Instrumented FLIP Test and Static Pressure Influence on the Onset Velocity and Frequency on an Industrial Scale

Abstract

Since the early 2000, Flow Induced Pulsations (FLIP) has been more and more encountered on platforms. This phenomenon generates high acoustic pressure pulsations that may cause noises up to one hundred and ten dB and significant fatigue stress levels in small piping either at topside or subsea equipment. The source of the phenomenon is inside of the flexible pipe but FLIP has no effect on it. Nevertheless, in case of FLIP experience companies may have to reduce their flow rate. Therefore, FLIP must be understood in order for the companies to avoid this constraint. In this frame, a FLIP test was performed with protagonists who are involved in the understanding of this phenomenon. The test was done in 2016 at CESAME Poitiers (France) in an eighteen meter-long and six-inch flexible pipe on an air open loop. The prototype was fully instrumented and pressures up to forty bars were tested and mass flow rates up to 6 kg.s−1 to reproduce the FLIP phenomenon. The test setup and signals analysis are presented in this paper. Moreover, FLIP onset velocities and frequencies are compared with TechnipFMC models. As a conclusion of this paper pressure influence for the six-inch tested on the FLIP initiation will be presented.