US 12,449,080 B2
Pipe-in-pipe outer pipeline sealing systems and methods
David Michael Gregory, Houston, TX (US); and Matthew Allen Hegler, Kingwood, TX (US)
Assigned to FlexSteel USA, LLC, Houston, TX (US)
Filed by FlexSteel Pipeline Technologies, LLC, Houston, TX (US)
Filed on May 16, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/318,134.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/343,340, filed on May 18, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0375120 A1, Nov. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. F16L 39/00 (2006.01); F16L 25/00 (2006.01)
CPC F16L 39/005 (2013.01) [F16L 25/0081 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
an outer pipeline, wherein the outer pipeline comprises:
an outer pipe segment; and
an outer pipe fitting configured to be secured to an end of the outer pipe segment;
an inner pipeline configured to be disposed within an outer pipeline bore of the outer pipeline, wherein the inner pipeline comprises:
an inner pipe segment; and
an inner pipe fitting configured to be secured to another end of the inner pipe segment;
an outer pipeline sealing mechanism, wherein the outer pipeline sealing mechanism comprises:
a sealing plate configured to be secured to an outer fitting connector of the outer pipe fitting;
a sealing stem that extends out axially from the sealing plate, wherein the sealing stem is configured to be secured to the inner pipe fitting to facilitate sealing an inner pipeline bore of the inner pipeline from the outer pipeline bore of the outer pipeline; and
a seal ring configured to be compressed between the sealing plate and the outer fitting connector of the outer pipe fitting to facilitate sealing the outer pipeline bore of the outer pipeline from external environmental conditions;
a source or drain pipe segment;
a source or drain pipe fitting configured to be secured to the source or drain pipe segment and the sealing plate of the outer pipeline sealing mechanism to facilitate fluidly connecting the inner pipeline bore of the inner pipeline to a pipe bore of the source or drain pipe segment via a pass-through bore formed through the outer pipeline sealing mechanism;
a first threaded fastener configured to be secured in a first fastener opening in the outer fitting connector of the outer pipe fitting and a second fastener opening in the sealing plate of the outer pipeline sealing mechanism to facilitate securing the outer pipeline sealing mechanism to the outer pipe fitting; and
a second threaded fastener configured to be secured in a third fastener opening in a source or drain fitting connector of the source or drain pipe fitting and a fourth fastener opening in the sealing plate of the outer pipeline sealing mechanism to facilitate the source or drain pipe fitting to the outer pipeline sealing mechanism.