Abstract: A submerged, self-supporting, flexible piping system for conducting fluids to and/or from a moored, floating vessel to a fixed location external of the vessel. Self-support is achieved by controlling the density of the piping walls to establish neutral buoyancy of the filled submerged piping system.

Abstract: A self-supporting pipe rupture and whip restraint system (10) for a process fluid pipe (12) of a nuclear reactor steam generator pressure vessel (14) includes a guard pipe (26) concentrically disposed about the process pipe (12) so as to entirely encase the process pipe (12) from the pressure vessel nozzle 18 to a terminal end fitting component (36) disposed exteriorly of the reactor facility building wall (32), the guard pipe (26) being integrally fixed to the process pipe (12) through means of the nozzle (18) and the component (36). Under postulated rupture conditions of the process pipe (12), pipe whipping of the process pipe (12) is restrained by the guard pipe (26), and the process fluid effluent from the process pipe (12) is contained within the guard pipe (26). Leak detection apparatus (50) is operatively associated with the annular space (30) defined between the process pipe (12) and the guard pipe (26) so as to detect ruptures or fractures within either the process pipe (12) or the guard pipe (26).