bolt.   
     
     
         18 . A pipe connector comprising:
 an inner compression connector configured to be disposed within a first bore of a first pipe and a second bore of a second pipe;   a first plurality of pipe compression connector segments configured to be disposed circumferentially around the first pipe, wherein the first plurality of pipe compression connector segments is configured to be tightened around the first pipe to facilitate engaging a first inner surface of the first plurality of pipe compression connector segments with a first outer surface of the first pipe and engaging an outer surface of the inner compression connector with a first inner surface of the first pipe; and   a second plurality of pipe compression connector segments configured to be disposed circumferentially around the second pipe, wherein:
 the second plurality of pipe compression connector segments is configured to be tightened around the second pipe to facilitate engaging a second inner surface of the second plurality of pipe compression connector segments with a second outer surface of the second pipe and engaging the outer surface of the inner compression connector with a second inner surface of the second pipe; and 
 the second plurality of pipe compression connector segments is configured to be secured to the first plurality of pipe compression connector segments to facilitate fluidly connecting a first fluid conduit defined in a first annulus of the first pipe with a second fluid conduit defined in a second annulus of the second pipe. 
   
     
     
         19 . The pipe connector of  claim 18 , wherein the inner compression connector comprises:
 a first inner compression connector component configured to be disposed within the first bore of the first pipe, wherein the first inner compression connector component comprises a ledge; and   a second inner compression connector component configured to be disposed within the second bore of the second pipe, wherein the second inner compression connector component comprises an extension configured to interlock with the ledge on the first inner compression connector component to facilitate securing the first inner compression connector component to the second inner compression connector component.   
     
     
         20 . The pipe connector of  claim 18 , wherein:
 each pipe compression connector in the first plurality of pipe compression connectors comprises a groove; and   each pipe compression connector in the second plurality of pipe compression connectors comprises a ledge configured to interlock with the groove in a corresponding pipe compression connector of the first plurality of pipe compression connectors to facilitate securing the second plurality of pipe compression connectors to the first plurality of pipe compression connectors.