Patent ID: 8074687

Claim:
A flexible cryogenic transfer hose ( 7 ) for connecting two cryogenic facilities, the hose in use extending in a marine environment and having a length of at least 20 m, comprising: an inner hose ( 10 ) with at least two segments ( 12 , 13 ), the inner hose segments being interconnected via at least two inner connecting members ( 16 , 17 ; 30 ; 30 a , 30 b ; 70 ; 71 ; 72 , 73 ) extending in a transverse direction, the inner hose being flexible and comprising a flexible reinforced wall having an internal diameter of at least 10 cm; and an outer hose ( 11 ) surrounding the inner hose and comprising a watertight elastomeric or composite material, the outer hose comprising at least two segments ( 20 , 21 ) which are mutually connected via two outer connecting members ( 24 , 25 ), and the outer hose having a wall thickness of at least 2 cm, a bend radius of at least 2 m, and an internal diameter of at least 20 cm, wherein the inner hose is kept at a distance from the outer hose via a number of spacer elements ( 28 , 29 ) bridging a distance (Hi) between the outer wall of the inner hose and an inner wall of the outer hose, which distance is between 0.1 and 0.8 times the internal diameter (Di) of the inner hose ( 10 ), wherein a longitudinal position of a pair of inner connecting members ( 16 , 17 ; 30 ; 30 a , 30 b ; 70 ; 71 ; 72 , 73 ) is situated at or near a longitudinal position of a pair of outer connecting members ( 24 , 25 ), wherein the inner connecting members ( 16 , 17 ; 30 ; 30 a , 30 b ; 70 ; 71 ; 72 , 73 ) bridge the distance (Hi) between the inner and outer hose walls and comprise a flange section ( 16 , 17 , 72 , 73 ) of the inner hose wall, two transverse abutment surfaces ( 34 , 35 , 80 , 81 ) on the outer hose wall or fixed to the outer wall, the flange sections ( 16 , 17 , 72 , 73 ) being releasably engaged between the abutment surfaces ( 34 , 35 , 80 , 81 ) for preventing relative axial movement between the inner and outer segments ( 12 , 13 ; 20 , 21 ) at or near the longitudinal position of the pair of outer and inner connecting members in two axial directions upon expansion and upon contraction of the inner hose segments, and wherein the flange sections ( 72 , 73 ) are releasable from the inner hose wall and/or wherein the abutment surfaces ( 34 , 35 , 80 , 81 ) are releasable from the outer hose wall such that upon removal of the flange sections ( 72 , 73 ) and/or the abutment surfaces ( 34 , 35 , 80 , 81 ) from the gap between the inner hose ( 10 ) and outer hose ( 11 ), and all wall parts of the inner hose ( 10 ) are at a distance from the wall of the outer hose ( 11 ).