Patent Application
20210278176
The invention relates generally to systems and methods for containing projectiles dispersed from explosive blasts, high pressure releases, and, more particularly, to systems and methods for using blast control blankets to protect various environments.
In industries where equipment is operated under pressure or pressure testing may be necessary, it is common to build blast mitigation and protection systems to place equipment in while being pressure tested. In addition, there may be circumstances where equipment may be tested which may result in situations where flying objects of small to significant size and velocities up to 1000 feet per second or more are produced, thus also needing protection.
Similarly, in inherently dangerous industries where there is potential for dangerous explosions or blasts such as oil and gas exploration and production, blast mitigation and protection systems are commonly used to protect critical equipment from damage as well as to help mitigate serious bodily injury or death to operators and other employees who must perform duties in and around the well. Examples of such inherently dangerous situations are high pressure equipment located on offshore oil rigs and high pressure equipment utilized during the hydraulic fracturing process on onshore oil & gas well sites. During operation and pressure testing of such equipment, application of a blast mitigation system is necessary in the event an equipment failure or explosive incident occurs.
Further still, there is a general need for explosive or blast protection for equipment or structures in light of various dangers that could pose a threat to these critical assets. All of these scenarios share a need for protection from the highly dangerous situations created by explosive blasts and the ensuing fragments and projectiles.
In the past, various patents have issued relating to apparatuses and methods for providing blast protection or containment utilizing various forms of blankets, tarps and other protective structures. Typically, such apparatuses utilize a modular system comprising a series of panels that are joined together in various fashions to form a unitary blast control blanket suitably sized for providing adequate protection of a critical piece of equipment. However, it is known in the art that such modular systems either suffer from bulky, cumbersome, and frustratingly inconvenient methods for joining various panels together. Such connection methods detract from the overall portability of the protection system, as assembly and disassembly may be time consuming for an operator and is more prone to incorrect assembly.
Furthermore, such prior art modular protection systems typically suffer from substantially weakened protection at the connection points themselves, as the connections are inevitably the weakest portion of an assembled blast control system.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,491,847 to Abbott, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses an explosion cover which constitutes a protective pad adaptable to be secured to a vehicle. The pad includes an elongated sleeve enclosing a stack of flexible ballistic plastic textile material sheets. However, the cover described in Abbott is of a custom size and inconvenient in that the cover must be appropriately sized to the application to be used, and cannot be easily adapted to different size requirements without fabricating an entirely new cover from scratch. Furthermore, Abbott discloses the use of leather straps for extending from the pad for securing the pad to the equipment to be protected.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,870,256 to Mazzella, which is incorporated herein by reference, teaches a wire net structure for heavy-duty use which comprises a rectangular mesh of diagonally intersecting wire elements framed by a peripheral cable passing through a set of eyes on each side of the rectangle. Mazzella further teaches that the wire net structure may be used as a blasting mat, several of which may be joined together adjacent one another around a conduit in danger of rupture, the meshing wire elements sliding freely past one another. However, the wire net structure disclosed in Mazzella is heavy and cumbersome to join, while also failing to provide sufficient blast protection in that the wire mesh may easily be penetrated with ballistic matter. Further, the method of joining various wire panels together in Mazzella results in weaker blast protection at the points where the wire net structures are connected to one another.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,714 to Walker, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses an insulating tarp made from two membranes which sandwich an insulating material made from fiber glass. The tarp contains a seam structure around all four edges of the tarp which not only fastens the two membranes together, but also holds the highly resilient insulating material in position. At least two adjacent edges of the tarp include a flap that extends along the seam structure along each of the edges. The edges include grommets at regular intervals used to interconnect several of the tarps together. However, the connectors and anchoring system for the tarp disclosed in Walker are substantially weaker than the tarp itself, and thus would fail in the event the tarp of Walker was used to contain large, high energy projectiles.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,006,605, which is incorporated herein by reference, to Tunis discloses a composite armor panel system that has a strike face assembly and a support and containment assembly joined by a bonding layer. The strike face assembly is formed of a hard material layer, which may be comprised of discrete elements or tiles, and a fiber reinforcement bonded to an inner and/or outer surface of the hard material layer which are encapsulated in a matrix material. The tiles and other materials are essentially joined together via a bonding layer which joins the strike face assembly to the support and containment assembly, and includes a mesh embedded in an adhesive material that minimizes cracks through the bonding layer. Thus, the armor system and connection method of Tunis, while suitable for rigid ballistic and blast resistant applications, is not flexible and relatively expensive.
Furthermore, other presently available systems for blast testing generally comprise a concrete bunker or pit built specifically for that purpose. Under this scenario, a pit is typically built for explosive or blast testing purposes and lined with reinforced concrete or block walls with an energy absorbing internal wall made of a material such as wood or steel panels. These concrete bunkers provide excellent protection against blasts and other explosive forces to be tested. However, such testing systems typically take a substantial amount of time and effort to design, and an even greater amount of time and expense to build. For instance, building such a concrete bunker requires significant expenditures to purchase and transport the building materials, as well as a lengthy period of time to physically build the bunker. Furthermore, some large equipment to be tested or protected would require an extremely large enclosure to be adequately tested, and such enclosures typically do not exist as the amount of time and money necessary to support their construction renders them prohibitively expensive and impractical.
In other cases, there may be a need for pressure or explosive testing at a logistically inconvenient work site requiring sufficient blast protection systems to be first installed, such as on a drilling platform. In such instances, it not suitable to install a permanent test structure such as a concrete testing bunker. Rather, there is a need for a blast protection system that may be quickly setup in a cost effective manner that may still provide adequate blast protection for the facility and personnel on site.
Thus, it can be seen that current technologies for ballistic and blast protection systems either provide insufficient protection for large scale blasts and explosions, or are inappropriate, heavy, and cost prohibitive when the structure or equipment to be protected becomes large. In particular, previously known modular blast protection systems suffer from cumbersome connection methods that are not easily assembled and provide substandard protection at the connection points, typically the weakest points of any blast protection system.
What is therefore needed is a relatively inexpensive, easily constructed blast protection system that is modular, user friendly, and adaptable for use in different locations.
This invention relates in general to the field of blast control. In various embodiments, flexible barrier products, such as blast blankets and blast curtains, are utilized to provide protection in various environments. The blast control products may be utilized to provide protection from potential failure of, for example, high pressure equipment, in environments such as oil and gas applications, aviation, HVAC and other markets. In some embodiments, the flexible barrier products may be used to provide blast protection enclosures for equipment being pressure tested, whether being tested inside or in the field. A flexible, modular barrier system utilizes an integrated anchoring system allowing barriers to be utilized to segregate or isolate areas or items from one another with or without the use of rigid structure or support. A barrier may be connected back to itself, connected to additional barriers, connected to items to be isolated, or affixed to structure or support systems to form varying barriers and/ or enclosure configurations. The barrier system may consist of a blast control blanket and/ or other flexible material such as woven wire mesh and may be affixed to a support structure that may be modular, deployable, collapsible, retractable, consist of single or multiple sides and a top, suspended from overhead, utilize a rail system to allow barriers to be retracted horizontally or vertically, utilize hydraulic masts to extend the barrier system into position vertically or horizontally, and/or utilize an articulating handling system to move and deploy the barrier system.
In various embodiments, protective enclosures may be formed around items or objects by placing or wrapping one or more blast control blankets over the object and connecting the blast control blanket back to itself beneath the object, effectively creating a protective barrier between the object and adjacent areas and people and assets nearby. An example of such an embodiment is the use of blast control blankets to wrap frac iron, tubing, lines, valves, unions and various other equipment that is subject to high pressure and therefore poses a potential risk of failure, explosion and/or becoming launched.
In various embodiments blast control blankets may be manufactured into a cylindrical sleeve or tube configuration in order to be slid over items or objects and cinched or anchored at each end to be secured in place to create a protective barrier between the object and adjacent areas and people and assets nearby. Sleeve configurations may have one open end and one closed end, two open ends, or a combination of any number of open and/or closed ends.
In some embodiments blast control blankets may be manufactured into a removable wrap configuration to be situated around objects to form a three hundred-sixty degree enclosure. Such embodiments may be constructed with an integrated closure lacing system, such as, for example, becket lacing.
In various embodiments, structures and equipment may be provided to facilitate deployment of the flexible barrier products. In some embodiments, a partition frame barrier system is provided. In some embodiments, a modular test enclosure system is provided. In some embodiments, a deployable frac barrier system is provided.
In some embodiments, a trolley rail system may be utilized. The rail may be formed from modular aluminum extrusion with a tubular portion that the trolleys traverse. In some embodiments, the trolley rail system may be utilized to suspend flexible blast curtains therefrom. In some embodiments, the framework may include a square aluminum extrusion component, such as the Strongbac framework manufactured by Bomac, to enhance strength and span capabilities.
In some embodiments, blast control blankets may be manufactured into custom equipment covers tailored to be form fitting.
The above summary of the invention is not intended to represent each embodiment or every aspect of the present invention. Particular embodiments may include one, some, or none of the listed advantages.
A more complete understanding of the method and apparatus of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the following Detailed Description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings wherein:
The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for blast control. In various embodiments, flexible barrier products, such as blast blankets and blast curtains, are utilized to provide protection in various environments. In some embodiments, the barrier system may utilize blast control blankets and methods of securement, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,573,125 to Rossow et al., the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The barrier system may include a blast control blanket connected back to itself, connected to additional barriers or blankets, connected to structural components to be isolated, and/or affixed to a structure or support systems to form a barrier and/or enclosure configured to meet the physical requirements of the environment. The barrier system may consist of a blast control blanket and/or other flexible material such as woven wire mesh and may be affixed to a support structure that may be modular, deployable, collapsible, retractable, consist of single or multiple sides and a top, suspended from overhead, utilize a rail system to allow barriers to be retracted horizontally or vertically, utilize hydraulic masts to extend the barrier system into position vertically or horizontally, and/or utilize an articulating handling system to move and deploy the barrier system.
In some embodiments, a blast control blanket may be coupled to and/or suspended from a framework to provide blast protection. As can be seen, for example, in
In various embodiments, a torque lock procedure may be utilized to secure blankets together, such as, for example, as described in U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2016/0040962, which is hereby incorporated by reference. In a first step, two barriers are placed side-by-side either hanging or flat on the ground. A torque pin may be used to assist. The torque pin is positioned behind the perimeter cables to be joined. A second torque pin is then placed behind one cable and in front of the second cable. The second pin is then rotated so the tip rotates over and behind the second cable. After creating a twist in the cables, the second torque pin is placed back through the first slotted cable opening and slid into position so the first torque pin can be removed. One end of the pin is then inserted into the center slot of the torque panel and then the other end of the pin is inserted into the slot. Other systems and methods of securing one or more panels to each other and/or to a structure may be utilized.
In various methods of securing a blast control blanket, the blast control blanket may be affixed to a trolley, such as the trolley and rail system disclosed in Australian Patent Application No. AU 201126552, which is incorporated herein by reference. In some embodiments, a shackle may be utilized to couple the perimeter cable of a blast control blanket to a trolley affixed to a rail system. In some embodiments, a plurality of shackles may couple the blast control blanket to a rail system. In various embodiments, extension cables may be employed to ensure the blanket is disposed at the correct height, for example, to touch the ground and/or to facilitate anchoring the bottom edge of the blanket to the ground and/or a lower portion of the framework. In various embodiments, the framework may be a free standing framework that may, for example, be anchored to the ground or concrete floor. The framework and/or rail system may be anchored to a building or suspended from an overhead structure.
Referring now to
Referring now to
In various embodiments of a deployable barrier system, the deployable barrier system may be utilized, for example, where a relatively narrow space exists between two environments needing to be protected, such as in a hydraulic fracturing operation. For example, an engineered barrier may be placed between wellheads on multi-well fracs to allow work to safely continue on wells while an adjacent well is under pressure resulting in reduced non-productive time and enhanced safety. The system may be delivered utilizing a crane and placed where needed. In other embodiments, the system may include wheels and/or may be delivered using a forklift or other means.
In some embodiments, a modular test enclosure system may be provided that includes a framework around which blast control blankets may be secured. In some embodiments, a bottom surface may be open and a top surface may be open and/or covered with a blast control blanket. In some embodiments, the framework may be assembled around a device or area to be secured or the framework may be pre-built and then placed over the device or area to be secured. In some embodiments, a single blanket may be sized to wrap around the entire framework or multiple blankets may be utilized and secured to the framework and each other using, for example, the torque-lock procedure described below. While the enclosure may have a generally cubic shape, other embodiments may be rectangular, triangular, cylindrical, or other shape. The framework may be relatively lightweight and can be lifted from overhead via overhead crane or other means to be placed over items subject to high pressure or potential failure or blast. In alternative embodiments of a modular test enclosure system, one or more blast control blankets may be coupled to an upper framework. The upper framework may be suspended from above or may include legs to elevate the upper framework to a correct height. The upper framework may include a motor, crank, or other means of raising and lowering the side blankets. For example, guidewires may be coupled to the side blankets such that, when the guidewires are retracted, the blast control blankets are raised to provide ease of access to the area beneath the upper structure. In some embodiments, one or more surfaces of the enclosure may utilize blankets coupled to trolleys to allow the blankets to be opened and closed. In some embodiments, the sides of the enclosure may be collapsible to expand or reduce the protected area.
In alternative embodiments of a modular test enclosure system, an enclosure utilizing a blast control blanket may be deployed using an extendible arm. The extendible arm may include a vertical arm that can be raised and lowered and a lateral arm that can be rotated and extending to deploy the enclosure. When the enclosure is needed, the four arms may be extended to expand the perimeter of the enclosure and lower the blast control blankets. In other embodiments, the enclosure may be suspended from an upper structure. In some embodiments, extending the four arms may also cause the blankets to lower while, in other embodiments, the blankets may be raised and lowered independent of the four arms.
Referring now to
Referring now to
In various embodiments of the partition frame barrier system 500, two partitions may have a single blanket secured thereto or a blanket may be secured to each partition and then the blankets and/or frames may be secured to each other. Referring now to
The blast control systems described herein may be utilized to provide protection from potential failure of, for example, high pressure equipment, in environments such as oil and gas applications, aviation, HVAC, and other markets. For example, some embodiments of the flexible barrier systems may be used to provide blast protection enclosures for equipment being pressure tested, whether such tests are being conducted inside an enclosure or in the field. The flexible, modular barrier systems described herein may utilize an integrated anchoring system allowing barriers to be utilized to segregate or isolate areas or items from one another with or without the use of rigid structures or supports. Various embodiments of the blankets, structures, frameworks, trolleys, rails, attachments, and deployment systems described herein, including various modifications and combinations thereof, may be utilized to facilitate deployment of flexible barrier systems, partition frame barrier systems, modular test enclosure systems, and deployable barrier systems.
Although various embodiments of the method and apparatus of the present invention have been illustrated in the accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications, and substitutions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/818,384 filed Mar. 14, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62818384 | Mar 2019 | US |
