Radial expansion of tubular members
An apparatus and method for coupling a tubular member to a preexisting structure.
1. An apparatus for coupling a tubular member to a preexisting structure, comprising:
a tubular support member comprising a fluid passage;
a tubular expansion cone coupled to an end of the support member;
a tubular member coupled to an end of the tubular expansion device;
a slip joint coupled to the tubular expansion cone;
an end plate coupled to the slip joint; and
a fluid chamber coupled to the fluid passage, the fluid chamber defined by the interior portion of the tubular member between the tubular expansion cone and the end plate.
2. An apparatus for radially expanding and plastically deforming a tubular member, comprising:
an expansion device adapted to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular member;
a gripping device adapted to prevent movement of the tubular member relative to the expansion device in one or more directions; and
a slip joint coupled between the expansion device and the gripping device adapted to permit movement of the expansion device relative to the gripping device.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the expansion device comprises:
a tubular expansion cone.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the gripping device comprises:
one or more slips.
5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the gripping device is adapted to permit movement of the tubular member relative to the expansion device in one or more other directions.
6. A method of radially expanding and plastically deforming a tubular member, comprising:
positioning an expansion device within a portion of the tubular member;
displacing the expansion device relative to the tubular member to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular member; and
preventing displacement of the tubular member in the direction of the displacement of the expansion device during the radial expansion and plastic deformation of the tubular member using an elastic element that is coupled to the expansion device.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein displacing the expansion device relative to the tubular member to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular member further comprises:
pressurizing and de-pressurizing an interior portion of the tubular member.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein pressurizing and de-pressurizing an interior portion of the tubular member comprises:
pressurizing and de-pressurizing the interior portion of a radially expanded and plastically deformed portion of the tubular member.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein displacing the expansion device relative to the tubular member to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular member further comprises:
fluidicly sealing an interior portion of the tubular member.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein fluidicly sealing an interior portion of the tubular member comprises:
fluidicly sealing the interior portion of a radially expanded and plastically deformed portion of the tubular member.
11. The method of claim 6 , wherein displacing the expansion device relative to the tubular member to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular member further comprises:
pressurizing a variable sized pressure chamber defined within the tubular member.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein pressurizing the variable sized pressure chamber defined within the tubular member comprises:
pressurizing a variable sized pressure chamber defined within the radially expanded and plastically deformed portion of the tubular member.
13. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
defining a pressure chamber within the tubular member.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the pressure chamber is movable relative to the tubular member.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the pressure chamber is expandable.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the pressure chamber is movable relative to the tubular member; and wherein the pressure chamber is expandable.
17. An apparatus for radially expanding and plastically deforming a tubular member comprising:
an expansion device adapted to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular member; and
an expandable pressure chamber defined within the tubular member operably coupled to the expansion device that is elastically coupled to an end of the expansion device.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the pressure chamber is movable relative to the tubular member.
19. An apparatus for radially expanding and plastically deforming a tubular member, comprising:
an expansion device adapted to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular member; and
a pressure chamber defined within the tubular member that is movable relative to the tubular member and elastically coupled to the expansion device.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the pressure chamber is expandable.
21. A system of radially expanding and plastically deforming a tubular member, comprising:
means for positioning an expansion device within a portion of the tubular member;
means for displacing the expansion device relative to the tubular member to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular member;
means for preventing displacement of the tubular member in the direction of the displacement of the expansion device during the radial expansion and plastic deformation of the tubular member.
22. The system of claim 21 , wherein means for displacing the expansion device relative to the tubular member to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular member further comprises:
means for pressurizing and de-pressurizing an interior portion of the tubular member.
23. The system of claim 22 , wherein means for pressurizing and de-pressurizing an interior portion of the tubular member comprises:
means for pressurizing and de-pressurizing the interior portion of a radially expanded and plastically deformed portion of the tubular member.
24. The system of claim 21 , wherein means for displacing the expansion device relative to the tubular member to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular member further comprises:
means for fluidicly sealing an interior portion of the tubular member.
25. The system of claim 24 , wherein means for fluidicly sealing an interior portion of the tubular member comprises:
means for fluidicly sealing the interior portion of a radially expanded and plastically deformed portion of the tubular member.
26. The system of claim 21 , wherein means for displacing the expansion device relative to the tubular member to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular member further comprises:
means for pressurizing a variable sized pressure chamber defined within the tubular member.
27. The system of claim 26 , wherein means for pressurizing the variable sized pressure chamber defined within the tubular member comprises:
means for pressurizing a variable sized pressure chamber defined within the radially expanded and plastically deformed portion of the tubular member.
28. The system of claim 21 , further comprising:
means for defining a pressure chamber within the tubular member.
29. The system of claim 28 , wherein the pressure chamber is movable relative to the tubular member.
30. The system of claim 28 , wherein the pressure chamber is expandable.
31. The system of claim 28 , wherein the pressure chamber is movable relative to the tubular member; and wherein the pressure chamber is expandable.
32. An apparatus for radially expanding and plastically deforming a tubular member, comprising:
an expansion device adapted to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular member;
a gripping device adapted to prevent movement of the tubular member relative to the expansion device in one or more directions; and
an elastic element coupled between the expansion device and the gripping device adapted to permit movement of the expansion device relative to the gripping device.
33. An apparatus for radially expanding and plastically deforming a tubular member, comprising:
an expansion device adapted to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular member; and
a resettable elastic pressure chamber operably coupled to the expansion device for displacing the expansion device relative to the tubular member in an axial direction.
34. A method of radially expanding and plastically deforming a tubular member, comprising:
positioning an expansion device within a portion of the tubular member;
displacing the expansion device in an axial direction relative to the tubular member to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular member;
preventing displacement of the tubular member in the direction of the displacement of the expansion device during the radial expansion and plastic deformation of the tubular member; and
repeatedly pressurizing and de-pressurizing an interior portion of the tubular member.
35. A system for radially expanding and plastically deforming a tubular member, comprising:
means for positioning an expansion device within a portion of the tubular member;
means for displacing the expansion device relative to the tubular member to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular member;
means for preventing displacement of the tubular member in the direction of the displacement of the expansion device during the radial expansion and plastic deformation of the tubular member; and
means for repeatedly pressurizing and de-pressurizing an interior portion of the tubular member.
36. A method of radially expanding and plastically deforming a tubular member, comprising:
positioning an expansion device within a portion of the tubular member;
displacing the expansion device relative to the tubular member to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular member;
preventing displacement of the tubular member in the direction of the displacement of the expansion device during the radial expansion and plastic deformation of the tubular member; and
defining a pressure chamber within the tubular member;
wherein the pressure chanter is movable relative to the tubular member in an axial direction.
37. A system for radially expanding and plastically deforming a tubular member, comprising:
means for positioning an expansion device within a portion of the tubular member;
means for displacing the expansion device relative to the tubular member to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular member;
means for preventing displacement of the tubular member in the direction of the displacement of the expansion device during the radial expansion and plastic deformation of the tubular member; and
means for defining a pressure chamber within the tubular member;
wherein the pressure chamber is movable relative to the tubular member in an axial direction.