Patent Description:
"Jetting" a cable refers to the laying of a fibre or a cable, referred hereafter as an "elongated element", into a duct with the assistance of driving means to push the elongated element into the duct and of an air flow created in the duct to create a drag force along the introduced elongated element.

"floating" a cable refers to the laying of a fibre or a cable, referred hereafter as an "elongated element", into a duct with the assistance of driving means to push the elongated element into the duct and of a flow of liquid created in the duct to create a drag force along the introduced elongated element, with a compensation of weight due to liquid's density.

Document <CIT> describes a blowing head for jetting a cable into a duct. However, this document does not give any hint to increase the maximum length of the elongated element achievable with such method. It is for example not recognized how a wrong balance between fluid pressure and pushing force has a negative impact on the maximum achievable length and how to improve this balance. Typically, when such maximum length is achieved before the elongated element has reached its final position in the duct, the distal end of the elongated element stops, while the elongated element is still pushed into the pressurized duct, thereby leading to undulations, or even tangling and /or buckling of the elongated element into the duct. It has to be noted that the situation is most critical when very flexible fibres are laid into a duct, as such undulations / tangling / buckling may appear very rapidly, and damage the fibres.

Document <CIT> discloses systems and methods for controlling duct pressurization for cable installation. Document <CIT> discloses a microduct for blown cable. Document <CIT> discloses cable conveying apparatus and method. Document discloses cable installation. Document <CIT> discloses device for laying and collecting optical fiber unit.

The present invention aims to address the above mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and to propose first a laying method which permits to lay great lengths of any kind of elongated element into a duct, with reduced risk of damaging the elongated element with unexpected undulations / tangling / buckling.

In this aim, the invention is a method for installing an elongated element into a duct according to claims <NUM> and <NUM>.

The above method comprises a step of measuring and monitoring the fluid pressure and driving force, so that the fluid pressure might be reduced at a lower value than the first pressure, to avoid having laying conditions leading to the unexpected stop leading to a possible damage of the elongated element as undulations or tangling might occur when a stop is not expected. Indeed, despite increasing the fluid pressure when velocity decreases might be first reaction, it is not the correct counter measure if the pressure force applied to the elongated element at the entry of the pressure chamber approaches or exceeds the measured driving force. In that specific case, the correct countermeasure is to lower down the pressure inside the pressure chamber to make sure that the balance of the driving force and the pressure force is in favor of an entry into the pressure chamber. One should note that the final position is understood or meant as being the desired position of the elongated element, at the end of the process, and not the one if the elongated element is blocked before its front end exits the duct for example.

The monitoring of the fluid pressure into the duct is done near the pressure chamber, in the vicinity of the introduction of the elongated element into the duct, i.e. close to the floating/jetting equipment. Typically, there is a pressure sensor installed to measure the pressure present into the pressure chamber, and/or within the first meters of the duct.

The driving force is typically created by a driving unit with rollers or caterpillars clamping the elongated element.

Advantageously, the driving force and/or driving speed of driving means applying the driving force is decreased or reduced if buckling or deviation from a nominal trajectory of the elongated element is detected. This measure limits the risks of damaging the elongated element.

According to the invention, in claim <NUM> the driving force (Fa) is applied upstream an entry of the elongated element into the pressure chamber so as to push the elongated element into the pressure chamber with a external pushing force, and wherein the fluid pressure is reduced if the fluid pressure results in the calculated axial outward pressure force applied to the elongated element susceptible to be equal or greater than the external pushing force.

In such case, the external pushing force is equal to the driving force subtracted with a force to pull the cable from the reel.

In other words, the driving force Fa is the sum of:.

It is particularly advantageous to measure the fluid pressure at the entry of the duct, or in the pressure chamber. This is close to the equipment and gives an accurate calculation of the pressure force Fi applied to the elongated element which is directed/oriented opposite to the pushing force F<NUM>, effectively available from the applied driving force Fa by the driving unit. Therefore, decision to lower the fluid pressure is effectively taken when the pressure force tends to be equal to or even greater than the driving force applied to the elongated element upstream to the pressure chamber.

Advantageously, the fluid pressure is reduced if: <MAT> where: F2eff = F<NUM> - Fi.

Typically the first fluid pressure is (well) below the maximum pressure that the duct can withstand without any damage (plastic deformation or burst).

According to the invention, fluid pressure is reduced if the fluid pressure results in an axial outward pressure force applied to the elongated element susceptible to be equal or greater than the external pushing force. Indeed, despite increasing the fluid pressure when velocity decreases might be first reaction, it is not the correct counter measure if the pressure force applied to the elongated element approaches or exceeds the measured external pushing force (as increasing the fluid pressure will result in a further disadvantageous balance of pushing force vs pressure force). In that specific case, the correct countermeasure is to lower down the pressure inside the pressure chamber.

According to the invention, in claim <NUM> the driving force is applied downstream an entry of the elongated element into the pressure chamber so as to pull the elongated element into the pressure chamber with an effective pulling force (F1eff), and wherein the fluid pressure is reduced if the fluid pressure results in the calculated axial outward pressure force applied to the elongated element susceptible to be equal or greater than the driving force subtracted with a force to pull the cable from the reel.

In this case, the effective pulling force is equal to the sum of the pressure force and a force to pull the cable from the reel.

Now, related to the two above embodiments, advantageously, more particularly in the case of jetting, fluid pressure is reduced if: <MAT> where: <MAT> <MAT> <MAT>.

The fluid pressure is reduced as soon as the calculated ratio tends to be lower or equal to <NUM>, meaning that the effective force (pushing or pulling) applied to the elongated element by the driving means tends to be not sufficiently larger than the pressure force applied by the pressure to the elongated element at the pressure chamber entry.

More advantageously, in the case of jetting and still related to the two above embodiments, fluid pressure is reduced if: <MAT> where: <MAT> <MAT> <MAT>.

The fluid pressure is reduced as soon as the calculated ratio tends to be lower or equal to <NUM>, meaning that the effective force (pushing or pulling) applied to the elongated element by the driving means tends to be not sufficiently larger than the pressure force applied by the pressure to the elongated element at the pressure chamber entry to fully and optimally benefit from the synergy between pushing and blowing.

Advantageously, the method comprises a step of:.

Advantageously, the step of measuring the pulling force comprises a step of measuring a transverse force applied to the elongated element following a specific path, between the reel and driving means arranged to apply the driving force. The step is easy to implement, with the measurement of a transverse force of the elongated element at a predetermined angle between the reel and the driving unit.

Advantageously, the fluid is gas. Consequently, the pressure chamber might be referred as a blowing chamber.

Advantageously, elongated element velocity (vc) is monitored, and the gas pressure is reduced if the elongated element velocity is lower than a predetermined speed, and/or if an undulation/deviation from a taut position of the elongated element in the duct is detected.

Advantageously, the step of reducing the gas pressure is followed by a step of increasing the gas pressure in relation to said driving force and/or elongated element velocity. The method of increasing the pressure back to the first pressure or similar level helps to recover a movement of the elongated element if a severe slow down is detected, or even if a stop occurs. In detail, increasing again the pressure after a decrease (with an optional step of venting) creates a temporary change in the pressure conditions along the duct, starting from a state at the reduced pressure (even at atmospheric pressure if complete venting is previously done) ending into a stabilized feed state at the first pressure, but passing through a state where the pressure decrease along the duct's length is close to a linear pressure decrease. The applicant found that this linear pressure decrease along the duct's length was creating better conditions for the laying of the elongated element as the drag force is quite uniform along the entire length of the elongated element. This "constant" drag force might help to recover a normal position of the elongated element (i.e. no tangling, no undulations in the duct), for normal further processing of the jetting process.

For example, the decrease of pressure is decided when the elongated element velocity slows down, indicating for example that the gas propelling forces acting on the elongated element in a first section of the duct are not sufficient to overcome the friction forces between the elongated element and the duct, and that the cumulated excess gas propelling forces acting on the elongated element further in the duct which effectively reach said first section (backwards through the elongated element, partly consumed by the capstan effect) are not assisting enough to still overcome said friction forces. The temporary linear pressure decrease (during the step of pressure increase at the pressure chamber) along the duct's length helps to increase the gas propelling forces acting on the elongated element over the entire first section such that said friction forces are compensated there.

For example, the decrease of pressure is decided when the elongated element velocity slows down, or when the elongated element position in the duct deviates from a nominal position, indicating for example the distal end of the elongated element is meeting a duct bend, or junction, creating increased friction or even a stop between the duct and the elongated element at this specific location. The temporary linear pressure decrease (during the step of pressure increase at the pressure chamber) along the duct's length, or a temporary increased pressure gradient at the location of the distal end of the elongated element, helps to pass this specific location and to recover at least a movement of the front end of the elongated element and/or "normal" laying conditions.

Recovery of the movement is especially effective when the distal end of the elongated element is at a location where the temporary pressure profile has a larger pressure gradient than for the stationary situation at that location. In particular, the method is helpful when the elongated element has been installed or laid over about less than two thirds of the duct's length.

Advantageously, if an abrupt increase of gas pressure from atmospheric pressure up to the first pressure is applied to the unpressurized duct, a constant decrease of pressure per meter along said duct is reached at a given time tc; and the increase of gas pressure of above mentioned embodiment is done at a rate so that the first pressure is reached at a time tM comprised in the range: <NUM>tc ≤tM≤<NUM>tc. The applicant found very advantageous to avoid an abrupt increase of pressure, typically met with a sudden valve opening, and rather to apply this controlled ramp up for the pressure increase, as brutal or abrupt recovery to first pressure might create tangling of the elongated element in the duct (the abrupt pressure increase has the effect to "push" any slack portion or free length of the elongated element, the free length being accumulated at limited position and then forming a tangle). A constant decrease of pressure is understood as the gradient of pressure per meter is within a range of ±<NUM>% of average pressure gradient, and more particularly ±<NUM>% of average pressure gradient along duct's length.

Advantageously, the steps of reducing the gas pressure and increasing the pressure are repeated several times before the instant when said elongated element reaches the final position into the duct.

Advantageously, if several sequences of pressure decrease and pressure increase are performed, the last sequence is performed so that the pressure increase ends to supply gas at a first pressure greater than the first pressure achieved by the previous sequences and lower than a first pressure creating a pressure force equal or greater than:.

Advantageously, the step of reducing the gas pressure comprises a step of venting the gas pressure by opening an orifice at the entry of the duct. This embodiment helps to start from atmospheric pressure to get the temporary linear pressure decrease along the duct's length during the further increase of pressure.

A second aspect of the invention relates to an apparatus for installing a elongated element into a duct, comprising:.

A further aspect of the disclosure not covered by the claims relates to an apparatus for jetting a elongated element into a duct, comprising:.

Advantageously, the apparatus comprises:.

According to an embodiment, the apparatus comprises an entry into the pressure chamber for the elongated element, and the driving unit is arranged upstream the entry (along the elongated element trajectory).

According to another embodiment, the apparatus comprises an entry into the pressure chamber for the elongated element, and the driving unit is arranged downstream the entry (along the elongated element trajectory).

Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description of particular non-limitative examples of the invention, illustrated by the appended drawings where:.

In the present application, it is referred to elongated elements, which may be for example, cables, electric cables, optical fibres or cables, temperature sensing optic fibres or cables. All these elongated elements may comprise for example a core, a coating, or a sheath. However, the wording elongated element is not limited to any of these specific examples.

It is also referred to ducts, which may be for example pipes, hollow cylinders, tubes, conduits: anything defining a channel in which an elongated element may be laid in or out, from a first location to a second location.

<FIG> represents a sketch of an apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention, to illustrate the forces involved during the laying of an elongated element (cable <NUM>) into a duct <NUM>, performed with a driving unit via a pressure chamber <NUM>, when the driving unit is a pushing unit <NUM> arranged upstream the entry of the cable <NUM> into the pressure chamber <NUM>.

The force from the reel F<NUM> is a pulling force, the force from the drive Fa is a traction force, the external pushing force after the mechanical drive F<NUM> and the insertion force Fi are pushing forces and the force F2eff is an effective pushing force. The following formulas apply: <MAT> <MAT>.

Example: Pulling force F<NUM> from reel <NUM> N, traction force Fa from mechanical drive <NUM> N, pushing force after mechanical drive <NUM> N, insertion (pushing) force Fi <NUM> N and effective pushing force F2eff <NUM> N.

<FIG> represents a sketch of an apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention, to illustrate the forces involved during the laying of an elongated element (cable <NUM>) into a duct <NUM>, performed with a driving unit via a pressure chamber <NUM>, when the driving unit is a pulling unit 8a arranged downstream the entry of the cable <NUM> into the pressure chamber <NUM>.

The pulling force from the reel F<NUM>, the insertion force Fi and the force F1eff are pulling forces, the force from the drive Fa is a traction force and the force after the mechanical drive F2eff is an effective pushing force. The following formulas apply: <MAT> <MAT> (note the plus sign for Fi).

Example: Pulling force F<NUM> from reel <NUM> N, insertion (pulling) force Fi <NUM> N, effective pulling force <NUM> N, traction force Fa from mechanical drive <NUM> N and effective pushing force F2eff <NUM> N after mechanical drive. So, the final result is the same.

<FIG> represents an apparatus arranged to lay an elongated element (a cable <NUM>) into a duct <NUM>, when the driving unit is a pushing unit <NUM>. A cable <NUM> with diameter Dc is installed from a reel <NUM> into a duct <NUM> with internal diameter Dd using a device that simultaneously pushes and blows/floats the cable into the duct (in other words, this method is a jetting/floating method). Pushing is done with an axial force Fa by a pushing unit <NUM>, e.g. consisting of mechanically driven lower and upper belts, the latter belt pressed via block <NUM> onto the cable <NUM> with radial (pinch) force Fr.

The driving force Fa is the sum of both the pulling force F<NUM> to pull the cable <NUM> from the reel <NUM> and the external pushing force F<NUM> to push the cable <NUM> into a pressure chamber <NUM> (which might be referred to as a blowing chamber as the fluid is gas in present example) and further into the duct <NUM>. Fluid under pressure pd from a pump/compressor (not shown) is fed into the pressure chamber <NUM>, resulting in propelling forces exerted onto the cable <NUM> in the duct <NUM>. The pressure chamber <NUM> is mounted on a common base plate <NUM> shared with the pushing unit <NUM>. A wheel <NUM>, also mounted on the base plate <NUM>, follows the cable <NUM> to measure the distance x installed and, derived from that, the installation velocity vc.

The apparatus comprise a measure and control unit <NUM> connected to the pushing unit <NUM>, the pressure chamber <NUM>, and the idle wheel <NUM> to measure directly (as a function of time) the following parameters:.

<FIG> shows the apparatus of <FIG>, equipped with a transverse force measuring unit <NUM>, arranged between the reel <NUM> and the pushing unit <NUM>, to measure a transverse force so as to deduct an axial force being a pulling force applied to the cable <NUM> to unreel the cable <NUM>.

The following parameters are relevant for the installation and are either parameters which are measured directly (see above), or calculated from the latter parameters:.

From the above measured parameters, it is possible to calculate and predict when a critical situation can appear, leading to damage of the cable <NUM>, or to a stop in the floating/jetting process. In particular, it is advantageous to make sure that the pushing unit applying a driving force Fa, resulting in a external pushing force F<NUM>, and the pressure chamber <NUM> pressurized at pd are set to create an effective floating/jetting (for the latter effective synergy between pushing and blowing). In this aim, the Applicant found particularly advantageous to calculate the parameter Cj as: <MAT> where: <MAT> or <MAT> <MAT> <MAT>.

The Applicant found advantageous to have during the installing operation Cj always greater than <NUM>, and for jetting even greater than <NUM> and more preferably <NUM>. Indeed, when Cj < <NUM> the installing performance can be very bad. In the latter case the cable <NUM> will be under tensile load once inserted in the duct and the capstan effect is present from the start, killing the fluid drag trick of avoiding the capstan effect. In the case of jetting the effective pushing forces F2eff (after insertion in the duct) shall be also at least a fraction of the cumulative blowing forces, to create the synergy between pushing and blowing. When the external pushing force F<NUM> (and driving force Fa) is limited, the duct air pressure pd might be too large, and needs to be decreased for optimum performance with Cj > <NUM>. In other words, when the factor Cj becomes less than <NUM> the duct air pressure shall be decreased until the Cj value of <NUM> is reached again, for optimal jetting. Jetting can then be performed as long as this condition is met (Cj equal or above <NUM>).

When the elongated element slows down or stops (if the velocity vc is measured below a minimum value, i.e. cable speed is zero or almost zero), the invention proposes to significantly decrease the gas pressure with complete venting of the duct and to increase again the gas pressure (as long as Cj value allows this increase), to benefit from a specific and temporary state of gas flow in the duct <NUM>, and to achieve again a movement of the elongated element.

Indeed, as gas is a compressible medium, the pressure along the duct is not linear, and as shown <FIG>, a sudden or abrupt increase of pressure in a duct, starting from a completely vented duct will create an evolution of the pressure profile along this duct. As visible <FIG>, <FIG> minute after pressurization, the pressure decrease from <NUM> bars to atmospheric pressure from entry to approx. <NUM> meters from entry. At <NUM> minutes, almost all the duct is pressurized, and after <NUM> minutes, the flow is established, with a small linear pressure decrease from entry to <NUM> meters from entry, and a more and more important decrease as far the position is close to the exit.

The important curve to note is after <NUM> minutes, where the decrease of pressure looks like a linear decreasing function all along the total length of the duct. This means that at this specific time after start of pressurization, the drag force along the cable <NUM> will be quite uniform. This specific and temporary state of flow creates good conditions to jet or restart to jet the cable <NUM> a bit further in the duct <NUM>.

<FIG> shows the loss of pressure per meter all along the duct, at the same timings as the ones of <FIG>. After <NUM> minute from pressurization, the gradient of pressure is very important at the entry of the duct (out of scale), and <NUM> minutes after pressurization, the gradient of pressure close to the exit is more than double than the one at the entry. Only after <NUM> minutes, the gradient of pressure varies less than ±<NUM>% of its average value, which is considered to be quite stable and constant. The specific state of flow at <NUM> minutes after pressurization creates a drag force along the entire length of the cable <NUM> which is quite uniform and this helps to move further the cable <NUM>, or to recover a movement of the cable <NUM> after a stop. This time to get this specific and temporary "constant decrease of pressure" along the duct's length is called tc, and depends from several parameters, and for example the duct internal diameter, the cable external diameter, the duct's length, the nominal pressure, the gas temperature. The time tc is specific to each configuration, and can be calculated by means of simulation.

<FIG> and <FIG> shows as well that an abrupt pressurization creates, immediately after opening of the valve, drag forces onto the portion of cable <NUM> located close to the pressure chamber (at <NUM> minute after pressurization, there is no pressure between <NUM> and <NUM> meters). Consequently, a great flow of compressed air is present only close to the entry of the duct, and if the pressurization is done while the cable <NUM> is almost laid, its portion close to the entry will be subjected to high flow, despite its portion at the end of the duct is not subjected to any drag/propelling force (as the air flow is still not established there). There might be a risk of tangling, if the cable <NUM> presents loose portion close to the entry (which is typically the case if jetting has been stopped because deviation or undulations have been detected), as all the loose portions will be pushed, ending in some cases in a tangle. This situation is likely to happen when a bundle of fibres are laid together, and one fibre of these fibres is stopped (blocked against a duct's connector for example).

The Applicant found very advantageous to avoid such abrupt and sudden increase of pressure while increasing again the pressure in the pressure chamber. In particular, when an abrupt increase of gas pressure up to the nominal pressure is applied to the unpressurized duct, the constant decrease of pressure per meter along said duct is reached at the given time tc, and the increase of gas pressure to apply to minimize the risks of tangling should be done at a rate so that the nominal pressure is reached at a time tM comprised in the range: <NUM>tc≤tM≤<NUM>tc. In other words, it is found to set the pressure ramp up so that nominal pressure is recovered between <NUM> and <NUM> times faster than time tc.

Claim 1:
Method for installing an elongated element into a duct (<NUM>), comprising the steps of:
- inserting the elongated element into the duct (<NUM>) through a pressure chamber (<NUM>) located at an entry of the duct (<NUM>), by applying a driving force (Fa) to the elongated element, resulting in an effective pushing force (F2eff) downstream the pressure chamber (<NUM>),
- introducing pressurized fluid into the duct (<NUM>) at a first pressure, through the pressure chamber (<NUM>),
wherein after an instant when said elongated element has entered the duct (<NUM>) and before an instant when said elongated element reaches a final position into the duct (<NUM>), the method comprises the steps of:
- monitoring at least fluid pressure (pd) into said duct (<NUM>) at the entry of the duct or in the pressure chamber, and said driving force (Fa),
- calculating an axial outward pressure force (Fi) applied to the elongated element,
- reducing said fluid pressure (pd) to a predetermined value lower than the first pressure, in relation to said driving force (Fa),
wherein the driving force (Fa) is applied upstream an entry of the elongated element into the pressure chamber so as to push the elongated element into the pressure chamber with a external pushing force (F<NUM>), and wherein the fluid pressure (pd) is reduced if the fluid pressure (pd) results in the calculated axial outward pressure force applied to the elongated element susceptible to be equal or greater than the external pushing force (F<NUM>).