Cooling ring
A cooling system which achieves temperature control of a heat affected portion of a pipe.
1. A system comprising:
a first metal pipe;
a second metal pipe;
a weld joint connecting the first pipe and the second pipe;
a first heat transfer structure adapted for contact with at least a portion of the first pipe and/or the second pipe and adapted to transfer heat from the first pipe and/or the second pipe to a cooling medium;
said first heat transfer structure comprising a plurality of coils coiled circumferentially around at least the portion of the first pipe and/or the second pipe, each of the plurality of coils having a cooling passage through which the cooling medium flows circumferentially around at least the portion of the first pipe and/or the second pipe to transfer the heat from the first pipe and/or the second pipe to the cooling medium; and
said first heat transfer structure adapted to have a heat transfer rate sufficient to cool at least the portion of the first pipe and/or the second pipe in a heat affected zone adjacent to the weld joint to maintain a temperature of at least the portion of the first pipe and/or the second pipe below a maximum temperature limit.
2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the first heat transfer structure comprises copper.
3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature includes a temperature of the first pipe and/or the second pipe at the weld joint and a temperature of the first pipe and/or the second pipe in the heat affected zone,
wherein the maximum temperature limit includes a maximum temperature limit of the first pipe and/or the second pipe at the weld joint and a maximum temperature limit of the first pipe and/or the second pipe in the heat affected zone, and
wherein the first heat transfer structure is configured to maintain the temperature of the first pipe and/or the second pipe at the weld joint below the maximum temperature limit of the first pipe and/or the second pipe at the weld joint and to maintain the temperature of the first pipe and/or the second pipe in the heat affected zone below the maximum temperature limit of the first pipe and/or the second pipe in the heat affected zone.
4. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the first heat transfer structure is configured to be disposed in the heat affected zone and/or in a location proximate to the weld joint.
5. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the first heat transfer structure is configured as a single-use heat exchanger.
6. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the first heat transfer structure is configured as a single-use heat exchanger, and
wherein at least one of the plurality of coils comprising a sacrificial cooling coil.
7. The heat exchanger according to claim 2 , wherein the first heat transfer structure is configured as a single-use heat exchanger, and
wherein at least one of the plurality of coils comprising a sacrificial copper cooling coil.
8. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the first heat transfer structure is a multiple-use heat exchanger.
9. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the first heat transfer structure is a multiple-use heat exchanger further comprising two or more curved sections.
10. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , further comprising a second heat transfer structure between an outer surface of the first pipe and/or the second pipe and said first heat transfer structure.
11. The heat exchanger according to claim 10 , wherein the second heat transfer structure comprises a silicone material comprising a metal.
12. The heat exchanger according to claim 10 , wherein the second heat transfer structure comprises a silicone material comprising copper.
13. A system comprising:
a first metal pipe;
a second metal pipe;
a weld joint connecting the first pipe and the second pipe;
a cooling ring through which a cooling medium flows;
said cooling ring comprising a plurality of coils coiled circumferentially around at least a portion of the first pipe and/or the second pipe, each of the plurality of coils is configured to facilitate a flow of the cooling medium therethrough to transfer heat from the first pipe and/or the second pipe to the cooling medium;
a cooling means for cooling said cooling medium;
said cooling ring adapted to have a heat transfer rate sufficient to cool at least the portion of the first pipe and/or the second pipe in a heat affected zone adjacent to the weld joint to maintain a temperature of at least the portion of the first pipe and/or the second pipe below a maximum temperature limit.
14. The cooling system according to claim 13 , further comprising a contact member to contact the first pipe and/or the second pipe, said contact member occupying a space between the first pipe and/or the second pipe and a heat transfer material of the cooling ring.
15. The cooling system according to claim 14 , wherein the contact member comprises a metal.
16. The cooling system according to claim 14 , wherein the contact member comprises copper.
17. The cooling system according to claim 14 , wherein the contact member comprises a silicone material comprising a metal.
18. The cooling system according to claim 14 , wherein the contact member comprises a silicone material comprising copper.
19. The cooling system according to claim 14 , wherein the contact member includes a copper impregnated silicone material.