I agree with Steve and Paul.
The pipe (it looks like a steel pipe, on the left) and other, on the right, ( a rubber hose, maybe), were most likely for some SFX effect. Possibly flames. It almost looks like a natural gas line-type of assembly, to me.
I remember seeing many of these kinds of various "rigs," during my days in production (for smoke, fire, fog, steam, blowing snow etc) I was always amazed at the devices/assemblies those SPX guys came up with, to get the desired results... often it was trial and error, but they would eventually get it.