Using The Water Jet Cutting In The Petroleum Industry

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Using the Water Jet Cutting in the Petroleum Industry

Since its commercial introduction in 1972, the water jet cutting system has undergone

tremendous progress. It can penetrate either side of the cut of many materials, and this is a major

initial advantage. The impossibility of changing the rock properties has pushed for increased

research to be done in order to increase the cutting performance of these machines. Researchers

are embarking on the consideration of cut values in both depth and width performance

parameters. How will these researchers ensure that they get the best ideas in the developments of

these machines as well as have the required standards in maintaining the regulation needed in the

petroleum industry?

Several iterations in the design of water jet cutting technology have been performed with the

latest being in the software development. The use of specialized materials has enabled dramatic

improvements in terms of addressing the issue of wear and tear (Rao 45). In 1980s, the system

was developed that made it possible to cut through pin piles that were found below the midline

enabling recycling and reuse. All these developments come, as a result, of a simple system that

these water jets possess as well as the property of cooling the part that is being cut, hence no

zone is affected by the heat. Several developments had occurred including the latest in 2012

when a multi-string conductor came into use.

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According to Rao (51-59), modern water jets are robust and very reliable. The pump that is

typically an ultra-high-pressure intensifier is capable of delivering water at very high speeds. The

cutting life of these jets is maximized by using diamond or sapphire for the production of the

nozzle, and the abrasive material used is usually olivine or garnet. Designers need to understand

the manufacturing process well, and appreciate how these processes are evolving in order to

come up with specific functional requirements for the design of these machines. The

technological advancements are enabling creation of amazing machines, for example, the

abrasive water jet that cuts through steel without heating the zones being cut.

The water jet cutting has been having one drawback in that it used to be of short life. The

introduction of the nozzle and the seals as the cutting heads and intensifiers respectively as latest

developments has led to longer lives. These intensifiers are capable of lasting 1700 hours

compared to the previous generation ones that lasted only 40-50 hours. The cutting heads seals

last 2000 hours compared to the 60-80 hours. Other technologies make these water jets to be

cost-effective in that the maintenance requirements are minimal. The improvement in diagnostics

is helpful in reducing costs associated with machine downtime (Gracey 111).

The development in their cutting capabilities to three-dimensional from the previous two-

dimensional has been the core improvement that the designers are working on it. It starts by

improvement in the software development that encompasses the full six-axis cutting, as well as

the tubes like bevel and rotary axis. This software enables one to cut through three- dimensional

materials that were impossible to cut in the past (Gracey 115). In addition, they can cut

everything ranging from complex-shaped composites to pipe fittings. The new ‘Xdata’ feature is

enabling users to program many three-dimensional features by the use of canned commands in

terms of the tool path.

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The three-dimensional programming feature is enabling third party user by the use of Xdata

commands in that these users are capable of outputting to the water jet machines. It has led to the

introduction of a new trend that deals with blind holes. In the normal operations of the water jet-

cutting machine, they start a cut away from the edge of any material being cut and then piercing

through that material. Researchers and some users engage them in new technology of using blind

holes they stop the flow before the whole is penetrated to the far side of the material that is being

cut (Gracey 117).

According to Gracey (120), the abrasive water jet is equipped by control software

accompanied by accessories enabling them to cut through thin materials. In addition, they can

penetrate complex materials as intersections and saddles since it is simple to program. Users of

these machines used to get difficulties initially because they were used to the traditional jets

bending while cutting the materials. It was a major challenge since it led to undercutting or

inaccurate work in the corners or curves. The introduction of new models has eliminated this

problem because they have adjusted the bending jet stream by moving to the five axes.

The use of water jet cutting is safe, and any machine needs to be handled with care. It is

evident that a machine that cuts through 2” steel material will make short of the human flesh or

the bones if it gets contact with them. The latest models are easy to learn, and they require

careful calculations in terms of speed to enable achieve best results (Parashar and Mittal 90). It

means that the computer due to the user-interface that is user friendly and easy to modify

controls these systems. Its design is similar to most CAD systems that are computerized, and are

quickly learned.

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These machines can cut any material although the only material it cannot cut is tempered

glass since under stress and will shatter into small fragments once one starts to cut it. The

materials it is capable of cutting include mild steel, 304 stainless steel, flammable materials,

copper, aluminum, and many more, since it uses the water and abrasive. In addition, their use is

environmentally friendly since the waste material can be suitable for landfill. The garnet abrasive

that is generated can be disposed of with other trash because it possesses the property of inertia.

The water used can be recycled by draining it to the sewer, encouraging its treatment in other

areas (Parashar and Mittal 92).

Application of the water jet cutting technology is gaining popularity in the petroleum

industry since it is environmental friendly. It is cost effective and has high requirements on

precision making it to be useful in cutting the tanks that store the oils. In addition, they are

important in down-hole multi-string cutting where the subsea wells are drilled using unusual

cutting items. The drilling involves multiple nested casing assemblies (Parashar and Mittal 94).

There are cutting manipulators that are designed in many ranges both internally and externally to

aid in cutting bracing, piles and legs of structures found in the offshore environment in this

industry.

Although research has been done severally, and new developments done in terms of different

types of nozzles, jet positions, abrasives, and many components of water jet cutting machines,

future research work is still being done. The type of abrasive being used is the latest research in

progress where the use of garnet is considered because it is less expensive as well as it is harder

than other materials, and breaks in sharp edges. The researchers are trying to start using glass

since it is made up of silica and is very cheap compared to garnet. In addition, they are working

finding other uses of water jet cutting that may include polishing and turning.

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Works Cited

Gracey, Michael T. High-pressure Pumps: Includes Experience and Research to Help Engineers

, Scientists and End Users Understand the Technical Side of Pumps and Systems for

High-Pressure Applications. Amsterdam [u.a.: Elsevier, 2006. Print

Parashar, B S. N, and R K. Mittal. Elements of Manufacturing Processes. New Delhi: Prentice-

Hall of India, 2003. Print.

Rao, P N. Manufacturing Technology: V. 2. New Delhi: McGraw Hill Education (India, 2013.

Print.

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