Flow conditioner for a fluid transport pipe

1. A flow conditioner for a fluid transport pipe, the conditioner comprising a substantially tubular main body forming a support, at least one flow rectifier comprised of a perforated plate disposed inside the main body essentially perpendicularly to its longitudinal axis XX′, and a porous plate disposed inside the main body upstream from the flow rectifier arid parallel thereto, wherein the elements of the conditioner are disposed in such a manner that a substantial fraction of the fluid flow passes through the flow rectifier and the porous plate in the absence of the porous plate becoming clogged, wherein the conditioner further includes a bypass circuit for ensuring continuity of fluid flow in the event of said porous plate becoming clogged, further comprising a stationary element and a moving element disposed inside the main body, the moving element being in contact with the stationary element in the absence of the porous plate becoming clogged, and being suitable for being moved in axial translation in a downstream direction relative to the stationary element so as to enable a bypass passage for the fluid in the event of said porous plate becoming clogged, means for holding the moving element in contact with the stationary element in the absence of the porous plate becoming clogged, and means for allowing the moving element to move in translation relative to the stationary element in the event of said porous plate becoming clogged, wherein the moving element is a support ring for supporting the porous plate, having an outside diameter smaller than an inside diameter of the main body, and the stationary element is a ring disposed inside the main body upstream from the porous plate, parallel thereto, and having an inside diameter smaller than the outside diameter of the moving ring.

2. A conditioner according to claim 1 , including means for producing a magnetic attraction force to hold the moving ring against the stationary ring.

3. A conditioner according to claim 2 , wherein the stationary ring includes at least one permanent magnet, and wherein the moving ring is essentially constituted by at least one ferromagnetic element.

4. A conditioner according to claim 3 , wherein the stationary ring has a plurality of permanent magnets of samarium-cobalt alloy regularly distributed around its entire circumference.

5. A conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein the moving ring includes at least one guide rod extending axially upstream and co-operating with a corresponding hole formed through the stationary ring so as to allow the moving ring to move in axial translation relative to the stationary ring.

6. A conditioner according to claim 5 , wherein each guide rod is provided with an adjustable abutment element for coming into abutment against an upstream face of the stationary ring.

7. A conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein the porous plate presents a thickness of about 10 mm and is made of a nickel-chromium alloy.

8. A conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein the distance between the flow rectifier and the porous plate in the absence of the porous plate becoming clogged lies in the range 5 mm to 25 mm, approximately.

9. A conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid is a gaseous fluid.

10. A flow conditioner for a fluid transport pipe, the conditioner comprising a substantially tubular main body forming a support, at least one flow rectifier comprised of a perforated plate disposed inside the main body essentially perpendicularly to its longitudinal axis XX′, and a porous plate disposed inside the main body upstream from the flow rectifier and parallel thereto, wherein the elements of the conditioner are disposed in such a manner that a substantial fraction of the fluid flow passes through the flow rectifier and the porous plate in the absence of the porous plate becoming clogged, wherein the conditioner further includes a bypass circuit for ensuring continuity of fluid flow in the event of said porous plate becoming clogged, further including a stationary element and a moving element disposed inside the main body, the moving element being in contact with the stationary element in the absence of the porous plate becoming clogged, and being suitable for being moved in axial translation in a downstream direction relative to the stationary elements so as to enable a bypass passage for the fluid in the event of said porous plate becoming clogged, wherein the stationary element is constituted by the porous plate having an outside diameter less than an inside diameter of the main body, and the moving element is a ring disposed around the porous plate between the outside diameter of the porous plate and the inside diameter of the main body, and further comprising means for holding the moving element in contact with the stationary element in the absence of the porous plate becoming clogged, and means for allowing the moving element to move in translation relative to the stationary element in the event of said porous plate becoming clogged.

11. A conditioner according to claim 10 , wherein the flow rectifier includes at least one guide rod extending axially upstream and co-operating with a corresponding hole formed through the moving ring so as to allow said moving ring to move in axial translation relative to the porous plate.

12. A conditioner according to claim 11 , wherein each guide rod is provided with a spring interposed between the flow rectifier and the moving ring so as to hold said moving ring around the porous plate.

13. A conditioner according to claim 10 , wherein the moving ring includes at least one adjustable abutment element for holding the bypass passage open in the event of the porous plate becoming clogged.