CN2344433Y

CN2344433Y - Air bag for blocking leakage

Info

Publication number: CN2344433Y
Application number: CN 98240869
Authority: CN
Inventors: 尹学军
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-09-25
Filing date: 1998-09-25
Publication date: 1999-10-20
Anticipated expiration: 2008-09-25

Abstract

The utility model relates to an air bag for blocking leakage, which comprises an air bag which can be inflated to expand and comprises a valve and an air bag body, an air source, and a control device. The air source passes through the valve. The air source is connected with the air bag. The air bag can be inflated by the air source. The control device comprises the air source, and a switch which is connected with the air source and controls the air source. The utility model can automatically adapt to the sizes and the shapes of loopholes or leakage pipelines, can press tightly the loopholes and the walls of the leakage pipelines to lead the loopholes or the leakage pipelines to be clogged.

Description

Air bag for stopping leakage

The utility model relates to a leaking stoppage gasbag especially relates to a leaking stoppage gasbag that blocks up the leak when fluid leaks.

Leakage of liquids or gases is a phenomenon commonly encountered in daily production and life. Such as leakage from containers or pipes, blowout from oil wells, piping from dams, etc. Piping is a common hazard in fighting floods. At present, the method for dealing with the dangerous case is to throw earth and stone and sand bags into the holes as much as possible inside and outside the dike. However, the size of the leakage hole is difficult to be determined, so that the flood fighting material is wasted; in addition, for the leakage of the blowout, the pipeline or the container of the oil well, different equipment and materials can be selected only according to specific conditions because the sizes and the shapes of the through-flow sections during the leakage are generally different. Therefore, when the prior art is used for plugging, the operation is complex, the plugging is slow and the cost is high.

The utility model aims at providing a leaking stoppage gasbag, it can adapt to the leak or the leakage pipeline of multiple shape and size, convenient operation, and the leaking stoppage is fast and with low costs.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a leaking stoppage air bag, which can also detect the position of the leakage by itself and pull the air bag into the hole.

An object of the utility model is to realize like this, provide a leaking stoppage gasbag promptly, include: an inflatable bladder including a valve and a bladder body; a gas source and control device, which is connected with the air bag through the valve and can inflate the air bag, comprises a gas source and a switch which is connected with the gas source and controls the gas source.

A further object of the present invention is achieved in that said lost circulation balloon further comprises a leak detector attachable to the balloon for self-detection of the location of the leak.

The utility model has the advantages of, because when the gasbag aerifys the inflation in leak or leakage pipeline, can adapt to leak or leakage pipeline's size and shape automatically to sticis the wall of leak or leakage pipeline, especially when the wall of leak or leakage pipeline is soft material, can also play the effect of compaction hole wall or pipeline wall, consequently, easy operation, effective, fast and with low costs. In addition, when the leakage position is difficult to find or operate, the leakage position can be detected by self, and the air bag is pulled into the leak or the leakage pipeline to be blocked.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention and the operating principle thereof will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Wherein,

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the operation of the separated type plugging air bag for plugging during blowout according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the separated type plugging air bag used for plugging the piping of the outer wall of the dike according to the utility model;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the integrated plugging air bag of the present invention for plugging curved water, oil and air pipes;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the integrated plugging air bag of the present invention used for plugging straight pipes such as water pipes, oil pipes and air pipes;

figures 5-10 are schematic views of a preferred embodiment of an air-bag according to the present invention;

fig. 11-16 are schematic views of a preferred embodiment of a delivery device according to the present invention;

fig. 17A and 17B are schematic views illustrating the operation of the integrated type plugging air bag with a leakage detecting device according to the present invention when the integrated type plugging air bag is used for piping leakage stoppage in a dike, wherein fig. 17A is an operation state when the plugging air bag detects leakage, and fig. 17B is an operation state when the plugging air bag blocks leakage;

fig. 18-23 are schematic views of an embodiment of a belt leak detector according to the present invention.

As shown in fig. 1 to 4, the plugging air bag according to the present invention includes an inflatable air bag 10, a throwing device 30 for throwing the air bag to a predetermined working position, and an air source and control device 20 for inflating the air bag and controlling the opening and closing of the air source.

As shown in fig. 5 to 10, the airbag 10 is a highly airtight closed chamber made of a highly elastic material such as rubber, or a low elastic material such as plastic, and includes an airbag main body 1 and a gas gate 2. The outer surface of the airbag body 1 may be smooth, as shown in fig. 5, 6 and 10; and may also be roughened such as corrugations 101 shown in fig. 7, teeth 102 shown in fig. 8, and grooves or ridges 103 shown in fig. 5. After the air bag is inflated, the shape of the air bag can be a shape with almost the same size in all directions, such as a spherical shape (see fig. 5) or an ellipsoid shape; it may also be of a shape having a dimension in one direction that is significantly larger than in other directions, such as a cylindrical shape (see fig. 6-10). Alternatively, the bladder may have an air chamber that can be used to store air (see FIGS. 5-9). And, when high safety is required, a plurality of air chambers 104 for storing air may be further included (see fig. 10). In this case, each air chamber 104 may be provided with a valve 2, which are connected through a passage.

Fig. 11-16 show a lost circulation bladder with a delivery device that can deliver the lost circulation bladder to a work position, i.e., near or in a leak, or in a leaking conduit. As shown, a rigid delivery device such as a rod 300 (FIG. 11) accommodates conditions of fluid turbulence in the leak; and the flexible delivery devices (fig. 12-13) such as the flexible shaft 301 and the rope 302 are suitable for the situation that the pipeline where the leak exists is bent and the position of the leak is far. In the embodiment shown in fig. 14, the delivery device is comprised of a rigid rod 303 with a collar 305 and a cord 302, which has the advantages of both of the previously described embodiments, wherein the cord 302 passes through a hole in the collar 305. The delivery device shown in fig. 15 is composed of a pair of magnetic bodies. The first magnetic body 308 is connected to the air bag via a rope 302, and at least one roller 309, such as two or four rollers, is disposed thereon to prevent the first magnetic body from sliding contact with the tube wall; the second magnetic body 307 is an independent, freely movable magnetic body. In this case, the tube wall 90 should be of a non-magnetic isolating material. When the second magnetic body 307 moves outside the tube wall, the first magnetic body 308 pulls the plugging air bag along the tube wall 90 by means of the roller 309 to move and position in the tube under the action of the magnetic force. The delivery device shown in fig. 16 is a propulsion device 310, a receiving module 312 and a driving module 313, which are wirelessly controlled by an external propulsion controller 311. Or by an external controller via a cable.

Fig. 1-4 show an embodiment with an air supply and control device according to the invention. Fig. 1 and 2 show a separated structure, and fig. 3 and 4 show an integrated structure. As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the gas source and control device 20 includes a gas source 201 capable of generating inflation gas and a switch 202 capable of controlling the opening and closing of the gas source. The switch 202 is installed at the air outlet of the air source 201, and the air outlet thereof is connected with one end of the inflation tube 203. The other end of the inflation tube 203 is connected to the inflation valve of the airbag 10. The air supply 201 can be turned on by controlling the switch 202 to inflate the airbag 10 via the inflation tube 203. To display the magnitude of the inflation pressure, a pressure display device 204 may also be provided. In addition, in order to prevent the inflation pressure from being too high, a pressure limiting valve 207 can be arranged on the air source or the switch. Here, the gas source 201 may be a gas generator or an air compressor; the pressure display device may be a pressure gauge or a digital display device. The mounting of the gas tube 203 may be detachable or fixed. The detachable coupling may be formed by installing connectors 205 such as pipe connectors at both ends of the air-filled pipe and installing corresponding connectors at the air valve of the air bag and the air outlet of the switch. Of course, the switch 202, the pressure display device 204, the inflation tube 203 and the airbag 10 may be integrated and connected to the air source 201 through one connector 205 and connected to the airbag through another connector 205. In addition, in the pipe section coupled with the airbag 10, at least one check valve is provided; at least one check valve may also be provided on the valve. Thus, the air bag will not leak due to the accidental damage of the pipeline after being inflated. Multiple airbags may also be inflated from a single source. The one-way valve is preferably controllable to provide a deflation operation for the inflated balloon.

Fig. 3 and 4 are schematic views of integrated leaking stoppage balloons with wired control and wireless control, respectively. In the figure, the air supply and control device 20 ' comprising an air supply 201 ' and a switch 202 ' is integrated with the air-bag 10 and has a pressure-limiting valve 207 mounted thereon. The switch is controlled by a switch controller via a control cord 208, such as a cable, or may be actuated by a control cord, such as a cord (fig. 3), or by a switch controller 209 in a wireless manner (fig. 4); in this case, the switches are accordingly in each case wired, mechanical or wireless electronic switches. In the integrated lost circulation bladder described above, a sensor 210 capable of sensing inflation pressure may also be installed and coupled to the pressure display device 204' via cable 208 or wirelessly. The pressure limiting valve 207 may be adjustable or non-adjustable. The adjustable pressure limiting valve can be controlled through a remote control port of the adjustable pressure limiting valve.

Referring to fig. 1-4, the working condition of the leakage stoppage air bag of the present invention is shown when the air bag is used for stopping the piping and piping leakage. Fig. 1 is a situation when a blowout occurs. The rigid rod 300 is used as a dropping device because of the high pressure during the blowout and sand carried by it. In this case, the airbag 10 should be made of a material having a certain strength and abrasion resistance, and preferably, the surface thereof is rough. If the contact length of the balloon after inflation in the tube is L, the radius of the tube is R, and the friction coefficient between the balloon surface and the tube wall is μ, L, R and μ should satisfy the relation: L/R is more than or equal to S. 1/2 mu, wherein S is a safety coefficient, S is more than or equal to 1, and S is more than or equal to 1.5-2. When in use, the air bag 10 is firstly sent to a certain depth by the connecting rod 300, and then is inflated by the air source 201 such as an air compressor. After the blowout is blocked, a certain safety margin is reserved, the gas is stopped from being filled, but the gas is supplemented at any time according to the indication value of the pressure gauge 204. Fig. 2 shows the situation of piping blockage outside the bank. When piping occurs, although the effect of plugging the interior of the bank is good, when a leak is not easily found from the interior of the bank, the leak is often plugged outside the bank. The working principle under the condition is the same as the principle of plugging during blowout. Because the dike is made of the sand, when the air bag is inflated and expanded in the hole, the hole is blocked, the hole wall is compacted, and the dike is further consolidated. It should be noted that the bladder should extend deep enough into the leak to ensure the contact length described above, while also preventing the bladder from crushing the leak. Fig. 3 shows the case of plugging in a bent water pipe, a gas pipe, or the like. At this time, the delivery device 30 is a flexible shaft 301 and a control cable 208. Fig. 4 shows a case where the pipe is a straight pipe and the leak is located at a deep position of the pipe. In this case, a wireless-controlled delivery device with the pusher 310 may be used.

Fig. 17A and 17B illustrate another embodiment of the present invention, which includes an air bag 10, a delivery device 30, and a leak detector 40 described below. At the moment, the leaking stoppage air bag can automatically detect the leaking position under the condition that the leaking position is not easy to find or the leaking stoppage is inconvenient, and the air bag is led into the working position to stop the leaking. When piping occurs, the effect of plugging in the dike is good. But leaks within the dike tend to be less noticeable due to water depth and/or turbidity. Therefore, a device capable of detecting a leak by itself is required. Fig. 18-23 illustrate six embodiments of such a leak detector. The probe 40 should be susceptible to being sucked into the hole by the trapped water flow created by the leak. The leak detector in fig. 18 is a probe skirt 403 that may be attached to the balloon. The probe skirt 403 is made of a soft material and has a skirt-like shape after being expanded. The leak detector shown in fig. 19 is a plurality of flexible probe strips 404 attachable to the balloon and a probe bag 406 and/or a probe ball 405 secured to the free end of each probe strip. The probe bag 406 is folded when not in operation, has a small volume, and is unfolded into a parachute shape when in operation, and can occupy a large space. The ball is a sphere. The leak detector may also be formed by a plurality of probes 404', probe bags 406 and/or probe balls 405 (see fig. 20), wherein the probes are resilient and the free ends thereof suspend the probe bags or probe balls by means of flexible cables 407. The leak detector shown in fig. 21 is comprised of a probe net 404 "attachable to the balloon and a plurality of probe bags 406 and/or probe balls 405 suspended from the net by flexible cables 407. Wherein, the probe net 404 "is a net-shaped member. Fig. 22-23 illustrate additional embodiments of leak detection apparatus that include the leak detector described above. But with the difference that the leak detector is not mounted on the air bag, but on a long rod, or on a flexible cable or shaft. In this way, a leakage detection device is formed which is spatially separated from the airbag. When the leakage plugging air bag works, the leakage detecting device detects the position of leakage, and then the leakage plugging air bag with the structure is used for plugging the leakage.

It should be noted that in the above structure, the average specific gravity of the probe skirt 403, the probe band 404, the probe bag 406, the probe ball 405 and the soft rope 407 should be close to the specific gravity of the fluid medium, so that the above components can be suspended in the fluid medium and spread in a space as large as possible after entering the fluid medium, thereby effectively performing the detection.

The lost circulation balloon shown in fig. 17A and 17B is constructed by fixing the leakage detecting member 40 shown in fig. 20 to the lower side of the structure shown in fig. 14. The integrated lost circulation bladder and leak detection device 40 is deployed into an area of water where a leak may exist using the linkage 300. While the probe bag 406 is deployed. Since the probe bag is in a parachute shape after being unfolded, the airbag 10 is pulled into the leak hole under the action of the water flow wrapped by the leak hole. When the operator feels that the air bag extends into the leak to a certain depth (i.e. at least more than the contact length of the air bag with the wall of the hole after inflation), the control cable 208 is pulled to open the switch, and the air bag is inflated. The inflated air bag not only blocks the hole, but also compacts the hole wall. Thus, on one hand, the piping is stopped, and on the other hand, the dam consolidation also plays a beneficial role.

The structure and use of the present invention have been described above by way of example, but not limitation. Various effective modifications and variations can be made by those skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the present invention is not limited to use in plugging in the event of a fluid leak. When the pipeline is maintained or overhauled, if the working section does not have switchgear, then can use the utility model discloses a pipeline is temporarily plugged up to the leaking stoppage gasbag.

Claims

1. A lost circulation gasbag, characterized in that, this lost circulation gasbag includes: an inflatable bladder including a valve and a bladder body; a gas source and control device, which is connected with the air bag through the valve and can inflate the air bag, comprises a gas source and a switch which is connected with the gas source and controls the gas source.

2. A lost circulation balloon as defined in claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the balloon body is a rough surface.

3. A lost circulation balloon as defined in claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the balloon body is a smooth surface.

4. Lost circulation air bag according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the air bag has at least one air chamber for air storage.

5. A lost circulation bladder as defined in claim 1, wherein said air source and control means further comprises a pressure limiting valve capable of limiting the maximum inflation pressure.

6. A lost circulation air bag according to claim 1 or 5 wherein said air supply and control means further comprises a pressure display means capable of displaying inflation pressure.

7. A lost circulation air bag according to claim 6 wherein said air source and control means further comprises an inflation tube having one end connected to said air bag and the other end connected to said air source through said switch.

8. A lost circulation air bag according to claim 7 wherein said inflation tube and said switch are integral and are connected to said air source and said air bag respectively via connectors.

9. A lost circulation air bag according to claim 7 wherein said air bag and said switch are provided with connectors at opposite ends thereof, said air bag and said switch being provided with connectors detachably coupled to said connectors of said air bag, respectively, said air bag and said switch being coupled to said connectors of said air bag and said switch, respectively, through said connectors at opposite ends thereof.

10. A lost circulation balloon as defined in claim 7, wherein at least one-way valve preventing air leakage from said balloon is provided in a portion of said inflation tube adjacent to said balloon.

11. A lost circulation balloon as defined in claim 7, wherein at least one-way valve is provided in the valve to prevent air leakage from the balloon.

12. A lost circulation air bag according to claim 6 wherein said air source and control means are integral with said air bag and wherein said switch is associated with said air port.

13. A lost circulation balloon as defined in claim 12, wherein said gas source and control means further comprises a control cable coupled to said switch.

14. A lost circulation balloon as defined in claim 13, wherein said control cable is an electrical cable and said gas source and control means further comprises a switch controller connected to said switch via said cable, wherein said switch is a wired electronic switch.

15. A lost circulation balloon as defined in claim 13, wherein said control cable is a cord operable by pulling said switch, wherein said switch is a mechanical switch.

16. A lost circulation balloon as defined in claim 12, wherein said gas source and control means further comprises a controller wirelessly coupled to said switch, wherein said switch is a wirelessly controlled electronic switch.

17. A lost circulation balloon as defined in claim 12, wherein said air supply and control means further comprises a pressure sensor for sensing inflation pressure, said pressure display means being wirelessly coupled to said pressure sensor.

18. A lost circulation balloon as defined in claim 12, wherein said air supply and control means further comprises a pressure sensor for sensing inflation pressure, said pressure display means being connected to said pressure sensor via a cable.

19. A lost circulation balloon as defined in claim 1, further comprising a delivery device for delivering the balloon to a predetermined operating position.

20. A lost circulation balloon as defined in claim 19, wherein the delivery device is a resilient rigid linkage coupled to the balloon.

21. A lost circulation balloon as defined in claim 19, wherein the delivery device is a flexible shaft coupled to the balloon.

22. A lost circulation balloon as defined in claim 19, wherein the delivery device is a tether having one end coupled to the balloon.

23. A lost circulation balloon as defined in claim 19, wherein the delivery device further comprises a rod with a loop at one end through which the other end of the tether passes.

24. A lost circulation balloon according to claim 19, wherein the delivery means comprises a first magnetic body and a second magnetic body for guiding and positioning the first magnetic body by magnetic force, wherein the first magnetic body is fixed to the balloon and the second magnetic body is a free-moving independent element.

25. A lost circulation bladder as defined in claim 24, wherein said first magnetic body further comprises at least one roller disposed thereon.

26. A lost circulation balloon as defined in claim 19, wherein the delivery device comprises a propulsion device secured to the balloon for propelling the balloon and a propulsion controller for controlling the propulsion device.

27. A lost circulation balloon according to claim 1 or 19 further comprising a leak detector attachable to the balloon for self-detection of the location of a leak.

28. A lost circulation balloon as defined in claim 27, wherein the leak detector is a skirt attachable to the balloon and capable of suspending in fluid and skirt-like shape when deployed.

29. A lost circulation balloon as defined in claim 27, wherein the leak detector comprises a plurality of radially extending flexible probe strips attachable to the balloon for suspension in a fluid stream upon deployment and a plurality of probe bags and/or probes attached to the free ends of the probe strips, wherein the probe bags are parachute-shaped and the probes are substantially spheroid.

30. A lost circulation balloon as defined in claim 27, wherein the leak detector comprises a plurality of radially extending resilient probes attachable to the balloon and a probe bag and/or a probe ball attached to the free end of each probe via a flexible cable and capable of being suspended in the fluid when deployed, the probe bag being parachute-shaped when deployed and the probe ball being substantially spheroid.

31. A lost circulation balloon as defined in claim 27, wherein the leak detector comprises a flexible probe net attachable to the balloon and a plurality of probe bags and/or probes attached to the probe net via flexible cables and capable of suspending in fluid when deployed, the probe net being a mesh-like member, the probe bags being parachute-like when deployed, and the probes being substantially spherical.

32. A lost circulation balloon according to claim 1 or 19 further comprising a leak detection means spatially separate from said balloon and for detecting the location of a fluid leak prior to placement of said balloon, said leak detection means comprising a leak detector capable of self-detecting the location of a fluid leak.

33. The leak stoppage balloon as set forth in claim 32, wherein the leak detector is a skirt capable of being suspended in a fluid and formed in a skirt shape when deployed.

34. A leak stoppage balloon as claimed in claim 32, wherein the leak detection member is a plurality of radially disposed flexible probe strips capable of being suspended in a fluid when deployed and a probe bag and/or a probe ball attached to a free end of each probe strip, the probe bag being parachute-shaped when deployed and the probe ball being substantially spheroid.

35. A leak stoppage balloon as claimed in claim 32, wherein the leak detector comprises a plurality of radially disposed resilient probe claws and a flexible cable connected to the free end of each of the probe claws for suspending in fluid when deployed, and/or a probe bag and/or a probe ball which is substantially spherical when deployed and which is parachute-shaped.

36. A leak stoppage balloon as claimed in claim 32, wherein the leak detector comprises a flexible probe net and a plurality of probe bags and/or probes attached to the probe net via flexible cables and capable of being suspended in the fluid when deployed, the probe net being a mesh-like structure, the probe bags being parachute-like when deployed, and the probes being substantially spherical.

37. The plugging airbag of claim 32 wherein said leak detection means comprises an elongated rod, said leak detector being removably secured to one end of said elongated rod.

38. A leak stoppage balloon as set forth in claim 32, wherein said leak detection means includes a flexible cable, said leak detection member being removably secured to one end of the flexible cable.

39. A leak stoppage balloon as set forth in claim 32, wherein said leak detector includes a flexible shaft, said leak detector being removably secured to one end of said flexible shaft.

40. A leak stoppage balloon as set forth in claim 32 wherein said leakage detection means includes a rod member having a loop with an aperture at one end thereof and a cable having one end thereof attached to said leakage detection member and the other end thereof extending through said aperture of said rod member loop.