TCPL - Hot tap connections

管道热抽头连接可以在不关闭运行管道的情况下将新管道连接到正在运行的管道上。由于一条管道的成本可能高达数亿美元甚至更多，因此避免因管道关闭而造成的收入损失对TcCPL来说是很有价值的。虽然目前已有将小直径管道连接到大直径管道的技术，但本研究将开发最先进的计算机模型来优化该技术，评估其设计的稳健性，或将该技术扩展到连接几乎相同直径的管道。

Hot tap connections of pipelines enable a new pipeline to be connected to an operating pipeline without shutting down the operating pipeline. Since a pipeline can cost hundreds of millions of dollars or more, avoiding the lost income that would be incurred by a shut down is valuable to TcCPL. Although the technology do this for connecting smaller diameter pipes to larger diameter pipes exists, this research will develop state of the art computer models to optimize this technology, to assess the robustness of their designs or to extend this technology to connect pipes of nearly equal diameter. Welding is a very complex process that involves the complete material processing from melting to solidification and shaping the finished product in a weld pool of roughly 1 cm^3 in times of roughly 1 second. The microstructure controls the weld properties. Weld defects such as porosity and cracks can be important. Optimizing the design and control of the process to produce the best welds is an important challenge. Optimizing the design of a pipe line, including hot tap connections including the design and fabrication of the hot tap is an equally important challenge.